MONSTA X’s Shownu X Hyungwon are heating up the early summer as they make their return as a duo unit!
Shownu X Hyungwon will release their second mini album, ‘LOVE ME’, on the 21st. As the first unit group of MONSTA X, the combination of leader Shownu and Hyungwon is taking a new path with a “separate yet together” strategy to mark MONSTA X’s 11th debut anniversary. The duo even got hands-on with the producing and choreography!
Meeting with the press on the 19th at their agency’s building in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul, Shownu shared, “It’s been 2 years and 10 months since our last unit activity. Since fans have waited so long, we wanted to prepare well to express our gratitude.” Hyungwon added, “I’m always excited to start new activities. We put a lot of thought into what Shownu X Hyungwon can do and what new things we could show you.”
As the title suggests, this album is all about ‘love’. It features a total of seven tracks, starting with the title song ‘Do You Love Me’, followed by ‘Superstitious’, ‘In My Head’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Accelerator’, ‘Around & Go (SHOWNU Solo)’, and ‘NO AIR (HYUNGWON Solo)’.
The album is characterized by a detailed breakdown of the emotion of love. ‘Do You Love Me’ captures the complex push-and-pull feelings of not being sure about each other’s love. Shownu explained, “We expressed various perspectives and emotions regarding love more delicately, and I wanted to represent those feelings visually.”
While preparing for this album, the two focused on their respective strengths. Hyungwon poured his efforts into songwriting, composing, and producing, while Shownu led the choreography creation. When asked about his inspiration, Hyungwon confessed, “I tend to have many different thoughts, so I get a lot of material from daily life. Sometimes the work starts when I like the atmosphere or colors of a drama or movie.” Shownu added, “The chorus melody is very addictive, so I created point choreography to match it. Since it’s easy to follow, I hope many people participate in the challenge!”
Shownu X Hyungwon are also ready to leap forward as a ‘summer group’. With water-themed performances held every hot summer and the crowning of a new ‘Summer Queen’ each year, the duo is now eyeing the ‘Summer King’ spot.
Shownu shared his ambition, saying, “At Waterbomb, you can really feel the audience’s genuine enjoyment from the stage. That makes us perform even more excitedly, and I want to leave a lasting impression of Shownu X Hyungwon’s performance.” Hyungwon showed his confidence, stating, “I really want to convey the unique vibe that only we can bring to the stage. We are confident that we can perform our songs better than anyone else.”
Meanwhile, the two held a comeback live on the official MONSTA X YouTube channel on the 20th to spend special time with MONBEBE (the official fandom) before the release. They will officially begin their promotions on the 21st.
