TAEMIN 태민 'Guilty' MV | REACTION
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 พ.ย. 2023
- TAEMIN IS ART PERSONIFIED!!!! 😍😍😍
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#TaeminReaction #TaeminGuiltyReaction #TaeminGuilty
When it comes to Taemin's concepts you have to think beyond the surface, because it may seem like a love/heartbreak song but it turns out it's more philosophical than that, Taemin has said that this literature is big part of the inspiration for Guilty:
> Erotism: Death and Sensuality by George Bataille.
> Demian by Hermann Heisse.
Also, it seems he is somehow trying to portray the manipulation and control either from the military or trainee days, or both, where everything he does gets inspected and he has to act, walk, talk a certain way, and probably also his school days, he debuted too young at 14 and apparently it was very harsh to go to school during that time, classmates wouldn't leave him alone, etc...
He seems to be fighting his own demons at times, and also he seems sophocated and manipulated, for example during the scene where he is on the street, you can see he is alone, they even show his feet, only his feet are there, but suddenly three hands start to sophocate him, so it's not physical hands, but a representation of pressure, manipulation, anxiety of some sort. that's quite a scene.
There's a lot to analyze in this video.
I think it might have different meanings, all combined very artistically.
Also if you watch the MV teasers you might be able to understand a little better, there are scenes where he is happily playing with his classmates/military friends/trainees but also he is forced to point a gun at someone/something and he seems broken after that, that's right before he grabs his leg so hard that he hurts himself.
It's very interesting, but all I know for sure is that with him you always have to go beyond the surface, it's always deeper than it seems.
He is always a concept genius!
He is pure art!!!
I appreciate this info on the references he mentioned, and others I heard before but you captured and added so much that explains the layers
It would be so interesting to see this story fleshed out into a full drama. It just seems like it would make a great drama. I love this song and video. Taemin's entire album is great.
on "Criminal" he was the "abused" and it feels like in "Guilty" he is the toxic one 👀👀
the lyrics are about a toxic relationship from the toxic person’s perspective. my take on the meaning of the mv is taemin grew up in an institution (maybe asylum or boarding school) and it’s about his loss of innocence. over time he gives into a darker version of himself and because of this he becomes the toxic person in a relationship with someone. he influences everyone to turn against the people in charge and at the end is the one with the power
TAEMIN AND HIS MUSIC ARE BOTH ART ITSELF🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
TAEMIN dropped 'The Rizzness' Performance Video
Taemin said the song and video concept came from a 1957, book that inspired him. 'L ' Erotisme by French philosopher George Bataille. George Bataille expressed his desire instrest to explore complex emotions.
I really hope at some point he writes a book on all his title tracks to let us know how close we were in deciphering his concepts. I feel it's connected to being an idol - he feels guilty for allowing the industry to control him the way they did, also guilty for how the idols were pitted against one another as everything was so competitive. This comeback he expressed wanting to explore the emotion tied to guilty, he also mentioned several times that he wished he hadn't debuted so early. In hind sight he wished to have debuted once his voice changed but also with the same 4 SHINee members. The only thing I'm certain of is that he is Performance Art at it's Best!
Firstly, Hope you are doing well!❤. Even though EXO is my Ult group and Baekhyun is my Ult vocalist, Taemin is my Ult idol! This song continues to show his artistry and growth!❤ couldn’t wait for your reaction! In an interview Taemin said he almost used this song instead of Advice 2 yrs ago…so he kept this song on the shelf for this time!
Man….you always see things I don’t. Legit like to see your reactions just to notice things I didn’t initially 😂
Taemin was inspired by Herman hess's demain.book. The character he plays in the mv is trapped in a place of torture and self harm with those around him until he eventually takes on the role of alpha male and takes.over.The place and those around . Until he breaks free and destroys the place. It also represents his duality of him the artist over him the ordinary person off stage.
Taemin is amazing ❤🔥
I'm so glad I waited patiently for this reaction. I would love for you to react to the performance. I'd of SHINee's Juice at the same time you do Taemin's Killing Voice.
This comeback was amazingggg!!!! The album was incrdible aswell!!!!!♥♥♥♥
4 days late (because of K-pop), but I just wanted to say that I'm so proud of you for getting back to what you love to do most. I hope you're still doing ok 😊
Taemin is an artist who always creates something that makes us want to talk about what we have seen and heard, and the best thing is that most of us can relate to some fragments, or maybe even the whole thing. I can't count how many I've watched it many times and I feel like I can still interpret it differently - he's definitely a genius
He never disappoints
Taemin is the only Idol that has it all charm, visual,vocal,dance and not to forget most beautiful walk.
Guilty is actually the same theme / lore as ( press your number, want, criminal, famous & Idea ) but each music video is a different stages or outlook of the story of it isn't in order of release. that said "that theme & story" he is presenting in those mvs, idea is at the end stages if that makes sense. danger, advice & move are also connected, following the same theme but in different areas
I can't explain well without writing an essay or leaving links to things Taemin said directly in interviews & I don't want to leave long comments, but basically, there are Two Taemin in most of his mvs, One is good & One isn't good not exactly evil but it's like the darker side of the good Taemin. A lot of that is in relation to religious imagery, philosophy & mythology
You are correct about the connection between criminal & guilty lyrics, tho while in general from the outside it's toxic love/relationship, that relationship in question isn't romantic & they both apply to the same person like the person getting hurt is also the one causing hurt, in a lot of his mvs that relationship is between the two taemin and usually the second taemin the one that is darker and that seem to hurt the normal/good taemin is influenced by outside factors ( outside factors like the media, hateful words, the entertainment & music industry itself, stage persona & how some make up ideas of who really him based on how he performs etc....)
In Guilty there's a commentary about the industry & even a little about the military ( in the concept trailer video), you are also correct about the person at the start the younger person is him when he is younger. and yeah the one with the tank top is the one controlled while the one with the jean skirt is the one controlling, he does break free at the end
I love guilty so much, the wait was worth it!! Thank you for the reaction
Thank you for the reaction! I recommend you watch this video someone did explaining the MV if you are interested! Its called Taemin GUILTY MV Explained Song Meaning Breakdown Analysis. its really good!
I'd recommend checking out Guilty Trailer 1 because it gives hints on the storyline, although there're multiple ways you can interpret it: on the surface there's a toxic relationship; there's also kids being raised to become some sort of murder weapons where he was forced to kill his friend; his good and bad sides battling; and some see it as a reflection of Taemin's life - his childhood as a trainee and how he became a star as a minor, exploitation and sexual objectification, voyeurism, loss of self and then reclaiming it etc (There’s a live stage where he and dancers are in school uniforms which I found super interesting.) I also wonder if it was somewhat inspired by the military experience, but I could be wrong. Anyway, loved your reaction! I was really in the mood for this song and so happy to find your video ❤
Thanks for reacting and please do watch Killing Voice & Lee Mujin Service, even if offline cause Taemin sounded so good in both shows
so excited to see you get to Guilty, but I'm glad you took a break when you needed it, your mental health is whats most important! What a way to come back from break, and what a way for Taemin to come back off the military! "what the hell is happening!?" Taemin. Taemin is happening.
Please check out The Rizzness and its stages as well as Guiltys stages obviously. Blue and Not Over You are two of his best ballads imho, really the ENTIRE minialbum is 10/10, he really outdid himself
10:00 what youre saying about the choreo being coordinated but allowing yourself to be controlled...one reason I love this cb/choreo, thats something very similar to what being a sub is in BDSM ;) the way he incorporates those kinds of things in their pure psychological forms is so incredible
Its been how many weeks and Guilty still stuns me, definitely my new fav title track and mv (dethroning WANT after 5 years and Criminal after 3!). I could write essays
the way I interpret it is him commenting on kind of a whole "monsters you fight lest a monster you become" thing. Like in Criminal, he's both the victim of the toxicity and control, but ends up pushing it on others as the "abuser"/criminal identity, thats why hes fighting himself and guilty...theres so many layers on what he cold be talking about, the stages have made nods to him being in the industry so young and being sexualized/objectified from a young age, but it could also be talking about any kind of toxic situation where the victim slips into the perpetrator role and continues the cycle. INCREDIBLY powerful stuff, it still gives me chills
He needs every song to be an mv❤❤❤
Thank you Anitra for this reaction, I knew you were going to react it sooner or later 🥰❤️
TAEMIN 🥰😍😍😍😍😍😍💕💕💕💕💟💟💟😊😊😊♥️♥️♥️
Hello, Anitra. I'm glad to see you back. Here's a long comment I came accross in another reaction. It's long but worth it:
"@Saddlemomma
5 days ago
I think it's more like Jimin is like Taemin, since Taemin came first...lol. This song is conveying A LOT and it's not all about sexuality per se, but Taemin's internal struggle and the fine line between good and evil that he is constantly treading while being a celebrity.
Some things we need to always think about when interpreting Taemin's lyrics:
1) The simplest explanation is NOT the true interpretation (opposite from the philosophical argument of Occam's razor).
2) Taemin is deeply into philosophy and regularly explores various world philosophies.
3) Many of Taemin's lyrics are directed inward to his psyche and history, spanning across a storyline illustrating different philosophies as his concepts for each song.
4) Using those philosophies along with religious symbolism, metaphors, and allusions to illustrate their conflict with his Christian faith.
So, when putting all that together, we need to look at all the details to figure out the deeper, true meaning behind the surface reading of the lyrics. In short, this is not a toxic relationship between a couple. It's in fact the continuation of his struggle between the the two egos in his mind: the demon tempting him with the perks of his celebrity life clashing with his Christian beliefs desiring to adhere to his Christian worldview. As Taemin has indicated, this story of his personal conflicts also plays out in his MVs/songs for "Want", "Famous", "Criminal", "IDEA" (in fact the entire "Never Gonna Dance Again" Acts 1 & 2 albums), and "Advice".
For this particular song/MV, Taemin indicated that he researched both "Demian" by Hermann Hesse and ""Erotism: Death and Sensuality" by Georges Bataille, a French philosopher. His concept is that of guilt and how humans process their guilt. For Taemin, this is displayed through the character he plays of Abraxas (depicted wearing a headdress; gnostic demigod of a heretical sect, the Basilides, later referred to as a demon). However, Taemin also plays the character of himself being tormented by this demon who constantly plagues him. The entire song is a dialogue between Abraxas and Taemin. During the dialogue, Taemin is struggling (the choreo) to fight off being possessed and swallowed by Abraxas.
We see Taemin walking through institutions of his memory such as a school (which, as an introvert, he hated), hospital/mental institution (brainwashing), and training center (SM?), always being controlled and in situations that produce temptations to go against his values. If he is not constantly vigilant, "....when you've caught on (Abraxas), I'm already gone (Taemin)." In other words, he will lose himself instantly because the temptations are so appealing and addictive. The "poison apple" is the bait, (just like in "Want") ..."want a bite?" "Just a little more, that's all it takes." "Gift you once as a bait, then I (Abraxas) take everything." The demon is the father of lies.
The pre-chorus and chorus are actually further dialogue between Taemin (pre-chorus) and Abraxas (chorus):
[Pre-chorus]
Ooh-ooh
(On that vague border between good and bad)
You played the fool for me
(My judgment in the final moment)
[Chorus]
Ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
You got me G-U-I-L-T-Y
Trick and take everything from you
Again, just playing a game all for fun
Hundreds of lies
Ooh yeah
Taemin is a genius when it comes to interweaving layers of meanings into his lyrics and leaving us spellbound, trying to arrive at the deepest view into his psyche. This is why he is the ultimate artist for me. While his dancing entrances and captivates me as no other, it's his lyrical and musical prowess that truly holds me spellbound, while also gratifying my desire for deeper, meaningful Christian messaging that is lacking in regular, Western Christian music.
Thanks for reacting to our shining SHINee Taemin once again!"
Thank you for another fantastic reaction 💜. The trailer for this MV has a little more of the story in it, but it's still hard to interpret. Taemin did talk to Suga on Suchwita a little bit about the song, but mostly the concept behind the album as a whole. Not a whole lot is confirmed regarding the full meaning as far as I know. Stay wonderful as always 😁
yay so happy to see this video, what an incredible comeback, there is a bit of plot explaining in the behind the scenes and also an amazing mv trailer that you should totally check out, have a nice day!
This album concept pulls mostly from "Erotism Death and Sexuality" and from "Demian" as well.
I think the mv generally shows the corruption of innocence, the destruction of youth, through trauma and its effects and adopts the perspectives of abused and abuser, accepting both pleasure and pain. At times, the video’s point of view also implicates us and makes us feel guilty for witnessing and actively enjoying what we see (If you watch the teaser to the mv too you'll have even more context). In specific, I can see the mv alluding to him being objectified and controlled from a young age, as a comment on him growing up in a industry that sexualised him all of his life and him now taking control of it, reclaiming control of his image and sexuality.
I loved LOVED how he showed this concept in the album design and photobook. The album is like a memorabilia shoe box filled w/trinkets n mementos from someone. There's a hole in it that leads to a secret compartment full of pictures and cards of really close up parts of his body or photos taken almost secretly (photobook). It's supposed to be controversial. It's supposed to make you feel gross and voyeuristic. You should feel guilty for looking at him in that way. It's like he's saying "Oh you feel guilty now? You feel uncomfortable? Didn't you feel guilty when I was a minor?" but in a "now I have control of it" way. (I don't know if I explained it well lol)
Snicker, I was eagerly waiting for you to do a reaction for this…so am looking forward to your response…
Just wanted to say I know it’s been a while since I commented on a reaction or livestream, but I wanted to say it’s good to see you back reacting and i truly hope you are doing well despite all the drama going on in your life🥰🙏🏼, also I know this reaction has been up for s couple days now, but I am so glad I finally got around to watching this reaction as always I absolutely loved it! One of the many reasons I love your reactions is cause sometimes when I’m reacting you to his videos I feel like stuff goes over my head because I’m not smart enough to figure out what’s going on, but watching your videos helps me understand it better.
First of all, it's great you took time off to care for yourself. Big fan of that. I hope you feel better or will feel better soon.
As for the MV: I also have whole long-ass essay on this, from a point of view of someone who actually just discovered Taemin. But there is SO many of essays in the comments already, and I know reading all that is not effortless (ha, A.C.E insert purely coincidental). So I don't want to dump one more on you. So I will just tell you about what I think of the brilliance of the signature move:
That signature move, that at the very first glance just looks hot, is actually pretty chilling and interesting piece of choreography genius
Because the way he reaches for his face from under his shirt visually isolates his hand from his body, which is the best way how to evoke all those hands he is trying to escape. Which is both the single man version of it, which is clever, and it is saying that it's him doing it to himself even though the hands are not immediately present anymore, which is brilliant. It's a consequence of psychological abuse. That gesture is about silencing and suffocation. It also exposes his belly, which is hot to fans, yes, but also is a universal expression of being vulnerable. So that move alone does so much to show the mental state of the character he is playing. Trying to escape something that is already a part of him and makes him go crazy, being made vulnerable, almost gutted. It is very powerful expression.
This is PTSD song, that move is a PTSD in a nutshell.
Yeah it’s like the other side of criminal lyrics while in criminal the lyrics was from the perspective of the one who is manipulated and abused, the lyrics for guilty is from the one who is the one does manipulation and abuse
Both songs are about toxic love from outside but he does say a lot of his title tracks & mvs are about two sides of a same person like two Taemin: one is his normal persona while the other one is the stage persona; the normal persona is who he really is while the dark persona that does the hurt is the stage persona or what others created in their heads
In this mv as well there’s more than one version of him, the one that gets controlled and the other one with the abraxas ( it’s a demon/former angel) headpiece is the one that does the controlling while the one at the end with the ruins and the water surrounding him is the one that is free from those versions of himself that’s why after the mv ends he is outside and free he basically frees himself from that toxic version
He is into philosophy, mythology and stuff like that and that two sides theme is a recurring theme in different ways and the mvs are different stages of the same story
There’s also a prequel for the mv called the guilty concept trailer, it shows he is in a place that kidnaps ppl & make them learn how k*ll and shoot guns, the little part with the grey uniform is from the prequel trailer. That trailer video is really good and adds more context to the whole thing
Aside from everything happy that you’re back and hope you’re feeling better and honestly take your time in everything it’s okay the content & the music won’t go away. Take care ❤
YASSSSSS FINALLY 👏🏽👏🏽
Hola and Happy Thanksgiving!
101 hugs to you girl!! If it makes you feel better I'm also going thru a tough time at work so let's give each other positive vibes!!
I think i heard it was based on a book
Demian by Hermann Heisse.
@thespianoge said on 11/5/23
Aaannnnd a specific reading based on childhood trauma in the industry: In the beginning, there are children’s drawings on the walls. There are old discarded clothes from the past. He stumbles through the halls of his memory with difficulty and trepidation. He spies something that may have been important or shameful to him (the two children in the room.)
He remembers a fun time in the dorms with pillow fights and perhaps a younger him. He looks on with sadness and pity and regret.
These memories creep onto him like the hands that caress his neck. An intimate violation.
These memories are too much for him and send him spiraling. Cue tortured dancing.
They can’t be contained underneath anymore and they escape through his shirt and reach towards his neck, attempting to suffocate him.
Then there’s the manhandling in the medical-esque scene, molding and forcing him and invading his personal space. Wrapping him up tightly and restrained in the hoodie. Taking away his autonomy, as he looks on, dead faced.
That was his childhood as an idol.
The next look with the skirt, he graduates to his solo career. Was he made to wear the skirt, keys around it but no lock? He experiments more with his sensuality in his performance and perhaps in life in general. He begins to become a more dominant figure.
Perhaps the crown symbolizes his rise to stardom. He stands in the middle of circles that seem to be almost worshiping him.
But still, that old trauma snakes up once again and attempts to choke him.
People pile on the bed. I know this is dark, but maybe it’s people the industry ruined in one way or another.
People dance around him in slow motion. He looks around in a daze, seeing the people but not really in the world anymore. Completely dissociated from his life, realizing from the outside what the reality truly is.
He’s in a car with an inhaler in a schoolboy’s uniform, trying to calm himself from what he knows he must do.
He clings to an authority figure, the stability and manager of his whole life, for one last time. He claws at his leg, attempting to be an outlet to keep the pain inside.
He raises his gaze and, with a look of determination, sets fire to his old home. Reframing the story of being a child, finally claiming his agency.
He emerges beautiful and free from the flames wearing a costume completely different from the others, of his own choosing. He still wears the jean skirt sometimes, but because he chooses to. His dancing is much more free and loose.
Wow, very detailed and I can see all that you point out.
Oh hey, thanks so much for sharing my stuff! I’m glad that it resonated enough with people to save and share! (And properly credit! Thank you!)
Anitra...looking good girl!! Thus song is stuck in my head...his message, I'm not sure...struggling with his sexual identity? Just my thought.
Hi, i am back. Good reaction, ty. Good song. On 1st listen I felt strongly like crying. The tears were held in though the whole song though. But at the end i had to wipe my eyes. I just want to hug Taemin. On my 2nd listen i read the lyrics. And after i wondered was my reaction all in my head. There are layers here upon layers. Loved the fits and makeup. Some of the subject matter was an issue for me. I know Taemin had lots of mental health issues in the military. Based on the teasers I thought he would talk about it. And it looks like he does in his own way. I really want to hear his views on this song and album. I watched Suchwita ep. w. Taemin right after this. Glad he is back giving us headaches, lol. Perfect vocals in my opinion. The feathered headband is a Native American thing for me. I feel it has an important significance. The lyrics had nothing to do with the images in the MV. I think this is way over my head and i will watch some reactions to see what others think of Taemin's msg here. Feels based on imagery. Great choreo. The dance practice was good. =0p Hope u check it out. His Killing voice is a must watch. Chef's kiss. Borahae. -NY USA 2019 Army💟
Loved that long skirt. He looked so good, dang.
I also was getting examination. After a few reactions i am thinking he is showing military and psych mental health area. Like a mix of places. I was thinking were ppl saying he was guilty of making them feel attracted to him? Does he feel guilty about something? Lots of thoughts going through my head. I am so glad u watched the teasers. The more i watch the more i think that he is combining the military facility with a mental health facility. And we know he suffered in the military and asked for a transfer. So it seems he is portraying his struggles here.
@ireneserrano4570 said on 10/30/23
I'm still confused about the exact meaning, but again, there could be different interpretations as with his other songs. But from the visuals i get the feeling it refers to abuse, it can be at so many levels. It can have psychological and physical or both, you can suffer it under your own family, friends, at school, at work, in love relationships... Then who is the perpetrator? many times you can be trapped by those people, even in a group or the society, you don't even realise but by the time you realise you have been actually abused THEY are gone, who can you blame exactly? I have gone through my own dose of abuse, and after years you realise but you end up blaming yourself too, as if you hadn't known better but then you allowed it...😢 Also the images of classroom and rooms with beds, and a kid surrounded by a group...Taemin is watching him from the door as if he was watching himself as a kid... also at the end those kids in school uniforms, all spread around, one grabbing the legs of an adult that grabs his leg, bleeding... South Korea also has buIIying as endemic.. at schools (kids also teachers committing suicide as they can't either find understanding or help by their surroundings, on the contrary they are treated as the outcast and weirdos) also at the workplace, in the Military, in university... Their social rules, their stratification and obsession with seniority, comparing their ages, wealth, possessions, their marks, everything... the social pressure on kids and in general on everyone to be better, the most xx the most xx...). The crazy mix of their traditional values and the contrast to the monstruos capitalism that devours all traditional values... traditional collectivism versus wild individualism...
@pamela-623 said on 10/30/23
this is an amazing comeback, so artsy so taemin, shawols had lots of interesting theories, my favorite being that this is an interpretation of the struggles in military enlistment, young men being taken, examined and given a gun, i find it so fascinating
@princesssunshine79 said on 10/31/23
From what I have picked up here and there, I THINK, don't quote me, the song is about training at an extremely young age in a very exploitive industry, his horrible experience while doing his military service, and his own mental health. Again, I am not positive about any of this. But, for Taemin, it makes a lot of sense. Especially the last two bits because his 2 years away was a nightmare that really messed with his mental health and depression. I hope this helps a wee bit. 😁
@sumim2192 said on 11/1/23
Just a note, In July (I think), Taemin updated his Instagram bio with a famous quote from Hermann Hesse's famous novel Demian “The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The bird flies to God. That God's name is Abraxas.” I think his outfit with the feather hat represents the god Abraxas.
@prisonbreakd said on 10/31/23
The way he does dark concepts is so amazing to me.
I think if you think about how guilt feels, the video/song represents it perfectly. The way he moves through the corridors and outside, and the choreography feels like he is out of control, and being suffocated by the situation, he is overwhelmed and struggling to understand up from down, invisible and visible hands push him around. You can't help but feel sad or sorry for him, despite him singing that he's done something horrible. And I think it's because, unlike in "Want", he is not proud or embracing it here; his pain, struggle and guilt are obvious. It's haunting.
To me, the overall story of the video was that love (and life) is not always cutesy and sweet; it can come with a dark side, conflicting feelings, being intense and too much. You can do things you regret, and it can spin out of control, you can be aware of doing something wrong and not know how to stop, you can want things that are not good for you or someone that you care about. You can hurt people and be aware of what you are doing but not know how to do it better. You can love the wrong people, make mistakes and feel... well, guilty. It's just a very painful side of human experience that we don't like to look at because guilt and shame go together and make us very uneasy.
@pandakholin said on 10/31/23
9:55 Yep. Rian, Simeez, Noze and Rozalin. They’ve been Taemin’s backup dancers since Criminal.
Also here is Suzy Hong and Kim Haeun.
Only the best of the best for Taemin.
@lunemaline1338 said on 10/31/23
Taemin has spoken before how he regrets debuting so young in a very exploitative industry, that mixed with how hard his military enlistment period was for his mental health I see this being about him kinda losing his innocence and being thrown into violence. the shot of him looking at one of the dancers that kinda looks like a younger version of him having fun with everyone else to him being in this medical room and being moved like a puppet, forced to hold a gun and being stripped of his individuality by wearing this school uniform. That’s what I love about Taemin’s music and MV’s it starts to make you think and theorize, he’s super creative.
@schuylernefcy3466 said on 10/31/23
Other note, It's like Taemin is singing the part of the abuser and dancing the part of the abused and I can't believe how hauntingly beautiful it is.
@bea_hae_tae9392 said on 11/3/23
Taemin has talked about the literature that inspired this concept: Erotism: Death and Sensuality by Georges Bataille and Demian by Hermann Hesse.
Love that Taemin decided to do things his own way with his own colors. I don't see anyone else doing this concept, or even the way in which he does it. Just stunning! Great reaction, thanks for giving so much love to his work.
@milindawilson9175 said on 11/4/23
I think "Guilty" is a continuation of the themes surrounding Taemin's previous releases. Particularly connected to his Never Gonna Dance Again album -- "2 Kids", "Criminal" and "Idea" -- and Advice album themes.
As Taemin has explained, "Guilty" is about a lover who DOESN'T feel guilty about all the bad things they have done in the relationship and they feel no shame or remorse for the pain and suffering they may have caused the other person. Which, if you connect it to the messages from his previous MVs, this easily could be interpreted as a metaphor for everything Taemin has gone through in his career and life. As an idol, he has been manipulated and controlled his whole life. Debuting at 14 years old, Taemin has lived his entire life in the public eye under a microscope, he is expected to be flawless and perfect, and people are constantly telling him what to do and how he should act, etc. However, now that he has turned 30, I think he is embracing a new chapter in his life where he is saying he is no longer going to allow people to manipulate him and he is officially taking back control. In other words, he's not going to feel guilty any more for being himself and doing what makes him happy.
With Taemin -- and all the members of SHINee -- you will never get the same thing twice. Everything he releases will be a new style and sound and, yet, it will still be very "Taemin". As SM's experimental boy group, SHINee are meant to be the first to do almost everything, and they are expected to come up with something new that no one has ever seen or heard before with every release of theirs. As Kpop's trendsetters, the members of SHINee reinvent the industry with every comeback.
Guilty is Taemin's 4th mini Korean album, but he has been in the industry for more than 15 years as a member of SHINee and he has been a solo artist since 2014. Therefore, including his full-length albums, mini albums, and singles, etc., as well as his Japanese albums, Taemin has more than a dozen solo albums. Not to mention the 2 albums he has as a member of SuperM. And on top of all that, SHINee currently has 14 full-length Korean and Japanese albums, just as many repackaged albums, numerous mini albums, etc. You have a TON to catch up on. :D
Now you need to check out Taemin's Killing Voice performance. I have a feeling when you watch his Killing Voice you will find that hearing him sing "Guilty," as well as his other songs, live that you will be even more impressed. Plus, you need to see one of his live performances of "Guilty" to see the complete choreography. There is a reason why Taemin is like none other.
@trixy1823 said on 11/10/23
TEAMIN says that CRIMINAL, ADVICE, and GUILTY are a collection(I think RIZZNESS could be included).
I watched ADVICE first and then went and slowly read the lyrics on a lyrics site. There was one line that made it all click. No one would put that in there without a serious reason. Then I started taking everything in the songs seriously. To me GUILTY confirms it. I recently saw how the lyrics are the voice of the perpetrator yet he performs as the victim.
The lyrics tell me he is NOT talking about “mental health issues”… he is talking about WHO and WHAT specifically caused his mental health issues. To me…this is a victim’s anthem for everyone❤🩹💪🏽💖. A retribution.
@antidave said on 11/14/23
Its funny cause this has no pronouns and everyone just assumes she/her pronouns when in reality Taemin likes singing and having the concept of two sides of himself so he is singing to no one but himself and how he views different sides of himself. Very queer video and you can see how he's exploring his feminine and androgynous side again and even in the other videos. This song is supposed to make you feel guilty as he is being exploited and the viewer enjoys it even though you're not supposed to.
@thespianoge said on 11/5/23
Some initial bullet points:
I definitely think The Rizzness is a diss track to the industry.
My interpretation of Blue is that it’s about/for Shawols. The pearl-aqua ocean of fan lights.
Taemin’s variety is huge and I highly recommend going through his discography. He’s a stunning, creative, chameleon like soloist and I love his soft, soothing voice that can grow to an impressive belt. It could be interesting to go though his discography in order to see his growth, but ultimately I’d recommend Never Gonna Dance Again Act I and II (both have some of my very favorite songs and I honestly can’t pick between the two…) I’m not the hugest fan of his debut Ace based mainly on my personal taste.
He’s incredibly involved in picking the songs, though isn’t a songwriter himself as a rule.
Taemin has specifically said that this is the beginning of his “Act II” in his career and basically life in general from what he’s said.
And now…you wanted to read a think piece on the MV. Boy, do I have one for you.
Pardon the RIDICULOUSLY long essay. I have been meticulously and obsessively dissecting this video since it came out. cracks knuckles
I have three main theories. I’ll talk about this later, but he experienced a traumatic military service and it could be speaking to that. It could also speak to being taken advantage of by the industry as a child, especially. And as a queer person who kind of finds queerness in everything, I felt gay conversion camp vibes from the time I saw the first trailer.
There's also the book Erotism by Georges Bataille that the director recommend he read in preparation for this comeback. It’s about the intersections of sexuality, religion, death, the sacred and the profane and taboo. (Which has ironically basically been his brand from the beginning, more or less.)
There’s also the quote by Herman Hesse that he's mentioned in interviews even before enlistment from the book Demian. "The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The bird flies to God. That God's name is Abraxas." People think that the feather crown is a nod to Abraxys, which is supposed to be a heretic god, both God and Satan, without a binary.
I found the lyrics somewhat at odds with the MV, but maybe to condense the most basic thesis is wrestling within oneself with their guilt, warranted or not, until one finds their way to set themselves free.
They evolve like the bird fights out of the egg to destroy their prior world to find their inner god, both good and bad, the radiant and the taboo, but it’s on their own terms, like in Demian.
For the queer theory: At the beginning he's wearing Homme Girls boxers (he's actually worn them before and they're HEAVILY featured in his album photo book) from the beginning. It could mean some sort of secret queerness kept under wraps.
Then he graduates to a denim skirt but with a cross necklace, perhaps still trying to convince himself that he could return to the comfort of conformity, and finally, a skintight floral
"feminine" look. Coming into his own personal expression, claiming it after the flaming arrow hits the target.
To go further down the rabbit hole, my queer headcanon saw the brief scene featuring two young people in an intimate moment in a room off the hallway, walking in on something forbidden, which he quickly left at 21 seconds. The person on the left is the person in the long sleeves featured at the 36 second mark.
Some people read it as young Taemin, with old Taemin looking at himself as a child, which totally makes sense. Except when I first saw it, I read it as an androgynous girl and was kind of confused about her significance. So I could be completely wrong but I read some queerness into that brief scene as well. Or it’s just Taemin looking in on his younger self in early sexual experimentation.
In the original trailer, there were a bunch of kids playing in the creek. Some were male and some female, but they were indistinguishable from each other. I even didn't clock it until someone else mentioned it.
But once they were in their uniforms, there was a clear delineation where the girls were now wearing skirts, enforcing the gender roles they were previously unconcerned about.
I'll also mention a content warning for racy talk. There's also a brief moment in the scene in the bunks with someone holds the head of someone with a baseball cap in front of their fully clothed groin. In the split second moment at 1:45, Taemin’s hand is seen lifting up the chin of someone. They have an Adam’s apple.
Finally, the most obvious line that people have latched onto is “loving is a crime.”
With the military theory, he ended up having to leave the military proper and go into the public service sector for the rest of the time due to extreme anxiety and depression. There's been documentation of idols (G-Dragon is a good example) being treated extremely badly by other members, even as much as trying to take photos of them in the shower and such. It's entirely possible he had a traumatizing time in there on top of his preexisting mental health conditions.
Especially as someone who has been sexualized by being beautiful and feminine since he was literally a child in the industry, this may have made him an even bigger target than just being an idol. So one interpretation of this MV is referencing the invasive nature of an institutional (military) setting. Medical examinations, forcing violence, having a hand help him him hold up the gun to shoot it as seen in the trailer, bunks, etc. With this theory, he would have to walk a fine line because it would be criticizing the South Korean military.
Then there’s the theory of being an idol from basically childhood and the ways he has been taken advantage of. He began training at the age of 12 and debuted at the age of 14. There is literally a TH-cam video entitled “The Sexualization and feminization of Lee Taemin” chronicling the way adults have been creepy and inappropriate to him since the beginning. The bunks are like like trainee dorms, and he looks back on his old self with sadness and pity. The clinging to the leg of a captor because there’s no other choice. The early loss of innocence, but ultimately coming out empowered by the end.
Throughout the MV, he danced in an especially tortured way after depicting memories of invasive manhandling which tracks along any interpretation. There’s clearly a story about someone vulnerable and their journey to self discovery and purging themselves into their empowered "final form.” His hand-under-the-shirt move may have something to do with a secret desire or feeling that keeps trying to get out, perhaps like the temptation of the biblical serpent. Or, as per the title, secret guilt choking him.
With the skirt look, there are many keys around his waist. Perhaps this could signify that he already has the keys that he needs to “unlock” himself and they’re all ready for when he’s ready to use them. It could be a reference to his song Advice when he says “you’ll never get the keys to my lock. Like he is the only one who holds the keys to unlock himself, kept safe on his person.
In the scene outside in the uniforms near the end, there is the building of extreme anxiety with the inhaler and the gripping and scratching of his legs to try to cope and gather the strength to “burn it all down”/be his true self.
The self knowledge that it must be done but he’s scared shitless. One last clinging to authority/the system with they leg, and finally the full acknowledgment that he needs to do it anyway with determination in his eyes.
The I think that the lyrics aren’t projecting outwards towards another person, but rather a back and forth with himself, with his conscience vs his base desires. And the lyric “I can walk like that, talk like that, play like that" could apply to all three readings, be it “passing” as queer/cis, appearing to mentally and emotionally healthy, or the training and indoctrination trainees receive to behave perfectly as idols.
In livestreams before the comeback, he spoke about how he was going to “walk the tightrope to see how far he can go.” He’s definitely toeing the line with any one of these topics. He and his team are BRILLIANT.
Nods, he got layers. Watched The Stage with Austin recently. He talks about his songs and he is a deep thinker like RM. He read Demian by Hermann Hesse. I thought only BTS read that book.
This song was made at the same time as Advice. So connected and updated. =0] Ur going to love his album.