"Hot" (stylized in all caps) is a single by South Korean boy group Seventeen, released by Pledis Entertainment through YG Plus. It was released as the title track of their studio album, Face the Sun, on May 27, 2022. Written by Woozi, Bumzu, August Rigo, and Ploypaworawan Praison, the song is characterized by its Western guitar riffs and showcases a more mature side of the group, with their music video featuring daring scenes set in a desert.
The song was met with generally positive reviews, winning two South Korean music program awards and being nominated for the MTV Video Music Awards for Best K-Pop. Commercially, the song charted on the national charts of nine countries, including reaching number three on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart and number one on Singapore's Regional chart. The music video also became Seventeen's fastest music video to reach 100 million views.
Background and release
In March, seven months after the release of their commercially successful EP Attacca, Pledis Entertainment announced that Seventeen would be releasing a studio album, their first since An Ode (2019), in May.[2] Following the release of the group's first English single "Darl+ing" on April 15, the label confirmed that Seventeen would return on May 27 with their fourth studio album titled Face the Sun.[3][4] On May 18, the album's track list was released revealing "Hot" as the lead single.[5] Teaser videos were released on the group's YouTube channel on May 24 and May 25, revealing short snippets of the music video.[6][7]
"Hot" is characterized by its Western guitar riffs and car alarm samples and features bass, drums and guitar.[12][13] The song begins with a "Wild West-inspired guitar strum"[14] and also makes use of auto-tune and beatboxing.[15] It is composed in the key of F minor with a tempo of 113 beats per minutes.[16] According to band member Woozi, who was involved in the song’s songwriting and production, the song was the last track to be written on Face the Sun.[17] In a press release, Woozi also noted that he "thought ‘Hot’ expressed exactly what Seventeen is like right now".[18]
Music video
The song's music video is mainly set in a desert and construction site, and includes their intense choreography.[12] It unveils a more mature and ambitious side of the group compared to their previous releases, featuring Vernon holding a smoking bullet in his mouth and The8 flipping knives. The members are shown performing in the desert and on a set with a constructed sun; a giant sun appears near the former setting and the latter explodes as sparks fly.[19] The music video reached 100 million views on YouTube on January 15, becoming the fastest music video for the band to reach the feat.[20]
Critical reception
"Hot" was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung called the song a standout in the album, describing it as one of the "absolutely rousing doses of energy and catchy hooks".[21] Abby Webster from NME criticized the song for being "overly repetitive", although also writing that it "lazes forward into new territory with its brazen sensuality."[22] Describing the group's performance of the song at the Prudential Center during their world tour, Crystal Bell of Nylon wrote that the song, "with its signature hip swivel and body roll choreography, when combined with the madcap energy of its production, ignited the arena."[11]Teen Vogue included the song in their list of "The 79 Best K-pop Songs of 2022", with Natasha Mulenga writing that the "'Hot' is the song that grips you by the back of your neck, looks you dead in the eye and declares 'I’m the captain now.'"[23]Rolling Stone ranked "Hot" number 38 in their list of the 100 Best Songs of 2022.[14]
^Lee, Seung-hoon (May 18, 2022). "세븐틴, 태양처럼 'HOT'한 정규 4집 트랙리스트..더 강인한 존재로 거듭난 '자체제작돌'" [Seventeen, like Taeyang, the 'HOT' 4th regular track list..'Self-produced idols' reborn as stronger beings]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
^Seon, Mi-kyung (May 24, 2022). "'컴백' 세븐틴, 'HOT' MV 첫 티저 공개…과감한 에너지" ['Comeback': Seventeen, 'HOT' MV first teaser release... bold energy]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
^No, I-seul (May 25, 2022). "세븐틴, 신곡 ′HOT′ MV 2차 티저...태양만큼 강렬+파워풀 퍼포먼스 예고" [SEVENTEEN, new song 'HOT' MV 2nd teaser... As powerful as the sun + powerful performance notice]. Sports W (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
^ abJeon, Jae-kyung (June 4, 2022). "세븐틴, '핫'으로 뮤직뱅크 1위…음악방송 2관왕" [Seventeen, No. 1 on Music Bank with 'Hot'... 2nd prize on music broadcasts]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Naver.
^ abYang, Kwang-mo (July 18, 2023). "세븐틴, 강다니엘 꺾고 '엠카운트다운' 1위…"캐럿 감사해"" [SEVENTEEN beat Kang Daniel to win first place on 'M Countdown'... “Thank you Carat”]. Sports World (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2023 – via Naver.
^Mulenga, Natasha (December 15, 2022). "The Best K-Pop Songs of 2022". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2023.