The last MV was a gift to the fans to celebrate their 15th anniversary. There is a lot of symbolism in this but it covers the entire history of their debuts and joint releases and you can see that there are always 5 of them. The video was shot in Okinawa
All the references in "The Feeling" MV have to do with SHINee's history over the past 15 years and what they have accomplished as a group and as solo artists, etc. For example, if you take the time to pause the video and study the map that Minho has, you will see that it's a map of SHINee's history up until now, including all their solo debuts. And the shot of the 5 apples falling on the No. 5 represents how they will always be a 5 member group. I also interpret the "and..." at the beginning as their way of including Jonghyun and Shawols in on their journey, saying SHINee wouldn't be SHINee without either of them. As you can see, this song and MV is a special pre-release track as a gift to Shawols, produced by the members, for their 15th anniversary. They put their own money behind this project. The MV was shot in Okinawa, Japan, and it was directed by the same director who directed Onew's solo "O (Circle)" M, which was released a couple of months ago, so if you have seen that MV, you may notice that both MVs have a similar aesthetic and feel. On SHINee's official YT channel you can find several short vlogs and a behind the scenes video that show them on location filming the MV. (There were neighborhood cats all over in that little town they were in.) How I interpret the lyrics is that the song is all about how the members want to feel our light shine on them again and they want to illuminate us with their light again. They are also making a point to let us know that we will always be together shining in each other's lives. One of my favorite lines of the song is, “I’ll be the light you seek even in dreams. Running parallel and right next to you.” Which clearly shows the bond between SHINee and Shawols. In the MV you see references to the members' solo journey, such as Onew searching for his sound, Key searching for his "taste" by taking a bite of the apples, Minho finding his way with the map as he explores where SHINee has been and where they will go in the future (Notice how the map starts out tiny, and at the end it has become huge -- every time they show the map it has grown 5 times larger -- representing how their map is constantly being expanded as they accomplish more and more in their careers and lives) and Taemin appears kind of lost as he searches for the right path. How can you not tell that was Taemin in the beginning? (LOL, Just Kidding.) For anyone who knows SHINee, it's very obvious that is Taemin. I see the plastic bags represent their solo debuts, as well as their connection as a group. The first person we see is Taemin because he was the first one to debut solo (in 2014) and his official color is yellow, then we see and hear Key who is the next of the 4 to debut solo (in 2018) and he is represented by the pink bag because his official color is pink, then Onew (solo debut in 2018) is represented by the green bag because his official color is green and the blue bag represents Minho (solo debut in 2022). Most also agree that Jonghyun (solo debut 2015) is represented by the radio because he was SHINee's songwriter and he is well-known for hosting his own late night radio show, (FYI, his official color is red). In the end, what they were searching for, they find when they're together, which is represented by the big plastic bag floating in the sky, which is pearl aqua color, SHINee's official color. When the big bag explodes it releases all of the colors together, representing how they come together as a group, no longer individual bags. Next, we see Key smile as he bites into the apple, Minho looks away from the map, Taemin smiles as he looks into the sky and Onew smiles listening to his headphones. I interpret the meaning as Key found his taste, Onew discovered his sound, Minho found the place where he feels most comfortable as a member of SHINee, and Taemin is no longer lost. Then we see them all looking up at the sky, which we think is them looking up to heaven and acknowledging Jonghyun's presence as the sun that shines down on them. We also see them happily running together, being free and living in the moment. In the end, we see Minho complete the circle, which I see as representing the fact that his recent solo debut completed SHINee's legacy as the first SM Entertainment group to have all of its members debut solo. At the end we see the five of them together, with Jonghyun represented by the radio, as the light shines on them. We see that when they are together, they create a light, which shows that they are the brightest when they are together. SHINee are known for being trendsetters. They have started the trend with almost everything -- with every one of their songs to their dances to clothing trends, to live performances, to the way Kpop is promoted -- there is almost nothing that can't be attributed to something SHINee has been involved in. Therefore, for anyone who knows SHINee, their fashion choices in this MV are noteworthy. They are known for being one step ahead when it comes to fashion because they are the ones that start the trends in Korea that eventually influence fashion trends around the world. Fashion designers actually covet a chance to work with SHINee, or any of the members individually for that matter, because they know that if they can get SHINee to wear their clothes that they will become super popular. For instance, I wouldn't be surprised if a few months from now we see those pleated shorts being worn all over the place by both males and females.
I have never had someone write this much in my comments before. This and the other comments are seriously impressive and informative, thank you. I do know SHINee well enough to tell apart their faces and voices, but it's not as obvious to me from behind LOL At one point in time I would have described them as my favorite boy group (other groups that have held that position include Super Junior, VIXX, and NCT) Thanks again for your comments.
With "Don't Call Me," SHINee are just doing what we longtime fans have all come to expect from them -- showing us something that has never been seen or heard before and starting a new trend. Every song you hear and every choreography you see from them should be like nothing they have ever done. They are supposed to reinvent the industry with every comeback. That is why they are constantly raising the bar with everything they do. When it comes to SHINee, it should always feel "very different." That's what makes them SHINee. :D With every new song release, SHINee are expected to come out with a style and sound that is brand new, not only for them, but in the industry as a whole. And "Don't Call Me" is a perfect example of that. This was SHINee's first comeback in almost 3 years because Onew, Key and Minho had all just recently been discharged from the military. This comeback was a really big deal because it was the first time we had seen SHINee back together in a really long time. And this wasn't the only thing they were involved in. With this comeback, they set out to outdo themselves within only a few months of their return from the military, and they had to do it all within a couple of months because Taemin was about to enlist. Not only did they have this comeback, but they also had a repackage album comeback with their song "Atlantis", a Japanese album comeback with their song "Superstar," a virtual beyond Live concert and a Japanese fan meeting. And what was even crazier, was that it was all while Taemin was still promoting his solo comeback with his song "Idea", he had a comeback with SuperM's song "We Do" and a follow up solo comeback with his song "Advice," as well as Taemin's solo Beyond Live concert, etc. I mean they were working nonstop. Plus, Minho was filming a drama, Key was back as a cast member on the variety show Amazing Saturday and Onew was involved in other activities. SHINee are known as one of the few groups that rarely takes a break, they are usually busy with one project after another. Therefore, now that Taemin is done with his military service, and they are all officially free to get back to promoting as a group, be prepared to see the SHINee members everywhere, and for multiple projects and activities from them. I predict they will be nonstop busy for the rest of the year. SHINee are part of the second generation of Kpop and, yet, they are younger than most everyone in their generation and are the same age or even younger than many members of groups who came after them, such as EXO and BTS, etc. which are part of Kpop's third generation. SHINee debuted young and have the experience of seasoned veterans. Onew has one of the most unique voices in the industry. He is the one with the voice that impressed you. He is considered the male vocalist with the most consistent voice. He was one of only two people ever chosen to become a trainee by the founder of SM, Lee SooMan himself, impressing him with his talent when he was only about 17. He is now considered one of the most coveted voices in the industry that can pretty much be paired with anyone regardless of their vocal style or music genre. Key is our fashionista of the group who is SHINee's stylist for a lot of their MVs and stage outfits*. Key is always looking for ways to be unique, which is why he is wearing the feather headpiece. He is known for always being one step ahead of the trend and wanting to stand out. That's why Key's style is often just straddling the edge of outrageous, but somehow always manages to look cool. He even has been given the official title of SM's Director of Fashion. He is also SHINee's dance copy machine who is the fastest to memorize choreography. He literally can see a dance for the first time and reproduce it on the spot almost better than the original. He is an amazing singer and is a sub-rapper in the group. He is also SHINee's fluent English speaker. He spent some time studying in Australia and New York when he was in middle school, before become a trainee at about 14, and he said his grandma had an English tutor, so he is almost as good as a native speaker. *Pearl Aqua is SHINee's fan color, so all the blue/green aqua colors you see in this MV are meant to represent SHINee. That is why in the scene where they are wearing the brown outfits, Key has the aqua yarn woven into his sweater and why the collar of Onew's jacket was dyed aqua, etc. Minho -- the one with the red hair** -- is the main rapper and visual of the group, but his vocals are also some of the best in the industry. Minho sings just as much as he raps. He also writes most of his own raps in SHINee's songs. He is considered the president of SHINee's fan club, because he is all the members biggest fans. He literally attends all the members solo events and promotes SHINee like a Shawol. ** There has only been a handful of times in the past 15 years that Minho has ever dyed his hair any other color besides brown or auburn, and when he does he only keeps it that way for a few week. :D As you have seen, Minho is a lead actor in a lot of K-dramas and movies, and, when not promoting with SHINee, he is almost always working on his next TV or movie project. So, one of the reasons why I think he doesn't dye his hair as often as other idols, is because of his acting roles. The majority of the roles that he plays are boy next door-type characters or historical dramas, etc. so he needs to look as average as he can. (Or, at least as average as a guy who was born with model good look anyway ;D) Case in point, he literally dyed his hair for this MV and then dyed it back brown because he was filming a drama, and then he dyed it red again when they started their comeback activities, all within the span of a couple of weeks. And, Taemin is considered one of THE BEST dancers in the industry (Kai from EXO, who happens to be Taemin's best friend, and a fellow member of SuperM, is the other top dancer.) The title of best dancer was bestowed on Taemin by his peers and industry experts, so that just goes to show you how good of dancers all the members of SHINee must be. Taemin's nickname is the Korean Michael Jackson for a reason. He is also considered the blueprint for what it takes to be a successful male solo artist, becoming one of the first SM artists who was part of an active group to debut solo in 2014 at the age of 21, making him, yet again, one of the youngest solo artists at the time. He is an idol of most other idols and a legend among legends. Although Jonghyun wasn't in the MV -- because he passed away Dec.18, 2017 -- in order to get to know SHINee, you have to get to know him as well. He is known as one of the best vocalist in Kpop. He was also one of the very first Idols to become recognized for his songwriting and composing skills. He wrote dozens of songs in his 10 year career, including EXO's "Playboy", all of his own solo songs, numerous songs for SHINee and many songs for other artists. He was one of the very first idols to write songs for artists that weren't part of his company. Jonghyun and Onew are considered two of the best vocalist in the industry, who, even as rookies, were vocal coaches and mentors to a lot of SM's trainees, including some of the members of EXO. SHINee and EXO were trainees together and they also lived together. Kim JunMyeon (Suho) was even originally training as a member of SHINee, but he got injured and had to stop training for a while, so SM decided to debut SHINee without him. SHINee debuted almost exactly 4 years before EXO, which just goes to show you how talented SHINee is. That's why Minho and Suho are so close and why Taemin and Kai are best friends. (Taemin is only 6 months older than Kai and they entered SM as trainees within a few months of each other. Taemin was 11 and Kai was about 12. The more you get to know SHINee, you will discover that Taemin and Kai are a lot alike. Over the years they have even been called twins.) SHINee are one of the top groups that are known for the fact that they all can do it all. They are a group of 5 amazing vocalists, 5 impressive dancers, 5 visuals, 5 rappers, 5 top actors, and 5 of the most talented and unique voices in all of Kpop. Once you get to know their voices you will always be able to pick them out of a crowd just by the sound of their voice. Most fans -- SHINee World or Shawol for short, pronounced Shy-wall in English or Sha-wall with a Korean accent -- will tell you we know who is speaking or singing within 1 second even with our eyes closed, with them standing in a crowd of screaming fans. Each of their voices are that special -- there is no one with a voice like any of theirs. That is why they are "The Princes of Kpop". If you're impressed now, just wait until you see SHINee perform live. You should check out SHINee's live "'Don't Call Me' The Performance Stage." (If you like the piano in this song, just wait until you see their live performance. The piano becomes even more noteworthy in the live. I won't spoil it, you will just have to watch it to see what I mean. :D) And if you want to see the choreography better, watch their dance practice video that was released just recently.
As you may know, Atlantis is a mythical city that is part of a story within Greek mythology, referring to the Lost City of Atlantis. The story of Atlantis is most often depicted as a utopian society on an island that became submerged and lost in the middle of the ocean. SHINee's MV is referencing to the lost city of Atlantis, so it's supposed to look like they are visiting Atlantis at the bottom of the sea. The whole MV is a reference to the story of Atlantis, which is why you see them selling seafood and why they are underwater, etc. How I interpret the MV, the convenience store is a cover for the fact that it sits on top of a portal to the city of Atlantis. To the average person, the store just looks like a regular store, but if you are in on the secret, you know that if you head to the storage room or basement, etc. you will find a magical elevator/submarine that will take you to "Atlantis." I think that move in the choreography where Key and Minho make the circle is them gathering all their power and love and they are blasting it all to the fans (Shawols) or they are sending all their love to the girl who they are singing about in the song, etc. like a superhero who is summoning all their powers. The SHINee members are supposed to have power as the keepers of the portal to "Atlantis," etc. Plus, if I had to guess, it also might be something linking SHINee to SM's SM Culture Universe. Most of SM's groups' storylines are connected in some way and they are all part of one big story. For example, I think the soda can we see appear in Key's hand in "Atlantis" is connected to the soda can we see in Key's solo "Hate That ..." MV. (However, I'm not yet sure whether the can magically pops into his hand in "Atlantis" because it is coming from its original location in "Hate That ..." or if it appears in "Hate That ..." because Key brought it from "Atlantis." ) Because Minho writes all his own rap sections in SHINee's songs, they are all very meaningful, and are strategically placed in the song for a reason. If you pay attention to his lyrics you will see they have a lot of deep meaning and they enhance the story and add more depth to the song. For example, the long sss sound you hear at the end of his rap lines in "Atlantis" are supposed to mimic the sound of waves as they crash on shore or against the rocks, etc. Minho is actually quite poetic when it comes to his songwriting. You should check out the behind the scenes MV shoot for "Atlantis", ruclips.net/video/jn6qkSNro9A/видео.html, to really see how detailed everything in the MV was. Fun fact: Although all the aqua blue you see in this MV is supposed to represent water and the city of Atlantis, because SHINee's fan color is pearl aqua, all the aqua, blue and green colors you see in the MV also represent SHINee as a group and their connection to their fans. Also, SHINee will forever be a group of 5, so, they always make sure to include Jonghyun in everything they do. Therefore, if you pay attention to the choreography, when the members put their arms on each others' shoulders, you see Taemin stretches his arm out as if he is resting it on an invisible person next to him, which is thought to be a nod to the fact that this is where Jonghyun would be, and even in other parts of the choreography they leave a wide gap in the middle, which fans also think was done as a reference to Jonghyun's spot in the group. Jonghyun was almost always the center position with everything SHINee does. Yes, all the members of SHINee have amazing high note abilities. Even Minho, who is the main rapper and has the deepest voice out of all of them, has been known to hit some impressive high notes on occasion. That is what makes SHINee so outstanding and why they are so highly respected in the industry. They are idols' idols and legends of legends for a reason. However, if you are impressed with Onew's high note in "Atlantis," just wait until you hear his cover of the song "Friend" in concert from way back in the early days of SHINee. Onew holds the record for the longest continuous note without changing tone or pitch at 40+ seconds. I'm not even exaggerating. SHINee are known as vocal kings for a reason.
Because Taemin is also a member of SuperM, I think SHINee's "Don't Call Me" MV and Fake Reality teaser is SM's way of drawing SHINee into the SM Universe and fully connecting SHINee to SuperM's/EXO's storyline. Hence, Minho's red hair and the red room with the chairs hanging from the ceiling. I think this might be connected in someway to the Red Force and EXO's/SuperM's storyline. Although I have not worked out what it all means yet. (In EXO's storyline when we see Red objects or Red light this usually means this is something being controlled by the Red Force.) Therefore, as I mentioned before, most of SM's groups have storylines that connect. For example, I see connections between EXO, SuperM, aespa and SHINee with the fact that we see SuperM riding on a subway train in their "100" MV and we see aespa in the subway in their debut "Black Mamba" MV, and now we see SHINee also in a train station in "Don't Call Me." And most recently, we saw Baekhyun from EXO/SuperM on an old train in his solo "Bambi" MV. We even see Kai from EXO/SuperM on train tracks and people on a subway train platform in his "Film: Kai" solo debut teaser video during his "Amnesia" section of the video and as it transitions to "Mmmh." We also see Key from SHINee in a subway train in his solo debut "One of Those Nights" MV. And if we go back even further, you see EXO on train tracks in their "Love Me Right" MV and EXO-CBX (which Baekhyun is also a member of) on train tracks in their "Horololo" MV, etc. The train station/subway platform in "Don't Call Me" also is given a very futuristic EXO-like feel with the view of space and the planets in the sky when you see SHINee dancing on the train platform. The scene with Key in the red outfit standing on the phone booth submerged in water, looks like it could have something to do with the Red Force as well. And, as mentioned before, it also looks very similar to the scene with Taeyeon, from Girls' Generation, standing on the rock in the middle of the Ocean in Key's solo "Hate That ..." MV. Taeyeon is even wearing the same color red dress, in "Hate That ..." and both Key and her have very similar styles and poses. And now, it also looks like this could be connected to SHINee's new "Hard" MV storyline, with Minho standing on the rock wearing a red jacket, with a vibe very similar to this as well. We also see in that scene with Key standing on the phone booth in the water in "Don't Call Me," him dressed in his black outfit with the feather headpiece standing in front of the image of himself, which looks as though this could be showing him in an alternate realities -- or a "fake reality." Then in the next scene, it looks as though the SHINee members go through some sort of wormhole as they are teleported somewhere and we see them all posing in their black outfits. This looks very similar to the scene in SuperM's debut "Jopping" MV. When the SuperM members are coming together at the beginning of "Jopping," they are each teleported through space, which looks very similar to that scene with black wall with stars in "Don't Call Me." Therefore, because the members of SuperM are supposed to be coming together to help EXO fight the Red Force and to prevent or stop them from taking over the world, etc., I think SM is setting it up so that all of its groups' members will eventually be brought into the fight. If you follow EXO's storyline, in EXO's "Obsession" MV we learn that the good guys are the members in the all black outfits, and in "Jopping" we see SuperM's "Avengers uniform" is similar all black outfits. So, in the scene in "Don't Call Me," when we see SHINee all together in those black outfits, it looks as though they might be preparing to join in the fight.
That is why I think that even though SHINee are part of the second generation, that SM is now working on bringing them into the storyline. And although most of SM's older groups' concepts and MVs may have never been originally designed to have any type of connection to anything to do with anything, that doesn't necessarily mean that over the years as EXO's story has evolved or SM's Universe concept was being created, that SM didn't find "happy coincidences" within those MVs that allowed them to use them as a way to connect things together. For example, some have pointed to the fact that NingNing's butterfly in aespa's concept from 2020 could be connected to the butterfly in EXO's debut "Mama" MV from 2012, as well as the butterfly in NCT-127's "Favorite (Vampire)" MV from 2021, and some have made compelling arguments that it could even be connected to SHINee's butterfly in their "Ring Ding Dong" MV from 2009. I mean we see what looks like the pink planet from Super Junior's recent "House Party" MV and a scene from Super Junior-K.R.Y.'s "When We Were Us" MV from 2020 in "aespa's ep.1 - SM Culture Universe" video. And SM has even brought Kangta, who is a member of the very first Kpop boy group H.O.T., which debuted in 1996, into the storyline with his solo MV remake of H.O.T's song "Free to Fly." which looks like they are on another planet in the MV and it featured Winter from aespa and Sungchan from NCT in the story. Changmin from TVXQ was also brought into the story in 2022 with his song "Devil," as the MV shows him on a pink planet and he talks about Kwangya in the song lyrics. And even more recently, BoA, who is a solo artist, became a villain within aespa's storyline. So it's starting to look like SM may be hinting at eventually bring all of their artists into the storyline, including their older groups.
I guess they took the expression "do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind" and took it to another level. Like you're not in this by yourself. My opinion.
Since you've been away from Kpop for a few years and are getting caught up with SHINee, you might also want to explore the members' solo albums that have dropped since then. Taemin, of course, only has one full and one solo mini album that has dropped since then because of his military service which he completed in early May of this year. Onew: "Dice" & "Circle" Key: "Bad Love", "Gasoline", and "Killer" Minho: "Chase" Taemin: "Never Gonna Dance Again" which is a 2-part, full-length album (Act 1 & Act 2), each Act containing 9 songs and his 2021 mini-album "Advice" which he released two weeks prior to enlisting, slaying us all and guaranteeing we wouldn't forget him while he was gone. The one thing that I've noticed from these latest comebacks and the new album's title song, "Hard", is that they are songs calling out, roasting, and/or separating themselves from those who diss them: "Gasoline", "Advice", "Don't Call Me", and "Hard". Kind of like they are saying we don't care what you say, do or don't like...we are going to do our music our way. If you don't like it; don't listen to it. They've come so far and conquered so much that they just want to move forward, have fun (which you can plainly see from this new comeback" and do whatever they want. In a sense, it's like they are now free. "The Feeling" was filmed in Okinawa, Japan. From what I get, the message is to let go of all your "trash" and turn it into something beautiful -- like the rainbow of colors exploding from the large plastic back that starts out colorless, but when the sun hits it, it explodes into a rainbow of colors like a "Prism" (like SHINee's song, "Prism"). It also has several references to Jonghyun, as the members keep looking up to the sky, the beautiful sky scene towards the end, Key's obsession with the "five" apples, and Onew and the recording device because they would compose music together, then the recording device in the center of their group at the end highlighted by the light streaming in the room. Those are just a few. The only sad thing about this 15th Anniversary comeback is that Onew has been having health issues and had to withdraw from all promotions and activities with his brothers. He is currently receiving treatment and resting. Please join us in praying for his health and speedy recovery. Thank you and also thank you for the great reaction.
Thank you for this comment! I've heard a few of those solos and "Dice" is my favorite of the ones I've heard. Thanks for explaining a lot of the symbolism that I missed, I really appreciate it. I wish Onew lots of luck and good health :)
Thank you for your thoughtful reactions to our shining SHINee. I thought you might receive some harsh remarks because of the statement you made about SHINee being four members. And you didn't and that's why I love Shawols so much 💜 They have got to be one of the nicest fandoms for not aggressively pointing out that SHINee are Forever Five, as the members and SM often point out. Thank you for being sensitive but we do enjoy hearing about Jonghyun, his songwriting, his sweet nature, and his many accomplishments. He was the first SM artist to produce his own album and write many of our favorite songs for SHINee and others. When I found SHINee, through discovering Taemin in Final Life, I startred at the beginning with Replay (2008) and moved forward. Their music makes me feel so happy, and somehow nostalgic, inspired, and conforted. Their 8th studio album, HARD, is a masterpiece, with something for everyone. The solo work of each member is beautiful as well. Enjoy your journey and I look forward to more of your reactions. Oh and Onew is a big environmental advocate, so perhaps there is a connection with the bags. I'm not sure but I wouldn't be surprised if they were trying to make or send a message about pollution and environmental damage, especially in their part of the world. (The impending Fukushima dumping must be a stressful nightmare.) There is always deep symbolism in their songs, so this interpretation would at most be superficial.
I knew when I said 4 members I probably should have corrected myself but I've always felt a bit awkward about the subject. To be honest with you, I mostly didn't read the section on Jonghyun because it would have been difficult for me to do. I had a slightly longer explanation that I cut from the final version, but basically I remember his passing very clearly and it was a sort of eye-opening moment for me at the time, both with regard to mental health stigma (in kpop and in general) and with the intensity of the connections fans have with their idols. The effect it had on the kpop community, and particularly Shawols, was difficult to witness. At the time, I remember a lot of RUclipsrs making videos on the topic, and even though I wanted to be open about it to do my part to help the community recover, I also felt like it wasn't my place to do so. As you can see, I still avoid talking about it whenever possible, even though it maybe isn't the best approach. That's an interesting point you make about Onew and the environmental stuff too. It's certainly possible then that it was an aspect of the concept. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Shawols are always so thoughtful.
@MyAccountWithNoShame It's nice to see Onew, Key, Minho, and Taemin able to talk about Jonghyun now. Grief takes a while to process, and it's different for everyone. I felt my shoulders drop when the members (maybe during an anniversary video?) were joking about Jonghyun's unique mannerisms and dance moves. It was heartwarming. They've admitted it took a while to speak publicly 💜
LOL you do too?! I feel like that doesn't happen very often. My musical taste is really all over the place. I have a video on my top songs of all-time if you're interested in getting whiplash from some of the genre transitions lmao
![SHINEE Kids review Kpop star's careers [Reaction]](/img/1.gif)
The last MV was a gift to the fans to celebrate their 15th anniversary.
There is a lot of symbolism in this but it covers the entire history of their debuts and joint releases and you can see that there are always 5 of them. The video was shot in Okinawa
Thanks for the info!
All the references in "The Feeling" MV have to do with SHINee's history over the past 15 years and what they have accomplished as a group and as solo artists, etc. For example, if you take the time to pause the video and study the map that Minho has, you will see that it's a map of SHINee's history up until now, including all their solo debuts. And the shot of the 5 apples falling on the No. 5 represents how they will always be a 5 member group. I also interpret the "and..." at the beginning as their way of including Jonghyun and Shawols in on their journey, saying SHINee wouldn't be SHINee without either of them.
As you can see, this song and MV is a special pre-release track as a gift to Shawols, produced by the members, for their 15th anniversary. They put their own money behind this project.
The MV was shot in Okinawa, Japan, and it was directed by the same director who directed Onew's solo "O (Circle)" M, which was released a couple of months ago, so if you have seen that MV, you may notice that both MVs have a similar aesthetic and feel. On SHINee's official YT channel you can find several short vlogs and a behind the scenes video that show them on location filming the MV. (There were neighborhood cats all over in that little town they were in.)
How I interpret the lyrics is that the song is all about how the members want to feel our light shine on them again and they want to illuminate us with their light again. They are also making a point to let us know that we will always be together shining in each other's lives. One of my favorite lines of the song is, “I’ll be the light you seek even in dreams. Running parallel and right next to you.” Which clearly shows the bond between SHINee and Shawols.
In the MV you see references to the members' solo journey, such as Onew searching for his sound, Key searching for his "taste" by taking a bite of the apples, Minho finding his way with the map as he explores where SHINee has been and where they will go in the future (Notice how the map starts out tiny, and at the end it has become huge -- every time they show the map it has grown 5 times larger -- representing how their map is constantly being expanded as they accomplish more and more in their careers and lives) and Taemin appears kind of lost as he searches for the right path.
How can you not tell that was Taemin in the beginning? (LOL, Just Kidding.) For anyone who knows SHINee, it's very obvious that is Taemin.
I see the plastic bags represent their solo debuts, as well as their connection as a group. The first person we see is Taemin because he was the first one to debut solo (in 2014) and his official color is yellow, then we see and hear Key who is the next of the 4 to debut solo (in 2018) and he is represented by the pink bag because his official color is pink, then Onew (solo debut in 2018) is represented by the green bag because his official color is green and the blue bag represents Minho (solo debut in 2022). Most also agree that Jonghyun (solo debut 2015) is represented by the radio because he was SHINee's songwriter and he is well-known for hosting his own late night radio show, (FYI, his official color is red). In the end, what they were searching for, they find when they're together, which is represented by the big plastic bag floating in the sky, which is pearl aqua color, SHINee's official color. When the big bag explodes it releases all of the colors together, representing how they come together as a group, no longer individual bags.
Next, we see Key smile as he bites into the apple, Minho looks away from the map, Taemin smiles as he looks into the sky and Onew smiles listening to his headphones. I interpret the meaning as Key found his taste, Onew discovered his sound, Minho found the place where he feels most comfortable as a member of SHINee, and Taemin is no longer lost. Then we see them all looking up at the sky, which we think is them looking up to heaven and acknowledging Jonghyun's presence as the sun that shines down on them. We also see them happily running together, being free and living in the moment.
In the end, we see Minho complete the circle, which I see as representing the fact that his recent solo debut completed SHINee's legacy as the first SM Entertainment group to have all of its members debut solo. At the end we see the five of them together, with Jonghyun represented by the radio, as the light shines on them. We see that when they are together, they create a light, which shows that they are the brightest when they are together.
SHINee are known for being trendsetters. They have started the trend with almost everything -- with every one of their songs to their dances to clothing trends, to live performances, to the way Kpop is promoted -- there is almost nothing that can't be attributed to something SHINee has been involved in. Therefore, for anyone who knows SHINee, their fashion choices in this MV are noteworthy. They are known for being one step ahead when it comes to fashion because they are the ones that start the trends in Korea that eventually influence fashion trends around the world. Fashion designers actually covet a chance to work with SHINee, or any of the members individually for that matter, because they know that if they can get SHINee to wear their clothes that they will become super popular. For instance, I wouldn't be surprised if a few months from now we see those pleated shorts being worn all over the place by both males and females.
I have never had someone write this much in my comments before. This and the other comments are seriously impressive and informative, thank you.
I do know SHINee well enough to tell apart their faces and voices, but it's not as obvious to me from behind LOL At one point in time I would have described them as my favorite boy group (other groups that have held that position include Super Junior, VIXX, and NCT)
Thanks again for your comments.
With "Don't Call Me," SHINee are just doing what we longtime fans have all come to expect from them -- showing us something that has never been seen or heard before and starting a new trend. Every song you hear and every choreography you see from them should be like nothing they have ever done. They are supposed to reinvent the industry with every comeback. That is why they are constantly raising the bar with everything they do. When it comes to SHINee, it should always feel "very different." That's what makes them SHINee. :D With every new song release, SHINee are expected to come out with a style and sound that is brand new, not only for them, but in the industry as a whole. And "Don't Call Me" is a perfect example of that.
This was SHINee's first comeback in almost 3 years because Onew, Key and Minho had all just recently been discharged from the military. This comeback was a really big deal because it was the first time we had seen SHINee back together in a really long time. And this wasn't the only thing they were involved in. With this comeback, they set out to outdo themselves within only a few months of their return from the military, and they had to do it all within a couple of months because Taemin was about to enlist. Not only did they have this comeback, but they also had a repackage album comeback with their song "Atlantis", a Japanese album comeback with their song "Superstar," a virtual beyond Live concert and a Japanese fan meeting. And what was even crazier, was that it was all while Taemin was still promoting his solo comeback with his song "Idea", he had a comeback with SuperM's song "We Do" and a follow up solo comeback with his song "Advice," as well as Taemin's solo Beyond Live concert, etc. I mean they were working nonstop. Plus, Minho was filming a drama, Key was back as a cast member on the variety show Amazing Saturday and Onew was involved in other activities.
SHINee are known as one of the few groups that rarely takes a break, they are usually busy with one project after another. Therefore, now that Taemin is done with his military service, and they are all officially free to get back to promoting as a group, be prepared to see the SHINee members everywhere, and for multiple projects and activities from them. I predict they will be nonstop busy for the rest of the year.
SHINee are part of the second generation of Kpop and, yet, they are younger than most everyone in their generation and are the same age or even younger than many members of groups who came after them, such as EXO and BTS, etc. which are part of Kpop's third generation. SHINee debuted young and have the experience of seasoned veterans.
Onew has one of the most unique voices in the industry. He is the one with the voice that impressed you. He is considered the male vocalist with the most consistent voice. He was one of only two people ever chosen to become a trainee by the founder of SM, Lee SooMan himself, impressing him with his talent when he was only about 17. He is now considered one of the most coveted voices in the industry that can pretty much be paired with anyone regardless of their vocal style or music genre.
Key is our fashionista of the group who is SHINee's stylist for a lot of their MVs and stage outfits*. Key is always looking for ways to be unique, which is why he is wearing the feather headpiece. He is known for always being one step ahead of the trend and wanting to stand out. That's why Key's style is often just straddling the edge of outrageous, but somehow always manages to look cool. He even has been given the official title of SM's Director of Fashion. He is also SHINee's dance copy machine who is the fastest to memorize choreography. He literally can see a dance for the first time and reproduce it on the spot almost better than the original. He is an amazing singer and is a sub-rapper in the group. He is also SHINee's fluent English speaker. He spent some time studying in Australia and New York when he was in middle school, before become a trainee at about 14, and he said his grandma had an English tutor, so he is almost as good as a native speaker.
*Pearl Aqua is SHINee's fan color, so all the blue/green aqua colors you see in this MV are meant to represent SHINee. That is why in the scene where they are wearing the brown outfits, Key has the aqua yarn woven into his sweater and why the collar of Onew's jacket was dyed aqua, etc.
Minho -- the one with the red hair** -- is the main rapper and visual of the group, but his vocals are also some of the best in the industry. Minho sings just as much as he raps. He also writes most of his own raps in SHINee's songs. He is considered the president of SHINee's fan club, because he is all the members biggest fans. He literally attends all the members solo events and promotes SHINee like a Shawol.
** There has only been a handful of times in the past 15 years that Minho has ever dyed his hair any other color besides brown or auburn, and when he does he only keeps it that way for a few week. :D As you have seen, Minho is a lead actor in a lot of K-dramas and movies, and, when not promoting with SHINee, he is almost always working on his next TV or movie project. So, one of the reasons why I think he doesn't dye his hair as often as other idols, is because of his acting roles. The majority of the roles that he plays are boy next door-type characters or historical dramas, etc. so he needs to look as average as he can. (Or, at least as average as a guy who was born with model good look anyway ;D) Case in point, he literally dyed his hair for this MV and then dyed it back brown because he was filming a drama, and then he dyed it red again when they started their comeback activities, all within the span of a couple of weeks.
And, Taemin is considered one of THE BEST dancers in the industry (Kai from EXO, who happens to be Taemin's best friend, and a fellow member of SuperM, is the other top dancer.) The title of best dancer was bestowed on Taemin by his peers and industry experts, so that just goes to show you how good of dancers all the members of SHINee must be. Taemin's nickname is the Korean Michael Jackson for a reason. He is also considered the blueprint for what it takes to be a successful male solo artist, becoming one of the first SM artists who was part of an active group to debut solo in 2014 at the age of 21, making him, yet again, one of the youngest solo artists at the time. He is an idol of most other idols and a legend among legends.
Although Jonghyun wasn't in the MV -- because he passed away Dec.18, 2017 -- in order to get to know SHINee, you have to get to know him as well. He is known as one of the best vocalist in Kpop. He was also one of the very first Idols to become recognized for his songwriting and composing skills. He wrote dozens of songs in his 10 year career, including EXO's "Playboy", all of his own solo songs, numerous songs for SHINee and many songs for other artists. He was one of the very first idols to write songs for artists that weren't part of his company.
Jonghyun and Onew are considered two of the best vocalist in the industry, who, even as rookies, were vocal coaches and mentors to a lot of SM's trainees, including some of the members of EXO. SHINee and EXO were trainees together and they also lived together. Kim JunMyeon (Suho) was even originally training as a member of SHINee, but he got injured and had to stop training for a while, so SM decided to debut SHINee without him. SHINee debuted almost exactly 4 years before EXO, which just goes to show you how talented SHINee is. That's why Minho and Suho are so close and why Taemin and Kai are best friends. (Taemin is only 6 months older than Kai and they entered SM as trainees within a few months of each other. Taemin was 11 and Kai was about 12. The more you get to know SHINee, you will discover that Taemin and Kai are a lot alike. Over the years they have even been called twins.)
SHINee are one of the top groups that are known for the fact that they all can do it all. They are a group of 5 amazing vocalists, 5 impressive dancers, 5 visuals, 5 rappers, 5 top actors, and 5 of the most talented and unique voices in all of Kpop. Once you get to know their voices you will always be able to pick them out of a crowd just by the sound of their voice. Most fans -- SHINee World or Shawol for short, pronounced Shy-wall in English or Sha-wall with a Korean accent -- will tell you we know who is speaking or singing within 1 second even with our eyes closed, with them standing in a crowd of screaming fans. Each of their voices are that special -- there is no one with a voice like any of theirs. That is why they are "The Princes of Kpop".
If you're impressed now, just wait until you see SHINee perform live. You should check out SHINee's live "'Don't Call Me' The Performance Stage." (If you like the piano in this song, just wait until you see their live performance. The piano becomes even more noteworthy in the live. I won't spoil it, you will just have to watch it to see what I mean. :D) And if you want to see the choreography better, watch their dance practice video that was released just recently.
As you may know, Atlantis is a mythical city that is part of a story within Greek mythology, referring to the Lost City of Atlantis. The story of Atlantis is most often depicted as a utopian society on an island that became submerged and lost in the middle of the ocean. SHINee's MV is referencing to the lost city of Atlantis, so it's supposed to look like they are visiting Atlantis at the bottom of the sea. The whole MV is a reference to the story of Atlantis, which is why you see them selling seafood and why they are underwater, etc.
How I interpret the MV, the convenience store is a cover for the fact that it sits on top of a portal to the city of Atlantis. To the average person, the store just looks like a regular store, but if you are in on the secret, you know that if you head to the storage room or basement, etc. you will find a magical elevator/submarine that will take you to "Atlantis."
I think that move in the choreography where Key and Minho make the circle is them gathering all their power and love and they are blasting it all to the fans (Shawols) or they are sending all their love to the girl who they are singing about in the song, etc. like a superhero who is summoning all their powers. The SHINee members are supposed to have power as the keepers of the portal to "Atlantis," etc. Plus, if I had to guess, it also might be something linking SHINee to SM's SM Culture Universe. Most of SM's groups' storylines are connected in some way and they are all part of one big story.
For example, I think the soda can we see appear in Key's hand in "Atlantis" is connected to the soda can we see in Key's solo "Hate That ..." MV. (However, I'm not yet sure whether the can magically pops into his hand in "Atlantis" because it is coming from its original location in "Hate That ..." or if it appears in "Hate That ..." because Key brought it from "Atlantis." )
Because Minho writes all his own rap sections in SHINee's songs, they are all very meaningful, and are strategically placed in the song for a reason. If you pay attention to his lyrics you will see they have a lot of deep meaning and they enhance the story and add more depth to the song. For example, the long sss sound you hear at the end of his rap lines in "Atlantis" are supposed to mimic the sound of waves as they crash on shore or against the rocks, etc. Minho is actually quite poetic when it comes to his songwriting.
You should check out the behind the scenes MV shoot for "Atlantis",
ruclips.net/video/jn6qkSNro9A/видео.html, to really see how detailed everything in the MV was.
Fun fact: Although all the aqua blue you see in this MV is supposed to represent water and the city of Atlantis, because SHINee's fan color is pearl aqua, all the aqua, blue and green colors you see in the MV also represent SHINee as a group and their connection to their fans.
Also, SHINee will forever be a group of 5, so, they always make sure to include Jonghyun in everything they do. Therefore, if you pay attention to the choreography, when the members put their arms on each others' shoulders, you see Taemin stretches his arm out as if he is resting it on an invisible person next to him, which is thought to be a nod to the fact that this is where Jonghyun would be, and even in other parts of the choreography they leave a wide gap in the middle, which fans also think was done as a reference to Jonghyun's spot in the group. Jonghyun was almost always the center position with everything SHINee does.
Yes, all the members of SHINee have amazing high note abilities. Even Minho, who is the main rapper and has the deepest voice out of all of them, has been known to hit some impressive high notes on occasion. That is what makes SHINee so outstanding and why they are so highly respected in the industry. They are idols' idols and legends of legends for a reason. However, if you are impressed with Onew's high note in "Atlantis," just wait until you hear his cover of the song "Friend" in concert from way back in the early days of SHINee. Onew holds the record for the longest continuous note without changing tone or pitch at 40+ seconds. I'm not even exaggerating. SHINee are known as vocal kings for a reason.
Because Taemin is also a member of SuperM, I think SHINee's "Don't Call Me" MV and Fake Reality teaser is SM's way of drawing SHINee into the SM Universe and fully connecting SHINee to SuperM's/EXO's storyline. Hence, Minho's red hair and the red room with the chairs hanging from the ceiling. I think this might be connected in someway to the Red Force and EXO's/SuperM's storyline. Although I have not worked out what it all means yet. (In EXO's storyline when we see Red objects or Red light this usually means this is something being controlled by the Red Force.)
Therefore, as I mentioned before, most of SM's groups have storylines that connect. For example, I see connections between EXO, SuperM, aespa and SHINee with the fact that we see SuperM riding on a subway train in their "100" MV and we see aespa in the subway in their debut "Black Mamba" MV, and now we see SHINee also in a train station in "Don't Call Me." And most recently, we saw Baekhyun from EXO/SuperM on an old train in his solo "Bambi" MV. We even see Kai from EXO/SuperM on train tracks and people on a subway train platform in his "Film: Kai" solo debut teaser video during his "Amnesia" section of the video and as it transitions to "Mmmh." We also see Key from SHINee in a subway train in his solo debut "One of Those Nights" MV. And if we go back even further, you see EXO on train tracks in their "Love Me Right" MV and EXO-CBX (which Baekhyun is also a member of) on train tracks in their "Horololo" MV, etc.
The train station/subway platform in "Don't Call Me" also is given a very futuristic EXO-like feel with the view of space and the planets in the sky when you see SHINee dancing on the train platform.
The scene with Key in the red outfit standing on the phone booth submerged in water, looks like it could have something to do with the Red Force as well. And, as mentioned before, it also looks very similar to the scene with Taeyeon, from Girls' Generation, standing on the rock in the middle of the Ocean in Key's solo "Hate That ..." MV. Taeyeon is even wearing the same color red dress, in "Hate That ..." and both Key and her have very similar styles and poses. And now, it also looks like this could be connected to SHINee's new "Hard" MV storyline, with Minho standing on the rock wearing a red jacket, with a vibe very similar to this as well.
We also see in that scene with Key standing on the phone booth in the water in "Don't Call Me," him dressed in his black outfit with the feather headpiece standing in front of the image of himself, which looks as though this could be showing him in an alternate realities -- or a "fake reality."
Then in the next scene, it looks as though the SHINee members go through some sort of wormhole as they are teleported somewhere and we see them all posing in their black outfits. This looks very similar to the scene in SuperM's debut "Jopping" MV. When the SuperM members are coming together at the beginning of "Jopping," they are each teleported through space, which looks very similar to that scene with black wall with stars in "Don't Call Me."
Therefore, because the members of SuperM are supposed to be coming together to help EXO fight the Red Force and to prevent or stop them from taking over the world, etc., I think SM is setting it up so that all of its groups' members will eventually be brought into the fight.
If you follow EXO's storyline, in EXO's "Obsession" MV we learn that the good guys are the members in the all black outfits, and in "Jopping" we see SuperM's "Avengers uniform" is similar all black outfits. So, in the scene in "Don't Call Me," when we see SHINee all together in those black outfits, it looks as though they might be preparing to join in the fight.
That is why I think that even though SHINee are part of the second generation, that SM is now working on bringing them into the storyline. And although most of SM's older groups' concepts and MVs may have never been originally designed to have any type of connection to anything to do with anything, that doesn't necessarily mean that over the years as EXO's story has evolved or SM's Universe concept was being created, that SM didn't find "happy coincidences" within those MVs that allowed them to use them as a way to connect things together. For example, some have pointed to the fact that NingNing's butterfly in aespa's concept from 2020 could be connected to the butterfly in EXO's debut "Mama" MV from 2012, as well as the butterfly in NCT-127's "Favorite (Vampire)" MV from 2021, and some have made compelling arguments that it could even be connected to SHINee's butterfly in their "Ring Ding Dong" MV from 2009. I mean we see what looks like the pink planet from Super Junior's recent "House Party" MV and a scene from Super Junior-K.R.Y.'s "When We Were Us" MV from 2020 in "aespa's ep.1 - SM Culture Universe" video. And SM has even brought Kangta, who is a member of the very first Kpop boy group H.O.T., which debuted in 1996, into the storyline with his solo MV remake of H.O.T's song "Free to Fly." which looks like they are on another planet in the MV and it featured Winter from aespa and Sungchan from NCT in the story. Changmin from TVXQ was also brought into the story in 2022 with his song "Devil," as the MV shows him on a pink planet and he talks about Kwangya in the song lyrics. And even more recently, BoA, who is a solo artist, became a villain within aespa's storyline. So it's starting to look like SM may be hinting at eventually bring all of their artists into the storyline, including their older groups.
I guess they took the expression "do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind" and took it to another level. Like you're not in this by yourself. My opinion.
That's a really good interpretation. I like that.
Since you've been away from Kpop for a few years and are getting caught up with SHINee, you might also want to explore the members' solo albums that have dropped since then. Taemin, of course, only has one full and one solo mini album that has dropped since then because of his military service which he completed in early May of this year.
Onew: "Dice" & "Circle"
Key: "Bad Love", "Gasoline", and "Killer"
Minho: "Chase"
Taemin: "Never Gonna Dance Again" which is a 2-part, full-length album (Act 1 & Act 2), each Act containing 9 songs and his 2021 mini-album "Advice" which he released two weeks prior to enlisting, slaying us all and guaranteeing we wouldn't forget him while he was gone.
The one thing that I've noticed from these latest comebacks and the new album's title song, "Hard", is that they are songs calling out, roasting, and/or separating themselves from those who diss them: "Gasoline", "Advice", "Don't Call Me", and "Hard". Kind of like they are saying we don't care what you say, do or don't like...we are going to do our music our way. If you don't like it; don't listen to it. They've come so far and conquered so much that they just want to move forward, have fun (which you can plainly see from this new comeback" and do whatever they want. In a sense, it's like they are now free.
"The Feeling" was filmed in Okinawa, Japan. From what I get, the message is to let go of all your "trash" and turn it into something beautiful -- like the rainbow of colors exploding from the large plastic back that starts out colorless, but when the sun hits it, it explodes into a rainbow of colors like a "Prism" (like SHINee's song, "Prism"). It also has several references to Jonghyun, as the members keep looking up to the sky, the beautiful sky scene towards the end, Key's obsession with the "five" apples, and Onew and the recording device because they would compose music together, then the recording device in the center of their group at the end highlighted by the light streaming in the room. Those are just a few.
The only sad thing about this 15th Anniversary comeback is that Onew has been having health issues and had to withdraw from all promotions and activities with his brothers. He is currently receiving treatment and resting. Please join us in praying for his health and speedy recovery. Thank you and also thank you for the great reaction.
Thank you for this comment! I've heard a few of those solos and "Dice" is my favorite of the ones I've heard. Thanks for explaining a lot of the symbolism that I missed, I really appreciate it. I wish Onew lots of luck and good health :)
You should really catch up on their solos too!!
I totally agree! I've heard a few of them, my favorite of which was "Dice," but I also liked the other few I heard :)
Thank you for your thoughtful reactions to our shining SHINee. I thought you might receive some harsh remarks because of the statement you made about SHINee being four members. And you didn't and that's why I love Shawols so much 💜 They have got to be one of the nicest fandoms for not aggressively pointing out that SHINee are Forever Five, as the members and SM often point out. Thank you for being sensitive but we do enjoy hearing about Jonghyun, his songwriting, his sweet nature, and his many accomplishments. He was the first SM artist to produce his own album and write many of our favorite songs for SHINee and others. When I found SHINee, through discovering Taemin in Final Life, I startred at the beginning with Replay (2008) and moved forward. Their music makes me feel so happy, and somehow nostalgic, inspired, and conforted. Their 8th studio album, HARD, is a masterpiece, with something for everyone. The solo work of each member is beautiful as well. Enjoy your journey and I look forward to more of your reactions. Oh and Onew is a big environmental advocate, so perhaps there is a connection with the bags. I'm not sure but I wouldn't be surprised if they were trying to make or send a message about pollution and environmental damage, especially in their part of the world. (The impending Fukushima dumping must be a stressful nightmare.) There is always deep symbolism in their songs, so this interpretation would at most be superficial.
I knew when I said 4 members I probably should have corrected myself but I've always felt a bit awkward about the subject. To be honest with you, I mostly didn't read the section on Jonghyun because it would have been difficult for me to do. I had a slightly longer explanation that I cut from the final version, but basically I remember his passing very clearly and it was a sort of eye-opening moment for me at the time, both with regard to mental health stigma (in kpop and in general) and with the intensity of the connections fans have with their idols. The effect it had on the kpop community, and particularly Shawols, was difficult to witness. At the time, I remember a lot of RUclipsrs making videos on the topic, and even though I wanted to be open about it to do my part to help the community recover, I also felt like it wasn't my place to do so. As you can see, I still avoid talking about it whenever possible, even though it maybe isn't the best approach.
That's an interesting point you make about Onew and the environmental stuff too. It's certainly possible then that it was an aspect of the concept.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. Shawols are always so thoughtful.
@MyAccountWithNoShame It's nice to see Onew, Key, Minho, and Taemin able to talk about Jonghyun now. Grief takes a while to process, and it's different for everyone. I felt my shoulders drop when the members (maybe during an anniversary video?) were joking about Jonghyun's unique mannerisms and dance moves. It was heartwarming. They've admitted it took a while to speak publicly 💜
You appreciate Tears for Fears AND SHINee? I'm compelled to sub. 😍
LOL you do too?! I feel like that doesn't happen very often.
My musical taste is really all over the place. I have a video on my top songs of all-time if you're interested in getting whiplash from some of the genre transitions lmao