Seo Taiji and Boys II is the second studio album by South Korean boy group Seo Taiji and Boys, released via Bando Records on June 21, 1993. With over 2.2 million copies sold, it is one of the best-selling albums in South Korea. The album spawned the hit "Anyhow Song" (Hayeoga) which became its lead single.

Seo Taiji and Boys II
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 21, 1993
Recorded1993
StudioTechno Taiji, Seoul
GenreR&B, pop, new jack swing, pop-rap
Length30:36
LanguageKorean
LabelBando Records
ProducerSeo Taiji
Seo Taiji and Boys chronology
Seo Taiji and Boys
(1992)
Seo Taiji and Boys II
(1993)
Seo Taiji and Boys III
(1994)
Singles from Seo Taiji and Boys II
  1. "Anyhow Song"
    Released: June 21, 1993

Overview

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Following the breakout success of their debut album, its followup was highly anticipated.[1] While promoting the second album, Seo Taiji and Boys were banned from appearing on certain television shows, including KBS, because they wore earrings, ripped jeans and had dreadlocks.[2][3][4]

Reception

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The album was well received in South Korea and continued to build upon the group's popularity, especially amongst teenagers and college students.[5] In November 1993, "Anyhow Song" was deemed the song with the "highest musical perfection" among new generation singers throughout the year.[6] At year-end award shows, Seo Taiji and Boys won the Album Bonsang prize at the 8th Golden Disc Awards in December and was nominated for Album Daesang, but lost to Shin Seung-hun's Because I Love You.[7][8] In April 1996, Billboard reported that the album had sold over 1.6 million copies,[9] which has since reportedly grown to over 2.2 million copies.[10] In 2007, Kyunghyang Shinmun ranked the album number 30 on its 2007 list of the Top 100 Korean Albums of all time.[11]

Accolades

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Awards and nominations
Year Award-giving body Category Result Ref.
1993 Golden Disc Awards Album Bonsang (Main Prize) Won [8]
Album Daesang (Grand Prize) Nominated
Seoul Music Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) Won [12]
Seo Taiji and Boys II on critic rankings
Publication List Ranking Year
Serv Magazine Top 100 Korean Albums 37 1998[13]
MBC Radio Best Korean songs of all time ("Anyhow Song") Placed 2001[14]
Kyunghyang Shinmun Top 100 Korean Albums of All Time 30 2007[15]
Music Y 120 best dance songs of all time ("Anyhow Song") 12 2014[16]
Melon Top 100 Korean Albums of All Time 52 2018[17]

Track listing

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English titles are based on the official translations provided by the Seotaiji Company for international markets. All tracks are written by Seo Taiji, except track 3; rap written by William Byun.

Seo Taiji and Boys II track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Yo! Taiji"0:51
2."Anyhow Song" (하여가; Hayeoga)5:15
3."Our Own Memories" (우리들만의 추억; Ulideulman-ui chueog)3:52
4."Swamp of Death" (죽음의 늪; Jug-eum-ui neup)3:28
5."To You" (너에게; Neoege)4:36
6."Who Am I" (수시아; Susia)4:05
7."Last Festival" (마지막 축제; Majimag chugje)4:38
8."Our Own Memories (Instrumental)" (우리들만의 추억)3:52
Total length:30:36
15th Anniversary Edition (2007) / Remaster (2009)
No.TitleLength
9."Opening (The Taiji Boys, '93 Last Festival)" (Opening (The Taiji Boys, '93 마지막 축제))1:20
10."Last Festival ('93 Last Festival)" (마지막 축제 ('93 마지막 축제))4:54
11."Who Am I ('93 Last Festival)" (수시아 ('93 마지막 축제))3:05
12."Our Own Memories, Part 1 ('93 Last Festival)" (우리들만의 추억 Part 1 ('93 마지막 축제))4:41
13."Our Own Memories, Part 2 ('93 Last Festival)" (우리들만의 추억 Part 2 ('93 마지막 축제))6:32
14."'93 Anyhow Song Remix (Hip Hop Ver.)" (93 하여가 Remix (Hip Hop Ver))3:53
15."Swamp of Death ('04 Zero Live)" (죽음의 늪 ('04 Zero Live))3:28
16."'93 Anyhow Song (TV Edit)" ('93 하여가 (TV Edit))4:17
Total length:62:47

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ "'서태지와 아이들' 19일 TV복귀" ['Seo Taiji and Boys' will return on TV on the 19th]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. June 18, 1993. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  2. ^ "서태지와 아이들, KBS 출연정지" [Seo Taiji and Boys suspended from KBS]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. June 25, 1993. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  3. ^ Mitchell, Tony (January 1, 2002). Global Noise: Rap and Hip Hop Outside the USA. Wesleyan University Press. p. 251.
  4. ^ The Korean Popular Culture Reader. Duke University Press. 2014. p. 301.
  5. ^ "서태지와 아이들.최진실.이경규 인기 높아" [Seo Taiji and Boys, Choi Jin-sil, and Lee Kyung-kyu are very popular.]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. September 27, 1993. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  6. ^ "MBC노조, 방송구조개편안 반대성명". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. November 30, 1993. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  7. ^ "History". Golden Disc Awards (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "각종 시상식 잇달아" [<Celebrity> Various awards ceremonies one after another]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. December 13, 1993. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  9. ^ Seoul Music: Rockin' in Korea; April 20, 1996. Billboard. p. 18.
  10. ^ Lee, Seung-ryun (January 31, 2018). "이주노와 양현석...이들 활동했던 '서태지와 아이들'에 관심 집중". Kookje Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  11. ^ "[대중음악 100대 명반]30위 서태지와 아이들 '서태지와 아이들II'". Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). December 6, 2007. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
  12. ^ "제 15회 서울 가요대상, 다음달 10일 개최" [The 15th Seoul Music Awards will be held on the 10th of next month]. JoyNews24 (in Korean). Naver. November 7, 2004. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  13. ^ "【화제】한국대중음악 100대 명반" [[Topic] Top 100 Korean Popular Music Albums]. Segye Ilbo (in Korean). Naver. June 2, 2005. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  14. ^ ""대중음악 전문가들 한국 최고 가요 선정"" ["Popular music experts selected Korea's best works"]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. July 22, 2001. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  15. ^ "[커버스토리]대중음악 100대 명반 '들국화'1위" [[Cover Story] Top 100 Popular Music Albums 'Deulgukhwa' ranked 1st]. Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Naver. August 23, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  16. ^ "Music Y – Dance Track 120 List". Music Y (in Korean). July 29, 2014. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  17. ^ "한국 대중 음악 명반 100" [100 Korean Popular Music Albums] (in Korean). Melon. August 28, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
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