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Zone (TVXQ album)

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Zone
Standard edition cover
Studio album by
Tohoshinki
ReleasedNovember 6, 2024 (2024-11-06)
Recorded2023–24
Genre
LanguageJapanese
LabelAvex Trax
Tohoshinki chronology
20&2
(2023) 		Zone
(2024)
Singles from Zone
  1. "Utsuroi"
    Released: July 31, 2022
  2. "Parallel Parallel"
    Released: January 31, 2023
  3. "Lime & Lemon"
    Released: June 12, 2023
  4. "Sweet Surrender"
    Released: October 7, 2024
  5. "Dearest"
    Released: October 28, 2024

Zone is the eleventh Japanese studio album by South Korean pop duo Tohoshinki, released on November 6, 2024, by Avex Trax. The album was released to commemorate the duo's twentieth debut anniversary in Japan, which falls on April 27, 2025. The duo will embark on a nation-wide arena live tour, titled the 20th Anniversary Live Tour: Zone, which starts in Saitama at the Saitama Super Arena on November 29, 2024.

Zone debuted at number five on the Oricon Albums Chart, number four on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums Chart, and number one on the Billboard Japan Download Albums Chart.

Background

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On December 26, 2023, Tohoshinki celebrated their 20th debut anniversary in Korea with the release of their ninth Korean album 20&2 (2023).[1] On April 27, 2024, the day of the duo's 19th debut anniversary in Japan, they announced that they will embark on a nation-wide arena tour between November 2024 and March 2025, to commemorate their 20th anniversary.[2] Ticket lottery reservations for the tour started June 2024.[3]

On July 19, Tohoshinki revealed their 20th anniversary album Zone, subsequently confirming the name of the tour.[4] Zone is scheduled to be printed in four different versions: a DVD version which consists of 20 tracks and a bonus track; a Blu-ray version with the same package; a CD-only version with a different bonus track; a fanclub-exclusive Bigeast edition with another bonus track; and a first press limited "super deluxe" edition, an LP-size box which includes all three bonus tracks with three photobooks.

Release and promotion

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On September 4, Tohoshinki teased "Damn Good", a new track from the album that was announced to be a tie-up song for their collaboration with the Korean ginseng brand, Cheong Kwan Jang.[5] From September 21 to 22, previews of the thirteen new tracks from Zone were teased through their official X account, confirming the album's tracklist.[6] "Sweet Surrender" was subsequently announced to be the album's lead single. [7] A finalized tracklist of the second CD, which included interlude tracks, was further revealed on September 28.

A teaser for "Sweet Surrender" dropped on October 6, with the music video premiering on October 7, 2024 at 6 PM JST on YouTube. The single was also released on October 7. After the video premiered, Tohoshinki debuted their first live performance of "Sweet Surrender" on the TBS music program CDTV! Live Live.[8]

The album's official special website was launched on October 12, in support of the album's promotions. The website included details of the album's contents, order benefits, as well as information about signing events.[9] From October 19 through 27, Tohoshinki revealed more promotional images from the album, culminating to the release of Zone's second lead single "Dearest" on October 28.

The number "20" is alluded throughout the album, in reference to Tohoshinki's twentieth debut anniversary. In addition to having 20 tracks in the album, the number "20" is also hidden in the title of Zone. The theme of the album surrounds the discussion between AI and human intelligence, and how despite living in a world where technology has become more advanced, it is important to maintain rooted to humanity. The album starts off with the intro track "Eternal Echoes," which has unintelligible lyrics. Created by AI, the song consists of reversed vocals from the song "Magenta", the first track in Tohoshinki's first album as a duo, Tone (2011). Zone's second track "T.R.H.M" stands for "The Regain Humanity Method", a song about surviving in an ever-changing future and a battle to regain control of humanity. A special website, theregainhumanitymethod.net, dropped on the day of the album's release, and was unlocked by a special password revealed on November 29, 2024, the first day of their Japan-wide live tou.

Commercial performance

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Zone debuted at number three on the daily Oricon Albums Chart on the first day of release, selling 23,980 physical copies.[10] It sold 43,095 copies in the first week, entering the weekly Oricon Albums Chart at number five. It debuted at number one on the Oricon Digital Albums Chart, with 1,944 downloads.[11] For Billboard Japan, Zone debuted at number five on the Top Albums Sales chart, selling 44,105 copies.[12] On the second week, Zone dropped to number fifteen per the Oricon Albums Chart, selling 4,282 copies.[13]

Track listing

[edit]
Zone track listing[14]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Introduction (Eternal Echoes)"Shinjiroh InoueShinjiroh Inoue2:04
2."T.R.H.M"Hi-yunk (Back-On)Hi-yunk3:23
3."On My Radar"
  • Sean Alexander
  • Waveshower
  • Val Del Prete
  • Sqvare
Waveshower3:06
4."Party Like Madonna"
  • Julia Bognar Finnseter
  • Adrian Thesen
  • Paulos Solbø
  • Benjamin Sahba
  • Sverre C. Sunde
  • Kyle Wong
  • Nermin Harambasic
  • Pizzapunk
  • Lovelypop
3:11
5."Sweet Surrender"
  • Pixelwave
  • Ella Isaacson
  • Emily Kim
Pixelwave2:53
6."Parfum"
  • Ludwig Lindell
  • Karl-Oskar Gummesson
  • GC-JR
  • Lindell
  • Cage
3:09
7."Fresh"
  • Jonathan B-T
  • Harambasic
  • Sahba
  • Sunde
  • Wong
Lovelypop2:42
8."Umaku Iezu ni Gomen ne (うまく言えずにごめんね)" (I'm sorry I couldn't express it well)Daiki UenoTasuku5:03
9."Live Your Life"
  • Fabian "Phat Febe" Torrson
  • Martin Mulholland
  • Harambasic
  • Harry Sommerdahl
Bangers&Ca$h3:12
10."It's True It's Here"Kiyoto KondaYoichiro Yakizaki4:44
11."Damn Good"Robin StjernbergStjernberg3:33
12."Ark"
  • Joakim Dalqvist
  • Simon Peyron
Dalqvist2:59
13."Dearest"InoueInoue4:06
14."Utsuroi"Katsuhiko Yamamoto
  • Esme Mori
  • Yamamoto
4:02
15."The Reflex"Hi-yunkHi-yunk3:33
16."Parallel Parallel"
  • Alexander Karlsson
  • Alexei Viktorovitch
  • Tasuku Maeda
  • Akira
3:33
17."No Sympathy"
  • Henrik Nordenback
  • Christian Fast
  • Jimmy Claeson
  • Hide Kawada
  • Nordenback
3:09
18."Lime & Lemon"Caesar & LouiCaesar & Loui3:06
19."Sentimental Mood"
  • Sofia Vivere
  • Elias Oberg
  • SUA (153/Joombas)
  • RHeaT (153/Joombas)
  • SUA
  • RHeaT
2:54
20."Forever Love" (Zone version)Ichiro FujitaniKei Kawano6:01
Total length:60:10
Zone first press limited super deluxe edition bonus tracks (Disc 2: The Regain Humanity Method)[14]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
11."Rebel" (Japanese version)
 
12."Down" (Japanese version)
  • Rokman
  • Benji Bae
  • Pablo Andreu
  • Pixelwave
  • Rokman
  • Bae
  • Lockhome
  • Pixelwave
 
13."Stand by U" (Zone version)
  • UTA
  • REO
UTA 

Personnel

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Musicians

  • Tohoshinki – vocals and background vocals (all tracks)
  • Shinjiroh Inoue – synthesizer (track 1
  • Hi-yunk (Back-On) – guitar (track 2), background vocals (track 2)
  • Hiromi Narita – background vocals (track 3)
  • Yuho Yoshioka – background vocals (track 4)
  • Issei – background vocals (track 5)
  • Tasuku – guitar (track 8)
  • Kazuhiro Murase – brass, saxophone (track 10)
  • Yoichiro Kakizaki – keyboards (track 10)
  • Kiyoto Konda – guitar (track 10)
  • Kazuhiro Sunaga – bass (track 10)
  • Masao Fukunaga – percussion (track 10)
  • Yusuke Nakano – trumpet (track 10)
  • Teppei Kawakami – trumpet (track 10)
  • Hiroyuki Suka – trombone (track 10)
  • Mio Abe Strings – strings (track 10)
  • Udai Shika Strings – strings (track 13)
  • Kei Kawano – keyboards (track 20)
  • Kazuya Oi – drums (track 20)
  • Yohei Makabe – guitar (track 20)
  • Atsuki Yoshida Strings – strings (track 20)

Charts

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Sales

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Released Oricon chart Peak Debut sales Sales total
November 6, 2024
Daily Albums Chart[10] 3 23,980 50,459
Weekly Albums Chart 5 43,095
Monthly Albums Chart (November) TBA TBA

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for Zone
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various November 6, 2024
Avex Trax [4]

References

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  1. ^ ""규칙을 깨" 동방신기가 나아갈 길..20년 내공 담은 'Rebel'" [Breaking the rules is TVXQ's path forward, TVXQ reveals 'Rebel' with 20 years of experience] (in Korean). The Chosun Ilbo. December 26, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  2. ^ "TOHOSHINKI LIVE TOUR (title TBD) to be announced!". Tohoshinki Official Website. April 27, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "Announcement of the start of special advance by drawing lots reservations for "TVXQ LIVE TOUR (tentative title)" Super Premium Seats". Tohoshinki Official Website. June 5, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "2024年11月6日(水）東方神起 20th Anniversary FULL ALBUM「ZONE」発売決定" (in Japanese). Tohoshinki Official Website. July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  5. ^ "TOHOSHINKI new song "Damn Good" tie-up confirmed!". Tohoshinki Official Website. September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  6. ^ "TOHOSHINKI 20th Anniversary FULL ALBUM ZONE new song preview released!". Tohoshinki Official Website. September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  7. ^ "Tohoshinki's Official X website". X.com (in Japanese). September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  8. ^ "Appearance on TBS's "CDTV Live! Live!" on Monday, October 7th!!". Tohoshinki Official Website. September 30, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  9. ^ "ZONE by Tohoshinki". Tohoshinki Official Website (in Japanese). October 12, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "デイリー アルバムランキング" [Daily Album Ranking]. Oricon. November 7, 2024. Archived from the original on November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  11. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Digital Albums: November 18, 2024" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  12. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales – Week of November 13, 2024". Billboard Japan. November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  13. ^ "週間 アルバムランキング" [Weekly Album Ranking, 11 to 17 November 2024] (in Japanese). Oricon. November 25, 2024. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  14. ^ a b "2024年11月6日(水）FULL ALBUM「ZONE」収録内容公開！！". Tohoshinki Official Website (in Japanese). September 22, 2024. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  15. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-11-18" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  16. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Albums: 2024-11-18" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on November 14, 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  17. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of November 13, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  18. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-11" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
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