The Kulture Study: TAEYEON ''Can't Control Myself' MV REACTION & REVIEW

[@Sibealove]

I do think the blood is from the cuts she got from the roses. I think the public doesn't care about her as a person, only as a performer, so that's all they're able to see, a performer, not a real person. They see her screaming in pain and think it's a great performance and applaude and throw roses. We know it's not a performance this time because of her real life blonde hair, but the public doesn't care, to them she's always on stage, always a performer, even if she gets up there looking like her real self. So the roses they throw end up cutting her, which I think is a way of saying it hurts her that they can only see the performer and not the real person, even if she shows them her real self in pain. Also, roses being a beautiful flower but with thornes that can hurt, like a performer on stage looking happy and in love but behind the scenes can be in pain and hurting, which was her case. Yup, I love this MV too.

[@soysprouts]

love this take

[@MsCheese2000]

She’s one of those whom the public always dig her personal stuff tho esp her dating

[@dearme667]

👌👏

[@GaladrielOfLorien]

This is a great summary!

[@oioihwang7774]

boom

[@DML897]

Complete stunned silence during it, absolutely appropriate for Tae and this release. Seriously one of her best. And she's such a good actor in it too.

[@edvaedan9161]

Yes it’s a pretty simple song but powerful and combined with the video, stunning. She can convey so much information and emotion with just a look.

[@yozume8859]

I completely agree with you on this. It's so different from her other songs that she had and I'm starting to Stan her more

[@riffgroove]

"When you're a celebrity, even your personal trauma becomes their entertainment." Every time I think I've seen everything Taeyeon is going to show us, she gives us something new. Cannot wait for the album to drop.

[@taiphoon1981]

For actress Taeyeon, she only did 1 musical, and some parodies for her concerts' VCR. that's why I'm really impressed with her acting

[@Pitapat819]

but her parodies are awesome haha i always always thought she had good acting skills but she just prefers to sing more than anything.

[@BlackStarSymphony]

She also had a part in the kdrama Salamander Guru. But it wasn't really big and it was in one episode.

[@thoseriseofkingdomsadswith972]

Her Sky Castle parody is too fucking good, LMAO. And it's just about her buying her own tickets for her own concert =)))

[@EkapolTharasiriroj]

I like the transition from the dance scene when Taeyeon's hand separates from that guy then she falls to the kitchen floor. He always walked downstairs at backstage and at home. The color of the character outfits symbolized many things. She wore red, green, black and beige. He wore beige, blue and black. The birthday scene is a reference to her Birthday tragedy in 2020. She planned to release her single "Happy" on her birthday but her father died suddenly and the release was delayed for two months. She is so brave to have a reference on the MV. Most ppl will prefer not to mention it. For me the song is about: - Toxic relationship, this is obvious - Her musical career and her depression and relationship with the fan/public/media. The guy symbolized her professionalism.

[@aeri_taylors-version]

i kinda think she’s also criticizing the public double-standard because usually when there’re “dating scandals” the public are somehow against (lol the audacity) the men are the ones who usually got out of it unscathed while the women are the ones *scorned* for it, especially with the papparazzi’s scene where she’s in a spotlight and obviously unwell while he could just walk away, unaffected

[@louisenobrega6183]

@@aeri_taylors-version finally someone said it

[@jsj9907]

I've always wondered why Taeyeon didnt pursue acting too (just like her counterpart, IU). Because during the reign of SNSD, aside from Yoona, she has always been SO GOOD at acting in skits, parodies, music videos, or just essentially giving us the emotion. Not to mention she has the face for it. She's a chameleon who could shift. She also has the massive fandom for it to success. Even musicals she didnt do it much. I remembered reading somewhere that she said that she don't think she's good at it and only wants to focus on her artistry as a singer. But OH BOY does she put other notable actresses/actors to shame.

[@jennychung29]

Taeyeon likes stage. She do loves singing when she was a child, that's why she doesn't want to acting. Acting spend so much time, Taeyeon got a long time depression, she has to due with it. This song likes what she's received these years. Much, too much!

[@serenity8910]

I don't think Taeyeon has a passion for acting. Her passion has always been to sing and perform. And I'm glad she decided to focus on that unlike many idols because her music truly is everything!

[@jennychung29]

@@serenity8910 i don't want her acting too. I do like the way Taeyeon, BoA do with their job. I just got one more person, I hope she doesn't acting too. Just focus the stage, music and singing. Hope SM can do the same with Karina, i don't want her goes to acting. Singer acting get me feel like Acting is their real job, singing just....for fun. Taeyeon and Hyoyeon just focus music.

[@edvaedan9161]

I think Taeyeon is a music ‘nerd’. She is totally devoted to it. Not only her work but others as well. I could see her writing songs for other artists before acting. Maybe a musical...

[@faraesthetics7161]

all the points you pointed out are all so valid. she is such an amazing actor. but i do remember that she said that she loves singing so much and that's her passion. She made it very clear that she wanted to be well-remembered as a singer, that's why she never pursue acting (despite of all her obvious potential). Of coarse, we all respect her for her decisions too. I hope she keep singing and releasing albums for a long time.

[@Taejiu]

Taeyeon and IU are the only artists that make ballads that I actually enjoy, and the whole look of this music video was so great, I loved the theme.

[@edvaedan9161]

I mean there are ballads and there are Ballads. Some are nice songs to play in the background like a lot of the drama OSTs. And some can bring you to your knees with power and emotion. That is Taeyeon.

[@aeri_taylors-version]

@@edvaedan9161 agreed

[@kiemmy_eri]

For someone who said that they're not interested in acting, she's really too good in that aspect and it shows here. She did superb here! I was actually waiting for this and I thought you're not gonna do a review for this. Thank you PD-nim!

[@invincat]

Yeah, i always say she's the dark horse of the Soshi acting line. She's never shown interest in acting gigs, but her MV's and her concert shorts are always full of sublime snippets.

[@serenity8910]

Thank you for reacting to this PD because I know you don't usually react to Taeyeon. May I just say, Taeyeon participated in the lyrics, directing and concept for Can't Control Myself which makes this all the more special. And no, she has not acted before except for cameos and one play ages ago. The MV is so filled with emotions, honestly I cried when I watched it. I have a lot of theories about the guy hiding from the reporters under the umbrella and how at the end the audience/public throw the roses at both of them but Taeyeon is the only one being hurt and suffering...

[@rani9213]

up!!!!

[@ellanote2260]

dude he always reacts to taeyeon what u mean

[@serenity8910]

@@ellanote2260 No, he has not reacted to most of her more recent MVs like Happy, WDICY, Weekend.

[@jennyarriola324]

I posted your theory on my page, and got a hellstorm from his fans 🤷

[@serenity8910]

@@jennyarriola324 Sometimes you have to stay vague about stuff like this lol. Besides, it's not even about him. It's about what she had to go through during that time. And it's only a theory.

[@Lena-zn4re]

Taeyeon is most definitely well known for her beautiful ballads and powerful vocals. But actually, her recent releases haven’t been ballads at all, which I’m surprisingly happy with. Not to say that I don’t love her ballads, because I most definitely do, but it’s nice to see her experiment with a wide array of genres. Anything from rock to r&b to pop, she’s done it all within the past year or so.

[@DennisJ16]

hope she can do some hardcore rocks

[@re_lamb]

@@DennisJ16 her song “better babe” gets pretty close to rock, especially her vocals

[@helenaanjos3382]

Like you said, Taeyeon is for sure more well known for her ballads, but her experimenting is not anything new. I feel like people only remember the ballads but she's definitely have had a diverse discography since the beggining of her solo career. I mean, her first comeback was Why, her first full album had I got Love as a double title track...

[@DennisJ16]

@@re_lamb I knew that song, and I definitely like it. But I'm still expecting some real rocks from her

[@Lena-zn4re]

@@helenaanjos3382 That’s very true, it’s just that I don’t think anyone who isn’t already an active listener of hers is going to know about those gems. Besides Why, I don’t think she’s promoted any of her other experimental songs. The last time she promoted before Weekend was Fine back in 2018, and I’m not sure if that was a sound that PD vibes with.

[@morenamontes9504]

I cried watching this. I felt every emotion she expressed

[@gianna1822]

i did too , which surprised me soo much because i never cry listening to music or watching things , even the saddest kdramas outh there

[@YQ0710]

Also, I'm a Taeyeon fan, and this song sounds ok on first listen. However, when put on repeat, its so hard to stop playing it!

[@vivian32]

For people who wants to get into taeyeon but is hesitant bcs she is known for oNlY bAlLaDs, trust me, she is more than that. She is not a ballad singer, her songs are of wide varieties, and in different genres. So, if u wanna check her out, would definitely recommend!

[@jewiqt]

Taeyeon has a lot of bops that are not ballads though she is the genre itself. King Taeyeon 👑✨

[@mariaeduardasalgado]

taeyeon helped writing the lyrics to this song

[@stan477]

Omg

[@stan477]

I feel sad now,

[@birdkisssi2]

A bonus point here, taeyeon is actually the one that wrote the lyrics, she's the first one in the credit note.

[@markkostecki4558]

Definitely one of those songs that the MV just makes the song better

[@aeri_taylors-version]

yes. the MV elevates the song and gives it a more specific direction it was going for

[@yunjinagiota]

i think the most reasonable explanation for the blood is that she got pricked by the thorns and stuff, but thats way too much blood, also, if she was cleaning blood from her mouth in the begginning, idk how that would be caused by the roses and that is a puzzle itself.

[@Lena-zn4re]

True, the thorns on the roses couldn’t have caused that much bleeding during the first shot at the beginning, even if the entire crowd was throwing them at her. I mean, her hands were SOAKED in blood.

[@francisd.2064]

Finally!!!! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS PD 🥳

[@sansan-rp3kq]

This is my favorite music video of the year so far. I love the storyline behind it, almost feels like a K-drama ^__^

[@siddharth9027]

ofc yes but its just 20 days past the new year lol

[@rocket7D]

I'm not or wasn't Taeyeon's fan, and the previous songs were not so much my style, saying this for me "Can't control myself" is the best song so far in 2022 and I loved the video.

[@hytothmn2110]

She has better b-sides tho, not just ballad. My favourite would be Better Babe. You can search more of her b-sides other than the ballads.

[@bluaaahhhh]

If you liked this one, What do I call you feels like the same vibes. A little pace down and dropped tones, maybe you will like it

[@mmveelee]

@@hytothmn2110 totally agree. OP, if you like Can’t Control Myself then I also recommend you listen to Taeyeon’s “Purpose” album, esp the tracks: Better Babe, LoL, and Gravity.

[@cherryblossom1267]

you might like "I got love." that song is unique, dark and experimental, kinda jazzy too. yk those ost for villains? that song sounds like it.

[@bbbunga]

i really agree, her acting is really good. the way she delivers the emotions of the song... anyway yes she did a cameo, musical, and act for her VCR concert. also about her blood, if you focus on her nose at 5:28 you'll see it's from the thorn of the rose. anyway thank you for reacting to Taeyeon 💜

[@aeridaniel891]

Taeyeon's soul is in this!

[@flavita8969]

Since we are on the topic of interpretation, I'm reminded of how Taeyeon usually tends to sing thinking not of a romantic relationship but of a relationship of her with music(like when she did with Four Seasons). So with this video, romance aside I think you can also see as a way to show how the "idol" life really is, the relationship between viewer and idol can also be quite toxic. We are shown how glamorous, perfect and cool her life is on stage, she is portrayed happy and that's what the viewer focus is. But behind the scenes, as taeyeon's fans know, she is battling depression, constantly feeling a void and fighting to fill it. By the end of the video she tries to show her "real" self, the broken, depressed mess she is, but as fans focusing on the good side they disregard it as something part of the performance and shower her with praises that end up doing more damage than good. Depression is a disease that it can be very damaging to tell someone who has it "You're perfect! You're the best! It's fine you're doing good!" because they feel unworthy and shitty. Well that's just one of the things I thought while watching.

[@alieniversebang]

For me this is the best MV from Taeyeon, it has so many interpretations that we can think about this MV

[@birdkisssi2]

The song has grown on me, and the mv is sooo interesting and well done

[@reggiemagdura877]

No one can change my mind that Taeyeon is one of the best Vocalist of Kpop. Range- ✅ Vocal Techniques- ✅ Emotions- ✅ Voice Flexibility- ✅

[@astronaomy]

just a thought, but i think that the story could also talk about an abusive relationship more than a toxic one, where the abuser makes her think that she's “the crazy one”. he convinces her of that to make her feel guilty because of all the things that are “her fault”, in a gaslighting way, so she stays dependant and keeps coming back and stays submissive to him. while in front of the public he's super romantic and sweet, when they're alone, he doesn't even seem to care about her. he's violent (when he throws the glass flower pot) and even when she could be having a hard time (the scene with the cameras all around her) he ignores it, and still decides to mind his own and keep going the way he wants (abusing), because he only cares about himself, he doesn't care if she gets hurt. and to the public, it's just theatre, and of course that everything's perfect. even when taeyeon tries to raise her voice, no one seems to notice, “she must be acting”, “she only wants attention”, “she loves being under the spotlight". why would korean society doubt a man's intentions? «it's fine, he's a man. let him be». the roses representing all the beauty of that lie in her head, and the pain of reality where no one believes in her deeply injuring. i think that at the end, she may realize that as long as she stays holding on to him, she will be miserable. she wipes off her own blood, from all the pain that her past was giving to her but that she never let herself “bleed” (in a way of letting herself feel the pain and knowing that the situation was not her fault), repeating to herself that she won't give him the satisfaction of letting her suffering anymore, and she will regain the control over herself, and her life.

[@Towkeeyoh]

Both the music and the MV are sick!!!!

[@emanthekind2140]

Interesting. I viewed it as her being in a toxic and abusive relationship with him where he keeps gaslighting her, and even as she is somewhat "moving on", she can't help but come back to and continue to be ruined by the relationship.

[@anitasauerta2574]

I see it like this too. She gets gaslighted a lot and victim blames herself for being out of control, when what she is feeling is totally normal and he is just putting on a show for everyone and is cold too her, because he knows she can't help it to come back but broke free at the end from him and is heart broken because it didn't affect him much and she has to pretend everything is still okay Edit: lit to lot

[@mysoneluv]

I am obsessed with this song and mv. Thank you so much for reacting to it!

[@kassandra1745]

saw a comment saying that those scars and blood was from the roses thrown by the audience in the end of the mv.. didnt know this mv was so deep woah

[@mellorocks]

that just blew my mind, wow

[@kassandra1745]

@@mellorocks ikr! like notice that she didn't have scars when she was crying on stage but when the audience started throwing roses, she then started bleeding and had scars all over her body,, its like the thorns from the roses are words being thrown at her..

[@mellorocks]

@@kassandra1745 this music video is so well thought out! layers on layers, it’s fascinating

[@kevindadap0116]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REACTING 🤗 Taeyeon is a very notable ballader but she can also fitted to any music genre. More powers!

[@MaoMao-ej7ur]

This song and mv are so good！

[@katiapereira882]

If you guys are looking to get into Taeyeon: Taeyeon's album's are simply put masterpieces, they are art. She won that Daesang for a reason. Her album Purpose was a huge hit for the average korean public, rather than the Kpop demographic with all of the songs recieving much attention and play time. Even her Japanese songs are incredibly good. She has songs that lean more to jazzy sounds, A LOT of R&B, some I would describe even as soft rock, other retro inspired, and a lot of just very chill beautiful songs if that's your sort of thing you would enjoy her very much. I can only describe her music as a vibe, something you would put when taking a drive for any time of day and any mood. My recommendations or ones I'm obsessed with right now: Better Babe, City Love, I do (japanese track), Lonely Night, Galaxy, Gemini, Blue. But she truly has no bad songs.

[@SpringsnowBlossom]

The day this song was released, I was in a really vulnerable state and ended up sobbing for hours. It still makes me tear up. Every. Time. Taeyeon is… indescribably herself.

[@rayanevitorassi2492]

This has such just tonight by the pretty reckless vibes but with a poppier twist... I LOVE IT so much

[@Ae-fh4tz]

Taeyeon is the one who direct that mv

[@ghadamh1793]

Taeyeon literally never fails 👌

[@AnisUprit]

There's A LOT of theories for this mv. And personally I think this story is about toxic relationship where taeyeon is love this guy but he doesn't care about her or didn't love her anymore. In the stage they portrayed as a beautiful couple and he really cares about her but off stage he is indifferent and always avoiding her. But maybe taeyeon is always have a hope because sometimes he care about her but it just all acts for the audience, and also when she is surrounded by people he is always there staring at her. The one who said she's crazy can be the guy or the public because they see her lose control for this guy and also why she got all those cuts when they throw roses at her. And for that paparazzi scene I think it just showing when she got all this spotlight and it actually made her uncomfortable he still doesn't care and let her be in that spotlight looking almost insane eventhough he knows it because of him I love this mv. Her acting is good I didn't really hear the song for the first time I watched this mv because I was so immersed with the storyline. Glad you decide to react to this! Still don't know if the title track is gonna be ballad or not she said it completely different from this song. And actually she rarely do ballad for her title track. I wish you react to What Do I Call You before since it's not ballad and there's also a storyline in that mv

[@riffgroove]

The vibe I got is mostly the relationship between her and the audience. The whole "when you're a celebrity, even your personal trauma is your audience's entertainment" thing.

[@김태연-b5u]

@@riffgroove that’s what i thought. i think this song is an allegory for fame as well

[@Sfendo63]

Thanks for your reaction on this masterpiece. I believe it is a deeply introspective song like Rose's "On The Ground". An idol trapped by the performance expected from her, unable to communicate and experience her true feelings. Truth can't be controlled, but without the ability to be communicated ends up in deep wounds for the artist.

[@nelynolen1879]

Queen is back 🙌🏻

[@alba_jm]

The " this lyrics are ✨ depressing ✨" and the "or SHE KILLED HIM😃😋" made the whole video for me 😂😂 I love this reactions/commentary so much omg I'm so thankful 🙏❤️

[@immirae9471]

At a first listen i was like umm okay it's a great song but nothing special. But as i keep listening to it , it really grew on me and I'm in love with the song right now. Taeyeon's acting was on point as well. Thank you for reacting to this song PD!!!!

[@leen7704]

Yes yes! Thank you for reacting to it❤️ I have been waiting for it

[@Pamledger478]

She is the 👌 best !!

[@Lena-zn4re]

I was wondering if you would end up reacting to this, considering you don’t typically react to Taeyeon. But I’m glad you ended up giving it a shot.

[@arie_l6380]

I think it means she putting the relationship behind and he's dead for her, and thanks for your amazing comments on it

[@AnakKecil-qo1og]

This is the first time I see your video reaction and I wanna say thank you. You did a reaction, you did a review. Not only “waaaw” “oohh” “i like this” kind of reaction. It’s like we share our opinion together. And for the MV, as her fans, this is the best MV she ever had. The others MV just good, just typical song MV you always see. But this one is great.

[@YQ0710]

PD, Tae's recent songs hasn't been ballads though. Happy and Weekend are both pop-ish instead of ballad.

[@xylypotatohead3947]

Not a lot of her album stuff r ballads either. She is rather experimental n pop. Also it's not really true that PD doesn't like Ballads they just don't like generic ones. They say they don't like ballads and then there's a like Exo's universe that they absolutely love lol.

[@ellanote2260]

@@xylypotatohead3947 exactly

[@timorcohen4641]

Her last ballad was Four Season and even that wasn't really 100% a ballad

[@serenity8910]

@@timorcohen4641 I wouldn't consider Four Seasons a ballad. More like mid-tempo pop. IMO her only title track that could be called a ballad is Fine.

[@reitakanashi4735]

been waiting for this

[@astronaomy]

THANK YOU, I SURELY WAS SPEECHLESS. that song and storyline meant so much to me.

[@1Pinkballoon]

I was gonna say why don't you react to Taeyeon sinse her music is literally ART ... And her MV are always IT, you should do it more often

[@irlcamila]

i am seriously sooooo into this song , and i thought the mv was amazing too !! definitely looking forward to invu !! the samplers she released had me hooked too

[@1990superstranger]

She is back with new album! Please check out “letter to myself”!

[@mariaeduardasalgado]

pd, i dont know if you know her last comeback "weekend", but its a hyper song that i really like. i wish youd react to it.

[@orangemeow2854]

Been waiting for your reaction 💕 I really love this song♥️

[@garladybird]

IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS

[@kuanchengho1040]

I really like the video, the stage has more meaning than just a stage, it’s like a guy act perfectly in public when they do have a toxic relationship in private, and let outsiders think Taeyeon is just crazy. Really brilliant story telling.

[@larada7549]

My take on the ending scene is that she isn't really freaking out, neither not wearing her wig (because it doesn't make sense to me that she would change her hair mid performance) but outwards smiling bowing and only internally struggling like this. So the scene just portrays how she feels in the situation, not the reality. She always has to repress her emotions on stage and noone can hear her screaming because it's just inside. The guy's reaction wouldn't make sense to me at all if this was happening for real, but they do if Taeyeon keeps trying to make him see her misery and he keeps ignoring and undermining her.

[@ars10001]

genuinly curious to see her act in a drama. She did really well, especially the look in the cake scene!

[@jeroyaaaaa_5165]

Hi bang, mau share teori aku ya.. Mengingat ini tuh lagu craft by taeyeon herself, mnrt pendapat pribadiku ini tuh analogi dia di dunia hiburan. How it happy outside but hurt inside. Jadi ketika dia sm si cowok, dia diatas panggung ngerasa bahagia dan complete, padahal si cowok ini diluar panggung abusive/menyiksa. Nah cowok ini tuh seperti persona yg dibuat taeyeon yg diatas panggung, sedangkan taeyeon versi rambut pirang itu alter ego nya dia yg sbnrnya ada di dunia nyata. Dia harus berpura2 diatas panggung padahal aslinya dia kesepian :)) ini relate bgt sm pernyataan2 taeyeon, dia sering bilang dia kesepian. Makanya si cowok / persona dia ini selalu jd bayang2 dia, pas ulang tahun itu dia mengintai dr jauh. Terus pas diaras panggung terakhir pas alter ego nya mau muncul, si cowok nya ini kayak ga peduli “ga akan ada yg percaya ama lo” seakan2 “ga ada yg percaya lo kesepian” “udh jd public figure you always have to be perfect, no excuse” Makanya mawar2 yg mestinya jd apresiasi karya2nya dia bisa juga jadi sesuatu yg membuat taeyeon tersakiti.. istilahnya makin besar nama, makin besar juga alter ego yg harus dia conceal. And yes this is toxic relationship tp bukan ttg percintaan, tp ttg taeyeon dan ketenaran😂 Apalagi klo tau history jatuh bangunnya dia, bagaimana dia dihujat dlu.. wah ini relate bgt. Makanya dia bilang “i just cant control my self”😢🎉🎉❤

[@lukalinn1450]

Hi ya PD! Loved your analysis!

[@pancisigapaniti8435]

The train scene and the way that it is put on 'show' for people to watch reminds me of bjork mv - bachelorette... I hope people do realize that an Idol is still a person..Oh also, the lyrics of is just great.. 👌

[@sallynaser4862]

Yaaaaaaay 😍 I toooold yaaa ,the MV wss a masterpiece ❤

[@crazekpop99]

I think the blood are cuts from the roses. If you watch in slow motion on 19:02, taeyeon got the cut on her nose from the rose.

[@TieubangLang]

i’m fan taeyeon thanks 🙏🏻👏🏻

[@skittleisthename7993]

As a design student, I have to say your commentary is very interesting and eductaional.

[@stanhyotaeforabetterfuture9930]

So for the theory that is circulating now is : this mv is actually portraying taeyeon’s real life experience, she fell in love with someone and was in a relationship with him but he actually only loved her in front of ppl ( mostly audience) and made it clear for her that they’re only a couple in the play not in real life but she couldn’t control herself that’s why she went through depression she got crazy, also when she was screaming ( that represents all her sad songs about heartbreaks ) the audience were throwing flowers to her that were hurting her face and were clapping and happy about her performance thinking that she was just acting while she was in real pain then in the end while she was washing her hands notice the ring that fell ( that ring was also in the lyrics) and is representing the relationship of them , then she just took it off bc she wants to be free then when the curtains were closing she made that sad smile because nobody understood her feelings and pain so she just abandoned expressing herself. Home it helps

[@cuminhhh]

perfect 🖤❤️

[@soneselenator3014]

Also taeyeon wrote lyrics and directed the video too

[@dokr4584]

am i the only one who LOVES the foot thump at 19:00

[@beeshoelf9229]

The way I interpreted the song is that taeyeon with the short hair is her famous life and in blonde is her real self. Everytime she tried to express herself truly people think it is part of her act not real. The man is her fans that she love or the audience and her trying to tell them how she really feels but they don't care as when she went with her scars the paparazzi were there not the people she love. I loved the ending when she smiled it made me think like she just used to the pain and kept living on it!! Taeyeon is awesome in expressing her feelings lately whether in her songs or in her SNS so I hope it just an act not her real life situation 💜💜

[@HuyNguyen-sq9nb]

This song is so good. Taeyeon's acting is no joke. She made this MV so much more CRAZY.

[@autumneagle]

9:50 the vibe for me is something I could see Sunmi doing

[@swastijain3080]

Since you appreciate cinematography so much, I'd recommend watching Mingyu and Wonwoo's Bittersweet!

[@campaignresources]

It's a somber alternative power pop song, and if it was faster that would ruin its beauty. I'm not a big Taeyeon fan, but this song is incredible. 10/10 for me.

[@AP-of5kj]

i think she plays this romantic role with the guy and she fell in love with him based on what he says in his role, but in reality, he doesn't actually love her, it's just his role in the drama. but she can't control herself, she isn't able to separate the play and reality, so she falls in love with him.

[@Blackpinkumdaleohwangie]

To each his own..even taeyeon knows that it is not for everyone..she kinda hinted a disclaimer who may like d song even before d release.. 😉 am just happy that she is now confident in sharing her lyrics..shes getting there..she just need to believe in herself..

[@nekograce7914]

I love the early 2000s lingerie imitation fur coat combination she wears at the end. With all the jewelry…it’s like college flashbacks for me. ….sigh, I miss it.

[@usagilamperouge]

I think the video is about relationships as a public thing. In display of everyone so when she breaks, I see in the guy's expression like "yeah, look, she's crazy" That's why I think she smiles at the end bc is still a performance overall, even when she breaks completely.

[@samwheat]

The dude in the music video is so handsome - who is he? Is he a model?

[@sergiodavidcollazosalazar3975]

Yeah I think the blood is for the roses.

[@bywydpia]

She did a musical Midnight Sun, did an episode with Minho for Salamander Guru, some cameos in others series as an idol, and her parodies for her concert. I think only those were her acting gigs aside her MVs, yes she can act but she doesn’t like it. She would probably succeed too as an actress if she pursued it.

[@crystalsheets794]

I interpreted it as possibly female idols dating struggles. He was never shown as abusive to her he just doesn't understans because he doesn't have the same struggle between having to chose a career or personal life.

[@curtaincall9489]

he was very cold, kept ignoring her and literally smashed a vase beside her head though, i think that was a very subtle and clever way to convey abuse without actually putting in scenes of him physically fighting her

[@rosiemedina706]

PLEASE listen to INVU It’s so good it’s has everything vocal, unique instruments and DANCING

[@subiakto916]

For me, the MV show a bad relationship. The stage show is an outer image of their relationship, seems romantic and fine. But behind close door, the relationship is not fine. The audience is people who see Tae and the guy outer shell relationship that looks good. The roses that they throw are compliment to the seemingly good relationship. Roses (compliment) are pretty, but they have thorns that cut Taeyeon inside, because those compliment keep reminding her that the relationship is not fine, its not what they see outside. Also for me, the short hair Taeyeon is what people (audience) see in a good and romantic relationship, hence the stage show. And the blonde Taeyeon is what happen behind close door, but also what she feel inside. So at the closing of the show, when Taeyeon scream and cry, it’s in the inside. That’s why the audience didn’t see it.

[@zxero5804]

The mv tells an interesting story about staying in a toxic relationship, a narcissistic lover, and the aftermath of a breakup. The couple tries to look okay and perfect in front of other people but when they're alone they're actually not happy. This is because of the guy's narcissistic actions and only understands himself and does not try to understand the girl's feelings at all. The girl feels miserable about the guy's unfair treatment and is aware of how toxic the relationship is but both cant seem to end their relationship. The guy doesn't want to let the girl go and wins her over and the girl cant help herself but still stays with him because she truly love him as shown in this part 1:30. The scene shows how they are blinded that they are in love but they are really not as the guy's treatment does not change at all, still narcissistic, and selfish, which shows how their relationship turned out to be so exhausting and helpless as shown in 1:46, especially on the girl's side. Now the girl finally decided to end their relationship and leave the guy as shown in 1:56 where the people with a cake and candles represent her friends/family to comfort her and congratulate her on being free from the toxic relationship. But as you can see she is still not happy at all and still lingers for the guy's presence. Now the cameras flashing represent the torment, the anxiety, the pressure she feels (from other people and from herself) after the breakup feeling like the blame is on her and that she is the reason for her misery while the guy is not affected at all. But the girl is still too blinded by the love and decided to go back to the guy in 2:47, but no matter how she tries to explain her side to the boy and fix his rotten personality, he still hasn't changed at all. The people cheering 2:59 represent how the guy has twisted the situation in his favor playing the victim. And the cycle of the girl being in a toxic relationship, putting up with his overly conceited lover, being miserable and exhausted goes on and on as the end of the video is exactly the beginning of the video where she just brushes off her own sufferings and continues the relationship. The smile at the end could mean the hope that the guy would change and their relationship could be saved. :( Or another interpretation at the end would be that the girl finally moves on from the guy as their relationship ring is left in the bathroom in 3:11 and that she already realized her worth showing the girl's face with a smile at the end. The only time she truly felt happy. i also want to include the scene on 0:57 which shows the guy's bad treatment to her by making her wear revealing clothes or clothes she's uncomfortable also can mean that the guy has imposed changes on her which makes her uncomfortable to herself anymore.

[@hmongguyful]

I love angsty dark Taeyeon. It's fair to say Taeyeon and IU are at the forefront of kpop solo female artists.

[@volkskoll806]

This video reminded me of Björk's Bachalorette. Even the train thing is the same.

[@arianathompson7989]

I absolutely love this song if you really listen to Taeyeon discography this woman range is insane. For me the song is great but I think it is only amplified by the beautiful MV. I saw in other reactions people were waiting for a high note maybe heavier instrumental but because the song and MV go hand in hand that would’ve ruined the song. Loved this can’t wait for her album and official title track next month

[@HasnainKhan-dm6sm]

Yehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[@joannaartiniasikat4256]

WARNING: THIS IS GONNA BE LONG 😅 Note: The timestamp here is from the MV. I wrote this while watching the MV and just commented here, sry 🥺. This is my interpretation: My interpretation is that they are co workers. They played as a couple on stage where the character of the man is kind. Then the woman eventually fell in love to that man's character and hoped for them to be a real couple. But it's all planned and started by the man and his motives. They are actors and the play itself is not just a drama where they star but also shows how they started their story. I assume that he purposely bumped her and picked up her belongings to show kindness. He then entered the bus and joined her in one frame (window of the bus). Meaning, he took the first move- make her fall in love and make her hope for a real relationship. But, behind the stage, she have already realized that the man's character in the drama is far from the truth. He is insincere to the relationship. Just like what is in the lyrics: "Just like a grown-up who grew tall but is still a child, your insincere words made me choose feelings I can't handle. Right, too late" "In front of you, everything becomes out of control. It feels like everything is going to explode cause I can't control myself" Meaning, she felt stupid for believing his words and developing feelings for him. But, it's too late because she cannot control herself anymore. That is why she still opened her heart and expressed her feelings. But, the man ignored her and her feelings. This is shown in the chorus where she is in a room and she is wearing green, she accidentally hit the vase with flowers and that entered the next scene which is probably their life behind stage and was broken. I assume that that vase of flowers is her heart or her feelings. It is accidentally hit by her not thrown, maybe because she has no purpose of expressing her feelings, it just shows because she cannot control herself anymore. For the man, it is just a fling. But the woman takes it seriously. Even though, it is painful and hurting, she continues to love him. She believes that is how love works. And that is because she cannot control herself. It is shown in the lyrics: "Bad days are being repeated. I feel miserable, feelings are running out. It just keeps spinning like a loose ring. It doesn't matter, I suppose this is how love is." The man got tired and annoyed of her and her feelings. Then he left her. It shows in the second verse (1:10). But the woman again, cannot control herself. She want to continue the relationship. That is why he calls her crazy (first line of chorus). In almost second chorus, 1:21, in preparation for the show/play, both sides can be seen. The man shows tiredness, uninterested or maybe annoyance to the woman but, cannot show it to the public. The show must go on, she opened her arms and hug her dearly in front of the audience. And for the side of the woman (1:24), she wants to show to the public her true feelings or their relationship. She wants to run into him as her but she can't. So entering the stage, she is an actress hiding her true feelings. While in the show, the scene of their real life again showed up. It just shows how different they are in public and in private. She enjoys the show because she is with him but, knowing what the truth is, it is heartbreaking. That is why in the lyrics, she says: "Feels like heaven, feels like hell". At the end of the show, the audiences clapped. Maybe because, their performance/acting is good. Her acting is good because inside, that is her true feelings. Then, her supporters congratulated her and showed support (the scene where she removed her wig and fans come to her with cake and stuff). But, she feels lonely and her fans cannot see that. "Feels like heaven, feels like hell" "Even that, I don't care. Ah I will again go back to you" Even with her fame, she only sees him (2:12). Or maybe he peeked there behind the audience to toy her heart again. He smiled knowing she will chase him and go crazy again. Then maybe her true feelings went public and it disappointed her (2:20). The lights from the cameras represent the news and harsh comments from netizens. They are so harsh and aggressive that she covers herself. He can see her hardship but he just ignored her (2:26). In 2:46, in the play, she wants to express her true feelings to him and the audience know that- the actress and her real self's feelings to the man is the same. The man then now openly shows to the public that he doesn't like her. He acts clean and let her act like crazy in front of the audience. It feels like hell, it is painful that she cried that hard (2:52). But, again, she can't control herself. She removed her robe and hugged him - she expressed and opened her heart even more but, the man just clapped while he sees her being devastated. One of the saddest part is when the audience threw roses to her and got wounded by them. It represents the comments that looks like support/concern/love but are really just sugar-coated "opinions" from the public. And in the first scene, before the title showed up, it shows her- tidying up herself, removing blood. She looked to the mirror and to the camera with that aura. The green in the screen represented her being scary or crazy. Maybe, she went crazy (coz she can't control herself 😅) and exposed what really happened. Her- cleaning herself says that maybe by exposing him, she was able to clean her name. She looked to the mirror = she realized the mistakes and what is really going on. She looked to the camera that way = She LEARNED.

[@mantaren]

When you said it reminds you of a western artist's MV, perhaps it's the style of transitions that could be similar to an Ariana Grande music video, since a lot of MVs have started taking inspiration from her Positions MV with the transition between scenes. The cuts and blood on her I interpreted as something that cuts her up and injures her despite it being meant as praise and celebration from the audience. On surface level it's the whole cliche of roses are pretty but they have thorns, but it's more than that. Fame comes with so much of praise, so many compliments & generally a lot of things thrown at the famous person, things that they either don't want/need or even they don't feel like they deserve, which in turn hurts them. Also I don't understand why anyone would call this a ballad? People automatically call songs "bAlLaDs" just because it's not happy, hype, etc. There are many more genres for slower & atmospheric songs other than ballads, even if they're sad or love related, they can still branch out of being a ballad.

[@clustar7525]

This is Taeyeon’s villain origin story.

[@bluaaahhhh]

I think the blood might be her exploding from her insides, after her not being able to reach emotionally to the guy, the anger and tension figuratively made her feelings explode, and it is translated as blood coming out of her. Idk, that's what I thought but I can't seem to find people thinking that way yet Your take on the story was super interesting too, the obsessive one seems to fits so nicely

[@dots_com1386]

My first impression was how exhausting it must be to be expected to portray perfect romance and love all the time because that just isn’t reality. Like, she doesn’t feel like she gets to normal and be upset sometimes because the audience doesn’t want that, her fans don’t want that, and even her partner doesn’t want that. So, maybe she’s been called crazy just for having emotions, or for not being perfect all the time, and to that she says “so what”. That’s the message I got because that’s how I felt in my past relationship. And, if feeling your feelings makes you crazy, then I’d rather be crazy.

[@dots_com1386]

It took therapy and a healthy relationship to learn that I’m not crazy for feeling my emotions. I was simply surrounded by people that either didn’t have the capacity to understand, or didn’t care enough to put in the effort to try to understand. It’s crazy how this MV actually means so much to me. So good!

[@JP-ou3yo]

fire your team

[@Taengbba9exo]

I really remember the joker move

[@claireselegino8309]

I agree it’s not much of a solid song that would get you hooked but the music video really is a solid 10. I think it’s about a toxic relationship, one she can’t let go, one she’s been trying walk away from but can’t. And about that Taeng being off-center it might be because she is not in the guy’s main focus while for Taeng, the guy is the center of her attention. And I don’t think she killed, maybe she just killed the relationship And oh, Taeng did a cameo in Choi Minho’s Salamander and as herself in some other dramas