Reality in Black
{{Infobox album
| name = Reality in Black
| type = studio
| artist = Mamamoo
| cover = Mamamoo - Reality in Black.png
| caption = Digital cover
| alt =
| released = November 14, 2019
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 36:52
| language = Korean
| label = RBW
| producer =
| prev_title = White Wind
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Travel
| next_year = 2020
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Reality in Black
| type = studio
| single1 = Hip
| single1date = November 14, 2019
}}
}}
Reality in Black (stylized as reality in BLACK) is the second Korean studio album (third overall) by South Korean girl group Mamamoo. It was released by RBW on November 14, 2019, and distributed by Kakao M. Mamamoo collaborated with several producers and songwriters for the album, including longtime partners Kim Do-hoon and Park Woo-sang, who co-wrote the single "Hip" alongside Mamamoo member Hwasa. Musically a K-pop album with R&B, dance, and hip hop influences, Reality in Black features eleven songs in total, including lead single "Hip" and their Queendom finale song "Destiny."
The album debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart in South Korea, becoming Mamamoo's third number-one album in their home country. It also charted in the United States, reaching number 11 on the Billboard World Albums chart.
Background and release
In March 2019, Mamamoo released their ninth EP, White Wind, which served as the fourth and final installment of their "Four Seasons, Four Colors" series of albums. Shortly after, they embarked on their fifth concert tour 4Seasons F/W, which saw them visit Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong in addition to their native South Korea. In July 2019, it was announced that Mamamoo would join the cast of Queendom, a competitive reality television show, in which six trending female K-pop acts competed for their own comeback showcase to air on South Korean pay TV channel Mnet.{{cite web|url=https://www.hellokpop.com/tv-movies/mnet-queendom-lineup/|title=Mnet Announces Lineup For Upcoming Variety Show, "Queendom"|publisher=HelloKPop|date=July 24, 2019|accessdate=December 8, 2019}} The song "Destiny" was released within the frame of the competition and later included on the album. On October 31, during the last episode of Queendom, Mamamoo were declared the winners of the competition.{{cite web|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3069765|title=Mamamoo to drop second album|publisher=Korea Joongang Daily|date=November 4, 2019|accessdate=December 8, 2019}}
On November 1, the impending release of the group's second full studio album was announced through Mamamoo's official social media accounts. The next day, the title, album cover and release date were revealed through the group's official Twitter account.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/RBW_MAMAMOO/status/1190632429268037632|title=Album announcement|publisher=Mamamoo's official Twitter|date=November 1, 2019|accessdate=December 8, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/RBW_MAMAMOO/status/1190632429268037632|title=Album cover and release date|publisher=Mamamoo's official Twitter|date=November 1, 2019|accessdate=December 8, 2019}} BLACK was also revealed to partially be an acronym for "Bless Life and Carry Knowledge."{{cite tweet|user=RBW_MAMAMOO|number=1190270038067957761|title=[#마마무] 2nd Full Album #Bless_Life_And_Carry_Knowledge ✔ 2019.11.14 Thu 6PM(KST) #MAMAMOO #MMM|date=November 2, 2019|accessdate=December 12, 2019}} Multiple concept pictures of the individual members and video teasers led up to the release of the album on November 14, showing the members in several alternate universe settings in which they were not part of Mamamoo.{{cite web|url=https://www.hellokpop.com/news/mamamoo-full-length-album-reality-in-black/|title=MAMAMOO To Explore Parallel Realities With Upcoming Full-Length Album|publisher=HELLOKPOP|date=November 4, 2019|accessdate=December 8, 2019}}
Reality in Black was released in full to digital and physical retailers on November 14, 2019.{{Cite web|last=Park|first=S.|date=November 14, 2019|title=MAMAMOO Talks About Taking On New Challenges For Comeback, What They'd Do If They Weren't Idols, And More|url=https://www.soompi.com/article/1365641wpp/mamamoo-talks-about-taking-on-new-challenges-for-comeback-what-theyd-do-if-they-werent-idols-and-more|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Soompi}}{{Cite web|date=November 14, 2019|title=reality in BLACK by MAMAMOO on Apple Music|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/reality-in-black/1487928105|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Apple Music}}{{Cite web|date=November 14, 2019|title=reality in BLACK - Album by MAMAMOO|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/7CucpzwxAZ6kHmctI9eo4X?si=vr--1lC-QFGnpRBa4m9w7g|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Spotify}} The Japanese edition of the album, featuring the Japanese-language version of "Hip" and the original Japanese song "Shampoo," was released on March 11, 2020.{{Cite web|title=reality in BLACK-Japanese Edition-(初回限定盤A) on Oricon|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/654493/products/1348983/1/|website=Oricon|language=Japanese}}
Promotion
= Single =
"Hip" was released as the lead single from Reality in Black on November 14, 2019, coinciding with the release of the album itself. An uptempo dance-pop track with both jazz and hip hop influences, "Hip" saw worldwide commercial success. In the group's native South Korea, it debuted at number 20 on the Gaon Digital Chart,{{Cite web|title=2019년 46주차 Digital Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=46&hitYear=2019&termGbn=week|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Gaon Music Chart}} number two on the component Gaon Download Chart,{{Cite web|title=2019년 46주차 Download Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=S1020&targetTime=46&hitYear=2019&termGbn=week|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Gaon Music Chart}} and number 38 on the component Gaon Streaming Chart{{Cite web|title=2019년 46주차 Streaming Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=S1040&targetTime=46&hitYear=2019&termGbn=week|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Gaon Music Chart}} for the 46th issued week of 2019. It would go on to peak at number four on the Gaon Digital Chart in its third week on the chart.{{Cite web|title=2019년 48주차 Digital Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=48&hitYear=2019&termGbn=week|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Gaon Music Chart}} "Hip" would later go on to be certified platinum by the Korea Music & Content Association (KMCA) for surpassing 100 million streams in November 2020,{{Cite web|date=May 6, 2021|title=Gaon Chart Certifications - Streaming|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/certification/list.gaon?serviceGbn=S1040|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Gaon Music Chart}} earning the group their second certification after "Starry Night" in 2018. Following a top-five debut, "Hip" peaked at number one on the Billboard World Digital Songs Sales chart, making it the group's first number-one on the chart.{{cite magazine|title=Mamamoo Chart History: World Digital Song Sales|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/mamamoo/chart-history/wdt/|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=August 7, 2019}}
= Other songs =
The album also includes the song "Destiny," which was released on October 25, 2019, as their final song from the Queendom TV series. It reached number 68 in South Korea and peaked at number seven on the US World Digital Songs Sales chart.{{cite web|title=Gaon Digital Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL|publisher=Gaon Music Chart|language=ko|accessdate=February 2, 2015}}
Commercial performance
Reality in Black experienced commercial success upon its release. It debuted and peaked at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart in South Korea, becoming their third number-one album after Yellow Flower (2018) and White Wind (2019). The album became their best-selling to date, with 102,171 copies sold in November 2019{{Cite web|title=2019년 11월 Album Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=11&hitYear=2019&termGbn=month|access-date=May 27, 2021|website=Gaon Music Chart}} and over 120,000 copies sold as of October 2020.Cumulative Sales of Reality in Black:
- {{cite web|title=2019년 Album Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=2019&hitYear=2019&termGbn=year|website=Gaon Music Chart}}
- {{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=2020년 04월 Album Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&termGbn=month|access-date=|website=Gaon Music Chart}}
- {{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=2020년 08월 Album Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&termGbn=month|access-date=|website=Gaon Music Chart}}
- {{cite web|title=2020년 08월 Album Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&termGbn=month|publisher=Gaon Music Chart}}
- {{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=2020년 10월 Album Chart|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&termGbn=month|access-date=November 12, 2020|website=Gaon Music Chart}} The album debuted at number 12 on the Billboard World Albums chart, peaking at number 11 the next week, with over 1,000 copies sold.{{cite magazine|last=Benjamin|first=Jeff|date=November 27, 2019|title=MAMAMOO Score First No. 1 on World Digital Song Sales Chart With 'Hip'|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8544964/mamamoo-hip-first-no-1-world-digital-song-sales-chart|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=November 30, 2019}} Following the 2020 release of the Japanese edition, Reality in Black peaked at number 27 on the Oricon Albums Chart in Japan.{{cite web|title=Oricon Albums Chart|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/654493/rank/album/|publisher=Oricon Chart|language=ja|accessdate=August 14, 2019}}
Track listing
{{track listing
| headline = Reality in Black{{nobold| – Standard edition}}
| extra_column = Arrangement
| title1 = Destiny
| note1 = 우린 결국 다시 만날 운명이었지; urin gyeolguk dasi mannal unmyeong-ieossji; lit: "We were meant to meet again eventually"
| lyrics1 = {{hlist|Kim Do-hoon|Park Woo-sang}}
| music1 = {{hlist|Kim Do-hoon|Park Woo-sang}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|Kim Do-hoon|Park Woo-sang}}
| length1 = 4:07
| title2 = Universe
| lyrics2 = {{hlist|Cosmic Sound|Cosmic Girl|Moonbyul}}
| music2 = {{hlist|Cosmic Sound|Cosmic Girl}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|Cosmic Sound|Cosmic Girl}}
| length2 = 3:35
| title3 = Ten Nights
| note3 = 열 밤; yeol bam
| lyrics3 = {{hlist|Won Yeon-jeong|Kim Hyun-A|Hwang Seong-jin}}
| music3 = {{hlist|Coco Tofu Dad|Jang Jin-yeong|Hwang Seong-jin}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|Coco Tofu Dad|Hwang Seong-jin}}
| length3 = 3:37
| title4 = Hip
| lyrics4 = {{hlist|Kim Do-hoon|Park Woo-sang|Hwasa}}
| music4 = {{hlist|Kim Do-hoon|Park Woo-sang|Hwasa}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|Kim Do-hoon|Park Woo-sang}}
| length4 = 3:18
| title5 = 4x4ever
| lyrics5 = {{hlist|Lee Sang-ho|IGGY|Yongbae|Moonbyul}}
| music5 = {{hlist|Lee Sang-ho|IGGY|Yongbae|Mayu Wakisaka}}
| extra5 = {{hlist|IGGY|Yongbae}}
| length5 = 3:04
| title6 = Better
| lyrics6 = {{hlist|Cosmic Sound|Cosmic Girl|Moonbyul}}
| music6 = {{hlist|Cosmic Sound|Cosmic Girl}}
| extra6 = {{hlist|Cosmic Sound|Cosmic Girl}}
| length6 = 3:16
| title7 = Hello Mama
| lyrics7 = {{hlist|Yongbae|Lee Woo-sang|Moonbyul}}
| music7 = {{hlist|Yongbae|Lee Woo-sang}}
| extra7 = Lee Woo-sang
| length7 = 3:39
| title8 = ZzZz
| note8 = 심심해; simsimhae; lit: "Boring"
| lyrics8 = {{hlist|Lee Woo-sang|Ryu Jisoo|Moonbyul}}
| music8 = {{hlist|Lee Woo-sang|Ryu Jisoo}}
| extra8 = Lee Woo-sang
| length8 = 3:25
| title9 = Reality
| lyrics9 = Park Woo-sang
| music9 = Park Woo-sang
| extra9 = Yeong
| length9 = 3:03
| title10 = High Tension
| note10 = 춤을 춰; chum-eul chwo; lit: "Dance"
| lyrics10 = {{hlist|Jarry Potter|Moonbyul}}
| music10 = {{hlist|Park Hae-il|Jarry Potter|Big Sancho}}
| extra10 = {{hlist|Park Hae-il|Big Sancho}}
| length10 = 3:18
| title11 = I'm Your Fan
| lyrics11 = Solar
| music11 = Solar
| extra11 = Mingki
| length11 = 2:27
| total_length = 36:52
| all_writing =
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Reality in Black{{nobold| – Japanese edition}}
| extra_column = Arrangement
| title12 = Hip
| note12 = Japanese Version
| lyrics12 = {{hlist|Kim Do-hoon|Park Woo-sang|Hwasa}}
| music12 = {{hlist|Kim Do-hoon|Park Woo-sang|Hwasa}}
| extra12 = {{hlist|Kim Do-hoon|Park Woo-sang}}
| length12 = 3:18
| title13 = Shampoo
| lyrics13 = {{hlist|Eri Osanai|Moonbyul|Im Sang-hyuck|Coco Tofu Dad|SUKA}}
| music13 = {{hlist|Im Sang-hyuck|Coco Tofu Dad}}
| extra13 =
| length13 = 3:15
| total_length = 43:25
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Reality in Black{{nobold| – Japanese Limited Edition DVD Typ A}}
| title1 = MAMAMOO 2nd Concert Tour in JAPAN: 4season Final
| note1 =
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Reality in Black{{nobold| – Japanese Limited Edition DVD Typ B}}
| extra_column = Arrangement
| title1 = Hip (Japanese Version)
| note1 = Music Video
}}
Samples
- "Universe" contains an uncredited sample of "NASA" by Ariana Grande, written by Grande, Victoria Monét, Taylor Parks, Tommy Brown and Charles Anderson.{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/Mamamoo-universe-lyrics|title='Universe' by Mamamoo on Genius|website=Genius|accessdate=December 9, 2019}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for Reality in Black ! scope="col"| Chart (2019–2020) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Oricon|27|date=2020-03-23|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 18, 2020}} |
| scope="row"| South Korean Albums (Gaon){{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=46&hitYear=2019&termGbn=week|title=Reality in Black on Gaon Album Chart (2019)|publisher=Gaon|date=November 21, 2019|accessdate=December 8, 2019}}
| 1 |
|---|
| scope="row"| US World Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/mamamoo/chart-history/wlp/|title=Reality in Black on US World charts (2019)|magazine=Billboard|date=November 20, 2019|accessdate=December 8, 2019}}
| 11 |
{{col-2}}
=Monthly charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Monthly chart performance for Reality in Black ! scope="col"| Chart (2019) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| South Korean Albums (Gaon){{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=11&hitYear=2019&termGbn=month|script-title=ko:2019년 11월 Album Chart|trans-title=November 2019 Album Chart|website=Gaon Music Chart|accessdate=December 12, 2019|language=ko}}
| 4 |
|---|
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for Reality in Black ! scope="col"| Chart (2019) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| South Korean Albums (Gaon){{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=2019&hitYear=2019&termGbn=year|title=2019년 Album Chart|website=Gaon|accessdate=January 10, 2020}}
| 53 |
|---|
{{col-end}}