On September 30, Kihyun posted the coming image of his first EP Youth through Monsta X's official SNS, with release date announced to be on October 24, confirming his first comeback, seven months after his solo debut.

[5][6] Kihyun had a comeback showcase on Naver Now's #OUTNOW to introduce Youth along with its title track.

[9] Youth is an album that intends to revisit childhood based on the worldview of a "traveler" and started from an autobiographical story.

[12] Lai Frances of Uproxx wrote that the EP "brought nothing but nostalgia" and described the title track as "a feel-good rock pop song that invites listeners to take a trip down memory lane and remember the greatest times of our lives - our youth", with following four tracks can be interpreted as "moments in our youth where we experience feelings such as anger, heartbreak, loss, and love", while summed it all up as "a timeless masterpiece worth having on loop".

[13] Kihyun received his second Hanteo Chart Bronze Certification Plaque for achieving 114,950 copies of Initial Chodong sales in its first week of release in South Korea.