Hard to Love, How to Love

Hard to Love, How to Love is the second studio album (third overall) by South Korean boy band Beast. It was released on July 19, 2013 with the song "Shadow (Geurimja)" as promotional single. The entire album was produced by the member Yong Jun-hyung, along with Kim Tae-joo. Two songs from the album, "Will You Be Alright?"[1] and "I'm Sorry",[2] were released as digital singles as a preview for it.

Hard to Love, How to Love
Studio album by
Beast
ReleasedJuly 19, 2013
October 30, 2013 (Japan Edition)
Recorded2013
GenreK-pop, dance-pop, electropop, hip hop
Length27:11
LabelCube Entertainment
Universal Music Korea (Korean edition)
Universal Music Japan (Japanese edition)
Far Eastern Tribe (Japanese Edition)
ProducerYong Jun-hyung, Kim Tae-joo
Beast chronology
Midnight Sun
(2012)		 Hard to Love, How to Love
(2013)		 Good Luck
(2014)
Singles from Hard to Love, How to Love
  1. "Will You Be Alright? (괜찮겠니)"
    Released: May 29, 2013
  2. "I'm Sorry"
    Released: June 15, 2013
  3. "Shadow (그림자)"
    Released: July 19, 2013

Background

On May 27, 2013, the CEO of Cube Entertainment, Hong Seung-seong, revealed some details about Beast's upcoming album release: ″It's now time for me to show you the three big pictures we′ve drawn regarding Beast's comeback. Thanks to the Beast members and their efforts to put together a puzzle that will make everyone supporting them happy, Beast has confirmed a comeback date in July.″ The CEO also said, ″Beast's upcoming album, to be released in July, will be performed for the first time onstage at B2ST's exclusive concert to be held in the same month. Their music, which shines more brilliantly onstage, will kick off with a concert so that B2UTYs will be the ones to see it first. Many passionate debates, designs and fun ideas have been thrown out regarding the comeback and are still going on, so make sure you don't let go of your anticipation.″[3]

On July 11, via Cube Entertainment's Twitter account, the label revealed the album's name, titled Hard to Love, How to Love, and the release date, July 19.[4][5] A day later, on July 12, the label announced the promotional track of the album, titled "Shadow" (그림자 Geurimja), and a promotional photo.[6][7] On July 15, the label posted on their Twitter and Facebook accounts solo teaser photos from each member of the group, starting with Doo-joon and finishing with Dong-woon. It was also revealed the album's track list, composed by eight tracks.[8]

Release

On May 29, 2013, a digital single, "Will You Be Okay?" (Korean: 괜찮겠니 Gwaenchanhgessni?) was released, and a special video of the song was uploaded to Beast's official YouTube account. The song went to number 1 on the Gaon Digital Chart[9] and the Billboard K-pop Hot 100.[10] A second song, "I'm Sorry", was released digitally on June 15 and also placed on both charts.[11][12] Both songs were included on the upcoming album.

Hard to Love, How to Love was released in Korea on July 19, 2013. It reached number 1 on South Korea's Gaon physical sales chart,[13] Beast's first song to do so,[14] and number 6 on the Billboard World Albums chart.[15] A Japanese edition of the album was released in Japan on October 30, 2013, and peaked at number 18 on the Oricon Albums Chart.[16] It contained the same material as the Korean edition but also included a Japanese-language version of "Shadow".

The Korean music video for "Shadow" was released on the group's official YouTube account on July 19, 2013. The song reached number 2 on the Gaon Digital Chart[17] and number 3 on the Billboard K-pop Hot 100.[18]

Critical reception

Jeff Benjamin of Billboard described Hard to Love, How to Love ultimately as balanced. He praised the impressive vocals on "Will You Be Okay?" and the range of notes sounded on "I'm Sorry". He calls "Shadow" the album's centerpiece, with its "aggressive, piano-laden electro-pop beat" and elements reminiscent of their earlier song, "Fiction" from 2011's Fiction and Fact.[14]

Composition

The album is composed by eight tracks, four new songs, an intro, an outro and two already-released singles. All songs from the album were written and produced by Kim Tae-joo and Beast member Yong Jun-hyung. The album's cover art was created by Kim Do-ho.[19]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Yong Jun-hyung and Kim Tae-joo.

No.TitleLength
1."Intro"1:28
2."Shadow" (그림자; Geurimja)3:37
3."How to Love"3:59
4."Be Alright"3:57
5."I'm Sorry" (아임 쏘리; Aim Ssori)3:49
6."Will You Be Alright?" (괜찮겠니; Gwaenchangetni)3:42
7."You're Bad" (너는 나빠; Neoneun Nappa)3:23
8."Encore"3:22
Japan Edition (CD)
No.TitleLength
9."Shadow (シャドウ)" (Japanese Ver.)3:27
Japan Edition (DVD)
No.TitleLength
1."Shadow" (Music Video) 
2."Shadow" (Music Video -Special Ver.-) 

Personnel
  • Hong Seung-seong - executive producer
  • Shin Jeong-hwa - executive producer
  • Park Choong-min - executive supervisor
  • No Hyeon-tae - executive director
  • Yong Jun-hyung - music producer
  • Kim Tae-joo - music producer
  • Im Sang-hyeok - production director
  • Seo Jae-woo - music supervisor
  • Jeong Ra-young - A&R
  • Shin Jae-bin - recording engineer, mixing engineer (Cube Studio)
  • Jeong Bu-yeon - recording engineer (Cube Studio)
  • Jo-ssi ajeossi - mixing engineer (Cube Studio)
  • Go Seung-wook - mixing engineer (Bono Studio)
  • Choi Hyo-young - mastering engineer (Suono Mastering Studio)[19]

Charts
Chart (2013) Peak
Position
Japan (Oricon Albums Chart) 18[16]
South Korea (Gaon Album Chart) 1[13]

Release history
CountryDateFormatLabel
South Korea July 19, 2013 Digital download Cube Entertainment
Universal Music Group
July 22, 2013 CD[20]
Japan October 30, 2013 Japan Edition (CD+DVD) Universal Music Japan
Far Eastern Tribe
Japan Edition (CD only)

References
  1. "(싱글) 괜찮겠니 / Daum 뮤직 :: 언제 어디서나 Music on Daum". Daum Communications. May 29, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  2. "(싱글) I'm Sorry / Daum 뮤직 :: 언제 어디서나 Music on Daum". Daum Communications. June 15, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  3. Ho, Stewart (June 27, 2013). "B2ST to Return in July with an Album, a Concert, and Two Special Projects". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Archived from the original on July 3, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  4. "Cube Entertainment's tweet about BEAST's comeback". Twitter. July 11, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  5. "최강 아이돌 비스트, 드디어 컴백. 19일 음원 공개". Daum Communications. July 11, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  6. "비스트 정규 2집 타이틀곡 Shadow 재킷 공개". Twitter. July 12, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  7. "비스트, 정규 2집 '섀도우' 재킷 공개 '남성미 발산'". Nate. July 12, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  8. "비스트 2집…용준형, 전곡 작곡". Nate. July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
  9. "2013년 23주차 Digital Chart". Gaon. Gaon. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  10. "Korea K-pop Hot 100 Week of June 15, 2013". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  11. "2013년 26주차 Digital Chart". Gaon. Gaon. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  12. "Korea K-pop Hot 100 Week of June 29, 2013". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  13. "2013년 31주차 Album Chart". Gaon. Gaon. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  14. Benjamin, Jeff. "Beast Finds Balance on 'Hard to Love, How to Love' Album". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  15. Benjamin, Jeff. "G-Dragon & Taeyang's 'Good Boy' Debuts at No. 1 on World Digital Songs". Billboard.biz. Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  16. "アルバム Hard to love,How to love -Japan Edition-". Oricon. Oricon. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  17. "2013년 31주차 Digital Chart". Gaon. Gaon. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  18. "Korea K-pop Hot 100 Week of August 10, 2013". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  19. Hard to Love, How to Love (Media notes). Beast. Cube Entertainment. 2013.CS1 maint: others (link)
  20. "HOTTRACKS - 생활속의 감성충전소". hottracks.co.kr. July 14, 2013. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
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