Traffic Light (song)

"Traffic Light" (Korean: 신호등; RR: Sinhodeung) is a song by Korean singer and songwriter Lee Mu-jin. It was released on May 14, 2021, as Lee's first single after his third-place finish on Korean music audition show Sing Again in 2020.^[2][1]

"Traffic Light"
Single by Lee Mu-jin
Language	Korean
Released	May 14, 2021
Genre	Jazz folk pop[1]
Length	3:52
Label	ShowPlay, Kakao
Songwriter(s)	Lee Mu-jin
Lee Mu-jin singles chronology
"Traffic Light" (2021) "The Assignment Song" (2021)
Music video
"Traffic Light" on YouTube

Background

In November 2020, Lee was entered into the popular South Korean music audition show Sing Again. The shows aim is to take nameless singers and open them up to public interest, which means every contestant is referred to by a number instead of their name, which left Lee anonymous throughout the show's duration. Lee progressed through each round and was one of six people to compete in the finals on February 8, 2021, where he finished in third place. His performance of "Is Anybody There?" has currently amassed over 30 million views on YouTube, showcasing his popularity.^[3] After finishing third, he began working on "Traffic Light," and released the song three months after the show's conclusion. The songs concept is a reference to a line he said during his initial performance on the show, where he stated he was "a yellow light type of singer."^[4]

Lyrics

Lee's self-written lyrics to "Traffic Light" compare the anxiety people feel in their early-twenties to the feelings of a learning driver. In the chorus, he sings "red and green, in between are 3 short seconds," referring to the amber light often found on traffic lights. Lee compares moments of anxiety while growing up to yellow lights found on roads. He describes the amber light by saying "it makes me hollow, I don't even know if I'm going fast or slow, it's just all yellow in front of me" comparing the light to the anxiety in life that confuses his mind in between moments of relaxation and excitement.^[5]

Music video

The music video for "Traffic Light" was published 14 May 2021, and shows Lee meeting his friends in a forest cabin for his birthday. The video begins with Lee using a map to search for the house, before he sees his friends driving in the distance. He hops in their car, and they make their way to a nearby lake where Lee plays his friends' music while they drink coffee by a campfire. They then make their way to the cabin, and are shown having fun in its garden with water balloons, a trampoline and water pistols. The music videos ends with Lee's birthday party, and quick flashbacks to previous points in his day.

Credits and personnel

• Lee Mu-jin – vocals, composition, lyrics, arrangement
• Yoo Jong-ho – arrangement, keyboard, guitar bass, drum, recording directing
• Lee Tae-wook – guitar
• Lee Seo-yeon – piano
• B'Sound – brass
• Kim Kwang-min - recording
• MasterKey – mixing
• Kwon Nam-woo – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2021–2022) Peak position South Korea (Gaon)[6] 1 South Korea (K-pop Hot 100)[7] 1

Monthly charts Chart (2021) Peak position South Korea (Gaon)[8] 1 South Korea (K-pop Hot 100)[9] 1 Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for " Traffic Light" Chart (2021) Position South Korea (Gaon)[10] 8 Chart (2022) Position South Korea (Circle)[11] 13 Chart (2023) Position South Korea (Circle)[12] 152

Accolades

Music program awards

Program	Network	Date (4 total)	Ref.
Inkigayo	SBS	August 22, 2021	[13]
		September 19, 2021	[14]
		September 26, 2021	[15]
Music Bank	KBS2	September 10, 2021	[16]

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Streaming
South Korea (KMCA)[17]	Platinum	100,000,000†
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of Music Bank Chart winners (2021)

References

1. "Lee Mu-jin is no longer 'nameless'". Koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
2. [MV] Lee Mujin(이무진) _ Traffic light(신호등). YouTube. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
3. ♨핫클립♨ ＂난 노란 신호등 같은 존재.＂ 특이한 음색으로 최고의 1분 기록↗ 63호 가수가 부르는 '누구 없소'♪|싱어게인. YouTube. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
4. "'Sing Again' top three reflect at their second chance in the spotlight". Koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
5. "Lee Mujin (이무진) – 신호등 (Traffic Light)". Genius.com. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
6. "2021 Week 33 Digital Chart". Gaonchart.co.kr. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
7. Cabral, R. J. (2 January 2013). "Billboard K-Pop 100". Billboard.com. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
8. "October 2021 Digital Chart". Gaonchart.co.kr. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
9. "빌보드코리아". Billboard.co.kr. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
10. "2021 Year-End Digital Chart". Retrieved May 10, 2022.
11. "Digital Chart 2022". Circle Chart. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
12. "Digital Chart 2023". Circle Chart. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
13. Kim, Bo-ra (August 22, 2021). '인기가요' 이무진, 아이유 꺾고 1위…선미·레드벨벳·박지훈·TXT 컴백[종합] ['Inkigayo' Lee Mu-jin, beat IU to 1st place... Sunmi·Red Velvet·Park Ji-hoon·TXT comeback [General]]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Retrieved August 22, 2021 – via Naver.
14. Cho, Eun-mi (September 19, 2021). '인기가요' 이무진, 출연 없이 1위..리사 솔로 데뷔→NCT127·에이티즈·원호 컴백[종합] ['Inkigayo' Lee Mu-jin, 1st place without appearance... Lisa solo debut→NCT127·Ateez·Wonho comeback [Comprehensive]]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Retrieved September 19, 2021 – via Naver.
15. 9월 마지막 주 인기가요 차트 [Inkigayo chart for the fourth week of September]. SBS Inkigayo (in Korean). September 29, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
16. Kim, Ji-hye (September 10, 2021). '뮤직뱅크' 이무진, 스트레이키즈 꺾고 1위..영케이→스테이씨 컴백[종합] ['Music Bank' Lee Mu-jin, beats Stray Kids to take 1st place... Young K→StayC comeback [General]]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021 – via Naver.
17. "South Korean single streaming certifications – Lee Mu-jin – Traffic Light" (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). Retrieved February 9, 2022.