MONSTA X has revealed the tracklist for their long-awaited return with their 12th mini album REASON on December 20, 2022. According to the social media ad, REASON will feature six songs, including the title single Beautiful Liar. Daydream, Crescendo, LONE RANGER, Deny and It’s Okay are among the b-sides (translated name.) The new album will be released on January 9, 2023 and marks the band’s comeback after a nine-month hiatus. SHAPE OF LOVE, their most recent album, was released in April 2022.

REASON is the group’s first album after their contracts were renewed, with the exception of rapper IM, who left Starship Entertainment agency in August 2022. Despite being an active part of the group, the rapper has signed an exclusive deal with Sony Music. Korea for his solo efforts. It is also the third release from the leaderless group Shownu, who enlisted in the military in July 2021 and is expected to be released in April 2023.

MONSTA X Mini Album
‘REASON’ 🔗

TRACK LIST

Release on
2023.01.09 18:00 (KST)#RODE#thereafter#MONSTA_X #MONSTAX#モンスタエックス#TRACKLIST pic.twitter.com/AjaH1r2nom

— MONSTA X OFFICIAL JP (@Official_MX_jp) December 20, 2022

With self-produced songs for REASON, MONSTA X reminisces about an eight-year journey.

Starship Entertainment’s next album Explanation reflects on the band’s eight-year journey since their debut in 2015 and reveals a clear reason for their presence in the present. According to the label, the title single Beautiful Liar will feature an infectious groove combined with the group’s strong vocals and performance to portray the story of love discovered in the most extreme and dangerous relationship.

Beautiful Liar and other tunes are self-produced by the band, according to the tracklist poster. Lead rapper Joohoney, who is known for his songwriting prowess, provided lyrics for five of the six tracks on the new album. On Twitter, MONBEBE (the fans of MONSTA X) praised the reveal of the tracklist. They were particularly impressed with the title track, which was written by the maknae line of Joohoney, Hyungwon and IM. Moreover, since the song had the same name as Shakira and Beyoncé’s 2006 hit, the fans went berserk.

Individual projects of MONSTA X members

Many of the members’ solo projects were announced during the eight months that MONSTA X had not released any new music. Kihyun, the lead singer of the group, made his solo debut in October 2022 with YOUTH, a five-song mini album.

Joohoney, the main rapper, will make his acting debut in the Netflix movie Lost in America. In the film, which is expected to be released in late 2023, the idol will play the role of a K-pop idol who speaks good English. Meanwhile, Hyungwon has been cast as an idol in Sajangdol Mart, a 2023 web drama starring EXO’s Xiumin. In the episode, he will be seen as Jo Yi Joon, a great rapper.