Forbes Exclusive Image - SHOWNU X HYUNGWON's [LOVE ME]

Starship Entertainment

Love is a fickle thing – unless they look and sound like MONSTA X’s unit group SHOWNU X HYUNGWON, then it’s easy to be smitten by their new EP [LOVE ME] that demands it.

The Korean performance powerhouses reunite for the second time, nearly three years after their first unit album, [THE UNSEEN], which grapples with their self-identity and staying true to their authenticity. Now, the duo is older and wiser, offering a “more defined emotional perspective shaped by subtlety, tension, and atmosphere.” With seven tracks in [LOVE ME], there’s also a level of maturity that is felt throughout the album, that feels pretty sexy, playing on the sensual tension that also comes through this love – and their lyrics.

Also, the guys seem more mature given as so much has happened since the last album. Shortly after the release of the unit album in 2023, HYUNGWON went to the military and returned last year, just in time for MONSTA X’s 10th anniversary. Since his military discharge, he’s grown so much as an artist and lyricist, contributing twice as many songs for their second unit EP (“Superstitious,” “In My Head,” “Accelerator,” and “NO AIR.”)

“Through this experience, I was able to develop a broader and more diverse perspective on music,” HYUNGWON shares via email from Starship Entertainment. “It also gave me the opportunity to show a wider range of performances on stage.”

While [THE UNSEEN]’s lead single asked their audience to “Love Me A Little,” they are now straightforwardly asking the question with their new lead single, “Do You Love Me?” The emotional push and pull from the song creates sexual tension, but it is bold in just demanding that answer.

Something that SHOWNU really wanted to highlight, as he’s often shown more restraint and minimalism through his music. Although he’s known for his sexy appeal, he really isn’t trying to do it on purpose. He simply exists that way. But with [LOVE ME], his appeal feels more intentional.

“Compared to MONSTA X group albums, we previously showed a more minimal and restrained side as a unit,” SHOWNU states. “This time, we came across a track with a more upbeat and rhythmic energy, and we wanted to bring a new layer to that existing charm. Our goal was to highlight a different color from our group activities, while adding more groove and movement to the SHOWNU X HYUNGWON unit identity.”

Throughout the EP, the unit explores different genres, with each song offering contrasting beats, sounds, and vocals. “Superstitious” is a soulful pop track that plays on this bewitching feeling of falling in love. “In My Head” is filled with jazzy band beats and features powerful vocals. The R&B dance track “Breathe” is infused with Afrobeats and blended with the duo’s sultry energy. With “Accelerator,” it’s a fun pop dance song about chasing love and just going for it.

SHOWNU and HYUNGWON show off their individuality with their own solo tracks. SHOWNU’s “Around & Go” is finally on an album. MONSTA X’s leader first performed the song during the group’s [THE X : NEXUS] World Tour in January. The song represents the never-ending cycle of being hopelessly addicted to love. HYUNGWON’s “NO AIR” is an emotional track about that empty and aching feeling of lost love. The music itself feels exactly what the song portrays – holding their breath to hold onto the very air they have left.

​The unit works well together as they are both the calm, quiet giants of MONSTA X, whose strength lies in their subtlety. SHOWNU’s performance is sharp and steady, complementing HYUNGWON’s deep lyricism and softness. HYUNGWON acknowledges their dynamic and agrees that it works. He says, “Since this is our second album together, I feel like we’ve naturally come to understand what each other needs without having to say much, which made the album preparation process much smoother.”

SHOWNU X HYUNGWON’s [LOVE ME] is all about the multiple nuances and colors of love. Whether that feeling is sexual, sensual, falling, happy, sad, or lost, it’s hard not to love them.

SHOWNU X HYUNGWON’s [LOVE ME] is available on all streaming platforms. Physical copies are available at select retailers.