"I" is a Korean song recorded by South Korean singer Kim Tae-yeon featuring Verbal Jint, taken from Taeyeon's debut EP of the same name. It was written by herself, Mafly, and Verbal Jint, and produced by Myah Marie Langston, Bennett Armstrong, Justin T. Armstrong, Cosmopolitan Douglas, David Quinones, Jon Asher, and Ryan S. Jhun. It was released digitally on October 7, 2015 in conjunction with the release of the EP, and was released on Korean Broadcasting System's "K-Pop Connection" radio on October 9. Musically, "I" is a pop rock song that, according to Jeff Benjamin from Billboard magazine, bears resemblance to songs by American singer Taylor Swift. Upon its release, "I" received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who praised its musical styles and Taeyeon's vocals. The single peaked atop the South Korean Gaon Digital Chart and has since sold over 2.5 million digital copies as of October 2018. To promote the song and the EP, Taeyeon made several appearances on music programs including Inkigayo, Music Bank, and M Countdown.
Background
South Korean singer Kim Tae-yeon is a member and the leader of popular girl group Girls' Generation. She has been widely recognized as a talented vocalist, yet had never ventured to record her official solo album until 2015. Taeyeon's vocal abilities are showcased on tracks she recorded for Korean films and televisions, including "If", "I Love You", and "Closer". In April 2015, Taeyeon is featured on labelmate Amber's song "Shake That Brass" for her debut extended playBeautiful, which generated much attention from the public. On September 10, 2015, S.M. Entertainment revealed that Taeyeon was working on her then-upcoming debut solo album without ensuring the exact release date. On October 7, Taeyeon's debut extended play I was officially released by S.M. Entertainment. The EP received generally favorable reviews from music critics and was a commercial success in South Korea, peaking at number two on the Gaon Album Chart. The title track, "I", was released digitally in conjunction with the release of the EP as its lead single. The song was sent to Korean Broadcasting System's "K-Pop Connection" radio on October 9.
Composition
"I" is a pop rock song that was compared to Taylor Swift's Red album opening track "State of Grace" by Jeff Benjamin from Billboard. The lyrics of the song was written in an autobiographical narrative. It intended to speak from Taeyeon's point of view on being a celebrity and, in the singer's own words, "about being yourself in a freer way, while moving on from hard and frustrating times". The singer has also said that she wanted the song to express a "Music is my life" feeling.
Reception
The song received positive reviews from music critics. It was named the 2nd and 15th best K-pop song of 2015 by US magazineBillboard and British magazine Dazed, respectively. It ranked #58 on Billboard's 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of the 2010s.
Commercial performance
In the US, the song is her best-selling single with 15,000 downloads sold.
Music video
The music video was filmed in Auckland, New Zealand and employed nature scenery as the backdrop. It includes sweeping landscapes juxtaposed with city scenes and tells the story of a young woman "in search of her true identity". Taeyeon's older brother makes a cameo in the video as a patron of The Portland Public House bar in Kingsland suburb where she works.
