"Bar Bar Bar" () is the second single album, and fourth single overall by
Crayon Pop
Crayon Pop (Hangul: 크레용팝) is a South Korean girl group formed under Chrome Entertainment in 2012. The group consisted of four members: Geummi, Ellin, Choa, and Way. Their fifth member, Soyul, left the group in 2017.
Crayon Pop officiall ...
. It was released digitally on June 20, 2013 by
Chrome Entertainment
Chrome Entertainment is a record label and talent agency founded by Hwang Hyun-chang in 2011, based in Seoul, South Korea. Since 2014, Chrome Entertainment is a label under Sony Music Entertainment.
History
Hwang Hyun-chang, a commercial photo ...
and distributed by
CJ E&M Music
Stone Music Entertainment (Hangul: 스톤 뮤직 엔터테인먼트), is a South Korean music distribution company under CJ ENM, along with music streaming store Genie Music. It was one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea.
The ...
. "Bar Bar Bar" became a viral hit in late July, eventually reaching number one on
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
's
K-Pop Hot 100
The K-pop Hot 100 is a music singles chart in South Korea, launched by ''Billboard'' in conjunction with ''Billboard'' Korea () on August 25, 2011. It is the second Asian ''Billboard'' chart after the Japan Hot 100. The chart used the same multime ...
chart and number three on the
Gaon Digital Chart
The Circle Digital Chart, previously known as the Gaon Digital Chart, is the music industry standard record chart ranking the 200 most popular singles in South Korea. It provides rankings on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis, which is based o ...
.
Release and promotion
On June 8, Crayon Pop performed "Bar Bar Bar" for the first time at the
Migliore Festival. The single album was released digitally on June 20 and a choreography music video was released three days later. Following this release, Crayon Pop's unique outfits and choreography drew interest and their popularity rose. The group wore helmets and colorful tracksuits, and the dance featured choreographed jumping, dubbed the "Straight-Five Engine Dance" by fans because it resembled the movement of engine cylinders.
The song and dance were often called addictive, with easy-to-follow choreography and simple, repetitive lyrics. Member Way said, "Overall, the lyrics mean let's jump together. It's meant to give a source of energy and strength to the tired people. It just means let's all dance together and have fun."
Their first music show performance was on
MBC's ''
Music Core
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect o ...
'' on June 22. The song was promoted on music shows through July and August, with the last performance being on
KBS ''
Music Bank
Music Bank may refer to:
* ''Music Bank'' (TV program), a South Korean music program by KBS
**''Music Bank World Tour
The ''Music Bank'' World Tour is a worldwide live concert tour of South Korean music show '' Music Bank'' by the Korean Broa ...
'' on September 6. Crayon Pop was often in contention for first place during the month of August. They lost numerous times to
Exo
Exo ( ko, 엑소; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean-Chinese boy band based in Seoul formed by SM Entertainment in 2011 and debuted in 2012. The group consists of nine members: Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai ...
's "
Growl
Growling is a low, guttural vocalization produced by predatory animals; producing ''growls''.
Growling or growl may also refer to:
Sounds
* Death growl, the dominant singing style in death metal music
* Stomach growl, or borborygmus, noise prod ...
" before "Bar Bar Bar" won first place on ''
Music Bank
Music Bank may refer to:
* ''Music Bank'' (TV program), a South Korean music program by KBS
**''Music Bank World Tour
The ''Music Bank'' World Tour is a worldwide live concert tour of South Korean music show '' Music Bank'' by the Korean Broa ...
'' on August 30.
Music videos
The "Bar Bar Bar" story version music video was released on June 13, a week before the song's digital release. On June 23, the choreography version was released. This music video was filmed in
Yongma Land, an abandoned amusement park in
Jungnang-gu
Jungnang District (Jungnang-gu) is one of the 25 ''gu'', or districts, of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River.
It is characterized by a typical residential area with many natural green areas such as Yongma, Mang ...
, with a budget of only 380,000
won (US$338).
As of July 2021, the choreography music video has more than 66 million views on YouTube.
On September 9, a "Global Version" music video was released. It was aimed at an international audience and was filmed in popular locations in Seoul including
Noksapyeong Station,
Garosu Street, Ttukseom
Hangang
The Han River or Hangang () is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok (Yalu), Tuman (Tumen), and Nakdong rivers. The river begins as two smaller rivers in the eastern mountains of the ...
Park and
Children's Grand Park. "Bar Bar Bar" has been compared to
Psy
Park Jae-sang (, ; born December 31, 1977), known professionally as Psy (stylized in all caps as PSY) (; ; ), is a South Korean singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Psy is known domestically for his humorous videos and stage perf ...
's "
Gangnam Style
"Gangnam Style" ( ko, 강남스타일, ) is a K-pop song by South Korean rapper Psy, released on July 15, 2012, by YG Entertainment as the lead single of his sixth studio album, ''Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1'' (''Ssai Yukgap Part 1''). The term ...
" and this music video contains several references to Psy's song.
The audio was slightly remixed; this remix was later released as "Bar Bar Bar 2.0" on the mini album, ''The Streets Go Disco''.
Reception and accolades
"Bar Bar Bar" entered the
Gaon Digital Chart
The Circle Digital Chart, previously known as the Gaon Digital Chart, is the music industry standard record chart ranking the 200 most popular singles in South Korea. It provides rankings on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis, which is based o ...
at number 143 in the first week of its release. As "Bar Bar Bar" went viral, it gradually rose in the charts. In its seventh week, the song peaked at number three on the Gaon Digital Chart, and spent a total of 31 consecutive weeks on the chart. It reached number one on
''Billboard'''s
K-Pop Hot 100
The K-pop Hot 100 is a music singles chart in South Korea, launched by ''Billboard'' in conjunction with ''Billboard'' Korea () on August 25, 2011. It is the second Asian ''Billboard'' chart after the Japan Hot 100. The chart used the same multime ...
eight weeks after release,
and was number nine on the year-end chart.
Music industry officials commented that the song's chart trajectory was rare, because normally a song reaches peak position soon after release before being pushed down as time passes.
[
]YG Entertainment
YG Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1996 by Yang Hyun-suk. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production compa ...
's CEO Yang Hyun-suk
Yang Hyun-suk (born January 9, 1970) is a South Korean music executive, rapper, dancer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of Seo Taiji and Boys during the 1990s. After the group disbanded, he founded and became the Ex ...
praised Crayon Pop for having the best hit song of the first half of 2013. He said, "Other than 'Gentleman
A gentleman (Old French: ''gentilz hom'', gentle + man) is any man of good and courteous conduct. Originally, ''gentleman'' was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman; by definition, the ra ...
', the biggest hit was 'Bar Bar Bar'. Even my kid knows about Crayon Pop. People aren't interested about which song is at number one these days. What's important is whether people know about a singer and if they have fans. Crayon Pop succeeded in that sense". Jeff Benjamin of ''Billboard'' credited the song's success to its "quirky video, fun dance and catchy hook".
Taylor Glasby of ''Dazed
''Dazed'' (''Dazed & Confused'' until February 2014) is a bi-monthly British style magazine founded in 1991. It covers music, fashion, film, art, and literature. Dazed is published by Dazed Media, an independent media group known for producing ...
'' ranked the song ninth on the publication's "Top ten K-Pop of 2013". He described the group as "simultaneously creepy and adorable" and the song as "cheekily adventurous" with an "earworm chorus" and "iconic" dance. He also said the song is "smarter than it first appears", with layered 1980s brass and 1970s disco beats. Scott Interrante, writing for ''PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'', discussed "Bar Bar Bar" in his overview of K-pop in 2013: "The song and video are bratty, obnoxious, and totally awesome. Its '' hallyu'' style is so extreme it can convincingly be taken as satire. But one thing that’s certain is that it's going to get stuck in your head and annoy you probably forever."
"Bar Bar Bar" won Crayon Pop a New Rising Star award at the 28th Golden Disk Awards
The Golden Disc Awards (, formerly spelled the Golden Disk Awards before 2015) is an annual South Korean major music awards ceremony that honors achievements in the local music industry. The awards ceremony was founded with the purpose to promo ...
. It also received nominations for the Music Video Award at the MelOn Music Awards, Song of the Year and Best Dance & Electronic Song at the Korean Music Awards
The Korean Music Awards () is an annual South Korean music awards show that honors both mainstream and underground musical artists from a variety of genres. Unlike other major South Korean music awards, which largely rely on record sales to det ...
, and Song of the Year and Best Dance Performance - Female Group at the Mnet Asian Music Awards
The MAMA Awards (formerly Mnet Asian Music Awards) is a major music awards ceremony presented annually by entertainment company CJ E&M. First held in South Korea, the majority of prizes has been won by K-pop artists, although there are other As ...
.
In popular culture
Many groups covered the dance or made parody videos, including M.I.B., MBLAQ
MBLAQ ( ko, 엠블랙, ja, エムブラック; an acronym for Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality) is a South Korean boy band created by South Korean singer Rain under J. Tune Camp. The group consists of Seungho, G.O, and Mir, and formerly L ...
, Perfume
Perfume (, ; french: parfum) is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. Th ...
, Justice Crew
Justice Crew is an Australian dance and music group consisting of John and Len Pearce, Lukas Bellesini, Paul Merciadez, Samson Smith, and Solo Tohi. Although the group is Australian, members Samson and Solo are from New Zealand. The group origin ...
and the Gyungbuk women's police department. On August 13, 2013, "Bar Bar Bar" was parodied on SNL Korea
''Saturday Night Live Korea'' (; abbreviated as ''SNL Korea'' () or simply as ''SNLK'') is a South Korean late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show. It is adapted from the long-running American TV show ''Saturday Night Live'' by ...
by guest Kim Gura
Kim Hyeon-dong (, born October 3, 1970), better known as his stage name Kim Gu-ra () is a South Korean MC, comedian and radio host.
Career
He first appeared on television in the 1990s in comedy shows and comedy skits. Kim was blasted by the Ko ...
and the SNL cast. On October 19, the song was again featured on SNL Korea
''Saturday Night Live Korea'' (; abbreviated as ''SNL Korea'' () or simply as ''SNLK'') is a South Korean late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show. It is adapted from the long-running American TV show ''Saturday Night Live'' by ...
, this time danced by actor Tom Hiddleston
Thomas William Hiddleston (born 9 February 1981) is an English actor. He gained international fame portraying Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), starting with ''Thor'' in 2011 and most recently in the Disney+ series ''Loki'' in 2021 ...
.
On February 20, 2014, a dance cover by Taiwanese twin six-year-olds, Zony and Yony, was uploaded to YouTube. This video also went viral and has more than 5 million views as of October 2014. As a result of this video, the twins were invited on ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was prod ...
'', where they performed the "Bar Bar Bar" dance.
On August 17, 2014, "Bar Bar Bar" was included in the soundtrack of the tvN TVN may refer to:
* TVN (Australian TV channel), a former horse racing channel
* Televisión Nacional de Chile, a public broadcaster
* TVN (Indonesia), a former television station; predecessor of Rajawali Televisi
* TVN (Norway), or TVNorge, a comm ...
historical drama, ''The Three Musketeers
''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight f ...
''. The song was arranged in the style of traditional Korean music
Korea refers to music from the Korean peninsula ranging from prehistoric times to the division of Korea into South and North in 1945. It includes court music, folk music, poetic songs, and religious music used in shamanistic and Buddhist traditi ...
. On October 21, "Bar Bar Bar" was featured in the fourth episode of American TV series ''Selfie
A selfie () is a self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a digital camera or smartphone, which may be held in the hand or supported by a selfie stick. Selfies are often shared on social media, via social networking services such as F ...
'', with actors Karen Gillan
Karen Sheila Gillan (; born 28 November 1987) is a Scottish actress. She gained recognition for her work in British film and television, particularly for playing Amy Pond, a primary companion to the Eleventh Doctor in the science fiction seri ...
and John Cho
John Cho (born Cho Yo-Han; June 16, 1972) is an American actor known for his roles as Harold Lee in the ''Harold & Kumar'' films, and Hikaru Sulu in the ''Star Trek'' rebooted film series.
Early in his career, Cho also starred in the Asian Ame ...
dancing to the song.
Track listing
All music composed by Kim Yoo-min and Lee Da-kyeong. All tracks arranged by Kim and Lee Seung-yeop
Charts
Weekly charts
Monthly charts
Year-end charts
Sales and certifications
Release history
References
External links
"Bar Bar Bar" (Story Version) Music Video
"Bar Bar Bar" (Choreography Version) Music Video
"Bar Bar Bar" (Global Version) Music Video
{{authority control
2013 singles
2013 songs
Korean-language songs
Crayon Pop songs
Billboard Korea K-Pop number-one singles