Bad Boy (Red Velvet song)


"Bad Boy" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for The Perfect Red Velvet, the 2018 reissue to the group's second studio album Perfect Velvet. Described as a hip hop-influenced R&B and trap song that finds the group singing about the relationship between the titular "bad boy" and a "cold woman", it was produced by production team The Stereotypes, Maxx Song, Whitney Phillips and Yoo Young-jin, while the Korean lyrics were adapted by lyricists JQ and Moon Hee-yeon. To coincide with its parental reissue release, both the song and its accompanying music video were release by SM Entertainment and Dreamus on January 29, 2018, serving as the lead single from the reissue title, and subsequently the second single overall from Perfect Velvet. An English version of the song was later released on August 6, 2018 as the bonus track for the group's second special extended play Summer Magic, marking their first release to be re-recorded in English.
Upon its release, "Bad Boy" was well-received by critics overseas and in the group's native country South Korea, who praised both its "pristine" production and the group's transition to a sexy concept, further citing the song as an example for the girl group’s "lush contemporary R&B-meets-pop" sound. It was included in Billboard's '100 Best Songs of 2018: Critics' Picks' list, and topped their annual '20 Best K-pop Songs of 2018: Critics' Picks' list, thus becoming the first female act to top this list. Dazed also included the song in their '20 best K-pop songs of 2018'. Commercially, the song was a domestic and international success, becoming the group's fourth chart-topper on the Gaon Download Chart and their fourth number two entry on the Gaon Digital Chart. As of April 2020, the song was the group's third single to sell over 2,5 million digital units in South Korea, but their first to receive a Platinum KMCA certificate following its introduction in 2018. Similar to the song's native success, "Bad Boy" attained success in North America, peaking at number two on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart and number eighty-seven on the Canadian Hot 100, giving the group their first entry on the latter chart, thus making them only the seventh K-pop artist and the third female act to appear on the chart.
To promote the track, Red Velvet has since appeared and performed the song on several South Korea television music shows, later embarked on their second and third concert tours to perform the single. The song is also notable for being one of two songs 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 Entertainment in fifteen years since Shinhwa.

Background and release

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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

Composition

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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. An English version of the song was later released as a bonus track for their next release on August 6, 2018, titled Summer Magic.

Music video and promotion

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. 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".
On January 29, 2018, Red Velvet held a comeback showcase broadcast live through the Naver app V Live which was hosted by label mate Girls' Generation member Hyoyeon where the members discussed "Bad Boy" and performed it live for the first time. Red Velvet began their music show promotions for the song through M! Countdown on February 1. The group also performed the song on Music Bank, Show! Music Core, Inkigayo and Show Champion where they achieved their first music show win for "Bad Boy" on February 7. The group received 5 total music show wins for the song.
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. 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.

Critical reception

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, which contrasted the quirkier "red" songs that the group has released in the previous year. 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. Fuses 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". Forbes opined that The Stereotypes' work on the album "have helped hone the girl group's lush contemporary R&B-meets-pop sound".
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.
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". 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". The song was also featured in Papers 'Top 20 K-Pop Songs of 2018' at number two, stating that "In a year marked by terrible men 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".
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".
Critic/PublicationListRank
BillboardBillboard's 100 Best Songs of 2018: Critics' Picks43
BillboardThe 20 Best K-pop Songs of 2018: Critics' Picks1
Korea PortalTop 10 K-Pop Songs Of 20182
PAPERPAPER's Top 20 K-Pop Songs of 20182
YouTube RewindTop 10 Most Popular Music Videos In Korea From 20186
The Young FolksThe 20 Best K-Pop Singles of 201810
The KrazeStaff Picks: Top 15 K-Pop Songs of the First Half of 20184
KultScene25 Best K-pop Songs Of 20182
i-Deverything that happened to k-pop in 20188
Reddit K-PopSong of the Year 20181
Reddit K-PopMusic Video of the Year 20182
Reddit K-PopBest Teaser 20181
Reddit K-PopBest Live Performance 20183
Reddit K-PopBest Choreography 2018 - Female Duo/Group1
Reddit K-PopBest R&B Song 20181
DazedThe 20 best K-pop songs of 20184
Buzzfeed30 Songs That Helped Define K-Pop In 20181
Tone GlowThe 50 Best Korean Songs of 20181

Commercial performance

Upon its release, "Bad Boy" attained commercial success in the group's native country. The song debuted and peaked at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart for two consecutive weeks, being held off the top spot by iKon's "Love Scenario". The song was Red Velvet's ninth top-ten, and subsequently their fourth number two entry on the chart. Additionally, "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. 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. In April 2020, "Bad Boy" was certified Platinum by the Korea Music Content Association 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.
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. 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. 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. The song was Red Velvet's third single to chart on the Japan Hot 100, peaking at number forty-nine for one week.

Credits

Credits adapted from The Perfect Red Velvet liner notes

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Accolades

YearOrganizationAwardResult
2018Melon Music AwardsSong of the Yearalign="center"
2018Mnet Asian Music AwardsSong of The Year align="center"
2018Mnet Asian Music AwardsBest Dance Performance - Female Groupalign="center"
2019Gaon Chart Music AwardsSong of the Year - Januaryalign="center"
2019Golden Disc AwardsDigital Song Division align="center"
2019Korean Music AwardsBest Pop Songalign="center"

ProgramNetworkDate
Show ChampionMBC MusicFebruary 7, 2018
M CountdownMnetFebruary 8, 2018
M CountdownMnetFebruary 15, 2018
Music BankKBSFebruary 9, 2018
InkigayoSBSFebruary 11, 2018

Release history