Maps of Music

Bonamana (2010)

Where the lyrics of Bonamana take you, and where it was really made.

The first-day sales of Version A topped 36,000 copies, the biggest opening day of Super Junior's career, and the album went on to become the best-selling release of 2010 in South Korea.

Key places

Recorded at BJJ in Seoul (2010)

Recording site Big Hit Studios, Seoul — The album's studio is listed as BJJ in Seoul. The point is placed at the city centre, not at the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: Private company studio, not open to visitors.

Album story

Overview

• Bonamana (Korean title 미인아): the fourth studio album by South Korean boy band Super Junior
• The first album with ten of the original 13 members taking part
• The first album not to feature all active members
• First released as Version A on 13 May 2010 by SM Entertainment
• Version B followed on 20 May 2010, with behind-the-scenes photos from stage performances and music video shoots
• The title track "Bonamana" is an upbeat electropop song
• The group's main concept was described as "mature" and "sophisticated"

Background

• Follows the sound established on the previous album, Sorry, Sorry, but relies more on mainstream styles
• Mixes genres including R&B ballads, pop dance, and hip hop
• Keeps several cheerful, medium-tempo pop songs that the group had performed since debut
• Eunhyuk created the dance choreography for "Boom Boom"
• The group had announced work on the fourth album in January 2010

Recording

• Kibum took part very little in Sorry, Sorry because of acting work
• After talks with producers, Kibum chose to continue his acting career instead of joining the production
• Kangin was fulfilling his military service, and Han Geng was in a lawsuit against SM Entertainment
• Only ten members were able to work on the album
• Shindong tweeted about preparing the fourth album in early April 2010
• SM Entertainment formally announced the release and production on 19 April 2010
• Members postponed solo activities after the Super Show 2 Asia tour in the Philippines to finish the album for a mid-May release
• The track "Shake It Up" was recorded before Han Geng filed the lawsuit, according to SM Entertainment's representative

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed by SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man in 2005 as a 12-member group with rotational members.
• The rotational concept was abandoned after Kyuhyun joined in 2006, and the group became known as Super Junior.
• Debuted on November 6, 2005 with the single "Twins (Knock Out)" on Inkigayo.
• Media dubbed them the "Kings of Hallyu Wave" for their contribution to the Korean Wave.

Members

• Current active members: Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook, Kyuhyun.
• Han Geng left in 2011, Kibum in 2015, Kangin in 2019.

Career

• "Sorry, Sorry" (2009) brought international recognition and was the group's best-selling single in South Korea.
• Formed multiple subgroups, including Super Junior-M, Super Junior-T and Super Junior-K.R.Y.
• Won Teen Choice Awards' International Artist and Best Fandom in 2015.
• Released the 11th studio album The Road in 2023 and the 12th studio album Super Junior25 in 2025 for the 20th anniversary.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Music critic So Seung-geun from IZM gave the album 2 stars out of 5
• The review criticized the group's vocals and overuse of autotune
• The review also criticized the "unnatural" use of English lyrics in the title track "Bonamana"
• So Seung-geun also called "Bonamana" a "recycled" version of "Sorry, Sorry"

Reappraisal

• No additional reappraisal is recorded in the source

Records

• Over 200,000 copies were pre-ordered a week after the release date was announced, a new high for the group
• Version A debuted at number one on the Hanteo chart, selling over 36,000 copies on the first day
• Version A sold over 70,000 copies after four more days of release
• The album peaked at number one on the Gaon Weekly Album Chart for the week of 9 to 15 May 2010
• The A and B versions sold a cumulative total of 200,193 copies, named the best-selling album of 2010 in South Korea
• In Taiwan, the album sold a cumulative total of 57,000 copies
• In the Philippines, the album reached gold status after selling 7,500 copies in a week

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The track "Shake It Up" kept Han Geng's vocals, and SM Entertainment said it was recorded before the lawsuit was filed.
• Kibum chose to continue acting instead of taking part in the production after discussing it with the producers.
• Kangin's military service and Han Geng's lawsuit left only ten members available for the album.
• Version A's first-day sales made it the biggest opening day of the group's career at the time.
• The group's first comeback performance for the album was on 14 May 2010.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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