Perfume | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
EP by | ||||
Released | April 17, 2023 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 19:25 | |||
Language | Korean | |||
Label | SM | |||
NCT chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Perfume | ||||
|
Perfume is the debut extended play (EP) by the South Korean boy band NCT DoJaeJung. It was released on April 17, 2023, by SM Entertainment, alongside its lead single of the same name. It is NCT DoJaeJung's first release, following initial participation as members of NCT and its sub-unit NCT 127. [1] Consisting of six romantic songs, it features participation from multiple songwriters and producers, including MZMC, Styalz Fuego, LDN Noise, and others. [2]
Perfume received positive reviews from critics, who praised NCT DoJaeJung's vocals and the songs' composition, citing its difference from NCT's usual hip hop and experimental music. [3] [4] The romantic theme of the EP was also noted by critics, which NME describes as "an indulgent tale of a torrid romance in six parts." [5] It also earned commercial success both digitally and physically, selling 841,976 copies on the Circle Album Chart as of June 2, 2023, making it the best-selling debut album by an SM Entertainment act and the best-selling album by a K-pop sub-unit. [6] It previously held the record for the highest first week sales for a sub-unit with a total of 672,374 units on the Hanteo Chart. [7] [8]
On March 22, 2023, SM Entertainment announced that NCT DoJaeJung will debut with their first extended play. [9] [10] Promotions began on March 26, with teaser videos and photos released on the group's social media accounts. Three music films starring each member were released, namely: Passion, Commitment, and Intimacy, for which the concept was based on Robert Sternberg's triangular theory of love. Snippets of the album's side tracks were also revealed through the music films. [11] On April 17, 2023, Perfume was released digitally and physically worldwide. [2]
On April 16, 2023, a launch event and press conference were held at the Seoul Wave Art Center prior to the official release of the EP, where they performed "Strawberry Sunday" and "Dive", and unveiled the performance videos for "Perfume" and "Kiss". Hosted by Johnny of NCT, it was also attended by numerous celebrities, including Yeri and Seulgi of Red Velvet, Taeyong and Taeil of NCT, Changmin of TVXQ, Taeyeon of Girls' Generation, and theater actress Kim So-hyun. [12] Several South Korean representatives of high-end fashion magazines such as Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar were also present at the event. [13] A public exhibition was later held at the Seoul Wave Art Center, and three local pop-up stores were made available from April 18 to April 30. [14] A large perfume bottle sculpture was also installed outside of SM Entertainment's headquarters in Seongsu-dong, which emits a scent specifically created for NCT DoJaeJung. [15]
The lead single "Perfume" was initially set to be promoted in South Korean music shows, alongside the side track "Kiss", beginning from April 20, 2023. SM Entertainment later announced that promotional schedules have been postponed due to Jaehyun's health issues. [16] [17] The rescheduled promotions on music shows then began on April 27 and concluded on May 7. [18]
On June 24, 2023, NCT DoJaeJung held the EP's accompanying fan concert, titled "Scented Symphony: Perfume", at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. [19] [20]
The lead single "Perfume" is described as an R&B electro pop song, consisting of rhythmic slab guitar, synth pad, boom bap rhythm sound, and groovy electric bass line. The members' a cappella vocals are also highlighted in the song. The lyrics express mature and sensuous messages of "wanting to leave a scent to a significant other". [21] The second track "Kiss" is a medium-tempo R&B song with a "dreamy atmosphere". [22] The third track "Dive" is medium-tempo R&B with lyrics that describe one's feelings of deeply falling in love. [23]
The fourth track "Can We Go Back", which was first performed by NCT DoJaeJung at the Seoul Olympic Stadium for NCT 127's Neo City – The Link+ concerts in October 2022, is an R&B song composed of an acoustic guitar melody and portrays a person who wants to return to the past "out of suffering from a terrible aftermath of a breakup." [22] The fifth track "Strawberry Sunday" is described as an upbeat R&B funk song, composed of lyrics about the "excitement of being with a significant other." [24] Lastly, the sixth track "Ordinary" is a ballad with the emotional portrayal of writing "honest feelings that cannot be conveyed to a loved one." [23]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
NME | [25] |
In a review for NME, Carmen Chin rated the album three out of five stars, opining that although it was safer than expected for a group known for its "unabashed experimentation", the record still displayed "masterful storytelling and dulcet vocals". [25]
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Perfume" | Kim Su-min (153/Joombas) |
|
| 2:47 |
2. | "Kiss" | Park Lang (Verygoods) |
|
| 3:00 |
3. | "Dive" | Ji Yu-ri (Jam Factory) |
| LDN Noise | 3:56 |
4. | "Strawberry Sunday" | Jo Yoon-kyung |
|
| 2:58 |
5. | "Can We Go Back" (후유증) | Kang Eun-jeong |
|
| 3:23 |
6. | "Ordinary" (안녕) | MinGtion | MinGtion | MinGtion | 3:18 |
Total length: | 19:25 |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Perfume. [26]
Weekly charts
| Monthly charts
Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Japan | — | 28,854 [34] |
South Korea (KMCA) [35] | 2× Platinum | 843,659 [6] |
NCT is a South Korean boy band formed and managed by SM Entertainment. Introduced in January 2016, the group consists of 25 members divided into six different sub-units: NCT U, NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, NCT DoJaeJung, and NCT Wish. They are known for their versatility in music, vocal and rap abilities, and powerful performances, and have been cited as K-pop's "most experimental boy band" due to their concept of having limitless members. As of June 2024, NCT has recorded more than 40 million album sales in Korea across all sub-units, making them the best-selling act under SM Entertainment and one of the best-selling K-pop artists of all time.
Regular-Irregular is the first studio album by South Korean boy band NCT 127, the second sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT. Described as a multi-genre concept album with a total of eleven tracks, the album was released by SM Entertainment on October 12, 2018, and distributed by IRIVER. This marks NCT 127's first Korean major release after a year and four months since their previous EP, Cherry Bomb, released in June 2017. It is also their first release as a ten-member group after Jungwoo was added in September 2018. It is also the group's last release to date featuring member Winwin, as he would focus his promotions on WayV following the album's release.
Kim Dong-young, known professionally as Doyoung (Korean: 도영), is a South Korean singer, actor, and host. He is a member of the South Korean boy band NCT through the sub-units NCT 127 and NCT DoJaeJung.
Jeong Yun-o, known professionally as Jaehyun, is a South Korean singer. He is a member of the South Korean boy band NCT and its sub-units NCT 127 and NCT DoJaeJung. He made his solo debut on August 26, 2024, with the studio album J.
NCT 2020 Resonance is the second studio album by South Korean boy band NCT, an unlimited group project under the management of SM Entertainment. Similar to their previous release NCT 2018 Empathy, NCT 2020 Resonance is part of the "NCT 2020" project; which saw all current NCT members from several units collaborating on a full-length release. This time, the album features all 23 members from three current units of NCT; NCT 127, NCT Dream, and WayV, while introducing two new NCT members, namely Shotaro and Sungchan. It would also be the final NCT album to feature Lucas due to his hiatus and eventual departure in 2023. The first part was released on October 12, 2020, and the second part was then released on November 23, 2020.
Sticker is the third Korean-language and fourth overall studio album by South Korean boy band NCT 127. It was released on September 17, 2021, by SM Entertainment, distributed by Dreamus in South Korea and Virgin Music in United States. It follows their Japanese-language EP Loveholic, released in February 2021, and previous Korean-language studio album Neo Zone, released in March 2020. On October 25, the group released a repackaged version of Sticker, titled Favorite, which features three new tracks, including the lead single "Favorite (Vampire)".
INVU is the third studio album by South Korean singer Taeyeon. The album was released by SM Entertainment on February 14, 2022, and contains thirteen tracks, including the 2021 standalone single "Weekend", the pre-release single "Can't Control Myself", and the lead single of the same name, the former duo charted at top 10 and the latter debuted atop the Gaon Digital Chart.
"Glitch Mode" is a song that was recorded by South Korean boy group NCT Dream. It was released as the lead single from their second studio album Glitch Mode (2022) on March 28, 2022, alongside an accompanying music video. The song was written by NCT Dream's member Mark and Yoo Jae-eun and was composed by Sam SZND alongside Benjamin 55 and Alony 55, who also worked on the arrangement.
Forever 1 is the seventh Korean studio album and tenth overall by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. It was released digitally on August 5 and physically on August 8, 2022, by SM Entertainment to commemorate the group's fifteenth anniversary since their debut in 2007. Forever 1 is Girls' Generation first music release in five years, following their hiatus after the release of their sixth Korean studio album Holiday Night (2017). The album contains ten tracks, including the lead single of the same name.
2 Baddies is the fourth Korean-language studio album by South Korean boy band NCT 127. It was released on September 16, 2022, by SM Entertainment, and contains 12 tracks in a variety of genres, including the lead single of the same name. The album received positive reviews from critics, who praised the versatility of the tracks that range from hip hop to R&B. On January 30, 2023, the group released a repackaged version of 2 Baddies, titled Ay-Yo, which features three new tracks, including the lead single of the same name. The album has sold a total of 3.2 million copies, becoming NCT 127's second triple million-selling album following Sticker (2021).
"Forever Only" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Jaehyun. It was released on August 18, 2022, alongside an accompanying music video, as the fourth single of the NCT Lab project. The song was written by Jaehyun, Dewain Whitmore Jr., Ellie Suh, Micah Premnath, and producer Tido Nguyen. It is described as a guitar-driven R&B and pop track reminiscent of the 2000s. Inspired by the time Jaehyun spent in Milan, the lyrics express one's yearning for the person they love. It charted at number 120 on the Circle Digital Chart in South Korea, and at number 14 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart in the United States. The song received positive reviews from critics, with praise for its composition and Jaehyun's vocal performance.
2022 Winter SM Town: SMCU Palace is the tenth winter album by SM Town. It was released by SM Entertainment on December 26, 2022. The album contains ten tracks that saw various collaborations of the label's artists, with two singles have been released to support the album; "Beautiful Christmas" was released as the album's lead single on December 14, 2022, and "The Cure", released as the second single on January 1, 2023, during the annual online free concert SM Town Live 2023: SMCU Palace at Kwangya.
Candy is the fifth extended play (EP) by South Korean boy band NCT Dream. It was released digitally on December 16, 2022, and physically on December 19, 2022, by SM Entertainment through Dreamus. Marketed as a special winter mini-album, the EP consists of six Christmas-themed tracks, including its lead single of the same name, originally released by H.O.T. in 1996.
Stamp on It is the first extended play by South Korean supergroup Got the Beat. It was released by SM Entertainment on January 16, 2023, and contains six tracks, including the lead single of the same name.
Rover is the third extended play by South Korean singer Kai, released on March 13, 2023, by SM Entertainment. The EP contains six tracks including the lead single of the same name. The physical album is available in five versions.
NCT DoJaeJung is the fifth sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT, formed and managed by SM Entertainment. The group consists of three members: Doyoung, Jaehyun, and Jungwoo. They debuted on April 17, 2023, with their extended play (EP) Perfume. They are recognized for their R&B music and all-vocal performance, which distinguish them from the other sub-units within NCT.
"Perfume" is a song recorded by South Korean boy band NCT DoJaeJung for their debut extended play (EP) of the same name. Composed by Styalz Fuego, MZMC, Brandon Arreaga, Colin Magalong, Landon Sears, and Kaelyn Behr, with lyrics written by Kim Su-min, the song was released on April 17, 2023, by SM Entertainment. An accompanying music video was released on the same date. "Perfume" is described as an R&B electropop song that expresses mature and sensuous messages of "wanting to leave a scent to a significant other".
My World is the third extended play by South Korean girl group Aespa. It was released by SM Entertainment on May 8, 2023, and contains six tracks, including the pre-release single "Welcome to My World" featuring Naevis, and the lead single "Spicy" which reached the top three on the Circle Digital Chart. Compared to the dark, futuristic, hyperpop-influenced tones of Savage (2021) and Girls (2022), My World's brighter pop sound draws mostly from dance and R&B, with melodies characterized by "captivating beats" and "delightful" vocals of the group. The songs incorporate eclectic styles ranging from alternative pop and dream pop to synth-pop and ballad. Described by Aespa as a return to the "real world" from Kwangya, the mini album shows a new side of the group across various genres.
Youth is the debut studio album by South Korean singer Doyoung. It was released on April 22, 2024 by SM Entertainment through Kakao Entertainment, and contained ten tracks. The album marked Doyoung as the third NCT member to make an official solo debut.
Dream scape is the sixth EP by South Korean boy band NCT Dream. Released on March 25, 2024, by SM Entertainment through Kakao Entertainment, the album consists of 6 tracks, including the lead single, "Smoothie".