Red Velvet Drops Perfectly R&B-Laced 'Bad Boy'

After becoming the best-charting Korean girl group on the World Albums chart with their second album Perfect Velvet last year, Red Velvet returned Monday (Jan. 29) with the extended re-release The Perfect Red Velvet.

The quintet played up their smoother retro leanings on the updated album, with the nu-disco “All Right” and '90s-inspired smooth R&B of both “Time to Love” and the poppish single “Bad Boy.” The latter track was released through a music video that poised Red Velvet at their darkest yet, showing the most-perfectly fierce rendition of the group since their start with the bright “Happiness” back in 2014.

Contrasting with the rainbow hues of their most recent music video for "Peek-A-Boo," "Bad Boy" shows the fivesome in sexy uniforms and athleisure fishnet-and-leather outfits, depicting the group as femme fatales aiming to destroy the titular "Bad Boy." Though not particularly plot-oriented, the dangerous vibes of Irene, Seulgi, Wendy and Joy contrast with the more youthful, unicorn-riding image of youngest-member Yeri, who the others seemingly protect, with Seulgi even covering her ears during one scene.

The choreography of “Bad Boy,” as featured in the music video, is some of the sexiest Red Velvet has shown off so far, filled with suggestive hip rolls and aggressive come-hither hand motions, beckoning sultrily toward the audience and shooting at the camera.

Along with the three new songs, The Perfect Red Velvet also features instrumental-only versions of both “Bad Boy” and “Peek-A-Boo.”

“Bad Boy” and The Perfect Red Velvet are overall representatives of Red Velvet’s “velvet” side, in contrast to the brighter, more quirky “red” side, shown last year through other tracks including “Red Flavor” and “Rookie.”

Since their start in 2014, the group has topped the World Albums chart four times, with Perfect Velvet tying the girl group with the likes of BTS, B.A.P, and GOT7, the only other Korean acts with a quartet of No. 1s to their names on the World Albums chart. 

Watch the music video for “Bad Boy” here: