24 Hours was amazing, no point in denying the impact it had and the popularity it recieved. Everyone listened to it, loved it, and your favorite idols parodied it. Sunmi's solo debut was by far the best decision JYP made in 2013, and now she's back to take over the charts (and our hearts) again with a supernatural concept.
Right off the bat, this video is gorgeous. Absolutely stunning. Her previous video was great as well, and this is just as good, if not even better. There's quite a long intro, where we get to meet the characters- vampire Sunmi and her handsome pray. He lies in bed, looking like he's already in some pain, or maybe he's having a nightmare, and Sunmi is standing from a distance looking at him. When the music starts, there's another long bit announcing the collaboration of JYP and Brave Brothers, which one can only roll their eyes and moan at. I would have the typical JYP whisper over this any day, thank you very much.
The beginning shows how Sunmi bites her pray, and then walks around leisurely in what I think is his place, waiting for him to transform. He is sitting down in an armchair, almost paralyzed. When he tries to move his body shakes uncontrollably and he falls onto the floor instead. Sunmi moves with her super-speed, checking on him and making sure he's alright.
You would think that the plot has nothing whatsoever to do with the song, but it does make a lot of sense. Well, you could interpret the lyrics in many ways, but it's essentially about her waiting for her lover to come to her before sunrise. She says the "time has come", and "it's better to stay silent", implying that the moment has come for him to join her. It could be taken as the story of someone who's just longing for their special one, but along with this video it surely means that he will become a vampire as well. Another nice detail is how she keeps looking out the window at the bright moon, checking the time, most likely. As a vampire, being exposed to the sun is lethal, so she makes sure that the moon is still out.
Near the ending, we get to see some flashbacks from the man's younger life. He is in the same room, but he is years younger and is longingly looking out the big windows in his room. The important part here, I think, is that he is in a wheelchair. So one can assume that he has some sort of medical condition, perhaps a terminal one even. Maybe she has come to set him out of this misery by turning him? As a teenager, he also sees a younger version of Sunmi, walking on the roof with a big moon lighting her up from behind. He looks at her in envy, perhaps wishing he could be there with her.
At the very last part of the video, we see the completion of the transformation. He begins to move, turns his head slowly upwards and opens his glowing eyes. The final sound is the sound of a heartbeat, meaning he has come back to life, as a vampire.
The cinematography for this video is beautiful, and it seems JYP has really brought the big guns out, for which I am highly grateful. The sets are gothic, spooky and dark. The video contains very little color, so the red sofa and coffins really stand out and contours wonderfully against Sunmi's black hair and pale skin. The sets are perfect as well, truly matching the concept and feeling anything but cliche. When Kpop groups do these kind of supernatural stuff, it can come of a bit corny and almost cheesy in a way, but this feels more genuine and realistic. The big moon, the snow, the rooftops, the ghostlike bedroom all contribute fantastically in setting the story and the tone of it all. There's money invested in this, and it really shows by the sheer quality and production value of this video.
Nothing but praise so far, and we haven't even begun to talk about Sunmi herself. There's just something about her that stands out, may it be her barefoot dancing that apparently (and strangely) a lot of people complain about, or maybe it's her mysterious, whimsical charm that makes her so appealing. She is a looker, obviously, but that's not it. I think it's the way she carries herself when she moves and dances. There's such fluidity and natural elegance about her way of executing choreography, which by the way is great as well, and she seems so comfortable and at ease with her own abilities. She definitely has that little extra, and among this sea of equally beautiful and talented aspiring stars, she is surely one to look out for.
About the choreography too, it's really nice and original. Her dancing was on point for 24 Hours, and it's no different this time. It's sensual and gentle, yet still very classy and sleek, and features some memorable moves. I know some people will call it provocative and accuse it of being too sexual, but I personally didn't find it anymore shocking than other girl group choreographies these days. She handles herself really well, and I think that what makes me like this dance a lot more than I might have otherwise.
I know I might come off really biased, and I promise I'm not a huge fan of her, but I am undeniably slayed by this comeback. I will watch this video many more times, and I will maybe even listen to the rest of her mini album. This video is noting less but brilliant, making good use of sets, props, special effects and working that vampire concept to its fullest. The song may not be my absolute favorite and neither is it at the same level as 24 Hours, but it's still a typical Brave Sound track meaning that it definitely grows on you. I hear she's already doing pretty well on the charts, so let's hope for several music show wins and more butt rolling dance parodies!
Song: 3,8/5
MV: 4,2/5
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