XOXO is the debut studio album by South Korean boy band Exo, released on June 3, 2013, by SM Entertainment and distributed by KT Music. The album is a follow-up to the group's debut EP, Mama (2012). The album was released in two versions – a Korean "Kiss" edition and a Chinese "Hug" edition.[1]
| XOXO | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 XOXO album cover | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 3, 2013 | |||
| Recorded | 2011–2013 | |||
| Studio | SM Studios, Seoul | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 43:48 49:31 (Growl - repackage) | |||
| Language | ||||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
| |||
| Exo chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from XOXO | ||||
| ||||
| Repackage edition cover | ||||
 Digital version cover | ||||
| Singles from Growl | ||||
| ||||
Two singles were released from XOXO: "Wolf" and "Growl", the latter being the lead single off the album's repackaged version released on August 5, 2013. Both singles went to chart in the top ten of the Gaon Digital Chart, and "Growl" peaked at number 3 on the Billboard K-pop Hot 100. XOXO and its repackage sold over 570,000 copies and 760,000 copies in South Korea, respectively. The album won Album of the Year at the 2013 Mnet Asian Music Awards.
Background
editThe album's lead single, "늑대와 미녀" ("The Wolf and the Beauty"), known in English as simply "Wolf", was composed by Will Simms, Nermin Harambašić from Dsign Music and SM Entertainment resident songwriter Kenzie. Kenzie also provided the lyrics for the Korean version of the song while Zhou Weijie penned the lyrics for the Mandarin Chinese version, "狼与美女". Yoo Young-jin provides background vocals. The dance for the song was choreographed by Tony Testa. In several shows such as Arirang's After School Club, the members explain that the dance has 3 elements: the trees and forest, the caves, and the wolf itself. Member Kris revealed that it took them approximately 3 to 4 months to get the choreography down, due to its level of difficulty. [citation needed] A demo version of the song was leaked in February 2013, in response to which producer Ryan Jhun later gave a warning to illegal downloaders on May 29, 2013, "...I will report it to FBI and service department for all links...".[citation needed]
Several "developmental" tracks were produced and recorded in 2011 before Exo's official debut into the entertainment industry but never made it into the first EP Mama. Some of these tracks were included on the XOXO album, including "Black Pearl" and "My Lady".[citation needed]
In July 2013, a re-package version of 'XOXO', renamed 으르렁 (Growl), was developed with three additional tracks. The single from this edition was its title track "Growl" (으르렁).[citation needed] The song was recorded in both Korean and Mandarin Chinese ("咆哮") versions. Composed by Hyuk Shin (Joombas), DK, Jordan Kyle, John Major, and Jarah Gibson, "Growl" is a dance-pop song with contemporary R&B and funk influences. The single was prematurely leaked online on July 27, when a video of the group practicing to the Korean version of the song was uploaded to various video-sharing websites.[2]
Release and promotion
editMay 30, 2013, the Korean and Chinese versions of the music video for "Wolf" were released, and the song's first performance was made on Mnet M! Countdown.[citation needed] Both song versions were released digitally on June 3, 2013, and on the same day, two physical formats of the entire album XOXO were also released in South Korea: a "Kiss" edition in Korean and a "Hug" edition in Mandarin. After a performance on SBS Inkigayo on June 3, 2013, Exo visited and thanked 2,000 fans who had been waiting at a nearby park to meet them. The first performance of the Mandarin version of the song was aired on a popular Chinese variety show Happy Camp in mid-June.[citation needed]
The album reached over 300,000 collective pre-orders, and peaked at number one on the Billboard World Album Chart a week after release.[3] As of December 2013, the Korean and Chinese versions of the album, as well as their respective repackaged versions, have collectively sold over 1,070,000 copies.[4]
Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Melon Music Awards | Album of the Year | Nominated | [5] |
| Mnet Asian Music Awards | BC UnionPay Album of the Year | Won | [6] | |
| 2014 | Gaon Chart Music Awards | Album of the Year – 3rd Quarter | Won | [7] |
| Golden Disc Awards | Album Bonsang | Won | [8] | |
| Album Daesang | Won | |||
| iF Design Awards | Best Packaging Design | Won | [9] | |
| V Chart Awards | Album of the Year – South Korea | Won | [10] |
Track listing
editCredits adapted from Naver.
XOXO (original edition)
edit| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Wolf" (늑대와 미녀; Neukdae Wa Minyeo; lit. Wolf and the Beauty) | 3:52 | |||
| 2. | "Baby Don't Cry" (인어의 눈물; Ineoui Nunmul; lit. A Mermaid's Tears) (sung by: Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O.) |
| 3:55 | ||
| 3. | "Black Pearl" |
|
| 3:08 | |
| 4. | "Don't Go" (나비소녀; Nabi Sonyeo; lit. Butterfly Girl) |
|
|
| 3:36 |
| 5. | "Let Out the Beast" |
|
|
| 3:27 |
| 6. | "3.6.5" |
|
| 3:07 | |
| 7. | "Heart Attack" |
|
| 3:39 | |
| 8. | "Peter Pan" (피터팬; Piteopaen) |
|
|
| 3:56 |
| 9. | "Baby" | 4:00 | |||
| 10. | "My Lady" | 3:33 | |||
| 11. | "Wolf (EXO-K version)" (늑대와 미녀; Neugdaewa Minyeo; lit. Wolf and the Beauty) | 3:52 | |||
| 12. | "狼与美女 (Wolf)" (Láng Yǔ Měinǚ) (Trans.: Wolf and the Beauty) | 3:52 | |||
| Total length: | 43:48 | ||||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "狼与美女 (Wolf)" (traditional Chinese: 狼與美女; pinyin: Láng Yǔ Měinǚ) (Trans.: Wolf and the Beauty) | 3:52 | |||
| 2. | "Baby Don't Cry (人鱼的眼泪)" (traditional Chinese: 人魚的眼淚; pinyin: Rényú de Yǎnlèi) (Trans.: A Mermaid's Tears) |
| 3:55 | ||
| 3. | "Black Pearl (黑珍珠)" |
|
| 3:08 | |
| 4. | "蝴蝶少女 (Don't Go)" (Húdié Shàonǚ) (Trans.: Butterfly Girl) |
|
| 3:36 | |
| 5. | "Let Out the Beast" |
|
| 3:27 | |
| 6. | "3.6.5" |
|
| 3:07 | |
| 7. | "Heart Attack" |
|
| 3:39 | |
| 8. | "彼得潘 (Peter Pan)" (Bǐdépān) |
|
| 3:56 | |
| 9. | "Baby (第一步)" (Dìyī Bù) (Trans.: The First Step) | 4:00 | |||
| 10. | "My Lady" | 3:33 | |||
| 11. | "狼与美女 (Wolf) (EXO-M version)" (Trans.: Wolf and the Beauty) | 3:52 | |||
| 12. | "Wolf" (늑대와 미녀; Neukdae Wa Minyeo; lit. Wolf and the Beauty) | 3:52 | |||
| Total length: | 43:48 | ||||
Growl (repackaged edition)
edit| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Growl" (으르렁; Eureureong) |
|
| 3:29 | |
| 2. | "Wolf" (늑대와 미녀; Neukdae Wa Minyeo; lit. Wolf and the Beauty) | 3:52 | |||
| 3. | "XOXO (Kisses & Hugs)" |
|
| 3:08 | |
| 4. | "Lucky" (운이 좋은; Wooni Joheun) |
|
| 3:25 | |
| 5. | "Baby Don't Cry" (인어의 눈물; Ineoui Nunmul; lit. A Mermaid's Tears) (sung by: Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O.) |
| 3:55 | ||
| 6. | "Black Pearl" (검은 진주; Geomeun Jinju) |
|
|
| 3:08 |
| 7. | "Don't Go" (나비소녀; Nabi Sonyeo; lit. Butterfly Girl) |
|
|
| 3:36 |
| 8. | "Let Out the Beast" (짐승을 보자; Jimseung-eul Boja) |
|
|
| 3:27 |
| 9. | "3.6.5" (세 여섯 다섯; Se Yeoseos Daseos) |
|
| 3:07 | |
| 10. | "Heart Attack" (심장 마비; Simjang Mabi) |
|
| 3:39 | |
| 11. | "Peter Pan" (피터팬; Piteopaen) |
|
|
| 3:56 |
| 12. | "Baby" (아가; Aga) | 4:00 | |||
| 13. | "My Lady" (내 여자; Nae Yeoja) | 3:33 | |||
| 14. | "Growl (EXO-K version)" (으르렁; Eureureong) |
|
|
| 3:27 |
| Total length: | 49:31 | ||||
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "咆哮 (Growl)" (pinyin: Páoxiāo) |
|
| 3:27 | |
| 2. | "狼与美女 (Wolf) (EXO Version)" (Trans.: Wolf and the Beauty) | 3:52 | |||
| 3. | "XOXO (Kisses & Hugs)" |
|
| 3:06 | |
| 4. | "Lucky (幸运)" |
|
| 3:23 | |
| 5. | "Baby Don't Cry (人鱼的眼泪)" (traditional Chinese: 人魚的眼淚; pinyin: Rényú de Yǎnlèi) (Trans.: A Mermaid's Tears) |
|
| 3:55 | |
| 6. | "Black Pearl (黑珍珠)" |
|
| 3:08 | |
| 7. | "蝴蝶少女 (Don't Go)" (pinyin: Húdié Shàonǚ) (Trans.: Butterfly Girl) |
|
| 3:36 | |
| 8. | "Let Out the Beast (让出兽)" |
|
| 3:27 | |
| 9. | "3.6.5 (三 六 五)" |
|
| 3:07 | |
| 10. | "Heart Attack (心脏病发作)" |
|
| 3:39 | |
| 11. | "彼得潘 (Peter Pan)" (pinyin: Bǐdépān) |
|
| 3:56 | |
| 12. | "Baby (第一步)" (pinyin: Dìyī Bù) (Trans.: The First Step) | 4:00 | |||
| 13. | "My Lady (我的女士)" | 3:33 | |||
| 14. | "咆哮 (Growl) (EXO-M Version)" |
|
| 3:27 | |
| Total length: | 49:31 | ||||
Charts
edit| Chart | Peak position | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XOXO Kiss |
XOXO Hug |
Growl Kiss |
Growl Hug | |
| South Korea Weekly Albums (Gaon)[11] | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| South Korea Monthly Albums (Gaon)[12] | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| South Korea Yearly Albums – 2013[13] | 3 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| South Korea Yearly Albums – 2014 | 53 | 83 | 15 | 67 |
| South Korea Yearly Albums – 2015 | — | — | 71 | — |
| Japan Weekly Albums (Oricon) | 9 | 18 | — | — |
| Japan Monthly Albums (Oricon) | 18 | 36 | — | — |
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[14] | 23 |
| US World Albums (Billboard)[15] | 1 |
Sales
editRelease history
edit| Edition | Date | Region | Format | Label | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original | June 3, 2013 | Worldwide / South Korea[16][17] | CD, digital download | SM Entertainment, KT Music | SMK0242 |
| SMK0243 | |||||
| July 19, 2013 | Taiwan[18] | Avex | AVKCD80280/A | ||
| AVKCD80280/B | |||||
| July 27, 2013 | Philippines | Universal Records | SMK0242 | ||
| SMK0243 | |||||
| June 12, 2013 | Thailand | S.M. True | |||
| Repackage | August 5, 2013 | Worldwide / South Korea | SM Entertainment, KT Music | SMK0275 | |
| SMK0276 | |||||
| September 13, 2013 | Taiwan | Avex Taiwan | AVKCD80280/C | ||
| AVKCD80280/D | |||||
| August 16, 2013 | Thailand | S.M. True |
References
edit- ^ "EXO finally drop their 1st full album, 'XOXO', was it everything you waited for?". 2013. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
- ^ "EXO's 'Growl' dance practice video leaked". ttwigo. July 27, 2013. Archived from the original on July 31, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
- ^ Addy (June 14, 2013). "Chinese-Korean boy band, Exo, reaches No. 1 on Billboard World Album Chart". JayneStars. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- ^ Jeon Su Mi (September 3, 2013). "EXO achieves major feat with 740,000 albums sold". Mwave E-News World. Archived from the original on September 7, 2013. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
- ^ '멜론뮤직어워드' 버스커버스커 대상 2연패 성공 [Busker Busker wins Grand Prize for 2 consecutive years at the 'Melon Music Awards']. Newsen (in Korean). November 14, 2013. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
- ^ Chung, Ah-young (November 24, 2013). "MAMA: gala of int'l stars". The Korea Times. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ Park, Jung Sun (February 13, 2014). [가온차트 K-POP 어워드] 2013년 하반기, 엑소가 점령했다. MBN Star (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019 – via MK.
- ^ "History". Golden Disc Awards (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- ^ Lee, Eun-jung (January 23, 2014). SM, 독일 'iF 디자인 어워드'서 4개 작품 수상. Yonhap News (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 18, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
- ^ "2014 YinYueTai V Chart Awards Winners" (in Chinese). YinYueTai. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- ^ Weekly peaks:
- "2013년 24주차 Album Chart". Gaon. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- "2013년 33주차 Album Chart". Gaon. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ Monthly peaks:
- "2013년 06월 Album Chart". Gaon. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - "2013년 8월 Album Chart". Gaon. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- "2013년 06월 Album Chart". Gaon. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "2013년 Album Chart". Gaon. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Exo Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 14, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ "Exo Chart History - World Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
- ^ "엑소(EXO) - 정규 1집 XOXO [Kiss Ver.]" (in Korean). music.aladin.co.kr. June 3, 2013. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
- ^ "엑소(EXO) - 정규 1집 XOXO [Hug Ver.]" (in Korean). music.aladin.co.kr. June 3, 2013. Archived from the original on August 7, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
- ^ "EXO - XOXO (Kiss&Hug)」[Hug版/中文版]" (in Chinese). G-Music. July 19, 2013. Archived from the original on January 21, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2013.