As the K-pop sphere entered awards and year-end show season, comebacks noticeably slowed down in favour of the odd wintry ballad and holiday special single. But December still had much to offer: a bizarre satire from Honne for Zion.T; BTS‘ Jimin‘s nostalgic, uplifting pre-enlistment single; and a series of solo features from Itzy as part of their pre-release campaign.
Amongst these, some MVs stood out for their inventive editing and contrasting visual styles, while others keep to the familiar but still delight with warmth and humour.
TVXQ–”Down”
The MV for title track “Rebel” may score high on its skilled complexity and wow factor, but pre-release “Down” drew me in with its simplicity. There is no excess here, only masterful precision.
The choice of images plays with contrasts. Harsh light against deep shadows. The coldness of the industrial backdrops against the romance of the lace and baroque motifs in the costumes and props. The stillness and fullness of circles against the movement and sharpness of lines. The same sets of visuals are brought back at greater speed, but also with variations in lighting, during the instrumental breakdown. The blend of familiar and new add renewed interest in the absence of vocals.
The visual details weave richness into the song–a groovy, sensual, pared-back R&B number. But they also don’t draw attention to themselves, instead letting the performance, and indeed the performers, take centre stage. As a showcase for a group that has braved 20 years in an often unforgiving industry, “Down” certainly lives up to its artist’s virtuosic simplicity.
Ryujin (Itzy)–”Run Away”
Maybe it’s because I grew up with pop punk, but something about the Y2K revival just gets me, even though it has been going around the K-pop circles for a few years. Ryujin’s MV for “Run Away” is brief, teasing what to expect from Itzy’s upcoming album, but it effectively uses this trend to draw out the seesawing emotions in the lyrics.
Sure, the intro mention of “on fleek” gave me pause–it’s decade-old slang, and not even the right decade. But the colour-drenched film style, wildly varying camera angles, and chunky necklaces and bootcut jeans fit perfectly with the song’s cocktail of angst and regret. I might even forgive the phoned-in Wong Kar-wai imitation scene and the shaggy bob they put Ryujin in.
Bol4–”Eternal Love”
While Bol4 may be known for more fresh, upbeat music, her sentimental songs pack a punch too. The English name of her latest title track, “Eternal Love”, speaks of a warm promise, but the Korean title, “Can’t Help But Love You”, tells a more layered story.
“I’ll become a more beautiful person to protect you / You know I can’t help but love you,” Jiyoung sings in the chorus, with undertones of helplessness and a sense of lack. The song’s persona wants to love, but feels still unworthy of it. They confess fearing that the recipient of their love will be hurt by this desire.
The MV opens the song up to interpretation beyond romantic love. A young woman wanders through the forest, lost, searching. She is cast in a warm glow, but the scenes are blurry, the camera movements unstable; solitude is uncertainty. In a contrasting sequence, a group of women journey through harsh mountainous terrain. The colours here are austere, but the cinematography is sharp; there is clarity in togetherness. The qualities of both sequences blend in the final scene when the women find each other: there is warmth, stillness, comfort in belonging.
Lucy–”Boogie Man”
Lucy add a shot of zany energy to a season that’s dominated by sentimentality with “Boogie Man”. The track’s title is itself a fun musical pun on “bogeyman”. The MV kicks this up a notch. Lucy are attacked by creepy bogeymen from under their beds and dragged into the closet… but these bogeymen turn out to be alter-egos of themselves. They sing, play the piano, drum, strum, and fiddle away vivaciously.
But wait! They don’t move of their free will; they are puppets for entertainment. They briefly break free of the red ribbons controlling them, only to be drawn back into the game again in a thrilling sequence that cuts between live action and animation. But they persist in their attempt to escape, and emerge victorious in the end, free to perform as they wish.
NCT 127–”Be There For Me”
Now, I’m really not sure what furniture-making has to do with the holidays, but I appreciate the oddball twist it gives to “Be There For You”. The MV sees NCT 127 engage in a host of commonplace holiday activities–playing games together, drinking hot chocolate, feasting, and having snowball fights. It is lighthearted, even cliched, if not for the furniture auction subplot.
What does the syntax of the company name mean (do the furniture become family, or is NCT 127 the family that makes the furniture)? Why are they working through the holidays? Can we, too, live in a world where glass shards just float harmlessly in the air? So many important questions, but no answers. That’s life for you, I guess.
