Black Suit

Did You Know?

• The song's choreography was designed by Tobias Ellehammer, focusing on simple, easy-to-copy movements.
• Heechul initially planned not to perform due to a leg injury from a 2006 car accident but decided to fill in for members serving in the army; the choreography was adjusted so he appears only in the latter part.
• The song was first performed on episode 100 of Knowing Bros on November 4, 2017, before its official release.

Background and release

Super Junior had released the compilation album Devil in July 2015 and its repackaged edition Magic in September 2015, after which the group went on hiatus due to members' mandatory military enlistment. In January 2017, Star News reported that Super Junior would make a comeback later that year. In September 2017, Sports Dong-a reported that the band would release a new album on their 12th debut anniversary, November 6, 2017, two years after Devil. Label SJ denied this, stating that while the band was preparing an album, its release date was not decided. On September 27, a photo with the words "D-40" and "SJ Returns" was posted on Super Junior's social media, and the band's website began a countdown to November 6, 2017. The reality program SJ Returns, documenting the band's 120-day preparation for the album, began airing on October 9, 2017, on Naver TV and V Live. "Black Suit" was first introduced in episodes 17 and 18 of SJ Returns on October 19, 2017, as one of five songs shortlisted for the lead single after a blind test of over 100 demo tapes. An anonymous vote among the members selected it as the lead single. Video teasers were released starting November 1, 2017. The song and its music video premiered before journalists and were released on the evening of November 6, 2017. The single features seven of the eleven Super Junior members: Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Siwon, and Donghae.

Critical reception

Tamar Herman of Billboard described "Black Suit" as "both dynamic and playful" and said it "proves that the aging group can still pull off a powerful K-pop dance track." Hong Dam-young of The Korea Herald wrote that the band's "powerful vocals blend well into the song's pulsating swing vibe," but noted its similarity to their previous single "Devil" (2015) and concluded that the band "does not dare experiment with a new genre," suggesting the song "may be a one-time hit that will not likely stand the test of time." Shin Mi-kyung of Osen called the song "full of freewheeling energy" and found its "tension ... attractive" despite the similarity to earlier releases. Hwang Hye-jin of Newsen praised the arrangement, saying it "starts with a simple sensation and gradually becomes powerful." Shin Mi-rae of MBN commented that "the melody of the chorus captivates the ears with its addictiveness." Ten Asia described the song as the band "pursuing a more sophisticated style" while still "showing some of their music colours."

Music video

The music video for "Black Suit" was directed by Rigend Film and came out on November 6, 2017, the same day as the song. It shows the band members scheming to steal a pricey black suit at an auction, but a woman ends up taking it under unexpected circumstances. The clip starts with a frenzied auction scene, then cuts back to when the members first met to plan the heist. Back in the present, the lights cut out during the auction, and the black suit vanishes, swiped by a woman. The members seem annoyed at first, but later they’re seen celebrating, which hints that the woman is actually part of their crew and the plan worked. Each member plays a different role: Leeteuk is the auction host, Heechul an investor, Yesung a courier, Shindong a rich man, Eunhyuk an appraiser, Siwon a client agent, and Donghae a bodyguard. Siwon’s scene stayed in the video even though he didn’t take part in promoting the album. Filming took place over a few days in September on a set in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do. The video won International Music Video of the Year at the 2018 Myx Music Awards, making Super Junior the only Korean act to win at that ceremony that year.

Promotion and live performance

When Super Junior promoted their 2017 album Play, they brought "Black Suit" to several music shows. The group appeared on M! Countdown on November 9, Music Bank on November 10 and 17, and Inkigayo on November 12 and 19. Because Siwon chose to sit out the album's promotions, only six of the seven available members performed these live stages. Years later, on January 31, 2020, the band visited I Can See Your Voice season 7 as musical guests and sang "Black Suit" alongside that episode's winner. They also performed the track on Indonesian television in December 2021 for Transmedia's 20th anniversary. The song was featured at multiple year-end award shows: the 2017 Mnet Asian Music Awards, the 27th Seoul Music Awards, the 2019 KKBox Music Awards, the 2020 Asia Artist Awards, and the 2021 The Fact Music Awards. It became a regular part of their world tours. On Super Show 7 and its encore Super Show 7S, the members wore flashy suits while performing; the opening night of Super Show 7 on December 15, 2017, was Siwon's first time performing the song with the group. The song later appeared on Super Show 8: Infinite Time (2019–2020) and Super Show 9: Road (2022–2023). Ryeowook joined the lineup for "Black Suit" for the first time in October 2018 during a showcase for One More Time, and Kyuhyun first performed it with the band at SM Town Live 2019 in Tokyo in August 2019—both after completing their military service. The song was also heard at music festivals like K-Wave 2 Music Festival in January 2018, KCON 2018 New York, the 2019 K-World Festa, and KAMP LA 2022. Additional performances took place at the online concert Beyond the Super Show in 2020, the Super Junior Japan Special Event 2022: Return of the King, and the SM Town Live tours in 2022 (SMCU Express) and 2023 (SMCU Palace at Kwangya).