Unforgiven (Le Sserafim album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Unforgiven
Digital cover
Digital and "Vol.3 Bloody Rose" version cover
Studio album by
Le Sserafim
ReleasedMay 1, 2023 (2023-05-01)
Genre
Length37:50
LanguageKorean
Label
Producer
Le Sserafim chronology
Antifragile
(2022) 		Unforgiven
(2023) 		Easy
(2024)
Singles from Unforgiven
  1. "Unforgiven"
    Released: May 1, 2023
  2. "Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's Wife"
    Released: May 23, 2023

Unforgiven is the first studio album by South Korean girl group Le Sserafim, released by Source Music on May 1, 2023. The album contains 13 tracks, including the lead single of the same name and the second single "Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's Wife".

The album debuted at number one on the Circle Album Chart and was certified million by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) for selling 1,000,000 units. In the United States, it debuted at number 6 on the Billboard 200, becoming the group's first top-ten album. It was awarded the Best Album Bonsang at the 38th Golden Disc Awards.

Background and release[edit]

On March 16, 2023, Source Music reported that Le Sserafim would be releasing an album in early May.[2] On April 3, it was confirmed that the group's first studio album would be titled Unforgiven and released on May 1.[3] A day later, the promotional schedule was released.[4] On April 10, the album teaser video was released.[5] On April 17, the track sampler video was released.[6] A day later, the track listing was released with "Unforgiven" announced as the lead single.[7] On April 24, the highlight medley teaser video was released.[8] The music video teasers for "Unforgiven" was released on April 28 and 30.[9][10] The album was released alongside the music video for "Unforgiven" on May 1.[11]

Composition[edit]

Unforgiven consists of 13 tracks, with the first six tracks having previously been released as part of Fearless and Antifragile, respectively.[7] The seventh track, "Burn the Bridge", was described[by whom?] as a song that "announces the start of Le Sserafim's new journey" with lyrics "based on the members' own writings or what they [had] said in interviews [previously], adding sincerity to the message they wanted to convey". The eighth track and lead single, "Unforgiven", was described[by whom?] as a hip hop song characterized by "funk guitar rhythms" played by American musician Nile Rodgers; it samples "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", a theme song used in the film of the same name. Rodgers stated he was excited to work on the song due to the new types of chord changes it included.[12] The ninth track, "No-Return (Into the Unknown)", was described[by whom?] as a song with lyrics that "expressed the excitement ahead of the adventure". The tenth track, "Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's Wife", was described[by whom?] as a song with lyrics that contains the meaning "you can move on to the next level only when you break the taboo". The eleventh track, "Fearnot (Between You, Me and the Lamppost)", was described[by whom?] as a song with lyrics written by all of the members for their "fandom and singing just for them". The twelfth track, "Flash Forward", was described[by whom?] as a social media pop song with lyrics about "risking everything without hesitation even if the ending is obvious". The thirteenth and final track, "Fire in the Belly", was described[by whom?] as a song with lyrics about "burning the passion in [your] heart by showing the ambition to becoming the winner of an adventure".[13]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
IZM[15]

Unforgiven was met with positive reviews from critics. Cristina Jaleru of AP News called the album "an absolute firecracker of a record" and praised it as being "a bold anthem of female empowerment."[16] Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic wrote that the album is "an ideal entry point into the world of Le Sserafim" and particularly commended the track "Fearnot (Between You, Me and the Lamppost)" for highlighting "the group's vocal harmony."[17] Onome Uyovbievbo of Riff Magazine noted the album's "nonconventional tropes and experimental pop twists" and opined that "Le Sserafim is setting the example for a new generation of K-pop artists."[18] Paste ranked the album number three in their list of The 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2023.[19]

Accolades[edit]

Awards and nominations for Unforgiven
Award ceremony Year Category Result Ref.
Golden Disc Awards 2024 Best Album (Bonsang) Won [20]
Album of the Year (Daesang) Nominated

Commercial performance[edit]

On April 11, 2023, media outlets reported that Unforgiven had sold over one million copies in pre-orders in less than one week.[21] Pre-orders increased to 1,380,000 copies by April 28.[22] In the United States, the album debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 main album chart on 15 May 2023, marking the first time Le Sserafim entered the Top 10 of the chart since their debut.[23]

Promotion[edit]

Prior to the release of album, on May 1, 2023, Le Sserafim held a live event on YouTube to introduce the album and communicate with their fans.[24]

Track listing[edit]

Track listing for Unforgiven
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The World Is My Oyster" (2023 version)
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • Hybe
131:47
2."Fearless" (2023 version)
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • Supreme Boi
  • Blvsh
  • Jaro
  • Nikolay Mohr
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Oneye
  • Josefin Glenmark
  • Emmy Kasai
  • Kyler Niko
  • Paulina Cerilla
  • Destiny Rogers
132:48
3."Blue Flame" (2023 version)
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • Jonna Hall
  • Gayoung (PNP)
  • Kim In-hyung
  • Danke
  • Kim Chae-won
  • Ronnie Icon
  • Caroline Gustavsson
  • Huh Yun-jin
133:22
4."The Hydra"
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • Hybe
131:44
5."Antifragile"
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • Paulina Cerrilla
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Shintaro Yasuda
  • Supreme Boi
  • Isabella Lovestory
  • Kyler Niko
  • Ronnie Icon
  • Nathalie Boone
  • Danke
133:04
6."Impurities"
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • Jonna Hall
  • Danke
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Huh Yun-jin
  • Daniel "Obi" Klein
  • Charli Taft
  • Kim Chae-ah (153/Joombas)
  • Maggie Szabo
  • Hayes Kramer
  • Blvsh
  • Jaro
  • Nikolay Mohr
  • Park Sang-yu (PNP)
  • Cho Yoon-kyung (PNP)
  • Lee Hyung-seok (PNP)
133:16
7."Burn the Bridge"
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • Hybe
132:35
8."Unforgiven" (featuring Nile Rodgers)
133:02
9."No-Return (Into the Unknown)"
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Supreme Boi
  • Daniel "Obi" Klein
  • Charli Taft
  • Arineh Karimi
  • Cazzi Opeia
  • Young Chance
  • Shorelle
133:05
10."Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's Wife" (이브, 프시케 그리고 푸른 수염의 아내)
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Supreme Boi
  • Maia Wright
  • Max Thulin
  • Benjmn
  • Gusten Dahlqvist
  • Arineh Karimi
  • Huh Yun-jin
  • Lee Hyung-seok (PNP)
  • Danke
133:06
11."Fearnot (Between You, Me and the Lamppost)" (피어나)
  • Huh Yun-jin
  • 13
  • Jukjae
3:27
12."Flash Forward"
  • Hiss Noise
  • Alex Karlsson
  • Stian N. Olsen (Blueprint)
  • Eliza Vassilieva
  • "Hitman" Bang
  • Danke
  • Lee Hyung-seok (PNP)
Hiss Noise3:16
13."Fire in the Belly"
133:18
Total length:37:50

Notes

  • "Unforgiven" contains portions of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", the theme to the film of the same name, written by Ennio Morricone.
  • "Fire in the Belly" and "Eve, Psyche, & The Bluebeard's Wife" are stylized in sentence case.
  • "Fearnot (Between You, Me, and the Lamppost)" is stylized as "FEARNOT (Between you, me, and the lamppost)".
  • "No-Return (Into the Unknown)" is stylized as "No-Return (Into the unknown)".
  • "Fearless," "Antifragile," and "Unforgiven" are stylized in all caps.

Credits and personnel[edit]

Adapted from the album liner notes.[25]

Musicians[edit]

  • Le Sserafim – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (7, 11)
  • Score (13) – production (1–11, 13), keyboards (1–11, 13), drums (2–3, 5–10, 13), digital editing (all tracks), vocal arrangement (all tracks)
  • Megatone (13) – production (1–11, 13), bass (1–10, 13), guitar (2–3, 5–7, 13), drums (8–10), keyboards (11), strings (11), digital editing (all tracks), vocal arrangement (all tracks)
  • Jukjae – production, guitar (11)
  • Hiss Noise – production, keyboards, synthesizer (12)
  • Woo Min-jung – digital editing (2)
  • Kim Jun-yeong – digital editing (8–10, 12–13)
  • Nile Rodgers – guitar (8)
  • Hareem – harmonica, ocarina, Irish whistle, background vocals (8)
  • Matt Hornbeck – guitar (9)
  • George Shelby – saxophone (9)
  • Louis Van Taylor – saxophone (9)
  • Phillip Whack – saxophone (9)
  • Wendell Kelly – trombone (9)
  • James Ford – trumpet (9)
  • Mike Condone – trumpet (9)
  • Craig Young – bass (11)
  • Victor Indrizzio – drums (11)
  • Sam Hunter – guitar (11)
  • Blvsh – background vocals (2)
  • Paulina Cerilla – background vocals (2, 5, 12–13)
  • Josefin Glenmark – background vocals (2, 8)
  • Sound Kim – background vocals (2, 11)
  • Jonna Hall – background vocals (3, 6)
  • Isabella Lovestory – background vocals (5)
  • Charli Taft – background vocals (6, 9)
  • Anne Judith Wik – background vocals (8)
  • Kris Jana – background vocals (8)
  • Arineh Karimi – background vocals (9–10)
  • Cazzi Opeia – background vocals (9)
  • Shorelle – background vocals (9)
  • Young Chance – background vocals (9–10)
  • Belle – background vocals (10)
  • Feli Ferraro – background vocals (10)
  • Duane Benjamin – horns director (9)
  • Stella Jang – vocal arrangement (1)

Technical[edit]

  • So Sung-jin – executive producer
  • Geoff Swan – mix engineering (1, 4, 7)
  • Manny Marroquin – mix engineering (2, 5, 8)
  • Chris Galland – mix engineering (2, 5, 8)
  • Josh Gudwin – mix engineering (3)
  • Tony Maserati – mix engineering (6, 9)
  • David K. Younghyun – mix engineering (6, 9)
  • James F. Reynolds – mix engineering (10)
  • Chris Lord-Alge – mix engineering (11)
  • John Hanes – mix engineering (13)
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Hwang Min-hee – engineering (1–3, 5–8, 11–13)
  • Lee Yeon-soo – engineering (3, 5–7, 9–10)
  • Jeon Bu-yeon – engineering (3), mix engineering (12)
  • Kim Hyeon-soo – engineering (4)
  • Bob Horn – engineering (9)
  • Howard Willing – engineering (11)
  • Matt Cahill – mix engineering assistance (1, 4, 7)
  • Ramiro Fernandez-Seoane – mix engineering assistance (2, 5, 8)
  • Heidi Wang – mix engineering assistance (3)
  • James Cunningham – mix engineering assistance (10)
  • Brian Judd – mix engineering assistance (11)
  • Shachar Boussani – engineering assistance (9)
  • Austin Brown – engineering assistance (11)

Charts[edit]

Sales and certifications[edit]

Sales and certifications for Unforgiven
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[52] Gold 100,000^
South Korea (KMCA)[53] Million 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Release history for Unforgiven
Region Date Format Label
Various May 1, 2023
May 2, 2023 CD
May 5, 2023

References[edit]

  1. ^ Uyovbievbo, Onome (May 2, 2023). "REVIEW: Le Sserafim 'fearlessly' strut their versatility on 'Unforgiven'". RIFF Magazine. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  2. ^ Moon, Wan-suk (March 16, 2023). "[단독]르세라핌, 5월 컴백 확정" [[Exclusive] Le Sserafim confirms comeback in May] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023 – via Naver.
  3. ^ Yoon, Ji-hyun (April 3, 2023). "르세라핌, 정규 1집 'Unforgiven' 발매...5월 1일 컴백 [공식입장]" [Le Sserafim Releases 1st Full-length Album 'Unforgiven'...Come back on May 1st. [Official entrance]] (in Korean). X-port News. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023 – via Naver.
  4. ^ Im, Min-ji (April 4, 2023). "르세라핌, 정규 1집 'Unforgiven' 프로모션 타임테이블 공개(공식)" [Le Sserafim, studio 1st album 'Unforgiven' promotion timetable released (official)] (in Korean). Herald Pop. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Naver.
  5. ^ Lee, Min-ji (April 10, 2023). "르세라핌이 전하는 연대의 메시지, 정규 1집 트레일러 공개" [The message of solidarity from Le Sserafim, the first full-length album trailer released] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Naver.
  6. ^ Lee, Seung-hun (April 17, 2023). ""용서 바란 적 없어"..르세라핌, 정규 1집 샘플러 공개" ["I never asked for forgiveness"... Le Sserafim, 1st studio album sampler released] (in Korean). MT Star News. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Naver.
  7. ^ a b Seon, Mi-kyung (April 18, 2023). "르세라핌, 정규 1집 트랙리스트 공개..나일 로저스 피처링[공식]" [Le Sserafim, 1st studio album tracklist released..Featuring Nile Rogers [Official]] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Naver.
  8. ^ Kang, Da-yoon (April 24, 2023). "르세라핌, 정규 1집 하이라이트 메들리 공개 "새 시대로 기억될 언포기븐"" [Le Sserafim unveils the highlight medley of the 1st studio album "Unforgiven to be remembered as a new era"] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Naver.
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  10. ^ Yoon, Seon-gyo (April 30, 2023). "르세라핌, 'Unforgiven' 두 번째 MV 티저 공개" [Le Sserafim unveils second MV teaser for 'Unforgiven']. Single List (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  11. ^ Jin, Joo-hee (May 1, 2023). "르세라핌, 'Unforgiven' MV 공개...화려한 군무" [Le Sserafim, 'Unforgiven' MV released...Splendid group dance] (in Korean). MK Sports. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Naver.
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  14. ^ Yeung, Neil Z.. Unforgiven at AllMusic. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  15. ^ Pack, Su-jin (May 2023). "Unforgiven". IZM (in Korean). Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  16. ^ Jaleru, Cristina. "Review: K-pop's Le Sserafim offer a diabolically good time". Associated Press. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  17. ^ Yeung, Neil. "Le Sserafim - Unforgiven Album". AllMusic.com. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  18. ^ Uyovbievbo, Onome (May 2, 2023). "REVIEW: Le Sserafim 'fearlessly' strut their versatility on 'Unforgiven'". RIFF Magazine. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  19. ^ Opie, David (December 21, 2023). "The 20 Best K-pop Albums of 2023". Paste. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  20. ^ "Golden Disc Awards 2024 Full Winners List: Jung Kook, NewJeans, Stray Kids, SEVENTEEN Take Home Trophies". outlookindia. January 6, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  21. ^ Kim, Na-young (April 11, 2023). "르세라핌, 2연속 밀리언셀러? 예약 판매 7일 만에 선주문량 103만 장" [Le Sserafim, 2 consecutive million seller? Pre-order 1.03 million in 7 days] (in Korean). MK Sports. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023 – via Naver.
  22. ^ Lee Min-ji (April 29, 2023). "르세라핌, 새 앨범 선주문량 138만 장 돌파" [Le Sserafim, new album surpassed 1,380,000 pre-orders] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023 – via Naver.
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  24. ^ Jung, Byeong-geun (May 1, 2023). ""더 입체적으로"...르세라핌, 진취적인 석양의 무법자(종합)" ["More three-dimensional"...Le Sserafim, the pushing sunset outlaw (Comprehensive)] (in Korean). The Fact. Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023 – via Naver.
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  53. ^ "South Korean album certifications – Le Sserafim – Unforgiven" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). Retrieved July 6, 2023.
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