Every K-pop fan dreams of monthly releases from their favorites, but realizes that such is nothing more than an impossible dream when it comes to the music world. However, it seems that JYP is gearing up to make this dream into reality in the new year with an unprecedented promotional strategy. Pop-rock group Day6 has kept a fairly under-the-radar status for the first year of their career, but they are about to be launched into the industry in a major way starting this month.
For the entirety of 2017, Day6 will be releasing a single and holding two concerts every month, a schedule that guarantees constant exposure and, hopefully, increased fan interest. The first installment of this master plan comes in the form of the single “I Wait,” a powerful rock track about the frustration brought about by being unsure of a lover’s affections.
With every new comeback, Day6 showcases a new facet of their musical abilities. “Congratulations” was a solid introduction while “Let Go” displayed their emotional depth and vocal range, but with “I Wait,” the group has truly proven their more hardcore rock chops. That is not to imply that this song drifts anywhere towards the realm of heavy metal, but the aggressive guitar and pounding drum beat create a much more intense sound than fans have ever heard from the group before. In fact, in its ability to perfectly balance hard rock and dreamy pop sensibilities, this song hearkens back to pop-punk releases from the early 2000s, creating a sense of nostalgia for any of those who may have been more emo-inclined at the time.
While the song does wonders for the group’s growth, the video unfortunately falls short of matching the track’s intensity, leaving the viewer feeling not disappointed, but a tad underwhelmed.
In fairness, there are many design aspects of the video that are very successful. The use of sped-up background images to emphasize the image of being stuck in time, waiting for either acceptance or refusal of love, creates a nice visual metaphor that complements the lyrics. The color palette is also consistent and effective, utilizing various shades of grey-blues and algae greens contrasted with focal points of primary red to create a sense of energy amongst a static landscape. Even the glitchy electronic theme creates interesting color and distortion effects that lend some edginess to the video, but the energy of the piece still feels lacking up until the very end, when the rain starts to fall. Despite the cliche nature of cool guys playing guitar in the rain, the setting and styling of this scene best matches the somewhat dramatic vibe of the song itself.
As previously stated, the design of the video is relatively solid, but there are some odd issues involving the styling, which seems to be torn between punk-rock road tour and retro N’sync poster shoot. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking fashion risks and certainly everyone loves a good throwback look, but just as with any concept, commitment is key. The inconsistency in styling and struggle to find a common thread becomes the main issue in this video. Jae seems to be the biggest fashion victim out of the lot, being styled in an outfit that involves layering a black turtleneck, gold chains, and 90s boy band shades. During the group shots, synth player Wonpil can also be seen sporting a rhinestoned collar, while drummer Dowoon dons a loose tank top printed with layers of fake gold chains, both of which are looks that might have been available at your local mall back in 2009. Some of the outfits, while perhaps risky, do manage to make the risk work — like Young K‘s red track suit, sparkly sweater, and headband ensemble.
In an even more confusing turn of events, though, the styling suddenly does a complete switch at the end of the video, stripping down to basic cuts and neutral colors in what seems to be an attempt at a more modern and chic rock image. While certainly not a bad fashion choice, this abrupt change in style creates even more confusion about the concept as a whole.
If fashion is the group’s biggest shortcoming at this point, though, it is safe to say that the future of this year-long project seems extremely promising. With the demands that this schedule will place on the group in terms of time, energy, and physical exertion, Day6 will have their work cut out for them. Hopefully, though, through this opportunity, the band will be able to showcase their versatility with a variety of concepts as well as continue to improve their skills as musicians. Keep an eye on the schedule to stay current with all of Day6’s monthly activities in 2017!
MV: 3.8/5
(YouTube. Images via JYP Entertainment)
