CSR Wishes Fans “HBD” in English Digital Single

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of their fandom name, MAEUM, CSR released “HBD To You (Midnight Ver.)” on November 26. The song came packaged entirely in English, a fact not previously revealed. On November 17, 2022, CSR revealed MAEUM, meaning “heart,” as their fandom name. Since CSR stands for the term “first love” in Korean, cheot sarang, it makes sense that MAEUM connects fans to CSR. “HBD To You (Midnight Ver.)” arrives almost eight months after the group’s last music release, DELIGHT. 

A Belated “HBD To You”

CSR announced “HBD To You (Midnight Ver.)” less than a week before its release, coming as a surprise to many. However, CSR had more tricks up their sleeve by hiding the song’s nature as their first English track. The choice to make this newest fan single in English helps include an international audience, adding to that initial shock. “HBD To You (Midnight Ver.)” is a simple birthday song that achieves its heartfelt goal. While the meaning of “Midnight Ver.” in its title is not yet clear, it’s a gentle song that soothes rather than excites. 

It carries a congratulatory message in a way that feels like a warm hug on a cold day. The song’s lyrics tell of friends preparing for the best birthday party. They eagerly await for the clock to strike midnight so they can give warm wishes as soon as possible. To some, this party might seem like the ideal one. Someone gets to dress in a “pink tiara” and “white gloves,” and gets presented red velvet cupcakes topped with birthday candles “in a heart shape,” all the while confetti goes off.  

The Music Video 

The music video shows the birthday preparations and celebrations. All the work is done in fun, such as filling up heart-shaped balloons and decorating colorful cupcakes. The music video is all about highlighting what it means to feel special to a group of friends. The brief section with an electric guitar instrumental switches to a photoshoot-esque selection of shots, where the members get to pose with various props. Though it’s a birthday for MAEUM, CSR is also the heart of the fandom’s collective appreciation. 

Sua, Geumhee, Sihyeon, Seoyeon, Yuna, Duna, and Yeham have done it again by gifting fans something sweet. With “Midnight Ver.” at the end of the single’s title, perhaps more iterations are on their way. Regardless if this birthday song comes alone or with some future friends, “HBD To You (Midnight Ver.)” is a great present. Happy birthday, MAEUM.