Act (stylized in all caps) is the sixth Korean-language extended play (EP) (eighth overall) by South Korean singer and songwriter Kang Daniel. It was released on September 23, 2024, by ARA Inc. and distributed by Warner Music Korea. Act contains six tracks, including the EP's lead single, "Electric Shock". The EP debuted at number eight on South Korea's Circle Album Chart.
Background and release
In June 2024, Kang Daniel announced the termination of his recording contract and dissolution of the company he founded, Konnect Entertainment, after Kang filed a criminal complaint against the company's largest shareholder for embezzlement, forgery, and fraud, among other things.[1] In late July, it was announced that Kang had signed a contract with a new agency, Artistic Round Alliance (ARA).[2]
Kang's first project under the new agency, an EP entitled Act, was announced in a teaser video on August 30, with the agency specifying a September 2024 release date.[3] On September 11 the release date was officially confirmed to be September 23, along with announcing the lead single, "Electric Shock".[4] The EP's release comes 1 year and 3 months after his previous Korean-language EP, Realiez.[3] Two days later, the EP's track listing and production credits were revealed, with Kang participating in writing lyrics for all six tracks.[5]
Kang referred to the EP as "a new story", with the title being a reference to the theatre term "act", signifying the end of one scene and the start of another.[6] After the shutdown Konnect, Kang said he felt "stranded" and "empty", and locked himself in his house for three months. Kang said he transferred the experience into Act and wrote the tracks according to the thoughts he had.[6]
Act was officially released on September 23, 2024, simultaneously with the lead single "Electric Shock" and its accompanying music video.[7]
Composition
Kang arriving to Music Bank on September 26, 2024 to promote Act
Act has been described as a K-pop EP with influences of trap, house, R&B and EDM.[7] Kang wrote lyrics for all six tracks, and worked with American producers Nøll, Chando and Michael Lanza to produce the EP.[8] The EP's opening track, "Losing Myself", is an EDM song with heavy dubstep drums and guitar riffs.[9] "Get Loose" is a track with an "upbeat" and "smooth" beat, and was the last song Kang recorded for the project.[10] "Electric Shock", the EP's lead single, is a pop track with R&B influences, trap drums and synthesizer bass.[11] The EP's fourth track, "Come Back to Me", features vocals by Chung Ha and is recorded entirely in English.[12] Kang felt the track needed a female voice with a warm tone, "like a warm cup of coffee in the cold wind."[10] "9 Lives" is an EDM song and was created by Kang to give the album a "hopeful, positive" feeling to close the project.[10]
A bonus track, "Betcho Love", was released exclusively to physical editions of the EP and is not available digitally.[13]
Promotion
In support of the EP, Kang held two concerts at Jangchung Arena in October. The 21-song, 120-minute long show was Kang's first solo concert in the city in over a year.[14] Kang later announced further concert dates, bringing the show to Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, and Taiwan beginning in January 2025.[15]
Commercial performance
Act debuted at number eight on South Korea's Circle Album Chart for the week ending September 28. A second version of the EP also charted at number nine, for a combined total of 102,505 copies sold in the first week.[16] On the monthly chart, the two versions of Act peaked at numbers nineteen and twenty-five, respectively, for September 2024.[17] As of October 2024, the EP has sold 119,301 copies in South Korea.[18]
Track listing
Track listing and credits adapted from the EP's liner notes.[19]
^A second version of Act charted separately at number 9.
^A second version of Act charted separately at number 25.
References
^Choi, Jae-ho (2024-06-10). "'대주주 100억 고소' 강다니엘, 소속사 폐업에 "아쉽고 애석한 마음"" [Kang Daniel, who sued the major shareholder for 10 billion won, said, "I feel regretful and sad" about the closure of his agency]. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-11-09.
^ abKim, Soo-young (2024-08-30). "강다니엘, 1년 3개월 만 컴백...9월 신보 '액트' 발매" [Kang Daniel, comeback after 1 year and 3 months... New album 'Act' to be released in September]. Hankyung (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-11-09.
^Park, So-young (2024-09-19). "강다니엘 is back..느슨해진 가요계 기강 잡으러 온다" [Kang Daniel is back.. Coming to fix the loosened discipline in the music industry]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-11-09.
