They implemented a new feature on AO3 where you could curse or bless other users depending on if you liked their fics, and someone sent me a curse that blocked me from reading fics for the next 27 days and I got so pissed off I woke up.
ENHYPEN are a part of the 4th generation of k-pop, debuting in 2020 with seven members: Jay, Sunoo, Sunghoon, Jake, Heeseung, Ni-ki, and Jungwon, and are what I’d consider pretty popular. Also, confession time: I had a full-on crisis when I realized that I’m actually older than most of them. Cue a whole “what am I doing with my life” moment.
But, seriously, here are my credentials: I don’t know much about ENHYPEN, but unlike what’s usually true, I actually know more about them as people than their music. I’ve seen an interview of a few of them (Jay and Jake, I think) with Eric Nam and couple learn-about-the-members videos that came up on my recommendeds. I know a couple titles from them, but I’m excited to learn more.
ENHYPEN are a part of the 4th generation of k-pop, debuting in 2020 with seven members: Jay, Sunoo, Sunghoon, Jake, Heeseung, Ni-ki, and Jun
why i think blessed-cursed is inspired / takes influences from the matrix .
hello this is yun welcome to my theorist era!! immediately when i read the lyrics i was just like. HOLY CRAP THIS IS LIKE THE MATRIX INSPIRED. im going to cover: lyrics in the song that relate to the matrix, aesthetics/little easter eggs in the music video. i might also be really bad at this and it might make no sense but ... im just rlly excited about this theory lol. i’ll probably make a follow up post soon after i rewatch the matrix franchise because these are just my initial thoughts after watching the mv and from what i remember from watching the franchise.
also.. tagging people who told me that i should make this post or called me big brain for this so. thanks guys @jungwoniics @4sh @ryuflix 😄
LINES FROM THE SONG.
1. “WAKE UP, OPEN YOUR EYES NOW, IN THIS FAKE BLESSING.” so, i’m going to explain the basics. in the matrix franchise, the matrix is a simulated reality modelled after the real world. i believe, the “fake blessing” enhypen talks about is a simulated reality like the matrix.
2. “LUXURY DRAPED ON MY BODY, BLINDING ME LIKE A BLUE PILL.” this line is pretty heavily inspired by the matrix. the titular character in the matrix, neo, is given a choice. to choose between a red pill (which will allow him to know the truth behind the matrix), and a blue pill (which will allow him to forget everything related to the matrix). the line “blinding me like a blue pill” makes me wonder if there’s something in the enha lore that is wanting the boys to not know the truth behind something important.
3. “BOUNDARIES HOLDING ME IN, TO HELL WITH YOUR RULES.” this one is smth im a little unsure of. also, i only watched the first matrix movie and the most recent one (i am sorry... i might go watch the others and make a follow up post if i find that there are more relations). but, the main premise of the franchise is that they’re rebelling against the machines and the matrix. so, i’m thinking that enhypen are rebelling against an unknown force (or maybe we know who it is, i’m just not going to delve into that right now).
4. “DON’T WANNA STAY, CAUSE’ NOW I REALISE THE TRUTH.” this line reminds me of the titular character of the matrix, neo. he realises the truth about the matrix, and alongside with morpheus and the others, they rebel against the machines.
5. “IN THIS CURSE, I’LL BE OKAY, NO PAIN, NO PAIN.” this might make so much sense or absolutely none at all, but this line is making me think that they’re calling the “real world” a curse. because all this time, they’ve been thinking that the matrix-like simulation is a blessing, only just realising it’s fake. i don’t even know how to explain it and i have no idea why they’re even calling the “real world” a curse, but it wouldn’t make sense for them to say that in the “fake blessing”, they’ll be okay. if the “fake blessing” is indeed a simulated world like the matrix, and the boys know the truth behind it, wouldn’t they want to act the way that neo did, rebelling against the machines?
6. LINES RELATING TO LIES, REALITY, AND REAL LIFE. there are multiple lines that mention lies, reality, and real life - which is pretty much... similar to the matrix. there’s not really much to say.
AESTHETICS / EASTER EGGS.
1. BLUE / RED THEME. now this seems pretty heavily influenced by the concept of the blue pill and red pill. in the first chorus, they’re all wearing blue. in the second, they’re all wearing red. i think this is a really clever little trick from the director of the mv (props to them!) to show how enhypen has uncovered the truth behind the fake blessing. the blue pill, as i’ve said before, allows you to forget everything related to the matrix, and the red, allows you to know the truth. this shows how during the course of the mv, enhypen “fade into reality”, just like what the lyrics say.
2. “GOODBYE 1999, HELLO 2000!” in the first clip of the mv, we see this.
if you can’t see the tiny text on the building, it says “goodbye 1999″, and in the next second, it says “hello 2000″. it’s a funny little connection, but the first matrix movie, just so happens to have been released in 1999.
3. “OUR ANSWER IS NO / DON’T BUTT IN, YOU FOOLED ME, I DON’T BUY IT .” okay this is from the concept photos, and after watching the mv, i think i know what they mean by this now. there might be something that’s trying to convince the boys that there’s no such thing as the “fake blessing”, and these are their responses to that certain person. they’ve realised that they’re being fooled, and they won’t tolerate it. i don’t know why i’m getting this certain feeling that there might be an offer involved, just like how neo made an offer with the analyst in the matrix: resurrections.
4. YET / NO CONCEPT PHOTOS. this is going to be brief, but i think that the concept photos of YET are from AFTER the period of time where the mv takes place, after they “dived into reality” and uncovered everything. i believe the NO concept photos are set in the same time period as the mv.
5. MINIATURE FIGURE PEOPLE (DOLLS?) okay, im not really sure what to call them, but i noticed in the concept photos, there are tiny little... miniature figures. i think this symbolises the people who are unaware that the “blessing” is fake.
JUNGWON & THE LIAR: A THEORY.
in the concept photos, there’s a picture of a hand holding one of the miniature figures, with the word “Liar” over it. this is my theory on how jungwon is related to the liar, and plays a key role in the lore behind the music video.
1. RED THEME. i noticed how jungwon, seems the be the only person with an entirely red background in his solo shots. i’ve already explained the meanings behind the blue and red pill already, so i won’t explain that again. i’m thinking that he has the most connections related to the “fake blessing”. i think some people are going to say that ni-ki has red too in his background, but honestly i see that colour as orange... but if it is red, i’m sure he could be related to the “fake blessing” too. everyone else, has a either blue, white, or black as the colour most shown in their background, with the exception of jake, who has a tiny bit of red. i personally believe, that this is the director telling us that jungwon has always known about the “fake blessing” existing. he has always known that it is a simulated universe.
2. “CURSED”. in the NO concept photos, jungwon has “cursed” tattooed above his eyebrow (he looks so good, i almost fainted after seeing those pictures). the song title is called blessed-cursed, as we all know. there is a fake blessing involved, as i’ve talked about before. i’m sure “cursed” being tattooed above his eyebrow is no coincidence. if it’s a “fake blessing”, we can assume it’s actually a curse instead (but nobody seems to know that except for enhypen, in their lore). i personally believe that this “curse” is jungwon knowing about the “fake blessing” existing.
BLACK SUITS: A THEORY
everything i’m about to say completely contradicts everything i’ve said before, but it’s just something i’ve noticed. maybe i read into things too deeply, but then again, there’s lots of lore behind many of enhypen’s music videos waiting to be uncovered.
as shown in the picture, jungwon is wearing red. the other boys are in black suits. their suits feel awfully similar to what agent smith, the main antagonist of the first movie wear. my theory here, is that the rest of the boys, are agents. just like agent smith.
yes, this sounds crazy. i understand.
but, when you keep the lyrics in mind, it makes sense.
“don’t wanna stay, cause now i realise the truth.” they realise the truth about the fake blessing. if you keep the rest of the boys except for jungwon being agents theory in mind, this implies that they leave. quit their job, if it’s possible in the lore of the enhypen universe.
they realise that the “blessing” that they were promised was actually a lie, making the sentence “you fooled me, i don’t buy it” from the concept trailer a direct response to the person controlling the simulated reality that they call “the fake blessing.”
i will add more to this soon. it’s a developing theory, and i need to watch the matrix a couple more times.
sorry if this is a little vague, this is all i can kinda think about right now T_T i will be making a follow up post after i watch the entire franchise again.. because i feel like there are more connections! please let me know ur thoughts hehe ^_^
