In early January 2021, JO1 reportedly traveled to South Korea to prepare for a new single.[1] On February 20, JO1 hosted their second online concert, Starlight Deluxe, in Paju to promote their first studio albumThe Star.[2][1] At the end of the concert, the group revealed their third single would be released on April 28, 2021. Following their journey to become their "shining self" in the previous release, the single's premise was described as JO1 "stepping into the unknown world".[2][3] The cover images were released on the group's first anniversary on March 4, along with the news of their first tour in winter.[4]To celebrate the release of the single, the group hosted a live streaming event on YouTube on April 28, followed by the release of the performance video for "Speed of Light".[5] On May, the performance video for Design" was also released.[6]
Challenger includes a total of six songs and was released in three different physical editions, with "Born to Be Wild" served as the lead track.[2] It was the group's first release without songs from Produce 101 Japan. Each edition contains four tracks with three common tracks: "Born to be Wild", "Design" and "Tsutaerareru Nara" (伝えられるなら, 'If You Can Tell').[2] The latter was the theme song for Kit Kat Japan's commercial and was released as a digital single on January 18.[7] The limited edition A comes with a DVD bundle, featuring variety segment titled JO1 Challenge. The limited edition B comes with a photo booklet, while the normal edition is CD-only.[2] A special edition EP containing all songs was released for digital download and streaming.
"Born to be Wild" is mainly composed of retrofunk-inspired bass lines and rhythms.[8] The music video was released on March 24, 2021,[9] and was directed by Seo Dong-hyeok of the South Korean production studio Flipevil[10] The theme was described as "challenge", in which the group "bravely opening the door with anxiety and expectation, taking the first step, and overcoming obstacles with determination".[9] The song was performed for the first time at the KCON:TACT 3,[11] before it was digitally pre-released alongside "Tsutaerareru Nara" on March 25, 2021.[9] It debuted at eighty-eighth on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and eventually peaked at number one.[12][13] The song was also performed in the group's first terrestrial TV show Toresugi JO1,[14] as well as in several television shows such as Hey!Hey!Neo! Music Champ, CDTV Live Live, and NHK's variety talk show Numa ni Hamatte Kiitemita [ja].[15][16][17] "Born to Be Wild" was also used as the theme song for ABC-Mart's TV commercial of Nike Air Max Infinity 2.[18]
Challenger debuted at number one on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart and eventually topped the weekly chart with 254,111 copies sold.[19][20] The feat made JO1 the sixth male group and the twelfth overall in the Oricon charts history to have three consecutive singles with first-week sales of over 200,000 copies since their debut.[21] The single was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for more than 250,000 copies in shipments.[22] The single eventually ranked at twenty-second on the 2020 Oricon Annual Ranking with 309,606 units sold.[23]
Challenger also debuted atop of Billboard Japan's Top Singles Sales chart, [24] and putting JO1 in second place on the Artist 100.[25] It eventually placed twenty-third on the annual edition of Top Single Sales chart.[26]
"Born to be Wild", "Design" and "Tsutaerareru Nara" are common track 1, 3 and 4, respectively, for limited edition A, limited edition B and normal edition.
^月間 シングルランキング 2021年04月度 [Oricon Monthly Single Ranking 2021/04]. Oricon. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
^"オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree' (Annual Combined Singles Ranking 2021)]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved December 18, 2021.
