not to bring my little kpop guys onto this blog but i wanted to talk about some very interesting parallels i noticed when i saw this concept image for taemins guilty album.
ive already talked about my thoughts on the original scene in velvet goldmine in a previous post so i’ll start with the guilty photo. guilty has one of the most interesting concepts i’ve come across within kpop in like… forever. guilty is inspired by “erotism: death and sensuality” by the french philosopher georges bataille, both the album and the book exploring the idea of complex human emotions regarding sexuality, self-expression, as well as the taboo and societal view. there can be pages written about the entire album and storyline following the culprit and the victim, as well as the extended religious themes and well… guilt. i’d like to focus my attention more on the specific photo however and how, in my eyes, guilty parallels velvet goldmine so perfectly without even intending to.
the guilty photoshoot is meant to represent the viewer or “the culprit” as intruding, looking through curtains you’re never meant to look through. it’s voyeuristic in a sense, meant to leave you with the idea that he never escapes the watchful eye of others. the original scene in velvet goldmine focuses on brian and curt’s relationship and how they keep it hidden from the public. velvet goldmine is a movie for fans, by fans, and about fans—they deliberately keep these moments hidden behind a façade that you only see through by a stroke of fate.
curt and brian have their entire relationship publicized and capitalized upon, mostly encouraged by jerry devine. it was something born from genuine admiration before brian fell too far into the fame. throughout the movie their relationship is filmed from the same perspective as everyone else around them saw it, messy and falling apart. you’re not led to believe it was anything else until there’s those small flashing of something more.
after their official breakup, curt sighs in the car and just for a couple seconds you get the reveal of their getaway together. that in a moment where they knew no one was watching them, they still held each other close. but they weren’t alone—the viewer watches behind the curtains as they see what could be interpreted in a million different ways. the two could be expressing genuine love but you never know bcs you’re not supposed to know. it was a moment shared between curt and brian and only for them to understand. that they could just be themselves away from the world.
it’s similar to guilty, although it contrasts in the fact that taemin is alone. while velvet goldmine is fictional, it still expresses the same concept that many celebrities have faced and still face today that they are always on camera. guilty goes farther into the psychological stress and torment of taemin’s character, being controlled, manipulated, and influenced by this “culprit” figure. this is all the deeper themes behind the surface level analysis behind the image that is him being watched. the image seems to be set after he’s escaped from the manipulation and experimentation of before, showing that even though he “escaped” he’s haunted by the idea of “the culprit.” the music video even ending with him returning to burn down the original source of this trauma to end it all.
some could equate this to how brian sabotaged his own career to leave it behind and start a new one. one where he wasn’t “brian slade” or “maxwell demon.”
however while the actions of taemin’s character are freeing for himself and others, brian’s lie in a more selfish reasoning—watching the people around him fall apart due to his actions. maybe that’s where the similarities end. this is all probably a bigger analysis than i want to get into right now.
honestly i’m just yapping right now and i’m not sure if anyone else but me will care about this lmaoo. i just found the comparisons interesting considering the concept and themes behind both pieces of media. i’m assuming taemin has never actually seen velvet goldmine (though we never know 🤷♂️) so i find it beautiful how art can replicate itself in the most purest forms of genuine expression.
I wish the velvet goldmine soundtrack was on spotify because its one of my favourite movie soundtracks. I listen to most of the songs that are on there but honestly for some songs I prefer the version in the movie😭
velvet goldmine is genuinely the best movie I’ve ever seen. Maybe I’m a little bit biased as a gay glam-rock-obsessed youth but that shit goes so unbelievably hard. David Bowie is a little bitch for not letting them use his music
