"Bad Boy" | ||||
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![]() Taiwan physical cover | ||||
Single by Red Velvet | ||||
from the album The Perfect Red Velvet | ||||
Released | January 29, 2018 | |||
Recorded | 2017–18 | |||
Studio | SM LYVIN (Seoul) | |||
Genre | R&B [1] [2] | |||
Length | 3:31 | |||
Label |
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Composer(s) |
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Lyricist(s) |
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Producer(s) | The Stereotypes | |||
Red Velvet singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Bad Boy" on YouTube |
"Bad Boy" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet from their second studio album reissue The Perfect Red Velvet , released by SM Entertainment on January 29, 2018. A hip hop-influenced R&B number, its lyrics were written by JQ and Moon Hee-yeon whilst music was handled by The Stereotypes, Maxx Song, Whitney Phillips and Yoo Young-jin.
"Bad Boy" was well received by music critics, who praised its production and the group's "lush contemporary R&B-meets-pop" sound. It was included in Billboard 's list of 100 Best Songs of 2018 in addition to topping their ranking of 20 Best K-pop Songs of the year. A commercial success, it became the group's fourth top-two entry on the Gaon Digital Chart and was certified platinum by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) for digital sales of over 2,500,000 units. Elsewhere, it peaked at number two on the World Digital Songs chart and number 87 on the Canadian Hot 100.
The song was one of two numbers performed by Red Velvet at the "Spring is Coming" concert in Pyongyang at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre to an audience that included Kim Jong-un. The concert was seen as an act of cultural diplomacy and intended as part of a wider diplomatic initiative between South Korea and North Korea. Their appearance at the concert made them only the fifth idol group to ever perform in North Korea and the first artist from SM in fifteen years since Shinhwa.
During an interview with Idolator on January 16, 2018, production team The Stereotypes revealed that they have worked with the girl group for a "really cool" upcoming work. [3] A week after, SM Entertainment announced through an image teaser posted on their official social media accounts on January 23, 2018, that Red Velvet would release The Perfect Red Velvet, the reissue title to their previous full-length release. [4] [5] The label further revealed that the re-release would include three additional new songs, including the lead single "Bad Boy", which was described as a song with a "sexy" or "girl crush" concept by South Korean news sites, which the group has never done before. [6] Since January 26, teaser images of all members were eventually revealed through the group's social media platforms, with journalist Kang Seo-jung of Osen commented had the vibe of a powerful "eonni". Kang also noted how the song's concept differs from the group's past releases. [7] Following the video teaser released on January 24, the song was released on January 29, 2018, along with its parental reissue and the accompanying music video.
Produced by The Stereotypes, Maxx Song, Whitney Philips, and Yoo Young-jin, "Bad Boy" is described as a hip hop-based R&B song with a synth melody and a heavy bass sound. [8] [9] Following the verse-chorus song structure, the song was composed in the key of D major with a tempo of 150 beat-per-minute, which labeled the song as Red Velvet's fifth single to follow the "Velvet" concept. [10] During a Deconstructed episode with Genius, the team revealed that they "went back" to '90s R&B music for the musical inspiration, further citing the group's native label "allowing" the team to incorporate their musical influence. Running a total length of three minutes and thirty-one seconds, the song starts with a melody line built by Sylenth1, followed by an "unexpected" percussion line by producer Ray Romulus, a beat loop by producer Jonathan Yip in the first half of the verse. Producer Jeremy Reeves then added the main bassline, built in Trilian, in the latter half of the verse section, before producer Ray Charles added in a pad line in the pre-chorus section, citing the addition to "outline" the chords and to "keep the energy up". Following the chorus section, the second verse kicks in with an additional snap line in the first half, while Romulus added an octave to the piano chords on the second chorus. The bridge section was then composed in half-time, with the snare loop being "chopped" and the producers changing the synth choice and its progression. According to producer Yip, the bridge section was "meant to take [listeners] away from the rest of the feelings of the song", wanting to create an unexpected shift for listeners. The song then returns to its chorus section for the last time, including additional sounds such as walking in heels, riding motors and cars' siren before ending. [11] With Korean lyrics adapted by lyricists JQ and Moon Hee-yeon, "Bad Boy" details the attraction and emotions between a 'bad boy' and a cold woman. [12] Mexican news site Milenio called the song's melody a mix of R&B and hip hop and stated that its lyrics tell the story of the beginning of the couple's relationship. [13] An English version of the song was later released as a bonus track for their next release on August 6, 2018, titled Summer Magic. [14]
Tamar Herman of Billboard labelled the song their "darkest yet", noting the difference between the rainbow hues of their last single "Peek-a-Boo" and stated that the members "played up their smoother retro leanings" with the addition of the new songs in its parent album The Perfect Red Velvet. Herman also commented on the song's choreography, which was seen as the sexiest the group has ever done. She then called the song and the album "overall representatives" of the group's "velvet" side (a reference to the group's dual concept), which contrasted the quirkier "red" songs that the group has released in the previous year. [15] Avery Thompson of Hollywood Life stated that the song was "music perfection" and called the members "the epitome of girl power" in the music video. She also praised its choreography and the group's vocals. [16] Fuse's Jeff Benjamin felt that the group put their own spin on modern R&B and hip hop and compared it to other artists such as Rihanna, Tinashe, and Cardi B who have incorporated "sassy, catch phrases into their verses and choruses". [17] Forbes opined that The Stereotypes' work on the album "have helped hone the girl group's lush contemporary R&B-meets-pop sound". [18]
In the group's native country South Korea, X Sports News described "Bad Boy" as the perfect blend of the group's intense "red" side and soft "velvet" in their review of Red Velvet's dual concept "red" and velvet" since Red Velvet's debut with "Happiness" and "Be Natural" in 2014. [19]
In December 2018, Billboard included "Bad Boy" in their '100 Best Songs of 2018: Critics' Picks' list while the song topped their annual '20 Best K-pop Songs of 2018: Critics' Picks' list, making Red Velvet the first female artist to top the list since it started in 2012. In the article, Billboard called it "the group's and one of the year's most pristine production to date". [20] [21] [22] Dazed also included the song in their '20 best K-pop songs of 2018' and called the song "understated but bold, a buttery, mid-tempo R&B track that puts the focus on the quintet's voices" they then concluded that "Red Velvet are already K-pop's most musically interesting girl group" and the song "solidifies them as one of the best in the game overall". [23] The song was also featured in Paper's 'Top 20 K-Pop Songs of 2018' at number two, stating that "In a year marked by terrible men (still) hogging way too many of the headlines, a girl group flipping the script and delivering an ode to stringing along a 'Bad Boy' makes it all the more perfect as one of the year's best releases". [24]
In 2019, Billboard once again featured "Bad Boy" in their decennial 'The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s: Staff List', placing 27th. Writing in the article, L. Singh called "Bad Boy" the "perfect representation of their mature 'velvet' persona", and further praised its composition, commenting on "how tactile the sonic and visual layering of the song is". [25]
Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Billboard | Billboard's 100 Best Songs of 2018: Critics' Picks | 43 | [26] |
The 20 Best K-pop Songs of 2018: Critics' Picks | 1 | [27] | |
The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s | 27 | [28] | |
Dazed | The 20 best K-pop songs of 2018 | 4 | [29] |
Idology Korea | Best Songs of 2018 | 4 | [30] |
Paper | Paper's Top 20 K-Pop Songs of 2018 | 2 | [31] |
SBS PopAsia | PopAsia's Top 100 Asian pop songs of 2018: 50-1 | 4 | [32] |
In South Korea, "Bad Boy" debuted and peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart for two consecutive weeks. [33] The song was Red Velvet's ninth top-ten, and subsequently their fourth number two entry on the chart. "Bad Boy" became the group's fourth chart topper on the component Gaon Download Chart for one week, as well as the group's third number two entry on the Billboard K-Pop Hot 100. [34] [35] The song finished as the second best-selling song on the February issue of the monthly Gaon Digital Chart, and eventually as the twenty-sixth best-selling song on the 2018's Year-end Gaon Digital Chart. [36] In April 2020, "Bad Boy" was certified Platinum by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA) for selling over 2,500,000 downloads, marking Red Velvet's third song to reach the milestone, following "Red Flavor" and "Russian Roulette", but the group's first to receive a KMCA certificate following the introduction of certificate system in 2018. [37]
The song also attained success for Red Velvet in North America, where it peaked at number two on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart, earning them their best sales week in the States to date, selling 4,000 downloads from January 26 to February 1. [38] The song eventually became the group's best selling song in the US as of January 2020, having sold a total of 27,000 copies. [39] Furthermore, "Bad Boy" was the group's first entry on the Canadian Hot 100, entering at number eighty-seven for one week, thus becoming the third female act, and subsequently the seventh overall K-pop artist to appear on the chart. [40] The song was Red Velvet's third single to chart on the Japan Hot 100, peaking at number forty-nine for one week.
An accompanying music video directed by Kim Ja-kyoung of Flexible Pictures and choreographed by Japanese hip hop dancer and choreographer Rie Hata, who had previously worked with CL for the choreography of "The Baddest Female" and with the group's label mate BoA for her single "Nega Dola", was released on the same day as the album and song. [41] The video was called 'sultry' by Annie Martin of UPI and it featured the members in various coordinating outfits, which included all-black ensembles and pink pajamas. They were also seen in sexy uniforms, with athleisure fishnet-and-leather outfits. Tamar Herman of Billboard stated that it depicted the group as "femme fatales aiming to destroy the titular 'Bad Boy'". She also noted how it wasn't "particularly plot-oriented" but "the dangerous vibes of Irene, Seulgi, Wendy and Joy contrast with the more youthful, unicorn-riding image of youngest-member Yeri, who the others seemingly protect, with Seulgi even covering her ears during one scene". Talking about the choreography, she said that it was "filled with suggestive hip rolls and aggressive come-hither hand motions, beckoning sultrily toward the audience and shooting at the camera". [42] [15]
On April 1, 2018, Red Velvet performed the song along with "Red Flavor" in Pyongyang at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre to an audience that included Kim Jong-un during a concert billed as "Spring is Coming", intended as part of a wider diplomatic initiative between South Korea and North Korea. This made them only the fifth idol group to ever perform in North Korea and the first artist from SM Entertainment in fifteen years since Shinhwa. [43] [44] [45] The group also performed a half-Korean, half-English version of the song at a fan meeting in Chicago in April 2018, months before the release of its official English version in August. [46]
Year | Organization | Award | Result | Ref. |
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2018 | Melon Music Awards | Song of the Year | Longlisted | |
Mnet Asian Music Awards | Song of the Year | Longlisted | [47] | |
Best Dance Performance – Female Group | Nominated | |||
2019 | Gaon Chart Music Awards | Song of the Year – January | Nominated | [48] |
Golden Disc Awards | Digital Song Bonsang | Nominated | ||
Korean Music Awards | Best Pop Song | Nominated |
Program | Date | Ref. |
---|---|---|
Show Champion | February 7, 2018 | [49] |
M Countdown | February 8, 2018 | [50] |
February 15, 2018 | [51] | |
Music Bank | February 9, 2018 | [52] |
Inkigayo | February 11, 2018 | [53] |
Award | Date | Ref. |
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Weekly Popularity Award | March 12, 2018 | [54] |
Credits adapted from The Perfect Red Velvet liner notes [57]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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South Korea (KMCA) [37] | Platinum | 2,500,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Various | January 29, 2018 | Korean | [55] | ||
November 1, 2021 | Remixes |
| [56] |
Red Velvet is a South Korean girl group formed and managed by SM Entertainment. They originally debuted on August 1, 2014, with the single "Happiness" with the four-member line-up of Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Joy. A fifth member, Yeri, joined in March 2015, following the release of their first extended play, the chart-topping Ice Cream Cake. Sonically, the music of Red Velvet reflects their group name: their predominantly-pop "red" side experiments occasionally with electronic and funk, while their "velvet" side focuses on '90s-influenced R&B with elements of ballad and hip hop.
Russian Roulette is the third Korean extended play by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. It was released on September 7, 2016, by SM Entertainment.
Rookie is the fourth Korean extended play by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. It was released on February 1, 2017, by SM Entertainment. The album contains six tracks, including its lead single of the same name.
Perfect Velvet is the second studio album by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. Released by SM Entertainment on November 17, 2017, the record incorporates R&B, soul and hip-hop with influences from future bass, trap and synth-pop, and saw contributions from various songwriters and production teams. The album is a portrayal of the group's "velvet" concept, making it their second major release to follow this sonic direction since their second extended play, The Velvet (2016). The album reissued as The Perfect Red Velvet on January 29, 2018.
"Red Flavor" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their first Korean special extended play, The Red Summer (2017). It was released as the lead single from the EP on July 9, 2017, through SM Entertainment and was distributed by Genie Music, along with the accompanying fruit-infused music video. Written by SM collaborator Kenzie and composed by Daniel Caesar and Ludwig Lindell, it is primarily a dance-pop song with synths and percussion. The song reflects the summer funky vibe, while the lyrics hint towards a young relationship with summer references. A Japanese version of the song, adapted by songwriter Kami Kaoru, was later included on the group's first Japanese EP, #Cookie Jar, on July 4, 2018.
"Automatic" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their debut extended play (EP), Ice Cream Cake (2015). Composed and produced by Daniel "Obi" Klein and Charlotte Taft with Korean lyrics adapted by Choi So-young, the R&B and urban song was released as the group's first single from the EP on March 14, 2015, by SM Entertainment. It marked their first release as a quintet since the addition of member Yeri. The song's lyrics tells about unraveling the feeling of attraction to the other person.
"Ice Cream Cake" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their debut extended play Ice Cream Cake (2015). Primarily a dance-rock track with influences from drum and bass, the song was written by lyricist Jo Yoon-kyung, Kim Dong-hyun, Fredrik Häggstam, Hayley Aitken, Johan Gustafsson and Sebastian Lundberg, while production and arrangement were handled by Hayley Aitken and Trinity Music. Following the release of "Automatic", it was released as the group's second single from the extended play on March 16, 2015, by SM Entertainment, along with an accompanying music video. With its parental release, the group showcased their dual sonic concept in one album for the first time as "Ice Cream Cake" was promoted as the "Red" single, in contrast to "Automatic" which was promoted as its "Velvet" single.
"Peek-a-Boo" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their second studio album, Perfect Velvet (2017). An up-tempo dance-pop track with tropical house elements, it was written by Kenzie, Ellen Berg Tollbom, Cazzi Opeia, and duo Moonshine, while production was handled by the latter contributor. The song was released in conjunction with its parental album on November 17, 2017, through SM Entertainment. It was later re-recorded in Japanese for the group's second Japanese extended play Sappy, which was released on May 29, 2019.
"Dumb Dumb" is a song by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their first studio album The Red (2015). It was written by Seo Ji-eum of Jam Factory and Kim Dong-hyun, while production and arrangement was handled by LDN Noise, Deanna Dellacioppa, Tayla Parx, and Ryan S. Jhun. An uptempo dance-pop track, its lyrics conveys a girl expressing her awkwardness regarding her feelings towards the object of her affections. It was released as the lead single of The Red on September 8, 2015 by SM Entertainment, along with an accompanying music video.
"Russian Roulette" is a song by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their third extended play of the same name. Written by Jo Yoon-kyung and produced by Albi Albertsson, Belle Humble and Markus Lindell, it is primarily an 8-bit influenced synth-pop and dance-pop song which lyrically compares the process of winning someone's heart to a game of Russian roulette. The song was released as the lead single on September 7, 2016, by SM Entertainment along with an accompanying cartoon-themed music video which saw the group mimicking cartoon tricks to pull a prank and harm each other as the video progressed.
"Rookie" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their fourth extended play of the same name. The song was released on February 1, 2017, as the lead single from the EP by SM Entertainment, and contains contributions from multiple songwriters. A pop-funk dance track, its lyrical content compares a girl's lover to a rookie.
Summer Magic is the second special extended play and the seventh overall by South Korean girl group Red Velvet, marketed as their special "summer" EP following The Red Summer, which was released in July 2017. The EP is also the group's third major release to focus on their "Red" concept, following The Red Summer and the group's debut studio album The Red (2015). Released on August 6, 2018, the EP contains seven tracks, including the lead single "Power Up" and the English version of "Bad Boy" as a bonus track, making it their first song to be released in English.
"Power Up" is a Korean song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their second special Korean extended play, titled Summer Magic (2018). Characterized as an electro-pop song with elements of chip-music, the song was penned by Kenzie and was produced by production duo Moonshine, Ellen Berg Tollbom and Swedish singer-songwriter Cazzi Opeia, who worked on the group's previous single "Peek-a-Boo". It was released on August 6, 2018, as the lead single of Summer Magic by SM Entertainment and iriver as the South Korea distributor, whilst the Japanese version was later released as the third and final single from the group's second Japanese extended play Sappy on April 24, 2019, by Avex Trax.
RBB is the fifth Korean extended play and the eighth overall by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. The six-track EP was released on November 30, 2018, by SM Entertainment with iriver and Dreamus as the domestic distributor. Musically, the EP consists of five new original tracks which varied in different genres, mostly R&B and dance-pop, which became the group's third major release to focus on their "Velvet" sonic concept, following their second EP The Velvet (2016), their second studio album Perfect Velvet (2017) and its repackage The Perfect Red Velvet (2018).
"Zimzalabim" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their sixth Korean extended play The ReVe Festival: Day 1, which acts as the first installment of the group's The ReVe Festival trilogy. Primarily an EDM-influenced electropop track that resembles a "colorful parade" and showcases an extravagant soundscape, the song was composed by production duo Caesar & Loui, Ollipop and Hayley Aitken with Korean lyrics written by lyricist Lee Seu-ran, which tells the listeners to "unfold a dream" that is "held deeply" in their heart. Accompanied by an amusement park-themed music video, it was released on June 19, 2019 by SM Entertainment as the lead single for Day 1, and subsequently the first single from The ReVe Festival trilogy.
"RBB (Really Bad Boy)" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their fifth Korean (eighth overall) extended play RBB (2018). Written by SM Entertainment songwriter Kenzie and Sara Forsberg with production by Timothy 'Bos' Bullock and MZMC, "RBB (Really Bad Boy)" is primarily an "addictive" R&B and dance-pop song with influence from jazz and hip hop, with the lyrics expressing the charm of a "bad boy".[6][7] It was released as the lead single from its eponymous extended play on November 30, 2018, by SM Entertainment and Iriver Inc as the distributor, along with an accompanying horror-themed music video.
The ReVe Festival: Finale is the first Korean-language compilation album by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. The album was announced and became available to pre-order on December 12, 2019, before being released by SM Entertainment on December 23, 2019, with Dreamus serving as the South Korea distributor. As the third and final release of the group's trilogy The ReVe Festival, the set contains all twelve tracks taken from two previous extended plays The ReVe Festival: Day 1 and The ReVe Festival: Day 2. With SM founder Lee Soo-man serving as the executive producer, Finale includes four new songs—"Psycho", "In & Out", "Remember Forever", and a previously unreleased "La Rouge", with the first being the lead single for the album. The album was released in two versions with different packaging artwork, while a digital EP including only the four new tracks was also released on the same date.
"Umpah Umpah" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their seventh Korean extended play (EP) The ReVe Festival: Day 2, which serves as the second installment of the group's The ReVe Festival album trilogy. The song, alongside its vacation-themed music video, was released on August 20, 2019, as the lead single from Day 2. Written by Jeon Gan-di and composed by Christoffer Lauridsen, Andreas Öberg and Allison Kaplan, "Umpah Umpah" is described as "an uptempo dance song with disco house rhythms", with the group's "lovely and cool vocals doubling the freshness". The songwriting, which includes swimming motifs, portrays somebody falling in love with the eyes and charms of the girls, using the phrase "umpah umpah" as if their love interest was learning how to control their breathing while swimming.
"Psycho" is a song that was recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet and was released as the lead single from their first compilation album The ReVe Festival: Finale (2019), which is the third and final installment in the group's album trilogy The ReVe Festival. The song was composed by Andrew "Druski" Scott, Cazzi Opeia, and EJAE; was arranged by the former Druski and long-time SM Entertainment record producer Yoo Young-jin; and the Korean lyrics were written by Kenzie. "Psycho" is an R&B track that incorporates elements of pop, trap and future bass, and is about a couple who are in a complicated romantic relationship. A gothic-themed music video accompanied the single's digital release on December 23, 2019.
"Queendom" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their sixth Korean extended play (EP) of the same name. Composed by minGtion, Anne Judith Stokke Wik, Moa "Cazzi Opeia" Carlebecker, and Ellen Berg with Korean lyrics adapted by Jo Yoon-kyung, the dance-pop song was released as the titular EP's lead single on August 16, 2021, by SM Entertainment, along with its accompanying music video.
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