There's so much going on in this MV, I feel like I could just keep going. (I'm still stuck on the whole bird imagery/symbolism thing). Please feel free to share your thoughts on the storytelling, symbolism, lore, music, or anything about One Pact you think I should know!
Im a film student who somehow just found this song today lol. I'm actually really surprised at your analysis and all of these comments! After watching the video (many times) and reading the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, my theory of what was going on was completely different lol. I also mostly analyzed it from the video and without holding the chronological order of each clip to a high priority lol. My theory is that Jongwoo and Tag both dead and are meant to be the Eurydice's of this story. Since neither of them are shown outside for a majority of the video, it gives the feeling that they're both trapped in the rooms that they're shown in. Additionally, both of them spend a good portion of the video surrounded by feathers. While considering some of these comments along with your theories, I think that the difference between them is the way the way that they're approaching their relationships. In reference to Chungking Express, Tag is hoping and waiting for the person to come back. Meanwhile, Jongwoo attempts to reach out and and savor the connection. Going back to Jay, Seongmin, and Yedam, they are the Orpheus's of this story. Seongmin and Yedam both attempt to bring Jonwoo and Tag back by starting the fires (with sm throwing the molotov and yd pouring the gasoline). This alligns with the story of Orpheus and Eurydice since Seungmin turns his back to the fire after starting it. Because he does this, Jongwoo is able to come back during the first chorus. The second fire hits the painting (the connection to Tag's room which brings him back for the second chorus). Jongwoo, having made an effort to maintain the connection, is able to come back easily (white feathers). Meanwhile, Tag becomes more jaded as time goes on (symbolized by the black veins and hellfire). I think that in relation to the lyrics, the black veins represent the resentment that can grow from those feelings. As a result, he initially returns as a crow (black feathers) symbolizing death (6:33). For me, this is the second and most prominent tie to the original story. While I'm not entirely sure if Jay is meant to have something to do with Tag's death, he's haunted by the crow (6:36) and shows the most self-loathing throughout the video (5:22). Because of his paranoia, he shoots Tag and kills him by "looking back," just like Orpheus did to Eurydice. Knowing this, Yedam beats up Jay and the clip the beginning is Jay tending his wounds and praying for forgiveness. Finally, Jongwoo is sacrificing himself by "looking back" at the painting at 8:00. While this is loosest part of my interpretation, it seems emphasized by how long that clip is. After staring at the fire, we cut to the burning paining, then back to Tag standing in Jongwoo's place. This is how the painting and the story itself are "rejected," with Tag being saved despite the deal being lost. Additionally, he looks with no traces of the black veins. I think that Jongwoo was able to do this because he's the only one who's made peace with the situation mentioned in the song despite the pain. If anyone else has any theories or ideas pls let me know!
First off hooray for film studies One Pact stans, a match meant to be :) I really like the idea that Tag and & Jongwoo are Eurydice-this actually has the ring of truth to me. I mean, if you were to ask me (before I’d seen this MV) who in the Orpheus and Eurydice narrative would be most likely to say that their lover is wrapped up in themselves (for good or bad), I would’ve said Eurydice for sure. But I really like that, if we run with this reading, this song & MV depict both Orpheus & Eurydice’s perspective with empathy but don’t idealize either of them. I love your reading of the multiple threads of the narrative overall, and how it becomes a story then of them each struggling to repent or make peace with what happened and move on, with different degrees of success. And from that perspective, it’s using the Orpheus and Eurydice story to depict the complexities of relationships and especially ones that feel or for some reason are uneven. And I think that matches up pretty well with what Tag has said the song is about… It also strikes a really nice balance between engaging with the lore/story while also making a more general love song (that in itself isn’t simple). Yup, I’m really satisfied with this reading & I feel like it gets at why I love the song & MV so much! Thank you so much for sharing your take :)
(tag is 100% a bias wrecker - i keep forgetting he's supposed to be a rapper, lol.) THANK YOU FOR THIS LOVELY REACTION!!! i think the pineapple and the old-fashioned phone are both references to wong kar-wai's CHUNGKING EXPRESS, a romantic neo-noir in which the first of two stories follows a lovesick man who can't get over his recent breakup. (he keeps buying cans of pineapple - his ex-girlfriend's favorite - and keeps calling her parents just to feel some vague connection to her.) OH - i think the bird might be a reference to inmyeonjo, a mythical creature with the face of a person and the body of a bird, who connects the earth and the sky - maybe symbolizing the trip between realms for eurydice, since she is also not quite human (she's dead when orpheus tries to save her)... ANYWAY. i was really struck by how much the cinematography looks like baroque paintings: the shadows, the sepia tones, the dynamic tension and drama - and there's so much violence and anger, as you so rightly pointed out! the painting in the start really frames the narrative for me with that particular kind of mythology, so the shot of the group member looking down at a mirror and then breaking it is like the reverse narcissus moment (he hates what he sees, what he's become because of this unhealthy relationship). and the scenes with all the falling feathers are both a bad pillow fight and a nod perhaps to the fall of icarus (striving for something great or magical, and failing/falling back to earth). so it's very much the vibe of a relationship's ending and some very strong feelings about it. like, the lighting is SO BRILLIANT in the shot where jay aims the sniper rifle at bird!tag, because it's one of very few shots in which it looks like daytime - as in, he wakes up and makes a decision and it's a terrible one, but at least he's put an end to it. ...okay, that was a lot of rambling, if you haven't seen chungking express i warmly recommend it, and i can't wait for more of your thoughts!!! YAY ONEPACT YAY!!!!!
Ahhh of course Chungking Express!! I totally should've thought of that. It's been a long time since I've seen it, but I was just thinking about rewatching because LOU talked about it in her video essay about queer representation in YooJung's Begin and the Begin references to Chungking Express. (Did you see that video essay? It's really good!) They're different references, but still what a cool connection. *googling inmeyeonjo* Ohhhh fascinating. I would love if that's the case and they're integrating/intertwining Greek and Korean mythology. How cool would that be? Also, you're reading would sync with a reading of Tag as Eurydice, which is a take I really like :) Also yes, totally, the low key lighting totally creates a chiaroscuro effect! I was thinking noir, but it's very baroque painterly too, just like the painting they feature and burn. So cool! Thanks so much for commenting & encouraging! I'm getting the sense that making reaction videos like these will give me opportunities to geek out & share that geeking out & learn more, & that sounds utterly delightful.
@@oolola oooooh i have not seen that video essay but i totally see the reference (to the other story in the movie) - i really need to check it out, thank you! given how often boy bands portray a single perspective in a song/mv (just communally presented), i wonder if the members represent different facets of the bad post-breakup experience - as in, jay fighting tag is the protagonist fighting his own desire to keep clinging onto that love. but i too like the theory of a more mythological take; the visuals are just SO STUNNING and the cinematography so dramatic! yay for more video reactions!!! please geek out as much as your heart desires, you won't be alone for sure 😄
That's such an interesting thought too, the multiple conflicting inner perspectives/impulses theory! Tag's role seems key here: is he also Orpheus (if they all are), or is he Eurydice, or is he Hades (as another commenter suggested) . Also did you see the challenge video where he was just hanging out in the back with the bird cloak thing? LOL that seemed very Hades to me :D @@nadiamae3236
Thank you!! I had been thinking of making reaction videos for a while now but when this one came out, my gut just said, this is the one, this is the group, and wow it/they did not disappoint!
Thank you so much giving our boys a chance! I LOVE how you took the time to really think about the symbolism in the video, and looking up the members! You really brought up some things i hadn't noticed or put weight to while I've been watching. As for the birds there are theories that the boys are different figures from greek mythology and that their actions in the video, as well as the birds, are hints to who they are. The bird Jay shot (that seemingly is Tag) is a crow, so there is a theory Tag might be Hades since crows are usually associated with death, but this goes a little over my head so someone else might be better at explaining! As for some info you might not know: THE GROUP IS NOT A PROJECT GROUP!! 🥳 Jongwoo confirmed during their debut showcase that they are a permanent group and we can expect a lot from them in the future. Also, Tag wrote and produced 5/6 song on their debut album + Jongwoo and Jay also compose and write, so we are very possibly looking at the first self-produced group of 5th gen. To add to this, leader Jongwoo actually picked his members himself and put this group together which you don't see often. I hope you continue to check them out!
Oh, thank goodness, the news that they're not a project/temporary group made my day!! Thanks so much for letting me know! :) And I'm totally intrigued by this notion that they might each be different figures from greek mythology, and that I'm assuming that's lore that might be expanded and extended in the future. I've been wondering about how much of this storytelling is specific to this particular MV vs. might be larger lore. Also I didn't realize that Jongwoo brought the group together, but it makes so much sense because they seem like such a strong, balanced, intentional group, it seemed wrong that they were more haphazard and temporary. And I love that multiple members produce and Tag produced so much on this album!! Also the theory that Tag might be Hades is super interesting; I will have to watch again with that possible interpretation in mind. I'd been starting to think that he's Eurydice... There's so much to dig into here! (And I've been listening to the full album and loving that as well!)
I wanted to comment on theories but looking at the other comments they were all so good and they are the same as I think. The sound is very different from what other groups use to debut and that makes everything even more special. Her Bias wrote the lyrics for almost every song on the album. It's a very talented group. Thanks for reacting to them
It does seem like such an unusual debut, musically and storytelling & lore, & I'm so captivated by it! Not just this MV, but I've been listening to the whole album on repeat this weekend and just loving it more and more.
I was really surprised by your interpretation of Tag's heart cardigan. What a connection between the two songs!!! I think each of the five boys expresses Orpheus's heart. They are all Orpheus. Because of love, Tag's heart is empty, and Jongwoo struggles with hurt. Seongmin & Yedam & Jay express their anger. Among them, Jay shows strong anger by shooting. I was surprised to hear Jay's voice in the scene where Jay was aiming at the gun. He expresses the tension of the song in his voice. (As expected, Jay is a great vocalist!) Finally Jay pulls the trigger towards his empty heart(Tag). Despite all this, the boys never end their love. The question that kept me thinking was, "Why did Orpheus look back?" Orpheus clearly knows that looking back loses Eurydice. It wasn't easy to understand Orpheus' behavior. But I think this is also one of the attributes of love. Why do boys love selfish people so hotly? Love seems to contain some inexplicable things. This music video contains the elusive essence of love. I'm glad that we get to know each other's thoughts while watching the music video. We can feel and learn new things along the way. And that's the role of art.
I really enjoyed your analysis of this MV; I feel like I would’ve been a little lost otherwise! I’m kind of surprised that we haven’t seen more live stages and promotions of their mini album since their debut. I hope we get to see/hear more from them soon!
Thank you!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it--I had fun trying to figure it all out :) I hope we'll see more too! They've been doing some adorable challenge videos/reels etc at least, & I'll be avidly waiting for more :)
Here's something to get you excited-- the opening scene of the MV with the 30 cans of pineapples is a reference to the Wong Kar Wai's Chungking Express- that scene when Takeshi Kaneshiro's character He Zhiwu said "We broke up on April Fool's Day. So I decided to let the joke run for a month. Every day I buy a can of pineapple with an expiration date of May 1. May loves pineapple, and May 1 is my birthday. If she [May] hasn't come back to me by the time I've bought thirty cans, our love will also expire."
Ohhhh wow I need to go back and rewatch Chungking Express ASAP. It's been... um more years than I want to admit since I watched it... but from what you're saying here it seems like a direct allegory/connection between that plotline and the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. I feel like that will be a key to unlock so much! I will report back after I have watched :D Maybe I'll even do a follow up video!!
@@oolola Yes, please do! I also wonder where the scenes with the landline phone came from-- also possibly a reference to an older movie(s) like Chunking Express? I'm looking forward to your analysis!!!
@@oldparsley4 this was my thinking too, bc the landline in Chungking Express is a similar-looking phone at the takeout place (only that one's black instead of gray) and the cop keeps using it not to call his ex directly, but to talk to her family members and to check his pager messages. the indirectness is really poignant - and i think jongwoo dials 119 instead of a personal number in the MV so he's not talking directly to the romantic interest in the song, either.
I admired your beautiful interpretation! Thank you!! I think the boys are play Orpheus's wounded heart in their own way. Boys fall in love with a selfish person. Tag's eyes, which gave all the love to her, were empty. He only soothes his hunger by eating pineapple cans. He has no appetite. Jay and Yedam hurt each other(They seem to be fighting against themselves who can't let go of love) and Seongmin express his anger with a firebomb. Jongwoo calls her, but she doesn't answer. I think old landline phones give the meaning of "difficulty in communication." Cellphones symbolize more immediate and easy connections. Jong-woo wants to connect with her, but his heart doesn't reach her. The boys' hearts burn black in the endless waiting. Like a black bird.
Finally, Jay picks up a gun and looks at his heart. He tries to end his love, but he couldn't control it. Of course, Tag suffered a gunshot wound, but the scar on his face disappears soon. In other words, Jay hasn't ended his love. Jongwoo's emotional performance shows that loving someone selfish is very lonely. The saddest thing is that the hard love makes he live. Jongwoo is like a struggling black bird with a gunshot wound. Was Orpheus' heart like this after losing Euridike? Orpheus clearly knows that looking back loses Eurydice. But when Orpheus is almost out of the underworld, he makes the mistake of looking back. Why? Sometimes love makes us blind. Boys burn their love, but they know they can't end it. No one wants to love a selfish person. But love makes us silly. It's hurt, but it can't be helped. At one point, we loved someone anxiously and were loved by someone. So I got a special feeling watching this MV.
Ohhh, I really like this interpretation too! I can absolutely see this, that they each represent a different emotion, a different way of experiencing and responding to a love with a selfish person, or even different simultaneous emotions and impulses. I feel like this interpretation could coexist with them also taking on different roles in the myth at different times, like TAG being Hades or Eurydice as others have proposed in the comments. Though TAG's being shot and sort of sacrificial pose could be giving up & in, because he's empty having given all as you say! But does this mean that Eurydice in this version of the myth is a selfish person who doesn't care about Orpheus really? That would be an interesting spin!
ahhh so in this scenario, TAG is Jay's heart? Yeah I kinda love that, and it matches with the heart cardigan he wears in Rush in 2 U...@@user-tm4cj7xx5q
I was really surprised by your interpretation of Tag's heart cardigan. What a connection between the two songs!!! I think each of the five boys expresses Orpheus's heart. They are all Orpheus. Because of love, Tag's heart is empty, and Jongwoo struggles with hurt. Seongmin & Yedam & Jay express their anger. Among them, Jay shows strong anger by shooting. I was surprised to hear Jay's voice in the scene where Jay was aiming at the gun. He expresses the tension of the song in his voice. (As expected, Jay is a great vocalist!) Finally Jay pulls the trigger towards his empty heart(Tag). Despite all this, the boys never end their love. The question that kept me thinking was, "Why did Orpheus look back?" Orpheus clearly knows that looking back loses Eurydice. It wasn't easy to understand Orpheus' behavior. But I think this is also one of the attributes of love. Why do boys love selfish people so hotly? Love seems to contain some inexplicable things. This music video contains the elusive essence of love. I'm glad that we get to know each other's thoughts while watching the music video. We can feel and learn new things along the way. And that's the role of art. @@oolola
Actually, watching the music video reminded me of "Icarus." Since Icarus is so close to the sun, his wings catch fire. Finally, he falls from the sky. Love is burning in the boys' hearts, too. The flames are so hot that these boys are distressed. The boys' hearts burn black like black birds. The boys burn pictures. They dance and their feathers fall around them. The white feathers look like ashes left in the flames. All this is because they are so close to love.
i love and appreciate your efforts in trying to understand the story of the mv and song i learned a lot too. for the bird, i know crows are associated with hades and i feel like tag is supposed to symbolize him and yedam is fighting jay as a result of him breaking the “contract” with tag
Ohhh this is such a fascinating interpretation; I absolutely hadn't thought of this. The idea of TAG as Hades is so compelling. Then the black veins disappearing could be the notion that try as one might, they can't kill Hades? That does put Jay's shooting him in a different light, too. I'm going to have to mull this over now!!
@@oolola i hadn’t thought of the veins that way either, that’s true it’s like he’s regaining his strength after getting hurt. it does make me think of jay’s role more too, i’m not well versed in the myth so idk if orpheus ever sought revenge. i also feel like jongwoo is supposed to be eurydice bc his solo dances are like him getting a chance at life again and then losing it
