Kihyun of MONSTA X released his solo project YOUTH, along with a music video for its title track, on October 24, 2022. He delights fans with five songs filled with his experiences of love and life.

The music video encapsulates all the feel-good vibes of the song as well as its more somber tones. In the video, Kihyun seems to be pondering his life along with the lyrics. When he mentions feeling like he will miss those days of his youth, he is transported into a colorful playground in what looks to be paint-splattered clothing. As the music picks up, so does he, going into full childlike destruction of his home, spilling chips everywhere, carelessly jumping on his bed with shoes on, all while looking like he's having the time of his life. As the tone of the song changes, so do the scenes. We see him in front of a broken mirror as he confesses the struggles of wanting to run away, but not being able to because of all his responsibilities.

“Youth” is a song that expresses all the worries of growing up starting to subside because of the maturity that comes with going through life. The message of finally seeing the sky as beautiful while finding a familiar place to feel new perfectly describes the feeling of shedding your teen years and looking at the world in a new way. This song relays the message that everything works out, but there will always be a nostalgic feeling when thinking back on your childhood. The song ends with the words, “I wish I could tell myself at that time that I was already doing well,” beautifully illustrating his efforts to heal the younger version of him.

YOUTH features five songs: title track “Youth,” “Bad Liar,” “STARDUST,” full-English track “Where Is This Love,” and “‘Cause of You.” “Bad Liar” speaks about the tug of war of missing someone and denying it, and is edgy, dark, and sexy. The remaining tracks on the album deal with the longing feeling of love. Although only five songs, this mini-album is packed with raw emotions; it takes you through a journey of what it feels like to appreciate your youth. Kihyun takes all the messy parts of growing up and wraps it up neatly in an EP for us to hear.

Watch the music video for “Youth” here!

Edited by Rashelle B.