Recording and writing for the album roughly began in the summer of 2009, but full production did not begin until August 2010, after U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin debuted their first performance as a duo at the SM Town Live '10 World Tour concert in Seoul, South Korea.
Bringing in a new line of producers, including E-Tribe and Outsidaz, Keep Your Head Down largely consists of dance-pop songs with urban and electronic arrangements.
The album has been described by critics as fierce, dark, and powerful due to its SMP influence,[1] an experimental genre that is defined by mixing the styles of orchestral pop, rock, and contemporary R&B with hip hop beats to create catchy, rhythmic tracks that allow for very strong dance performances.
[4] In October 2009, the Seoul Central District Court granted the three members a temporary contract injunction, thus halting TVXQ's group activities in South Korea.
In August 2010, Yunho and Changmin performed as TVXQ in Seoul's SMTown Live '10 World Tour, which was described to be an "experimental" stage for the duo.
Bringing in a new line of producers including E-Tribe and Outsidaz,[11] principal recording for Keep Your Head Down spanned three months.
A week before the album's official release, two teaser trailers for the music video of lead single "Keep Your Head Down" began airing on television and other broadcast media around South Korea.
[14] Lead single "Before U Go" was described to be "traditional R&B track",[14] equipped with a unique style that complements the vocal structures of Yunho and Changmin.
[17] South Korea's other broadcasting corporations, including KBS and SBS, had no issues with the lyrics and the duo were allowed to perform the original edit on their shows.
Keep Your Head Down received generally positive reviews from music critics and K-pop fans, who have praised the album's "powerful" production and its cohesive blend of pop and R&B.
The lyrics of "Keep Your Head Down", which talks about recovering from a relationship breakup, came under intense media scrutiny after it was claimed that it was written as a diss track to JYJ.
In South Korea, it immediately shot to number one on the real-time daily charts of Hanteo, selling nearly 30,000 physical copies on its first day of release.
In August 2011, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family banned "Before U Go" and three other K-pop music videos, ruling that it was harmful media to youth as it promoted violence and gambling.
[23] "Journey", the theme song for Changmin's television drama Paradise Ranch, was released on January 26, 2011, and only managed to peak at number 111 on the Gaon Singles Chart.
[26] A short film with a running time of little over 15 minutes, the music video has actor Choi Jong-yoon and actress Ara star alongside Yunho and Changmin as morally conflicted police officers.