Following up on their comeback earlier this year, AB6IX is already back with their fourth EP Mo’ Complete: Have a Dream. As the title of the EP would suggest, the MV for the title track, “Close,” explores the dreams of the members as they wander their way back to each other. “Close” is filled with pretty imagery and a touching storyline, but ultimately brings no fresh takes to the table.
The lyrics of “Close” describe a fate-defying romantic connection, but the MV interprets the song into a story about friendship and the comfort that it brings. The MV kicks off with the members of AB6IX sleeping peacefully. However, these scenes are cut with seemingly random images such as Daehwi standing alone on an empty highway at night, to two red balloons continuously popping, to a dreamy forest over which a full moon hangs. At once ominous and enchanting, these scenes foreshadow the dreams that the members find themselves caught in.
When the members wake up, they are not actually awake but instead they are in their own dreams. Donghyun is in a dark forest where the red balloons are popping in front of him, and Daehwi drowns and is seen starting at an aquarium that is strangely devoid of fish. Woong and Woojin wake up in separate abandoned buildings.
The MV makes use of dark and muted colours for many of their dream sequences. Donghyun’s forest is dark and haunting, as is the highway that Daehwi sprints on. While Woong and Woojin’s scenes are not as darkly lit, the two are still the most colourful in their scenes. The pastel-toned outfits are not out of place in a spring comeback, and they also evoke a youthful energy that is extremely fitting for a MV all about four young friends finding their way to each other.
In contrast to the darker tones of the set and the pastel styling, there is one colour that stands out: red. The colour is spotted in every single clue that leads the members to their unification. Woojin finds a red string tied around his finger, and follows it into a portal; the same red string is later seen hanging around Woong. Giant red fish swim through the air in Donghyun’s forest, which is a nod to Daehwi’s empty aquarium.
In order to find each other, the members jump through doors, and in Woong’s case, takes a giant leap into black emptiness. There are risks that they will have to take in order to be reunited, because their relationship is one that defies fate.
Make pinky promises with you every night in my dream
That we’ll go against all the fate
I believe there is no end for us
Woojin’s rap clearly demonstrates the sentiment of being reunited through their will alone, regardless of what the universe holds in store for them. They trust in nothing but each other, and that gamble eventually pays off as they unite in the very forest that Donghyun wanders. As they face each other in a circle, the red string disappears because they no longer need it, and the faintest hint of a smile crosses Daehwi’s face as the first expression of happiness that appears in the MV. The quartet feel complete with each other, and their escape from the haunting isolation and darkness is clearly illustrated in the MV as they burst into a clearing in the forest during the day. The clearing holds four beds that they collapse onto with the knowledge that everything will be okay. What started out as a nightmare for them ends in a peaceful and comforting happily ever after.
The conclusion of this dream is marked by their return to the same dark room that they started in, but this time they see that they are connected by red string tied to their fingers. They are secure in the knowledge that they are forever connected to each other, and will always find their way back.
Though the MV for “Close” is a pretty affair, overall the song and MV err on being forgettable. They stick with the heavy use of imagery and symbolism evident in their previous MVs. It is an interesting watch, but neither the song nor the MV is a standout. It lacks nothing but offers nothing new on the themes that it discusses, and though it is a polished comeback, it is not a memorable release. “Close” is easy to like but does not best represent a group with obvious talent, and here’s to hoping that AB6IX go nowhere but up with future releases.
(YouTube. Images via Brandnew Music)
