Save Me (BTS song)

"Save Me" (stylized as "Save ME") is a song by South Korean boy group BTS from their compilation album The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever (2016). The original Korean version was released by Big Hit on May 2, 2016, in South Korea. The Japanese single version was released on September 7, 2016, on their album Youth,^[1] under Universal Music Japan and Virgin Music-Def Jam Recordings. The song is widely considered as one of the group’s signature songs.^[2]

"Save Me"
Single by BTS
from the album The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever and Youth
Released	May 2, 2016
Studio	Carrot Express
Genre	Tropical house electropop
Length	3:16
Label	Big Hit
Songwriter(s)	Kang Hyo-won Ray Michael Djan Jr Ashton Foster Samantha Harper Kim Nam-joon Min Yoon-gi Jung Ho-seok
Producer(s)	Pdogg
BTS singles chronology
"Fire" (2016) "Save Me" (2016) "Blood Sweat & Tears" (2016)
Music video
"Save ME" on YouTube

Music and lyrics

"Save Me" is a tropical house and electropop track. NME's Rhian Daly described it as "deceptively bright and bouncy – an aural carnival that masks the pleas for help in the lyrics."^[3] The song opens with energetic synth sound that sonically develops towards tropical house sound.^[4][5] The song contains a speedy rhythm and a "frenetic" chorus.^[5] Billboard described it as "powerfully subtle".^[4] Lyrically, it deals with the theme of salvation.^[5] The song was written by Pdogg, Ray Michael Djan Jr, Ashton Foster, Samantha Harper, RM, Suga, and J-Hope with Pdogg serving as the primary producer.^[6] Musically, it is in the key of D♭ major and is 140 beats per minute.^[7]

Promotion

The music video for "Save Me", released in conjunction with the single was produced and directed by GDW.^[8][9] The music video, which was notably filmed in a one-shot take^[10] shows BTS members singing and performing intense choreography against the wind, in the backdrop of low-lying clouds that maximize the atmosphere and convey the emotions of a lyrically sad song.^[11] The dance was choreographed by The Quick Style Crew.^[12] As of February 2023, the visual has garnered over 700 million views.^[13]

BTS decided to promote on music shows only for a week,^[14] performing on Mnet, KBS, MBC and SBS as planned to allow for individual activities, performances and overseas schedules, starting with M! Countdown on May 12.^[15] The song was promoted at the 2018 MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards performances as well.^[16]

Commercial performance

BTS topped Billboard World Digital Songs with "Save Me", the number 1 spot being taken by their other single "Fire".^[17] The videos for "Save Me" ranked second on Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America, Around the World: May 2016 list revealed by Billboard.^[18]

Credits and personnel

The Korean credits are adapted from the CD liner notes of The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever.^[19]

• Pdogg – producer, keyboard, synthesizer
• "Hitman" Bang – producer
• Rap Monster – producer
• Suga – producer
• Devine Channel – producer
• Jungkook – chorus
• Slow Rabbit – vocal and rap arrangement, recording engineer @ Carrot Express
• Sam Klempner – mix engineer

Charts

Chart (2016)	Peak position
Finland Download (Latauslista)^[20]	23
Philippines (Philippine Hot 100)^[21]	71
South Korea (Gaon)^[22]	19
US World Digital Songs (Billboard)^[23]	2

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
South Korea	—	228,170^[24]
United States	—	92,000^[25]
Streaming
Japan (RIAJ)^[26]	Gold	50,000,000^†
^† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Release date	Format	Version	Label
Various	May 2, 2016	Digital download streaming	Korean	Big Hit Entertainment
	September 7, 2016		Japanese	Big Hit Universal Japan Virgin Def Jam

References

1. "YOUTH - 防弾少年団". iTunes. September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
2. Herman, Tamar (October 19, 2016). . Billboard. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
3. Daly, Rhian (April 29, 2020). "Every BTS song ranked in order of greatness". NME. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
4. "BTS' 50 Best Songs: Critics' Picks". Billboard. June 12, 2018. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
5. Park, T.K.; Kim, Youngdae (April 19, 2019). "Your Guide to BTS and Their Musical Universe in 25 Songs". Vulture. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
6. 화양연화 Young Forever. Naver. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
7. "BTS Song Search". tunebat. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
8. Lee Ji-suk (May 16, 2016). 방탄소년단, '화양연화 Young Forever' 수록곡 'Save ME' 뮤비 공개! [BTS, 'Hwayang Yeonhwa Young Forever' song 'Save ME' MV released!]. Sports Seoul. Retrieved April 30, 2020 – via Naver.
9. "GDWOP Works". gdwop. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
10. Benjamin, Jeff (May 16, 2016). "BTS Delivers Mind-blowing Choreography In ONE-TAKE Video For 'SAVE ME': WATCH". Fuse. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
11. Kim, Ha-jin (May 16, 2016). 방탄소년단, 'Save ME' 뮤직비디오 공개 [BTS released 'Save ME' music video]. TenAsia. Retrieved April 30, 2020 – via Naver.
12. "The Quick Style Crew Works". thequickstyle.com. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
13. "BTS' 'Save Me' music video tops 700 mil. YouTube views". The Korea Times. February 21, 2023. from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
14. References:
    • Won Won (April 29, 2016). "BTS one week of promotional activities still under discussion". Naver (in Korean). My Daily News. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
    • Cho Hejin (May 2, 2016). "BTS Releases ′Young Forever′ Album". Mwave. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
15. References:
    • "방탄 정국, 활동 재개 "독감 오진..오늘부터 일정 소화"[공식입장]". Osen (in Korean). May 12, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
    • Sun Mi Kyung (May 13, 2016). "BTS, the meaning of new records". Naver. OSEN. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
16. Daly, Rhian (November 6, 2018). "Watch BTS perform with Charlie Puth at 2018 MGA Awards". NME. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
17. "Billboard World Digital Songs: Week May 21". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
18. Park So Young (June 11, 2016). "BTS, seized America…Number of M/V viewers was topped at May's chart". Naver. OSEN. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
19. BTS (May 2, 2016). The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever (Album) (in Korean and English). South Korea: Big Hit Entertainment. pp. 101 of 111. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
20. "Suomen virallinen lista – Artistit: BTS Save Me" [Finland official list – Artiste: BTS Save Me] (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
21. . Billboard Philippines. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
22. 2016년 19주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart – Week 19 of 2016]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
23. "Chart History: BTS – World Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
24. Gaon cumulative sales for "Save Me" in South Korea:
    • "2017년 05주차 Download Chart" [Download Chart – May 2017] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
    • "2017년 06주차 Download Chart" [Download Chart – June 2017] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
    • "2017년 07주차 Download Chart" [Download Chart – July 2017] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
    • [Download Chart – August 2017] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
25. Benjamin, Jeff (September 27, 2019). "BTS' 2018 Song 'Magic Shop' Rises to New Peak on World Digital Song Sales Chart After Fan-Led Campaign". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
26. "Japanese single streaming certifications – BTS – Save Me" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved December 27, 2022. Select 2022年11月 on the drop-down menu