Spicy (Aespa song)

"Spicy" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Aespa for their third extended play My World. It was released as the EP's lead single by SM Entertainment on May 8, 2023.

Background and release
On February 16, 2023, Lee Sung-soo released a 30-minute video stating: "Lee Soo-man was the reason why Aespa's music has been delayed" and that the group was supposed to release new music on February 20. Moreover, he added that Soo-man wanted to start "injecting environmentalist motifs of tree-planting and sustainability into songs" which were eventually later scrapped as they "did not fit the world of Aespa" and made the group "upset". On March 16, SM Entertainment announced that Aespa would be releasing a record in early May. On April 17, it was announced that the group's third extended play titled My World, and containing six tracks, would be released on May 8. On April 24, the track listing was released via their official website with "Spicy" announced as the lead single. On May 6, the music video teaser was released. The song was released alongside the EP and its music video on May 8. On September 15, a remix version by Nitepunk was released.

Composition
"Spicy" was written by Bang Hye-hyun (JamFactory), composed and arranged by Ludvig Evers (Moonshine), and Jonatan Gusmark (Moonshine), with Emily Yeonseo Kim, and Moa "Cazzi Opeia" Carlebecker participating in the composition, and Jinbyjin participating in the arrangement. It was described as an "experimental" dance, pop, and synth-pop song characterized by "intense synth-bass sound [and] dynamic beat rhythm". "Spicy" was composed in the key of B minor, with a tempo of 115 beats per minute.

Music video
The music video directed by 725 of SL8 Visual Lab was released alongside the song by SM Entertainment on May 8. The music video portrays Aespa "as a group of popular high school students" with scenes that switches between "Aespa getting ready to throw a wild party in their lavish mansion" and "Aespa taking the opportunity to explore the city when the clock strikes midnight when the time stops".

Commercial performance
"Spicy" debuted at number six on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart in the chart issue dated May 7–13, 2023; on its component charts, the song debuted at number three on the Circle Download Chart, number eight on the Circle Streaming Chart, and number 33 on the Circle BGM Chart. It ascended to number two on the Circle Digital Chart, and number three on the Circle Streaming Chart, in the chart issue dated May 21–27, 2023. In Japan, the song debuted at number 71 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 in the chart issue dated May 17, 2023; on its component charts, the song debuted at number 70 on the Top Download Songs, and number 82 on the Top Streaming Songs. It ascended to number 64 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, and number 56 on the Top Streaming Songs. On the Oricon Streaming Chart, it debuted at number 48 in the chart issue dated May 22, 2023, ascending to number 43 in the following week.

In Singapore, the song debuted at number 22 on the RIAS Top Streaming Chart in the chart issue dated May 12–18, 2023. It also debuted at number 17 on the RIAS Top Regional Chart in the chart issue dated May 5–11, 2023. In Vietnam, the song debuted at number 27 on the Billboard Vietnam Hot 100 in the chart issue dated May 18, 2023. In Hong Kong, the song debuted at number 24 on the Billboard Hong Kong Songs in the chart issue dated May 27, 2023. In Taiwan, the song debuted number 14 on the Billboard Taiwan Songs in the chart issue dated May 27, 2023.

In the United States, the song debuted at number six on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales in the chart issue dated August 26, 2023. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 34 on the RMNZ Hot Singles in the chart issue dated May 15, 2023. Globally, the song debuted at number 160 on the Billboard Global 200, and number 77 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S in the chart issue dated May 20, 2023. It ascended to number 70 on the Billboard Global 200, and number 42 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S in the following week.

Promotion
Prior to the release of My World, on May 8, 2023, Aespa held a live event called "Aespa 'My World' Countdown Live" on YouTube, TikTok, and IdolPlus to introduce the album and its song, including "Spicy", and to communicate with their fans. The group subsequently performed on four music programs in the first week: Mnet's M Countdown on May 11, KBS's Music Bank on May 12, MBC's Show! Music Core on May 13, and SBS's Inkigayo on May 14. On the second and final week of promotion, they performed four music programs: M Countdown on May 18, Music Bank on May 19, ''Show! Music Core on May 20, and Inkigayo'' on May 21, where they won the first place for all appearances.

Track listing

 * Digital download / streaming – Original
 * 1) "Spicy" – 3:17


 * Digital download / streaming – Remixes
 * 1) "Spicy" (Nitepunk remix) – 3:10

Accolades
Grammy included "Spicy" in their list of the 15 K-Pop Songs That Took 2023 By Storm.

Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from EP's liner notes.

Studio
 * SM Big Shot Studio – recording, digital editing
 * SM Starlight Studio – recording, digital editing
 * SM Blue Ocean Studio – mixing
 * 821 Sound – mastering

Personnel
 * SM Entertainment – executive producer
 * Aespa – vocals, background vocals
 * Bang Hye-hyun – lyrics
 * Jonatan Gusmark (Moonshine) – composition, arrangement, synthesizer, programming
 * Ludvig Evers (Moonshine) – composition, arrangement, synthesizer, programming
 * Moa "Cazzi Opeia" Carlebecker – composition, background vocals
 * Emily Yeonseo Kim – composition, vocal directing, background vocals
 * Jinbyjin – arrangement, electric guitar, synthesizer, programming
 * Lee Min-kyu – recording, digital editing
 * Jeong Yu-ra – recording, digital editing
 * Kim Cheol-sun – mixing
 * Kwon Nam-woo – mastering