Chapter 266: Metamorphosis (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 266: Metamorphosis (2)
The music video for What I Want to Say begins with sound effects that mimic a cascade of falling stars. A small but rhythmical drum beat adds a sense of pace.
At the entrance of a quiet, rustic village, snowflakes fall onto the shoes of Jeong Seong-bin, who is sitting on a cold stone step.
「When the sun dips below the horizon
The festival begins
Opening the long night
A time of fantasy」
Crowds of people can be seen bustling behind Jeong Seong-bin.
The streets are alive with activity as people hang ornaments on every house, decorating the area with brilliant trees and lights.
And watching this scene from inside a house is Kang Gi-yeon.
As twilight fades, the emerging stars shimmer in the reflection of Kang Gi-yeon’s eyes.
「When the surroundings are dyed
When it grows dark
Lit in the sky
A brilliant cluster of stars」
Just as the instrumentation grows richer, the streetlights flicker to life.
「When the stars across the streets
Descend coldly
The roads grow thick with white light
And the sound of singing echoes」
The clashing sounds of metallic instruments evoke the feeling of a Christmas carol, yet create the illusion of flashes of light exploding before one's eyes.
The brisk tempo captures the fluttering excitement of a festival.
Combined with the lyrics and the cold imagery of the music video, it evokes a specific mental picture for the viewer: a magnificent parade unfolding in an amusement park deep in the mountains on a frigid night.
The members, each dressed in uniquely styled white suits, showcase a fluid and organic choreography.
The movements, which seemed to bloom like flowers at the start of the festival, spin across the screen like stars swimming through the night sky. Then, as if the stars were settling down, they all kneel together and sweep their hands upward from the floor.
Park Ju-woo pokes his head out from the window of a two-story house where dark, withered vines crawl up the walls. His right hand rests against the windowpane.
「When the fireworks burst
Between star and star
Flames explode
Shining brightly」
Watching him quietly, Choi Je-ho—leaning against an old bookshelf—also gazes out the window. With every burst of fireworks, the silhouettes of chains wrapped around his black robe are revealed.
With Choi Je-ho at the center, the members spread out into a formation like a flower in full bloom.
「When the cold wind blows
When I close my eyes」
Choi Je-ho opens his palm and blows, as if scattering petals into the wind.
「The worries I held
Melt and disappear」
Over the massive birdcage imprisoning Lee Cheong-hyeon, vines of roses made of ice begin to climb.
Just as white frost begins to coat the bars, Lee Cheong-hyeon grips them with both hands, as if he has spotted someone.
「It’s perfect weather
Cheeks nipped pink by the wind
Hands held tight turn rosy too
And my heart keeps racing」
The door of the cage freezes and shatters like snowflakes.
Outside, where Lee Cheong-hyeon steps out, Kim I-wol is waiting for him.
As if stroking the beak of a bird, Kim I-wol gently tilts Lee Cheong-hyeon’s chin up with his index finger. The King, covered in white and sparkling ornaments, flashes a smile.
「The white streets
Shine brighter than the stars
The moon reflects everywhere, dazzling
Footsteps are filled with laughter」
In the middle of a snowy field, Lee Cheong-hyeon drops to one knee.
The screen flips again, and everyone except Lee Cheong-hyeon lies down as if leaning against the floor. Amidst the members dancing while seated on the ground, Lee Cheong-hyeon presses his hands together.
「The day I’ve counted down for
When it finally arrives
The one thing
I wanted to tell you
I dwell on those words alone
The shimmering boundary
Between heaven and earth
Upon these stairs
I’m going to tell you」
The moment the final syllable ends, brilliant lights flare up from the pitch-black floor. The members push themselves up using only their leg strength, without touching the ground, and reach out toward Lee Cheong-hyeon.
Starting with Lee Cheong-hyeon’s rap, the song becomes even more intense and vivid.
The bass line swells like the drums announcing a parade, and perfectly placed sound effects provide a visual dimension to the music.
Jeong Seong-bin, who was in the middle of a cold city, locks eyes with Kang Gi-yeon, who was inside the warm home.
An icy mark remains on Lee Cheong-hyeon’s cheek where Kim I-wol touched him.
“Look at this, isn’t it beautiful?”
The entire city in the MV lights up. Like magic.
「The past year
And now
The 364th night」
Park Ju-woo opens the window with a trembling hand. His deep blonde hair flutters in the winter wind. Multicolored lights pour down over his beige velvet shirt.
「The most brilliant night
I wanted to give to you」
At the song's climax, the highest note pierces through the accompaniment—which feels like a sprawling night view—as if launching a firework. The keyboard provides a magnificent path for it to follow.
「The most honest
Expression of love
The deepest part of my heart
That I can give」
The part passes to Jeong Seong-bin.
「My confession to you
To look only at shining things
And my heart
Growing warm」
Then it transitions to Choi Je-ho.
The melody pulls out the next phrase endlessly, like a meteor shower.
At the center of the lights radiating in a circle, Kang Gi-yeon sings.
「Above my head
As I wait for an answer
Stars begin to fall
It must be a miracle」
And the one to decorate the finale was Kim I-wol.
「The bells are ringing」
Kim I-wol smiles spotlessly.
After Spark’s title track MV was released, Baek Hae-won’s timeline refreshed without pause.
At first, the comments were mostly about the aesthetics.
≫ Regained the sanity I lost from the concept photos by watching the MV
But then I immediately lost it again
≫ Is Snow Queen Kim I-wol for real?
Is Chained Choi Je-ho for real?
Is the Happy Prince-ification of the ultra-sweet leader Jeong Seong-bin for real?
Is the poet Park Ju-woo living in his own world for real?
Is the baby bluebird Lee Cheong-hyeon for real?
Kang Gi-yeon is so cute being the toy soldier because he’s the shortest
└ Teacher, nobody said Gi-yeon was a toy soldier. He’s the Nutcracker.
≫ Up until Winter Night, Seong-bin had brown hair so I thought it was 'Seong-bin-Again-Brown,' but the catharsis when he showed up with grey hair...
└ They said it’s the Happy Prince concept, but they also wanted to express a grey city covered in snow... I’m literally fainting.
└ Omg where is this info from?? ㅠㅠ
└ It’s on the Instagram of Spark’s hair stylist!
≫ This MV is a feast for non-human concept lovers, I’m so happy
But the top tier is definitely Kim I-wol...
Even if you told an AI to draw this, it couldn’t.
└ How can a person look like an animation...
└ If it was just "BAM! Non-human!", it might have been off-putting, but the fact that the base is human and the symbols are non-human is so good lol. They used their heads.
└ I’ve seen a lot of "Kim I-wol is so pale" posts, but the screenshots from this MV are going to take the crown. He’s already taken over several popular post boards.
≫ I-wol said before that the country would thrive if handsome men dyed their hair.
I think he was right. I’m so happy right now.
Light pink on the cool-toned Kang Gi-yeon???? This is basically forced labor to make me buy the album.
└ I was debating between the Note version and the Storybook version and bought the Note, but after seeing the MV, I immediately ordered the Storybook too... lol. I can't resist the Maknae-line photo album.
Next, evaluations of the song itself took center stage.
≫ When Winter Night came out: Omg it’s perfect for winter ㅠㅠ It’s a waste to release this as a pre-release, they should have made it the title track.
When What I Want to Say came out: As expected, the Producing Team is never wrong. I had foolish thoughts for a moment.
≫ No, but how does an idol song sound like the final song of an Everland Christmas season parade?
└ There isn’t a single common bell sound effect, yet they created that feeling just with keyboard notes... I can only describe it as insane.
└ The way they used the violin to make a firework-launching sound in the highlight and then immediately mixed in the drums and orchestra was seriously crazy. The drum beat in the latter half is so damn strong it feels like I’m actually at a parade.
└ I think the chime bell right before the 3rd verse is the 'kick.' Lee Cheong-hyeon is a genius.
≫ Winter Night: The feeling of Spark and Sparklers sitting together cozily watching a parade and sharing warmth.
What I Want to Say: The parade princesses and princes shouting at the end, "IT'S A HAPPY CHRISTMAS, YOU PUNKS!!!! YOU WORKED HARD THIS YEAR AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!"
└ That analogy is freaking perfect lolololol ㅠㅠ
≫ Baby Master Singer Chinchilla Park Ju-woo pierces the ceiling with his high note.
This kid screams a 3rd octave G with a totally nonchalant face.
└ I’m finishing my 'Park Ju-woo Ultra-High Note Straight Punch' training today. Thank you to everyone who joined me (0 people).
└ Seong-bin launched the fireworks, but it feels like Ju-woo froze all the embers in the sky so they became snowflakes... My ears are melting and then freezing right now.
Finally, reactions from those who had watched the MV multiple times or read behind-the-scenes stories followed.
≫ I thought the flower-blooming choreography at the intro was so pretty, but then I found out it was a motif from their debut song (sobbing).
└ The whole MV from start to finish is the story Spark has been telling. Sparklers can only shed tears.
└ First of all, the choreography this time is just pretty overall... It doesn't look like a 'hard' dance, but the movement paths and the flow are so artistic.
≫ I’m reposting this because the post about the final illumination group dance scene was so touching.
Orange illumination → A design that evokes both a Ferris wheel and fireworks.
Spark dancing on top of the lights → Everyone in white suits.
In the beginning of their debut, what lit Spark’s path were Flowering and With List, and in this What I Want to Say, it seems Spark has taken on the symbolism of snow (since they’re all winter fairy tale characters).
Realizing that this is the story they’ve wanted to tell from their debut winter until this winter... I’m getting hit hard by the emotions despite my age... Guys, Noona really loves you.
≫ Was I the only one who liked how they wove the fairy tales together to create new relationships?
The bluebird kept by the Snow Queen.
The restless ghost beside the poet who has cut himself off from the world.
The toy soldier who looks at the prince who gave everything away and became shabby, thinking he wants to be a soldier who protects a prince like that.
└ And this is where we look again at 'Produced by Yiwol' and 'Creative Director by Yiwol'...
└ Don't tell me it's only I-wol's name again this time.
└ Fortunately, other directors were attached. I was about to start a fax protest.
└ We should skip the fax and go straight to the trucks... If UE is going to do entertainment business, they should have been prepared for that much.
≫ Isn't it so cute that most of the fairy tales in What I Want to Say are stories with lessons?
It’s such a heartwarming MV.
└ Truly... the best year-end song.
A grand comeback, an insane concept, endless bait, and me—who couldn't go to the music show recording.
I was depressed. But no matter how much Baek Hae-won flew or crawled, skipping school to go to a pre-recording was out of the question.
To at least catch the live broadcast, Baek Hae-won settled onto the sofa. In her hand, she held the Iwol Cotton Doll (Note: unofficial merch) she had managed to snag during last month's 'Form-lympics.'
"What's that?"
Baek Hae-in asked as he walked by.
"It's an I-wol doll. Isn't it freaking cute?"
"Wow..."
He could tolerate watching his friend, who had become an idol, appear on a sports day program.
But apparently, he couldn't accept his friend being turned into a doll; goosebumps broke out on Baek Hae-in’s skin.
"Is Spark having a comeback?"
"Yeah. Wanna watch?"
"No."
Baek Hae-in bolted into his room. If he watched that on TV with her, he’d just end up getting his arm drummed on like a percussion instrument by Baek Hae-won. Baek Hae-in knew all too well how much a fan’s power level spiked when their idol made a comeback.
Finally, the moment the living room fell silent, another group’s stage ended.
Simultaneously, Spark’s concept photos for this release flashed by one by one, and the text 'spArk COMEBACK' appeared.