"The Boys" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation for their third Korean language studio album with the same name. Composed and arranged by Teddy Riley, Taesung Kim, DOM, and Richard Garcia, the song was described as a dance-pop, electropop and R&B song with elements of hip hop that lyrically discusses female attractiveness. The Korean version was released on October 18, 2011, by SM Entertainment as the lead single from the album. An English version was subsequently released in the United States on December 20, 2011, by Interscope Records and Universal Music Group in order to expand the group's popularity outside their native country.

Girls' Generation, also known as SNSD, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group is composed of eight members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun. Originally a nine-piece ensemble, member Jessica departed from the group in September 2014. Among the most known South Korean figures and successful K-pop groups worldwide, Girls' Generation has earned numerous accolades and the honorific nickname "The Nation's Girl Group" in their home country.