Verivery has released their sixth extended play, Series ‘O’ Round 2: Hole which actually continues the concept from their single album, Series ‘O’ Round 1: Hall, from earlier this year. In fact, the MV for their newest single, “Trigger,” picks up where the MV for “Get Away” left off. Both MVs carry a sci-fi horror theme that goes from an ominous forest to a mysterious circular building that bears similarities to Rome’s Colosseum. Overall, the MV has great special effects, an energetic dance routine and song, and a fairly consistent plot. Despite how there were parts of the MV that did not make sense, the MV is still a nice addition to the Verivery filmography.
To understand the story, of “Trigger,” reviewing “Get Away” is a must. In “Get Away,” the members receive a mysterious invitation to a party. They are served with a feast where they seem to be drugged by their own clones who are preparing to kill them. In “Trigger,” they come face-to-face with their kidnappers as they run for their lives through a circular building. However, as referenced in the song’s lyrics, the clones represent hidden facets of their personality.
The lyrics of the song help the viewer understand the deeper theme of the MV. The phrase “pull the trigger” means to commit to a course of action. The concept is expressed literally in the MV, with the clones holding guns against their other selves. However, the lyrics expresses how the voice begs its other self to pull the trigger on themselves. In the case of the song, the voice wants to be revealed:
Pull the trigger
The more I try to escape,
The more suffocating it gets
TRIGGER TRIGGER
TRIGGER TRIGGER IN THE DARK
In the dark
In the MV, there are many instances that suggest that the clones are part of themselves. For example, one member is staring at a mirror and the reflections reach out to grab him. In another scene, the camera shows the same member peeking behind columns in different outfits. However, when the camera pans out, there is only one person in the room. The members also dress in contrasting colors with the evil selves in black, and the originals in white outfits.
At some points, it is hard to decipher who are the personas that are being kept in the dark. Yet, the blurring of lines between the doppelgangers seems intentional. The members in white have barcodes suggesting experiments were conducted on them. They are also trapped in the circular building and are seen being tortured and chased. The conclusion of the MV shows them finally escaping, implying that they are the ones who were actually being hidden. There are also quick scenes of them with bags over their faces as they are about to be shot. In the opening scene, one member is holding a bag suggesting he was wearing it before. Later on, we see the ones chasing them also have their faces covered, showing that they have also hidden their identities.
While most of the MV has a consistent concept, there are some parts of the MV that seem out of place. The black and white outfits help symbolize the dichotomy between the two parts of themselves. However, the random racer-inspired outfits seem out of place both for the story and the setting. They also switch to streetwear in another scene and added a red vintage car that was being driven around. Especially with the sci-fi concept, all of these elements seems to be for the sake of aesthetics and has no place within the actual story.
On the other hand, the use of special effects for their covered faces adds a unique touch to the concept. Bags or masks have been used in horror films to depict both the murderers and the victims. Initally, we see the victims wearing brown potato sacks as they are being killed. The villains, on the other hand, are wearing more street-gang type of ski masks. They also make use of special effects to create animated faces with smiles suggesting that the members are hiding their emotions. Along with bright colors and even rhinestones, these effects give the disguises a different take from the potatoes sacks seen before, drawing a connection back to the lyrics about keeping another part of yourself in the dark.
Despite its edgier concept, the song is fun and enthusiastic. The melody is driven by catchy percussion as it develops into a combination of synths and electronic sounds. The slow down in the song gives a nice opportunity for the members to show off their vocal skills. Yeonho and Gyehyeon harmonize together during a high note, giving the song an well-fitting climax. The chorus is a bit on the generic side and, at times, can be overly repetitive. It still has an overall memorable melody and synces up with the theme of the MV.
Verivery’s MV for “Trigger” has an all-around consistent and entertaining concept. While horror concepts have come often nowadays, the added sci-fi aspect helps keep it fresh. It would have been nice if they held off on the racer outfits and other overused concepts. It is also always good to see MVs that continue a story to create a segue between the two songs and albums. Looking forward to what else Verivery has to bring to us, and what other themes they will explore.
(Youtube. Lyrics via LyricsKpop. Images via JellyFish Entertainment.)
