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"Birthday" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their sixth special extended play The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday. Written by Issac Han, Aaron Kim, Ghostchild Ltd, Loosen Door, Ejae and Kole, it was released as the EP's lead single by SM Entertainment on November 28, 2022.

Background and release

On October 28, 2022, SM Entertainment announced Red Velvet would be releasing a new album in November 2022. On November 7, it was announced the group will be releasing their sixth special extended play titled The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday, alongside the lead single "Birthday", on November 28. On November 27, the music video teaser was released. The song was released alongside its music video and the EP on November 28.

Composition

"Birthday" was written by Kim Min-ji of Jam Factory, composed and arranged primarily by Issac Han, Aaron Kim, Ghostchild Ltd, and Loosen Door, alongside Ejae and Kole for the composition. It was described a dance-pop song that samples George Gershwin's composition Rhapsody in Blue, featuring R&B, trap, drum, and synth rhythm with lyrics about "returning to the birthday of the person you like and making all of your dreams come true, giving yourself a day to remember". "Birthday" was composed in the key of B-flat minor, with a tempo of 150 beats per minute.

Music video

The "whimsical" music video directed by Kim Hyun-soo of Segaji was released alongside the song by SM Entertainment on November 28, 2022. It portrays Red Velvet's members "being transported into a kaleidoscopic imaginary world constructed from giant pieces of chocolate and candy" where each members "has their own surreal world" with scenes that switches " where Seulgi performs with traditional Korean lion dancer" to "another where Wendy sings in a garden modelled after a chessboard".

Commercial performance

"Birthday" debuted at number 23 on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart in the chart issue dated November 27 – December 3, 2022. on its component charts, it debuted at number six on the Circle Download Chart, number 43 on the Circle Streaming Chart, and number 88 on the Circle BGM Chart. The song also debuted at number 14 on the Billboard South Korea Songs in the chart issue dated December 10, 2022.

Promotion

Prior to the release of The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday, on November 28, 2022, the group held a live event on YouTube and TikTok to introduce the EP and its song, including "Birthday", and to communicate with their fans. They subsequently performed on three music programs in the first week: KBS's Music Bank on December 2, MBC's Show! Music Core on December 3, and SBS's Inkigayo on December 4. On the second week, they performed on Music Bank on December 9, Show! Music Core on December 10, and Inkigayo on December 11.

Accolades

"Birthday" won two music program awards on Show Champion on December 7 and 14, 2022. It received a nomination for Song of the Year – November at the 2023 Circle Chart Music Awards.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday.

Studio

• SM Big Shot Studio – recording
• SM Yellow Tail Studio – recording
• SM Ssam Studio – recording
• SM Blue Ocean Studio – mixing
• SM Lvyin Studio – digital editing
• 821 Sound Mastering – mastering

Personnel

• SM Entertainment – executive producer
• Lee Soo-man – producer
• Lee Sung-soo – production director, executive supervisor
• Tak Young-joon – executive supervisor
• Yoo Young-jin – music and sound supervisor
• Red Velvet (Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy, Yeri) – vocals, background vocals
• Ejae – background vocals, composition
• Kim Min-ji – lyrics
• Kole – composition
• Isaac Han – composition, arrangement
• Aaron Kim – composition, arrangement
• Ghostchild Ltd – composition, arrangement
• Loosen Door – composition, arrangement
• MinGtion – vocal directing
• Lee Min-kyu – recording
• Noh Min-ji – recording
• Kang Eun-ji – recording
• Kim Chul-soon – mixing
• Lee Ji-hong – digital editing
• Kwon Nam-woo – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Monthly charts

Release history

References

1. Oh, Yoon-joo (October 28, 2022). "레드벨벳 측 "11월 말 목표로 컴백 준비 중" [공식입장]" [Red Velvet side "Preparing for a comeback with the goal of the end of November" ] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Naver.
2. Koh, Seung-ah (November 7, 2022). "레드벨벳, 28일 가요계 컴백...새 미니앨범 '벌스데이' 발매" [Red Velvet, comeback to the music industry on the 28th...New mini-album 'Birthday' released] (in Korean). News1. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Naver.
3. Moon, Su-ji (November 28, 2022). "[영상]'컴백' 레드벨벳, 쿨하고 키치하게...'Birthday' MV 티저 공개" [ 'Comeback' Red Velvet, cool and kitschy...'Birthday' MV teaser released] (in Korean). iNews24. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Naver.
4. ^ Jo, Hye-jin (November 28, 2022). "'콘셉트 퀸' 레드벨벳과 함께라면 매일이 'Birthday' (쥬크박스)[종합]" [With 'Concept Queen' Red Velvet, every day is 'Birthday' (Jukebox)] (in Korean). X-port News. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Naver.
5. "'The ReVe Festival 2022 - Birthday'" (in Korean). Dreamus. SM Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Melon.
6. Lee, Seul (November 15, 2022). "레드벨벳, 이번엔 '랩소디 인 블루' 샘플링...'벌스데이' 무드 샘플러" [Red Velvet, sampling 'Rhapsody in Blue' this time...'Birthday' Mood Sampler] (in Korean). X-port News. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Naver.
7. Lipshutz, Jason; Lynch, Joe; Bowenbank, Starr; Havens, Lyndsey (November 28, 2022). "10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: Red Velvet, Alan Walker, Julia Pratt & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
8. "Key & BPM for Birthday by Red Velvet". Tunebat. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
9. @segajivideo (November 28, 2022). "Red Velvet - Birthday MV". Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Instagram.
10. Yeo, Gladys (November 28, 2022). "Red Velvet return with whimsical 'Birthday' music video and new mini-album". NME (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 7, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
11. ^ "Circle Digital Chart – Week 49 of 2022". Circle Chart (in Korean). November 27 – December 3, 2022. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
12. "Circle Download Chart – Week 49 of 2022". Circle Chart (in Korean). November 27 – December 3, 2022. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
13. "Circle Streaming Chart – Week 49 of 2022". Circle Chart (in Korean). November 27 – December 3, 2022. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
14. "Circle BGM Chart – Week 49 of 2022". Circle Chart (in Korean). November 27 – December 3, 2022. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
15. "Billboard South Korea Songs – Week of December 10, 2022". Billboard. December 4–10, 2022. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
16. Oh, Yoon-ju (November 21, 2022). "레드벨벳, 28일 컴백 카운트다운 라이브한다...조이X예리 티저 눈길" [Red Velvet, comeback countdown live on the 28th...Joy X Yeri Teaser] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022 – via Naver.
17. Seon, Mi-kyung (December 2, 2022). "'뮤뱅' 첫사랑, 첫 1위에 감격..카라⋅레드벨벳⋅Itzy '퀸'들의 컴백[종합]" ['Mubang' CSR, thrilled by first win..Kara⋅Red Velvet⋅Itzy's 'Queen' comeback ] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022 – via Naver.
18. Kim, Yu-jin (December 3, 2022). "'음악중심' 르세라핌, 출연 없이 1위...카라·레드벨벳·Itzy 컴백 [종합]" ['Music Core' Le Sserafim won first place without appearing...Kara·Red Velvet·Itzy comeback ] (in Korean). X-port News. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022 – via Naver.
19. Oh, Yoon-ju (December 4, 2022). "'인기가요' 역주행 주인공 윤하 1위...레드벨벳→카라 컴백 [종합]" [Younha, the protagonist of 'Inkigayo', won first place...Red Velvet→Kara Comeback ] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022 – via Naver.
20. Kang, Da-yun (December 9, 2022). "'뮤뱅' 있지, 유나 생일에 첫 '체셔' 1위 "♥믿지가 짱이다"…위앤유 데뷔-NTX·하동연 컴백[종합]" ['Music Bank' Itzy, First 'Cheshire' 1st place on Yuna's birthday "♥Midji is the best"...We&U Debut-NTX Ha Dong-yeon Comeback] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022 – via Naver.
21. Lee, Ha-na (December 10, 2022). "'음악중심' 르세라핌 1위, 샤이니 민호 솔로 데뷔→부상 MC 정우 불참[종합]" ['Music Core' Le Sserafim won 1st place, Shinee's Minho's solo debut → injured MC Jungwoo was absent ] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022 – via Naver.
22. Park, Pan-seok (December 11, 2022). "'인기가요' 윤하, 끝나지 않은 역주행 '사건의 지평선' 3주 연속 1위..민호 솔로 데뷔[종합]" ['Inkigayo' Younha, unfinished reverse run 'event horizon' 1st place for 3 weeks in a row..Minho's solo debut] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022 – via Naver.
23. "Show Champion 460회 Top 5" [Show Champion Episode 460 Top 5]. MBC Plus (in Korean). December 7, 2022. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
24. "Show Champion 461회 Top 5" [Show Champion Episode 461 Top 5]. MBC Plus (in Korean). December 14, 2022. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
25. "The Artist of this Year - Global Digital Music Nominees". Circle Chart Music Awards. December 17, 2022. Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
26. Red Velvet (2022). The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday (photobook). South Korea: SM Entertainment; Dreamus. Credits.
27. "Digital Chart – December 2022". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved January 12, 2023.

• Red Velvet (group) songs
• 2022 singles
• 2022 songs
• Songs in Korean
• SM Entertainment singles