LOONA now taking over Super Junior’s catchphrase: we are “one”
Clickbaity title aside (I couldn’t help it, I’m sorry!), I truly do think that LOONA yyxy’s latest video does exactly what the title states and more.
My theory: the "one" in question is not any specific one of the girls but rather all of them, all of us, any of us.
Summary at the end, reasoning/timestamps below the cut. *Grimes voice* “Lettt's go~!”
Side notes (indented italics) are not central to the point but fun details that I couldn’t help but include. To view the relevant videos, just click on the big bold text!
So, at first glance, it may seem that out of the four in yyxy, the strongest contender for the One (& Only) is Gowon. Her song's name is part of it, but she's also represented in the yyxy logo as the X which joins the others' Ys. We see this based on their positioning at 3:02 in the "love4eva" MV. I could reach a little here and mention that X is often the "answer variable" in basic mathematics; so the answer, X, is in the middle of all these Y's (implying the question "why"). Again, it's kind of a reach, but I wouldn't put it past our dear BBC!
1: Yves, "new"
Yves may represent the "one" girl's curiosity and determination to reach the outside world—to find something "new," per se. As she imagines living as Yves, so forms the existence of the red apple. Yves!one learns of temptation, of the possibilities for freedom, self-discovery, etc. Henceforth, she's the one dropping that red apple all over the place. Thank the Lord it is symbolic, or else that's pretty unsanitary.
2: Chuu, "Heart Attack"
As "one" imagines the Yves persona, so distinct from her own reality, she becomes enchanted with the concept. That is the version of herself she most aspires to be like/with, and this "innocent love" which grows within her manifests through Chuu. However, Chuu!one must bite into the apple in order to be with/like Yves.
Side Note A, Part 1:
Through Chuu!one's eyes, the red apple does not appear so dangerous; it's green instead of red. Perhaps she idealizes it as more simple and harmless than it is... or perhaps the apple itself loses some innocence as she bites into it. Both can be true at the same time. A sheltered girl's fantasy of the outside world may be very innocent, and when she actually steps out, both she and the fantasy (apple) lose a certain innocence. I really like BBC's take on this actually, in that the apple is not inherently sinful and the girl is not sinning for sin's sake; nothing is a sin until AFTER the fact, and that's kind of the tragedy.
3: Gowon, "One&Only"
Of course, we know Chuu!one bites the apple. This pivotal step is the story of Gowon: actually putting into action that which Yves conceptualized and Chuu idealized. Gowon!one is the center of the story because she bridges the fantasy of breaking out with the reality.
She's the one who undergoes that transformation from dark to light (in hair color and in spirit) and gains new perspective and purpose.
We even see it at 1:18 in the "One&Only" MV. She literally steps under a crown of light. Let there be light. Let her story begin. This chandelier crown alludes to so much; ideas à la lightbulb over her head, the dangling fruit that she sees but cannot reach, and of course the idea of being in charge—having agency, taking action, making actual decisions.
At 1:24 in "One&Only," we see how she is divided. She doesn't wear the crown yet, but she sees the possibility appearing before her every other time she looks at her shadow (i.e. when she searches herself). She seems conflicted about actually following through, though, which we also see in "love4eva" later on—she's the only one to look back at Eden and Olivia at 3:02. So, from 1:41-1:46, "one" runs from the two forces in her mind that are pushing her to make the choice, to do the deed. Perfectly illustrated at 1:49; one body, three shadows closing in.
At last, when Gowon!one makes her choice, she eats the forbidden fruit and there we go. Light. The seven dancers now dance on a lit platform. Gowon!one receives the crown (= agency, control over the story) from Yves; the mental pioneer who simply dreamed of new things steps down, and now the real "one" gets to explore instead of imagine.
Side Note A, Part 2:
Interestingly, what Gowon eats is not the apple but a friggin *pine*apple, which I just love. Because the reality behind the fantasy—the actual forbidden fruit instead of the conceptualized—is different!
Side Note B, Part 1:
I'm also not above suggesting that the seven dancing shadows in those horizontal dance scenes are specifically seven as reference to the seven cardinal virtues/sins—and how they're all just shades of the same singular being. Notice that the pre-crown dancing takes place in a narrow frame—literally a narrow frame of mind, for the narrow-minded!!! After the crown, we can actually see the dancer's faces, and the world, while still pretty black-and-white, definitely has more shades of grey in between.
4: Olivia Hye, "Egoist"
But Gowon!one looks back at Eden, and she sees a piece of herself still left behind. We never quite lose the perspectives we come from, and they are always a part of us no matter how far we go. In this case, that part is Olivia. The one who is scared/reluctant to make the choice that was ultimately made; who feels betrayed by the parts of herself that seek to break free; who is more hurt by the truth of the outside world once they're all out there; who ultimately has to come to terms with what has happened.
Side Note B, Part 2:
Now, instead of the seven dancing shadows over a soft-colored background and the narrow frame—of mind—we have seven dancing shadows over an intense, red background with maximum aspect ratio. Brilliant detail, BBC. Absolutely brilliant.
Up to Gowon!one's choice, we see Olivia's role as that of the detractor. The one who feels uncomfortable with leaving Eden and who is ultimately shunned as the decision is made. I think we've all dealt with that on an internal level too; where a part of us wants to hold us back from some big decision. In rejecting the nay-sayer in us, we do undeniably reject a part of ourselves, at least in that moment. In this case, the other three girls represent the larger part of "one" who guide her out into the world, even if there is still a piece of her stuck in the past.
Of course, it's not a simple happy ending. In the story so far, our "one" and its three avatars were always chasing this outside source of light. (2:31 in "Egoist": "Our promises became the light.") As if it would provide all the answers and live up to all their imaginings (see: Chuu!one's happy fantasies of reaching Yves, the "new" stuff). The other videos weren't exactly all sunshine—even "Heart Attack" had its dark hallways going nowhere—but this is where we finally return to realistic scenery as seen in "new." Urban nights, ragged buildings, etc. However, where Yves' surroundings were still painted in a positive light, Olivia's are pretty heavy on the darkness. This is not the world she was promised. The pioneer (Yves), the dreamer (Chuu), and the learner (Gowon) are all behind her now; she has done the learning. Now, she has to do her own thinking about what she'd learned.
Thus, egoist. "One" must teach herself now the most important lesson: how to love herself—not just a part, but the whole self. Jinsoul even says at 2:01 in "Egoist": "You are me, now I'm you." These conflicting forces within you are all you, all part of one being. The sin and the sinner are in this together, you feel? "On&on, you and me, the endless cycle. We can't be separated." And, for as long as we are humans with flaws, internal conflicts, and the capacity to wonder and seek new things, this story of "one" will continue in all of us, ad infinitum.
So now, the choices are made. She has fallen and seen the light for her own eyes (0:53) as she found her way back up. Now, it is time to stop loving the light and love herself. In finding a new world, she found a new self—a new self that is undeniably still her. This is critical. The "one" who didn't want to leave Eden and the "one" who is forced to face that she did are both represented by Olivia, again to hammer in even as we change, we are us and we can find it in us to love ourselves. Especially in hardship, especially when the world turns on us. It is a lesson only we can teach ourselves.
5: LOONA yyxy, “love4eva” & Heejin, "ViViD"
Even if she is not part of yyxy, Heejin is the beginning and the end of the whole LOONA saga for good reason. After all that Olivia said about loving herself, why is it that she faces Heejin at the end?
Let's revisit "ViViD" real quick. In retrospect, the story of "ViViD" runs parallel to that of "love4eva" and then takes it a final step further past where Olivia's appears to end. "This world without any colors, it's boring. Would you change it with your fingertips? [...] I keep smiling all day, until my heart goes pounding." A decent summary of "new" and "Heart Attack" in just a few lines. We never even saw it coming.
As Heejin, "one" has seen the story of "love4eva" play out countless times and is now comfortable seeking out new things. Not just one thing at a time, as the four-step story of yyxy portrays, but over and over and over! "Color me whole, with many colors." How about twelve colors, Heejin? One for each month of the year, one for every new story that we embrace and make part of ours?
"I don't want to become numb to myself without the light." And so, the story of self discovery continues. There is always another light to follow, another future to believe in, another new self for us to learn to love. It is through these that life gains color (becoming "ViViD," as they say). So, take it as an invitation if you will, to accept the new things that will come with LOONA's continued exploration of unexplored territory and to welcome the color they bring to your life~!
Summary, as Promised
In the end, this is all the journey of one person. Again, any person. Any of us.
When faced with the unknown, we...
First, discover that there's more to be learned. Have faith
Then start wanting to learn more, even falling in love with the idea.
Now, we take the critical step of actually taking the reigns and doing the learning. If you believe enough in the future, it becomes hope.
Afterwards, we have retrospection, self-reflection, and possibly some anger, some sense of betrayal by what the truth really is (even wanting to return to our blissful ignorance) until at last, at last, we accept both the truth and ourselves.
Yay, we made it! Now, let's keep going and going~ until our world is filled with color!
You see the "[]" at the start of this video, where we usually see "[MV]" or "[Teaser]." This video is neither; it is just the story, however we wish to receive it. More importantly, it creates a space for those of us in orbit. We have a place in the story too, because the story is part of life at large.
Final Note:
Life beyond LOONA's debut is going to be "new" and exciting enough to give us all "Heart Attacks" (hell, just the teasers got me like-), but it won't all go according to fantasy, and we should acknowledge that now. That doesn't mean we shouldn't go forth boldly, as Gowon ultimately did, but that does mean we will need to take a step back as Olivia did. To remember that before we give up, before we fling hate at other groups, before we do anything as fans of LOONA, we should remember who we love: ourselves and each others. It's cheesy as heck but so, so important. We are brought together by our love of LOONA, and we shouldn't lose sight of that. This community is only as healthy and supportive as we each resolve ourselves to be.
I am happy and proud to be part of the Orbit community, but whether you participate in fandom or not, I hope some of the positivity and pizazz that LOONA has brought to me can reach you as well. Have a lovely, lovely day~!
fent’s lee junwoo; 184cm cutie born on 18 october 1998 (20 y/o this year, korean age), makes this face (◠‿◠✿) when he smiles, has a cute lil’ boi dongsaeng, graduated from hanlim (also twice’s dahyun classmate), knows some english (according to his ask.fm), solo representative from a smol company, has 6 fansites, from f team to c team’s centre, pretty dance moves, mcdonald’s jingle, “aigoo-”, had too much time left on meringue time, got disgusted by chicken feet in hidden box mission, does mouth stretching exercises before doing eye contact challenge (his eye contact lasted 57 seconds + i noticed that his eyes are uneven? haha), chris brown’s kiss kiss, “last night i saw you” (mr met you that night), “tatata”, minki’s toothbrush, 꽃받침 (idk how to translate it to english sorry, but you can search it up on google images), voted for seonho for visual centre (but was also seen picking out his placard at first hahaha), “junwoo-yah”, existed in shape of you team, cringy centre position evaluation, “me and my friends at the table doing shots, drinking fast and then we talk slow”, tugs on his tie while lip biting, cleared stage 1 of 101maboy ending off with “gamsahabnida, arigatō, xìe xìe, thank you, khòob-khun-kà *muach*”, “i have this feeling that when hyeongseobbie turns 30, he will look like sungwoo hyung”, first to run out of the practice room for pizza (me tbh), part of “oh little girl” 12 members lineup, wanted 5등 but was ranked 30듬, 36등, 33등, 41등, 58등 before getting eliminated at 50등…
this is a letter dedicated to the loml, my ult bias in pd101 s2:
my birthday is actually in 4 days’ time (1 june) and my hopes and wishes were nothing more than for you to stay and not get eliminated. i wasn’t expecting to write this letter to you so soon. i wouldn’t blame it on the national producers who didn’t see the talent and ability in you. i’m sure they saw it in others instead, just like how i saw it in you. i’ve clearly seen your effort and hardwork. you’re such an amazing person, i know it ever since the moment i saw you. *coughscoughs* when i saw you tear up, not once but twice (really mnet?), it literally broke my heart. the fact that i cried so much for my other biases who got eliminated the first round, i was honestly not prepared to see someone special and dearly to me in the whole of pd101 go. i didn’t want to see the last of you. since you come from a smol company, i wouldn’t know what to expect. i’m sure your company treats you well, and by giving us fans updates of you from time to time on sns, i’m really thankful for that. i’m also grateful for the trainees and trainers who have took care and guided you throughout. i hope you had alot of memories to bring along with you from the pd101 experience. continue chasing your dreams and never give up, so that i can see a better and improved side of you in the future. the sweat and tears you shed will all be worthwhile, i promise. thank you so much for the past 2 months and 8 episodes we’ve been through together. your journey in pd101 may end here but now, it’s going to be the start of something new, so let’s carry on this journey together! watching pd101 may be meaningless without you now but i’ll also show my support for other trainees as well, esp your “oh little girl” teammates. i love you alot as much as other junwoo stans out there do, and i hope others will do the same. we will always be here by your side, cheering you on! i wish you all the best of luck in everything that you do! a cutiepie like you deserve everything sweet in life~ ♡ also, thank you to the national producers who voted for him, he wouldn’t have made it to where he is now without your precious votes.
+ i’ve never got to be mutuals with any junwoo stans out there so if you’re one, pls feel free to message me, i don’t bite ㅠㅠ💓 also, i’ll try my best to continue giving updates of junwoo everytime there’s one, even though i’m probably going back to my fandom after pd101 ends. anyways, let’s keep showering him with love and support!!
“i wouldn’t blame it on the national producers who didn’t see the talent and ability in you. i’m sure they saw it in others instead, just like how i saw it in you.”
“thank you to the national producers who voted for him, he wouldn’t have made it to where he is now without your precious votes.”
beautifully said, buddy. it’s honestly so true too. there were so so many people who deserved to make it that it’s hard to not feel happy for them.
junwoo, it was wonderful to see you with your teams in pd101 for as long as we did. even if you didn’t show up super often on my screen, you put a smile on my face each time you did… except for when you cried; then I was sad too TT. your (◠‿◠✿) and (º ~ º ) faces made me laugh out loud despite having exams hanging over my head. the few minutes you appeared on screen became many many minutes of gif-making, haha. you brought this fan a lot of happiness, and there are many who can say the same!
some moments to add to the list: noticed that leader taehyun was having a hard time and acknowledged his win, “tatata” at the start of every stage, “i think i’m gonna hate it girl” but smiles brightly w/ peace sign lol, cried backstage after replay stages ó_ò (but there was always someone wiping your tears haha), approved of popeyes, “encore! encore!”
i’m sure there were many more moments we never got to see
we may not be as many, but we will wait for you and cheer you on for all your future endeavors! stars move in the sky, but that doesn’t make them stop shining (or something cheesy like that haha).
the era of junwoo shall come, and we shall be ready!!!
( p/s: i know the song is scary otl but basically, i think the one who created this video is trying to save junwoo who’s currently in 58th position (let’s hope his rank increases by the next episode) by asking (the kfans) to vote for him )
This is a very odd little "documentary” about the disappearance of Lee Junwoo, haha. Since he gets so little focus in the actual episodes, it’s almost a forensic investigation to piece together who this fluffy little fella is.
The coffee CF moments tho
Rough translation of the first half below the cut. (I’ll subtitle properly later...)
On April 7th, Mnet showed Lee Junwoo’s audition video for Produce 101 Season 2 as part of Countdown 101.
Somi: “Ooh~ he’s manly”
Caption: “Swag! Swag!”
Bae Yoonjung (not Yoojung): “Now, personally, this is my taste. When I saw how good he was at popping, I picked him.”
Emoji Caption: “Teacher Bae’s fixed pick”
Sohye: ( º o º)
Triangle Caption: “Rich in expression”
Jea: “The energy’s good”
Caption: “Everyone is attracted by Lee Junwoo’s dance!” (TN: okay, so the captions are kinda troll, but it’s true...?)
Actual Bae Yoojung: “His expressions are good~”
Junwoo: *kills everyone*
Everyone: *dies*
Caption: “I can see you” @Jea who is hiding behind her hair lol
Bae Yoonjung: “That challenging spirit(?) is good.” [x2]
By the way... (TN: I think this is a reference to something lawyer/investigator-related?)
In the level evaluations by agency (Episode 1-2), he barely appeared at all T_T
But then! Junwoo-ie finally made another appearance!
The (in)famous Ta Ta Ta~ ft. “the night I met you” (TN: Junwoo sang the wrong lyric when it’s supposed to be “the moment I met you.” What he said was a little dirty, I think)
Note: this is the video creator’s edit, not Mnet’s.
The mistake which caused a mental breakdown for the judges...
Thought bubble: “Play it cool...” [x3]
He just kept it together and continued to dance! (TN: as opposed to giving up like so many of these poor kids unfortunately did)
... I’ll finish the rest later, I promise! Basically, he rose from F rank to C rank and became the center for section C of the “Pick Me” performance. He then continued his murder streak by being so cute in “Replay” that Mnet probably cut him out to preserve the “Team 2 is not cute” narrative they had going on. He also killed it in “Shape of You,” but the screen time there was really sad too, and now he’s at 58th place (second to last). K-fans please pull through and save all of the “Shape of You” team!!!
When your team be trying to look serious, but you are Lee Junwoo.
When your team be full of tol trees, but you are Noh Taehyun.
(Oh, and here’s a shameless plug for Lee “Conspiracy Theory / Kiss Kiss / Tatata” Junwoo. I don’t see that many posts about him, but he is such a goof and always looks happy whenever he gets to perform. Even international fans can support him here! Many thanks!!)
This episode is really gold. They touched on topics such as taking care of yourself, mental health, common life problems, suicide, etc. etc. The life advices that was dished out is beyond valuable.
Anyone who have time, do give this episode a shot. Eng Sub is up at Kshowonline.com
Got77 Jackson spoke for GQ magazine, talking about his shock reading negative comments on the internet after he started appearing on Korean Variety Shows and how he called ZE:A Kwanghee for support.
“ I thought, I should stop being on TV, I’ve only started but it’s already the end. It was really a shock. I thought I did something wrong. I thought about posting an apology on SNS… So I called Kwanghee (ZE:A). I told him, “Hyung I’m having a really hard time…” and he told me, “Hey! Don’t worry about people saying bad things! I’ve seen in all”.
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