The lyrics of the song were written by
Freddy Wexler and
Bianca Atterberry. Wexler conceived "Hard to Love" while he was on a
jam session with his friends. He later sent a
demo of the song to
Teddy Park in June 2022 and was video called by him, Lisa, and Rosé the next day. Over the next month, he would
FaceTime with Park and the group, who suggested changes. Wexler admitted he initially felt "intimidated" since music holds an "almost religious experience" for K-pop fans, creating pressure to deliver something exceptional. However, he shared that the outcome "turned out better than [he] could have ever imagined," noting, "Usually, it’s never as good as it was in your head, but this was an exception." The final version of "Hard to Love" was fully recorded by
Blackpink member Rosé at
The Black Label in Seoul, South Korea. "Hard to Love" is an upbeat blend of
dance,
guitar pop,
pop-rock, and lite-
disco, infused with elements of '90s
rock and roll and edgy pop. The track has a
city pop-like feel, built around soft piano,
funk-inspired guitar riffs, disco-style
handclaps, "glowing"
neo-soul keys, and a "thick" bass groove. In the lyrics, the singer expresses hidden insecurities about their ability to be loved. Rosé tells the female perspective, describing how a woman can "make it feel like heaven" and then end up hurting the lover: "Never meant to cause you a problem/Here I am, yet once again/With the same old story". ==Commercial performance==