I think, Mera, that you got right at the bones of TXTs message. They are the embodiment of how existentialists live. The "why" in life is often just left unanswered; yet, just because you don't know your life's purpose, doesn't mean your life is pointless or not beautiful. That's their point. Although, I think a lot of people would argue that TXT has an underlying friendship message, which is true. The boys can't seem to be successful alone.
I am an art student and the question "why" is one that haunts every work that you do in such environment. Why are you using this color,? Why are you using this technique? Why are you making an edition of 10? Why are you doing this at all? This question comes like plague that's often is incurable and for this semester I have been painfully reminded of it for almost everything that I do. But the thing is truly in the fact, that a lot of great art is not made for the why, but for the how it makes you feel and I just. God, I think along the way of all the theory, all this need for purpose I forgot, that the greatest purpose for it all is the feelings that it brings. Thank you so so much for sharing this.
yessss-the same thing with writing!! Why am I including this descripition of character? Why am I using this word? The phrase "every detail is a decision" is rlly nailed into all art students. Particularly after years of analyzing literature, I felt pressure to create something that could be analyzed for deep meanings. But really, some of my best work that people like are the ones where I was just trying to translate an emotion, or a vibe that I felt-like translating from one language to another, just emotion into words, instead of French to Chinese. The truth about art is that it can be interpreted in different ways by different people. Once it means something strong to you, it's good. It's enough. That's what I keep reminding myself :))
Personally, I really loved Eternally; I have never heard anything like this song from any other kpop artist so far. To me, it signified the emotions of letting someone go and explored the horrifying ways that human emotions can be twisted into. It was a true masterpiece, honestly :)
ok but "arthouse" is the best way to describe some of txt's work though, as pretentious as it sounds. i don't stan them (i'm a casual listener), but they feel so fresh for me, especially among other 4th gen boy groups.
I think she's probably actually a theater major. The end discussion sounds a lot like theater art theory, the "art is the how" versus "theme is the why".
kinda unrelated but this essay reminds me of this quote "just tell me what you saw this morning in two lines [...] and to resist metaphor is very difficult because you have to actually endure the thing itself, which hurts us for some reason." -marie howe and thank you for everything mera, the chariot is indeed empty and i've never felt this much catharsis in a while.
Crazy you mention that quote! I had a conversation about it less than a week ago, talking about the glass of water on the tablecloth, and why it’s painful to just sit there with the glass of water and no shield of figurative language to put between you and the thing.
Since you first mentioned this video, TXT has become an ult of mine, from sheer artistry alone. I've been making a word doc list of my favorite releases of the year, and one of the things I said is that txt is urban fantasy and the greatness of youth in this way where youth isn't actually that great. The lyrics are unflinching yet comfortable and day to day, Run Away is about a greener pasture that probably does not exist, and Eternally (and the +U as a whole) is 19 minutes of a bunch of kids being faced with horrors and simply reacting to them. It's a breath of fresh air, nostalgia and, like, home? At times realistic home, but home nonetheless. It gives me a similar feeling to being a kid, watching Coraline and being entranced by the atmosphere and unsettling nature of it. (Frankly speaking I physically cannot believe that I was technically a predebut MOA but Cat and Dog let me down so hard that I completely turned off my brain through Nap of a Star until after Can't You See Me .-.)
I'm always surprised when I hear other MOAs saying they didn't like Cat and Dog or it was very disappointing because it's one of my favorites songs from them. It's fun, childish, silly and powerful.
@@musammatakter3278 I guess the word "disappointed" is a bit strong on my end. I liked it, I'll still listen to it, and I really like the general fandom response to it ie barking in the fanchant, but I thought the lyrics were a bit off putting at the time, what with the pet comparisons, and that turned me off. Especially since I liked Crown's lyrics so much. It is a very fun song, but that's why that happened when it did. I actually really suspect that, if I'm not aware of it, a similar thing could happen if Enhypen's next MV is for Let Me In, not because it's bad, I love that song a lot, but I am currently too aware of how much those members are babies and the lyrics just remind me of that.
Hi I became a moa during the Run Away Era and I LOVED Cat and Dog, people say it's so cringey and NOT It but i understand the overall concept and meaning of the song. It's an artistic track, tbh or maybe it's just me. 😂
omg i also was technically a pre debut moa but wasn't super into cat&dog at first so I just barely kept up with their main releases until Can't You See Me came out and blew me away and I decided I had to stan for sure. Now I love how fun and unapologetic cat&dog is as far as concept and I really love it, but boy did It take a while to warm up too
I don't even stan TXT, but i heard their music videos are like movies, so i might look into their work. Btw this video is amazing just like all of your other ones!
they're all like short films and every single one gives you a different feeling and emotion. no two txt mvs give you the same feeling it always makes you feel different
Oh my god, when I first watched the mv I felt all the things you described but you just put context into why I was feeling the things that I did. I hope you get a good grade coz honestly like I said the context of filmmaking, theology and genre that yoi hive is sk well explained. Honestly girl, I feel like I just consumed a dissertation. I love TXT, their music and them as artists and humans and after watching Eternally I have gone several times back to the mv because it's so interesting visually and I dunno something really connected with me. This video has made me realise why I was so drawn to the mv time and time again (your explanation of each of the boys sections made me realise how they connect with me as a viewer(Soobin's section of romanticized memory, the horror elements of the other sections and I agree the masterpiece that is Taehyun's sclection). Hope you're well healthy and safe, thank you for this fantastic video. x
when i first heard the song i was left dazed, completely entranced. Eternally is basically god in music form I don't know what to say but then the MV came out and it knocked me into the stratosphere I couldn't believe they matched the insanity of the song. they fr tapped into something otherworldly with eternally
Don’t worry it’s not that scary, especially if you expect it to be scary! I mean it was a pure shock to me first cause 1) never seen such horror concept in Kpop 2) I knew it was hinted in TXT story line but never thought they would make it so obvious’ You need to watch it, it’s a masterpiece
Absolute chills. Viewing music videos and music as an academic exploration in the way you do is such an inspiration to me. The takeaway about satisfaction is so fascinating and brings up a plethora of other questions about the way that we as both a domestic and international audience consume media. You never fail to amaze. I hope your professor sees that this is A+ worthy material. :)
One of my favourite things about txt is how they commit to their story line and the +U. Not only are the videos insane, but each TU song is specifically crafted for the video and the story. From the lyrics to the contrasting sounds. Everything is so well thought out.
That’s a very interesting conclusion. I’m a science student and when you start diving deeper into molecular biology, you reach a point where asking why something is happening almost doesn’t make sense. Why is a molecule polar? We can explain HOW it’s polar by talkunf about charges and bonds but not truly why. We, as humans, are so obsessed with causes, that it’s hard to admit that at some point we just have to be able to explain what we’re seeing without attributing cause/consequence to it. Eternally is like that. You just have to accept that it happened. Trying to come up with theories of why it happened won’t take you anywhere at the end of the day. Not knowing the cause of why they happened doesn’t take away from the beauty of the actions themselves.
"The conflict here established is a threat, yet the scene is undeniably romantic." i think this is the exacr reason why i come back to eternally mv time and time again. Taehyun's section was just. So good? The beauty of the scene, the horror of it all. The insidiousnes of purple flowers, mother nature not embracing yeonjun but surrounding him. The heavenly music blurring everything together. And god, taehyun's acting. He had so little time and he really managed to express his happines, then confusion, then worry, then that shiver of horror.
I loved your analysis to the point I got goosebumps when you started talking. I had to skip the horror section unfortunately because I'm a scary cat but I love the way you just talk about topics that I haven't seen before in the K-pop community. While I was watching the music video, externally made me a bit uncomfortable but now I totally understand why certain frames exist the way they do further extending the saying of that sometimes music is supposed to make us feel uncomfortable. Please take care of your health and take your time with the videos you make. Love you.
I started truly crying around 14:10 and had to take a step back...what I love about this analysis is you're not clearing up any plot, but telling me the nuts and bolts of making a meaningful video, what the components of the scenes are and what everything can mean... that particular scene was beautiful to me because I liked the colors and I was semi-familiar with their "yeonjun is bullied because he has antlers" story line, but I'm shocked and moved by the attention to detail and how it can mean so much more than what meets the eye. It reminds me a lot of why I love studying music composition and score study. There's always more than what meets an untrained ear, and even a trained ear on first listen, and it can be quite moving. :) Now I have to finished the video!!
I have to say I was honestly worried that this video would never be posted. Ever since you said you would make a video on this, I've been anticipating it so much. Eternally is such a beautiful music video and loved your anlysis and thoughts on it. Even for someone who didn't put much thought into the music video, I could still tell how different this music video is to other kpop music videos, and not just because it's 20 minutes long. Thank you for writing this and posting this video, it's easily one of my favorites you've made.
YOU. ARE. CRIMINALLY. UNDERRATED. and in mma 2020, during the last part of TXT's performance, Yeonjun had a hollow space in his body, in the background there were same collapsed buildings like in eternally and it was written 'THE CHAOS CHAPTER'
A TXT video essay? That's new, but good. I don't see a lot of good things said about them in kpop fandom unless it's coming from their fans or BTS', let alone good faith discussion around their work. Thank you. Hope you're doing well Mera.
This song is what got me into TXT. Now they’re one of my main groups (and I don’t have many at all). The song I heard first (I do this on purpose so the glitz of the video doesn’t trick me into immediately liking the song without a second thought) and it slapped me in the face in a way I freaking love. I HAD to know more. Then I saw the video. It was the first music video I’ve ever seen that I actively wished wouldn’t end. It’s a movie but way too short. It’s a dark concept but in an incredibly whimsical not edgy or sexy sense. It reinvented what the dark concept is to me. The song and video separately and together are pieces of art that just happened to be in the Korean language. Both feel like one of those gorgeous yet disturbing biblical Victorian paintings come to life. It’s just… it’s heaven. I’m forever in love with this song and video.
I'm stuck in a loop where I watch this video essay and go watch the Eternally MV or watch the Mv and come back to watch this masterpiece of an essay. And this happens every month.🔁
Honestly, I always wondered why I liked TXT's universe, even though I typically despise universes and theories in general. I think this video really answered it. Other universes feel like unfinished plots that seem to drag on and the entire meaning of said universe is so stretched out that it becomes so obscure and I end up not caring about it anymore. It feels like there is supposed to be an ending, but the company is trying to drag it out to satisfy fans. With TXT, it just feels like their universe is more-so trying to play with how to most artistically portray similar themes, that it becomes enjoyable to watch rather than frustrating to interpret and understand (although they are hard to understand lol). Nap of a Star is still my favorite MV to date, and all the rest of the +U MVs are so beautiful as well. Kudos to you! Excellent video and analysis. Reminded me of the first time I watched Eternally...
omg it all makes sense now, ever since i watched eternally for the first time i felt like it was portraying a nightmare but i couldn't tell why and now after watching your video i finally can: the audience has no control over what is happening, everything seems wrong and there's no resolution to anything just like in nightmares it's all about feeling, not reasoning, because the moment you try to make sense of things you get yourself deep into pure fear. eternally is a great experience
At this point I am sure you have multipal master degree in literature, art, cinemotigraphy. And maybe you are pursuing your Phd in some. I am awe struck by your ability to see and describe thing. I felt like I just watched a science dissertation, art film, documentary and a beautiful movie. You are phenomenan💜
Hey queen. Girl, you have done it again, constantly raising the bar for us all. And doing it flawlessly. But seriously, its always so wonderful to see the amount of thought and care you put into your videos. ♥
one thing i noticed while watching this video is how the loonaverse and the txt universe are like opposites. While the loonaverse is about connecting the dots and finding out why, the txt universe is about what everything makes us feel like
Please never stop making content, I'd watch an essay on bread if it was made by you. (Also thank you for making it on Eternally, I absolutely needed for someone to talk about Taehyun's scene and there is noone more perfect for that than you.)
I’ve been thinking about art and things like this were we are often expected to make something meaningful, or look for something meaningful - that statement. A why and an answer. But I realised that the art that means the most to me and stays the longest, is the art that made me feel a feeling so deep that for a moment there was just... me. And this is the part that is the most difficult: How the heck are you supposed to make something like this when this feeling is such a subjective and vage thing, not even yourself understands the origin. And maybe that doesn’t even matter. It’s just that often I get annoyed at art that rubs a message, a statement in your face so hard that I just get annoyed and frustrated. So yeah, your essay reminded me of this train thought I had/still have about just the emotional journey of enjoying/making art. Thank you!
I...I dont even know what to say. Thank you, for giving me a glimpse of what TXT is like? Fuck you, its 2am and im scared now? Nah jk, this video was absolutely gorgeous! Oh god, this essay in itself is so unsettling and yet so satisfactory...i genuinely hope you get a perfect grade bc this is so beautiful...thank you for sharing!
One of the essential challenges of Pop Music has always been incorporating meta-cognitive moves, those self-aware thoughts where we're thinking about our thinking and recognizing others' meta-cognitive expressions as such, those constructions and deconstructions of those audial and visual and lyrical signs and signifiers and references and tropes and microgenres, those very things that elevate consumer product into Pop Art, in ways that resonate with an audience whose brains, by and large, have not yet physically developed or are only in the beginning stages of developing the capacity for meta-cognition. In that concrete world, all information must have its place in existing narrative, even if it must be willfully misinterpreted to do so. Even so, there are opportunities for conscientização, where the desire to connect with information that does not fit can inspire those first sparks of meta-cognition. Many never develop this part of their brain, and they become virtually unable to question their thinking. Many countries, including the United States, have deliberately removed from their school curriculum classes and exercises (mostly around rhetorical forms) that foster and grow meta-cognition, in a seemingly deliberate attempt to raise more compliant citizens. It has become the highest purpose of Pop Art to leverage its audiences' attention towards consciousness raising, and the best Pop Art does so free from any agenda other than liberation for its own sake and for the sake of the subsequent agency of the liberated.
rewatching this video one last time before the frost music video comes out as a kind of goodbye to eternally :') i'm so freaking excited to know more (or not!) about the star seekers but ultimately i'm just super excited to see how hybe will communicate it to us this time.. i'm quite scared tbh, after all the song is frost! expecting more tension and maybe some horror imagery, but we'll see!
I actually sat up and applauded when this finished, that was absolutely incredible and your teacher best have given you a good grade. Seriously, you made me think about the MV in a whole other way entirely, and gave explanation to the mess of feelings I had after I watched it the first time. just.... wow honestly
Let it be known that you a) have a massive vocabulary, b) make videos that I simply love and end up re-watching and c) deserve an A. You ma'am are magnificent and talented and I simply won't hear otherwise 👏!
I loved your conclusion - that it's not about what it means, but about what it makes us feel. But I think that's part of what storytelling is all about - it's about understanding ourselves better through the eyes of those characters, those stories. For me, eternally was about pain, and loneliness, and feeling like everything changed and there's no way to stop it, and not knowing who you are - and there's so, so much more. This might be one of my favourite albums, ever, and I'm so happy you made a video about it. I love your videos and the way you talk about music and art and life. It's refreshing and interesting and just super dope. Thank you :) Edit: I forgot to mention - this album is the only album that made me cry. It's really special
Wow. I got shivers. I dont think I've ever watched a video essay where there isn't a greater meaning being revealed. That's the thesis: there is no need for answers
I can't believe I used to be one of those people who thought kpop was commercial music devoid of meaning, but since I started listening to it and since I took that Social Science class, it's not hard to see how kpop is influennced by it's social context and in turn influence's it. I feel like you have meaningfully changed the way I consume kpop and music in general within the social and economical context of the industry as a whole. Your definitly getting an A, stay healthy and safe!
The Eternally MV is exactly what made txt my ult group! I liked them before I saw it but I was nowhere near stanning. This MV made such an impression on me that I just had to stan and eventually they became my ult.
Your name came up on a kpop Reddit sub and I'm so glad I checked you out. Eternally is one of my favorite songs off my favorite TXT album, and I'm so happy to see another kpoptuber really talk about it.
I GOT IT! YOUR FIELD IS FILM. I hope it's to create because you understand every minuscule part of it and by it I mean all of it. You definitely NEED to create. In the scene where he comes up on the body on the throne covered in flowers and purple blood, your narrative got me so choked up tears were running down my face but I wasn't crying. You got a gift girl. Please don't think that I am some 50 yr old weirdo. My Klinefelter's makes me act young, immature, overly sensitive and but it doesn't hinder my Intelligence thankfully.
@@astraeanatsuki3231 I remember how I gasped when I listened to eternally for the first time and how lost I got when I watched this mv. Along with magic Island nap of the star , I’ve never seen anything like it before. Can’t wait for the chaos(maybe) chapter
The way you put every aspect of this wonderful Music Video's production - from the lighting, the camerawork, the Visual imagery, the editing - into context so coherently is phenomenal. Your conclusion about "Eternally" being more about the "How" rather than the "Why" got me chills. I really might have to check out more of TXT's Music videos and discography in general, they seem to be really deviating from the norm, as pretentious as that may sound.
i was so so excited to hear your thoughts on eternally because of how much it moved me and how much it means to me and you gave it justice!! so much of txt's work is so different and unique and deserves so much more conversation surrounding it. when i heard you were going to talk about eternally in-depth i was just so happy! i can't think of a better person to deliver their thoughts on an mv like this one. thank you so much for this wonderful essay
mera this video is so well made. i’ve watched eternally countless times because of how well it’s produced but i’ve never thought of the mv this way. i love your videos so much 😭💖
THANK YOU. FINALLY! thanks for making me think so much, queen. i really mean it. eternally as a song and as a music video are out of this world fantastic and so unique. i am grateful that you can actually put some of the thoughts that i and probably many others have in regards to this masterpiece into beautiful words for even more people to hear. thank you
im obsessed with the way this video analysis the parts of the mv that i /knew/ but i didn't /know/. i saw all of it, i gasped at all the right moments, but i never looked at it through the lens of someone who notices things like how the atmosphere changed to change your emotions, manipulating u to feel a certain way for certain things. and I LOVE the mention of how txt doesn't really answer the question of 'why' but instead leaves u with the feeling that - yes this is a thing that happened and it made me feel like this.
Wow I’m not your professor but I’d say you deserve an A. I love the conclusion- it never even occurred to me that there’s no reason “why” behind everything in eternally. I just assumed I hadn’t caught the purpose in the subtext. Really great video!
At this point, I'm pretty sure the very first thing Mera's child will say is Hamlet's soliloquy.
@hi an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play
@hi look it up. It's definitely a word.
@hi it is a word. I'm an English honours student
@hi why are u kind of being an asshole about it 😭 its just a word
@@heejin3947 they were being sarcastic
This is the essay I always felt Eternally deserved. I don’t think anyone could do it better than Mera. This is perfect 👌.
mera, is a fucking genius and her essays on everything are the best, and this one is too.
If you don't get an A+ for this . . . your teacher is an anti 🤣
Hard agree.
THIS
I think, Mera, that you got right at the bones of TXTs message. They are the embodiment of how existentialists live. The "why" in life is often just left unanswered; yet, just because you don't know your life's purpose, doesn't mean your life is pointless or not beautiful. That's their point. Although, I think a lot of people would argue that TXT has an underlying friendship message, which is true. The boys can't seem to be successful alone.
T
I am an art student and the question "why" is one that haunts every work that you do in such environment. Why are you using this color,? Why are you using this technique? Why are you making an edition of 10? Why are you doing this at all? This question comes like plague that's often is incurable and for this semester I have been painfully reminded of it for almost everything that I do. But the thing is truly in the fact, that a lot of great art is not made for the why, but for the how it makes you feel and I just. God, I think along the way of all the theory, all this need for purpose I forgot, that the greatest purpose for it all is the feelings that it brings. Thank you so so much for sharing this.
yessss-the same thing with writing!! Why am I including this descripition of character? Why am I using this word? The phrase "every detail is a decision" is rlly nailed into all art students. Particularly after years of analyzing literature, I felt pressure to create something that could be analyzed for deep meanings. But really, some of my best work that people like are the ones where I was just trying to translate an emotion, or a vibe that I felt-like translating from one language to another, just emotion into words, instead of French to Chinese. The truth about art is that it can be interpreted in different ways by different people. Once it means something strong to you, it's good. It's enough. That's what I keep reminding myself :))
straight up facts
"like a white girl in a horror movie going toward the scary noise" HAHAH IF THAT AIN'T ACCURATE.
“Taehyun approaches the scene like a white girl in a horror movie.” The way I wheezed-
Personally, I really loved Eternally; I have never heard anything like this song from any other kpop artist so far. To me, it signified the emotions of letting someone go and explored the horrifying ways that human emotions can be twisted into. It was a true masterpiece, honestly :)
"TXT universe is not about drawing all the lines together or connecting the big dots. It's about things that just happened" -Mera (2020)
ok but "arthouse" is the best way to describe some of txt's work though, as pretentious as it sounds. i don't stan them (i'm a casual listener), but they feel so fresh for me, especially among other 4th gen boy groups.
no disrespect to any group but does 4th gen feel like one big dance competition to anyone else?
@@mufaro1988 lmao well if that's how u take it then that's it, but not for me. :)
@@halfbloodhazelnuts same to me i saw the 4th gen is more on to dance than vocals. No hate thou.
@@aurellia9208 ayee
this channel is criminally underrated considering the quality of these video essays :(
Here i am asking myself: What are you studying?!? Like seriously. I'm honestly curious.
i'm assuming either film or psychology
It has to be media / media studies I would guess
Could be anthropology!
I think she's probably actually a theater major. The end discussion sounds a lot like theater art theory, the "art is the how" versus "theme is the why".
Probably an English major. I can relate. Lmao
kinda unrelated but this essay reminds me of this quote
"just tell me what you saw this morning in two lines [...] and to resist metaphor is very difficult because you have to actually endure the thing itself, which hurts us for some reason."
-marie howe
and thank you for everything mera, the chariot is indeed empty and i've never felt this much catharsis in a while.
Crazy you mention that quote! I had a conversation about it less than a week ago, talking about the glass of water on the tablecloth, and why it’s painful to just sit there with the glass of water and no shield of figurative language to put between you and the thing.
Someone explain please? With another example??
I clicked as fast as I could. Gosh even the title is poetic.
If you don't get an A, I going to have fight someone
Since you first mentioned this video, TXT has become an ult of mine, from sheer artistry alone. I've been making a word doc list of my favorite releases of the year, and one of the things I said is that txt is urban fantasy and the greatness of youth in this way where youth isn't actually that great. The lyrics are unflinching yet comfortable and day to day, Run Away is about a greener pasture that probably does not exist, and Eternally (and the +U as a whole) is 19 minutes of a bunch of kids being faced with horrors and simply reacting to them. It's a breath of fresh air, nostalgia and, like, home? At times realistic home, but home nonetheless. It gives me a similar feeling to being a kid, watching Coraline and being entranced by the atmosphere and unsettling nature of it.
(Frankly speaking I physically cannot believe that I was technically a predebut MOA but Cat and Dog let me down so hard that I completely turned off my brain through Nap of a Star until after Can't You See Me .-.)
I'm always surprised when I hear other MOAs saying they didn't like Cat and Dog or it was very disappointing because it's one of my favorites songs from them. It's fun, childish, silly and powerful.
@@musammatakter3278 I guess the word "disappointed" is a bit strong on my end. I liked it, I'll still listen to it, and I really like the general fandom response to it ie barking in the fanchant, but I thought the lyrics were a bit off putting at the time, what with the pet comparisons, and that turned me off. Especially since I liked Crown's lyrics so much. It is a very fun song, but that's why that happened when it did.
I actually really suspect that, if I'm not aware of it, a similar thing could happen if Enhypen's next MV is for Let Me In, not because it's bad, I love that song a lot, but I am currently too aware of how much those members are babies and the lyrics just remind me of that.
Hi I became a moa during the Run Away Era and I LOVED Cat and Dog, people say it's so cringey and NOT It but i understand the overall concept and meaning of the song. It's an artistic track, tbh or maybe it's just me. 😂
omg i also was technically a pre debut moa but wasn't super into cat&dog at first so I just barely kept up with their main releases until Can't You See Me came out and blew me away and I decided I had to stan for sure. Now I love how fun and unapologetic cat&dog is as far as concept and I really love it, but boy did It take a while to warm up too
@@tutterbear98 sooo.. they made the MV.. how you feeling?
I don't even stan TXT, but i heard their music videos are like movies, so i might look into their work.
Btw this video is amazing just like all of your other ones!
Mim7 omg please stan txt (ofc if u vibe with them, it’s ur decision). their discography is so diverse and, yes, their mvs are so so beautiful !!!
their discography is flawless so u won't be disappointed
I almost garentee you that there's going to be at least one song you like out of their entire discography.
they're all like short films and every single one gives you a different feeling and emotion. no two txt mvs give you the same feeling it always makes you feel different
Saaaame
the queen has returned
I was starting to worry that Mera wasn't doing well. Please stay healthy and safe, and remember that we value you Mera!
@@ronniejones3719 I have seen a lot of comment like this
What happened to her actually?
@ellieonce oh no :( mera please stay healthy!
@ellieonce oh ok
I hope she gets well soon
Ma'am, the way you look at the world is exquisite.
Oh my god, when I first watched the mv I felt all the things you described but you just put context into why I was feeling the things that I did. I hope you get a good grade coz honestly like I said the context of filmmaking, theology and genre that yoi hive is sk well explained. Honestly girl, I feel like I just consumed a dissertation. I love TXT, their music and them as artists and humans and after watching Eternally I have gone several times back to the mv because it's so interesting visually and I dunno something really connected with me. This video has made me realise why I was so drawn to the mv time and time again (your explanation of each of the boys sections made me realise how they connect with me as a viewer(Soobin's section of romanticized memory, the horror elements of the other sections and I agree the masterpiece that is Taehyun's sclection).
Hope you're well healthy and safe, thank you for this fantastic video. x
when i first heard the song i was left dazed, completely entranced. Eternally is basically god in music form I don't know what to say but then the MV came out and it knocked me into the stratosphere I couldn't believe they matched the insanity of the song. they fr tapped into something otherworldly with eternally
i never watched eternally because i knew it’d scare the crap out of me so having someone else walk me through it is much better
Don’t worry it’s not that scary, especially if you expect it to be scary! I mean it was a pure shock to me first cause
1) never seen such horror concept in Kpop
2) I knew it was hinted in TXT story line but never thought they would make it so obvious’
You need to watch it, it’s a masterpiece
Absolute chills. Viewing music videos and music as an academic exploration in the way you do is such an inspiration to me. The takeaway about satisfaction is so fascinating and brings up a plethora of other questions about the way that we as both a domestic and international audience consume media. You never fail to amaze. I hope your professor sees that this is A+ worthy material. :)
Fingers crossed! I would love to continue exploring the "point" of satisfaction, and the almost-obsession we have with it in certain spaces.
I was an English major in college and this is the type of analyzing we had to do. Is Mera an English major - we may never know 😂
One of my favourite things about txt is how they commit to their story line and the +U. Not only are the videos insane, but each TU song is specifically crafted for the video and the story. From the lyrics to the contrasting sounds. Everything is so well thought out.
The mv director is talented in whole another level
That’s a very interesting conclusion. I’m a science student and when you start diving deeper into molecular biology, you reach a point where asking why something is happening almost doesn’t make sense. Why is a molecule polar? We can explain HOW it’s polar by talkunf about charges and bonds but not truly why. We, as humans, are so obsessed with causes, that it’s hard to admit that at some point we just have to be able to explain what we’re seeing without attributing cause/consequence to it. Eternally is like that. You just have to accept that it happened. Trying to come up with theories of why it happened won’t take you anywhere at the end of the day. Not knowing the cause of why they happened doesn’t take away from the beauty of the actions themselves.
as someone who is hoping to major in microbiology, and a huge txt stan, this comment just made my day.
"The conflict here established is a threat, yet the scene is undeniably romantic." i think this is the exacr reason why i come back to eternally mv time and time again. Taehyun's section was just. So good? The beauty of the scene, the horror of it all. The insidiousnes of purple flowers, mother nature not embracing yeonjun but surrounding him. The heavenly music blurring everything together. And god, taehyun's acting. He had so little time and he really managed to express his happines, then confusion, then worry, then that shiver of horror.
I loved your analysis to the point I got goosebumps when you started talking. I had to skip the horror section unfortunately because I'm a scary cat but I love the way you just talk about topics that I haven't seen before in the K-pop community.
While I was watching the music video, externally made me a bit uncomfortable but now I totally understand why certain frames exist the way they do further extending the saying of that sometimes music is supposed to make us feel uncomfortable. Please take care of your health and take your time with the videos you make. Love you.
I started truly crying around 14:10 and had to take a step back...what I love about this analysis is you're not clearing up any plot, but telling me the nuts and bolts of making a meaningful video, what the components of the scenes are and what everything can mean... that particular scene was beautiful to me because I liked the colors and I was semi-familiar with their "yeonjun is bullied because he has antlers" story line, but I'm shocked and moved by the attention to detail and how it can mean so much more than what meets the eye. It reminds me a lot of why I love studying music composition and score study. There's always more than what meets an untrained ear, and even a trained ear on first listen, and it can be quite moving. :) Now I have to finished the video!!
Honestly i am happy that someone finally paid attention to the uniqueness of the eternally MV and just talked about it
I was literally just watching a theory video about TXT I-
Conclusion:
"it just happened"
I have to say I was honestly worried that this video would never be posted. Ever since you said you would make a video on this, I've been anticipating it so much. Eternally is such a beautiful music video and loved your anlysis and thoughts on it. Even for someone who didn't put much thought into the music video, I could still tell how different this music video is to other kpop music videos, and not just because it's 20 minutes long.
Thank you for writing this and posting this video, it's easily one of my favorites you've made.
YOU. ARE. CRIMINALLY. UNDERRATED.
and in mma 2020, during the last part of TXT's performance, Yeonjun had a hollow space in his body, in the background there were same collapsed buildings like in eternally and it was written 'THE CHAOS CHAPTER'
TXT and BigHit rlly giving SM a run for their money in pushing the envelope of KPOP and expanding the limits
IKR!!!!! As a bighit and sm family Stan this is so satisfying to experience 😌✨💖
A TXT video essay? That's new, but good. I don't see a lot of good things said about them in kpop fandom unless it's coming from their fans or BTS', let alone good faith discussion around their work. Thank you. Hope you're doing well Mera.
I hope txt sees this
when i saw the mv of eternally, i literally tought how fantastic your analysis would be. well, i was right
This song is what got me into TXT. Now they’re one of my main groups (and I don’t have many at all). The song I heard first (I do this on purpose so the glitz of the video doesn’t trick me into immediately liking the song without a second thought) and it slapped me in the face in a way I freaking love. I HAD to know more.
Then I saw the video. It was the first music video I’ve ever seen that I actively wished wouldn’t end. It’s a movie but way too short. It’s a dark concept but in an incredibly whimsical not edgy or sexy sense. It reinvented what the dark concept is to me. The song and video separately and together are pieces of art that just happened to be in the Korean language. Both feel like one of those gorgeous yet disturbing biblical Victorian paintings come to life. It’s just… it’s heaven.
I’m forever in love with this song and video.
UA-cam: there are 3 comments
Me: can I see them?
UA-cam: *No*
I'm stuck in a loop where I watch this video essay and go watch the Eternally MV or watch the Mv and come back to watch this masterpiece of an essay. And this happens every month.🔁
You better get an A+ for this because wow... I got goosebumps just watching this video just damn!
Honestly, I always wondered why I liked TXT's universe, even though I typically despise universes and theories in general. I think this video really answered it. Other universes feel like unfinished plots that seem to drag on and the entire meaning of said universe is so stretched out that it becomes so obscure and I end up not caring about it anymore. It feels like there is supposed to be an ending, but the company is trying to drag it out to satisfy fans. With TXT, it just feels like their universe is more-so trying to play with how to most artistically portray similar themes, that it becomes enjoyable to watch rather than frustrating to interpret and understand (although they are hard to understand lol). Nap of a Star is still my favorite MV to date, and all the rest of the +U MVs are so beautiful as well. Kudos to you! Excellent video and analysis. Reminded me of the first time I watched Eternally...
omg it all makes sense now, ever since i watched eternally for the first time i felt like it was portraying a nightmare but i couldn't tell why and now after watching your video i finally can: the audience has no control over what is happening, everything seems wrong and there's no resolution to anything just like in nightmares it's all about feeling, not reasoning, because the moment you try to make sense of things you get yourself deep into pure fear. eternally is a great experience
The most underrated video essay I've ever seen
At this point I am sure you have multipal master degree in literature, art, cinemotigraphy. And maybe you are pursuing your Phd in some.
I am awe struck by your ability to see and describe thing. I felt like I just watched a science dissertation, art film, documentary and a beautiful movie. You are phenomenan💜
Hey queen. Girl, you have done it again, constantly raising the bar for us all. And doing it flawlessly. But seriously, its always so wonderful to see the amount of thought and care you put into your videos. ♥
one thing i noticed while watching this video is how the loonaverse and the txt universe are like opposites. While the loonaverse is about connecting the dots and finding out why, the txt universe is about what everything makes us feel like
Please never stop making content, I'd watch an essay on bread if it was made by you. (Also thank you for making it on Eternally, I absolutely needed for someone to talk about Taehyun's scene and there is noone more perfect for that than you.)
you never miss you really dont
I legit thought this was an actual txt drop when I got the notif, I am so excited for this now.
If I hadn't know txt and I watched this video, I will be convinced to stan them
I’ve been thinking about art and things like this were we are often expected to make something meaningful, or look for something meaningful - that statement. A why and an answer. But I realised that the art that means the most to me and stays the longest, is the art that made me feel a feeling so deep that for a moment there was just... me. And this is the part that is the most difficult: How the heck are you supposed to make something like this when this feeling is such a subjective and vage thing, not even yourself understands the origin. And maybe that doesn’t even matter. It’s just that often I get annoyed at art that rubs a message, a statement in your face so hard that I just get annoyed and frustrated. So yeah, your essay reminded me of this train thought I had/still have about just the emotional journey of enjoying/making art. Thank you!
I...I dont even know what to say. Thank you, for giving me a glimpse of what TXT is like? Fuck you, its 2am and im scared now? Nah jk, this video was absolutely gorgeous! Oh god, this essay in itself is so unsettling and yet so satisfactory...i genuinely hope you get a perfect grade bc this is so beautiful...thank you for sharing!
One of the essential challenges of Pop Music has always been incorporating meta-cognitive moves, those self-aware thoughts where we're thinking about our thinking and recognizing others' meta-cognitive expressions as such, those constructions and deconstructions of those audial and visual and lyrical signs and signifiers and references and tropes and microgenres, those very things that elevate consumer product into Pop Art, in ways that resonate with an audience whose brains, by and large, have not yet physically developed or are only in the beginning stages of developing the capacity for meta-cognition. In that concrete world, all information must have its place in existing narrative, even if it must be willfully misinterpreted to do so. Even so, there are opportunities for conscientização, where the desire to connect with information that does not fit can inspire those first sparks of meta-cognition. Many never develop this part of their brain, and they become virtually unable to question their thinking. Many countries, including the United States, have deliberately removed from their school curriculum classes and exercises (mostly around rhetorical forms) that foster and grow meta-cognition, in a seemingly deliberate attempt to raise more compliant citizens. It has become the highest purpose of Pop Art to leverage its audiences' attention towards consciousness raising, and the best Pop Art does so free from any agenda other than liberation for its own sake and for the sake of the subsequent agency of the liberated.
I LOVE YOU. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, I LOVE YOU.
rewatching this video one last time before the frost music video comes out as a kind of goodbye to eternally :') i'm so freaking excited to know more (or not!) about the star seekers but ultimately i'm just super excited to see how hybe will communicate it to us this time.. i'm quite scared tbh, after all the song is frost! expecting more tension and maybe some horror imagery, but we'll see!
Guess I gotta check out the TXT comeback now
I feel like every one of us are vested in you grades now and would happily petition if it got anything lower than an A
miss mera you have GOT to know this is the video that got me into txt
YEs!! I'm so glad to hear that, I love their music and videography! Thank you so so much for watching!
I actually sat up and applauded when this finished, that was absolutely incredible and your teacher best have given you a good grade. Seriously, you made me think about the MV in a whole other way entirely, and gave explanation to the mess of feelings I had after I watched it the first time. just.... wow honestly
“Like a white girl in a horror movie going towards a scary noise” exactly 😭
txt has a reallyyyyy different concept compared to the other groups, and im happy with that.
Let it be known that you a) have a massive vocabulary, b) make videos that I simply love and end up re-watching and c) deserve an A. You ma'am are magnificent and talented and I simply won't hear otherwise 👏!
I loved your conclusion - that it's not about what it means, but about what it makes us feel. But I think that's part of what storytelling is all about - it's about understanding ourselves better through the eyes of those characters, those stories. For me, eternally was about pain, and loneliness, and feeling like everything changed and there's no way to stop it, and not knowing who you are - and there's so, so much more. This might be one of my favourite albums, ever, and I'm so happy you made a video about it. I love your videos and the way you talk about music and art and life. It's refreshing and interesting and just super dope. Thank you :)
Edit: I forgot to mention - this album is the only album that made me cry. It's really special
Wow. I got shivers. I dont think I've ever watched a video essay where there isn't a greater meaning being revealed. That's the thesis: there is no need for answers
I can't believe I used to be one of those people who thought kpop was commercial music devoid of meaning, but since I started listening to it and since I took that Social Science class, it's not hard to see how kpop is influennced by it's social context and in turn influence's it. I feel like you have meaningfully changed the way I consume kpop and music in general within the social and economical context of the industry as a whole. Your definitly getting an A, stay healthy and safe!
Every time I watch one of ur videos I feel I like I gained some intel on life that I didn’t have before
The Eternally MV is exactly what made txt my ult group! I liked them before I saw it but I was nowhere near stanning. This MV made such an impression on me that I just had to stan and eventually they became my ult.
Not this video being almost as long as Eternally MV.
P.S- Mera , your videos got me back into writing, thanks
Words can’t describe how much I missed Mera’s video and her voice
I could listen to you talk all day. The talent you have is amazing, thank you for sharing it with us.
I love how around 14:00 you can really hear the passion in her voice
hold lemme make my hot chocolate then I'll watch this snuggled in my blanket
I was waiting for this! You mentioned doing a video on this separately on one of your older videos and ah I've been waiting!
i literally would die for eternally the song and the video oh my god my soul left my body when i saw this in my notifs
holy fucking shit I'm actually in tears rn
best analysis ever
Your name came up on a kpop Reddit sub and I'm so glad I checked you out. Eternally is one of my favorite songs off my favorite TXT album, and I'm so happy to see another kpoptuber really talk about it.
I choked on my water when I saw the notification.
I GOT IT! YOUR FIELD IS FILM. I hope it's to create because you understand every minuscule part of it and by it I mean all of it. You definitely NEED to create. In the scene where he comes up on the body on the throne covered in flowers and purple blood, your narrative got me so choked up tears were running down my face but I wasn't crying. You got a gift girl. Please don't think that I am some 50 yr old weirdo. My Klinefelter's makes me act young, immature, overly sensitive and but it doesn't hinder my Intelligence thankfully.
This is the kind of stuff I have to pay to read on JSTOR. Thank you for making it publicly available.
girl we need an update on that grade you got ;)
It’s always a good day whenever mera comes back!
Ah you’ve been missing out cause they are one of the most artistic groups in kpop
@@astraeanatsuki3231 I remember how I gasped when I listened to eternally for the first time and how lost I got when I watched this mv. Along with magic Island nap of the star , I’ve never seen anything like it before. Can’t wait for the chaos(maybe) chapter
This video is so interesting and gives even more depth to Eternally, my first thought was that Namjoon would love to see this. Its so well done
The way you put every aspect of this wonderful Music Video's production - from the lighting, the camerawork, the Visual imagery, the editing - into context so coherently is phenomenal. Your conclusion about "Eternally" being more about the "How" rather than the "Why" got me chills. I really might have to check out more of TXT's Music videos and discography in general, they seem to be really deviating from the norm, as pretentious as that may sound.
OKAY I HAVE JUST BEEN MINDBLOWN
i was so so excited to hear your thoughts on eternally because of how much it moved me and how much it means to me and you gave it justice!! so much of txt's work is so different and unique and deserves so much more conversation surrounding it. when i heard you were going to talk about eternally in-depth i was just so happy! i can't think of a better person to deliver their thoughts on an mv like this one. thank you so much for this wonderful essay
I aspire to be as intelligent as you
chILLS this is absolutely amazing ;;
I was a fan of your videos first before becoming a MOA and this essay deserves the highest grade and a standing ovation.
Yet this video is criminally underrated
I want everyone to see this masterpiece- not Eternally, we know he be a modern masterpiece, but Mera’s analysis 😂
mera this video is so well made. i’ve watched eternally countless times because of how well it’s produced but i’ve never thought of the mv this way. i love your videos so much 😭💖
the way you posted this the same time as soobin's birthday!! ❤
THANK YOU. FINALLY!
thanks for making me think so much, queen. i really mean it. eternally as a song and as a music video are out of this world fantastic and so unique. i am grateful that you can actually put some of the thoughts that i and probably many others have in regards to this masterpiece into beautiful words for even more people to hear. thank you
im obsessed with the way this video analysis the parts of the mv that i /knew/ but i didn't /know/. i saw all of it, i gasped at all the right moments, but i never looked at it through the lens of someone who notices things like how the atmosphere changed to change your emotions, manipulating u to feel a certain way for certain things.
and I LOVE the mention of how txt doesn't really answer the question of 'why' but instead leaves u with the feeling that - yes this is a thing that happened and it made me feel like this.
Wow I’m not your professor but I’d say you deserve an A. I love the conclusion- it never even occurred to me that there’s no reason “why” behind everything in eternally. I just assumed I hadn’t caught the purpose in the subtext. Really great video!
I’m so happy you made this video, Eternally deserves to have essays and yours did it perfectly
Every couple weeks I come back and rewatch this video because I love it so much