Here are my credentials (again): I’m coming at this one from a pretty roundabout direction, having heard of Girls’ Day via Hyeri and having heard of Hyeri via her role in the 2025 kdrama Friendly Rivalry. Just this month, she became (as far as I’m aware) the first kpop idol to win an award for a queer role. So, I thought that the 15th anniversary of their debut would be a great time to cover Girls’ Day’s discography. Let’s get into it!
With so many different styles over the years, it’s tough to know what you’re walking into with a Girls’ Day song. But I feel like Something fits into the same category as Expect: that slinky, sensual sound, an almost surprisingly sexual choreo, and even the famous / infamous outfits. I don’t think it’s quite as memorable as Expect, to be honest, but there’s no denying the subservise catchiness of that chorus, wgucg reminded me a lot of AOA’s Miniskirt. I really liked that bridge, though; it reminded me of a softer version of MJ’s Wanna Be Starting Something hook, and I’m assuming that that was intentional.
From the EP, I enjoyed the irrepressibly peppy rush of 휘파람 (Hwiparam // Whistle) and the swirling strings of Show You. I have absolutely no idea what on God’s green earth the “song” G.D.P. intro was, but I would like to file a petition to never have it cross my eardrums again, thank you.
With Darling we go from the inspiration being AOA to Sistar: Darling is as summer a song as it really gets, with a music video drenched in retro yellow and a jaunty sound that goes a long way. Once again the outfits are perfection, though even as a constant platforms wearer, these shoes make my feet ache in sympathy. I couldn’t walk in those things, let alone dance in them. My one big complaint (besides the unnecessary lingering camera shots on their asses, that is): Why the hell is there a man’s voice here at the beginning? Nope. Please make him leave. The rest of the song is so delightful, though, mixing a retro sound with a sunny disposition that makes you want to smile. The “darling, darling” hook is as catchy as ever, and the big band swing in the background is a lot of fun.
From the EP, I enjoyed the gorgeous vocals of Look At Me and the bright sound of Timing.
EP #5: I Miss You
With a title as dramatic as 보고싶어 (I Miss You), it’s not really a surprise that the next song is much sadder and much more downbeat than Girls’ Day’s titles have been thus far. I’d be lying if I said I liked it as much as Darling or Expectation, but I can’t deny that their voices are great. The chorus is especially lovely, with such light instrumentation that really lets their talents shine. The rap is a bit unnecessary, but it’s kpop, so that’s par for the course. Overall, it’s not bad.
This EP, for reasons that are probably out in the ether somewhere but I don’t understand, is all b-sides from previous albums, including Show You, Look At Me, I Don’t Mind, and White Day. I’m not complaining, since I do like all of these songs, but I’m a bit confused.
Album #2: Love
Ring My Bell, sadly for me, is another song that begins with a man’s voice introducing the group: why? Just why? Anyway. When I hear “Ring My Bell” I often think of the Billlie song, which really isn’t fair since they’re so different; while Billlie’s is full on Avril Lavigne punk-rock, this one is as poppy as it gets, rushing forward a mile-a-minute, in an honestly great way. The vocals are at some of their best here, and I don’t say that lightly. The way the song builds on itself is great too. And then there’s the frankly bewildering music video, which makes the lingering shots on the girls’ bodies even more overt and overall cheapens what could be a great piece alltogether. I just don’t get it.
This album, like Everyday #4, is almost entirely previously released songs, a chose I don’t entirely understand. Why make three different versions of the same song instead of just releasing an EP with all new music? From the songs that were new, though, I enjoyed the ballroom sound of With Me, with its gloriously dramatic sound and tango influences and the big band swing of 마카롱 (Macaron).
Either way, though, I have to admit that all together, this is a fantastic album, and my favorite full work of Girls’ Day’s.
I’ll Be Yours, funnily enough, was only song of Girls’ Day’s that I can say I really knew before this deep dive, so ending on it feels poetic, especially since I didn’t know it was their last one until now. I still really like it, not only for how funny the MV manages to be—and it is damn funny; I always laugh when Hyeri starts boxing—but for the way the song blends the best parts of Girls’ Day’s past singles into one bombast. The brass. The confidence. The powerful vocals. It’s a great combination, and a great send-off.
From the EP, I enjoyed the lovely vocals in Love Again, the piano-led Kumbaya, a Sojin solo, and my hidden gem, Minah’s solo Truth. Not only is it vocal-heavy, which of course I love, but the way it builds is indescribable. It was just the song I needed at the moment.
Verdict: TL;DR
I’m glad I did this. I knew so little about Girls’ Day before this review, and as always, I’m so happy that that’s changed. They’re so talented, and yet they’re so rarely talked about when we discuss 2nd generation kpop groups that made a big impact. We may not know them as well as SNSD, but kpop wouldn’t be what it is today without them. I got to learn about how involved they were in the creative process behind their work, and I especially enjoyed seeing how their bond has still stood strong over the last 15 years. It’s almost finals week at the moment—pray for me—so unfortunately I didn’t have too much extra time, but I did watch their reunion on Hyeri’s YouTube show, which was so much fun. I highly recommend it.
My Top 5 songs were Expect, With You, I’ll Be Yours, Don’t Trust Her, and Female President, with Whistle as an honorable mention. Girls’ Day gets an 8.25 out of 10 from me. There was a lot I liked about them, and especially as a Red Velvet fan, their two central genres being R & B and sunny, straight pop was something I very much enjoyed. But, unlike Red Velvet, I don’t think Girls’ Day innovates on the formula in a way that has them stand out from such strong competition. (Let’s not forget that when they debuted was the era of Girls Generation, 2NE1, Miss A, and so many others; it was a difficult landscape to make your own. )
Besides that, the sexualization in their music videos is pretty constant and feels deeply voyeuristic in a way that makes them tough to watch. I get it, we’re going for sexy, but there’s a way to do sexy that isn’t…that. As mentioned, I really liked learning about Girls’ Day’s involvement in their work behind the scenes, and I’m hopeful that if they follow the trend of second generation groups reuniting, it’ll be with a song all their own.
Next time, we’re onto a boy group. Tschüss!
Let me know your thoughts!