Monsta X is one of those groups that I’ve been hearing about since their debut, but one I’ve never taken the time to sit down and listen to. So here we are with my introduction to them with, “Beautiful” the title track to the conclusion of their “The Clan” series.
The most obvious thing that stands out on the track is the beat. It’s so fast and hard-hitting that anyone who loves bass will immediately fall in love. The breakdowns after the chorus do a good job of breaking up the song, and keep it from getting too overwhelming to enjoy. The rap and vocals are surprisingly well balanced throughout.
The MV itself is a hodgepodge of disconnected visuals. We get the group dancing on a floor that looks like the backsplash I’ve seen couples fight over in an episode of Property Brothers. Interspersed are shots of what looks like a bank robbery, that takes place in rooms along a white and neon hallway which gives off the feeling of a train. There are gold bars and hammers, money and swinging pendulums, but none of it adds up to a story.
Not to say there has to be a plot line in any music video, but unless I’m just missing clues from the previous installments of the series, the visuals and the lyrics don’t sync up. In fact, the only shots that really seem to play into the song are those of Shownu in the room full of plants. Honestly, the best parts of the MV are the dance parts and that’s more because of
Unlike the majority of the visuals in the MV, the lyrics of the song make the most of the flower motif, using the age old comparison of a lover to a beautiful, but dangerous, rose:
You’re so beautiful
I can’t take my eyes off you
Like a thorn on a flower
I know I’ll get pricked but I want you
So beautiful, so beautiful
You’re so pretty, so beautiful it makes me sad
Too beautiful to handle
They acknowledge that they are aware of the danger of loving the most beautiful of girls, but they are willing to take that risk. Beauty outweighs any possible threat, and seeing how comfortable Shownu looks lounging in those plants, he’s totally nonplussed by any pain he may receive.
I know I can’t ever have you
I know you’re more beautiful when I only look
Here’s the thing: nothing about “Beautiful” is a love song, despite the title and the romantic images. This song is about wanting what you can’t have, and, possibly getting it and getting hurt. It’s about lust and yearning and desire. And even with that intriguing premise … the whole package still manages to be boring as all get out.
Yes, in the beginning of this review I said the song is bass heavy and the breakdowns are cool — and I don’t take that back. But, there’s nothing particularly wowing or spectacular about this release. The dancing is good, but K-pop is full of good and great dancers. The rappers and singers deliver their lines, but without anything distinguishing. There’s little to no connection between song the song and the MV. And not every release has to be full of metaphor or express some deep angst, but if it’s not then it should at least be entertaining. “Beautiful” doesn’t even showcase the theme of it’s title (minus the members themselves). It’s just a lot visuals with no vision.
All in all, “Beautiful” isn’t the track or video to hook a non-fan. It’s a bland song about what should be an interesting concept. The execution is typical of what’s to be expected from a K-pop group and doesn’t stand out from the debuts and comebacks that are being pushed out right now.
MV: 2.5/5
(Youtube, Images via Starship Entertainment, Lyrics via ColorCodedLyrics)
