The X (EP)

Last updated

The X
The X (EP).jpg
EP by
Monsta X
ReleasedSeptember 1, 2025
Genre
Length17:39
LanguageKorean
Label
Producer
Monsta X chronology
Now Project
(2025)		The X
(2025)
Singles from The X
  1. "Do What I Want"
    Released: August 18, 2025
  2. "N the Front"
    Released: September 1, 2025

The X is the thirteenth extended play by the South Korean boy group Monsta X. It was released by Starship Entertainment and distributed by Kakao Entertainment on September 1, 2025.

Contents

Background and release

The X is Monsta X's first EP since the release of Reason in 2023, as five of the members had served their mandatory military service between 2021 and 2025. [1]

The "X" in the album title is a reference both to the group's name and the Roman numeral for the number ten, referring to the group's ten-year history. [2] The EP also has six tracks to represent the group's six members. [3]

On August 18, 2025, Monsta X released "Do What I Want" with a music video, as a pre-release single. [1] The EP was then released on September 1, with "N the Front" as the lead single with an accompanying music video.

Monsta X released a deluxe version of the album on September 5, that included a remix version of the lead single by member Hyungwon under his DJ name, called "N the Front (H.ONE Remix)". [4]

Composition

Monsta X members Joohoney, I.M, and Hyungwon participated in the writing and production of the EP. In addition to writing for his rap in "Savior" and "Catch Me Now", Joohoney co-wrote and produced the hip-hop tracks "Do What I Want" and "Tuscan Leather". I.M wrote for his rap part in "Do What I Want" and "Catch Me Now", and co-wrote and produced the song "Savior". [5] Hyungwon co-wrote and produced "Fire & Ice", a song with "an old school R&B vibe that would’ve fit into the New Jack Swing scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s." [3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash 8/10 [6]

Maria Mata describes the EP as "a nonstop celebration with an eclectic blend of styles." Mata highlights the song "Tuscan Leather" on the EP "as one of the album’s most complex tracks. Lyrically enticing, its shape-shifting sound is what makes it so interesting, with an old school hip-hop vibe that seamlessly turns into melodic pop." [7]

Chyenne Tatum from Clash describes the EP as "a celebratory fusion of old and new, combining some of MONSTA X’s most emblematic traits with fresh and uncharted territory that fits right into their wheelhouse" and praises the lyrics, saying "There’s no doubt the lyrics throughout this album have not missed." Like Mata, Tatum calls "Tuscan Leather" "one of the EP’s highlights", as well as calling "Fire & Ice" "an exhilarating blend of house, R&B, and a dash of synth-pop that easily makes this one of the most dynamic entries of THE X.". [6]

Commercial performance

The EP debuted at number 5 on the weekly Circle Album Chart upon release. The lead single "N the Front" entered the weekly Circle Digital Chart at number 65. The other songs on the album did not appear on the Digital Chart, but they all entered its component chart, the Circle Download Chart. "Do What I Want", the pre-release single, peaked at number 12 of that chart, [8] and "Tuscan Leather", "Savior", "Fire & Ice", and "Catch Me Now" debuted at 52, 53, 54, and 55 respectively. [9] The EP sold 383,537 units in South Korea in its first week of release. [10]

Track listing

The X track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."Do What I Want"
  • Rizk
  • Royal
2:40
2."N the Front"
  • Jang Da-In
  • Artiffect
  • Dem Jointz
  • Nadjar
3:00
3."Savior"
  • I.M
  • Yoonseok
  • Wooki
  • Joohoney
  • I.M
  • Yoonseok
  • Wooki
  • I.M
  • Yoonseok
  • Wooki
3:10
4."Tuscan Leather"
  • Joohoney
  • Ye-Yo!
  • I.M
  • BK
  • Joohoney
  • Ye-Yo!
  • Laser
  • Joohoney
  • Ye-Yo!
3:02
5."Catch Me Now"
  • Seol Ree Moon
  • I.M
  • Joohoney
  • Okhan Uenver
  • 37
373:05
6."Fire & Ice"
  • Hyungwon
  • Oh
  • Heij
  • Dato
  • Rouff
  • Hyungwon
  • Oh
  • Heij
  • Dato
  • Rouff
2:42
Total length:17:39
Deluxe version bonus track
No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
7."N the Front" (H.One Remix)
  • Jang Da-In
  • Artiffect
  • Dem Jointz
  • Nadjar
  • Bogan
  • Musikality
  • DJ H.One
  • Oh
3:46
Total length:21:25

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. [11]

Monsta X

Additional musicians

Technical

Charts

Album

Chart performance for The X
Chart (2025)Peak
position
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [12] 30
Japanese Download Albums ( Billboard Japan ) [13] 36
South Korean Albums (Circle) [10] 5
US Billboard 200 [14] 31
US World Albums (Billboard) [15] 3

Song

Chart performance for "N the Front"
Chart (2025)Peak
position
South Korea (Circle) [16] 65

Sales

Sales for The X
Region Certified units/Sales
Japan (Oricon)1,430 [17]
South Korea (KMCA)392,976 [10]

Release history

Release history and formats for The X
RegionDateFormatLabel
South KoreaSeptember 1, 2025
Various
  • Digital download
  • streaming

References

  1. 1 2 Singh, Surej (August 20, 2025). "MONSTA X return as a full group with explosive single, 'Do What I Want'". NME. Archived from the original on September 1, 2025.
  2. ↑ Sirikul, Laura (September 1, 2025). "MONSTA X Celebrates 10 Years With New Album "THE X"" . Forbes. Archived from the original on September 1, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Kim, Jae-ha (September 1, 2025). "Monsta X Celebrate 10 Years Together — and It's Just the Beginning". Rolling Stones. Archived from the original on September 1, 2025.
  4. ↑ Seon, Mi-kyeong (September 5, 2025). "MONSTA X releases 'N the Front' remix featuring DJ H.ONE". OSEN. Archived from the original on September 7, 2025 – via The Chosun Daily.
  5. ↑ Jeong, Hee-yeon (September 1, 2025). 몬스타엑스 10주년 완전체 컴백 기대되는 이유 셋 (종합) (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 1, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Tatum, Chyenne (September 2, 2025). "Monsta X – The X". Clash . Archived from the original on September 6, 2025. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
  7. ↑ Mata, Maria (September 1, 2025). "MONSTA X returns with 'The X' on their 10th anniversary — Album Review". Melodic Magazine. Archived from the original on September 1, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Circle Download Chart 2025 Week 34". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Circle Download Chart 2025 Week 36". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 "Album Chart 2025 Week 36". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  11. ↑ "The X (Deluxe Ver.) / Monsta X / Credits". Tidal . Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2025-09-15/p/3" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Billboard Japan Download Albums – September 10, 2025". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Monsta X Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Monsta X Chart History (World Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Circle Digital Chart 2025 Week 36". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  17. ↑ 週間　アルバムランキング2025年09月15日付 （2025年09月01日～2025年09月07日） (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
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