Featuring the title track “Do You Love Me” and 7 songs in total, the duo is set to deliver the music and performances fans have been waiting for. The album is officially released on May 21 at 6 PM.
Perhaps this “gap moe” (the charm felt when someone shows a side completely different from their usual image) is the greatest appeal of Shownu X Hyungwon.
On the morning of the 19th,
“LOVE ME,” releasing May 21 at 6 PM, is their first album in about three years since “THE UNSEEN” in July 2023, proving that their unit project is still going strong.
Hyungwon shared, “‘THE UNSEEN’ felt like a special album. But while preparing ‘LOVE ME,’ we felt a lot of potential to build our own narrative and show various charms. We expressed the sides of ourselves we couldn’t show in the team through our own individuality.”
Shownu added, “In my personal opinion, I think it would be great if the unit continues long-term. To make that happen, I plan to work hard during this promotion.” He also noted, “Time flew by so fast after releasing ‘THE UNSEEN’ that I can’t even remember how three years passed. In ‘LOVE ME,’ we tried to express a more mature and natural side.”
Shownu revealed, “While filming the music video for the title track ‘Do You Love Me,’ we talked and bonded more. It’s not the first time I’ve felt this way, but it’s been a while. The music video features scenes of us arguing, getting angry, and even scuffling while wearing rugby clothes. I think coordinating and acting out those scenes was part of that bonding. It was a really interesting sensation during filming.”
Hyungwon laughed and agreed, “I haven’t seen Shownu get angry once in 10 years, so seeing that during filming was a new and special experience. I think fans will find it funny when they first see it.”
The title track “Do You Love Me” is the song that best showcases this maturity and bonding between Shownu X Hyungwon.
Shownu explained, “Since the unit is just the two of us, we focused more on our physical presence and lines compared to when we’re with MONSTA X. We tried to make it memorable by focusing on our intense colors and the chorus.”
Hyungwon stated, “MONSTA X has rappers, so there’s an explosive charm. In contrast, we wanted to show a more restrained feeling in the unit. We tried to utilize our mid-to-low range voices and show a more disciplined performance.”
He added, “Actually, we tend to work on our album thinking only about our own style rather than following current trends. However, since the chorus is important for being remembered, we felt it was right to put more strength into it.”
Hyungwon shared, “The second track, ‘Superstitious,’ was also a candidate for the title track. Since ‘Do You Love Me’ has a heavy feel, I wanted ‘Superstitious’ to be lighter and easier to listen to. Because the two songs had completely different directions from the start, the atmosphere of the album could have changed drastically depending on the choice. We decided on ‘Do You Love Me’ as the title track because we felt now is the right timing to more clearly imprint Shownu’s strengths.”
Although the title track focused more on highlighting Shownu’s charm, Hyungwon didn’t feel any regret. “The title track is important, of course, but I don’t dwell on it much,” he said firmly. “For me, the priority is the completion of the album. I believe I can show many of my strengths in the B-side tracks. Ultimately, the listeners are the ones who judge, so the quality of the album is what matters.”
However, when asked if he was too ambitious by including 7 songs instead of a full album, he joked, “Actually, I sent over 10 songs to the company, but only 7 passed. I’ll accept the result,” drawing laughter.
Though said half-jokingly, Shownu X Hyungwon felt great satisfaction and gratitude that this album could be released.
Shownu said, “I’m just grateful to be able to show the new stage I promised the fans and be active. It’s been 11 years since debut, but honestly, I was very nervous before doing a solo stage at a concert. There’s a bit of pressure when showing a new performance. After the first stage, I try to just enjoy it.”
Hyungwon also expressed excitement, “I want to show a lot of new things and I’m very fluttery. The thrill I feel when fans or anyone else listens to my work and likes it is huge. I think that thrill is the driving force that keeps me active.”
With this gratitude and the relaxed confidence of a group that has lasted over 11 years, Shownu X Hyungwon hoped this promotion would be a place for everyone to enjoy together rather than setting numerical goals.
Furthermore, Hyungwon wished, “Watching music shows or videos is great, but you can feel the charm more directly when seeing the stage at a concert or festival. I think our differentiator is that we have a lot to show physically. I hope to meet not only fans but many people at festivals and concert venues.”
It seems we’ll be able to see the Shownu X Hyungwon unit for a long time and more often in the future.
