PROFILPELAJAR.COM

New Kids: Continue
New Kids: Continue
	Digital and Red version cover.
EP by iKON
Released	August 2, 2018
Length	17:18
Language	Korean
Label	YG;
Producer	B.I
IKON chronology
Singles from New Kids: Continue
	"Killing Me"; Released: August 2, 2018; "Freedom"; Released: August 2, 2018;

New Kids: Continue is the first extended play of South Korean boy band iKON. It is the third of the group's four-part album series that began with the single album New Kids: Begin and ended with the second extended play New Kids: The Final.^[1] It was released by YG Entertainment on August 2, 2018.^[2] iKON's leader B.I was credited as the only record producer of the EP. The EP contains 5 songs including the lead single "Killing Me", all written or co-written by B.I.^[3] The physical album comes in two versions: Red & Blue.

Composition

The lead single of the album, "Killing Me", was released with a music video on August 2, 2018.^[4] The song, a trap-dance track driven by wailing synths and a riotous beat,^[4] describes feelings after a "painful breakup"; its title was inspired by the common phrase "this is killing me".^[5] The music video conveyed the emotional devastation described in the lyrics through the use of flames, darkness, brightly hued sets, and expressive dance movements.^[4] "Freedom" was released as the second single (referred to as "sub title") of the album on August 2.^[6] It is described as a rock-infused song.^[7]

Promotion

iKON held a dance cover contest for the song "Killing Me" from August 20 to September 30, 2018. Three winners were announced at the end of the contest.^[8]

Reception

Commercial

In South Korea, New Kids: Continue debuted at 2 on the Gaon Album Chart.^[9] In the United States, the album was No. 4 on Billboard World Albums, with about 1,000 copies sold.^[10] In South Korea, "Killing Me" debuted at 19 on the Gaon Weekly Chart and rose to a peak of 9 the next week.^[11] The song debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's World Digital Song Chart, marking the group's best sales to date.^[10]

Critical

South China Morning Post praised the diversity and wild genre shift of the album but criticized it for following a predictable and standard pop formula.^[12] Billboard praised the title song "Killing Me", saying that “unlike most K-pop songs, it forgoes a titular earworm hook, choosing instead a more dramatic declaration.”^[13]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Arrangement	Length
1.	"Killing Me" (죽겠다; juggetda)	B.I	B.I Joe Rhee R.Tee	R.Tee Joe Rhee	3:13
2.	"Freedom" (바람; balam)	B.I Bobby Seung	Millennium B.I Seung	Millennium	3:21
3.	"Only You"	B.I Bobby	B.I Kang Uk-jin	Kang Uk-jin	3:32
4.	"Cocktail" (칵테일; kagteil)	B.I Bobby	B.I Millennium	Millennium	3:46
5.	"Just for You" (줄게; julge)	B.I	B.I Kang Uk-jin LIØN	Kang Uk-jin LIØN	3:21
Total length:					17:00

Charts

Chart (2018)	Peak position
Japan Weekly Albums (Oricon)	25
Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)	22
South Korean Albums (Gaon)	2
US Billboard Top Heatseekers	15
US Billboard World Albums	4
US Billboard Independent Albums	33