The Best Man (EP)

Wheesung was subject to conscription in South Korea and enlisted for military service on November 7, 2011.[1] As 2012 came to a close, it was reported that he became subject to an investigation for abusing propofol. The Chuncheon District Prosecutor`s Office denied summoning Wheesung to investigate any substance abuse.[2] Shortly before completing his service, Wheesung was hospitalized after sustaining spinal disc herniation and developing alopecia areata. In midst of his stay, he utilized his mobile phone without permission; he spent three days in military prison for breaching regulations.[3] He completed his service and discharged on August 9, 2013.[4]

Musically, The Best Man is an R&B record.[5] It opens with "Best Man", a "rhythmical" track where he sings his desires as a man as opposed to a singer. "I Like the Song" begins with the tune of a "tranquil" piano.[6] "Night and Day" is an R&B and pop song accompanied by an electric guitar.[7][8] "Lying Beside You" describes the "fluttering" feeling of loving a woman. Previously released two years prior, "A Masterpiece Called You" was remastered for inclusion on the mini-album; Wheesung creates a "romantic atmosphere" and utilizes a figure of speech to describe the "masterpiece" of loving a person. A breakup song, "I Don't Want to Know" details the feeling of loneliness. "I Need to Make Money" is a slow-tempo track where Wheesung reveals his concern of earning profit as a musician.[6]

On March 31, 2014, it was revealed that Wheesung was scheduled to release a mini-album in May.[7] The release date announced was May 12, two years and five months since They Are Coming (2011).[9] It was unclear if Wheesung would pursue a promotional cycle for The Best Man in light of the sinking of MV Sewol the previous month.[10]

A "night version" photo teaser for The Best Man was revealed on May 8.[11] A "day version" was posted on the following day.[12] The music video teaser for "Night and Day", which features cameos by Yura of Girl's Day and C.A.P of Teen Top, was uploaded on the next day.[13] The mini-album and the music video for the lead single were simultaneously released on May 12.[8]

Wheesung began promoting "Night and Day" by performing the song on weekly music chart shows upon release.[8] He first performed on MBC Music's Show Champion, the program's first episode to resume regular broadcasting following the Sewol incident.[14] He followed up with a performance on Seoul Broadcasting System's (SBS) Inkigayo.[15] The following week, Wheesung ranked first on Show Champion, which earned the single its first and only music show win.[16] He continued performing the following days on Mnet's M Countdown[17] and Arirang's Simply K-Pop.[18]

Writing for online magazine IZM, Kim Ban-ya rated The Best Man three and a half stars out of five, complimenting "Night and Day" for its "grandeur" and "dramatic" rise in scale.[19] Also rating the mini-album three stars out of five, Oh Lee of Rhythmer felt that Wheesung accomplished to "upgrade" himself, describing the album as a reflection of the singer due to the "personal sensitivity" of the lyrics.[20] Jung Hae-wook of News Tomtato gave the musicality of the record a full five stars, while awarding it three for its appeal and experimentation. He named "I Need to Make Money" the best track on the record aside from the lead single.[6]

On the chart dated May 11–17, 2014, The Best Man debuted at number four on the Gaon Album Chart.[21] By the end of the month, the mini-album sold 6,102 copies in South Korea.[22]