The editors of the music video for (G)I-DLE’s “Last Dance” tried to hide something from viewers, which means everyone (at least everyone who discusses in English) talks about it. The title of this blog post is a quote from a YouTube comment. It’s a great example of Cialdini’s principle that censoring something makes it more attractive/appealing to people.
Watch the “Last Dance” video. Can you figure out what the comment is referring to?
I noticed it the first time I saw the video, but I knew what to look for, especially since this wasn’t the first (G)I-DLE music video I’d seen.
If you didn’t find it, you can read the YouTube comments watch another (G)I-DLE video. Here’s another hint: count the number of singers. Notice I said ‘singers’ not ‘dancers.’ Since this video is a stage mix and they change hair/clothes, keep track by recognizing their faces and/or voices. Pay particular attention to the final singer in this “Lion” video.
Have you counted the number of singers? Good. Now count the number of singers (not dancers) in “Last Dance.” Pay particular attention to the parts which the last singer in “Lion” sings.
If you still haven’t figured out what’s odd about the “Last Dance” music video, this fan-edit makes it clear.
(By now, I assume you know what the “Last Dance” MV’s editing conspicuously hides.)
The footage for “Last Dance” was filmed just before Cube Entertainment, (G)I-DLE’s record label, kicked Seo Soojin out of the group. Thus, she’s in the footage, but they edited it to reduce her visibility. Then everyone talks about why she’s only in the background.
Why did the record label kick her out? A search engine can give you answers, but they only make sense to people who understand Korean netizens. I don’t, I only understand a little of the Korean language, let alone their internet culture, so my reaction is ‘WTF.’ Even dedicated international Kpop fans (i.e. the ones who didn’t grow up in South Korea) seem to have trouble understanding this.
That this song is called “Last Dance” makes this more poignant, because this may literally be Soojin’s last dance with (G)I-DLE. And she’s their lead dancer. Though she’s not my favorite (G)I-DLE member, she’s their best dancer, and I have yet to encounter anyone who claimed otherwise.
I almost wonder if the record label is playing 4-D chess with this. They boot Soojin after she recorded a song called “Last Dance” for ridiculous (to non-netizens) reasons. This whipped up (G)I-DLE fans into feeling more intense sympathy for her. Then the record label edits the music video to rub it in that this is her final (G)I-DLE performance. First, this created a lot of publicity for (G)I-DLE, which helps the record label make money. This very blog post is free publicity. Now, fans feel so sorry for (G)I-DLE that they intensify their support, which also makes the record label money. I doubt the (G)I-DLE performers agreed to put themselves into this distress, but I wonder if their managers did it to increase their fame.
The Notes Which Do Not Fit 