VIXX: The Book Concept Kings (KpopXBooks #4)

Hello, everyone! We are back with another instalment of KpopXBooks. As a Kpop fan, I'm more than thrilled every week that I decide to add a new instalment to this series. The research is always interesting and I always discover some songs that I really like.

The KpopXBooks series consists of posts that are dedicated to Kpop music videos and songs that have some sort of bookish concept. The first instalment of the series was Book Recommendations from Kpop MVs, while the next ones featured specific artists. We have seen The Fairy Tales of IU and The Bookish Concepts of SHINee.

This week, we are continuing our single artist/group focus and we will discuss a group with undoubtedly some of the most impressive concepts. We are talking about VIXX, a group that is often characterized as The Concept Kings. VIXX debuted in 2012 and they made a name for themselves when they adopted some darker concepts. Some of the MVs we are going to discuss today have a similar vibe.

So, with further ado, let's begin!

Shangri-La

I begin this list with probably my favourite song and music video of VIXX. I actually had a really hard time picking out a screenshot, since every frame is so beautiful.

Shangri-La is a fictional place that appears in the novel Lost Horizon, by James Hilton. The author has revealed that for the creation of this place, he used Tibetan material that he found in the British Museum. In the book, Shangri-La is described as a utopia. It is an enclosed place in the Himalaya, where there is a lamasery. The people there live for hundreds of years and they don't seem to age that much. In recent years, Shangri-La is used as a synonym to a hidden paradise, where people live an enlightened and happy life. 

However, even before Lost Horizon, there has been a reference to such a place. The first one comes from the fable The Peach Blossom Spring by Tao Yuanming. According to this story, a fisherman stumbles upon a grove filled with peach trees in full bloom. There, people live happily, away from the troubles of the world. When the fisherman returns to his home, he reveals this place to the others, but no-one is able to ever find it again. Even though there is not a connection between the story of this tale and that of the music video, we clearly can see a silver peach. Moreover, we get the lyrics "Even peaches/ Under the fluttering petals".

Furthermore, there is Shambhala, which according to Tibetan Buddhism, is a realm of harmony between man and nature. There is a high chance that Hilton was influenced by Shambhala since the location for Shangri-La can be found in the Shambhala Sutra.

Scentist

So, I've spent a really long time thinking that this song was titled Scientist, which isn't. Its title is SCENTIST and it makes total sense when you learn that it's based on a book. Of course, I'm talking about The Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. As you can clearly see in the image, the members of the group are making perfumes. The lyrics of the song (as expected) talk about scents, flowers, losing control, and madness taking over.

I have to admit that I was impressed that they chose a book like this one as their concept. It is an excellent book that I would recommend you, but it's not one that I would ever think of becoming a song/music video!

Hyde

This is probably the most VIXX song on the list! It's one of the dark concepts that we've got to love them. As the title suggests, the inspiration for this song is the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. In fact, the whole album is titled Hyde. Both in the music video and the lyrics, we see the members of the group be torn between their two shelves. They realize that inside them lives a mad person and we see them try to hurt the woman they love. However, they snap out of it and try to apologize. The lyrics also leave no room for doubt:

Don’t leave me, please... (No, leave me alone!)

‘Cause I love you, dear... (No, I hate you one!)

I am both Jekyll and Hyde, don't run away from me.

I’m not so bad. I love you…

Don’t do such frightened eyes.

Please, believe me – there is a different person that is not me inside of me,

There is a different me that is not me inside of me.

Just can’t control

Dynamite

Dynamite is a part of a series of songs that are inspired by ancient Greek gods. As a Greek, I was very happy when I discovered them. The first song of the series is Dynamite, the song inspired by the daemon of jealousy and rivalry, Zelus or Zelos.

Fun fact: the word "zeal" originates from the name of this deamon.

The only imagery that I've found on the MV that can be interpreted as jealousy is the one you can see on this image. The mannequins that encircle the woman are the competition for her heart. The lyrics of the song, on the other hand, state clearly that this is a song about jealousy.

All mine, her mind

Maybe I’m jealous

what are you looking at? let me go! don't tell me to relax

what's the use of it?

it's already obvious, I see the end

Fantasy

Fantasy is the next song in the ancient Greek Gods series. This song is inspired by Hades, the god of the underworld. As it's expected, this is a song where the members of VIXX lament a lost love. The lyrics don't have a clear reference to Hades, but the music video does. From the above picture, you see that they are in a boat. According to the ancient Greek myth, when people died has to cross the river Acheron on a boat to reach the realm of the underworld. However, this is not the only river that the underworld has. In fact, there are 5 of them:

1. Acheron - the river of sorrow and woe
2. Cocytus - the river of lamentation
3. Phlegethon - the river of fire
4. Lethe - the river of oblivion
5. Styx - the river of hate

Even though there is no indication that they used this myth, the fact that they are running in misty woods and the lyric "Exhausted, I’ve lost my way", remind me of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

According to this myth, Orpheus and Eurydice are happily married. One day, Eurydice is dancing in the woods with the nymphs, when she is bitten by a snake and dies on the spot. Orpheus immediately decides to go to the underworld and bring Eurydice back. He plays his lyre and attracts Hades. The god tells Orpheus that Eurydice will return to the overworld with him on one condition: Orpheus should not look at her before they reach the light. If he does he will lose her forever. Everything goes smoothly, but a few steps away from the exit. Orpheus turns to look at Eurydice and she immediately returns back to Hades. Orpheus tried to return to the underworld, but no human can enter the realm twice while alive. 

The Closer

VIXX's ancient Greek gods series closes with the song The Closer. This song is inspired by Kratos, the daemon of strength, might, sovereign, rule, and authority. Kratos is, in fact, the brother of Zelos. The video doesn't have clear imagery that connects it to this daemon, even though we could say that the members of VIXX are dressed in some kind of military outfits. The lyrics of the song describe the feeling of possessive that comes with wanting someone.

The thing about love, I’ll close your doubt

The thing about love, I’ll give you something you’ve never experienced

When the storming night is gone

It will be disappeared with me

Let me control you

Fun fact: In modern Greek, this word means nation. 

Beautiful Liar

Beautiful Liar is a song by the sub-unit VIXX LR, taken from the album Hyde. Like the title song, it is inspired by Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. For this song, Leo and Ravi play the two facets of a personality. This is another sad song, where the lyrics are about a guy hiding himself. By this, he is trying to protect his lover. 

Jekyll

Jekyll is the title of the repackaged version of the Hyde album. For this album, VIXX has added the intro song Jekyll. In the lyrics, they repeat again and again "I'm still here forgive me", which is fitting with the character of Doctor Jekyll.

This was it for today! Which bookish concept was your favourite?

Which is your favourite VIXX song?

Stay tuned for more KpopXBook lists!