MONSTA X and the “Alligator” Comeback
On February 18, 2019, MONSTA X released their second album Take.2 We Are Here along with the music video for the title track “Alligator.” This comeback marked the official debut of member Jooheon’s English stage name, Joohoney. The album featured ten tracks, including an intro, and garnered MONSTA X fans, music show wins, an award show victory, and introduced them to a new group of music fans.
The Music Videos
The music video for “Alligator” features shots of an alligator, MONSTA X getting up to some riotous behavior, and the incredible choreography we’ve come to expect from them. While not really based around a storyline like previous singles “All In” and “DRAMARAMA,” the music video for “Alligator” is definitely fun, especially towards the end where the members dance in a pool of water in one shot and then in a laser grid in the next.
And while not necessarily a release from the band themselves, Steve Aoki released a music video for the English version of “Play It Cool” on March 27, 2019. The music video features Aoki driving around in his car while jamming to the track interspersed with clips of MONSTA X alternating between strutting around and goofing off in an expensive looking hotel before performing the choreography during the second half of the track.
The Comeback Performances
The first comeback stage for “Alligator” was on February 21, 2019 on M!COUNTDOWN and featured a rap intro by Joohoney and I.M with members Minhyuk and Hyungwon teaming up for a dance break between the two rappers’ verses and Shownu, Wonho, and Kihyun dancing after I.M’s rap. This stage also features the famous water performance, the seven members stepping down from the main stage and into a pool of water while water falls behind them as well. At the end of the performance, the boys then step back onto the main stage, walking through the curtain of water and staring into the crowd.
“Play It Cool” was the other song MONSTA X promoted during this comeback. For their M!COUNTDOWN comeback stage for this track, the members donned sweaters, scarves, and loose fitting slacks as they kept the performance simple with just a colorful video playing on the screens behind them. At the end of the performance, glittery confetti burst from cannons behind them, showering over them and the crowd.
The Legacy
Take.2 We Are Here debuted at number one on the weekly and monthly Gaon Album Chart and number one and three on the weekly and monthly Gaon Retail Album Chart respectively. It peaked at number four on the Billboard US World Albums chart.
As for music show wins, “Alligator” is tied with their preceding comeback “Shoot Out” as the MONSTA X track with most music show wins. The group took first place at The Show on February 26, beating LOONA and SF9 with a total of 9,480 points. Their second win came the following day on Show Champion, where they beat Yoon Jisung, ITZY, TAEMIN, and Hwasa. M!COUNTDOWN gave the boys their third win on February 28, where they beat ITZY again with a total of 6,801 points, while their final win for “Alligator” was at Music Bank on former member Wonho’s birthday, taking the trophy from ITZY once more with a total of 6,922 points.
At the end of year award shows, “Alligator” was nominated for “Best Dance Performance - Male Group” and “Song of the Year” at the 2019 Mnet Asian Music Awards while Take.2 We Are Here was nominated for “Album of the Year - 1st Quarter” at the 2020 Gaon Chart Music Awards and “Album Bonsang” and “Album Daesang” at the 2020 Golden Disc Awards. The album would go on to win the “Album Bonsang.”
Photo taken by Meighan
And if you’re curious as to what Steve Aoki does with the English version, you’ll be happy to know that he performs a remixed version of the track at his shows with the music video playing in the background. While not released on an album in 2019, the English version track did make it onto his Neon Future IV that was released on April 3, 2020.