How? is the second extended play (EP) by South Korean boy band BoyNextDoor, released on April 15, 2024, through KOZ Entertainment. The EP is the third and final installment of a trilogy of releases, following Who! (2023) and Why.. (2023). Introduced as a "kitschcore" album, How? looks back on a tumultuous first love narrated on the band's previous releases and examines why the subject relationship ended.
How? | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Digital cover | ||||
EP by | ||||
Released | April 15, 2024 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 19:46 | |||
Language | Korean | |||
Label |
| |||
Producer |
| |||
BoyNextDoor chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from How? | ||||
|
With members Jaehyun, Taesan, and Woonhak credited for writing, the EP contains seven tracks led by the single "Earth, Wind & Fire".
Background
editBoyNextDoor debuted on May 30, 2023, with the single album Who!, followed by the extended play Why.., released on September 4, 2023. The releases form part of a trilogy chronicling a love story, culminating with the third release of the band.[1] On February 13, 2024, KOZ Entertainment released a statement confirming that preparations for the group's next release were underway, with a target release date set for April of that year.[2][3]
Music and lyrics
edit"Who! told the story of a crush, while Why.. detailed a breakup that followed. We wanted fans to wonder what happened in between the two albums."
— Sungho in a media showcase for How?[4]
How? has a runtime of 19 minutes and 46 seconds and consists of seven tracks. Members Jaehyun, Taesan, and Woonhak participated in composing and writing lyrics for the EP.[5] Conceived as kitschcore (portmanteau for kitsch and normcore), the release's tracks are themed with a "kitsch style" in addition to the band's established "familiar, friendly image".[6] Member Leehan explained that the style aims to be "effortlessly cool".[4]
The songs written for the EP continue the story of a tumultuous "first love and heartbreak" chronicled in Who! and Why...[7][8] Member Taesan explained that How? fills the gap between the two releases, where the former expressed the "heart-fluttering excitement of first love" while the latter narrated a "heartbreaking breakup".[8] As the final installment in the group's "first love" trilogy, the EP looks back on the "stories between the band's first two releases" and examines "why the split took place".[4]
Songs
editThe EP opens with the hip-hop song "Our", which discusses a "nervous and exciting first date".[9] "Amnesia" compares a repeated cycle of quarrels and reconciliation to amnesia.[4] The song is characterized by a "guitar riff and rhythmic drum beat".[10] "So Let's Go See the Stars" is a synth-pop song envisioning a romantic first date.[10] The lead single, "Earth, Wind & Fire", is a hyperpop song that narrates a "love that does not go as planned", comparing love to nature and the classical elements referenced in the title.[5][11] The track "Life Is Cool" then discusses a youthful perspective on "love and life".[9] The penultimate track, "Dear. My Darling", is a rock ballad sung as a letter to a lover that "accepts a breakup in a calm manner".[9][4] The English version of "Earth, Wind & Fire" serves as the album's closing track.[10]
Release and promotion
editOn March 19, 2024, KOZ Entertainment announced the band's second extended play, titled How?, through a teaser video titled "How Can This Happen?", depicting the members experiencing a "strange phenomenon" as they go on with their daily lives.[12] The track list of the EP was released on March 29, unveiling seven tracks with "Earth, Wind & Fire" as the lead single.[13] BoyNextDoor unveiled the opening track "Our" in their performance at 2024 KCON Hong Kong on March 30, more than two weeks before the EP's release.[9]
Concept images were released sequentially in the run-up to the album's release.[14] For the album's "Earth" concept, the band is depicted "enjoying free time in an empty school".[15] The "Wind" concept sees the band run around a house as a playground.[11] In concept images for the "Fire" concept, the last set of concept images to be released, the members are depicted freely roaming the streets at night.[16] A "track spoiler" previewing the album through a series of snippets was released on April 8.[17]
KOZ Entertainment released How? on April 15, 2024, marking the band's first release in seven months.[18][19] The release of the album was accompanied by a press showcase at the Yes24 Live Hall.[20] In support of the EP, the television special BoyNextDoor Toni3ht aired on Mnet on the night of the album's release.[21]
Commercial performance
editOn April 12, 2024, three days before the release, YG Plus reported that How? had exceeded 571,600 pre-orders, reflecting a 40% increase from the preceding release Why...[22][23] According to the Hanteo Chart, the EP sold 531,911 copies in its first week.[24] How? debuted at number one at the Circle Album Chart for the issue dated April 20.[25]
Accolades
editListicles
editPublisher | Year | Listicle | Placement | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Billboard | 2024 | The 20 Best K-Pop Albums of 2024 (So Far): Staff Picks | 17th | [26] |
Track listing
editNo. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Producer | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Our" | Zico |
|
| 2:36 |
2. | "Amnesia" |
|
|
| 2:50 |
3. | "So Let's Go See the Stars" |
|
|
| 3:22 |
4. | "Earth, Wind & Fire" |
|
|
| 2:59 |
5. | "Life Is Cool" |
|
|
| 3:18 |
6. | "Dear. My Darling" |
|
|
| 1:40 |
7. | "Earth, Wind & Fire" (English version) |
| 2:59 | ||
Total length: | 19:46 |
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Monthly chartsedit
|
Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
South Korea (KMCA)[38] | 2× Platinum | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
editRegion | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | April 15, 2024 |
|
[39] |
References
edit- ^ Jung-youn, Lee (March 26, 2024). "Boynextdoor to hold first fanmeeting at Olympic Hall". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ Chin, Carmen (February 14, 2024). "BOYNEXTDOOR to release new music in April, label confirms". NME. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Yoon, So-yeon (March 6, 2024). "BoyNextDoor returning with more fun ahead of April comeback". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Cho, Yong-jun (April 15, 2024). "'We had a lot of feelings': BoyNextDoor's new EP brings a yearlong love story to a close". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
- ^ a b Bernardo, Jaehwa (March 31, 2024). "K-pop group BOYNEXTDOOR tackle 'first love, heartbreak' in upcoming EP". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ Jung-youn, Lee (March 26, 2024). "Boynextdoor to hold first fanmeeting at Olympic Hall". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ Yoo, Hong (March 22, 2024). "Hybe artists ready to return in April". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Bernardo, Jaehwa (April 15, 2024). "BOYNEXTDOOR flaunts sped-up lines, 'kitsch core' style in EP 'How?'". ABS-CBN News.
- ^ a b c d Seon, Mi-kyung (March 31, 2024). "'컴백' 보이넥스트도어, '生라이브' 무대로 신곡 최초 공개" ['Comeback' Boy Next Door unveils new song for the first time on the 'Life Live' stage]. m.osen.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c Ji, Mi-kyung (April 9, 2024). "보이넥스트도어, 'HOW?' 트랙 스포일러 공개..다이내믹 에너지" [BoyNextDoor, 'HOW?' Track spoiler revealed...Dynamic Energy]. www.osen.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ a b Kim, Won-hee (April 4, 2024). "보이넥스트도어, '만찢' 매력 '윈드' 버전 콘셉트 필름 공개" [BoyNextDoor unveils 'wind' version concept film with 'rip-off' appeal]. sports.khan.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Kim, Ju-yeon (March 19, 2024). "BoyNextDoor set to release second EP 'HOW?' in April". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ Hicap, Jonathan (March 30, 2024). "K-pop group BOYNEXTDOOR drops tracklist for upcoming album 'How?'". Manila Bulletin.
- ^ Mi-kyung, Ji (March 22, 2024). "보이넥스트도어, 신보 'HOW?' 스케줄러 공개..'컬러풀+유니크'" [Boy Next Door, new album 'HOW?' Scheduler revealed...'Colorful + Unique']. m.osen.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ Seon, Mi-kyung (April 3, 2024). "'컴백' 보이넥스트도어, 스쿨룩 입었다" ['Comeback' BoyNextDoor, wearing school look]. www.osen.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ Go, Young-jun (April 7, 2024). "보이넥스트도어, 미니 2집 마지막 콘셉트 포토 공개" [BoyNextDoor releases final concept photo of 2nd mini album]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Jeong, Ye-won (April 9, 2024). "보이넥스트도어, 새 앨범 스포일러 던졌다...컴백 D-6" [BoyNextdoor throws out a spoiler for their new album... Comeback D-6]. News Culture (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Hicap, Jonathan (March 19, 2024). "K-pop group BOYNEXTDOOR to return with new mini-album in April". Manila Bulletin.
- ^ Kim, Won-hee (March 23, 2024). "보이넥스트도어, 이번엔 키치코어 '하우?'" [BoyNextDoor, this time with kitschcore 'How?']. sports.khan.co.kr (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 23, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
- ^ Pyo, Kyung-min (April 16, 2024). "BOYNEXTDOOR concludes 'first love' trilogy with new album 'HOW?'". koreatimes. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
- ^ Jeon, Hee-yeon (April 9, 2024). "CGV, 보이넥스트도어 미니 2집 컴백쇼 중계" [CGV broadcasts BoyNextdoor's 2nd mini album comeback show]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Ko, Seung-hee (April 12, 2024). "보이넥스트도어, 컴백 앨범 선주문량 하프 밀리언셀러" [BoyNextdoor, comeback album pre-order volume becomes half million seller]. Herald (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
- ^ Chu, Seung-hyeon (April 12, 2024). "보이넥스트도어, 상승세 가파르다...선주문량 40% 증가" [BoyNextDoor's rise is steep... Pre-order volume increased by 40%]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
- ^ Yoon, Sang-geun (April 22, 2024). Lee, So-yun (ed.). "BOYNEXTDOOR sold a total of 531,911 copies". Star News (in Korean). Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ "Album Chart: 2024 Week 16". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ Benjamin, Jeff (July 8, 2024). "The 20 Best K-Pop Albums of 2024 (So Far): Staff Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – BoyNextDoor – How?" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Week: 16/2024)". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2024. 22. hét". MAHASZ. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-04-29" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Albums: 2024-04-29" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of April 24, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "Circle Album Chart – Week 16, 2024". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard 200: Week of May 4, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "World Albums: Week of May 4, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-04" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
- ^ "Circle Album Chart – 2024.04 Month". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ "South Korean album certifications – BoyNextDoor – How?" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). Retrieved June 5, 2024.
- ^ "2nd EP [HOW?] (Random)". Weverse Shop. Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2024.