"Fate" (Korean: 나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까; RR: Naneun Apeun Geon Ttak Jilsaeginikka; lit. 'Because I hate being sick'), sometimes referred to as "Ah.Ttak.Jil" (Korean: 아.딱.질) in South Korea,[1] is a song by South Korean girl group (G)I-dle for their second studio album, 2, released simultaneously with the album on January 29, 2024, as the sixth track, written and produced by Soyeon, with additional composition and arrangement credits from Pop Time, Dailly, and Likey.
"Fate" is a pop-punk and funk hybrid song with 2000sJ-pop influences, led by a minimal yet vibrant production. It features guitars and "jaunty" piano sounds. The song emerged as a sleeper hit on South Korean music charts without any promotional efforts, reaching number one on the Circle Digital Chart and other South Korean streaming platforms. It gained attention following the release of a stage video on Lee Hyori's Red Carpet and It's Live YouTube channel, accumulating over one million views.
"Fate" is a blend of pop-punk and funk, featuring minimal yet vibrant production, guitars, and "jaunty" piano. NME noted that these elements give the song the bittersweet energy reminiscent of an end credits track from a slice-of-life anime series.[2][3] Initially, Soyeon envisioned "Fate" as the lead single for the album. During an appearance on Lee Eun-ji's Song Plaza on January 30, 2024, she revealed, "I originally used 'Fate' as the title. It's a song with an animation feel." Soyeon crafted the song with a cartoon-like scene in mind, giving it a "band-like sound" instead of a typical dance track.[4] Reporter Lee Deok-haeng of IZE magazine compares "Fate" to past song like "Allergy" (2023) and "Never Stop Me" (2022), highlighting (G)I-dle's consistent fusion of J-pop and band elements.[5]
"'Fate' is a tune about the feeling of heartbreak that you suddenly get after bumping into a stranger. You don't remember who that person is, but you feel like you know him and you begin to shed tears."
The track revolves around the theme of an "unexpected yet fateful encounter," which captures the sudden heartbreak that follows a chance meeting with a stranger.[6] The Fact reporter Choi Soo-bin noted that the track incorporated J-pop influences and "resonates with listeners through relatable lyrics" like 'This morning again, with bread in my mouth/Starting the day the same/Iced Americano in one hand all day long/I'm so tired.'[4] Jang Jun-hwan of IZM praised Soyeon's skillful lyricism, which adeptly portrays various situations and emotions using relatable metaphors. Additionally, Jun-hwan highlights the intuitiveplot twists in the song.[7]
Live video
Following the song's unexpected success, (G)I-dle had announced the release of a live video on March 13, 2024. The poster, which prominently features members Minnie and Yuqi, evokes a nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of a youth movie. This nostalgic vibe has generated attention among netizens.[8] The video emphasized their "bright visuals" in school uniforms, while they were surrounded by "fluttering flower petals added warmth, reminiscent of a scene from a youth movie, leaving a deep lingering impression."[9] Following its release, "Fate" secured the top spot in South Korea's YouTube chart with 3,6 million views. The song has remained on the charts for five consecutive weeks.[10]
Reception
"Fate" saw a revival on multiple South Korean music charts, achieving notable success without any promotional backing from the agency.[4] Securing iChart's "Perfect all-kill", it dominated the top spot on major South Korean music streaming service charts, marking their fourth consecutive success after "Tomboy," "Nxde," and "Queencard".[11] Its popularity surged following the release of a stage video on the late-night music talk show Lee Hyori's Red Carpet and It's Live YouTube channel. These videos garnered over 1 million views, with shortened versions reaching 7 million views.[4] The song also received positive reviews from South Korean music critics. In his album review, Jang Jun-hwan of IZM lauds "Fate" as a standout track, praising the lyricism, the funky guitar melodies and intuitiveplot twists, likening the track's atmosphere to a youth cartoon, evoking sympathy and comfort in listeners.[7] Reporter Lee Deok-haeng of IZE magazine praises "Fate" for its unique funk-based, minimal band sound and witty lyrics, evoking comparisons to J-pop or "Japanese animation OST material," and Miyeon's vocals.[12] Additionally, he noted listener fatigue with (G)I-dle's conceptual title tracks like "Nxde" and "Super Lady," emphasizing "Fate's" departure from such artistic direction and reflecting a broader trend towards easy-listening tracks in the K-pop industry.[12] Reporter Seung-gil Lee of My Daily praised (G)I-dle for departure from their usual style. Unlike their previous tracks known for their strong stage presence, he noted that "Fate" resonated with audiences through its light band sound and nostalgic melody reminiscent of youth movies. The song's airy atmosphere and poetic lyrics left a "lasting impression," contributing to its chart success.[13] Renowned music critic Jeong Min-jae praised the song, describing its melody as fluid "like water" and its lyrics as narrative-driven. He noted its resurgence through spontaneous social media virality, marking it as a prime example of fan-driven rediscovery.[14] Additionally, some online users speculate that the song's nostalgic appeal stems from its resemblance to 2000s J-pop, attributing its allure to its unique melody and storytelling elements.[15]
^Kim, Seon-woo (March 18, 2024). "(여자)아이들은 1위 못하는 건 딱 질색이니깐" [(G)I-dle hates not being first place]. JTBC (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
^Park, Seo-hyun (March 14, 2024). "(여자)아이들 '나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까' 라이브 클립 공개..청량 무드" [(G)I-dle "Fate" live clip released.. Refreshing mood]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
^ abcdSoobin, Choi (March 15, 2024). "(여자)아이들, '나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까'로 보여준 음악의 힘[TF초점]" [(G)I-dle, the power of music shown through 'Fate' [TF Focus]]. The fact (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024 – via Naver.
^Lee, Deok-haeng (March 6, 2024). "(여자)아이들, '아딱질'을 타이틀로 했으면 어땠을까" [(G)I-dle, what would it have been like if they had used 'Fate' as their title?]. IZE (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024 – via Naver.
^Kim, Min-ji (March 12, 2024). "(여자)아이들 '나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까', 차트 역주행...무서운 뒷심" [(G)I-dle 'Because I just hate being sick', running back on the charts... a scary thought]. News1 (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
^Choi, Yi-jeong (March 14, 2024). "역주행 난리난 (여자)아이들, '나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까'..라이브도 깜짝" [(G)I-dle goes crazy in reverse, 'Fate'... The live performance was also surprising]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
^Kim, Seong-hee (March 17, 2024). "11주차 국내 유튜브 인기곡 1위는 (여자)아이들의 'Fate'...조회수 TOP5는 르세라핌·에스파·트와이스·(여자)아이들·방탄소년단 정국" [The most popular song on YouTube for the 11th week is (G)I-dle's 'Fate'... The top 5 views are Le Seraphim, Aespa, Twice, (G)I-dle, and BTS Jungkook.]. Top Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
^Lee, Jae-hoon (March 26, 2024). "(여자)아이들, '아딱질'로 네 앨범 연속 '퍼펙트 올킬'" [(G)I-dle, 'Perfect All-Kill' for 4 albums in a row with 'Fate']. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
^ abLee, Deok-haeng (March 6, 2024). "(여자)아이들, '아딱질'을 타이틀로 했으면 어땠을까" [(G)I-dle, what would it have been like if they had used 'Fate' as their title?]. IZE (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 28, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024 – via Naver.
^Seung-gil, Lee (March 17, 2024). "'나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까'...(여자)아이들의 변신은 늘 환영이니까 [MD뮤직]" ['Because I just hate being sick'... Because (G)I-DLE's transformation is always welcome [MD Music]]. My Daily (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 1, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024 – via Naver.
^Choi, Jae-seo (March 18, 2024). "(여자)아이들 '아딱질', '밤양갱' 꺾고 멜론 1위" [(G)I-dle beats 'Attakjil' and 'Bamyanggaeng' to take first place in Melon]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
^Park, So-jin (March 19, 2024). "(여자)아이들, 멜론 차트 정상 차지...'J팝' 연상시키는 '나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까'로 증명한 "음악적 실험"" [(G)I-dle takes the top spot on the Melon chart... "Musical experiment" proven with 'Because I hate being sick' reminiscent of 'J-pop']. MK Sports (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
^Jang, Woo-young (March 19, 2024). "[단독] (여자)아이들, '아딱질' 역주행 1위에 응답..음방 출연 전격 결정" [[Exclusive] (G)I-dle responds to 'Fate' turning around 1st place... makes decision to appear on music show]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024 – via Naver.
^Song Oh-jeong (March 31, 2024). '인기가요' (여자)아이들, '나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까'로 1위 [TV캡처] ['Inkigayo' (G)I-DLE wins 1st place with 'Because I just hate being sick' [TV capture]] (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 1, 2024.
^Lee, Seung-hun (April 7, 2024). '인기가요' (여자)아이들 '아딱질' 1위..베몬 데뷔→투바투 컴백 [종합] ['Inkigayo' (G)I-DLE 'Faith' 1st place..BaeMon debut→TXT comeback [Comprehensive]] (in Korean). Star News. Retrieved April 7, 2024 – via Naver.
^Han, Hye-sun (April 14, 2024). "시간이 야속해"..'인가' 연준·박지후·운학 3MC 하차 '오열'..(여자)아이들 1위[종합] ["Time is running out"..'Inki' Yeonjun, Park Ji-hoo, and Woon-hak leave as 3 MCs, 'sobbing'..(G)I-dle No. 1 [Comprehensive]] (in Korean). Star News. Retrieved April 14, 2024 – via Naver.
