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The 2022Disney/PixarmovieTurning Redtells a charming story about a younggirl who becomes a red panda whenever she gets angryand whoidolizes the boy band 4*TOWN. The band is one of the mostpopular parts ofTurning Redand fans are interested in why they got their name since it stands out so much. Watching Mei Lee (Rosalie Chiang) and her friends obsess over these singers and attend one of their concerts makesTurning Reda fun and relatable watch.
There are manyDisney/Pixar movies with great soundtracks, andTurning Redfeatures some catchyoriginal songs “U Know What’s Up,” “1 True Love,” and “Nobody Like U"written by Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell (who also played Jesse, one of the 4TOWN band members). There’s a lot to know about why the band inTurning Redgot the name 4TOWN.
Turning Red’s 4*TOWN Band Name, Explained
The boy band inTurning Redis called 4*TOWN because of ahilarious joke in the original movie script. In an interview withThrillist, director Domee Shi explained:
“In the very first version of the movie, we had this scene between Mei and Ming, her mom, where Ming is not understanding her daughter. She’s saying, ‘Why do they call it 4TOWN if there’s five of them?’ And it was such a funny joke that justified us keeping the boy band in the movie, but then their role got bigger and bigger, and then it just made sense to have Mei’s goal for the movie to get to the 4TOWN concert.”
Shi continued, “That 4TOWN would be the stakes of the movie just felt so 13, and we were so excited by the idea to make our own boy band.” The 4TOWN members are so funny and unforgettable that they definitely rival themost popular characters in Pixar movies. Shi added:
“I think it’s like O-Town and b4-4 merged together with NSYNC to create 4TOWN.”
Unlikethe saddest Pixar movies,Turning Redis a fun, optimistic, and uplifting story about a teenage girl’s desire to find herself while still staying close to her family. Mei Lee’s love for 4*TOWN is relatable as many people remember being huge fans of boy bands back in high school.
Doree Shi
Writers
Story by Domee Shi, Julia Cho, Sarah Streicher Screenplay by Julia Cho, Domee Shi
Cast Members
Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Ava Morse, Orion Lee, Hyein Park, Wai Ching Ho
February 9th, 2024 (United States)
100 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes Score
95%
Domee Shi explained more about 4TOWN an interview withSlate. She said that Mei Lee’s mother Ming doesn’t like the band becausein Chinese culture, four is considered an unlucky number. Shi said, “So wouldn’t it be funny if she just saw her daughter covered in fours? But I like to think that in 4Town canon they were all born on the fourth of a different month or something.”
Who Are The Members Of 4*TOWN In Turning Red?
What Is Turning Red About?
Turning Redfollows 13-year-old Mei Lee who turns into a red panda when emotionaland who learns that this is part of her ancestry. The main storyline sees Mei Lee and her friends hoping to see their favorite band 4*TOWN in concert. Since Mei Lee’s mother Ming doesn’t think that is a good idea, they try to find the money on their own.
While some have beencritical of Disney and Pixar’s animation style, there’s no doubt thatTurning Redtells a moving story in a visually appealing way. Without the boy band 4TOWN,Turning Redwould still be an important coming-of-age story about family, friendship, and self-identity. 4TOWN makesTurning Reda more nostalgic and engaging movie since everyone remembers feeling the same way about a singer or band in high school, even if they didn’t listen to boy bands.
Just likeRiley’s emotional father inInside Out, Mei Lee’s mother Ming goes on a compelling journey to understand her daughter better and realize that they have more in common than they might have originally thought. Fans have wondered why the band inTurning Redis called 4*TOWN because Mei Lee is a kind and smart character who goes on a journey that everyone can relate to, and music is a big part of how she finds out who she is.
