No matter how hard you try, everyone has to grow up at some point. The time has come for Weeekly, a group that has built their identity around being bubbly Gen-Z teenagers, to transition into young women. In more ways than one, “Ven Para” marks many firsts for Weeekly as it boldly departs from everything the group has showcased so far.
“Ven Para” is the title track of Weeekly’s first single album, Play Game: Awake. As the title of the album suggests, “Ven Para” is all about Weeekly awakening to their true power and potential. Part of realizing their talent is stepping away from their previous youthful image as they become young women unlimited in their potential. The shift in concepts is glaringly obvious, as “Ven Para” is a first for Weeekly in more ways than one.
Until now, Weeekly found success as they curated their identities as the approachable, energetic, teenage girls-next-door. While the concept has worked for them so far, it is understandable why they want to move on. Apart from the fact that no one can stay that young forever, now is their chance to start broaching a more mature image before the group accidentally cements itself into an image they cannot break away from. The switch in concepts might be a little jarring, but for their fans, Weekly released a prologue film as well as a documentary that puts into perspective their thought process behind the change in concepts and the amount of detail that goes into pulling off such a switch. The documentary provides insight on the visual and musical aspects of “Ven Para” and why these shifts were needed to showcase Weeekly’s evolving musicality.
The prologue film, on the other hand, is a somber introduction to the evolution of the group but also a reminder of their own lore. Specifically, each member of Weeekly represents both a day of the week and a star or planet in the solar system. Soojin is Sunday and the Sun, Monday is Monday and the moon, Jihan is Tuesday and Mars, Jiyoon is Wednesday and Mercury, Soeun is Thursday and Jupiter, Zoa is Friday and Venus, and Jaehee is Saturday and Saturn.
In the documentary, they explain that when Weeekly arrived on Earth, they lost their memories of their statuses as lords of the planets. After an extended amount of time on Earth, during which they blended in seamlessly with their teenage human peers, they are finally ready to break away and realize their true potential. This sets up “Ven Para” as their triumphant claim to power. Indeed, while their previous MVs featured Weeekly toying with the idea of escaping into alternate universes, “Ven Para” takes it multiple steps farther as it showcases the members as other-worldly beings representing the solar system.
The MV itself for “Ven Para”, however, plays less into their lore than expected. Shots of flames and the sun and its surface are interspersed with choreography scenes. While mesmerizing scenes of the solar system are included, there are not many connections between their members and their solar system counterparts. Instead of a main narrative that weaves the individual members together, “Ven Para” features fast transitions and a focus on highlighting the hard-hitting choreography from Yeojin of dance crew YGX and Street Woman Fighter fame.
The MV leaves little room to doubt that Weeekly is growing up. Their hair, makeup, and outfits are bolder and emphasize their transition into a more mature concept that is fit for young women instead of girls. Red, black, and white are the dominant colours in the MV, from the completely scarlet curtained set to their all-white outfits.
One of the exceptions is the blue and white set reminiscent of a castle’s throne hall. It contrasts with the intensity of the rest of “Ven Para” but still reminds the audience of the group’s newly recovered status as lords of the planets. Without context about the group’s lore, “Ven Para” can veer toward being a generic girl crush concept. For fans, however, it succeeds in showcasing a very different side of Weeekly that only gives a taste of what is to come.
Not everything about Weeekly is abandoned, of course, as the outro for “Ven Para” is similar to previous MVs and we see the hand reaching out to close the laptop that the audience has been watching the MV on. The path to maturity is filled with transitions and change, and “Ven Para” is Weeekly’s first momentous step into their period of growth and maturity. Only the future will tell what Weeekly will bring to the table as they continue to carve out a name for themselves in K-pop.
(YouTube. Images via IST Entertainment)
