Next Episode
Digital cover
EP by
AKMU
ReleasedJuly 26, 2021 (2021-07-26)
Recorded2021
Genre
Length24:41
LanguageKorean
LabelYG
ProducerLee Chan-hyuk
AKMU chronology
AKMU 'Sailing' Tour Live
(2020)		 Next Episode
(2021)
Vinyl LP cover
Singles from Next Episode
  1. "Nakka"
    Released: July 26, 2021 (2021-07-26)

Next Episode (stylized in all caps) is the second extended play (EP) by South Korean brother-sister duo AKMU. It was released digitally on July 26, 2021, and physically on July 27, through YG Entertainment. The EP marks the duo's first album release in nearly two years, since Sailing in September 2019. Described as a "collaboration album", it comprises seven songs, with each track featuring a different artist. "Nakka" serves as the lead single for the album.

Background and release

South Korean brother-sister duo AKMU released the single "Happening" on November 16, 2020. In a press release for the song member Lee Chan-hyuk hinted that it was a potential prelude to their next full-length album.[2][3] On June 27, 2021, South Korean news outlet Hankyung reported that the duo would be making a comeback in July, and had begun filming their new music video.[4][3] On the same day, their agency YG Entertainment confirmed that they were in the middle of filming a music video for a new track.[5][3] On July 12, the release of AKMU's new album titled Next Episode was announced for July 26.[3][6]

On July 14, the EP's track listing was published, confirming a total of seven tracks with seven different featured artists. The track list highlighted "Nakka" (낙하) featuring IU as the title track; other featuring artists included Lee Sun-hee, Zion.T, Beenzino, Choi Jung-hoon, Crush, and Sam Kim.[7] Two days later, a video trailer for the EP was released, with YG Entertainment announcing that each track on the album would be accompanied by its own music video.[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
IZM[9]
NME[10]

Ruby C from the British magazine NME gave the EP a five-star rating out of five, and said, "Much like a mountainous expedition, there are always risks that come with collaborating with others, but those in 'Next Episode' work for the better: each track brings out the strengths of the collaborators, while still effective in showcasing Su-hyun's flawless, pristine vocals and Chan-hyuk's adept lyrical storytelling."[10] Tamar Herman, writing for South China Morning Post, said that "[b]etween the captivating musicality and the lyrics' compelling themes", the album is "worth listening to again and again."[11]

Commercial performance

EP's lead single "Nakka" debuted at number three on Gaon Digital Chart for the week ending July 31, 2021.[12] The following week, "Nakka" rose to the number one spot, becoming the duo's seventh number one single on the chart.[13] It debuted at number 16 on the Billboard's K-pop 100,[14] and peaked at number one for the chart issued on August 14;[15] and remained atop for four consecutive weeks.[16]

Accolades

Awards and nominations received by Next Episode
Year Awards Category Nominee Result Ref.
2021 13th Melon Music Awards Album of the Year Next Episode Nominated [17]
23rd Mnet Asian Music Awards Song of the Year "Nakka" (with IU) Longlisted [18]
Best Collaborations Won [19]
Best Vocal Performance Nominated [20]
2022 11th Gaon Chart Music Awards Song of the Year – July Nominated [21]
"Hey Kid, Close Your Eyes" Nominated
Next Episode on year-end lists
Critic/Publication List Work Rank Ref.
PopMatters Top 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2021 Next Episode 4 [22]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Lee Chan-hyuk, except where noted

Next Episode track listing[23]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Hey Kid, Close Your Eyes" (전쟁터; with Lee Sun-hee) 
  • Lee Chan-hyuk
  • Millennium
  • Sihwang
  • Millennium
  • Sihwang
3:53
2."Nakka" (낙하; with IU) 
  • Lee Chan-hyuk
  • Millennium
Millennium3:32
3."Bench" (with Zion.T) 
  • Lee Chan-hyuk
  • Lee Hyun-young
  • Millennium
  • Lee Hyun-young
  • Millennium
3:45
4."Tictoc Tictoc Tictoc" (째깍 째깍 째깍; with Beenzino)
  • Lee Chan-hyuk
  • Beenzino
  • Lee Chan-hyuk
  • Peejay
Peejay3:56
5."Next Episode" (맞짱; with Choi Jung-hoon) 
  • Lee Chan-hyuk
  • Lee Hyun-young
Lee Hyun-young3:12
6."Stupid Love Song" (with Crush) 
  • Lee Chan-hyuk
  • Jukjae
Jukjae3:08
7."Everest" (with Sam Kim) 
  • Lee Chan-hyuk
  • Jukjae
Jukjae3:15
Total length:24:41

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from YG Select.[24]

  • AKMU – vocals (all tracks)
    • Lee Chan-hyuk – vocals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), lyrics (all tracks), composition (all tracks)
    • Lee Su-hyun – vocals (1, 2, 4, 6, 7)
  • Beenzino – vocals (4), lyrics (4), chorus (4)
  • Koo Bon-am – bass (3, 5)
  • Crush – vocals (6)
  • Lim Heon-il – acoustic guitar (5), electric guitar (5)
  • Lee Hyun-young – composition (3, 5), arrangement (3, 5), keyboard (3, 5), synthesizer (3, 5)
  • IU – vocals (2)
  • Park Jae-bum – drum (5), percussion (5)
  • Park Jong-woo (PJnotreble) – bass (4)
  • Jukjae – composition (6, 7), arrangement (6, 7), acoustic guitar (6, 7), electric guitar (6, 7), bass (6, 7), drum (6, 7)
  • Yoon Jun-hyun - synthesizer (7)
  • Choi Jung-hoon – vocals (5)
  • Millennium – composition (1, 2, 3), arrangement (1, 2, 3), drum (1, 2, 3), synthesizer (1, 2), programming (1), sampling and editing (1), bass (2), keyboard (2), effects (2, 3), percussion (3)
  • Peejay – composition (4), arrangement (4), drum (4), keyboard (4), percussion (4), chorus (4)
  • Sam Kim – vocals (7)
  • Kim Seung-hyun (Shyun) – electric guitar (4)
  • Sihwang – composition (1), arrangement (1), electric guitar (1), electric bass (1), synthesizer (1)
  • Chung Soo-wan – electric guitar (3)
  • Lee Sun-hee – vocals (1)
  • Zion.T – vocals (3)

Charts

Sales

Sales for Next Episode
Region Sales
South Korea (Gaon)[lower-alpha 1] 11,552

Release history

Release dates and formats for Next Episode
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various July 26, 2021 YG [23]
South Korea July 27, 2021 CD [24]
November 29, 2021 LP [27]

Notes

  1. ↑ Sales figure as of July 2021.[26]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tizzard, David A. (August 1, 2021). "K-retrowave and AKMU". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Born-to-sing sibling duo AKMU keeps evolving in new single". The Korea Herald. Yonhap News Agency. November 16, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Yeo, Gladys (July 12, 2021). "AKMU release cinematic teaser for upcoming "collaboration album"". NME. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  4. ↑ Kim, Soo-young (June 27, 2021). [단독] 악동뮤지션, 7월 컴백…'믿듣' 음원 최강자의 귀환 [[Exclusive] Akdong Musician to make comeback in July… The return of the strongest singer in 'Believe']. Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). Retrieved July 19, 2021 – via Naver.
  5. ↑ Choo, Seung-hyun (June 27, 2021). [공식] '음원 강자' 악뮤 7월 컴백설···YG "신곡 뮤직비디오 촬영 중" [[Official] 'Song source strong' AKMU's July comeback rumor… YG "New song MV is being filmed"]. Sedaily (in Korean). Retrieved July 19, 2021 – via Naver.
  6. ↑ Lee, Jae-lim (July 12, 2021). "Sibling duo AKMU to drop new album on July 26". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  7. ↑ Kim, Hyo-jeong (July 14, 2021). 이들이 모두 한 음반에…악뮤, 아이유·이선희 등 참여 협업앨범 [They're all on one album… AKMU, collaboration album with IU, Lee Sun-hee]. Yonhap (in Korean). Retrieved July 19, 2021 – via Naver.
  8. ↑ Hwang, Ji-young (July 16, 2021). AKMU, 블록버스터급 컴백 "전곡 오피셜 비디오 제작" [AKMU, blockbuster comeback "official video production of all songs"]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  9. ↑ Park, Soo-jin. "Next Episode | Review". IZM. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  10. 1 2 C, Ruby (July 30, 2021). "AKMU – 'Next Episode' review: a star-studded collaboration album that doesn't disappoint". NME. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  11. ↑ Herman, Tamar (August 2, 2021). "K-pop must-listen releases in July 2021: BTS, Taeyeon, SF9, AKMU and more". South China Morning Post. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  12. ↑ 2021년 31주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart – Week 31 of 2021] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  13. ↑ McIntyre, Hugg (August 12, 2021). "BTS, AKMU, IU, Astro, Aespa And Taeyeon: This Week's 10 Biggest Songs In Korea". Forbes. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  14. ↑ 방탄소년단 'Permission to Dance', 빌보드 케이팝 100 차트 3주 연속 1위 [BTS' 'Permission to Dance' tops the Billboard K-Pop 100 chart for 3 weeks in a row] (in Korean). August 3, 2021. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  15. ↑ 악뮤 '낙하', 빌보드 케이팝 100 차트 정상 등극 [Akmu's 'Nakka' topped the Billboard K-Pop 100 chart] (in Korean). August 10, 2021. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  16. ↑ 빌보드 케이팝 100, 악뮤 '낙하' 4주 연속 1위 & 레드벨벳, 전소미 톱 10 진입 [Billboard K-Pop 100, Akmu's 'Nakka' 1st for 4 weeks in a row & Red Velvet, Jeon Somi enter Top 10] (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  17. ↑ "MMA 2021: cómo votar por tu favorito en los MelOn MusiAwards" [MMA 2021: How to vote for your favorite at the MelOn Music Awards]. La República (in Spanish). November 8, 2021. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  18. ↑ "2021 MAMA Nominees – Nominees for 2021 MAMA". Mwave. Mnet Asian Music Awards. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  19. ↑ Souw, Rebecca (December 12, 2021). "BTS and IU Emerge Big Winners Amid Excitement of K-pop's Hybrid MAMA Awards". Variety. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  20. ↑ Adhya, Arpita (November 3, 2021). "'MAMA Nominations 2021: MNET Awards Nominees FT BTS, Stray Kids & More". Hitc.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  21. ↑ 11th Gaon Chart Music Awards 올해의 가수（디지털음원）후보자 [11th Gaon Chart Music Awards (Song of the Year) Nominees] (in Korean). Gaon Chart Music Awards. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  22. ↑ Ribeiro, Ana Clara (November 29, 2021). "The 20 Best K-Pop Albums of 2021". PopMatters. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  23. 1 2 "AKMU - Collaboration Album [Next Episode] Tracklist". YG Life (in Korean). YG Entertainment. July 14, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
    "Next Episode – EP". Apple Music. July 26, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  24. 1 2 "AKMU COLLABORATION ALBUM [NEXT EPISODE]". YG Select. YG Select. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Gaon Album Chart – Week 31, 2021". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  26. 1 2 "2021 Gaon Album Chart – July". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  27. ↑ "AKMU Collaboration Album [Next Episode] LP". YG Select. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
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