There are many ways to tell a unique story. Some do so through books, artworks, music, or better yet, music videos. Numerous stories are told through the art of the music video as they are able to portray an array of meanings, symbols, and messages. However, the message isn’t always in front of you. A group’s “lore” is generally allegorical and interpretive. This means that the true “answer” is not always given and is instead left up to the viewer to piece together through the music videos they release. Today, we are going to take a look at five music videos that are essential to help viewers understand the lore of different K-pop groups.
“Hi High” – LOONA
The LOONAVERSE lore is most popularly interpreted as all of the members of LOONA joining together as it is their destiny. The “Hi High” music video opens with the members looking up toward the sky with the moon representing LOONA as a whole. In the LOONAVERSE, there are subunits that belong to different realms or dimensions. LOONA 1/3 belongs on earth, LOONA/Odd Eye Circle belongs between earth and space, and LOONA yyxy belongs between utopia and eden. Each dimension has their own specialty and story. As some of them have the power to move between realms, members of each unit can unite to bring LOONA together, which is their ultimate goal.
“Can’t You See Me?” – Tomorrow X Together
“Can’t You See Me?” is the title track to Tomorrow X Together’s third album, ‘The Dream Chapter: Eternity’. This music video is the key to understanding the TXT Universe lore. The TXT Universe tells the story of five boys who are driven by the power of friendship to protect and help each other.
“Can’t You See Me” explores the feeling of loneliness and desperation for a friend who promised to be by their side. Throughout the music video, suspicious behavior is exhibited by both Soobin and Taehyun. The duo remain checked out and unamused as the other members have fun. Previous music videos showed the group as a happy unit, but what could’ve changed? Differences in their choreography could also be a hint. During “who’s a liar?”, the same two members have their fingers crossed, possibly insinuating lies or betrayal, while the rest have their pinkies out, signifying a promise. This music video leaves room for interpretation as we see signs of dishonesty, fights, and broken promises.
“Run” – BTS
Following the lore from their music videos for “I Need U” and “Prologue,” “Run” by BTS continues the story of a struggling friend group. This track from ‘The Most Beautiful Moment In Life, Pt.2’ follows the popular HYYH, an acronym for the album’s Korean title, lore. The HYYH lore revolves around six troubled individuals finding refuge in each other as they transition to adulthood.
The video begins with V submerged in water, continuing the scene of his death from a previous music video. The loss of their friend devastates the members and they act out as a result, careless towards the possible repercussions. We see a “perfect present” of all the members being happy together, despite the harsh truth that they’re all suffering. Jin struggles with denial and builds a house of cards. As explained in their song “House of Cards,” this signifies that dreams do not last forever. As the house tumbles down, it reminds him (and viewers) of the sad reality that his friend group is beginning to crumble and their consequences are finally catching up to them.
“Peek-a-boo” – Red Velvet
“Peekaboo” by Red Velvet is believed to represent “the play of death,” better known as a cat-and-mouse game of sacrifice. As dark as this idea sounds, the song’s playful sound and the happy expressions of the members contradict the message. Believed to be a coven of witches, the visuals of the video give off an eerie Halloween vibe that perfectly complements the dark undertones of the story.
A pizza man arrives at the house to make a delivery for the Red Velvet members. Upon delivery, the girls find a thrill in keeping him around and even terrorizing him. “I fall in love so easily… I like new things, they sparkle,” Irene and Seulgi sing, tapping into how they view romance. They are interested in the delivery man because he’s a new asset, but what happens when they get bored? The video shows the girls trying to kill him and ends with his uniform proudly on display, insinuating that they achieved their goal. Theories believe that this is a reoccurring event as the house is filled with pizza boxes and a payphone near their home has multiple missing persons posters on it.
“Lucky One” – Exo
EXO’s “Lucky One” is about overcoming hardship and difficulties in order to find your way to your true love. Despite the beautiful message of the song, the music video tells a story that is a bit darker.
Each EXO member possesses their own unique superpower. Their powers include, but are not limited to, controlling water, teleportation, controlling electricity, and telekinesis. The music video is centered around the members losing their powers and getting captured in that moment of weakness. While in captivity, the nurses began experimenting on them and administering different substances. EXO later regains their powers, setting them up for the perfect escape. In the end, they are able to free themselves and we are able to see some of the members use their powers to their advantage.
There is a lot to speculate when it comes to these storylines and everyone has their own unique interpretation! However, it is pretty fantastic to see the lengths that groups will go to to create a distinctive lore.
What are your favorite group lores? Did you notice anything we missed in these videos? Let us know on our Twitter and Instagram!
