Universe (Exo song) explained

Universe
Type:	single
Artist:	Exo
Album:	Universe
Released:	December 26, 2017
Recorded:	2017
Genre:	Soft rock^[1]
Length:	4:24
Label:	SM
Producer:	Hyuk Shin MRey
Prev Title:	Power
Prev Year:	2017
Next Title:	Electric Kiss
Next Year:	2018

"Universe" is a song by South Korean–Chinese boy band Exo, released on December 26, 2017, as the lead single of their sixth extended play Universe. It was released in both Korean and Chinese versions by their label SM Entertainment.

Background and release

Produced by Shin Hyuk and MRey, "Universe" is described as a soft pop-rock ballad, with lyrics about how a person will search the universe just to find their lover. The song was released on December 26 with the album.^[2]

Music video

The Korean and Chinese music videos for "Universe" were released on December 26, 2017. It features Exo "melancholically reflecting on the caffeinated beverage and performing different activities that serve as metaphors for the tightly-wound, messy emotions described in the lyrics".^[3]

The Korean music video has over 44 million views on YouTube.

Promotion

Exo performed "Universe" for the first time on December 31 on MBC's year-end show, MBC Gayo Daejejeon.^[4] The song was also performed during Nature Republic's Green Nature Exo Fan Festival on February 3, 2018.

Commercial performance

"Universe" debuted at number two on the South Korean Gaon Digital Chart. It also topped the Billboard Korea Kpop Hot 100 for the first week of 2018.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.^[5]

Studio

• SM LVYIN Studio – recording
• SM Concert Hall Studio – mixing
• Sterling Sound – mastering

Personnel

• SM Entertainment – executive producer
• Lee Soo-man – producer
• Yoo Young-jin – music and sound supervisor
• Exo – vocals
  • Chen – background vocals
• Sarah Yoon – Korean lyrics
• Xiao Han – Chinese lyrics
• Hyuk Shin – producer, composition, arrangement
• Marco "MRey" Reyes – producer, composition, arrangement
• JJ Evans – composition
• Jeff Lewis – composition
• Seo Mi-rae – vocal directing, background vocals, Pro Tools operating, digital editing
• Lee Ji-hong – recording
• Nam Koong-jin – mixing
• Randy Merrill – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2017–18)	Peak position
China (Billboard V Chart)^[6]	7
Philippines (Philippine Hot 100)^[7]	65
South Korea (Kpop Hot 100)^[8]	1
South Korea (Gaon Digital Chart)^[9]	2

Yearly charts

Sales

Downloads

Accolades

See main article: article.

Year	Award	Category	Result
2017	Gaon Chart Music Awards	Song of the Year – December
2018	Korea Popular Music Awards	Best Digital Song
2019	Golden Disk Awards	Digital Bonsang

Music program awards

Program	Date
Music Bank (KBS)	January 5, 2018
	January 12, 2018
Show! Music Core (MBC)	January 6, 2018

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
South Korea	December 26, 2017
Worldwide			S.M. Entertainment

Notes and References

1. News: EXO Delivers Up Winter Album ‘Universe’. Herman. Tamar. Billboard. December 26, 2017. April 9, 2024. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20230814133650/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/exo-new-album-universe-stream-8078678/. August 14, 2023.
2. News: 엑소, 새 앨범 발매 21일→26일로 연기…故 종현 애도[공식]]. 2018-02-16. ko.
3. EXO Delivers Up Winter Album 'Universe'. Billboard. 2018-02-16. 2017-12-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20171231021522/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/8078678/exo-new-album-universe-stream. live.
4. News: 엑소, MBC '가요대제전'서 신곡 무대 최초 공개. 2018-02-16. ko. 2019-06-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20190629060537/https://entertain.naver.com/now/read?oid=018&aid=0004000795. live.
5. Universe. Exo. 2017. Credits. photobook. SM Entertainment. South Korea.
6. China V Chart. Billboard. 2018-02-17. 2018-10-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20181006082332/https://www.billboard.com/charts/china-v-chart/2018-01-06. live.
7. News: BillboardPH Hot 100 - January 15 - Billboard Philippines. 2018-01-12. Billboard Philippines. 2018-02-16. en-US. 2018-01-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20180116024624/http://billboard.ph/billboardph-hot-100-january-15/. live.
8. Web site: Billboard Kpop Hot 100. billboard.co.kr. 2018-02-16. 2018-03-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20180314052843/http://billboard.co.kr/index_subpage.html?mainwhat=1&subwhat=0&nchart_pos=25. dead.
9. Web site: 2017 Gaon Digital Chart - Week 52. Gaon Music Chart. ko. 2018-02-16. 2018-01-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20180105011350/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=52&hitYear=2017&termGbn=week. live.
10. Web site: Gaon Digital Chart - January, 2018. Gaon Music Chart. ko. 2018-02-16. 2018-03-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20180326200626/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=01&hitYear=2018&termGbn=month. live.
11. Web site: Gaon Digital Chart - Year 2018. Gaon Music Chart. ko. 2019-01-09. 2019-03-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20190316203544/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&termGbn=year&hitYear=2018&year_time=1. live.
12. Web site: Gaon Download Chart - December, 2017. Gaon Music Chart. ko. 2018-02-16. 2019-04-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20190408020825/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=S1020&targetTime=12&hitYear=2017&termGbn=month. live.