#select shop

[August 27, 2021] 2021년 34주차

#1- The Chaos Chapter: FIGHT OR ESCAPE

Topping Week 34 of the Gaon Album Charts is one of K-Pop’s 4th generation It boy groups TOMORROW X TOGETHER! This being the second time TXT has debuted a new release that smashed the Gaon Albums Chart, earning them their fifth #1 in South Korea. 

“We do believe that it’s more important for us to express ourselves genuinely and openly, to be true to who we are as a team and as people. I very much enjoy being able to share these personal aspects because it feels like we, MOA and us, are deepening our bond and trust. I hope that our sincerity and honesty can be a source of strength for everyone, should they need it.” -Taehyun

#2- Queendom - The 6th Mini Album

Coming in the second spot, closely following TXT boys, is K-Pop queens Red Velvet, with their comeback album Queendom, regaining power and collecting their crowns once again. Queendom is the groups fourteenth top 10 title on the Gaon Albums Chart, all those projects have placed in the top 3. 

“What do you want fans to take away from your new project Queendom?” -billboard

“When we’re together, we shine more beautifully so let’s be there for each other forever and always.” -Irene

#3- CRAVITY 1ST ALBUM PART 1 [The Awakening: Written In The Stars]

On the rise is the talent and always impressive boys of CRAVITY, just less than two years into their debut they’ve already managed grab a spot on the top of Gaon Album Charts four times. Needless to say, CRAVITY continues to prove their talents as young artists and a group, that we will continue to see top charts in the future.

“Before, with our Hideout trilogy, we talked about acknowledging each other's existence, relying on each other, being there for one another as if we're each other's “hideouts”. Now with this album, we're stepping out of our comfort zones to face the world and all the challenges that come with it with newfound confidence, as if we've been “awakened”.” -Allen

#4-  CIX 1st Album ‘OK’ Prologue : Be OK

Next to take place is popular and handsome 5 member boy group CIX (Complete In X), the group’s first full-length collection is now their fifth to impressively and smoothly enter the top 10 of Gaon Albums Charts. Also being it’s the first to not be featured in their highly-successful ‘Hello’ series.

“The ‘HELLO’ series portrayed our friends being placed in a hell-like situation and the ‘OK’ series draws their experience searching for a breakthrough. Even if the five of us take a small stride, this is an album that shows us steadily growing and evolving. Just like how our journey up until now has come together to become this full-length album, we will work hard to start this new journey.” -Seunghun

#5- 6TH MINI ALBUM [THRILL-ING]

Last week we had the talent and personality driven group that attracts fans from all over the globe, The Boyz as our #1 place, this week they kept their crowns in the top 5 category with their 6th mini album ‘THRILL-ING’. 

“Previously, we focused a lot on trying to decipher a certain message on stage, this time around we’re more into, “let’s be chill, let’s relax on stage, let’s really enjoy the vibe of the music”.” -Sunwoo

#6- The Land of Fantasy

Coming in at spot #6 we have the talents of the indie-rock group ‘Jannabi’, bringing the act to the highest tier for just the third time. 

“The sound of The Land of Fantasy is also brilliantly lush, frequently layering dozens of voices and instruments into an inviting maelstrom. Prime examples of this include orchestral album opener “The Land of Fantasy” and the regal yet humorous “Bluebird, Spread your wings!”. The fullness of the album is exceptional given that Choi Junghoon is currently more or less operating as a one man show. Fellow bandmates Kim Dohyung (who was part of The Land of Fantasy’s production), Jang Kyungjoon, and Yoon Kyul are enlisted, on hiatus, and fresh out of the army respectively. Jannabi will in all likelihood return as a quartet (or a trio or duo), but for now, Choi Junghoon stands alone. You’d never know it from listening to The Land of Fantasy.” -Siena via. Seoulbeats

#7- DON`T FIGHT THE FEELING - Special Album

“Nations Pick” EXO return to the top 10, leaping a whopping 50 spots with what was their highly anticipated comeback. Never underestimate the power of the nations pick, on or off charts, they still find their way back. 

“The five-track project tells a story of love, maturity and the ability to adapt to change, which is something that EXO know all too well. Over the course of their nine-year career, the group have had to adapt to a slew of lineup changes and quickly mature in the process. And while certain Western media outlets will attempt to make some believe that military enlistment is “the kiss of death” for a male group, EXO have proved that it’s possible to successfully adjust to the circumstances life throws at you and still make good music.” -Natasha Mulenga via. NME 

#8- My Collection & #9- Select Shop

Returning this week at the 8th and 9th spot, is coincidently both former Wanna One members, Park Jihoon with ‘My Collection’ and Ha Sungwoon with ‘Select Shop’. As we see some former Wanna One members that went solo continue smash charts, it’s no surprise we have both singers still consecutively in the album charts at the same time. 

#10- LOVE YOURSELF 轉 `Tear`

Bringing in our final spot is yet again worldwide K-Pop legends BTS. The global icons managed to smoothly swing through with the help of ARMY, ARMY’S undying love and support swiftly returned them to the top 10 with their 2018 album.

"This time around, it's about honesty and love, sometimes we just turn away from some sort of situations, because in love and life, it's not like a fairytale. We always have a dark side, so we want to talk about like, the dark sides of love.” -RM

[August 20, 2021] 2021년 33주차

#1- 6TH MINI ALBUM [THRILL-ING]

This weeks hot topic boy group The Boyz take the lead in chart toppers! They impressively ruled over Gaon Charts taking #1 in not just Album charts but also took top spot in the Download & BGM charts. This is the first time since The Boyz debut that they’ve sold over a whopping 500,000 albums. 

“There are so many emotions related to that word. Whether it be nervousness, the nerves you feel before getting on a ride, the fear that you feel when you’re about to go on a drop, and the joy that you feel at the end of it, with those different elements we made an album that relates to those emotions, so you’ll find that as you listen to the entire album, start to finish, you’ll feel the emotions that you feel as if you were on an actual roller coaster.” -Kevin

#2- SUMMER POPUP ALBUM [POPPING]

One of the hottest up and coming boy bands to hit the K-Pop scene is ONF. The group topped the music charts with their new summer album. ONF has now broken into one of the top 10 places on the Gaon Albums chart with all of their projects, bringing them to now landing eight placements in the important region. Seems we have new summer music kings on the scene.

“I hope more fans in America will listen to us and love our songs. I hope that ONF can enter the Billboard chart as well. Someday, I want to appear on a TV show to perform in front of many people!” -J-US

#3- 공감 - The 1st Mini Album

Do Kyungsoo, member and main vocalist of acclaimed boy group EXO known by stage name ‘D.O.’ made his long anticipated debut for his solo music career, and as expected it was an instant #1 chart topper a few weeks back and still remains in the top 5 this week.

“After deciding the theme of the album would be ’empathy,’ one of the things I thought of was love, an emotion that anyone could feel, and I felt that it would be nice if my songs could comfort others like my previous song ‘That’s Okay’, so I tried to write the lyrics myself.” -D.O.

#4- My Collection 

Park Jihoon, former member of Wanna One and actor continues to prove years later he will always be a solo successor. The singer and actor alone has now charted five top 10 albums in South Korea. Easy to say Jihoon is still collecting hearts of many fans.

“Park Ji Hoon is gazing at multiple art pieces while calling himself one and boasting about all his features that make him a desirable being. Another one of our top moments is when the video shows him within the skies asking for fans to ‘sit in a special seat’ dressed in a sharp blue suit. A hint of skin can be seen when he moves on the increasing tempo of the song, now joined by dancers in a flickering room inside the gallery.” -Ayushi Agrawal from pinkvilla.com

#5-  1/6

Lee Sunmi, one of Korea’s hottest solo artists and heartthrobber of the K-Pop scene. Former member of girl group Wonder Girls under JYP Entertainment, continues to break the barriers of the K-Pop industry’s expectations for solo artists. 

NME’s Angela Patricia Suacillo praised Sunmi on her work, “ability to take the lively, upbeat elements of synth- and dance pop and use them to confront her anxieties.”

#6- Select Shop

Another former Wanna One member takes the top of the charts! Ha Sungwoon, also former of the boy group HOTSHOT, this set serves as a reissued version of his recent EP Sneakers, and coincidentally, they both peaked at No. 6. Select Shop is Ha Sungwoon’s sixth solo placement inside the top 10.

“Strawberry Gum,” the album’s title track featuring Don Mills, is a retro funk genre song composed by Flow Blow, Christian Fast, and Maria Marcus. The lyrics written by really6(153/Joombas), Jo Yoon Kyung, and Don Mills compare someone’s growing feelings of love to blowing a pink strawberry-flavored bubble gum. Fans will be able to get a taste of Ha Sung Woon’s youthful side as well as his sexier, more mature side.” -D. KIM of Soompi

#7- SWITCH ON

Summer concept kings and icons ASTRO after taking number 1 spot last week, the group still remains in the top 10 with latest release Switch On. 

“I would recommend “Don’t Worry”. Everyone has been working hard at such a time recently, and may not be in a good mood. The lyrics “I got u back don’t worry” convey positive power.” -Cha Eunwoo

#8- SIREN : DAWN

The ace group of K-Pop. Bringing in at #8 is aesthetic and concept pleasing talent A.C.E. Siren : Dawn which holds more than 70 spaces to return to the top 10. The set rose all the way to the runner-up spot this past June when it had first released.

“This album, SIREN:DAWN is full of thrilling and deadly love stories. Our title ‘Higher’ is a love story of a mermaid dreaming a fatal dream, which is reinterpreted through A.C.E’s eyes. We are back with a love story that contains more of a mature and sexy visual. Please show lots of love to ‘Higher.’ -Chan

#9- TURN OVER

The charisma and personality driven boy group SF9, one month ago in counting, ‘Turn Over’ made it to the second place rung on the Gaon Albums chart. The EP shoots to No. 9, becoming one of two previously-released efforts to re-earn their top 10 title.

“When we worked on “Believer” and “Tear Drop,” I remember it was so hard that we recorded a few different options and chose the final lyrics from there. And “Hey Hi Bye” is memorable because it took a longer time to work on compared to the other songs.” -Youngbin

#10- BUTTER

The boys everyone knows and loves, global legends BTS. BTS close out this weeks #10 spot. Known for their ranging of concepts and new leap into English titled tracks that was long awaited by ARMY’s everywhere, they continue to make K-Pop history on chart topping globally as their fanbase count rises everyday.

“Of course, the moment when we reveal our song and music video — nothing can match that momentary satisfaction, it doesn't last long, but that flashing moment really hits us. Surprise!” -RM

It's been a loooong while, but we just wanted to pop over here and say~ we're still going! We moved our blog to our own domain, we have a youtube channel, and our instagram is still kicking. Since we last posted on our tumblr here, we have changed our name to Omoi Life goods or just OMOI, and centralized operations at our storefront in Old City, Philadelphia.