#kpop lyrics analysis

[starburstfloat]

Let's Talk Innuendos and Queer Subtext: TXT's Poppin' Star Lyrics Analysis

One of the joys of making progress in my Korean language journey has been the ability to analyze lyrics more critically by dissecting tone, word choice, or rhyme schemes that would have otherwise slipped by me a few years ago. And as someone who has a deep love for literary analysis and kpop, there's an unparalleled joy in getting to bridge the two together. I'm happy I have this space to do that. So without further ado, let's take a look at TXT's Poppin' Star from their first full-length album, The Dream Chapter: Magic (thank you nika for requesting this!).

This song feels like a sonic representation of this memefied image:

It's literally bubblegum pop at its finest. It sounds sparkly, cute, uplifting, and deceptively adorable, and anyone who has seen the choreography can attest to watching the video with a ridiculous smile on their face.

I could give high praise endlessly about this underrated early TXT Bside, but I wanted to prioritize the lyrics for this post! We're going to talk about the superficial meaning of the song before we dissect some of the more suggestive, metaphorical elements. Heads up I'll be mentioning sexual innuendos, so if that's not your cup of tea then please kindly leave.

My goal is to get you to see that, at the very least, this song is not just about eating candy. Whether or not we agree on the queer subtext is another debate, but I'm hoping this analysis post can be a lesson on interpreting figurative language and grasping inneundos.

Whenever I do analysis, I always start with the surface level face-value of what's being presented, and then I try to peel the layers and discern the underlying themes or suggested connotations based on context clues. Usually I leave out the initial face-value in my posts because it's something so obvious that it feels contradictory to present it. But it feels relevant to include for Poppin' Star. So what is the face-value meaning of the song when we look at the lyrics as a whole?

On the surface, this song appears to be about a young male protagonist who experiences a burst of emotions - dizzying warmth, sweetness, and a clouded brain - after he eats a variety of flavored candies. He states that he is not satisfied with the burst of flavor he's experiencing - now that he knows this intense feeling, he's craving more.

cr. color coded lyrics (though I'm cross referencing multiple translations and using my own knowledge of individual words and tonal conjugations to understand the song)

It doesn't take much of an analytical eye to catch the innuendo presented in Poppin' Star. What exactly is an innuendo? An innuendo is an allusive hint to something typically sexual. The keyword here is hint - it's something you pick up on based on subtly provocative language. Critics could argue that "your brain must be in the gutter" if you find sexual context where there is supposedly none. I'd say blaming the observer for a sexual interpretation is disrespectful to the art in question. Inneundos are meant to be spotted and discussed - they have the potential to heighten the art and unveil a greater message. Just because something is sexual does not mean it is bad.

Now that we have that cleared, it's pertinent to reflect on the surface value of the lyrics in contrast to the glaring inneundo jumping out at the audience. Let's look at the opening lyrics together:

One look at the lyrics, and you'll raise your eyebrows and go, "Really? You sampled a mouthful of candy and can't stop talking about how you're tingling all over, feel dizzy, and are melting from the sweetness?" The song's lyrics and language is quite figurative: the audience is guided to see beyond the literal meaning.

If we break down the individual feelings our protagonist shares, it sounds reminiscient of a first kiss or sexual experience. Considering how strongly the lyrics center on oral pleasure (oral as in the literal sense of the mouth), the rightfully assummed metaphor here is kissing. Let's look at all the instances where the song connects pleasure to the mouth:

별가루 가득 물면 느껴지는 불꽃놀이일���? / (Is this) fireworks that I feel when I bite a whole mouthful of stardust?

입 안을 채운 콕콕 따끔한 이 느낌은 또 / This tingling feeling that has filled my mouth

혀끝에 건전지 / A battery at the tip of my tongue

Our protagonist talks extensively about the pleasure in his mouth in correlation to feeling dizzy, warm, fuzzy, electrified, and excited - all feelings heavily associated with heightened sexual experiences, and notably kissing.

A striking detail is the fact that our protagonist is not alone during the story - he's actively talking to another person, meaning he's not literally eating candy by himself and getting an explosive sugar rush as the superficial interpretation insinuates. We notice this from the opening line which calls to a direct "you":

짜릿한 정전기 you’re popping star / Electrifying static, you're popping star.

Not only is this a reference to the title, making it an important detail to note, but it's also inviting the audience into acknowledging the relevant prescence of another character, some unnamed you. He goes on to say:

머리가 띵하게 기분 좋은 my love / Making my head feel dizzy, that good feeling, my love

He's directly saying "my love," so this person is clearly special to him. This person is his popping star - someone who evokes all of these explosive, tingling feelings.

The chorus is riddled with suggestive language: "This isn't enough / I need something stronger / A chew full of lemon, lime, orange, yeah / I need more, more, more / A stronger popping / A chew full of lemon, lime, orange, yeah"

Our protagonist is craving more flavor as he seeks a pleasure high. My interpretation is that the other character is wearing flavored chaptstick, perhaps fruit-flavored or candy-flavored, and our protagonist wants to taste more of the character's lips. Another interpretation is that they're both chewing on flavored gum, and when they kiss, the flavors blend together in a satisfying burst. Both feel plausible to me. The chorus suggests a kiss through the explosive repetition of surprised "oh's" that the members sing. It's hard to explain without hearing it, so skip to 0:48 in the song to catch what I mean. The explosive instrumental paired with the high-pitched oh's feels representative of an epiphany, or at least a heightened emotional state.

Perhaps one of the most glaringly suggestive parts of the song is Beomgyu's line after the first chorus, where he says:

잠깐 쉬어갈 땐 slime vacation / When (I) take a short break, slime vacation

This implies he's taking a break from exchanging slime, or saliva, with the aforementioned "you". Keep in mind that Korean sentences don't always need an explicit subject, so it's unclear whether Beomgyu is saying "When I take a short break" or "When we take a short break". However, later in the song, during a critical moment that I'll get to shortly, Yeonjun explicitly mentions the pronoun 우리 (we/us) which means we can assume this whole candy-tasting fiasco is, at the very least, a pleasure-seeking high that our protagonist is doing with someone by his side.

The kissing metaphor is more strongly suggested when Taehyun says:

어제 했던 건 벌써 지루해 / The things that (I did/were done) yesterday are already boring

더 더 더 강한 popping이 필요해 / I need a stronger popping

which tells me the song is self-aware enough to recognize it's not just about eating candy. Why would yesterday's candy be described as "the things that were done yesterday"? I also find it interesting that he's using the verb 지루하�� instead of 심심하다 when mentioning boredom. Both of these verbs mean "to be bored", but 심심하다 refers to boredom through a lack of action, whereas 지루하다 has the connotation of being bored by something because you've been doing it for a prolonged time; as in, you're getting physically tired of it. So, Taehyun is saying that the stuff he did yesterday has become repetitive and tiring, and he's now seeking a stronger high. Very suggestive language.

There's a line from Heuningkai that really stands out towards the latter half of the song. He goes:

가끔은 조금 위험해도 돼 / Sometimes it can be a little dangerous

엄마 몰래 자물쇠를 열어봐 / Open the lock without my mom knowing

The conjugation here is very interesting!! He uses the 아/어도 되다 pattern at the end of the adjective for "dangerous", which is a conjugation used to give permission for something. So, rather than him stating the fact that it's dangerous, he's giving permission to the speaker to be a little dangerous. It's a subtle nod at him approving risky behavior, so perhaps a better translation would be "it's alright if sometimes it's a bit dangerous".

"Open the lock" reminds me of Soobin's verse in Sugar Rush Ride:

, which I interpret as a more blatantly sexual inneundo for losing one's virginity. I don't think Poppin Star implies more than kissing, but asking someone to open your lock without your mom knowing, and engaging in risky behavior, appears symbolic to doing something you wouldn't want your mom to see, so at the very least it's suggestive language.

This interpretation aligns with the direct album overview provided by Bighit, which states that "The Dream Chapter: MAGIC tells the story of 'magical adventures' that boys encounter together with their friends [...] the boys share their transformation, confusion and exploding emotions that arise during their transition to adolescence." Notice that the official statement itself says that the album centers on a boy and his friends as they transition into adolescence. Interesting.

I'd be happy to leave the analysis there and say, "See? The song is clearly an innuendo", but then the writers toss in the gayest shit during the last third of the song that forces the audience to pause and reinterpret.

Yeonjun and Taehyun sing the following lines:

이건 어쩌면 나라에서 허락한 / Maybe this is something that the country has allowed

우리끼리만 숨겨둔 유일한 / Something we have kept hidden just among us

자 아무에게나 허락된 게 아냐 / Alright, it's not allowed to just anyone

입안 가득 터뜨려 / Burst a mouthful

The verb used here is 허락하다 which means to allow, permit, or approve. Talking about what your country allows in connotation to something you've kept hidden among the two of you…feels queer-coded. Especially when the rest of the song has been dedicated to pursuing a thrill from "my love", a pursuit which they acknowledge is intimately private given the line "without my mom knowing". Why bring up what's allowed in your country in a song that centers on a boy seeking pleasure? The last line is odd too - it's conjugated as a command, so our protagonist is telling us, the audience, that we should pop a mouthful of the candy too. In connection to the line above it, it's implied that he knows popping the candy aka kissing his love is not allowed for everyone, but he's encouraging others to try. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that they repeat the last two lines again, but change the command to 입안 가득 터뜨려 봐 which is a less forceful command and more like "Give it a try".

If the song truly were just about candy, talking about what your country allows and who is allowed to do it feels very out of place and strange. This, paired with the striking fixation on oral pleasure makes me believe the song is about a boy kissing his friend, and it's been a fun, exciting little secret between the two of them.

It doesn't feel like an exaggeration to find queer subtext here. If you're an avid TXT fan, you'll know their songs are very queer-coded, from 0x1=lovesong having the most blatant thematic connection (I still regularly think about Soobin's "I can't go to heaven, I don't belong there" line) alongside Sugar Rush Ride, which suggests we "swallow the sugar rush"....sir, swallow what exactly??!

I hope this could spark your interest and see the lyrics from a new perspective. Sorry not sorry if this burst your innocent perception of the song...like I said, it sounds deceptively adorable 😂 let me know your thoughts and thanks for reading!

[prod-svt]

thinking about how LALALI is one letter different from the word NALLARI which means delinquent or is loosely equivalent to punk/hooligan/thug and how hiphop unit would precede LALALI with a word that ends with "N" so they'd actually end up pronouncing NALLARI

버는 LALALI (beoneun lalali) or 난 LALALI (nan lalali) or how wonwoo's line 난 LALALI 날라다님 (nan lalali nalladanim) came close to actually pronouncing nallari from nalladanim

also they never sing it as LALALI with an "L" beginning sound, it's always sound "NALLARI" and even in the times the lyrics is written as LALALI only, their pronunciation in the song is vague, not quite and "L" sound or an "N" sound. just somewhere in between.

(a more complex explanation/meaning of nallari from form of therapy pd here)

[angelpaperclip]

I know I was clowning Vernon for mentioning ice cream twice in his lyrics thinking he was talking about crack cocaine, but I finally watched the lyric videos and???? What he's actually saying is so touching????

It's most likely a reference to how carats refer to him as 'polar bear' because of the character, but also as a way to say his personality can come off as cold and standoffish sometimes. And Vernon--the man that he is, took that and said: Yeah, I can be cold, but don't forget ice is also strong and unshakable.

Poppin', time's money, tick-tockin' Don't you see they're wasted with cheap-talkin'? I can solve your problem with one dime piece Time together, nothing melts in my ice cream -(Vernon's Verse in LOVE, MONEY, FAME)

That part of "nothing melts in my ice cream" reminds me of how Woozi in the Vogue interview called him a 'rock,' because Vernon is someone that never changes, he's always consistent & reliable.

Then in Water, where the lyrics have a more sentimental feel, Vernon talks about the more vulnerable side to his "ice cream". He's someone with both a cold and sweet side to him. So he has his moments where he allows himself to "melt":

Ice cream, I'll be sweet, even colder After the long night's reality, dawn breaks Here comes the sun, let it beam on my skin Melt away, drop, drop -(Vernon's Verse in Water)

Usually, ice cream melting is a negative thing (duh) but Vernon says "let it beam on my skin", meaning he accepts it. The "here comes the sun" is most likely a metaphor for his closer friends and family. He doesn't mind "melting away" or showing his more vulnerable side, if it's for the people he loves.

That's just poetry.... anyway, I just wanted to rant about it a little because I think Vernon comparing himself to ice cream was very witty & cute lmfao

[sputnik422]

aespa's SYNK: PARALELL LINE Solos: Review and Appreciation

Dear Reader,

On October 6th, 2024, it was announced that Korean girl group aespa would be releasing a special single comprised of the solo songs each member had debuted during their SYNK: PARALLEL LINE tour. It wouldn't be the first time that the girls dipped their toes into solo endeavors, as their previous tour also featured performances from each member accompanied by original songs. It would, however, be the first time that every single aespa solo had such a big impact on the wider K-pop fan sphere.

Let's just be honest here, these songs are infinitely better than their predecessors in every shape way and form. The upscale in quality was obvious from when the first fancams from the Seoul concerts began to drop. These songs are a different breed and in honor of their official release on all streaming platforms I wanted to take some time to talk about all of the reasons why I love them.

P.S: I don't know anything about musical genres, and I'm actually pretty bad at picking them apart, but I'll do my best for this post!

UP - KARINA

Starting off with the one I have the least things to say about. "Up" is a track that fuses old school hip-hop and R&B elements with electronic pop. It's a complete turn around from her last solo, "Menagerie", and its dark, psychedelic ambiance. It sounded as if you'd just entered the lair of the unbeatable final boss and they were monologuing to you before eating you for dinner. "Up" is dark too, but Karina's rich vocal tone and tasteful delivery elevate the song to a level of class above the former's brash exterior. Where her first solo was rough around the edges, the syllables of her rap being spat into your ears, Karina rides the waves created by Up's prominent bass and makes you want to hear more. Honestly its the best she's ever sounded.

The lyrics aren't anything revolutionary. Karina talks about how she's letting loose, not caring who stands in her way because she's going to get what she's owed. She's not the type to stand back and let the world have its way with her, Karina takes charge in her life. She knows that this confidence is attractive and urges the listener to come closer, being entranced by her. There's nobody else that could ever measure up to her and everyone knows it. The singer herself has been very vocal about how happy she was to be able to write this song and be apart of the development from the start and it shows. This track was tailor made for her. My favorite part about the entire experience is how the power of her deeper vocal tone gets to shine, taking me back to some of my favorite vocal moments from her (her part during the second pre-chorus of Drama, her chorus in Spicy). If I had to nitpick, and I will, I would say that the bridge doesn't really do anything for me. It kind of disrupts the flow of the song in my opinion. Other than that, it's a 10/10. A real testament to the strength of these tracks that something this good could end up as my least favorite. The performance, both her actual stages and the ARTi film, were cool as hell. Mob boss Karina, chef's kiss.

BORED! - NINGNING

Ningning is the member who had my favorite solo from their previous set. "Wake Up" is just as commanding as the title would have you think, with Ningning blatantly provoking the listener. It's a game of cat and mouse, the classic tale of a puppeteer and her craft. There's no use in trying to escape—she knows your every move and you will end up as her plaything—but she doesn't seem to hate the chase either. That fight, the sweaty face and thrashing heartbeat, it just makes the inevitable end so much more satisfying.

"Bored!" is very much in opposition to these themes. The lofi R&B instrumental serves as the backdrop for Ningning and her crazy situationship. In this song Ningning is someone who loves fast and loves strong, feeling drunk on the feeling of infatuation. There's just one problem and I'm sure you could guess from the title: Ningning tends to get bored. No matter how much she may love this person she's never truly going to fall for them, and she doesn't really want to. Just like this we've entered a similarly twisted yet way more lighthearted game. The lyrics lay this plot out for us with feather-light phrases like, "feel the caffeine kicking in / episodic visioning" and "paradise on venus in your eyes". That second line in particular caught my attention when I first heard the song and was even singled out in the behind the scenes recording video. My mind immediately went to the goddess Venus, otherwise known as Aphrodite, who is known for her short yet passionate bouts of love and lust. Perhaps Ningning feels similarly about the subject of the song. Lyrics like "I'm so pretty in your head boy" and "tell me where it goes out of my body / whisper "Pretty" in my head" make it clear that Ningning wants to indulge in their powerful mutual attraction while never intending to commit. It's just not in her nature. It could also be a way of saying that, whenever they're together, the love interest makes Ningning feel like she's on a different planet, floating along the milky way because of his love. Whatever the deal is, Ningning will take the attention and she'll easily hand over her own love too, but the listener can't expect her to stick around. Only until she gets bored.

I'm obsessed with her tone, the sweetness really compliments the lighthearted and playful vibe of the song. It makes everything feel so detached in a way, ungrounded just like the narrator's approach to relationships. I loved her first outfit for the actual performance, the white(?) shirt with 'Bored!' branded across the middle and sparkly black shorts. I hope she'll consider using more lighter colors and pastels in her outfits going forward, I think it fits the song and the concept better than her newer all black ensembles (outfit one, outfit two). The lighter colors make her look unassuming and innocent, heightening the sense of surprise when she turns out to be a bit of a player. Overall, another 10/10. Very well done, (Ning)²!

DOPAMINE - GISELLE

Giselle was the member who I was the most nervous to hear a second solo from. Call me dramatic, call me an over-exaggerator, but "2Hot4U" has to have been one of the most superficial songs ever conceived. Giselle curated an image as "aespa's hot girl" basically since debut and SM very much knew that. What they didn't seem to know however was that the image worked because of her distinctive style and aura, not because she physically had to tell you that she's hot for about three minutes and twenty six seconds. It feels like when a politician mentions a popular meme and suddenly its not cool anymore ("Pokemon GO TO THE POLLS!"). Giselle's line delivery is nasally, making her character feel like a petulant mean girl rubbing her rejection of you in with extra salt and lemon. The song wasn't good and it just didn't suit her at all.

So you can all imagine just how high I jumped for joy was when Dopamine ended up being a masterpiece.

"Dopamine" is a delicate pop R&B track that details a very similar situation to that of Ningning's "Bored!". Where the former has no intentions of committing to a relationship, messing with people as she sees fit, Giselle is very much in denial. She portrays herself as cold and detached "(I don't need a man, just accessories") meanwhile on the inside she is spiraling. HARD. Giselle knows that she's falling in love but she's been burned before and is afraid of being vulnerable with this person ("lock it up inside, I gotta hide the way I feel"). So, she keeps them at arms length, never letting them in and in turn never allowing them the chance to hurt her.

That first line in the chorus, "Be my little secret / Keep it hush hush, but I think I'm in love", it just hits. There's so much emotion rolled up in her delivery of the line combined with the narrative of the song as a whole. Giselle could very well tell this person how she feels, she could even cut them off and never see them again if that option is too hard (and from the look of the lyrics it would be). But still she stays, addicted to the rush of dopamine that she gets from every encounter. Since she can't or won't let herself have love, Giselle will take jewels, diamonds, anything to help fill the void created by her self-isolation, a void only made more prominent by the subject of the song. Its all just so toxic and tragic, the way she wants this man to be choking on his feelings the same way she is. How, deep inside, both parties know Giselle will never open up, yet they choose to act on their desires every time. That is, until the end.

The bridge into the outro itself is better than the entirety of her first solo. The music quiets down as Giselle talks to herself, only able to spill her true feelings when she's alone. She casts away her mask, admitting that her supposed heart of ice has been bleeding this entire time, that even the heavens know she needs this person in her life. She charges up this admission into a beautiful high note, allowing the incoming storm of synth to represent her emotions. Its that final seventy seconds or so, right after the 2:43 mark, that really makes this song for me. The art of the release, when everything falls into place and all of the feelings you've been holding so close to your chest burst from your body. "Dopamine" is gorgeous and mature and paints the picture of a fully realized human being. It's so much more suited to Giselle than the song SM gave her for their previous tour, and I mean gave in the most derogatory way. The subject matter is so real and you feel every drop of yearning in her vocal delivery. I'm glad she got the chance to work with the producers on this one and reinforce the fact that, when they allow her to carry out her vision, she's a very capable artist. The stage performance? Insane. I heard that the couch she used sold out after the first performances in Seoul, that's so hilarious to me.

I want to briefly mention the special version of it that she performed in Tokyo, which switches up the big release at the end for something more subdued and playful. The original outro goes full steam ahead to emotional catharsis while this one, with its very electronic alarm type noises and little metallic tinks, feels much gentler. Like maybe she's learned to be a bit kinder to herself, she's a work in progress after all.

10/10, tens all around. This song was initially tied for first place as my favorite but with the official release I think the scales have begun to shift.

SPARK - WINTER

I don't remember Winter's first solo. I know it was a ballad, and I'm pretty sure it was called "Lips", but that where my knowledge of the whole affair ends. In one of their behind the scene videos for this tour Winter went on to say this about her new solo song: "Last time I did a ballad but this time I wanted to show off more of my dance. I like dancing too, you know". Well, she got me with this one. Boy, did she ever get me! I did not see this triumph coming.

If "Bored!" represents cheeky self-serving apathy and "Dopamine" is self-sabotage, "Spark" is self-actualization and the honesty that comes along with it.

From the very first note of you're left waiting, wanting, anticipation building alongside the beat. Winter's lines are delivered in this airy and sort of crooning tone, it's such a change up from how deep and robust we know her voice can be. In this self written track she urges the subject to tune in to her wavelength, study her down to the very last molecule and accept access into her soul. Winter doesn't shy away from her desires, unafraid of seeming desperate or being too much. She embraces the intensity of this love, this connection with the song's subject, and is practically begging them to acknowledge what is going on. These feelings that have been born between them are about to bear fruit and she knows it. Its only a matter of encouraging the subject to let loose, coaxing them into the headspace where nothing else matters other than the goddess in front of them. Winter needs to push the subject to their limit, until the build up becomes too much and they have to either take action or suffocate on this tension.

They both know what they need and what it takes to get it.

"One little spark and you set me free / Now one becomes two".

I urge you, if there's any part of the song that you choose to blast on full volume, let it be the build up into the chorus. Once again the art of the build and release comes into play here. The song has been steadily building throughout the verse and pre-chorus but as soon as Winter sings, "Now one becomes two", cementing the union between herself and the song's subject, something magical happens. Those four words become an incantation, a spell to open a portal to a technicolor dimension. Winter pushes you in and as you're left to freefall the colorful tunnel begins to churn and collapse in on you. Infinite shades of pink, purple, blue, and blinding white strobe violently; entering your system, charging through your veins and building on top of the already unbearable attraction. The force reaches your eyes as they begin to project a rainbow, different colors flashing into place in time with the quickened beat.

Winter is in front of you again and, holding out a singular matchstick. You both know she can't light it by herself. What is one to do when placed on the precipice, where the stable ground behind symbolizes everything you've ever known while the open air out front symbolizes everything you have ever wanted. Perhaps this was destined, written in the stars. After all, when faced with the latter conditions, is it ever really a choice?

You light the match.

"Only takes one little spark / And we're igniting"

The portal spits you out above a kaleidoscope of a city. You soar, high on the sheer intensity of your connection, the joining of two souls within a space illuminated by a myriad of brilliant colors. "Spark" is an invitation to face your feelings, face your truth. Should you choose to take the risk you'll be swiftly rewarded, sucked into Winter's world and warmed by the eternal flame that burns between the both of you. The moment your souls meet, that critical turning point where one becomes two, there's no going back. It's just so alluring and intimate and sexy and ughhhhhhh.

The live performance is everything I could have ever wanted from Winter. She's always been such a sharp and powerful dancer, the elements of vogueing really suit her and the piece overall. When I saw this fancam of her for the first time I was gagged, speechless because of her beauty and stage presence. That opening sequence with the shadows cast on Winter and all of her dancers as they move as one machine, it's so coooooooool. Her initial outfit is lovely but for the debut of the special version she wore a lilac corset style top with detached puffy princess sleeves and this long veil with flowers sowed onto it, I wanted to die. The special version also plays with the chorus drop, adding in a long moment of silence before the second chorus in order to build even more anticipation. They power walk towards the back, Winter looks back toward the crowd but the lights go out. Cue the lights and the big reveal: the dancers have formed a blooming sun shape around Winter. She flicks a hand and the whole thing implodes, sending the dancers away as she basks in the moment, in her power.

I am not exaggerating when I say that I need this song engraved in the grooves of my brain. The studio recording pushed this one to the top of the rankings for me, I was not prepared for the religious experience I would be faced with when we hit the pre-chorus and beyond. The genre of synth pop has so much potential for conveying the most powerful of emotions, truly one of my favorites. I think this song is single-handedly helping me come to terms with the fact that I'm very much Winter biased, something I've been steadily ignoring since Drama Era. I BOUGHT A TICKET TO GO SEE THEM IN FEBRUARY SIMPLY SO I COULD SEE THIS (and Dopamine, and Drama, and a couple other songs) LIVE!!! I think I might actual perish that day, we'll just have to wait and see.

Glad SM was able to scrape together some brain cells, read the room and actually release these songs to the public. I'm gonna have a blast with these leading up to my concert date. Credit to JUST, Timing, Tsuki, and Jiunan for the pictures that I struggled to make a collage out of. I'm kind of bad with technology sometimes.

Cheers,

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

[doodletae]

I love you, baby, baby, baby I've been screaming the whole neighborhood knows (I love you) My neighbors go, yah, yah, yah Let's get some sleep, yoo-ooh, oh-oh I swear you'll like it Oh-eh, oh-eh, oh-eh, oh First serenade, and last serenade I ain't got a car, no license But I promise you one thing, oh I'll get along with your dad, for you

-"serenade" by boynextdoor

besides this song being an actual bop and already securing a place in my heart, i love the sincerity and joy infused into these lyrics. throughout the whole song, the narrator brings up all his shortcomings and struggles, his shy voice when he's talking to his crush, the way his whole body gets nervous, he can't stop thinking about her, he wants to text her at 3:30 in the morning, he's young, he can't drive, he's afraid that he'll mess up his confession but despite ALL THAT, he's ready to shout his love from the rooftops. so much shouting in fact, that the whole neighborhood is sick of it, but he doesn't care, he's not ashamed of his crush or his feelings. if there is one thing he's confident in, it's that he knows that he's in love with someone and he desperately wants to tell her.

[081098]

i cannot explain this but haru haru (2008) -> run (2015) -> nectar (2024)

[13versions]

btw i am Sorry to everyone i keep randomly replying to having never spoken to y'all before .. i will find More Blogs in my time zone soon but i am bored at work and frankly i missed this hellscape

[jikookuntold]

What Is Like Crazy About?

Since the day "Like Crazy" was released, I wanted to post about it, but couldn't get the time to focus and do a comprehensive analysis. Finally, right before the first anniversary of this masterpiece, I got the time, and the post is ready now. Before starting off, I have to remind you of the fact that a work of art can be interpreted in many different ways, and none of those interpretations are necessarily right or wrong. Every work of art contains a message that is the artist’s main intention from that creation, but the artist doesn’t have to explain it to the audience because a true work of art speaks for itself, even though not all audiences can receive it thoroughly.

I know that in the past year, so many different types of analyses and theories were made by fans to explain this song, and most definitely, I couldn’t keep up with all of them. Therefore, I’m not claiming my analysis to be a breakthrough, and you might have read most parts of it somewhere else. In this post, we are going to discuss “Like Crazy” from a lyrical and conceptual point of view, trying to find out what message or messages Jimin wanted to convey by creating it.

About “Like Crazy”

“Like Crazy” as the title track for Jimin's first solo album, "FACE", stole the hearts of millions of fans and locals around the world, and inarguably became one of the most successful pop songs of the year 2023. I can talk for hours about how beautiful and successful “Like Crazy” is, and how it broke KPop boundaries and countless records. But, in this post, we are going to break to the surface and talk about the meanings and motivations behind this song and answer the questions like “How this song was made?” “What was Jimin's intention in writing these romantic lyrics?”

As I mentioned earlier, artists usually don’t directly address their main message and their intention in creating a form of art, but many of them speak about the motivations and inspirations that led them to the creation. Jimin hasn’t talked much about the sources of inspiration behind individual tracks of “FACE”, but I guess “Like Crazy” was an exception for him because he revealed on several occasions that he was inspired by “Like Crazy”, the movie. And this piece of information is the key to our analysis:

"I tried to express the feelings of that movie. You know, the somewhat complex, somewhat lonely, somewhat happy emotions. I tried to express all these ambiguous and subtle emotions in a slightly sexy way, but I’m not sure how it’ll end up being received by people.”

Like Crazy, The Movie

First of all, we need to keep in mind that “Like Crazy” is a completely original song, and Jimin has not used or sampled any songs, lines, or dialogues from the movie in his lyrical or visual concepts (even the intro and outro dialogues in the song were original and not from the movie). If Jimin had not stated his source of inspiration directly, the only hint that could have led us to it would be the title of the song, which duplicates the title of the movie since the title never appears in the lyrics.

So, Jimin chose this specific name for his song and announced his source of inspiration to make it clear that there is a straight and strong connection between the song and the movie. He made it clear that this connection is 100% conceptual and emotional, and if we want to know what “Like Crazy” is about, and what ambiguous and subtle feelings Jimin is talking about, we have to redirect the analysis to the concept of the movie, “Like Crazy”.

As we all know, “Like Crazy” is a romantic movie, and Drake Doremus directed it casting "Felicity Jones" and the late "Anton Yelchin" as the main characters, Anna and Jacob. Doremus based the storyline of this low-budget movie on his experience being in a long-distance relationship with his partner and developed it into a 90-minute-long movie, which was released in 2011 and became relatively successful.

Anna and Jacob

A few days before the release of “FACE”, I was informed that the title track, “Like Crazy” is based on a movie of the same name. After learning this fact, I had to re-watch it because I couldn’t remember anything after a decade, and I had some questions like: “What was in this movie that made it so special for Jimin?” “How would Jimin feel watching this?”. Having this mindset helped me to see the movie differently, but before explaining those new insights we need a short storyline of the movie:

Anna is a British exchange student in LA, where she falls in love with Jacob, an American student, and they start dating. Anna, blinded by her love for Jacob, overstays her student visa and consequently gets banned from re-entering the United States. After experiencing a forced LDR, Jacob flies to London to visit Anna, and her father suggests that getting married might resolve the issue, but they are not ready for this big step. Jacob goes back to LA and basically chooses his job over Anna, but after some time, they realize that they can’t be apart, and they decide to get married. Six months after the marriage, when the time for the appeal of Anna’s ban comes, it gets rejected, and they lose their last hope of being together. Again, they go back to their sad lives, but after some time, Anna is finally offered a visa, and she leaves everything behind to reunite with Jacob. The ending scene shows how this separation has damaged their relationship, and things will never be the same.

The movie portrays the hardships of a long-distance relationship and the damage the separation can do to two souls and their connection. I think the recent movie by "Celine Song" named "Past Lives" was partially similar to like crazy, but also there was a big difference; unlike Nora and Haesung in “Past Lives”, Anna and Jacob don’t leave it to fate, they don’t forget about each other and don’t settle down with others just because their love seemed difficult or impossible.

They found true happiness only next to each other and did everything against all odds (especially Anna) to take that back. Maybe if Anna and Jacob weren’t in love like crazy and were more mature and realistic, they would end up like Nora and Haesung (Sorry if this spoiled that movie for you), but they didn’t and made their own bittersweet ending.

Many people claim that “Like Crazy” is a breakup movie with a sad ending, therefore, Jimin’s song also must be a breakup song. But, first of all, the ending can somehow be considered an open ending. We don’t know what happens after the shower scene, but we see them together, in each other’s arms, and this is not a totally sad ending by any movie standards. Other than that, Anna and Jacob became separated a few times, but they don't officially break up by choice, their separation is the result of contractual rules and laws, made by society.

This movie, as its director explained, might be originally about a long-distance relationship, but also the main relationship in this movie can be seen as a relationship that gets strained by laws and regulations, it’s about the rules and imaginary borders that decide if two people can be together or ban them from it. It’s a story of the “love against law”.

A Heterosexual Love Story?

When “Like Crazy” was released in theatres back in 2011, it got positive reviews for good acting that made the movie feel sweet and intimate with mostly improvised dialogues. Meanwhile, the negative reviews were focused on the plotline of this drama, calling it far from reality. Other than the fact that Jacob could have easily resolved this issue by taking his job from LA to London, in reality, the couple wouldn’t have faced this much difficulty over the legal complications, especially after getting married.

The fact is, straight couples usually never face this kind of hardship, and governments take that easy on them otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many sham marriages around the world just to get citizenship. So, the idea of a couple getting separated by law is not common, and that’s why many people called this movie implausible. But, a queer person can familiarly receive this implausibility, like when they want to be with someone forever, but the laws don’t let them.

Could it be this feeling that made “Like Crazy” special and a source of inspiration for Jimin? Or was it something smaller like the Santa Monica beach scene? I have no answer, I only make theories, and I think it’s better to leave the movie here and start the lyrical interpretation to see how these words and feelings can get connected.

The Lyrics

[Intro]

(I think we could last forever (I'm afraid that everything will disappear Just trust me)

As I said earlier, this intro is not a dialogue from the movie, but the narrators were told to do it based on the audio from the movie that was sent to them. So, hypothetically, it’s Anna and Jacob having this conversation. He is afraid of losing everything, but Anna assures him that if he trusts her, they can last forever. In the MV, we see Jimin standing in the crowd, but the time goes in reverse, and through a transition into his eyes, we see him sitting alone. Weirdly, the outro of the song is playing in the background here, but we will figure out the reason later.

[Verse 1]

Korean Version, Translated

She's saying Baby, don't think about it There's not a bad thing here tonight Baby, it's fine if you leave Stay with me, just for today

English Version

She's saying, Baby, come and follow me There's not a bad thing here tonight Save your reasons all for later Stay with me a little while

Anna asks him to follow her and assures him that everything is fine, it’s fine if this is not going to last long. It’s not the time for reason and overthinking. The gendered pronoun here refers to Anna, but we will know more about her in the next verses. It is worth mentioning that in the primary handwritten lyrics by Jimin, there was no “She” and it was modified later considering the dialogues added to the intro. Anyway, we know Jimin didn’t release these drafts in his album for no reason.

In this part of the MV, we see Jimin sitting alone in a room, and with a flicker of lights, the room is filled with mud. Suddenly, a muddy hand of a girl grabs Jimin’s hand and leads him to a party. There are several symbols in this part, the lonely room is Jimin’s reality, and the party is his dream. The mud symbolizes dreams and desires that leave their trace on your life and soul.

[Verse 2]

Korean Version, Translated

Watch me go Drenching myself all night (Away) So that even the morning Gets drunk and doesn't arrive

English Version

Watch me go Now, I sink down, all alone away Where am I? A dark haze clouding up my eyes

From here, we don’t see the girl because Jimin and the girl became one. She was her reflection from the beginning, the side that leads him out of his loneliness, and allures him to his dreams and desires, tempts him to be careless and stop thinking too much. Some say she is Jimin’s Anima, but these lyrics never go to the deep levels of the subconscious to reach the Anima. She is his feminine side that is a tangible side of him, and Jimin’s asymmetric makeup gives it away. Also, the mirrored moves between Jimin and the female dancer in “Like Crazy’s” choreography made it clear that the feminine presence in this song is Jimin’s reflection.

[Pre-Chorus]

Korean Version, Translated

As the loud music I get faded out A cliché story like a drama I get used to it Have I come too far to find the me that you used to know Yeah, I know You know I know (Ooh)

English Version

I can hear the voices listening Don't know who they are Trying to take the pressure off Been reaching for the stars Tell me, will I find myself again? When I go too far? Yeah, I know You know, I know (Ooh)

Jimin enters the party and starts drinking, dancing, and having fun with the others. He laughs and enjoys himself in the crowd and trusts the supposed strangers, but the confusion doesn’t leave him alone. He feels lost, and as the lyrics say, he is worried about going too far and not finding himself again. The two opposite sides of him are conflicting. It’s the contradiction between "fear and desire", between "pain and numbness", between "loneliness and losing yourself", and between "reason and dream" that leaves him confused.

[Chorus and Post Chorus]

Korean Version, Translated

I'd rather be Lost in the lights, Lost in the lights I'm outta my mind Hold onto the end of the night Every night You spin me up high The moon with you in its arms Let me have a taste Give me a good ride (Oh, I'm fallin', I'm fallin', I'm fallin') Oh, it's gon' be a good night (Oh, I'm fallin') Forever, you and I

English Version

I'd rather be Lost in the lights, lost in the lights I'm outta my mind Can you help me numb the pain? Each night, you spin me up high Emotions on ice Let me have a taste Give me a good ride (Oh, I'm fallin', I'm fallin', I'm fallin') Oh, it's gon' be a good night (Oh, I'm fallin') Forever, you and I

In this part, he confesses which side he really wants to follow. He wants to go out of his mind, lose himself to the desire, and leave the reason behind. It’s the escapism that saves him from loneliness and the pain of real life. The chorus is the sexy and at the same time, the most poetic part of this song, especially where he is spinning up high in the arms of the moon.

The last line of the post-chorus, “Forever you and I” which also repeats in the last part of the interlude, is crucial because it declares that Jimin is not talking about vagrancy or promiscuity. He wants it all with his significant other, the only one who can help him numb the pain of real life and escape it. But this escapism has its consequences, and we see all that mud flush out of every corner symbolizing it. This scene artistically ends with Jimin facing his reflection in the crowd. The question is, is this reflection the same significant other, or is it Jimin himself? We will get the answer in the next part.

[Verse 3]

Korean Version, Translated

The me, reflected in the mirror Is going crazy endlessly I'm feelin' so alive, wasting time

English Version

All my reflections, I Can't even recognize I'm feelin' so alive, wasting time

His fear of losing himself was true, and it's happening now. This duality confuses him and makes him question his reality. Which side is the true Jimin? He doesn't care anymore because this escapism makes him feel alive.

Here in the MV, we see Jimin facing the reflection, and it immediately cuts to the restroom scene where he faces his literal reflection in the mirror and talks to him about not recognizing him anymore. Then, the restroom being dismantled symbolizes his state of mind. "The reflection of myself in an unfamiliar appearance" was the concept of "his "FACE" which was a whole album about Jimin himself.

[Outro]

This will break me This is gonna break me (Break me) No, don't you wake me (Wake me) I wanna stay in this dream, don't save me Don't you try to save me (Save me) I need a way we (Way we) I need a way we can dream on (On, on, on) (Alone again What's the point?)

Jimin knows the consequences of losing himself but embraces it. He knows it's gonna break him but doesn't want to wake up from his dream. He knows everything will collapse but doesn't need a savior. He wants to stay in that dream, but he knows it's impossible, and sooner or later, he will be dragged out of it.

Is there a way to cut all the connections to the real world of loneliness and stay in this dream forever? We get the answer in the MV, and it's not positive because suddenly, everything goes backward in speed, to where we started (remember the outro being played in the beginning? That was the clue).

He goes back to his lonely room with a muddy hand. Did his hand get dirty from a touch of his reflection, or was the muddy hand in the beginning his own hand? Is he trapped in a loop? Maybe. Maybe this wasn't his first or the last time coming back from that dreamland, and it was the reason for so much mud accumulated in his room. He is a regular in that dreamland and he can't quit.

Conclusion

It's understandable if this analysis of the movie, lyrics, and the MV didn't guide you in any direction, and maybe you are even more confused after reading it all. But don't blame yourself because Jimin already told us that, his emotions for this movie are complex. So, don't look for just one answer, maybe we are not supposed to end up with one conclusion, and this song also can have multiple interpretations and meanings. But what are these meanings?

If you pay attention to the lyrics and the MV you will realize that despite them being aligned and in sync, the lyrics have more connection to the movie. While filming the MV, Jimin mentioned that things (scenes of the MV) didn't happen like this in real life, which was an obvious fact, because this song is clearly not about being the life of the party and stuff like that, and has more internal meanings.

In "Like Crazy", Jimin talks about the loneliness of his real life, the isolation and limitations he experienced during the pandemic, and maybe other times. But Jimin finds an alternate reality, where he can be himself, be free and careless, and forget about the future. This alternate reality is rooted in two possibilities: The feminine side, and the significant other. The feminine side is what we face in the MV, and there are not many signs of it in the lyrics.

The feminine side appears as a muddy hand and a presence at the part that faces Jimin and becomes one with him as his reflection. The idea of "bigender" is nothing new in the concepts that Jimin has offered on different occasions, from his fake tattoos in ARMY-Zip 2019 to the performance of "Filter" in 2020 and his photopholio in 2022, he has expressed this fluidity in his work, and I think the visual concept of "Like Crazy" with his different makeup in the MV and the choreography was the epitome of it.

What about the significant other? As I mentioned in the analysis of chorus parts, "Forever You and I" Can only be interpreted as his exclusiveness to someone who is his significant other. This person is the one who saves Jimin from his loneliness and assures him about their happy ending. This person has no doubt in them lasting forever and only wants Jimin to trust him to take the lead and let that happen.

He keeps saying to his significant other that there is no future. They can't be together forever, this is just a temporary situation, and despite finding comfort in each other, they should not get attached because they will forced to be separated. It's not like Jimin doesn't believe in this love, he does and has the same wishes and dreams, but he keeps getting dragged to the real world where the rules govern.

This part is just a personal opinion as a Jikooker, but I did this analysis in my head last year when "Like Crazy" was newly released and had no intention of making a connection between this and Jikook, until "Seven" came out. We all know JK had no hand in making the sexy lyrics of "Seven", but after watching the MV (which had nothing to do with the lyrics), I couldn't unsee the fact that the concept of Seven's MV looked so much like a response to "Like Crazy's" lyrics. Still, we don't know if JK gave any ideas for the concept of the MV, but considering his record of working as an MV director, it's not impossible.

The End.

This is all I could say about "Like Crazy", a masterpiece that is still thriving in the charts and still touches people's hearts because it comes from real and deep emotions that Jimin had in his heart. That emotion got us the moment we listened to it for the first time, even though verbalizing it, is never easy, no matter how many analyses and reviews we write.

[rainy-astrology]

BTS Suga Birth Chart Analysis

Based on my opinion and observations. Not an expert. May change later

March 9th, 1993

Daegu, South Korea

Unknown time

☀️♓️🌙♍️

Pisces sun is artsy, creative, sensitive, and empathetic. It should positively aspect his Pisces mercury. He genuinely seems like an emotionally intelligent person (esp with his interest in pyschology) as he's very patient and understanding. He's never raised his voice at the members or get very angry in general (except ofc for the few times he did fight with RM...I still wonder how Joon was able to get Yoongi so mad to the point of throwing things at him lol. But they were both very young and both have Cancer mars, an emotionally charged mars sign).

Virgo moon is reserved, prefer to detach and analyze their feelings and thoughts. This could be why he may seem "cold" to people. He's not, he's just calm and more controlled about his emotional expression like a majority of Virgo moons.

Having a Pisces sun and mercury though, he is able to comfortably express his deeper emotions through a creative outlet: his rap and lyrics writing skills. Music has always been his comfort and love. His song "First Love" is the best example for this.

Aries venus is in detriment. Being a Pisces sun, Suga is sweet and even a little idealistic at times, but Aries venus can make it awkward to express that. It's either he doesn't know how to initiate affection (e.g wanting to hold hands with the members but not knowing how to ask) or can be quite bold (e.g wanting a red string tattoo with the members. Could also be linked to his Pisces' romanticism lol)

Seems like a grand square is in his chart, which indicates many struggles and hardships. He's been very open about all the harsh things he's endured, so seeing this isn't surprising. Having to survive on small amount of money and working other jobs to support his career that was at high risk of failing, having unsupportive parents, shoulder and ear injury, mental illnesses, etc...

Possible rising: Aries. I have seen this to be his rumoured rising and I agree tbh. I'm not too sure about Venus in 1st considering how reserved he is (could be in his 12th). Mars could be in either 3rd or 4th. I am leaning towards 4th bc I know his parents weren't the most supportive of his career and he has made some implications that his parents were just a bit strict in general.

Sun and Mercury would be in 12th. Sun in 12th is perceptive and internal, preferring to observe from afar. A sense of detachment. Mercury in 12th keeps thoughts and feelings to self, so essentially a quiet and private person, which he is. Both are quite intuitive placements.

He has the passion and determined nature of an Aries. Capricorn MC also helps with the good self discipline and hardworking ethic that Yoongi has. Capricorn MC can also make one look serious and private, maybe a bit cold and workaholic, which a lot of people tend to say about him. Both signs share the ambitious and success seeking trait, which is very Yoongi.

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Other analysis:

MBTI | Enneagram

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Kpop astrology list

[somethingpersonarelated]

Another No More What Ifs Analysis

Okay, so... between wanting to analyze this and Our Light, and the kpop posts that I'll be doing that overlap with this. This blog will turn into Persona Music Analysis hour. Long post. Heavy spoilers for P5R, Proof of Justice, and Mementos Mission. BEGIN!

Let's begin with some context for the song. I think this is crucial to understanding why it is associated with Akechi's character. If you're familiar with this, you can skip to the lyrical analysis! The best analogy is that Beneath the Mask is to Akira as NMWI is to Akechi, in my opinion. Proof of Justice was an OVA released with the P5 anime (in May 2019) a couple months before the release of Persona 5 Royal in Japan (October of the same year). This OVA is centered around the relationship between Akira and Akechi. Specifically, Akira's grieving process as he goes through the places where they used to meet to find clues about the phrase "Proof of Justice" which was written in the Leblanc crossword. The Jazz Jin, as noted by Muhen here, is a place where Akechi would typically go alone. He also notes in confidant rank 4 that it wasn't necessarily a place that he was keeping secret, but that he never brought people around there since it was his personal space to reflect. As we'll examine, the content of the lyrics is too specific to not be related to the story, and there aren't any other characters or themes I could think are as associated with the song as Goro Akechi. Just wanted to clear this up first, as for some it's not entirely clear why the song is specifically Akechi's (since it's not explicitly stated, and the lyrics are hard to catch while you're playing through normally).

Lyrical Analysis

people come and they go some people may stay with you though I am all alone tonight and I kept on asking myself questions

The very first line is one of the easiest to dissect. Goro, since the death of his mother, has had few stable figures in his life, whether it is his parents, family, or friends. This also extends to his line of work as a celebrity detective, as he is kept so busy that there are very few people he sees on a regular basis, at all. He notes in the second confidant rank (if you choose to ask if he has no friends) that he doesn't have people that he chooses to spend time with. [I chose this option on my last play through and remember it but I can't find the dialogue anywhere].

The doubt that grows in this verse comes from the second line. He is taken by surprise that there is someone he is giving thought to for more than a couple seconds at time. Someone he is... to some degree choosing to spend time with even though he is doing it for the mission. At first, to investigate the Phantom Thieves identity to prevent them from interfering in his revenge plot, and then to lure Akira into a death trap. Tying it back to the first line analysis with the third and fourth line, this dissonance has put the first example of his doubt in this song.

Conceited I was at time I never really doubted myself But tonight got me thinking about it all if I am the fool or what not

There is a self-awareness that Goro always has about his personas (in the metaphorical sense). Goro kind of knows that he's arrogant and it was not ever something that bothered him. Even his character flaws will not get in the way of his plan, even if those flaws are just his humanity peeking through. There's a longing in Lyn's delivery of the last two lines here. He's stumped as to why he feels this way and the inner conflict makes him pause more than he is comfortable with.

"If I am the fool or what not." This line, is literally perfect, the double meaning is just ugh! We'll see this idea again near the end of the song, but I want to take an opportunity to talk about it now. For two years, Goro was the only Persona-user he knew, so he had no reason to believe anyone would ever stand a chance against him. Not only is he angered at himself for allowing Akira to get close to him and cause these doubts but he's also questioning what his role was.

I do not regret with my choices I'm rather proud ooh I know I won't change anything because I can only be me so

I had already written parts of this analysis like two months ago but I saw a post written by @vashtijoy here on how Mementos mission has a sneaky reference to this song. So check that out! It's something I never noticed.

Before Shido's palace, there's an acceptance of the circumstances in this line, that he has to do it regardless of what he may think because he has a goal. Throughout the third semester, we see an Akechi that is alive and tried to deal with the consequences of his actions before Maruki took that opportunity away from him. But he does not show remorse for what he did, that it was the only path he could have chosen with the information he knew.

How can I be so sure? at a crossroads I'm afraid too But I can't let fear get the best of me Someone once said burn my dread babe

This verse... this verse makes me wanna cry. I cannot even lie to you. The direct statement that there is fear behind the fact that he doesn't want to kill Akira and the acknowledgement in the last two lines that one of them has to end up dead. That he is also acknowledging that Akira must also be fearful, by playing with fire through continuing to lead the Phantom Thieves. The doubt is consuming him in this verse. The crossroad offers two choices, one where he sacrifices himself for Akira and one where Akira no longer is with him. The reference to Persona 3 really carries the weight here with this theory. I would explain more but I only spoiler tagged for P5R so we move.

Who knows what tomorrow holds? just wanna live my life the way I want what fills up my soul is passionate music that makes me want to sing

The first line, to me, reads that he's given up on allowing himself to think if there's another way to resolve his doubts. That there's another path where neither of them die and that it can't exist. He wants to live freely, which is what he thinks is assured once his revenge plan is complete. In another world, maybe it was one where both of them could be together without this chasing them. The last two lines I don't have a particular opinion about, but I think they add to the fact that Goro has given up entertaining other possibilities.

my story will be starring me just like yours ooh ooh who knows when will it end what matters most is how you bring joy to life so

I think about confidant rank 8. It feels written all over this line, and we come back to an idea that was present with "If I am the fool or what not." I think there's a bit of that 'hatred' that he talks about, that he's resentful that Akira story will end differently than his own. He's waiting for the day to come and resolves by centering himself, that once his goal is achieved, that he will achieve joy for the first time in his life. Refusing to acknowledge that Akira was showing him companionship that brought him happiness for one last time.

The Theme of Doubt

One of the things I have had trouble defining is what the doubt Goro is referring to is, or why the doubt is there. It's one of the things that is left in the air. Speculating here a little more than I usually will try to: the doubt stems from the fact that Goro is enjoying his time with the protagonist and is unsure what that means. In terms of what he is doubting, I'm not sure, I don't think he is referring to his plan, but rather the fact that Akira is caught up in it at all. His resolve to complete his plan never changes, but he wishes he could choose to leave him out of this. This tracks with a line stated by the SIU director which implies that some of the cruel actions carried out by the conspiracy/antisocial force by Akechi are not entirely his idea. He still carries them out without hesitation, but he never thinks of them himself. One of the reasons I wrote out this analysis was to see if there were any opinions on what this part of the song meant since I have trouble wrapping my head around it myself.

Goro, in base game and third semester, never shows any form of doubt or regret to the protagonist directly, only brief flickers and implications from dialogue. But this song is layered with it and bashes you in by telling you that it is what he is struggling with most when it comes to executing his plan. It's what nags at me even though I've tried to analyze this song a couple of times on my own.

IN CONCLUSION: I obviously hate goro akechi. (lying is fun)

[starburstfloat]

HELLO i just wanted to say that your poppin star analysis was really good and really interesting but also i was genuinely surprised by the reading of soobin's "i can't go to heaven" lines as queer subtext bc my brain has only ever interpreted it as adolescent self-loathing (i.e. i'm not suited for heaven bc i'm a bad person and heaven is for good people). BUT that is a super super fascinating reading of it and i see where you're coming from!!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the poppin star analysis! Thank you for your compliment 😊

As for Soobin's lines from lovesong, I can definitely see it from your interpretation as well, that we're presented with a self-loathing adolescent who thinks he's not good enough to get into heaven.

I've personally always felt an undeniably queer feeling to lovesong and the music video for how much the song centers on religious motifs and longing. Straight people just don't be making songs about sacrificial love the way queers do.

There's some interesting studies on how religious iconography and motifs are utilized in queer art. In kpop, Taemin feels like the most relevant example. He's constantly using religious motifs to convey a message about, for example, yearning, guilt, and self -acceptance, all of which are universally queer experiences.

Just the way that 0x1=lovesong talks about their love...yeonjun describes it as holy, soobin mentions this person is an angel who appeared one day, kai begs "please use me like a drug"....such intense worshipping and yearning, borderline sacrificial.......idk what else to say besides ummm gay

[prod-svt]

face the sun fifth track domino, my beloved show don't tell song, i love you so much

the usage of a domino show the feeling of helplessly and breathlessly falling in love with someone as they have the upper hand but still enjoying the fall because it's already unstoppable and predictable and your feelings are clearly visible anyway so might as well hug and welcome the fall is so sickly intelligent of the lyricists istg

"it's a bit dangerous standing next to you / this natural tension that i like" - the feeling of dangerousness as you put dominoes side by side being likened to standing beside the one you like but still continuing to put them side by side bc the result is intriguing.

"i'm trying to hold on / the one who makes me in a defenseless state" - dominoes standing side by side are all in a defenseless state

"touch me with a tap / and with hoo, i let out my breath / i fall over in an instant / like domino / falling over in order / this feeling no body knows / i fall over in one hit / like domino" - one tap and one exhale is all it takes for the dominoes to fall down, easily, just like falling in love. it only takes one little thing and you're already falling.

"you put me down and pick me up, this feeling in loop / things change with just one tip of your finger / ... stopping now is more difficult for me"

[not-goldy]

I'm open to discussing Jimin or Tae or any other member not getting as much push as Jungkook- in a way that does not negate JKs achievement.

But rather than look at things in a one dimensional way where Hybe is the big bad wolf and everyone else is being treated unfairly i like to look at it as a multilayered complex situation bearing in mind I have limited access to the inner workings of the company and the fact I, none of us, are Privy to the contract between the boys and the company.

Because at some point we have to recognize that Jimin is not quitting hybe or firing hybe and keeps renewing his contract with them choosing on his own volition to have them serve him as his agent, management, record label.

At some point he would have to pack his bags and walk away.

He has agency and autonomy and any analysis of his situation should factor that in.

Then there is the external factors such as whether Like Crazy is the song Jimin wants to break through the western market with.

Whether face is the album he wants to put on out there.

For a company that picks and chooses which songs to push and which to let simmer- if you've been in the Fandom for more than a year- you'd know it's not all songs of BTS the company pumps money into or pushes hard into the west.

We can talk of Dynamite or most of their recent English songs that were intentionally produced to get them into Grammy. I recall Koreans complaining heavily how disconnected they'd felt as they couldn't connect with those songs.

I also seem to recall people out in these streets mocking them and calling them Anglo pop Koreans and sell outs and how they missed their Korean songs and blah blah blah.

None of those English songs were marketed heavily in korea.

Compared to Be, which most of us felt was not pushed much in the west because the lyrics and theme spoke better to the Korean Japan markets.

At some point, we need to THINK about these METRICS and how they influence the decisions of the company and the direction of the member's promo.

I really be losing my patience explaining some of these things over and over I swear.

Like crazy came in two versions which seems to imply Jimin was well aware of the fact there are different markets and the two versions, an all English version and Anglo kpop versions suggest he had intended LIKE CRAZY NOT PRIMARILY FOR A WESTERN AUDIENCE BUT THE GENERAL AUDIENCE.

He is credited as the 1st Solo kpop artist to hit a BB1 with a Korean song....

The only other artist to achieve this to the best my knowledge is BTS with their life goes on which wasn't even marketed to the west per se.

do yall see how fucked up yalls rants are or do I have to spell it out further

Bts, hybe they cater to different markets at different times. They have specific markets and general launches or markets. There are times they target a specific market other times- like in JMs case with like crazy original, they target a general market.

Being pushed in the western markets does not make one a global superstar. If it were the case them BTS WOULDN'T BE THE BIGGEST BOY BAND IN THE WORLD because where is their push into the western market show me. SHOW ME.

RM has talked about this too.

When they make songs in Korean they don't intend it as pop songs or hype songs as he puts it.

English songs are meant to help them break into the US or western markets.

They could make Spanish songs or Japanese songs in order to break into specific markets but that comes at a cost of their brand and their identities as explained above by RM.

Safe to say they know and understand the market implications of the songs they make and the target audience of those songs.

Jimin gave us an English version of LIKE CRAZY not as his MAIN ORIGINAL SONG

His original was in Korean- DO THE MATH AND TELL ME WHY HYBE SHOULD PUSH A SONG NOT INTENDED FOR A SPECIFIC MARKET INTO THAT MARKET WITH ALL THEIR RESOURCES

Like I said, yall jx seem to have zero understanding of the inner workings of the entertainment industry, basic marketing and common sense is lacking 🙄

Talking bout Jimin can be the next big thing too- if you don't shut up

HE IS ALREADY THE BIG THING NOW

Tired of yall

IF JIMIN COMES FOR THE WEST YOU'LL KNOW

MARK MY WORDS

Yall cannot in one breath praise him for remaining true to himself and his roots while in the same breath complain he's not being westernized enough by his company to push him into the west.

You are the same people who will come crying about Jimin selling out and selling his soul and not singing Korean songs and how you miss his Korean songs if he goes full on west mode just as you doing to Jungkook.

Also just because an artist is heavily marketed in the west don't MAKE HIM A GLOBAL SUPERSTAR.

TP BE A GLOBAL SUPERSTAR YOU MUST HAVE GLOBAL APPEAL.

Your over emphasis on the west as measure of success is nauseating.

BESIDES I'M THE LAST PERSON OUT HERE YOU FOLKS SHOULD BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH.

I ALREADY PREDICTED THEY'D GO SOLO AND JUNGKOOK WOULD BE PUSHED IN JAPAN OR THE WEST GIVEN AS HE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH LOCAL APPEAL WITH KOREANS CONSTANTLY SCRUTINIZING HIM FOR HIS TATTOOS AND NON CONFORMING CHARACTER.

To me it's a win win situation fuck off

Leave me alone

[sputnik422]

TWS’s “hey! hey!”: What do you feel when you run with me?

Dear Reader,

I want to start this off by saying that I tend to overthink things a lot. Like, a LOT a lot. I've written and deleted and written and re-written this post's opening so many times already, I feel like it will never go public. I'm also a fairly emotional person (though if you ever met me you probably wouldn't be able to tell) with a very vivid imagination. These three aspects of myself often combine and keep me trapped inside of my head with an onslaught of thoughts about my life (all the things I’ve experienced, all the things I haven’t, and all the things I may never get to) and how it compares to everything I interact with. They say the grass is always greener on the other side and I too suffer this powerful sense of longing for any life that isn’t mine. This particular thought process tends to come back around when I encounter something that speaks to the part of me that’s always been a bit lonely and had trouble connecting with the world and people around me. Something exactly like “hey! hey!” by TWS.

Released on June 5th, 2024 (my birthday!) as a pre-release single leading up to their 2nd mini album, "hey! hey!" is a love letter to summer and youth. The music video puts the members in a high school setting, on what can be assumed is the last day of school. The six boys gather after the final bell rings, running out into the world and just having fun. They play basketball, eat ice cream, hop on a bus to the middle of nowhere, simply because they can. There's an inherent sense of freedom that comes with the summer, one that is often kept away from younger people. With the removal of any and all academic responsibilities, these kids are free to be kids again.

While the music video itself is enough to bring on a tidal wave of nostalgia and longing for summers gone by, pairing it with the song, particularly the lyrics, invokes a very strong set of emotions within me.

The Lyrics

The lyrics to this song, how do I even begin to describe how they make me feel? "hey! hey!" is about a relationship, specifically the very unlikely yet fierce bond between the narrator, N, and whoever they are singing to. It could very well be referencing a group of people, mirroring the music video, but for purpose of ease I will refer to the subject as a singular person. We'll call them S for short (very ironic yet fitting nicknames indeed). A great number of things stood between these two figures at some point in time, be it time zones or borderlines, yet they have somehow still managed to find their way to each other. It's miraculous really and the sentiment makes me think about just how slim the odds are that we get to exist. That the person who I consider myself to be, my distinct personality, gets to exist instead of the billions of other possibilities that existed before I was born. Now throw all the people I love into the equation and you get the beginnings of a typical 2 A.M. spiral.

Existential crisis aside, the introduction of the subject into the narrator's life was clearly a very pivotal event. To completely change one's mindset from, "I was all alone" to "Now I'm loving the word together" is no small feat. This theme of unity and togetherness is one of a handful that sit at the core of "hey! hey!". It is most easily seen through the constant use of plural possessive and subject pronouns like "we" and our" along with the way N continues to reassure S. N urges S to remember that neither of them have to be alone and work toward their shared goal in isolation anymore.

"I am by your side / We run together"

So, clearly the narrator and the song's subject are very close, to the point that the former could not fathom ever leaving the latter behind. This show of affection, how N is able to comfortably and confidently devote themself to S in this way, it got me thinking about the many nuances of interpersonal relationships.

Firstly, while the exact kind of relationship that N and S have is never specified, I think you would be doing this lyrical narrative a disservice to boil it down to just being another love song. Instead, I urge you to view it as something purely platonic yet much more tangible than a mere friendship. To me, the narrator and the subject are clearly some kind of soulmates. More specifically: Twin Flames.

If you could take one soul, split it in half, and place those halves into two separate bodies, those two people would be twin flames. It's different than the typical idea of a soulmate because instead of simply being compatible, you and your twin flame are direct mirrors of each other. They are someone who reflects your own growth, your own challenges, and even your deepest fears. You may not believe in these kinds of things, I myself only really see them as something fun to think about. But I also like to imagine that out of the more than eight billion people currently inhabiting the planet at least two have met and formed a relationship of this kind.

Lines like, “Our passion burning at equal temperatures” and "I want to cry out our dream" illustrate the similarities between N and S are. As previously stated there is a shared goal being worked towards here and both figures are fueling each other's ambitions, lifting each other up to that they can achieve it. Its like a never-ending feedback loop of passion, the force bouncing between the two at a speed so fast that it forms a tangible link. Through this channel the two are able to achieve that deeper level of understanding that comes with being two halves of the same whole.

This brings me to the last aspect of the song that I'd like to discuss today. In one draft of this post I started off with a thought exercise and I liked that idea so much that I will now be moving it down here. I want you to think about someone who you are thankful for. Could be a family member, could be a friend, just take a moment to really think about them. What have they done that makes them come to mind? Do you ever wonder why they've stuck around for so long, despite the trials and tribulations? Have you ever been able to tell them how grateful you are to have them in your life?

This is the dilemma at the heart of this song. Our narrator is very passionate, optimistic, and enthusiastic, but they are not without fear. There was once a time when N stood frozen, petrified by the uncertainty of the future and all that could come with it. They had nobody to sooth this anxiety and the world around them seemed to grow duller by the day. With the arrival of S and all of their support, the narrator is able to see a path into the light once more. Its not just the narrator's taking meager steps towards an unknown tomorrow anymore, they have someone by their side every step of the way. Those previously apprehensive steps become a steady walk, and that becomes a jog, until we reach the present point where the narrator is sprinting towards the future with courage and ease.

When you're with your special person, what words come to mind? When you're faced with the person to whom you owe everything, staring into their eyes as your sprint comes to a crawl and your chests rise and fall in tandem, how do you tell them that they are the reason you've managed to keep going all this time? When every fiber of your being resonates with theirs, what words could possibly even begin to convey how you feel?

The answer isn't "thank you". It isn't "You mean the world to me". It isn't even "I love you". Shockingly enough, the narrator begins by asking a question of their own.

"What do you feel when you run with me?"

When I stand by your side does it make you feel complete? When I take you by the hand, pressing our pulses together and finding that they are perfectly in time, does send a wave of contentedness trailing up your arm and across your entire body? When we finally take that first step towards the unknown, each footprint shining with the power of our potential and the hopes we share, illuminating the path to that unified tomorrow, are you glad that its me by your side? When we come face to face, two people who have managed to beat those impossible odds, crystalline mirror souls, do these thoughts and feelings arrive safely at the front door of your heart, of your mind, from their permanent residence within mine? Do they burrow in deep, transmitting a signal containing the overwhelming amount of gratitude that I hold for you? Are you sending your own signal back?

The narrator grabs the subject and smiles. They open their mouth, saying out loud the one message that has managed to make its way through this frightening whirlwind of emotions, the one thing they've been meaning to say all along.

"Out of tens of thousands of feelings I've got / I'll tell you how glad I am to have met you"

---

If you couldn't tell that this song is one of my favorites to come out this year, I sure bet you can now! And not just because it came out on my birthday. I've been wanting to lay out my thoughts about this release since the day that I first heard it and started raving about it to my friends on discord. It really does hold a special place in my heart, the way its able to be so emotionally vulnerable and say all of the things that often don't get said. It makes me think about the people in my life. Do they know how much they mean to me, even if I've never said it out loud? I know there are more ways to show gratitude than with words but I also happen to think that the method that appears the simplest can have the greatest effect. On the other hand there's the part of me that craves a connection exactly like the one detailed in "hey! hey!". In contrast with the picturesque vision that the music video presents, my school days were quite lonely. I was one of those kids who went to school and went immediately home, preferring the comfort of my room and the stimulation of the internet over extracurriculars. I could go an entire school day without talking to somebody simply because I had no presence in the class, I didn't register on anyone's radar. Once the pandemic hit and I had no reason to physically interact with a majority of my peers, I felt even more disconnected.

There's a part of me that thinks I'm being overly dramatic. My family are all very loving and I've been lucky enough to know the person who I call my best friend for about 6 years now. We may not have started off this close but time many overlapping hobbies have made it so that our friendship feels effortless. But there will always be that part of me that yearns for things to just fall into place, to experience the sparkling school days as seen in the music video. I fantasize about what it would be like to meet someone and instantly have that natural understanding, the ability to speak my mind and be vulnerable around them without simultaneously wanting to crawl out of my own skin. I want a kindred spirit.

If the universe has handed you someone who you can easily connect with, someone who makes living even a little bit easier, hold them tight and never let them go. You were put on this earth at the same time for some unexplainable reason, and as my favorite lyric in the song says: "Being together is truly / Fate, much more than coincidence". Make sure they know they are loved and appreciated in whatever way you feel the most comfortable because one day it may be too late and regret is one of the most difficult feelings to move on from.

Didn’t mean to get so downcast at the end there but what can I say! Just me being me. It was nice to finally be able to think this song through and write (very informally) about some of the reasons why I love it. If anyone actually read all of this of their own volition, even if its just because I asked you to, you’re the best and I’m sending you a virtual high-five. Seeing as there are more than enough songs that have moved me in similar and different ways, I hope I’ll be able to put out more of these in the future.

Until then,

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

[doodletae]

"still life" by rm - mini lyric analysis

I'm still life, but I'm movin' Just live now, goin' forward, yeah A still life that does not stop, keep my flower blooming again

finally time for me to ramble about kim namjoon's stellar wordplay and lyricism :D

already namjoon sets up the seemingly paradoxical nature of this song with that first line "i'm still life, BUT i'm movin'." the word "still" can refer to something's continual action, like "life is still happening", but it can also be used as an adjective, like something is calm and peaceful. when a river is still, it's not moving.

so in the first line, namjoon presents the statement "i'm still life, i'm still living and existing and life is pretty stationary right now" then juxtaposes it with "but I'M moving, i'm the one going forward." yet then he says "a still life that does not stop" implying how no matter how "peaceful" a still life may feel it's always moving through time

Still nonstop life Shall my flower bloom again

you're always moving and your external world is always moving too, so it's easy to feel you're trapped in the same mundane routine everyday. it's a "nonstop still life" and you're just racing to catch up to where you were ten seconds ago. and let's not even start on how this is perfectly visualized in the still life mv where namjoon is on a train, meaning even if he stays still, he's still moving forward with the train, and if the train stops, he's confined to that space for how far he can move forward. i knew the mv would slay, but i didn't know it was gonna be a whole freakin artistic metaphor so props to the producers behind that one.

also super cool how namjoon mentions flowers in these lyrics and he asks "shall my flower bloom again", probably referencing his title track "wildflower". if the wildflower is supposed to represent him, then it's like he's wondering if this nonstop still life will allow himself time to grow and develop.

OKAY ONE MORE THING.

Gimme no name 'cause I'm untitled (Oh, yeah) My life is on display, still life, still life

I want to escape the frame of this canvas (Oh-oh)

a big theme in indigo is about namjoon grappling with his identity in the midst of all these expectations people have about him and namjoon ingeniously introduces the metaphor of a painting to describe this. he mentions how he is "untitled", a moniker often given to pieces of art that don't have a name (which is also how he describes himself in "wildflower"). the term "still life" can be used to refer to "still life drawings" which are what the name implies: drawings of inanimate objects in the natural world. if namjoon sees himself as a "still life", he is quite literally trapped on a canvas in a painting where nothing moves. one might also speculate that he no longer wants to be seen as just an "artist" or be identified only by his "art" since heaven knows that literally describes the last 10 years of his life. it calls back to "Yun" where he sings "i want to be a human before i do some art"; namjoon is perhaps trying to reclaim his status as just another human being living life amidst all these people throwing all their expectations onto him.

The shadow cast over me by yesterday and tomorrow

also the way the line "the shadow cast over me by yesterday and tomorrow" perfectly encapsulates both a person's regrets about the past and their worries about the future, like *chef's kiss* brief and brilliant poetry

I just calmly livе errtime (Oh-oh) 24/7, yeah, baby, I’m on timе I just live every minute and every second of today

and also i love the subtle imagery implied in "baby, i'm on time", which could literally mean he's punctual, but i get the picture of him standing on top of time, like maybe on the second-hand of a clock, so that he's moving forward with time itself and not pausing to think about the past nor worry about the future. he is fully in the moment.

okay that's it for real.

[starlostlix]

Finally adding my Intro post:

Hi, I'm Alyssa!

- Age - 18

- Lesbian, She/They

- AuDHD

- Main focus of my page will probably be MTP and BSD with some other things I like on occasion. Sometimes dip into sociology and psychology analysis, i do general analysis of themes/ideas in the show I mentioned and sometimes i just do funny posts or highlights of trips in the future or even casual reviews im not sure yet.

- Not spoiler free for BSD/MTP manga!!!

- DNI - z!0nist, hom0phobe, r4cist etc.

- Anime/manga I like - Bungo Stray Dogs (both), Moriarty the Patriot (both), Yuri On Ice (anime), Case Study of Vanitas (anime), SK8 the Infinity, (will update as I watch more)

- Other shows - Arcane, TGCF (donghua only currently), Derry Girls, Heartbreak High (Netflix version), Renegade Nell, Stranger Things, Glee, Heartstopper, Geek Girl. etc. (some of these i like more intensely than other lmao, will update as I find any others)

- Kpop fan, Stray Kids are my favourites, also love ATEEZ, TXT, Purple Kiss, Xdinary Heroes, Twice, Loona, BTS, P1Harmony. Listen to a lot of other kpop artists on the regular like Kiss of Life, and many many kpop artists overall.

- Other artists I enjoy - Boygenius + their solo music, Taylor Swift, Conan Gray, Babymetal, Laufey, Maneskin, Fiona Apple, Chappell Roan etc.

- Other things I like/have - I love collecting stuff especially Kpop albums and manga, I ADORE ROLLERCOASTERS (special interest of mine), love me some lego (flowers sets especially), Boba tea enjoyer (specifically chocolate flavour), have a crystal collection I do not know how to use (they're just pretty), I have a collection of signed books if that's something you find cool, i'm starting to gain a sizeable amount of plushies for the first time since I was young, etc.

- Things I want to do/like to do - write powerpoints about my interests, infodump about things i like (majority of my posts), would like to try cosplay (either Chuuya or Sherlock), have tried scrapbooking before idk if i'm any good at it?, make somewhat mediocre edits on tiktok using basic capcut, occasional lyric analysis, i enjoy organising things too. and sometimes the occasional silly post as a treat.

- Kins - Quinni Gallagher-Jones (HBH), Robin Buckley (Stranger Things), Reki Kyan (SK8), (add more in the future when I understand kins a bit better)