Bad Love
Digital and "Space Ray Gun" version cover
EP by
Key
ReleasedSeptember 27, 2021
GenreK-pop
Length20:12
Language
  • Korean
  • English
Label
Key chronology
Hologram
(2018)		 Bad Love
(2021)		 Gasoline
(2022)
Singles from Bad Love
  1. "Hate That..."
    Released: August 30, 2021
  2. "Bad Love"
    Released: September 27, 2021

Bad Love is the first Korean extended play by South Korean singer Key. It was released on September 27, 2021, through SM Entertainment. Marketed as his first "mini album" release, it consists of six songs, including the singles "Hate That..." and "Bad Love". The EP was Key's first solo release since returning from the military. Conceptually, it follows a retro space theme, inspired by the science fiction films of the 1980s and 1990s. It peaked at number three on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart and received positive reviews from music critics.

Background

Key made his debut as a solo artist in 2018 with the studio album Face.[1] This was followed by two more releases in quick succession, Japanese EP Hologram (2018) and Face reissue I Wanna Be (2019), after which he took a hiatus due to his compulsory military enlistment.[2][3][4] On August 23, 2021, SM Entertainment announced the release of Key's new single, titled "Hate That...", on August 30, ahead of a new EP. The song, which is a duet with Key's labelmate Taeyeon, came almost three years after his previous releases.[5] On September 6, it was revealed that the EP, titled Bad Love, would be released on September 27. It contains six tracks, including the lead single of the same name and "Hate That...".[6]

Key had first conceptualised Bad Love 14 years previously.[7] It marked the first time he had taken charge of the creative direction of an album,[7] and he clashed with his label at various points during the production process.[8] The EP follows a retro space theme, inspired by the science fiction films of the 1980s and 1990s.[9] Key viewed it as the culmination of his interests and experiences, stating, "I finally became 'me'. I have a chance to show the audience that this is me. This album is the album-version of Key."[7]

Composition

Lead single "Bad Love" was written by Kenzie. It is described as a "dance-pop song that creates a retro mood with a strong synth sound and a lively beat".[10] "Yellow Tape" is a dance-pop song that compares the process of getting to know someone to a profiler examining the scene of an incident. A layer of tension is added through the use of a siren sound at the beginning of the song, in addition to various other FX sounds.[11] "Hate That..." is an R&B song with a sentimental guitar melody. The lyrics concern hoping an ex-partner isn't doing well after a break-up but still wanting to be remembered by them.[12] Pop song "Helium" has an energetic beat, playful topline and funky bass riff. Written in English, it compares the excitement of being with a loved one to inhaling helium and floating into space.[11] It features references to Judy Jetson and distorted sounds that resemble "alien growl[s]" and "robotic panting".[13][14] The final two songs on the EP, "Saturday Night" and "Eighteen (End of My World)", feature lyrics written by Key. "Saturday Night" is an 80s-style disco song featuring synths and a rhythmic bass line.[15] It is about navigating a break-up during the COVID-19 pandemic,[9] and the lyrics describe the loneliness of "being lost in a sea of lovers and clubbers".[13] "Eighteen (End of My World)" is a pop song with a warm, nostalgic atmosphere that Key described as a letter to his 18-year-old self.[15][9] He explained, "When I debuted, I was 18, so I just wanted to cheer up 18-years-old Key. At the end of the song, [the lyrics] turn to, 'I would love to watch the end of my world with you.'"[9]

Release and promotion

Promotional materials, including video and image teasers, were revealed via Shinee's social media accounts beginning September 13, showcasing a retro space theme.[16] Key debuted songs from the EP at his Beyond Live concert, Groks in the Keyland, on September 26.[17] The concert was also broadcast live in theaters.[18] On September 27, Key hosted a live broadcast on Shinee's YouTube channel to commemorate the EP's release.[19] He promoted the EP with performances on M Countdown, Music Bank, Show! Music Core and Inkigayo.[20] He also guested on various variety shows, including Comedy Big League, MMTG and Sixth Sense,[21][22][23] as well as performing on You Hee-yeol's Sketchbook.[24] On October 6, a performance video of "Bad Love" was released on YouTube.[25]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
NME[14]

Bad Love received generally positive reviews from critics. Abby Webster of NME gave it five stars, writing that it "is at its best when it leans into the strangeness and vast possibility presented by its 20th century inspirations".[14] She named the title track as a particular highlight, stating that it "set the bar astronomically, unreachably high".[14] Writing for Clash, Tássia Assis called the EP "one of the most ravishing releases of the year".[9] Korean music critic Kim Yun-ha praised Key's vocal performance and his commitment to realising his creative vision.[26] PopMatters critic Ana Clara Ribeiro described Bad Love as "electrifying". She opined that although it built on existing trends in pop music, it incorporated its retro influences "in such an involving way" that it was able to stand on its own merits.[27]

Year-end lists

Bad Love on year-end lists
Critic/Publication List Rank Ref.
Idology Top 10 Albums of the Year Placed [28]
NME The 25 best Asian albums of 2021 8 [29]
Nylon The Top K-Pop Albums of 2021 Placed [30]
PopMatters The 20 Best K-Pop Albums of 2021 2 [27]
Rolling Stone India 10 Best K-Pop Albums of 2021 3 [31]
South China Morning Post 25 Best K-pop Albums of 2021 2 [32]

Track listing

Bad Love track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Bad Love"
  • Kenzie
  • Adrian McKinnon
Kenzie3:25
2."Yellow Tape"Jo Yoon-kyung
  • Imlay
  • McKinnon
  • Rick Annema
  • Cimo Fränkel
Imlay3:28
3."Hate That..." (featuring Taeyeon)Hwang Yu-bin
  • Puth
  • Eric Potapenko
3:05
4."Helium"
  • Sivertsen
  • Clarence
  • Bogart
3:20
5."Saturday Night"Key
  • Cutfather & Ubizz
3:05
6."Eighteen (End of My World)"Key
Rigo3:46
Total length:20:12

Personnel

Credits adapted from the EP liner notes.[33]

  • Key – vocals, background vocals
  • Kenzie – directing (track 1)
  • Junny – background vocals (tracks 1, 4–5), vocal directing (track 4)
  • Adrian McKinnon – background vocals (tracks 1–2)
  • Lee Min-gyu – recording (tracks 1, 4–5), engineering for mix (tracks 3–4), mixing (track 3), digital editing (track 4)
  • Jeong Yu-ra – digital editing (tracks 1–2, 5)
  • No Min-ji – engineering for mix (tracks 1, 6)
  • Nam Gung-jin – mixing (tracks 1, 4)
  • Ju Chan-yang – vocal directing (track 2)
  • On Seong-yun – recording (track 2)
  • Kang Eun-ji – engineering for mix (tracks 2, 5), recording (tracks 3–4), digital editing (track 3)
  • MasterKey – mixing (track 2)
  • Kim Yeon-seo – vocal directing (track 3)
  • Taeyeon – vocals (track 3), background vocals (track 3)
  • Stephen Puth – background vocals (track 3)
  • Lauren Mandel – background vocals (track 3)
  • Jeong Ho-jin – recording (track 3)
  • Coffee Clarence Jr. – background vocals (track 4)
  • Deez – vocal directing (track 5)
  • Lee Ji-hong – recording (tracks 5–6), mixing (track 5)
  • Jeon Seung-woo – vocal directing (track 6)
  • Heritage – background vocals (track 6)
  • August Rigo – background vocals (track 6)
  • Jang Woo-young – recording (track 6), digital editing (track 6)
  • Kim Cheol-sun – mixing (track 6)
  • Kwon Nam-woo – mastering

Charts

Release history

Release history and formats for Bad Love
Region Date Format Label Ref.
South Korea September 27, 2021 [6]
Various
  • Digital download
  • streaming
 SM [39]
South Korea October 5, 2021 Cassette tape
  • SM
  • Dreamus
 [40]
February 28, 2022 LP [41]

References

  1. ↑ Herman, Tamar (November 26, 2018). "Shinee's Key Releases Debut Solo Album 'Face' and R&B Single 'One of Those Nights' with Crush: Watch the Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  2. ↑ SHINee・KEY、日本でのソロデビュー決定 1stミニAL『Hologram』で多彩なアーティストとコラボレーションした全貌が公開 [Shinee's Key will make his debut in Japan with his first mini album 'Hologram', collaborations with various artists are revealed]. Billboard Japan (in Japanese). December 5, 2018. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  3. ↑ Herman, Tamar (March 4, 2019). "Shinee's Key Teams Up With (G)I-dle's Soyeon on 'I Wanna Be': Watch the Music Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 5, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Shinee's Key, 2AM's Jeong Jin-woon, VIXX's N join military". The Korea Times. March 4, 2019. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  5. ↑ Suacillo, Angela Patricia (August 24, 2021). "Shinee's Key teases solo single 'Hate That', featuring Girls' Generation's Taeyeon". NME. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Jeong, Hee-yeon (September 6, 2021). 샤이니 키, 새 솔로 앨범 'BAD LOVE' 9월 27일 발매 [공식] [Shinee's Key will release new solo album 'Bad Love' on September 27 [Official]]. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021 – via Naver.
  7. 1 2 3 Raj, Tanu I. (September 27, 2021). "Shinee's Key on new solo mini-album 'Bad Love': "I finally became 'me'"". NME. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  8. ↑ '키'가 가진 열쇠 [The key that 'Key' has]. Vogue Korea (in Korean). September 24, 2021. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Assis, Tássia (September 27, 2021). "Shinee's Key On His Solo Evolution". Clash. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  10. ↑ Hong, Hye-min (September 15, 2021). 샤이니 키, 이번엔 레트로다 [Shinee's Key: this time it's retro]. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021 – via Naver.
  11. 1 2 Lee, Deok-haeng (September 17, 2021). 샤이니 키, 미니앨범 'BAD LOVE'로 보여줄 다양한 음악 스펙트럼 [Shinee's Key shows a varied musical spectrum with the mini album 'Bad Love']. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021 – via Naver.
  12. ↑ Ahn, So-yoon (August 26, 2021). 샤이니 키, '헤이트 댓' 30일 발매…태연 지원사격 [Shinee's Key to release 'Hate That' on the 30th... Taeyeon supports]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021 – via Naver.
  13. 1 2 Glasby, Taylor (October 6, 2021). "Shinee's Key on sci-fi, military service, and Bowie". Dazed. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Webster, Abby (September 29, 2021). "Key – 'Bad Love' review: for this K-pop veteran, everything old is new again". NME. Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  15. 1 2 Jeon, Hyo-jin (September 16, 2021). 샤이니 키, 신보 수록곡 2개 작사 [Shinee's Key writes lyrics for two new album tracks]. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021 – via Naver.
  16. ↑ Yeo, Gladys (September 13, 2021). "Shinee's Key unveils cryptic teaser for upcoming solo mini-album 'Bad Love'". NME. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  17. ↑ Hong, Hye-min (September 23, 2021). 샤이니 키, '비욘드 라이브'서 신곡 무대 선공개 [Shinee's Key will preview new songs in his Beyond Live]. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021 – via Naver.
  18. ↑ Ko, Seung-ah (September 15, 2021). 샤이니 키 '비욘드 라이브' CGV서 생중계…극장 최초 [Shinee Key's 'Beyond Live' to be broadcast live at CGV... First time in a theater]. News1 (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021 – via Naver.
  19. ↑ Hong, Se-young (September 22, 2021). 샤이니 키, 첫 미니앨범 카운트다운 생방 27일 진행 [Shinee's Key will hold a live countdown for his first mini album on the 27th]. Sports Dong-A (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021 – via Naver.
  20. ↑ Ahn, So-yoon (September 29, 2021). 샤이니 키, '배드 러브' 컴백 무대…30일 '엠카운트다운' 첫방송 [Shinee's Key will make his comeback stage for 'Bad Love' on 'M Countdown' on the 30th]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 29, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via Naver.
  21. ↑ Lee, Seung-gil (October 3, 2021). '코빅' 21년 4쿼터 첫 방송…샤이니 키 출격! 명불허전 예능감 [First broadcast of 'Comedy Big League' in the fourth quarter of 2021... Shinee's Key, go! His sense of humor is as expected.]. My Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021 – via Naver.
  22. ↑ Mun, Mi-ryu (October 1, 2021). 샤이니 키 "데뷔 초 입소문 나라고 압구정, 청담 일대 돌았다" [Shinee's Key: "I went around Apgujeong and Cheongdam to build word of mouth at debut"]. Star Today (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021 – via Naver.
  23. ↑ Ahn, Yoon-ji (September 17, 2021). 샤이니 키, '식스센스2' 해결사 활약..가짜 운명 말한 사람 누구? [Shinee's Key, the troubleshooter of 'Sixth Sense 2'... Who said fake fate?]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021 – via Naver.
  24. ↑ Park, Soo-in (October 7, 2021). '유스케' 샤이니 키 "MV 촬영 후 눈물, 방송 포기할 만큼 연습한 앨범" [On 'Sketchbook' Shinee's Key said, "I worked so hard on this album I gave up on shows and cried after the MV shoot"]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021 – via Naver.
  25. ↑ Kim, Soo-jin (October 7, 2021). 샤이니 키 'BAD LOVE' 퍼포먼스 비디오 공개 화제 [Shinee Key's 'Bad Love' performance video is released]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021 – via Naver.
  26. ↑ Kim, Yun-ha (September 29, 2021). 14년의 집념: KEY 'BAD LOVE' [14 years of dedication: Key 'Bad Love']. Channel Yes (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  27. 1 2 Ribeiro, Ana Clara (November 29, 2021). "The 20 Best K-Pop Albums of 2021". PopMatters. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  28. ↑ 결산 2021 : ③올해의 앨범 10선 [2021 Settlement : ③ Top 10 Albums of the Year]. Idology (in Korean). December 31, 2021. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  29. ↑ "The 25 best Asian albums of 2021". NME. December 24, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  30. ↑ Raj, Tanu I. "The Top K-Pop Albums of 2021". Nylon. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  31. ↑ Chakraborty, Riddhi; Dongre, Divyansha; Majumder, Oysmita (December 31, 2021). "10 Best K-Pop Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone India. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  32. ↑ Herman, Tamar (December 22, 2021). "25 best K-pop albums of 2021: Twice, Red Velvet, NCT 127, Seventeen and Monsta X are all there, but who took the No 1 spot?". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  33. ↑ Bad Love (Liner notes). South Korea: SM Entertainment. 2021.
  34. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums: 2021/10/06 公開". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2021-10-11/p/3" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Gaon Album Chart – Week 40, 2021". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  37. ↑ "Gaon Album Chart – September 2021". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  38. ↑ "2021 Album Chart". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  39. ↑ "Bad Love - The 1st Mini Album - EP". Apple Music. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  40. ↑ "The 1st Mini Album - Bad Love (Tape Ver.)". SM Town & Store. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  41. ↑ "The 1st Mini Album - Bad Love (LP Ver.)". SM Town & Store. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
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