Epitaph (EP) explained

Epitaph
Type:EP
Artist:Tohoshinki
Cover:Tohoshinki epitaph.png
Caption:Digital cover
Alt:A gray and black vault door with the artist and title engraved on an attached plaque.
Released: (release history)
Recorded:2020 - 22
Length:21:41
Language:Japanese
Label:Avex Trax
Prev Title:XV
Prev Year:2019
Next Title:20&2
Next Year:2023

Epitaph is the first Japanese extended play by South Korean duo Tohoshinki. It was released on March 16, 2022, by Avex Trax. Epitaph is a pop album with elements of pop rock, dance pop, and synthesizers. It was released as a follow-up to Tohoshinki's solo EPs Human (2021) by Changmin and Kimi wa Saki e Iku (2022) by Yunho, and is also the duo's first original release in Japan since XV (2019). The EP's first track, "Epitaph (For the Future)" is the lead single.

Epitaph debuted at number three on the Oricon Albums Chart,[1] breaking Tohoshinki's streak of number one debuts. Epitaph is their lowest-charted album on the Oricon since T (2008), which debuted at number four. Epitaph also debuted at number three on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums,[2] but topped the Billboard Japan Download Albums, with 2,402 downloads on the first week.[3] [4]

Epitaph accompanied Tohoshinki's nation-wide Classyc Tour in 2023, which started at the Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya on February 11, 2023, and concluded at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on June 25, 2023.

Background and release

On October 18, 2021, Avex announced that Tohoshinki would be returning to the Japanese music scene with three consecutive releases starting December 2021.[5] Referring to the EPs as mini albums, it was announced that Changmin would be releasing his mini album Human in December 2021, followed by Yunho's mini album Kimi wa Saki e Iku in January 2022, and finally the duo comeback mini album Epitaph in February 2022. Epitaph would be the duo's first Japanese release since XV in 2019. However, due to production issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, Yunho's mini album was delayed to a February 9, 2022 release, while Epitaph was delayed to March 16, 2022. Changmin's Human was released as scheduled, on December 8, 2021.

The tracklist of the album was unveiled on March 5, 2022.[6] Avex released snippets of each track every day starting March 5, 2022, through Tohoshinki's official Twitter account. The EP's official website was also revealed.[7] Their single "Small Talk" (2020), which sold 9,786 downloads, was also revealed to be part of the tracklist.[8] On March 12, a music video teaser of the EP's lead single "Epitaph (For the Future)" was released.[9] A television advertisement for the EP's release, which also featured an extended snippet of the lead single, was revealed on March 14.[10]

From March 14 to 20, promotional images of Epitaph were posted at the Metro Promenade in the Shinjuku Station.[11] The music video for "Epitaph (For the Future)" was released on March 16, alongside the EP. From March 16 to 22, the music video was broadcast at the Yunika Vision, a landmark of Shinjuku, every twenty minutes from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.[12]

Composition

Epitaph consists of six tracks. A pop album, the EP opens with "Epitaph", a pop rock dance track, with lyrics about determination toward the future.[13] The second track "Like Snow-White" is a mid-tempo track with funk and R&B elements. "Mahoroba" draws inspiration from trap music with heavy bass. "Storm Chaser" is a mid-tempo rock ballad, and "Light My Moon Like This" is a mashup of Changmin's b-side track "Light Up My Moon" from Human (2021) and Yunho's "Shake It Like This" from Kimi wa Saki e Iku (2022). A lyric video for "Light My Moon Like This" was released on March 20.[14]

Reception

Epitaph debuted at number two on the daily Oricon Albums Chart on the first day of release, selling 24,884 copies.[15] It entered the Oricon Albums Chart at number three, with 36,038 copies sold on the first week for release.[16] Epitaph broke Tohoshinki series of number one debuts in Japan, and was their lowest-charted album since T (2008), which debuted at number four. Epitaph stayed charted for 17 weeks on the Oricon,[17] selling 45,808 copies by the end of the year, and ranking 86th on Oricon's year-end chart.

Epitaph also debuted at number three on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums, its lowest-charted album since the chart's inception in 2015. However, it topped the Billboard Japan Download Albums Chart, with over 2,402 downloads.

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)3
Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)3

Year-end charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[18] 86

Sales

ReleasedOricon chartPeakDebut salesSales total
March 16, 2022
Daily Albums Chart[19] 424,88446,095
Weekly Albums Chart336,038
Monthly Albums Chart (March)[20] 1041,112
Yearly Albums Chart (2022)8646,095

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
VariousMarch 16, 2022Avex Entertainment
South Korea[21] S.M. Entertainment
JapanAvex Trax

Notes and References

  1. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2022-03-28/. ja:週間 CDアルバムランキング 2022年03月28日付. Weekly CD Album Ranking on March 28, 2022. Oricon. ja. March 24, 2024.
  2. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums, Week of March 23, 2022. Billboard Japan. ja. March 24, 2024.
  3. Web site: Billboard Japan Download Albums, Week of March 23, 2022. Billboard Japan. ja. March 24, 2024.
  4. Web site: 東方神起『Epitaph』DLアルバム首位デビュー、JUJU/ヒプマイ/TWICE/Stray Kidsら混戦. TVXQ's "Epitaph" debuts at the top of the DL album, JUJU/Hypmai/TWICE/Stray Kids join forces. Billboard Japan. ja. March 24, 2024.
  5. Web site: 2022.2... "東方神起" Mini Album RELEASE!!. Avex. Tohoshinki to release mini album in February 2022. ja. October 18, 2021. March 26, 2024.
  6. Web site: 2022.3.16.Release"東方神起" Mini Album「Epitaph」、公式Twitterにて試聴用音源全曲公開!!. Avex. Epitaph songs to be revealed through Twitter. ja. March 5, 2022. March 26, 2024.
  7. Web site: Tohoshinki's Epitaph. ja.
  8. Web site: オリコン週間 デジタルシングル(単曲)ランキング 2020年11月23日~2020年11月29日 11~20位 . Weekly Digital Single Ranking for November 23-November 29, 2020 . www.oricon.co.jp. Oricon. https://web.archive.org/web/20201202094148/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/dis/w/2020-12-07/p/2/ . December 7, 2020. December 2, 2020 . ja.
  9. Web site: Avex. 2022.3.16."東方神起"Mini Albumより「Epitaph -for the future-」Music Video Teaserを公開!. Music video teaser for Epitaph's lead single 'Epitaph (For the Future)' is revealed|lang=ja. March 12, 2022. March 26, 2024.
  10. Web site: Avex. 2022.3.16."東方神起"Mini Album「Epitaph」SPOT動画を公開!trans-title=TV Spot for Epitaph is revealed|lang=ja. March 14, 2022. March 26, 2024.
  11. Web site: Avex. 2022.3.16."東方神起"Mini Album「Epitaph」リリースを記念して、東京メトロ新宿駅「メトロプロムナード」の特大ボード&サイネージをジャック!!. Epitaph signage to be posted at Shinjuku Station's Metro Promenade . ja. March 15, 2022. March 26, 2024.
  12. Web site: Avex. 期間限定!ユニカビジョンで"東方神起"「Epitaph -for the future-」Music Videoの特別放映が決定!. Limited time only: Tohoshinki's 'Epitaph (For the Future)' to broadcast on Yunika Vision. ja. March 14, 2022. March 16, 2024.
  13. Web site: K Vibe . TVXQ to release Japanese mini album 'Epitaph' on Mar. 16 . March 15, 2022 . March 30, 2024.
  14. Web site: Avex. 2022.3.16.東方神起 Mini Album「Epitaph」収録「Light My Moon Like THIS」Lyric Music Video公開!. Lyric music video for 'Light My Moon Like This' from the mini album 'Epitaph' is revealed. ja. March 20, 2022. March 26, 2024.
  15. Web site: Oricon. Oricon Daily Albums Chart, March 15, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220316091119/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/d/2022-03-15/. live. March 16, 2022. March 24, 2024. ja.
  16. Web site: Oricon. Oricon Albums Chart, Week of March 28, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20230813142529/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2022-03-28/. live. August 13, 2023. March 24, 2024. ja.
  17. Web site: Oricon. Epitaph by Tohoshinki. March 24, 2024. ja.
  18. Web site: Oricon Top 100 Albums of 2022. Oricon . April 13, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231017213320/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/y/2022/p/9/ . October 17, 2023 . ja.
  19. Web site: Oricon Daily Albums Chart: 2022-03-16 . Oricon . April 13, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220317090659/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/d/2022-03-16/ . March 17, 2022 . ja.
  20. Web site: Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-03 . Oricon . April 13, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006195459/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/m/2022-03/ . October 6, 2022 . ja.
  21. Web site: . Epitaph by 동방신기 . January 31, 2023 . April 14, 2024 . Korean.