SOYEON's 'I'll Quit My Job' Tops Music Charts 11 Days After Release... Spreading as a "Commuting Song"

SOYEON's title track 'I'll Quit My Job' from her first solo studio album 'An Amazing Life' recorded number one on the Melon, genie, VIBE, FLO, and Bugs real-time charts on the 18th, 11 days after its release. It also maintained its top position on the afternoon of the 22nd. This result comes after pulling down RESCENE's 'Love Attack', which had held the number one spot for nearly two months. According to media reports, interest in the song grew as it broke the strong momentum of 'Love Attack', which even IU could not overpower.

'I'll Quit My Job' did not receive an enthusiastic response from the start. Reactions were mixed regarding the playful spelling of the title instead of 'I'll Quit My Job' (standard spelling), and lyrics such as 'I didn't plan to live this hard originally', 'Don't set a date today', and 'In the end, we will all become grandmothers'. The fact that an idol, who has not personally experienced working life, is singing about quitting their job was also an early point of debate. However, after its release, the song went viral as a "commuting song" as its chart rankings rose rapidly during commuting hours. Cube Entertainment stated, "It seems the message that while a stable future is important, the happiness of this moment is also precious, was sincerely delivered to many people," adding, "We find it meaningful that people of various generations than expected empathized with it as if it were their own story."

For office workers, quitting is a thought that comes to mind at least once, and the song approached them as a subject that provides vicarious satisfaction by speaking on their behalf. For those who cannot quit their companies immediately, it serves as an escape to briefly set aside their frustration during their commute, while for those who have already quit, it is interpreted as something that evokes memories of working life. Pop culture critic Ha Jae-geun said, "'I'll Quit My Job' is a song that captures the Korean language and Korean sentiments as they are after a long time," and noted, "It seems to have approached people familiarly as it was made with a rhythm and format that Koreans can listen to comfortably." He analyzed that the implementation of an office worker's desire to quit in the lyrics led to empathy and vicarious satisfaction.

Critic Ha further explained that the rise in the charts during commuting hours added fun by providing vicarious satisfaction and catharsis, and offering liberation and comfort that allows one to briefly forget pain. He stated that it became an element that allows office workers to briefly forget their sorrows. The spread of the song was also aided by covers and challenges from various artists. Participants included BTOB Yook Sung-jae, who left Cube Entertainment, as well as those involved in the narration: Kian84, the original singer Ex Lee Sang-mi, Heo Kyung-hwan, Won-Jae Woo, Sunwoo Yong-yeo, Seo In-young, Swings, and Kang Yu-mi. Regarding the reinterpretation video by Jaurim's Yuna Kim, reactions such as it sounding like the resignation of an exhausted manager in their 40s or 50s followed, along with evaluations that it contained the sorrows of office workers.

As of the 22nd, Instagram Reels using 'I'll Quit My Job' have exceeded 11,000. Critic Ha explained that the participation of famous celebrities in challenges helps the public perceive the song as a trend and aids its spread. Rather than presenting a grand solution, 'I'll Quit My Job' delivered empathy and comfort by singing the words that office workers think in their hearts, rising to the top of the charts beyond the mixed reactions in the early stages of its release.

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