"Four Seasons" (Korean: 사계; RR: sagye) is a song recorded by South Korean singer Taeyeon. Written by Kenzie, who also co-produced the song with Afshin Salmani, Andrew Allen and Josh Cumbee, the reggae-tinged ballad was released as a digital single on March 24, 2019, by SM Entertainment and Dreamus, with an accompanying music video released two days prior to its digital release.[1] Initially a standalone single, both the song and the B-side track "Blue" were later included as bonus tracks in the Korean release of Taeyeon's second album Purpose, released on October 28.
Upon its release, "Four Seasons" received positive reviews from music critics for solidifying the singer's growth as a "full-time" vocalist.[2] The song achieved great commercial success, earning Taeyeon her fifth chart-topper as a lead artist (sixth overall) on the Gaon Digital Chart for two weeks and to date, her longest charting performance on the chart. It eventually became her first single to receive a Platinum certificate by KMCA for achieving over 100,000,000 streaming units in November 2019, only six months after its release.[3] The singer eventually promoted both songs during her concert『’s…one』on March 28. It won the Digital Daesang award at the 29th Seoul Music Awards in January 2020.[4]
On March 17, 2019, Taeyeon was announced to be releasing a digital single titled "Four Seasons" with its b-side track "Blue".[5] The song is described as a ballad with an instrumental structure that is centered on acoustic guitars. It compares the ups and downs of love to the four seasons.[6] While the B-side track "Blue" is a ballad song with Taeyeon's affectionate vocals and lyrics that capture the double meaning of 'blue' (푸른) and 'gloomy/feeling blue' (우울한) and the longing for an old lover and feelings after a break-up.[7] The music video for "Four Seasons" was released on March 22, two day before the single album.[8] Taeyeon later filmed a live performance of the song from her concert "’s…one", which was released on March 28.[9]
"Four Seasons" debuted at number one on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart for the chart issue dated March 24–30, 2019.[12] It was the best-performing single of March 2019 on the Gaon Digital Chart.[13] It claimed the number one spot on the BillboardK-Pop Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks[14] and reached number 6 on the BillboardWorld Digital Songs chart.[15]
^"가온 인증 – Streaming 누적사용량 인증" [Gaon Certification – Streaming Cumulative Sales Certification]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 1, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
^Lee Jung-beom (March 18, 2019). "'믿듣탱' 태연, 새 싱글 '사계' 24일 오후6시 전격 공개" [‘Trust and Listen’ Taeyeon, new single ‘Four Seasons’ released at 6pm on the 24th]. Top Star News (in Korean).
^"Watch: Girls' Generation's Taeyeon Stuns In MV For "Four Seasons"". Soompi. March 22, 2019.
^""국보급 음색 여신"..태연, 새 싱글에 담길 깊은 울림" ["National Treasure-level Voice Goddess"..Taeyeon, Deep Resonance to be Included in New Single]. OSEN News (in Korean). March 21, 2019. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024 – via Naver.
^"태연, 오늘(24일) 6시 신곡 '사계' 발표…차트 점령 예고" [Taeyeon to release new song 'Four Seasons' today (24th) at 6 PM… Chart domination expected] (in Korean). MSPL News. March 24, 2019. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024 – via Naver Post.
^"[2020 서울가요대상] 태연 '음원대상'→방탄소년단 '음반대상'…엑소, 4관왕 등극 (종합)" [[2020 Seoul Music Awards] Taeyeon wins song grand prize, BTS wins album grand prize, Exo wins 4 awards (Full list)]. OSEN (in Korean). 2020-01-30. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
