Wind Flower Explained

Wind Flower
Cover:Mamamoo - Wind Flower (JPN).jpg
Caption:Japanese version regular and digital cover
Type:single
Artist:Mamamoo
Ep:Blue;s 4colors
B-Side:"Sleep Talk" (Japanese)
Released:November 29, 2018 (Korean)
February 6, 2019 (Japanese)
Studio:RBW Studio
Genre:K-pop
Length:3:56
Label:RBW
Prev Title:Egotistic
Prev Year:2018
Next Title:Gogobebe
Next Year:2019

"Wind Flower" (stylized in sentence case) is a song by South Korean girl group Mamamoo. It was released on November 29, 2018, by RBW as the lead single from the group's eighth extended play (EP), Blue;s. A "comforting" breakup song, "Wind Flower" was produced by Kim Do-hoon and Park Woo-sang and written by them and Mamamoo member Moonbyul. The song became a top-ten hit in South Korea, reaching number nine on the Gaon Digital Chart and ten on the Billboard K-pop Hot 100. The Japanese version of the song was released on February 6, 2019, as their second Japanese single.

Background and release

In 2018, Mamamoo embarked on their Four Seasons, Four Colors series of albums, releasing the commencement single "Paint Me" in January, their sixth EP Yellow Flower in March, and their seventh EP Red Moon in July.[1] [2] On November 7, the group was announced to be coming back with their eighth EP, Blue;s, and a new song.[3] A music video teaser for the single was released on November 22.[4] [5] "Wind Flower" was released digitally alongside its parent EP on November 29, 2018.[6]

The Japanese version of "Wind Flower" was released alongside the B-side "Sleep Talk" as Mamamoo's second Japanese-language single on February 6, 2019.[7] [8] It was later included on the group's debut Japanese album 4colors, which was released in August 2019. A remix of the original Korean version, subtitled the "Dramatic Version", was released on September 15, 2021, as the 17th track on Mamamoo's first compilation album, I Say Mamamoo: The Best.[9]

Composition

Musically, "Wind Flower" is a K-pop and R&B breakup song. The original song runs for three minutes and 56 seconds, while the Japanese version lasts an additional second. Both versions are composed in the key of C major and at a tempo of 114 BPM. The Korea Herald remarked that with "Wind Flower", "Mamamoo gives the exhausted theme of romance gone wrong a groovy makeover" yet still "anything but a cliche." The publication also stated that the song, and the rest of the EP, "bring R&B to the mainstream K-pop scene" and that the genre has "found its best advocate in the K-pop scene."[10] "Wind Flower" has also been called a song that "captures the sentimental sensibility" of the group and displays the "lonely and faint feelings which a person has after separation from a lover."[11]

The Japanese b-side "Sleep Talk" has been described as an "impressive song... that will make [one] feel excited again", as opposed to the typical "J-pop-oriented catchy songs and heart-pounding ballads".

Commercial performance

"Wind Flower" debuted at number 17 on the Gaon Digital Chart, accumulating 18.1 million digital index points for the week ending December 1, 2018.[12] The next week, it peaked at number nine on the chart, with 23.3 million index points.[13] The single peaked at number 20 for the December 2018 monthly issue.[14] Additionally, "Wind Flower" peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Korea K-pop Hot 100[15] and number 16 on the Billboard World Digital Songs Sales charts.[16] Upon the release of the Japanese version in 2019, the song peaked at number 16 on the Oricon Singles Chart, selling over 7,000 physical copies and charting for two weeks, and number 68 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.[17] [18]

Track listing

Digital download and streaming[19] [20]

  1. "Wind Flower" – 3:56
  2. "Wind Flower" (Instrumental) – 3:56

Digital download and streaming[21]

  1. "Wind Flower" (Japanese version) – 3:57
  2. "Sleep Talk" – 3:08

Personnel

Adapted from EP liner notes.[22]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2018–2019)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Japan (Oricon)16
Japan (Billboard Japan)68
South Korea (Gaon)[23] 9
South Korea (K-pop Hot 100)10
US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard)16

Monthly charts

Chart (2018)! scope="col"
Peak
position
South Korea (Gaon)20

Release history

RegionDateFormatVersionLabelRef.
VariousNovember 29, 2018Korean
JapanFebruary 6, 2019JapaneseVictor Entertainment
VariousSeptember 15, 2021Korean (Dramatic Version)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hong. Dam-young. March 11, 2018. Mamamoo gets mellow, returns with yellow spring vibe. September 21, 2021. The Korea Herald.
  2. Web site: Kang. E.. July 15, 2018. MAMAMOO Offers Sneak Peek At "Red Moon" With New Highlight Medley. September 21, 2021. Soompi.
  3. Web site: Martin. Annie. November 8, 2018. Mamamoo to release new EP on Nov. 29. September 21, 2021. UPI.
  4. Web site: November 22, 2018. MAMAMOO take the city in 'Wind Flower' MV teaser. September 21, 2018. AllKPop.
  5. Web site: Park. Sae-jin. November 23, 2018. Girl band MAMAMOO drops teaser clip for 'Wind Flower'. September 21, 2021. Aju Business Daily.
  6. Web site: Key & BPM for Wind Flower by MAMAMOO. September 21, 2021. TuneBat.
  7. Web site: February 6, 2019. Wind Flower (Japanese Ver.) - Single by MAMAMOO. September 21, 2021. Apple Music.
  8. Web site: February 5, 2019. MAMAMOO『Wind flower -Japanese ver.-』K-Pop界屈指のガール・クラッシュ・グループによる日本セカンド・シングル. September 21, 2021. Mikiki Tokyo. ja.
  9. Web site: September 15, 2021. I SAY MAMAMOO : THE BEST by MAMAMOO. September 21, 2021. Apple Music.
  10. Web site: Kim. Arin. December 2, 2018. Mamamoo, bringing R&B to the mainstream K-pop scene. September 21, 2021. The Korea Herald.
  11. Web site: Elyssa. Danah. November 21, 2018. MAMAMOO returns with 'Blue;S' + releases tracklist and concept photos. September 21, 2018. HelloKPop.
  12. Web site: 2018년 48주차 Digital Chart. September 21, 2021. Gaon Music Chart.
  13. Web site: 2018년 49주차 Digital Chart. September 21, 2021. Gaon Music Chart.
  14. Web site: December 2018 Digital Chart. September 21, 2021. Gaon Music Chart.
  15. Web site: Billboard Kpop Hot 100. Billboard Korea. May 22, 2019.
  16. December 15, 2018. US World Digital Song Sales. subscription. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190506010657/https://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2018-12-15/world-digital-song-sales. May 6, 2019. Billboard. May 22, 2019.
  17. Web site: Oricon Singles Chart. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210113194055/https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/654493/rank/single/. January 13, 2021. Oricon Chart. ja. October 10, 2018.
  18. Mamamoo Chart History: Japan Hot 100. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201127122430/https://www.billboard.com/music/mamamoo/chart-history/JPN. November 27, 2020. Billboard. March 4, 2020.
  19. Web site: November 29, 2018. BLUE;S by MAMAMOO. September 21, 2021. Apple Music.
  20. Web site: November 29, 2018. Wind Flower (Instrumental) by MAMAMOO. September 21, 2021. Apple Music.
  21. Web site: February 6, 2019. Wind Flower (Japanese Ver.) by MAMAMOO. September 21, 2021. Apple Music.
  22. Blue;s. Mamamoo. 2018. liner notes. Kakao M. L200001669.
  23. Web site: 2018년 49주차 Digital Chart. Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. ko. May 22, 2019.