Love Me a Little explained

Love Me a Little
Type:single
Album:The Unseen
Released:July 25, 2023
Recorded:2023
Language:Korean
Genre:
  • K-pop
Length:3:19
Label:
Composer:
Lyricist:
  • Hyungwon
  • Justin Oh
  • Jantine Annika Heij
  • Rudi Zygadlo
Producer:
  • Hyungwon
  • Justin Oh

"Love Me a Little" is the debut song recorded by the South Korean boy group Monsta X's first official sub-unit Shownu X Hyungwon for their debut extended play The Unseen. It was released as lead single of the EP by Starship Entertainment and Kakao Entertainment on July 25, 2023.

Background and release

On June 28, Starship Entertainment revealed that the EP's title is The Unseen,[1] with the lead single titled "Love Me a Little", revealed on July 12.[2] Hyungwon produced the lead single, while Shownu participated in its choreography.[3]

Composition

"Love Me a Little" is a track with a midtempo chorus backed by percussion,[4] depicting the conflict between our true self and what others want us to be.[5] It is also described as a plea to a lover to love them just a little bit more as they evolve as people.[6]

Music video

"Love Me a Little" video sees the duo preoccupied with the way the object of their affections makes them feel, from captivated to borderline insane. Even simple things like driving and lying in bed prove to be a task, as their thoughts overtake them.[4] Its music video also features Shownu X Hyungwon performing the track's sultry choreography atop a stage covered in water.[7]

Promotion

On July 25, Shownu X Hyungwon held The Unseen Release Talk Live to commemorate the release of the debut EP The Unseen, including "Love Me a Little" through Monsta X's official YouTube channel.[8] On July 27, they did a "Love Me a Little" celebratory performance after the first half of the soccer game between Atlético Madrid and K League for the Coupang Play Series, held at Seoul World Cup Stadium.[9] The duo also subsequently appeared on several music programs such as Mnet's M Countdown on July 27,[10] KBS2's Music Bank on July 28,[11] MBC's Show! Music Core on July 29,[12] and SBS' Inkigayo on July 30.[13] On August 11, they performed "Love Me a Little" for the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree K-pop Super Live, held at Seoul World Cup Stadium.[14] On August 15, Shownu X Hyungwon appeared on the famous morning talk show Good Day New York, promoting "Love Me a Little".[15]

Critical reception

Han Seong-hyun of IZM described "Love Me a Little" as a song that "flows neatly without any superfluities", added that "distance between the heavy sound that seems to express tamed wildness and the light repetition-oriented chorus is not easily narrowed", which made it "more like a long-term project rather than a one-off song".

Commercial performance

"Love Me a Little" charted at number 49 on Circle Digital Chart, for the week of July 23 to 29, with 5,670,337 digital points.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Melon.[16]

Charts

Weekly chart

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Peak
position
South Korea (Circle)[17] 49

Notes and References

  1. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=117&aid=0003745364. ko:몬스타엑스 셔누X형원, 7월 5일 유닛 데뷔…첫 미니 '디 언씬' 발매 [공식]. MONSTA X's Shownu X Hyungwon, unit debut on July 5... Released the first mini 'The Unseen' [Official]. My Daily. Naver. Kang. Da-yoon. 2023-06-29. 2023-06-29. ko. June 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230629064005/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=117&aid=0003745364. live.
  2. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=382&aid=0001063262. ko:형원 자작곡=타이틀곡…몬스타엑스 유닛 셔누X형원 트랙리스트 공개. Hyungwon's self-composed song = title song... Monsta X Unit Shownu X Hyungwon Track List Revealed. Sports Dong-A. Naver. Jeong. Hee-yeon. 2023-07-13. 2023-07-13. ko. July 13, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230713022047/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=382&aid=0001063262. live.
  3. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=117&aid=0003751056. ko:몬스타엑스 셔누X형원, 닮은 듯 다르네…'문짝즈'의 첫 유닛. MONSTA X's Shownu X Hyungwon, similar but different... The first unit of 'Moonjjakz'. My Daily. Naver. Oh. Yoon-joo. 2023-07-14. 2023-07-14. ko. July 14, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230714072004/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=117&aid=0003751056. live.
  4. Monsta X's Shownu & Hyungwon Team Up for First Joint Mini Album 'The Unseen': Stream It Now. Billboard. Bowenbank. Starr. 2023-07-25. 2023-07-26. July 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230726112916/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/monsta-x-shownu-hyungwon-the-unseen-mini-album-1235379090/. live.
  5. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=311&aid=0001619997. ko:몬스타엑스 유닛 셔누X형원, 오늘(25일) 데뷔. Monsta X unit Shownu X Hyungwon, debut today (25th). Xports News. Naver. Cho. Hye-jin. 2023-07-25. 2023-07-25. ko. July 25, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230725024746/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=311&aid=0001619997. live.
  6. Web site: Shownu X Hyungwon: We are all conflicted in some way. NME. Chin. Carmen. 2023-07-28. 2023-07-29. July 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230729041956/https://www.nme.com/features/music-interviews/shownu-x-hyungwon-we-are-all-conflicted-in-some-way-3474552. live.
  7. Web site: MONSTA X's Shownu and Hyungwon unveil sultry 'Love Me A Little' music video. NME. Yeo. Gladys. 2023-07-26. 2023-07-27. July 27, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230727010610/https://www.nme.com/news/music/monsta-x-shownu-hyungwon-love-me-a-little-music-video-3473529. live.
  8. Web site: http://m.viva100.com/view.php?key=20230725010007548. ko:몬스타엑스 셔누X형원, 오늘(25일) '디 언씬' 발매 기념 토크 라이브 진행. Monsta X Shownu X Hyungwon, today (25th), 'The Unseen' release commemorative talk live. Bridge Economy. Kim. Se-hee. 2023-07-25. 2023-07-25. ko. July 25, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230725143112/http://m.viva100.com/view.php?key=20230725010007548. live.
  9. Web site: https://n.news.naver.com/sports/kfootball/article/436/0000075251. ko:태민-몬스타엑스 셔누X형원, 쿠플시리즈에 뜬다... 팀 K리그VS아틀레티코전 직후 공연 예정. Taemin-Monsta X Shownu X Hyungwon, appearing in the Couple Series... Scheduled to perform right after the Team K League VS Atletico match. Football List. Naver. Yoon. Hyo-yong. 2023-07-18. 2023-07-18. ko. July 18, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230718112711/https://n.news.naver.com/sports/kfootball/article/436/0000075251. live.
  10. Web site: https://www.joynews24.com/view/1617050. ko:'엠카운트다운' 소유·오마이걸·셔누X형원, 여름 달굴 컴백 라인업. 'M Countdown' Soyou, Oh My Girl, Shownu X Hyungwon, Summer Dalgul Comeback Lineup. Joy News 24. Jung. Ji-won. 2023-07-27. 2023-07-28. ko. July 28, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230728105158/https://www.joynews24.com/view/1617050. live.
  11. Web site: http://m.celuvmedia.com/article.php?aid=1690514693458032007. ko:'뮤직뱅크' 오늘(28일) 셔누X형원·소유·오마이걸·엔시티드림·엔믹스·뉴진스. 'Music Bank' Today (28th) Shownu X Hyungwon Soyou Oh My Girl NCT Dream Nmixx New Jeans. Celuv Media. Heo. Ji-hyeong. 2023-07-28. 2023-07-29. ko. July 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230729011307/http://m.celuvmedia.com/article.php?aid=1690514693458032007. live.
  12. Web site: https://www.mediapen.com/news/view/841624. ko:[음악중심 라인업] 소유·오마이걸·셔누X형원·보이스토리·호라이즌·NCT DREAM·엔믹스·퀸즈아이·김소연 등. [Music Core Lineup] Soyou·Oh My Girl·Shownu X Hyungwon·Boy Story·Horizon·NCT DREAM·Nmix·Queenz Eye·Kim Soyeon, etc.. Media Pen. Lee. Dong-gun. 2023-07-29. 2023-07-29. ko. July 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230729035827/https://www.mediapen.com/news/view/841624. live.
  13. Web site: https://www.mediapen.com/news/view/841708. ko:[인기가요 라인업] BTS 정국·셔누X형원·소유·오마이걸·NCT드림·뉴진스·엔믹스·제로베이스원·키스오브라이프 등. [Inkigayo Lineup] BTS Jungkook, Shownu X Hyungwon, Soyou, Oh My Girl, NCT Dream, New Jeans, Enmix, Zero Base One, Kiss of Life, etc.. Media Pen. Kim. Min-seo. 2023-07-30. 2023-07-30. ko. July 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230730022446/https://www.mediapen.com/news/view/841708. live.
  14. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=382&aid=0001068265. ko:뉴진스·NCT 드림→몬스타엑스 셔누X형원 잼버리 콘서트 확정 [공식]. New Jeans · NCT Dream→Monsta X Shownu X Hyungwon Jamboree Concert Confirmed [Official]. Sports Dong-A. Naver. Jeong. Hee-yeon. 2023-08-09. 2023-08-09. ko. August 10, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230810230345/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=382&aid=0001068265. live.
  15. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=437&aid=0000355793. ko:몬스타엑스 셔누·형원, 美 유명 토크쇼 '굿데이 뉴욕' 출연. MONSTA X's Shownu and Hyungwon appeared on the famous American talk show 'Good Day New York'. JTBC. Naver. Park. Sang-hoo. 2023-08-17. 2023-08-17. ko. August 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230817014403/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=437&aid=0000355793. live.
  16. Web site: Love Me a Little - song details. Melon. 2023-07-26. ko. July 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230726065107/https://www.melon.com/song/detail.htm?songId=36640555. live.
  17. Web site: Week 30 of 2023 Digital Chart. Circle Chart. July 23–29, 2023. August 3, 2023. ko. August 6, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230806011352/https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=30&hitYear=2023&termGbn=week&yearTime=3. live.