[Note: This series originally started as a project on Reddit. You can find an explanation of what Bible Study is all about here.]
So, it's been a minute. In addition to the absolute inundation of ATEEZ news every time we wake up, we've also been busy in our own corners with all the nonsense that comes with being grown. But we did find some time to watch and discuss what is perhaps ATEEZ's most underrated and overlooked title.
Bobby: Wow. We skipped the entire month of March
We're entirely different people than we were when we watched Deja Vu
GD: We had to in order to develop the incredible insight we will arrive at today
The brain must rest and all that
01: what is the overall story of the diary?
[You can find a story recap on our Deja Vu post.]
02: what is the overall story of the MV?
GD: Time for eternal sunshine
Bobby: Well my soul is healed
I am upset though that everyone ignored this song
There's no reason it shouldn't have been all over Korea
GD: I agree
I need to see it again
Bobby: I did not pay attention to the lyrics at all
Jongho is live
Terrible timing
[We get fully distracted by Jongho for the entirety of his live]
Bobby: Well
What a precious human
GD: Couldn't agree more
Bobby: Shall we eternal sunshine or are we permanently derailed?
GD: I have to watch it again
But we do only have 2 hours now, so do you think we can get through it in that amount of time?
Bobby: I don't remember DV taking that long
Perhaps I am fooling myself.
But let's give it a go
I'm actually more concerned there might not be that much to discuss
GD: Jongho's high note is so beautiful it makes me want to weep every time I hear it
This is the song that added him to my bias line
Because I watched a fancam of him
Bobby: I'm sad that we have three whole MVs where Jongho has to sit out of the dance portions
Actually four
Okay, so we've already done the story of the diary with DV
So I think we start with ES narrative?
GD: Right
I want to just state some facts
They walk around in pairs, they see things that look exciting to them (like the city from the train, the signs in the city), they all come together at various times. There are only a few solo scenes, with the notable exceptions seeming to be rapline? We have many weather changes.
I know this isn't a story
but I feel like... a story isn't the right word for what happens in Eternal Sunshine
Bobby: Well, to me there are some obvious parallels with DV
There's sort of an indication that something is happening or is about to happen
But they're two different sides of the same coin
DV is dark and secretive; it seems likely they're on a mission
ES is bright and cheerful; feels like a vacation
Both prominently feature modes of transportation
And a cityscape
03: what are the thematic connections?
GD: They are mostly alone in all of their music videos, but somehow the quality of the aloneness in ES has always felt different to me.. like, there is no one else but them in the whole world, not just the music video
Bobby: Part of that is budget, I think. We don't really start to see indications of life outside of Ateez until The Real. Or Turbulence if you think about it
We could also say it represents Strictland and the plight of its people becoming more real to them?
GD: Yeah, I don't know why it feels different to me. Like there's not really anyone in DV either.. Maybe it's just the contrast of the aloneness vs the brightness that's more stark than it is in DV
Bobby: Well, we clearly see a whole city; it's not the middle of the night like DV; it's bright daylight. So we expect to see people. It also looks like a tourist spot, which makes it weirder that it's so empty
GD: Tourist spot reminds me of the diary
Bobby: Yes
GD: How the island where the cromer is kept used to be a tourist spot
Bobby: It makes me think that ES pictures Strictland before
Before everything started going wrong
GD: I think it's interesting that they're paired up so much
Bobby: Very atypical--until we get to Bouncy
GD: Maybe because of how they paired them off in Will
Bobby: They're also distinctly paired in CF
Also The Real
Diary 3 is where we really start to see them gel as a group, don't you think? They've been through the trials of pt 2 and that's made them closer, so they feel less alone?
GD: That seems right
I've always found Mingi's bit with the cell phone very interesting
I've never really known if it meant anything, but it does have me thinking about the scene with Hongjoong and the cell phone in Not Okay
Bobby: It makes me think of how we use our phones to keep our memories--pictures, concert videos, reminders, etc.
GD: I feel I want to look up the lyrics
Bobby: Whereas Hongjoong's phone in Not Okay was like a constant reminder of what he lacked
Mingi's rap is particularly interesting to me
GD: The "I'll get you a star" stuck out to me every time I watched it
I remember looking up that Christmas in August is a popular Korean movie
Bobby: I think the genius lyrics are slightly different from the official translation
GD: Upsetting
We obviously do have a lot repetition of themes in Mingi's lyrics
Star, waves, purple
How you were saying about this being the strickland of the before times
There is a lot in the video that has always reminded me of Fireworks
Like you have the working subway car, and the place where they dance does have the same vibe as where they are in Fireworks
GD: And we know that the people of strickland did give up their memories, and that in this diary, ATEEZ is going to a place where those happy memories are being used.. so that all tracks for me
Bobby: This reminds me of what you said once about building new cities on top of the old ones. Because fireworks is mostly underground
I feel like perhaps I need to rewatch Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
It's been so long I don't remember much about it
GD: I did watch it fairly recently
And I think that striking thing that it says is that you can remove the memory of a 'mistake' or 'bad decision' but you can't change the person that you are.. so you'll just do the same thing over again
Because you didn't learn from your mistake
Like people who take out memories of the person they had an affair with.. if they meet that person again, they'll just have another affair and cheat on their partner again
Bobby: Is that what the whole movie is about?
GD: Not the married affair bit, but basically
The main couple has been a couple before but they erase their memories of each other because it was too painful when they broke up
Bobby: I'm remembering it incorrectly then
GD: But then they meet and fall in love again
And history sort of repeats itself
But I think the overall thing they wanted to say is that you can't really ever remove your memories because they are a part of you?
Bobby: Okay. Then I did sort of remember it correctly
ES actually reminds me of Dreamy Day
GD: Yes, I would definitely put them both on the same playlist
"I wonder if I can make today last forever" definitely seems like ES
Bobby: Jongho really excellent in Dreamy Day
GD: Name a song he's not
Dreamy Day (not counting Everything obviously) remains my favorite song on Will
Bobby: Silver Light into Crescent pt 2 into Dreamy Day is about as perfect as life can get. Really. All of William
GD: Couldn't agree more
An aside
Yunho's hair is perfect.
Bobby: Yes. I was thinking that
Also Yeo
GD: It falls so beautifully
Both of them
My hair could never
Bobby: Every person who spoke against Yunho's hair shall fall
Shall crumble into dust
I just remember the summer of 21 when all atinys could do was cry about wanting Wave 2.0 and Ateez gave us Dreamers, they gave us Blue Summer, they gave us Be My Lover, and they gave us Eternal Sunshine. And atinys were never satisfied
Do we have any other thematic connections? I think that's what section we're in
GD: I don't think so
Bobby: Final thoughts then
04: what are your final thoughts and takeaways?
GD: This was short
Bobby: I suspected it might be
GD: My final thought is that Eternal Sunshine wasn't appreciated in her time, but I believe that she will be remembered long after
Bobby: The thing about Ateez
Is, to my limited knowledge, they don't really follow trends in music
Like, sure, Treasure 1 has a lot of tropical house vibes, which I think was fading in popularity at the time, but it really made sense with the themes of the album
And they've done some 80s synth vibe throwbacks
But those have always been a thing in kpop
I think the concept of songs going out of style is quite stupid, but imo, Ateez's music always feels fresh and timeless.
GD: Well that's the thing about good music
It is good music no matter when it was made
And I do believe that ATEEZ puts out good music above all else
And yes, I know that 'good' is subjective, but it's incredibly layered and rich and has beautiful melodies, so whatever. I claim the word good to describe it
Bobby: Not to sound like a boomer or anything, but it really feels like a lot of the popular music today--the stuff that goes viral--is such a product of its time that it will get dated very quickly
Like commercial jingles
GD: I am a boomer I fear
I do not like most of the more popular music right now and often struggle to understand why people do like it
Bobby: I feel like I'm fully on a tangent
But remember that Defunctland video I sent you about trying to track down the man who composed the Disney Channel theme?
GD: Yes
I still think about it a lot
Bobby: It was just four little notes that have been reiterated and reinterpreted and it was such a small part of his body of work in the end. And he wasn't even remembered for it.
I know that I'm dismissive of jingles but they do still represent a certain level of craftsmanship
I'm not certain I have a point
My murder board strings are there but I can't figure out how to tie them together
GD: I think...
No
I can't bring it home
I wanted to
Bobby: Perhaps my frustration is that even with the skill required, it sucks that it's the nothing songs with nothing lyrics that are too bored with themselves to last more than two minutes that become popular and are therefore deemed "good" because the gp isn't interested in anything meaningful
That composer put a lot more time and care into his own album of dark and atmospheric instrumentals, but no one listens to it
GD: Ah okay, I see where you're going
Actually
It sort of reminds me of tiktok in general?
I know I have complained at some point that any video I put effort into on tiktok never gets more than 1,000 views
But nothing videos that I post after 10 seconds of thought always break 10,000
It's not the same because it's not like I'm putting a ton of artistry into these tiktoks
But still
Bobby: Did you feel more creatively fulfilled with the effortful videos?
GD: I suppose
Sometimes I have videos I want to make, and I make those for me, and then I post them and they never do very good. It's always the silly nothing jokes that do well
And I do think that's a bit disheartening
Bobby: But making tiktok videos isn't like your life's work
So maybe it doesn't translate the same
GD: Yeah, I don't think it does
But perhaps it's a symptom of a larger problem
Bobby: I used to be active in sewing blog circles
And I remember one person saying that she would get so many compliments on simple things she made like t-shirts, but people would rarely comment on anything complicated that she took a lot of care to make like detailed dresses or coats
And it makes me think that it depends on what outcome you're looking for
I can whip up anything out of knit fabric in like no time. But the things that I'm proudest of myself for making are my white button up shirt or my ridiculous fuchsia coat. Because it's not about whether other people like them or not. It's about doing something difficult and feeling accomplished afterwards
So I think I have to believe, at the end of the day, regardless of whether they've gone viral or won tons of awards or gotten those streams they so richly deserve, Ateez and Eden-ary have to be proud and pleased with the work they've done
GD: I really think that they are
I mean, hard to say with Edenary but I can't imagine they'd be doing this if they weren't
with ATEEZ, they seem very proud of their music, and I do think that must be fulfilling in its own way
Bobby: I am thinking very hard of how I can bring this all around full circle
And I do not think I can
GD: I know
Well, perhaps it would be best to go the opposite direction
And just proffer a different, unrelated takeaway
I find the ending of Eternal Sunshine charming, and it reminds me of Jongho's live today where he apparently said that he doesn't like accessories but he'll always wear his team ring. And a quote I noticed for the first time ever at my son's ninja warrior class. It was something like, 'the strength of the team is the individual members, the strength of the individual members is the team'
And I think if you can connect the Eternal Sunshine MV to the movie, you could come away with a theme of.. we will always find our way back together?
Which ends up being true. In this diary, Yeosang disappears... and they find a way to get back to each other.
Bobby: 'the strength of the team is the individual members, the strength of the individual members is the team' This is actually remarkably deep for a ninja warrior class, lol
GD: I KNOW
They have several inspirational quotes on the wall that I'd never bothered to look at but that one stuck out to me
I suspect I have not been on enough teams to have heard it
Bobby: I wonder if it comes from somewhere
GD: I'm sure it does
It had a person's name who I of course didn't remember underneath it, which is a little ironic given what we're talking about
Bobby: Next time you're there, take a picture
There it is--we brought it around
GD: Heroic efforts
Bobby: Shall we wrap up then? I think you're running out of time if I remember correctly
GD: Yes
05: closing
GD: What's our wrap up?
we've already picked our patron saints for the week
Bobby: Since we already have patron saints, what if we do a praise
GD: I would like to praise the return of Wanteez
Bobby: It has been really delightful
GD: The... what's the word?
Determination?
In the power walking.. it really filled me with joy
Bobby: I love how no matter how silly the thing is they're being asked to do, they will give it 110% effort. Except, apparently, for Jongho, lol
But he will still do well
So you know how you rediscovered Crazy Form?
GD: Yes
Bobby: I do this regularly with Ateez songs. I'll just hear a song after I haven't heard it for a bit and it just HITS.
It hasn't even been that long, but I really am re-obsessed with Not Okay every time I hear it
Like, how is it so good?
It actually gave me a blog post idea that I thought about exploring
How Ateez is just SO GOOD at catharsis
GD: I agree
Not Okay really, really hits for me
The like... chanting?
It's not really chanting
But idk, that thing they do, it brings relief to my soul
Bobby: It's just unison
But their unison is ridiculously powerful
They don't use it very much at all, but when they do. . .
It's one of the (many) reasons Black Cat Nero is so, so good
Anyways. Not Okay is my praise
GD: And a prayer? Is our prayer just the rosary?
Bobby: Just a rosary
GD: My actual prayer is that they're having a really nice time in LA though
Bobby: They always do
LAtinys keep it together
GD: They normally do. It's good that the masses haven't traveled in for coachella yet
Bobby: I believe my babies nacific has arrived
GD: Nice!
Well on that note
8 makes
Bobby: 1 team
GD: Be the light
Bobby: Halazia
Thank you for joining us for this shorter than normal deep dive into Eternal Sunshine. We'll be back someday with the beginning of the final Fever diary. Until then, friends.
Be the light.
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