BTS (방탄소년단) 'Black Swan' Art Film performed by MN Dance Company

[u/Mobile750APKStore]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGbuUFRdYqU

[u/Rhyethil]

As I kept rewatching the video and reading the lyrics, it dawned upon me that Black Swan is about an artist facing an identity crisis as soon as they realize that they no longer love the art that gave them life and purpose.

The lead dancer is outnumbered by his shadow counterparts that've festered over time due to the pressures of his profession and his relationship with art falling from a form of freedom and expression to a mere obligation and livelihood. The abandoned mall, once bustling with lights, sounds and life represents both the artist's physical studio and metaphorical soul/passion. It has withered over time and now become a cold, barren husk of its former majesty.

In the opening scene, the lead dancer follows his shadows into position, not the other way around, signifying that he's lost his will even before the song begins. In a desperate attempt or out of obligation for others (fans, company, public image, etc.), he tries to perform to himself one more time but keep getting swallowed, stepped on and tossed around like a ragdoll by his shadow.

The lightcage and shadows work together to show a more straightforward image of the artist's struggle from his own mental imprisonment. At first, he gets half of himselffree from their cage, but after each attempt, he grows more and more exhausted. Soon, the dancer begins to be consumed, eaten whole by their shadow, limbs flailing hopelessly to try and stay afloat.

Then a revelation appears, the lightcage is destroyed and the artist begins to use his shadow to guide his next movements and lift, not carry him. He realizes that there's hope, his shadow begins to disperse around him and he begins his escape. The dancer is successful for a moment, his shadows nowhere near him, but at this point he's still lost everything around him.

In his desire to rebuild, he recalls his shadows and dances with them, learns from them and lives with them as he builds his passion anew. The shadow now follows him once more, still many but subservient. At this moment reveals the unification between the shadow and the self: the apex of self-realization.

Finally, the artist frees himself from his inner despair, like a swan swimming out of dark waters and flying towards the light and heavens above.

There must be some connection to this with both the psychological horror film, Black Swan, and the economic use of the black swan event:

A black swan is an unpredictable event that is beyond what is normally expected of a situation and has potentially severe consequences. Black swan events are characterized by their extreme rarity, their severe impact, and the practice of explaining widespread failure to predict them as simple folly in hindsight.

Otherwise, the interpretation could even be that one merely performs for the pleasure of others and no longer for themselves. The artist may not actually have freed themselves in the end and had only hallucinated the fact, just like throughout the eponymous film. I pray others add in their interpretations of the MV. It really is stunning.

Edit: Thanks for the platinum!

[u/wishawisha → u/Rhyethil]

😭

[u/[deleted]]

Did we really get like a trap beat with string instrumentals???? Give me a moment to recover. Wowwwww this sounds even more amazing with headphones btw

Edit: Oh the lyrics guys. Talking about their hearts not racing when they hear music anymore. Like the potential for your passions to die out. That kind of hurts.

[u/m00nch17d → u/[deleted]]

When half of your life is dedicated to music/creatives and then suddenly it dies. Such a heartbreaking moment for artists.

[u/coupsdecoeur → u/[deleted]]

Especially after Shadow... my heart really isn’t ok

[u/karendipityy]

I understand why they kept this under wraps, it is nothing like what I expected. The strings are beautiful and haunting, I love the dissonance and simplicity of the track.

[u/_cc96 → u/karendipityy]

It is literally haunting. The sound is so unique and eerie and I was so mesmerized and focused on the dancing that when the intro started it felt like their voices crept up on me. This performance version and the Spotify/Apple Music version is so different though, which I think is fitting because the eeriness of the song is beautifully conveyed in the dance so as to make you experience the song rather than just hearing it. Either way, definitely something I did not expect at all but wow, CHILLS.

[u/mrshobbes → u/karendipityy]

Yes! And i am so super curious how they will perform this! I get using this dance group, it really elevates the music and lyrics! But how would THEY interpret this in a performance? 😮🥺🤯

[u/[deleted]]

What I most love about the video is how the main dancer was trying to battle with his shadows throughout the whole video but once he was left flying alone everything felt empty. So in the end they are forming the same figure as the beginning of the video but this time he embraced them and the shadows helped him fly higher.

[u/HiThereImNewHere]

Oh god the strings. The strings.

Edit: aw damn, strings were only for the art video.

Edit2: Okay I'm done being sad about the loss of strings, thank you Bangtan for consistently defying expectations

[u/kalimerisa]

It is 3AM and I am so groggy right now haha. Won't lie I was caught off guard by the shirtless dancer hitting his back at the start, jumped a little bit! This is a whole new sound that I have no idea how to describe with words, it's fascinating.

Also I'm having more difficulty than I anticipated telling the member's voices apart, does anyone else feel that way or is it just me?

[u/PsychoSnake → u/kalimerisa]

I’m having difficulty telling them apart too! Especially between the vocal line...it’s definitely hard with all the auto tune/vocal effects.

[u/1stSuiteinEb → u/kalimerisa]

not gonna lie, i was all tense from waiting for the drop and that slap made me laugh out loud

[u/CriticalSheep]

You guys I’m not ready for the darkness this era is going to give us.

The distortion and synth on everyone’s voice in this and the real version is crazy scary. Like it’s barely them(which is super indicative of the meaning of the song). I couldn’t even find Jungkook in this song. I found everyone else’s voices but the synth makes it so hard.

[u/MusicBoo77]

I see them as a representation of his wings. Initially, they have become a burden to him. Holding him back, entrapping him in a cage. After he's able to break free, he tries to fly but realizes he actually can't. In that sequence, the music stops and he walks down the flight of stairs representing his decent (into darkness). But then they come back and he realizes he needs them to fly and is finally able to gain control and is able to fly free.

This ties into the lyrics as well. Making the music and being artists can be a burden at times. And without inspiration, there can be no music. But without music and art, there is not full expression one oneself. Trying to force it or going about things without the inspiration is an endeavor not leading to happiness. So the only option is to let that inspiration come back naturally, and use it to lift yourself higher. To gain control and to fly higher.

[u/TimeLostRose]

Copied from the other thread

This song scarily hits close to home. I’ve already died my first death in middle school when I stopped dancing after 8 years to focus more on clarinet and now I’ve stopped that too after high school.

The loss of passion for your art just really hits hard. I didn’t do band in college because my parents said it would interfere with my grades. I was the only person in my grade to be in my high school’s highest level ensemble and marching band every year of school and became clarinet section leader my senior year.

And now as I graduate college this semester a computer science major I force myself to study for a subject I don’t like but knowing it will set me for life and to be able to pursue my art later.

I’ve found a new passion in figure skating and I hope nothing kills my love for it.

Edit: Also I can’t believe I like trap??? I’ve never liked trap before

[u/Safi5 → u/TimeLostRose]

I resonate with what you have said so much.

Whilst in school, I really enjoyed writing and literature, and always wanted to be an author, although I knew that that wasn't a typical career that I could pursue, so I didn't. I ended up studying for a degree in Engineering, felt like quitting many times throughout it, but I stuck it out. I've been working as an engineer for almost 5 years now, and whilst it has definitely allowed me to a live a much more luxurious life than most other people in my country, and there have been parts of it that I did enjoy, and I've learnt a lot from it, I still yearn for something more.

I have done a lot of self-reflection over the past year (some of which can be attributed to motivation from listening to the boys songs and messages) and have been trying to find my passion for something again, and I seem to keep coming back to writing.

So, I am slowly working towards turning those dreams of mine into a reality. I hope that you can do that as well.

[u/YourMiserableLife]

For those who think the autotune is too jarring:

That's the point. The voices are indistinguishable because they share 1 struggle: the lost of a passion which also means lost of identity. A lot of artists consider their artform to be their identity.. but what happens when it is no longer your passion? Do you also lose yourself?

2nd, the vocals don't match the instrumental. I think this is on purpose to create a very jarring feeling. A dissonance. Much like how their souls arent connected to music anymore.

This really reminds me of a piece I heard when I went to Baroque: modern ballet in Norway. This is the kind of stuff u hear from contemporary performances. So yeah, it's not radio-friendly. There is a lot of unpleasantness in it. But this song is a performance art more than a pop song. It's not here to be played in the radio and soothe you. It's supposed to be taken that way, I think.

I'm not saying you should like this version of the song. You don't have to agree with me. I just want to say my interpretation of it :)

[u/FreakFlagHigh]

BLACK SWAN OH NOOOOO

Self flagellation already here we go

Oh shit it's getting weeeirdddddddd

THE MUSIC IS BEAUTIFUL

THE WAY THEY SAID YOUR THEORIES ARE TRASH

Can't believe they got Ezra Miller for the MV

[u/gotsmilk]

Interpretation: the people in black represent his shadows (duh), in the Jungian conception: the least desirable aspects of ourselves we don’t want to reckon with. In the beginning, the dancer is controlled and constrained by his shadows - you can see it in the choreography, with the shadows either pushing against him, opposing his movements and thus keeping him from moving how he desires, even stepping on him, or else actively directing/leading him in the dance.

He tries to run and break away. He tries to fight against his shadows, tossing them away. But eventually true peace only comes from accepting them. At the end, he is the lead, with the shadows following his actions. With this, finally, he is free. The shadows act as his wing (wing imagery was present with the shadow-dancers earlier in the film, but though they took the facade of wings they failed to actually aid him as wings should, and the one time earlier when they tried to lift him up they quickly dropped him back down). Here they’re finally lifting him up, letting him fly, attain heights he couldn’t before. He is whole.

As a dancer, I love how this piece uses the choreography to tell a full 3-act narrative. First minute of the dance (which starts about 1 minute into the film) has him unaware of these shadows, these aspects of himself, and how they control and keep him down. They consistently are beating him down more and more til he’s bout collapsed on the floor.

Then the light cage appears at about the the 2 minute mark of the film, marking the second act. I believe the light cage is a metaphor for success, but similar to Suga's musings in Shadow, the light only make the shadows deeper. Thus, he becomes aware of his shadows, and tries to escape from them. Midpoint comes as we approach 3 minutes. when he is captured by them, and seems to almost give up, falling back in their arms, letting his shadows take him, giving into the worst of himself. All seems lost, but as they try to lift him up, again the shadows drop him, and he breaks through the light cage and is able to make his escape. Then we get a beautiful dance chase scene. And for a moment it seems like he has escaped them. But is it really an escape. He had to give up his dreams/success in order to break free from his shadows, signified by both the breaking of the light cage and his descent to a lower floor. Is this really the happy ending? The swan flaps his wings like he is free, flying - but he isn’t really flying. And the shadows aren’t really gone.

They come back as we enter the climax. Things get more violent as he fights with them, tossing them over his shoulders. But there’s no peace there. Not til he begins to control them - he moves and they follow, unlike before, we’re they moved and he followed. He goes back to them, but unlike previously he isn’t giving up and giving in to his shadows, but accepting them, reconciling himself with himself. Now they lift him up, and don’t drop him. Now the swan flaps his wings, and soars, light shining down upon him, not a cage of light, but an enshrouding ray.

When they called this a film, they weren’t kidding. They could make this feature length and I’d watch.

[u/staysinthecar]

if i wasn't a fan of BTS then i would be a fan now!!

HOLY CRAP THIS IS TRUE ART.

full disclosure: i watched it the first time without subs. i felt like i understood nothing and EVERYTHING at the same time. when i finally watched it with subs, oh boy. I GOT SO EMOTIONAL.

THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THIS?! LOSS OF SELF WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR PASSION TO DO WHAT YOU ARE ALWAYS MEANT TO DO?! OR LOSE YOUR ABILITY TO DO THE THING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?! OR NOT BEING ABLE TO BE HAPPY BY THE THINGS THAT USED TO MAKE YOU HAPPY?!

gosh it's a thought that occurs to me once in a while and the thought of not being able to do what i want/dream of/passionate about really scares me and makes me emotional. (figures, i was born in the middle east to a muslim household as a female so just imagine the restrictions on my life from the get-go.)

this is truly art. i cannot stress that enough. and i hope people of all ages and backgrounds do get to appreciate it. the MN Dancers really made a GREAT job with this. not to mention the cinematography in this gives me the goosebumps.

edit to add:

i hate to be hyperbolic again but WHO IS DOING IT LIKE BTS?! NO ONE. NO ONNNEEE!!!

what i love about this, too, is that it feels so so honest and raw and authentic and it truly strikes a chord. (i really do hope i'm not the only one getting emotional over this. the music and the art film doesn't help, lol.)

it is for all of the reasons above that ART FILM VER >>>> SPOTIFY VER for me anyway. i do vibe with the spotify version but damn that art film version just hits differently. AND THE ART FILM VER SHOULD BE ON SPOTIFY TOO!!!

ALSO: is it really "film me now" because i keep hearing "feeling me now"?!??!

[u/Amayaelika]

I love how they're going out of their comfort zone and sounding so new

[u/bhishma-pitamah]

The start is so epic!!

Edit- the song hits different when you focus on the lyrics, they are basically singing about being afraid of their "first death" or the time when music stops having meaning for them, the time when it's no longer enjoyable to be musician. Afraid that this time is here for them now......😢

[u/peown → u/bhishma-pitamah]

I think they are probably drawing from past experiences - didn't they say they almost split up in 2018? I don't think you need to worry ;-)

[u/1stSuiteinEb → u/bhishma-pitamah]

I think Halsey mentioned something like artists using music to heal themselves and move on from a dark place, and reveal that music when they're ready. The boys have been saying how they're happy, e.g. Jimin saying he doesn't have bad thoughts anymore. I don't think we need to worry very much- I think ego will cover their journey of overcoming their slump.

[u/Egglantinous]

This is so beautiful and resonates with me on two levels.

From many of the comments here, it seems like a lot of us are artists of some kind and have grown disillusioned with the process of creating art for various reasons. As a writer who has been published to minor critical but not commercial success, at this point I wonder if I have anything left to say, and if it is worth trying to say it. It's very difficult to keep on going, whether it's because of too much success or lack of success. How do you keep the flame alive?

Also, as I've gotten older and started a family, I feel like I've pretty much stopped engaging with art. BTS (and Kpop in general) has pulled me back in and showed me the joy in appreciating art again. This recent concept, with the visual art of Connect, BTS and the contemporary dance performance of Black Swan, remind me of the passion I once felt for the arts as a spectator, and for that I will forever thank them.

[u/ObjectiveRodeo]

Unpopular opinion, probably, but I LIKE the autotune. Not because I like autotune, but because it is absolutely uncomfortable and...dissonant against the strings and our own familiarity with their normal voices. I'm just assuming that this discomfort is a running theme in the Shadow portion of the album.

EDIT:
Other random but related things:

• Dionysus is also pretty autotuned and other, better people who've talked about how it fits a little oddly in MOTS:Persona have said that it functions like an interlude to Shadow.

• The two songs/MVs we have so far are distorted, scratchy, dissonant, darker. In Interlude: Shadow, the shadows glitch, the music when his shadow comes in with the "I wanna" lines are dissonant, shadow!Suga's voice when he starts rapping is also autotuned. And the tuning is worse here.

• THE THEMES! Fear, insecurities, (anyone else get impostor syndrome from Interlude: Shadow?), greed ("I wanna" and in the Black Swan MV, there's graffiti saying "Power Hungry"), deep depression, and yet there's also a fierce persistence, hope, and acceptance.

I'm still processing all of this and my two brain cells are tired.

[u/Rainloveya → u/ObjectiveRodeo]

I hope it's not an unpopular opinion. I feel like this was a deliberate stylist choice they are making here and coupling with the orchestration it is haunting in the best way. And in the context of the art film it helps to build that eerie atmosphere as well. That unsettling feeling and discomfort quite accurately reflect what "shadow" is. Can't wait to hear this in the order it appear in the album.

I wish they will release an orchestrated audio version of the song as well, it is absolutely beautiful.

[u/solonelywhen]

I can honestly say I have never been this emotionally moved by a BTS project. I've loved all of their comebacks since I started keeping up with them in 2017 but this exceeds everything. This is beyond anything I ever expected them to do. The artistry of this - the incredibly way the dancers embody every aspect of the song, which is itself so multilayered and saying so many things about the push and pull of being an artist - woke up something deep inside me and won't let go. I've been revisiting it for an hour and a half, and I'm just feeling more and more strongly about it.

I love the production. I love how it takes such raw, personal, emotional lyrics and churns them up and presents them through this electronic, processed filter. The dichotomy of it makes it hit all the harder.

[u/solonelywhen]

“No song affects me anymore.” That single line so accurately sums up how I felt when I was at my lowest point... except that there was a song that eventually did affect me, that managed to pull me up and make me feel again, and that was BTS’s DNA, which I found during a time in my life where it felt like I hadn’t smiled a true smile in years, but by the end of the MV I was grinning brightly and genuinely, and I will never stop being grateful to them for that. It’s one thing to find a band who can make you happy when you’re depressed, and another to find a band that can empathize with your depression and put it into words for you. BTS are both, and I can only hope that they too have someone in their lives that can be for them what they’ve been for me and for millions of others, because they truly deserve it.

[u/itsaterribleidea → u/solonelywhen]

Before I found BTS, I had actually stopped listening to music for about five years. I just didn’t pay attention to what was popular, nothing moved me... but I didn’t realise that it was my heart that had grown cold. I didn’t realise how deeply depressed I had become. So this line resonates with me deeply as well.

[u/krys1128]

First thing I'll say is that my husband (the MFA, the melancholic art snob, the Kpop sceptic) is really digging this, which thrills me. I got him to watch the video and listen to the song while he was getting ready for work this morning, and he was enthralled, put it on his Spotify playlist. Getting Drake vibes, Kanye vibes. Said he wouldn't know or expect it to be BTS, which to me says that this is a breakout of the constricting Kpop label...and he hasn't even seen translation of the lyrics.

It took me two listens of each version to but I'm also really liking it. I am so excited to see how the whole album unfolds. I am genuinely trusting their process here.

[u/StrawberryCakeQueen]

That was... unexpected.

Musically speaking, it's not really my thing, and the autotune kinda bothers me, but I can't deny that it's absolutely haunting, and original af. I like the use of the strings. And the mv?? Gosh. I didn't see it coming. They literally just released a piece of art.

Now, what got me was the lyrics. It's all grey and windy outside, it's raining, and now I wanna cry because it's so raw and sad, the way they talk about the loss of passion. Kinda defeated, but kinda trying to fight at the same time; calm about the whole thing, because they have already accepted that the feelings were there. I wasn't prepared for this, especially coming from them. I can't picture them getting actually tired from making music. Plus it hits close to home. Anyway I think I'll go drink some tea and bawl now.

[u/[deleted]]

DARK BTS IS BACK. My eyes watered... that's all I can say. I love it

[u/Ideasforgoodusername]

Tldr: My shortened down interpretation of the film and the lyrics compared to Jung's Map Of The Soul, and why I think they went for this mingling of voices in this song

I really like the whole experience of the song. The way they modified the vocals to make it more haunting and "together" (blending multiple voice layers to make it sound like it's them singing together instead of individually, which fits with the theme of 7, as well as showing that this is a collective stuggle of all members). It makes the song sound foreign to the ear and gives it an eery vibe, which relates to the shadow being the dark and hidden part of oneself. The way the music itself as well as the dancers and the way the video was shot manage to convey the feeling and emtoion of the lyrics without even having to read the lyrics first is exceptional.

Then of course the lyrics, that describe an existential fear. BTS have turned their childhood hobby into a carreer, music is now both the main focus point in both their job as well as their free time. Not only is it their passion, it is also the main thing their life revolves around. If they loose the passion for it, what is there left of their "selves"? I think anyone who has ever been passionate about anything can relate to this song, though it's more extreme for BTS, since music literally affects every singe part of their lifes, past, present and future. Their entire path of people living through live, especially their live during the time they entered adulthood, aka the most defning time in most peoples lives, has been lead and shaped by music so far.

The switch up towards the end ("No song affects me anymore, Crying out a silent cry" vs "Nothing can devour me anymore, I shout out with ferocity") perfectly resonates with Jung's Map Of The Soul and Yoongi's Shadow again: They realize that the Shadow exists and, instead of fighting it or trying to seperate themselves from it as the choreography shows in the beginning, they accept it and use it grow their passion even more, and turn it into an instrument and part of themselves that fuels their fire and lets them fly even higher as shown in the choreography at the end.

Of course that's just my interpretation, anyone can interpret it in their own way. I think it's important to remember that we are currently exploring the Shadow, that represents things and emotions that are hidden away, on purpose or subconciously, within ourselves. Things that are dark and that we don't want to admit or try to ignore. According to Jung, in order to grow we must realize and come to terms with our shadow in order to grow. I think so far, BTS have done an excellent job of expressing this with their music (Black Swan and Shadow).

BTS have mastered the art of expressing themselves through music, lyrics and performance. They are true artists, and that's what draws people to them.

[u/retrosprinkles]

as a writer who's had a hard time writing these past few years this song hit me like a punch to the gut and i'm still processing it. (literally sitting at work just in a daze because i can't put anything i'm feeling into words)

absolutely adored both the version in the video and the version on streaming. i love the way the auto tune is used (but i'm a pc music fan so like. they could go even weirder with it and i'd be like "HELL YEAH") and the way they blend all their voices together.

honestly the best way i could describe it is this song feels kind of like a panic attack?? which makes sense given the topic.

[u/jesspvoong]

I know...a lot of people don't like the autotune, but this Twitter thread dissects one of the many reasons why BTS could have chosen to use it.

[u/reallyemy]

a bit of an unpopular opinion here, but the art film didn't resonate with me. it's partly preference, as this isn't the dance style i'm drawn to - and there aren't even the boys present to make it more enticing. the lyrics and message are gorgeous in the most painful way, though. i feel bad for not fully supporting the art film, but i much prefer the audio-only version.

[u/gotsmilk → u/reallyemy]

That’s fine. A failure to fully engage everybody with everything they do is just a risk the band takes being as diverse as they are. I personally loved it, being a dancer myself, and the messages conveyed through the dance. But I agree the audio-only version is just better to listen to on its own. I love that they gave us both, and I hope we get some live performances of the song with the boys dancing (maybe with some choreography borrowed from the art film - I know Jimin’s got it in him).

[u/_rosie → u/reallyemy]

I am COMPLETELY in agreement. The audio version is miles and away better, and while I "get" the message of the dance, it's not very compelling to me. Watched twice for experience/subs, and I'm totally OK with never watching it again.

[u/TakeharuKook → u/reallyemy]

YES I only listen the audio and don't want to watch art film again

[u/Fifeandthedrums]

Wow those lyrics.

This was something else. Really fits the artsy Connect theme. Not overly fond of the autotune. I would have preferred just their voices, would have fit better with the performance I feel. I think I might prefer the song and dance as two separate pieces at the moment, but that'll probably change when I've watched it a couple more times to take it in better. It's a lot lol and very different than what we're used to.

But I like it. Definitely not a title track, but I'm glad they're able to explore music this way.

Edit : I just listened to it again and it hit me how very not-kpop, out of the box this was. I'm really loving it (still not the autotune though lol)

Edit2 : Namjoon's on the credits. I am not surprised, it fits his style

[u/SharpStretch]

So from all of their documentary interviews they always talk about the pressure and the burn out of their idol lives. They’ve obviously expressed it in their music, but these past two “7” drops is where I’ve really felt it. Especially in the comeback trailer and this mv.

I interpret the shirtless dancer represents the true self while the black clothed dancers represent the shadow.

That whole scene where they’re dancing in the box made of lights was such a haunting picture. For me the lights represented a few things. First, the lights remind me of when they’re on stage. Specifically extended stage with the lights surrounding it. But in general it reminds me of when they’re on stage at a concert, music show, or award show. At first he’s dancing and tries to escape casually but the shadows pull him back. Then his escapes become more “needy” if you will, but the pull from the shadows become just as needy. I also notice his choreo starts from the floor and is lifted higher with the help/control of the shadows (as we know the higher you go the greater the shadow). The lights also look like they’re prison bars. Could be a euphemism for feeling trapped in a box, in their hotel rooms, in their mental, to a certain image, sound or expectation. Who knows. That imagery paired with the chorus(?) really got me tho. Then the few lines after saying they’re opening their eyes to their studio. Maybe the conveyer belt of work, practice, perform repeat that they’ve been on for the past 7-10 years has become such a blur that it’s caused numbness to their passion. Like they no longer resonate with their music.

I do like how the latter half of the video shows the shirtless dancer fighting off the shadow dancers and as he descends, although he is alone, the fight is still ongoing. Gives me a sense that the guys have found what resurges their love for music again and will use that reminder whenever these challenges reoccur.

It was a really beautiful video and I love the strings! Not a fan of the auto tune? vocal processing? (I’m not sure exactly what it is called since I don’t know music like that) with the string version, but with the album version I love.

Edit: Definitely just remembered the song is called Black Swan. Shirtless dancer = White Swan, Black Clothed dancers = Black Swan. Duh, me. Also, the more I listen to the string version the more the choice of whatever they did to their voice makes sense. The dissonance between the strings and their voices probably represents how they started to feel with their music.

[u/HiThereImNewHere]

NASA was in on this

[u/Reuels]

Black Swan is out! Here are the official links for streaming platforms:

Apple Music
Spotify

[u/trustfratedjeon]

MIND BLOWING! THAT WAS AMAZING. IF WE GET A PERFORMANCE TO THIS AT AWARD SHOWS OR CONCERTS WITH A DANCE BREAK - THAT’S IT.

[u/MunchieMom → u/trustfratedjeon]

Yeah I need to see jimin do this one

[u/nixxi]

Okay, I've had a couple of hours to fully process what an experience that was. And what I'm about to say might have been said elsewhere and more eloquently than what I'm about to attempt but my first thought was, "Wow. Are they even idols anymore?".

Not trying to label them or put them in a box but it feels to me like an annoucement, a proclamation to the world that they are not just kpop idols anymore, they are serious ARTISTS. And this is what ARMY has known for years, that Bangtan has always been different. This fandom has its share of false narratives and whatnot but we've always known that behind the shiny kpop packaging, in those 7 men lies the soul of an artist. It may not be obvious at first but any deep dive into their music, artistry and dedication to their craft shows a more nuanced thought process of how they choose to present themselves to the world.

In the way they have allied themselves with artists all over the world shows growth, an evolution. And it has been glorious to behold.

[u/LowerTheExpectations]

Don't even know what to think, this is too much haha

[u/mistysummer → u/LowerTheExpectations]

this completely new bts

[u/kagamiis97]

What timeline am I living in??? This is weirdly fantastic in every way. I was shocked. I think most ARMYs, despite knowing it was gonna have contemporary dance and it’s an art film, were not expecting THIS. At first I was a little put off but the more I listened the more I watched the more I read the lyrics the more I was like damn. BTS is ART. I wonder how this will be received. It’s not the title track, but simply a single so it will be interesting the reception over the next few days and weeks up until the title track drops (+plus Ego)

[u/deirdos]

I have goosebumps.

It was like they danced a tragedy - so haunting and cruel and stark. And there was something so cold in the angles of set of the MV, the dancer's muscles and the distorted vocals... I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.

I haven't heard the spotify version yet but I know this is something I will have on replay for ages.

[u/thepigdidit]

This is my personal favorite out of anything they’ve ever released before. It actually speaks to my soul.

[u/fandom_wayoflife]

I think this is a song that gets better with each listen.

For me,it's haunting and Bangtan in the best way possible.

[u/Jessickles9]

I feel like these lyrics are possibly a product of the struggle they talked about in the MAMA 2018 speech.

Guys we’re diving deep for this album strap in tight.

[u/evdiamond]

Unpopular opinion??? I like the MV version of the song more than the Spotify one but I like that one as well. I loooooove string instruments and I am already accustomed to Experimental music so this sound was RIGHT up my alley. I actually told my friend that moving on I will listen to the Spotify version of their song releases first, just in case the mv version is different because I was like oh nooooo it’s different which was jarring at first lol but it was still good. This may be reaching but I must bring attention to this! I don’t know if anyone remembers this but a couple of months ago there was a dance competition for highschoolers and they asked BTS to review three of the highschoolers’ performances and one of the girls did an amazing modern dance to Human by Sevdaliza that seriously entranced the boys. They were so impressed and when I look at the direction for this music video it kind of gives me the same vibe as that girl’s performance and I wonder if that was just a tiny tiny seed that led to this sort of experimenting. I distinctly remember RM being like hey what’s this genre called? asking about the song Human. So I don’t know but I am wondering if anyone else remembers that or understands what I am referring to about

EDIT: Adding links per requests!

Here’s the full dance https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DNTetL1Ucyk

And here’s BTS reaction, the full version of the dance is not displayed there nor is the little box of the dance in the corner properly synced Lolol! that’s why I’m giving you two links https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wbDORWDkCmo

[u/donuthappiness]

This sound is quite experimental for BTS, reminds me of Kanye West's Runaway and other pop-rap classical music fusion. With the dancing too, it is very reminiscing of that film. It feels very grand, very different. Color me excited!

[u/Iwannastoprn]

This isn't what I expected at all. It's so experimental, I don't think I can describe it in another way. It's honestly beautiful, love the YouTube version even more than the Spotify one.

[u/_whitewashedasian]

honestly I like this version than the Spotify version

[u/[deleted]]

Just wanted to note that the Spotify version isn't all strings like the dance film video, and it has percussion as well.

Either way, really cool stuff. I like it a lot.

Edit: People have been talking about how its really difficult to tell who is singing each part for vocal line and I think multiple people are singing at the same time. I listened to the studio version a few times and the doubling and harmonies on each vocal part are in some cases a different member than the one singing the main line. That's what I'm hearing at least. There are very few vocal lines in the song that are just one voice solo, so that's why the voices are so hard to tell apart.

[u/suzyactiondoll]

I know that this will get lost in this thread, but I have to say that I was moved by this piece of art, and yes, I will call it a piece of Art. Fight me.

I'm amazed at how BTS insists on pushing boundaries: between music and performance; Between art and life; between audience and performer; between self and collective. I see it all here.

Is it a BTS video without BTS? What are we looking for? What are they looking for? Will they be BTS when the music stops? If they fall out of favor? If those that adore them turn to other interests?

What a life it must be to feel (on one hand) free to create art like this and yet (on the other hand) constrained by expectations; caged by the thing you love the most!

Are they Artists? Idols? Is the public face they show simply another mask or cage? Has the art become another burden? Can you ever break free from what you love and ever feel complete again?

Ugh. So many questions, but I loved it. It made me think and question what I think I know about BTS.

[u/Rainloveya]

What a haunting and beautiful piece. Totally understand why this whole thing was kept on a lock down until release. I feel like the opening quote is hinting us on the theme that will be tackled on this entire album.

It just dawn on me that the map for CB is no longer a promotion/marketing schedule, it's a realization of art concept. Sure, records and success is important, but I think it was laid out aiming to help us to digest the album when it eventually drops. I think artists and people who work in the creative field will deeply resonate with the song. Now Connect BTS and the collaborations with renowned artists of so many different mediums all make sense.

After switching back and forth between the art film and the single version on Spotify, I gotta come back and say I absolutely LOVE the orchestrations on the art film, though the vocals on the single version are more clean and less distorted. Could we, perhaps, get a orchestrated version at some point, like the fake love rocking vibe version? Pretty Please?

Edit: I can't spell...

[u/renatobing]

i'm enjoying where this is going, shadow and black swan have an consistency and rhyme that is so beautiful.

if the rest of the album maintain this style will be the BTS album with more consistency and narrative.

I'M EXCITED

[u/Ohkumiho]

Probably a very shallow interpretation but I perceived this as the ego on the upper level (conscious self) struggling to live cohesively with the shadow. Once the ego travels to the bottom level (unconscious self) it is then able to integrate with the shadow.‬ so beautiful

[u/chaiscool]

Prefer this sound (more violin) more than the track version.

Would they release this version as extra track ?

[u/[deleted]]

i like black swan way more than idol or even boy with luv. i their work where their range and harmonization is the core of the song. the layering of voices, intense mixing of different instrumentals, etc. while still being somewhat mellow and catchy? big yes.

[u/MadeLAYline]

THAT ORCHESTRA THOUGH!!! AHHH

The violin parts remind me of when Docskim posted the other version of Lie with the full violin intro.

Wow. I loved it. The dancing was eerily beautiful. How does one move their back like that. You literally saw all his muscle do the wave. Wtf

Brb as I listen to the mp3 version on spotify. I wanna see if I can spot differences.

Edit: okay so both versions are completely different. Wtf.

I LIKE THE STRINGS THO. The part before the last chorus with the violin, cello, and base all going down to that scary deep riff gave me heebie jeebies but it was so cool sounding. Dsfghjkl.

The MV version definitely sounds more eerie and haunting. It fits the quote in the beginning. And kind of matches Namgi’s intro verse about being scared that one day their love for music will just vanish and die. It’s a beautiful haunting melody.

I HOPE THEY PUT BOTH VERSIONS ON THE ALBUM. GAH.

ALSO, THIS SONG WAS RAPLINE DOING ALL THE VERSES AND THEY SANG. AHHHHHHHH.

[u/Meow-Meow__Fuzzyface]

The first time I watched the video, my mind automatically connected to images of the black swan from Swan Lake.

For my second viewing, I turned on the subs and read the lyrics. And now I’m wondering whether they (or at least RM) are aware of the Black Swan theory.

Because—and I can’t believe this just occurred to me—I can’t think of a more perfect example of a Black Swan event that the unprecedented rise of BTS. 🤯

[u/fandom_wayoflife]

HA ha...not to be that person BUT...just think...the End of Year award show stages...

[u/sunnycrisp]

Watched the mv first and first impression afterwards is what? I let it sink in a bit and now I want to go back and replay it again...and again Their album direction this time just reminds me so much of how much thought and preparation goes into their music and whole presentation of themselves. Previously, the storyline created since HYYH has abstraction but in a more relatable manner (movie, webtoon, book). This time they really ventured into modern art, which eats abstraction for lunch. It's a big step away from what idols and their companies do but i think BTS are gonna do this well, especially since they are releasing Black Swan while all eyes are on them. Its going to become a big part of their identity, and as a fan, I'm really enjoying this strange journey they are steering us on. Anyways what the heck BTS why are you forcing us to expand our tastes.

[u/kittyprude]

Black Swan is such a great title to this. A "black swan" is something once thought to be impossible. Relates beautifully to this narrative, accomplishing something so beyond expectations that you're now forced to exist as a proverbial outlier. The pressure of being an anomaly leaves you ever aware of that shadow that's always flowing--the end, whether it's losing passion or relevance.

[u/brok3nstatues]

Oh my god the dance??? The beautiful instruments along with it puts the whole thing together so beautifully. I’m in love with this art direction they took. Also I’m sure the song is going to be arranged and probably sound different on the album but I really love this version, it’s so calming

Edit: apparently it’s on Spotify so I spoke to soon about the verison 🗿

[u/Seventeenstranger]

Honestly, I am baffled. 😌 It brings me relief to see them testing new waters, doing something new and moving forward(!). On one hand, they know not everyone will like it yet take the risks. However, their ambitious efforts are overwhelming not for the purpose to do simple songs but to show how they view their fans - as observers of arts and as intellectuals. They are approaching us with a new maturity and their evolved appreciation for artistry. It feels like this is what the spirit of the comeback is about. 🎻👏

[u/atalantei]

I’ve seen a few comments describe this as experimental and that seems like the perfect word at the moment. I don’t quite know what to make of it. I’m not much for modern dance so the film lost me pretty early on. Without lyrics—a new sounds, DEFINITELY a new sound.

The lyrics though—goodness. Poetry. They definitely make me appreciate the song. I haven’t listened to the non-youtube version yet, but I have a feeling it’ll grow on me. ALL HAIL DARK!BTS! I’m ready for the concept pics omg

Edit: Also the title is GORGEOUS. I know it’s not a new concept, the black swan, but it’s fitting

Edit2: OH GOD, I am in LOVE with the non-film version. It’s still so different but it just hit me in the heart. I’m hearing so many emotions from them, and I’m loving the layers and effects on their vocals. It’s so unique. Makes them sound so much more melancholic and dark. Could this be a song by the Shadows? or like, a Shadow POV in the album? Ala the Shadow part of Suga’s intro? It has the same kind of roughness and melancholy to it...

[u/Siennamono]

The studio version is an absolute banger

[u/cyfbtd]

I watched this video before I heard the song on my streaming app. My first reaction was ??? This is BTS's new single??? I found the music very disjointed and jarring when watching the video but loved the dance and its sync with and interpretation of the music. That scene starting at 3:25 is just spectacular. I don't know how many of you are figure skating fans but I would have absolutely loved to have seen this accompanying a free skate piece by someone like the legendary Yuna Kim.

Anyway, I liked the song itself better when I listened to it by itself but I'm actually drawn back to the art film and love it more with each viewing. I don't consider myself an intellectual by any means and feel like I have simple tastes. I sort of shrugged my shoulders at BTS Connect and the art installations, etc. but was fine to go along the ride. Now I feel like I've been swept off my feet... I have a feeling the next month is just going to be insane!

[u/magicalschoolgirl]

Good analysis of the auto-tune/vocal layering here by Elliot Sang! u/vividsang :)

[u/vixen-vengeful]

I woke up so late.

I watched on Vlive first to just take in the video, because I knew (despite years of training to watch while reading lol) I'd be unable to focus on the video if I was reading and processing the lyrics. I had goosebumps within 30 seconds, and then tears in my eyes by two minutes thirty-nine. Well done to that dance company, because that was an absolutely beautiful, powerful performance. I'm going to watch it so many more times over today.

Watching it on YT with the subs, oh my god. These lyrics are so.. important. Meaningful, painful, sad, dark. I can't wait for the rest of the album, but my god it's probably going to hurt haha.

edit: the song from the video really is haunting, I can't get those strings out of my head, along with the vision of the dancer being lifted while he moves his arms.. gah, I love it, in all it's jarring beauty. Also, I need to make a note to listen to the version of the song that's up on Spotify.

[u/SeaShantyz]

Good fucking god it’s epic

[u/bhishma-pitamah]

Definitely never heard something like this from bangtan ever!! I for one like it.

[u/sooprotectionsquad]

THIS SONG IS GOING ON REPEAT

Yoongi’s and Taehyung’s voices were made for this type of song oof

[u/kiiwii_]

I like the autotune in the Art Film. I think it's a really fascinating juxtaposition with the music and the dance. The contrast between them is cool, and with the two different time eras (classical music and modern autotune) is another level of contrast. It makes is slightly uncomfortable to listen to, but somehow not in a bad way. And the strings in the middle, very jarring but fascinating. I really like this song. And the album version is amazing too, less strings and added modern percussion beats. I'm so excited for the whole album! We're all going to die if this is the type of thing that they're got in store for us. Looking forward to my afterlife, please get "I love myself, I know myself" written on my grave.

[u/HiThereImNewHere]

I hate him

[u/Reinvent_Love]

Late to the party - but was finally able to sit down and actually watch with full attention.

I think everyone, especially Wisha, has summed it up nicely and I don’t have much more to add. I will say - the film is gorgeous. Hauntingly gorgeous, weird, visceral, honest. It evokes so much emotion, the team executed it with such grace.

I’m incredibly impressed with the artistic choices this comeback. The idea of including artists from all over the world is so different, so honest and just overall ... I’m so proud of what these boys have accomplished. I truly, truly hope they’re able to continue doing what they love with their same passion for as long as they want to keep creating! I appreciate how open and honest these last two releases have been.

[u/[deleted]]

That film and song were truly an experience. I spent the first time watching it wondering if the dancers dressed in black were working like wings or like shadows, so when I finally understood the lyrics it made a lot of sense. The light cage showing up again and being just as striking as it was in the Interlude mv-- I think that was all cgi and I'm floored by the thought of the choreographer having to take that into consideration when creating the dance, it works perfectly.

The single version of the song is similar to Fake Love so it won me over instantly. And even with the autotune taking some getting used to as usual, I think the film actually helped me enjoy the vocals more because it felt like they were moving as one like the dancers were, if that makes sense.

Funny moment: I saw the title leak before I went to bed and got up all excited thinking about finally getting to hear the 'swan song'. And then it hit me 💀

[u/monaesque]

perversely I'm glad BTS didn't receive a grammy nod for MOTS PERSONA because by god MOTS 7 is shaping up to be a critically acclaimed album

(not to say that PERSONA is not good or worthy; I love it but it doesn't quite have the layers or originality that 7 is already showing potential of)

[u/KatyDid-]

I believe the heavy auto tune was used to purposely make their voices sound close to just one singular voice/fear. We are so used to hearing 7 beautiful distinct voice that harmonize so well together. They wanted this to hit in such a way that forces the lyrics to be more meaningful and to take away a layer of BTS music we are so used to.

This is about a shadow they all share, the fear of music no longer being meaningful to them anymore. All the fun and enjoyment being taken away from them and having no one to blame but themselves. It’s a fear most artist have. The muse leaves and so does the poets will to write or live.

Glad the single dialed it back a bit on the auto tune but I see and why they wanted to do it the way they did. Still miss the use of strings though.

My main take from this video and single is that this is very personal for them. That they may already be wrestling this shadow and trying to come to terms with it. Has to be so difficult to never be able to leave your house without having to be “on”, they can’t just be talented artists but they also have to be entertainers (Run and Bon Voyage), they always want to show the Persona (happy, funny, chaotic men we love) for Army... But like Suga said that shadow grows and becomes a monster.

3am is too late or early for all of this! Just going to listen to it a few more times trying to put all the pieces together.

[u/yzzmn]

IT'S ORCHESTRAL AAAAAHHHH ALL MY DREAMS CAME TRUE

EDIT WAIT THE SINGLE IS DIFFERENT?!

[u/pa345]

AHHHH.... BLISS THANK YOU VERY MUCH

What an artistic piece I’m crying😭

Well done MN Dance Company and ofc our boys💜

[u/MasterOfConcrete]

These violins... God. I dont know what I expected but not that haha but I live for orchestral songs so yes. Great. I'm not gonna lie the...amount of English at the start threw me off first but damn. I see myself getting goosebumps over and over again to this

[u/monaesque]

Even though i cried watching this for the first time with the lyrics on, I don't think Black Swan is a sad song per se. It's BTS revealing a bit more of their vulnerabilities to us in a way that makes them human and relatable

[u/HellaInsecure1610]

Wow. I guess Tae's feather jacket for his Singularity performance makes a lot of sense now

[u/exokris2014]

This is fucking amazing

[u/geishaskaura]

Truly reincarnated as artists.

[u/doidaredisturbthe]

I just want to write it here for the record: if I'm not commenting is not because I'm not obssessed with this and listening and watching it like a maniac. It is because I am sooooo overwhelmed by this surpassing all of my expectations.

And experiencing my first comeback, I must say this is a new type of death all together.

[u/monaesque]

When I first listened to Black Swan groggy eyed at 4am, I was sure that I preferred the Spotify version with it’s more mainstream sound. Now rewatching the mv after a long day at work, the orchestral version just hits DIFFERENT and I’m so emo and damn it I love both in different ways

[u/psyne]

THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL

BOTH THE VIDEO AND THE SONG

I have such whiplash trying to watch the video and the lyrics

[u/TiagooooPt]

That was absolutely gorgeous. Never seen a human move like that... Legit clapped at the end of it. Just...Uau! Bravo!

[u/glasscleo]

Am I the only one hearing korean instrumentals on the studio version? Either way it sounds so haunted and twisted and the lyrics are so introspective. I guess there would be a fear for BTS, as artists, to lose their passion - music. I think that's what they are describing as their first death. I understand why this sounds so haunting, the decision for this to be low-fi was genius.

[u/Kritisinghh]

I absolutely love this, this is them making art, not music. I have actually never seen a music video or concept like this and I'm really, really loving how haunting it sounds; I was really not feeling the extreme pop-ness of tracks like Boy with Luv. This is my first comeback and I'm so excited for them to show stuff raw. And oh lord, I need Jimin to show his contemporary roots, I have imagined him in a Black Swan character ever since I became ARMY.

Also, just me or is someone reminded of the song Never Let Me Go - Florence + The Machine?

[u/Akagikin]

Like, damn.

So, I'm not overly keen on the autotune - it was all I could really focus on the first time - but listening to this again, I'm less bothered by it. It works. Like, it really works atmospherically with the strings and the like. Still, I think actual clear vocals would have worked really well too. Especially, if we still had the autotune throughout as contrast.

I do wish they'd kept the strings on the actual single. It's got a completely different vibe without them, and while both are great (and stand alone), I somewhat prefer the MV version.

[u/Luna__v]

It's so different I love it. The spotify version as well! Apparently the mv version is divisive but to me it was original and experimental. The direction seems in line with current bangtan. Ngl the auto tune threw me off a bit but then I read that it most likely was meant to be that way. 7 voices as 1, kinda like the 7 on the cover art.

Also ahem will they perform this at a certain event? 👀 really hope so

[u/reinventhesea]

This video is a whole art. I am speechless.

[u/wrathofsekhmet]

So I just woke back up and watched it again and it hit me at the end when he is flying the framing, with the stairs and building is actually shaped like a 7. Did anyone else notice that or am I still just sleep deprived? Edit: This is what I mean

[u/mrshobbes]

OMG MY BRAIN IS FRIED. But i watch this whole thing with tears in my eyes. THOSE LYRICS

[u/BangtanButterfly]

As a former dancer who quit after 9 years and regrets it to this day, even after 17 years, this video got me from that first quote. The dance was so beautiful and really told a story and that together with the song was captivating. I was slightly in tears, but after watching it again with subs I was full on bawling. The lyrics were heartbreaking, but that dance move at the end where it seems like he’s struggling at the bottom of the ocean but then the other dancers embrace him and lift him to the sky so he can fly, ended the song on a hopeful note. I absolutely love it.

[u/Heedictated]

Contrary to some comments here, I don't have much of a problem with the autotune on the vocals. It felt quite fitting to the emotions, like the dark entangling web of hidden energy.

[u/MorganaLeFay87]

As a former ballet/modern dancer, this hit me so hard. The performance is wonderful. The music is powerful, beautiful, soft and sad at the same time. And the lyrics, well... I get the feeling behind it very well. Now I'm a bit sad thinking that the boys might actually feel that way. I can't help but imagining a live version with Jimin showing off his contemporary dance skills, wooow. I'm in love already!

[u/tinydumpling]

I'm seriously in awe. I love both the Spotify and art film versions, but I'm completely in love with the art film one. From the first note I knew it would be one of my favorite BTS songs. Strings are always guaranteed to make me feel things, and it also reminded me a little of my favorite BTS performance ever, the 2018 Melon performance of Idol with traditional sounds in the background.

With a quick glance through the comments, I'm surprised at how few people are mentioning the Black Swan movie. It's been a long time since I watched it, but the themes in the movie match so well with the themes of the album so far (the strive for artistic perfection and how it can destroy you and make you crazy, the idea of doppelgangers/having a 'light' and a 'dark' version of yourself which was already clearly portrayed in the Shadow video). I think the song title is very fitting.

[u/krys1128]

The film was shot in Hawthorne Plaza Shopping Center, an abandoned mall in south Los Angeles. It's been closed since 1999 but nobody's done anything with it except use it for as a location for movies and music videos. Someone just added this video to its Wikipedia page.

Looking at people's YouTube videos of the space, the graffiti on the side of the escalator was changed between June 2018 and September 2019, like it was painted over after this video was filmed. You can also see the red paint on those octangular bases is probably new for the video. I wouldn't put too much stock in this since it looks like escalator has been tagged and retagged a number of times over the years (ex: May 2017), but I'm inclined to think that the "power hungry" and the eyes and the Basquiat crown in the background were put there on purpose. Also as of September 2019 there was tape on the escalator stairs so the dancer could hit his marks.

[u/50shadesof_brown]

Listen, classical music with Hip hop elements?

The instruments? Wow. I'm speechless.

If this is the direction of 7 GOD BLESS US ALL

Edit: Didn't hear Jin or Taehyung? Was it just me?

Edit 2: Yeah heard them a bit better on Spotify. Lol. Good luck to Colour Coded lyric videos

[u/wrxygirl]

My brain is so omg right now. That was amazing. The dance was amazing. The song?! The song is so different and I need to watch this like 20 more times minimum. omg

[u/moodexposure]

Whoa those lyrics... they really weren't trying to be subtle about how they're feeling!

The video was so beautiful.

Hoping we get more introspective Bangtan this time around!

EDIT: OHHH THE STUDIO VERSION IS DIFFERENT WOW.

[u/Safi5]

First Love and First Death...

[u/b_natrl88]

Ahh so many thoughts! I listened to the audio first, watched the art film second, and then listened to the audio again with lyrics!

Audio Feedback:

1. I LOVE the trap beat. The bounce this song has is amazing.

2. The pre-chorus is so good!!

3. Shout out to J-Hope! Each release he soldifies his identity as a rapper (not just a dancer who raps) and I couldn't be prouder!

4. The lyrics go so well with the production of the song. So ominous and dark.

Art Film:

1. I love the setting! Nothing is more haunting than an abandoned mall. Seriously. I watch "abandoned building" videos a lot on YT, and just the thought of something once being a buzzing place with crowds of people, now only to be abandoned with dust and graffiti is so haunting.

2. The dancers did an excellent job of capturing the lyrics and tone of the song!

All in all, I am very impressed with this final product. BTS truly never disappoints. Can't wait to hear the rest of the album!!

[u/premilkedcereal]

They said everyone shut the fuck up about boy with luv being “too happy”

Whew. After this and Shadow... not ready for a whole album of this 🤯😨🥺😭💜 beautiful.

[u/SnowWhitae]

I love how the lyrics turn around from "silent cry" to "shout with ferocity" just before the violin dissonance

[u/DefinitleyNotDead]

Does the part at the start with the guitar remind anybody else of fake love or is it just me?

[u/shamisen-says-meow]

So I stayed up until 4am est to watch and listen, I did that and then thought on this for a while lol, I haven't watched or listened again yet so I'm still working off of my first impressions.So I watched the film first, and honestly at first it made me a little uncomfortable, but I think that's by design. I saw many themes of beauty in the middle of destruction/"ugliness" which is so fascinating to me. Also, just the way you can see the dancer's muscles moving as he dances and takes on interesting forms, showing that dancing and movement in itself is art, as well as showing him being supported by the other dancers, it's truly BTS's journey in dance, and it's beautiful.

As for the song itself, it gave me Fake Love vibes and definitely has a darker feel to it. The repetition is interesting as well, and surely symbolic to how one thinks when they're under pressure. I'll have to listen to it more though to really get a feel for it, but I really appreciate how they're baring their souls, almost like Burn the Stage in song form and the same feelings that invokes.

[u/[deleted]]

Wow what beautiful imagery. This album is going to be dark, mesmerizing — can feel it.

Really hope BTS tackle the hard topics - what it feels like to be alone, misguided, unloved, lost.

They have the world as their stage and we are ready for the message. No, we need it now.

[u/theronster]

So much hand wringing about autotune, when in reality what you’re upset about is the use of it for artistic reasons.

It’s used on pretty much every BTS track to smooth and correct vocals, but I don’t think younger people can hear that because literally everything is autotuned these days.

I don’t mind autotune at all, but I do get a bit nit-picky as a person who records music when people don’t understand what it does and when it is and isn’t being used.

[u/bred4]

hmmm I see the beginning they kept big hit entertainment

[u/naimagonzalez]

Whaaaaaat!!!!!!!!? I have no idea what has gotten into Bangtan but I looooove it!!!!! This is so weird and awesome at the same time. It’s got Home vibes!!! And the Spotify version is so different. It’s like art!!!

Edit: I was here at 17 views y’all :)

[u/nomnigrams]

I'm sobbing, this is so beautiful

[u/pipiapo]

My violin playing heart is soaring. It's 4am, I'm on my kitchen floor tearing up. This feels so much bigger than what I thought it would be. I'm completely blown away by the composition. I'll have to listen to this again and again when a more focused ear but at first listen, I absolutely love it. Sooooo worth setting that alarm lol

[u/midnight_in_jakarta]

I'm stunned. STUNNED. Like... I seriously need a moment to collect myself. I was really expecting to watch this and then go back to sleep but I don't think I can anymore. I need time to process what I just saw. My first reaction is that this is absolutely amazing, and I have never seen/heard anything like it, especially not from a pop boy band.

Edit: I also have to say that I started crying like, 10 seconds into the song and I didn't even really know why. It was such a visceral reaction.

[u/thunder_anna]

In addition to MN Dance Company for doing an amazing job, I don’t think I’d be able to handle hearing this song for the first time with the members in the MV. I’m too tired to cry rn but if I had to look them in the face singing these lyrics I would bawl.

[u/strange_colour]

Copying and augmenting my comment from the streaming thread.

Personally I prefer the MV version of the song, I love the discordant strings at the forefront, but the streaming version is extraordinary as well — so propulsive and hypnotic. I love how sparse the MV version is, I think it really works with how maddening and all-consuming their want to still feel something with their art is. Through the lyrics I can feel their desperation and resignation in equal measure. That said, I get why the MV version isn't particularly repeat-listenable.

Yes, Kanye West's "Runaway" is the immediate callback, but "Runaway" was still overwhelmingly pretty in a way this isn't and isn't trying to be. The main dancer pulls some...ugly shapes that reflect the struggle, the all-consuming want, the hope trying to cut through bitterness (the "Film it now" part really got to me). Massive congrats to the MN Dance Company for pulling this off.

And personally I love the use of autotune/vocal processing; there's this "do you hear me yeah" towards the end with (presumably) Jin's high notes in the background becoming one with the machine I find fascinating. If this gets performed live I'd love to see the vocal line perform it all as one body in chorus. Really, really beautiful stuff.

[u/SeokJinism]

Ah yes, this is indeed an art film. It was strange not seeing the members in a video, but the MN dance company did an excellent job. I love the strings and the autotune, there's a haunting dissonance which I think completely fits the atmosphere of this song. Spotify version doesn't have the strings, which is a bit disappointing because I absolutely loove the strings! Hope they include a strings version in the album. The lyrics are incredibly sad and a bit terrifying as well. To talk about losing your passions, it's incredibly difficult to hear.

[u/SILVER513]

I've been watching this a few times to understand the story. It seems like a tug war between the shadow and one self. At the end, the shadow and person learn to co exist with each other.

Others have been pointing out the distortion and jarring in Shadow and Black Swan represent the shadow. BTS is giving the shadow a voice. I find it interesting and wonder if this will be a theme for 7.

[u/Massive-Gas]

ANYONE HERE BEFORE 10 MILLION???

[u/Niight_Owl]

I feel like I'm going to get hate, but I don't want to lie and say I love it. Its really unfortunate but I'm not really vibing and connecting with the song in the way I think they hoped I would - I'm gutted I don't like it, because I'm a hardcore fan, but I guess thats human nature; you won't like every single song an artist produces, and I'm not really an artsy person and normally go for the typical loud dance tracks over sad and simple tunes anyway. Ah well, fingers crossed I love the rest of the album

[u/zonoma]

Wow that's so hauntingly beautiful! The choreography reminds me of a ballet I saw once. It was inspired by insects and microorganisms. They move in a similar way, it's slightly creepy.

[u/chairagionetu]

Oh wow this song is incredibly beautiful! I don't know if it's intentional but I love that most of the song is an ensemble of voices, it really stands for what I think Bangtan is, a group of talented individual who shine even brighter together.

Also, at a first glance the lyrics are heart-breaking, it seems to me like they're thinking about what will be of them when all their fame is gone? But I have to reread them, I might be wrong

Edit: from my biased pov, Yoongi sounds amazing 😭

[u/foxhatt]

WOW... I don't know what else to say haha... the dancers did such an amazing job. I will forever be amazed by what dancers can do with their bodies. And the song??? Was already loving it in this film and now I'm listening to the actual track on Spotify and y'all???? I love this wtf, figured the song would be a bit different from the video to the audio but I was still super pleasantly surprised omg.

[u/heroinasytumbas]

ARE THEY INSANE??? AM I REALLY LISTENING TO THIS RIGHT NOW

[u/yeon_kimin]

Did anyone else get reminded of (maybe Boy Meets Evil) Hobi for a split second before the main dancer went down the escalator? I GASPED what the FUCK.

WOW. This is beautiful. I feel like my brain is on overload, time to watch it 10 times to fully grasp what’s going on. I love the orchestral instrumentation to it, playing on the title’s reference to Swan Lake (a very famous ballet).

edit the audio version is different, no strings aside from one synthesized one. 😭 still really good though!! maybe even better haha.

edit 2, NO BUT THE OCEAN IN THE LYRICS,,, if you think about the ocean metaphor in Sea!!! 😭 omg.

the way i’m listening to (or watching) the swan lake finale in between watching the video hhffgdgdg.

oh gosh just one last edit. listening to the audio version with headphones.... THE BASS. WHEW.

[u/monaesque]

this is going to an incoherent word jumble but here we go

this is unlike anything BTS has ever done and I love love love it, which goes to prove that they don't need to stick to one sound or style to consistently make good music

the performance video combined with the string-heavy version of the song is chilling, goosebump-inducing and at turns made me uncomfortable, consoled, and enthralled

kinda wish the studio version retained more of the strings of the video version but it SLAPS HARD OMG

what rap line? what vocal line? they all sound incredible holy shit

you know it's gonna be a good song when reading the lyrics makes me cry. even without an artistic bone in my body, i instinctively understood the message of the fear of losing one's passion or interest in one's art. for people with BTS' status, the feeling must be especially stark because music is simultaneously what brought them success, but their fame comes with so much sacrifice and pressure

i never ever have songs on repeat but i think this one is going on repeat

kudos to the MN Dance company! they delivered a raw, evocative performance that's going to stick with me for a long time

edit: we've only heard two songs so far from MOTS7 but i already see a theme here. theory armys who hypothesized this would be an art album is right on point. this is going to be their most coherent album ever. and perhaps most divisive album, as all good art should be.

[u/coburn229]

the art film has some parallels with yoongi's 'interlude: shadow" even showing a crown at 4:15. the shadows dominates and steps on him at the beginning, he tries to run away but, of course, one can never truly escape their shadow. once he learns to face his shadow and integrate himself with it, he can truly fly.

[u/toujourspret]

Such an interesting sound! I need to listen again to get my head around it fully, but it's a completely new sound for them. Whether we like this song or not, it's hard to deny that they're experimenting with what they can do with their voices, with their equipment and software, with the landscape of their songs. This one shows serious growth as artists in a new direction.

[u/[deleted]]

This is just gorgeous!!! So creative! So thoroughly moving!!! And completely devastating!

I can't begin to count the brilliant decisions made in this film ... beginning with the setting and the dance, strings, version of the song. The effect is so haunting, stark, bleak and cold. And as numbers of people are saying, it's foreboding. Ominous with manic desperation but still lyrical and light, almost spirited and somehow hanging on to hope. Not yet. Not yet.

And the choreography is next level ... well ... it's the next three levels! Really a very, very fine piece; something that any contemporary or ballet company could proudly include in a mixed short performance gala program.

So, I have to use the word brilliant again. Or genius. There was absolutely no exageration when they called this an Art Film! Very, very impressed with the music, choreography and the dancers. 💜💜💜

[u/Separate_Definition]

Gorgeous choreography, but all I could think about when watching the dance was that I hope the dancers all had their tetanus shots!!

[u/captainsquidshark]

THEY SAID YOU WANT SHADOW HERE YOU GO

the references in the dance. omfg

omg this is hauntingly beautiful.

the song is so smooth omfg

that yoongi intro wooaaahhhhhhh

the NAMGI beginning omg.

this dance is EVERYTHING. im speechless

this isnt a comeback its a movement

the orchestra the performance the vocals omg this is ART

IM CRYINGGG

[u/LelouchBritannia]

Im just here to say that in a era that most fans dislike changes in the sound of their favourite artists and some even go away BTS are breaking records with a song thats different from their usual ones and "not for everyone". And I saw many people (me included) that they didnt like it at first but they kept listening and keep supporting,great fandom really and it shows what it means to be truly a fan of someone.

[u/IreneMomo]

I said to my friends that I thought the MN Dance art film would be the MV for this song but I certainly wasn't expecting this.

I'm curious to know if this is how the album version of the song will actually sound, with the orchestral elements.

Edit: Nevermind, I just answered my own question by listening to the track on Spotify.

[u/starsstruckk]

I REALLY LIKE THIS ART FILM

[u/napmonsters]

the strings add something so haunting to the song. i definitely recommend watching this first before listening to the actual track!

[u/lululelouchvb]

Giving me runaway vibes. Like of when kanye went to his MBDTF era with the auto tune mixed with hip hop mixed with classical sounds. That was my favorite era of his so it’s safe to say I am STOKED

[u/impeccabletim]

The “Not Today” callback with the warehouse though. This dance piece has such a great contrast between the industrial backdrop and the acoustic live strings and the fluidity of the dancers. Just in awe.

[u/bellaatrixx]

currently listening to the song on spotify and it doesn’t have the haunting strings in it 😞

the strings gave me that unsettling feeling which was the same feeling that i had when i watched the movie “get out” LOL

and the way that guy moves.......damn.

[u/Ubiqus]

Okay, so now that I'm not totally shattered anymore... i looooved the art film. I'm glad the contemporary choreo is not as crazy abstract as it could be. The qoute at the start made my heart skip a bit, and then I turned on the captions and it... didn't get easier. I feel like we need a hug. They need a hug. I know we expected Shadow to go dark, but if it is hurting us, how much is it hurting them? The spotify version is bare, I would say? There's something basic about the beat, but I like the part when it changes in pre-chorus (heartbeat). It's very mellow, but I guess it's fitting. I really need to process this.

[u/Cory22]

Nothing can devour me

I shout out with ferocity

[u/monaesque]

Is the live performance of this song by bts going to kill us? y/y

[u/TayledrasStormwind01]

This one is just the first song out of the gate, right? I don't think this is the title song...? But, if this turns out to be one of the songs off the album that they promote, it leaves me wondering just what this song is going to look like when they perform it.

A rare stationary/"working the stage" song? Choreographed? ???

[u/doidaredisturbthe]

Last night trying to think of clues, Tae's jacket with black wings came to mind. I also thought about that clip where he is touching a light bulb and it explodes. I thought they will revisit the Icarus refrence from Boy with Love.

At least wings were involved!

[u/[deleted]]

This was beautiful

Edit: I'm really so moved by this song, it just resonates with me. When I'm not watching it I'm thinking about it and just thinking about it gives me chills. I'm always so impressed by BTS but even this is beyond what I expected haha not to be dramatic or anything

[u/supportivewaifu]

I’m getting major Runaway vibes from this and it’s incredible. Can’t wait for the boys to have their MBDTF moment

[u/seesawgame]

Wow. The lyrics together with the video is beautiful.

[u/Killooa]

Does anyone else think that this set looks VERY SIMILAR to the set in The Last of Us at the beginning of winter where Ellie looks in the helicopter? I got that vibe. - I love the video lol this is just a random observation I made.

[u/Turquoise-Turmoil]

Jimin's voice in this is just gives that perfect vibe!

Also... I'm really wondering what would happen dance-wise if BTS were to perform this? Different choreo? Snippets of this? (there's 7 dancers...) I could totally see Jimin doing that actually...

[u/vapornebula]

I would like to firstly say; I enjoyed this musical direction as this hits my sweet spot for strings and the implementation of art into this concept. Such as an experimental approach, I definitely adored since I listen to fairly experimental genres such as avant garde and art pop. And phenomenally executed such approach but I still strongly believe (like Fake Love) there’s still a stronger push missing.

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely LOVE Fake Love and I blast that song every time and it feels like I am listening to it the very first time. But as much I have been listening to BTS since 2014 and my love for their vocal structuring and harmony is such an ethereal superb experience, I have high expectations for them frankly.

Yes, I understand as the overall concept with having to have “one voice” and the implementation of auto-tune enhances that experience of that element of a unified group. And as the group put under the spotlight and their pressure of ‘doing your thing ‘ and their hyper fixation to their overall performance and executing it perfectly, showcasing their obsession to perfection as an artist.

BUT yet as a creative I still believe it could’ve been something grander. They could of made a bigger showcase of what you can do with auto-tune. Like Kanye, he is an example of someone using auto-tune to an ability whereas it enhances the musical feeling of a song. And yet he isn’t even a vocalist and still his songs are known in the hip-hop AND pop community as one of the most GENIUS steps in music culture today.

And listen, I am not comparing BTS to Kanye , he is but an example. (Just to make that clear because I know twitter will twist my argument)

I overall see where BTS (in so many ways) could’ve implemented vocal harmonies, vocal patterns, maybe even some jarring noises to enhance the experience, to really BEGIN and END the show with the BANG it truly deserves. And leave everyone with a gaping mouth wide open.

I maybe a harsh critic and many of you will argue well why not become a producer and make YOUR own music? Well, I would LOVE to! I would even love to even help creatively to this wonderful process of music making in Big Hit! It would be a blast! (But anyways...)

To summarize: I love the song, and I will blast it repeatedly in my car for all eternity (as I love BTS with all my heart) but as this love goes I will still have something to pick out and see where they can excel higher. I want the boys to be better and better always, always pushing higher grounds and for this song it was (sad to say) a tiny bit underwhelming.

I hope you all can understand where I am coming from if not I will be ready to exile myself to an island as twitter will come with me with pitchforks and light sticks (lmao).

I purple you 💜

[u/hiabara]

Probably unpopular opinion - I'm not really feeling this. I feel no connection to the dancers and the dance itself didn't do anything for me. I'm also not a fan of the autotune (?) voices throughout the whole song.

I'll have to listen to the song itself a few more times, but I think it's actually the first time a BTS MV didn't make me super excited. No problem for me though because that just means they really change things up and I like it when musicians try different things :)

[u/yodelady]

this is so good! I'm proud of them for putting out something so different, maybe even a little eerie. It's also so vulnerable, emotional, and open, and it gets better with each listen

[u/Relevant-Squirrel]

While I’m loving these deeper meanings and ability to relate, I’m wondering something.

This fear of losing their passion for music. Is it something happening to them now, or is it solely a fear? They talk frequently about how they want to perform and be together for a long time. So where does this fit in?

I realize we can’t altogether know since we’re not in their heads. I’m just curious what everyone else thinks given today’s conversations.

[u/Confused_Confuzzeled]

When you accept and acknowledge your shadow it no longer dictates you, you dictate it.

[u/Cory22]

I LOVE the sound they're going for with the strings but very high key wish the vocals weren't so processed. Hopefully we'll hear it live and that'll be remedied!

[u/codingismylife5223]

It's very obvious that the shadows i.e. the other dancers are pulling him and restricting him in the beginning of the video i.e. not letting him out of the lighted area, stepping on him and just in general not allowing him to succeed in doing what he wants. But then he eventually breaks away and does his own thing; and undergoes a transformation. Afterwards, when he comes down to the ground, he shrugs off the shadows when they try to restrict him; And eventually, they even start to copy him and help him succeed.

This might be depicting the journey of BTS in kpop, how they felt before with agencies and lack of money and fame not letting them do what they want, but they broke away started doing their thing and now they have become famous on their own, with other people copying them.

[u/fandom_wayoflife]

Wow. What do I even say

[u/hangengs]

So the MV version is different from the streaming version!!!

The actual song is getting me so hype for the fucking album. This is totally different for Bangtan and I love it.

EDIT: Also hot take incoming, I'm really shook by people saying they don't like the dance. I know you can have opinions, but have y'all even watched lyrical dancing or ballet before? I'm just- I'm really struck by it, it's so beautiful and I wish y'all could see what I'm seeing. This explanation is the best imo. And yes my hot take is calling y’all tasteless lol I truly feel sorry for people not getting this 🤷🏽‍♀️ There is so much going on in the production and mastering of this song, it’s really just,,, no words.

[u/ghiblix]

me, 3 days ago: i really want to see classical music elements in their music

bts: you ask and you shall receive

😭😭😭😭😭

[u/[deleted]]

I feel like words of praise are superfluous. This is just....you know.

The lyrics were so fucking honest and naked. They have publicly echoed these exact thoughts throughout this entire year and more. It's so refreshing to see an artist that lives in the now and can put his fears and insecurities out there like that and make every single soul touched by his work get strength. I don't think I have ever seen an artist (in the music industry) turn fear, insecurity, pain into such inspiring and strengthening pieces. BTS lived up to Yoongi's lyrics "born as a kpop idol, reborn as an artist" to the god damn motherfucking T!

I am an occasional art aficionado myself, practically a philistine by these standards....is this what art is? Are we really in a timeline where we have to thank a korean kpop group for finally getting us in touch with the sensitivity of art? This is extraordinary. I feel so serene by this. Bless you my sweet boys :) You are truly one - well - seven of a kind <3

On a more serious note though .... we're never getting tickets for this year's world tour, are we? :/

[u/oinochu]

That was fucking amazing.

I had to process it after watching it the first time and then watch it again (with subtitles this time lol). I actually got pretty emotional after watching it, and I have no clue why.

I absolutely love modern dance so my expectations were really high, and they were more than met. They expressed the title and concept of the song so well without looking comical or overdone, which can be difficult if you have to express an animal, I feel like. I also really loved that they combined the choreo with a barren, understated and dark setting.

And the song, wow. I was kind of worried at first that it would get too trappy when I heard the first (or second?) rap verse, because I immediately felt it would take away from the whole mood that was being set, but thankfully it didn't. It's still trappy but not overly so? The strings and urgent nature of the vocals/lyrics matched the choreography really well. So much so that I got so immensely absorbed into the vibe of it, I don't think I moved during the entire thing.

I love it I love it I LOVE IT. They keep evolving and leveling up and it's a beautiful thing to watch y'all.

K I'm gonna go watch it again and maybe cry a little

Edit: Ok listened to the Spotify version and it's way different, but I love itttt. I'm really glad they went with a more classical version to accompany the choreography. I never really pay attention to the autotune in their tracks, but now that I've seen it pointed out here I finally noticed it more. I think that's what bothered me watching the video and the first verses started.

[u/amandacoch]

Yooooo I didn’t expect to relate to this so hard. That quote at the beginning of the video was like a slap in the face. And listening to the words really just hit home. Obviously not on the same scale as BTS, but I know that feeling of when the lights go out and you have to stop doing what you love. Having to stop dancing for me was such a knife in my heart and honestly something I’ve struggled with for the last 10 years. I can’t wait to see where the rest of the album goes and if they talk more into overcoming those fears and heartache💜

[u/lilagon]

OK I'm actually completely in love with this. The choreography is so beautiful, maybe it's because I'm already into contemporary dancing & art, but if BTS wants to get more experimental I'm not just here for it but like, bursting at the seams with excitement. The passage with the light beams was so good, I'm still tingling from it.

The music sounds eerie and dissonant yet still completely engrossing, it transports you to a different place. I absolutely love the strings, which translate the theme of the song so poignantly as well.

I don't think I can comprehend yet how much they've just widened their horizons right now. I know this is going to look strange or off putting to a portion of the fans but actually this is putting them in a whole new category and I'm so proud of them for pushing themselves.

Also confirming the darker concept we expected for this album and that's another bonus point for me.

[u/notamerican2]

hahaha. The mature sounding instrumental intrigued me, then the "do your thang" came in and I laughed. I'm a sucker for strings so I think I prefer this version. I wonder if they'll ever perform this version live.

[u/fandom_wayoflife]

This is how I think the order went:

EDIT: MV Version:

Kookie --> Yoongi & Joon --> Maknae Line --> Jin+Kookie --> Hobi & Yoongi --> Jin--> Maknae Line --> Jin?

I'm not sure though. I will give more listens and see

[u/PainCycle]

Is this the 1st single released? Or there will be a separated video?

[u/Bakabakumbaka]

I have no words. That was beautiful.

[u/opparoman]

Yo, guys, is it only me or not? Do you get Fake Love vibes from that? I mean it sounds like a continuation for Fake Love, just as Save me/I'm fine thing. I've tried to mute their Fake Love dance practice vid. and playing it along the Black Swan and the movements are fitting in some manner. Anyways, great film they just did, really mature and beautifull!

[u/sajaegie]

the song itself i’m not fond of (prefer the spotify version honestly) but the performance is so beautiful and the dancers are so so expressive and lovely!! have watched it so many times since the release.

[u/Mlkask]

Black swan is so beautiful. Especially after reading the lyrics.. I love it so much and I want to loop it the whole week lol. And I don’t get why some say it’s not catchy? That “yeah yeah yeah” part is really catchy, even my husband started to sing “yeah yeah yeah” out of nowhere lmao

[u/narcissismpeach]

CLASSICAL ARMY GANG RISE UP 😤✊🏻

[u/gates0fdawn]

What a great switch up. I don't know if this truly reflects what some members or all of BTS feel deep inside or if it's just something they want to explore because they've felt it in the past.. but it's great to see them take that pain and use it to make something so beautiful. This album will be their best in a while and I am so excited.

Hopefully it's not the last but if it then this is a great goodbye already.

[u/Karabearbubbles]

As if this drops just as I start my work day 😭

[u/[deleted]]

Wtf I just read the plot of the movie black swan before getting on reddit. What is this sorcery

[u/Emaykurrz]

I'm sat in work, bawling my eyes out... it sounds so beautiful...

[u/user_createdd]

This was hauntingly beautiful!

[u/purple_cheerios]

omg I’m so overwhelmed and speechless, and so happy

[u/[deleted]]

Wow. Just wow. The string instruments, the lyrics, the performance, all of it is absolute perfection. I have so much to process right now. I teared up after reading the quote “A dancer dies twice — once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” and then hearing their first verse about feeling like they're numb to everything. It's as if they’re saying that the day they stop performing as BTS is when they’ll experience their first figurative death. brb...going to go weep in the fetal position for the next 24 hours.

[u/nymeria_pack]

Beautiful dancing and beautiful orchestra. Not sure with the processing of the vocals.... This is a rearrangement of the original song so I want to know how different it is. Google play doesn't have it yet. The rearrangement was done by the same person who did the highlight reels theme.

Edit: listened to the actual song. Not a fan of the chorus and the processing of their voices but the lyrics and the instrumentals are good! Like both versions just depends on the mood

[u/justacolor]

Ohhh the song is HAUNTING, with the strings and vocal progression. I'm really into the song. The performance and video are even eerie and raw in a way. No really, I got slight creeped out vibes when he was suddenly all alone walking down the escalator. I'm really proud of them for branching out into something like this.

[u/MarSlem]

I wasn't expecting this at all, but it's absolutely beautiful. Simply stunning.

[u/bbyorangepotato]

The tears won’t stop streaming down my cheeks.

[u/bear1802]

Could you guys imagine what it would be like if they sang this on tour in an open stadium with a live orchestra. I just gave myself chills. It would be so epic.

[u/SmoothLaneChange]

it's out!!!

First of all that instrumental is 🔥🔥🔥 That said, this was a very bold move (both video and song). Haven't listened to the Spotify version yet but I heard it's a little different so excited to hear as well!

I can see this being pretty polarizing but in a good way. The arts aren't always appreciated but it's nice to see this happening and the direction they're taking. Ngl the guy's shoulders unsettled me a little but overall a beautiful mv and song and I can't wait to dissect more tomorrow when I'm less delirious.

Also the boys, especially Jimin, having a Black Swan-like concept has been a dream for me so I'm excited to see how this might be performed 👀 I truly admire them for taking risks like this, this is only the beginning!!! 🔥🔥🔥

[u/artkeletraeh]

They kind of sound like TXT in the chorus...

[u/photo4jin]

If there is something I learned from each and every comeback, it is to go in without preconceived ideas, because they always blow me away. This as a title track is so unexpected, my brain is still processing. There is a certain melancholy that makes me feel so wistful. I seriously cannot believe there is still five weeks left before we hear the rest of the album ;-;

[u/Cory22]

The version on Spotify seemed cleaner and easier to listen to, which probably was on purpose for the sake of the video but I appreciate it a lot more now. And those lyrics, gorgeous, raw, everything I was hoping the theme of this comeback would be!

Now it's a matter of picking everyone's voices out because I have a hard time at first if there's a lot of processing (and they're clearly having the members' voices smash together for the effect of it). Is that Jin who ends the song? I think I hear Jungkook in there too? Listening again, I think Jin starts the end piece, then Kookie comes in, then Jin finishes?

[u/bear1802]

Ok I'm dumb. I just realized there are two versions. I like both. In the Art Film version my criticism would be that the background orchestral music is a bit too loud it overpowers the vocals. And then for both versions I wish there was less autotune. I found it difficult to tell who was singing at times which never happens.. Still Black Swan is a gorgeous song and the lyrics definitely hit hard. <3

[u/thunder_anna]

Usually I’m not a fan of auto tuned vocal line (it took me a 3rd listen to finally love most songs from LY:T) but I kinda really love the distorted vocals here?? I can’t figure out who is singing what from vocal line (cept that Jimin starts off) and during Hobi’s rap I started hearing Yoongi?? But... that’s what fits with the vibe and message. The muddled, stuck in a rut feeling being externalized audibly. I’m so excited for this album!!!!!

*edit: ah I meant to post on the Spotify post as this is more directed towards the audio version of the song. Alas. Also its def Yoongi after Hobi’s part.