Wikipedia

Got7 (EP)

Got7 is the twelfth Korean-language extended play (EP) (sixteenth overall) by South Korean boy band Got7. It was released on May 23, 2022, through Warner Music Korea. It is the group's first album since Breath of Love: Last Piece (2020), and after their departure from JYP Entertainment in January 2021. The EP consists of six tracks, including the lead single "Nanana".[1][2][3] Before the release, the group held Got7 Homecoming 2022 FanCon on May 21–22 at SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium.[4]

Got7
EP by
Got7
ReleasedMay 23, 2022
GenreK-pop
Length20:11
LanguageKorean
LabelWarner Korea
Got7 chronology
Breath of Love: Last Piece
(2020) 		Got7
(2022)
Singles from Got7
  1. "Nanana"
    Released: May 23, 2022

Background and release edit

After the expiration of their contract with JYP Entertainment on January 19, 2021[5] and the release of the single "Encore" a month later,[6][7] the members of Got7 focused on solo activities for one year and three months in different companies.[8][9] Immediately after leaving the previous label, they began working on a new album,[10] which was conceived via FaceTime, video calls, messages and online meetings, given the move of Jackson Wang to China and Mark Tuan to the United States, and the restrictions on meetings dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.[11][12][13]

Due to overlapping overseas schedules, Mark, Jackson and BamBam were unable to produce songs for the album, but participated in the other decision-making phases regarding the idea, logo, design and concept.[14] The songs were blindly selected from the collected demos, making the choice fall on songs composed by the members of the group:[11] of the six final tracks, Jay B is the writer and composer of three, among which the title track "Nanana"; Youngjae of one and Yugyeom of two, including "Don't Care About Me" in collaboration with Jinyoung.[15] The making of the EP, the recording of the songs and the shooting of the music video took three months.[16]

On April 22, 2022, JoyNews24 reported that the group was in the final stages of an album and would return to the music scene in May.[17][18][19] On May 6, Warner Music Korea launched new social media accounts and a new logo for the group, accompanied by the phrase "Got7 is our name";[20] three days later, it announced the release of the homonymous EP Got7 and the music video of the song "Nanana" for May 23, 2022.[3][12][21][22] The initial intention was to publish the album by the end of 2021, but it was postponed to match the schedules of all members.[16]

Composition edit

Got7 chose to use their name as the title of the album because they wanted to remember their roots as a boy band under JYP Entertainment, and at the same time wished to rebrand and release music that fully represented them, leaving the past behind.[10][23] The concept was rendered graphically through references to construction, to symbolize the new house that Got7 have built for themselves and for the fandom,[10][11] the latter symbolized by the green color of the record.[24] At the same time, the members chose "Nanana" as the title track because, in the past, the music with which they had shone the most on stage was produced by Jay B: they therefore felt that, by returning with a song written by him, they could show their true color.[25][26]

Through an organic and chronological progression, Got7 tells the story of the group from the first meeting with the fans.[27][28] As it conveys appreciation for them and contains music that the group knows the fans would like, Got7 declared it would have made no difference if they titled the album with the name of their fandom, IGot7.[26][29]

"Truth" is an R&B song with rap parts about the first steps a couple takes when they get to know each other,[30] while "Drive Me to the Moon" tells that Got7 can do anything with the fans by their side, even reach the Moon.[10][27] "Nanana" is a cheerful and cool song that combines synth-pop, R&B, trap and guitar loops, with which Got7 wants to bring a laugh to fans and general public,[8][12][15] and has a more relaxed and rich sound compared to the group's previous title tracks.[10] "Two" tells of the sadness of trying to forget a lover in vain, and sees Got7 making use of a low vocal register in the chorus.[10][31] "Don't Care About Me" is a dance song that encompasses the feelings towards the fans by communicating that, regardless of the road and the obstacles ahead, everything will be fine if they are together.[10] The EP is closed by "Don't Leave Me Alone", which expresses the wish that fans will not forget the group when the members return to their solo activities, reassuring that, in the future, they will release new music.[10][27]

Critical reception edit

Bollywood Hungama defined Got7 "a triumphant return to their roots" and concluded its review with "Sticking to the familiar R&B tones and smooth techno beats, Got7 eased into the group's music style with a renewed sense of their artistry and more nuanced approach towards it."[30]

"Nanana" was featured on Teen Vogue's and Cosmopolitan's best K-pop songs of 2022 lists,[32][33] and on Bandwagon's best songs of 2022 list.[34] At the end of the year, Tamar Herman commented for Variety: "While a boy band releasing an album is par for the K-pop course, Got7 is notable for showing a seamless shift from being an idol group under a South Korean entertainment company to self-managed artists. It set a new standard for the industry, diverging from the contract disputes or artistic rebranding that other now-independent K-pop groups have faced."[35]

Commercial performance edit

According to the Gaon Chart, Got7 sold 187,481 copies on the first day[36] and 320,978 in the first week.[37] According to the Hanteo Chart, it sold about 370,000 copies until May 29.[38][39] In Japan, it sold 1,466 copies.[40]

The album debuted at No. 2 on the Gaon Weekly Album Chart;[41] "Nanana" entered the Digital Chart at No. 87[42] and the Download Chart at No. 4.[43] The other tracks also entered the Download Chart ranking between 165 and 199.[43] On July 7, 2022, it was certified double platinum in South Korea, having sold more than 500,000 copies.[44]

Upon release, Got7 topped the iTunes Albums Chart in 83 countries,[45][46] climbing to 95 in two days and making Got7 the second K-pop group to surpass 90 first places on the iTunes Albums Chart.[47]

Track listing edit

Got7 track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Truth"
  • Def.
  • iHwak
  • HRDR
  • Leon
HRDR3:06
2."Drive Me to the Moon"
  • Ars
  • Boytoy (Blatinum)
  • Disko (Blatinum)
  • Brite Me
  • ADN Lewis
  • Ars
  • Boytoy
  • Disko
3:26
3."Nanana"
  • Def.
  • iHwak
  • Def.
  • iHwak
  • Royal Dive
Royal Dive3:07
4."Two"
Dr.Ahn3:15
5."Don't Care About Me"
  • Distract
  • Jinyoung
  • Yugyeom
  • Ludwig Lindell
Lindell3:11
6."Don't Leave Me Alone"
  • Def.
  • iHwak
  • Def.
  • iHwak
  • Royal Dive
Royal Dive4:06
Total length:20:11

Charts edit

References edit

  1. ^ Lee, Min-ji (May 9, 2022). "갓세븐, 23일 컴백 확정...새 미니앨범 'GOT7' 발표 [공식]". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  2. ^ Kim, No-eul (May 23, 2022). ""기부니가 좋아 나나나" 갓세븐, 완전체 설렘의 'NANANA' [쥬크박스]". Xportsnews (in Korean). Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Yeo, Gladys (May 23, 2022). "GOT7 make long-awaited return with whimsical music video for 'NANANA'". NME. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  4. ^ Gong, Mi-na (May 22, 2022). "'완전체 컴백' 갓세븐, 팬콘 'HOMECOMING'로 아가새와 하나된 시간". StarNews (in Korean). Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  5. ^ "JYP 떠나도 'GOT7' 남는다. [스경X초점]". Daum News (in Korean). January 11, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  6. ^ Oh Bo-ram (February 20, 2021). "JYP 떠난 갓세븐, 완전체로 신곡 '앙코르' 깜짝 발매". Yeonhap News (in Korean). Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  7. ^ "GOT7의 새 출발과 신곡 'Encore' 발표 - 빌보드코리아(Billboard Korea)" (in Korean). Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "JYP 떠나도 완전체, 갓세븐 컴백이 준 감동[뮤직와치]" (in Korean). May 13, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  9. ^ Go Seung-hee (June 17, 2021). "홀로서기로 2막 '갓세븐' 7색 날갯짓" (in Korean). Retrieved November 10, 2021.
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  33. ^ "Wanna Know Which K-Pop Song Is the Best of 2022? Here's Our Definitive Ranking". Cosmopolitan. December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
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  39. ^ "갓세븐, 새 앨범 'GOT7' 초동 판매량 37만 돌파...자체 최고 기록 경신" (in Korean). May 31, 2022. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
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  43. ^ a b "2022년 22주차 Download Chart" (in Korean). Retrieved June 2, 2022.
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  46. ^ Hwang Mi-hyun. "갓세븐, 83개국 아이튠즈 앨범 정상...여전한 글로벌 화력". entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  47. ^ Yoon Sang-geun. "갓세븐 위엄..'GOT7' 아이튠즈 95개 지역 1위 'K팝 사상 2번째'[공식]". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  48. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 30 May 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1682. Australian Recording Industry Association. May 31, 2022. p. 10.
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