Why (Taeyeon song)

"Why" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Taeyeon for her second extended play of the same name. It was released as the EP's second single on June 28, 2016 by SM Entertainment. The song's lyrics were penned by Jo Yoon-kyung, while its music was composed by LDN Noise, Lauren Dyson, and Rodnae "Chikk" Bell. Musically, as opposed to Taeyeon's signature balladic styles, "Why" is described as a hybrid of EDM and R&B with elements of tropical house. The track's lyrics address a desire to escape a suffocating life.

"Why"
Single by Taeyeon
from the album Why
ReleasedJune 28, 2016
Genre
Length3:27
LabelSM
Songwriter(s)
  • Jo Yoon-kyung
  • LDN Noise
  • Lauren Dyson
  • Rodnae "Chikk" Bell
Producer(s)LDN Noise
Taeyeon singles chronology
"Starlight"
(2016)		 "Why"
(2016)		 "11:11"
(2016)

The single received positive reviews from music critics, who were favorable towards the song's refreshing musical styles as well as Taeyeon's vocal performance. Commercially, "Why" peaked at number seven on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart and reached number six on the Billboard World Digital Songs chart. As of December 2016, the song has sold 689,209 digital units in South Korea.

Two music videos for the song were released; the first one was directed by Im Seong-gwan and was premiered simultaneously with the release of the single. Filmed in California, the video depicts Taeyeon going on a trip to re-energize herself. The second one–a dance version featuring Taeyeon performing the choreography to the song was released on July 4, 2016. To promote "Why", Taeyeon held an event called "Countdown Night" prior to the song's release on Naver's V app. She also appeared and performed on music shows including Music Bank, Show! Music Core, and Inkigayo. The song was also included on the setlist of Taeyeon's concert Butterfly Kiss in South Korea in July and August 2016.

Background and release

Taeyeon made her official debut as a solo singer in October 2015 with her first extended play I, which peaked at number two on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart and has sold over 140,000 physical copies in the country.[1] Following the success of I, Taeyeon released a single for S.M. Entertainment's digital music platform SM Station titled "Rain", which was a number-one hit on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart.[2] As her popularity consolidated, S.M. Entertainment announced on June 17, 2016 that Taeyeon's second extended play Why would be released on June 28.[3] The EP was an instant success in South Korea, exceeding pre-order sales of 102,598 copies,[4] and went on to debut atop the Gaon Album Chart.[5]

Why yielded two singles; the first one was "Starlight" featuring alternative R&B singer Dean; it was released on June 25, 2016 by S.M. Entertainment. "Why" was the second single after "Starlight", being made available for digital download three days after the release of the lead single.[6] The song impacted Korean Broadcasting System radio on June 29, 2016.[7] According to the liner notes of the EP, the lyrics of "Why" were written by Jo Yoon-kyung, while its music was composed by LDN Noise, Lauren Dyson, and Rodnae "Chikk" Bell.[8]

Music and lyrics

As opposed to Taeyeon's signature balladic styles, "Why" was described as a hybrid of "trendy" EDM and R&B.[9] Chester Chin from Malaysian magazine The Star characterized the track as a tropical house-inspired song instrumented by "twirling" synthesizers and electronic beats.[10] Jeff Benjamin writing for Fuse wrote that "Why" featured "sparse guitar drums" and a "woozy" tropical house beat, and likened the song's musical styles to those of DJ Snake's single "Middle" (2015).[11] Writing for Billboard, Benjamin and Jessica Oak described the song as an electropop track.[12] In an episode of Pops in Seoul broadcast by Arirang TV on July 12, 2016, Taeyeon herself described "Why" as a tropical house song that would "make you feel refreshed and want to dance," which she thought of as a suitable tune for the summer. The track's lyrics detail a desire to escape from a suffocating life to re-energize oneself.[13] Moon Wang-sik from Star News also noted a hesitancy in the dream of a "sudden escape from everyday's life":[14]

If I leave now, Good, Good, Good, yeah
Everything I meet is going to be Great, Great, yeah
With a lighter heart, Work, Work, baby
It is already in front of me
But I am hesitating, Why[upper-alpha 1]

Reception

"Why" received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Chester Chin from The Star noted the "180 degree shift" in the song's musical styles as a departure from Taeyeon's signature sound, describing the track as a "neon-coloured" song that played as "a progressive evolution" rather than "simply emulating" a more Americanized sound. He also praised the song's instrumentation as showcasing Taeyeon as "an incredibly dynamic performer."[10] Jeff Benjamin writing for Fuse lauded "Why" as "an ornament for Taeyeon's powerhouse vocals" with "precise harmonies and an emotional punch" that was deemed as unusual for a typical EDM release.[11] Korea JoongAng Daily's Lee Seo-jin dubbed the single as "refreshing",[15] while Go Jae-wan from The Chosun Ilbo was enthusiastic towards the track's musical styles as well as Taeyeon's "cool" vocals that would make the song "blow off the heat this summer."[9]

Commercially, "Why" was Taeyeon's first to fail to enter the top five of the Gaon Digital Chart since her solo career began in 2015. The track debuted at number seven on the chart issue dated June 26 – July 2, 2016.[16] The following week, it dropped to number nine on the chart.[17] "Why" was the thirteenth best-performing song of July 2016 on the Gaon Digital Chart, based on digital sales, streaming, and instrumental track downloads.[18] As of December 2016, "Why" has sold 689,209 digital copies in South Korea.[19] On the World Digital Songs, a chart published by Billboard, "Why" debuted at number seven on the chart issue dated July 16, 2016;[20] the following week, it rose to number six, which later became its peak position on the chart.[21] The single remained on the chart for six weeks before dropping out of the chart on the chart issue dated August 27, 2016.[22]

Music videos

There are two accompanying music videos for "Why". The original video, directed by Im Seong-gwan, premiered simultaneously with the release of the single.[23] Its synopsis follows the lyrical content of the song, depicting Taeyeon as the protagonist who desires to escape a suffocating life to re-energize herself. The filming location was decided by Taeyeon herself to be California; the singer explained on Pops of Seoul, "I wanted to choose a location where I had created wonderful memories before. When it comes to a liberal, cool, sunny and beautiful place, LA [sic] comes to mind first, and that's why."[13] Jeff Benjamin from Fuse wrote that the video "showcases a new side of Taeyeon" while praising the singer's "fierce" fashion style, notably Moschino crop tops and a flannel shirt plastered with the phrase "Queen of Beers."[11] Echoing Benjamin's viewpoint, Susan Min of CJ E&M expressed: "Taeyeon shows a side of her that we′ve never seen before [...] with condiments especially catches the eye."[24]

A dance version was released on July 4, 2016.[25] Set to the backdrop of bright colors and flashing lights, the video focuses on Taeyeon's dancing skills and features choreography created for the song.[26][27] An editor from BNT news commented that Taeyeon's performance would "satisfy the global fans’ needs,"[25] while Australian network Special Broadcasting Service deemed the choreography as "seriously impressive" that "definitely required quite a bit of practice."[27]

Promotion

Prior to the song and the EP's release, on June 27, 2016, Taeyeon held a live event called "Countdown Night" on Naver's V app, introducing songs from the album and communicating with her fans.[28] Following the release of the EP, the singer performed the title track "Why" on three music programs: KBS2's Music Bank on July 1, MBC's Show! Music Core on July 2, and SBS's Inkigayo on July 3.[29] On July 10, the single achieved the top spot on Inkigayo, based on digital sales, physical sales (album sales), YouTube view count, and viewers' vote count; Taeyeon however did not attend the show on that day due to schedule conflict.[30] To further promote the EP, Taeyeon embarked on a series of concerts titled Butterfly Kiss. The concert took place in Seoul at Olympic Park on July 9–10, 2016, and in Busan at the KBS Hall on August 6–7, 2016.[31] "Why" was included on the setlist of the show, which consisted of 22 songs in total.[32]

Accolades
Year-end lists
Critic/Publication List Rank Ref.
KultScene 50 Best Korean Songs of 2016: Part 2 11 [33]
Tone Glow The 30 Best K-Pop Songs of 2016 11 [34]
Decade-end list
Publication Accolade Rank / Year Ref.
Medium 25 Best K-Pop Songs of the 2010s 11 [35]
Music program award
Program Network Date Ref.
Inkigayo SBS July 10, 2016 [36]

Credits

Credits are adapted from the CD liner notes of Why.[8]

  • Recorded at S.M. Yellow Tail Studio and S.M. Blue Ocean Studio
  • Mixed at S.M. Yellow Tail Studio
  • Vocal editing at MonoTree Studio
  • Korean lyrics by Jo Yoon-kyung
  • Composed and arranged by LDN Noise, Lauren Dyson, and Rodnae "Chikk" Bell
  • Produced by LDN Noise
  • Vocal directed by G-high
  • Pro Tools operating by G-high

Charts

References
Notes
  1. Original Hangul lyrics:[8]
    지금 떠난다면 Good, Good, Good, yeah
    만나게 될 모든 건 Great, Great, yeah
    가벼워진 맘이 Work, Work, baby
    이미 이미 눈 앞에
    아른아른대는데 망설여 Why
Footnotes
  1. "Gaon Album Chart of 2015" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on March 20, 2016.
  2. "Gaon Digital Chart: Week 6, 2016" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016.
  3. "Summer Girl Group Competition, Taeyeon's Album to Be Released on the 28th" (in Korean). Newsis. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  4. "Taeyeon's 'Why' exceed 100k preorder, MV released today (June 27)". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Chosun Ilbo Co. June 27, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  5. "Gaon Album Chart: Week 27, 2016" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on July 16, 2016.
  6. "Taeyeon's full mini-album 'Why' released at midnight June 28". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Chosun Ilbo Co. June 25, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  7. "Play List". Korean Broadcasting System. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  8. Why (CD liner notes) (in Korean). Taeyeon. S.M. Entertainment. 2016.CS1 maint: others (link)
  9. "'Why' to be released on the 28th... Return of ballad goddess?". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Chosun Ilbo Co. June 21, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  10. Chin, Chester (August 1, 2016). "Review: Why by Taeyeon". The Star. Star Media Group Bernad. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  11. Benjamin, Jeff (June 27, 2016). "Taeyeon's 'Why': Watch the Girls' Generation's Leader Tropical House Release". Fuse. The Madison Square Garden Company. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  12. Benjamin, Jeff; Oak, Jessica (December 22, 2016). "20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2016: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  13. Pops in Seoul (music program). Episode 3203 (in Korean). Seoul: Arirang TV. July 12, 2016.
  14. Moon Wang-sik (June 28, 2016). "Taeyeon's 'Why', if you listen now, 'Good, good, good'" (in Korean). Star News. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  15. Lee Seo-jin (July 5, 2016). "[New Release] Taeyeon". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  16. "Gaon Digital Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on July 8, 2016.
  17. "Gaon Digital Chart: Week 28 of 2016" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  18. "Gaon Digital Chart: July 2016" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  19. "2016 Download Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017.
  20. "World Digital Songs: July 16, 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  21. "World Digital Songs: July 23, 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  22. "World Digital Songs: August 20, 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  23. "Taeyeon's 'Why' charted atop six charts". Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). June 28, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  24. Min, Susan (June 28, 2016). "SNSD′s Taeyeon Enjoys Summer to the Fullest in ′Why′ MV". CJ E&M. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  25. Ahn, Woorim (July 4, 2016). "Taeyeon Drops Dance Version Music Video of 'Why'". BNT News. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  26. Nurshuhada Ramli, Bibi (August 24, 2016). "Voice of an angel". New Straits Times. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  27. "Girls' Generation's Taeyeon drops a dance version of her 'Why' MV". Special Broadcasting Service. July 5, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  28. "Taeyeon, 'Why' do you know your fan's love like this? [V-live]". OSEN. June 28, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2016 – via The Chosun Ilbo.
  29. Jung Eun-jin (June 28, 2016). "Taeyeon tops charts with 'Why'". The Korea Herald. Lee Young-man. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  30. Yoon Sang-keun (July 10, 2016). "Taeyeon achieves no. 1 on 'Inkigayo'" (in Korean). Star News. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  31. Lee Ji-hyun (June 29, 2016). "Taeyeon's 'Why' tops 12 iTunes charts globally". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Chosun Ilbo Co. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  32. Chung Joo-won (July 10, 2016). "Taeyeon of Girls' Generation sets milestone for S. Korean girl group singers". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  33. "50 Best Korean Songs of 2016 | Best Kpop songs 2016". KultScene. December 26, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  34. "The 30 Best K-Pop Songs of 2016". Tone Glow. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  35. Gaffney, Ciara (December 7, 2019). "25 Best K-Pop Songs of the 2010s". Medium. Archived from the original on December 22, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  36. "태연, 방송출연 없이 씨스타 제치고 '인기가요' 1위". 스타뉴스 (in Korean). July 10, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  37. "Digital Chart of 2016" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017.
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