F.Cuz has gone through a lot in the last year, with the loss of their main vocalist, Lee-U, and the inclusion of two new members, Daegun and Raehyun. Lineup changes late in the game are always problematic because of the lack of time spent for the new members and the old to get used to being with each other on stage, and the fans to adapt to the new members, and some leaving in loyalty of the departed one. Although I haven’t been paying much attention to F.Cuz or their line-up changes, only turning my attention to them when their former member takes pictures with my biases Jaejoong, but in learning about the message behind F.Cuz’s new video, about following your dreams, they piqued my interest. Despite how tired that theme is in other mediums, most K-pop groups opt out to singing the same song and dance about lost and found love, so this sounded like a nice change.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6mOds3Nqc&w=560&h=315]

Although I wish the MV’s plotline had better flow, this is a really sweet and slightly heartwarming MV. It’s a shame that this MV was banned, for something as silly as coloured hair and a boy skipping class, but thanks to YouTube, fans can still see it. I think we should relish the days where we can still watched banned MVs, until they take them from us for good. Back to the MV, this was a really well-shot MV. The shots in the classroom and even at the cafe seemed really warm, while the scenes inside the heater room and hanger-like place had a nice cold look that was an interesting contrast. The plotline was simple but at the same time, required a lot of thinking in order to make sense of it all.

Each of the five members have their distinct storylines, or paths, with the exception of Kan and Jinon, and their stories seem to be connected with each other by Yejun, the one that skipped class and has stolen my heart upon first glance. From what I’ve managed to connect from this MV is that the five members play five friends who each shared a dream about becoming-stay it with me-a singer, as children. But reality and age sets in and the boys have led themselves in lives that they have no desire and take no pleasure in, Yejun and Raehyun with school, Daegun working at a lame job, and Kan and Jinon being what looks like thugs. They have drifted up until Yejun gets an epiphany and begins to remind each of his former friends of their forgotten dreams. After each member is visited by Yejun, they are haunted by their younger selves, the selves that were so willing and open to dream endlessly, regardless of how outlandish or out of reach the dreams were. They then decide to break away from their unfulfilling lives and began their paths to fulfilling their dreams. They renew their dreams in a ceremony of sorts, full of fireworks and frivolous fun.

The MV could have been better with a lot more context and connection with their younger selves, when I first saw them, they felt really creepy when they randomly appeared out of nowhere. It would have be better if they had made it more clear that they used to be friends, or had some any connection, so it didn’t seem like they were being lured to an empty hanger by some crazy person in a hippie band. Nonetheless, the MV was sweet, and relatable for many idols and everypeople. It could have benefitted from showing some more obstacles in the lives of the members, a disapproving parent, perhaps? My favourite shot was in the hanger where the five of them are together, unashamedly forgetting what a fire hazard is, and setting off fireworks. It was a really pretty and colourful scene. The song sounds really good, especially with the parts that Yejun and Daegun sang, Daegun especially. His voice sounded really nice during his parts, making the song a lot more enjoyable to listen to.

Overall, I give this MV a 4.5/5. There weren’t any major flaws and although it was a lot off, its pacing was good enough to keep me interested all the way through. this is a really nice comeback for F.Cuz, showcasing their talent and little more versitilaty than in their other songs. They are clearly capable of carrying well-done songs and making interesting music videos. But despite how cute and endearing this MV is, it probably won’t get them brownie points in the K-pop sphere, but it really proves that F.Cuz has a lot more to effort than a really terrible band name.

(fcuz0108)