#onlyoneof beyOnd

[andrhomeda]

Lyon Pride Flag! based on the colors of OnlyOneOf undergrOund idOl 'be' series

[listen here]

[peppertaemint]

Hi, Peppertaemint! I was wondering if you wanted to talk more in depth about OnlyOneOf's Begin and Be Free music videos. It would be interesting to read your perspective on how both music videos follow a storyline, the stylistic means through which they portray the beginning of a potential relationship, but most importantly, the impact they must have on current K-Pop and its audience.

Hi Anon. Sorry it's taken me so long to answer this one. I wanted to wait until I could do it justice.

OnlyOneOf has released five music videos in the "be" series: YooJung's Begin, KB's Be Free, JunJi's Be Mine, Rie's Because, and Mill's Beat. Nine, the sixth member of OOO, has dropped the teaser for the final video in the "be" series, Bey0nd.

These videos tell stories of LGBT+ romance. The first two, Begin and Be Free, follow a couple's hookup and more than allude to the physical side of that, while Be Mine and Because take things further with a couple's ups and downs, including attraction and desire. Beat focuses on school bullying, with a student crushing on a young man who then battles the bullies with him. The teaser for Bey0nd carries on from the last, showing the new couple playing music and celebrating together.

These works are undoubtedly LGBT+, not only in the narrative portrayal but in the messages posted with the videos themselves. Begin states this clearly with the beautiful passage posted under the MV on YouTube:

Among the countless lovers in the world, there are also lovers that couldn’t be blessed. For whatever reasons. Religious reasons, things like parents’ disapproval. I dedicate this song to all those lovers that couldn’t be blessed.

Each set of MVs focuses on a couple (the members "chop and change" to create different couples) and a stage in their relationship. Flirting, getting acquainted, intimacy, conflict, reunion, etc. Begin and Be Free focus on desire and a sense of the erotic in romance. I particularly like the fish tank scene that is reminiscent of the intoxicating party scene in Baz Lurhmann's Romeo+Juliet. Be Mine and Because are bolder, if less stylistically interesting, as they depict kisses and other physical encounters between their couple, including an underwater kiss. If we compare these to Holland's MVs, which were marked as "adult only" because of same-sex romantic content, OOO's videos are less raw and gritty and much more wholesome, constituting a kind of K-drama-esque homo-romance.

If I squint, I'm reminded of Jungkook and Jimin in the Dynamite Holiday Remix video, acting as the "Christmas couple" away from the other members. But there's one glaring difference here—homo-romance is not subtext for OnlyOneOf. It's the whole of the text and the message of the work.

When OOO released homoerotic/romantic work previously, many cried "queerbaiting" despite many of us pointing out how these videos weren't queerbaiting—they were LGBT+ stories being told with elements of eroticism and romance. What I notice now is how much warmer the response is. I think this has something to do with the theme being consistent so people understand it's not a stunt for views, but I also think it's because the erotic elements are lessened. Sadly, people still have strong, negative reactions to eroticism, especially if it's LGBT+. The history of fan service is partly a reason for this, though I still think fan service needs to be revisited and recontextualized (that's an opinion for a different day).

Nonetheless, I think these videos show how the young SK generation's attitude toward LGBT+ contrasts with older generations' attitudes. Polls show there is quite a difference in support for LGBT+ rights between generations, and I think the fact we're seeing more openly positive LGBT+ content coming out in SK is a product of this.

It will be interesting to watch their trajectory over the coming years. K-pop is less popular in SK right now than it used to be, judging by comments from the general public, and the music industry in general is seeing the "silo-ing" of artists, meaning it's much harder for artists to become known and followed by many because styles and genres have become niche by default. Audiences have almost infinite choices in terms of who they follow and listen to, so much like we see on social media, fandoms are becoming their own complete subcultures where values and ideas are reinforced instead of challenged. And I mention this to say that although I'm sure OOO are having a positive impact on LGBT+ youth and artists in SK, the East, and beyond, I'm not sure just how wide the impact is given that we can now easily ignore what is outside of our sphere, culturally speaking.

Countering this, I'm reminded how important music shows like Inkigayo and Mnet are because they put this content in the living rooms of a diverse set of people. And that is one way older generations can be reached.

[cyanidecravings]

bump up business behind

[skinzchoerim]

I started working on this over a year ago but abandoned it when coloring the face turned out to be too difficult. Coming back to it and realizing I understand colors and values much better now has been really rewarding, and I had a lot of fun finishing it!

[ambivartence]

My top songs (of the first half) of 2023 ✦ Boys Planet edition ✦

tagged by @lunetual @jikyu @leewonseo @lee-minhoe ty 💕

I've listened to over 300 new releases from over 100 different kpop artists this year so picking my top songs felt like an mnet-level survival show 😭 the irony that i never watched Boys Planet AND one of the songs is literally a Peak Time song is not lost on me ! 🙃 but i wanted to pick a trendy format so here we are 😈 anyways i included albums instead of songs that didn't make the cut since there's too many honorable mention songs that i have had on repeat this year 😭 but most of them are in these 22 albums (oo-li is on here twice and istj isn't out yet !)

if u like my gif template, here's the link ! pls credit me ty <3

tagging (no obligation ofc and if you've already posted will u tag/send me so i can see 🥺): @bahngentertainment @chrisbangs @coupsnim @dakbees @dive-in-the-blue @hannahbahng @hyunfelix @ingblr-s @jinniebit @kyubins @losergirlz @quokki @shorelinnes @starcatching @userjiung @userwoodz @wabisaba @woodziecup @yohanblr + anyone else who wants to share just say that i tagged u <3

[dzdzem]

OnlyOneOf / God's Own Country parallels

Okay so, yesterday I watched "God's Own Country" because this is probably the film that KB recommended to the rest of OnlyOneOf, that inspired the "libidO" mv

Well, at least that's what people have been saying cause they noticed a bunch of similarities between them

So I wanted to check it out myself and see if I spot anything

I know that there's a thread somewhere on twitter pointing them out, I think? But I haven't looked at it cause i wanted to spot the similarities myself... So here's what I ended up with haha

(i took some screenshots from the mv behinds cause they offered a better picture of the scenes)

First, the bike riding scene;

The hand holding scene:

The bathtub scene:

The lake scene:

BUT, that's not all!

There was another scene that reminded me of OnlyOneOf, but this time I got reminded of Junji's "be mine" / Rie's "because" mvs! And it was this:

like THE POSITION OF THE HANDSSS

Also, way less likely to be a reference but here I got reminded of Nine's "beyOnd" mv:

And that's it folks! It's probably just me being delusional but I think it's pretty likely that they were inspired by this film when making "libidO" and maybe even some of their solo stuff

[prettythingsforyou]

nine ‘beyond’ movie concept poster

[save-the-data]

OnlyOneOf ~ Nine “Beyond” | Official Music Video

[loossemble]

Mill & Nine - Frozen

[many-gay-magpies]

you ever have disproportionately large feelings about something that seems comparatively very small and you feel like if you don't articulate them all perfectly youll explode and die

[cyanidecravings]

nine - “beyOnd” (be #6)

[skinzchoerim]

what we weren't shown

[kpopmultifan]

OnlyOneOf has released another teaser image of Nine for “beyOnd,” the upcoming 6th installment of their “undergrOund idOl” series which is scheduled to be released on January 4th.

[shadowetienne]

... so I just went through and copied down the translated to English lyrics for beyOnd and am sort of sifting through them trying to gain more insight into the story being told. Fair warning, literary analysis time (based on the translation that they had in the translated captions).

“beyOnd” (English translation of lyrics)

My frozen lips are chapped My heart is just dried up Then a ray of light that is you shined on me And left behind like a small dew Like how today seems much different from today You take root in my heart It keeps being irritating It feels different

Hold my hand Dance with me Dance with me Not sure yet but Align your steps with me And dance with me

It’s not over there I know nothing beyond this In the air that has gotten cold I’ll warm up and melt your heart With my breath (1.1) Perhaps it’s withered

My eyes keep looking at you only Why are you making me feel anxious Why is the clock ticking so slowly I can’t express this with words very well Baby, I wanna make you mine (2.1)

  Dew on me flower   Like a flower blossoming on ice baby   Let yourself blossom in my heart please   Far over there flower   Hurry and let yourself blossom on me   Winter come again   Dew, dew, dew, dew flower   Fell in deep and have trouble getting out everyday   Which your, which your, which your, which your color   Will you let me see you   Flower flower, Oh winter, winter flower

The night can’t overshadow us Even when I cover my eyes I keep seeing you Your cold eyes swallow me Your scent makes me dizzy Drunk and getting drunk by your body scent (3) When you look at me The tip of my nose itches God bless (4)

Now please open your eyes to me Come lie down next to me And dream the same dream as me (5) When the winter comes, with my breath I’ll make you in full bloom (1.2) Perhaps it’s withered

My eyes keep looking at you only Why are you making me feel anxious I want to wind back the clock with my hand Because I want to see you even earlier Baby you can take my time (2.2)

  Dew on me flower   Like a flower blossoming on ice baby   Let yourself blossom in my heart please   Far over there flower   Hurry and let yourself blossom on me   Winter come again   Dew, dew, dew, dew flower   Fell in deep and have trouble getting out everyday   Which your, which your, which your, which your color   Will you let me see you   Flower flower, Oh winter, winter flower

Overall Lyrical Themes and Notes

Throughout the poem, the feelings that Nine is experiencing towards Mill and vice versa are being described as flowering plants. This immediately creates a reference to some of their other songs lyrically for me (”blOOm” and “blOssOm” are what are coming to mind, need to go look at those more closely). This flowering plant is specifically one existing in winter: harsh conditions that make it hard or unsafe for it to blossom/bloom. This is clearly relevant to the conditions that the characters are facing in high school where there is bullying over perceived sexuality. Nine is saying that he is coming into this situation with his heart flower dried up/withered, and meeting Mill causes his heart flower to take root again and start trying to grow and bloom.

(1) Breath and Growth

There are two sets of similar but different lyrics that reflect this. The first time it comes up, the lyrics say:

I’ll warm up and melt your heart With my breath (1.1)

At this point, nothing can grow because Mill is feeling too threatened/afraid to let anything grow. But by spending time together and getting close, Nine is helping him realize that it’s safe to be himself around Nine.

When the winter comes, with my breath I’ll make you in full bloom (1.2)

This is taking the idea further though, and moving towards the bloom of love in that heart flower that both of them seem to have. Nine’s breath, and the breath that they shared blowing out the candle and making the wish is what’s going to help Mill’s heart flower bloom.

(2) Time and Lyrical References

I think that this might be referencing “Time Leap” and possibly a few of their other songs in the last lines of these two line variations (someone help me out?).

Why is the clock ticking so slowly I can’t express this with words very well Baby, I wanna make you mine (2.1)

At the beginning of the lyrics, Nine still hasn’t solidified what he’s feeling and wanting to say and wanting to do, but he knows he wants Mill to be with him. The clock is ticking slowly, and it almost feels like the two of them are stalling, trying to figure themselves out.

I want to wind back the clock with my hand Because I want to see you even earlier Baby you can take my time (2.2)

This second variation is where it really reminds me of “Time Leap” and that idea of wanting to go back. But also, I feel like one of their earlier songs had the lyric “Baby we can take our time” and now we’re getting “Baby you can take my time.” (Which song is this???) It’s an interesting parallel.

(3) Connection to “byredO”

Nine used “byredO” as his remix song, and that’s always been his song, so I felt like this reference in the lyrics to scent and its effect was an interesting one showing how they are falling in love and tying it to the remix attached to it.

Your scent makes me dizzy Drunk and getting drunk by your body scent (3)

(4) Reference to the Description

Interestingly the description returns to that idea of “lovers who could not be blessed” and we have this usage of “God bless” in the lyrics.

The tip of my nose itches God bless (4)

I think that this line being lingered over in the delivery of the song is very important in that this is a song that is meant to be for those “lovers who could not be blessed” and it is in itself a blessing of their love.

(5) Hope and Wishes

In the previous arcs, hopes and wishes have been demonstrated on screen with paper cranes and how the protagonists interact with them, but there’s a change here to wishing on the candle and then also this line about dreams.

Come lie down next to me And dream the same dream as me (5)

While it feels like the hope of these characters is less tangible (the candle is a fleeting moment, even if captured on film), in the lyrics, during that candle scene, these lines are delivered, and they give a little preview of the end of the MV and song. We know that they are at least going to try to dream the same dream, and now, even with the hurt at the end, there is comfort and hope for the future.

Throughout, Nine and Mill’s flower hearts seem to be getting stronger and more resilient as winter flowers that are going to bloom despite the adversity, which mirrors the storyline shown in the MV. Mill catches Nine when he collapses, and this is what draws them together: being in the face of adversity. Mill doesn’t run away though, and Nine doesn’t break the promise that he made and comes to meet Mill. It’s not a hope of having no hardships, but a hope that being together will give them the strength and resilience to get past the hardships.

These lyrics match beautifully with the MV and the messages that OnlyOneOf has been conveying throughout this series. I’m really interested to see how it will transition into whatever they do next.

[winxys]

underground idol #6 — beyond