Forever (Aespa song)

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"Forever"
Aespa - Forever.png
Single by Aespa
Language
  • Korean
ReleasedFebruary 5, 2021 (2021-02-05)
Recorded2020
StudioSM Studio Center, Seoul, South Korea
GenreBallad
Length4:58
Label
Composer(s)Yoo Young-jin
Lyricist(s)Yoo Young-jin
Producer(s)Lee Soo-man
Aespa singles chronology
"Black Mamba"
(2020) 		"Forever"
(2021) 		"Next Level"
(2021)
Music video
"Forever" on YouTube

"Forever" (Korean: 약속; RR: Yaksok; lit. Promise) is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Aespa. The song was released as a digital single on February 5, 2021, by SM Entertainment. Forever is the remake of the same name song by Yoo Young-jin as a part of SM's holiday album Winter Vacation in SMTOWN.com in 2000. The song is a mid-tempo ballad with an acoustic guitar sound and warm lyrics about promising forever to a loved one. An accompanying music video for the song was published simultaneously with the single's release.

Background and composition[]

On January 29, 2021, SM Entertainment announced Aespa will be making a comeback with "Forever", which is a remake of a single by Yoo Young-jin, released for SM Entertainment's holiday album "Winter Vacation in SMTOWN.com in 2000".[1] On February 1, 2021, concept photos were released for Karina and Ningning.[2] The following day, concept photos were released for Winter and Giselle.[3] "Forever" was written and composed by Yoo Young-jin while production was handled by Lee Soo-man.[4] The song has been described as a mid-tempo ballad with an acoustic guitar sound and string instruments playing in the background.[5][6] In terms of musical notation, the song is composed in the key of D-flat major, with a tempo of 184 beats per minute, and runs for four minutes and fifty-eight seconds.[7] Lyrically, tells the story of a wintry romance.[8]

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
NME3/5 stars[8]

In a three-star review of "Forever", NME's Ruby C said that the quartet added "feminine touch" to their rendition. the remake manages to do justice to the original, and may even be a little more believable, thanks to aespa's sweet, girlish charms, she added.[8] Writing for Hypebae, YaEun Kim described "Forever" as a "fresh, love-themed track" that shows a "completely different side of the virtual hybrid K-pop group".[6]

Live performances[]

On February 6, 2021, Aespa released the "Cozy Winter Cabin" version performance video. In the video, the Aespa members are sitting in a cozy cabin as the snow falls outside.[9][10] On February 8, the "Glitter Snowball" version was released.[11][9] On February 10 the group released the "Romantic Street" version.[12][9]

Track listing[]

Digital download / streaming[13]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Forever" (Korean: 약속; RR: Yaksok; lit. Promise)Yoo Young-jinYoo Young-jinYoo Young-jin4:58
Total length:4:58

Credits and personnel[]

Credits are adapted from Melon.[13]

Studio

  • Recorded, edited, engineered for mix, and mixed at SM Big Shot Studio
  • Recorded at Studio-T
  • Mastered at Sonic Korea

Personnel

  • Aespa – vocals, background vocals
  • Yoo Young-jin – lyrics, composition, arrangement, music and sound supervisor, directing, background vocals, recording, digital editing, mixing engineer, mixing
  • Sam Lee – bass, guitar
  • K Strings – strings
  • Shim Sang-won – strings arrangement, conducting
  • Oh Seung-geun – recording
  • Oh Se-young – recording assistant
  • Cheon Hoon – mastering
  • Shin Soo-min – mastering assistant

Charts[]

Weekly chart performance for "Forever"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
South Korea BGM Chart (Gaon)[14] 63
South Korea Download Chart (Gaon)[15] 28
US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[16] 11

Release history[]

Release dates and formats for "Forever"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various February 5, 2021 Digital download, streaming
[4]

References[]

  1. ^ Hwang Jin-hye (January 29, 2021). "에스파, 2월 5일 싱글 'Forever' 깜짝 발매…유영진 곡 리메이크" [Aespa, surprise release of single 'Forever' on February 5th ... Yoo Young-jin's song remake"]. Newsen. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  2. ^ 백융희 기자 (February 1, 2021). "에스파 카리나·닝닝, 'Forever' 티저 이미지 공개". Market News. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  3. ^ 이다겸 기자 (February 2, 2021). "에스파 윈터X지젤, 신곡 '포에버' 티저 공개...상큼 매력". Naver. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "Forever - Single". Apple Music. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  5. ^ Choo, Seung-Hyun. "에스파, 오늘(5일) 겨울 감성 담은 'Forever' 공개출처". www.sedaily.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b YaEun Kim (February 5, 2021). "K-POP GROUP AESPA RETURNS WITH NEW SINGLE "FOREVER"". Hypebae. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  7. ^ "Key, BPM & evaluation of Forever (약속) by aespa". MusicStax. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c Ruby C (February 8, 2021). "aespa – 'Forever' review: a remake that'll warm your heart this winter". NME. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c Cho Hyun-joo (February 6, 2021). "에스파, 리메이크곡 'Forever' 무대 오늘(6일) 첫 공개". YTN News (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  10. ^ "aespa 에스파 'Forever (약속)' The Performance Stage (Cozy Winter Cabin Ver.)". February 6, 2021. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ "aespa 에스파 'Forever (약속)' The Performance Stage (Glitter Snowball Ver.)". February 8, 2021. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2021 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "aespa 에스파 'Forever (약속)' The Performance Stage (Romantic Street Ver.)". February 10, 2021. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2021 – via YouTube.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b "Forever by Aespa". Melon. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  14. ^ "2021년 06주차 BGM Chart" [6th week of 2020 BGM Chart]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 25, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  15. ^ "2021년 06주차 Download Chart" [6th week of 2021 Download Chart]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 25, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  16. ^ "World Digital Song Sales – The Week of February 20, 2021". Billboard. February 20, 2021. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
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