Red Light (f(x) album)

Last updated

Red Light
Red Light album cover.jpg
Digital and "Wild Cats" version cover
Studio album by
f(x)
ReleasedJuly 7, 2014
Recorded2014
StudioSM Studios, Seoul
Genre
Length35:05
LanguageKorean
Label SM Entertainment
Producer
F(x) chronology
Pink Tape
(2013)		Red Light
(2014)		 4 Walls
(2015)
Singles from Red Light
  1. "Red Light"
    Released: July 3, 2014

Red Light is the third studio album by South Korean girl group f(x), released on July 7, 2014, by SM Entertainment and Genie Music. [4] It reached number one on the Gaon Album Chart [5] and had two promotional singles, "Red Light" and "Milk". This is the last album with Sulli, who left the group one year after its release.

Contents

Background and release

Red Light has a dark and eerie concept, which f(x) said they liked. Krystal added that she liked this concept because she is often given roles that make her look pretty, and just this once she wanted something that would make her look darker and different. [6]

Naver describes the album's title track, "Red Light", as a "blast of urban rhythm bit, reversal in electro house genre". The lyrics talk about capturing great moments, stopping and reconsidering what is important in life. Also, it is a message, using a "red light" to symbolize the warning, that is expressed in an eye-catching way. [7] Jakob Dorof of Vice described the song as "a high-tech whiplash thriller with a chorus that hits like a fist and, by the second blow, has you begging for it." [8] Kenzie, wrote the lyrics and Maegan Cottone of Phrased Differently, Daniel Ullmann, Bryan Jarett, Allison Kaplan and Sherry St. Germain were credited with the song's music. It was produced by Lee Soo-man and Casper & B. f(x) member Amber Liu describes the song's dance as the "most passionate" and "most dynamic". Luna said that the song's genre fitted with their aim for a slightly intense but feminine image. [9]

The group played their first performance of the album's lead single, "Red Light", on July 3, 2014, through Mnet's M Countdown . [10] The title track "Red Light" was played on Korean Broadcasting System's K-Pop Connection radio from July 8, 2014. [11]

Commercial performance

The Red Light album reached number one on the weekly Gaon Album Chart, [5] while the promotional single "Red Light" went to number two on the Gaon Digital Chart [12] and the Billboard K-pop Hot 100. [13] Several other non-promotional album tracks also charted on the Gaon and K-pop Hot 100 charts. [13] The record sold 86,143 copies in South Korea in 2014, the nineteenth best-selling album of the year. [14]

Critical reception

Fuse TV described f(x) as K-pop's top hipsters, [15] and the album was acclaimed by critics. The "Red Light" music video reached more than 2 million views on YouTube on the first day of release. [16] By August 2014, it had reached more than 10 million views. [17] The song "Red Light" was chosen by Fuse TV as one of 15 nominees for 2014's summer anthem. [18] The title track "Red Light" was included on the lists of best K-pop songs of 2014 by Dazed (number nine), [19] Vice (number four), [20] and PopMatters (number one). [21]

Controversies

The South Korean broadcast station KBS ruled "Red Light" unfit for broadcast, since the song mentions a specific brand, the heavy equipment manufacturing company Caterpillar. [22] In response, f(x)'s agency, SM Entertainment, modified the lyrics. [23] Other TV stations, however, such as SBS's Inkigayo , MBC's Show Champion and Mnet's M Countdown, allowed broadcast of the song with its original lyrics. [ citation needed ]

Accolades

Music program awards for "Red Light"
ProgramDate
Show Champion July 16, 2014
M Countdown July 17, 2014
Music Bank July 18, 2014
Show! Music Core July 19, 2014
Inkigayo July 20, 2014

Sulli's hiatus

On July 17, f(x) performed on Mnet's M Countdown without Sulli. [24] SM Entertainment explained that she was sick and thus unable to perform. However, when she did not appear in the next few Red Light promotions and f(x)'s Korean promotion schedule was abruptly cleared for the rest of the month, it led to speculation that Sulli would be leaving the group, or that the group itself would be disbanding. [25] On July 24, SM Entertainment posted an official statement on the group's homepage, stating that Sulli had become "mentally and physically exhausted from the continuous, malicious comments and false rumors" that had been spread about her, [26] and would take a temporary break from the entertainment industry, while remaining a member of f(x). [27] The remaining members would move their activities to focus on solo ventures and continued overseas activities without Sulli for the time being. [28] Sulli eventually withdrew from the group on August 8, 2015, making Red Light her final contribution. [29] [30]

Track listing

Red Light track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Red Light" Kenzie Bryan Jarett, Daniel Ullmann, Maegan Cottone, Allison Kaplan, Sherry St. Germain, / Produced by Casper & B.3:32
2."Milk"KenzieLee Hyun Seung, Kenzie, Teddy Riley, DOM, Engelina Larsen 3:36
3."Butterfly" (나비; Nabi)Shin Jin Hye (Jam Factory) Thomas Troelsen, Engelina Larsen, Shin Eun Seung (Hitchhiker)2:57
4."Rainbow" (무지개; Mujigae) Misfit Will Simms / Ylva Dimberg2:47
5."All Night"Jinbo, Kim Lee Young (Jam Factory), Lee Eun-jin Lee Hyun Seung, Teddy Riley, DOM, Jinbo, Ylva Dimberg3:30
6."Vacance" (바캉스; Bakangseu)KenzieKenzie3:15
7."Spit It Out" (뱉어내; Baeteonae)MisfitCaesar & Loui, Olof Lindskog, Jasmine Anderson3:02
8."Boom Bang Boom" Seo Ji-eum Eirik Johansen, Jan Hallvard Larsen, Carl Johan Isac Gustafsson, Fredrik Haggstam, Sebastian Per Emil Lundberg, Melanie Fontana 2:54
9."Dracula"Jo Yun GyeongJoachim Vermeulen Windsant, Willem Laseroms, Maarten ten Hove3:14
10."Summer Lover"Young-hu Kim Amber J. Liu, Sean Alexander2:54
11."Paper Heart" (종이 심장; Jongi Simjang)Seo Ji-eumChris Wahle, Didrik Thott, Dianna Corcoran 3:25

Credits and personnel

Charts

Related Research Articles

<i>Pink Tape</i> (f(x) album) 2013 studio album by f(x)

Pink Tape is the second studio album by South Korean girl group f(x). The album was released on July 29, 2013, by SM Entertainment. Pink Tape is the first studio album by f(x) in over two years, the last being the repackage of their first album Hot Summer in 2011, and their first Korean release in over a year since 2012's Electric Shock. The album peaked at the number-one position on multiple music charts internationally, including Billboard's World Albums and South Korea's Gaon charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulli</span> South Korean singer and actress (1994–2019)

Choi Jin-ri, better known by her stage name Sulli, was a South Korean singer and actress. She first made her debut as a child actress, appearing as a supporting cast member on the SBS historical drama Ballad of Seodong (2005). Following this, she earned a number of guest roles, appearing in the television series Love Needs a Miracle (2005) and Drama City (2007), and the film Vacation (2006). She then subsequently appeared in the independent films Punch Lady (2007) and BA:BO (2008), the former being her first time cast in a substantial dramatic role.

f(x) (musical group) South Korean girl group

f(x) (; Korean: 에프엑스; RR: Epeuekseu) is a South Korean girl group, consisting of Victoria, Amber, Luna, Krystal, and previously Sulli until her departure from the group in August 2015. Formed by SM, f(x) officially debuted in September 2009 with the release of the digital single "La Cha Ta".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amber Liu (singer)</span> Taiwanese American singer

Amber Josephine Liu, also known mononymously as Amber, is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter. She debuted as a member of the South Korean girl group f(x) in September 2009. In 2015, she became the first f(x) member to make a solo debut with the release of her first extended play Beautiful and has since released solo singles in Korean, English, and Mandarin.

<i>Pinocchio</i> (f(x) album) 2011 studio album by f(x)

Pinocchio is the debut studio album by South Korean girl group f(x), released on April 20, 2011 by SM Entertainment. "Pinocchio (Danger)" was released as the album's title track on April 17 as a digital single. The album was the 19th best-selling album in 2011 in South Korea.

"Pinocchio (Danger)" (피노키오; Pinokio) is a song and lead single by South Korean girl group f(x) from their first studio album Pinocchio. The song was released digitally on April 17, 2011 through various music portal websites by the distributing and record label agency SM Entertainment. Accompanying promotional music video was released through YouTube on April 19, 2011.

"Rum Pum Pum Pum" is a song by South Korean girl group f(x). It was released as the lead single from the album Pink Tape on July 29, 2013, through SM Entertainment.

<i>Everybody</i> (EP) 2013 EP by Shinee

Everybody is the fifth EP recorded and performed by the South Korean contemporary R&B idol group Shinee. The EP consists of seven tracks and it incorporates complextro and R&B-slow jam music genres. It was released for physical purchase domestically and for digital download globally on October 14, 2013, by SM Entertainment. The track "Everybody" was chosen as the lead single for the promotional cycle. To promote the album, Shinee appeared on several South Korean music programs including M Countdown and Inkigayo.

<i>Mr.Mr.</i> (EP) 2014 EP by Girls Generation

Mr.Mr. is the fourth extended play (EP) by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. The EP consists of six tracks and it incorporates electropop and R&B-pop music genres. It was released for digital download by SM Entertainment and KT Music on February 24, 2014. The CD and digital version were released in Hong Kong on the same day, and was made available for purchase on February 27 in South Korea. To promote the album, Girls' Generation appeared on several South Korean music programs including Music Bank and Inkigayo. The title track was released as a single. This is the final Korean EP featuring member Jessica who later left the group on September 30, 2014.

"Mr.Mr." is a Korean song recorded by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation for their fourth Korean titular extended play (2014). The song was released on February 25, 2014, as a single from the EP. The song was composed by American production team The Underdogs, who had previously worked with Western artists including Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and Justin Timberlake. A music video for the song was initially planned to be released on February 19 but was postponed to February 28 due to the accidental deletion of some of the original files.

<i>Crazy</i> (EP) 2015 EP by 4Minute

Crazy is the sixth extended play (EP) by South Korean girl group 4Minute. It was released on February 9, 2015, by Cube Entertainment and distributed by Universal Music Group. It was the group's first offering in 11 months since the release of 4Minute World (2014). The EP marked a shift towards a bolder concept and fresh direction for the group and contains six songs. Musically, the album is characterized by the group's signature hip hop sound, while also encompassing several other genres including, trap, dance, Europop, funk, disco and rock.

<i>Ice Cream Cake</i> (EP) 2015 EP by Red Velvet

Ice Cream Cake is the debut Korean extended play by the South Korean girl group Red Velvet. It was released digitally on March 17, 2015, and physically on March 18 by SM Entertainment and distributed by Dreamus, marking the group's first proper release since their initial debut in August 2014 and their first release as a quintet since the addition of the group's fifth member Yeri. The extended play was released in two physical versions, named after the two singles and contained six tracks which introduced both the group's "Red" and "Velvet" sonic concept. The duality was further demonstrated by its two singles, "Automatic" and "Ice Cream Cake", with the latter becoming the group's breakthrough commercial success. S.M. founder Lee Soo-man served as the EP's executive producer, with Hayley Aitken, Trinity Music, Daniel "Obi" Klein, Charli Taft, Jam Factory, Kenzie, Teddy Riley, Cha Cha Malone, MonoTree and others contributed lyrics and production.

<i>Reboot</i> (Wonder Girls album) 2015 studio album by Wonder Girls

Reboot is the third and final studio album by South Korean girl group Wonder Girls. It was released on August 3, 2015, through JYP Entertainment. The Wonder Girls were more involved in the composition of this album, with each member having writing and/or production credits on at least one song; each song has credits for at least one member. It was their first studio album since 2007 to feature member Sunmi and their first since the departure of members Sunye and Sohee. The album musically conveys a 1980s-inspired style, incorporating genres including synthpop, hip hop, pop rock and dance-pop.

<i>4 Walls</i> 2015 studio album by f(x)

4 Walls is the fourth studio album by South Korea-based girl group f(x), released by SM Entertainment and Genie Music on October 27, 2015. A dominant electropop and synthpop record that incorporates various genres, such as house, EDM and UK garage, 4 Walls was composed by several production teams and songwriters, namely LDN Noise, The Stereotypes, Kenzie, Ryan S. Jhun, Makeba Riddick, Carly Rae Jepsen, among others, with Lee Soo-man served as the executive producer of the release. It marked f(x)'s first major release since Red Light in July 2014, and subsequently the group's first and currently the only major release as a quartet since the departure of former member Sulli in August 2015.

<i>Dear Santa</i> (EP) 2015 EP by Girls Generation-TTS

Dear Santa is the christmas EP by Girls' Generation-TTS, sub-unit of the South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. It was released digitally and physically on December 4, 2015 by S.M. Entertainment.

"I" is the debut single by South Korean singer Kim Tae-yeon featuring Verbal Jint, taken from Taeyeon's debut EP of the same name. The song lyrics was written by Taeyeon herself, Mafly, and Verbal Jint, while the music was composed and arranged by Myah Marie Langston, Bennett Armstrong, Justin T. Armstrong, Cosmopolitan Douglas, David Quinones, Jon Asher, and Ryan S. Jhun. It was released digitally on October 7, 2015, in conjunction with the release of the EP, and was released on Korean Broadcasting System's "K-Pop Connection" radio on October 9.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4 Walls (song)</span> 2015 single by f(x)

"4 Walls" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group f(x) for their fourth studio album of the same title. The song was written by Jam Factory's Lee Seu-ran, whilst the music was composed by LDN Noise, Tay Jasper, and Adrian McKinnon. It was released on October 27, 2015 as the lead single in conjunction with the release of the album through SM Entertainment, and marked the group's first single since the departure of Sulli in 2015. Musically, "4 Walls" is described as a dance-oriented tropical house song, incorporating stylistic elements from UK garage and deep house. It was released as the group's second double A-side CD single in Japan with a new track "Cowboy" on November 2, 2016.

"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.

"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.

"One of These Nights" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet. Composed by Hwang Chan-hee, Andreas Öberg, Maria Marcus and penned by Seo Ji-eum of Jam Factory, it was released as the lead single from their second extended play, The Velvet, which is also the group's first major release to focus on the 'Velvet' half of their unique dual concept, as a follow-up to their last album, The Red. "One of These Nights" is an R&B mid-tempo song with lyrics inspired by the story of Jingnyeo and Gyeonu, a folk tale conceived from the Korean festival Chilseok which originates from the Chinese Qixi Festival which falls on the seventh day of the seventh month on the lunisolar calendar. Originally intended to be released a day earlier, SM Entertainment delayed the song and album's release to March 17, 2016, to ensure its quality.

References

  1. ↑ Pearce, Sheldon (November 18, 2015). "f(x): 4 Walls | Album Review". Pitchfork Media. Condé Nast . Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  2. ↑ Sohn, Jiyoung (July 11, 2014). "Eyelike: f(x) reaffirms funk with Red Light". The Korea Herald . Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  3. ↑ Benjamin, Jeff (July 8, 2014). "f(x) Solidifies Brand of Quirky, Hipster Pop With Red Light Album". Billboard . Archived from the original on July 12, 2014.
  4. ↑ "에프엑스, 정규 3집으로 전격 컴백…크리스탈 강렬한 티저". Nate. Donga Ilbo. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "2014년 29주차 Album Chart". Gaon. Archived from the original on July 31, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  6. ↑ Lee, Seung-rok (July 4, 2014). "크리스탈이 밝힌 어두워진 f(x), "예쁘지 않아도…"". My Daily. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  7. ↑ "The 3rd Album Red Light". f(x) official website. SM Entertainment. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  8. ↑ Jakob, Dorof (December 29, 2014). "The 20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2014". Vice. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Arirang Pops in Seoul". Youtube. Arirang TV. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Taeyang Reclaims No. 1 Spot + f(x) and Other Artists Make Comebacks on M! Countdown". Soompi. July 3, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Play List/Entertainment/Program: K-Pop Connection – 2014.07.08". KBS International Radio. Korean Broadcasting System. Archived from the original on May 4, 2016.
  12. ↑ "2014년 29주차 Digital Chart". Gaon. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Billboard's K-Pop Hot 100 for July 16, 2014". Billboard.co.kr. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  14. 1 2 "2014 Album Chart (Year-End)" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on January 15, 2015.
  15. ↑ Benjamin, Jeff. "f(x) Are K-Pop's Top Hipsters With New Single "Red Light"". Fuse.tv. Fuse Networks. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  16. ↑ Jackson, Julie (July 4, 2014). "f(x)'s 'Red Light' video surpasses 2m hits on first day". Korea Herald. Herald Corporation. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  17. ↑ "f(x) '레드라이트' 뮤비, 한달보름만 '1000만뷰' 돌파". Naver. Money Today Star News. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  18. ↑ "15 Tracks Poised to Become Surprise Song of the Summer". Fuse.tv. Fuse Networks. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  19. ↑ Glasby, Taylor (December 16, 2014). "The Best K-pop of 2014". Dazed . Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  20. ↑ Dorof, Jakob (December 29, 2014). "The 20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2014". Vice . Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  21. ↑ Interrante, Scott (December 23, 2014). "The Best K-pop of 2014". PopMatters . Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  22. ↑ "KBS Deems f(x)'s New Title Song "Red Light" Unfit for Broadcast, MBC Still Undecided". Soompi. July 2, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  23. ↑ "f(x) Modifies "Red Light" Lyrics, KBS Gives Them the Green Light". Soompi. July 3, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  24. ↑ "f(x) Grabbed the First Place While Sulli Absent from the Show". koreabizwire.com. Kobiz Media Co. July 17, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  25. ↑ Kuang, Robert. "Fans Fear f(x) Disbandment Due To Sulli's Absence And SM Contract Expiration". Kpopstarz. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  26. ↑ Jones, Julie. "Rumors Force Sulli To Take A Break From Performing". Kdramastars. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  27. ↑ Jung, Ha-soo. "SM Releases Official Statement Announcing f(x) Sulli Will Stop All Promotional Activities". MWave. CJ E&M . Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  28. ↑ "설리, 당분간 연예활동 쉰다.."악플-루머로 고통"". Naver. Osen. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  29. ↑ "SM "설리, f(x) 탈퇴 결정..연기 활동에 집중할 것"[공식입장] :: 네이버 TV연예". Archived from the original on August 8, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  30. ↑ Lee, Eun-jung (August 7, 2015). 설리, 에프엑스 탈퇴…"연기 활동 집중' [Sulli leaves f(x)... "Concentrating on acting activities"]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved March 12, 2022– via Nate.
  31. ↑ "South Korea Circle Album Chart". On the page, select "2014.07.06~2014.07.12" to obtain the corresponding chart. Circle Chart Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Heatseeker Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  33. ↑ "World Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.