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''Noeasy'' (stylized in
all caps In typography, all caps (short for "all capitals") refers to text or a font in which all letters are capital letters, for example: "THIS TEXT IS IN ALL CAPS". All caps may be used for emphasis (for a word or phrase). They are commonly seen in ...
) is the second studio album by South Korean boy band
Stray Kids Stray Kids (; often abbreviated as SKZ) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2017 Stray Kids (TV series), reality show of the same name. The group is composed of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunji ...
. It was released on August 23, 2021, through
JYP Entertainment JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
, nine months after its predecessor, Japanese extended play '' All In'' (2020) and eleven months after the Korean reissue ''
In Life ''Go Live'' (stylized in all caps; ) is the debut studio album by South Korean boy group Stray Kids. It was released by JYP Entertainment on June 17, 2020, and distributed through Dreamus. The lead single, "God's Menu", was released the sam ...
'' (2020). A word-play of " noisy" and "no easy", the album conveys the idea of making a loud impact on the world with their music, showing that the group strives to be the noisiest despite the hardships that come with this. For the album,
3Racha Stray Kids (; often abbreviated as SKZ) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2017 Stray Kids (TV series), reality show of the same name. The group is composed of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunji ...
(Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han), an in-house production team from members of Stray Kids, worked with Korean and foreign songwriters and producers, including Versachoi, HotSauce, Hong Ji-sang, Krysta Youngs, and the group's other members. The album has fourteen tracks and engages various
music genre A music genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions. It is to be distinguished from '' musical form'' and musical style, although in practice these terms are som ...
s of hip hop,
EDM EDM or E-DM may refer to: Music * Electronic dance music * Early Day Miners, American band Science and technology * Electric dipole moment * Electrical discharge machining * Electronic distance measurement *Entry, Descent, and landing demonstra ...
,
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
, R&B, and rock, including the
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release ...
" Thunderous", and previous releases: "
Wolfgang Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words ''wolf'', meaning "wolf", and ''gang'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regula ...
" from the competition show '' Kingdom: Legendary War'', and " Mixtape: Oh" from their Mixtape Project. Upon its release, ''Noeasy'' received favorable reviews for its creativity, storytelling, theme substance, and energy. The album peaked atop the
Gaon Album Chart The Circle Album Chart, previously known as the Gaon Album Chart, is a record chart ranking the 100 most popular albums, extended plays and single albums in South Korea based on their pure sales. It is a part of the Circle Chart The Circle C ...
and among the top-20 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland. The album sold over 1.3 million copies in 2021 and was certified a million-seller by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA), acknowledging it as the first million-selling album for the group and their label. ''Noeasy'' won Best Album (Bonsang) at the 36th Golden Disc Awards.


Background

Stray Kids uploaded the video ''Step Out 2021'' through their social media on January 1, 2021, including the group's accomplishments in 2020 and plans for 2021, including a second studio album. From April to June, the group participated in the Mnet's competitive reality television show '' Kingdom: Legendary War'', joining Ateez, The Boyz,
BtoB } BtoB ( ; ; acronym for Born to Beat; often stylized as BTOB) is a South Korean boy band formed in 2012 by Cube Entertainment. The group consists of Seo Eun-kwang, Lee Min-hyuk, Lee Chang-sub, Im Hyun-sik, Peniel Shin and Yook Sung-jae. O ...
, iKon, and SF9, emerging as the winner. During the program, they released the song "
Wolfgang Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words ''wolf'', meaning "wolf", and ''gang'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regula ...
" on May 28, from the EP '' Kingdom '', as part of the final performance competition. This was followed by the Mixtape Project single " Mixtape: Oh", surprise-released on June 26 with the announcement that Hyunjin would resume his activity schedule in July, following a hiatus from group activities since late February due to bullying accusations. On June 29, the South Korean news outlet ''SpoTV News'' reported that the group would release an album in late August and hold ''Kingdom Week'', a television program benefit for the winner. Later,
JYP Entertainment JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
confirmed that the group was preparing a new album but had not decided on its format. Hyunjin also would participate to promote the new album. A month later, the group announced that their second studio album, ''Noeasy'', via the album trailer "Thunderous", was scheduled for release on August 23, 2021, marking their first Korean physical release in 11 months since ''
In Life ''Go Live'' (stylized in all caps; ) is the debut studio album by South Korean boy group Stray Kids. It was released by JYP Entertainment on June 17, 2020, and distributed through Dreamus. The lead single, "God's Menu", was released the sam ...
'' was reissued in September 2020. Before the album announcement, in early July, Stray Kids released ''SKZ Camp Song: Howl in Harmony'', a camp-type online program in five episodes documenting the band's process in creating their songs and making music videos for them. They were separated into three teams: Quokka Bbang Daengi (Han, Seungmin, I.N; formerly Margarine Bbang) to write the song "Gone Away", Yeoreum Wangja (Lee Know, Changbin, Felix) for "Surfin'", and Bekka Wang (Bang Chan, Hyunjin) for "Red Lights". Additionally, the
B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
"Sorry, I Love You" was teased a bit by the members on their
V Live V Live (stylized as VLIVE), sometimes referred to as V App, is a South Korean live video streaming service that allows celebrities based in the country to broadcast live videos such as live chat sessions with fans, performances, reality shows ...
's live streaming content ''Chan's Room'' in early April, and "The View" was teased only as a title on the music video of "Mixtape: Oh" in late June.


Title and concept

The album's title, ''Noeasy'', is a
word play Word play or wordplay (also: play-on-words) is a literary technique and a form of wit in which words used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement. Examples of word play include puns, pho ...
of " noisy", describing the misconception of the group's music as "noise music", and "no easy", about obstacles and downs and lows of life. Both interpretations express that despite the group's hardships, they aim to be the noisiest. Bang Chan, the group leader told several South Korean news outlets, "it 'Noeasy''means that we want to leave a loud impact on the world with our music." Seungmin also said, "the meaning (of ''Noeasy'') is something like, 'life is not easy because of the naggers who tell us to do this and that, but we are Stray Kids, and we are not backing down.' …"


Music and lyrics

''Noeasy'' is forty-six minutes and thirty-five seconds long and has 14 tracks of various genres of music. The album's first four tracks are described as hip hop, and
EDM EDM or E-DM may refer to: Music * Electronic dance music * Early Day Miners, American band Science and technology * Electric dipole moment * Electrical discharge machining * Electronic distance measurement *Entry, Descent, and landing demonstra ...
songs with aggressive bass sounds to represent fighting and to mock the group's critics and haters. Tracks five through nine include "emotional" tracks with
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
, rock, and R&B sounds. The album concludes with three sub-unit songs and two previously-released songs. All tracks were produced and written chiefly by Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han, who work together as 3Racha, a production team of Stray Kids. Other members also participated in song writing. Lee Know and Felix co-wrote "Surfin'". Hyunjin co-wrote "Red Lights". Seungmin and I.N co-wrote "Gone Away". In addition to the members, several Korean and foreign songwriter-producers also participated, including Versachoi, HotSauce, Hong Ji-sang, and Krysta Youngs.


Songs

''Noeasy'' opens with "Cheese", an
EDM EDM or E-DM may refer to: Music * Electronic dance music * Early Day Miners, American band Science and technology * Electric dipole moment * Electrical discharge machining * Electronic distance measurement *Entry, Descent, and landing demonstra ...
track with a "strong" rock sound, "cheerful" energy, and mixed in "rough" bass synth, which uses the word "
cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During product ...
" as a wordplay to compare smiling with a variety of cheeses. The lyrics respond flippantly to critics and haters who pay attention. " Thunderous", the second track, the album's lead single, is a hip-hop and
trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
song that includes elements of Korean traditional music (''gugak''),
brass instruments A brass instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips. Brass instruments are also called labrosones or labrophones, from Latin a ...
, and ''
chuimsae ''Chuimsae'' (hangul: 추임새) is a form of exclamation during Korean traditional music. The ''gosu'' drummer and the audience make exclamations such as ''Eolsigu!'' or ''Jalhanda!'' (hangul: 얼씨구, 잘한다), which mean ''Yippee!'' and '' ...
''. The song expresses the conviction that the group will not be discouraged and will maintain their principles no matter what anyone says. The Korean title "Sori-kkun" () has a dual meaning of ''jansori-kkun'' () meaning "nagger", and ''sori-kkun'' () meaning "(''
pansori ''Pansori'' () is a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a singing, singer and a Pansori gosu, drummer. The term ''pansori'' is derived from the Korean words ''pan'' (Hangul: 판) and ''sori'' (Hangul: 소리), the latter of which ...
'') singer". The third track, "Domino", is hip-hop-influenced with a
doorbell A doorbell is a signaling device typically placed near a door to a building's entrance. When a visitor presses a button, the bell rings inside the building, alerting the occupant to the presence of the visitor. Although the first doorbells wer ...
sounding at the outset alluding to the pizza brand, "intense" beats, "distinctive" sounds, and high-pitched '' taepyeongso''. It compares their "extraordinary" ambition and confidence to a game of
domino Dominoes is a family of tile-based games played with gaming pieces, commonly known as dominoes. Each domino is a rectangular tile, usually with a line dividing its face into two square ''ends''. Each end is marked with a number of spots (also ca ...
s. The lyrics imply that their actions act as a nudge to push everyone to follow after them in a domino effect. "Ssick", the fourth track, is a midtempo hip-hop and EDM song, which has the dual meaning of "sick", which means "cool" in English, and the Korean word ''ssik'' () means "grin smile". It references the influence of fame, and its legendary attraction, while offering the message that feeling special about oneself is enough. "The View", the fifth track, is described as a "rhythmic", "summery", and "hopeful
healing With physical trauma or disease suffered by an organism, healing involves the repairing of damaged tissue(s), organs and the biological system as a whole and resumption of (normal) functioning. Medicine includes the process by which the cells ...
" upbeat
synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
song based on EDM sound, which triumphs over past difficulties and future uncertainties while feeling refreshed and optimistic. "Sorry, I Love You", the mid-
tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
R&B sixth track, expresses a feeling of guilt and regret for liking someone and potentially ruining a friendship. The seventh track, "Silent Cry", is an
alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
song about two people who cannot see each other hurting, and offers comfort to the silent world-weary soul. The eighth track, "Secret Secret", is a slow-tempo R&B song that conveys comfort and sympathy with the desire to let the secrets that they do not want to be shared with anyone but rain. "Star Lost", the
dance-pop Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
,
soft rock Soft rock is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in Southern California and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. S ...
ninth track, is a "feel-good" song with a nostalgic composition calling on fans who feel alone in the world to believe in themselves. The upbeat
alternative R&B Alternative R&B (also referred to as alt-R&B, indie R&B, hipster R&B, dark R&B, emo R&B and left-field R&B) is a term used by music journalists to describe a stylistic alternative to contemporary R&B that began in the mid 2000s and came to prom ...
tenth track, performed by Bang Chan and Hyunjin, "Red Lights", features a "wild" feeling created by "violent"
string String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
sounds and
electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...
, giving a "ripened sexy charm". It uses the theme of continuing to love someone despite the red flags although it causes suffering, to talk about the unhealthy obsession or compulsion one can have towards their work. The
summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, ...
-vibe upbeat dance-pop eleventh track, "Surfin'", which was sung by Lee Know, Changbin, Felix, is described as "like a glass of
carbonated water Carbonated water (also known as soda water, sparkling water, fizzy water, club soda, water with gas, in many places as mineral water, or especially in the United States as seltzer or seltzer water) is water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas, ...
" with tropical sounds and
marimba The marimba () is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbr ...
beats with lyrics about having little adventures every now and then can heal the soul and mind, allowing them to keep their lives on track and not focus solely on working. "Gone Away", the ballad twelfth track, describes an unrequited one-sided love and the frustration of someone who is not able to be with their lover, with Han, Seungmin, and I.N's vocals. "
Wolfgang Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words ''wolf'', meaning "wolf", and ''gang'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regula ...
", the hip hop thirteenth track, describes a wolf pack making music by following
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...
and compares the habit of a wolf hunting for prey in a group to Stray Kids. It was intended to imprint a cohesive and solid appearance and unstoppable will toward the goal. The album concludes with the song from Mixtape Project, " Mixtape: Oh", a mid-tempo electropop song with a
reggaeton Reggaeton (, ), also known as reggaetón and reguetón (), is a music style that originated in Panama during the late 1980s. It was later popularized in Puerto Rico. It has evolved from dancehall and has been influenced by American hip hop, ...
rhythm that describes the frustration of feeling immature in front of the object of one's desire and expresses one's feelings of resentment and frustration at oneself for being clumsy and immature in front of the person they love.


Release

Stray Kids set ''Noeasy'' to release on August 23, 2021 as a CD in both limited and standard versions, and to
digital music Digital audio is a representation of sound recorded in, or converted into, digital form. In digital audio, the sound wave of the audio signal is typically encoded as numerical samples in a continuous sequence. For example, in CD audio, sam ...
and
streaming Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content i ...
platforms. The
jewel case Optical disc packaging is the packaging that accompanies CDs, DVDs, and other formats of optical discs. Most packaging is rigid or semi-rigid and designed to protect the media from scratches and other types of exposure damage. Jewel case ...
version of the album was released on August 30, one week after the official release date. Previewing and pre-orders for the limited version album began on July 22, concurrent with the trailer release, the two types of standard versions began one week later, and the jewel case version began on the day after release date on several record store. The album's limited and standard versions contain a
CD-R CD-R (Compact disc-recordable) is a digital optical disc storage format. A CD-R disc is a compact disc that can be written once and read arbitrarily many times. CD-R discs (CD-Rs) are readable by most CD readers manufactured prior to the int ...
, a package sleeve, a photobook, a lyrics book, a randomized member
sticker A sticker is a type of label: a piece of printed paper, plastic, vinyl, or other material with temporary or permanent pressure sensitive adhesive on one side. It can be used for decoration or for functional purposes, depending on the situati ...
, a unit folded
poster A poster is a large sheet that is placed either on a public space to promote something or on a wall as decoration. Typically, posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. ...
, photo cards, and a double-sided photo card. The jewel case version, which features a member's solo cover, contains a CD-R, a sticker, and a randomized photo card. The limited version exclusively includes a randomized pop-up card and an all-member photo card set. A randomized poster, a frame photo card, and a special mini photo book solely available through pre-order.


Promotion

On July 22, 2021, Stray Kids released a two-and-half-minute-long official comeback trailer named "Thunderous" and announced their second studio album, ''Noeasy'', scheduled for release on August 23. Directed by Lee Hye-sung, and produced by Sushivisual with a superhero theme, the trailer shows the members transforming into avenger corps against the ear-shaped "sound monster" by inventing technology, weapons, and brainstorming strategies in an apocalyptic world. On August 2, they released an exclusive clip with behind-the-scenes footage of the trailer. It shows the members tease about the undisclosed lead single and the member Felix appears alone and greets Stays ( fandom name). The group released the track's snippet videos called "unveil: track" for the eight out of new twelve tracks, i.e., "Cheese", Bang Chan and Hyunjin's "Red Lights", Han, Seungmin and I.N's "Gone Away", Lee Know, Changbin and Felix's "Surfin'", "Domino", "Sorry, I Love You", "The View", and "Secret Secret". The teaser images were uploaded in three sets. The first concept shows a red
avant-garde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
outfit with a smoky background. The second depicts a black-and-white outfit with plain white or ''
hanok A ''hanok'' () is a traditional Korean house. ''Hanok'' were first designed and built in the 14th century during the Joseon dynasty. Korean architecture considers the positioning of the house in relation to its surroundings, with thought giv ...
'' background. The third expresses pastel casual outfits surrounded by neon light properties. The complete track listing was announced on August 12, serving " Thunderous" as the album's
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release ...
and including the previous releases "
Wolfgang Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words ''wolf'', meaning "wolf", and ''gang'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regula ...
", and " Mixtape: Oh" on it. The 44-second and 25-second music video teasers of the lead single "Thunderous" were released on August 20–21, and the performance video teaser with SKZoo costumes on the following day. The online cover artwork, and the 24-minute long documentary video ''Intro: "Noeasy"'' for introducing the album were also released on August 23, the same of the day of release. During promotion, the group held a listening party via Stationhead on August 27 ( KST) and appeared on several television and radio programs, including the domestic music programs, '' Weekly Idol'', '' After School Club'', '' Day6's Kiss the Radio'', and ''
Cultwo Show Cultwo Show (; lit. ''Escape at 2pm, Cultwo Show'') is a South Korean radio show hosted by Jung Chan-woo and Kim Tae-gyun (Cultwo) on SBS Power FM HLSQ-FM, also known as SBS Power FM (), is a K-pop music radio station of the Seoul Broadcast ...
'', etc. In addition to the lead single, the B-side accompanying music videos for "The View", "Cheese", "Red Lights", "Surfin'", and "Gone Away", and live videos for "Sorry I Love You", and "Secret Secret" were also released.


''Kingdom Week ''

Stray Kids appeared on ''Kingdom Week '', a television variety show that benefits the winner of ''Kingdom: Legendary War'', which aired on Mnet for 7 episodes from August 17 to 23. The first and second episodes, titled ''No Cut'', showed the group's behind-the-scenes during ''Kingdom: Legendary War'', with commentary by the members Felix and Seungmin. In the third to fifth episodes, titled ''No Solo'', the members appears to head to the villa to rest and play a game called "buddy catcher". The sixth episode, titled ''Non Stop'', collected the group's best performance chosen by the members. The final episode, airing the same day as the album was released, held the album showcase, called ''Stray Kids Comeback Show "Noeasy"''.


Singles

"Thunderous" serves as the lead single (title track) from ''Noeasy''. It was accompanied by a music video posted to
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...
,
Naver TV Naver TV (; formerly Naver TV Cast) is a South Korean online video streaming and video sharing service developed and operated by Naver. The service primarily distributes web dramas and entertainment shows. Original programming Dramas 2013 * ...
, and
V Live V Live (stylized as VLIVE), sometimes referred to as V App, is a South Korean live video streaming service that allows celebrities based in the country to broadcast live videos such as live chat sessions with fans, performances, reality shows ...
, directed by Bang Jae-yeob. Both were released on August 23, 2021, alongside the album. It peaked at number 33 on South Korea's
Gaon Digital Chart The Circle Digital Chart, previously known as the Gaon Digital Chart, is the music industry standard record chart ranking the 200 most popular singles in South Korea. It provides rankings on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis, which is based o ...
, number 3 on the US World Digital Song Sales, and number 80 on the ''Billboard'' Global 200, and took six wins from music programs: twice on ''
Show Champion ''Show Champion'' (Korean: 쇼 챔피언) is a South Korean music television program broadcast live by MBC M every Wednesday at Bitmaru Broadcasting Center in Ilsan. Hosts * Shindong (February 14, 2012 – December 25, 2012) * Hahm Eun-j ...
'', twice on ''
M Countdown ''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet. The show features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. It is broadcast from CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul. ...
'', once on '' Music Bank'', and once on ''
Inkigayo ''Inkigayo'' ( ko, 인기가요; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who p ...
''. The accompanying music video reached 50 million views on YouTube in 6 days of release and 100 million views in 55 days, making it the group's fastest and fifth 100-million-view music video.


Live performances

Stray Kids gave the debut performance of ''Noeasy'' with a showcase, called ''Stray Kids Comeback Show "Noeasy"'', held on the same day as the release date, as part of the final episode of ''Kingdom Week ''. The group performed the lead single "Thunderous", and the B-side "The View" for the first time at the show, alongside the show's final competition song "Wolfgang", and "Grow Up" from their debut EP ''
I Am Not ''I Am Not'' (stylized as ''I am NOT'') is the debut extended play (EP) by South Korean boy group Stray Kids. The EP was released digitally and physically on March 26, 2018 by JYP Entertainment and distributed through iriver Inc, Iriver. A debut ...
'' (2018). The group promoted "Thunderous" on several music programs in South Korea: ''M Countdown'', ''Music Bank'', ''
Show! Music Core ''Show! Music Core'' (), or simply ''Music Core'' is a South Korean music television program broadcast by MBC. It airs live every Saturday at 15:30 (KST). The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform live on stage. ...
'', ''Inkigayo'', and ''Show Champion'' for three weeks, August 26 – September 12, along with "The View" in the first week of promotion, and "Secret Secret" at ''Show! Music Core'' on September 4. "Domino" was also promoted and performed during September 24–26 on ''Music Bank'', ''Show! Music Core'', and ''Inkigayo''. Additionally, "Sorry, I Love You" was performed for the first time at Unite On: Live Concert on November 6. Songs from ''Noeasy'' were also performed at several awards ceremonies and year-end annual music shows. The group gave the debut performances of the sub-unit tracks "Red Lights", "Surfin'", and "Gone Away" as a medley, alongside "Thunderous" at the 2021 The Fact Music Awards on October 2. They performed "Domino", "Thunderous", additionally showed Lee Know's solo dance performance, and 3Racha's rap performance at the 2021
Asia Artist Awards Asia Artist Awards (; abbreviated AAA) is an awards ceremony organized by South Korea-based business newspaper ''Money Today'' and its global media brands StarNews and MTN. It honors outstanding achievements and international contributions of A ...
on December 2. "Cheese" was given their debut performance on December 11 at the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards as part of medley, titled ''Stray Kids World Domination'', alongside the "hero" version of "Thunderous", and the unreleased song "Hey, Monster", performed by 3Racha. The group performed "Thunderous" with a new arrangement at the 36th Golden Disc Awards on January 8, 2022, alongside " Top", and "
Wolfgang Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words ''wolf'', meaning "wolf", and ''gang'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regula ...
". Described as a "mega performance" and "action movie-like feeling", "Thunderous" was performed at the 2021 '' KBS Song Festival'' on December 17, which was shot at
Namhansanseong Namhansanseong is a historical mountain fortress city 25 km southeast of Seoul, South Korea. It sits approximately 480 m above sea level and is aligned with the ridges of the mountain for maximum defensibility. The fortress, stretchin ...
, Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province with the theme ''With K-Culture'', assets K-pop and K-cultural asset. They performed the Christmas version of "Thunderous" at 2021 '' SBS Gayo Daejeon'' on December 25, additionally using canes, group dance, and parodying ''
Squid Game ''Squid Game'' () is a South Korean survival drama television series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk for Netflix. Its cast includes Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-joon, HoYeon Jung, O Yeong-su, Heo Sung-tae, Anupam Tripathi, and Kim Jo ...
'' ttakji, and dalgona game, alongside "
Winter Falls Winter Falls, is a waterfall located in the Silver Falls State Park at the east end of the city of Salem, in Marion County, in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located in a privileged area on the west foothills where Mount Hood National Forest m ...
" from the single album '' Christmas EveL'', and covered IU's "Merry Christmas Ahead", performed by the members Changbin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N, as part of Christmas carol medley with various artists. They concluded 2021 with "Thunderous" performance at 2021 '' MBC Gayo Daejejeon'' on December 31, adding the ringing of a New Year's bell before the New Year ceremony, alongside
2PM 2PM (; romanized; ''Tupiem'') is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Jun. K (formerly known as Junsu), Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung. Originally a seven-piece group, fo ...
's " Only You" cover. As an ambassador for the Korea Pavilion of
Expo 2020 Expo 2020 ( ar, إكسبو 2020) was a World Expo hosted by Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Originally scheduled for 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021, it was postponed due to the COVID-1 ...
, held in
Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics ...
,
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at ...
, Stray Kids performed "Thunderous", as part of the opening show of the Korea Pavilion's Korea National Day with the Little Angels, and K-Tigers on January 17, 2022. The group also performed "Thunderous", alongside "Miroh", "God's Menu", and "Back Door" at the Korea National Day K-Pop Concert on the same day, joining Forestella,
(G)I-dle (G)I-dle (), stylized in all caps, is a South Korean girl group formed by Cube Entertainment in 2018. The group consists of five members: Miyeon, Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi and Shuhua. Originally a sextet, Soojin left the lineup on August 14, 2 ...
,
Golden Child Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset * Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucesters ...
,
Sunmi Lee Sun-mi (born Sun Mi on May 2, 1992), known mononymously as Sunmi (stylized as SUNMI), is a South Korean singer, dancer, songwriter and record producer. She debuted in 2007 as a member of South Korean girl group Wonder Girls and left the gr ...
, and Psy. The debut performance of "Silent Cry" was given at the group's second fan meeting, 2nd #LoveStay 'SKZ's Chocolate Factory', which was held on February 12–13 at
Olympic Hall Olympic Hall is a music venue located within the Olympic Park, in Bangi-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea. In 2011, the Olympic Hall was renovated as a concert hall by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Fo ...
.


Critical reception

Upon its release, ''Noeasy'' received positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
. According to ''
Rolling Stone India ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its cov ...
'', Divyansha Dongre appreciated the group that "keeps their identity intact as they reflect on hate directed towards their artistry" with "centered around a powerful message of self-expression." Tamar Herman from '' South China Morning Post'' summarized the album "offers a lot of different styles to suit listeners and finds its strength in the band's creativity and storytelling," and also tells Stray Kids have grown with each release. Writing for ''
Pinkvilla Pinkvilla is an Indian entertainment and lifestyle platform. As of June 2022, Pinkvilla has over 5,00,00,000 visitors on its website and app. Overview Pinkvilla covers entertainment and lifestyle stories. Its coverage extends to Bollywood, Ho ...
'', Ayushi Agrawal considered the album as "a book that can only be penned by Stray Kids," and praised the album "reinstated their tag of 'self-producing idols' in a way that is above and beyond any expectations," and "reaffirms the group's self-made mighty footing in the music industry." Ruby C writing for '' NME'' rated the album four out of five stars, and described the album as both claps of thunder and gradually subsided storms, and "filled with depth, creative substance and a whole repertoire of 'noise' to boot." Chu Seung-hyun from '' Seoul Economy Daily'' wrote ''Noeasy'' contains "full of unique bold and energetic appearance." Crystal Bell of ''
Teen Vogue ''Teen Vogue'' is an American online publication, formerly in print, launched in January 2003, as a sister publication to '' Vogue'', targeted at teenagers. Like ''Vogue'', it included stories about fashion and celebrities. Since 2015, following ...
'' describes the album as "more than noise", and compliments the group "perfect their ability to make even the quiet parts unabashedly loud, showing us how to live with the noise — not run away from it." '' The Lantern'' writer Chloe McGowan gave 4.5 out of five score, and said the album features "fast-paced chart-toppers", "sultry anthems", "serotonin-boosting bops" and "heartbreaking ballads", all "incredibly on-brand" for the self-produced idol group. McGowan also said, "Stray Kids fully utilizes the individual talent of each member on this album as they continue to push boundaries and expectations for K-pop while testing the limits and creative devices of their own sound." Molly Matthews, a music critic from '' Redbrick'', gave the album full-score ratings and described it as "jaw-dropping" and "jam-packed" with "energy, emotions, and charisma". She also said every part of ''Noeasy'' "drips in gold" from lyrics, vocals, rap to instrumentals.


Year-end lists


Awards and nominations


Commercial performance

On August 17, 2021, it was reported that pre-orders for ''Noeasy'' had surpassed 830,000 copies, and surpassed 930,000 pre-orders on the day of release, breaking their previous record of 300,000 pre-orders for ''
In Life ''Go Live'' (stylized in all caps; ) is the debut studio album by South Korean boy group Stray Kids. It was released by JYP Entertainment on June 17, 2020, and distributed through Dreamus. The lead single, "God's Menu", was released the sam ...
''. According to Hanteo Chart, ''Noeasy'' sold 355,946 copies on the first day, and 641,589 copies in the first week. Upon its release, ''Noeasy'' debuted and peaked at number one on the thirty-fifth, and thirty-sixth weeks, two consecutive weeks of the South Korean
Gaon Album Chart The Circle Album Chart, previously known as the Gaon Album Chart, is a record chart ranking the 100 most popular albums, extended plays and single albums in South Korea based on their pure sales. It is a part of the Circle Chart The Circle C ...
for the issue dates of August 22–28, and August 29 – September 4, respectively, becoming the group's fifth number one album on the chart, after '' Clé 1: Miroh'', '' Clé: Levanter'', '' Go Live'', and ''In Life''. The album has sold 1,127,800 as of the end of August, making it the first million-selling album of the group, and their label,
JYP Entertainment JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
, and the sixth 2021 South Korean million-selling album, after BTS's ''
Butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food), spread, melted a ...
'',
NCT Dream NCT Dream () is the third sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT, formed by SM Entertainment in 2016. They were initially intended to be the teenaged unit of NCT with an admission-and-graduation system, in which members would leave after rea ...
's ''
Hot Sauce Hot sauce is a type of condiment, seasoning, or salsa made from chili peppers and other ingredients. Many commercial varieties of mass-produced hot sauce exist. History Humans have used chili peppers and other hot spices for thousands of ye ...
'', Seventeen's '' Your Choice'',
Baekhyun Byun Baek-hyun (; born May 6, 1992), better known mononymously as Baekhyun, is a South Korean singer, songwriter and actor. Baekhyun began training under SM Entertainment in 2011. A few months later, he made his debut in 2012 as a member of the ...
's ''
Bambi ''Bambi'' is a 1942 American animated drama film directed by David Hand (supervising a team of sequence directors), produced by Walt Disney and based on the 1923 book '' Bambi, a Life in the Woods'' by Austrian author and hunter Felix Sal ...
'', and Exo's ''
Don't Fight the Feeling ''Don't Fight the Feeling'' is the seventh EP by South Korean–Chinese boy band Exo. It was released by SM Entertainment on June 7, 2021, and marketed as a "special album" and a gift for fans. The album marks the group's first new material si ...
''. All of the album's 14 tracks also entered the Gaon Download Chart simultaneously for the first time, earning all top-40 hits. ''Noeasy'' received a million certification by Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) on October 7. ''Noeasy'' ranked at number eight on the 2021 year-end Gaon Album Chart, selling 1,303,106 copies as of the end of the year. In Japan, ''Noeasy'' peaked at number 2 on the
Oricon Albums Chart The Oricon Albums Chart is the Japanese music industry standard albums popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Oricon originally published LP, CT, Cartridge and CD charts prior to the establishment of the Oricon ...
, and number 21 on ''
Billboard Japan ''Billboard Japan'' is a sister organization of the U.S.-based music magazine '' Billboard''. It is operated by the Japanese Osaka-based company Hanshin Contents Link (a subsidiary of Hanshin Electric Railway is a Japanese private railway compa ...
'' Hot Albums. In the United States, the album entered the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' Heatseekers Album at number 4, World Albums at number 5, Independent Albums at number 38, and Top Current Album Sales at number 69 for the chart issue date of September 4, 2021. Its tracks "Cheese", "Thunderous", "Domino", "Ssick", "The View", "Sorry, I Love You", "Red Lights", and "Wolfgang", charted simultaneously at the top 25 in the World Digital Song Sales. The album entered several national charts in Australia (14),
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
(12),
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
, both Flanders (13) and Wallonia (5),
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
(34),
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establishe ...
(3),
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bo ...
(5),
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...
(64),
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croa ...
(5), Lithuania (22), the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
(18),
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
(27),
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...
(6),
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...
(67), and Switzerland (10). It additionally entered the component charts of French Physical Albums (63), Swedish Physical Albums (10), and the UK Album Downloads (26).


Track listing

;Notes * "Cheese", "Domino", "Ssick", and "Wolfgang" are stylized in
all caps In typography, all caps (short for "all capitals") refers to text or a font in which all letters are capital letters, for example: "THIS TEXT IS IN ALL CAPS". All caps may be used for emphasis (for a word or phrase). They are commonly seen in ...
. * "Mixtape: Oh" is stylized as "Mixtape : OH". * Track titles in Korean translation: ** Track 2 "" (''Sori-kkun'') means "singer" of Korean traditional music storytelling ''
pansori ''Pansori'' () is a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a singing, singer and a Pansori gosu, drummer. The term ''pansori'' is derived from the Korean words ''pan'' (Hangul: 판) and ''sori'' (Hangul: 소리), the latter of which ...
,'' and a play with the Korean word "noise" (''sori)'' and the suffix ''-kkun'', an indicator that a thing is someone's profession or hobby. ** Track 4 "" (''Ssik'') means "grin smile" and play with the word "sick". ** Track 6 "" (''Jo-ahaeseo Mi-an'') means as same as the English title. ** Track 8 "" (''Malhal Su Eomneun Bimil'') means "a secret that can't be told". ** Track 10 "" (''Gangbak'') means "compulsion" or "obsession". ** Track 14 "" (''Ae'') means "love" or "child".


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the album liner notes. Musicians *
Stray Kids Stray Kids (; often abbreviated as SKZ) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2017 Stray Kids (TV series), reality show of the same name. The group is composed of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunji ...
** Bang Chan (
3Racha Stray Kids (; often abbreviated as SKZ) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment through the 2017 Stray Kids (TV series), reality show of the same name. The group is composed of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunji ...
) – lead vocals , background vocals , lyrics , composition , arrangement , instrumentation ** Changbin (3Racha) – lead vocals , background vocals , lyrics , composition ** Han (3Racha) – lead vocals , background vocals , lyrics , composition , vocal directing ** Lee Know – lead vocals , background vocals , lyrics , composition ** Hyunjin – lead vocals , background vocals , lyrics , composition ** Felix – lead vocals , background vocals , lyrics , composition ** Seungmin – lead vocals , background vocals , lyrics , composition ** I.N – lead vocals , background vocals , lyrics , composition * Versachoi – composition , arrangement , instrumentation * HotSauce – composition , arrangement , keyboard , drum programming , computer programming * ByHVN (153/Joombas) – composition , arrangement , keyboard , drum , bass * Krysta Youngs – lyrics , composition , background vocals * Telykast – composition , arrangement , instrumentation , drums , keyboard , computer programming * Millionboy – composition , arrangement , instrumentation * Hong Ji-sang – composition , arrangement , background vocals , electric guitar , bass , keyboard , computer programming * JinbyJin – composition , arrangement , guitar , piano , synthesizer , computer programming , vocal directing * Moa "Cazzi Opeia" Carlebecker – composition * Gabriel Brandes – composition * Earattack – lyrics , composition , arrangement , background vocals , instrumentation * Callous – lyrics * DaviDior – composition , arrangement , instrumentation * Nickko Young – guitar * Armadillo – composition , arrangement , instrumentation * Gump – composition , arrangement , instrumentation * Jung So-ri – guitar * Jeon Sang-min – piano * Yi Sung-chan – bass * Holy M – composition , arrangement , bass , computer programming * Kobee – composition , arrangement , guitar , drum , computer programming Technical * KayOne Lee – digital editing * HotSauce – digital editing * Lee Hwa-shin – digital editing * Jung Yu-ra – digital editing * Woo Min-jung – digital editing * Lee Sang-yeop – recording * Lim Hong-jin – recording * Goo Hye-jin – recording * Eom Se-hee – recording * Hong Ji-sang – recording * Park Eun-jung – recording , mixing * Bang Chan (3Racha) – recording * Choi Hye-jin – recording , mixing * Yoon Won-kwon – mixing *
Tony Maserati Tony Maserati is an American record producer and audio engineer specializing in mixing. He was involved in the development of the New York R&B and hip-hop scene in the 1990s, working with Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, and Que ...
– mixing * Master Key – mixing * Jay-P Gu – mixing * Shin Bong-won – mixing * Lee Tae-sub – mixing * David K. Younghyun – mix engineering * Kang Seo-yeon – mix engineering * Kwon Nam-woo – mastering *
Chris Gehringer Chris Gehringer (born May 27, 1962) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered recordings such as Gwen Stefani's '' Love. Angel. Music. Baby.'' (2004), Rihanna's '' Loud'' (2010), Lady Gaga's '' Born This Way'' (2011) and Drake' ...
– mastering * Will Quinnell – mastering assistant Others * J.Y. Park "The Asiansoul" – executive producer * Jimmy Jeong – executive producer * Bang Jae-yeob – video production, director * Jung Min-hee (Mu: Creative) – photographer * Kim Chan (Prod) – photographer * Jay – hair/makeup director * Seo Ji-hye – hair/makeup director * Jung Min-ju – hair/makeup director * Jeon Ji-won – hair/makeup director * Park Jung-ah – style director * Lee So-young – style director * Ahn Yu-na – style director * Hyun Seung-jae (Zesstype) – album logo design * Laundry Office – album design Locations *
JYP Publishing JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, ta ...
( KOMCA) – original publishing , sub-publishing * 153/Joombas Music Publishing – original publishing * Trevor Klaiman Music ( BMI) – original publishing * Kyle M T Music (
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
) – original publishing * Linus AK Music (ASCAP) – original publishing * Petal Rock Publishing (ASCAP) – original publishing * Copyright Control – original publishing , sub-publishing * EKKO Music Rights Europe (powered by CTGA) – original publishing , sub-publishing * Fujipacific Music Korea Inc. – sub-publishing * JYPE Studios – recording , mixing * Jisang's Studio – recording * Channie's Room – recording * Studio DDeepKick – mixing * Chapel Swing Studios ( Valley Glen) – mixing * 821 Sound – mixing , mastering * Klang Studio – mixing * Glab Studios – mixing *
Sterling Sound George Marino (April 15, 1947 – June 4, 2012) was an American mastering engineer known for working on albums by rock bands starting in the late 1960s. Biography Marino was born on April 15, 1947, in the New York City borough The Bronx. He at ...
– mastering


Charts


Weekly charts


Monthly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications and sales


Release history


See also

* List of best-selling albums in South Korea *
List of Gaon Album Chart number ones of 2021 The Gaon Album Chart is a South Korean record chart that ranks the best-selling albums and EPs in South Korea. It is part of the Gaon Music Chart, which launched in February 2010. The data is compiled by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ...


References

{{Authority control 2021 albums JYP Entertainment albums Korean-language albums Stray Kids albums