Monsta X is feeling it with “Growing Pains,” the K-pop outfit’s first release of the year.
Arriving at the stroke of midnight, after a teaser dropped earlier in the week, “Growing Pains” is lifted from the group’s forthcoming English-language album.
“Growing Pains” explores themes of self-discovery, perseverance, and identity, and, as the name suggests, the universal challenge of navigating adulthood and sacrifices made along the way — all of it underpinned with the energy of a slick ’80s power ballad.
On it, the lads sing, “baby I’ll be okay… one day I’ll understand that I’m good as I am,” highlighting a shift toward embracing imperfection, reads a statement, while the line “all the strength I’ve found, I’m still standing now” underscores endurance.
The bittersweet hook, “I’m finding my way dealing with these growing pains,” points to our eternal struggle with personal evolution.
“Growing Pains” is the followup to “baby blue,” which Monsta X debuted at iHeartRadio’s 2025 Jingle Ball last December. Both cuts will be housed on their as-yet untitled third English-language collection, a first for a K-pop act.
Monsta X got their close-up last Christmas with the Connect X concert movie, which celebrated their 10th anniversary as a group and as a tribute to the journey shared by members Joohoney, I.M., Hyungwon, Kihyun, Minhyuk and Shownu with their fandom, known as MONBEBE.
Earlier in 2025, Joohoney, Hyungwon and Kihyun were the final group members to complete their mandatory South Korean military service, after which time the band hopped back in the studio and released The X EP in September to mark their milestone anniversary.
The six-strong outfit became just the third K-pop act to reach the Billboard 200 top 10, doing so in 2020 with their first English album All About Luv, which bowed at No. 5. Then, in 2021, Monsta X dropped their second English album, The Dreaming, peaking at No. 21 on the all-genres list.
Stream “Growing Pains” in full below.
