Watch the Video for Sunmi’s Dreamy Summer Anthem ‘Heart Burn’

With the dawn of summer, it’s time to bid farewell to short-lived spring affairs and welcome the bloom of summer romances that hold the promise of forever. South Korean singer-songwriter Sunmi taps into the season’s romance-induced sentiments in her latest release “Heart Burn.” Leading the artist’s singles album with the same title, the track is accompanied by a moody music video in which Sunmi cruises through the years as she navigates both passion and untimely deaths.

Deemed as a ‘day version’ of the vocalist’s 2020 single “Pporappippam,” “Heart Burn” runs parallel to the themes discussed in the earlier song, and has hence been released on the second anniversary of the initial release. Co-written by Sunmi alongside CobiCudi and Kyuwon ‘Q’ Kim, the new tune depicts a passionate affair, with the protagonist expressing her desire to lay down her guard as she wholeheartedly permits the relationship to engulf her senses: “Burning sunlight with a mild breeze/ I love these vibes/ Oh my, I can’t hold it anymore/ When you look at me.”

Characterized by rhythmic percussion and string sounds, “Heart Burn” takes inspiration from dreamy retro pop, a sound Sunmi has proven to have a strong grasp on throughout her career as a soloist. The singer weaves a breathy vocal performance into the mellow soundscape, maintaining the track’s summer atmosphere. 

The music video sees Sunmi traveling through time. Playing the role of a lovestruck female protagonist, her irresistible charms lead her heated romantic affairs across decades – yet, none receive their happily-ever-after fairy-tale ending. Behind her delicate charms and coyish demeanor lies a death curse; a kiss of death, if you may. Enamored by her beauty, every man the protagonist spends a night with ends up losing his battle to a fatal fever. Sunmi keeps her own visuals in the video ravishing, with her long, lustrous locks depicting a character that lies between Disney’s Rapunzel and Ariel. The narrative ends with the protagonist seated in a cemetery surrounded by the graves of her former lovers. 

Heart Burn marks Sunmi’s first official comeback this year. Led by the title track, the singles album also houses the B-side city-pop track “Childhood,” co-written and produced by the vocalist. Shortly after releasing the lead single’s music video, she took over social media to announce her 2022 world tour. Titled Good Girl Gone Mad, the tour will see Sunmi performing in a total of 16 cities. 

Earlier this year, the South Korean pop star released “Oh Sorry Ya” – a collaborative single with Spotify to commemorate International Women’s Day. Co-written and produced by Sunmi alongside the musical duo Lyre, “Oh Sorry Ya” brought back the feel-good rhythm of retro-pop with a groovy baseline keeping the ambiance peachy and saucy. Last year, Sunmi – and Korean-American rapper-songwriter Jessi – lent their vocals to Ed Sheeran’s “Shivers” as featuring artists. This project was succeeded by the single “Go or Stop,” the EP 1/6, and the singles album Tail. Aside from her musical endeavors, Sunmi was the judge on Mnet’s idol-reality television show Girls Planet 999, which led to the formation of the K-pop rookie girl group, Kep1er.