Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Hana Lee
BTS’ V will release his first solo album on September 8th. his album is garnering significant attention as it marks his first collaboration with Min Hee Jin, the general producer of ADOR who was behind the creation of NewJeans. Min Hee Jin is in charge of coordinating and directing different elements of the album, including music, choreography, design, and promotion. She stated, “I had this beautiful melody in mind that I believed would be a perfect match for V’s musical style. Taking his unique tone of voice and personal flair into consideration, I curated a selection of tracks for him to listen to. To my delight, he totally loved it when he heard it.” K-pop, often referred to as ‘comprehensive art,’ consistently breaks new ground by fostering innovative collaborations across various creative domains. Today, we introduce cases of K-pop collaborations with different fields such as brands and literature.
NewJeans ‘ETA’ X Apple
In the “ETA” music video, the members of NewJeans are seen holding Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro. In the video’s storyline, the main character witnesses her friend’s boyfriend cheating and captures the moment using the phone. She then immediately connects with her friend through a video call to share what she has discovered. What’s intriguing is that the music video doesn’t just show the characters using the iPhone 14 Pro; it was actually shot by the device, sparking a lot of interest. This collaboration with Apple resulted in the music video gaining a lot of love, garnering an impressive 27 million views in just one month. Moreover, on Apple Music, there’s a special edition of NewJeans’ other song “OMG” available. Since their debut, NewJeans have been interacting with their fans through their dedicated app called Phoning, making this collaboration with Apple feel in line with their tech-friendly approach.
IVE ‘I’VE SUMMER’ X Novelist Chung Serang
After the hits “ELEVEN” and “LOVE DIVE,” IVE released a trailer called “I’VE SUMMER” before their new single album “AFTER LIKE.” The video shows the members having fun together during the hottest days of summer and becoming better friends. One line they say in the video, “Promise you won’t forget this summer with all six of us,” was written by famous writer Chung Serang. This video got a lot of attention because it’s the first time the writer worked on a K-pop project. Chung Serang wrote a popular book called The School Nurse Files which was made into a Netflix show, and she also helped with this trailer. Noh Sang Yoon, who directed IVE’s “LOVE DIVE” and “AFTER LIKE” music videos, asked Chung Serang to help make this IVE trailer.
LE SSERAFIM ‘ANTIFRAGILE’ X Novelist Kim Cho Yup
LE SSERAFIM drew attention with their second EP ANTIFRAGILE as it features the empowering lyrics and performance about staying fearless in the face of any hardships. The group also made the headlines for joining hands with novelist Kim Cho Yup. The prologue she wrote for Crimson Heart was included as a booklet in the group’s mini album. Kim Cho Yup is a science fiction novelist best known for her literary works like Greenhouse at the End of the Earth (literal title) and If We Can’t Go at the Speed of Light (literal title). Crimson Heart captures LE SSERAFIM’s worldview, and its story, which unfolds in the form of the webtoon and web novel, is featured in the group’s second mini album. The story follows the fearless five girls venturing out of the controlled and familiar city to the unfamiliar land ‘Unknown’ teeming with ‘blue fireflies.’ Those five girls represent each member of the group, with Sakura as Sena, Kim Chaewon as Joan, Huh Yun Jin as Yurina, Kazuha as Dabi, and Hong Eunchae as Luisha.
Red Velvet X Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra
SM Classics, a classical music label under SM Entertainment, has been carrying out a unique project called SM Classics TOWN Orchestra. They collaborate with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra to create orchestral renditions of songs by their artists. Some of the songs that have been given orchestral treatment include “End of a Day” by SHINee’s Jonghyun, “Into the New World” by Girls’ Generation, and “Black Mamba” by aespa. This project was inspired by former SM CEO Lee Sung Soo, who noted that K-pop songs share similarities with classical pieces in terms of harmony, rhythm, melody, composition, and variation. Through this project, Red Velvet’s music also gained a new dimension. In 2020, they reimagined “Red Flavor” with an orchestra, piano, and percussion, enhancing the original song’s vibrant energy. Last year, the group presented a classical version of “Feel My Rhythm,” which incorporated elements from Bach’s “Air on the G String.”
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Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
