Greatest Hits:: Monsta X: Beautiful

 I decided to have my first one of these for 2026 be something upbeat. Plus, considering they had their tenth anniversary last year and I didn’t do anything for them then (because that was during my lean months), I figure that this would be a good one to go with now. I’m pretty sure that this isn’t one of their softer songs, but I like the idea of starting off the year with a song called “Beautiful” anyway because it taps into the romantic and sentimental bit of my soul that attaches like a barnacle to some of these groups.

So, this is the title track, and second track, for their first album, The Clan Pt. 2.5: The Final Chapter, which was released in 2017, and what do you mean it was produced by someone whose stage name is Star Wars? I’m completely delighted. Anyway, some other artists that Star Wars ( I can't stop smiling in delight over that name) has worked on songs with are Wanna One, WJSN, Cravity, Billlie, Rania, BAE173, ITZY, TWICE, Sistar, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, and ZEROBASEONE. Also from Galactika and as an arranger we have AthenA, who has worked on basically the same songs as Star Wars, but I'll include LIGHTSUM, TO1, VANNER, and WOOAH for that list. I.M and Joohoney probably wrote their raps at minimum, possibly more.

• Group: Monsta X
• Debut Date: 2015 May 14
• Company: Starship Entertainment
• Status: Active
• Album: THE CLAN pt. 2.5 [BEAUTIFUL]
• Song: Beautiful
• Release Date: 2017 March 21

I know that I normally don't say much about choreography this close to the start, especially when I already know of the existence of the dance practice, but that move where they strip off their jackets? That? That right there? Oh, I'm so looking forward to talking about that specifically.

Okay, I am going to need some line distributions here because there is a very clear connection between color and the member, and I need to be accurate about this.

This isn't in order of who shows up when. But I need age order to make sense.

I wish I knew their faces better. Ah, well. This is why I get to learn.

Shownu: blue

Wonho: green

Minhyuk: purple

Kihyun: red

Hyungwon: silver

Joohoney: white

I.M: gold

I had a theory that their color was maybe connected to their favorite colors or representative colors, but that may have been disproven by Shownu right off the bat. Also please correct me if I'm wrong with who is who and I will fix it. I think I got it right. 

I could have gone with brown for Wonho, but the way the shots are laid out gives the green behind Wonho both center frame and central focus. And I'm not sure that Hyungwon is the one with the mirror, the most obviously silver reference considering that mirrors used to be backed by silver (I'm not going to go into why silver is so cool, but pretend I have), but his room seems to be the most reflective as it changes color the most. 

Anyway, I think that's a fascinating way to set out a music video. The cinematography there is incredible, as is using the concept of rooms to hold the members. I'm reminded a little bit of the music video for VIXX's VOODOO DOLL, and how they were all trapped in their own representative spaces at the whim of someone else. The difference here is Joohoney. He's out and wandering free, even while the other members watch him.

Is he the one who put them there? Was he originally working for whoever put them there? Is he a double agent and that's why he lets them out? Did they put themselves there? I have questions, which means that I love this. The way it's got a frame narrative almost implies that they're action figures of some sort, or figurines.

This is a gorgeous music video, if you haven't noticed from the fact that I immediately fixated on it instead of actually talking about the song. And it's gorgeous. Somehow both the falsettos and the heavier rapping fits against the instrumental, like pieces in a puzzle. 

Also, apparently Shownu gave up some of his lines for Hyungwon. Which made Shownu have three lines, but that's the kind of group support I like to see, especially from leaders. 

And I know I haven't said much about the song itself, but I know I'm going to for the stages because I won't say much about the choreography there because there's a dance practice.

The behind the scenes for the music video is a little under half an hour, but I thought y'all might appreciate it before we move into the stages. I didn't understand a lot of it, but Shownu apparently wanted food. If I understood it correctly, this was a night shoot for them. I've done night shoots for various things. They're exhausting. So I feel that.

Anyway, this is a nice little thing you can come back to if you'd like, if you don't want to watch it now because it is quite long compared to most everything else I share with these. 

I'm a little annoyed that this song didn't get a win. You know what? Maybe it was simply too early. 

I started off with this one because it has the names included with the lyrics.

So, I love that chorus. The trio of Kihyun, Minhyuk, and Hyungwon provides such a good contrast to the rappers in the verses because their vocals just float. I'm especially a fan of Minhyuk's "So beautiful" is so pretty, especially when contrasted with the lower backtrack that really provides some fantastic layers to the song, though, generally speaking, the entire song is an exercise in contrasts. 

The rappers sound quite intense for singing about love, which is amusing, but it's great when the rappers sound different. First of all, it makes it easier for those of us who are less familiar with the group to be able to identify them by ear, which I'm grateful for, but just on the sound level, it gives the entire thing a rhythm to settle into.

Also, I really like this because the fabrics chosen look like they're in satins and silks, which gives the entire performance a very sensual feel. And I'm not commenting on the choreography yet, still the clothing and I'll likely comment on it every time, but Minhyuk throwing his jacket into the crowd? I was kind of hoping that this would be what would happen, and apparently, he very nicely asked for it back after the performance, which is the cutest thing.

They went the opposite route for Show Champion and instead of the dark colors, they're in that very pretty mauve and white. But really, the fabric choice is so good because of the way the light reflects off it and lets you see the movements better than you would if it was more of a matte fabric. It's a great suggestion of the sensuality without it being too noticeable or over the top. And I like that Hyungwon is consistently wearing something slightly different to stand out more. 

They were a little bit cute for this stage, which I also kind of love, but considering this one was possibly their last week of promotions (another one got added, but I don't know if this was the original last week or the new last week), that fits.

And Minhyuk? Flashing those smile? I see you, dude. Every once in a while, we get a nice close-up of Wonho, who also flashes a little smile, and I'm a little bit in love. 

Let's take a quick break from the stage performances to take a listen to the acoustic version. I'm delighted by this. It's not a song I would have pegged to be easily rearranged to an acoustic version, but this is lovely. The rappers softened their lines and turned the entire song into something that leaks aching longing like a semi-permeable membrane.

And! Minhyuk directed this! And Wonho's tears! This entire thing is so emotional.

And also, this performance shows off some very cute lisps courtesy of Wonho and Kihyun. Speech impediment or not, they're cute.

This is a new something for you all that I found: the ASMR version of Beautiful! Hyungwon, Joohoney, and Hyungwon spend the entire time in fits of laughter, and I live for this. I don't know what what Shownu was trying to do, but I laughed so hard I gave myself a headache.

I love it when the song is included in a Killing Voice. That should theoretically put you right at Beautiful, but if it doesn't, 13:30 is what you're looking for. 

I think it's kind of adorable that Shownu, Hyungwon, and I.M started doing the choreography in tiny. And Hyungwon and Kihyun were messing around and laughing, which is a good sign that they were enjoying themselves. I like to see that. But, as is always the case with Killing Voice, we get to hear those vocals, and it's absolutely lovely.

Okay, we're almost to the dance practice, but as a teaser, this is the choreography version of the music video. I really do like their opening outfits. It looks like I.M and Wonho are in velvet jackets, and I love the designs of Minhyuk and Shownu. I love interesting textures.

Okay, now I can talk about the choreography. I've seen it a lot of different ways now, but this has the camera fixed, which is what you'd be seeing if you were to see this live. 

They look fantastic in the jeans. And Minhyuk is amusing because his jacket keeps falling down.

Okay, choreography now. There's a dance break after the first chorus that I want to talk about first. That rotating like they're a spinning wheel is so cool. It's the closest thing the choreography has to a ripple, except for a specific jacket related move, but it's so sharp. 

I know they're closer to their eleventh anniversary than they are their tenth, but just as a reminder, this was less than two years after their debut. This is clean and sharp where it should be, graceful where it should be, and I love watching their footwork. 

Is it time? Is it finally time to talk about the jacket? Because they pull that off so cleanly that I kind of want to be able to see the process of them learning that. I hope no one face-planted while learning it. Also, I love the V formation they're in when they're tossing the jackets because you've got Shownu and Wonho at the back at either side, and then Minhyuk in the front. That's the three eldest members at the points of the formation, which is so wonderfully symbolic. And then when Hyungwon shifts into the center, as the only one in the black t-shirt? That's why he's always wearing something close to, but not matching the other members: that ending. Because first he's in front, and then he's surrounded by the others and it really just looks so clean that way.

And, if you want to see something really, really adorable, watch Shownu. He lifts or wiggles his eyebrows when he's concentrating hard on the choreography. 

And Minhyuk is mostly legs, which is amusing.

And, there you have it! I hope you all enjoyed the song! I think this is a good one to start off 2026 with. It's a nice love song with some incredible choreography. And I hope that everyone's 2026 is also "beautiful"

If you have a song you're wanting me to cover, you can leave a comment here (or technically I suppose if you just want me to pick a song from an album you really, really love, you could do that) or, as always, you can drop a song in The Form.