"Hikaru" is a song by South Korean recording artist Seven. It was released on February 23, 2005, and served as the singer's debut single in Japan. Commercially, it peaked at number 28 on the Oricon Singles Chart and number 7 on the MIAK International Albums chart.

"Hikari"
Single by Seven
from the album First Seven
ReleasedFebruary 23, 2005
Recorded2005
Genre
Length3:14
LabelYG
Songwriter(s)Kanetsuki Takuya
Producer(s)Nagao Dai
Seven singles chronology
"Crazy"
(2004)
"Hikari"
(2005)
"Style"
(2005)
Music video
"Hikari" on YouTube

Background and release

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In January 2005, Seven signed an endorsement contract with LG Telecom worth ₩600 million.[1] During the same month, it was reported that his Japanese debut single "Hikari" would be released on February 23, 2005. It was composed by Do As Infinity's Nagao Dai, who had previously worked for artists such as Ayumi Hamasaki.[2][3] Its lyrics were penned by Kanetsuki Takuya. On February 14, it was announced that Seven would donate all the proceeds earned from the single to help undernourished children in South Korea.[4] Following the release of the song, he signed another endorsement contract with Lotte Confectionary, worth ₩400 million.[5]

Commercial performance

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"Hikari" charted moderately in Japan, debuting at number 29 on the Oricon Singles Chart. It sold 7,303 copies in its first week of release.[6] In South Korea, it was the 7th best-selling non-Korean record during the first half of 2005, selling over 21,570 copies according to the MIAK charts.[7]

Promotion and live performances

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Seven held an autograph session commemorating the release of "Hikari" at Gwanghwamun in Seoul on February 23, with more than 2,000 people in attendance.[8] On February 27, he held a debut showcase titled the "Seven Special Live in Tokyo" at Zepp Tokyo, which attracted 3,000 people.[9]

Track listing

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CD single
  1. "Hikari" (光) – 3:14
  2. "Chiri Hoshi" (塵星) – 3:28
  3. "Crazy" – 3:41
  4. "Hikari" (光) (Instrumental) – 3:14

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (2005) Peak
position
Japan Singles (Oricon)[10] 28

Monthly charts

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Chart (2005) Peak
position
South Korean Int'l Albums (MIAK)[11] 11

Release history

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Country Date Label Format
Japan February 24, 2005 YG Entertainment CD single

References

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  1. ^ "세븐, LG텔레콤 전속 모델 6억원 계약" [Seven signs 600 million won contract as exclusive model for LG Telecom]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. February 18, 2005. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  2. ^ "세븐, 일본 타이틀 곡은 `히카리'(光)" ['Bunsama' Seven 'Completed preparations to target the Japanese Islands']. Star News (in Korean). Naver. January 17, 2005. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  3. ^ "세븐, 일본 타이틀 곡은 `히카리'(光)" [Seven, Japanese title song is 'Hikari' (light)]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). January 17, 2005. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  4. ^ "세븐, 음반수익금 전액 결식아동돕기에 쾌척키로" [Seven agrees to donate all proceeds from album to help undernourished children]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. February 14, 2005. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  5. ^ "세븐, 한달새 CF 수익 10억ㆍ4월 태국 공략" [Seven achieves KRW 1 billion in CF revenue in one month, targets Thailand in April]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. March 14, 2005. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  6. ^ "세븐, 日오리콘 주간차트 29위" [Seven, ranked 29th on the Japanese Oricon weekly chart]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. March 7, 2005. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  7. ^ "2005년 - POP 상반기 음반 판매량" [First Half of 2005 Pop Album Sales] (in Korean). Recording Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on July 18, 2007. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  8. ^ "세븐, 광화문 '히카리'사인회에 2천여명 몰려" [Seven, over 2,000 people flock to Gwanghwamun ‘Hikari’ signing event]. My Daily (in Korean). Naver. February 24, 2005. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  9. ^ "세븐, 日데뷔무대 3000관객 사로잡아" [Seven captivates 3,000 viewers during Japanese debut stage]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. February 28, 2005. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
  10. ^ SE7ENのシングル売上ランキング. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  11. ^ "2005.03월 – 가요 음반 판매량" [March 2005 Overseas Album Sales]. Music Industry Association of Korea. Archived from the original on September 20, 2005. Retrieved February 16, 2024.