“Bad Boy”: Red Velvet’s Perfect Comeback
Merely two months after the release of their highly successful second album Perfect Velvet, the girls of Red Velvet are back again with the repackaged version of the album—SM Entertainment’s first repackaged girl group album in seven years, since the release of Girls’ Generation’s Mr. Taxi. Titled The Perfect Red Velvet, this repackaged release reasserts Red Velvet’s growing success and truly showcases the best of the girls’ abilities as performers.
Who Dat (Bad) Boy?
Very few groups do R&B justice like Red Velvet does—and the title track “Bad Boy” is a perfect example of that, something that was rarely (if at all) displayed in their previous title track releases. Sure, “Dumb Dumb” was incredibly catchy, “Rookie” was weird—in a good way—and “Red Flavor” was Korea’s favorite summer pop hit. But there’s something about Red Velvet’s latest releases, namely “Peek-A-Boo,” that inspires maturity and elegance—and those elements are taken to a higher level with “Bad Boy.”
From the first second, “Bad Boy” has a way to draw any listener in, with its synth-driven melody and its mellow trap beat. Soon the best thing about the song joins in: the girls’ voices, which display some of the best deliveries ever heard before in any Red Velvet title track. Once the chorus hits, you can’t help but sing along: the ooh ooh’s are too catchy not to replicate. Yet, it doesn’t make the song any less impressive both in terms of melody and in terms of vocals: behind the catchy beat still lies a solid instrumental (which, by the way, is included in the tracklist), juxtaposed to the members’ impeccable performance. “Bad Boy” is addictive, sexy, and pretty much the high quality, near-perfect title track Red Velvet deserves.
The (Perfect) Music Video
With predominantly red, white, and pink toned frames, the music video for “Bad Boy” is a stunning piece of cinematography, with an enticing atmosphere perfectly fitting the song’s own elegant yet playful vibe. One can’t help but fall in love with the overflowing confidence the girls exude in the video—or, simply, with the girls themselves. The choreography shots show the members’ sleek moves and perfect synchronization, while the rest of the video seemingly depicts a vague storyline that follows the one behind “Peek-A-Boo.” Could it be a symbolic sequel of sorts? Possibly, as similar glass cases are depicted in the “Bad Boy” video as found in the one for “Peek-A-Boo.” There’s something subtly sensual about the music video as well; if anything, the title of the book making many appearances throughout, “Ceci n’est pas de la lèvres,” (correct form: “Ce ne sont pas des lèvres”; in English, “These are not lips”) hanging on top of a lip print displayed sideways, says lots about the hidden meanings behind the song.
What Makes Velvet Perfect
The additional two tracks on The Perfect Red Velvet follow the same fashion as some previous tracks on the original album. “All Right” has the same synthpop 1980s vibe as “Look” had on Perfect Velvet, though “All Right” is much more upbeat and cheerful in sound. It remains thoroughly enjoyable to listen to, though, and proves that synthpop might just be a newfound strength of Red Velvet as a group. The other track, “Time to Love,” slows things down with a quiet piano melody laid over a chill R&B beat. It’s charming and delicate in sound without being too slow or boring, becoming a perfect, ballad-like mellow song, completing the album nicely.