It only seems like yesterday when Something came along and swept us all off our feet, and to think it's almost been two whole months already. Well, they promoted for over a month a think so technically it hasn't been that long at all, but still, long enough for me to develop a Yunho abstinence. The jazzy, swing like sound really suited the duo and made way for some great, fun and energetic performances and a very decent album too. Now, I'm not a fan of follow-up songs, for the most part, because the only reason they exist is so that a repackaged album can be released and more money can be made. They are, in most cases, a bit unnecessary. But, since I can't give up on a SM video I had to see the video for Spellbound anyway.
Now, SM has this thing of putting their groups in boxes, as any Kpop fan is aware of. The boxes are their thing, their trademark. But I cannot for the name of me understand why they are so reluctant of ever trying anything out of the box (pun intended) and letting the idols dance in actual locations instead.
In this video, for example, Changmin and Yunho play poker right at the beginning. They sit at a table, just as you would, an they even have a dealer, but what on earth is that setting? A black and white striped room?
Imagine how much more interesting this would have been if they were to be in an actual casino, or even just a set that looked like one! Yeah, you get the point across, but it just looks like a lame attempt in my opinion.
What's probably the most noteworthy aspect of this video is the way it's shot. SM had a huge hit last year with EXO's Growl, and that video too, was shot in just one take. It was appropriate because the choreography worked magnificently with it, and it also made excellent use of the large number of members in the group. For Spellbound, it works well too, for the same reasons. The choreography is exciting and creative (as most of TVXQ's are), and the female backup dancers totally bring their A game in both execution and presence. The camera moves from one member to another, as they interact with each other as well as the women, and they make use of the entire set as well.
By the way, I just have to give a shoutout to Yunho for working those hips like his life depended on it. Seriously, his dancing such a joy to watch, and it seems this type of music and concept really brings out his abilities even more.
My problem with this, apart from the things mentioned above, is that it's a bit too long and dragged out. The song itself sounds very much like "Something", and I think it's at least equally good, but the video fails to deliver. I don't know how to explain it in a logical way, but this video is both under- and overwhelming, for different reasons. It's underwhelming because, although the boys look, sound and perform great, it's just boring. Nothing happens apart from the choreography. But at the same time, the choreography itself, which is the video's sole focus point, has very much going on. It's a bit hard to keep track and follow everything that's going on with all the dancers and lightning and overdose of black and white doesn't help either. There's too much stuff happening that's being displayed at the same time, and it feels overwhelming for that reason. It would have been better with some solo shots in between to give your eyes a chance to rest and your mind to take in everything that's happening. The crazy patterns in the background contribute to the somewhat messy feeling the video gives, which is a shame because the choreography is fantastic and the duo execute it so passionately and precisely.
The color theme of this video is a problem too, as well as the lights coming from the floor and the ceiling that makes it a bit blurry and a bit harsh on the eyes. It's too bright and all over the place, to be frank.
Now, I don't dislike the video at all, but I though it could have been even better. I loved seeing them interact with the female dancers and I loved seeing them smiling and enjoying themselves, but the rest of the video did not do much for me. A lot more could have been done with the poker concept, and some other scenes of them not dancing would have made for better variety too.
Total Score: 3,2/5
No comments:
Post a Comment