| Lights | |
|---|---|
 Digital cover | |
| EP by | |
| Released | May 22, 2023 |
| Genre | K-pop |
| Length | 16:12 |
| Language | Korean |
| Label | |
| Singles from Lights | |
| |
Lights is the debut extended play by the South Korean rapper Joohoney. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on May 22, 2023. The EP contains six tracks, including the title track "Freedom".
On April 28, several South Korean news outlets reported that Joohoney will be releasing his first solo album for next month, which was later been confirmed by Starship Entertainment. [1] On April 30, Starship Entertainment released a logo video and an image which were posted on the official SNS channel of Monsta X and were revealed to be the initials J and H for Joohoney. In this video, released along with the image, the two windows rotate with a cool sound and finally find a point of contact in the middle and intersect. [2] On May 1, he released a coming soon image, with the album title Lights and the release date of May 22. [3] On May 17, Joohoney revealed his documentary film titled Turn on the Lights which will show behind-the-scene footages of the album's overall production process. [4] On May 22, he held a Release Talk Live to commemorate the release of Lights through Monsta X's official YouTube channel and communicated with his fans in real time. [5]
The physical EP was released in three standard versions, along with a jewel case version and a KiT version. [6]
Lights contains Joohoney's troubles and growth process, from the fierce past to the present, to find the true self, and the future he draws together with his fans. [7] This also shows his intensity, sorrow, and boyish beauty, which yearned for freedom, and gave a deep lingering effect. [8]
For its tracks, "Freedom" is an impressive song with a reversal composition that harmonizes the lyrical feeling of piano and strings with the strong atmosphere of hip-hop, then "Hype Energy" is a hip-hop genre, composed entirely of rap, "Voice" is a song that expresses our own voice, "Evolution" melted down the message that true evolution can be achieved only when we look back on ourselves, "Monologue" is a song which contains reminiscences of the past, when he only pursued vague dreams before his dark debut, and "Don't Worry, Be Happy" is a tribute song for fans, appreciating the promises of the past, present, and future. [7]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Clash | 7/10 [9] |
Abbie Aitken of Clash described Lights as an album that "represents Joohoney as an artist" and "conveys a sense of intimacy and personality that has not been seen before", while also adding that the entire album feels like he has hidden his "musicality", opting to showcase a "greater range both in terms of vocals and genre". [9]
| Critic/Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard | The 25 Best K-pop Albums of 2023 | 11 | [10] |
Lights placed at numbers six and twenty-nine on the Circle Album Chart, for the week of May 21 to 27, with 73,720 copies sold. [11] It also placed at number three and number one on the Hanteo Chart's Weekly Physical Record Chart, which recorded 78,134.66 index points (album sales of 69,056 copies) and Weekly Global Authentication Chart, respectively. [12]
"Freedom" charted at number 105 on the Circle Digital Chart, for the week of May 21 to 27, with 3,697,614 digital points. [13] This also became a hot topic or viral on TikTok, gathering a total of more than 20 million views. [14]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Freedom" |
|
|
| 3:31 |
| 2. | "Hype Energy" |
|
|
| 2:25 |
| 3. | "Voice" |
|
|
| 1:56 |
| 4. | "Evolution" |
|
|
| 2:16 |
| 5. | "Monologue" (feat. G.Soul) |
|
|
| 3:06 |
| 6. | "Don't Worry, Be Happy" |
|
|
| 2:55 |
| Total length: | 16:12 | ||||
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| South Korea (Circle) [13] | 105 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| South Korea | — | 80,131 [16] |
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | May 22, 2023 | ||
| Various |
|
This is a list of singles and albums released under Starship Entertainment. The entertainment company is home to prominent artists such as K.Will, Monsta X, Brother Su, WJSN, Cravity, and Ive, as well as formerly artists such as Sistar, Boyfriend, Junggigo, Mad Clown, and Jooyoung.
Monsta X is a South Korean boy group formed through the reality survival program No.Mercy under Starship Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, and I.M. Originally a seven-member group, former member Wonho left the group in October 2019.
Lee Joo-heon, better known by the stage name Joohoney and formerly mononymously known as Jooheon, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the South Korean boy group Monsta X, which formed through the Mnet's survival show No.Mercy, under Starship Entertainment in 2015. He also made his solo debut with the EP Lights in 2023.
Trespass is the debut and the first extended play by the South Korean boy group Monsta X. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by LOEN Entertainment on May 14, 2015. It has seven tracks, including the title track of the same name.
Yoo Ki-hyun, better known mononymously as Kihyun, is a South Korean singer and songwriter. He is a vocalist in the South Korean boy group Monsta X, formed through the Mnet's survival show No.Mercy, under Starship Entertainment in 2015. Kihyun made his solo debut with the single album Voyager in March 2022, in addition to having released several original soundtracks. He has been dubbed by fans as "K-pop God", "Vocal God", and "The K in K-pop".
Lee Ho-seok, known by his stage name Wonho (Korean: 원호), is a South Korean singer under Highline Entertainment. He is a former member of the South Korean boy group Monsta X, formed through the Mnet's survival show No.Mercy, under Starship Entertainment in 2015. He then made his solo debut, with his first EP Love Synonym Pt.1: Right for Me, on September 4, 2020.
Son Hyun-woo, better known by his stage name Shownu, is a South Korean singer, dancer, and actor. He is the leader of the South Korean boy group Monsta X, which debuted through Mnet's survival show No.Mercy, under Starship Entertainment in 2015. He is also a member of Monsta X's first official sub-unit Shownu X Hyungwon in 2023.
Chae Hyung-won, mononymously as Hyungwon, is a South Korean singer, dancer, actor, model, DJ, MC, songwriter, and producer. In 2015, he became a member of the South Korean boy group Monsta X through the Mnet's survival show No.Mercy under Starship Entertainment. In 2017, he began performing as a DJ, under the stage name DJ H.ONE. He is also a member of Monsta X's first official sub-unit Shownu X Hyungwon in 2023.
Im Chang-kyun, known by the stage name I.M or mononymously as Changkyun, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the South Korean boy group Monsta X, which debuted through the Mnet's survival show No.Mercy, under Starship Entertainment in 2015. He also made his solo debut with the EP Duality in 2021.
Duality is the debut extended play by the South Korean rapper I.M. It was released by Starship Entertainment on February 19, 2021. The digital EP contains five tracks including the lead single "God Damn".
One of a Kind is the ninth extended play by the South Korean boy group Monsta X. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on June 1, 2021.
Voyager is the debut single album by the South Korean vocalist Kihyun. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on March 15, 2022. The single album contains three tracks, including the title track of the same name.
Shape of Love is the eleventh extended play by the South Korean boy group Monsta X. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on April 26, 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.
Reason is the twelfth extended play by the South Korean boy group Monsta X. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on January 9, 2023.
"Beautiful Liar" is a song recorded by the South Korean boy group Monsta X for their twelfth extended play Reason. It was released as the EP's lead single by Starship Entertainment and Kakao Entertainment on January 9, 2023.
The Unseen is the debut extended play by the South Korean boy group Monsta X's first official sub-unit Shownu X Hyungwon. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on July 25, 2023. The EP contains five tracks, including the lead single "Love Me a Little".
Off the Beat is the third extended play by the South Korean rapper I.M. It was released by Sony Music Korea on April 3, 2024. The EP contains six tracks, including the lead single "Lure".