MONSTA X’s Shownu X Hyungwon Return With Mature New Album ‘LOVE ME’

MONSTA X’s sub-unit Shownu X Hyungwon is back with their second mini-album LOVE ME. In press interviews, the duo discussed the long hiatus, their evolving friendship, and how time — including Hyungwon’s military service — shaped a deeper, more natural sound.

Key Facts

• Shownu X Hyungwon released their second mini-album LOVE ME on May 21, 2026 at 6 PM KST, their first unit release in 2 years and 10 months.
• The album includes 7 tracks: title track ‘Do You Love Me’, ‘Superstitious’, ‘In My Head’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Accelerator’, Shownu’s solo ‘Around & Go’, and Hyungwon’s solo ‘NO AIR’.
• Hyungwon wrote, composed, and arranged 4 tracks, including his solo; he submitted over 10 songs and some were rejected.
• The album explores the emotion of love in various layers, expanding on the restrained mood of THE UNSEEN with deeper, more delicate emotional lines.
• The title track ‘Do You Love Me’ was chosen over Hyungwon’s self-composed candidate after discussions with the company about direction; Hyungwon said the paths of the two songs were too different.
• Shownu participated in the choreography for the title track, and both members agreed their strength lies in performance.
• Hyungwon completed his mandatory military service during the unit’s hiatus, and the group prioritized full MONSTA X activities before I.M’s enlistment, then returned to unit work.
• Fans had been asking about a new album for a year and a half, according to Shownu, who said he felt sorry but is now happy to deliver good news.
• Both members described their relationship as natural and deepening with time; Hyungwon called Shownu his likely lifelong friend, saying, “I think we’ll be friends who can sit facing each other drinking a bottle of beer even when we’re white-haired grandfathers.”
• The performance for LOVE ME was designed to have a different texture from MONSTA X, focusing on pair choreography and showing the body’s overall lines.
• Shownu said their unique weapon is the aura to fill a stage just by standing, despite many skilled junior artists.
• The unit’s goal for this activity is a third album, signaling they view unit activities as an ongoing narrative, not a one-time project.

Key Terms

• Shownu X Hyungwon: The first official sub-unit of MONSTA X, formed in July 2023 on the group’s 8th anniversary.
• Love Me A Little: The title track of Shownu X Hyungwon’s debut unit album THE UNSEEN, also produced by Hyungwon.

Key Quote

“If Monsta X is more flashy and diverse, I hope SHOWNU X HYUNGWON has that tagline in our own style.” — Shownu

Next

• The unit plans to actively promote on music shows and festival stages, with Shownu specifically hoping to show Shownu X Hyungwon stages at festivals and for the album to be loved even 5 years later.
• Hyungwon expressed a personal goal for Shownu to earn the title “This is a beast” at the upcoming Water Bomb festival.