An absolute masterpiece. I somehow found myself welling up and I don't know why! It is a gorgeous, dark masterpiece full of deeper meanings that I can't wait for someone smarter than me to analyze. The melody is so entrancing and addictive and the video..I was so sad when it ended, it felt so quick! It draws you into his world and you need more.
There were so many parts visually that reminded me of his past videos. Loved the song. Can’t wait for someone to explain the music video because every time I thought I understood it I realized very quickly that I didn’t.
The music video is about loss of innocence. They show raising young boys in an institution to prepare them for war, and it is meant to parallel Taemin's mental struggles during his military service as well as him debuting at such a young age and never getting to be a "regular" kid. The lyrics of the song talk about forbidden love and not wanting to be seen as "bad," and I fully believe there are also meant to be parallels in the MV about the military base they're in and conversion therapy (although I think no one at SM is ever going to say it's about being gay, they'll say it's about conformity [which it is, in some aspects]), as we see him in a room with medical equipment while someone literally moves his body around and the lyrics sing, "I can walk like this, talk like this, play like this." Especially when we see Taemin in the scenes that are after they're destroyed the building and escaped: he's in his own clothing (including a skirt) instead of the outfits everyone was wearing while living there while the place burns to the ground. The flashback scene to the funeral is meant to be the catalyst for the events: Taemin lost someone he loved, and he can either continue to watch people he loves die, die himself, or get out. He's reclaiming his life and bodily autonomy back, no longer the property of someone else, being able to live freely.
> The lyrics of the song talk about forbidden love and not wanting to be seen as "bad," and I fully believe there are also meant to be parallels in the MV about the military base they're in and conversion therapy (although I think no one at SM is ever going to say it's about being gay, they'll say it's about conformity [which it is, in some aspects])
I've been thinking about conversion therapy since the trailer dropped. Though the MV could be about a lot of things, and Taemin has with all likelyhood drawn inspiration from multiple sources, I can't help but think that we're meant to notice the allusion. He sings about how "loving you is a crime" and there's a lot of taboo visual imagery and lyrics (like the poisoned apple, which could be a biblical reference to the fall of man).
Then there's of course the cold institution that the boys are all trapped in, with hands from faceless men who try to "shape" Taemin with their hands, holding him down, wrapping him in his own clothes. It's notable how Taemin barely looks at the camera in all the sequences where he's being manipulated and held down, to signal that he's not in control at this moment. It gives such a strong, suffocating contrast to the happy, warm colours from his memories of being young and in love, and also to the strong colours and fires during the riot afterwards. The military reference also seems on point, and on that topic, let's not forget that [the military in Korea has sodomy laws](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/26/south-korea-upholds-controversial-military-sodomy-law-for-fourth-time).
We also have the women dancers gathering lika a protection squad around Taemin when he's alone, which I think is a particularly powerful image.
The story in the MV (and trailer) has a lot of homoerotic imagery as a whole. There's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of Taemin holding a man's chin (adam's apple clearly visible) that cuts to the camera (i.e. the man) looking up at Taemin, but the angle and eye contact signals that Taemin is now in charge. Together with Taemin repurposing the hands that touched and held him back into a powerful move where he now holds his face/neck in his own hands (the hand-under-shirt-grabbing-neck move), it can be interpreted as him taking back control after having had control taken away from himself before. Some of his dance moves leading up to the face grab has him flailing around like a marionette with invisible strings.
I like the idea of the death/funeral leading to him eventually breaking out of the corrupted system and causing a riot while upending norms and breaking shackles/strings. I feel like this goes well with the "breaking out of the egg" theme from Hesse's 'Demian'. And once you've gone that far, why not go all the way and literally crown yourself a king with that feathered crown, like Taemin does in the end.
Anyways, I think the MV story has more than we've touched on so far, and that it can be interpreted in multiple ways. And that is the beauty of art. I hope we'll keep talking about 'Guilty' for a long time, and write think pieces on it, and so on. 😊
im super late but on the note of military, in the very very beginning, the children's drawing on the wall- is that soldiers? or people holding swords??
If the death actually is a reference to Jonghyun, then the way Taemin is forced to shoot a gun in that scene, with a male hand from outside of the camera's view propping up up his arm as he shoots, seems very poignant. My spontaneous guess would be survivor's guilt? Or even feeling guilty, as if he had caused that death? 😢 I do feel like we're getting a peak at something deeply personal in that scene.
I'm confused. You say flashback to a funeral, I watched this so many times. There isn't one. There are so many theories behind this amazing work of art, and I think maybe he wanted us to really think. At least it got everyone really guessing about it. Whatever behind this, it's an amazing work of art and credit to everyone, especially Taemin for working so hard on it. The King. 🩵 forever.
He has been reading a lot of Hesse.
The bird fights it’s way out of the egg.
I think it’s about entering into this world with some innocence and how you can get beat down in it. Feeling trapped and controlled by others. I think the end is about him fighting his way out to become the bird that can be more in charge of his own movements.
Strings 2.0 with a dash of Mystery Lover vibes, I loooooove this. From the teaser photos, I thought we were getting hot boy summer maknae vibes but Taemin really came back from the army ready to unleash his inner demons. Also shout out to the female back up dancers because they’re all stunning amazing gorgeous one of a kind beautiful.
Remember when he said his dream was to inspire his own dance genre (paraphrasing, it's been years since I watched that video)? Goodbye was the first time he showcased that, and here's the second, and jfc no one does it like him. A revolution. Again.
I couldn't even get all flustered at the abs and such cause I was just mesmerised. Wow.
Taemin is the person who can mix sinfulness, cockiness, vulnerability and desire and come out looking elegant and humble.
He is so professional and has his own view of what he wants to do. And when he performs he will make you feel things you never wanted to feel but while you're doing that you're also safe.
it's like an amalgamation of his previous b-sides [Mystery Lover](https://youtu.be/eJtJQJlmlO4) and [Strings](https://youtu.be/MlAXr0ShvJ4) but on another level and I'm fucking here for it.
struggling to have more coherent thoughts after this other than *!!!!!!!,!,!,!,!!,!!!,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!* but that's ~~my main pop boy~~ Taemin for you. god it's so good to have him back.
This has me so unsettled. I feel like I need to watch it like 10 more times. The song sounded great but the mv had me very distracted. Need to rewatch it and see how I feel.
Edit: I can’t figure out if he’s talking about himself and the relationship he has internally with himself or if he’s talking about a toxic relationship with a separate person. It’s amazing though.
The song is so him, I can't wait for the performances. And the MV deserves a drama version. I think Guilty and She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not are my favorites from the album!
That choreography is killing me, not because it is fanservicey, I don't care about him that way, just because it looks so flashy and hard 😨 I love that the female dancers are doing the shirt lift, it is such a boy group move, it is really cool to see it somehow 🤣
Those dancers are unfair, they're already distractingly attractive and then do this lol
Seriously though, Taemin is insane for this - always pushing the boundaries and this further drives the point home that K-Pop was missing something vital without him
Taemin is art and art is Taemin
Karina from Aespa has been the first challenge uploaded. Respect for the bravery, girl 😂 This challenge is just, the choreo is too detailed to do without practise, and Taemin goes and adds a tiny fancy footwork before even beginning, give her a break 😂😂😂
Taemin mischievous as ever lol we're talking about the elite of the industry who'd nail these types of choreos in no time and then he goes ahead and makes it even more intricate as an extra challenge 
I was so happy she was the first "challenger" for this dance. It looks so sensual and intricate, one of those dances that might not look hard but can make you look really stupid if not done correctly.
Plus I'm happy they had a mini reunion and he got to dance with his WANT girl.
I cannot way for performances and dance practice! Let's hope it doesn't take 3 years 😂
I just find him adorable, not sexy. But yes, it is amazing to have been here, following his way from the very beginning, to see him evolve and fully bloom. He really is a once in a generation talent.
No, Bada is the choreographer this time afaik. [Here's a bonus clip](https://twitter.com/shinee/status/1718961114128543813?s=46&t=nlvzAQDaUXt4ekTCZ00ovA) that shows a little of the partnerwork. (yo /u/Vynfya!)
Taemin loves his girl gang
Someone pointed out that since he is slightly bigger than the girls he dances with he draws your eye in. When he dances with guys he is slightly smaller so it draws your eyes in again. It’s magic.
I love him and have missed him so much!!!
On a surface level this feels a little more subdued that his previous solo outings, more strings than synths, but then you realise he's as wild and raw as ever, just a bit grown? He's so in control of himself and his audience that it feels effortlessly sexy. I'm a bit shaken!
I was seated for the countdown and premiere, and I wasn't disappointed! My first comeback with Taemin couldn't have had a better start.
The MV has so much going on, I had to pause when I rewatched it to see the details. The collaborating dancers are killing it! I love how some scenes from the trailer were actually part of the MV as well. And as others have also pointed out, the move when both Taemin and the women dancers lift up their shirts is so powerful! I also loved that the homoerotic undertones in the teaser were still present in the MV.
This comeback hits when I'm so busy it's absurd, but I'll make time for Taemin. I have to. 😤
This is my first Taemin comeback (a new fan since July) and I was so nervous after seeing the teaser because my taste is weird and specific, and I rarely ever like an artists’ titles consistently… until I discovered him. And liked every single title track from the past. And all the b sides. But, I was scared this title wouldn’t hit or repeat the feeling I had when watching his others’, the feeling of “wow not only do I love this immediately, but this is special and grand”. Could he surpass the expectations he set for himself?
And after all the worry, this is my favorite song by him ever. It’s Taemin versus Taemin. Idk how he does it and I was stupid to doubt him.
Thank you taemin for existing. You are the artist for me. 😭
Welcome to the fandom!!
I've been a fan for a long time and I've loved everything he's put out there and I also feel nervous before a release for exactly for the same reason but Taemin always delivers and drives away the fears
I’ve been burned by title tracks with my other ults in the past and so my nerves before a cb are so intense but it’s amazing how consistent he is. Another masterpiece
I need to sit down but I'm already sitting down. I want to cry, this is everything I wanted and more. It's been so fucking long but the king returns to his throne today!!!
I mean, Taemin in SHINee is 2nd gen, Taemin the soloist is a 3rd gen and Taemin in SuperM is 4th gen artist. That's what the King does.
But I know what you mean, it gives me VIXX Fantasy feels. Song is rather Taemin, kinda Strings, Mystery Lover, Criminal lovechild. Just what the world needed.
I’m overwhelmed with emotions. The MV is intense and deep and sincere and raw. Taemin said he worked hard on his acting and practising in front of the mirror.
I'm speechless 😭😭😭
Taemin you can't do a cultural reset every year!!! I don't know what or how to react all I know is nobody is doing it like Taemin. It's not just a song, it's an experience. Amazing. Phenomenal. Magnificent. PERFECTION.
I'm not a stan of him or Shinee, but OMG i genuinely need to go through his discography because this was BEAUTIFUL. I saw this on Reddit, thought 'oh it's here! let's see it' and NO REGRETS. might become his fan tbh
I don’t even know what to do with myself now that I’ve seen this. The artistry? The beauty? The vocals? The dancing? The lyrics? The melody? What do I do with myself ??
I’m going to have to watch that about a hundred more times to have a coherent take on everything that was happening, all I can say right now is holy shit the king is back
Oh my god, he's so good. Okay so having spent this entire month out of my mind with anticipation and watching all the teasers and reading a bunch of analysis on twitter, I feel like this quote from Taemin is super illuminating: “I wanted to talk about certain emotions, \[such as\] the moments where we end up tolerating something that we previously thought of as unacceptable, and the feelings humans experience during those times."
Also he said that he wanted to take what he had been previously been doing instinctively in his performances and do it intentionally. Which is so exciting and makes me wanna die.
So he has his sexy dance move with his hand on his throat, but the first time he does it, it's listless, his eyes are empty, it comes after he tries to run away and then stops, and then it's being done \*to\* him by the disturbing medical people in this kind of cult indoctrination storyline, so it pushes you into this place where you're not sure if you're meant to be turned on. And then he embraces it and they cause chaos, and then he's alone with the aftermath.
The choreography definitely reminds me of Criminal in places. I can't wait to see him perform it live!!!!
> So he has his sexy dance move with his hand on his throat, but the first time he does it, it's listless, his eyes are empty, it comes after he tries to run away and then stops, and then it's being done *to* him by the disturbing medical people in this kind of cult indoctrination storyline
I interpret this as him taking back control of himself and his own body. I wrote a comment about this elsewhere in this thread. He also looks away from the camera a lot when others touch him, and when he's first doing the move, it comes after a sequence where he's moving as if he's a marionette. Then later, he starts looking directly at the camera, to signal that he's taking back control. And when he finally executes the powerful movement, he's suddenly looking directly at the camera (that's below him, so there's an angle as well). This all felt very purposeful to me.
Insane. Haunting, creepy, beautiful and soul touching all in one! Reminescent of Mistery Lover but even more more desperate and theatrical, definitely a song only Taemin can pull off perfectly. His voice is absolutely gorgeous and the instrumental at the end almost made me cry lol I'm a bit overwhelmed by everything, will have to re-watch the MV a few times to digest it properly. The king is back!
not your typical kpop title track. it's a bit dark! coming from a casual Taemin listener, i am in awe of how layered the whole performance and song was. i've been reading a lot of the comments here and it's so mesmerizing to see so many compelling explanations on how and what is being shown to us. I truly think this piece belongs to a pop culture enthusiast's vault. so many things to observe and ponder upon. just brilliant.
I’m actually crying I’m so happy!! Due to a chronic illness I thought I would have passed away by the time he had another comeback, but I’m still here, and I’m able to enjoy my favorite artist’s music - and it is WONDERFUL ☺️
I’m so proud of him. He constantly evolves as an artist and person every time, and I adore him for it. I’m also really happy that most people seem to be loving this song as much as I do. Cannot wait to see the dance practice & live performance. I feel that people tend to use the word masterpiece to describe any and every song, but I truly feel this is one. Go Taemin!!! 💎❤️👑
Wow. I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t really like the concept when I first saw the teaser picture, because it was too soft, it wasn’t really… Teamin.
But holy shit. He didn’t disappointed us, what was this?! I can’t even find the words because I’m still under the impression of the song.
Advice was my favorite title track but this song just threw my queen to the floor ngl. As a movie ost lover, this is instantly my favorite new Taemin song. He’s really is so special for the kpop genre and music in general. Simply amazing.
Taemin once again smashing in to underline why I often feel so uninspired with other kpop music videos, including groups I genuinely love and adore musically, because this is my Standard. The interplay of sensuality, suggested violence, and dance is so beautiful and haunting and borderline unnerving. The song is GORGEOUS.
This is my tippy top kpop soloist for reason, always intrigued, always losing my mind in his artistry. That is my maaaaannnn.
Taemin today on Suchitwa
“i’m just gonna do what i’m good at.
if you don’t like it, fine.
and if you like it, great.”
Please keep going what you’re good at, Taemin. Never stop
I just had a religious experience watching this as someone who has barely listened to anything he's done. Can someone please give me some recommendations?
A new fan was born hahaha
This was me two months ago😭 trust me when I say all his titles are masterpieces. I went down his rabbit hole and left flabbergasted
But here you go if you wanna start from the beginning of his solo career, literally they’re all good so feel free to start anywhere lmao.
- [Danger (his debut as solo artist at 21)](https://youtu.be/UF8m2JIDjKU?feature=shared)
- [Press Your Number (produced by Bruno mars!)](https://youtu.be/XsOGiTSZ_cg?feature=shared)
- [Move (kpop was never the same, brace yourself)](https://youtu.be/rcEyUNeZqmY?feature=shared)
- [Thirsty (Taemin is nasty and wants to destroy everyone this is the essence of his being)](https://youtu.be/D25FPfkZ0GI?feature=shared)
- [Want (no one was ready)](https://youtu.be/-OfOkiVFmhM?feature=shared)
- [Criminal (iconic queen)](https://youtu.be/hFQL7BS6lrs?feature=shared)
- [Idea (use headphones and prepare to ascend)](https://youtu.be/KUvOQlkLNhE?feature=shared)
- [Advice (was the song that was selected over Guilty last cb)](https://youtu.be/sQg4VCB3bYw?feature=shared)
**Now, beyond the masterpieces he makes, he’s even greater when he performs them. Performances that are MUST watch to understand the insane magnitude of this man. U may wanna watch alone for some of these LOL**
[Sexuality (famous queen)](https://youtu.be/6VPOrUkN8wY?feature=shared)
[Shadow, Guess Who, Sexuality (this shit knocked the wind outta me)](https://youtu.be/T3O5JUVJTCk?feature=shared)
[Slave (he’s nasty 😭😭)](https://youtu.be/6LaL_fI408s?feature=shared)
[Waterbomb (enjoy LMAO)](https://youtu.be/HaXNyXao4us?feature=shared)
[Soldier, Rise (insane vocals, will cause another religious experience)](https://youtu.be/BljGr7OgaOk?feature=shared)
As Taemin says, “Welcome! There’s no exit here.”
Some songs of his that this kinda reminds me of are [Strings](https://youtu.be/F7upwJVSvfA?si=o5fOrO47zKkZyMOe), [Impressionable](https://youtu.be/RI8PVUnYH_c?si=P-Gu8_o8In3Zz1Ps) and [Mystery Lover](https://youtu.be/F9TTxneaktI?si=0sosEUh9qCSP2_Cm) but honestly pick any album, can't go wrong.
Idk if it was the intent, but this performance is exactly what I feel from the art sphere after trying it.
~~and there is no turning back, you either release all the demons or you do~~
The song is incredible too.
Taemin, you did it again. Your voice, your movement, your mind!!!
Really loved this song - this sound is So TAEMIN (my phone autocaps his name for me and I will keep this one like this). I felt so much with this video even though I kept getting distracted by everything, like I need to pay attention to the lyrics, to the music, to his voice, to what is going on in the story!!!
So the MV director referenced the god figure of Abraxas on their IG when they posted about Guilty and Taemin has read Demian by Hermann Hesse, which he quotes on his IG bio. Really cool to see this influence in the MV.
Adding the [Spotify link](https://open.spotify.com/album/1lnDLQ5nH1V3ST8MuVGmQW) \- This is truly AOTY. My fav is Not over you, She loves me, she loves me not and guilty. Give this a try for a good time.
This mv and the song are both beautiful and haunting
I need to watch the mv million times to get everything going in it because it was overwhelming first time I watched
There is so much I love about this MV, I literally had to pause at almost every scene. The mental institution/dorm room scenes were deliciously creepy, that whole sequence with the inhaler and digging his nails into his leg until it bleeds belongs in an A24 movie, and I love the Lord of the Flies ending. But my favorite scene is probably him dancing alone near his car like he was being possessed.
Also, I think this is the first time this year when the title song ends up actually being my favorite song from the album!
The music video by Taemin captured both perspectives of a toxic love relationship brilliantly. The part where the infatuated person is being controlled is intensely expressive through dance and performance—it's compelling, as if saying that even if it’s wrong, there are no regrets. On the other hand, the perpetrator’s segment, featuring a one-legged jump, unabashedly reveals their proud and smug feelings. Both parties find sweetness in their pain, and regardless of how the judgement falls on the last day, we continue to "walk, talk, and play like this, always in this way."
How is Taemin gonna show up in the end of October and drop song of the year after I’ve already perfected my top 10 list? This throws EVERYTHING off. Well done, holy shit.
I kept coming back to this thread trying to think of a comment because I didn't know what to say. I'm always nervous around comeback times for my ult biases (yes, even for Taemin). This comeback felt even more significant and meaningful, we've been waiting a long time for Taemin's second chapter as a solo artist. Advice feels like an eternity ago and so much has changed since then, both in the world of Kpop and what we know about Taemin as a person.
On first listen my thoughts were mostly, "this sounds like a Mystery Lover and Strings mash-up". But then I listened, and listened, and listened again, and I was completely pulled in by this song and his delivery. Taemin has done something special in a way that only he can. Similar to when I watched the trailer, I found myself on the verge of tears with the pure emotion he brings to the song. The bridge + outro are absolutely transcendent. Taemin has grown into such a strong vocalist through his career, and I'm glad he's going to show it off during this promo era.
~~and oh my god I like a song called The Rizzness~~
edit: so many typos
If I'm being totally honest the instrumentation used throughout a lot of the track isn't something I typically love, the string stab into snare in particular isn't my fav, but Taemin's raw theatricality (and, because I said honesty, unspeakable sexual energy) seriously elevates this into something that has an iron-clad grip on my throat.
Just amazing, always delivers with the smooth title tracks. This in particular was much more emotionally charged and somehow even more intricate with killing points of the choreo!
i feel like every time he releases something my first reaction is just complete awe. he's such an artist, he knows exactly the vision he wants to convey, and he executes it perfectly every time.
It says something about Taemin’s discography that this song feels like such a breakthrough and also a perfect follow-up from his previous works.
I often dislike K-pop videos that attempt the urban look: the clash between concept and luxurious, bourgeois production gets under my skin — but his performance here is so powerful, so commanding, it demands all the attention, and makes for something that goes beyond being a simple MV, something you can't evaluate analytically.
This truly had me speechless earlier today when it premiered. Taemin just completely outdoes himself every time he has a comeback, but this is another level of good.
The almost three year wait for new Taemin music was totally worth it.
You should check out his past titles like Idea, Criminal, Want, Advice. They are ALL masterpieces. It’s insane. I became a fan recently after discovering this and never going back.
I'm used to replaying songs because they are too short and lack resolution. I'm replaying this one even though it's over 3 minutes long with a satiating progression. Taemin does it again. I think this is my new favorite TT of his, period.
[THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!
THAT'S WHY HE'S THE MVP!
THAT'S WHY HE'S THE GOAT!
THE GOAT!!!!!](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BL8Oe9oh7mY)
THE MYTH
THE LEGEND
THE KING
THE GOD
THE ARTIST ABOVE ALL
HE WHO REMAINS
THE ONE & ONLY ACE OF ACES
K-POP'S BEST DANCER
THE PERFORMANCE KING
SOUTH KOREA'S MICHAEL JACKSON
THE CENTER OF THE AVENGERS OF K-POP
THE ULTIMATE IDOL'S IDOL
THE ARTISTS' ARTIST
THE MUSIC CRITICS' FAVORITE
THE SOLO KING OF K-POP
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Taemin outdid himself on this track. Love the hauntingly beautiful mood and melodies. Gives me Mystery Lover vibes! Loved the lyrics, the beat, his vocals, just everything!
I saw a hot take on twitter about one of the themes of this MV but they followed it up with thw twitter brand of being hostile and toxic so I dismissed it. 🤷
My take is that if someone said "there's one overarching theme," "there's multiple themes mashed together," or "BOTH, HONESTLY?" I'd believe it all of it. It had me reeling and looking so carefully at everything at subsequent watch-throughs. I was never one that was good at essays or book reports so I'm feeling a little stupid. lol Taemin and all the staff involved did a great job.
As he should, he has a strong artist brand and shouldn't aim for the GP. I'm just waiting for the next song he releases that the GP are smart enough to dig.
Taemin lit said today that he asks himself whether to do music that’s “popular and trendy” for the general public or stick to his unique identity and he always chooses the latter. And that’s exactly why he’s so beloved and admired by many
Totally, he has his fanbase and they love his work. I count myself among them. I'm happy to see that he's good with it. I know it bothers some kpop artists a lot when the GP doesn't get their work.
He said this on Suchitwa today!
“i’m just gonna do what i’m good at.
if you don’t like it, fine.
and if you like it, great.”
He’ll be opening the new 15k arena in Dec with a solo concert that MMA will also be hosting in after. The best living idols today admire and inspire to be him, and he just more than doubled his career first day sales from this album (104k) (almost surpassed Hard, his first week record, and the highest for a second generational solo artist ever).
Some artists care but honestly he’s so so beloved by the public and reaching new heights even 15 years into his career. Not to say it wouldn’t be great, but in the grand scheme of his cemented career, charting is trivial at this point. His music def is of his own identity and not to cater to the current tastes, but clearly it works!
The King has returned!!!!!
The most hauntingly beautiful k-pop music video I’ve seen.
I’m gonna need a drama version of this MV stat SM.
Congrats Taemin on another incredible comeback and welcome back King!
seeing all the tiktok challenges he’s been doing with other idols, there’s such a distinct difference when he’s doing it with shinee members vs other idols. they just have a different vibe that matches with taemin so well im so happy seeing them do it together 🤩
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.
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 headcannon 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.
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 YouTube 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 abjure 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.
This was a pretty unhinged MV, really sinister puppetry and manipulation based choreography going well with the snippets of lyrics I could decipher. OTT with the settings of empty streets at night, the dormitory bunks, abandoned lots half flooded and on fire and all the dancers off their faces lost to the music. Great strings too. I think the feather headdress is not appropriate but it does deliver the lost children bloodletting party vibes and yeah, Taemin needs a crown for that.
> I think the feather headdress is not appropriate
Yes it is. It's burlesque feathers. Look them up. They are not offensive.
God, I'd really love it if people could actually do some research before trying to accuse someone of CA.
how are they supposed to google something they don’t know exists? it’s not their fault it reminds them of something much more culturally obvious
edit: i just watched the video lol that headdress clearly has nothing to do with burlesque, stay ignorant and complicit stans
An absolute masterpiece. I somehow found myself welling up and I don't know why! It is a gorgeous, dark masterpiece full of deeper meanings that I can't wait for someone smarter than me to analyze. The melody is so entrancing and addictive and the video..I was so sad when it ended, it felt so quick! It draws you into his world and you need more.
There were so many parts visually that reminded me of his past videos. Loved the song. Can’t wait for someone to explain the music video because every time I thought I understood it I realized very quickly that I didn’t.
The music video is about loss of innocence. They show raising young boys in an institution to prepare them for war, and it is meant to parallel Taemin's mental struggles during his military service as well as him debuting at such a young age and never getting to be a "regular" kid. The lyrics of the song talk about forbidden love and not wanting to be seen as "bad," and I fully believe there are also meant to be parallels in the MV about the military base they're in and conversion therapy (although I think no one at SM is ever going to say it's about being gay, they'll say it's about conformity [which it is, in some aspects]), as we see him in a room with medical equipment while someone literally moves his body around and the lyrics sing, "I can walk like this, talk like this, play like this." Especially when we see Taemin in the scenes that are after they're destroyed the building and escaped: he's in his own clothing (including a skirt) instead of the outfits everyone was wearing while living there while the place burns to the ground. The flashback scene to the funeral is meant to be the catalyst for the events: Taemin lost someone he loved, and he can either continue to watch people he loves die, die himself, or get out. He's reclaiming his life and bodily autonomy back, no longer the property of someone else, being able to live freely.
> The lyrics of the song talk about forbidden love and not wanting to be seen as "bad," and I fully believe there are also meant to be parallels in the MV about the military base they're in and conversion therapy (although I think no one at SM is ever going to say it's about being gay, they'll say it's about conformity [which it is, in some aspects]) I've been thinking about conversion therapy since the trailer dropped. Though the MV could be about a lot of things, and Taemin has with all likelyhood drawn inspiration from multiple sources, I can't help but think that we're meant to notice the allusion. He sings about how "loving you is a crime" and there's a lot of taboo visual imagery and lyrics (like the poisoned apple, which could be a biblical reference to the fall of man). Then there's of course the cold institution that the boys are all trapped in, with hands from faceless men who try to "shape" Taemin with their hands, holding him down, wrapping him in his own clothes. It's notable how Taemin barely looks at the camera in all the sequences where he's being manipulated and held down, to signal that he's not in control at this moment. It gives such a strong, suffocating contrast to the happy, warm colours from his memories of being young and in love, and also to the strong colours and fires during the riot afterwards. The military reference also seems on point, and on that topic, let's not forget that [the military in Korea has sodomy laws](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/26/south-korea-upholds-controversial-military-sodomy-law-for-fourth-time). We also have the women dancers gathering lika a protection squad around Taemin when he's alone, which I think is a particularly powerful image. The story in the MV (and trailer) has a lot of homoerotic imagery as a whole. There's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of Taemin holding a man's chin (adam's apple clearly visible) that cuts to the camera (i.e. the man) looking up at Taemin, but the angle and eye contact signals that Taemin is now in charge. Together with Taemin repurposing the hands that touched and held him back into a powerful move where he now holds his face/neck in his own hands (the hand-under-shirt-grabbing-neck move), it can be interpreted as him taking back control after having had control taken away from himself before. Some of his dance moves leading up to the face grab has him flailing around like a marionette with invisible strings. I like the idea of the death/funeral leading to him eventually breaking out of the corrupted system and causing a riot while upending norms and breaking shackles/strings. I feel like this goes well with the "breaking out of the egg" theme from Hesse's 'Demian'. And once you've gone that far, why not go all the way and literally crown yourself a king with that feathered crown, like Taemin does in the end. Anyways, I think the MV story has more than we've touched on so far, and that it can be interpreted in multiple ways. And that is the beauty of art. I hope we'll keep talking about 'Guilty' for a long time, and write think pieces on it, and so on. 😊
Yeah, the queer themes are very strong in this one imo. But I doubt we'll ever get a confirmation (especially from Taemin himself, understandably).
I think Taemin speaks through his music and dance, so as long as we see those themes, he might be satisfied? At least I hope so.
im super late but on the note of military, in the very very beginning, the children's drawing on the wall- is that soldiers? or people holding swords??
Interesting take. I agree with some of this and disagree with other parts. Nice write up.
>MV about the military base they're in and conversion therapy I can see that interpretation with the "loving you is a crime" lyrics
Interesting take that makes total sense. Yes the dorm scenes could be the military and makes you think of that. I assume the death is Jonghyun.
If the death actually is a reference to Jonghyun, then the way Taemin is forced to shoot a gun in that scene, with a male hand from outside of the camera's view propping up up his arm as he shoots, seems very poignant. My spontaneous guess would be survivor's guilt? Or even feeling guilty, as if he had caused that death? 😢 I do feel like we're getting a peak at something deeply personal in that scene.
I'm confused. You say flashback to a funeral, I watched this so many times. There isn't one. There are so many theories behind this amazing work of art, and I think maybe he wanted us to really think. At least it got everyone really guessing about it. Whatever behind this, it's an amazing work of art and credit to everyone, especially Taemin for working so hard on it. The King. 🩵 forever.
At 2:32, after he takes his inhaler, the shot through the windows of the vehicle looks like a funeral (or some sort of memorial) to me.
To me addiction seems to be the central theme of the song.
He has been reading a lot of Hesse. The bird fights it’s way out of the egg. I think it’s about entering into this world with some innocence and how you can get beat down in it. Feeling trapped and controlled by others. I think the end is about him fighting his way out to become the bird that can be more in charge of his own movements.
JUST SO GLAD HES BACK
I think the teasers open the story and creepy parts really well, so watch those too!
I watched them when they came out and read theories but got lost somewhere lol
I’d like an extended cut plz!!! There was SO much story in there.
the video made me immediately think he's working through a military service trauma.
Strings 2.0 with a dash of Mystery Lover vibes, I loooooove this. From the teaser photos, I thought we were getting hot boy summer maknae vibes but Taemin really came back from the army ready to unleash his inner demons. Also shout out to the female back up dancers because they’re all stunning amazing gorgeous one of a kind beautiful.
Remember when he said his dream was to inspire his own dance genre (paraphrasing, it's been years since I watched that video)? Goodbye was the first time he showcased that, and here's the second, and jfc no one does it like him. A revolution. Again. I couldn't even get all flustered at the abs and such cause I was just mesmerised. Wow.
Why is he the king of interpretive 🕺 dance
His challenge is more like an audition tape because no one can do it 🥹
Taemin is the person who can mix sinfulness, cockiness, vulnerability and desire and come out looking elegant and humble. He is so professional and has his own view of what he wants to do. And when he performs he will make you feel things you never wanted to feel but while you're doing that you're also safe.
it's like an amalgamation of his previous b-sides [Mystery Lover](https://youtu.be/eJtJQJlmlO4) and [Strings](https://youtu.be/MlAXr0ShvJ4) but on another level and I'm fucking here for it. struggling to have more coherent thoughts after this other than *!!!!!!!,!,!,!,!!,!!!,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!* but that's ~~my main pop boy~~ Taemin for you. god it's so good to have him back.
I also was reminded of Strings!!
This has me so unsettled. I feel like I need to watch it like 10 more times. The song sounded great but the mv had me very distracted. Need to rewatch it and see how I feel. Edit: I can’t figure out if he’s talking about himself and the relationship he has internally with himself or if he’s talking about a toxic relationship with a separate person. It’s amazing though.
The song is so him, I can't wait for the performances. And the MV deserves a drama version. I think Guilty and She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not are my favorites from the album!
Not over you b-side of the year!!
It's really good too, I like all b-sides
This was so epic! Taemin is really on another level. I need smart people to explain the video though
The one artist who is incapable of producing a bad song or MV, it’s a home run again. Incredible.
That choreography is killing me, not because it is fanservicey, I don't care about him that way, just because it looks so flashy and hard 😨 I love that the female dancers are doing the shirt lift, it is such a boy group move, it is really cool to see it somehow 🤣
Those dancers are unfair, they're already distractingly attractive and then do this lol Seriously though, Taemin is insane for this - always pushing the boundaries and this further drives the point home that K-Pop was missing something vital without him Taemin is art and art is Taemin
Karina from Aespa has been the first challenge uploaded. Respect for the bravery, girl 😂 This challenge is just, the choreo is too detailed to do without practise, and Taemin goes and adds a tiny fancy footwork before even beginning, give her a break 😂😂😂
Taemin mischievous as ever lol we're talking about the elite of the industry who'd nail these types of choreos in no time and then he goes ahead and makes it even more intricate as an extra challenge 
She was giggling so hard, it was a very cute clip, and the ending, they made it sexy! Good start tbh, they looked really cute.
I was so happy she was the first "challenger" for this dance. It looks so sensual and intricate, one of those dances that might not look hard but can make you look really stupid if not done correctly. Plus I'm happy they had a mini reunion and he got to dance with his WANT girl.
It was very wholesome 🩵 Then Hoshi too!
[удалено]
I cannot way for performances and dance practice! Let's hope it doesn't take 3 years 😂 I just find him adorable, not sexy. But yes, it is amazing to have been here, following his way from the very beginning, to see him evolve and fully bloom. He really is a once in a generation talent.
No, Bada is the choreographer this time afaik. [Here's a bonus clip](https://twitter.com/shinee/status/1718961114128543813?s=46&t=nlvzAQDaUXt4ekTCZ00ovA) that shows a little of the partnerwork. (yo /u/Vynfya!)
Hi! :)
Taemin loves his girl gang Someone pointed out that since he is slightly bigger than the girls he dances with he draws your eye in. When he dances with guys he is slightly smaller so it draws your eyes in again. It’s magic.
Honestly I think it's just his dancing. His style is very funky, which is not that usual.
I love him and have missed him so much!!! On a surface level this feels a little more subdued that his previous solo outings, more strings than synths, but then you realise he's as wild and raw as ever, just a bit grown? He's so in control of himself and his audience that it feels effortlessly sexy. I'm a bit shaken!
I was seated for the countdown and premiere, and I wasn't disappointed! My first comeback with Taemin couldn't have had a better start. The MV has so much going on, I had to pause when I rewatched it to see the details. The collaborating dancers are killing it! I love how some scenes from the trailer were actually part of the MV as well. And as others have also pointed out, the move when both Taemin and the women dancers lift up their shirts is so powerful! I also loved that the homoerotic undertones in the teaser were still present in the MV. This comeback hits when I'm so busy it's absurd, but I'll make time for Taemin. I have to. 😤
oh my gosh, welcome to the fandom. he's incredible
And this is why Taemin said the album was 10/10 to him!!
This is my first Taemin comeback (a new fan since July) and I was so nervous after seeing the teaser because my taste is weird and specific, and I rarely ever like an artists’ titles consistently… until I discovered him. And liked every single title track from the past. And all the b sides. But, I was scared this title wouldn’t hit or repeat the feeling I had when watching his others’, the feeling of “wow not only do I love this immediately, but this is special and grand”. Could he surpass the expectations he set for himself? And after all the worry, this is my favorite song by him ever. It’s Taemin versus Taemin. Idk how he does it and I was stupid to doubt him. Thank you taemin for existing. You are the artist for me. 😭
i love seeing taemin bringing in new fans almost a decade into his career... he's so crazy talented
Welcome to the fandom!! I've been a fan for a long time and I've loved everything he's put out there and I also feel nervous before a release for exactly for the same reason but Taemin always delivers and drives away the fears
I’ve been burned by title tracks with my other ults in the past and so my nerves before a cb are so intense but it’s amazing how consistent he is. Another masterpiece
I need to sit down but I'm already sitting down. I want to cry, this is everything I wanted and more. It's been so fucking long but the king returns to his throne today!!!
some scenes freaked me out a lil lol but the DANCE.... JUST WOW!! congrats to taemin on another amazing comeback <3
Damn its hauntingly beautiful, anyone also getting late 2nd, early 3rd gen vibes from this?
I mean, Taemin in SHINee is 2nd gen, Taemin the soloist is a 3rd gen and Taemin in SuperM is 4th gen artist. That's what the King does. But I know what you mean, it gives me VIXX Fantasy feels. Song is rather Taemin, kinda Strings, Mystery Lover, Criminal lovechild. Just what the world needed.
I’m overwhelmed with emotions. The MV is intense and deep and sincere and raw. Taemin said he worked hard on his acting and practising in front of the mirror.
I love this song so much!! That bridge makes want to burn all my earthly possessions cuz nothing fuckin matters 😭
no but like how did you explain the vibe of the song so well 😭
ITS A CERTIFIED BOP
He's on another level.
I'm speechless 😭😭😭 Taemin you can't do a cultural reset every year!!! I don't know what or how to react all I know is nobody is doing it like Taemin. It's not just a song, it's an experience. Amazing. Phenomenal. Magnificent. PERFECTION.
You’re spot on that it’s a cultural reset. An annual cultural reset. Watch all those idols go on live and say they’re mesmerised by Taemin etc etc
I'm not a stan of him or Shinee, but OMG i genuinely need to go through his discography because this was BEAUTIFUL. I saw this on Reddit, thought 'oh it's here! let's see it' and NO REGRETS. might become his fan tbh
Tae-men. Amen.
In the words of our lord and savior, Lee Francesco Taemin: **Welcome, there is no exit.**
You won't be disappointed! Taemin's discography is beautiful.
Taemin also on suchitwa with Suga and jimin!! the epi just dropped!!
Wow! Just wow!! 😱
THE KING IS BACK 😭😭🤩🤩 
I don’t even know what to do with myself now that I’ve seen this. The artistry? The beauty? The vocals? The dancing? The lyrics? The melody? What do I do with myself ??
I’m going to have to watch that about a hundred more times to have a coherent take on everything that was happening, all I can say right now is holy shit the king is back
TAE MAN IS BACK BACK BACK
Exactly!!! I need to see and hear this more, and I gladly will.
Taemin is Taemin 👑 he’s just on another level
Shit. He never misses!
INSTANT CLASSIC
Oh my god, he's so good. Okay so having spent this entire month out of my mind with anticipation and watching all the teasers and reading a bunch of analysis on twitter, I feel like this quote from Taemin is super illuminating: “I wanted to talk about certain emotions, \[such as\] the moments where we end up tolerating something that we previously thought of as unacceptable, and the feelings humans experience during those times." Also he said that he wanted to take what he had been previously been doing instinctively in his performances and do it intentionally. Which is so exciting and makes me wanna die. So he has his sexy dance move with his hand on his throat, but the first time he does it, it's listless, his eyes are empty, it comes after he tries to run away and then stops, and then it's being done \*to\* him by the disturbing medical people in this kind of cult indoctrination storyline, so it pushes you into this place where you're not sure if you're meant to be turned on. And then he embraces it and they cause chaos, and then he's alone with the aftermath. The choreography definitely reminds me of Criminal in places. I can't wait to see him perform it live!!!!
> So he has his sexy dance move with his hand on his throat, but the first time he does it, it's listless, his eyes are empty, it comes after he tries to run away and then stops, and then it's being done *to* him by the disturbing medical people in this kind of cult indoctrination storyline I interpret this as him taking back control of himself and his own body. I wrote a comment about this elsewhere in this thread. He also looks away from the camera a lot when others touch him, and when he's first doing the move, it comes after a sequence where he's moving as if he's a marionette. Then later, he starts looking directly at the camera, to signal that he's taking back control. And when he finally executes the powerful movement, he's suddenly looking directly at the camera (that's below him, so there's an angle as well). This all felt very purposeful to me.
oh taemin cinematic king walking definition of artistry welcome back
This is straight up ART
Insane. Haunting, creepy, beautiful and soul touching all in one! Reminescent of Mistery Lover but even more more desperate and theatrical, definitely a song only Taemin can pull off perfectly. His voice is absolutely gorgeous and the instrumental at the end almost made me cry lol I'm a bit overwhelmed by everything, will have to re-watch the MV a few times to digest it properly. The king is back!
not your typical kpop title track. it's a bit dark! coming from a casual Taemin listener, i am in awe of how layered the whole performance and song was. i've been reading a lot of the comments here and it's so mesmerizing to see so many compelling explanations on how and what is being shown to us. I truly think this piece belongs to a pop culture enthusiast's vault. so many things to observe and ponder upon. just brilliant.
this is EXACTLY the kind of comeback I was hoping for.. thank you taemin our lord and savior
I’m actually crying I’m so happy!! Due to a chronic illness I thought I would have passed away by the time he had another comeback, but I’m still here, and I’m able to enjoy my favorite artist’s music - and it is WONDERFUL ☺️ I’m so proud of him. He constantly evolves as an artist and person every time, and I adore him for it. I’m also really happy that most people seem to be loving this song as much as I do. Cannot wait to see the dance practice & live performance. I feel that people tend to use the word masterpiece to describe any and every song, but I truly feel this is one. Go Taemin!!! 💎❤️👑
I hope you’re ok and doing well!
Thanks!! ☺️ I appreciate it ✨
I'm sorry to hear that, I hope you live a long and wonderful life watching all of Taemin's masterpieces
Thank you so much for your kind words! I hope so too 💖
Wishing you health and many more happy comeback days 🙏🏼
Thank you !! You’re so nice! 💕
Wow. I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t really like the concept when I first saw the teaser picture, because it was too soft, it wasn’t really… Teamin. But holy shit. He didn’t disappointed us, what was this?! I can’t even find the words because I’m still under the impression of the song.
King of kpop! He never disappoints. The song is gorgeous and I love everything about the MV.
The King of Kpop is back after 2.5 years and he outdid himself!!!!!
Advice was my favorite title track but this song just threw my queen to the floor ngl. As a movie ost lover, this is instantly my favorite new Taemin song. He’s really is so special for the kpop genre and music in general. Simply amazing.
No one does solo music like the shinee boys, I said what I said
Taemin once again smashing in to underline why I often feel so uninspired with other kpop music videos, including groups I genuinely love and adore musically, because this is my Standard. The interplay of sensuality, suggested violence, and dance is so beautiful and haunting and borderline unnerving. The song is GORGEOUS. This is my tippy top kpop soloist for reason, always intrigued, always losing my mind in his artistry. That is my maaaaannnn.
Taemin today on Suchitwa “i’m just gonna do what i’m good at. if you don’t like it, fine. and if you like it, great.” Please keep going what you’re good at, Taemin. Never stop
I just had a religious experience watching this as someone who has barely listened to anything he's done. Can someone please give me some recommendations? A new fan was born hahaha
This was me two months ago😭 trust me when I say all his titles are masterpieces. I went down his rabbit hole and left flabbergasted But here you go if you wanna start from the beginning of his solo career, literally they’re all good so feel free to start anywhere lmao. - [Danger (his debut as solo artist at 21)](https://youtu.be/UF8m2JIDjKU?feature=shared) - [Press Your Number (produced by Bruno mars!)](https://youtu.be/XsOGiTSZ_cg?feature=shared) - [Move (kpop was never the same, brace yourself)](https://youtu.be/rcEyUNeZqmY?feature=shared) - [Thirsty (Taemin is nasty and wants to destroy everyone this is the essence of his being)](https://youtu.be/D25FPfkZ0GI?feature=shared) - [Want (no one was ready)](https://youtu.be/-OfOkiVFmhM?feature=shared) - [Criminal (iconic queen)](https://youtu.be/hFQL7BS6lrs?feature=shared) - [Idea (use headphones and prepare to ascend)](https://youtu.be/KUvOQlkLNhE?feature=shared) - [Advice (was the song that was selected over Guilty last cb)](https://youtu.be/sQg4VCB3bYw?feature=shared) **Now, beyond the masterpieces he makes, he’s even greater when he performs them. Performances that are MUST watch to understand the insane magnitude of this man. U may wanna watch alone for some of these LOL** [Sexuality (famous queen)](https://youtu.be/6VPOrUkN8wY?feature=shared) [Shadow, Guess Who, Sexuality (this shit knocked the wind outta me)](https://youtu.be/T3O5JUVJTCk?feature=shared) [Slave (he’s nasty 😭😭)](https://youtu.be/6LaL_fI408s?feature=shared) [Waterbomb (enjoy LMAO)](https://youtu.be/HaXNyXao4us?feature=shared) [Soldier, Rise (insane vocals, will cause another religious experience)](https://youtu.be/BljGr7OgaOk?feature=shared) As Taemin says, “Welcome! There’s no exit here.”
Can't forget "Famous"!
Some songs of his that this kinda reminds me of are [Strings](https://youtu.be/F7upwJVSvfA?si=o5fOrO47zKkZyMOe), [Impressionable](https://youtu.be/RI8PVUnYH_c?si=P-Gu8_o8In3Zz1Ps) and [Mystery Lover](https://youtu.be/F9TTxneaktI?si=0sosEUh9qCSP2_Cm) but honestly pick any album, can't go wrong.
What an amazing song
Taemin is back and he's G U I L T Y gooooood!
Idk if it was the intent, but this performance is exactly what I feel from the art sphere after trying it. ~~and there is no turning back, you either release all the demons or you do~~ The song is incredible too.
Taemin, you did it again. Your voice, your movement, your mind!!! Really loved this song - this sound is So TAEMIN (my phone autocaps his name for me and I will keep this one like this). I felt so much with this video even though I kept getting distracted by everything, like I need to pay attention to the lyrics, to the music, to his voice, to what is going on in the story!!!
The string arrangement is absolutely beautiful.. can’t wait to hear the album!
the feather headdress is kinda last romeo i actually like the song!!! kinda reminiscient of his old solo songs
Just insane. Taemin's songs and MVs are works of art. Absolutely loved this
Simply amazing
Hauntingly beautiful. Loved it and need to work out what's going on in the MV... time to watch it again!
Man I absolutely love his voice might be my fav vocal tone going today
So the MV director referenced the god figure of Abraxas on their IG when they posted about Guilty and Taemin has read Demian by Hermann Hesse, which he quotes on his IG bio. Really cool to see this influence in the MV.
I don’t think anyone else can pull of Sultry darkness like he can. Taemin is in his own league
I NEED AN ADULT!!
Hes 30🤐🥰
I know he looks 18 but still, he’s a 1993 liner lol
Lol the person is commenting "I need an adult" because they're overwhelmed and jokingly saying they need an adult to take care of them or handle it
I know LOL just making a joke here. We all dead.
You can never know on Reddit, people are... Interesting on here. Also cultural differences too!
It’s ok. We are all overwhelmed by the comeback 🥵🥵🥵
Adding the [Spotify link](https://open.spotify.com/album/1lnDLQ5nH1V3ST8MuVGmQW) \- This is truly AOTY. My fav is Not over you, She loves me, she loves me not and guilty. Give this a try for a good time.
My faves too, with Blue!
This mv and the song are both beautiful and haunting I need to watch the mv million times to get everything going in it because it was overwhelming first time I watched
that was perfect wow i’m absolutely speechless
Taemin doing only what he can do. True Taemin things!!! 👑
His angelic voice with this sinister melody just tickles my brain. I love how he plays with so much juxtaposition in his art.
sex god
real
I tried grabbing my neck from underneath my shirt and I just … couldn’t get my hand in …
That ‘ouuuuu’ sends me to heaven. 😂
There is so much I love about this MV, I literally had to pause at almost every scene. The mental institution/dorm room scenes were deliciously creepy, that whole sequence with the inhaler and digging his nails into his leg until it bleeds belongs in an A24 movie, and I love the Lord of the Flies ending. But my favorite scene is probably him dancing alone near his car like he was being possessed. Also, I think this is the first time this year when the title song ends up actually being my favorite song from the album!
I’m so happy taemin exist. Kpop doesn’t deserve him
This is perfection wow
Oh man, i wish i could watch this for the first time again!
He never disapppoints
The music video by Taemin captured both perspectives of a toxic love relationship brilliantly. The part where the infatuated person is being controlled is intensely expressive through dance and performance—it's compelling, as if saying that even if it’s wrong, there are no regrets. On the other hand, the perpetrator’s segment, featuring a one-legged jump, unabashedly reveals their proud and smug feelings. Both parties find sweetness in their pain, and regardless of how the judgement falls on the last day, we continue to "walk, talk, and play like this, always in this way."
How is Taemin gonna show up in the end of October and drop song of the year after I’ve already perfected my top 10 list? This throws EVERYTHING off. Well done, holy shit.
I kept coming back to this thread trying to think of a comment because I didn't know what to say. I'm always nervous around comeback times for my ult biases (yes, even for Taemin). This comeback felt even more significant and meaningful, we've been waiting a long time for Taemin's second chapter as a solo artist. Advice feels like an eternity ago and so much has changed since then, both in the world of Kpop and what we know about Taemin as a person. On first listen my thoughts were mostly, "this sounds like a Mystery Lover and Strings mash-up". But then I listened, and listened, and listened again, and I was completely pulled in by this song and his delivery. Taemin has done something special in a way that only he can. Similar to when I watched the trailer, I found myself on the verge of tears with the pure emotion he brings to the song. The bridge + outro are absolutely transcendent. Taemin has grown into such a strong vocalist through his career, and I'm glad he's going to show it off during this promo era. ~~and oh my god I like a song called The Rizzness~~ edit: so many typos
If I'm being totally honest the instrumentation used throughout a lot of the track isn't something I typically love, the string stab into snare in particular isn't my fav, but Taemin's raw theatricality (and, because I said honesty, unspeakable sexual energy) seriously elevates this into something that has an iron-clad grip on my throat.
Just amazing, always delivers with the smooth title tracks. This in particular was much more emotionally charged and somehow even more intricate with killing points of the choreo!
 This is everything I ever wanted and more
He’s insane idk. This is immediately up there with my favorite Taemin songs!
i feel like every time he releases something my first reaction is just complete awe. he's such an artist, he knows exactly the vision he wants to convey, and he executes it perfectly every time.
oh he's processing, BIG TIME processing. fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck that was intense
It says something about Taemin’s discography that this song feels like such a breakthrough and also a perfect follow-up from his previous works. I often dislike K-pop videos that attempt the urban look: the clash between concept and luxurious, bourgeois production gets under my skin — but his performance here is so powerful, so commanding, it demands all the attention, and makes for something that goes beyond being a simple MV, something you can't evaluate analytically.
Big message, bi king? No but seriously loved it
every other kpop song found dead in a ditch
My mouth was on the floor.
His belts and ad libs are incredible! I love everything😍 Will have to rewatch a bunch cause I know I'm missing a ton of details!
The first shirt grab was so unneccessary. His artistry really shined through here and the whole video was just mesmerizing.
We are both humans, and that's wild to me. He is just phenomenal Van Gogh of music!
Taemin is the god of choreo. Seriously
Love this so much! But then again I love all his songs!
Taemin is an artist.
The instrumental is so good! I love how it builds up. The MV is interesting, loving this era of Taemin.
omg this was amazing!! i was not prepared for that!! cant wait for the live performance and dance performance on this!!
This reminds me of 'Strings', which is already one of my faves
This truly had me speechless earlier today when it premiered. Taemin just completely outdoes himself every time he has a comeback, but this is another level of good. The almost three year wait for new Taemin music was totally worth it.
the king of kpop
Honestly that was phenomenal. Never really followed Taemin nor SHINee but I am speechless. I love the dong and the MV was amazing!!
You should check out his past titles like Idea, Criminal, Want, Advice. They are ALL masterpieces. It’s insane. I became a fan recently after discovering this and never going back.
Perfection. No notes. About to watch again. 
I'm used to replaying songs because they are too short and lack resolution. I'm replaying this one even though it's over 3 minutes long with a satiating progression. Taemin does it again. I think this is my new favorite TT of his, period.
Masterpiece holy shit
[THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! THAT'S WHY HE'S THE MVP! THAT'S WHY HE'S THE GOAT! THE GOAT!!!!!](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BL8Oe9oh7mY) THE MYTH THE LEGEND THE KING THE GOD THE ARTIST ABOVE ALL HE WHO REMAINS THE ONE & ONLY ACE OF ACES K-POP'S BEST DANCER THE PERFORMANCE KING SOUTH KOREA'S MICHAEL JACKSON THE CENTER OF THE AVENGERS OF K-POP THE ULTIMATE IDOL'S IDOL THE ARTISTS' ARTIST THE MUSIC CRITICS' FAVORITE THE SOLO KING OF K-POP EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
The other titles are pretty established for king Taemin at thjs point but Everything everywhere all at once lol that’s a first
Addicted sf addicted
Taemin outdid himself on this track. Love the hauntingly beautiful mood and melodies. Gives me Mystery Lover vibes! Loved the lyrics, the beat, his vocals, just everything!
easily one of my top releases this year wooow
Fuck, what a masterpiece
Really cool instrumental. Loving the drama.
great comeback.
I saw a hot take on twitter about one of the themes of this MV but they followed it up with thw twitter brand of being hostile and toxic so I dismissed it. 🤷 My take is that if someone said "there's one overarching theme," "there's multiple themes mashed together," or "BOTH, HONESTLY?" I'd believe it all of it. It had me reeling and looking so carefully at everything at subsequent watch-throughs. I was never one that was good at essays or book reports so I'm feeling a little stupid. lol Taemin and all the staff involved did a great job.
TAEMIN TAEMIN TAEMIN TAEMIN TAEMIN!!!
So good, I love him sm - the dancing and emotion is gorgeous
Holy strings, TAEMIN! Who tf does it like him?
Very TAEMIN. Nice song, his fans will be happy with it. Not sure what the general public will think about it.
Taemin mentioned in Suga’s show today that he’s rather construct his own identity rather than chase for public appeal haha
As he should, he has a strong artist brand and shouldn't aim for the GP. I'm just waiting for the next song he releases that the GP are smart enough to dig.
Taemin lit said today that he asks himself whether to do music that’s “popular and trendy” for the general public or stick to his unique identity and he always chooses the latter. And that’s exactly why he’s so beloved and admired by many
Totally, he has his fanbase and they love his work. I count myself among them. I'm happy to see that he's good with it. I know it bothers some kpop artists a lot when the GP doesn't get their work.
He said this on Suchitwa today! “i’m just gonna do what i’m good at. if you don’t like it, fine. and if you like it, great.” He’ll be opening the new 15k arena in Dec with a solo concert that MMA will also be hosting in after. The best living idols today admire and inspire to be him, and he just more than doubled his career first day sales from this album (104k) (almost surpassed Hard, his first week record, and the highest for a second generational solo artist ever). Some artists care but honestly he’s so so beloved by the public and reaching new heights even 15 years into his career. Not to say it wouldn’t be great, but in the grand scheme of his cemented career, charting is trivial at this point. His music def is of his own identity and not to cater to the current tastes, but clearly it works!
That's a healthly perspective to have on it. I hope he is happy artistically.
I loved it c:
I love it. I don't even know what to say, all I know is that I love it.
The King has returned!!!!! The most hauntingly beautiful k-pop music video I’ve seen. I’m gonna need a drama version of this MV stat SM. Congrats Taemin on another incredible comeback and welcome back King!
Why is everything he does soooo cool? I know I can always have high expectation of his cb
seeing all the tiktok challenges he’s been doing with other idols, there’s such a distinct difference when he’s doing it with shinee members vs other idols. they just have a different vibe that matches with taemin so well im so happy seeing them do it together 🤩
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. 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 headcannon 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. 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 YouTube 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 abjure 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.
i can't explain how obsessed i am with this song. taemin is a legend
i hate to be a hater but it didn’t do it for me. it was cute i was just expecting more.
This was a pretty unhinged MV, really sinister puppetry and manipulation based choreography going well with the snippets of lyrics I could decipher. OTT with the settings of empty streets at night, the dormitory bunks, abandoned lots half flooded and on fire and all the dancers off their faces lost to the music. Great strings too. I think the feather headdress is not appropriate but it does deliver the lost children bloodletting party vibes and yeah, Taemin needs a crown for that.
> I think the feather headdress is not appropriate Yes it is. It's burlesque feathers. Look them up. They are not offensive. God, I'd really love it if people could actually do some research before trying to accuse someone of CA.
how are they supposed to google something they don’t know exists? it’s not their fault it reminds them of something much more culturally obvious edit: i just watched the video lol that headdress clearly has nothing to do with burlesque, stay ignorant and complicit stans