"How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You're the One I Love" Released: September 25, 2019
Sailing (Korean: 항해; RR: Hanghae) is the third studio album by South Korean brother-sister duo AKMU. It was released on September 25, 2019, through YG Entertainment. All the tracks' lyrics and music were written by member Lee Chan-hyuk. The album was supported by the single "How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You're the One I Love", which reached atop on the Gaon Digital Chart and Billboard's K-pop Hot 100.[1][2]Sailing received generally positive reviews from music critics, many of whom complimented AKMU's stylistic shift from their previous releases to more musical maturity.
Background
In September 2017, AKMU member–Lee Chan-hyuk–went on hiatus to enlist for his obligatory military service; he was discharged in May 2019.[3] On September 5, 2019, AKMU's agency YG Entertainment released a poster notifying their comeback in two years and two months, since Summer Episode in July 2017.[4] Next day, disclosing a teaser video, YG Entertainment announced the release of AKMU's third full-length album, titled Sailing.[3] On September 9, YG Entertainment informed that the album would be released on 25th, and unveiled a teaser poster.[5]
In an article for Korea JoongAng Daily, Kim Eun-jin wrote that AKMU "takes a sharp turn from the bright and bubbly tones that characterized their earlier music. ... With lyrics that discuss topics like freedom expressed through sentimental melodies and acoustic sounds, Sailing is an album that reflects the depth and maturity."[7] In the album review, IZM's Park Soo-jin gave a four-star rating out of five, and said that "this album backslashes genres and expresses them without boundaries," and concluded by writing that Sailing "will be the pinnacle of broadening AKMU's spectrum."[6] Tamar Herman of Billboard said that the "album features songs that show the pair's artistic development, exploring a variety of new genres all the while still incorporating their distinctly vibrant, soulful folk-pop sound."[8] The publication additionally ranked "How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You're the One I Love" number 7 in their list of 25 Best K-pop Songs of 2019.[9]
^[공식] 악동뮤지션, 2년 2개월만 컴백…티저 기습공개 [[OFFICIAL] AKMU to Make Comeback in 2 Years and 2 Months… A Surprise Teaser Clip Revealed]. 17 July 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
^악동뮤지션 25일 컴백 확정, 한층 성숙해진 매력 [AKMU Confirmed to Make Comeback on the 25th with More Matured Charms]. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
^Jang, Woo-young (January 4, 2020). 방탄소년단, 디지털 음원 대상…마마무‧ITZY 2관왕 (종합) [2020 골든디스크] [BTS, Digital Sound Source Award... Mamamoo ‧ Itzy 2 Crowns (Comprehensive) [2020 Golden Disc]] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on January 5, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2021 – via Naver.
^방탄소년단 3관왕 인기 입증, 청하·엑소·세븐틴·벤 2관왕(종합)[2020 가온차트] [Bulletproof Boy Scouts 3 crowns proved popular, Chunngha, Exo, Seventeen, Ben 2 crowns (general) [2020 Gaon Chart]]. Newsen (in Korean). January 8, 2020. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
^<10월 마지막 주 인기가요 차트> (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. October 27, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
^10월 3주<K-차트>순위 [Music Bank ranking for the third week of October]. KBS Music Bank (in Korean). October 21, 2019. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
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