you've never heard this bridge before... because almost no one else in the industry is willing to even attempt an acapella bridge like this outside of exo. it truly was such a cultural reset in kpop for real. no matter how many times other groups cover it, no matter how good they may be, they never do the bridge or at least not like this. also those harmonies & adlibs? absolutely insane my guy! and I wholeheartedly agree, sometimes I think kpop is less fun these days because there's a lot less harmonies/vocal layering, fun bridges, & etc.
the only thing I disagree on is the last part. Bridges have been missing more because songs are so short (yay capitalism + getting paid per stream), but when we have them I really think there's plenty of excellent bridges even in the last year (Midas Touch, Cosmic, Heya, Girls Never Die just quickly off the dome) and tbh we've got a lot of young groups recently that have come out with more emphasis on vocals and applying harmonies in their songs, as opposed to individual parts. I just got back from a KIOF concert in Vegas who fucking KILL the harmonies and Paul just dropped an NMIXX reaction, which I think needs no additional commentary. Nostalgia applies everywhere. Lets be real, it was ALWAYS rare to have a bridge like this, which is why its universally considered one of the - if not THE - greatest bridge ever in kpop. It was always rare to have a group as vocally talented and with the harmonies as EXO, which is why they're... EXO. One of the GOATs. lol
The song is called "Tempo" and the album is named Don't Mess Up My Tempo, so, the tempo is intentionally a prominent part of the song. I think the tempo is also supposed to mirror the uncertainty and unsteadiness that EXO are feeling within the storyline in the MV and be the driving force spurring them on in the story. However, if we read the lyrics, we see that in the song they are talking to a girl and they are telling her, "Don't mess up my tempo." And yes, part of the tempo in the song is created by the squeak of what is thought to be bed springs. (The underlying theme of the song is a tongue and cheek reference to sexual innuendo.) On the surface, the song and MV is meant to be enjoyed by the casual watcher and listener like you would any song on the radio, but if you want to delve in deeper and explore EXO's storyline, then there is so much more going on. As an SM Entertainment group, it shouldn't be a surprise that EXO are amazing vocalists -- hence the acapella part in the song -- that's why they are nicknamed "the vocal kings of Kpop." SM Entertainment is literally known as the vocal powerhouse of the industry. All of SM's artists are amazing singers, even the company's rappers. Fun fact: There wasn't supposed to be an acapella section in the song. The members were just messing around in the recording studio riffing with each other and the sound engineer loved it so much that they decided to put it in the song. "Tempo" came out in 2018, so there are 9 members in this MV. (Only 8 members are in the group scenes.) This is special because it's the first time we have seen Lay, EXO's Chinese member, participate in anything with EXO since 2016 and you won't see him again in another EXO project until their "Don't Fight the Feeling" MV in 2021. However, although Lay was in this MV, you won't see or hear him sing or dance because you watched the Korean version, and at this time, because of the political issues between China and Korea, the Chinese government only gave him permission to appear in the Korean version, but he wasn't allowed to participate in the song. If you want to hear Lay sing you will have to watch the Mandarin version. To understand the choices being made in this song and the story in the MV, you have to be aware that everything EXO is involved in, and I literally mean almost everything, is connected in some way to their concept and storyline. EXO's MVs are kind of like a movie -- it's a movie that has been going on for the past 12+ years -- since pre-debut -- and it has no sign of coming to an end any time soon. The aesthetic of the "Tempo" MV is centered around the color red because the setting is supposed to be depicting the members under the Red Forces' control. Without going into too much detail -- there is so much going on in EXO's "Tempo" MV that it's hard to grasp it all -- what fan theories think is happening in "Tempo" is it's showing the members of EXO all trapped in separate dimensions. Each of those rooms, could possibly be a different dimension and that is why we see the glitches and why we hear Xiumin and Baekhyun with that computerized voice, because they aren't all in the same place at the same time, so their voices are being distorted as they try to connect between dimensions, etc. They also still could be trapped in different rooms within the maze, like what we see them in their "Overdose" MVs. For several of EXO's MVs we believe they are still trapped within the maze and they are continuously trying to find their way out. The maze seems to affect their connection to their powers and it clouds their minds and dulls their senses, so not only are they fighting the Red Force and X-EXO, but they are also struggling to break free from the fog the Red Force has them in. That's why we see some of the members just lazily sitting around and kind of blankly staring off into space at times. Baekhyun is the one that is singled out in the MV and he is the one standing above everything looking down, so this is one example of where we think that maybe he is the only one who has avoided the Red Force's control and he is observing everything that is going on from the outside. We see Chanyeol (one of the main rappers) being interrogated by Chen with the inkblot test and that is thought to be the members trying to figure out who are the real EXO members and who are the evil X-EXO members created by the Red Force -- or who are the real members and who are the clones. At this point everyone is suspicious of each other and no one can be trusted. Also notice how the inkblot looks like it's shaped like a butterfly. The butterfly is an important part of SM's Culture Universe storyline. We see a butterfly in EXO's debut "Mama" MVs in 2012, which is thought to be connected to the colorful butterfly that is Ningning's symbol in aespa's story, so we see it all the time in aespa's MVs starting in 2020 as Ningning navigates through the digital world. We also see a butterfly appear in several of SM's other groups' MVs, which is often used as a metaphor to represent a woman -- possibly representing a connection to the heart of the Tree of Life from EXO's storyline -- in each of the MVs, as a way to connect all of SM's storylines together. For example, there is a white butterfly in NCT-127's "Favorite (Vampire)" MV from 2021, which is meant to represent the "vampire" woman that they are singing about, and it's even thought it could be connected to the white butterfly in SHINee's "Ring Ding Dong" MV from 2009. It also could be the white butterfly that helps aespa navigate through Kwangya in aespa's "aespa ep. 2 'Next Level' - SM Culture Universe" video in 2022, which would explain why we see a similar butterfly in all of SM's storylines. The butterfly appears to help everyone as they travel through Kwangya. (Everything SM does has to do with Kwangya -- even SM's new building where everything is created and produced is called Kwangya. Kwangya is the metaverse that all of SM's groups' and artists' concepts, and most of their MV storylines revolve around.) Therefore, the butterfly inkblot in "Tempo" could be used as a way to try and break the control the Red Force has over the EXO members and to remind them of the fact that they need to find their way out of the maze and to not forget what their mission is, etc. Halfway through the "Tempo" MV, as you noticed, Chanyeol's eyes and hair change color, so some think that this is either showing two different versions of Chanyeol who appear in two different time periods or dimensions, or one is Chanyeol the EXO member and one is Chanyeol the X-EXO clone. Often, when we see a character in one of SM's MVs with blue eyes or different eye colors this usually means they are not who they appear to be. The silhouettes we see behind the lighted white wall or box also could be connected to the silhouettes we see in EXO's live remixed version of their song "Wolf" in concert. The silhouettes could represent the fact that EXO are battling with X-EXO for control. (And, now, it also could be connected to the silhouettes we see behind the white wall in SHINee's new "Hard" MV.) The "Chess game" is thought to be supernatural EXO chess, and I don't think it's a game they are playing, but I think maybe it's something they are using to try to decipher a clue or figure out a way out of wherever the Red Force has them trapped at the moment. It's unclear right now what that scene is really telling us, but I have a feeling, things will become clearer in the future as more of EXO's storyline is unveiled in future MVs and as SM's SM Culture Universe storyline continues to evolve. At one point we see them take those "chess" pieces and put them together to form a larger cube shape, which is thought could possibly be a model of the maze in which they are trapped in. And I think this also may be connected to the cube/labyrinth maze we see floating in the air in WayV's "Love Talk" MV in 2019 and the similar cube we see blocking aespa's way as they travel through Kwangya in aespa's ep. 2 video. And I think it might even be connected to the labyrinth cube we see SHINee's Key standing on top of in his solo "Gasoline" MV in 2022. (Baekhyun and Kai from EXO, Taemin from SHINee, Taeyong and Mark from NCT, Ten from WayV and Lucas who is now and SM solo artist, are all members of the Kpop supergroup SuperM, which I think is why SM is creating connections between all of their groups' storylines, because it's all part of the same story. Plus, everything aespa does is connected to the SM Culture Universe and is linked to EXO's/SuperM's storyline.) In SuperM's "One (Monster & Infinity)" MV, we see the members using a map to navigate through what is thought could be the maze that the EXO members are trapped in, as SuperM is coming to rescue EXO from the Red Force's control. And it could even have something to do with the fact that we see in SHINee's new teaser video for their Hard album, that they are also trying to solve a maze, which -- because SHINee's Taemin is a member of SuperM -- could possibly be SHINee trying to help EXO as well. We also see EXO's Sehun (EXO's other main rapper) on the motorcycle in "Tempo", which I now think is connected to the scene where we see him driving a motorcycle in EXO's "Lightsaber" MV and sitting on the motorcycle in their "Don't Fight the Feeling" MV. In the very last scene in "Tempo", that is Baekhyun with that glass cube. I am not sure what that means, but I am sure it's foreshadowing something to come in the future with EXO's storyline, and it probably has something to do with the fact that Baekhyun is the one that is singled out in most of EXO's story. (We also see Chanyeol with a glass cube, similar to the one Baekhyun has, in their "Love Shot" MV.)
With all due respect, virtually no group can do vocal justice to an EXO song. An SM group with THREE main vocalists rounded out by members ranging from good to excellent. Plus the rap line. EXO is a once in a generation phenomenon that to date hasn’t been repeated.
I’m so glad you appreciated this performance. EXO is my favorite group-for the last six years since I first discovered them. I agree about Xiumin’s hair. It is a story that all of EXO songs refer to. 11:53 There are several explanations of the story of why they are on earth and what their super powers are.
Yeeaaaah the original is much better 🎉 Nobody sings Tempo like EXO does. Please also react to Killing Voice and B-Side Medley at Fan Meeting 2024 Thank you ❤
I can't point out to a specific one, but in random kpop play dances groups do i've heard this 100 times. ATBO who I just checked out did it during their Count Dance
you've never heard this bridge before... because almost no one else in the industry is willing to even attempt an acapella bridge like this outside of exo. it truly was such a cultural reset in kpop for real. no matter how many times other groups cover it, no matter how good they may be, they never do the bridge or at least not like this. also those harmonies & adlibs? absolutely insane my guy! and I wholeheartedly agree, sometimes I think kpop is less fun these days because there's a lot less harmonies/vocal layering, fun bridges, & etc.
the only thing I disagree on is the last part. Bridges have been missing more because songs are so short (yay capitalism + getting paid per stream), but when we have them I really think there's plenty of excellent bridges even in the last year (Midas Touch, Cosmic, Heya, Girls Never Die just quickly off the dome) and tbh we've got a lot of young groups recently that have come out with more emphasis on vocals and applying harmonies in their songs, as opposed to individual parts. I just got back from a KIOF concert in Vegas who fucking KILL the harmonies and Paul just dropped an NMIXX reaction, which I think needs no additional commentary.
Nostalgia applies everywhere. Lets be real, it was ALWAYS rare to have a bridge like this, which is why its universally considered one of the - if not THE - greatest bridge ever in kpop. It was always rare to have a group as vocally talented and with the harmonies as EXO, which is why they're... EXO. One of the GOATs. lol
Fact!!
I may not be an exo-l, but i still recognize this as one of the best kpop songs ever, especially vocally
What kpop group do you like then?
Only EXO can do like this and can bring all genres. R&B, Ballad, Funk, Rock, EDM, etc..
They try, but no one is like EXO. The vocal kings!!!!
Thanks for the reaction
Yup, that's EXO. Hope you will react to EXO's Killing Voice and EXO's B-Side Medley (they did this the killing voice style at their fanmeet).
I actually can't believe I haven't done their killing voice yet
@@KpopPrinceplease do
@@KpopPrince so you are not deserve the title of kpop prince 😅😅
@@KpopPrince ooohh you MUST they ate the Killing voice performance
The song is called "Tempo" and the album is named Don't Mess Up My Tempo, so, the tempo is intentionally a prominent part of the song. I think the tempo is also supposed to mirror the uncertainty and unsteadiness that EXO are feeling within the storyline in the MV and be the driving force spurring them on in the story.
However, if we read the lyrics, we see that in the song they are talking to a girl and they are telling her, "Don't mess up my tempo." And yes, part of the tempo in the song is created by the squeak of what is thought to be bed springs. (The underlying theme of the song is a tongue and cheek reference to sexual innuendo.) On the surface, the song and MV is meant to be enjoyed by the casual watcher and listener like you would any song on the radio, but if you want to delve in deeper and explore EXO's storyline, then there is so much more going on.
As an SM Entertainment group, it shouldn't be a surprise that EXO are amazing vocalists -- hence the acapella part in the song -- that's why they are nicknamed "the vocal kings of Kpop." SM Entertainment is literally known as the vocal powerhouse of the industry. All of SM's artists are amazing singers, even the company's rappers. Fun fact: There wasn't supposed to be an acapella section in the song. The members were just messing around in the recording studio riffing with each other and the sound engineer loved it so much that they decided to put it in the song.
"Tempo" came out in 2018, so there are 9 members in this MV. (Only 8 members are in the group scenes.) This is special because it's the first time we have seen Lay, EXO's Chinese member, participate in anything with EXO since 2016 and you won't see him again in another EXO project until their "Don't Fight the Feeling" MV in 2021. However, although Lay was in this MV, you won't see or hear him sing or dance because you watched the Korean version, and at this time, because of the political issues between China and Korea, the Chinese government only gave him permission to appear in the Korean version, but he wasn't allowed to participate in the song. If you want to hear Lay sing you will have to watch the Mandarin version.
To understand the choices being made in this song and the story in the MV, you have to be aware that everything EXO is involved in, and I literally mean almost everything, is connected in some way to their concept and storyline. EXO's MVs are kind of like a movie -- it's a movie that has been going on for the past 12+ years -- since pre-debut -- and it has no sign of coming to an end any time soon.
The aesthetic of the "Tempo" MV is centered around the color red because the setting is supposed to be depicting the members under the Red Forces' control. Without going into too much detail -- there is so much going on in EXO's "Tempo" MV that it's hard to grasp it all -- what fan theories think is happening in "Tempo" is it's showing the members of EXO all trapped in separate dimensions. Each of those rooms, could possibly be a different dimension and that is why we see the glitches and why we hear Xiumin and Baekhyun with that computerized voice, because they aren't all in the same place at the same time, so their voices are being distorted as they try to connect between dimensions, etc.
They also still could be trapped in different rooms within the maze, like what we see them in their "Overdose" MVs. For several of EXO's MVs we believe they are still trapped within the maze and they are continuously trying to find their way out. The maze seems to affect their connection to their powers and it clouds their minds and dulls their senses, so not only are they fighting the Red Force and X-EXO, but they are also struggling to break free from the fog the Red Force has them in. That's why we see some of the members just lazily sitting around and kind of blankly staring off into space at times.
Baekhyun is the one that is singled out in the MV and he is the one standing above everything looking down, so this is one example of where we think that maybe he is the only one who has avoided the Red Force's control and he is observing everything that is going on from the outside.
We see Chanyeol (one of the main rappers) being interrogated by Chen with the inkblot test and that is thought to be the members trying to figure out who are the real EXO members and who are the evil X-EXO members created by the Red Force -- or who are the real members and who are the clones. At this point everyone is suspicious of each other and no one can be trusted.
Also notice how the inkblot looks like it's shaped like a butterfly. The butterfly is an important part of SM's Culture Universe storyline. We see a butterfly in EXO's debut "Mama" MVs in 2012, which is thought to be connected to the colorful butterfly that is Ningning's symbol in aespa's story, so we see it all the time in aespa's MVs starting in 2020 as Ningning navigates through the digital world. We also see a butterfly appear in several of SM's other groups' MVs, which is often used as a metaphor to represent a woman -- possibly representing a connection to the heart of the Tree of Life from EXO's storyline -- in each of the MVs, as a way to connect all of SM's storylines together. For example, there is a white butterfly in NCT-127's "Favorite (Vampire)" MV from 2021, which is meant to represent the "vampire" woman that they are singing about, and it's even thought it could be connected to the white butterfly in SHINee's "Ring Ding Dong" MV from 2009. It also could be the white butterfly that helps aespa navigate through Kwangya in aespa's "aespa ep. 2 'Next Level' - SM Culture Universe" video in 2022, which would explain why we see a similar butterfly in all of SM's storylines. The butterfly appears to help everyone as they travel through Kwangya. (Everything SM does has to do with Kwangya -- even SM's new building where everything is created and produced is called Kwangya. Kwangya is the metaverse that all of SM's groups' and artists' concepts, and most of their MV storylines revolve around.)
Therefore, the butterfly inkblot in "Tempo" could be used as a way to try and break the control the Red Force has over the EXO members and to remind them of the fact that they need to find their way out of the maze and to not forget what their mission is, etc.
Halfway through the "Tempo" MV, as you noticed, Chanyeol's eyes and hair change color, so some think that this is either showing two different versions of Chanyeol who appear in two different time periods or dimensions, or one is Chanyeol the EXO member and one is Chanyeol the X-EXO clone. Often, when we see a character in one of SM's MVs with blue eyes or different eye colors this usually means they are not who they appear to be.
The silhouettes we see behind the lighted white wall or box also could be connected to the silhouettes we see in EXO's live remixed version of their song "Wolf" in concert. The silhouettes could represent the fact that EXO are battling with X-EXO for control. (And, now, it also could be connected to the silhouettes we see behind the white wall in SHINee's new "Hard" MV.)
The "Chess game" is thought to be supernatural EXO chess, and I don't think it's a game they are playing, but I think maybe it's something they are using to try to decipher a clue or figure out a way out of wherever the Red Force has them trapped at the moment. It's unclear right now what that scene is really telling us, but I have a feeling, things will become clearer in the future as more of EXO's storyline is unveiled in future MVs and as SM's SM Culture Universe storyline continues to evolve.
At one point we see them take those "chess" pieces and put them together to form a larger cube shape, which is thought could possibly be a model of the maze in which they are trapped in. And I think this also may be connected to the cube/labyrinth maze we see floating in the air in WayV's "Love Talk" MV in 2019 and the similar cube we see blocking aespa's way as they travel through Kwangya in aespa's ep. 2 video. And I think it might even be connected to the labyrinth cube we see SHINee's Key standing on top of in his solo "Gasoline" MV in 2022. (Baekhyun and Kai from EXO, Taemin from SHINee, Taeyong and Mark from NCT, Ten from WayV and Lucas who is now and SM solo artist, are all members of the Kpop supergroup SuperM, which I think is why SM is creating connections between all of their groups' storylines, because it's all part of the same story. Plus, everything aespa does is connected to the SM Culture Universe and is linked to EXO's/SuperM's storyline.)
In SuperM's "One (Monster & Infinity)" MV, we see the members using a map to navigate through what is thought could be the maze that the EXO members are trapped in, as SuperM is coming to rescue EXO from the Red Force's control. And it could even have something to do with the fact that we see in SHINee's new teaser video for their Hard album, that they are also trying to solve a maze, which -- because SHINee's Taemin is a member of SuperM -- could possibly be SHINee trying to help EXO as well.
We also see EXO's Sehun (EXO's other main rapper) on the motorcycle in "Tempo", which I now think is connected to the scene where we see him driving a motorcycle in EXO's "Lightsaber" MV and sitting on the motorcycle in their "Don't Fight the Feeling" MV.
In the very last scene in "Tempo", that is Baekhyun with that glass cube. I am not sure what that means, but I am sure it's foreshadowing something to come in the future with EXO's storyline, and it probably has something to do with the fact that Baekhyun is the one that is singled out in most of EXO's story. (We also see Chanyeol with a glass cube, similar to the one Baekhyun has, in their "Love Shot" MV.)
With all due respect, virtually no group can do vocal justice to an EXO song. An SM group with THREE main vocalists rounded out by members ranging from good to excellent. Plus the rap line. EXO is a once in a generation phenomenon that to date hasn’t been repeated.
I think no group covered the entire song with the acapella part😊 that just proves how vocally powerful EXO are❤
oh my god.... this is the song that got me into kpop and into exo (obv). i WISH i could hear it for the first time all over again
Those first songs always hold a special place
Alzheimer runs in my life so for me I will have my first time listening to this again someday 😂
That is so dark 😭
@@KpopPrince I'm trying to see the positive out of it pls 😭😭😭
It's okay I shared that with my Discord and you made everyone laugh lol 💜
one of the most iconic bridges of all time
This is one of the most incredible kpop songs of all time 😩
One of the hardest Kpop song ever!! I HEARD THAT BRIDGE Acapella so so many times but everytime i felt goosebumps!!!! Waow
Tempo live stage is even better. You must watch it, too. ❤
Thank you for reacting to EXO again ❤️ Please react to their Killing Voice, it is amazing! 😊
I’m so glad you appreciated this performance. EXO is
my favorite group-for
the last six years since
I first discovered them.
I agree about Xiumin’s
hair.
It is a story that all of EXO songs refer to. 11:53 There are several explanations of the story of why they are on earth and what their super powers are.
EXO ❤❤❤
"Bring back kpop where they said babygirl" YES KING 😂
And obvi no one does it better than EXO, no one even attempts the acapella
This song got me into exo!!! Has a special place in my heart fr like from the moment it starts its just so special
This is even better live.
The best bridge ever❤
Ahhhhh!!! Los reyes Vocales del Kpop.... Amo a EXO.
Gracias por la reacción
It's been a while😊
Thank you for this❤
More EXO please😊😊😊
No group actually dared to cover the Acabella bridge 😅
*acapella
Thank you for reacting to this
the besttt king vocal❤
“Shame me 4 it...down below” I’ve BEEN since last nite (when 👍🏻nail show up) 😁
“bring back Kpop where they Always say Babygirl” ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️
There's a Tempo where EXO singing in Live
Yeeaaaah the original is much better 🎉 Nobody sings Tempo like EXO does.
Please also react to Killing Voice and B-Side Medley at Fan Meeting 2024
Thank you ❤
The stylist did Xiumin dirty with that hairstyle💇😢
I think in singing cover for Tempo so far no idol can cover it. Because of Acapella part. EXO can bring in live for this song
seeing lay in there...
Xiumin got electrocuted.😂
EXO's mv deserve more views. #EXO-L why are you guys that lazy ? Please play EXO's mv again and again .
Who else covered this song? I’d like to check that out! No way can they compare😅
I can't point out to a specific one, but in random kpop play dances groups do i've heard this 100 times. ATBO who I just checked out did it during their Count Dance
Please check out to &TEAM’s new songs