Villains (EP)
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}{{Infobox album
| name = Villains
| type = EP
| artist = Dreamcatcher
| cover = Dreamcatcher VillainS Album Cover.webp
| alt =
| caption = Digital cover
| released = {{Start date|2023|11|22}}
| recorded = 2023
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 13:49
| language = {{hlist|Korean|English}}
| label = {{hlist|Dreamcatcher Company|}}
| producer =
- Ollounder
- Door
- Maddox
- Oliv
- Peperoni
| prev_title = Apocalypse: From Us
| prev_year = 2023
| next_title = Virtuous
| next_year = 2024
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Villains
| type = EP
| single1 = OOTD
| single1date = November 22, 2023
}}
}}
Villains (also referred to as Versus Villains) is the ninth Korean extended play by South Korean girl group Dreamcatcher. It was released on November 22, 2023, by Dreamcatcher Company, and distributed by Kakao Entertainment. Villains features five tracks including the lead single "OOTD", and was available in twelve different physical versions (1 limited, 4 regular and 7 "POCA" versions).
Villains is the first installment of the "Versus" duology,{{Cite web |last=Yoon |first=So-Yeon |date=December 9, 2023 |title=[INTERVIEW] With its dark style, Dreamcatcher shines bright |url=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/640/0000047045 |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=m.entertain.naver.com}} followed by Dreamcatcher's tenth EP Virtuous, which was released in July 2024.{{Cite web |date=June 24, 2024 |title=드림캐쳐 Dreamcatcher |url=https://x.com/hf_dreamcatcher/status/1805163967066624212 |access-date=June 25, 2024 |website=X.com}}{{Cite web |date=2024-06-23 |title=K-Pop's Dreamcatcher Runs Seoul Mystery Code Hunt To Kick Off New Music Hype |url=https://thelowkeygeek.com/kpops-dreamcatcher-runs-seoul-mystery-code-hunt-to-kick-off-new-music-hype/ |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=The Low Key Geek |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Dreamcatcher Kicks Off Countdown To July Comeback With Mystery Code Teaser |url=https://www.soompi.com/article/1669494wpp/dreamcatcher-kicks-off-countdown-to-july-comeback-with-mystery-code-teaser |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=www.soompi.com |language=en-US}}
Background and release
On October 21, 2023, the official Dreamcatcher X (formerly Twitter) account reposted a nine-second long screen-recording from the user "ymenehcra99" of two messages being received from a mysterious source identified only by a crown emoji.{{cite web |last=Kim |first=Noeul |date=October 21, 2023 |title=드림캐쳐, 11월 컴백 스포..미스터리 코드 공개→新 세계관 예고 |trans-title=Dreamcatcher spoils November comeback, reveals mystery code, hints at new world |url=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/108/0003189509 |access-date=June 24, 2024 |website=Naver |publisher= |language= |via=Naver}} Almost a hundred more cryptic posts and images continued to be uploaded via this user's account over the following month leading up to the release of the EP, making it the first time the group had promoted an upcoming release through the use of an alternate reality game.
The first official teasers for the album were released on October 31, starting with a comeback schedule, followed by individual and group concept photos, a track list, a highlight medley, a lyric spoiler video, a dance preview, and a music video teaser. The album and music video for the title track "OOTD" were released on November 22, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Kim |first=Jin Seok |date=November 11, 2023 |title=드림캐쳐, 11월 컴백 대전에 '빌런스'로 합류 |trans-title=Dreamcatcher joins November comeback battle as 'Villains' |url=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/437/0000365376 |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=m.entertain.naver.com}}
Composition
= Songs =
The title track "OOTD" deviates slightly from the group's signature rock sound and is described as a pop-punk track. The name of the track "OOTD" is derived from the popular fashion-blogging term "outfit of the day", and the lyrics center on the concept of being "destructive and extraordinary" by being confident to the point of narcissism.{{Cite web |last=Jang |first=Jung Yoon |date=November 18, 2023 |title=드림캐쳐의 ‘OOTD’ 나르시시즘 끝판왕 |trans-title=Dreamcatcher's 'OOTD' narcissism reigns supreme |url=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/144/0000926300 |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=m.entertain.naver.com}}
Commercial performance
Commercially, VillainS sold more than 117,000 copies in its first month of release, including the "POCA" versions. The EP debuted at number three on the Circle Weekly Album charts. The music video has amassed 26 million views on YouTube while the EP has over 13 million streams on Spotify as of December 2024.{{Cite web |title=CIRCLE CHART - 써클차트 |url=https://circlechart.kr/ |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=circlechart.kr |language=en}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Villains track listing
| extra_column = Arrangement
| total_length = 13:49
| title1 = Intro: This My Fashion
| length1 = 1:08
| lyrics1 =
| music1 = {{hlist|Door|Oliv|Ollounder|Peperoni}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|Door|Oliv|Ollounder|Peperoni}}
| title2 = OOTD
| length2 = 2:56
| lyrics2 = {{hlist|Door|Ollounder|Maddox}}
| music2 = {{hlist|Door|Oliv|Ollounder|Maddox|Peperoni}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|Oliv|Ollounder|Peperoni}}
| title3 = Rising
| length3 = 3:17
| lyrics3 = {{hlist|Ollounder|Door}}
| music3 = {{hlist|Ollounder|Peperoni|Oliv|Door}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|Ollounder|Peperoni|Oliv}}
| title4 = Shatter
| length4 = 2:48
| lyrics4 = {{hlist|Ollounder|Door}}
| music4 = {{hlist|Ollounder|Peperoni|Oliv|Door}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|Ollounder|Peperoni|Oliv}}
| title5 = We Are Young
| length5 = 3:37
| lyrics5 = {{hlist|Ollounder|Door}}
| music5 = {{hlist|Ollounder|Peperoni|Oliv|Door|Kikoi}}
| extra5 = {{hlist|Ollounder|Peperoni|Oliv|Kikoi}}
}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for Villains ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| South Korean Albums (Circle)
| 3 |
|---|
{{col-2}}
=Monthly charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Monthly chart performance for Villains ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| South Korean Albums (Circle)
| 15 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Release history for Villains ! scope="col" |Region ! scope="col" |Date ! scope="col" |Format ! scope="col" |Label |
| scope="row" |South Korea
| rowspan="2" |November 22, 2023 |CD | rowspan="2" |{{hlist|Dreamcatcher Company|Kakao Entertainment}} |
|---|
| scope="row" |Various
|{{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} |