WOW is the first word to come to mind while watching the debut of the new MONSTA X subunit named SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (MONSTA X). The two members in this group are leader and main dancer SHOWNU and lead dancer and visual HYUNGWON. This is a subunit we didn’t know we needed, and now that it is here, we are in awe. Their EP, titled THE UNSEEN, has five songs in total that showcase the talent that SHOWNU and HYUNGWON possess.

Tracklist: 

1. “Love Me A Little”

2. “Love Therapy” 

3. “Roll With Me” 

4. “Play Me” 

5. “Slow Dance” 

Title Track: “Love Me A Little” 

Words to describe this song: smooth, breathtaking, stunning—I can go on. This song serves in every category. The thing about MONSTA X is that they are going to give us an R&B track, and this subunit did exactly that. When the song first started, I had to pause it because I wasn’t ready. Once I collected my thoughts and pressed play, I knew this was a certified banger. The lyrics talk about how they just want the person they have such strong feelings for to love them back, even just a little. While this is an R&B track, it still has a funk beat to it and hints of pop as well. It is a great touch to the piece, and then to add icing to this already phenomenal cake, member HYUNGWON helped produce this song and another song on the EP. Now for the dancing—what did we expect? SHOWNU and HYUNGWON are known for their fantastic dancing skills, and they didn’t disappoint. The dancing is intense, sensual, and effortless at the same time. It clearly highlighted their magnificent dance skills.

The music video is pretty deep. In the video, we see the members struggling to do everyday things like sleep and even looking too stuck to drive. They are so trapped in their minds about this person that it’s taking over their thought process. There are two things that stood out to me while watching the music video: one is the scenery, and the other is the transitions. The transition when they are in the car made me do a double-take. It is smooth and seamless, and it had me rewinding multiple times. It is great to watch, and I will definitely watch it again.

“Love Therapy” 

Is that an alternative backtrack I hear? The fact they are able to combine alternative and R&B together to create one of my personal favorites of the album amazes me. In the song, they talk about how they consider the person they love to be their therapy. Being around them, holding them, they don’t care how bad it will become, they just want to be near them. It’s a really good song, and I can’t wait to see them perform it live.

“Roll With Me”

When this song started, I thought they were going to start rapping. This hard-hitting beat, paired with their smooth vocals, threw me for a loop. This is another favorite of mine because of the vocals and the message behind it. They talk about how they might have everything, like money and fame, but none of that matters if their partner isn’t there. I am currently holding my heart thinking about it. This piece is also produced by HYUNGWON and it’s always a treat to see the members take part in the creative process of a piece. I know many listeners, including me, can’t wait for the choreography to drop for this song; it’s going to be so good.

“Play Me”

This electro-pop, retro throwback is a good addition to the EP. The harmonizing they did together felt effortless. The song is very interesting, though. In the lyrics, they talk about how obsessed they are with their partner and that they can’t leave them, even though they are being played. It’s a great track that we can all dance to. 

“Slow Dance”

This being the final song, they ended with a bang, and this is an R&B track. It is a classic slow jam that has you nodding along. The little chimes in the song remind me of a game, like you are leveling up; this is kind of ironic considering in the song they talk about how time has slowed down for them. They talk about how they want time to slow down so they can dance, kiss, and be with their partner forever. I can see why this is a favorite for many listeners because it is really good and deserves to be blasted through all speakers. 

I became a MONBEBE in 2017, and ever since then, I have enjoyed everything they have released, and I really enjoyed this. This being their first-ever subunit, I was so excited to see what the concept was going to be and how they were going to sound. The moment I found out it was SHOWNU and HYUNGWON I knew it was going to be amazing. Between the dancing, singing, and overall concept, this debut is incredible. I know that for myself, many MONBEBEs, and K-Pop listeners in general, we are so excited to see what they are going to release in the future.

Edited by Diana