Move (Taemin song)

"Move"
Single by Taemin
from the album Move
LanguageKorean
ReleasedOctober 16, 2017
Genre
Length3:32
LabelSM Entertainment
Songwriter(s)
  • Seo Ji-eum
  • Curtis A. Richardson
  • Adien Lewis
  • Angélique Cinélu
Producer(s)
  • Curtis A. Richardson
  • Adien Lewis
  • Angélique Cinélu
Taemin singles chronology
"Flame of Love"
(2017) 		"Move"
(2017) 		"Thirsty"
(2017)
Music video
"Move" on YouTube

"Move" is a song recorded by South Korean singer Taemin for his 2017 album of the same name. The song was composed and produced by Curtis A. Richardson, Adien Lewis and Angélique Cinélu, with lyrics written by Seo Ji-eum. It was released on October 16, 2017, through SM Entertainment as the album's lead single. "Move" is a sultry, bass-driven pop R&B song that has been praised by critics for its blurring of gender boundaries. It has been credited with popularising genderless performance styles amongst male K-pop idols.

The song is noted for its distinctive choreography, which went viral following a live performance at Seoul Fashion Week, inspiring covers from fans and celebrities alike. This is often referred to as "Move disease". In recognition of his performance, Taemin won the award for Best Dance Performance Solo at the 2017 Mnet Asian Music Awards.

Background and release

[edit]

On September 28, 2017, SM Entertainment announced the upcoming release of Taemin's second Korean-language studio album, Move, led by the single of the same name. It had been a year and a half since his last release, Press It.[1] Taemin first showcased the song at his concert, Off-Sick, on October 15, 2017, before releasing it alongside the album the next day.[2] "Move" was not originally intended as the lead single, but Taemin chose it over album track "Love", feeling that the latter would not allow him to show his identity.[3] "I could have chosen a safer route and done music that’s more popular in K-pop, but I wanted to expand its musical spectrum, to stand out from the rest, and create something that could bring out my identity more," Taemin reflected.[4]

Taemin promoted the song with a performance at Seoul Fashion Week, in what W named as the standout moment of the season.[5] An online video of this performance later went viral, prompting covers from a wide range of people. This became known as "Move disease".[6][7][8] Taemin continued his promotions with performances at M Countdown,[9] Music Bank[10] and Inkigayo.[11]

Reception

[edit]

"Move" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Tamar Herman of Billboard described it as "a groovy, bass-driven song that sees a seamless blending of sounds", adding that Taemin "grows into his own passionate pop-R&B style".[12] Billboard later named the song one of the 100 greatest K-pop songs of the 2010s, praising its "unnerving seductiveness".[13] Taylor Glasby of Dazed noted that Taemin's usual "sensual vocals and dramatic flair" were "scaled back", but nevertheless felt that "the icy beats, teasing builds and the arresting pull of Taemin’s physical prowess makes for a captivating release".[14] Jacques Peterson of Idolator characterised "Move" as a "sultry electro slow-burn", naming it one of the best K-pop songs of the year.[15] It has drawn comparisons to the work of Michael Jackson and George Michael,[3] as well as Depeche Mode and The Weeknd.[13]

"Move" debuted and peaked at number 12 on Gaon Digital Chart.[16] It stayed on the chart for a further four weeks.[17][18][19][20] It also reached peaks of number four and number 26 on Billboard World Digital Song Sales and the K-pop Hot 100, respectively.[21][22] As of November 2017, "Move" has sold 194,526 digital copies in South Korea.[23]

"Move" on critic lists
Publication List Rank Ref.
Billboard The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s 85 [13]
Dazed The 20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2017 8 [14]
Idolator From BTS To Hyuna, The Best K-Pop Songs Of 2017 18 [15]
Melon Top 100 K-Pop Masterpieces 36 [24]
Rolling Stone The 100 Greatest Songs in the History of Korean Pop Music 86 [25]

Accolades

[edit]
Awards and nominations for "Move"
Ceremony Year Category Result Ref.
Mnet Asian Music Awards 2017 Best Dance Performance – Solo Won [26]
Song of the Year Nominated [27]

Music video

[edit]

The music video for "Move" was directed by High Quality Fish.[28] It premiered on YouTube on October 16, 2017, the same day as the song's release.[12] Three music videos were released, showing the choreography from different angles.[5] They include a solo performance, an ensemble performance, and a duo performance featuring Taemin's long-time collaborator Koharu Sugawara.[29] The video was shot in the rain and depicts Taemin and his dancers performing on empty streets under dim lighting. It features CCTV footage, blurry VHS frames and camera angles "which film like a secret onlooker".[14] It also includes masked scenes, partly inspired by Sia, as a means of repudiating the typically appearance-driven nature of the K-pop industry.[3] According to Dazed, the "song and video complete, and exist for, each other as a twin performance".[14] The video's aesthetic has been compared to Blade Runner.[15]

The choreography, created by Sugawara, is purposely smooth, taking advantage of Taemin's androgynous appearance by "mixing both masculine and feminine movements" together.[3] It is performed with an exclusively female team of dancers. The choreography shies away from dramatic movements and instead incorporates soft, balletic lines to add subtlety. Taemin explained: "I wanted to break the idea of what male performers are supposed to show, what performances girl groups are supposed to show. I really wanted to break those labels, showing that dance is a form of art."[3] This effect is further enhanced by Taemin's "genderless" costuming.[30][31] "Move" has since been credited with popularising genderless performance styles amongst male idols.[32] Rolling Stone described it as "iconic for its alternative representation of sexuality".[25]

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Melon.[33]

  • Taemin – vocals
  • Seo Ji-eum – lyrics
  • Curtis A. Richardson – composition, production
  • Adien Lewis – composition, production
  • Angélique Cinélu – composition, production

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "Move"
Chart (2017) Peak
position
South Korea (Gaon)[16] 12
South Korea (K-pop Hot 100)[22] 26
US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[21] 4

Release history

[edit]
Release history and formats for "Move"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various October 16, 2017
[33]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Herman, Tamar (October 11, 2017). "Shinee's Taemin Teases Performance-Focused 'Move' Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  2. ^ Kim, Min-joo (October 16, 2017). "Taemin showcases talent as soloist at Seoul concert". Kpop Herald. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e Herman, Tamar (October 25, 2017). "Taemin Talks 'Move,' Gender Stereotypes & Pushing the Boundaries of K-Pop". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Glasby, Taylor (November 7, 2017). "Taemin: the Singer Stretching the Boundaries of K-Pop". Another Man. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Plummer, Todd (October 24, 2017). "A Rare, Exclusive Interview with Taemin, K-Pop's Justin Bieber". W. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  6. ^ "YouTuber says she has Taemin's 'Move' disease". Kpop Herald. November 19, 2017. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  7. ^ Yang, Seung-jun (November 14, 2017). "이름 붙일 수 없는 야릇한 몸짓.. 태민, K팝의 공식을 깨다" [Strange movements that can't be described.. Taemin breaks the K-pop formula]. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021 – via Naver.
  8. ^ Heo, Byul-hee (February 13, 2019). "'아이돌룸' 태민 "'무브병', 내가 첫 감염자"" ['Idol Room' Taemin: "I was the first to be infected with 'Move disease'"]. My Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021 – via Naver.
  9. ^ Seon, Mi-kyung (October 19, 2017). "'엠카' 뉴이스트W, 데뷔 6년만에 첫 1위..감격의 눈물[종합]" ['M Countdown': NU'EST W takes first win six years after debut.. Tears of emotion]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021 – via Naver.
  10. ^ Jo, Yoon-sun (October 20, 2018). ""데뷔 6년 만에 꽃길"…'뮤뱅' 뉴이스트W, 지상파 음방 첫 1위 [종합]" ["Flower road six years after debut"... NU'EST W wins first place on 'Music Bank']. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021 – via Naver.
  11. ^ Park, Yoon-jin (October 29, 2017). "비투비, '인가' 데뷔 첫 1위 해냈다!…태민·하이라이트 컴백(종합)" [BTOB takes first win since debut on 'Inkigayo'! Taemin and Highlight have comebacks (Summary)]. My Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2021 – via Naver.
  12. ^ a b Herman, Tamar (October 16, 2017). "Shinee's Taemin Drops Sultry 'Move' Album & Single". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c "The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s: Staff List". Billboard. November 25, 2019. Archived from the original on April 4, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  14. ^ a b c d Glasby, Taylor (December 7, 2017). "The 20 best K-Pop songs of 2017". Dazed. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  15. ^ a b c Peterson, Jacques (December 22, 2017). "From BTS To HyunA, The Best K-Pop Songs Of 2017". Idolator. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  16. ^ a b "2017년 42주차 Digital Chart" [Digital Chart – Week 42 of 2017]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  17. ^ "2017년 43주차 Digital Chart" [Digital Chart – Week 43 of 2017]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  18. ^ "2017년 44주차 Digital Chart" [Digital Chart – Week 44 of 2017]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  19. ^ "2017년 45주차 Digital Chart" [Digital Chart – Week 45 of 2017]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  20. ^ "2017년 46주차 Digital Chart" [Digital Chart – Week 46 of 2017]. Gaon Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Taemin Chart History (World Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  22. ^ a b "K-pop Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  23. ^ Cumulative sales for "Move":
  24. ^ Na, Won-young. K-POP 명곡 100: 36위 MOVE – 태민 (TAEMIN) [100 K-Pop Masterpieces: 36. Move – Taemin]. Melon (in Korean). Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  25. ^ a b "The 100 Greatest Songs in the History of Korean Pop Music". Rolling Stone. July 20, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  26. ^ Herman, Tamar (December 1, 2017). "15 Must-Watch Videos From 2017 MAMA In Hong Kong". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  27. ^ "Vote – Qoo10 Song of the Year". Mnet Asian Music Awards. Archived from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  28. ^ Jeong, Ah-hyun (June 24, 2019). "'아이돌 라디오' 하퀄피 "태민, 아이돌보다는 아티스트에 가깝다" 극찬" ['Idol Radio' High Quality Fish: "Taemin is closer to an artist than an idol"]. Xports News (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021 – via Naver.
  29. ^ "Three types of music videos for Taemin's 'Move' to be released". Kpop Herald. October 12, 2017. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  30. ^ Glasby, Taylor (March 6, 2019). "Meet Taemin, the melancholic megastar of K-Pop". NME. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  31. ^ Park, Se-jin (February 21, 2019). "태민의 젠더리스 패션" [Taemin's genderless fashion]. IZE (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  32. ^ Hong, Hye-min (July 13, 2021). "[HI★초점] 태민이 연 젠더리스, 날개 단 SF9" [Genderless trend started by Taemin, continued by SF9]. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021 – via Naver.
  33. ^ a b "Move". Melon (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
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