EXO's main vocalist Baekhyun just marked his successful solo return in the K-pop industry!
Baekhyun's 2nd mini-album "Delight," launched at 6:00 p.m. on May 25, managed to sell more than 620,000 copies sold in less than a day after the album was released, as per Hanteo.
This is the first time that a soloist has recorded sales of over 500,000 copies in the history of K-pop, generating tremendous attention and applause. According to Hanteo, Baekhyun is now a million-seller solo artist with his two albums combined. His album recorded pre-order sales of over 730,000, making Baekhyun's "Delight" the most pre-ordered solo album in Korea's history.
The title track "Candy" also dominated no. 1 spots on iTunes in 69 regions and counting, the highest in EXO's history. And before the chart froze on the night of the 25th, "Candy" reached an All-Kill record on MelOn chart.
Further, "Delight" debuted no. 1 on Worldwide iTunes Albums Chart and US iTunes, and ascended double platinum in only three hours on China's QQ music, the first Korean artist's album to do so this year.
Baekhyun made his sweet return with his second mini-album "Delight," ten months after he debuted as a soloist in July 2019 with his mini-album "City Lights." His new title song "Candy" showcased a sleek R&B mixed with modern rhythm with an enticing tone of synth. The lyrics are amazing, with a range of candy flavors, complementing the vibrant beauty of Baekhyun.
Prior to the release, Baekhyun revealed the story behind his sophomore solo comeback via an interview with SM Entertainment. When asked about his thoughts and feelings regarding his solo return, the singer said, "I'm really nervous because after a long period of time, I'm making a return as a solo artist, but I'm excited and relieved about the fans waiting for my project."
Baekhyun then introduced his new mini-album.
"'Delight' in a vocabulary sense represents 'happiness,' and I decided to bring happiness to more people with this album. (Laughter) So, I decided to add 'light' in the title of the album project, because in EXO, my superpower is 'light.' Throughout a number of atmospheres, there are seven tracks, including that of the title song 'Candy,' so keep listening to a lot," the singer shared.
Of course, the EXO member also introduced his new title track, "Candy."
"'Candy' is an R&B track, and I compared the different attributes and features that I have in the lyrics to candy of different flavors. Looking closely, there are several sensual phrases that convey the flavor like 'adult cinnamon, a tiny fun mint,'" Baekhyun said.
While the song compares Baekhyun's charms to candy, the singer shared that tastes "sweet" and "sour" represent him the most as he likes berries himself.
Speaking of the performance stage, Baekhyun talked about the choreography for "Candy" and well-known K-pop choreographer Kasper.
"The production collaborated with my friend, choreographer Kasper. He's a colleague who always informs us about the stylish dance moves. 'Candy' is a really chic song, and it also melts new trends according to the theme of the band that is increasingly widespread success in these times. In general, I gave a great deal of attention to chorus area choreography," Baekhyun said.
Then, the idol was asked about his members' reactions after hearing his new title track, to which Baekhyun answered, "All of the members said that the track was so great they started cheering a lot. Suho hyung and Chanyeol went to the music video filming site and gave me a lot of strength (laughs)."
Now that Baekhyun has shown his R&B style, from his debut to this new mini-album, the interviewer asked him about the genre he aims to go for in the future.
"I hope to challenge the rock ballad style in the future. These times, I've been trying to listen to tracks from various genres, and I personally believe the rock ballad was giving me a lot of persistent feeling," Baekhyun said.
