WHISTLE (BLACKPINK song)

"Whistle" (Korean: 휘파람; RR: Hwi-param) is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Blackpink for their debut single album, Square One (2016). The song was released through YG Entertainment on August 8, 2016, simultaneously with Square One's second single "Boombayah". An acoustic version of the song was also included on the group's second single album, Square Two (2016). The song was written and produced by YG Entertainment collaborators Teddy, Bekuh Boom, and Future Bounce, with additional lyrics penned by labelmate B.I of iKon. Musically, it consists of a minimal drum and bass beat and integrates a variety of instrumentations, including whistles and a heartbeat—alluding to the title. "Whistle" received positive reviews from music critics, who praised the song's musical styles and composition. It was named among the best K-pop releases of the year and the decade by Billboard magazine. A commercial success, the song held the number-one position on the Gaon Digital Chart in South Korea for two weeks, marking Blackpink's first number-one single of their career. It additionally reached number two on the US Billboard World Digital Songs chart. Directed by Beomjin J of VM Project Architecture, the accompanying music video features vibrant sets with the group members singing against various backdrops. It garnered over 10 million views within five days of its release, and was awarded the Best Music Video of the year at the 2016 Mnet Asian Music Awards. Blackpink made their debut stage with the song on SBS's Inkigayo on August 14, 2016, and continued with promotion on the music program throughout August and September.