The mixtape was released on October 23, 2018 and was first disclosed on BTS’s twitter. It was released for free on multiple platforms, emphasizing RM’s desire to simply share his voice and thoughts with others.
mono. debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes charts in 86 countries including the US, Germany, the UK, and Brazil, making RM one of the first solo Korean artists (alongside fellow member J-Hope) to chart at the top in the US and UK. With only three days of tracking, mono. debuted at number 26 on the Billboard 200 album chart with 21,000 album units sold, 16,000 of which were traditional album sales.
In addition, Billboard wrote an article reviewing the mixtape:
(mono.) does an about-face from (RM) release’s largely bellicose nature in favor of a more introspective mixtape. Featuring songs performed in both Korean and English.
tokyo
RM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know it's time to go
I see Pinocchio wearing a poncho
That's me some time ago
Do I miss myself?
Do I miss your face?
I don't know (I don't know)
I don't know (I don't know)
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Life is a word that sometimes you cannot say
And ash is a thing that someday we all should be
When tomorrow comes
How different it's going to be?
Why do love and hate sound just the same to me?
I can't sleep
Homesick, babe
I just wanna
Stay right next to you
If I could choose my dream
I just wanna
Stay right next to you
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
The song "Tokyo" by RM starts with him waking up in Tokyo feeling incomplete and detached from himself. He feels like just a "torso," a body without a soul, as he struggles with missing someone, but not being sure if he misses himself or the person he longs for. He then sees Pinocchio, a wooden puppet who longs to be a real boy, wearing a poncho, possibly symbolizing a desire for something to cover up his emptiness. RM reflects on how life itself can sometimes be elusive, and that eventually, we'll all turn to ash. He wonders how different tomorrow will be while being confused about the blurred lines between love and hate.
The chorus echoes his longing to go back to the person he misses, to be with them, and to feel at home. He cannot sleep and feels homesick, wanting to choose a dream where he can simply stay next to that person. The song's melancholic and introspective vibe captures the uncertainties and vulnerability of missing someone or something, making it relatable to listeners who can resonate with the feeling of detachment or longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up in Tokyo, feel like a torso
I woke up in Tokyo feeling empty and disconnected, as if my body is just a lifeless shell
I know it's time to go
I am aware that it's time for me to move on from my current situation in Tokyo
I see Pinocchio wearing a poncho
In a surreal moment, I see myself in the past as a fictional character wearing a strange item.
That's me sometime ago
The sight of Pinocchio triggers memories of who I used to be and reminds me of how much I've changed.
Do I miss myself?
I question whether or not I miss the person I used to be
Do I miss your face?
I am uncertain whether I miss the person I used to be or the person I left behind
I don't know (I don't know)
I am unable to answer the previous question with absolute certainty.
Life is a word that sometimes you cannot say
There are times when life feels indescribable, and words fail to capture its complexities
And ash is a thing that someday we all should be
As ash represents the final stage of life, it is something we all will eventually become at the end of our journey
When tomorrow comes, How different it's going to be?
The uncertainty of the future and how life will change with each passing day
Why do love and hate sound just the same to me?
I am unable to differentiate between love and hate and feel they both carry a similar intensity of emotions.
I can't sleep
I am struggling with insomnia due to feeling homesick and disconnected from my surroundings in Tokyo
Homesick, babe
I am experiencing a deep longing for my home country and the people I left behind
I just wanna, Stay right next to you
All I want is to be close to the ones I love and feel a sense of belonging
If I could choose my dream
In my ideal world, I would choose to be surrounded by my loved ones and feel truly at home
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dong Hyuk Shin, Nam Jun Kim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind