ONEW from the band SHINee recently released an album titled Circle. He also released a single with a music video and the O Circle MV review explores how this new music video gives way to a new aesthetic to the album and the artist in his own right. This album includes the tracks Cough, Rain On Me, Caramel feat. GIRIBOY, Anywhere, Paradise, Expectations, No Parachute, Walk With You and Always. This is his first complete album following the releases of his two mini albums titled VOICE and DICE, which came out in 2018 and 2022 respectively.
O Circle MV Review
Korean music always has a way of making it seem like the language is expansive and beautiful. Especially coupled with the theme in this song, the lyrics try to encompass the entirety of human nature in a few minutes. The first few frames of the music video are extremely evocative of the film Everything Everywhere All at Once, the well-edited symmetrical shots, the central character moving through different landscapes and the visual motif of the circle are all present in this music video.
ONEW’s voice is mildly hard to get used to compared to the appearance in the music video but gets much better when the first verse moves to the chorus. All the locations the video is shot in bring back different aspects of childhood, teenagehood and adulthood. It is the cyclical process of life that the video is constantly trying to show. There are large and aesthetic set pieces that aren’t overt or maximalist. They fit the tone of the video and add to its gravity.
Also Read: Web Series Releasing in March Week 2 (2023): You Season 4 Part 2, The Glory Part 2 and More
His outfits though are one to marvel at. They’re mostly suits and long jackets but are entirely reminiscent of the 90s era and the kids’ television programming that existed during that time. Additionally, the part of the video where he is seen in the said TV show has a lower frame rate, the right colour grading and even the appropriate set design to be entirely evocative of the childhood experience of watching those programmes.
Come to think of it, the song and the video are pulled largely from the general childhood experience of the 90s. The show, the clothes, the toys and even the setting for that matter. It is fascinating that the production designers found some objects that are explicitly circular for the video to work. The lyrics speak of infiniteness and the prospect that love between two people never dies by comparing it to the seasons to the cyclical nature of the way everything moves in this universe.
It is a beautiful sentiment that also comes through in the music and the instrumental. The drum beats are subtle and are there exactly when required. Besides, the star of the show is the bass that slowly worms itself into the music and the harmonies ONEW is singing in the song, which are insanely well arranged. In conclusion, this song is cohesive, beautiful, well choreographed and shot. There may be some shots that don’t make sense but its ability to catch up to multiple themes is particularly interesting.
In addition, the dream pop element of this music makes it extremely fascinating to listen to when you need something to chill. It is filled with powerful harmonies and a strong male voice, but still manages to be wonderfully calming. For those who enjoy foreign language music with some heart-fluttering lyrics, this song works best.
ONEW is a singer from the band SHINee which includes the members Jonghyun, Choi Min-ho, Taemin, and Key. Jonghyun is a former member of the band which currently contains four members including ONEW. They are dubbed the ‘Princes of K-Pop’ and have made their mark on the Korean Pop industry since their debut in 2008.
Check out ONEW’s new album Circle on Spotify. Which song do you enjoy listening to the most? Let us know in the comments below.
Also Read: Crash Course in Romance Season 2: Will There Be Another Season of the Kdrama?