DNA (BTS song)


"DNA" is a song recorded by South Korean boy group BTS for their fifth extended play ' and their third Korean-language compilation album '. The song was first released by Big Hit on September 18, 2017 in South Korea. On December 6, 2017, it was released as a triple A-side single along with "MIC Drop" and "Crystal Snow" in Japan. As of June 1st, 2020, the music video has received over 1 billion views.
"DNA" landed at number 49 on Billboards 100 Best Songs of 2017. It is the only Korean release to make the list for a boy group. In 2018, Billboard ranked it number 49 on their list of the "100 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time".
On August 24, 2018 "DNA " was released with the album .

Composition

"DNA" has been described as an EDM and hip hop dance song. It features a whistling refrain and an acoustic guitar loop. Both the original version of the song and the remix are in the key of C♯ minor with a tempo of 130 beats per minute.

Reception

Dee Lockett of Vulture stated, "'DNA' is one of the better singles of the year." In the United States it ranked thirty-seventh in sales upon release. "DNA" became the very first K-pop song to be featured on Spotify's 'Global Top 50', which is a list decided from songs streamed from across the world, debuting at number 50. BTS is the first K-pop artist to ever be featured on this playlist. On December 4, 2017, Billboard revealed "DNA" was the forty-ninth best song of the year, making BTS the first K-pop act on the list.
BTS won ten times with "DNA" on various South Korean music programs. They earned two triple crowns, the first time BTS ever achieved this.
On February 9, 2018 "DNA" was certified gold with half a million certified units by RIAA. It is the most watched K-pop video of 2017.

Music video

"DNA" opens with a whistled hook and upbeat acoustic guitar rhythm that bursts into a melodic electronic "explosion". The music video is enhanced by images of actual "DNA", as BTS mimics the chemical structure of the molecule through choreography. Unlike many of their music videos, "DNA" is devoid of any extensive plot and instead features the boy band performing while bathed in vibrant hues on a variety of CGI-enhanced sets.
Upon release, the music video reached 21 million views in 24 hours, becoming the most viewed video in 24 hours by a K-pop group and eleventh in most viewed video overall at the time of release. It was also the fastest K-pop video to reach 100 million views, making it in twenty-four days and one hour, and 200 million views, which it achieved in just under three months. It became the first music video by a K-pop group to pass 600 million views on YouTube in January 2019. On June 1, 2020 it surpassed 1 billion views. It's the first BTS music video to reach it and the third by a K-pop artist.
In April 2020, it became the most commented video on YouTube, with 5.07 million individual comments at the time.
The music video was produced by LUMPENS for Big Hit Entertainment, and directed by Choi Yong-suk. The choreography was created by Christopher Martin along with Keone and Mari Madrid. Other key personnel that helped with the music video are Lee Wonju serving as the assistant director, Nam Hyunwoo director of photography, Song Hyunsuk working the gaffer, and Park Jinsil as the art director.

Live performances

BTS promoted the song on several music programs in Korea, including Music Bank, Inkigayo, The Show, M Countdown, and Show Champion. In December 2018 it was promoted at SBS Gayo Daejeon.
BTS performed their single "DNA" at the 2017 American Music Awards on November 19, 2017, marking their American television debut. They also performed it on November 30 at The Late Late Show with James Corden, the first Korean act to do so. Additionally, BTS performed the single on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve in December 2017, which was pre-recorded.

Credits and personnel

Korean version

The original Korean credits are adapted from the CD liner notes of .
The credits for the remix version are adapted from the CD liner notes of .

Weekly

Yearly

Sales and certifications

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Accolades

Critic/PublicationListRankRef.
10 MagazineThe 10 Must Listen To Korean Artists Of 2018align="center"
BillboardThe 100 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks49
BillboardBillboard's 100 Best Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks49
IdolatorThe Best K-Pop Songs Of 20174

YearAward-giving bodyCategoryResultRef
2017Melon Music AwardsBest Dance
2017Melon Music AwardsBest Music Video
2017Mnet Asian Music AwardsMwave Global Fans' Choice
2017Mnet Asian Music AwardsBest Dance Performance – Male Group
2017Mnet Asian Music AwardsQoo10 Song of the Year
201815th Korean Music AwardsSong of the Year
201815th Korean Music AwardsBest Pop Song
201813th Radio Disney Music AwardsBest Song That Makes You Smile
2018Annual Soompi AwardsSong of the Year
2018Annual Soompi AwardsFuse Video of the Year
2018Annual Soompi AwardsBest Choreography

ProgramDate
The Show September 26, 2017
Show Champion September 27, 2017
M Countdown September 28, 2017
M Countdown October 5, 2017
Music Bank September 29, 2017
Music Bank October 6, 2017
Music Bank October 13, 2017
Inkigayo October 1, 2017
Inkigayo October 8, 2017
Inkigayo October 15, 2017

AwardDate
Weekly Popularity AwardOctober 2, 2017
Weekly Popularity AwardOctober 9, 2017
Weekly Popularity AwardOctober 16, 2017
Weekly Popularity AwardOctober 23, 2017
Weekly Popularity AwardOctober 30, 2017

Release history