What a Life
Digital cover
EP by
Exo-SC
ReleasedJuly 22, 2019 (2019-07-22)
Recorded2019
Genre
Length20:08
LanguageKorean
Label
Producer
Exo-SC chronology
What a Life
(2019)		 1 Billion Views
(2020)
Singles from What a Life
  1. "What a Life"
    Released: July 22, 2019
  2. "Just Us 2"
    Released: July 22, 2019
  3. "Closer to You"
    Released: July 22, 2019

What a Life is the debut extended play by South Korean hip hop duo Exo-SC, the second official sub-unit of the South Korean–Chinese boy group Exo. It was released on July 22, 2019 by SM Entertainment. The EP features six tracks, including three singles.[1][2]

Background and release

On June 5, 2019, it was revealed that Chanyeol and Sehun would be debuting as Exo's second sub-unit and were preparing to release an album in July.[3] On June 28, the EP's title and number of songs were revealed.[4] On July 9, an instrumental teaser of one of the singles was released by W Korea following the duo's photo shoot for the magazine.[5] On July 11, the album details were released on Exo's social media accounts.[6] On July 12, it was revealed that the EP will feature three singles,[7] and that it was produced by Dynamic Duo's Gaeko and Devine Channel.[8] On July 15, it was revealed that the duo participated in writing and producing the album, and that the message of the EP is for youth.[9] On July 17, three videos of the duo with Gaeko and Divine Channel were released where they talked about the making of the album.[10][11][12] On the same day, a teaser of the music videos for the three singles was released.[13] On July 20, a highlight medley video for the album was released,[14] On the same day, the music video for "Just us 2" was released prior to the album's release.[15] On July 22, the official music video for "What a Life" was released.[16] On July 25, a video of Sehun and Chanyeol shooting What a Life was released.[17] On July 26, the official music video for "Closer to You" was released.[18] On July 29, a jacket making video of the duo was released.[19]

Composition and production

"What a Life" is described as a hip hop track with a "unique" plucking sound and lyrics containing a message of both working and playing happily.[20]

"Just Us 2" is a hip hop song featuring piano instrumentation, soft synthesizers and a melodious chorus, with lyrics about vacationing in a hot summer spot. The track features rapper Gaeko and was composed by the South Korean artist Gray. The lyrics of the song were written by Boi B, Chanyeol and Sehun.[21]

"Closer to You" is a hip hop R&B song with romantic sensibility. It features an emotional melody and a "highly addictive" chorus, with lyrics expressing the desire to be closer to a person. Chanyeol and Sehun participated in writing the lyrics with hip hop group Rhythm Power member Hangzoo.[22]

Promotion

Exo-SC performed "What a Life" and "Closer to You" for the first time on Exo's 5th concert Exo Planet 5 – Exploration on July 19, and will continue to do so for all the concerts in the tour.[23]

Exo-SC held a press showcase event on July 22 at MUV Hall in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.[24][25] On the same day, they held a showcase for the fans with Gaeko where they talked about the album, the process of making it and performed "What a Life", "Just Us 2" and "Closer to You".[26]

On July 25, Exo-SC held a live stream show on the Chinese website Sina Weibo, where they recorded 2.11M concurrent viewers, becoming the first Korean artists to do so.[27]

They received their first-ever music show win since debut on August 2, 2019 on KBS's Music Bank.[28] On August 8, Exo-SC held a promotion event in Gwangjang-dong.[29]

Commercial performance

Sales of What a Life on QQ Music exceeded 1M yuan, and it received a Platinum record certification.[30]

Track listing

What a Life track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."What a Life"
  • Gaeko
  • Im Kwang-wook (Devine Channel)
  • Andreas "Mage" Maggiani (Devine Channel)
Devine Channel3:23
2."Just Us 2" (Korean: 있어 희미하게; RR: Iss-eo Huimihage; lit. Got faintly) (featuring Gaeko)
Grayground3:18
3."Closer to You" (Korean: 부르면 돼; RR: Buleumyeon Dwae; lit. Call it)
  • Gaeko
  • Im Kwang-wook (Devine Channel)
Devine Channel3:07
4."Borderline" (Korean: 선; RR: seon)
  • Gaeko
  • Loey
  • Sehun
Devine Channel2:39
5."Roller Coaster" (Korean: 롤러코스터; RR: Rolleokoseuteo)
  • Loey (Studio 519)
  • MQ (Studio 519)
  • Jeon Yong-joon (Studio 519)
  • Yunji (Studio 519)
  • Sehun
  • Gaeko
  • Loey (Studio 519)
  • MQ (Studio 519)
  • Jeon Yong-joon (Studio 519)
  • Yunji (Studio 519)
  • Sehun
Studio 5193:10
6."Daydreamin'" (夢; mèng)
  • Loey (Studio 519)
  • MQ (Studio 519)
  • Jeon Yong-joon (Studio 519)
  • Yunji (Studio 519)
  • Sehun
  • Loey (Studio 519)
  • MQ (Studio 519)
  • Jeon Yong-joon (Studio 519)
  • Yunji (Studio 519)
  • Sehun
Studio 5194:31
Total length:20:08

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2019) Peak
position
French Digital Albums (SNEP)[31] 29
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[32] 19
Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[33] 26
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[34] 43
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[35] 1
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[36] 78
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[37] 32
US Top Heatseekers (Billboard)[38] 10
US World Albums (Billboard)[39] 8

Year-end charts

Chart (2019) Position
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[40] 12

Accolades

Awards and nominations
Year Organization Award Nominated work Result Ref
2020 Golden Disc Awards Disc Bonsang What a Life Won [41]
Disc Daesang Nominated

Music program awards

Song Program Date Ref.
"What a Life" Music Bank August 2, 2019 [42][43]

Sales

Region Sales
South Korea[44] 419,103
Japan[45] 5,436
United States[46] 1,000

Release history

Region Date Format Label
South Korea July 22, 2019
Various
  • Digital download
  • streaming
 SM

References

  1. ↑ ""엑소 新 유닛 출격"…세훈&찬열, 7월 22일 'What a life' 발매 [공식입장]". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  2. ↑ "'엑소新유닛' 세훈-찬열의 트리플 매력". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-12.
  3. ↑ "[단독] 엑소 찬열X세훈, 비주얼+음악 다되는 듀오조합 탄생..7월 첫 앨범 발표". entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  4. ↑ ""엑소 新 유닛 출격"…세훈&찬열, 7월 22일 'What a life' 발매 [공식입장]". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  5. ↑ W Korea 더블유 코리아 (2019-07-09), 세훈&찬열 'What a life' 수록곡 최초 공개?? 신곡 맛보기와 어디서도 볼 수 없는 세훈, 찬열의 귀염뽀짝 셀프캠, retrieved 2019-07-09
  6. ↑ EXO (2019-07-11). "EXO-SC The 1st Mini Album 'What a life' – Album Details". @weareoneEXO. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  7. ↑ "엑소 세훈X찬열, 데뷔 앨범 '트리플 타이틀곡'…개코 프로듀싱 [공식입장]". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-12.
  8. ↑ ""엑소 新 유닛 출격"…세훈&찬열, 7월 22일 'What a life' 발매 [공식입장]". entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-12.
  9. ↑ "엑소 세훈&찬열, 데뷔 앨범 전곡 작사 참여 "청춘들을 위한 메시지"". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  10. ↑ EXO (2019-07-17), 세훈&찬열 '#WHAT_A_TMT' with 개코, 임광욱 │ EP.1 The Beginning, retrieved 2019-07-18
  11. ↑ EXO (2019-07-17), 세훈&찬열 '#WHAT_A_TMT' with 개코, 임광욱 │ EP.2 The Inspiration, retrieved 2019-07-18
  12. ↑ EXO (2019-07-17), 세훈&찬열 '#WHAT_A_TMT' with 개코, 임광욱 │ EP.3 The Energy, retrieved 2019-07-18
  13. ↑ SMTOWN (2019-07-18), EXO-SC 세훈&찬열 "What a life" Triple Title MV Trailer, retrieved 2019-07-18
  14. ↑ EXO (2019-07-19), EXO-SC 세훈&찬열 The 1st Mini Album "What a life" Highlight Medley, retrieved 2019-07-20
  15. ↑ SMTOWN (2019-07-19), EXO-SC 세훈&찬열 '있어 희미하게 (Just us 2) (Feat. Gaeko)' MV, retrieved 2019-07-20
  16. ↑ SMTOWN (2019-07-21), EXO-SC 세훈&찬열 'What a life' MV, retrieved 2019-07-21
  17. ↑ EXO (2019-07-24). "[SEHUN&CHANYEOL-LOG] 'What a life' in LA". @weareoneEXO. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  18. ↑ SMTOWN (2019-07-25), EXO-SC 세훈&찬열 '부르면 돼 (Closer to you)' MV, retrieved 2019-07-26
  19. ↑ EXO (2019-07-28). "[SEHUN&CHANYEOL-LOG] 'What a life' Jacket Making". @weareoneEXO. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  20. ↑ "엑소 세훈&찬열, 데뷔 앨범 작사 참여+자작곡 수록…긍정 에너지 선사". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  21. ↑ "'세훈&찬열'표 청량…두번째 타이틀곡 '있어 희미하게'". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-16.
  22. ↑ "힙합유닛 세훈&찬열, 엑소 글로벌 입지 강화 기폭제". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-18.
  23. ↑ "세훈&찬열, 첸백시 이어 '엑소 新 유닛' 출격 준비 완료 [스타이슈]". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  24. ↑ "엑소 세훈&찬열, 청춘 위해 노래한다…타이틀곡 'What a life'". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-15.
  25. ↑ "[현장포토] "우리가, EXO-SC"...세훈&찬열, 비주얼 듀오". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-22.
  26. ↑ "엑소 新유닛 세훈&찬열, 데뷔 소감부터 수술 고백까지…"음악 매개체로 하나 돼" [V라이브 종합]". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-22.
  27. ↑ "엑소 세훈·찬열, 中 웨이보 라이브 211만 동시접속…韓 최고 기록". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  28. ↑ "'뮤직뱅크' 엑소 세훈&찬열, 장혜진 윤민수 꺾고 출연없이 1위". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-08-02.
  29. ↑ "세훈&찬열". www.ktown4u.co.kr. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  30. ↑ "微博". m.weibo.cn. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
  31. ↑ "Top Albums Téléchargés" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. July 26, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  32. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2019-08-05" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  33. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 Albums" (in Japanese). August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  34. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  35. ↑ "Gaon Album Chart – Week 30, 2019". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  36. ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
  37. ↑ "Billboard Independent Albums Chart". Billboard. August 3, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  38. ↑ "Billboard Top Heatseekers Albums Chart". Billboard. August 3, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  39. ↑ "Billboard Top World Albums Chart". Billboard. August 3, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  40. ↑ "2019년 Album Chart". Gaon. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  41. ↑ Yoo Jung-na (January 5, 2020). "[2020 골든디스크]방탄소년단, 음원+음반 대상 동시 석권…"공정한 2020년 기대"(종합)" [[2020 Golden Disc] Bulletproof Boy Scouts to Dominate Music + Music Records "Fair 2020 expectations" (general)]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  42. ↑ "'뮤직뱅크' 엑소 세훈&찬열, 장혜진 윤민수 꺾고 출연없이 1위". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-08-02.
  43. ↑ "8월 1주 뮤직뱅크 <k-차트>". KBS Music Bank (in Korean). 2019-08-06. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
  44. ↑ Cumulative sales for What a Life (CD+Kihno):
  45. ↑ "Oricon Weekly Album Chart" (in Korean). August 13, 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-14.
  46. ↑ "EXO's Chanyeol & Sehun Make Top 10 Debut on World, Heatseekers Albums Charts as EXO-SC". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-08-03.
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