The Star Chapter: Sanctuary (Korean: 별의장: Sanctuary; RR: Byeorui jang: Sanctuary) is the seventh Korean-language extended play (EP) by South Korean boy band Tomorrow X Together. It was released on November 4, 2024, through Big Hit Music, Republic Records and YG Plus. It consists of six tracks, including the lead single "Over the Moon".
Background and release
Previously in 2024, Tomorrow X Together released their sixth EPMinisode 3: Tomorrow. The EP was commercially successful, selling 1.18 million copies on its first day of release.[1] The band also embarked on their third concert tour, Act: Promise,[2] and Yeonjun became the band's first member to make a solo debut with "Ggum" in September.[3]
In September 2024, it was reported that the band would be releasing a new project that November.[4]The Star Chapter: Sanctuary was officially announced by Big Hit Music on October 7.[5] The EP launches a new series for the band, succeeding the previous "The Dream Chapter", "The Chaos Chapter", "The Name Chapter", and "Minisode" series.[6] Along with the track listing, teaser clips of all tracks were released onto the band's YouTube channel on October 27.[7] The day prior to the album's release, the band performed the lead single "Over the Moon" as a surprise addition to the setlist at the finale Seoul performance of their Act: Promise tour.[8]
The Star Chapter: Sanctuary was released on November 4, 2024, along with the EP's lead single "Over the Moon" and its accompanying music video.[9]
The music video "Over The Moon (Our Sanctuary ver.)" was released on November 7, 2024. It is the English version of the EP's lead single "Over the Moon."
Composition
The EP has been described as being more R&B influenced and featuring more mature lyrics than the band's previous works.[10] The EP's blend of pop and R&B was compared by some critics to Justified by Justin Timberlake.[11][10] The opening track, "Heaven", is described as the EP's most pop sounding song, with a catchy disco beat.[10] The EP's lead single, "Over the Moon", is an early-2000s R&B-influenced song with "dreamy" guitar riffs.[12][13] "Danger" is another R&B-influenced track, compared to the band's previous work on Minisode 2: Thursday's Child.[12] "Resist (Not Gonna Run Away)" is a track with acoustic guitar[10] and 2000s-R&B beat throughout, compared by some to Nina Sky's 2004 hit "Move Ya Body".[11] "Forty One Winks" is an upbeat R&B track produced by Dem Jointz, and the final track, "Higher than Heaven", is a bouncy, upbeat pop song.[11]
Commercial performance
With The Star Chapter: Sanctuary, Tomorrow X Together achieved "million-seller" status in the first week for the fifth consecutive time,[14] with Big Hit reporting 1,217,880 copies sold on the first day.[15] In Japan, the EP sold 270,000 copies in its first two days, surpassing the 174,000 weekly total of the band's previous EP, Minisode 3: Tomorrow.[16]
^투모로우바이투게더, 미니 7집 日서 이틀만 27만장…전작 넘었다 [Tomorrow X Together, 7th mini album sold 270,000 copies in Japan in just 2 days… Surpassing previous work]. Newsis (in Korean). November 7, 2024. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
