What Do I Call You
What Do I Call You is the fourth Korean-language extended play and the seventh overall by South Korean singer Taeyeon. The EP was released on December 15, 2020, by SM Entertainment and consists of six tracks,[1] including the title track of the same name and her previous digital single "Happy".[2]
What Do I Call You | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | December 15, 2020 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 15:22 | |||
Language | Korean | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Lee Soo-man (exec.) | |||
Taeyeon chronology | ||||
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Singles from What Do I Call You | ||||
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Background and release
On November 20, 2020, SM Entertainment announced that Taeyeon was preparing to release a mini album the following month.[3] On November 30, Taeyeon teased her comeback on her social media with the message, "I'll be coming back soon."[4] On December 3, SM Entertainment announced that EP What Do I Call You would be released on December 15, 2020.[5] Preorders began the same day.[6] This marks Taeyeon's first domestic comeback in seven months since "Happy", released on May 4, 2020.[7]
Composition
The digital edition of What Do I Call You contains five songs, while the physical release contains six songs including the single "Happy", which was released as a digital single on May 4, 2020. There are two versions of the physical edition, with each featuring a different cover, CD-ROM design, booklet, poster, postcard, bookmark and photo card.[8]
Commercial performance
Upon release, the title track "What Do I Call You" ranked first on major music charts such as Genie and Bugs. The other tracks in the album also ranked highly in the charts.[10] The album took over iTunes charts in 22 regions.[11][12] It tied with her previous album Purpose and Hwasa's María for the second most national iTunes number ones for an album by a Korean female soloist, ranking behind her repackage edition of Purpose.[13][14] The album also ranked number one in China's largest music site QQ Music and KuGou Music digital album sales chart.[10]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
IZM | [15] |
Teen Vogue chose What Do I Call You as one of The Best K-Pop Moments of 2020, with contributor Hannah Weiss writing: "With its chill soundscape and Taeyeon's airy vocals, What Do I Call You is the perfect soundtrack to close 2020. The album examines loneliness, desire and regret through a soft filter, sharing a touch of warmth to carry us through this winter".[16]
Lim Seon-hee from IZM compared the EP's concepts to those of American singer Taylor Swift and its musical styles to Ariana Grande, "What Do I Call You is a collaboration of seasonedness and sincerity, with a wider range of emotions despite the method of 'removing away' without embellishment and excess. Now, no matter what genre she try, she can easily build a flagpole with her name inscribed. Beyond it all, the album becomes alive just by the deep touch of the voice that blows warm breath in the season of the bitter wind."[15]
Track listing
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "What Do I Call You" | David Pramik | 2:47 | ||
2. | "Playlist" |
| Mike Daley | 2:43 | |
3. | "To the Moon" |
|
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| 2:42 |
4. | "Wildfire" (Korean: 들불) | Blaq Tuxedo |
| 3:24 | |
5. | "Galaxy" | Zaya (Joombas) |
| MooF (Joombas) | 3:46 |
Total length: | 15:22 |
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6. | "Happy" |
| Chris Wahle | 3:41 | |
Total length: | 19:03 |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from Melon.[17]
- S.M. Entertainment Co., Ltd. – executive producer
- Lee Soo-man – producer
- Vocal direction – G-High
- Pro Tools operation – G-High
- Background vocals – Choi Youngkyung, Chelcee Grimes and Gabriela Geneva (NIIVA)
- Bass guitar – Taeyun Lee
- Digital editing – Lee Min Kyu at SM Big Shot Studio / Kang Seonyoung at MonoTree Studio
- Engineer for mix – Lee Min Kyu at SM Big Shot Studio
- Recording – No Min Ji at SM Yellow Tail Studio / Kang Seonyoung at MonoTree Studio
- Mixing – Jung Eui Suk at SM Blue Cup Studio
- Mastering – Kwon Namwoo at 821 Sound Mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Monthly charts
Year-end charts
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Sales
Region | Sales |
---|---|
China (digital)[23] | 53,522 |
South Korea (Gaon)[24] | 99,065 |
Accolades
Year | Awards | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | 12th Melon Music Awards | Best R&B/Soul | "Happy" | Nominated |
2021 | 10th Gaon Chart Music Awards | Song of the Year – May | Nominated | |
Song | Program | Network | Date | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
"What Do I Call You" | Inkigayo | SBS | December 27, 2020 | [25][26] |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
South Korea | December 15, 2020 | [27] | ||
Various |
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SM Entertainment | [28][29] | |
South Korea | February 26, 2021 |
|
[30] | |
References
- Ji, Min-kyung (December 3, 2020). 태연, 15일 네 번째 미니앨범 'What Do I Call You' 발매 [공식] [Taeyeon releases 4th mini album 'What Do I Call You' on the 15th [Official]]. Osen (in Korean). Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
- "'컴백' 태연, 인형 미모 티저…시크한 무드+그루비한 보컬 예고". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- Hwang, Hye-jin (November 20, 2020). SM 측 “태연 12월 컴백 준비 중, 많은 기대 부탁”(공식) [SM's “Taeyeon is preparing for a comeback in December, please look forward to it” (Official)]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
- Park, Panseok (November 30, 2020). 태연, 수줍은 새 앨범 예고 "저 곧 앨범 나와요" [★SHOT!] [Taeyeon, shy new album notice "I'm coming out soon" [★SHOT!]]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
- Kim, Miji (December 3, 2020). "'믿듣탱' 온다"…태연, 12월 15일 미니앨범으로 컴백 확정[공식입장]" ["It's coming"... Taeyeon confirmed comeback with mini album on December 15th [Official Admission]]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
- Jeon, Hyo-jin (December 3, 2020). 태연, 15일 컴백…'What Do I Call You' 발매 [공식] [Taeyeon, comeback on the 15th... Release of 'What Do I Call You' [Official]]. Sports DongA (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
- Kim, Ye-na (November 20, 2020). "[단독] 태연, 12월 솔로 컴백 확정…'믿듣탱' 열일 행보" [[Exclusive] Taeyeon, December solo comeback confirmed... 'Believe it']. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
- "Taeyeon – What Do I Call You (The 4th Mini Album)" (in Korean). Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- Jeon Hyo-jin (December 16, 2020). "[DA:차트] 태연 1위, 아이튠즈 톱 앨범 18개 지역 정상" [[DA:Chart] Taeyeon's 1st place, top 18 iTunes top albums]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- "TAEYEON's 'What Do I Call You' topped the music chart". SMTOWN Website. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- "태연, 새 앨범 'What Do I Call You' 라이브 클립 3편 순차 공개 [공식입장]". Naver Website. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
- "All TAEYEON's 'What Do I Call You' (EP) #1's on iTunes Overall since its release!". Twitter. Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- "'What Do I Call You' tied with Hwasa's 'Maria' and TAEYEON's 'Purpose' (Regular) and became the 3rd album with most #1's on iTunes by a Korean female soloist (22)". Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020 – via Twitter.
- Lim, Seonhee. "Album Review Taeyeon – 'What Do I Call You '". IZM. Korea. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- "The Best K-Pop Moments of 2020". Teen Vogue. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- "Happy by Taeyeon" (in Korean). Melon Music. Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- "Billboard Japan Top Download Albums". December 23, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- "Billboard Japan Hot Albums". Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
- "Gaon Album Chart – Week 51, 2020". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Retrieved December 24, 2020.
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- "Gaon Album Chart – December 2020" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- "Gaon Chart – 2020년 Album Chart" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- Cumulative sales of What Do I Call You:
- "What Do I Call You" (in Chinese). China QQ. Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- Physical sales of What Do I Call You:
- "Gaon Album Chart - December 2020" (in Korean). Gaon. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
- Lee, Sang-jin (December 27, 2020). 태연 'What Do I Call You', '인기가요'서 1위! [Taeyeon ranked 1st in 'What Do I Call You' and 'Inkigayo']. Asia News Agency (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- "12월 마지막 주 인기가요 차트" [Popular song chart for the last week of December]. SBS (in Korean). December 27, 2020. Archived from the original on December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
- "What Do I Call You - The 4th Mini Album by Taeyeon". Melon. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- "What Do I Call You - The 4th Mini Album - EP". Apple Music. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- "What Do I Call You - The 4th Mini Album by Taeyeon". Spotify. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- "[LP] 태연 - WHAT DO I CALL YOU (4TH 미니앨범) LP VER. 초회한정반 [예약판매는 1월 10일 23시 59분까지 진행 후 종료됩니다.]". Synnara. Retrieved January 14, 2021.