Format Digital download Length 3:45 | Genre Bubblegum pop Label S.M. Entertainment | |
Released August 18, 2015 (2015-08-18) Writer(s) Ilwol Paril
Choi So-young
Joy Factory
Sean Alexander
Darren "Baby Dee Beats" Smith
Claudia Brant | ||
"Lion Heart" is a song performed by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation. It was released on August 18, 2015 as the second single from the group's fifth studio album Lion Heart by S.M. Entertainment.
Contents
Composition
"Lion Heart" was described as a soul pop-inspired bubblegum pop song by Billboard. It embraces an 1960s American retro sound and has a jazzy melody as well as "an ear-grabbing bass line". Lyrically, the song talks about women falling in love with men who have a cheating heart and how they try to tame him like taming a lion.
Music video
The music video was released on August 18, 2015. The music video narrates a story where the members of Girls' Gen [sic] fall in love with a male protagonist, who later turns out to be an eight-timing player. They then become upset and turn away from that said cheater. The choreography for the song was created by both American choreographer Tony Testa & SM Entertainment's choreographer Shim Jaewon. The visual was the third most viewed music video on YouTube by a South Korean act in August 2015.
Reception
Billboard praised the song for its retro themes and shifting of member roles saying "But what is new, musically, is the division of lines -- namely when Yuri, a member who typically only chimes in with a line or two, gets to handle a majority of the second chorus. It's a decision that further shows how Girls' Generation is embracing change in their eighth year..." The song was deemed the 7th best K-pop single of 2015 by PopMatters. Meanwhile, Idolator chose it as the 24th best K-pop song of the year.
Charts
"Lion Heart" peaked at number 4 on the South Korean Gaon Digital Chart on the chart issue dated August 22, 2015. It has sold 1,120,388 digital copies in South Korea as of December 2015.