Apocalypse: Save Us
studio
ArtistDreamcatcher
CoverDreamcatcher - Apocalypse Save Us.png
ReleasedApril 12, 2022
Recorded2021–2022
Genre
Length44:22
LanguageKorean · English
LabelDreamcatcher · Genie · Sony
Producer
  • Leez
  • Ollounder
Prev year2021
Next year2022

Apocalypse: Save Us is the second Korean studio album by South Korean girl group Dreamcatcher. It was released on April 12, 2022, by Dreamcatcher Company, and distributed by Sony Music.[2] Apocalypse: Save Us features fourteen tracks including the lead single "Maison", as well as seven solo songs, and is available in "S",[A] "A", "V", "E" versions and a jewel case[B] version.[3][4][5]

This album is the start of Dreamcatcher's new Apocalypse series after the conclusion of the previous series Dystopia.[6] Commercially, the album sold over 136,239 copies.[7] The group also collected their first music show win of their career with "Maison" on MBC M's Show Champion.[8] The album received generally favorable reviews by the critics.

Background and release

On March 24, 2022, Dreamcatcher released the mystery code teaser for their upcoming April comeback.[9] The group's Mystery Code teasers signal the start of a new era as they gear up for a return. It was later revealed that Dreamcatcher will be making their return on April 12.[10]

Official teasers for the album were first released on March 28, starting with a track list,[11] followed by individual and group concept photos,[12] a highlight medley,[13] a dance preview,[14] a story preview[15] and a music video teaser.[16][17] The album and the music video for the album were released on April 12, 2022.[18] The group commemorated the release by hosting a special mini-concert in Korea, which was also available as an online stream for international fans. A world tour titled 2022 Dreamcatcher World Tour [Apocalypse: Save Us] associated with the album was announced on April 27, 2022, initially featuring eight shows in the United States.[19][20] Two more dates for the tour (Mexico City and a second show in Los Angeles) were announced on June 14, 2022.[21]

Composition

The title track "Maison" is a song described as a "cry for help" to save the Earth from the apocalypse caused by global warming, environmental pollution, and human indifference. The title of the song was hidden through the morse code '321124433433' in the first album teaser. Maison is French for home, referencing the only known habitable planet; Earth.[22] The other tracks include an intro titled "Intro: Save Us," "Locked Inside A Door," retro synth-pop "Starlight", deep house-based "Together," the ballad "Always," and the second instrumental track "Skit: The Seven Doors." The album holds more significance for the group's members as it includes a solo song produced by each of the members. Overall production was handled by composers Leez and Ollounder, who have collaborated before for Dreamcatcher's Nightmare and Dystopia worldviews.[23]

Promotion

Apocalypse: Save Us World Tour

Main article: Apocalypse: Save Us World Tour
Apocalypse: Save Us
World
Concert tour nameApocalypse: Save Us World Tour
ArtistDreamcatcher
AlbumApocalypse: Save Us
Start dateJune 28, 2022
End dateJuly 20, 2022
Number of shows10
Last tourDreamcatcher Concert: Invitation from Nightmare City
This tourDreamcatcher World Tour [Apocalypse : Save us]

On April 27, 2022, Dreamcatcher announced the 2022 Dreamcatcher World Tour [Apocalypse: Save Us], scheduled to take place from June 28 to July 2022. Ticket sales for Dreamcatcher's new concert began on June 15 at 8:00 AM PST through Ticketmaster. The North American leg of their tour was originally set to conclude in Los Angeles, but the group has also since added a new show in Mexico City at the Auditorio BB on July 20.[24][25]

List of confirmed dates and venues
DateCityCountryVenue
North America
June 28, 2022New York CityUnited StatesPalladium Times Square
July 1, 2022ReadingSantander Arena
July 3, 2022LouisvilleOld Forester's Paristown Hall
July 7, 2022ChicagoRadius Chicago
July 9, 2022MinneapolisSkyway Theatre
July 12, 2022DenverFillmore Auditorium
July 14, 2022San FranciscoThe Midway
July 16, 2022Los AngelesThe Wiltern
July 17, 2022
July 20, 2022Mexico CityMexicoAuditorio BB (BlackBerry)

Commercial performance

As of May 2022, the album sold over 136,239 copies.[7] It debuted on number 4 on Gaon Weekly Album Chart and went on to peak at number 8 on Gaon Monthly Album Chart with 126,654 sales for the month of April. According to Hanteo Charts, the album sold more than 85,000 copies first week since its release with 54,131 copies sold on the first day of release.[26] Dreamcatcher had their debut peak on The Official Finnish Charts, reaching number 26.[27] They also earned their first music show win of their career (1,924 days after their debut in 2017) with "Maison" on MBC M's Show Champion. On April 26, Dreamcatcher officially wrapped up their promotions with their goodbye stage performance on SBS MTV's The Show, where they earned their second music show win.[28] The music video has amassed 29 million views as of March 2024.[29]

Reception

Tanu Raj for NME gave 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "while Dreamcatcher tackle climate change on their second studio offering, the effort does seem a tad misplaced in the face of the album's youthful optimism and that keeping a frantic pace throughout, "Maison" underlines an urgency that seems to be missing in many when it comes to climate change."[30]

Personnel

  • Leez – producing, lyrics, music, arrangement (12 tracks), MIDI programming, background vocals (track 2), synthesizer
  • Ollounder – producing, lyrics, music, arrangement (12 tracks), MIDI programming, guitar
  • Maddox – lyrics (track 2), music (track 5, 12)
  • Max Borghetti – music (track 4)[31]
  • D.Van – lyrics (track 2)
  • Buddy – lyrics (track 12), music, arrangement, bass, piano (tracks 2, 12)
  • Kim Jun-hyeok – lyrics, music, arrangement (track 9, 13), bass, synthesizer
  • Jeon Jae-hee – background vocals
  • Sangyun – electric guitar
  • Ji Yu-min – guitar
  • Peperoni – music, arrangement, synthesizer (track 8)
  • Oliv – lyrics, music, arrangement (track 9), MIDI programming
  • Han Soo-seok – lyrics, music, arrangement (track 11, 14), piano, MIDI programming
  • Lee Sang-beom – guitar (track 2)
  • Shim Sang-yeop – choir
  • Kim Soo-hee – piano
  • Yeon Chang-jum – guitar
  • SuA – lyrics, music, arrangement (track 9)
  • Siyeon – lyrics, music, arrangement (track 10), background vocals (track 3)
  • JiU – lyrics, music, arrangement (track 8)
  • Handong – lyrics, music (track 11)
  • Yoohyeon – lyrics, music, arrangement (track 12), background vocals (track 2)
  • Dami – lyrics, music, arrangement (track 13)
  • Gahyeon – lyrics, music (track 14)

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for Apocalypse: Save Us
Chart (2022)Peak
position
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[32]4

Monthly charts

Monthly chart performance for Apocalypse: Save Us
Chart (2022)Position
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[33]8

Accolades

Music program awards
SongTitleNetworkDateRef.
"Maison"Show ChampionMBC MApril 20, 2022[34]
The ShowSBS MTVApril 26, 2022[28]
Mid-year lists
PublicationListRankRef.
TimeThe Best K-pop Songs and Albums of 2022 So Far (Albums)[35]
Year-end lists
PublicationListRankRef.
IdologyTop 20 Albums of 2022[36]

Release history

Release history for Apocalypse: Save Us
RegionDateFormatLabel
South KoreaApril 12, 2022CDDreamcatcher Company · Sony Music
VariousDigital download · streaming

Notes

  1. ^ "S" version was released as a limited edition of the series
  2. ^ Released exclusively in USA

References

  1. ^ "[Apocalypse : Save us] - 드림캐쳐"
  2. ^ "'Apocalypse: Save us'" (in Korean). Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  3. ^ "Shop the Dreamcatcher Official Store". Shop the Dreamcatcher Official Store. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  4. ^ Choi Ji-won (2022-04-12). "Dreamcatcher calls for climate action with second LP 'Apocalypse: Save Us'" (in Korean). Korea Herald. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  5. ^ "KTOWN4U.COM : Apocalypse: Save Us". Ktown4U. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  6. ^ "Dreamcatcher to release full-length album in April". NME. 2022-02-23. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  7. ^ "ko:2022년 05월 Album Chart" [May 2022 Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  8. ^ "Dreamcatcher take home first-ever music show win with 'Maison' on 'Show Champion'". NME. 2022-04-21. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  9. ^ "드림캐쳐, 미스터리 코드 깜짝 공개…4월 컴백 신호탄" (in Korean). entertain.naver.com. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  10. ^ "[단독]드림캐쳐, 정규앨범으로 돌아온다…'4월 컴백'" [[Exclusive] Dreamcatcher is back with a full album... 'April comeback']. eDaily
  11. ^ "Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 2nd Album [Apocalypse : Save us] Track List". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  12. ^ "Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 2nd Album [Apocalypse : Save us] Group Image #03". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  13. ^ "Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 2nd Album [Apocalypse : Save us] Highlight Medley", April 6, 2022, retrieved 2022-06-14
  14. ^ "Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 'MAISON' Dance Preview", April 11, 2022, retrieved 2022-06-14
  15. ^ "Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 2nd Album [Apocalypse : Save us] Story Spoiler", April 7, 2022, retrieved 2022-06-14
  16. ^ "Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 'MAISON' MV Teaser", April 8, 2022, retrieved 2022-06-14
  17. ^ Hwang Jiyoung. "'메탈 걸그룹' 드림캐쳐와 지구를 지켜라" ["'Metal Girl Group' Protect the Earth with Dreamcatcher"] (in Korean). JTBC. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  18. ^ "Dreamcatcher trasverse dimensions in stunning 'Maison' music video". NME. 2022-04-12. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  19. ^ "2022 Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) World Tour [Apocalypse : Save us] in USA". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  20. ^ "Dreamcatcher announce North American dates for upcoming world tour". NME. 2022-04-28. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  21. ^ "Dreamcatcher add second LA show to upcoming North American tour". NME. 2022-06-14.
  22. ^ "DREAMCATCHER – MAISON", retrieved 2022-06-14
  23. ^ "완전체 정규 컴백 드림캐쳐, 'Apocalypse' 시리즈 포문 [종합]". tvdaily.co.kr. 2022-04-12. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  24. ^ "Dreamcatcher add second LA show to upcoming North American tour". NME. 2022-06-14. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  25. ^ "2022 #Dreamcatcher World Tour [Apocalypse : Save us] in #AMERICA". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  26. ^ "[Initial Chodong Record] Dreamcatcher 'Apocalypse : Save us' Sold 85,000 Copies in the First Week → Setting their career-high (Hanteo Chart Official)". HANTEONEWS. 2022-04-20. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  27. ^ "Suomen Virallinen Lista – Artistit: Dreamcatcher" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  28. ^ Lee, Ye-Jin. "드림캐쳐, 영광의 1위…"멤버들, 인썸니아 감사해" (더쇼)[종합]" (in ko-KR). MSN. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  29. ^ Dreamcatcher (2022-04-12). "(ENG) Dreamcatcher(드림캐쳐) 'MAISON' MV". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  30. ^ "Dreamcatcher – 'Apocalypse: Save Us' review: a refreshing, albeit naive take on the world". NME. 2022-04-14. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  31. ^ "BMI Songview". BMI. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  32. ^ "Gaon Album Chart – Week 16, 2022" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  33. ^ "Gaon Album Chart – April 2022" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  34. ^ "'쇼챔피언' 드림캐쳐, '메종'으로 1위 차지 "인썸니아 너무 감사해" [TV캡처]" ['Show Champion' Dreamcatcher takes 1st place with 'Maison' "Thank you so much Insomnia" [TV Capture]] (in Korean). yhnews. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  35. ^ "The Best K-pop Songs and Albums of 2022 So Far". Time. June 7, 2022.
  36. ^ "ko:결산 2022 : ③올해의 앨범 20선" [2022 Year-End Review, Part 3: Top 20 Albums of the Year] (in Korean). Idology. January 1, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2026.