The Hidden Story Behind Dazzle Dazzle: Weki Meki's the first digital single album

The dazzle dazzle Weki Meki album burst onto the K-pop scene as a hybrid musical masterpiece, blending moombahton and hip-hop elements into an addictive dance track. Released on February 20, 2020, through various music portals including iTunes and Melon, this digital single marked a significant moment for the South Korean girl group after a relatively quiet 2019.

Notably, "Dazzle Dazzle" (stylized as "DAZZLE DAZZLE") served as more than just another comeback—it celebrated member Choi Yoojung's return to group activities following her health-related hiatus announced in October. The track features a cheerful brass sound and dynamic atmosphere enhanced by its captivating bass line, perfectly showcasing the group's evolving musical identity. Furthermore, while initially released as their first digital single by Fantagio Music and distributed by Kakao M, the song was later included in their third extended play "Hide and Seek", cementing its importance in their discography.

The concept behind 'Dazzle Dazzle'

Behind every captivating K-pop release lies an elaborate creative process, and the dazzle dazzle weki meki album is no exception. The team behind this vibrant comeback carefully crafted a concept that would showcase the group's unique charms while pushing their musical boundaries forward.

How the idea for the song was born

The creative spark for "Dazzle Dazzle" ignited through a powerhouse collaboration between established industry talents. The song emerged from the collective minds of lyricist Danke along with producers STAINBOYS and Anna Timgren. This partnership brought together diverse perspectives, with Anna Timgren previously creating hits for prominent groups like GFriend, Twice, and Chungha, while STAINBOYS had worked with veteran artist BoA and girl group Momoland.

Moreover, Fantagio Music sought to create a comeback track that would both highlight the group's strengths and celebrate Yoojung's return to activities. The agency revealed through their social media channels that the song would showcase the "explosive energy" of the eight-member configuration.

Choosing the genre blend: moombahton meets hip-hop

The production team made a deliberate choice to create a hybrid pop dance song that exquisitely blends elements from different musical worlds. In essence, "Dazzle Dazzle" combines the rhythmic pulse of moombahton with hip-hop's attitude and energy.

This fusion resulted in what was described as a "glossy funky" concept - characterized by:

An addictive bass line that drives the song forward
Cheerful, cool brass sounds that add dynamic texture
Catchy hooks that remain with listeners long after the song ends

The bridge section specifically provides contrast by toning down the instrumental elements, allowing vocalists Doyeon and Suyeon to shine with their vocal abilities.

Aligning the concept with Weki Meki's image

Fantagio Music carefully constructed a visual identity that complemented the sonic direction. The repeated hook "Dazzle Dazzle Dazzle me" became the centerpiece around which the entire concept revolved. This phrase, delivered with the members' confident charm and unique vocal colors, perfectly captured the group's lively energy.

Consequently, the accompanying visuals featured the members in coordinated white outfits set against pastel backgrounds, creating a clean aesthetic that allowed their personalities to shine. The music video concept centered around what was described as "a ritual for all things that dazzle", showing the members discovering precious gems that illuminate their surroundings.

The making of the track: from demo to final mix

Creating the dazzle dazzle weki meki album required meticulous attention to detail from the initial concept to the final product. The production journey involved multiple talented professionals who brought their expertise to craft a song that would captivate listeners with its unique sound.

Initial demo and songwriting process

The foundation of "Dazzle Dazzle" began with a collaborative writing process involving three key creatives. Danke from lalala studio developed the song's lyrics, working in tandem with composers STAINBOYS and Anna Timgren to establish the track's core identity. Their combined effort produced a song that successfully merged moombahton rhythms with hip-hop elements, creating the addictive bass line and cheerful brass sounds that define the track's dynamic atmosphere.

Producer collaboration: STAINBOYS and Anna Timgren

STAINBOYS and Anna Timgren formed a powerful production duo for this release. Both brought significant industry experience to the project—Anna Timgren had previously crafted hits for prominent girl groups including GFriend, Twice, and soloist Chungha, whereas STAINBOYS had built their reputation working with veteran artist BoA and girl group Momoland. Besides composition, STAINBOYS took charge of the arrangement, structuring the song's various elements into a cohesive whole.

Recording sessions and vocal direction

Once the composition was finalized, the recording phase began at two separate studios. Engineers Jang Min at M Creative Sound and Kim Min Hee at 821 Sound oversaw the recording sessions, capturing the vocal performances of all eight Weki Meki members. Additionally, background vocalist Jarry Potter contributed supporting vocals to enhance the track's richness and depth. This multi-layered approach created the vibrant sonic landscape that characterizes the final product.

Mixing and mastering the final version

After recording completion, the post-production process moved into high gear. Mixing engineer Jung Jin at Hug Studio carefully balanced all the sonic elements, ensuring each voice and instrumental component occupied its proper space in the mix. Subsequently, mastering engineer Kwon Nam Woo at 821 Sound Mastering applied the finishing touches, optimizing the overall sound quality and preparing the track for distribution across various music platforms. The completed song was officially released on February 20, 2020, marking an important chapter in Weki Meki's musical evolution.

Visuals, choreography, and styling

The visual presentation of the dazzle dazzle weki meki album transformed the song's dynamic energy into a feast for the eyes, extending the concept beyond just sound to create a complete sensory experience.

Creating the music video concept

For their comeback visual narrative, Weki Meki centered around a dazzling treasure hunt theme. The music video showcases the members discovering precious gems that illuminate their surroundings, creating a magical atmosphere that complements the track's vibrant energy. At its core, the concept revolves around what was described as "a ritual for all things that dazzle" - a perfect visual representation of the song's repeated hook "Dazzle Dazzle Dazzle me." This concept effectively captured the group's bright personality while maintaining visual interest throughout the production.

Behind-the-scenes of the MV shoot

Just hours before the official music video premiere, Fantagio released a jacket making film that provided fans with an intimate look at the production process. During these sessions, all eight members - Suyeon, Elly, Yoojung, Doyeon, Sei, Lua, Rina and Lucy - participated in a professional photoshoot that would ultimately create the album's visual identity. The behind-the-scenes footage revealed the meticulous attention given to each frame, particularly as the members posed in their coordinated outfits with full makeup, working diligently to capture the perfect shots for the album jacket.

Choreography development and practice

Although specific details about the choreography development process remain limited, the performance aspects of "Dazzle Dazzle" aligned perfectly with the song's energetic moombahton and hip-hop influences. The dance routine likely underwent multiple iterations to match the track's dynamic brass sounds and addictive bass line, with particular attention to highlighting Yoojung's return to the group after her health-related hiatus.

Styling choices and fashion direction

In terms of styling, the weki meki dazzle dazzle album featured a cohesive visual theme with the members appearing in coordinated white outfits set against soft pastel backgrounds. This clean aesthetic created a striking contrast that allowed each member's personality to shine through while maintaining a unified group image. Such styling choices helped establish a fresh, youthful identity that perfectly complemented the upbeat nature of the song itself.

Comeback strategy and fan reception

The dazzle dazzle weki meki album marked a significant milestone in the group's journey, especially considering the careful strategy behind their anticipated return to the K-pop scene.

Yoojung's return and group dynamics

After taking a hiatus starting in October 2019 due to health concerns, Choi Yoojung's return became a central highlight of Weki Meki's comeback. Fantagio Music officially confirmed on February 6, 2020, that "Choi Yoojung will be joining for the comeback", a statement that generated immediate excitement among fans. This reunion restored the group to its full eight-member configuration, bringing back the complete energy that had been missing during Yoojung's absence. Nonetheless, eagle-eyed fans noted that compared to previous releases, her vocal parts were reduced in favor of rap sections, as "for the first time in the title track, Yoojung did not receive a vocal part, only a rap part".

Teasers, performance film, and promotions

Fantagio Music orchestrated a methodical rollout campaign that began with the release of a teaser image and comeback schedule. The promotion timeline followed a strategic sequence: concept photos on February 13-14, music video teaser on February 16, performance video on February 18, and finally the MV and album release on February 20. Indeed, the short version performance film showcased the group's synchronized choreography, which according to member Elly, "particularly required physical strength and endurance". Official promotions commenced with their first comeback stage on M Countdown on February 20, 2020.

Fan reactions and dazzle reviews

Critical reception to the weki meki dazzle dazzle album varied considerably. Certain reviewers praised how the group "managed to dazzle" with their energetic performance and glossy concept. However, others offered more measured assessments, suggesting the release felt "more like a step back to their polarizing debut-era singles". Accordingly, some critics noted the song contained "lurching throughout that is uncomfortable" with tempo changes "every other line, which doesn't work so well".

Chart performance and digital release impact

In terms of commercial performance, the dazzle dazzle single achieved modest results on Korean music charts. After three days of sales, the track debuted at number 141 on the Gaon Download Chart, though it "failed to enter the Gaon Digital Chart". However, the song did manage to enter "the 56th place in the Melon Chart dance category" on March 3, indicating some specialized chart success within its genre.