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JIMIN’S ‘WHO’ MV LIGHT ANALYSIS by @tahtiplau.bsky.social (revised 23.07.24)

Hi there!

(This analysis is also available on thtplau.wordpress.com if you don't have Tumblr account and can't read to the end. Also some prior basic knowledge about BTS and Jimin will give you more insight while reading this.)

[In brackets and red are my thoughts and notes, otherwise it's descriptive text. The symbolisms used in the MV have several meanings, I chose the ones I thought relevant. This is simply my interpretation, not fact!

Some parts I wasn’t sure about and may come to change my mind about them later as my mind processes. Some parts I couldn’t figure out what would fit the best or I was at a loss.  

I took into account the album’s songs and their lyrics as well. I’m not a native English speaker and my sources for explaining the symbolisms were not university worthy either – I did this for fun and my own enjoyment – and hopefully yours! 

I avoided looking at any analysis by others before doing mine, so these are my thoughts. Only one I saw was by revelEVERafter on IG. It was about the other side of the street being lit and colorful, and the other being dark and void of life (when the camera pans around near the end). Also thank you @shr-mooon.bsky.social for first pointing out the “pause” text in the end and giving me the tip of slowing down the video. 

Essentially, I understood the MV to be a journey through passion and love from childhood/early teenage years to adulthood. Love can transform you and your life.

I think the MV goes through the whole album like a story. The protagonist I use in my analysis is Jimin, with the assumption that he has written about his own experiences.

LET'S START!

In the starting scene we see a night street and a flyer comes up which says “WHO IS!! Tornado of love”. There’s also “1995’s TOP love song!!” On the right of the street is a lighted sign “The cinema COMING SOON” [The paper poster is like a weather forecast or a movie poster of what is to come in Jimin's life.]

We see Jimin walking to the street, he stops and a burning car drives by (driver side is burning).  

[There is a lot of cars in the MV. I believe that in this video, cars symbolize moving on the road of life.  

Fire is an important symbolism in this video. Fire may signal transformation and symbolize an individual’s transformation or transition. Fire can also symbolize passion.

This is the start of Jimin's love story.]

Jimin walks closer to the camera and we see a TV on the road, displaying an image of a person walking to the right. There’s a timer and marking ‘SP’ and 'play’. There's a heart behind the person and text (can’t read it). The TV is also partly burning.

[I believe the TVs/screens in the MV symbolize a heart. This one is burning and the figure inside is walking – there is passion in this heart, but no urgency, it’s strolling through the street of life right now. The passion here could be about a dream or a goal, or a desire for love.]

[(SP) in video = Standard play. Will have the highest possible video quality, and it’s the one usually used. LP in video = Long play. Runs slower for more recording time, but for lower video quality.) ]

Behind Jimin is SLOW DANCE records shop, Ryan vintage clothing store and a pizza store. More to the left is a video rental.

Jimin dances with four women on the street, all dressed somewhat masculine or unisex, leather jacket, camo pants, boots etc. (This is just my impression of the clothing.)

[I believe this might be Jimin's first tries at dating and having an interest to acquiring romantic love. I'm basing this on the shops we see on the street behind him at first.

Ryan Vintage is an actual vintage and thrift shop. Slow dance records also exists.] 

Scene changes to Jimin walking to the right, and a burning shopping cart goes by. There’s a TV in it with a heart and a running man. (Are those trash bags under the TV?) 

[A shopping cart can symbolize abundance, choice and the promise of fullfilment.

Things are now changing in Jimin's life and the desire and passion in his heart grow stronger, everything is accelerating and changing here. He's running after his goals. I believe he has found a crush or is in love now.

I would take the trash bags (if they are those) to mean that some of his passion is wasted, on the wrong track, or not appreciated? Oh god if his heart is sitting on a burning pile of trash...]  

A crow sits on the dumpster and takes flight. Workers with safety vests and helmets are behind Jimin, with packages, cones, ladder etc.

[I believe the crow here signifies a change in the narrative at this point, or a change soon to come in Jimin's life that was set in motion. Crows can symbolize death/REBIRTH and change. They can also forebode change as in “winds of change” - a TORNADO.] 

Six male dancers join Jimin. Afterwards four of them go to the right and three to the left. Jimin dances with the two remaining until they too leave to the right. Jimin walks to the left and scene change.  

[My guess here is that this could be BTS in their trainee days and the workers are staff. (Unfortunately the dancers, their choreos, clothes and their numbers didn't become clear to me here or later. I might have to think about them at a later point again.)] 

A text blinks on the screen “Auto calibration.”

On the right is a burning yellow car, the shopping cart with the TV falls on it. There was a teddy bear next to the car, it flies off because of the cart. On the TV is a heart without the man now. The TV falls on the ground.  

[Calibration can be needed if there have been changes or there is suspicion of faulty readings. So maybe something that was previously misunderstood now clears out.

It's also noteworthy that later, the 'SP', 'PLAY' etc video markings appear on the bigger screen and not in separate smaller TVs anymore. Before, love was a smaller part in Jimin's life and appeared just on the screens, whereas now it's become his actual life... Hence the calibration.

I believe the teddy bear represents childhood and innocence here and it coming to an end. I think this time period is either when BTS debuted or the time shortly after.

The direction Jimin had in his life is now completely changed, caused by his heart (the TV dropping on the burning car) and perhaps the realization of his dreams becoming finally true. (Jimin worked extremely hard during trainee days to debut as part of BTS. If you haven't you should also read the lyrics of Jimin's song 'Rebirth'.)]

In the back is the sign Oasis in green. On the right of it “Just call my name out loud, when ever you need me”, on the left of it a sign “Closer than this”. 

A woman comes from standing under the Oasis sign and Jimin walks to her. On the brick wall is again a sign “the cinema coming soon.” The number seven is on the left side in green writing.

[This building represents Bighit/Hybe building. The number seven on the wall represents BTS. Jimin’s song Closer than this and the lyrics together gives me the idea that he has now revealed his feelings and received some back.

All of these things form Jimin's Oasis, a safe place and a light in the dark for him. The person he next dances with comes to him from under that Oasis/safe haven.

The poster for 'the cinema' appears suspiciously often and in mvs like this, things probably don't get placed there "at random." Either it simply means all the media that Bighit and BTS have put out as shows, mvs, etc, OR maybe it's a hint about something new coming later, relating to Jimin's story.]

Jimin dances with the woman, we see another cinema sign on the street.

A crowd on the left is revealed. Some of them look scary, without shirts, a bit intimidating, some just stand. Someone in the crowd has a sign (can’t read it). There's an ambulance next to the crowd with the lights on. In the back of the crowd, it looks like a man is comforting a woman under his arm.

[The crowd represents the public, media and outside people; judging, rejecting, just standing there and not reacting, being sad/dissappointed. It really looks more like a mob, not very friendly. I think this crowd and the ambulance pose as threats that Jimin's love and passion and especially Jimin himself have to face. (Injury, critics, judgement, other's opinions, threats of violence etc.)]

The dancer kind of hugs Jimin and then pushes him to the left and now he dances with five guys. The crowd is again shown in the back, another sign with a picture of a blonde woman and “Who”.

[Everyone wanting to know who they date, but in idol culture in kpop that’s a scandal and big ‘NO’ to do. I think the changing camera angle signifies that the threat is there, constant but greater at times. (Why is there only five guys now with Jimin? Just choreo reasons?)] 

Six women join Jimin and the guys, and the angle changes to the Oasis background again. They dance and the groups change sides. Jimin dances with the blonde woman, then the dancers leave in different directions. 

A screen falls in front, with the text “Keep going>>” and “WHO” with red, and a picture of eyes. We see the burning yellow car again. The previous TV with the heart is gone.  

[Again, I believe the TV screens have represented Jimin’s heart and love. This screen is now filled with a person. I either understand the text here to mean “this is not the right person so keep going” OR to “keep going with this person,“ depending if the message is directed at us the audience, or Jimin. (He's definitely teasing us with the 'who'.) From now on there's no more screens. Except the one we're watching.

I'm not giving guesses who it is on the screen, though I know the popular opinions and do have one myself. You can form your own if you wish, though it's not any of our business really. But now he's made a mv and a song about it, so...]

Scene change. Jimin walks on the safe sidewalk and the dancers pass him by. In the start it reads “REWIND” “LP” and the timing of around 1.32.05 comes up and starts counting down. The scene doesn’t go backwards, however. 

[Reminder: (LP = Long play, longer recording time, lower quality)

This baffled me, but I came to the conclusion that maybe it means that for a long time, there was love but it didn’t necessarily get to shine it’s brightest yet. The video quality also drops here.

We usually rewind when we want to get back to the beginning or want to review something. I would also see this as the 'SERENADE' part - there's slow dancing, nice clothes, a restaurant and a movie rental - it's a DATE! Jimin is low-key dating/in a relationship.] 

Jimin first 'bumps' (interacts) into a woman who briefly grabs/touches him(?), then pauses next to another woman, and a crow flies of from a car hood now. [Again pointing out a change/rebirth incoming, this time it's going to be huge (the tornado).] 

He keeps walking and does a small dance with the blonde woman from before, then turns to the camera. [He interacted with three dancers, so maybe third time's a charm but in what? Again the dancers and choreos I didn't get it.]  

Jimin starts walking on the street, off the sidewalk. The ‘LP’ and counting numbers disappear before Jimin steps on the road and ‘PLAY’ starts blinking. Behind Jimin a tornado starts, lifting cars and other things, then a rainbow static comes up across the screen briefly.  

[After this 'long play' period, Jimin walking on the sidewalk and playing it safe, maybe going back-and-forward with his relationship while dating or taking time to think about his relationship and keeping it secret from public knowledge, Jimin steps on the road of life again and here comes the Tornado of Love™!

So the love he’s had for so long is now finally in BLOOM.] 

Jimin keeps walking towards the camera, between two cars. Behind, the tornado destroys the sign with a picture of a man and letters “(c)hter” (hater? cheater?) and illuminated text ‘closer’.

Sparks/fireworks fly off on the sides, also especially near the ‘bliss’ sign.

[The all transforming Tornado of Love™ sweeps out haters and fears in Jimin’s life (or he doesn't care anymore) and sends off sparks and fireworks. Now, fireworks can symbolize freedom and unity, the ability to overcome adversity and also symbolize having found your true love!

Something wonderful changed and it brought freedom and/or true love! I would go with both, hence the BLISS!

(I’m also still hoping for a song called ‘Bliss’ from Jimin, kkkkk)] 

12 dancers join Jimin in front of four cars. The cars have headlights on but they are idling. Firework-like sparkles keep shooting off in the back. Street lamps and a car fall in front of Jimin and the dancers.

[A yellow bicycle is on the left side of the street and another one on the right side with a darker color. A bicycle is a symbol of hope and progress. The color yellow is often a symbol of optimism and happiness.]

The camera pans 360 degrees, and the dancers have left when it comes back. Jimin walks towards the four cars. There are drivers in them. 

[Jimin was finally living his best life and enjoying it, but now Jimin’s life is standing still, the cars are waiting to move again on the road of life.

He’s going to the military service. (There are four cars, so maybe they represent RM, Tae, Jimin and Jungkook going at the same time and putting their lives on hold?)] 

Jimin walks past the cars, away from the camera and a screen static with the text “PAUSE” comes up for a second.

[The love story we’ve been told is now in ‘PAUSE’ mode.]

The mv ends and we get the smeraldo flower, 'Who' logo, a dash of rainbow color and the text ‘PLAY’. 

[Smeraldo flower is a fictional flower and originates from BTS’ previous album lore in Love Yourself era, and essentially symbolizes ’feelings that couldn’t be delivered’ or ’the truth untold’. Please look up the lore if you haven’t, there’s plenty of information about it online.

When we get the Truth Untold and the answer to ‘who’, the story will continue again, it’s not over.

His heart is now waiting and it's definitely taken.] 

END NOTES:

This is not facts, just my intepretation of the mv.

I tried to make this not about ‘who’, but simply about the story told in the MV. 😊 

I’m sure I missed a lot, I didn't even try it with all the car brands, colors.... So many things. What annoys me the most is that I have no revelation about the dancers yet.

But I think I’ve had enough of analyzing for a while and would love to hear your thoughts. Do you agree on my analysis or disagree? What did I miss or misintepret?

Sincerely, 

Tahtiplau 

Revised on 23.07.24