Candy (H.O.T. song) explained

Candy
Type:single
Artist:H.O.T.
Album:We Hate All Kinds of Violence
Language:Korean
Released:September 7, 1996
Recorded:1996
Genre:
Length:3:37
Label:SM
Producer:Jang Yong-jin
Prev Title:Warrior's Descendant
Prev Year:1996
Next Title:Wolf and Sheep
Next Year:1997

"Candy" is a song recorded by South Korean boy group H.O.T., released as part of the group's debut studio album We Hate All Kinds of Violence through SM Entertainment on September 7, 1996. Along with "Warrior's Descendant", it serves as one of the two singles from the record. "Candy" is a "cheerful" bubblegum pop dance number, and was written and produced by .

Upon the album's release, "Candy" was met with widespread recognition in South Korea and has been credited with sparking a new wave of mainstream music in the country's youth. H.O.T. promoted "Candy" with televised live performances on weekly South Korean music programs in late 1996 and January 1997, and topped the chart rankings for several weeks. In a 2005 survey conducted by MTV Korea, it was voted the most popular song of 1996 in South Korea by netizens.[1]

Background

H.O.T. made its debut on September 7, 1996, with the release of the album We Hate All Kinds of Violence. It experienced instant commercial success in South Korea and has since reportedly sold over 1.5 million copies.[2] The trainee system laid by SM with H.O.T. has led them to be considered the first idol group in K-pop.[3] [4] [5]

Release

"Candy" serves as the second single from the album following "Warrior's Descent". It is a cheerful bubblegum pop song that established the group's popularity in South Korea.[6] The fashion, rap skills and dance moves shown through "Candy" has been noted by popular cultural commentators for sparking a new wave of mainstream music in South Korea.[7]

Live performances

Following promotions for the first single "Descent of Warriors", H.O.T. began promoting the album's second single, "Candy", on televised weekly music programs in November 1996. The stages for "Candy" exemplifies the level of coordination regarding idol costumes, with each member wearing a designated color and accessorized with face paint, fuzzy oversized mittens, visors, bucket hats, and earmuffs, and used stuffed animals, backpacks, and messenger bags as props. On October 13 and 14, 2018, H.O.T. performed "Candy" at their reunion concert "Forever [Highfive Of Teenagers]" at the Seoul Olympic Stadium, which attracted a total of 100,000 attendees.[8]

Accolades

"Candy" won the Best New Artist award at the 11th Golden Disc Awards.[9] It achieved the top position on SBS's TV Gayo 20 (former version of Inkigayo), MBC's Popular Songs Best 50 (former version of Show! Music Core), and KBS's Top 10 Songs (former version of Music Bank).

Date! class="unsortable"
TV Gayo 20December 15, 1996[10]
December 22, 1996[11]
January 5, 1997[12]
January 12, 1997[13]
January 19, 1997[14]
Popular Songs Best 50December 28, 1996[15]
January 4, 1997[16]
January 11, 1997[17]
Top 10 SongsJanuary 8, 1997[18]
January 15, 1997[19]

Impact and legacy

The release of "Candy" presented a softer and gentler form of pop music with upbeat and cheerful melodies accompanied by energetic dance moves—a formula adopted by many subsequent Korean idol groups. Ranking it as the best K-pop song of all time in 2012, David Bevan of Spin magazine wrote "Seo Taiji may have laid K-pop’s foundation a few years earlier, but it was H.O.T., a boy band engineered in part by SM kingpin Lee Soo-Man, that ushered in the 'idol' cult that's propelled Korean pop cultural product as far and wide as it's come in the past ten years."[20] In 2014, Mnet included "Candy" in their countdown list of Legend 100 Songs, a list of 100 influential songs in Korean popular music history since the 1960s.[21]

That same year, music webzine Music Taste Y ranked it at number 25 in their list of 120 greatest dance songs of all time, where critic Kim Yun-ha noted the multi use marketing that commercializes not only music, but also fashion and characters, and said that the song acts as sort of the ancestor of all those combined elements that the K-pop industry has become accustomed to in the present.[22] 35 music and pop culture critics organized by Seoul Shinmun and Melon ranked "Candy" at number 17 in a 2021 list of the 100 best K-pop songs of all time; critic Jeong Byeong-wook echoed that its beats, "dances, related fashions, various derivatives, and the fandom culture that surrounds it have all become pioneering models of the K-pop business today."[23]

Publisher! scope="col"
RankRankYear published
MTV KoreaMost popular songs from 199612005
Gallup Korea100 All Time Favorite Korean Songs132006[24]
JukeOnList of hit dances of all time in the music industryNo order2007[25]
Spin21 Greatest K-pop Songs of All Time12012
MnetLegend 100 SongsNo order2014[26]
Music Y120 greatest dance tracks of all time252014[27]
The Dong-a IlboBest male idol songs according to experts22016[28]
MelonTop 100 K-pop Songs of All Time172021
Rolling Stone100 Greatest Songs in the History of Korean Pop Music22023[29]

NCT Dream version

Candy
Type:single
Artist:NCT Dream
Ep:Candy
Recorded:2022
Genre:K-pop
Length:3:37
Label:SM
Composer:Jang Yong-jin
Prev Title:Beatbox
Prev Year:2022
Next Title:Best Friend Ever
Next Year:2023

South Korean boy group NCT Dream released another version of "Candy" on December 16, 2022. It served as the lead single for their extended play of the same name. The song was featured on a commercial. It debuted at number seven on the Circle Digital Chart.

Release and promotion

On November 18, 2022, NCT Dream announced that they would re-record "Candy" and release it as the lead single for their Christmas-themed extended play of the same name.[30] Before its release, the song was featured in a Kookmin Bank's commercial starring the group.[31] A portion of the song was featured in promotional videos released via YouTube Shorts.[32] A teaser for the music video was released on December 14.[33] The song was released on December 16, 2022, alongside an accompanying music video, showing the members seize a candy factory and celebrating Christmas.[34] NCT Dream performed the song at the 2022 KBS Song Festival on the same day of release. They performed the song alongside the b-side "Graduation" on South Korean music show Show! Music Core on December 17.[35]

Chart performance

"Candy" debuted at number seven on the Circle Digital Chart in the issue dated December 11–17, 2022,[36] and peaked at number three the next week. The song debuted at number one on the component Download Chart.[37] It debuted at number 14 and 122 on the component BGM Chart and on the component Streaming Chart respectively.[38] [39] The song peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 in the chart issue dated December 28, 2022. It peaked at number 198 on the Billboard Global 200 in the chart issue dated December 31, 2022.

Accolades

Program ! scope="col" width="140"
Date
M Countdown December 29, 2022[40]
Music Bank December 30, 2022[41]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.[42]

Studio

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2022–2023)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Indonesia (Billboard)[43] 10
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[44] 63
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[45] 40
Singapore Regional (RIAS)[46] 15
South Korea (Circle)[47] 3
Vietnam (Vietnam Hot 100)[48] 35
Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Peak
position
South Korea (Circle)[49] 6
Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
South Korea (Circle)[50] 25

Notes and References

  1. Web site: '1996년 최고 인기가요는 H.O.T '캔디' . "The most popular song of 1996 was H.O.T's 'Candy'" . . . 17 February 2022 . ko . January 7, 2005 . November 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211115210830/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=001&aid=0000876107 . live .
  2. Book: Fuhr, Michael. Globalization and Popular Music in South Korea: Sounding Out K-Pop. Routledge. 2015. 978-1317556916. 74–76. 2018-02-01. 2020-08-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20200803103527/https://books.google.com/books?id=l1DeCQAAQBAJ. live.
  3. News: Sherman. Maria. 2020-07-13. Start Here: Your Guide To Getting Into K-Pop. en. NPR. 2022-01-02. November 10, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201110042732/https://www.npr.org/2020/07/13/888933244/start-here-your-guide-to-getting-into-k-pop. live.
  4. Herman. Tamar. 2018-08-14. Pioneering K-Pop Group H.O.T. Announces First Concert in 17 Years. 2022-01-02. Billboard. en-US. January 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220102235815/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/k-pop-hot-first-concert-17-years-8470243/. live.
  5. Macintyre . Donald . Korean Pop - Flying Too High? . Time . https://web.archive.org/web/20030814135931/http://www.time.com:80/time/asia/covers/1101020729/story2.html . August 14, 2003 . July 29, 2002.
  6. News: Then & Now: A look back at the changing tides of K-pop. Jackson. Julie. 2013-08-13. The Korea Herald. 2018-02-01. en. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064112/http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130813000905. live.
  7. Web site: 2013-08-13. Then & Now: A look back at the changing tides of K-pop. live. 2022-01-02. The Korea Herald. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20130813174545/http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130813000905 . August 13, 2013 .
  8. Web site: Kim . Ji-ha . H.O.T.를 H.O.T.라 못 불러도…그때 그 열정 그대로 [콘서트 리뷰] ]. TV Daily . 17 February 2022 . ko . 14 October 2018.
  9. Web site: 1996-12-08. 올해의 골든디스크 대상에 김건모의 [스피드]]. live. 2021-06-03. Yonhap News Agency. Naver. ko. 2021-06-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20210603231643/https://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&oid=001&aid=0004087434&sid1=001.
  10. Web site: 1996-12-15 . ko:[다시보기] TV 가요 20 126회 . Episode 126 TV Gayo 20 . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000263912 . 2023-12-24 . . ko . 1st place song: Candy (HOT) . December 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224230106/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000263912 . live .
  11. Web site: 1996-12-22 . ko:[다시보기] TV 가요 20 127회 . Episode 127-Part 2 TV Gayo 20 . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000263894 . 2023-12-24 . . ko . 1st place song: Candy (HOT) . December 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224230107/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000263894 . live .
  12. Web site: 1997-01-05 . ko:[다시보기] TV 가요 20 128회 . Episode 128 TV Gayo 20 . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000461040 . 2023-12-24 . . ko . December 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224230108/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000461040 . live .
  13. Web site: 1997-01-12 . ko:[다시보기] TV 가요 20 129회 . Episode 129 TV Gayo 20 . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000461042 . 2023-12-24 . . ko . December 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224230109/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000461042 . live .
  14. Web site: 1997-01-19 . ko:[다시보기] TV 가요 20 130회 . Episode 130 TV Gayo 20 . https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000461043 . 2023-12-24 . . ko . December 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224230107/https://programs.sbs.co.kr/enter/tvgayo20/vod/68968/22000461043 . live .
  15. Web site: 1996-12-28 . ko:인기가요 Best 50 12월 넷째주 . Popular Songs Best 50 – 4th week of December . http://www.mbc.co.kr/best50/12280110.htm . https://web.archive.org/web/19970613224152/http://www.mbc.co.kr/best50/12280110.htm . 1997-06-13 . . ko.
  16. Web site: 1997-01-04 . ko:인기가요 Best 50 1월 첫째주 . Popular Songs Best 50 – First week of January . http://www.mbc.co.kr/best50/01040110.htm . https://web.archive.org/web/19970613224255/http://www.mbc.co.kr:80/best50/01040110.htm . 1997-06-13 . . ko.
  17. Web site: 1997-01-11 . ko:인기가요 Best 50 1월 둘째주 . Popular Songs Best 50 – 2nd week of January . http://www.mbc.co.kr/best50/01110110.htm . https://web.archive.org/web/19970613224332/http://www.mbc.co.kr/best50/01110110.htm . 1997-06-13 . Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation.
  18. Web site: H.O.T. - 'Candy' (19970108) H.O.T.【KBS 가요톱10】. KBS. YouTube. December 24, 2023. November 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231101075142/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge3mo0xLBuM&t=121s. live.
  19. Web site: ko:가요톱10 역대 1위곡 모음 1997~1998 . Collection of Top 10 Songs of All Time 1997~1998 . https://music.bugs.co.kr/musicpd/albumview/3541?wl_ref=list_mab_03_series . . 24 December 2023 . ko . 2012-09-27 . December 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224231202/https://music.bugs.co.kr/musicpd/albumview/3541?wl_ref=list_mab_03_series . live .
  20. Web site: The 21 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time. Bevan. David. Eddy. Chuck. June 1, 2012. Spin. February 17, 2022. February 7, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200207142613/https://www.spin.com/2012/06/best-k-pop-songs-all-time/4/. live.
  21. Web site: Kim. Soo-jung. February 3, 2014. '동백아가씨'부터 '강남스타일'까지, 대중 사로잡은 명곡은?. From 'Camellia Lady' to 'Gangnam Style', which famous songs have captured the public?. live. January 3, 2022. MediaUS. https://web.archive.org/web/20211002212840/http://www.mediaus.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=39865 . October 2, 2021 .
  22. Web site: 2014-07-25. Dance Track 120 25위 – 에이치오티 (H.O.T.)『Candy』. 2022-02-17. Music Taste Y. ko. February 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217190506/http://musicy.kr/?c=best&s=1&cidx=22&gp=2&ob=idx&gbn=viewok&ix=4162. live.
  23. Web site: K-pop 명곡 100: 17위 Candy – H.O.T. . K-pop Top 100: #17 Candy – H.O.T. . . 2 January 2022 . ko . August 2021 . January 2, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220102230420/https://www.melon.com/kpop100/detail.htm?detailSong=71606 . live .
  24. Web site: December 1, 2006 . ko:2006 한국인이 좋아하는 가요 100곡 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924233923/http://www.gallup.co.kr/gallupdb/reportContent.asp?seqNo=159 . September 24, 2022 . September 24, 2022 . Gallup Korea . ko.
  25. Web site: 2007-11-21 . 가요계 역대 히트춤 목록 . List of hit dances in the music industry . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230110141624/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=109&aid=0000098276 . January 10, 2023 . 2022-09-24 . Osen . . ko.
  26. Web site: Kim . Soo-jung . February 3, 2014 . ko:'동백아가씨'부터 '강남스타일'까지, 대중 사로잡은 명곡은? . From 'Camellia Lady' to 'Gangnam Style', which famous songs have captured the public? . http://www.mediaus.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=39865 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211002212840/http://www.mediaus.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=39865 . October 2, 2021 . October 2, 2021 . MediaUS.
  27. Web site: Kim . Yun-ha . July 25, 2014 . Dance Track 120: 25위 – 에이치오티 (H.O.T.) 『Candy』 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220217190506/http://musicy.kr/?c=best&s=1&cidx=22&gp=2&ob=idx&gbn=viewok&ix=4162 . February 17, 2022 . 2022-09-24 . . ko.
  28. Web site: 2016-09-02 . New survey ranks top K-pop artists & songs of the past 20 years . 2022-07-11 . SBS PopAsia . en . October 11, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231011072048/https://www.sbs.com.au/audio/music/popasia . live .
  29. Web site: 2023-07-20 . The 100 Greatest Songs in the History of Korean Pop Music . 2023-07-20 . Rolling Stone . en-US . August 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230816134323/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-korean-pop-songs-1234727955/ . live .
  30. News: https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/003/0011544135. ko:NCT 드림, 겨울 스페셜 앨범 캔디 리메이크…내달 공개. NCT Dream, winter special album Candy remake... release next month. Jeong. Jina. November 18, 2022. Newsis. Naver. ko. November 18, 2022. November 18, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221118044655/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/003/0011544135. live.
  31. News: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=117&aid=0003669925. ko:NCT 드림의 캔디 어떨까…겨울 스페셜 앨범 기대 UP. How about NCT Dream's Candy... Anticipation for the winter special album UP. Oh. Yoon-ju. November 18, 2022. MyDaily. Naver. ko. November 27, 2022. November 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221127141607/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=117&aid=0003669925. live.
  32. News: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=003&aid=0011575490. ko:NCT 드림, 캔디 유튜브 쇼츠 챌린지 시작…신곡 힌트 콘텐츠. NCT Dream, Candy YouTube Shorts Challenge begins... New song hint content. Jeong. Jin-ah. December 6, 2022. Newsis. Naver. ko. December 6, 2022. December 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221206151313/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=003&aid=0011575490. live.
  33. News: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=382&aid=0001022071. ko:NCT Dream Candy, 16일 '가요대축제' 최초 공개 [공식]. NCT Dream Candy, first released at Gayo Daechukje on the 16th [Official]. Hong. Se-young. December 14, 2022. Sports Donga. Naver. ko. December 14, 2022. December 14, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221214171706/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=382&aid=0001022071. live.
  34. News: NCT Dream release Candy winter EP, music video. Martin. Anne. December 16, 2022. UPI. December 17, 2022. December 19, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221219002848/https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Music/2022/12/16/korea-NCT-Dream-Candy-winter-EP-music-video/4101671215843/. live.
  35. News: https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=109&aid=0004759069. ko:'음중' 르세라핌 1위, NCT드림 'Candy' 재해석·WSG워너비 컴백 [종합]. 1st place in Music Core Le Sserafim, NCT Dream "Candy" reinterpretation WSG Wannabe comeback [Comprehensive]. Yeon. Hwi-seon. December 17, 2022. Osen. Naver. ko. December 17, 2022. December 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221217131414/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=109&aid=0004759069. live.
  36. Web site: Digital Chart – Week 51 of 2022. December 11–17, 2022. Circle Chart. ko. December 22, 2022. December 22, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221222020911/https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=51&hitYear=2022&termGbn=week&yearTime=3. live.
  37. Web site: Download Chart – Week 51 of 2022. December 11–17, 2022. Circle Chart. ko. December 22, 2022. November 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221104061200/https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?serviceGbn=S1020. live.
  38. Web site: BGM Chart – Week 51 of 2022. December 11–17, 2022. Circle Chart. ko. December 22, 2022. December 25, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221225053958/https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?serviceGbn=S1060. live.
  39. Web site: Streaming Chart – Week 51 of 2022. December 11–17, 2022. Circle Chart. ko. December 22, 2022. December 25, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221225113642/https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?serviceGbn=S1040. live.
  40. Web site: Seo. Ji-hyun. December 29, 2022. ko:NCT 드림, '엠카' 1위 "'캔디' 리메이크 영광"→'보이즈 플래닛' 펜타곤 후이 포착. NCT Dream, 'M Countdown' 1st place "'Candy' remake glory"→'Boyz Planet' Pentagon Hui captured. http://www.stoo.com/article.php?aid=84576068749. live. December 29, 2022. Sports Today. ko. December 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221229104620/http://www.stoo.com/article.php?aid=84576068749.
  41. Web site: Ahn. Yoon-ji. December 31, 2022. ko:NCT 드림, '캔디'로 음악방송 2관왕..음원 차트도 '올킬'. NCT DREAM wins 2 gold medals on music shows with 'Candy'... The music charts are also 'all-kill'. https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/108/0003117754. live. December 31, 2022. Star News. ko. December 31, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221231051210/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/108/0003117754.
  42. Beatbox. NCT Dream. 2022. Credits. photobook. SM Entertainment; Dreamus. South Korea.
  43. NCT Dream Chart History (Indonesia Songs). Billboard. December 28, 2022. December 28, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221228113652/https://www.billboard.com/artist/nct-dream/chart-history/i43/. live.
  44. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of December 28, 2022. Billboard Japan. ja. December 28, 2022. December 28, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221228052758/https://billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2023&month=01&day=02. live.
  45. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. December 26, 2022. December 24, 2022. December 24, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221224012502/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/hotsingles?chart=5474. live.
  46. Web site: RIAS Top Charts Week 51 (16 - 22 Dec 2022). RIAS. December 28, 2022. December 28, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221228074254/https://www.rias.org.sg/rias-top-charts/#1562208279199-5ec9aa23-80dc/.
  47. Web site: Digital Chart – Week 52 of 2022. December 18–24, 2022. Circle Chart. ko. December 29, 2022. December 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221229020431/https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=52&hitYear=2022&termGbn=week&yearTime=3. live.
  48. NCT Dream Chart History: Vietnam Hot 100. Billboard. December 29, 2022. November 15, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221115224953/https://www.billboard.com/artist/nct-dream/chart-history/vtm/. live.
  49. Web site: Digital Chart – January 2023. Circle Chart. ko. February 9, 2023. February 9, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230209025439/https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=01&hitYear=2023&termGbn=month&yearTime=3. live.
  50. Web site: Digital Chart 2023. Circle Chart. January 12, 2024. January 12, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240112035035/https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=2023&hitYear=2023&termGbn=year&yearTime=3. live.

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