Binary Code (EP)

Binary Code
Binary Code
EP by Oneus
Released	May 11, 2021
Genre	K-pop
Length	16:59
Label	RBW
Oneus chronology
Singles from Binary Code
	"Black Mirror"; Released: May 11, 2021;
Music video
	"Black Mirror" on YouTube

Binary Code is the fifth extended play by South Korean boy group Oneus. It was released by RBW and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on May 11, 2021.

Background and release

The EP contains the lead single "Black Mirror", a rock version of their debut song "Valkyrie", and three new tracks. Group member Ravn co-wrote the lead single "Black Mirror".^[1]

Puah Ziwei, writing for NME, noted that the lead single "Black Mirror"'s music video "seem to draw inspiration from the late Michael Jackson" and the "lyrics also reference a number of the late pop icon's hits, including 'Bad' and 'Man In The Mirror'."^[1]

Commercial performance

The EP ranked at number 2 for the weekly Gaon Album Chart^[2] and number 4 for the monthly chart.^[2] The EP sold 103,240 copies in South Korea by the end of June 2021.^[3]

Critical reception

In addition, Black Mirror has been listed as one of 'The Best K-Pop Tracks of 2021' by Dazed. Dazed stated " There's the slap of funk bass and washes of strings, elements that comprised the backbone of 1979's Off The Wall, but ONEUS's composers have recalibrated the analogue into a cool, impersonal sheen of digital production. It's a canny twist; a thumping, computerised nu-disco backdrop for the song's flesh and blood lament – the loss of human connection within the technological age."^[4]

Year-end lists

Select year-end rankings of track *Black Mirror*
Critic/Publication	Accolade	Rank	Ref.
Dazed	The Best K-Pop Tracks of 2021	14	^[5]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Arrangement	Length
1.	"Black Mirror"	Kim Do-hoon Lee Sang-ho Seo Yong-bae Basick Inner child Ravn	Kim Do-hoon Lee Sang-ho Seo Yong-bae Inner child	Kim Do-hoon Lee Sang-ho Seo Yong-bae	3:40
2.	"Connect with Us"	Lee Sang-ho Seo Yong-bae Lee Ho-sang Ravn Leedo	Lee Sang-ho Seo Yong-bae Lee Ho-sang	Lee Sang-ho Seo Yong-bae Lee Ho-sang	2:54
3.	"Polarity" (울과 기름)	Koko Tofu Dad Ravn Leedo	Koko Tofu Dad Ravn	Koko Tofu Dad	3:27
4.	"Happy Birthday"	Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl Ravn Leedo	Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl	Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl	3:11
5.	"Valkyrie (Rock ver.)" (발키리)	Lee Sang-ho Inner child Ravn Leedo	Lee Sang-ho Inner child Ming-ki	Lee Sang-ho Lee Ho-sang Ming-ki Koko Tofu Dad	3:47
Total length:					16:59

Charts

Album

Weekly charts

Chart performance for *Binary Code*
Chart (2021)	Peak position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[6]	36
South Korean Albums (Gaon)^[2]	2

Monthly charts

Chart performance for *Binary Code*
Chart (2021)	Position
South Korean Albums (Gaon)^[7]	4

Songs

Weekly charts

Chart performance for
"Black Mirror"
Chart (2021)	Peak position
Japanese Singles (Oricon)^[8]	17
South Korea (Gaon)^[9]	134

Release history

Release history and formats for *Binary Code*
Region	Date	Format	Label
South Korea	May 11, 2021	CD digital download streaming	RBW Kakao Entertainment
Various	May 11, 2021	Digital download streaming	RBW Kakao Entertainment

Certification and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
Album
South Korea (KMCA)	—	103,240^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b Ziwei, Puah (May 11, 2021). "ONEUS drop Michael Jackson-inspired video for 'Black Mirror'". NME. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c 2021년 20주차 Album Chart [Album Chart for Week 20 of 2021]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 20, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
^ ^a ^b
Cumulative sales for Binary Code:
- 2021년 상반기 Album Chart [First Half of 2021 Album Chart]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
^ Glasby, Taylor (December 20, 2021). "The best K-pop tracks of 2021". Dazed. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
^ Glasby, Taylor (December 20, 2021). "The best K-pop tracks of 2021". Dazed. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2021-05-31/p/4" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2022-04-04.
^ 2021년 05월 Album Chart. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved April 4, 2022.
^ ONEUSのランキング [Oneus rankings] (in Japanese). Oricon Chart. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
^ 2021년 20주차 Digital Chart. Gaon Digital Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 20, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2022.

[NME-1] Ziwei, Puah (May 11, 2021). "ONEUS drop Michael Jackson-inspired video for 'Black Mirror'". NME. Retrieved April 4, 2022.

[weekly-2] 2021년 20주차 Album Chart [Album Chart for Week 20 of 2021]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 20, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2022.

[sales-3] Cumulative sales for Binary Code:
2021년 상반기 Album Chart [First Half of 2021 Album Chart]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.

[4] 2021년 상반기 Album Chart [First Half of 2021 Album Chart]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.

[4] Glasby, Taylor (December 20, 2021). "The best K-pop tracks of 2021". Dazed. Retrieved December 27, 2021.

[5] Glasby, Taylor (December 20, 2021). "The best K-pop tracks of 2021". Dazed. Retrieved December 27, 2021.

[ac_Oricon_-6] "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2021-05-31/p/4" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2022-04-04.

[monthly-7] 2021년 05월 Album Chart. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved April 4, 2022.

[8] ONEUSのランキング [Oneus rankings] (in Japanese). Oricon Chart. Retrieved April 13, 2022.

[9] 2021년 20주차 Digital Chart. Gaon Digital Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 20, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2022.

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