"Save Me" is a tropical house and electropop track. NME's Rhian Daly described it as "deceptively bright and bouncy – an aural carnival that masks the pleas for help in the lyrics."[3] The song opens with energetic synth sound that sonically develops towards tropical house sound.[4][5] The song contains a speedy rhythm and a "frenetic" chorus.[5]Billboard described it as "powerfully subtle".[4] Lyrically, it deals with the theme of salvation.[5] The song was written by Pdogg, Ray Michael Djan Jr, Ashton Foster, Samantha Harper, RM, Suga, and J-Hope with Pdogg serving as the primary producer.[6] Musically, it is in the key of D♭ major and is 140 beats per minute.[7]
The music video for "Save Me", released in conjunction with the single was produced and directed by GDW.[8][9] The music video, which was notably filmed in a one-shot take[10] shows BTS members singing and performing intense choreography against the wind, in the backdrop of low-lying clouds that maximize the atmosphere and convey the emotions of a lyrically sad song.[11] The dance was choreographed by The Quick Style Crew.[12] As of February 2023, the visual has garnered over 700 million views.[13]
BTS decided to promote on music shows only for a week,[14] performing on Mnet, KBS, MBC and SBS as planned to allow for individual activities, performances and overseas schedules, starting with M! Countdown on May 12.[15] The song was promoted at the 2018 MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards performances as well.[16]
^2016년 19주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart – Week 19 of 2016]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
^Gaon cumulative sales for "Save Me" in South Korea:
"2017년 05주차 Download Chart" [Download Chart – May 2017] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
"2017년 06주차 Download Chart" [Download Chart – June 2017] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
"2017년 07주차 Download Chart" [Download Chart – July 2017] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
"2017년 08주차 Download Chart" [Download Chart – August 2017] (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
