What Do I Call You is the fourth Korean-languageextended play and the seventh overall by South Korean singer Taeyeon. The EP was released on December 15, 2020, by SM Entertainment and consists of six tracks,[1] including the title track of the same name and her previous digital single "Happy".[2]
On November 20, 2020, SM Entertainment announced that Taeyeon was preparing to release a mini album the following month.[3] On November 30, Taeyeon teased her comeback on her social media with the message, "I'll be coming back soon."[4] On December 3, SM Entertainment announced that EP What Do I Call You would be released on December 15, 2020.[5] Preorders began the same day.[6] This marks Taeyeon's first domestic comeback in seven months since "Happy", released on May 4, 2020.[7]
The digital edition of What Do I Call You contains five songs, while the physical release contains six songs including the single "Happy", which was released as a digital single on May 4, 2020. There are two versions of the physical edition, with each featuring a different cover, CD-ROM design, booklet, poster, postcard, bookmark and photo card.[8]
The EP incorporates various genres, primarily R&B and pop.[9]
Upon release, the title track "What Do I Call You" ranked first on major music charts such as Genie and Bugs. The other tracks in the album also ranked highly in the charts.[10]
The album took over iTunes charts in 22 regions.[11][12] It tied with her previous album Purpose and Hwasa's María for the third most national iTunes number ones for an album by a Korean female soloist, ranking behind her repackage edition of Purpose[13] and Wendy's Like Water.[14][15] The album also ranked number one in China's largest music site QQ Music and KuGou Music digital album sales chart.[10]
In South Korea, What Do I Call You debuted at number four on the Gaon Album Chart with 99,065 copies sold.[16] The album became Taeyeon's seventh top ten album in the country, and broke the record for the largest sales for a female soloist in 2020 with 89,263 copies on Hanteo.[17] As of February 2021, it has sold over 124,442 units in South Korea,[18][19][20] becoming her fifth album sold over 100,000 copies, following her four previous albums: I (2015), Why (2016), My Voice (2017) and Purpose (2019).[21][22] She's the first solo female artist to have five albums sold over 100,000 units on Gaon Album Chart.[21][22]
Teen Vogue chose What Do I Call You as one of the "Best K-Pop Moments of 2020", with contributor Hannah Weiss writing: "With its chill soundscape and Taeyeon's airy vocals, What Do I Call You is the perfect soundtrack to close 2020. The album examines loneliness, desire and regret through a soft filter, sharing a touch of warmth to carry us through this winter".[24]
Lim Seon-hee from IZM compared the EP's concepts to those of American singer Taylor Swift and its musical styles to Ariana Grande: "What Do I Call You is a collaboration of seasoned-ness and sincerity, with a wider range of emotions despite the method of 'removing away' without embellishment and excess. Now, no matter what genre she try, she can easily build a flagpole with her name inscribed. Beyond it all, the album becomes alive just by the deep touch of the voice that blows warm breath in the season of the bitter wind."[23]
^Ji, Min-kyung (December 3, 2020). 태연, 15일 네 번째 미니앨범 'What Do I Call You' 발매 [공식] [Taeyeon releases 4th mini album 'What Do I Call You' on the 15th [Official]]. Osen (in Korean). Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Hye-jin (November 20, 2020). SM 측 “태연 12월 컴백 준비 중, 많은 기대 부탁”(공식) [SM's "Taeyeon is preparing for a comeback in December, please look forward to it" (Official)]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 20, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
^Park, Panseok (November 30, 2020). 태연, 수줍은 새 앨범 예고 "저 곧 앨범 나와요" [★SHOT!] [Taeyeon, shy new album notice "I'm coming out soon" [★SHOT!]]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
^Kim, Miji (December 3, 2020). "'믿듣탱' 온다"…태연, 12월 15일 미니앨범으로 컴백 확정[공식입장]" ["It's coming"... Taeyeon confirmed comeback with mini album on December 15th [Official Admission]]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
^Jeon, Hyo-jin (December 3, 2020). 태연, 15일 컴백…'What Do I Call You' 발매 [공식] [Taeyeon, comeback on the 15th... Release of 'What Do I Call You' [Official]]. Sports DongA (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
^Kim, Ye-na (November 20, 2020). "[단독] 태연, 12월 솔로 컴백 확정…'믿듣탱' 열일 행보" [[Exclusive] Taeyeon, December solo comeback confirmed... 'Believe it']. Xports News (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 20, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2020 – via Naver.
^ abJeon Hyo-jin (December 16, 2020). "[DA:차트] 태연 1위, 아이튠즈 톱 앨범 18개 지역 정상" [[DA:Chart] Taeyeon's 1st place, top 18 iTunes top albums]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
^Lee, Sang-jin (December 27, 2020). 태연 'What Do I Call You', '인기가요'서 1위! [Taeyeon ranked 1st in 'What Do I Call You' and 'Inkigayo']. Asia News Agency (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
^"12월 마지막 주 인기가요 차트" [Popular song chart for the last week of December]. SBS (in Korean). December 27, 2020. Archived from the original on December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
