Poet Artist

Commercial

Poet | Artist debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart on the 4th issued week, dated January 21–27. The following week it dropped one spot, where it spent an additional week. On the 51st issued week, dated December 16–22, the album returned to number one, coinciding with one year since the singer passed. The album spent 36 non-consecutive weeks in the chart's top 100.^[17] Poet | Artist also topped the monthly Gaon Album Chart, selling more than 150,000 copies in eight days.^[18][19] It eventually became the 20th best-selling album in 2018, moving more than 235,000 copies.^[20] Eight of the album's eleven songs charted on the Gaon Digital Chart. The album's first single "Shinin'" debuted at no. five.^[21] On February 11, 2021, the album received a platinum certification from Gaon for 250,000 copies sold.^[22]

In Japan, Poet | Artist debuted at no. twelve on the Oricon Albums Chart for the week dated February 5, selling around 6,000 copies.^[23] The following week the album rose to no. ten on the chart, selling an additional 6,700 copies.^[24] In the United States, the album debuted and peaked at no. 177 on the Billboard 200, making Jonghyun only the fourth Korean soloist to place an album on the chart at the time. In its opening week it moved 5,000 album-equivalent units, including 4,000 pure sales. It furthermore debuted atop Billboard's World Albums, his second number-one on the chart.^[25]

Critical

Poet | Artist was met with positive reviews by music critics. Writing for Billboard, Tamar Herman described the album as a "farewell and a sonic walk down memory lane".^[9] Billboard ranked the album as the second best K-pop album released in 2018, behind BTS' Love Yourself: Answer. Jeff Benjamin wrote that the album is "beautiful" and a "bittersweet reminder of the beloved singer, songwriter and producer's incredible talents."^[26] Riddhi Chakraborty of Rolling Stone India called Poet | Artist "bittersweet–awe-inspiring in its detail, finesse and lyrical impact, but also a reminder that there never will be anyone quite like Jonghyun," and also ranked it as the second best K-pop album of 2018.^[27] Reviewing for The Jakarta Post, Marcel Thee wrote that the record is a "tragic-reminder of his talents as both a musician and producer".^[12] At the 33rd Golden Disc Awards, the album was nominated for the Disc Daesang and Disc Bonsang awards, winning the latter.^[28]

"#Hashtag" received media attention for discussing gossip and slanderous comments on the Internet and was praised for both its lyrical content and Jonghyun's use of wordplay.^[29]

Shortly after the album's release, KBS banned "Rewind" from its radio stations for containing lyrics in Japanese.^[14]