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I Know (Seo Taiji and Boys song)

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"I Know"
Single by Seo Taiji and Boys
from the album Seo Taiji and Boys
LanguageKorean
ReleasedMarch 23, 1992
Recorded1992
Genre
Length3:47
LabelBando Records
Songwriter(s)Seo Taiji
Producer(s)Seo Taiji
Seo Taiji and Boys singles chronology
"I Know"
(1992) 		"You, In the Fantasy"
(1992)
Music video
"난 알아요 (I Know)" on YouTube

"I Know" (Korean: 난 알아요; RR: Nan Arayo) is the debut single by South Korean boy group Seo Taiji and Boys from their self-titled debut studio album, released on March 23, 1992. It was written and produced entirely by group leader and musician Seo Taiji. Incorporating a mix of Western influences such as hip-hop, new jack swing, and guitars, the song became a pivotal moment in Korean music history and is widely regarded as the pioneering work for the beginning of the modern K-pop market. It was a major commercial hit domestically, breaking the record for the longest charting song at number-one for 17 consecutive weeks.[1]

Promotion

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On April 11, 1992, the trio debuted on MBC's talent show with their song "I Know", and got the lowest rating from the jury;[2] however, the song and album of the same name became so successful that it paved the way for other songs of the same format. The birth of modern K-pop has been since largely attributed to their first televised performance on the talent show from that day.[3][4][5][6] The song's success was attributed to its new jack swing-inspired beats and memorable chorus, as well as innovative lyrics which dealt with the problems of Korean society. Their footsteps were followed by a wave of successful hip hop and R&B artists like Yoo Seung-jun, Jinusean, Solid, Deux, 1TYM and Drunken Tiger.[2]

Seo and bandmates' outfits for the promotional cycle of "I Know" included vibrant streetwear such as oversized T-shirts and sweatshirts, windbreakers, overalls worn with one strap, overalls worn with one pant leg rolled up, and American sports team jerseys. Accessories included baseball caps worn backwards, bucket hats, and do-rags. Influenced by the videos for Technotronic's "Pump Up the Jam" (1989) and Snap!'s "The Power" (1990),[7] the music video for "I Know" was directed by Ko Jae-hyung and features varying color saturation and chroma key editing, varying the angles of the dancers' bodies constantly. In an internet survey conducted by MTV Korea in 2004, the video was ranked number 43 in their list of "Best 100 Korean Music Videos".[8]

Reception and accolades

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"I Know" ranked number three on the year-end popular songs ranking for 1992, placing behind Shin Seung-hun's "Invisible Love" and 015B's "Old Lovers".[9] Seo Taiji and Boys won several awards with the song, including the Grand Prize daesang at the 3rd Seoul Music Awards.[10] "I Know" received 26 wins on South Korean music programs in 1992, the second-most out of any K-pop song for nearly three decades, behind only "Invisible Love" with 31 wins set earlier that year. "Dynamite" (2020) by BTS would later set a new record with 32 wins in 2021.[11]

Awards
Year Organization Award Result Ref.
1992 Golden Disc Awards Main Award (Bonsang) Won [12]
MBC Gayo Daejejeon Best Popular Song Won [13]
Seoul Music Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) Won [10]
"I Know" on ranked listings
Publication Year List Rank Ref.
Billboard 2023 100 Best Pop Songs Never to Hit the Hot 100 60 [14]
Chosun Monthly 1999 Best Songs of the 20th Century in Korea 4 [15]
Gallup Korea 2006 100 Favorite Korean Songs 5 [16]
MBC Radio 2001 20 Best Korean Songs of All Time 9 [17]
Melon 2021 Top 100 K-pop Songs of All Time 21 [18]
Mnet 2014 Legend 100 Songs 1 [19]
Music Y 2007 100 Best Songs of All Time 73 [20]
2014 120 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time 3 [21]
Rolling Stone 2020 75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time 43 [22]
2023 100 Greatest Songs in the History of Korean Pop Music 9 [23]
Spin 2012 21 Greatest K-pop Songs of All Time 4 [24]
Sports Dong-a 2008 Top 25 Songs by Experts 1 [25]
uDiscoverMusic 2022 The Best Songs of 1992 39 [26]

Impact and legacy

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"I Know" is recognized for establishing the popularity of rap in K-pop and hybridizing the Korean ballad style with rap, rock, and techno.[27] One of the first Korean rap songs,[27] its new jack swing-inspired beats, upbeat rap verses and pop-style choruses combined with a focus on new dance moves took Korean audiences by storm.[27][28] NPR wrote that "For many South Korean youths, the track was their first exposure to hip-hop and New Jack Swing and a welcome alternative to traditional styles of music".[3] Regarding its release, MTV Iggy wrote that "K-pop music would never be the same" again.[28] "I Know" was one of the first 21 songs to be inducted into the Korea World Music Culture Hall of Fame in 2023.[29]

In a 2008 survey involving 100 music experts in the South Korean entertainment industry, "I Know" ranked number one in their list of 25 best Korean songs in history.[25] Spin magazine named "I Know" number four on their 2012 list of the 21 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time.[24] Mnet chose "I Know" as the number one song on their 2014 countdown Legend 100 Songs, a list of the most influential songs in Korean popular music since the 1960s.[19][30] In 2020, Rolling Stone named the same song number 43 on its list of the 75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time, saying that they steered the "Korean pop scene that we know today", establishing the scene's affection for boy bands and girl groups as opposed to solo acts.[22]

In 2021, online portal Melon and newspaper Seoul Shinmun ranked it as the 21st best K-pop song of all time, with music critic Minjae Jeong writing that "After 'I Know', everything changed. ... Today, it is safe to say that our K-pop-oriented music market actually originated from them."[18] Rolling Stone ranked it the 9th greatest song in the history of Korean music in 2023, writing that it "jolted awake an audience used to traditional trot and pop music, altering the fabric of the Korean music industry forevermore."[23]

References

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  1. ^ Romano, Aja (February 26, 2018). "How K-pop became a global phenomenon". Vox. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  2. ^ a b K-Pop: A New Force in Pop Music, pp. 63–66
  3. ^ a b Sherman, Maria (July 13, 2020). "Start Here: Your Guide To Getting Into K-Pop". NPR.
  4. ^ Mersereau, Jeremy (June 14, 2017). "A brief history of K-Pop". A.Side. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  5. ^ Sprinkel, Katy (April 6, 2021). BTS: ONE. Triumph Books. ISBN 9781641256445. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  6. ^ Bell, Crystal (November 10, 2020). "K-Pop's Record of Youth, From Seo Taiji to TXT". Teen Vogue. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  7. ^ Maliangkay, Roald (January 21, 2014). The Korean Popular Culture Reader. Duke University Press. pp. 296–313. doi:10.1215/9780822377566-018. ISBN 9780822377566.
  8. ^ '최고 뮤비는 브라운 아이즈 '벌써 1년''-MTV 조사 ["Best music video is Brown Eyes 'Already a Year'" – MTV Survey]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). July 14, 2004. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Naver.
  9. ^ 신승훈 <보이지…>, 올해 최고 인기가요 [Shin Seung-hoon 'I can't see...', this year's most popular song]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). December 30, 1992. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Naver.
  10. ^ a b 제 15회 서울 가요대상, 다음달 10일 개최 [The 15th Seoul Music Awards, held on the 10th of next month]. JoyNews24 (in Korean). November 7, 2004. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Naver.
  11. ^ 방탄소년단, '뮤뱅'에서 또!…'다이너마이트' 통산 32번째 음악방송 1위 [종합] [BTS, 'Music Bank' again!... 'Dynamite' ranked first on the 32nd total music broadcast]. My Daily (in Korean). March 5, 2021. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  12. ^ 원더걸스, 상복 터졌다…'10월의 노래'상도 접수. My Daily (in Korean). November 19, 2007. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved July 8, 2008.
  13. ^ [Who Is ?] 양현석 YG엔터테인먼트 대주주. Business Post (in Korean). January 25, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  14. ^ "The 100 Best Pop Songs Never to Hit the Hot 100: Staff List". Billboard. October 24, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  15. ^ 최고 노래는 `돌아와요 부산항에' [The best song is 'Come Back to Busan Port']. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). October 18, 1999. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Naver.
  16. ^ 2006 한국인이 좋아하는 가요 100곡 (in Korean). Gallup Korea. December 1, 2006. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  17. ^ '대중음악 전문가들 한국 최고 가요 선정' [Popular music experts selects Korea's best songs]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). July 22, 2001. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Naver.
  18. ^ a b "Melon" K-pop 명곡 100: 난 알아요 – 서태지와 아이들. Melon. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  19. ^ a b "[난 알아요, 엠넷 선정 최고 의 노래 선정]" ['I Know' Selected as Mnet's Best Song]. Busan Ilbo (in Korean). June 3, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  20. ^ "음악취향Y Best 100" [Music Y Best 100]. Music Y (in Korean). March 16, 2007. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  21. ^ "Dance Track 120 List". Music Y (in Korean). July 31, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  22. ^ a b "75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. July 24, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  23. ^ a b "The 100 Greatest Songs in the History of Korean Pop Music". Rolling Stone. July 20, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  24. ^ a b "The 21 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time". Spin. June 1, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  25. ^ a b [전문가 100인 리서치]가수도…감독도… 최고 가요는 ‘난 알아요’ [[Research by 100 experts] Singer... Director too... The best song is 'I Know']. Sports Dong-a (in Korean). March 25, 2008. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Naver.
  26. ^ Armstrong, Sam (October 20, 2022). "The Best Songs Of 1992: 66 Tracks Worth Your Time". uDiscover Music. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  27. ^ a b c Jin, Dal Yong (December 13, 2012). "Critical Interpretation of Hybrid K-Pop: The Global-Local Paradigm of English Mixing in Lyrics". Popular Music and Society. 37 (2): 113–131. doi:10.1080/03007766.2012.731721. S2CID 143689845.
  28. ^ a b "What Is K-pop? (Page 3)". MTV Iggy. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  29. ^ Seo, Byeong-gi (October 26, 2023). "한국세계 음악문화 명예의 전당 제1차 헌액 21곡 선정, 고복수 '타향살이'·BTS 'DNA'·블핑 '휘파람'" [21 songs selected for the first induction into the Korea World Music Culture Hall of Fame, Ko Bok-soo's 'Living in a Foreign Country', BTS' 'DNA', Blackpink's 'Whistle']. Herald Business (in Korean). Retrieved October 27, 2023 – via Naver.
  30. ^ Kim, Soo-jung (February 3, 2014). '동백아가씨'부터 '강남스타일'까지, 대중 사로잡은 명곡은? [From 'Camellia Lady' to 'Gangnam Style', which famous songs captured the public?]. MediaUS. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
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