Always is the first Korean EP by South Korean boy band Big Bang, released under YG Entertainment on August 16, 2007.[1] Commercially, the album recorded pre-orders of 30,000 copies[2] and sold over 55,000 copies by the end of October 2007.[3]
| Always | ||||
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| EP by | ||||
| Released | August 16, 2007 | |||
| Recorded | 2007 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 20:44 | |||
| Language | Korean | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | ||||
| Big Bang chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Always | ||||
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Legacy edit
Always (2007) marked a change of BigBang's musical styles from their previous efforts, with the group experimenting with electronic dance music and setting it as the new music trend in Korea.[4] It was also the first release in Korean's music industry to be promoted as a "mini-album".
The lead single "Lies" (거짓말; Geojitmal), composed by G-Dragon, was a no.1 hit, topping Cyworld charts for two months in a row,[5] eventually becoming their break-out hit and Song of the Year in the 2007 Mnet Asian Music Awards.[6][7][8] "Lies" was named the "Song of the Decade" by Mnet's M! Countdown.[9] On 2016, it was labeled the "Top Male Idol Song in The Best 20 Years" by music experts.[10] The song was revealed to be the second most downloaded in the past nine years in South Korea.[11]
Billboard stated that "Lies" placed BigBang "down the path into the realm of avant-garde experimentalism that they’ve become known for over the past few years"[12] and called one of South Korea's "most memorable songs."[13] The impact of the song was described by Kang Myung Suk - a music critic and former editor-in-chief of 10Asia magazine. Suk wrote "in that time, the one song ‘Lies’ satisfied all the music consumers in Korea. The ‘sound’ of this song was better than the normal kpop, and the melody development was easy for anyone to enjoy. Before ‘Lies’ came out, the music charts were dominated by medium tempo ballad songs." The composition was also praised, noting that "G-Dragon made this song with memorable rap and melody pieces" and admired the song for having "no useless parts". The critic concluded "‘Lies’ has the generation's code who wants to be a step forward in the trend but comfortable at the same time, and that wants to stand out but also somewhat mix in at the same time. This was a market that not exist before Bigbang's ‘Lies, and this was the moment where the idols met this generation’s emotions."[14]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "We Are Big Bang (Intro)" | Perry | Perry | 1:37 | |
| 2. | "Lies" (거짓말; Geojitmal) | Kwon Ji-yong | Kwon Ji-yong | Brave Brothers | 3:49 |
| 3. | "Wrong Number" (없는 번호; Eoptneun Beonho) | Yang Hyun-suk |
| Brave Brothers | 3:38 |
| 4. | "Act Like Nothing's Wrong" (T.O.P solo ft. Kim Ji-eun; 아무렇지 않은 척; Amureochi Anheun Cheok) | Choi Seung-hyun |
| Brave Brothers | 3:56 |
| 5. | "Oh Ma Baby" | Kwon Ji-yong |
| Brave Brothers | 3:51 |
| 6. | "Always" |
|
| Teddy Park | 3:53 |
| Total length: | 20:44 | ||||
Charts edit
Weekly charts edit
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| South Korean Albums (Gaon)[15] | 11 |
Monthly charts edit
| Chart (September 2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| South Korean Albums (MIAK)[16] | 4 |
References edit
- ^ "Always". YG Entertainment. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
- ^ "빅뱅, 'Always' 선주문 3만장 괴력" [Big Bang's 'Always' pre-orders exceed 30,000 copies]. The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). August 17, 2007. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2010.
- ^ 2007.10월 – 가요 음반 판매량 [2007.10 – Sales volume] (in Korean). Music Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on June 23, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
- ^ Kim, Wong Young (February 28, 2008). "빅뱅·BEG·쥬얼리…가요계 대세는 '일렉트로니카' (Big Bang, Brown Eyed Girls, Jewelry... The trend of J-pop 'Electronica')" (in Korean). Star News. Retrieved February 28, 2008.
- ^ "Song of the Month". Cyworld. 2009. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
- ^ "빅뱅 '올해의 노래'-슈주 '올해의 가수'...MKMF '아이돌 천하'(종합) Big Bang 'Song of the Year', Super Junior 'Artist of the Year', MKMF 'Idol Reign' (Updated)". Nate.com News. November 17, 2007. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
- ^ "Big Bang". MTV UK. Archived from the original on February 15, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
- ^ "G-Dragon". YG Entertainment. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
- ^ "BIGBANG's 'Lies' Named Song of the Decade". HelloKpop. July 25, 2014.
- ^ ""반짝반짝 눈이 부셔"… 빅뱅-소녀시대 역대 최고 아이돌" (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
- ^ "Mnet Reveals the Most Downloaded Song in K-Pop Over the Past Nine Years". Soompi. March 8, 2016.
- ^ Herman, Tamar (December 23, 2016). "The 10 Best BIGBANG Songs: Critics' Picks". Billboard.
- ^ Herman, Tamar (August 18, 2016). "Happy 10-Year Anniversary, BIGBANG! 10 Must-Listen Songs from the Boy Band". Billboard.
- ^ "An in-depth piece about Big Bang's impact in Korea written by Kang Myung Suk (music critic and former editor-in-chief of 10Asia magazine)". March 13, 2014.
- ^ "Circle Album Chart – Week 16 of 2010". Circle Chart (in Korean). April 11–17, 2010. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ 2007.09월 – 가요 음반 판매량 [2007.09 – Sales volume] (in Korean). Music Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2021.