DNA (BTS Song)
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"DNA" is a song recorded in two languages (
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...
and
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
) by South Korean
boy band A boy band is a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their Teenage, teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform love songs marketed towards girls and young women. Many boy bands ...
BTS BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they ...
. The Korean version was released on September 18, 2017, as the
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
from the band's fifth
extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
'' Love Yourself: Her'' (2017) by
Big Hit Entertainment Big Hit Music (, stylized in all caps), formerly Big Hit Entertainment (), is a South Korean record label established in 2005 by Bang Si-hyuk. It was re-branded and re-structured into an independent label under Hybe Corporation (formerly Big Hit ...
. The Japanese version of the song was released on December 6, 2017, by
Universal Music Japan , often referred to as just Universal Music Japan or UMJ, is a Japanese subsidiary of the Universal Music Group founded in 1990. It is the largest subsidiary for a foreign company in Japan regarding music distribution. The company is responsible ...
as a triple
A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of vinyl records and cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a single usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or ...
single album In music, a single is a type of release of a song recording of fewer tracks than an album ( LP), typically one or two tracks. A single can be released for sale to the public in a variety of physical or digital formats. Singles may be standa ...
that included " Mic Drop" and a new, original song " Crystal Snow", both also in Japanese. Both versions were written by "Hitman" Bang, Supreme Boi, KASS,
Suga Min Yoon-gi (; born March 9, 1993), known professionally by his stage names Suga (; stylized in all caps) and Agust D, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and record producer. He debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS in June ...
, RM, Pdogg, with the latter of the six solely handling production. A "Pedal 2 LA"
remix A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...
of the track appears on the band's third
compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...
, '' Love Yourself: Answer'' (2018). An EDM and
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
song, the lyrics talk about fate and love at first sight. The song received generally favourable reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
, who praised its production, sound, and the band's musical direction. It was also likened to the works of
Selena Gomez Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. Gomez began her career as a child actress, appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), a ...
,
Shawn Mendes Shawn Peter Raul Mendes ( , ; born August 8, 1998) is a Canadian singer. He gained a following in 2013 when he posted song covers on the video-sharing platform Vine (software), Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manage ...
and
Avicii Tim Bergling (8 September 1989 – 20 April 2018), known professionally as Avicii, was a Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer. At age 16, he began posting his remixes on electronic music forums, which led to his first record deal. He rose ...
. Commercially, the Korean version of "DNA" debuted at number two 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 on ...
and number one on the ''
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 advertis ...
''
K-pop Hot 100 The K-pop Hot 100 was 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 multim ...
. It has since sold over 2.5 million digital copies in South Korea as of February 2019. The song peaked at number 67 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and at number 90 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's first entry on both the charts. The Japanese version debuted and peaked at number one on the
Oricon Singles Chart The Oricon Singles Chart is the Japanese music industry-standard Single (music), singles popularity chart issued daily, weekly, monthly and yearly by Oricon. Chart rankings are based on physical singles' sales. Until 2017, Oricon did not track down ...
, becoming the 13th best-selling single of 2017 in Japan. The song was
certified Certification is part of testing, inspection and certification and the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestatio ...
gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) and double platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include pro ...
(RIAJ). "DNA" received several accolades, including a nomination for Song of the Year at the 15th Korean Music Awards and the 19th Mnet Asian Music Awards. The
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
was directed by YongSeok Choi and premiered simultaneously with the release of the song. The video features the band performing complex choreography in various CGI-enhanced settings. Following the release of ''Love Yourself: Her'', BTS promoted the song with televised live performances on several South Korean music programs, including ''
M Countdown ''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet from the CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul. It features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. First hosted by Leeteuk ...
'', ''
Music Bank ''Music Bank'' () is a South Korean music program which airs every Friday at 17:15 KST on KBS2. the show is also broadcast in more than a hundred countries through KBS World. Episodes are filmed at the KBS New Wing Open Hall in Yeouido-dong, Ye ...
'', and ''
Inkigayo ''Inkigayo'' (; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform on stage. ...
''. The band's US television debut performance of "DNA" at the 2017 American Music Awards received positive reviews from critics. It was also included on the setlist of their
Love Yourself World Tour BTS World Tour: Love Yourself, commonly known as the Love Yourself World Tour, was the third worldwide concert tour headlined by South Korean band BTS to promote their ''Love Yourself'' album series, including their '' Love Yourself: Her'' EP, '' ...
(2018–19).


Background and release

Following the success of their third studio album ''
Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces both lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-drag ratio, which compares the bene ...
'' (2016), and its
reissue In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions. Reasons for reissue New audio formats Reco ...
''You Never Walk Alone'' (2017), BTS embarked on their "Love Yourself" thematic series. On August 24, 2017, the band announced the release of their fifth
extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
, '' Love Yourself: Her'' which formed the first chapter of the extended three-part series. "DNA" was announced as the
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
from the EP. The song was written by "Hitman" Bang, Supreme Boi, Kass,
Suga Min Yoon-gi (; born March 9, 1993), known professionally by his stage names Suga (; stylized in all caps) and Agust D, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and record producer. He debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS in June ...
, RM, and its producer Pdogg. It was engineered by Pdogg, Wooyeong Jeong and KASS, while mixing was handled by James F. Reynolds at Schmuzik Studios. BTS recorded the song at Big Hit Studios in
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
. "DNA" was released for digital download and
streaming Streaming media refers to multimedia delivered through a network for playback using a media player. Media is transferred in a ''stream'' of packets from a server to a client and is rendered in real-time; this contrasts with file downl ...
in various countries by Big Hit on September 18, 2017, as the
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
from ''Love Yourself: Her''. A "Pedal 2 LA" remix version of the track was recorded and subsequently included on the band's third
compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...
, '' Love Yourself: Answer'' (2018). The original version also appears on that album. A
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
version of the song was digitally released for purchase on December 6, 2017, by
Universal Music Japan , often referred to as just Universal Music Japan or UMJ, is a Japanese subsidiary of the Universal Music Group founded in 1990. It is the largest subsidiary for a foreign company in Japan regarding music distribution. The company is responsible ...
as the band's eighth Japanese-language
single album In music, a single is a type of release of a song recording of fewer tracks than an album ( LP), typically one or two tracks. A single can be released for sale to the public in a variety of physical or digital formats. Singles may be standa ...
, together with the Japanese version of previously released Korean single " Mic Drop" and a new, original Japanese track " Crystal Snow". It was also released as a four-version
CD single A CD single is a single (music), music single in the form of a compact disc (CD). Originally the ''CD single'' standard (as defined in the Rainbow Books, Red Book) was an 8 cm (3-inch) "mini CD" (''CD3''); later on the term referred to any si ...
in Japan on the same day, with a regular edition and three different limited editions: A, B and C. All four editions contain "Mic Drop", "DNA" and "Crystal Snow" as a triple A-side. Individually, edition A includes a
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
with the music video for the Japanese version of "Mic Drop" and a dance version video of the song, edition B comes with a DVD that contains
behind the scenes https://www Googlefinans.co= In filmmaking, behind-the-scenes (BTS), also known as the making-of, the set, or on the set, is a documentary film that features the production of a film or television program. This is often referred to as the EPK ( ...
footage of the music video for "Mic Drop" and the making of album jacket photos, and edition C contains a 36-page photobook. The Japanese version was later included on the band's third Japanese-language studio album, '' Face Yourself'' (2018).


Music and lyrics

"DNA" has been characterized as an upbeat EDM and
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
song. Some
music journalists Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
have noted elements of
soft rock Soft rock (also known as light rock or mellow rock) is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in the United States and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, mel ...
,
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
and turbo-pop. In terms of
musical notation Musical notation is any system used to visually represent music. Systems of notation generally represent the elements of a piece of music that are considered important for its performance in the context of a given musical tradition. The proce ...
, the song is composed in the key of
C♯ minor C-sharp minor is a minor scale based on C, with the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature consists of four sharps. The C-sharp natural minor scale is: Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are ...
, with a
tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...
of 130 beats per minute, and runs for 3:43. The modern
electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductors * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic c ...
production consists of
whistle A whistle is a musical instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It is a type of Fipple, fipple flute, and may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means. Whistles vary in size from a s ...
s, added
bell A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...
s, and
acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
. It is driven by dynamic strings and a pulsating drum-line. Instrumentation for the song is provided by guitar,
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
, keyboards,
synthesizer A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...
, and
drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a ...
s. Band members RM,
J-Hope Jung Ho-seok (; born February 18, 1994), known professionally as J-Hope (; stylized in lower case), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. He made his debut as a member of South Korean boy band BTS in 2013, ...
and
Jungkook Jeon Jung-kook (; born September 1, 1997), better known as Jung Kook, is a South Korean singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence as a member and vocalist of South Korean boy band BTS. He has performed three solo songs as part of BTS' disc ...
provided backing vocals for the track, alongside KASS, Supreme Boi, Pdogg, and Lee Shinseong, while Tim Finn provided the bass vocals. The song opens with a whistle
hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...
glissando In music, a glissando (; plural: ''glissandi'', abbreviated ''gliss.'') is a wikt:glide, glide from one pitch (music), pitch to another (). It is an Italianized Musical terminology, musical term derived from the French ''glisser'', "to glide". In ...
, which leads to an acoustic guitar loop. The beat introduced in the next
section Section, Sectioning, or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...
follows an accented four-on-the-floor
rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular r ...
pattern. The
pre-chorus Song structure is the arrangement of a song, and is a part of the songwriting process. It is typically section (music), sectional, which uses repeating forms in songs. Common piece-level musical forms for vocal music include bar form, thirty-two-ba ...
makes use of
staccato Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of Articulation (music), musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and ...
guitar
strums In music, strumming is a way of playing a stringed instrument such as a guitar, ukulele, or mandolin. A strum or stroke is a sweeping action where a finger or plectrum brushes over several strings to generate sound. On most stringed instrume ...
leading to an EDM-heavy drop. The
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...
utilizes an
instrumental An instrumental or instrumental song is music without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through Semantic change, semantic widening, a broader sense of the word s ...
breakdown composed of rising-falling synth-line over acoustic guitar, accompanied by heavy
Auto-Tune Auto-Tune is audio processor software released on September 19, 1997, by the American company Antares Audio Technologies. It uses a proprietary device to measure and Pitch correction, correct pitch in music. It operates on different principles ...
d vocals. The
titular Titular may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Title character in a narrative work, the character referred to in its title Religion * Titular (Catholicism), a cardinal who holds a titulus, one of the main churches of Rome ** Titular bisho ...
phrase is chanted during the chorus. The song features "melodic" verses, "softer"
vocal harmonies Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are simultaneously sung as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical chor ...
and "aggressive" raps from the band. According to RM, "DNA" revolves around "the expression of a young, passionate love" that is "very different" from the band's previous releases. Lyrically, the song explores the theme of fate and love at first sight, through lines like: "I knew you from first sight/ As if we have been calling for each other/ The DNA in my veins tells me/ You're the one I’ve been searching for. It also delves into themes of science and religion comparing love to a mathematical formula and divine providence; "Our meeting is a mathematical formula/ Religious commandments, law of the universe." The lyrics further use cosmic and corporeal imagery to display the theme of universal love such as "From the day the universe was birthed/ Over the infinite centuries/ In our past lives and probably in our next too/ We are together eternally."


Critical reception

"DNA" received generally favourable reviews from music critics. Writing for
Idolator An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry. Idolator or Idolater may also refer to: * Idolator (website), an American music blog * ''Idolator'' (album), a 2005 album by Blood Stain Child * ''Idolator'', a 1986 album by Ole Evenrud * "Idolater", a ...
, Jacques Peterson regarded the song as "fizzy, candy-coated EDM" and likened the acoustic guitars in the production to that of Swedish DJ
Avicii Tim Bergling (8 September 1989 – 20 April 2018), known professionally as Avicii, was a Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer. At age 16, he began posting his remixes on electronic music forums, which led to his first record deal. He rose ...
. Peterson also wrote another article for the same publication where he praised the "musical bells and whistles" in the song's production which "completely transcends racial and language barriers for a truly global sound." Do-heon Kim from ''
IZM ''IZM'' () is a South Korean online magazine that publishes pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom.S. Frith, W. Straw, and J. Stre ...
'' praised the song's "detailed" production, labelling the track as a "moment of peak." Reviewing for ''
Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
'', Dee Lockett stated that the song evolved the band's sound and was "unlike so many of the songs that made them an international phenomenon," calling it one of the better singles of the year." ''
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 advertis ...
''s Tamar Herman appreciated the balance of "powerful EDM elements and softer harmonies" and likened the whistling to
Selena Gomez Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. Gomez began her career as a child actress, appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), a ...
's song, " Kill Em with Kindness" (2016). Caitlin Kelley, also of ''Billboard'', cited the track as "one of those rare instances when a K-pop act's transmutation of their American influences was reflected back at the U.S. in full Technicolor." In ''
The Korea Herald ''The Korea Herald'' () is a South Korean English-language daily newspaper founded in August 1953 and published in Seoul. The editorial staff is composed of Korean and international writers and editors, with additional news coverage drawn from i ...
'', Dam-young Hong felt that the track displayed a new musical direction for the band as opposed to their signature hip-hop styles and wrote that the song "is a hint of the group's resolution that it will continue trying different musical approaches." Hyun-su Yim, also of ''The Korea Herald'', acclaimed the song for its "whistled hook", "feather-light guitar riffs" and "generous use of the pop-drop." Elias Leight of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' enjoyed the track, describing it as "a jauntily strummed pop tune." Reviewing for ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', Jon Caramanica favoured the "shuddering club-music drops" in the production and also likened the guitar intro to that of
Shawn Mendes Shawn Peter Raul Mendes ( , ; born August 8, 1998) is a Canadian singer. He gained a following in 2013 when he posted song covers on the video-sharing platform Vine (software), Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manage ...
. In another review for the same publication, Caramanica cited the song as a "peak hypercolor pop." Taylor Glasby from ''
Clash magazine ''Clash'' is a music and fashion magazine and website based in the United Kingdom. It is published four times a year by Music Republic Ltd, whose predecessor Clash Music Ltd went into liquidation. The magazine won awards including the Best New M ...
'' praised the track, calling it an "idiosyncratic
earworm An earworm or brainworm, also described as sticky music or stuck song syndrome, is a Catchiness, catchy or memorable piece of music or saying that continuously occupies a person's mind even after it is no longer being played or spoken about. In ...
," which "struck a chord." Tamara Fuentes of '' Seventeen'' liked the song and deemed it as "fun and infectious." Writing for '' The Malaysia Star'', Chester Chin shared a similar view, describing the track as a "livewire EDM banger." In a mixed review for ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...
'', Monique Melendez regarded the song as an "outlier" as compared to the band's previous songs but panned the use of heavy Auto-Tune.


Accolades

"DNA" became the first-place winner on various South Korean weekly music programs. The song won a total of 10 music show awards including a "triple crown" (three consecutive wins) on both ''
Music Bank ''Music Bank'' () is a South Korean music program which airs every Friday at 17:15 KST on KBS2. the show is also broadcast in more than a hundred countries through KBS World. Episodes are filmed at the KBS New Wing Open Hall in Yeouido-dong, Ye ...
'' and ''
Inkigayo ''Inkigayo'' (; English title: ''The Music Trend'', previously ''Popular Song'') is a South Korean music program broadcast by SBS. It airs live every Sunday. The show features some of the latest and most popular artists who perform on stage. ...
''. The song also achieved five consecutive Melon Weekly Popularity Awards due to its substantial success on digital platforms. ''Billboard'' included "DNA" in their lists of greatest boy band songs of all time and 100 best songs of 2017. The song received several accolades, most notably Best Music Video at the 2017
Melon Music Awards The Melon Music Awards () is a major music awards show that is held annually by Kakao Entertainment (a Kakao company) through its online music store Melon. The event was initially a fan-voted award conducted entirely online from 2005 through ...
and a nomination for Song of the Year at both the 15th Korean Music Awards and the 19th Mnet Asian Music Awards. In 2023, "DNA" became one of the first K-pop songs (along with Blackpink's "
Whistle A whistle is a musical instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It is a type of Fipple, fipple flute, and may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means. Whistles vary in size from a s ...
") to be inducted into Korea World Music Culture's Hall of Fame.


Commercial performance

"DNA" debuted at number two on South Korean's
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 on ...
for the chart issue dated September 17–23, 2017, and sold 224,178 digital units within its first week of release. The single remained in the top five for four consecutive weeks before falling out of the top ten for the week of October 15, 2017. "DNA" was the sixth best-performing song of the September 2017 issue of the Gaon Monthly Digital Chart based on digital sales, streaming, and background music (instrumental track) downloads. It eventually became the 56th and 22nd best-performing song of 2017 and 2018 respectively in South Korea. As of February 2019, "DNA" has sold over 2.5 million digital units in the country. Additionally, the song peaked at number one on the ''Billboard''
K-pop Hot 100 The K-pop Hot 100 was 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 multim ...
and at number five on the ''Billboard Japan'' Hot 100. "DNA" debuted at number 85 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the chart issue dated September 21, 2017, becoming BTS' first entry on the chart. The following week, it climbed to and peaked at number 67. In so doing, it became the highest-charting song by a Korean band, surpassing
Wonder Girls Wonder Girls () was a South Korean girl group formed by JYP Entertainment. The group debuted in February 2007 with the single "Irony (Wonder Girls song), Irony" and 5 members: Park Ye-eun, Yeeun, Sunye, Sunmi, Hyuna, and Ahn So-hee, Sohee. Aft ...
' record at number 76. The single debuted at number one on the US
World Digital Songs The World Digital Song Sales chart (formerly World Digital Songs) is a weekly record chart compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. Established in 2010—its first issue was dated January 23—as ...
chart issue dated October 10, 2017, becoming the band's fourth number one on the chart. As of September 2019, the track has sold nearly 100,000 downloads in the US. On February 9, 2018, it was
certified Certification is part of testing, inspection and certification and the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestatio ...
gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), for track equivalent sales of 500,000 units." "DNA" gave BTS their first entry on the UK Singles Chart at number 90. The song also charted at number 47 on the
Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. It was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007 as the standard record chart in Canada; a new chart ...
and appeared at number 99 on Australia's
ARIA Charts The ARIA Charts are the main Australian record chart, music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA beca ...
. It was certified gold by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...
(ARIA) for track-equivalent sales of 35,000 units. Following the release of the song as a single album in Japan, "Mic Drop / DNA / Crystal Snow" topped the Oricon Daily Singles Chart on its first day of release, selling 269,861 copies. The single remained at number one on the daily chart for the next six days, selling 365,096 physical copies in its first week. With this, the band became the first foreign artist to surpass 300,000 copies in a week. "Mic Drop / DNA / Crystal Snow" peaked at number one on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart for the chart issue dated December 4–10, 2017. For the year end chart, it was the 13th best-selling single of 2017 in the country. On January 15, 2018, the single album received Double Platinum certification from the
Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include pro ...
(RIAJ), denoting shipments of 500,000 copies, making BTS the only foreign artist to achieve this for a single released in 2017. In April 2020, "DNA" received a Silver streaming certification from the RIAJ for 30 million digital streams.


Music video


Background

The
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
for "DNA" premiered on Big Hit's
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
channel at 18:00 KST (01:00 PST) on September 18, 2017; it was preceded by two teasers released on the same platform on September 14 and 15. The video was directed by YongSeok Choi of
Lumpens Lumpens () is a South Korean-based video production company formed and led by art director Yong-seok Choi. The team includes directors and producers specializing in music videos, television advertisements, experimental films, graphic design, and ...
, with WonJu Lee serving as the assistant director. It was choreographed by Christopher Martin with Keone and Mari Madrid. HyunWoo Nam of GDW was credited as the
director of photography The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...
, while HyunSuk Song served as the gaffer and Park Jinsil as the
art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...
. As opposed to the band's other music videos, the visual is without an extensive plot and depicts the band performing choreography on CGI sets.


Synopsis

The music video opens with close-up shots of Jungkook whistling against a backdrop of mathematical formulas and molecular structures. The video then switches to show him joining the rest of the band as the whistling continues and they start dancing, being backed by gentle guitar strumming. In it, they are seen in bubblegum-shade hair with
technicolor Technicolor is a family of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes. The first version, Process 1, was introduced in 1916, and improved versions followed over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black-and ...
s exploding in the background. The clip alternates between close-ups of each member staring directly into the camera and group shots of the band performing "complex, floor-sweeping" choreography in multiple vibrant coloured CGI-enhanced sets. In some of these scenes, the members are dressed in casual basketball jerseys and jumpers of bold primary colors, while in others, they wear retro-themed outfits. At one point, they roam around a glowing set illuminated with pastel-hued lights. The video features helix structures, mathematical and molecular formulas as imagery. It also keeps up with the theme of science and religion depicting solar systems, stars and celestial symbolism. In one scene, the band is surrounded by stars and they start dancing with a giant moon in the background. During the final chorus, the visual depicts images of actual
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
as BTS hold hands and impersonate the chemical structure of the molecule through choreography. The clip ends with the band performing a "dramatic finale" as J-Hope sings "la la la."


Reception

In her review for ''
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** '' Vogue Adria'', a fashion magazine for former Yugoslav countries ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ' ...
'', Monica Kim praised the video's flamboyant fashion styles and "fluid dancing." Arim Kim from ''The Korea Herald'' connected the music video with the song's lyrics writing that it exudes "a vibrant and bombastic energy" depicting love "in full blossom." Alex Rees of ''
Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Internationalism * World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship * Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community * Cosmopolitan ...
'' enjoyed the clip, calling it a "trippy fun" video and also deemed the choreography as "killer." The music video achieved over 22 million views in 24 hours, becoming the most viewed video in 24 hours by a
K-pop K-pop (; an abbreviation of "Korean popular music") is a form of popular music originating in South Korea. It emerged in the 1990s as a form of youth subculture, with Korean musicians taking influence from Western Electronic dance music, danc ...
band and eleventh most viewed video at the time of release. Within 24 days, it garnered over 100 million views, becoming the fastest K-pop video to do so. It was the most watched Korean video of 2017 on YouTube. In January 2019, it became the first music video by a K-pop group to reach 600 million views on the platform. On June 1, 2020, the video surpassed one billion views, becoming BTS' first music video to do so. It also became the first music video by a K-pop boy band to attain the milestone making BTS the third Korean act to achieve this. As of November 2024, the visual has garnered over 1.6 billion views.


Live performances and other usage

Following the release of ''Love Yourself: Her'', BTS appeared on several Korean music programs, including
Mnet M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
's ''
M! Countdown ''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet from the CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul. It features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. First hosted by Leete ...
'', KBS's ''Music Bank'', SBS's ''Inkigayo'' and
MBC Music MBC M (formerly MBC Music) () is a South Korean specialty channel, specialty television channel owned by MBC Plus Media. The cable channel primarily broadcasts programming related to music. It was first announced in July 2011, with the announce ...
's ''
Show Champion ''Show Champion'' () is a South Korean music television program broadcast live by MBC M every Wednesday at Bitmaru Broadcasting Center in Ilsan. Hosts * Shindong (February 14, 2012 – December 25, 2012) * Hahm Eun-jung (January 30, 2013 – ...
'' to promote "DNA" and the album. During their first live performance on ''Music Bank'', the band wore liquid silk shirts and simple trainers. They performed the song at the ''
SBS Gayo Daejeon ''SBS Gayo Daejeon'' (, broadly ''SBS'' '' Battle of the Bands'') is an annual televised music festival that is broadcast by the Seoul Broadcasting System at the end of each year. The program first aired in 1997, and awards were given to musica ...
'' music festival on December 25, 2018. BTS performed "DNA" at the 2017 American Music Awards on November 19, 2017, marking their US television debut. The band wore "jeans-and-bomber combos" for their dynamic rendition of the song. The performance was acclaimed in the media. Jennifer Drysdale of ''
Entertainment Tonight ''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Par ...
'' labelled the performance as "energetic" and "mind-blowing" with "some of the most intricate choreography of any pop boy band ever." Mary Wang of ''Vogue'' praised the "characteristically tight choreography" and "coordinating" on-stage fashion style of the band.
Maura Johnston Maura K. Johnston (born May 28, 1975) is a writer, editor and music critic. A member of Boston College's journalism faculty, she has written for ''Rolling Stone'', ''The Boston Globe'', ''Pitchfork'', ''The Awl'', ''The New York Times'', ''Spin' ...
of ''Rolling Stone'' chose the performance as one of the best moments of the awards show writing, "BTS’ synchronized moves and the lovelorn lyrics of 'DNA' make them feel like a bit of a throwback to the TRL era, but their forward-thinking music, which borrows from Kpop's meticulously detailed sonics and hip-hop's spaced-out beats, places them ahead of the late-2010s’ pop pack." Melendez of ''Spin'' lauded the "complex choreography", "rapid fire footwork" and "an on-the-nose double helix formation" of the band. On November 30, 2017, they performed the song again on ''
The Late Late Show with James Corden ''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' (also known simply as ''Late Late'') is an American late-night talk show that aired on CBS from 2015 to 2023. It is the fourth and final iteration of '' The Late Late Show'', and aired in the United Sta ...
'', becoming the first Korean act to do so. Additionally, BTS gave a pre-recorded performance of the track on ''
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'' (''NYRE''), billed since 2008 as ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest'', is a New Year's Eve television special broadcast by American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The special broadcasts ...
'' in December 2017. "DNA" was included on the setlist of BTS'
Love Yourself World Tour BTS World Tour: Love Yourself, commonly known as the Love Yourself World Tour, was the third worldwide concert tour headlined by South Korean band BTS to promote their ''Love Yourself'' album series, including their '' Love Yourself: Her'' EP, '' ...
(2018–19). The song was played during the opening ceremony of the
2018 Winter Olympics The 2018 Winter Olympics (), officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and also known as PyeongChang 2018 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Ko ...
.


Track listings


Credits and personnel


Korean / Japanese version

Credits are adapted from the CD liner notes of '' Love Yourself: Her''. *
BTS BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they ...
primary vocals *
Pdogg Kang Hyo-won (; born September 19, 1983), known professionally as Pdogg (Korean: 피독), is a South Korean record producer and songwriter for Big Hit Music. He has produced and composed for artists such as 8Eight, Baek Ji-young, BTS, Jo Kwon, a ...
production, keyboard, synthesizer, gang vocals, rap arrangement, record engineering * "Hitman" Bang songwriting * KASS songwriting, record engineering, gang vocals * Supreme Boi songwriting, record engineering, gang vocals, chorus *
Suga Min Yoon-gi (; born March 9, 1993), known professionally by his stage names Suga (; stylized in all caps) and Agust D, is a South Korean rapper, songwriter and record producer. He debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS in June ...
songwriting * RM songwriting, gang vocals *
J-Hope Jung Ho-seok (; born February 18, 1994), known professionally as J-Hope (; stylized in lower case), is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. He made his debut as a member of South Korean boy band BTS in 2013, ...
gang vocals *
Jungkook Jeon Jung-kook (; born September 1, 1997), better known as Jung Kook, is a South Korean singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence as a member and vocalist of South Korean boy band BTS. He has performed three solo songs as part of BTS' disc ...
chorus * Lee Shinseong chorus * Jeong Jaepil guitar * Lee Jooyeong bass * Jeong Wooyeong record engineering * James F. Reynolds mix engineering * Tim Finn drums, bass vocals


Pedal 2 LA Remix

Credits are adapted from the CD liner notes of '' Love Yourself: Answer''. * BTS primary vocals * Pdogg production, gang vocals, vocal and rap arrangement, record engineering * "Hitman" Bang production * KASS production, chorus, gang vocals, record engineering * Supreme Boi production, chorus, gang vocals, record engineering * Suga production * RM production, gang vocals * Slow Rabbit production, keyboard, synthesizer * Jungkook chorus * Lee Shinseong chorus * Lee Taewook guitar * Lee Jooyeong bass * J-Hope gang vocals * Jeong Wooyeong record engineering * Park Jinse mix engineering


Charts


Weekly charts


Monthly charts


Yearly charts


Certifications and sales


Release history


See also

*
List of K-pop Hot 100 number ones The K-pop Hot 100 is a music singles chart launched in South Korea by ''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 i ...
* List of Oricon number-one singles of 2017


Notes


References

{{authority control 2017 songs 2017 singles BTS songs Future bass songs Billboard Korea K-Pop number-one singles Songs written by Bang Si-hyuk Songs written by Supreme Boi Songs written by Pdogg Music videos directed by Lumpens Songs written by RM (musician) Songs written by Suga Hybe Corporation singles South Korean pop songs South Korean electronic dance music songs Song recordings produced by Pdogg