Maps of Music

XV (2019)

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

XV marked 15 years of TVXQ's Japanese debut and reached number 1 on both the Oricon and Billboard Japan album charts in its first week.

Key places

Recording location listed for XV (2019)

Recording site Ajinomoto Stadium — The album's recording data lists Ajinomoto Stadium in Chofu. The point is placed at the building's coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• XV: 10th original album by TVXQ released in Japan
• Released 16 October 2019 on avex trax
• Marks 15 years since the group's Japanese debut
• First release in about one year and one month since the previous album, TOMORROW
• Issued in six formats: two limited first-press editions (CD+DVD and CD+Blu-ray, both with a photo booklet), a regular edition, two GIFT editions, and a Bigeast official shop edition
• Most editions include a random jacket-size card from six types, plus a point serial code
• 15 tracks in total, including 12 new songs
• Singles Jealous, Hot Hot Hot and Mirrors released after TOMORROW are included
• 'Daisuki datta', the coupling track of the 46th single Jealous, is not included

Background

• The 4th dome tour, 'TVXQ LIVE TOUR 2019 〜XV〜', started on 9 November at Fukuoka Yahoo! Japan Dome
• Yunho said the lyrics show the members getting older and a more mature male feeling than the previous album
• Yunho said the group sings mostly relaxed but tried new singing styles on some songs
• Changmin compared the album to bibimbap, where each step takes time and effort

Recording

• The Hot Sauce music video was released as a surprise on the official YouTube channel on 23 October
• The Hot Sauce video was shot by the Korean staff who worked on ANDROID and uses a robot arm
• Hello is the theme song of the 35th East Japan Women's Ekiden race

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in 2003 by SM Entertainment as a five-member boy band; debuted December 26, 2003 with the single "Hug" (2004).
• Yunho was appointed the band's leader; the name Dong Bang Shin Ki was finalized after several alternatives.
• Tohoshinki (東方神起) was the Japanese-market name adopted after signing with Avex Group in late 2004.

Members

• Current members: U-Know Yunho (leader) and Max Changmin.
• Former members Hero Jaejoong, Micky Yoochun and Xiah Junsu left in 2010 and formed JYJ.

Career

• Early Korean albums Tri-Angle (2004), Rising Sun (2005), "O"-Jung.Ban.Hap. (2006) and Mirotic (2008) topped domestic charts; "O"-Jung.Ban.Hap. won Album of the Year at the 21st Golden Disk Awards.
• In Japan, the band became mainstream stars after The Secret Code (2009); their Best Selection 2010 was the first album to top the Oricon Albums Chart.
• After a 2010 split, Yunho and Changmin returned as a duo with Keep Your Head Down (2011); later albums include Tone (2011), Time (2013), Tense (2014), Tree (2014), New Chapter #1 (2018) and XV (2019).
• The duo held a three-day performance at Tokyo Dome on April 27, 2025 for their 20th anniversary.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released in Japan on 16 October 2019, marking the 15th anniversary of the group's Japanese debut
• Came about one year and one month after the previous album TOMORROW
• Debuted at number 1 on the Oricon weekly album ranking dated 28 October
• First-week sales of about 155,000 copies on Oricon
• Eighth Oricon number-one album overall, following the previous album
• With this top spot, passed BoA in the count of number-one albums by overseas artists
• Billboard Japan Hot Albums: number 1 for the chart dated 28 October
• Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales: number 1, first-week sales of 160,872 copies

Records

• Download sales of 3,092 units, ranking number 4
• Sold in six formats, including two limited first-press editions and a Bigeast shop-exclusive edition
• The Bigeast shop edition was a limited-quantity product with live footage from a 2018 a-nation performance on the DVD

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The hidden track Truth is the Japanese version of the title song from the Korean special album NEW CHAPTER #2 : THE TRUTH OF LOVE released in 2018
• Truth is the first hidden track on a TVXQ album since 9096 on the 4th album The Secret Code
• Master evokes 1980s techno-pop, and the members name it as a favorite track
• Changmin said the 'Faker killed the master' line reflects the many fake news stories in society, read as people having many sides
• Pay it forward is an English title meaning a chain of good deeds, a song of thanks to fans for 15 years
• The Hot Sauce music video was a surprise release on YouTube on 23 October

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org

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