WAYF BOYS Bring Their Own Kind of Confidence to “SWAG”
WAYF BOYS released their second single, “SWAG,” on August 28, following their August 7 debut with “WAYF BOYS DO.” Bringing together Andrew, Junmyeong, Anderson, Samuel, and Ryan, the new track settles into a smooth blend of R&B and hip-hop while giving the five members more room to show what happens when their different musical backgrounds meet.
The five members each came to WAYF BOYS through their own paths in music. Lee Junmyeong trained with YG Entertainment, Starship Entertainment, and MORE VISION before being selected for MORE VISION’s pre-debut LNGSHOT lineup. Anderson Taylor moved from Toronto to Seoul after being selected through SM Entertainment’s “Welcome to the NeoCiTy” audition and later appeared on NCT Universe: LASTART. Andrew Han trained under KOZ Entertainment, performed as DREW & JAE, and competed on BOYS II PLANET. Ryan Hwang has experience with SM Entertainment and FNC Entertainment and has released music as Ryan Again, while Samuel Lee, also known as Lee Chanhee, competed on Show Me the Money 11 before training under MORE VISION. Before WAYF BOYS became an official group, each member was already finding their own way through training, competition programs, previous releases, and performance.
That history gives the group's early music an interesting starting point because listeners were able to hear their chemistry before they ever had an official single. One moment that first drew attention to WAYF BOYS was an a cappella cover of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature,” stripping the performance down to the five members' voices and allowing their blend to speak for itself. Without a large production surrounding them, the differences between their voices became part of what made the performance work. “SWAG” takes that same chemistry into a much fuller setting, surrounding the members with a beat and giving them room to move between vocals, rap, and the individual styles they bring into the group.
“SWAG” settles into its sound quickly, building around an R&B and hip-hop groove rather than trying to overwhelm the listener from the opening seconds. There is enough space in the production for the members to sit comfortably inside the rhythm, with the R&B influence providing the smoother edge while the hip-hop foundation keeps the track moving. The beat leaves room for both vocals and rap to stand out without making either feel like a separate part of the song. It is a relatively relaxed approach to a track whose title suggests anything but subtlety.
The song's lyrics lean fully into that contrast. “SWAG” repeats its title throughout, surrounding it with references to money, jewelry, cars, clothes, being noticed, and knowing exactly how they want to present themselves. On paper, that kind of flexing could become repetitive quickly, but the members' delivery keeps it from feeling overly serious. There is a playful exaggeration to the way they approach the lyrics, almost as though they know exactly how much swagger the song needs and are willing to have fun with it. References to being overlooked and eventually getting noticed add another layer beneath the bravado, making some of the confidence feel less like a declaration and more like a celebration of finally getting the chance to be seen.
The chemistry between the members is where that approach really comes through. Their deliveries are different enough to keep the track moving, while the consistent groove gives those differences somewhere to meet. Some sections lean into melody while others are driven more by rhythm and rap, creating changes in texture without making the song feel disjointed. Rather than building the track around one voice, “SWAG” works because each member contributes something different to the overall sound.
Their own involvement in the song adds to that connection. Anderson, Samuel, Junmyeong, and Andrew are among the writers credited on “SWAG,” with members also appearing among the composition and production credits. That involvement makes the song's attitude feel more connected to the people performing it. They are not simply delivering lyrics about confidence because the concept calls for it; several of the members helped shape the words and sound behind that confidence. The result feels more personal without needing to turn the song into an explanation of their individual histories.
The production also refuses to stay in exactly the same place for the entire track. Near the end, “SWAG” moves toward a more hyperpop-influenced sound, adding a sharper electronic edge after spending most of the song in its R&B and hip-hop space. The shift is noticeable without completely disrupting the groove established earlier, giving the final stretch a little more energy and keeping the arrangement from becoming predictable.
That mixture of influences also makes WAYF BOYS' “NU-Kpop” description easier to understand through the music itself. The group has described its approach as moving between K-pop, R&B, hip-hop, fashion, digital culture, and a more creator-driven way of building the group. “SWAG” does not need to stop and identify each influence individually. The combination is already there: smooth R&B textures, hip-hop rhythm, and an electronic turn near the finish that adds another dimension to the track.
WAYF BOYS performed “SWAG” at Waterbomb Seoul before “WAYF BOYS DO” was released, meaning the song was already part of their live identity before becoming their second official single. “WAYF BOYS DO” arrived on August 7, followed by “SWAG” on August 28, so listeners are now hearing a track the members had already brought to a live audience before its formal release. That live history also fits the song's more relaxed attitude. A debut has to establish a group and give listeners a reason to remember five new names and faces. With a second single, there is a little more room to simply let the members have fun with the sound and image they are building.
The music video carries that same attitude. The styling and choreography lean into the song's swagger, but the members are allowed to play with the concept rather than treating every moment as a serious statement about where the group is headed. There is an exaggerated quality to the visuals that matches the lyrics, keeping the song's confidence from becoming too self-conscious. When the track is already having fun with the idea of looking good, talking yourself up, and enjoying the moment, the visual side benefits from doing the same.
“SWAG” works because it knows what it wants to be without trying to make itself bigger than it needs to be. The R&B foundation gives the song its smoothness, the hip-hop influence keeps the rhythm moving, and the members' different deliveries prevent the track from settling into one predictable pattern. Even the late electronic shift feels like an extension of that willingness to play with the sound rather than a forced attempt to surprise the listener.
For Andrew, Junmyeong, Anderson, Samuel, and Ryan, the track offers another opportunity to settle into the chemistry that first made their pre-debut performances worth watching. There is confidence here, but there is also a sense of enjoyment in how they approach it. “SWAG” is smooth, playful, occasionally unexpected, and comfortable enough in its own sound to let the five members carry its personality. As WAYF BOYS continue building their sound, the second single gives listeners another piece of that process — and, more importantly, another reason to press play again.
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