2020 EP by Taeyeon
What Do I Call You is the fourth Korean-language extended play and the seventh overall by South Korean singer Taeyeon. The EP was released on December 15, 2020, by SM Entertainment and consists of six tracks,[1] including the title track of the same name and her previous digital single "Happy".[2]
Background and release
On November 20, 2020, SM Entertainment announced that Taeyeon was preparing to release a mini album the following month.[3] On November 30, Taeyeon teased her comeback on her social media with the message, "I'll be coming back soon."[4] On December 3, SM Entertainment announced that EP What Do I Call You would be released on December 15, 2020.[5] Preorders began the same day.[6] This marks Taeyeon's first domestic comeback in seven months since "Happy", released on May 4, 2020.[7]
Composition
The digital edition of What Do I Call You contains five songs, while the physical release contains six songs including the single "Happy", which was released as a digital single on May 4, 2020. There are two versions of the physical edition, with each featuring a different cover, CD-ROM design, booklet, poster, postcard, bookmark and photo card.[8]
The EP incorporates various genres, primarily R&B and pop.[9]
Commercial performance
Upon release, the title track "What Do I Call You" ranked first on major music charts such as Genie and Bugs. The other tracks in the album also ranked highly in the charts.[10]
The album took over iTunes charts in 22 regions.[11][12] It tied with her previous album Purpose and Hwasa's María for the third most national iTunes number ones for an album by a Korean female soloist, ranking behind her repackage edition of Purpose[13] and Wendy's Like Water.[14][15] The album also ranked number one in China's largest music site QQ Music and KuGou Music digital album sales chart.[10]
In South Korea, What Do I Call You debuted at number four on the Gaon Album Chart with 99,065 copies sold.[16] The album became Taeyeon's seventh top ten album in the country, and broke the record for the largest sales for a female soloist in 2020 with 89,263 copies on Hanteo.[17] As of February 2021, it has sold over 124,442 units in South Korea,[18][19][20] becoming her fifth album sold over 100,000 copies, following her four previous albums: I (2015), Why (2016), My Voice (2017) and Purpose (2019).[21][22] She's the first solo female artist to have five albums sold over 100,000 units on Gaon Album Chart.[21][22]
Personnel
Credits are adapted from Melon.[25]
- S.M. Entertainment Co., Ltd. – executive producer
- Lee Soo-man – producer
- Vocal direction – G-High
- Pro Tools operation – G-High
- Background vocals – Choi Youngkyung, Chelcee Grimes and Gabriela Geneva (NIIVA)
- Bass guitar – Taeyun Lee
- Digital editing – Lee Min Kyu at SM Big Shot Studio / Kang Seonyoung at MonoTree Studio
- Engineer for mix – Lee Min Kyu at SM Big Shot Studio
- Recording – No Min Ji at SM Yellow Tail Studio / Kang Seonyoung at MonoTree Studio
- Mixing – Jung Eui Suk at SM Blue Cup Studio
- Mastering – Kwon Namwoo at 821 Sound Mastering