WAW (EP)

WAW
WAW
EP by Mamamoo
Released	June 2, 2021
Genre	K-pop; ballad;
Label	RBW
Producer	Kim Do-hoon
Mamamoo chronology
Singles from WAW
	"Where Are We Now"; Released: June 2, 2021;

WAW (an acronym for Where Are We) is the eleventh extended play by South Korean girl group Mamamoo. The EP was released on June 2, 2021 by RBW and distributed by Kakao Entertainment.^[1] WAW follows their 2020 Korean top-five EP Travel and is the first part of the group's 'WAW (Where Are We)' project, set to consist of the new album, concert, and documentary about the group. It contains four new songs, including the lead single "Where Are We Now".

Background and release

In 2020, Mamamoo had one group comeback, with the Travel EP in November, and focused mainly on the four members' solo activities for the majority of the year.^[2] The group announced their comeback with the 'Where Are We' project in May 2021, with the first teaser trailer posted on May 13, 2021.^[1]^[3] The EP was to be the first release since most of the members renewed their contracts with their label RBW and was promoted with the release of several more teaser videos and concept photos.^[4]

WAW was released in full on June 2, 2021.^[5] The Japanese edition of the EP was released on September 29, featuring the new song "Strange Day" and Japanese-language versions of their two 2021 singles "Where Are We Now" and "Mumumumuch".^[6]

Commercial performance

WAW debuted at number five on the Gaon Album Chart, with nearly 40,000 copies sold on the Hanteo platform in its first day.^[7]^[8] The EP went on to debut at number six on the monthly chart for June 2021, with 130,680 copies sold.^[9] WAW ended the year as the Gaon Album Chart's 76th best-selling physical release, with 135,000 copies sold in that year.^[10] In Japan, the EP peaked at number 17 on the Oricon Albums Chart and 13 on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums chart following the release of the Japanese edition in September.^[11]^[12] It has since sold upwards of 5,200 copies in the region.^[13]

Critical reception

Year-end lists

Select year-end rankings of *WAW*
Critic/Publication	Accolade	Rank	Ref.
Rolling Stone India	10 Best K-Pop Albums of 2021	9	^[14]

Track listing

*WAW* track listing
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Arrangement	Length
1.	"Where Are We Now"	Kim Do-hoon (RBW) Cosmic Girl	Kim Cosmic Girl Lee Hoo-sang (RBW)	Kim Lee	3:43
2.	"Another Day" (내일의 너, 오늘이 나)	Cocodooboopapa (RBW) Winsome Hwang Sung-jin	Cocodooboopapa Winsome	Cocodooboopapa Winsome	4:04
3.	"A Memory for Life" (애써)	Jeon Da-woon (RBW) Cocodooboopapa Moonbyul	Jeon Cocodooboopapa	Jeon Cocodooboopapa	3:33
4.	"Destiny Part.2" (우린 결국 다시 만날 운명이었지 Part.2)	Kim Park Woo-sang (RBW)	Kim Park	Mingkey (RBW)	3:04
Total length:					14:24

*WAW: Japan Edition* bonus tracks
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Arrangement	Length
5.	"Happier than Ever" (분명 우린 그때 좋았었어)	Kim Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl Moonbyul	Kim Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl Moonbyul	Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl Kang Min-hoon (Aiming) Kwon Soo-hyun (Aiming)	3:48
6.	"Mumumumuch" (하늘 땅 바다만큼)	Kim Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl Moonbyul	Kim Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl Moonbyul	Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl	3:29
7.	"Where Are We Now" (Japanese version)	Kim Cosmic Girl Eri Osanai	Kim Cosmic Girl Lee	Kim Lee	3:47
8.	"Mumumumuch" (Japanese version)	Kim Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl Moonbyul Mio Jorakuji	Kim Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl Moonbyul	Cosmic Sound Cosmic Girl	3:31
9.	"Strange Day"	Starbuck Yhel Moonbyul	Zaydro Starbuck Yhel	Zaydro Starbuck Yhel	3:18
Total length:					32:17

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2021)	Peak position
Japanese Albums (Oricon)^[11]	17
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)^[12]	13
South Korean Albums (Gaon)^[7]	5

Year-end charts

Chart (2021)	Position
South Korean Albums (Gaon)^[10]	76

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Version	Label	Ref.
South Korea	June 2, 2021	CD	Standard	RBW Kakao M	^[1]
Various	June 2, 2021	Digital download streaming	Standard	RBW Kakao M	^[5]
Japan	September 29, 2021	CD	Japanese	Victor Entertainment	^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Yeo, Gladys (May 24, 2021). "MAMAMOO unveil new teaser images for upcoming mini-album 'WAW'". NME. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
^ "김도훈이 말한 마마무의 2020년 "개인 역량 집중..원래 꿈 밀어주고픈"[인터뷰➀]". OSEN. January 21, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
^ "[#마마무] MAMAMOO is coming back for you". Twitter. May 13, 2021.
^ Martin, Annie (May 25, 2021). "Mamamoo looks back in 'WAW' teaser". UPI.
^ ^a ^b "WAW - EP by MAMAMOO". Apple Music. June 2, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "WAW (Japan Edition) by MAMAMOO". Apple Music. September 29, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "2021년 23주차 Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart.
^ Marian Belmis, Victoria (September 17, 2021). "Did RBW Do MAMAMOO Dirty? MAMAMOO's Latest Album Sells Fewer Than 7,000 Copies". Korea Portal. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
^ "2021년 06월 Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart.
^ ^a ^b "2021년 Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
^ ^a ^b * "WAW". Oricon. October 11, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
^ ^a ^b "WAW". October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
^
Cumulative sales of WAW on the Oricon Album Chart:
- オリコン週間アルバムランキング年月日～年月日 [Weekly Album Ranking (dated June 21, 2021)] (in Japanese). Oricon. June 21, 2021. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
- "アルバムランキング 2021年10月11日付" [Weekly Album Ranking (dated October 11, 2021)] (in Japanese). Oricon. October 11, 2021. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
^ Chakraborty, Riddhi; Dongre, Divyansha; Majumder, Oysmita (December 31, 2021). "10 Best K-Pop Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved December 31, 2021.

[:0-1] Yeo, Gladys (May 24, 2021). "MAMAMOO unveil new teaser images for upcoming mini-album 'WAW'". NME. Retrieved February 16, 2022.

[2] "김도훈이 말한 마마무의 2020년 "개인 역량 집중..원래 꿈 밀어주고픈"[인터뷰➀]". OSEN. January 21, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2020.

[3] "[#마마무] MAMAMOO is coming back for you". Twitter. May 13, 2021.

[4] Martin, Annie (May 25, 2021). "Mamamoo looks back in 'WAW' teaser". UPI.

[:1-5] "WAW - EP by MAMAMOO". Apple Music. June 2, 2021.

[:2-6] "WAW (Japan Edition) by MAMAMOO". Apple Music. September 29, 2021.

[2021년_23주차_Album_Chart-7] "2021년 23주차 Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart.

[:12-8] Marian Belmis, Victoria (September 17, 2021). "Did RBW Do MAMAMOO Dirty? MAMAMOO's Latest Album Sells Fewer Than 7,000 Copies". Korea Portal. Retrieved January 3, 2022.

[9] "2021년 06월 Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart.

[2021년_Album_Chart-10] "2021년 Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved February 16, 2022.

[oriconalbumchart2-11] * "WAW". Oricon. October 11, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06.

[billboard-japan.com-12] "WAW". October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.

[13] Cumulative sales of WAW on the Oricon Album Chart:
オリコン週間アルバムランキング年月日～年月日 [Weekly Album Ranking (dated June 21, 2021)] (in Japanese). Oricon. June 21, 2021. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.

"アルバムランキング 2021年10月11日付" [Weekly Album Ranking (dated October 11, 2021)] (in Japanese). Oricon. October 11, 2021. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

[14] オリコン週間アルバムランキング年月日～年月日 [Weekly Album Ranking (dated June 21, 2021)] (in Japanese). Oricon. June 21, 2021. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.

[15] "アルバムランキング 2021年10月11日付" [Weekly Album Ranking (dated October 11, 2021)] (in Japanese). Oricon. October 11, 2021. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

[rsibest-14] Chakraborty, Riddhi; Dongre, Divyansha; Majumder, Oysmita (December 31, 2021). "10 Best K-Pop Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved December 31, 2021.

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