Youth (Kihyun EP) explained

Youth
Type:EP
Artist:Kihyun
Cover:Kihyun - Youth.png
Caption:Digital cover
Released:October 24, 2022
Genre:K-pop
Length:17:02
Language:Korean
Label:
Prev Title:Voyager
Prev Year:2022

Youth is the first extended play by the South Korean vocalist Kihyun. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on October 24, 2022. The EP contains five tracks, including the title track of the same name.

Background and release

On September 30, Kihyun posted the coming image of his first EP Youth through Monsta X's official SNS, with release date announced to be on October 24, confirming his first comeback, seven months after his solo debut.[1] [2]

The album film was released on October 5,[3] the tracklist on October 7,[4] and concept films and photos between October 8 to 16.[5] [6] Kihyun had a comeback showcase on Naver Now's #OUTNOW to introduce Youth along with its title track.[7]

The physical EP was released in three standard versions; Youth, Goodbye Youth, and The 2nd Journey, along with a jewel case version and a KiT version.[8]

Composition

Kim Eana wrote the lyrics for the title track "Youth" and group member Hyungwon participated in writing, composing, and arranging the tracks "Bad Liar" and "Where Is This Love", while Kihyun participated in writing the lyrics for the track "'Cause of You" alongside labelmate Brother Su.[9]

Youth is an album that intends to revisit childhood based on the worldview of a "traveler" and started from an autobiographical story.[10]

The title track "Youth" is an alternative rock track in which the present Kihyun tells the child Kihyun all the emotions of that time and the current promise.[10] [11] For the other tracks, "Bad Liar" was composed to complement Kihyun's vocals and is meant to capture that lies can coexist with the desire to get back together, "Stardust" is an up-tempo song with an energetic drum sound, "Where Is This Love" is a song that was inspired by the movie Closer, and "'Cause of You" is a song filled with sweet and refreshing feelings.[12]

Critical reception

Lai Frances of Uproxx wrote that the EP "brought nothing but nostalgia" and described the title track as "a feel-good rock pop song that invites listeners to take a trip down memory lane and remember the greatest times of our lives - our youth", with following four tracks can be interpreted as "moments in our youth where we experience feelings such as anger, heartbreak, loss, and love", while summed it all up as "a timeless masterpiece worth having on loop".[13]

Listicles

List! scope="col" class="unsortable"
Workdata-sort-type="number"Rank
Album
UproxxThe Best K-pop Albums of 2022YouthPlaced

Commercial performance

Kihyun received his second Hanteo Chart Bronze Certification Plaque for achieving 114,950 copies of Initial Chodong sales in its first week of release in South Korea.[14]

Charts

Album

Weekly chart

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
South Korean Albums (Circle)[15] 3

Monthly chart

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
South Korean Albums (Circle)[16] 9

Year-end chart

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
South Korean Albums (Circle)[17] 90

Songs

Weekly chart

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
South Korea (Circle)[18] 90

Certification and sales

Region! scope="col"
CertificationCertified units/sales
South Korea167,823<--161,066 (CD) + 6,757 (KiT)-->[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=018&amp;aid=0005331143. ko:몬스타엑스 기현, 24일 솔로 컴백… 7개월 만. MONSTA X's Kihyun to make a solo comeback on the 24th... 7 months only. Edaily. Naver. Yoon. Yoon-baek. 2022-10-01. 2022-10-01. ko.
  2. Web site: MONSTA X member Kihyun to release new solo mini-album. NME. Suacillo. Angela Patricia. 2022-10-03. 2022-10-24.
  3. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=382&amp;aid=0001008618. ko:몬스타엑스 기현, 'YOUTH' 앨범 필름 공개 '감성 충만'. MONSTA X Kihyun, 'YOUTH' album film release 'full of emotion'. Sports Dong-A. Naver. Jeong. Hee-yeon. 2022-10-06. 2022-10-06. ko.
  4. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=109&amp;aid=0004714934. ko:'컴백' 몬스타엑스 기현, 'YOUTH' 트랙리스트 공개…작사 참여. 'Comeback' MONSTA X's Kihyun reveals 'YOUTH' tracklist... Participate in songwriting. OSEN. Naver. Seon. Mi-kyung. 2022-10-08. 2022-10-08. ko.
  5. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=057&amp;aid=0001695474. ko:몬스타엑스 기현, 'YOUTH' 콘셉트 필름+포토 공개…잔잔한 여운. MONSTA X Kihyun, 'YOUTH' concept film + photo released... calm aftertaste. MBN. Naver. Lee. Nam-kyung. 2022-10-12. 2022-10-12. ko.
  6. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=057&amp;aid=0001697062. ko:몬스타엑스 기현, 신보 마지막 버전 콘셉트 필름 및 포토 공개. MONSTA X Kihyun reveals concept film and photo for the last version of the new album. MBN. Naver. Lee. Nam-kyung. 2022-10-19. 2022-10-19. ko.
  7. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=112&amp;aid=0003595314. ko:몬스타엑스 기현, 오늘(24일) 'YOUTH' 발매→컴백쇼 개최. MONSTA X's Kihyun to release 'YOUTH' today (24th) → Held a comeback show. Kpop Herald. Naver. Park. Seo-hyun. 2022-10-24. 2022-10-24. ko.
  8. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=003&amp;aid=0011454977. ko:몬스타엑스 기현, 7개월만 컴백…2번째 여행 떠난다. MONSTA X Kihyun, comeback after 7 months... 2nd trip. Newsis. Naver. Choi. Yoon-jung. 2022-10-04. 2022-10-04. ko.
  9. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=108&amp;aid=0003094425. ko:몬스타엑스 기현, 'YOUTH' 트랙리스트 공개‥형원→김이나 지원사격. MONSTA X's Kihyun, 'YOUTH' tracklist released...Hyungwon → Kim Eana supporting shooting. Star News. Naver. Kim. No-eul. 2022-10-08. 2022-10-08. ko.
  10. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=609&amp;aid=0000645110. ko:'매력부자' 몬스타엑스 기현, 기대되는 두 번째 여정. 'Rich Charmer' MONSTA X's Kihyun, an anticipated second journey. Newsen. Naver. Hwang. Hye-jin. 2022-10-21. 2022-10-21. ko.
  11. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=396&amp;aid=0000626619. ko:몬스타엑스 기현, 새 앨범 일부 공개하며 기대감 급상승시켜. MONSTA X's Kihyun raises expectations by releasing some new albums. Sports World. Naver. Kim. Jae-won. 2022-10-23. 2022-10-23. ko.
  12. Web site: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=076&amp;aid=0003930513. ko:몬스타엑스 기현, 오늘(24일) 두 번째 솔로 여정 시작…첫 번째 미니앨범 'YOUTH' 발표. MONSTA X's Kihyun, the second solo journey begins today (24th)... 1st mini album 'YOUTH' released. Sports Chosun. Naver. Lee. Jeong-hyuk. 2022-10-24. 2022-10-24. ko.
  13. Web site: The Best K-pop Albums of 2022. Uproxx. Frances. Lai. 2022-12-08. 2022-12-09.
  14. Web site: https://www.hanteonews.com/ko/article/all?fc=45414. ko:기현, 솔로 앨범 2연속 '한터차트 초동 브론즈 인증패' 수상 (한터차트 공식). Kihyun, won the 'Hanteo Chart Initial Chodong Bronze Certification Plaque' for 2 consecutive solo albums (Hanteo Chart Official). Hanteo News. Jo. He-un. 2022-11-30. 2022-12-29. ko.
  15. Web site: Week 44 of 2022 Album Chart. Circle Chart. October 23–29, 2022. November 3, 2022. ko.
  16. Web site: October 2022 Album Chart. Circle Chart. November 10, 2022. ko.
  17. Web site: 2022 Album Chart. Circle Chart. January 13, 2023. ko.
  18. Web site: Week 44 of 2022 Digital Chart. Circle Chart. October 23–29, 2022. November 3, 2022. ko.
  19. Cumulative sales for Youth (KiT + CD):