#2. the trailers are way more interesting than the actual mv and the mv seems underwhelming in comparison (

[seungyeonnie]

I'm trying to get excited for the new cb but I'm very afraid some of my predictions will turn out to be right :(

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL

April 2021 Part 3

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. 

Ongoing Series - Thai

Second Chance Ep 3 - this is proper YA, they are dealing with actual high school issues, picking uni, first crushes, online dating, etc... We even got a senior prom trope which almost never happens in Thai stuff (just the freshman uni competition variant). Standard plot pacing means PaperFah’s kiss was too early, might indicate we’re moving to uni in the second half of the series? Tropes included: let me feed you, hand hold, black & white striped shirt, floppy drunk & first kiss. 

Y-Destiny Ep 3 - the first MaxNat ep. Such fun to see them playing different characters. This one is enemies to lovers, tutor/student, but it’s using the “poor little rich kid loose cannon” archetype. Nat is doing his best, but it’s leaving me cold. Lots of tropes tho: boyfriend’s closet, floppy drunk, pillow clutch, the loom & water bottle. 

Lovely Writer Ep 8 - solid installment, good use of many tropes. I really like the leads and I’m glad there isn’t much side dish action, SibGene gave us: punish, touch your face, boyfriend claiming, kissing, sleep cuddling, symmetry, rooftop, cheek kiss, hand hold, and pillow clutch. 

Call It What You Want Ep 3-4 - couldn’t find the subs, don’t really care, will watch if it crosses my radar, otherwise I’m just not into it.  

Brothers Ep 11 - the “everyone wants Chol” show continues (but WHY?), he and Tri are cute together, and now I kinda just want Prab to end up with the twins. I’m confused by the teachers, but Boston showed up (from UWMA), and my boys KhunKaow got together (YES!), so I’m ultimately delighted with the episode. 

Fish Upon The Sky Ep 2 - the makeover happened, and we go from cute with glasses and braces to cute without them. (I’m reminded of those 90′s Pygmalion teen movies where the girl has glasses + ponytail and then *GASP* does not and *GASP* she’s HOT. This was the BL version.) Meanwhile, writers better be careful with Pi, he’s getting too tsundere to like. Did you see they gave AJ a 2gether music intro & pick up line? Well, it’s actually his brother JJ who plays Ohm in 2g. I cackled. GMMTV - you so cheeky. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai 

HIStory 4: Close To You (Taiwan) Ep 5 - half way point. My poor confused babies. It was a really sweet episode... if what happened before hadn’t happened in the way that it had. Also, these boys have a GREAT friendship but are probably the worst advice givers ever. 

Most Peaceful Place (Vietnam) Ep 3 fin - so cute! Our boys confessed and got together. There was an adorable mutual kiss (I love me a mutual, like Ingredients). Afterwards, they actually seemed to communicate with each other about both sex and their relationship. OMG. How original for BL! This was the last episode, so the series is short, but I still enjoyed it very much. RECOMMENDED. 

My Lascivious Boss (Vietnam) Ep 1-2 - oh boy this one is rough, we started out with homophobia child abuse and moved on to family drama + drunken dub-con one night stand. But production values and subs are better than normal for Vietnam (You Are My Boy levels) + our queer babies are out & proud + it’s higher heat + I’m weak. So I’m watching. 

Word of Honor (China) Ep 25-27 - honestly not much happened, lots of back story. Things are looking dire for the ghosts unless they can turn the Scorpion (I LOVE HIM, he’s my precious deadly baby). Don’t know how they managed to make loosing a battle with an immortal sword god ex-friend cute... but they did. Did some calculations and at 36 eps, mathematically speaking, ep 30 will be the equivalent of a standard BL ep 11. Should I be scared for next week? 

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (Korea) Ep 1-2 - it’s so effing adorbs, soft bois do old fashioned tropes like arranged marriage + evil stepsisters meets the more modern fake relationship + secret identity in a surprisingly comfortable mix. It launched with baby is a floppy drunk, forced proximity, performative I saw you feed him, and some fun gay panic. It’s a lot lighter and faster paced than I was expecting, but this is Korea so I don’t know why I’m surprised. 

Stand Alones 

K-pop band OnlyOneOf dropped a new MV that is basically BL bait, using many of the tropes we know and love. I promise I’m not trying to lure anyone into K-pop I just thought it was interesting how consciously they’re yaoi dipping. 

Spin-off We Best Love Fighting Mr. 2nd, Shou Zhen | the Only Love Letter Once Written (SERIOUSLY WITH THE TITLES TAIWAN?) anyway there’s a something or other 25 minutes featuring Pei Shou Yi and his boy that aired Friday. It’s about 10 minutes of reboot footage with 15 min of new content, mostly set in the past. It entirely rests on Chih Tian Shih’s acting, fortunately for us he’s great. However, it doesn’t substantially change or add to these characters’ arcs from the finale of WBL season 2. I don’t know if there will be more or if this was just an extra footage fan service. 

COLOR RUSH GOT ITS MOVIE!!! Okay this is almost the tipping point for me to get Viki Standard. It’s listed at 1:56 minutes long but the original series had only c.120 running time - that is a lot of new content. Although i was disappointed by To My Star’s movie I loved Wish You’s, so I am hoping Color Rush got Wish You level treatment. That said, I feel Color Rush the series is damn near perfect already, hard to improve on perfection. 

Breaking News

Close Friend the series got an updated trailer featuring MaxNat (no subs) so if you like them in Y-Destiny or in Why R U get ready for them to play different characters again, this time for a sports romance segment. Like Y-Destiny, Close Friend looks to be another series of vignettes (Original trailer) coming April 22. 

2gether the movie (Thai trailer) was intended release April 22 but is now postponed due to a surge in C19 cases in Thailand.

Tell the World I Love You, a Thai BL movie that was supposed to release last week, is similarly delayed.  

My Ride has been postponed indefinitely with no airing date. 

The Miracle of Teddy Bear got a teaser vid, no eng subs. 

Gossip

Thai BL actors Nanon (Bad Buddy), Yoon (YYY), and Mark Siwat (LBC, Bite Me) have tested positive for C19. Press releases stated they’re fine, tho filming has paused fore their various projects, obvs. (No word on whether Nanon’s current project was Bad Buddy or not, although it seems likely given his recent Arm Share episode.) 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Some shows may be listed later than actual air date for International accessibility reasons.

Upcoming 2021 BL master post here.

Links to watch are provided when possible, ask in a comment if I missed something.

[inverrerdise]

“Get Away” MV Breakdown and Theories

Before I break down the patterns and themes in the MV, I first want to give a brief overview of what seems to be going on. This is, of course, my interpretation of the MV--if you have a different take on what happened please share with me!! I love discussing theories in MVs :D

Additional Note: I’ll do my best to summarize any information I think is important to the theory, but in some cases I’ve already discussed the topics in more detail in previous posts. So, you can feel free to check those out if you’re looking for more detail. For Thunder + Connect DIY Theory post click here and for the G.B.T.B. post click here.I apologize for typos or any other mistakes made.

The MV Overview:

Verivery has always played around with the ideas of clones/other versions of yourself in their other works, but this is the first time we see it so explicitly used. Get Away has a very clear good and evil dichotomy of Verivery and VRVR.

VRVR seem to be luring Verivery into their trap, inviting them to a nice dinner of celebration, tempting them with food and drinks that eventually turns Verivery gluttonous and eventually subdues them. VRVR seems to have the goal to be only version. 

The letter:

Here is the transcription of the letter for anyone interested:

My dear friends,

We are confident that you will remember us, for we have always been with you and each moment spent was full of delight and wonder. This letter is to express our joy and thanks to you. Thus, we would like to present you a small gift. We believe this will be a meeting with a quaint yet delectable meal shared by wonderful people, such as you. However, it’s your job to find the key to this party. Let me be so kind to offer you a hint: Each possess a small point. 7 will make a large Point will open. Only this way will you be able to enter this festival that we have so elegantly prepared. Merely imagining the glorious spectacle makes our blood tingle with excitement. We will be waiting for you.

Yours truly,

VRVR

The part of the letter of most interest is this: “Let me be so kind to offer you a hint: Each possess a small point. 7 will make a large Point will open. Only this way will you be able to enter this festival that we have so elegantly prepared.”

Notably, the instructions to Verivery indicate that 7 people are needed to get into the party. Only the 6 of them are seen forming the circle that allows them into the party, but after Verivery have been transported to VRVR’s layer a mysterious figure appears in the forest. I will address this figure more later in the discussion on some of the possibilities on who, exactly, this is.

The masked man:

At the very beginning of the MV, a figure is seen running through the forest, running from the floating orb that we see later in the MV. He appears to be dressed in a black suit. Eventually he gets caught, and a mask is thrown over his head.

During this scene, a compass is shown on the man’s wrist. The compass’s appearance makes me feel that this figure is connected to Minchan in some way, as he is the member most commonly associated with compasses in their MVs.

Minchan used the compass in Thunder to search for Kangmin and used it in G.B.T.B. to search for Gyehyeon (you can find more on this in my previous theories if you are interested.)

It is possible that he is trying to search for the entire group now, but it is hard to say anything definitively as we don’t know if this representative is supposed to actually be Minchan or just another figure.

The masked man makes a couple more cameos:

1) After Verivery have been transported into VRVR’s layer through the hole in the ground, a mysterious man appears beside the hole. It is worth noting that this might not be the masked man, as we don’t actually see the figure from the neck up, so it is hard to confirm this or not. However, he is wearing a black suit like the previous figure was.

2) At the very end we see the masked man wandering a looping, circular hall by himself, possibly trying to escape as his hands are out reached as if he is trying to find his way.

The red scarf/blindfold:

After Verivery have disappeared through the hole, a red scarf is seen blowing in the wind above the hole. This scarf was last seen in Minchan and Yeonho’s possession in G.B.T.B., but Minchan likely carries the greater significance here.

We have a solo shot of the scarf, which is quickly followed by the mysterious figure’s appearance beside the hole (and a pair of shoes, but again, I’ll get to my two possible theories on that later.)

In this MV, however, the scarf is not used as a blindfold like it was previously.

The symbolism of “O”:

The symbol of “O” makes several appearances throughout the MV. This “O” in the name of their new series “Series O” is supposed to represent the dark space hidden within each individual.

With that in mind, let’s consider the many appearances of “O” or circles throughout the MV.

A few examples include: the orb, the circle table they sit around in the tent, their circle dance set (first seen in G.B.T.B.), the boys forming a circle together (first seen in Thunder) before they are transported their next location (through a circular whole in the ground), the circle of beds they wake up in, the circle of forks, the circle table they sit around for the feast, and the circle of chairs they are seen in when at the gunpoint of VRVR. There is also the significance of the focus on eyes in this MV, another example of a “O” first seen with Dongheon’s eyes when they arrive in the circle room, and then Kangmin’s eye when they are tied up by VRVR.

Interestingly, you’ll notice that VRVR are surrounded by much more square and rectangular objects in their scenes such as the TVs and even their table. Compare this to the circles constantly used with Verivery.

When VRVR leave their hideout to fetch the incapacitated Verivery, a blue “O” appears on the screen, perhaps indicating that VRVR are the dark space hidden within Verivery, and their victory over Verivery in this MV.

The topic of surveillance:

Surveillance is a very prominent idea in this MV, as we can see several shots of VRVR monitoring Verivery.

Before I get into surveillance in this particular MV, I want to talk about Verivery’s history with surveillance. Surveillance and monitoring in Verivery MVs goes all the way back to Super Special.

In Super Special, there are several scenes of the boys with a recording filter over the MV. But perhaps most significantly, is the scene in which Kangmin finds a wall of TVs.

The next most obvious connection to surveillance is in Tag Tag Tag. Here, Yeonho finds an old TV with footage of their group entering the house.

Another recurring image with surveillance, is specifically the old TV. This old TV hasn’t appeared in every single MV, but it has been in Ring Ring Ring, Tag Tag Tag, Lay Back, and now Get Away. There is a TV/Screen seen in Thunder, but it is not the same design as the one that appears in the MV’s previously listed. This could be due to the 80s aesthetic they were aiming for in that MV, though, so it is worth mentioning. From Now has no clear TV, except maybe the monitor that sits on Dongheon’s desk. But Ring Ring Ring, Tag Tag Tag, Lay Back, and Get Away have the most obvious connection with the TV.

The floating orb seems to be one of the main means of surveillance throughout this MV. It is how VRVR sees what Verivery is up to.

Hoyoung as the mastermind:

Based on the MV, it’s quite prevalent that VRVR Hoyoung seems to be one in charge of the VRVR charge against Verivery. Before we get into that a little background on Hoyoung:

Hoyoung’s role in Verivery MVs isn’t always consistent, but there are a select few times that we’ve seen evidence of Hoyoung being a mastermind prior to Get Away. In From Now, Hoyoung is the one responsible for shooting the planets, a spectacle that all the other boys see and are impacted by. And in the first Face It concept trailer, Hoyoung seems to be trying to collect signals from each of the other members and sketch their location out.

Whether this was Verivery Hoyoung or VRVR Hoyoung isn’t clear, but I would speculate Verivery Hoyoung. It’s possible that his other version is just as calculating, if not more, than he is.

In Get Away, Hoyoung is the first VRVR member we see, and he happens to be alone observing the surveillance of the Verivery members.

Something interesting to note, is that prior to Verivery partaking in the feast and becoming intoxicated, Hoyoung is the only member who has a solo shot in his VRVR form. All of the other members sing in their Verivery form. But after the Verivery members have eaten the feast, only VRVR are seen singing the rest of the song. Hoyoung never has a solo shot of his Verivery version singing/rapping.

Kangmin:

Now, we could just assume that everyone in Verivery is good and everyone in VRVR is simply their inner darkness personified. And that’s a totally reasonable conclusion given how the MV ends with VRVR subduing and seeming to be victorious over Verivery. It’s clean cut. However, what’s the fun in that? Besides, there seems to be a lot more complexity in Verivery MVs for that to simply be the case.

Kangmin has obviously been at the center of a lot of their MVs. We’ve known something is up with him since Tag Tag Tag, and it’s a popular theory that this is when the real Kangmin and the fake (VRVR?) Kangmin were switched.

However, there is the possibility that fake Kangmin has been around a lot longer than we originally thought, which is suggested through this scene in From Now in which we see Kangmin putting a finger to his lips, as if telling the viewer that he has a secret. Kangmin again puts his finger to his lips at the beginning of Get Away.

This suggests that the fake Kangmin could have been around before Tag Tag Tag even.

In Thunder we see that the real Kagmin was presumably rescued by the other members from whatever he had been running from (his fake alter ego perhaps?)

But things are still as complicated as ever for Kangmin’s character it seems, so let’s look at little bit closer at him in the Get Away MV.

At one point, Kangmin with the VRVR group reaches for a sandwich/bread but is stopped by Dongheon how thrusts his fork into the sandwich/bread. This could be because while the other VRVR and Verivery members are enjoying their gluttony in rich foods and drinks, Kangmin notably goes for a very simple, plain food. It’s suspicious to Dongheon why Kangmin is not enjoying the more expensive food.

Dongheon and Kangmin both stare each other down, and the other VRVR members look on throughout the exchange. Dongheon then aggressively confronts Kangmin and threatens him, but then Gyehyeon intervenes.

Gyehyeon:

Now, Gyehyeon’s role here is important, considering what has happened to him in the last few MVs. In the Connect + Thunder DIY, Gyehyeon was the focus. He was the only member who never had an item that he was holding turn red. Towards the end of that MV, Gyehyeon wakes up in a barren room by himself, followed by the Latin translation of “He acknowledges, and he has feared me.” The final scene from the DIY MV is a blurry perspective shown from the floor, which is presumed to be Gyehyeon, trying to make out the exit.

The meaning of this is up to interpretation, but it could suggest that Gyehyeon has figured out something about the existence of VRVR members hence the “he acknowledges and he has feared me” (in other words, he has figured out the existence of his darker self.)

As I mentioned, earlier Minchan seemed to be looking for Gyehyeon in the G.B.T.B. MV.

And this part is a bit of a stretch so take it with a grain of salt because I don’t know how much of the So gravity DIY is supposed to be canon to their whole lore, but I will point out that when Kangmin is seen in distress and crying it is Gyehyeon who comforts him. Perhaps this suggests that these two are self-aware or on the same side? Kangmin is struggling with the weight of everything going on with the other members and Gyehyeon comforts him that they will help save the others. Again, that’s a stretch so just keep that in mind.

Back to Get Away. Gyehyeon intervenes when Dongheon is threatening Kangmin, and Dongheon looks prepared to end Gyehyeon then and there, if it wasn’t for Hoyoung telling him to snap out of it.

Kangmin and Gyehyeon:

Now, the inner conflict within VRVR could just be because VRVR are the worst versions of themselves, and they’re going to be prone to fight. Yet I still find it suspicious that it is only these Kangmin and Gyehyeon that are shown to have any conflict with the group.

We know Kangmin’s identity as real or fake has been up in the air every era. And Gyehyeon’s recent potential self-awareness puts him in the same sphere with Kangmin.

The pieces seem to be there. Minchan, who we have also seen to be quite self-aware of the things going on, is shown looking for Kangmin and Gyehyeon in previous MVs, and coincidentally VRVR Kangmin and Gyehyeon seem to be on the same side possibly? Interesting.

I propose the possibility that either Kangmin or Gyehyeon, possibly both, have been placed within VRVR.

Which leads me to suggest one my main theories that VRVR Kangmin is the snake within Verivery. This is backed up Kangmin’s shot with his finger to his lips, suggesting that he has a secret he’s trying to keep from the rest of the group (aka he’s not the real Kangmin). He’s also seen leaning on Verivery Dongheon after they arrive in VRVR’s layer, and Dongheon helps move him from room to room. This could be one of two things: VRVR Kangmin is leaning on Dongheon to try and show vulnerability, so that he and the others will no suspect his true intentions or, if not VRVR Kangmin, then it’s actually Verivery Kangmin, who is possibly still wake from Thunder (though doesn’t really hold up through G.B.T.B.)

Also, VRVR choosing to keep Kangmin and/or Gyehyeon within their leagues doesn’t seem out of the ordinary. It would be smart to keep their enemies closer to them at this point.

The left behind shoes:

I have two possible theories about the shoes. One theory supports my previous claims in that the shoes left behind are VRVR Kangmin’s, who is currently with Verivery. This theory isn’t as sound as the other, but I thought I would include it anyways for the variety. The other is completely independent theory about the shoes with no connection to Kangmin.

           Kangmin:

These shoes seem to resemble the shoes that Kangmin was wearing in the MV, though it’s hard to say 100%. Weirdly enough, the shoes didn’t go with him to the VRVR layer. Remember how the fake Kangmin always seemed to be connected with no shoes? It could be a sign of his true identity as VRVR Kangmin.

           Minchan:

The other possibility is that these shoes have to do with Minchan. The shoes are seen at the same location as the scarf, which obviously carries a clear connection to the last time we saw Minchan.

It’s also possible that VRVR Minchan already caught Verivery Minchan. As I’ve mentioned previously, Minchan has always seemed to be a bit more self-aware of their surroundings than the other boys. This is notable in Tag Tag Tag, where he was the only member who saw the fake  Kangmin at the end. In Lay Back, we know that Minchan was running from his other self for the duration of the MV. In Thunder he is the only one who stops what they’re doing to look out the window at something. And in G.B.T.B. Minchan is shown multiple times stuck in the center of a circle of chairs, one notable time in deep panic and fear.

From Get Away, we know that these circles are supposed to represent your darker self. So perhaps at the end of G.B.T.B., VRVR Minchan was starting to catch up with Verivery Minchan after chasing him throughout Lay Back, and was finally caught at the beginning of Get Away by VRVR Minchan.

This theory could suggest that the masked figure we see is Minchan, and the mysterious figure beside the hole is VRVR Minchan. And if that was VRVR Minchan in the forest, then perhaps he was the reason that Verivery were able to access the VRVR layer. The letter said that 7 will make a large point open (presumably the entrance to VRVR’s layer), but we only see 6 Verivery members, and yet somehow they are still able to get in. Perhaps VRVR Minchan was there in the forest, allowing the members to access the VRVR layer.

How, though, if Verivery Minchan wasn’t there? It is probably safe to assume that VRVR is still Minchan in some way—these dark counterparts are still the Verivery members, but just their darkest form. So if VRVR Minchan has captured Verivery Minchan, then it seems right now he is keeping an eye on the other members of Verivery and assisting his VRVR colleagues from a different angle.

However, based on the final scene of the MV, assuming that the masked man is indeed supposed to be Minchan, than it seems he is trying to find his way out of that circular hall he’s been stuck in to find his members. ---- That’s all for this comeback! If you made it this far, I appreciate you for reading all 3,000+ words of this <3  if you have theories of your or you want to add onto something I’ve said, or you have questions about what I wrote (I know it was a lot sdfnsfnafdsa) feel free to talk to me!! I’m always down for some good theorizing :D ALSO I’M SORRY IF THIS WAS A MESS AND IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW I DID MY BEST

[tycoons-official]

♛Ｔｙｃｏｏｎｓ♛

.•♫•♬•Ａｌｂｕｍ Ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ•♫•♬•.

• Tycoons' self-titled debut album 'Tycoons The Album' was released on the 3rd of January, 2017, 07:00AM KST.

• JYP released two trailers for the music video a month prior to the release date, however they didn't attract too much attention as they were first advertised like regular ads that would appear on most YouTube videos, sometimes even other JYP idols' music videos to maybe draw a bit more interest, as the trailers uploaded on JYP Entertainment's YouTube channel did not do so well as expected, at first. Although this, once the album and official music video came out, people started realizing that 'Tycoons' was actually a group and began drawing in a huge crowd.

• The album focuses a lot on storytelling, through music and lyrics, telling the day-to-day life of two siblings taking over their family's money wagering, illegal weapon dealing empire within the vast Mafia and how they run operations as well as the drama that will commence throughout half of the album.

• The album starts with catchy hip hop beats and dance/house trap drops, giving a sort of Stray Kids vibe to it. As the album goes on though, the lyrics and mood start to take on a more emotional tone and meaning. Just as the mood changes, Tyke and Carmen's [the Characters] lives are changing along with it.

• A majority of the songs in the album are written by both members of Tycoons [and the music video is also partially directed by them since the CEO was curious as to how this duo plans to start off their careers after training for a good amount of time] and most of the music [in the album and the music video] was also made and produced by Tycoons themselves.

• 'Tycoons: The Album' was a success, initially selling a total of 1.7 million copies in Korea and 1.65 million internationally within the first week and a half of so. But when the album began gaining some traction, the numbers spiked to 3.18 million copies in Korea and over 4.19 million copies internationally by early February.

.•♫•♬•Ｔｒａｃｋｌｉｓｔ•♫•♬•.

▄︻̷̿┻̿═━一 25 minutes & 20 seconds

• MAFIA

• 우리는 (We Are)

• Hands Up

• GSW

• Heir

• 만족하니? (Are You Satisfied?)

• Losing It

• Fire With Fire

• Outro: The End

.•♫•♬•Ｓｏｎｇ Ａｎａｌｙｓｉｓ•♫•♬•.

1. MAFIA - ⏱ 4:05 - Title track

'MAFIA' is the title track of the album as well as the first track in the lineup of Tycoons' debut album. It is also the only song in the album that got a whole music video dedicated to it. Being that the album was written and co-produced by Tycoons themselves, they wanted this album to tell a story; to be the first chapter of their characters' stories and build up on their development as they evolve and grow in the music industry. They promoted the album, the title track and it's B-side heavily, going on several interviews, TV and music shows for 3 weeks straight, all at once [though Tycoons themselves quote en quote 'didn't mind the busy schedule, as they have been preparing all their trainee lives for this moment', courtesy of Carmen].

'MAFIA' is a song about the 'dangers' of the Mafia world and how they rose to the top with sheer resilience and smarts, as well as available weaponry and other form of utility such as soldiers. Tyke and Carmen the characters describe a glimpse in their life in a line taken from Carmen's rap verse:

'in this dangerous place

where Alphas roam wild

one shot dead in the streets

echoing cries for miles and miles

with blood dripping on their face

as they lie cold there like a stone

truly a beautiful chaos

this is home; how we live our lives'

The song is hits hard with a hip hop style dance beat, an interesting use of common synths, a fresh twist on melodies that are often used, heard and reused, and carries an intense tone throughout the whole song. Added to that the ranging high and low notes that Tyke hits, especially in the bridge, and Carmen's consistent deep growls in the rap verses. Said factors when merged create this harmonious yet unpredictable title track that would be considered 'perfect to set the tone', as Tyke puts it. Fans often compare this song to the style of Stray Kids' and BAP's music, and although some people say that this is the 'least JYP' JYP song ever according to some fans, Tycoons have confessed to have let the company add their flair to this song, so it's safe to say that it was an even game when it came to producing.

There were also special effects to the song to amp up it's chilling vibe. For example, throughout the song, there would be gunshot fire sounds inserted, as expected from a group with a dark concept, however fans pointed out that as the song reached it's climax, the shot sounds start condescending to the point where it even tricks some people into believing that there was an actual gun fired next to them, and therefore have them either scared or even more in love with the song. This effect however was not the only sound [or even visual] effect inserted into the track; in the official music video, Tycoons are shown to present almost everything you'd want in a perfect music video; great clothing choices, beautiful sets and decor, a nice harmony of dark and bright colors throughout, flattering camera angles and lighting, makeup and filters galore, only to then show the Characters' reality, showing various ruined sets littered with blood, dead bodies, empty bullet cannisters and bloody knives on the floors, yelps of pain, stab sounds and the final groans after getting shot, make the atmosphere even more spine chilling.

Critics praised this title track for it's unique concept, style and visuals, however they added that there could've been a more clear trigger warning before the MV starts, as it could easily trigger a younger audience. So to appease them, the company temporarily took the video down to add an extra 10 second trigger warning clip accompanied with a subtle rain sound effect that goes well with the beginning of the MV where Tyke and Carmen are seen walking through the gloom streets while it's raining.

2. 우리는 (We Are) - ⏱ 3:46 - B-side

'우리는' or 'We Are' in English is the next song in the tracklist as well as the album's B-side track. 우리는 Is mostly written by Tyke, therefore it's fairly vocal heavy for the most part, however he does give his sister Carmen the bridge and the last verse of the song to rap, but the rest is Tyke. It's a more story telling song that has a much softer, but more mysterious vibe to it. This song doubles as a deeper look into Tycoons' Characters' backstory as well as a song that shows off Tyke's light and clear contratenor voice with the occasional sassy run as well as stable vibratos and falsettos.

The song carries a nostalgic feeling, as if you've heard this song before some other place or time in your life, but not exactly in the way one'd originally think. It has a sad-ish tone, despite having happy nostalgia inducing guitar, piano, a variety of classical instruments, hip-hoppy snare and slightly lighter trap drops, that is meant to symbolize Tycoons' not-so-happy childhood that is the consequence of their family joining the Mafia.

Overall, the song has a fairly light hearted tune with variety and a nicer, clearer beat compared to it's title track, however if you look at the lyrics and analyze them, they hold a much darker meaning:

'you can't run

you can't hide

hold your breath

close your eyes

turn your ear to the sky

you're not safe here anymore

this is who we are, now

who we are, now'

The unsettlingness of the lyrics combined with the strategic classical orchestration make for a song that's meant to feel like, quote en quote 'a false security blanket that shields you from the actual good reality, or even a blindfold that makes you see everything in life with a different filter', courtesy of Tyke.

This song isn't exactly a favorite of the people, therefore dubbing it 'under appreciated' or 'underrated' by Capos, however critics applaud this song as much as it's title track for the same factors, but they have less critiques for this song as there wasn't any music video, however for some critics, the sense of false security and lack of straightforwardness was not exactly their cup of tea.

3. Hands Up - ⏱ 3:25 - Inizio

The third track in the album is titled 'Hands Up' and is the introduction to Carmen's [the character] personality and role in her and her brother's business. This track is mostly written by Carmen and contains mostly rap verses, with Tyke included briefly in the chorus, the bridge and as backing vocals to go with Carmen's raps. 'Hands Up' is has traces of inspiration from hip-hop songs, with it's more uppity, 'in your face' beats.

The story, or message, this song is trying to convey is to never disrespect those whom have helped you and built you up and explain the diligence and perseverance you are going to need in order to survive in the Mafia industry, and that once you think you got there, that means you still have ways to go, or to put it in Carmen's words; 'Don't get too comfortable, life can take 10 steps ahead of you just like that.'

The bold beats and sassy lyrics can be quite jarring to some, but the song overall is very well received by Capos and music critics alike. Although a minority of Capos did make an argument about 'Hands Up' being a better B-side track for 'Tycoons the Album' than '우리는', however this dispute is easily dismissed by favor over the idea of "'우리는' and 'Hands Up' being equally great overall, but '우리는' is a B-side for a reason that we don't know yet/we will have to speculate more on to know why", given by K-pop commentary channels such as KPOP Junkee and Korea Scouter TV.

The topic of respect and being respectful is heavily mentioned in the song and due to this, some Capos said that 'it almost seemed like they were demanding respect' and this ideology was shared around with a portion of the fandom, however Tycoons responded to this issue by saying that they only wanted to portray their characters, not the actual people themselves.

4. GSW - ⏱ 3:02 - Continuazione

'GSW', short for 'Gun shot wound' is the next song in the tracklist and another hip hop dance song in the whole album. 'GSW' is co-written by Tycoons and this song carries a more JYP style of music for the group, but with that said, the JYP 'signature style' was definitely beneficial for Tycoons' versatility in music styles. What makes this track different is the lack of lyrics and the main focus on the dance aspect that goes with the track.

The music was intense like the title track and had a variety of different musical tones incorporated, like at some points of the song there could be a more deep atmosphere and in others it could be softer, or faster, or sad. Though the song may be lacking in lyrics, it compensates for a complicated, but amazing choreography. The only verses in the song are the first pre-chorus, chorus and bridge, and these verses are fairly brief;

'just when you think there's a settled score

the battle has just reborn

comes swift like an avalanche

come to steal what you just got back

at your back like a loaded gun

and the night has just begun

steady now breathe, breathe'

This song took the longest to practice in terms of dance. According to Tyke, he stated that they've had to practice this dance longer than any of the other song's dances combined. The choreography is much harder and more technically challenging, and it also involves the usage of various props as well as stage actors to accompany Tycoons in their action sequences throughout the dance. The CEO even opted to postpone the actual date of their debut because of how challenging this dance was, as he had doubts that the group could actually meet the deadline. But hard work and dedication pulled through and the duo clearly succeeded through all the hours of work.

5. Heir - ⏱ 4:45 - Conflitto

The song 'Heir' is sort of like the climax of the album. This is when the tone of the song shifts to a more calmer, simpler tunes and faster timing with more room to add story telling lyrics and catchy raps. Tyke and Carmen worked on this song together and therefore rapping-to-singing ratio is pretty equal, and their inspiration for this album can really be sensed here, or at least that's what they think anyway. At the beginning, this song sounds quite to 'MAFIA' because of how Tycoons' characters are connected to the person next in line to their 'throne' but they found out something was wrong and they go searching for her. Shown briefly in the music video, this 'heir' is a baby, almost a toddler, who's sleeping in a crib inside a dark nursery but the scene is shown to flicker to a clip of people in full black outfits taking them away, resembling a kidnapping.

In the music video for 'MAFIA' we briefly get video shots of Carmen turning around to face the camera angle with a distraught expression before running towards a hallway as if rushing to get something, and Capos think that this is Carmen running to save her 'heir.' Tycoons soon confirm the rumors surrounding this mysterious heir however didn't drop every detail, but did mention said heir's name; Chloe.

The song itself is intense just like it's title track, but with added drama and theatrics by an orchestral pre-chorus and followed by another dirty dubstep/trap drop and bridge. The classic parts meant to symbolize going back to the classics, where king and queen take care of their heirs as they rule their kingdom, but by the end of the song the orchestra melody doesn't complete itself and loop, instead for the last 5 seconds of the song, it's heard glitching and skipping certain beats before eventually quieting down.

This strategic, but harmonious symphony of classical and trap genres seems to be the critics' favorite and it definitely made sense for Capos to enjoy it just as much. However some added that the drop sounded too much like 'MAFIA' and when put side by side, they almost have the exact same notes. Tycoons took to answer this predicament right away, explaining that, though taking care of children aren't the characters, Tyke or Carmen's, front suit, their heir still plays a role in their journey to the top, by being more careful, thought out and responsive to anything, and eventually the crowd died down.

6. 만족하니? (Are You Satisfied?) - ⏱ 4:30 - Calore de momento

'만족하니?' or 'Are You Satisfied?' in English is the 6th song in the tracklist and right off the bat is a rap-heavy trap style song, going back to harsh, dirty beats and Carmen's growly voice. This song is meant to represent the heat of the moment and a continuation of the previous song 'Heir', after they realize that the next generation of their 'royal family' was taken from them. Carmen wrote this song feeling her own anger to the horrible people present in her life as a child, and after some fine tuning from Tyke so it doesn't sound too much like a diss track [though according to some fans, it still does], the lyrics to the song can really convey how angry and angry [and rather sadistic] their characters were over loosing their 'heir':

'you think this is fun?

that this is all just a game?

well I'll tell you this now, you pricks

that you'll regret this mess you made (yuh)

you've dug yourself deep in a hole

where we will throw you a rope

and drag your body to your neighborhood

and cut you open wide!

does that sound good?

are you satisfied now?'

The rather horrifying lyrics of this song and the glitchy sound effects added makes it one of the least favorite songs in the album to fans, along with 'Losing It', but as the internet is known for divided opinions and constant fighting over the slightest things, Capos were no different. One side said that this song was okay and 'the others who can't stand the lyrics are actual babies', quoted from one Capo, and 'the other' side of the fandom just did not appreciate the gory lyrics and 'would just listen to the album without this song overall', quoted from another Capo.

Critics also agreed that this track and 'Losing It' in particular could've been less gory, however they did understand why Tycoons wanted to make it so that it would sound sadistic and scary and all that, even if it was their least favorite song concept. Tyke quickly defended himself and his sister by stating that they wanted the album to be raw and true to their characters' personalities and the storyline, and at the end of the day it was just some lyrics in a song that shouldn't be taken too seriously. Some people saw this as Tycoons' over-involvement with their fanbase and turned them away from the group but a couple of them have since returned to being a Capo after realizing that the reason why Tycoons called them their 'Capos' is because of their wish to be engaging with their fandom and that they were forgetful to the meaning of the name in the first place.

7. Losing It - ⏱ 2:04 - Climax

'Losing It' is the very next song and yet again, a continuation of the previous song '만족하니?' but unlike the last one, 'Losing It' is much calmer but at the same time, was just sinister and a little vocal heavy. The song was one of the quieter songs in the album but kept that deep and mysterious aspect about it, which made fans appreciate this track more than the previous one. In this song, Tyke really showed that he can rock to a quicker paced song as well as a slower one, as 'Losing It's melody incorporated a few transitions from a fast paced beat to a slower beat.

The electro synths and more vocally challenging melody and high notes made this song one of the hardest songs to sing in the album, if not the hardest song to sing in the album. It was more of a ballad with the occasional trap build up leading to a softer EDM drop as per usual. The song's varying speeds also made it a challenge to sing as you first go up high, then low, then mid-range before climbing back up again and several different variations of this pattern were incorporated so no verse sounded the same, nor did it have the same lyrics. Speaking of, the lyrics to the song describe the disappointment and shame the characters had to go through when they found out their family member had been kidnapped and it includes a few hints pointing towards Tyke's depression really helping out during this song [even though it was actually written by Carmen since Tyke was depressed when the song was written, so his low mood helped this song convey the sadness and frustration properly]

8. Fire With Fire - ⏱ 2:50 - Vendetta

'Fire With Fire' is the finale of the album, and though it may be only less than 3 minutes, the song holds a deep passionate beat and had probably the most memorable ending drops throughout the whole album. Mirroring 'GSW', 'Fire With Fire' was dance dominated with a few lyrics, but due to its short length, the choreography was more complicated and faster paced, 'ending with a bang' as Tyke would say. And though the choreography wasn't as complicated as 'GSW', and did not need any props, it was definitely just as tiring, according to Carmen.

Capos compare the drop to that of Stray Kids' 'Miroh' for it's electro house instruments but broken down, it doesn't sound too similar, though people managed to merge the two songs together to create a song that even Tycoons listen to and they gave the person that made the first remix a very well deserved shout-out.

9. Outro: The End - ⏱ 1:14 - La fine (per ora)

The outro song wasn't originally needed in the album but Tycoons added it in there to add some hype on the next album coming up as well as a quick sneak peak and Capos and the rest of the world were definitely excited for what's to come

.•♫•♬•Ａｃｃｏｍｐｌｉｓｈｍｅｎｔｓ•♫•♬•.

• 'Tycoons The Album' was nominated for album of the year at the MAMAs 2017 however did not win.

• Tycoons themselves won Best New Artist of the Year at the same event as well as 3 other music show awards; from the MGMAs, AAAs and Soribada;

• 'MAFIA' won Song of the Year at the MGMAs and Tycoons won Rookie of the Year at the AAAs and New Artist of the Year at Soribada.

• 'MAFIA' peaked at #5 place on the MelOn chart, #6 place on the Gaon chart, #8 place on both Soribada and iTunes Top 10 and #39 on the Billboard hot 100.

• '우리는' made it to #18 on the MelOn chart and dropped to #20, #17 on Gaon, and #16 on iTunes Top 20

• 'Hands Up', 'GSW' and 'Heir' made it to #49, #50, and #52 on the Billboard hot 100 charts. But jumped to #35, #38, [surpassing their title track] and #40 and stayed there.

• 'GSW' was actually nominated for Best M/F Dance Performance at MAMAs but unfortunately did not place.

.•♫•♬•Ｅｘｔｒａｓ•♫•♬•.

• Carmen has a painting that eventually became the official cover of the physical album and the company's design team thought 'why not put that design to good use', since Carmen already did the work for them, and she didn't mind them using her design, as she was credited in the back of the album as well as inside the photo book. Where there were photos taken of her actually recreating the cover painting on canvas while wearing her *ⁱᶜᵒⁿⁱᶜ* elbow-length-sleeved shin-length black skintight dress, long cherry red satin gloves, matching-color kitten heels and beret in the 'boudoir' set [also featured in the music video].

[behind-the-screen-of-bangtan]

The Hip-Hop culture

This post is part of the TSU. It belongs to the third part: Socio-political reflection.

Here are the different parts that will be developed in this post:

Album structure

References to hip-hop in the music

References to hip-hop lyrics

References to hip-hop in MVs and concepts

Being hip-hop

Album structure

While the notion of album structure is not specific to hip-hop, the way BTS organized their works was heavily influenced by the genre.

All of BTS’ albums are structured. Most of the times, we’ll find an intro that’s used in the comeback trailer video, as well as, interludes, and outros. You can find such tracks in several genres of music but it’s something that was heavily used in 90s hip-hop albums, for example, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic.

Concerning the intros, it was explained in the WINGS Concept Book that the boy doing the intro of an album is the guide in this era. Until now, we’ve had:

RM: School trilogy, Persona

Suga: The Most Beautiful Moment in Life

J-Hope: Wings

Jimin: Her

V: Tear

Jungkook/Jin: Wonder/Answer

By checking the lyrics of those different songs, we see that they indeed talk about the main theme of their album and thus introduce us to the world forming the era. Typically, while “Intro: Skool Luv Affair” is about defining love, “Intro:  What Am I to You?” is tainted by the doubts of the boy whose love is not returned.

The interludes are usually in the middle of the album - the notable exception being “Interlude: Wings” that ends WINGS and makes the bridge with You Never Walk Alone, in which it evolves into “Outro: Wings”. There are two more interludes. The first one is in 2 Cool 4 Skool and has the particularity to be the only BTS track with no lyrics, it’s only music. The second one is in Dark & Wild and this time it has the least lyrics of all of BTS songs: it’s just Jungkook repeating “What are you doing?” the name of the interlude. Dark & Wild’s interlude makes the separation between the “dark” part and the “wild” part (src).

Almost all albums end with an outro - 2 Cool 4 Skool and Love Yourself 承  Her having the particularity to have two hidden tracks after theirs. It seems the outros can have two purposes: they can conclude the era (”Epilogue: Young Forever”) or open the path towards the new one. A very concrete example of the second case is O!RUL8,2?’s outro “Outro: Luv in Skool”. The song is sampled in Suga’s verse in Skool Luv Affair’s intro (src), which is the next song in BTS’ discography after this outro. This way, the two albums connect with each other.

Several albums are also rhythmed by two other types of songs that are typical of hip-hop: skits and cyphers.

The skits are little comedic plays. They usually serve to fill time but in BTS’ albums, they rather give a glimpse of the boys’ thoughts and lives. The skits have already been discussed in the post about the autobiographic references. If you’re curious, you can learn more about the history of skits here and about their decrease here.

Cyphers are initially improvised performances where rappers compete against each other and tell their story (src). The BTS cyphers are a bit different since they are written in advance and the boys aren’t competing against each other but they still use them to explain their stories and settle accounts with haters. You can learn more in the post about BTS’ relationship with haters and fans.

The intros, interludes, and outros structure the albums just like the 起承轉結 organizes the whole Love Yourself series. Once this frame is set up, the boys can embroider their message on it clearly and efficiently with the other songs. That’s what allows them to consider complex themes and to explore them. It also makes the whole album worth listening, so we can have the full story.

On a side note, the choice to release albums rather than several singles has proven to be safer for the sales. You can refer to this thread by Odie for details: part 1, part 2, part 3.

Lastly, a CuriousCat Anon pertinently pointed out that the choice of starting BTS’ discography with the school trilogy could remind of Kanye’s West College trilogy (made of The College Dropout, Late Registration, and Graduation). Indeed, both series are the first albums released by their artist, and both include lyrics about the artists’ personal life but also about the problems faced by their generation. Also, just like BTS brought socially conscious music in the heavily commercial K-pop world, Kany West linked the socially conscious underground hip-hop with the commercial popular hip-hop. The two projects were planned by their artists since the beginning and both evolved with the situation (BTS added the sequel Dark & Wild while Kanye West changed what was supposed to be the fourth album of a quadrilogy into 808s & Heartbreak, an album influenced by the heavy changes that happened in his private life at that time).

References to hip-hop in the music

The first seconds of the first song in the first BTS album is a reference to hip-hop. Indeed the beginning of “Intro: 2 Cool 4 Skool” is a sample of Epik High’s “GO”, from their 2003 album, Map of the Human Soul.

“No More Dream”, the title track of 2 Cool 4 Skool, was intentioned to “revive the gangster rap hot in the 90s with the emotion of 2013″ (src). RM cited Dr. Dre’s “Deep Cover” as an example. Actually, through its structure and its music, the whole 2 Cool 4 Skool single could be considered as a 90s hip-hop release.

“N.O”, the next title track, from O!RUL8,2?, is “an exciting trap music” (src) and “Boy In Luv” in Skool Luv Affair has old school hip-hop’s strong beat and rock sound”(src). The title tracks are not the only hip-hop songs. The whole school trilogy is heavily influenced by the genre. It started changing with Dark & Wild and its rock sound. The boys then started exploring other types of music but without forgetting hip-hop.

Another element typical to hip-hop music, even though it’s not exclusive to it, is the sampling. BTS used samples at different levels. “Coffee” and “Am I Wrong” are complete reinterpretations of existing songs: “Coffee” by Urban Zakapa and “Am I Wrong” by Keb’ Mo’. Another notable cover from Bangtan is “Born Singer”, a song based on “Born Sinner” by J.Cole. Not only is the music originally hip-hop, the lyrics tell the story of the boys and their relation to music - something that relates to the authentic feeling of hip-hop. “Lie” just use a short extract of “La Vida Breve” by Manuel de Falla. “Not Today” and “War of Hormone” have just one particular sound (the yell of the crazy German kid and a sound effect from Super Mario). You can find a quite decent list of the samples used in BTS songs on Who Sampled. While those samples can be seen as homages or inspiration sources, there are two samples with more meaningful use.

“Outro: Tear” uses the same piano as in the Highlight Reel video. It allows linking the two even though the Highlight Reel was released before Love Yourself 承 Her. On a BU related note, it’s interesting to point that the Notes released with Love Yourself 轉 Tear correspond with the events shown in the Highlight Reel, notably on the 30 August.

The other occurrence is even more impressive. “I’m Fine”, the second main track in Love Yourself 結 Answer is an ambigram of “Save Me”, the second main track in 화양연화 Young Forever. A lot of elements, be it in the music or the lyrics, mirror each other between the two songs. It shows the progression of the message, from a cry for help to the ability to stand on their own, while staying the same: the boys didn’t change, they evolved.

References to hip-hop in lyrics

Bangtan referenced their models in several texts, notably “길” (Road/Path) and “힙합성애자” (Hip Hop Lover). We heard the names of:

American rappers

Eminem

Jay-Z

Nas

Gang Starr

Black Star

Eric B

Rakim

Pete Rock

CL Smooth

The Notorious B.I.G.

Tupac

Mac Miller

Kanye West

Kendrick Lamar

A$AP Rocky

Korean rappers:

Garion

Epik High

Dynamic Duo

Verbal Jint

Debut albums:

Nas’ Illmatic

Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle

Pharell Williams’ In My Mind

KRS-One’s KRS-One

The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready To Die

Dr. Dre’s The Chronic

J.Cole’s Cole World

“길” (Road/Path) and “힙합성애자” (Hip Hop Lover) are also the occasion for the rap line to tell their story and how they discovered hip-hop.

We can add Epik High’s “Fly” mentioned in “Skit: Circle Room Talk”. The white shirt and red necktie Suga talked about are a reference to the MV and to the album cover for “Fly”.

As the lyrics are the part Bangtan is the most invested in, what we have here are the most personal references to hip-hop for the boys.

References to hip-hop in MVs and concepts

Opposite to the lyrics, the boys probably have a lot less to do with all the hip-hop references that can be found in the MVs but they’re still interesting nonetheless.

Both photo concepts for 2 Cool 4 Skool and O!RUL8,2? are inspired by Gangsta rap but with the influence of 2013 fashion.

In the MVs, little nods to hip-hop artists can be seen:

“Can i kick it”, the title of a song by A tribe Called Quest, written on a shelf in “Boy in Luv” JP

The cover of Mos Def’s The New Danger is in the cubicle in “Boy In Luv”

“You think big, you get big in”, a citation from The Notorious B.I.G. is written on the blackboard in “Boy in Luv” JP

Nas’ Life is Good is in “Danger” next to RM

J. Cole on the cover of Billboard in the set of Short Film #4 FIRST LOVE but that actually only appears in Short Film #1 BEGIN and Short Film #2 LIE

There are also several posters about initiatives related to hip-hop:

It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop, a book about the social and political issues faced in the hip-hop field, is in the yellow bus of “No More Dream”

The Temple Of Hip Hop logo can be seen on a custom poster, still on the bus. The Temple Of Hip Hop is a non-violent organization defending the hip-hop culture

In the comeback trailer for O!RUL8,2? several elements you can associate with hip-hop (radio, mic...) assemble together with the BTS logo to form a sort of Bangtan-style hip-hop temple

Hip Hop vs War, a festival against can also be seen in the back of the bus

The Hip Hop Re:Education Project, an album made by young people from New York, is in the hallway in ”Boy In Luv”

Rhythm & Poetry, a documentary about hip-hop in Australia

Lastly, some elements are not hip-hop per se but still relate to the hip-hop culture. It’s the posters from SNEEZE magazine (details in this post) and the graffitis, notably the ones from the JnJ crew that could be seen in “No More Dream”(you can see the list in the glossary).

Being Hip-Hop

Reading articles about hip-hop and its history, there’s a notion that quickly stand out: there’s a whole difference between being hip-hop and doing hip-hop. Simply doing hip-hop without searching to understand the culture, just by imitating what’s been done, is usually very badly perceived and seen as cultural appropriation. Another important element is the idea of authenticity, someone should be sincere about their story and passion.

Interestingly, BTS has been labeled as fake by default because they’re not black Americans and worst, they’re k-pop idols. Add a few mistakes due to youth and ignorance, American Hustle Life, which as any self-respecting reality show put the emphasis on problematic stereotypes and I’ll let you imagine the result. All these problems are discussed in the article “Respect must be earned: BTS’ journey towards gaining its stripes in black America”. You’ll note that no one considered teaching them before hating on them and that everything was taken from an American point of view.

Which is probably where lies the problem since BTS are Korean idols. I won’t develop the subject since I’m not a professional but you can refer to this Vulture article and this one from Medium to know more about K-hip-hop (the Wikipedia page is also well written). You can also read Elliot Sang’s analysis of “Hip Hop phile” to know more about the complicated relationship between Asia and the black culture.

In summary, hip-hop was slowly imported in South Korea after the war. At first, it was dancers then rappers slowly appeared. Two names completely changed the game in the 90s and can be considered as the founders of K-hip-hop: Drunken Tiger and Seo Taiji & Boys. Those two groups helped the development of Korean hip-hop, which later evolved into the K-pop we’re familiar with under the influence of Seo Taiji & Boys.

The members of BTS grew up under the influence of those two groups - as well as all the acts they namedropped in their songs. Hip-hop was something normal for them, totally part of their own culture and not a foreign thing. Concerning RM and Suga, it has actually been a full part of their teenagehood (see baepsayed super complete posts about the pre-debut of RM and Suga for more details). So when Suga says during their first showcase that BTS “will do the most authentic hip-hop music” (in comparison to other idol groups), it’s not a selling argument, it’s the truth. Another argument in favor of the authentic feeling is the goal of the group: protecting the youth of prejudice and denouncing the unfairness of society. The third point doesn’t come from the boys themselves but from their own models: Drunken Tiger (now Tiger JK) and Seo Taiji have acknowledged them. RM featuring on Drunken Tiger’s Timeless and BTS participating to Seo Taiji’s 25th birthday concert is extremely meaningful. And you can add Suga’s collaborations with Dynamic Duo and Epik High. Garion also revealed in an interview they loved BTS and they were thankful for their song “Mutu” inspired RM to start rapping. For a more complete list of interactions between BTS and the K hip-hop scene, you can refer to this thread by @smollyoongs_.

From the Korean point of view, BTS has to be one of the most authentic hip-hop acts possible. Even though pure hip-hop can be mainly felt in the school trilogy era, BTS remained true to their selves when it comes to their lyrics and their passion. As for the sounds, you can still feel a strong hip-hop influence in the rappers’ solo releases. If you want to read more about BTS and authentic hip-hop, you can check this Twitter thread with screenshots of the book Hanguk Hip Hop by Myoungsun Song, in which BTS is included. 

I’ll conclude the post with three more articles, the first one appreciating RM’s solo works from 2015, the second about RM being both a k-pop and hip-hop artist and the third about Suga and his storytelling talent. That’s just some more proof that the boys are being acknowledged for their talent and sincerity.

People can criticize as much as they want, the fact remains that BTS has been accepted by the founders of K-hip-hop and by music professionals, they are an authentic hip-hop group.

[flakandforay]

Intro: Nevermind Theory

overall: this is the continuation of bangtan’s 화양연화 series revolving around youth in which the second part of their 화양연화 talks about youth in a more adventurous and daring way - a way to comfort youth and to say that it’s alright to mistakes ( as seen here ) 

let’s start~

theory: now bighit releases this comeback trailer, intro: never mind that is mainly rapped by Yoongi with 2 lines done by Namjoon and Hoseok. 

but one could tell that this animated video is linked to the intro of 화양연화 pt. 1 with some scenes being familiar. 

the trailer shows the same young teenager dribbling the basketball. 

what’s interesting is these shots show the reflection of each other, not to mention how the colour palettes for both intros are different - one with more lighter colours and one with more darker colours, yet part 1 talks about the unstableness and fragility of youth while part 2 mentions the more adventurous and daring part of youth. the colour palettes being actually contradicting to each other, much like a reflection - 2 sides of youth.

but what’s important is that they show him giving up and losing hope to which he finds strength in the butterfly that lands on him.

eventually, the trailer pans out to him running towards the butterfly, without actually knowing where the butterfly will lead him to. later on in the series, the butterfly would be a very important symbol and will be recurring again as seen with the lily from the first 화양연화 pt. 1 

also, can we talk about the colour palettes here??? doesn't it remind me you of the Wings era? talk about a preview on those colours.

i just find it really interesting that their bringing up certain things including the sea and the butterfly which we all know can be seen from the prologue video etc. 

but im pretty sure, that the butterfly scene here is in the midst of all the army bombs in a concert setting when they light up though.

talk about some aesthetic shots right here and that ball of light kinda disappearing into a group of butterflies. 

also, this scene of the hands grabbing the ‘ball of light’ is really intriguing. why is it exactly there?

for some reason, there seems to be resemblance with Namjoon’s Do You MV, as seen here, in which he talks about one being yourself, much like youth finding their individuality and owning it. 

and also, the eye.

but anyway, i was wondering why the butterfly was being used etc, so apparently in certain cultures, the butterfly represents the spirit of the dead or the spirit of a soul. ( Reference ) 

In early Christianity, the butterfly was a symbol of the soul.

To Native Americans, the butterfly is a symbol of change, joy and color. The exquisite butterfly was considered a miracle of transformation and resurrection.

In the Old World, the connotation was negative; the butterfly was thought to be the spirit of the dead. In Gnostic art, the angel of death is depicted crushing a butterfly underfoot. Its attraction to flame and light symbolize purification by fire. Sailors who saw a butterfly prior to embarkation believed that they would die at sea. In some areas of England, it is thought that butterflies contain the souls of children who have come back to life. 

so then a few theories would have popped out from here. 

if i assume that the butterfly was the spirit of a dead, and that continuing from my previous theory that the teenager here is Yoongi, then the butterfly would have been his mother, as seen from the HYYH: the notes, L version.

Yoongi 25 June YEAR 20

I opened the door of the bottom drawer with a pop and firstly, took out the bag that was placed inside. I turned the bag inside out and a dusty piano key fell out. I threw the half-burned piano key in the trashcan and laid down on bed. The fire in my heart wouldn’t cool down and so my breathing was ragged, and at some point, soot was smeared over my fingers.

After the funeral, I went back alone to the house that was set ablaze on fire. I entered my mother’s room to see the piano that was burned so badly, the shape was unrecognizable. I hesitantly sat down. I sat there for some time until the sunlight that entered through the window died down. Several keys rolled around in the last of the light. What kind of sound could be heard if I played the keys? I thought about my mother playing these keys a lot. I put one of them in my pocket and left the room.

From that moment on, 4 years has passed. The house has been quiet. Just like it was meant to be quiet. It was past 10 and so my father would have been asleep, afterwards everything held its breath. That was the rule of the house. It was hard for me to endure the silence. it also wasn’t easy to keep up with the stipulated times, regulations and forms. No matter how you looked at it, it was hard to be patient. Nevertheless, I couldn’t stand living in this house. After receiving pocket money from my father, eating with him, I got scolded by him. Rather than not talking to my father and go astray, I lacked the courage to abandon him and the house, to make freedom into reality and not just in words. 

I suddenly rose up from bed. I pulled out the piano key from the desk with a tissue paper. I opened the window and the night air rushed in. The wind that came in slapped me with the strength of whatever happened today. I threw the piano key in the air. Today I haven’t gone to school for 3 or 4 days. I heard the news of getting expelled. Now, I don’t know if I want to be kicked out of the house. I listened hard but I couldn’t hear the keys hitting the ground. No matter how much I have been thinking about it, I couldn’t imagine the sound the piano key would have made. No matter how much time has passed, the piano key would never make a sound again. I will never play the piano again

assuming that Yoongi’s mother has passed as i have interpreted from here, considering his mother was the one who taught him how to play the piano, hence the butterfly in this video would be the one to pick up Yoongi on his feet and to ensure he goes back chasing his dream.

however, the other theory is that, assuming the butterfly is a soul of a child who has come back to life, then this is seen as though the butterfly is a reincarnation of a child - a child who is the purest form of innocence ( remember how the lily represents restored innocence ).

could the butterfly then be Taehyung in this case? since it probably seems as though he is the first one to die among all of the boys. is Taehyung the one trying to pick up the boys up? but then again, the butterfly could then signify Seokjin as well, assuming he did die too from the Prologue but the fact that he is the one who is trying to help the rest of them move on with their lives and being the one to give back their restored innocence to them. 

last thoughts: of course, this intro may seem like  a lyric video with nothing much to offer but it is important to take note of the small details that this intro has to offer, especially with the introduction of the butterfly. 

[Photo Source] Bighit Entertainment  Credits: maxine ☕️ DO NOT REPOST ©