Pentagon has returned as a full group for the first time in three years. Shedding the 'cowardly' image that kept them from appearing in front of fans, they delivered a heartfelt new song and raised expectations for more diverse activities.
At 6 p.m. on the 11th, Pentagon's 10th anniversary single "Coward" and its music video were released on various music platforms.
This "Coward" is a new song that Pentagon is presenting as a full group for the first time in about three years. Earlier, on Oct. 9, 2023, after the members Yeowon, Yanan, Yuto, Kino and Wooseok left the company when their exclusive contracts with Cube Entertainment Corp. expired, Hongseok, Jinho and Hui moved to new agencies and focused on individual activities.
However, on Oct. 10, 2023, Pentagon released the new song "Promise" to mark their seventh debut anniversary, sending a sincere message to their fandom Universe that "we promise eternity," which raised hopes for a reunion as a full group. And after three years of waiting, with Pentagon reuniting as a full group ahead of their 10th anniversary, this "Coward" holds special meaning for both Pentagon and their fans.
Kino, who wrote the lyrics, composed the music and handled overall production for "Coward," created a song about overcoming the fear rooted in the heart to approach someone longed for and taking the courage to meet them again. It seems to represent Pentagon's narrative of returning to fans after three years.
"Coward," which begins with a simple piano melody, gradually adds rich sounds as the song progresses and shifts to a warm, hopeful mood. The music video, which captures Pentagon sprinting unabashedly, combined with an analog filter, leaves a lingering impression like a scene from a youth film. The sight of Pentagon members, who grew while taking on new challenges in their respective places, coming together and playing evokes nostalgia by itself.
The lyrics, co-written by lyricist Kim Eana and the "genius teenage writer" Baek Eun-byeol, deepen the song's emotion. "It's okay, I've tried living well without you / I remember you saying let's meet again someday / I lived because of that one sentence / No, the truth is I was never okay," "Can I love you again?", "Could you love me again?", "Even if I'm afraid, if this is love / oh I willingly fall into you," and other lines delicately capture the hesitation and excitement before a reunion and the eventual certainty of love, which will resonate even more deeply with fans who waited three years for Pentagon.
Member Shinwon also explained the message of the new song "Coward," saying, "After an unintended long period during which we as a team could not stand before Universe, in the process of meeting fans again there was excitement but also an unexplainable tension and hesitation that made us cowards, but this song expresses the ambition to overcome that feeling and go meet them," and added, "I think Hongseok hyung fits the song well, so I recommend listening with a focus on his sweetness."
Meanwhile, after releasing the 10th anniversary project single "Coward," Pentagon will hold the "PENTAGON 10th Anniversary Tour '101010 (Triple Ten)'" concert tour beginning on the 1st of next month in Osaka, Tokyo, Seoul and Hong Kong, where they will meet global fans.
With this long-awaited full-group activity coming at a special time ahead of their 10th debut anniversary, Jinho expressed hope, saying, "Since each member spent a long time on individual activities, it feels like we treasure and enjoy the time together a little more. I think that will have a positive effect on this comeback, and we are practicing so that the tour, through months of rehearsal, won't feel like years of gap. I hope this activity leads to future growth rather than being a one-off, and I wish for activities that make all of Universe happy."
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