Dark (X-File)
{{short description|2022 song by (G)I-dle}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Dark (X-File)
| cover =
| artist = (G)I-dle
| EP = I Love
| type = song
| released = {{Start date|2022|10|17}}
| studio =
| language = Korean
| genre = Alt-rock{{Cite web |last=Raj |first=Tanu I. |date=2022-10-26 |title=(G)I-DLE – 'I Love' Review: a great concept suffers from repetitive and forgettable execution |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/g-idle-i-love-review-3335174 |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}
| length = 2:45
| label = Cube
| producer =
- Yuqi
- Siixk Jun
| lyricist =
| misc = {{External music video
| 1= {{YouTube|T91NIKVhn_4|"X-File"}}
| header=Audio video
| type=song}}
}}
"Dark (X-File)" (stylized as DARK (X-file)) is a song recorded by South Korean girl group (G)I-dle for their fifth extended play I Love as the sixth track. The song was released on October 17, 2022, by Cube Entertainment. It was written by leader Soyeon and produced by member Yuqi and Siixk Jun. The song is about the essential feelings from being in love.{{Cite web |last1=Yoo|first1=Byeol-chul|script-title=ko:[종합] “미국 빌보드 차트 1위 가보자!”…‘톰보이’부터 ‘누드’까지 올해 가요계는 (여자)아이들 신드롬|trans-title=[Comprehensive] “Let’s go to number 1 on the US Billboard chart!”… From 'Tomboy' to 'Nude', this year's music industry is the (G)I-DLE Syndrome.|url=https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A202210170209&t=NN|publisher=Korea Economic Daily|language=Ko|date=October 17, 2022|access-date=October 21, 2022 }}
Background and composition
On September 14, 2022, Cube Entertainment announced (G)I-dle would be releasing their fifth extended play I Love on October 17.{{cite web|last1=Carmen|first1=Chin|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/gi-dle-comeback-fifth-mini-album-i-love-details-teaser-tracklist-3309868|title=(G)I-DLE announce fifth mini-album 'I Love' with first teasers|publisher=NME|date=September 14, 2022|access-date=September 17, 2022}} On October 10, Cube released an audio snippet of each song from the album except "Dark (X-File)".{{cite web|last1=Gladys|first1=Yeo|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/gi-dle-i-love-comeback-album-nxde-single-music-video-release-3325664|title=(G)I-DLE preview title track 'Nxde' and B-sides from forthcoming record 'I Love'|publisher=NME|date=October 10, 2022|access-date=October 10, 2022}} Alongside the announcement, (G)I-dle's surprise-released the track video on October 12, 2022, five days before their full EP.{{cite web|last1=Park|first1=Seo-hyun|url=http://www.mydaily.co.kr/new_yk/html/read.php?newsid=202210100932609882|script-title=ko:(여자)아이들, 신보 'I love' 오디오 티저 공개…전곡이 타이틀급|trans-title=(G)I-DLE releases audio teaser for new album 'I love'... All songs are titles|publisher=My Daily|date=October 10, 2022|access-date=October 10, 2022|language=Ko}} The inspiration for the song came to Yuqi while drinking Tsingtao beer in her studio with lights turned off.{{cite news|author1-link=KBS CoolFM |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgXZkCieP50|title=볼륨 초대석 : 왔어요 with (여자)아이들 ((G)I-DLE) full ver./ [헤이즈의 볼륨을 높여요] I KBS 221024 방송|publisher=KBS CoolFM |format=video |date=October 25, 2022 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |via=YouTube|language=Ko}} It is composed in the key of A minor, with a tempo of 166 bpm and a running time of 2 minutes and 45 seconds.{{cite web |date=October 17, 2022 |title=Key and BPM of DARK (X-file) by (G)I-dle |url=https://musicstax.com/track/dark-xfile/4xc3JpkI8kxLwk1SJafjzh |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Musicstax |language=en-US}}{{Efn|Some sources have misidentified A major as the key signature. The correct scale is A harmonic minor because the song uses the following keys: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G♯.|group=upper-alpha}}
Critical reception
Hien Nguyen of The Kraze describe the song as having mysterious and dark vibes that talk about falling into someone deep and are reminiscent of their previous title track "Oh My God.{{cite web|last1=Hien|first1=Nguyen|url=https://thekrazemag.com/latest-updates/2022/10/19/gi-dle-boldly-breaks-prejudices-with-nxde-from-fifth-mini-album-i-love|title=(G)I-DLE BOLDLY BREAKS PREJUDICES WITH "NXDE" FROM FIFTH MINI-ALBUM I LOVE|publisher=The Kraze|website=thekrazemag.com|date=October 19, 2022|access-date=October 20, 2022}} Writing for Genius, Sofia Gomez wrote the song "reaches the point of losing yourself with an erratic emotional shift" that will give a "mysterious aura" to the listeners feeling goosebumps. "After absorbing so much negativity from the world and toxic relationships, you fall deep into a persona that’s no longer your original self."{{Cite web |last1=Sofia|first1=Gomez|title=[REVIEW] (G)I-DLE Bares It All in 'I love'|url=https://genius.com/discussions/459975-Review-gi-dle-bares-it-all-in-i-love|date=October 21, 2022|access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=Genius}} In his album review for The Korea Herald, Park Jun-hee remarked that "X-file refers to a case deemed unsolvable". He pointed out that in the song, (G)I-dle 'continuously declares, "Kill the truth/me, and you/I cannot end anything" – [whispering] a dark truth into people's ears, its{{Sic|}} no doubt that this track will be added to many playlists. It’s that good.'{{Cite web |last1=Park|first1=Jun-hee|title=[Album Review] For (G)I-dle, self-love is not silly. It's how to feel like the otherworldly person you are|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20221020000651|publisher=The Korea Herald|language=En|date=October 20, 2022|access-date=October 21, 2022 }} Madison Murray writing for The Honey Pop cited it as a " normal love song" in the EP but with "a bit of twist". She describes "Dark" as the "kind of thrilling, adrenaline-filled romance that comes to those who are comfortable in their identity and being."{{cite web|last1=Madison|first1=Murray|url=https://thehoneypop.com/2022/10/20/how-gi-dle-explore-empowerment-on-nxde-and-i-love/|title=How (G)I-DLE Explore Empowerment On 'Nxde' And I love|publisher=The Honey Pop|date=October 20, 2022|access-date=October 23, 2022}}
X-File video<span class="anchor" id="X–File video"></span>
Before the album's release, on September 19, Cube released the album scheduler, which it stated that the X-File video would be slated for release on October 12.{{cite web|last1=Yoo|first1=Byung-cheol|url=https://www.wowtv.co.kr/NewsCenter/News/Read?articleId=A202209190028&t=NN|script-title=ko:(여자)아이들, 미니 5집 스케줄러 공개…다양한 콘텐츠 예고[공식]|trans-title=(G)I-DLE releases the scheduler for their 5th mini album... Various content notice [official]|publisher=Korea Economic Daily|date=September 19, 2022|access-date=October 6, 2022}} On the promised release date, a track video of the song was released on the group's official YouTube channel. It begins with Soyeon smiling while looking at her cell phone.{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Ye-jun|url=https://sports.khan.co.kr/entertainment/sk_index.html?art_id=202210120838003&sec_id=540301&pt=nv|script-title=ko:베일 벗은 (여자)아이들|trans-title=Naked (G)I-dle|publisher=Sports Khan|date=October 16, 2022|access-date=October 20, 2022}} Several concerning headlines about (G)I-dle's future, such as "(G)I-DLE are on the edge" and "Are they being forgotten?" can be seen in the video. Then the camera cuts to a shot of Shuhua and Minnie. There is a scene where Miyeon and Yuqi wander with empty eyes behind the gorgeous visuals, and the dark atmosphere is doubled throughout the video.
{{Blockquote|"We wanted to use that to tell people that everyone is getting judgments and everyone is getting those comments. It’s not because we are famous and because we are singers that [this doesn’t happen to us]. So we just wanted to tell people to not care about it. [...] Life is about ups and downs, but we just want to focus on ourselves. We kept doing this, and I think we will keep doing this. That’s our attitude."|author=Yuqi on the concerning headlines about (G)I-dle's future|source=The Recording Academy{{cite web|last1=Tássia|first1=Assis|url=https://www.grammy.com/news/g-idle-k-pop-queens-learn-to-love-themselves-on-i-love-ep-interview-soyeon|title=How K-Pop's (G)I-DLE Are Learning To Love Themselves: "There's No Rules In This World"|website=GRAMMY.com|publisher=The Recording Academy|date=October 26, 2022|access-date=November 1, 2022}}}}
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Dark (X-File)" ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| South Korea (Circle){{cite web|url=https://circlechart.kr/page_chart/onoff.circle?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=43&hitYear=2022&termGbn=week&yearTime=3|title=Digital Chart – Week 43 of 2022|website=Circle Chart|language=ko|access-date=October 27, 2022}}
| 147 |
|---|
Notes
{{Notelist-ua}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{YouTube|T91NIKVhn_4|X-File Video}}
- {{YouTube|uC6tdOZRKms|Audio}}
{{(G)I-dle}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Alternative rock songs