Bae Hayeong was diligently searching for music video analysis videos.
She wasn’t the type to go out of her way to look up MV analyses, but still.
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Yu Hyeongu 3 hours · Edited
[This was a music video for which we went into pre-production after thinking a great deal about what “Debonair-ness” meant, since it was Debonair’s comeback after such a long time.
It was our first time working together, so there must have been some awkwardness, but I’m truly grateful to the Debonair members for following along so well. The atmosphere on set was so pleasant!
And should I call her the producer? Thanks to Dohui, who met with me in person to explain the mood of the songs and the lyrics, and who brought along key points for the MV synopsis, I was able to direct much more comfortably. It was truly enjoyable.
I also sincerely thank Director Jeong Sohyeon and all the Top East staff who were so accommodating.
Lastly, to the PDs and directors who worked with me···
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Director: Yu Hyeongu
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It wasn’t only because of the hint that Dohui had written the scenario.
“The MV director even gave her a shout-out himself. I have to watch this.”
Perhaps because that news had spread, MV analysis YouTubers had already started uploading videos at high speed before even a full day had passed.
“Let’s see··· this person has the most views.”
[Hello, this is the MV analysis channel, Today’s MV Analysis.]
[Today, I hurriedly prepared Debonair’s self-produced title tracks “SAME” and “EUPHORIA,” from the hot-topic group that took No. 1 on the real-time charts with an astonishing plan just two days after release, without any promotion whatsoever.]
Bae Hayeong listened with quite a bit of interest.
[Debonair’s concept has always expressed contrasting images more attractively than anyone else, and this time, even the release dates of each title track became a hot topic.]
[SAME, released at 13:00 on Friday the 13th.]
[EUPHORIA, released at 14:00 on February 14th, Valentine’s Day.]
[This is a compilation of netizens’ analyses, so please note that personal opinions may be included!]
[Then let’s begin.]
A cute concept photo of our Dohui with pigtails, released today, passed by, and the YouTuber began by summarizing the key points of the lyrics.
[Euphoria. Commonly translated as rapture or optimism, but also an abnormal state of extreme happiness. A condition that is the opposite of depression. A clinical condition used to diagnose certain mental illnesses such as mania.]
[Same, as in insane, like madness. Sane, as in being in one’s right mind.]
[Both title tracks directly feature mental illness in their titles and lyrics.]
It was roughly like that.
A format where they read screenshots of posts uploaded online.
Of course, they also meticulously compared them to the actual MVs.
[What we should pay attention to here is when Naeun and Dohui, who are friends, are captured in the same frame throughout the “Euphoria” music video. Doesn’t it seem like the closer it gets to night, the closer the two become, and the more they face each other and smile?]
[Also, when Naeun tries to confess her hesitant feelings to the guy she has a crush on, Dohui is beside her cheering her on, but for some reason, Naeun can’t seem to get the words out and looks at Dohui instead.]
“Oh... awesome.”
However, the moment this YouTuber finished summarizing the music video’s content, they suddenly declared confidently.
[In fact, the lyrics that give us certainty are, of course, right here. The scene where Naeun is lying on the bed, holding a box of chocolates and agonizing over it! “What do I do, I’m losing confidence that I can keep the feelings I’ve hidden all this time.”]
[Losing confidence to keep. Hidden feelings. Hyde’s feelings. At this point, it’s one hundred percent! Honestly, even if it was presented metaphorically, if you combine the release date, the lyrics, and everything in the MV, it’s so intuitive that it would be strange not to know, right?]
[In this worldview, Naeun and Dohui are probably the same person. Among them, Naeun is Jekyll, and Dohui is Hyde.]
“...Do-Hyde?”
For a moment, the thought crossed her mind: surely the role wasn’t Do-Hyde because she was Dorahui, right? But for now, Bae Hayeong listened quietly.
So she got another nickname.
[In “SAME” as well, these elements are revealed quite blatantly. We see Dohui playing the piano in a hazy fog, but Naeun’s voice flows out. Conversely, when Naeun appears, Dohui’s voice is heard. This likely depicts the point at which the mind has already gone mad, making it impossible to distinguish between the personalities.]
“Ah, that’s true too...?”
[At last, the moment Hyde strikes the piano forcefully, the door opens and a gust of wind blows in. The last remnants of reason that Jekyll held onto—the notes—are constantly swept away by the gust, and in the end, Jekyll is devoured. That is where this MV begins.]
[Here, we can tell that the point in time of “Euphoria,” released on the 14th, comes before “SAME,” released on the 13th. That is why there are opinions that this signifies a flow reversing the natural order, as well as speculation that it may be related to the album title.]
“Oh... awesome.”
And the storytelling continued smoothly, with evidence.
[Although Naeun grabs Chiyo and tries to run away, Chiyo, who wakes up in the cemetery, is actually someone who has already burned to death, and is nothing more than an unconscious “IF” born from Jekyll’s desire to save Chiyo, who was a victim, as written in his notes.]
[The reason they run wildly through the maze but never face a dead end is the same. Because Chiyo is already a dead ghost, she can simply pass through.]
And everything sounded plausible.
“Ooh...”
[Then who are Ua and Seoyun? They are probably ordinary beings within the personalities that have not been divided as extremely as Naeun and Dohui, Jekyll and Hyde. They likely express the everyday self that is sometimes good and sometimes evil.]
[That would also be why their scenes are set in daily life, why their appearances are symmetrical like Jekyll and Hyde, and why they follow Hyde’s orders, Hyde being extreme evil, and chase after Chiyo.]
Because this YouTuber’s deductions were so logical and orderly,
every interpretation this YouTuber presented felt like it had to be correct.
[However, the question of why each member was assigned those particular roles has not been solved.]
[So here, I decided to make an amusing assumption. Namely, the members’ usual selves in reality.]
[This is not simply to say that the youngest, Dohui, is Hyde because she is playful, or that Naeun, the leader and eldest, was cast because she normally shows such a gentle and kind side that she even has the nickname Han Naeun-nim(?)]
Bae Hayeong nodded
and listened closely to the YouTuber’s conclusion.
[The key point is that Hyde is a character who personifies desire itself.]
[Also, Hyde is a split personality who shares one body with Jekyll. In other words, Hyde’s desire—Dohui’s desire—may be identical to that of the person called Jekyll, or Naeun.]
And then, right on cue, nostalgic archival footage appeared.
A reality program from the time SEVEN was formed.
[Hana: Who else would do it but me!]
[Dohui: I’ll do it.]
Another archival clip.
A role-switching segment from a variety show during SEVEN’s first comeback.
[Dohui: Hello. I’m Lee Dohui, the eldest unnie in charge of SEVEN’s charisma and leadership!]
Another archival clip.
A behind-the-scenes video from Debonair’s documentary.
[Dohui: I don’t think Naeun unnie became leader simply because she’s the eldest. She became leader because she’s the unnie all the members rely on the most. However, I’m confident I could take on the leader role anytime too? (joking)]
Seeing Dohui’s old self, already from several years ago, Bae Hayeong quickly became immersed in nostalgia.
[Indeed!]
The YouTuber didn’t even give her time to soak in the memories before throwing out an incredible conspiracy theory.
[Dohui-nim’s consistent image of steadily yearning to be leader. Indeed, was Dohui-nim’s last comment really a joke?]
[This is only my bold speculation, but Hyde, who orders Seoyun-nim and Ua-nim around to bring Chiyo-nim back, and who even swallows Naeun-nim. Could that very image be Dohui-nim projecting her own desire to become leader into the scenario?]
Because of that, Bae Hayeong was slightly stunned.
“...I-it makes sense.”
Only now did she feel like she understood why that video’s views had exploded.
After all, most fans were flooding the comments saying this conclusion was extremely funny and actually plausible.
[Haha, of course, this is a personal opinion driven by fan sentiment! (Proof of Air fanclub membership) And it’s a playful conclusion with a bit of absurd humor added, so you don’t have to take it seriously.]
[However, I will gently add my wish to someday see Dohui-nim become Debonair’s leader through informal-speech time on a variety show.]
[Next week, Debonair’s album will finally be released in full. If there is any connected content then, I’ll return with a more supplemented interpretation!]
[See you in the next music video analysis~]
Bae Hayeong laughed for a long while like that as she checked the video comments.
─The final story of this insane album planning = Dohui wants to become leader lololololol There’s no way that’s right no matter who sees it lolololol
─Wow, the MV is really intuitive, but the deeper you dig, the more points come out. This is insane
─The album hasn’t even been released yet, but if there are already 2 pre-release songs, I’m so excited for what else is coming
─Jekyll-Naeun, Do-Hyde lolololololol
─The planning for this album is seriously insane. They said the songs were all made with every member participating, centered around Dohui’s producing... How on earth did they think of doing Jekyll and Hyde to match Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day on the 14th?
─So it was Jekyll and Hyde. I got chills all over
─I had no idea Today’s MV Analysis-nim was a 1st-gen Air lolololol I always enjoy your MV analyses!
─The songs are good too, but the visuals are so beautiful...
Bae Hayeong laughed for a long while as she thoroughly read even the newest comments. Then she uploaded the video to her own SNS.
Dol_Ahyee @Dol_Ahyee
(Video link) MV summary: genius-to-the-max producer Do-Hyde wanted to become leader lolololololol Are you insane
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Seoyun unnie was snickering beside me.
The leader herself, Naeun unnie, was also covering her mouth and letting out a little laugh, but I had no idea what was so funny.
“Why are you taking it so seriously? It’s just something to laugh about. It’s not even true. Just think of it as karma.”
“Exactly~ Our Dohui thinks I’m the greatest leader ever!”
Ah, seriously. I was planning to tell Naeun unnie that if we hit No. 1 on Billboard, she should give me the leader position.
Now it looks like I won’t even be able to bring it up.