Mr. Simple (song)

"Mr. Simple" is a song recorded in two languages (Korean and Japanese) by South Korean boy band Super Junior. The Korean version was released as the lead single off their fifth studio album of the same name digitally on August 2, 2011, via SM Entertainment. In Japan, the single was made available via Avex Trax on December 7, 2011.

"Mr. Simple"
Japanese CD version cover
Single by Super Junior
from the album Mr. Simple
Language	Korean Japanese
B-side	"Snow White" (JP)
Released	August 2, 2011 (KR) December 7, 2011 (JP)
Recorded	2011
Studio	SM Booming System (Seoul)
Genre	Dance-pop synthpop
Length	3:59
Label	SM Avex Trax
Composer(s)	Yoo Young-jin
Lyricist(s)	Yoo Young-jin (Korean) Goro Matsui (Japanese)
Producer(s)	Yoo Young-jin
Super Junior singles chronology
"No Other" (2010) "Mr. Simple" (2011) "A-Cha" (2011)
Music video
"Mr. Simple" on YouTube

"Mr. Simple" became the 85th best-selling single of 2011 in Japan according to the Oricon charts^[1] and is certified Gold by the RIAJ for 100,000 units shipped to Japanese music stores.^[2] The song was additionally used as a commercial tie-up for Japanese satellite communication holding company SKY Perfect JSAT Group,^[3] and as the ending theme song of TBS's Tsubo Musume in January 2012.^[4]

Background

The song was released along with the rest of the album's tracks on August 2, 2011, and has topped online charts hours after its release. The song was written by Yoo Young-jin, which was also the writer of their previous lead singles "Twins (Knock Out)", "Don't Don", "Sorry, Sorry" and "Bonamana". SM Entertainment describes the song as:

The title song, 'Mr. Simple', is a 'SJ Funky' song created solely for Super Junior and it can be considered as the final version of 'SJ Funky' following 'Sorry, Sorry' and 'Bonamana' that swept the world. The lyric describes the reality where modern people living in a complicated world failing to achieve what they intended to and losing their love and dreams without the breadth of mind in a simple way with humorous and metaphorical words, meaning "There is no need for taking take everything very seriously. Simple and easy way can rather be a better choice for finding oneself" like the title, 'Mr. Simple.'

Japanese release

The Japanese version of the song was released as their second Japanese single on December 7, 2011, under Avex Trax.^[5] A b-side track of the single entitled "Snow White" was revealed via the group's official Japanese website on November 30, 2011. The single debuted at No. 2 in the Oricon Weekly Charts, selling 89,000 copies on its first week of release, outselling their previous Japanese single "Bijin (Bonamana)" which sold 59,000 on its first week and 67,000 on total sales, making it Super Junior's highest-selling Japanese release yet.^[6]

Commercial performance

The single debuted at number three in the Oricon Daily Singles Chart on December 6, 2011, selling 17,000 copies.^[7] It plunged down to number six for three days and later peaked at number one by December 10, 2011, the day on which the group's Super Show 4 Osaka leg commenced, selling 36,000 copies, beating AKB48's Ue kara Mariko which sold 23,000 copies, at number two.^[8] The latter marks Super Junior's first time to have a release to peak at number one since debut.^[9] By the end of 2011, the single was ranked as the 85th best-selling single of 2011 in Japan according to the Oricon charts.^[1]

Music video

The music video for the song was released on August 4, 2011, via SM Entertainment's official SMTOWN YouTube page^[10] while its Japanese version PV was released November 13, 2011, via Space Shower TV.^[11]

Track listing

Japanese single "Mr. Simple" – 3:59 "Snow White" – 4:07 "Mr. Simple" (Korean ver.) – 3:59 "Mr. Simple" (Instrumental) – 3:59 (CD Only) "Snow White" (Instrumental) – 4:07 (CD Only) CD+DVD Track list "Mr. Simple" "Mr. Simple" (Korean ver.)

CD+DVD limited pressing edition DVD track list "Mr. Simple" "Mr. Simple" (Dance ver.) "Mr. Simple" (Korean ver.) "Mr. Simple" (Korean ver.) [Type B] Off Shot Clip

Accolades

Leeteuk at the 2011 YouTube K-pop Awards

Awards and nominations

Year	Organization	Award	Result	Ref.
2011	Mnet Asian Music Awards	Best Dance Performance (Male)	Nominated	[12]
	YouTube K-pop Awards	Most Viewed Video of The Year	Won	[13]
	Korea in Motion Festival	Most Popular Music	Won	[14]
2012	Myx Music Awards	Favorite K-Pop Video	Won	[15]
	Hito Music Awards	JKpop Song of The Year	Won	[16]

Music program awards

Program	Date
M! Countdown	August 11, 2011
	August 18, 2011
	August 25, 2011
Music Bank	August 12, 2011
	August 19, 2011
	August 26, 2011
	September 2, 2011
	September 9, 2011
Inkigayo	August 21, 2011
	August 28, 2011
	September 4, 2011

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2011) Peak position Japan (Oricon)[6] 2 South Korea (Gaon) 4 South Korea (K-pop Hot 100)[17] 7

Year-end charts Chart (2011) Position Japan (Oricon) 85 South Korea (Gaon)[18] 95

Sales and certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[19] Physical single	Gold	100,000^
South Korea (Gaon)	—	1,900,000[20]
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Credits

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.^[21]

Studio

• SM Booming System – recording, mixing
• Sonic Korea – mastering

Personnel

• SM Entertainment – executive producer
• Lee Soo-man – producer
• Super Junior – vocals, background vocals
• Yoo Young-jin – producer, Korean lyrics, composition, arrangement, vocal directing, background vocals, recording, mixing
• Goro Matsui – Japanese lyrics
• Jeon Hoon – mastering

Release history

Release history for "Mr. Simple"

Region	Date	Version	Format	Label	Ref
Various	August 2, 2011	Korean	Digital download streaming	SM KMP	[22]
Japan	December 7, 2011	Japanese	CD DVD	Avex Trax	[23]
Various			Digital download streaming