Zimzalabim
"Zimzalabim" (Korean: 짐살라빔, Jimsallabim) is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Red Velvet for their sixth Korean extended play The ReVe Festival: Day 1, which acts as the first installment of the group's The ReVe Festival trilogy. Primarily an EDM-influenced electropop track that resembles a "colorful parade" and showcases an extravagant soundscape, the song was composed by production duo Caesar & Loui, Ollipop and Hayley Aitken with Korean lyrics adaptation by lyricist Lee Seu-ran, which tells the listeners to "unfold a dream" that is "held deeply" in their heart. Accompanied by an amusement park-themed music video, it was released on June 19, 2019 by SM Entertainment as the lead single for Day 1, and subsequently the first single from The ReVe Festival trilogy.[1]
"Zimzalabim" | ||||
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Single by Red Velvet | ||||
from the EP The ReVe Festival: Day 1 | ||||
Language | Korean | |||
Released | June 19, 2019 | |||
Recorded | 2019 | |||
Studio | SM Studio Center, Seoul, South Korea | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:10 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Red Velvet singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Zimzalabim" on YouTube |
Upon its release, "Zimzalabim" polarized music critics over its "genre-hopping" composition. While some felt the song was a "downhill" from the group's previous experimenting tunes, others saw the song as a sonic roller coaster ride and praised its "energetic, anthemic" sound. It also attained moderate success, becoming their first lead single to miss the top ten on Gaon Digital Chart, peaking at number eleven, while earning Red Velvet their fourteenth consecutive top-ten entry on Billboard's World Digital Songs chart. The song also marked the group's first chart appearance in Oceania, peaking at number thirty-nine on New Zealand Hot Singles Chart.
Composition
"Zimzalabim" is an electropop song composed by Olof Lindskog, Daniel Caesar, Ludwig Lindell and Hayley Aitken.[2][1]According to Billboard's Tamar Herman, the song flits from genre to genre from "soaring electro-pop and funky percussive melodies" to "tinny hip-hop chants, EDM dance breaks and chill, groovy moments" and incorporates an "addicting chorus".[1] Inspired by Beyoncé and "I Got a Boy" by Girls' Generation, the song urges to leave behind the limitations and follow dreams.[3][1]
Music video
The music video for single was released on June 19, 2019. It features the Red Velvet members within a magical amusement park. Within 24 hours, the video had surpassed 10 million views on YouTube. The music video was placed atop BuzzFeed's list of "Best K-pop Music Videos of 2019", where it claimed that the video showcased everything "from dancing crystalline animals to boots that march on their own", labelling it as "a perfect example of how Red Velvet boldly pushes creative boundaries with grace, style, and a sprinkle of magic."[4]
Live performances
Red Velvet promoted the song on several music programs in South Korea including Show! Music Core, Music Bank and Inkigayo.[5] The group received five music show trophies for the song.
Commercial performance
"Zimzalabim" debuted at number 14 on the Gaon Digital Chart and peaked at number 11 the following week. The song debuted at number 8 on the Billboard K-pop Hot 100 before reaching number 4 in its second week. It became the group's fourteenth consecutive top-ten single on the World Digital Song Sales chart, reaching number 10 three weeks after its release. Moreover, "Zimzalabim" reached the weekly charts in Singapore and New Zealand, becoming their first entry on the latter chart.
Accolades
Critic/Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
BuzzFeed | Best K-pop Music Videos of 2019 | 1 | [6] |
37 Of The Best K-Pop Songs Of 2019, According To Fans | 7 | [7] | |
Year | Organization | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | 2019 Mnet Asian Music Awards | Best Dance Performance (Female Group) | Nominated | [8] |
Song of the Year | Longlisted | |||
2020 | 9th Gaon Chart Music Awards | Song of the Year – June | Nominated | [9] |
Award | Date | Ref. |
---|---|---|
Weekly Popularity Award | July 1, 2019 | [10] |
July 8, 2019 |
Program | Network | Date | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Show Champion | MBC Music | June 26, 2019 | [11] |
M Countdown | Mnet | June 27, 2019 | [12] |
Music Bank | KBS | June 28, 2019 | [13] |
Show! Music Core | MBC | June 29, 2019 | [14] |
Inkigayo | SBS | June 30, 2019 | [15] |
Charts
Chart (2019) | Peak position |
---|---|
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[16] | 39 |
Singapore Regional (RIAS)[17] | 18 |
South Korea (Gaon)[18] | 11 |
South Korea (Kpop Hot 100)[19] | 4 |
US World Digital Songs (Billboard)[20] | 10 |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
South Korea | June 19, 2019 | Digital download, streaming | SM Entertainment |
Various |
References
- "Red Velvet Take a Magical Ride in 'Zimzalabim' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
- Yim Hyun-su (June 20, 2019). "Red Velvet is back with new electropop single "Zimzalabim"". The Korea Herald. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- "Meet songwriting duo behind Red Velvet's 'Zimzalabim'". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
- "Best K-pop Music Videos of 2019". BuzzFeed. January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- Kim Joo-won (June 25, 2019). "레드벨벳, '짐살라빔' 주문 통했다..주간 음반 차트 1위". Seoul Economy Daily (in Korean). Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- "Best K-pop Music Videos of 2019". BuzzFeed. January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- Han, Sarah. "37 Of The Best K-Pop Songs Of 2019, According To Fans". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
- Cabico, Gaea Katreena (October 25, 2019). "LIST: Official nominees for 2019 MAMA". philstar.com. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
- 9th Gaon Chart Music Awards 율해의 기쉬(디지털음원) 후보차 (in Korean). November 1, 2019. Archived from the original on November 25, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- "Melon". m.melon.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2020-05-16.
- Lee, So-dam (June 26, 2019). "'쇼챔피언' 레드벨벳, '짐살라빔' 컴백 첫 1위.."모든 행운 다 이뤄지길" [종합]". Osen (in Korean). Retrieved July 20, 2019.
- Ha, Su-jeong (June 27, 2019). "'엠카' 레드벨벳, 출연없이 1위·2관왕..컴백 청하x(여자)아이들 [종합]". Osen (in Korean). Retrieved July 20, 2019.
- Kim, Bo-ra (June 28, 2019). "'뮤직뱅크' 레드벨벳, 상반기 결산 1위 '3관왕'..청하・(여자)아이들 컴백[종합]". Osen (in Korean). Retrieved July 20, 2019.
- Lee, Ha-na (June 29, 2019). "'음악중심' 레드벨벳, 방탄소년단 제치고 1위 등극‥은지원 청하 컴백(종합)". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved July 20, 2019.
- Ji, Yeon-joo (July 7, 2019). "'인기가요' 레드벨벳 '짐살라빔' 막방에 1위, 청하→은지원 컴백(종합)". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved July 20, 2019.
- "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 29 June 2019. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- "Singapore Top 30 Regional Streaming Chart Week 27". Recording Industry Association (Singapore). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
- "Digital Chart – Week 26 of 2019" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
- "Kpop Hot 100 (week of June 29, 2019)". Billboard Korea (in Korean). Retrieved July 25, 2019.
- "World Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Retrieved July 4, 2019.