Fiction and Fact

Fiction and Fact
Studio album by Beast
Released May 17, 2011
Recorded 2011
Genre K-pop, dance-pop, electropop, hip hop
Length 35:24
Label Cube Entertainment, Universal Music Group
Producer Hong Seung Seong
Beast chronology
My Story
(2010)		 Fiction and Fact
(2011)		 So Beast
(2011)
Singles from Fiction and Fact
  1. "On Rainy Days"
    Released: May 12, 2011
  2. "Fiction"
    Released: May 17, 2011

Fiction and Fact is the first full length album from Korean band Beast. It was released in Korea on May 17, 2011 and contains 10 songs total: 8 new songs, an Unplugged Version of their song "Lightless" and an Orchestra Version of their title track "Fiction".[1] The album peaked at number 1 on Gaon's Monthly Chart for May 2011 with 90,000 copies sold.[2]

Release

On May 9, 2011, Cube Entertainment announced on their official website that Beast would release their first official studio album on May 17, 2011. They stated that Beast had a new sound with a modern feel that was unexpected based on their past background. They also stated that the album had a dramatic storytelling-like arrangement that would make any listener feel as if they were reading through different novels.[1]

On May 12, 2011, “On Rainy Days" (비가 오는 날엔; Biga Oneun Naren) was released as a digital single.[3] It went on to become the ninth biggest-selling digital single in South Korea for 2011.[4] A Japanese-language version was included as the B-side of Beast's Japanese single, "Midnight -Hoshi wo Kazoeru Yoru-", released October 17, 2012, and as a track on the Japanese album So Beast.

On May 13, 2011, an intro music video for their title track "Fiction"[5] was released on their official YouTube channel which Cube Entertainment described as "like a scene from a movie".[3] The music video for "Fiction" and the Fiction and Fact album were released on May 17, 2011. A special limited edition of the album was released on May 25, 2011 which included new pictures, three fashion cap buttons, and a special T-shirt. The album ranked first on Gaon's monthly album chart for May 2011 with a total sales of 90,000 copies.[2]

An orchestral version of "Fiction" was also included on the album. The original version placed at number 16 on Gaon's year-end digital songs chart of 2011.[4] Japanese-language versions of both the original and orchestral version of the song were included on Beast's Japanese album So Beast.

Composition

The first single released, “On Rainy Days“, was written by Choi Gyu-seong with the rap lyrics written by Beast member Yong Jun-hyung. The song was actually recorded on a rainy day in order to emphasize the feeling of sorrow. While recording, a company representative stated that “the members of BEAST were drunk with emotions and all shed tears” and “the recording had to be stopped multiple times because they couldn’t hold back their tears.”[6]

Promotions

Beast started their promotions for Fiction and Fact on the cable channel Mnet‘s M! Countdown on May 19, 2011 with a performance of their pre-released single "On Rainy Days" and their title track "Fiction". In order to fully deliver the feelings of these two very different songs, the M! Countdown staff prepared two different stage sets. For the performance of "On Rainy Days" they built an atmosphere simulating rain while they created an unrealistic, dreamy stage for "Fiction".[7]

A week after, on May 26, 2011, Beast won their first first-place award for "Fiction" on M! Countdown and subsequently won first place for the shows June 2 and June 9, 2011 episodes.[8] They also won first place on KBS Music Bank's May 27, 2011 episode for their single "On Rainy Days" while "Fiction" won first place on the shows June 3 and June 10, 2011 episodes.[9] Their title track also won first place on SBS Inkigayo's June 5 and June 12, 2011 episode.

Beast ended their Korean promotions for Fiction or Fact on June 19, 2011 on SBS Inkigayo in order for them to move on to the promotions for their Japanese single "Bad Girl" in Japan.[10]

Critical reception

Beast first studio album received generally positive reviews, saying that the group has utilized their full color that has been built up over their past mini-albums.[7]

On July 14, 2011, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) placed a ban on "On Rainy Days" because it “contained content that’s harmful to youth”. The agency cited the line "I think I'm drunk, I should stop drinking" as possibly encouraging young listeners to drink.[11] In response to the ban, member Yang Yoseob posted on his Twitter, “I think I’m going to start singing children songs. I need Tylenol” then added, “This is just too much. Sigh… we can’t perform with this song, agh”.

On August 25, 2011, Cube Entertainment filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, requesting that they nullify the ban on the song. A Cube representative stated "The lyrics did not intend to glamorize drinking nor encourage it. The song is not about drinking at all, but rather a love story.” They continued, “Considering the fact that the MOGEF has failed to ban other songs that contain strong lyrical content talking directly about topics that are more harmful to the youth, Beast’s ban is a violation of equality.”[12] On September 8, 2011, the Seoul Administrative Court suspended the MOGEF's ban. Ultimately, the ministry's decision was waived and now the song is free to be aired during any time slot.[13]

Track listing

No. TitleLyricsMusicArrangement Length
1. "The Fact"  Shinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu Seong, Yong Jun-hyungShinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu SeongShinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu Seong 2:20
2. "Fiction"  Shinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu Seong, Yong Jun-hyungShinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu SeongShinsadong Tiger 3:55
3. "Back to You"  Seo Yong-bae, Seo Jae-woo, Yong Jun-hyungSeo Yong-bae, Seo Jae-wooSeo Yong-bae, Seo Jae-woo 3:08
4. "You"  Choi Gyu-seong, Rado, Yong Jun-hyungChoi Gyu-seong, RadoChoi Gyu-seong 3:51
5. "Freeze"  Yong Jun-hyung, Kim Tae-jooYong Jun-hyung, Kim Tae-jooShinsadong Tiger, Yong Jun-hyung, Kim Tae-joo 3:33
6. "Virus"  Nang-ee, Beom-ee, Yong Jun-hyungNang-ee, Beom-eeNang-ee, Beom-ee 3:25
7. "불러보지만" (Bulleobojiman; Though I Call Your Name)Park Soo-seok, MarcoPark Soo-seok, Im Sang-hyuk, MarcoPark Soo-seok, Marco 3:50
8. "비가 오는 날엔" (Biga Oneun Naren; On Rainy Days)Choi Gyu-seong, Yong Jun-hyungChoi Gyu-seongChoi Gyu-seong 3:46
9. "Lightless" (Unplugged Version)Shinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu-seong, Rado, Yong Jun-hyungShinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu-seong, RadoGo Myeong-jae 3:26
10. "Fiction" (Orchestra Version)Shinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu-seong, Yong Jun-hyungShinsadong Tiger, Choi Gyu-seongKwon Seok-hong 4:15
Total length:
 35:24

Personnel

Release history

Country Date Format Label
South Korea May 17, 2011 Digital download, CD Cube Entertainment
Universal Music Group
May 25, 2011 Limited Edition
Taiwan June 17, 2011 CD Universal Music Taiwan
Philippines July 16, 2011 CD MCA Music [15]

References

  1. 1 2 "BEAST's comeback, about the release of new album" (in Korean). Cube Entertainment. 2011-05-09. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
  2. 1 2 "Gaon Monthy Chart May 2011". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  3. 1 2 "BEAST while recording for "On a Rainy Day" shed a sea of tears". Newsen (in Korean). 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
  4. 1 2 "2011년 총 결산 디지털 종합차트". Wayback Machine. Gaon. Archived from the original on May 21, 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "BEAST, ‘Fiction’ striking emphasis ‘unusual movement’ receiving attention". TV Daily (in Korean). 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
  6. ↑ "비스트 ‘비가 오는 날엔’ 녹음하며 멤버 전원 눈물바다". Newsen. Newsen. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
  7. 1 2 "BEAST, ‘Fiction’ striking emphasis ‘unusual movement’ receiving attention". TVDaily (in Korean). 2011-05-18. Retrieved 2011-05-25.
  8. ↑ "'1st place' BEAST, "Worried we chose the wrong title track" expresses abnormal worries". Nate (in Korean). 2011-06-01. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  9. ↑ "Music Bank KChart". KBS (in Korean). 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  10. ↑ "First place BEAST will end promotions on the 19th and head for Japan". Nate (in Korean). 2011-06-13. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  11. ↑ "Songs by B2ST, Jay Park, 4minute, MBLAQ & more banned by Ministry of Gender Equality & Family". Star News (in Korean). 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
  12. ↑ "Cube Entertainment files a lawsuit on behalf of B2ST’s first album". Star News (in Korean). 2011-08-29. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
  13. ↑ "Ban On Beast's "On A Rainy Day" Dropped". KBS World News. 2011-09-08. Retrieved 2011-10-04.
  14. ↑ Fiction and Fact (Media notes). Beast. 2011.
  15. ↑ "CUBE POWER! The 4Minute and B2ST Album Launch!". MK News (in Korean). 2011-05-12. Retrieved 2011-05-23.

External links

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