"Siren" () is a song recorded by the South Korean singer Sunmi for her second EP, Warning. Sunmi co-produced the song with Frants, and it was released on September 4, 2018, by Makeus Entertainment as the lead single from the EP. "Siren" is a pop track, in which Sunmi sings lyrics about a lover whose perception of her does not align with reality, ultimately leading her to end the relationship.
The song marks the final release of Sunmi's warning-themed trilogy, which began with "Gashina" and continued with "Heroine". It achieved significant success, reaching the top position on major charts in South Korea. Upon its debut, "Siren" peaked at number 1 on the Gaon Digital Chart, becoming Sunmi's second single to achieve this feat in South Korea.
Background and release About two to three years ago, “Siren” had been considered as a potential title track for Wonder Girls, but the song was ultimately shelved because JYP Entertainment decided that it “wouldn't sound as great if arranged for a band" since the Wonder Girls were promoting as a band and not as a dance group at the time, and "Why So Lonely" was chosen as the title track instead. "Siren" was ultimately released on September 4, 2018, and serves as the lead single from Sunmi's second EP Warning. Sunmi announced the song via her social media accounts on August 26, 2018:
Composition "Siren" was written by Sunmi and produced by her and Frants. It runs for three minutes and nineteen seconds. "Siren" was described as "an '80s-evoking ambient pop track". Lyrically, it is about a lover whose image of her does not fit with reality, resulting in her ending the relationship.
Commercial performance "Siren" achieved the perfect all-kill status, a status where a song is simultaneously topping all charts, both daily and realtime. The song topped Gaon Digital Chart for a total of 2 consecutive weeks, becoming her second number-one single in South Korea.
Music video The music video, directed by Choi Yongseok, was released along with the song and features different facets of Sunmi, all of which make one version face the reality of her relationship. Sunmi performs a choreographed powerful dance and also appears in several looks, with Billboard stating that the outfits "evoke mythological creatures and mermaids, while hair accessories like crowns and a “priority” shipping label hair-tie emphasize the domineering nature of the track".
The video currently has over 50 million views.
Credits and personnel Credits adapted from Tidal.
Sunmi - vocals, songwriter, producer Frants – producer
Charts Weekly charts Chart (2018) Peakposition Singapore (RIAS) 25 South Korea (Gaon Digital Chart) 1 South Korea (K-pop Hot 100) 1 US World Digital Songs (Billboard) 5
Monthly charts Chart (September 2018)PeakpositionSouth Korea (Gaon Digital Chart) 1
Year-end charts Chart (2018) Position South Korea (Circle) 60
Accolades
+Year-end listsCritic/PublicationListRankRef. SBS Top 100 Asian pop songs of 2018 11
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Result Ref. 2018 1st Korea Popular Music Awards Best Digital Song Best Solo Dance Track 20th Mnet Asian Music Awards Best Dance Performance – Female Solo 2019 8th Gaon Chart Music Awards Song of the Year – September 28th Seoul Music Awards Bonsang Award
Music program awards ProgramDate M Countdown (Mnet) September 13, 2018 September 20, 2018 Show Champion (MBC Music)September 19, 2019 Music Bank (KBS) September 21, 2018 Show! Music Core (MBC) September 22, 2018 Inkigayo (SBS) September 23, 2018
Release history Region Date Format Label Various September 4, 2018 Digital download, streaming Makeus Entertainment
See also List of Gaon Digital Chart number ones of 2018 List of Inkigayo Chart winners (2018) List of Kpop Hot 100 number ones List of M Countdown Chart winners (2018)
References