K-Pop debuts can be tricky things. At times, they’re the best song a group delivers. Sometimes, they’re the only song a group delivers!

But, debuts can also be huge wtf moments in an artist’s career. In this feature, I’ll be looking back at debut songs through the prism of time, re-evaluating how well they hold up and how representative they are of an artist’s eventual singles run.

Debut Date: October 15, 2009

Review:

Unlike many of the artists I’ve covered in this series, Beast’s debut occurred before my time as a K-pop fan. However, it was among the first wave of songs I listened to when I stumbled upon this wonderful musical world. Because of this, it was interesting to hear Bad Girl knowing what Beast’s music would become. It’s more lighthearted and straight-ahead pop than much of their output, which makes sense given their young ages when it was released in 2009. In fact, it shares more sonic landscape with member Gikwang’s (or “AJ,” as he went by) pre-debut work.

Even though Bad Girl may not be emblematic of the Beast/Highlight sound, it remains a highlight in their discography. The synth and vocal effects are dated (in a fun way), but the sugary pop chorus is pure serotonin. It helps that the guys sell the heck out of the track, belting to the rafters as if they were delivering a vital statement of intent. Ah, the spirit of rookies!

Yoseob’s vocals have always been one of my favorite facets of the group, and they definitely stand out here. The lightness of his tone matches the buoyancy of the energy without feeling overly saccharine. But the real brilliance of Bad Girl is in its incessant rhythmic force. From the opening breakdown to the punchy verses, the track never loses its exciting groove. It feels as if it’s swerving this way and that, a bit spontaneous but always anchored to its core energy.

It’s also worth noting that — although this is primarily a Shinsadong Tiger banger — all members have writing credits on Bad Girl as. That’s pretty cool for a rookie group in this era!

Does the song hold up?
The production is a bit dated, but the melodies are timeless.

Is the song stronger or weaker than most of the artist’s title tracks?
I’d probably put it in the middle-to-upper-half of their title tracks, but it’s difficult because they have a super strong singles run.

Does the song represent the artist’s music going forward?
Not really. Even when they returned to lighter concepts, their music was rarely as bubblegum as this.

Grade: A