Wolf and Sheep (album)

In September 1996, H.O.T. released their debut studio album, We Hate All Kinds of Violence. The tracks "Warrior's Descendant" and "Candy" were hit singles, making the group popular with teenagers;{{Cite news |date=1997-01-09 |title= |script-title=ko:10대 우상 H·O·T 인기 핫 |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1997010900209117001&editNo=45&printCount=1&publishDate=1997-01-09&officeId=00020&pageNo=17&printNo=23419&publishType=00010 |access-date=2024-07-17 |website= |work=The Dong-A Ilbo |language=ko |via=Naver News Library}} three months after their debut, H.O.T. won Best New Artist at the 1996 Golden Disc Awards.{{Cite web |title= |script-title=ko:응답했다, H.O.T.! 고미사영, H.O.T.! |url=http://www.melon.com/musicstory/detail.htm?mstorySeq=6139 |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Melon |language=ko}}{{Cite news |date=2014-07-19 |title= |script-title=ko:한류·아이돌·댄스 '1호아이콘' 미녀에 재력까지 |url=https://www.hankyung.com/article/2014071486017 |access-date=2024-07-17 |work=The Korea Economic Daily |language=ko}} In February 1997, the group announced that they would temporarily stop appearing on TV in order to work on their second album.{{Cite news |date=1997-02-02 |title= |script-title=ko:H.O.T 활동 일시 중단 |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1997020200239120009&editNo=1&printCount=1&publishDate=1997-02-02&officeId=00023&pageNo=20&printNo=23616&publishType=00010 |access-date=2024-07-17 |work=The Chosun Ilbo |language=ko |via=Naver News Library}} Their last performance before going on hiatus was on the SBS variety show {{Ill|Charge 100%|ko|충전 100%쇼|italic=y}}.

Production took place in SM Entertainment's own studios and in studios in the United States, including in Larrabee Studio. Yoo Young-jin and Lee Soo-man acted as record producers, while both Korean and American musicians were enlisted for various aspects of production.{{Cite magazine |date=August 1997 |title= |script-title=ko:‘힙합 정신’으로 무장한 다섯 전사 H.O.T |url=http://www2.donga.com/fbin/lets?d=9708&f=lets9708cc010.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020214180424/http://www2.donga.com/fbin/lets?d=9708&f=lets9708cc010.html |archive-date=2002-02-14 |magazine=Let's |language=ko}}{{Cite magazine |date=August 1997 |title= |script-title=ko:그들이 돌아왔다. H·O·T 휴화산 폭발, 가요계 평정 예고 |url=http://www.adamsoft.com/tstar/8/05.HTM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010501084117/http://www.adamsoft.com/tstar/8/05.HTM |archive-date=2001-05-01 |magazine=Teen Star |language=ko}} Outside of a number of public schedules, H.O.T. spent the majority of the time in between albums working on Wolf and Sheep.{{Cite magazine |date=July 1997 |title= |script-title=ko:다섯 전사의 두 번째 이야기 H. O. T 7월의 대 반란 도모하는 무서운 아이들 |url=http://www.adamsoft.com/tstar/7/hot.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980203122525/http://www.adamsoft.com/tstar/7/hot.html |archive-date=1998-02-03 |magazine=Teen Star |language=ko}}

Wolf and Sheep was described as featuring a variety of genres, such as hip hop, dance, and R&B. Teen Star wrote that many tracks on the album served as sequels to the group's 1996 song "Warrior's Descendant", while IZM's Wei Su-ji remarked that the album was structurally similar to their debut, comparing "Wolf and Sheep" and "Full of Happiness" to "Warrior's Descendant" and "Candy". Lyrically, the album centers around "the hardships of youth, the world of the future, and society's violence".

"Wolf and Sheep", the title track, is a gangsta rap-styled song about an invasion of Earth by "not only aliens, but all kinds of violence that occur in our society".{{Cite news |last=Heo |first=Yeop |date=1997-07-18 |title= |script-title=ko:［가요］「ＨＯＴ」，１０대의 마음 １０대의 소리로 전한다 |url=https://www.donga.com/news/article/all/19970718/7270430/1 |access-date=2024-08-02 |work=The Dong-A Ilbo |language=ko}} It was inspired by the movie Independence Day and features rapping in the Jeolla dialect of Korean. The lyrics represent "the 'wolf (violence or invader)' that has invaded the world of sheep that symbolizes peace and goodness". Wolf and Sheep{{'s}} second promoted track was "Full of Happiness", which samples the Christmas carol "Angels We Have Heard on High". Wei Su-ji of the music webzine IZM described its lyrics as expressing "the pure and exciting love of teenagers". The third single, "We Are the Future", is a Eurodance{{Cite news |last=Jeong |first=Ji-won |date=2016-07-06 |title= |script-title=ko:[XP초점] EDM에 빠진 SM, 레게에 빠진 JYP |url=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/311/0000626182 |access-date=2024-08-02 |work=Xportsnews |language=ko |via=Naver}} song that serves as a "warning to the narrow-minded old generation". Music critic Han Dong-yoon said that the song was "created with the members' solo dancing parts in mind". It uses samples from sample CDs and incorporates the melody of "Tour de France" by Kraftwerk.{{Cite web |last=Han |first=Dong-yun |date=2016-09-21 |title= |script-title=ko:다중음격 116회: H.O.T. 데뷔 20주년 베스트 10 [한동윤] |url=http://www.melon.com/musicstory/detail.htm?mstorySeq=4031 |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=Melon |language=ko}} Other tracks include "Free to Fly", an R&B number that centers around Kangta, and "Go! H.O.T.!", the lyrics of which name the group's members.{{Cite news |last=Seong |first=Hyeon-ho |date=2021-10-08 |title= |script-title=ko:에스파, 멤버 이름 나온 'aenergy' 비하인드…"하고 싶다고 했어요" |url=https://www.topstarnews.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=14636741 |access-date=2024-08-02 |work=Topstarnews |language=ko}}

Wolf and Sheep was released as H.O.T.'s second studio album on July 5, 1997, by SM Entertainment and Synnara Music.{{Cite web |title=HOT 2 / Wolf And Sheep |url=https://terms.naver.com/entry.naver?cid=60487&docId=4386101&categoryId=60501 |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=terms.naver.com |language=ko}} The album was originally supposed to release on June 28 but was delayed.{{Cite news |date=1997-07-18 |title= |script-title=ko:［인터뷰］２집 「늑대와 양」 낸 「Ｈ．Ｏ．Ｔ」 |url=https://www.donga.com/news/People/article/all/19970718/7270431/9 |access-date=2024-07-31 |work=The Dong-A Ilbo |language=ko}} The album cover, inspired by graffiti art, was designed by a team of artists from Los Angeles. Graffiti text was used on the album cover, inside the booklet (where the members' names were written with graffiti),{{Cite web |last=Han |first=Dong-yun |date=2017-02-22 |title= |script-title=ko:다중음격 138회: 그라피티를 품은 음악 [한동윤] |url=http://www.melon.com/musicstory/detail.htm?mstorySeq=4630 |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=Melon |language=ko}} and on the members' clothes.{{Cite magazine |last=Jeon |first=Eun-ju |date=November 1998 |title= |script-title=ko:H.O.T 순수의 이름으로 부활한 다섯 신화 그들이 꿈꾸는 미래는 무엇인가 |url=http://junior.co.kr/magazine.asp?f=HOT/Index.htm&p=199811 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020417220237/http://junior.co.kr/magazine.asp?f=HOT/Index.htm&p=199811 |archive-date=2002-04-17 |access-date=2024-08-03 |magazine=Junior |language=ko}} The photos in the album were taken by Heo Jong-tae along with an American photographer.

On June 28, 1997, H.O.T. were to make their comeback on {{Ill|MBC Top Music|ko|인기가요 BEST 50|italic=y}}, then hold a concert for the inauguration ceremony of their fan club. Two days before the scheduled performance, however, Moon Hee-jun caught tenosynovitis; the next day, all of H.O.T. except Moon performed "Candy" on {{Ill|TV Gayo 20|ko|생방송 TV 가요 20|italic=y}} while a prerecorded video of Moon in the hospital played. H.O.T. could not perform on MBC because the network had deemed the line "those wolves, those damned animals"{{Korean|hangul=늑대, 빌어먹을 짐승같은 놈들}} unfit for broadcast. The line was changed to "those wolves, those animal-like... huh!".{{Cite news |last=Yun |first=Geun-yeong |date=2008-10-21 |title= |script-title=ko:가수 비 신곡, '섹스송' 여부 심의 |url=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/003/0002339601 |access-date=2024-08-03 |work=Newsis |language=ko |via=Naver}}{{Korean|hangul=늑대, 짐승같은, huh!|links=no}} On August 5, the group first performed "Full of Happiness" on KMTV's Show Music Tank;{{Cite magazine |date=September 1997 |title= |script-title=ko:Never Ending Cover Story : 〈행복〉으로 다시 태어난 '행복의 메신저' : H.O.T |magazine=Pastel |language=ko |volume=2 |issue=10 |issn=1228-2324}} following a trip to the US, they began promoting "We Are the Future", starting with a TV Gayo 20 performance on October 10.{{Cite magazine |date=November 1997 |title= |script-title=ko:30이라는 숫자 속에 숨어 있는 5가지 진실. 10대 나라의 작은 대장 H.O.T |magazine=Teen Star |pages=4 |language=ko |volume=1 |issue=9 |issn=1228-2251}}

In September 1997, H.O.T.'s first fan club inauguration ceremony was held as part of album-related promotional activities. In January 1998, the group held a solo concert tour in South Korea before embarking on a tour in the United States the following month. It made stops in New York City, Washington D.C., Honolulu and Los Angeles.{{Cite web |date=February 1, 2001 |title=[가요] H.O.T 활동일지 |trans-title=[K-pop] H.O.T. activity log |url=https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=038&aid=0000049119 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304200814/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=038&aid=0000049119 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=April 6, 2022 |website=Hankook Ilbo |language=ko |via=Naver |quote=Solo concert held in January 1998 at the Olympic Gymnastics Stadium; February 98 American concert held (New York, Washington, Hawaii, LA)}} From January 23 to 25, the group held a concert at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena coinciding with the end of their second album promotions.{{Cite news |date=1998-01-03 |title= |script-title=ko:'HOT'3집준비 활동 잠정중단 23~25일 콘서트 개최 |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1998010300329131006&editNo=30&printCount=1&publishDate=1998-01-03&officeId=00032&pageNo=31&printNo=16319&publishType=00010 |access-date=2024-07-31 |work=Kyunghyang Shinmun |pages=31 |language=ko |via=Naver News Library}}

Wolf and Sheep received mixed critical reviews upon its release. In 1997, a writer in the JoongAng Ilbo stated Wolf and Sheep was more polished than the group's debut in terms of rap technique and that there were a number of songs with pleasing melodies in the album, commenting on the variety of genres included. However, they wrote that the gangsta rap the group professed was vague and contrived.{{Cite news |date=1997-07-08 |title= |script-title=ko:H.O.T 2집 음반 발표 - 갱스터랩 주류 대중성 높은 곡 많아 |url=https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/3482083#home |access-date=2024-07-31 |work=JoongAng Ilbo |language=ko}} A Chosun Ilbo article quoted a music producer as saying that Wolf and Sheep lacked songs that appealed to their ears; the article wrote that the album had been commonly received unfavorably.{{Cite news |last=Kwon |first=Hyeok-jong |date=1997-07-10 |title= |script-title=ko:H.O.T 2집‘불티’…음악성 뒷전 스타에만 열광 |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1997071000239138002&editNo=1&printCount=1&publishDate=1997-07-10&officeId=00023&pageNo=38&printNo=23764&publishType=00010 |access-date=2024-07-31 |work=The Chosun Ilbo |pages=38 |language=ko |via=Naver News Library}}

In a February 2013 review of the album, critic Wei Su-ji of the webzine IZM complimented the record's composition and felt that the songs were more refined compared to the group's previous effort. Wei highlighted "Wolf and Sheep" and "Full of Happiness" as musical parallels to "Warrior's Descendant" and "Candy", with each track representing a "strong man" and a "lively boy" persona that teenage boys can possess. She additionally complimented the melodies and lyrics of the ballad tracks "Free to Fly" and "You & I".{{cite web |last1=Wei |first1=Su-ji |date=February 2013 |title=H.O.T. Wolf & Sheep Review |url=http://www.izm.co.kr/contentRead.asp?idx=24665&bigcateidx=1&subcateidx=3&view_tp=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221211231644/http://www.izm.co.kr/contentRead.asp?idx=24665&bigcateidx=1&subcateidx=3&view_tp=1 |archive-date=December 11, 2022 |access-date=6 April 2022 |website=IZM |language=ko}} Conversely, music critic Kim Bong-hyeon stated that although he found tracks such as "Free to Fly" exceptional, the album felt more like a product than a piece of art.{{Cite web |title=Wolf And Sheep |url=https://k-pop.or.kr/search/title/5284 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=k-pop.or.kr}}

Commercially, Wolf and Sheep recorded sales of over 1 million copies within ten days.{{Cite web |title=H.O.T 소개 |trans-title=H.O.T. Profile |url=http://www.mnet.com/artist/77297/profile |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202012553/http://www.mnet.com/artist/77297/profile |archive-date=2018-02-02 |access-date=2018-02-01 |website=Mnet |language=ko}} It was the best selling album of 1997 in South Korea, according to Synnara Record,{{Cite news |last=Han |first=Yun-jae |date=1997-12-12 |title= |script-title=ko:가요 1∼10위 음반판매 39％ 줄어 |url=https://srchdb1.chosun.com/pdf/i_service/pdf_ReadBody.jsp?ID=9712123501&FV=%C1%A7%BD%BA%C5%B0%BD%BA&searchPage=simple&collectionName=gisa&INDEX_FV=&INDEX_FV=TI&INDEX_FV=TX&INDEX_FV=KW&AU_FV=&PD_TYPE=true&PD_F0=all&PD_F1=&PD_OP=1&PD_F2=&DATA_SORT=1&LIMIT=50&LIST_TYPE=true&PP_F1= |access-date=2024-07-31 |work=The Dong-A Ilbo |pages=35 |language=ko}} and by the end of 1998, it had sold more than 1.5 million copies in South Korea.{{cite web |date=December 14, 1998 |title=98년 국내 음반시장 결산 |trans-title=1999 Domestic Music Market Roundup |url=http://www.imaeil.com/sub_news/news_print.php?news_id=36534&yy=1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206004409/http://www.imaeil.com/sub_news/news_print.php?news_id=36534&yy=1998 |archive-date=February 6, 2015 |access-date=May 16, 2018 |website=Imaeil}} In China, it reportedly sold over 50,000 copies in 1998.{{Cite magazine |last=Lee |first=Mun-won |date=August 2022 |title= |script-title=ko:BTS 등 韓流, 限韓令 이후 對中 의존 끊으면서 세계로 도약 |url=https://monthly.chosun.com/client/news/viw.asp?ctcd=D&nNewsNumb=202208100029 |access-date=2024-08-03 |magazine=Monthly Chosun |language=ko}}

{{Track listing

| headline =

| extra_column =

| all_writing =

| all_lyrics =

| all_music =

| title_width =

| writing_width =

| music_width =

| lyrics_width =

| extra_width =

| title1 = Go! H.O.T.!

| note1 =

| writer1 =

| lyrics1 = Yoo Young-jin

| music1 = Yoo Young-jin

| extra1 =

| length1 = 2:59

| title2 = Wolf and Sheep

| note2 = {{Korean|labels=no|hangul=늑대와 양|rr=Neugdaewa Yang}}

| writer2 =

| lyrics2 = Yoo Young-jin

| music2 = Yoo Young-jin

| extra2 =

| length2 = 4:14

| title3 = Free to Fly

| note3 = {{Korean|labels=no|hangul=자유롭게 날 수 있도록|rr=Jayuropge Nal Su Ittorok}}

| writer3 =

| lyrics3 = Yoo Young-jin

| music3 = Yoo Young-jin

| extra3 =

| length3 = 4:39

| title4 = We Are the Future

| note4 =

| writer4 =

| lyrics4 = Yoo Young-jin

| music4 = Yoo Young-jin

| extra4 =

| length4 = 3:40

| title5 = Full of Happiness

| note5 = {{Korean|labels=no|hangul=행복|rr=Haengbog}}

| writer5 =

| lyrics5 = Jang Yong-jin

| music5 = Jang Yong-jin

| extra5 =

| length5 = 3:31

| title6 = The End of My Inferiority Complex

| note6 = {{Korean|labels=no|hangul=열등감|rr=Yeoldeung-gam}}

| writer6 =

| lyrics6 = Yoo Young-jin

| music6 = Yoo Young-jin

| extra6 =

| length6 = 2:56

| title7 = Lost 12th Birthday

| note7 = {{Korean|labels=no|hangul=12번째 생일|rr=12beonjjae Saeng-il}}

| writer7 =

| lyrics7 = Kwak Sang-yeop

| music7 = Tino

| extra7 =

| length7 = 3:56

| title8 = Tragedy

| note8 =

| writer8 =

| lyrics8 = Kwak Sang-yeop

| music8 = Kwak Sang-yeop

| extra8 =

| length8 = 3:50

| title9 = You & I

| note9 = {{Korean|labels=no|hangul=너와 나|rr=Neowa Na}}

| writer9 =

| lyrics9 = Kwak Sang-yeop

| music9 = Kim Su-ji

| extra9 =

| length9 = 4:16

| total_length = 34:04

}}

• List of best-selling albums in South Korea

{{reflist}}

{{H.O.T.}}

Category:1997 albums

Category:SM Entertainment albums

Category:H.O.T. albums

Category:1990s Korean-language albums