X:IN’s ‘Defend Myself’ Marks a Reckoning — Vulnerable, Bold, Unapologetic
- K Fuse
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
After over a year away from the spotlight, rising K‑pop soon‑to‑breakouts X:IN return with their third mini‑album, Defend Myself—and it’s their most intense statement yet. Out May 17, 2025 under new agency BeBy Entertainment, the EP is a galvanizing dive into anxiety, image pressure, and emotional survival.
Previously under Escrow, X:IN debuted April 2023 with “KEEPING THE FIRE,” followed by mini‑albums Synchronicity and The Real, a rock version of their debut, and the multilingual 2024 single “Seoul—Moskva” ft. TSOY. Now, with BeBy Entertainment, they’re charting uncharted territory. They’re a five‑member multinational group—E.sha, Nizz, Hannah (Korea), Nova (Russia), and Aria (India)—embracing limitless identity like the variable “X” in their name that means “furthermore.”
This isn’t the playful kitsch we’ve seen before. Instead, it’s a raw, self‑defensive armour in four songs—“to protect me,” as the group puts it. X:IN’s leader E.sha explains that Defend Myself reveals two sides: the immaculate idol veneer, and the emotional chaos beneath. Each track shifts seamlessly between these worlds.
Attention Seeker, the title track interrogates fame’s paradox: craving attention, yet recoiling from its glare. Members adopt “movie‑like personas” to express inner fragmentation—melding narcissism and authenticity in one cinematic beat.“Attention seeker” is a raw exploration of the duality in the public gaze. Lines such as “I want you to see me, but I’m scared you’ll judge me” capture the fraught tension between craving validation and fearing exposure. The cinematic imagery—each member embodying a distinct persona—mirrors the fragmented self often forced upon idols, where the real and the performative blur into one. The phrase “movie-like personas” is a meta-commentary on fame as a performance, inviting listeners to consider how identity is shaped by the external gaze. The track’s pulsating beats mimic heartbeat anxiety, the thrum of spotlight pressure.
수리수리마하수리 수수리 사바하 (SABAHA)A house base underpins occultized declarations of enchantment: “make me fall in love.” The energy is potent, playful, and strangely ritualistic—a sonic love‑spell. In “수리수리마하수리 수수리 사바하 (SABAHA),” the incantation-like title and chorus conjure a mystical aura. The lyrics play with love as both spell and surrender, with lines like “cast your charm, make me fall” invoking ritual and vulnerability wrapped in danceable energy. The occult imagery subverts typical K-pop love songs, turning desire into something powerful, even dangerous.
Bitter love is a hushed, emotionally complex confession. Pride battles affection here—caught in that liminal stasis between wanting and holding silence. “Bitter love” is a study in emotional ambivalence. The lyrics depict a relationship caught in hesitation: “I want to reach out but my pride holds me back” reflects the internal battle between longing and fear of rejection. The song’s sparse arrangement highlights the quiet turmoil, emphasizing the emotional distance and unresolved tension.
Almost done, the autobiographical closer: blood, sweat, tears, and hopeful emergence. With the refrain “I’m almost there,” X:IN stake their claim on becoming their own kind of artists.
Aria encapsulates its purpose best: “I hope we are able to convey our true emotions and experiences… and encourage… to be unapologetically themselves.” Finally, “Almost done” carries the album’s emotional weight as a personal testimony. With lines like “Through pain and nights alone, I’m almost there”, X:IN declare resilience and hope. The refrain evokes the grueling journey of growth, artistic struggle, and self-acceptance. It’s both a personal and universal anthem of perseverance, underscored by uplifting harmonies and hopeful instrumentation.
Together, the tracks map a psychological landscape—from external image anxiety to intimate self-reckoning—making Defend Myself a layered, courageous narrative about identity in the public eye.
Defend Myself is more than a comeback—it's a movement from X:IN that allows them the opportunity to push past glossy performances and explore mental and emotional resilience in real-time. As they step away from idol facades, they edge closer to becoming full-fledged artists: unapologetic, introspective, and creatively unbound.
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