Please watch this. It's an experience worth having. It has subtitles in English (thanks, BigHit!), but I recommend just watching and listening once through first, then turning them on.
For the uninitiated, this is Jimin. He's a vocalist and (amazing) dancer in BTS. Typically BigHit takes the intro track of the album to make the 'Comeback Trailer'. The equivalent from the WINGS era was 'Boy Meets Evil', the album's intro track featuring only J-Hope rapping (and dancing). It features one member of the group and sets the concept/theme for the comeback. Serendipity is the first time one of the vocal-line in BTS did the intro. It has always been the rappers before.
Just like 'Save Me' was a bit ahead of the Tropical House curve in terms of Kpop picking up trends in western music, this one is tapping into some of the more spare/organic sounding R&B that's pretty current. Compare to Kendrick Lamar's 'LOVE'.
Y'all know I watch a lot of videos. It takes something incredibly special to earn my highest praise.
Serendipity has all of it.
The video is a masterwork. LUMPENS continues to be my favorite director team working in Kpop. The chill track is lovely. Above all, it is the sensitive vocal production that has me trembling. I'm full of thoughts about this whole piece. I'll just put them in the full post to avoid more clutter.
BigHit's marketing and creative teams are remarkable. With more attention focused on them from overseas, they've been putting all their ducks in a row with international distribution deals, re-branding for a wider appeal, and the like. Post-Billboard, they've really been making some waves. American ARMYs have been successfully pushing for radio play with their recent hits.
I've been following Kpop for roughly twelve years now. Over that time I have appreciated and liked plenty of artists and songs. Only stanned DBSK. I don't really participate in the hardcore fandom stuff, I just listen to what I like and absorb the ebb and flow of the industry from a distance, because it's fairly fascinating to watch.
BTS is special.
I was compelled to write this in my Best of 2016 playlist post:
This group is extraordinary. Most of their music is not lined-up with my personal taste. I'm not A.R.M.Y. I'm not sure I could name them all properly if asked. THIS. GROUP. IS. EXTRAORDINARY. For someone who has followed Kpop closely for a little more than a decade, what's happening here is special. I don't know where BigHit came from. I don't know how this group was formed. All I know is that maybe since their second comeback, they have consistently put out solid hit songs, each with a strong cohesive sense of the group and the members that form it. At every level, sound to visuals to concept to sheer effort BTS and their handlers are firing on all cylinders. They know their audience and target demographic (Not me!). They know exactly which string to pull and how hard. There must be something in the water over there.While I noticed the quality of songs and performance BTS were putting out since their debut, I stayed pretty neutral, taking mental notes to keep an eye on them. Each time they put out something new I could feel that they were something special. Last year's comeback, end of the year awards, and big tours ramped up serious momentum, built on years of consistently grinding out great work and literally building their ARMY from grassroots. I realized it was inevitable I'd have to dig into them soon. A couple months ago I finally made the decision to deep-dive into BTS and properly educate myself with how they work. A whole lot of watching and reading and diving later, I came away being even more impressed than I thought I could be with how a Kpop entertainment company functions.
And massively impressed by what those seven guys are achieving by their own effort and merit.
Here I am, experiencing my first BTS comeback that I can no longer be neutral about.
I woke out of a dead sleep to the countdown reaching zeros and Serendipity. I watched it in a haze of semi-consciousness and it shook me.
Jimin.
I've learned that he has been self-conscious about his vocal abilities not being good enough. It's a very specific tone he has. One I like a great deal. He's often given the high notes for the group. Sometimes pushed to straining. It's a hip-hop group after all. It wasn't until WINGS that their sound shifted to something more melodic and singer-ly. He made a resolution early this year while they were in Hawaii to improve his singing.
I hope he's getting some validation from Serendipity. He sure earned it in my view.
The production quality is also an improvement on WINGS, which was good already. Jimin's whole voice is in this track. His breath and lungs and tone are front and center. It's gorgeous. From the first notes I tensed up from how hard the frisson hit me and it never let go all the way to the end.
That paired with the stunning visuals... geez.
On reddit, I said:
Honestly haven't been so overwhelmed by a Kpop video before. Not to this degree. Something about his voice and the visual feast took all my nerve endings and dipped them in liquid sunshine. Left me shaking and breathless.Firstly, Jimin is beautiful. What an irresistibly gorgeous human being. My gosh. It's something I've been continually reminded of during my deep-dive. BTS is a beautiful group of dudes. More than that though, it's the smiling and warmth.
Through the HYYH and WINGS eras, Jimin's narratives were quite melancholy and dark. He's submerged in bathtubs, crying, looking emotionally tortured or stressed or timid or confused. And he does it well, but it's heavy stuff. The 'Highlight Reel' leading up to this comeback carries that thread through.
The last we saw of him was injured and distraught in the darkness and rain.
Serendipity couldn't be further from that.
Liquid sunshine, as I said. It's bright and warm. He's cocooned in blankets and light. All gentle smiles, kitties, starlight, and love. Even the 'shaking' transition part just feels like a thrilling ride.
Contrast.
What I thought would be dark turned out to be be pure light and joy.
It seriously got me shaking... from... I don't know. It just overwhelmed me completely. TMI: I live my life in a perpetual state of depression and not great mental health. Every once in a while something comes along that my brain just needed. Some small comfort. I'm thankful for this one.
Visually, I think LUMPENS was taking some cues from my boy Magritte, which I'm always a fan of. Blue sky and clouds, that enormous yellow ball taking up the room, windows looking out onto ocean.
I wasn't sure what kind of expectations I should have for BTS's comeback. Mostly just trusting that BigHit seems competent to do something of quality even if it's not my taste. After this I'm even more encouraged that 'HER' will be something great. Diverse probably, but the obvious level of sincere care that went into Serendipity gives me confidence that the album has been made with a love of the craft.
The preorders for HER are looking to be record-breaking domestically alone. We'll see what happens when the international tallies come in. BTS were also just the featured guests at Seo Taiji's 25th anniversary concert on Saturday. They were fantastic, fully decked-out in early 90s regalia. Jimin got heaps of praise for his dancing. Well-deserved. Ya done good, kid!
BTS is having a great fuckin' week.
And just like that, I've become utter Bangtan trash. XD
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