At midnight between July 13 and 14, 2023, Jungkook of BTS released his first solo single, ‘Seven,’ a song that was different from what everyone first expected. When the title was announced, fans expected it to be an emotional song alluding to the seven members of BTS. This was not the case at all. Instead, ‘Seven’ refers to the seven days of the week, and loving someone every one of those days. Basically, the song is about a persistent love that lasts forever.
In terms of lyrics, ‘Seven’ could stand to do better. Written fully in English, the song describes romance like just about any other song on the radio. Not that love songs are always bad or unoriginal–love is indeed a large part of human life–but it would’ve been nice to see Jungkook take a more unique direction. Besides that, the song contains a few references to inappropriate behavior. That isn’t even to mention the explicit version, which I would not recommend to those with pure ears. Of course, it isn’t unusual for artists to sing about this type of thing, but that doesn’t make it right, either. Most of the song, however, is catchy and generic enough to be appropriate.
What the song lacks in lyrics, it makes up for in sound. The genre is described as UK garage pop, catchy and upbeat. The tune is perfect for summer. While many songs don’t stick in the listeners’ minds until they’ve been played at least a few times, you’re likely to have “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (A week). Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Seven days a week,” on loop in your head after just one listen. Of course, Jungkook’s amazing vocals shine smoothly through the whole song, with impressive high notes in the final chorus. The song features American rapper Latto, who makes an appearance towards the end. Her voice meshes nicely with the rest of the song, and the flow of her rap is smooth and catchy.
Besides the lyrics and beat, a music video, if there is one, has a lot to do with how a song is perceived. The video for ‘Seven’ illustrates the song in a dramatic way that many will find a bit funny. Han So-Hee, a South Korean actress, features in the video, playing Jungkook’s girlfriend, who seems to be sick of him. Throughout the video, he is seen pursuing her through ridiculous circumstances. First the couple is arguing in a restaurant when a chandelier falls down, then Jungkook hangs on to the outside of a moving train to follow Han So-Hee. In one scene they’re in a laundromat that floods, right as Jungkook is singing about how his love is “deeper than the ocean is.” The following scenes show him tracking her down in the rain, crossing the street to give her flowers, and then dying, only to come back to life at his funeral (after Latto’s epic rap and less-than appropriate wardrobe choices, of course). Most of the video is meant to be more humorous and playful than aesthetically pleasing, although the rain scenes are strangely beautiful. Jungkook’s over-the-top acting and Han So-Hee’s expressions of frustration pull the video together perfectly. The video illustrates the song’s theme of persistent love and devotion in a dramatic and entertaining way, ending with a cute scene of Han So-Hee finally accepting Jungkook’s love and letting him hold her hand in the rain.
Overall, ‘Seven’ is a fun song with a memorable beat and a humorous music video. The lyrics, however, have room for improvement as far as depth and content. Still, Jungkook’s talent shines through the song, as does Latto’s during her part. Han So-Hee also showcases wonderful acting in the music video. All else aside, ‘Seven’ is certainly a song to listen to all summer long.
In terms of lyrics, ‘Seven’ could stand to do better. Written fully in English, the song describes romance like just about any other song on the radio. Not that love songs are always bad or unoriginal–love is indeed a large part of human life–but it would’ve been nice to see Jungkook take a more unique direction. Besides that, the song contains a few references to inappropriate behavior. That isn’t even to mention the explicit version, which I would not recommend to those with pure ears. Of course, it isn’t unusual for artists to sing about this type of thing, but that doesn’t make it right, either. Most of the song, however, is catchy and generic enough to be appropriate.
What the song lacks in lyrics, it makes up for in sound. The genre is described as UK garage pop, catchy and upbeat. The tune is perfect for summer. While many songs don’t stick in the listeners’ minds until they’ve been played at least a few times, you’re likely to have “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (A week). Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Seven days a week,” on loop in your head after just one listen. Of course, Jungkook’s amazing vocals shine smoothly through the whole song, with impressive high notes in the final chorus. The song features American rapper Latto, who makes an appearance towards the end. Her voice meshes nicely with the rest of the song, and the flow of her rap is smooth and catchy.
Besides the lyrics and beat, a music video, if there is one, has a lot to do with how a song is perceived. The video for ‘Seven’ illustrates the song in a dramatic way that many will find a bit funny. Han So-Hee, a South Korean actress, features in the video, playing Jungkook’s girlfriend, who seems to be sick of him. Throughout the video, he is seen pursuing her through ridiculous circumstances. First the couple is arguing in a restaurant when a chandelier falls down, then Jungkook hangs on to the outside of a moving train to follow Han So-Hee. In one scene they’re in a laundromat that floods, right as Jungkook is singing about how his love is “deeper than the ocean is.” The following scenes show him tracking her down in the rain, crossing the street to give her flowers, and then dying, only to come back to life at his funeral (after Latto’s epic rap and less-than appropriate wardrobe choices, of course). Most of the video is meant to be more humorous and playful than aesthetically pleasing, although the rain scenes are strangely beautiful. Jungkook’s over-the-top acting and Han So-Hee’s expressions of frustration pull the video together perfectly. The video illustrates the song’s theme of persistent love and devotion in a dramatic and entertaining way, ending with a cute scene of Han So-Hee finally accepting Jungkook’s love and letting him hold her hand in the rain.
Overall, ‘Seven’ is a fun song with a memorable beat and a humorous music video. The lyrics, however, have room for improvement as far as depth and content. Still, Jungkook’s talent shines through the song, as does Latto’s during her part. Han So-Hee also showcases wonderful acting in the music video. All else aside, ‘Seven’ is certainly a song to listen to all summer long.
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