Frankenstein: Crafting a Tale Eternal Exhibition (London, Selfridges)
I was lucky enough to get to go to the exhibition which showed many of the costume designs and props from the Guillermo del Toro version of Frankenstein. I figured this would be especially handy for any cosplayers wanting to recreate the outfits or props. These posts are going to be very long so I will split them by character and link on each post to the others. As always, more detail in the alt text of the photo is available.
The exhibition is open until the 9th of November if youâre near London! I highly recommend it. Itâs free.
Starting with the non-character related items â
The Exhibit
The entrance - featuring a staircase into the exhibition had a carved wall that was featured in Victorâs tower.
Along with artefacts from the movie there were other objects related to Mary Shelley and Frankenstein, such as original manuscripts by her parents, and first editions signed by her.
The model of the prop used by Victor during his presentation in the operating theatre.
An anatomical table Harlander shows Victor. Several such tables which show the map of human nerves, arteries, veins still exist - I found a few in the Royal College of Physicians museum, which you can see here.
More photos of other non-character related artefacts!
The dark angel that Victor prays to as a child, and which turns darker still as he descends further into madness. I have to say, up close and from the front, it has kind of a goofy expression.
One of my absolute favourite models used in the entire movie, second only to the half-finished Son (still to come). Seeing this up close was an experience. Every mottled patch of flesh was incredibly detailed, every vein and artery lovingly rendered.
Some of Victor's sketches - very pleasing to be able to see them up close in detail.
Something that keeps appearing a lot is the motif of this circular pattern resembling malachite. It appears even in red, in both Victor and Elizabeth's (mostly her's) outfits.
If anything, I hope these help you appreciate the fabulous menswear the costumer designer Kate Hawley put together (she also did Crimson Peak, which has a similar wardrobe). Victor's roguish charm really came through in it. They stayed fairly accurate to the time but took artistic liberties with several elements (there were mentions of Victorians adoring gaudy tones in their wardrobe). You'll see more of this when you lay eyes on Elizabeth's dresses.
For another thing, all the costumes were very properly weathered, which a lot of modern productions seem to neglect. But even Victor's gloves were all weathered red leather, as if they had been handling various substances of dubious origin...
I also liked that they had pieces from his fabulous mansion, which I'm incredibly envious of.
I had to include some of his motherâs pieces. The amount of detail paid to her outfits, though a minor role, is mind-boggling. This necklace alone deserves recognition.
I tried to capture Elizabethâs dresses in detail, especially as I knew people whoâd want to recreate these outfits.
The colours used for her are mostly in the green range. del Toro wanted her to come across as like an insect or a beetle (also reflected in her interest in entomology) - something elusive and ephemeral, to where you almost couldn't catch her. This is even shown in her jewelry, as you'll see later.
This particular dress was a work of art. Up close you could see the ripple effect of the fabric beneath the sheer layers, like light in a swimming pool. Not the only dress to make her look like an ethereal jellyfish. Here she is also wearing a scarab beetle necklace, which was sourced from Tiffany & Co archives.
And now, the longest section, for the character I love the most.
And we come to my favourite part of the ENTIRE exhibit - the half-finished Creature Victor is shown working on in his lab. I wish I could have spent all day here. It was hard not to be able to touch any of it! Just know I took way more photos than these.
Two of the Creature's outfits, very detailed in the weathering - particularly the moss-covered coat.
A life-sized statue of the Creature in his Spirit of the Forest outfit. I spent far too long documenting it from various angles. Look at the detail in his hands! Photos donât quite do it justice, but they went so far as to make his eyes look moist with tears unshed, just to give him even more of a wounded look.
So much detail was put into rendering the prosthetics for the Creature. There was a full video (which you can see here) explaining how the special effects makeup was put onto Jacob Elordi in this section, essentially like a jigsaw puzzle piece. They allowed him as much range of motion as possible in the face to allow him to emote, particularly in the eyes.
I quite liked this larger than life bust as well showing the differences between the Creature and the actor.
And thatâs about it. I do wish more people can see this exhibition, and I hope they tour it around Europe at least!
Frankenstein: Crafting a Tale Eternal Exhibition (London, Selfridges)
I was lucky enough to get to go to the exhibition which showed many of the costume designs and props from the Guillermo del Toro version of Frankenstein. I figured this would be especially handy for any cosplayers wanting to recreate the outfits or props. These posts are going to be very long so I will split them by character and link on each post to the others. As always, more detail in the alt text of the photo is available.
The exhibition is open until the 9th of November if youâre near London! I highly recommend it. Itâs free.
Starting with the non-character related items â
The Exhibit
The entrance - featuring a staircase into the exhibition had a carved wall that was featured in Victorâs tower.
Along with artefacts from the movie there were other objects related to Mary Shelley and Frankenstein, such as original manuscripts by her parents, and first editions signed by her.
The model of the prop used by Victor during his presentation in the operating theatre.
An anatomical table Harlander shows Victor. Several such tables which show the map of human nerves, arteries, veins still exist - I found a few in the Royal College of Physicians museum, which you can see here.
The way I have been analysing KPDH's soundtrack from a marketing POV to predict/understand its popularity and still finding new meanings in the songs is crazyyyy
copium so hard i have myself completely deluded that jinu is still alive bc firstly, his pet familiars are still alive, and secondly, bc the movie loved adding sprinkles of kpop and kdrama tropes and references here and there, and y'know what his "death scene" looked like?
That was so hard because all the songs are SO GOOD, but I'll try, maybe my opinion will change with time.
7. TAKEDOWN:
Okay, don't throw stones as me. I love this song. But the other songs are just too SUPERB, that this one becomes... Less superb. Like Rumi, I think the song is... A little exaggerated at times. Something I like about this movie is that every part of the soundtrack is essential. It tells a story. At first, I thought this was going to be just a badass TWICE song, which I wouldn't have minded, but I'm glad they made it a part of the story, showing Rumi, ironically the one to ask for a diss track on the Saja Boys, can't sing it because it's too hateful on her demon side. It's a really great song overall, the other ones just stand out more.
6. How It's Done:
You realize how good the HUNTR/X's songs are when this MASTERPIECE is ranked so low. I love How It's Done, it's a song to introduce us to the girls and what they do, highlight their unique personality traits and show us how successful they are, both as k-pop stars and demon hunters. And it reaches its goal perfectly. You hear it and you already know a little about the girls and it makes you want to know more. It's a song that 100% excels at their purpose. However, the other songs on that list also excel on their purpose way too much (and also fit my personal tastes even better lol), sadly leaving How It's Done on this position.
5. Golden:
It almost feels like a crime putting Golden so low. But I just can't put it any higher because what's coming is EVEN BETTER. The song is a bop, and it just represents each of the girls so well. Their story, their struggles. As they said, it's a song about who they are, where they are, and where they are going next. The outfits are everything, the MV, the lines, and it all is just executed so perfectly. I have nothing but compliments to Golden, I tried to make it higher because I refused to accept it would end up so low, but there wasn't any other way. That's Golden's place on that list, for now, at least.
4. Soda Pop:
Don't judge me!!! Come on, it is CATCHY. The boys kill it!!! And just like How It's Done does with the girls, Soda Pop introduces us to the boys so well. I love it how, at first, it sounds like just a little innocent song about having a crush, but the deeper meaning behind it is demons saying they want to drink the fan's souls in a very sweet and sugarcoating way. It's something you have to listen a few times to catch on. It just truly fascinates me how a song called Soda freaking Pop, can have such a dark message in between the lines, like come on, look at those lines: "Don't want you, need you, Yeah, I need you to fill me up", "Every sip makes me want more, yeah", "Lookin like snacks 'cause you got it like that", "Take a big bite, want another bite", "'Cause I need you to need me", "I'm empty, you feed me so refreshing", "Come and fill me up, Just can't get enough", "You're my Soda Pop, gotta drink every drop". AND THAT CHORUS???
"You're all I can think of
Every drop I drink up
You're my soda pop
My little soda pop
Cool me down, you're so hot
Pour me up, I won't stop
You're my soda pop
My little soda pop"
Like, there's so much in this song that you need to hear it more than once (which is not a problem, you will because it's addictive). How do you even make a seemingly silly song about soda to be this filled with hidden meanings??? Whoever wrote Soda Pop, you're a genius, you're an icon, you're a legend, you're the moment, and I fear you own my life, I wish I had your brain. I just love this genre of Kpop where Idols use food/drinks to make an innuendo. Ice Cream by BLACKPINK feat. Selena Gomez, Cookie by New Jeans. Whatever that's called, I hope it becomes a trend. Give me more of this, K-pop idols. I need it. I need you to serve me colorful aesthetic with cute lyrics with a double meaning behind it(but please make sure you're all legal adults first okay?). Because somehow, a song about soda popping can have this much ways of interpretation. A cutesy one, a sexier one, and a darker one. It's just so mind-blowing what they did with this song. The fans will probably notice it's about sex with a cute aesthetic, like the songs I mentioned before, because it can also be interpreted like that to hide the actual meaning only the HUNTR/X catches on:They're demons trying to steal their fans souls. The intelligence level is just off the charts with this one. Whoever came up with this was allowed to COOK and cooked even harder that I thought it was possible. Before making this list, I was sure Soda Pop would make it to the podium, and it almost did, but the other ones are just too superior.
đĽ What It Sounds Like:
The perfect finale. This was so emotional in so many ways. Just talking about it makes me want to cry. It's so beautiful and so heart-wrenching at the same time. I don't think I have enough words to describe it. All the songs in the podium were almost in first place, because they are just THAT good, I love myself a grand ending with with a lot of magic, and color, and glitter, and the power of friendship (the girl obsessed with Equestria Girls Rainbow Rocks within me will never die). The lyrics are so poetic, and they are just everything to me. It also kinda reminded me a little bit of some of The Greatest Show, This is Me and Come Alive from "The Greatest Showman", it was just THAT EPIC. The girls acknowledging they made mistakes, and they can't come back, but they can still make it through together and defeating Gwi-ma was just so POWERFUL. Cliche? Yes, very. But I wouldn't have it any other way. It's a trope that WORKS.
đĽYour Idol:
I'm sorry, but always that the movie has a villains vs heroes final musical showdown battle, the villains are defeated, but in terms of MUSIC, we all know who the real winners are. Like, I'm sorry, Saja Boys, who gave you permission to SLAY SO HARD??? I think it's obvious that by now, they're all WAY hotter in their demon forms. I'm sorry, but if they presented themselves as demons since the start, no plot would have made me believe the HUNTR/X would be able to defeat them. If they were demons since the beginning of their careers, the HUNTR/X would have been defeated. Way sooner, in fact. And all the boys shined EQUALLY. Like, I feel like the boys were more balanced than the girls in this aspect. Like, Rumi always starts and ends the song. Yes, Mira and Zoey have very memorable parts, but still Rumi always ends up standing out more. Which I think might be a reflection of external bias. Rumi's younger version is played by Maggie's Kang daughter(and she's the only one we know more about as a kid), Rumi was a character that was created a long time ago for a project her husband was part of and even the movie itselfs say "Celine built HUNTR/X around her" (Rumi). And with the Saja Boys, don't get me wrong, Jinu is the one that sings more and is on the center more, but he leaves more space to the other members than Rumi does. I'm gonna make it clear I don't think that's Rumi's fault and I don't hate her character for it, but the way Kpop Stans are, I just know in real life Rumi would get lots of hate for "stealing all the lines" like many other idols received before. And I don't think the Saja Boys would have that problem because specially here in Your Idol, Abby is the one that starts the song, than Mystery and Romance and just then Jinu. Rumi always comes earlier into the song. There were times I felt like Mira and Zoey's parts were too short just for her to come in. Which is not exactly a bad thing, it would explain why her losing her voice affects not just her but the others so much, because she's the very foundation of HUNTR/X. Which I get why, she's a nepo baby (a very talented one may I add). Her mom was a Sunlight Sister and her adoptive mom is another one of them. But still, the balance of the Saja Boys attracts me more. Because even though Jinu sings more, all the lines from all the members are equally iconic (well almost, some are a little bit more than others). Let's count:
Abby: "Keeping you in check, keeping you obsessed", "Anytime it hurts, play another verse", "I can be your sanctuary", the part of the first chorus he sings, "Don't let it show, keep it all inside", "The pain and the shame, keep it outta sight".
Mystery: "More than power, more than gold", "Yeah you gave me your heart now I'm here for your soul" (Love it how the camera focus on Zoey smiling when he sings)
Romance: "Know I'm the only one right now", "I'ma love you more when it all burns down", "Your obsession feeds our connection", "give me all your attention" he also sings a part of the second chorus.
Jinu: His whole entire pre-chorus and Chorus to be honest, his vocals at the end are pure and sheer PERFECTION, "I will make you free, when you're all a part of me", "Watch me set your world on fire", "No one is coming to save you" (love the foreshadowing), "You're down on your knees, I'm be your idol".
Baby Saja: His whole entire rap that mind you is the very best part and dare I say the very CORE of this song. He was owning this era for real and that's what I'm trying to say, I think it seems like Rumi owns every era, from what they showcased to us, so I like how the Saja Boys divide the spotlight between all the members better.
And I'm sorry but Your Idol's bridge ALONE is bigger than the HUNTR/X's entire carreer. I said what I said. It's genuinely one of the best bridges I've ever heard in a song, I'm not even kidding.
I understand why they only had two songs and then disappeared, if they had more, no other Kpop artist, group or soloist, in this universe would stand a fricking chance.
I genuinely love how just like Soda Pop, Your Idol has so many meanings. The situation with Rumi, the message to the fans, the control Gwi-ma has over all the demons including the Saja Boys themselves and it even gives a little more of depth to the other members of Saja Boys, just so we can say they are not completely shallow. And they do it in a way that makes you want to learn more about them. Apparently all demons of this species, were humans who sold their souls to Gwi-ma.
So it makes you wonder, what happened to them? Both Abby and Baby mention pain, Abby mentions shame. Mystery talks about power and gold so maybe he wanted those things when he gave his soul to Gwi-ma. Romance talks about obsession, connection, attention, being the only one, so what if he gave his soul to Gwi-ma for love?
I also just love the parallels of a song being named Your Idol, in a movie about Kpop Idols, which they sing in a big show after they just won basically everything in the Idol Awards. Brilliant!
Speaking of the Idol Awards, we needed to see the Saja Boys performing there. I know it was a part of the plan for them not to, but I feel like they did the transition from Human to Demon too quickly. It was good, but it would have been better if they first had Soda Pop, when they're in their human forms with a cute concept, then after that had their dark performance as humans but with their marks showing on their black outfits at the Idol Awards, something kinda like this post I made before the movie came out:
đŹ 0  đ 2  â¤ď¸ 29 ¡ Saja Boys - Midnight Offering ¡ What I imagine the Saja Boys will pull off with their darker concept at the Idol Awards (c
And then they would have their even darker performance at the end at the final show at Namsan Tower.
That being said, I loved the way Your Idol was executed. Nearly flawless in every single possible way. No aspect to criticize. I love How they shift to "Don't you know I'm here to save you?" from "No one is coming to save you". Jinu and Rumi proving they are made for each other because just like Rumi, Jinu's highnotes give me goosebumps, and that latin part at the start roughly translates to:"That day of wrath will dissolve you into ashes, the accursed master into eternal flames." Which is so cool, every detail in Your Idol is so thought out with the utmost care, nothing feels wrong or out of place, it's almost unreal.
One would think that it's my favorite song at first glance, since I yapped about it so much, and I admit, it was close to making it into first place, but the last song just had the final word.
đĽFree:
There is not a single individual in the world that loves this song more than I do. Do you think you love Free more than me??? You fucking don't!!!
The heavenly ethereal vocals that make you float to paradise and ascend high to the sky??? The aesthetics??? The lyrics??? The melody??? Free couldn't be more perfect even if it tried. Because it's already PEAK. There's nothing higher to reach than this. The standard is already set. Free sets an unreachable bar for every other song in this movie. Gotta admit that What It Sounds Like and especially Your Idol got pretty close, to the point I almost reconsidered my choice, but Free still rises above and wins at the end. Because no other song in this soundtrack can compare to the IMPACT of this one. The truth's gotta be said.
Why do I like Free so much, you ask? I could give you a whole PowerPoint presentation on that, but let's keep it simple, shall we?
I'm a sucker for romance. I don't know if you all have watched Julie and The Phantoms (also on Netflix, one of the many very good series they canceled) but Free just reminded me so much of "Perfect Harmony". Tell me those lines don't scream Rujinu (you can't because it's impossible):
"Life can be so mean, But when he goes, I know he doesn't leave"
"The truth is finally breaking through, Two worlds collide when I'm with you, Our voices rise and soar so high, We come to life when we're in perfect harmony"
"You set me free, You and me together is more than chemistry, Love me as I am, I'll hold your music here inside my hands"
"We say we're friends, we play pretend, You're more to me, we're everything"
"I never knew a love so real (so real), We're heaven on earth, Melody and words, When we're together we're in perfect harmony"
And Julie and Luke (the ones who sing this song) they're not even forbidden love like Rumi and Jinu, they're impossible love, because Julie is still alive and Luke is a ghost. I can see some similarities between the two pairings and I love them so much, so Free hit me right in the feels, giving me everything I like.
Every line just hits different and even better than the last one. It felt to me like the song that was sang with the most emotions, and the most intense ones too. EJAE and Andrew Choi made a PHENOMENAL SPECTACULAR SHOW-STOPPING GAME-CHANGER JOB.
But if it was just a romantic song, it wouldn't have made it to first place. But there's more to Free than what meets the eye on the surface.
There's more to Free than just romance.
It deepens and gives us a better understanding of Rumi and Jinu as individual characters as well, with Rumi having lines such as:
"I tried to hide but something broke
I tried to sing, couldn't hit the notes
The words kept catching in my throat
I tried to smile, I was suffocating though"
"All the secrets that keep me in chains and
All the damage that might make me dangerous"
And Jinu having lines like:
"Time goes by, and I lose perspective
Yeah, hope only hurts, so I just forget it"
"Between imposter and this monster
I been lost inside my head
Ain't no choice when all these voices
Keep me pointing towards no end"
And also Free talks about a lot of the themes of the movie, especially something that pretty much all the characters want:Freedom. From what's holding them back: The past. Like Mira and Zoey with their families. Jinu also wants to break free from Gwi-ma.
It also talks about stop hiding and fight what they're running from. Because they can't fix it if they never face it.
It also talks about Rumi wanting to change and believing she can change, but she won't change if Jinu is not by her side. And in the end she changes and that motivates Jinu to change for the better too. They both change for good.
And change is the key word in this movie:They wanted the Honmoon to change to gold, but instead it changes to a new one they still have to make gold.
Rumi learns how to accept herself, and Jinu redeems himself. Their bond goes deeper than just romantic love. It involves mutual understanding, acceptance without judgment, etc.
For most of the movie Celine (person who knew all her life about Rumi's marks) and Jinu (first outsider to find out about them) were the only ones that knew about Rumi's patterns. Celine feared it, thought it was a mistake that should be erased with the Honmoon turning gold. But Jinu sees it, and he likes what he sees. He falls in love with it. They were the first people who saw each other for who they truly were and fell in love with the good and bad parts.
They save each other. In all the ways a person can be saved. Jinu, a musician in his former human life (Ahn Hyo-seop crushed Jinu's Lament with his voice, Gwi-ma deserved the hit) helped Rumi to be able to sing without struggling again and Rumi helped Jinu see that is still hope for him, it wasn't too late and he gave his soul to her in order for her to win Gwi-ma's fire and then the final battle with the girls (he's coming back people, he's gonna leave that sword, I know it).
Oh I remember a lot of people before the movie came out and we had the confirmation there was a romance, going like:"I don't want romance, just badass ladies kicking butts (because apparently you can't kick butts and be with a man, you can only have one not both) and that a romance sub-plot would ruin the story, that Jinu was too plain, basic and generic-looking for Rumi (when he's the literal walking LIVING male beauty standards in Korea and guess what? Is a movie about South Korea!!! Shocking, isn't it? Guess the title "Kpop Demon Hunters" didn't make that clear enough) and that people wouldn't fall for straight propaganda on pride month (which is ironic because I think almost everyone in this movie is bisexual, including Rumi and Jinu)." And where are those people now??? Exactly. Gone. That's the power of Free. And a well written and well developed couple, of course. Rujinu is like Ferrari in F1. Everyone is a Ferrari/Rujinu fan. Even if they say they are not, they are Ferrari/Rujinu fans. Even if they root for another team/ship, they also root for Ferrari/Rujinu. It's inevitable.
Rumi, Jinu, Mira, Zoey. They all face what they have to face and their past starts to feel weightless, like Free says. Rumi is free from having to hide her true self. Jinu is also a free soul (who will come back to the sequel, don't tell me otherwise), all the remaining demons I suppose are still in the underworld are free from Gwi-ma, etc. And that is why Free is supreme.
Your Idol is most definitely not a love song to Rumi. đ Iâve seen many on TikTok say ârealizing that this song was for her.â I mean if thatâs how you interpret it, sure, but the whole song really is the Saja Boys gaslighting fans to trick them and take their souls
Letâs be real, sometimes kpop fans donât have the best reputations (cough cough sasaengs), so the Saja Boys play on that notion that fans are obsessed with them to manipulate them in order to take their souls.
The first verse very much outlines and doesnât even try to hide their intentions:
Keeping you obsessed, play me on repeat, always in your head, anytime it hurts, play another verse, I can be your sanctuary
know Iâm the only one right now, I will love you more when it all burns down, more than power, more than gold, yeah you gave me your heart now Iâm here for your soul
They basically said âI will love you more than anything because youâre such a loyal fan. And because of that your soul is mine.â đ¤
I think Jinuâs line is where the assumption itâs about Rumi comes from: âIâm the only one whoâll love your sins.â
But to me thatâs just more gaslighting. Who doesnât want their bias telling them that theyâll basically love them no matter what? The other line:
Donât let it show, keep it all inside. The pain and the shame, keep it outta sight, your obsession feeds our connection
I could see how the first part may be directed towards Rumi, but that obsession part is mentioned again which brings it back to the fans. Cause if you notice, the song changes in the second half. The first half is them basically saying theyâll protect and love their fans because theyâre such fans.
Gimme your desire. I can be the star you rely on. Youâre lost in my daze, yeah you canât look away. Donât you know Iâm here to save you?
BUT
Once all the fans have been successfully tricked and lured to the tower, they reveal their true intentions
Gimme your desire. Watch me set your world on fire. Youâre lost in my daze, yeah you canât look away. No one is coming to save you
There may be some parts directed at Rumi to taunt her but itâs definitely not a love song to her. Actually, I think the lines may even be part of the plot to try to get her to fall for the trap as well. đ¤
Anyway, so the Saja Boys are basically playing on fansâ obsession with them, sweet talking to convince that they truly love them, and in the end, steal their soul once they fans fall into their trap. A trap I admittedly most definitely wouldâve fallen for đ lol
Okay who is gonna analyze how âSoda Popâ and âYour Idolâ are both about metaphorically drinking up/consuming the listener but one is wrapped in a catchy cute aesthetic that distracts from its very similar central message. In this essay we willâŚ.
You can't tell me these lyrics aren't for her. Like Jinu, buddy, we know you are down bad for her but you better tell her straight and make up with her instead of putting it in your villain song.
The Jinu gif belongs to @kaizsche. Permission granted.
I could write a ten paragraph essay on how the absolute perfection of Your Idol by Saja Boys from Kpop Demon Hunters is one of the best written songs about parasocial relationships and corporate manipulation.
Holy goddamn shit, the wordplay, the lyricism, the production, the singers-- Perfection all around.
you know what I think it'd be awesome if Ruthari and Rayllum writers collaborated on a fanfic about the characters spending those 2 weeks together in the Silvergrove. not saying it has to happen but it's a cool concept
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