"Antifragile" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Le Sserafim for their second extended play of the same name. It was released as the lead single of the EP by Source Music on October 17, 2022. An upbeat pop and reggaeton track infused with Afro-Latin production drives the message of overcoming hardships for growth and resilience. Written by several contributors, including "Hitman" Bang and Isabella Lovestory, the song emphasizes the group's determination to emerge stronger after facing hardships.
The song was commercially successful and peaked at number two on the Circle Digital Chart in South Korea. It has since been certified platinum for surpassing 100 million streams in Japan.
On September 19 at midnight KST, the group officially announced the date and details of their upcoming comeback, which would mark their first release as a five-member group after Kim Ga-ram's departure.[1] "Antifragile" was first previewed on October 3, 2022, in a track sampler released by Source Music on social media platforms and was announced through the track list the next day.[2][3] On October 17, 2022, the single was officially released alongside its music video, 18 hours prior to the EP.[4][5] A Japanese version of the song was included in Le Sserafim's second Japanese single "Unforgiven", which was released on August 23, 2023.[6]
The second and title track of the EP, "Antifragile" was written by Score (13), Megatone (13), Paulina Cerrilla, "Hitman" Bang, Shintaro Yasuda, Supreme Boi, Isabella Lovestory, Kyler Niko, Ronnie Icon, Nathalie Boone and Danke (Lalala Studio) and runs for three minutes and four seconds.[7] It is an upbeat an "Afro-Latin style" reggaetónpop song with a "heavy" Latin rhythm. Lyrically, the song sees Le Sserafim declare that difficult times are stimulus for growth and that they will become stronger with such a mindset.[3][8][9] It was composed in the key of B-flat minor, with a tempo of 105 beats per minute.[10]
Gladys Yeo of NME wrote, "The song tears away the cool confidence of 'Fearless' and bursts with life an infectious energy previously unseen from Le Sserafim. While the track's ever-present pipe effect borders on grating, the intense, rhythmic beats of 'Antifragile' make for such a thrilling experience that it barely even matters".[8] in July 2023, Rolling Stone ranked the song at #79 on their list of The 100 Greatest Songs in the History of Korean Pop Music.[11]
The music video for "Antifragile" was released on October 17, 2022, at midnight KST, 18 hours before the EP's release. In the music video, Le Sserafim go about their daily lives as others around them panic due to an impending asteroid collision. The video ends with the group finishing the song's choreography and getting hit by the asteroid, only to survive and brush off the dust.[12]
^Hong, Hye-min (October 3, 2022). ""폭풍이 두렵지 않아"...르세라핌, 베일 벗은 컴백 메시지" ["I'm not afraid of the storm"...Le Sserafim, a comeback message naked] (in Korean). Hankook Ilbo. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abSeon, Mi-kyung (October 4, 2022). "르세라핌 'ANTIFRAGILE', 트랙리스트 공개…방시혁 필두 초호화 라인업" [Le Sserafim's 'ANTIFRAGILE', track list released... Super luxurious lineup led by Bang Si-hyuk] (in Korean). Osen. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Naver.
^"LE SSERAFIM 日本2ndシングル 'UNFORGIVEN' 予約発売開始!" [LESSERAFIM Japan's 2nd single UNFORGIVEN is now on sale!]. Le Sserafim Official Japan Website (in Japanese). June 20, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
^Jeong, Hye-won (February 18, 2023). "블랙핑크·르세라핌·있지, 음원 부문 올해의 가수상 수상(9·10·11월)[써클차트어워즈2022]" [Blackpink·Le Sserafim·Itzy won the Singer of the Year Award in the music category (September·October·November)[Circle Chart Awards 2022]] (in Korean). SpoTV News. Retrieved February 18, 2023 – via Naver.
^11월 1주 순위 [Music Bank ranking for the first week of November]. KBS Music Bank (in Korean). November 4, 2022. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
^11월 2주 순위 [Music Bank ranking for the second week of November]. KBS Music Bank (in Korean). November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
^Kim, Yu-jin (December 3, 2022). "'음악중심' 르세라핌, 출연 없이 1위...카라·레드벨벳·Itzy 컴백 [종합]" ['Music Core' Le Sserafim won first place without appearing...Kara·Red Velvet·Itzy comeback [Comprehensive]] (in Korean). Xports News. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022 – via Naver.
^Sun, Mi-kyung (December 10, 2022). '음중' 르세라핌, 활동 종료에도 2주 연속 1위..샤이니 민호 솔로 데뷔[종합] ['Music Core' Le Sserafim, 1st place for 2 weeks in a row even after the end of activities... SHINee Minho's solo debut [Comprehensive]]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
^Hwang, Soo-yeon (December 17, 2022). '음악중심' 르세라핌, 출연 없이 3주 연속 1위…NCT드림 컴백 [종합] ['Music Core' Le Sserafim won 1st place for 3 consecutive weeks without appearing... NCT Dream comeback [Comprehensive]]. X Sport News (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.