Fake Love Analysis
this is the analysis for bangtan’s 3rd full album: Love Yourself 轉: Tear’s title track: fake love.
i will be analysing several components - music, lyrics, aesthetics and choreography
disclaimer: this is just my personal opinion, feel free to disagree. do let me know your thoughts in my ask box
overall: it is the start of a new era with bangtan!!!! who the hell isnt happy??? and let’s talk about quality voices and quality aesthetics, im sCREAMING!!!!!!!!!
teaser 1: this literally gave us hints to how the story is supposedly going to flow etc ( read my fake love teaser 1 theory here and fake love theory here )
teaser 2: honestly that teaser showed us the bridge yet again just like how they did for BST, spring day etc and going on with these motifs, thank you for blessing my ears and showing a glimpse of jungkook’s abs
music: anyway, diving right into the music !!!!!!!!!!
so the song starts off with Taehyung yet again, just like DNA, kudos to how there are more songs with Taehyung starting off!!! ( honestly going to wait for Seokjin yo start off more songs as well ). one could hear the electric guitar chords and this synthesized flute that being played possibly with the keyboard as well. it has this distinct synth as well that could be heard. it sounds really creepy actually if you hear the synth by itself, much like an empty in an eerie room, the whole impending ominous angst.
there was this brief pause at 0:12, before jungkook comes in to continue the opening verse. the same eerie synth underlying his vocals. this is where jungkook gets his ‘solo’ dance with these lines. i love how the way he sings here, he punctuates each word as if a sword is stabbing him each time he knows it’s fake love. then at 0:23, there are some murmurings of some lyrics, specifically ‘im so sick of’ ; most likely done by namjoon that becomes a lead in to the actual chorus led by jimin at 0:25.
interesting, jimin starts one count before a new bar starts as he dives into the chorus and sings with utmost desperation; as if he is crying out. i love how all the angst is on beat together with the percussion; it’s amazing. and then it allows the ringing of the beat to harmonize with the ‘love’ sang by jimin and seokjin. before seokjin takes over from jimin at 0:31, there is this brief pause of the vocals with the underlying beat still pushing through. yet somehow throughout the chorus, one could hear how there is this sort of ‘barking noise’ out of anger, definitely not snarling or growling though.
then at 0:39, namjoon’s verse comes in, but at the same time, it is together with jungkook as though jungkook is replying to him; much like they are having a conversation. i love how the beat simmers down to provide more emphasis onto namjoon’s verse and this style of rapping. one could hear the subtle synths and percussion throughout this exchange. then at 0:46, interestingly, there’s a slight change in synths that echo out. then there is that rumbling synth that signals the next part of the song which is hoseok’s verse.
hoseok being hoseok has to have an adlib before starting off his verse. hoseok has adapted a more distinct style of rapping - in a way by punctuating each and every word to make it sound like a staccato and not to mention, having the end syllables double by namjoon is what makes me love his part all the more !!!! then at 0:57, hoseok makes it a point to switch up his flow by rapping more words in his last few lines !!! this leads us to the iconic mirror move !!!!!!!!!!!! i love the desperation he evokes when he semi-shouts ‘누구니’. it becomes a huge contrast to the pulp coming prechorus at 1:03. yet between both namjoon and hoseok’s verses, there are these ‘tremolo’ synths that last about one count each underlying in both verses - a nice added touch.
so the prechorus starts with jimin yet again and one could hear the prominent electric guitar chords mhm, what a blessing to my ears. i love how there is a slight short contrast with hoseok’s verse but it doesn’t actually drop in volume but insteads build a steady crescendo to the chorus. even when seokjin takes over at 1:16, the same volume is there but builds up slowly and one would realize that the percussion is only introduced at seokjin’s part though one could be confused as to why there is sort form of percussion during jin in’s part is due to the bass notes of the chords.
i love when seokjin takes over because his voice has this additional layer of desperation that makes the song sound even more vulnerable and befitting for the theme they were going for. then at 1:26, we have that same murmuring of namjoon before the chorus comes in at 1:27 with jungkook.
now at the chorus, the volume is at full force. one could hear that there are several layers of synths that could be heard. then at 1:33, taehyung takes over momentarily. but when jungkook takes over again, like as though it’s a conversation, jungkook’s lines are actually doubled by someone else. moving on, as taehyung completes the chorus, that distinct synth underlies the whole chorus again and at the same time, once taehyung’s part ends, it becomes a lead in to the extended chorus with jimin and seokjin - not much has changed.
then the song moves on to namjoon’s verse at 2:05 and it opens with that same tremolo synth that is descending. interesting that namjoon’s verse is also in a way conversation style and that the ‘replies’ to his lines are also doubled most likely by jungkook. namjoon even managed to squeeze in an adlib of ‘oh no’ before he wraps it up.
then at 2:18, that same tremolo synth is being used as a lead-in to yoongi’s verse as he starts his rap. yoongi knows exactly where to emphasize and namjoon helps to add extra emphasis by doubling on those parts. he even managed to squeeze in an adlib of ‘ooh’ with his vocal tone being much lower than his rapping one. love how he ended his verse as though he was just stating facts - a clear nonchalance if you will.
then the prechorus comes in again with jimin at 2:31, but there’s a slight difference in a way that there’s an additional layer of synth to distinguish it from the previous prechorus. also that the percussion is removed from jimin’s part and that there’s a clear keyboard synth being used. only when seokjin takes over did the percussion is reintroduced at 2:44.
then the chorus comes back in with jungkook at 2:54. however the difference here is that underlying jungkook’s part is jimin’s vocals. and instead of taehyung doing the next part, it’s jimin instead and one could hear the clear harmonization as well of the higher vocals. then at 3:10, one could hear jungkook harmonizing with his part as well with the word ‘bad’.
in the end, the extended chorus comes back around with jimin and seokjin. but then it ends with jimin singing the prechorus with taehyung doubling it to get a more fuller and contrasting sound at 3:37. the guitar being very prominent here as well. then the song ends with seokjin singing and jungkook harmonizing and doubling as well. it’s as if they repeated the introduction and it’s amazingly done well.
lyrics: i love these lyrics so much???? there’s so many innuendos here, and one could feel their emotions inside
널 위해서라면 난 슬퍼도 기쁜 척 할 수가 있었어 널 위해서라면 난 아파도 강한 척 할 수가 있었어
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If it’s for you I can act like I’m happy even when I’m sad If it’s for you I can act strong even when it hurts
honestly, i really think that these lyrics already show how much one was willing to give himself up/scarific himself for his loved one, he hides it all, putting up a mask; much like singularity; a facade, another persona possibly.
사랑이 사랑만으로 완벽하길 내 모든 약점들은 다 숨겨지길 이뤄지지 않는 꿈속에서 피울 수 없는 꽃을 키웠어
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Hoping love will be perfected with only love Hoping that all my weaknesses will be hidden In this dream that won’t ever come true I grew a flower that couldn’t be blossomed
to think that these lyrics came out right at the beginning; already linking us to smeraldo; based on the smeraldo blog posts before, the smeraldo flower was a flower that was based off a myth; it didn't actually exist but because the greater loved someone so much, he made this flower - the same flower that is being referenced here.
i love how they constantly link the lyrics back to how they are having some sort of facade; a mask on their real face to cover everything else.
I wanna be a good man Just for you 세상을 줬네 Just for you 전부 바꿨어 Just for you Now I dunno me Who are you?
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I wanna be a good man just for you I gave you the world, just for you I changed everything just for you Now I dunno me Who are you?
here comes the verse of Namjoon, and honestly this is great. i love how he shos how much he sacrificed himself to the point he doesn't recognise himself anymore. yet, this idea is brought over to hoseok’s part.
우리만의 숲 너는 없었어 내가 왔던 Route 잊어버렸어 나도 내가 누구였는지도 잘 모르게 됐어 거울에다 지껄여봐 너는 대체 누구니
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In our forest, you weren’t there I forgot the route that I came on Now I don’t even know who I used to be So I ask the mirror, who are you?
again, the idea of losing oneself for another; much like the lyrics in Taehyung’s intro: singularity, right here.
but the fact that the lyrics of using the ‘mirror’ adds another layer of nuances inside; saying that one wouldn't recognise their own reflection either.
그 호수에 내가 날 버렸잖아 내 목소릴 널 위해 묻었잖아
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I left myself behind on that lake My voice was buried for you
나는 날 잃은 걸까 아니 널 얻은 걸까
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Did I lose myself? Or did I gain you?
Reference: Colour Coded ©
the idea of losing oneself is brought over from Singularity to Fake love.
Love you so bad, love you so bad 널 위해 예쁜 거짓을 빚어내 Love it’s so mad, love it’s so mad 날 지워 너의 인형이 되려 해
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Love you so bad, love you so bad For you, I’m enacting a pretty lie Love it’s so mad, love it’s so mad I’m erasing myself to become your doll
this chorus is amazing, the lyrics are really on another level. for one’s satisfaction, lies are being said and done, and sacrificing oneself to be the puppet to show that they truly love their partners.
I’m so sick of this Fake love, fake love, fake love I’m so sorry but it’s Fake love, fake love, fake love
what gets to me is the extended chorus, that shows how far this kind of toxic relationship has gone and that it needs to end.
the fact that the same lines are repeated twice show the added emphasis on this idea.
Why you sad? I don’t know 난 몰라 웃어봐 사랑해 말해봐 나를 봐 나조차도 버린 나 너조차 이해할 수 없는 나
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Why you sad? I don’t know, I don’t know Smile, tell me you love me Look at me, I threw myself away Not even you can understand me
i love namjoon’s lyrics so much??? it shows how much he kinda become delusional for this toxic love etc.
낯설다 하네 니가 좋아하던 나로 변한 내가 아니라 하네 예전에 니가 잘 알고 있던 내가 아니긴 뭐가 아냐 난 눈 멀었어 사랑은 뭐가 사랑 It’s all fake love
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You say I’m strange when I changed into the person you liked You say I’m not the person you used to know What do you mean? No, I’ve grown blind What do you mean this is love, it’s all fake love
moving onto to yoongi’s lyrics, this shows how much he changed to someone else; one that he thought his partner would like. this fake love is becoming more and more chaotic.
Woo, I dunno, I dunno, I dunno why Woo 나도 날 나도 날 모르겠어 Woo, I just know, I just know, I just know why ’cause it’s all fake love, fake love, fake love
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Woo, I dunno, I dunno, I dunno why Woo, I don’t even know myself Woo, I just know, I just know, I just know why ’cause it’s all fake love, fake love, fake love
see, the lyrics of the bridge summarises back this whole fake love concept, not even knowing themselves anymore.
but what i love is how bangtan ends the whole song with that same lyrics that they started it off with, it felt like they gave closure to the whole song.
Reference: Colour Coded ©
aesthetics: this video is so full of aesthetics, i am so satisfied.
like i mentioned before, there are some resemblances to BST, both the korean and japanese version.
but asides from that, theres very few palette colours they are going for; little monochrome, blue to green, bright pink and most importantly, that one specific place where everything filmed there is saturated.
several places being filmed, especially given how each member is focused individually in a room and only together when they are doing the choreography.
also, great lighting, because wow
also, the fact, no CG, so we have these great scenes
truly, another aesthetic video.
choreography: okay, so i must say that this choreography wasnt as fast-paced as i would have expected it to be much like DNA or Dope, but it definitely had some more contemporary elements in terms of their formation though very subtle; more popping as seen through the choruses as well.
one could also say that this choreography also has some semblance with BST, in terms of their intro choreography and their setting.
but moving on, love the use of the shadows right here, it’s so satisfying to watch, much like to say that within a person, there’s so many personas, all trying to come out etc; but regardless it’s only one person.
then, jungkook comes along to get his solo dance, and that whole taekook pairing yet again. interesting to see taehyung the one to support jungkook here just like how taehyung supported hoseok in i need u.
then the extended chorus comes in, and as hoseok mentioned before in their comeback show on vapp, they incorporated the moves based on the ‘see no evil, hear no evil, do no evil’ kind of mantra with the 3 monkeys etc. and also, that whole popping thing that they did, hell yeah.
and the way they transitioned it to seokjin’s part is so smooth.
moving on, i must say i love how they just kinda focused on namjoon and jungkook for their parts; having another unit this time round; an unconventional one too i must say.
and then when they moved on to hoseok’s part, the key point is the mirror dance, this was truly the highlight. ( and there seems to be no gif i could find for this help )
this part of the choreography to show that they are like dolls, it’s so befitting with the lyrics, and it’s such a quick transition, i love them.
also, the whole part where the rapline does their parts, mainly namjoon in his 2nd verse and then yoongi, in which they use it to kinda make a chill choreography since more emphasis is placed on their raps.
but of course, we have the iconic part of where jungkook show this abs and everyone combusts into flames. it’s part of the dance but damn.
but regardless, the moves are amazing, even more so towards the 2nd chorus.
it’s so fluid, it’s great.
but of course, the ending is the best. the formation, to actually just leave a hand out, kinda reminds me of a flower blooming, could it be emeralds - the flower that cant be blossomed?
last thoughts: i really love this title track of theirs, i feel as though it really shines the most in this album and really went for the message that they want to bring across which is fake love.
[Photo Source] Bighit Entertainment Credits: maxine ☕️ DO NOT REPOST ©














