On September 6, 2022, SM Entertainment announced that South Korean singer Seulgi, a member of their group Red Velvet, would release her first solo album in October 2022.

[1] On September 13, SM revealed the title of her first extended play (EP), 28 Reasons, set to be released on October 4.

[8][9] "Dead Man Runnin" is a R&B, dance-pop song featuring "energetic" drums, synth sounds, and bass drops.

[13][14] "Anywhere but Home" is a "disco-style" song with elements of R&B and dance-pop, with lyrics describing taking a ride to an "unfamiliar place" on a sleepless night.

Lyrically, it describes the scenery of the "City of Angels", and the feeling of excitement and anticipation of finding a new dream in an unfamiliar place.

[17] NME listed the EP as one of the best Asian albums of 2022, highlighting "Dead Man Runnin'" as the EP's key track and writing: "28 Reasons is a dark, existential story told through serpentine lyricism, watertight sonics and above all, Seulgi’s dulcet voice, which cuts through the haze like a light at the end of a dark tunnel.

South Korea publication Idology listed the EP as one of the best K-pop albums of the year, praising the themes of duality of the protagonist.