[OFFICIAL THREAD] DDONGI COUPLE ~ (Eric Nam ❤ MAMAMOO Solar) LEGGO~!

[cinnaminskies]

@trowabarton99 That's actually really interesting... I hadn't thought about them eating at two places in a row thing before. I agree with you that we can't be sure of this source's validity, but I do think that every take on Ddongi is interesting, especially this one.

I have an article about Cave Me In cooked up for this week (since it is about to be Valentine's Day) so stay tuned on that one. I know this thread feels kind of dead right now, so if you want to be a part of our conversation in Kakao, feel free to let me know!

[cinnaminskies]

 

Here it is, as promised. My analysis and explanation of the lyrics of Cave Me In. Sorry it took so long!

Cave Me In

a song analysis by cinnaminskies

 

Quick Disclaimer before I begin: I am only going to be analyzing the lyrics that Eric wrote as they pertain to WGM. Any other lyrics present here and their explanations are only to give some clarity to those of you who are not incredibly familiar with English expressions and idioms. This is because Eric’s part was the last part written, and so both Gallant’s parts (the main hook) and Tablo’s part (the rap) would not have been too heavily altered/influenced by Eric/his emotional state at the time of writing the song.

That being said, the song itself is put together to tell an entire story, so I will not be full-out ignoring that story. It’s important and reveals a lot about how these three men see the nature of love. Of course, Eric’s would be most heavily influenced by his most recent experiences of the feeling, which is why I’m attributing them to Solar.

With that out of the way, here we go.

Quote

These flies on my window / Are winners in a losing game / Dip, duck, roll and hover / They barely see a season change

 

Something Eric does a lot in this song is talk about humanity. The phrase “flies on my window” conjures up one of two images: flies on a windshield, or flies trapped in between the glass and the screen of a window. Flies have notoriously short life spans, and flies on a windshield are most often dead, which is why it’s so interesting that Eric says in just the next lyric that they are “winners in a losing game.”

The losing game he is talking about is, of course, love, since this is, after all, a love song. One look at that lyric and I am immediately reminded of a song that I’m sure Eric is familiar with, since it’s by one of Solar’s favorite artists: Amy Winehouse. Love Is A Losing Game is a song about giving up on a relationship. Really, it reminds me of I Wish You Love in a way. This lyric is a direct reference to Solar’s outlook on love.

The flies’ short lifespans are then referenced again with the lyric talking about how they “never see a season change.” We all know that Eric and Solar’s WGM ended right as the seasons were changing from fall to winter, heading into one of Solar’s least favorite seasons. The flies, he seems to be saying, win because their lives are short and therefore they can not be hurt in love the way Solar and Eric are, being the humans that they are. But, if we look a little closer, the interpretation goes far beyond that.

Really, this section applies very well to WGM. It can be both interpreted as being about humanity, and about people who choose to pursue long-term relationships. Both are things that can end up hurting due to the nature of the way they are, and both are things that WGM kind of gets rid of. The relationships are - somewhat - fake, and they’re also temporary. There’s always an end-date in sight.

In a way, Eric’s saying that the other couples are the winners. They made it through the obstacle course that is the show, avoided the emotional attachment that would’ve made them lose the game, and it barely took any time. Solar and Eric, on the other hand, got caught up in their humanity and their emotions. “Oh,” the lyrics of Love Is A Losing Game go, “what a mess we made.” I think that’s a pretty good explanation of the feeling being expressed here, especially since this section, the section that Eric wrote, was the last part of the song written.

It fits with parts three and four of Eric and Solar’s on-WGM story. And, it fits with him thinking about the ending and slightly resenting the fact that he, if not the both of them, caught feelings while shooting.

 

Quote

While you and me live like birds on a power line / Hands gripping, and our fingers fried

 

In this section, Eric addresses all the things that are against him, while once again referencing the realism of what they are going through in the midst of ending their virtual marriage. By connecting them to “birds on a power line,” Eric immediately connects his American audience to two things. One: birds cannot be electrocuted on power lines. Two: birds often gather on power lines before migrating.

Just like with the flies, though, Eric has made it clear that they are not the birds on the power line, but rather are like them. The next lyric even brings that up (Hands gripping, and our fingers fried). The first layer to this set of lyrics focuses on the danger of gripping onto a power line, of hanging onto something that hurts you because you’re human, and not a bird. This, of course, is referencing the danger of them dating. Both of them recognize that they could easily be hurt through this endeavor if their fans turn on them because of it. Whether you’re looking at Solar’s comments on the subject - “because he's a "heartthrob", if we were in a relationship, I would feel sad and unbearable. (laugh)” - or Eric’s - “You never know when the public might turn its back on you” - it’s clear that they know exactly what the consequences of them pursuing a relationship would be. And, yet, according to the song, they’re still holding on. Why?

The answer to that question comes in the second layer of the lyrics. The layer that focuses not on the humanity of the songwriter, but the inherent bird-ness of the lyrics Eric has chosen to use. Like I said before, birds on power lines are commonly associated with birds about to migrate. Eric has said before that, when writing songs, “If there are lines from the movie that I really like, I jot them down and refer to them when composing songs. I also refer to a lot of songs or my own experiences.” In this case, I’m about 90% sure that his use of the bird metaphor was inspired from the same metaphor from Frank Ocean’s Pink + White (which we know Eric has listened to, because he liked a tweet recommending it to him), where birds are also indirectly referenced when talking about a rough time in the relationship.

The lyrics go: “If you could fly, then you’d feel south / Up north’s getting cold soon / The way it is, we’re on land.” All three of these lyrics have direct relatives in Cave Me In, even down to the discussion of directions, since Eric references both Northern lights and hemispheres later in the song. In Pink + White, Frank Ocean also builds up the bird metaphor, only to remind his audience that he and the woman he’s singing to are not birds, but people (The way it is, we’re in land).

If we’re going by this migration metaphor, then Ocean’s lyrics suggest a little more of what might be going on in Eric’s mind during the time he’s writing Cave Me In. Eric and Solar are at a crossroads, gathering on a power line before having to make a decision about which direction to go in their relationship. The instinctual, easy, thing to do would be to “feel South,” to go on with their lives the same way they had before, to not remain in the North where things are steadily getting colder. But, things aren’t that simple.

Once again, we dive into the land of English idiom, and I have to - unfortunately - explain to those of you who maybe aren’t quite so acquainted with American sayings, that “feeling South” can mean something a little beyond just migration. We often reference “going South” in terms of someone escaping, disappearing, or quitting. It’s essentially giving up. It can also refer to someone becoming more upset. Due to this, Frank (and Eric, through this extensive bird metaphor that they share) is saying that, despite the fact that the North is getting colder, if the woman he’s singing to could fly, then she (and probably he as well) would give up on the fight and “feel South.”

The thing is, as Frank reminds us in the very next lyric, and as Eric does with his, none of them are birds; they’re people, and so they do not always make the easy, instinctual decision. Eric’s lyrics, “hands gripping, and our fingers fried,” remind us that both him and Solar are still holding on, despite things getting more dangerous, and that brings us to our next set of lyrics, which cement this metaphor in even further.

 

Quote

God bless those northern lights / And our own devices, babe

 

Right away, there’s that reference to North again, suggesting that they have chosen to remain doing something dangerous, rather than take the easy way out and go South, and that is because of two reasons:

Number one is the Northern lights, also referred to as Aurora Borealis, which are often a symbol of hope. A guiding light, if you will. So, going by this whole story Eric is telling, him and Solar are persisting through the danger due to the fact that they have hope. Solar, especially, has let us know that she’s been encouraged by the MooMoos’ support of WGM. She is, and has always been, especially moved by words of hope from her fans in times when she feels she’s made a mistake. She once said that she loves reading the letters that say things like “You made a mistake but I will still cheer you on! Don’t be discouraged and try your hardest!” I suspect the winning of the Best Couple award contributed to this hope on her end, since she was especially thankful of the MooMoos who supported WGM, even to the point that it was her first impulse to thank us when she received the award.

Eric’s reason for hope comes in the second half of this set of lyrics: “And our own devices, babe.” The phrase “our own devices” or “left to our own devices” is an idiom that suggests freedom. If someone is left to their own devices, they are free to do whatever they can on their own. It can be both good and bad, in the way that freedom can be both good and bad.

At KCON NY this past year, Eric was interviewed about WGM. When asked about getting married for real, he said this:  “I could get married sooner, but… the moment you get married, you’re not living alone. Like, everything you do, you have to factor in another person and the likes and the dreams and the aspirations of that other person as well. And, if everything is in sync in that sense, like, there should be no problem. But, I think… I don’t know where I’m going to be, like ever, and so it’s hard for me to say that I’m going to get married like at this age.”

Basically, for him, the fans aren’t the largest roadblock to him pursuing a serious relationship (even though their reaction is probably still a definite one). What worries him more is that they won’t be  “in sync,” that they won’t have room for each other’s likes and dreams and aspirations in their lives, especially since he’s not quite sure where his future is going. “If everything is in sync,” he says, “there should be no problem.” So, really, the hope here is that, eventually, if they’re left to their own devices, things will line up enough for the two of them that they’ll be able to pursue something together. Unfortunately, as the lead up to the chorus suggests, things aren’t quite that simple.

 

Quote

Entropy multiplies / Clock’s ticking and I’m mortified

 

Let’s go back, for a second, to Parts 3 and 4 of my last big article. I know it feels like so much time has passed since then (mostly because it kind of… has? Isn’t that weird?), but that feeling, that worry, that momentum, let’s go back to that.

I believe, due to the dates lining up, that Eric’s portion of Cave Me In  was written after he and Solar found out they were ending. So like… post-Run Away With Me. However, I think the meat of this song was found in those weeks after Dubai, when Solar had I Wish You  Love on repeat and Eric was… well, Eric was writing Cave Me In.

Dubai was, I think, for both of them, a taste of what things would be like if they weren’t the people they are. Eric himself even commented on how nice the freedom was when they were at the amusement park. They were able  to go everywhere, and be together, and hold hands in public without anyone questioning it.

And then, of course, they came back and - here’s the most important part - Solar pulled away. If my analysis of I Wish You Love didn’t do enough to cement that in your head, here’s one more piece of evidence to suggest it, from a song Eric performed only once, very soon after they came back from Dubai. In fact, since he performed it here, I’d say that she’d been pulling away for a while, since they found out they were going to be ending soon.

Here 4 AM is, for your viewing pleasure:

 

 

Now, I’m not here to analyze that song, only to pick out a few key lyrics from there: “I’m stuck in a war, babe / And I need you to save me / Save me from me.” Eric is at this point, as both the lyrics of 4 AM and Cave Me In suggest, torn. He’s not sure whether to hold onto something dangerous or take the easy way out and leave things as they are. He’s “stuck in a war.”

I’d say that more than defines “entropy multiplies,” but I’ll take it even further than that. The most confusing part about Solar pulling away would’ve been the contrast to how things were in Dubai. We know they got close there, and she talks about it fondly even now, but we also know that she got distant soon after they got back. You can’t blame her, since she, like Eric, was probably also “stuck in a war” with herself over what to do before time ran out.

“Clock’s ticking and I’m mortified” also suggests that the main conflict in Eric’s head at this point has to do with how little time they have left: “When we started at first, we already knew there would be an end.”

Still, I think it must’ve been as disappointing for them as it was for us to find out the news.

Also, notice the word choice there. Mortified. Not scared, not nervous, not anxious, but mortified. This is a word that goes beyond any of those. It signifies extreme fear, and also shame. I’m not quite sure how to describe its meaning other than to say that it originates from the Latin word mors, which means death. It’s an intense emotion, especially in relation to time running out.

And this fear, this shame, what does it originate from? Well, the answer to that can be found in the next lyrics:

 

Quote

‘Cause in the back of my mind, in the back of my hemisphere / Baby I want you to cave me in / So maybe I won’t have to admit it / Baby I want you to cave me in / So maybe I won’t ask to forget it

 

Spoiler

(It is here I feel the need to have a quick disclaimer that some of this portion may have been written by Gallant and not Eric, but because the lyrics written by Eric flow into the lyrics written by Gallant so smoothly, I can’t differentiate. If anything is unreliable because of that, I apologise).

 

Eric here refers to his mind as a hemisphere, which suggests that he recognizes the conflict (North vs South) that he faces is all in his head. His desire exists in the back of his mind, though, which means it’s subconscious. It’s a secret wish, possibly even a shameful one if we’re remembering the use of the word “mortified” from earlier.

Secretly, he wants her to cave him in. What does that mean, though? I’m glad you asked. The English phrase of “cave in” means to give into someone or something. He wants her to make him give in, give up, accept defeat. The war in his mind needs a victor. I’m assuming that it’s his own wish of a relationship that he wants her to make him give into, since that is something that I can see him secretly desiring through their whole WGM run.

This also plays into the next lyric, where he explains that he wants her to make him give in so he “won’t have to admit it.” This may seem strange, since it’s a desire for a relationship that we’re talking about, and one would think that that would necessitate him admitting his feelings for her. The thing is, though, Eric’s always been pretty clear about his feelings for Solar, even from the beginning. I think here, he’s wishing that she would, to put it plainly, go first.

By this time, he would already be well-aware that Solar can be forward when she wants to be. She’s even said before that, if she likes someone, she will pursue them “in a straightforward and reckless way.” For most of their time together on WGM, Eric was the one always doing things first, and, due to this, he could never really be sure that she reciprocated his, frankly, quite obvious, feelings until Chuseok, when she kissed him. I think he’d want to start a relationship only after getting confirmation from her that she too wanted it.

And that’s the desire that he expresses in this chorus. He wants her to make him “cave in,” make him admit his own desire for them to try to give a real romantic relationship a go. And he wants her to do this by admitting her own desire for it first.

In the next set of lyrics, Eric even affirms that he wants this - no, he needs this - because, if she doesn’t, and he attempts to start the conversation, he might just ask her to “forget it.” They’re already close friends, and I’m sure he doesn’t want to jeopardize that friendship with her by trying to start a relationship. If he truly is “mortified” about the idea of time running out, it would make sense that he might end up scared enough to get halfway through proposing the idea to her, only to tell her to “forget it.”

And from here, of course, we go into Tablo’s beautiful rap about the contradictory nature of love (which I will explain only for the purpose of explaining, not analyzing, since it was written by Tablo, not Eric).

 

Love has either got you over heels or overdosed

Spoiler

“Over heels” comes from the expression “head over heels in love,” which is just another way to say “madly in love,” or “all-consumingly in love.” Overdosed, on the other head, immediately makes one think of, like, a drug overdose. Of taking too much of a good thing and it having disastrous consequences. So love can be all-consuming in both a good and a bad way.

 

It’s got you off your feet or on your toes

Spoiler

 

“Off your feet,” comes from the expression “swept off your feet,” which is a way of saying that you have fallen suddenly and completely in love with someone. The idiom itself actually comes from an old practice of a groom carrying his new bride over the threshold of his house due to the fact that newlyweds were believed to be very susceptible to evil spirits. “By carrying the bride over the threshold, the groom is putting a protective space between her and the floor; thus, protecting her.”

“On your toes,” despite sounding like it means the same thing, actually doesn’t, because English is weird and terrible. Someone or something that keeps you “on your toes” forces you to continue directing all your attention and energy to what you are doing. So, love can either be a whirlwind of good emotions, or something that takes all of your attention and is tiring.

 

 

It’s got you out your seat or in your place

Spoiler

 

“Out your seat” is a reference to the practice of standing up and clapping when watching a particularly good piece of theater, poetry, music, etc. If something is so great that you give it a “standing ovation,” then it’s something that moved you so much that you couldn’t express your feelings about it just by sitting, you had to stand up and clap as well. In contrast, “in your place,” refers to someone being quiet, and not speaking up.

Through this, Tablo is saying that love can either make you very expressive, or very meek. Someone is either suddenly very open to sharing their feelings when in love, or they are suddenly afraid to.

 

 

It’s got you digging it or your grave

Spoiler

“Digging it” is a fairly new slang term that basically just means really really liking something. Tablo compares this to the phrase “digging your own grave,” which is an idiom that refers to someone being responsible for their own downfall or ruin. So, love is either something really good, or it can cause you pain.

 

Love has got you mad about or just about mad

Spoiler

To be “mad about” someone is very similar to be “head over heels” for someone. It means to like or love someone very much, whereas “just about mad” refers to someone being on the brink of going crazy. Tablo is basically saying that there’s a fine line between being in love and going insane.

 

Got you in a crush or it’s got you in a crash

Spoiler

“Crush,” while also being a verb, is American slang for having feelings of infatuation for someone. It’s usually seen as a little less than being in love, so like someone’s first “crush” would be the first person they have feelings for when they’re in middle school or high school. Meanwhile, “crash” is just the verb as it normally is, and Tablo’s use of it makes one think of a car crash. There isn’t a complete description for the opposition here, just basically love can be good or love can be bad, which is the premise of this entire rap.

 

What used to make your heart sing a hit, sing a smash

Spoiler

“Hit” and “smash” are both slang terms used to talk about the act of a song getting really popular and effectively “smashing” the music charts. Think, like, what BTS just did to Melon’s charts.

 

Will make you wanna hit, wanna smash

Spoiler

Like with crush/crash, these are just the actual verbs, referencing actual hitting/smashing of things.

 

Everything that you had into pieces / But love becomes clear when in pieces

Spoiler

It is here that Tablo gets a little more poetic. Here he is referring to how everything seems to be more clear in the aftermath of a fight. Or, you could take it as everything is more clear when broken down into smaller pieces. Either way, he is beginning to talk about the main message of the song, which is communication.

 

What you couldn’t see and hear during peace is / Why a heart becomes ears in two pieces

Spoiler

 

Fights can often be beneficial for couples, since they force people to admit things that they otherwise wouldn’t have said. People might not voice things they’re uncomfortable with when they’re trying to make a relationship, especially a new one, work.

“Ears in two pieces” refers to how listening to someone’s opinion can help you see both points of view. It’s a really weird, poetic image, I know, but it works for the song. If someone’s ears are in two pieces, they can understand the point of view of the person they are fighting with because they listened to what they had to say.

 

Quote

Gravity makes wonders / But on us it doesn’t seem to weigh / Float like clouds on water / Or waves across an open plain

 

Gravity is, of course, the force that attracts planets/stars/objects together. Once again, we find ourselves in the midst of Eric’s many space and physics references. In the poetic sense of this song, gravity isn’t attracting two planets together, but two people. (Or, I mean, if you want to think about it from a physics sense, a planet and a sun… That was a bad pun. I’ll stop now.) The first lyric is referencing that attraction can create wonderful things. Eric being the hopeless romantic he is, the “wonders” he’s referring to are the phenomenon of being in love with someone. Or, more specifically, falling for someone.

The second lyric, however, turns things on its head a little. Eric went out of his way to correct this lyric, even posting it on Instagram, since most people (myself included) first thought that the lyric was “but on us it doesn’t seem to wait.” Once again, Eric calls back to a popular English idiom. For someone to be “weighed on” means that they have something burdening them, or worrying them. What Eric implies here with these two lyrics is that, despite all the things standing in their way, it is not the actual act of having feelings for each other that is causing the worry. It is rather, like the first verse suggests, the fans and their schedules. If they were just two people, normal people, things would already be “in sync,” but they’re not.

I also have to mention that this is the point where the Kakaotalk message shows up in the song, meaning that it was a message from Eric’s phone. Now, of course, there is no way that we can know who that message was from, or if it was even anyone relevant to this essay. But, I don’t know, in my own romantic mind, I’d like to believe that it was that same special “You” that Eric was waiting for in Hong Kong.

 

Spoiler

And by that, of course, I mean that I’d like to believe it was Solar, which isn’t that far of a stretch since we know that they’re in contact and that Solar likes to contact people through Kakaotalk. But, like I said, I’m trying not to reach too far here.

 

Back when I’d thought the original lyrics were “on us it doesn’t seem to wait,” I’d seen this song as more of a song about a fight (which, I mean, it is, but I’ll get into that at the end), and this section, Eric’s verses, were about the quiet in the middle of it, where the couple in the song starts to piece things back together. This, of course, makes sense if you look at his two lyrics of imagery that come next: “Float like clouds on water / Or waves across an open plain.”

Quote

Float like clouds on water

 

Quote

Or waves across an open plain

 

The scenes that Eric paints are really calm and beautiful. The second lyric also is, in my opinion, a pretty American image, since, you know, Great Plains. Through this he is reaffirming that there is no anxiety or worry here. Despite the fact that they’re walking a dangerous line, that their fans might be against it, that they might not be in sync with each other, they still not only have hope, they’re also not worried. They’re even calm.

It’s like Solar has said when talking about her second-guessing her career decisions; “When I had [questions about whether it was worth it] I tried to empty my brain. Like a white piece of paper. I chose to do this so I’m going along with it. I just did it.”

Read that again. I chose to do this, so I’m going along with it. Both Solar and Eric share this incredible trait of persistence (“Eric fully gives himself to all he commits to”). If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be where they are today.

I like how this, out of all the lyrics that Eric wrote, is the only part of those that he sings. It really cements that this, not the first verse, is where his head space currently is. Gone away is the entropy, the confusion. Left is only calmness, clarity and commitment, and that brings us to this week, to Valentine’s Day, to everything left to come (and also Eric’s album in March!!).

 

So, as a whole, what is Cave Me In about?

In reality, this song is a song about a fight. It’s about misunderstanding and confusion. Even the mere act of “caving someone in” is something very active, and that requires a small amount of conflict. The song explains that, because we are human, we fall in love, we make mistakes, and we fight, but sometimes conflict can work out for the better. It’s like Tablo says, “love becomes clear when in pieces.” Communication is a key ingredient in healthy relationships, and I think all three of the artists who worked on this song recognize that.

There is a conversation that the couple in the song needs to have. It is not quite clear what that conversation would be, but it’s something important. Something that they need to talk about before their relationship can move forward. For the purposes of examining Eric’s relationship, it seems to be a confession of feelings, but that is only the perspective of one of the three artists in the song, which really is a part of what makes it so beautiful.

It’s complicated, and messy, but it, like all three of these artists’ works, feels real. There’s enough painful detail in here to relate to and, of course, to analyze. But also enough empty space for the listener to project their own experiences onto, which is really the goal of any song. A listener, no matter what stage of their relationship they are in, can empathize with the situation of the artists. It’s a beautiful song, one of my favorites ever, and I really do hope that Eric continues to write more songs like this in the future.

 

From here, we go back into the chorus, with one last plea for her to “cave him in,” and then, it goes into that little bit at the end.

Quote

Girl cave me in, I won’t say it again, I want you

 

And I’m just going to leave this here:

Spoiler

 

 

http://www.koreaboo.com/news/eric-nam-reveals-hes-kissed-someone-within-last-week/

 

 

Happy Valentine’s day everyone! Let’s hope things are a little less bleak for Ddongie this year than they were last year (looking at you, Eric, Mr. I’m So Lonely). Happy Cave Me In listening!

[trowabarton99]

@cinnaminskies I've just finished your article and it is astonishing! The truth is I usually view lyrics and take them for what they are, I've never actually given it much thought, lack along learning the deeper layers the artists are sharing with us fans. Thank you for taking time to doing further explanations, it really helps us understand easier! And now I am just deluluing that it is our Solar who Kakaoed Eric during recording

Actually I'm already in the group, I am Jim, thanks for the invite tho!

[kryschan]

15 hours ago, cinnaminskies said:

@trowabarton99 That's actually really interesting... I hadn't thought about them eating at two places in a row thing before. I agree with you that we can't be sure of this source's validity, but I do think that every take on Ddongi is interesting, especially this one.

I have an article about Cave Me In cooked up for this week (since it is about to be Valentine's Day) so stay tuned on that one. I know this thread feels kind of dead right now, so if you want to be a part of our conversation in Kakao, feel free to let me know!

 

How do I join the Kakao talk group for ddongi? 

[pearlysheylla]

Hello!! I'm a lurker and I decided to come out just now hahaha Seriously, I lurk too much, I come here everyday to see what's new. I am an Eric Nam stan. I love Solar and Eric together. I miss them everyday since their WGM ended. 

Anyway, I like what everyone is posting here. You're all very insightful!

@trowabarton99 i'd love to read more of that analysis from the Chinese thread. I actually clicked on the link you provided and never in my life have I ever been so frustrated about not knowing Chinese.

@cinnaminskies I love your analysis! Cave Me In is such a good song, and it's a bit poetical. Lines are not the usual straight to the point messages, lots of metaphors and allegory. Thanks for linking that 4 AM song! OMG since I have heard it 2 hours ago, it has been on repeat. I like how Eric performed that, the emotions are still there and it's very affecting. I didn't know that song existed and now that i can't un-hear it, I am broken

Happy Valentines' Day everyone! have a good one! 

[Ira Ajja]

@trowabarton99 thanks for the translation it's make my memory fly back to last year (so much feeling with ddongie first meeting hahaha)

@cinnaminskies thanks for the song analytic....thanks god the kakaogroup still active, last month i still open this thread every day but this month i can't, hope eric and mamamoo can be active again (i'm glad they not too busy but i miss them)

[enko20]

Hi everyone. As I promised, here is the article about what Solar said on Haru Hana. This is going to be a bit heavy to read, so mianhae~  But if you know me, I don't really like sugarcoating anything in my writing. I promise it will get better toward the end though. Enjoy! 

~~~~~

The Popularity Dilemma

Being too good of a person is both a blessing and a curse sometimes

Before we begin, let me re-quote the answer from Solar one more time using not only the original translation, but other versions from our resident translators as well (a big thanks to @trowabarton99 and @papaxmoo). Although the differences are minor between each version, I feel like it’s best to lay them all out here to make sure that we get the most out of Solar’s statement in order to have a proper discussion ahead.

 

 

Quote

Q. What is your ideal type like? What kind of person will you become when you are in love?

Hwasa: I am the type who is dedicated too. No tactics, but just expressing everything in my head. When I was little, I longed for a romantic love, and I liked men who carry a slight aura of danger. But now I prefer someone who is bright and humorous.

 

Solar: Me too! Someone like Yoo Jae Suk sunbaenim and Jung Hyung Don sunbaenim.

 

Q. What about Eric Nam, whom you partnered with on “We Got Married”?

 

Ver. 1 - @mmmtrashTGC’s original trans His personality is really good and he is very gentle. He has good manners and is a very nice person. But because he is a heartthrob, if I had to date him for real, I don’t think I could tolerate it. (laughs)

 

 

Ver. 2 - @trowabarton99's Chinese trans.: He has great personality, very gentle, has great manners, a very nice guy. But because he's a "heartthrob", if we were in a relationship, I would feel sad and unbearable. (laughs)

 

 

Ver. 3 - @papaxmoo's Thai trans.: He’s got good manners, is down to Earth and is also courteous/considerate/polite which makes him just the best. But because he is a heartthrob/sweetheart/someone is loved by everyone, if we really dated I think I’d be exhausted and it’d be unbearable. (laughs)

 

 

Here is the definition of heartthrob according to Merriam-Webster dictionary:

 

Quote

“a usually renowned man (as an entertainer) noted for his sex appeal.”

 

Now, the literal meaning of the term “heartthrob”, is not quite the best description for a person like Eric, but it is the closest English term that captures how much he is beloved by other people. While Eric certainly is considered attractive as a man, his appeal really lies in his impeccable manners toward other women. We’ve all heard these titles before -“Nation’s Boyfriend”, “One House, One Eric Nam” - titles that have become a part of his identity as an idol in Korea.

 

In the past, I had argued here and there that these very titles he owns are actually a double-edge knife. They have allowed him to become a household name in the industry, and garnered him a massive amount of fangirls, but at the same time, they have put his dating life in a shackle, which I speculated was a reason for him to seek WGM in the first place.

 

Quote

[From my own article - Beyond the Image of a Perfect Gentleman]

 

“One point also worth mentioning is that, the very own “Nation’s Boyfriend” image that make him could one day ironically break him as well should he choose to change it to ‘Person X’s Boyfriend’...”

 

Since we are now at a point where this issue is more relevant than ever before, I will use the opportunity to dig into the downsides of being the “Nation’s Boyfriend” for Eric. In this article, I will also discuss how exactly is the concept of “heartthrob” problematic for Solar, and what does that bode for her future together with Eric. Without further ado, leggo~

 

________

The Popular Guy

Eric Nam and Nation’s Boyfriend

 

Yeah, you can tell me anything

I’ll listen to everything

Cause I’m good for you

Good For You

 

Whenever there are talks about Eric, his manner is always going to be one of the focal points of discussion. This is especially even more true in Korea, where his brand is built almost strictly upon that. Recently, he was selected as one of the “Men of New Generation” by Ize Magazine among with other candidates who are considered as classy gentlemen with righteous ideals. Over the years, Eric has gained a lot of recognition for the one thing he probably shouldn’t be this well-known for in the first place.

 

To kick off the discussion about Eric Nam and the “Nation’s Boyfriend” title, I would like to use these two examples to illustrate why he is so popular in Korea.

 

Quote

[From Happy Together]

Q. Eric Nam is so hot right now. Ladies want you to be their boyfriend. Tell us Eric, how did it happen?

 

Eric: I really don’t know what the reason is. I’ve actually been asking around: “Why am I popular?”

Hyeongyeong: He knows exactly what women want. From his manners to what women want to hear, he knows exactly what to do.

 

Q. Can you give us an example?

 

Hyeongyeong: He wouldn’t let the lady lifts a single finger at the restaurant. Whenever she needed anything from utensils to water, he said ‘I'll do it. I got it.’

(This was exactly what he did at the tteokbokki restaurant on his first date with Solar)

 

 

Quote

[From Yu Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook]

Q. Why do you think people adore you so much?

 

Eric: I’ve been asked this question a lot these days. So I asked back what they liked about me, and many of them said that I’m gallant. I don’t necessary agree but I’m going with it. Do I have good manners?

 

Q. Many want someone like Eric as their boyfriend. All the ladies think that you’ll even embrace their flaws.

 

Eric: I don’t know what to say to that.

 

 

Eric’s popularity in Korea is no joke. Many people adore him because he always know the right thing to do or say. It definitely is a blessing to be well-received by the public. However, I think this is where the saying “everything in moderation” applies. His manners has gone from a blessing to a curse because he is now too well-received, to the point of obsession, and really, we all know exactly how unhealthy the obsessive/possessive culture truly is. Eric has gone from one of the better guys in the industry to a guy that everyone wants to duplicate and put in their houses.

 

His agency isn’t exactly helping with this either. They are capitalizing upon his image to the maximum, akin to the way RBW capitalizing on the sensation of Moonsun (which, if you are not familiar with, I would suggest to read this article from @cinnaminskies - Moon and Sunrise). Through many of his TV appearances in Korea, you could tell that they are tailored to highlight his manners and to further sell the idea that he’s a flawless gentleman to the audience. I will give you some examples here:

 

Best Man Ep.3 (and here is the reaction to it - Consideration Class)

 

TMON

 

Mobidic

 

Even in his music, the theme is very similar. Pretty much all of his Korean releases have been the typical love ballad that appeal to women’ impressions about him (with the exception of Ooh Ooh).I would say Good For You is a prime example of his image in a nutshell - a man who would love all girls, listen to all our troubles and is more than willing to be good for us - when in reality, Eric’s just a human with flaws and struggles of his own.

 

That’s not to say that it is all in his image and that he’s putting on a show for the crowd. He is genuinely well-mannered and kind, which was already proven over the years. But his good intention, applies to the culture of Korea, cause things to really blow out of proportion (for intricate reasons that I might possibly do a separate article for after more research) and makes him popular to a degree Eric himself probably couldn’t imagine

 

While it’s certainly a good thing that Eric has been able to make a successful career out of it, the pressure to keep up with his good image has affected him quite a lot. On Happy Together, Eric mentioned that he is very concerned about making mistakes (such as saying wrong things, like 시발점 which sounds similar to a curse word) that could ruin him. He’s living with a burden on his shoulders to be a role model wherever he appears. That is the case for every idol/public figure, but in the role that Eric has, this reality is further amplified.

 

If the heavy baggages that come with being the “Nation’s Boyfriend” only affect Eric, then maybe they could be a bit bearable. Unfortunately, this extreme popularity of his doesn’t go very well with Solar, and that is where the trouble arises.

________

Out Of My League

Solar and her dislike of popular guys

 

If he knows women well, I don’t like it

He’s not good good good for me

Gentleman

 

On every single interview Mamamoo have done in the past until now, whenever Solar is asked about ideal types, she would consistently stick to these two ideals: a humorous guy and a guy who is straightforward in relationship. However, there is another tidbit about her ideal type that I only found out recently, which is that her ideal guy can’t be too popular with girls. I first learned about this through one of Mamamoo’s songs, Gentleman. Let’s take a look at what Wheein has to say about this song:

 

Quote

I recommend Gentleman. You should listen to it when you’re with your friends, because it’s about a group of girls meeting at a cafe and talking about their ideal types like “I like this type of guy”, “I like that type of guy”.

 

What stands out to me the most in the song is this one part sung by Solar, which goes “If he knows women well, I don’t like it / He’s not good good good for me”. Solar clearly expresses that her ideal guy is not someone who has his way with women. To explain in details what that means, I will refer us to YongKongByulKong Q&A 2 (4:35) in which Solar addressed this subject directly with her own words:

 

Quote

Q. If you two (Solar and Moonbyul) were the opposite gender, would you have dated?

Solar: *makes an X sign for no* The reason why I said no, it’s because Miss Byul, if you were a guy, you would’ve been too popular and out of my league.

 

Now we begin to have a clearer picture of why a popular guy is problematic for Solar. Solar’s best friend, Moonbyul, is considered the “Girl Crush” of Mamamoo - a girl who has made many women jokingly say that they have to question their sexuality sometimes. The “Girl Crush” image is a perfect counterpart to Eric’s “Nation’s Boyfriend”. Both of them are the kind of image that attracts an insane amount of obsession from fangirls, to the point where I have to say it’s too unhealthy for my liking.

 

So what Solar said here was essentially that, if Moonbyul was hypothetically a guy, she would be a “heartthrob” like Eric with the way she makes fangirls’ hearts fluttered, and that would make her too much for Solar. Personally, I have learned that the “out of my league” mentality is very wrong and no girl should believe in that, with a certain exception where I think it does apply: someone like us vs an idol like Eric, which those obsessive fangirls of his will forever be in denial about. However, knowing who Solar is, it is very understandable why this is a big deal for her, so I don’t really blame Solar for it.

 

A girl that believes in the “out of my league” idea most likely has some level of self-esteem issue, which I suspected as much about Solar (The Enigmatic Yeba). For her, she needs a relationship where she can feel proud and confident, and being next to a popular guy is not going to help. Imagine how terrible she would feel being constantly judged and told that she’s “not good enough for him” by countless amount of other jealous girls. Solar is simply not assertive enough of herself to outright ignore that, and ultimately she would suffer more often than not in the long run in this kind of relationship.

 

Not to mention, the idea of a popular guy itself is a major red flag too. Why? Because not every guy who’s popular with girls are like that for a good reason. In fact, you could attribute some of them to the player/womanizer type - guys who flirt around with lots of girls and make themselves look like a sweetheart but are not willing to be honest with his feelings or make a commitment to any girl. So if he’s popular, there is a possibility he belongs in that class of guy that Solar already experienced once, and probably would never want to experience it again.

________

What Separates Us

Looking at an age-old dating issue from Ddongie’s perspective

 

My breaking heart and I agree

That you and I could never be

So with my best, my very best, I set you free

I Wish You Love

 

With that in mind, let’s go back to this whole idea of Eric as a “heartthrob” and identify where the issue lies. One glance should tell us right away that the former idea definitely applies in this case. Eric is way too popular with women, or to borrow Solar’s lyrics, “he knows women too well”. In fact, he’s so popular that getting him to be a cast on WGM alone was already an issue for the PD. It is no secret that the K-Nampyeons were and still are vehemently against Eric being coupled up with another girl. Even one of them who is Solar’s distant friend called her during the early days of WGM and make sure she knew they do not entertain that fact:

On Solar’s side, there are also Moomoos (or to be specific, Moonsuns) who are so vocal about their dislike that Solar had to take it into consideration during her Best Couple award acceptance speech - “Some Moomoos liked us as a couple but some didn’t"  (6:30). However, judging by her statement, it’s clear that she is more concerned about his fans than hers. They are the one who makes her suffer the most, and as long as Eric remains the way he is, Solar simply can’t date him even if she wants to.

 

Now, I want to take us on a trip down the memory lane, back to the 1st of September of last year. A whole lot happened on that day, but the most memorable thing was Eric’s wish for Solar at the inflatable pool:

 

Quote

“I want us to stay like this forever. I don’t want us to change.”

 

I would like to give a big shout out to @cinnaminskies for helping me understand Eric’s newest song Cave Me In, and for that fantastic analysis on the whole song altogether. I want to use the analysis now to hone in on these two specific lines that capture perfectly what it felt like for Eric at that moment next to Solar:

 

Entropy multiplies

Clock’s ticking and I’m mortified

 

Before this point, Eric and Solar had grown into close friends and they were moving along happily on that track, which I know for a fact because Eric had gone on record multiple times to say that he wishes to befriend Solar in real life post-WGM. However, that wish he made later on in the inflatable pool turned everything they had agreed upon before upside down, making everything chaotic, or “entropy”, if you will. I was not very certain then what Eric meant, but now I can interpret that statement with confidence, knowing that he considered his time on WGM with Solar more like dating than marriage:

 

 

Quote

“I don’t want us to just be friends anymore.I want us to keep on dating afterwards like what we’re doing now.”

 

 

Eric clearly already planned to confess to her on that day. He even brought the “Why I Love You” book to fill out with her. The book was like a reminder for them when they no longer film WGM together to not forget the feelings they had developed for each other. That, coupled with his wish, was sort of a desperation move Eric made when he came to a realization that the clock had begun ticking toward the end of WGM. To add on to that, he even made another wish for her to initiate skinship (which he really meant for her to make the first move in their relationship), because if she does, it’s a sign that the feelings between him and Solar are mutual, and he would only pursue further once he’s certain about that.

 

A fun, off-topic comparison about the “Why I Love You” book (Spoiler alert to those of you who haven’t watched Goblin!!)

 

Spoiler

That book reminded me of the notes that Eun Tak desperately jotted down on her notebook about Kim Shin after his sword was taken out so she wouldn’t forget about how she was in love with him. It’s nowhere near that dramatic, but the intention was kind of similar. Eric wanted Solar to write her feelings down so she and he wouldn’t forget each other during the time spent apart.

 

 

Anyhow, the problem we’re talking about now all started there. Solar was already aware of his popularity and the negative impact it had on their WGM stint, but it would all go away once they’re no longer “married” and go back to being friends. If they were like other WGM couples and just enjoyed the ride with no emotional attachment whatsoever, Eric and Solar would eventually part ways merrily. Except, Eric wasn’t happy with just that, and it got her into a roller coaster of emotions, which then prompted Solar to give this response after spending at least a month thinking it through: I Wish You Love: A Lyrical Analysis. Her answer, with a broken heart, was: “never lovers, ever friends”.

 

Solar’s concern about dating Eric is very justified. However, none of it has anything to do with what she thinks of Eric as a person. We can see in her statement that Solar has only great things to say about him. He is a genuinely a good guy who has given her so much to be happy about. He is kind, humorous, well-mannered and is definitely not a player. Above all, Eric is the one who has helped Solar overcome her low self-esteem issue, which I bet she will never forget about. The problem here is that he is too good for his own...good, to the point that his goodness has inadvertently made it hard for any girl, including her, to be in a relationship with him peacefully.

 

Spoiler

http://www.koreaboo.com/buzz/iu-reveals-reason-boyfriend-important/

I came across this article of Jang Ki Ha and IU and I think it’s a perfect, real-life illustration of what Eric means to a girl like Solar. Unfortunately, Jang Ki Ha and IU were reported to have broken up not too long ago, to the delight of IU’s fans, tragically. I’m not here to criticize any of her shippers, but the fact that they ruthlessly celebrated her breakup with a guy that changes her life reminds me so much of when Nampyeons/Moomoos celebrated Ddongie’s ending on WGM. No one cares about the fact that IU was probably heartbroken, but only about their own selfish shipping desire (and I hope our ship won’t stoop down to this level when it is Eric/Solar’s turn). That is the kind of reality we would be looking at if Eric and Solar decide to enter a public relationship at their current state.

 

 

We can’t forget about the fact that their careers matter as well. Both Eric and Solar are in a unique situation where they debut rather late and find themselves still in the early part of their careers. With Eric turning 30 and Solar 27 this year (in Korean age), they are definitely at the right age to begin thinking about commitment, but with how career-driven they still are, it’s not a conversation to be have at this point in time, especially not Eric who’s still holding on to his ultimate dream of crossing over to the States and becoming a relevant Western artist. Like Eric himself said, he really doesn’t know where his life and career will take him, so it’s tough for him to be sure that he can be “in sync” with any girl right now, including Solar. For Solar herself, even if her confidence has improved enough to stand against all the hate, she still has her own group/agency to be concerned about. Her career that she worked for with her own blood, sweat and tears (yes, that was intentional) matters to Solar as much as Eric’s, and it’s not wise to risk throwing that all away just to be with him.

 

So what does that mean then? Is this the end of the road for their romantic adventure? Are they going to give up because nothing seems to work in their favor? I beg to differ on that!

________

The Test of Time

Eric and Solar are no strangers to the endurance game

 

‘Cause you and me live like birds on a powerline

Hands slipping and our fingers fried

God bless those Northern Lights

And our own devices, babe

Cave Me In

 

Remember this?

 

When Solar gave those shoes to Eric, she said: “It means...even if we’re not together, don’t change your mind”. What did she mean by that? Why did Solar feel compelled to say such a thing?

 

Listen to her words carefully one more time: ”Even if we’re not together, don’t change your mind”. That statement has double meanings - they won’t be together for filming, and they won’t be together as a couple anymore for possibly a very long time. The situation they find themselves in right now make it nigh on impossible for them to date. But even so, Solar wants Eric to not turn away from those earnest feelings he expressed to her back then at the pool.

 

Both Eric and her are well-aware of the reality. Like Solar said, when they began, they knew there would be an end. Not an end to their friendship, since Solar said they for sure would keep in touch, but an end to their dream-like life as husband and wife, as boyfriend and girlfriend. WGM was their way to bypass the harsh reality of being an idol, but it was never a permanent solution. Sooner or later, they would have to face reality, and the reality is that they can’t just get together on a romantic date casually like they once did in the name of filming a variety show.

 

I would argue though, that if Solar truly has given up on any possibility of her and Eric taking it beyond friendship because of those difficulties, she wouldn’t even bother telling him those words or write everything that was on those shoes. Why would it matter whether Eric’s feelings change or not if they are just going to be friends, right? But instead, Solar gave him a sign there by telling him to not give up, because if he won’t, then she won’t either.

 

There was another important part about the shoe that I feel like I should bring to our attention. On there, she wrote a very commonly used Korean idiom nowadays: “꽃길만 걸어”, which means “Let’s walk on flower paths”. This was Solar’s message to Eric, wishing that they can walk together happily in the future, and that is not going to happen if they just recklessly dive into a public relationship. Countless of other idol couples have been broken apart before either because they couldn’t handle the fans’ malice, or they failed to take into account the “likes, dreams and aspirations” of the other person. She doesn’t want Eric and her to fall into that same trap, and if that means they have to be extra cautious and calculating, then so be it.

 

So in short, what I took from her statement, with regards to everything else Solar has said and done, is this: her answer has changed from “no” to “not now”, and it makes perfect sense. Realistically speaking, if she and Eric were to ever become an item, it’s not going to happen for a foreseeable future because of the popularity reason I mentioned in the previous sections. They can’t just date each other without resolving the problems that exist, otherwise it would be outright suicidal. In order for them to be together when the right opportunity comes though, their feelings for each other will have to withstand the test of time. It’s a question of commitment. Would Eric remain faithful to her until the day she can be next to him again, or will he move on to someone else? Would Solar be able to promise him the same?

 

I have two good news for us all, however. Here’s the first one: both Eric and Solar are no strangers to a long-lasting relationship. Solar has been dying for a guy who values commitment, and in Eric, she has found him. Once Eric decides that a girl is worth pursuing, it’s going to take a lot for him to change his mind. Throughout twenty-nine years of his life, he’s only been in a relationship twice for that reason. What about Solar? Well, she hasn’t really given us a number, but from everything I have learned about her, I am fairly certain that she’s only done it once. That is just to give you an idea of how devoted to their partner they could be.

 

The second piece of good news is this: they had already set themselves up for this situation beforehand. I have mentioned this in some of my previous articles, that they did quite a lot of things that would allow them to keep each other in memories. Eric said that his way of making him memorable to Solar was through letting her do many things she dreamed about with him. Just to jog our memories a little bit, here are two examples:

 

Spoiler

 

1) Eric fulfilled her wish of being a radio DJ (which was something she'd dreamed about since Piano Man era) with their appearance on Hope Song at Noon. Later on she came back on the radio and said that she reminisced about that moment fondly.

2) The Dubai trip was part of her wish list written on the resume, and was possibly her first ever vacation with someone else (because her trip to Danang, Vietnam later on was actually the first time she went on vacation with Moonbyul [1:30]). The days in Dubai was so unforgettable for Solar that she still  went around doing the “Assalamualaikum” greeting with Mamamoo/Moomoos after WGM ended and recently mentioned on FM Yokohama radio that she really enjoyed the trip with Eric.

 

 

That’s not to mention the countless pictures, mementos, videos they took/made with each other. Those are things that they already planned for ahead of time, knowing that the moment their WGM ending came, they would have something everlasting to cherish . Remember what Solar said in Dubai? “We should take more pictures. Pictures are the only thing that last”. They knew that months, even years from now, the only way for them to keep the fire burning bright is to have something they can look back on and remember how special they were to each other. That initiative they took give me hope that Eric and Solar already had thoughts about their long-term prospect together.

 

However, even if everything ideally goes right and their feelings remain the same, we’re still left with the main issue. What about Eric’s popularity? How are we going to solve this dilemma? The answer to that depends a lot on Eric himself and his future. Right now, what I can say is this: Eric is already making the right moves to alleviate the insane craze about him as the Nation’s Boyfriend. He already said a long time ago that variety show is a great medium for him to express the more casual sides of himself. The more exposure his Korean fans have to his true self, the lesser the craze will be. He’s very willing to take gambles on doing controversial shows like WGM and Life Bar because he knows these are the opportunities for him to escape the never-ending culture of idol possession ingrained deep in the society of Korea. Although, it’s still going to be a balancing act between the kind of candid thing he’s doing on Life Bar versus what he has to do in order to upkeep his image, because that is the only way for him to remain relevant in the industry at this point in time.

 

And that brings us to the ultimate solution which lies in his ultimate dream - a successful crossover to the U.S. We’ve already seen a glimpse of how supportive the international fans could be when it comes to relationship through his IG post with Solar, because the concept of Nation’s Boyfriend doesn’t exist on this side of the ocean. By becoming a full-blown Western artist, the benefits Eric receive will be two-fold. First, there’s going be a demographic shift in Eric’s fanbase great enough that his popularity would no longer affect his love life negatively. Also, by the time the transition is completed, Eric’s career would probably become stable enough where he can begin thinking about settling down. Hopefully by then, the name Solar would still be floating around in that conversation of his.

 

Of course, no one can really tell how long that would take, or if Eric can achieve it at all. As an Asian, an Eric stan, and a Ddongi shipper, I am rooting for his success in the West harder than probably anything else for a whole lot of reasons. Solar has given Eric a clear indication to the one last hurdle that remains in their path to a happy ending. Now it’s up to Eric and her to figure out how to overcome this together. All we could do now is patiently wait and wish that their path toward the future will indeed be a path of flowers and sunshine.

 

With that, I will leave you guys with one last thing - a bonus, if you will, to finish this up on a positive note.
 

Spoiler

 

Quote

 

Q. What is your ideal type like? What kind of person will you become when you are in love?

Solar: Me too! Someone like Yoo Jae Suk sunbaenim and Jung Hyung Don sunbaenim.

 

To my knowledge, this is the first time ever where Solar has mentioned Yoo Jae Suk as her ideal type. It sparks a lot of interest in me, considering the conversation about how her ideal type has changed because of Eric. I’m going to let Han Heejun from Happy Together explain what I’m talking about.

 

 

Quote

Heejun: Among overseas Korean celebrities, Eric is like Yoo Jae Suk. He’s idolized. He’s a role model, with English names always say we should follow him as an example.

 

His statement brought me back to an article I read a long time ago - Is Eric Nam the next Yoo Jae Suk? - which I think is a very legitimate comparison. Eric shares many similar traits with Yoo Jae Suk - he’s a hardworking man and a guy with charisma who can be entertaining and friendly to virtually anyone. Not to mention, Eric is also on the path of becoming a beloved MC like Jae Suk as well. One of Eric’s dreams is to MC’ing a show of his own in the future, and he’s working his way toward it by training with veterans like Yang Se Hyung on ShinYangNamja.

 

Also, if you guys didn’t know, Eric really impressed Jae Suk himself back when he made an appearance on Infinite Challenge in 2015

 

 

And want to take a guess where Solar could possibly become a Jae Suk fangirl? Yes, from her favorite variety show, Infinite Challenge.

 

However, the biggest similarity to me is the fact that both Eric and Jae Suk share the same burden as a role model for other people. They are so popular and fervently adored that the pressure to maintain a flawless image affect their daily lives. This article here is a good read about the hardship that Jae Suk goes through, and from there, we can relate back to Eric and the burden he himself is carrying on his shoulders everyday.

 

The main point that I’m trying to get across is that I think Solar really admire men who are hard-working and suffer a lot while still putting on a smile for other people (because that’s basically her). So, in a way, by mentioning Jae Suk, Solar just indirectly said that Eric is now her ideal man.

 

 

- - - - - 

@trowabarton99 If it's not too much to ask, could you help us translate the other parts from that Ddongi China poster as well?  I think she brought up a lot of things I like to discuss about, and I think there should be more in the other parts too (I will write them all down and post it here soon).

 

@pearlysheylla Wow! It's good to see a fellow Eric stan in here. Welcome to the thread. Oh, and I LOVE 4AM TOO OMG! 

[pearlysheylla]

@enko20 i love 4AM so much! i tried looking for a digital release and almost cried when I discovered none. I downloaded the video instead hahaha 

BY THE WAY PEOPLE, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ERIC?

He tweeted some things but he deleted soon after. I have a screenshot but i don't know how to post it here 

I hope he is okay. I can't bear to see him unhappy like this.

Here's a link of the an article about it:http://www.allkpop.com/article/2017/02/eric-nam-posts-and-quickly-deletes-tweets-complaining-about-his-label

[nightzer0]

Hi a silent lurker here, Ya I saw that post as well, I am wondering what happen to him. I also saw some china ddongi fan post his twitter saying Stop. I hope everything was well for him

 

[Cedric Ong]

His agency said misunderstanding...mmm...wonder about what? Work related or?

https://www.soompi.com/2017/02/16/eric-nams-agency-releases-statement-unhappiness-agency/

[nightzer0]

I use google translate the article, I really wonder why Eric Solar can get attention so suddenly if what Eric yesterday tweet is related to work, delulu...

Alright stop my delulu, I just hope this kind of redirect won't affect Solar or Eric, I am really sad if both of them getting attack or bash by each other fans.

http://gvalley.etnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=532188

Edited February 18, 2017 by nightzer0

[enko20]

Okay, @trowabarton99, I've gathered some of my thoughts about what you translated. I want to know what you and others think about it as well  Please feel free to join in the discussion everyone.

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From my point of view, Solar is the standard type of Korean Idol, beautiful, great voice, looks optimistic and loves to smile/laugh, just a bit foolish sometimes. (Typical Yeba). Almost all moments in front of the camera she sees it as “work”, and dropping her idol disguise in front of the camera is nearly impossible, it’s part of her training. This is typical Korean Idol training. We also have these kind of artists in China as well. If you don’t really know them, they are mostly easygoing, easy to be around with and near perfect. But if you really get to know them, they are scarishly strong (mentally). It struck me to know they are able to separate all emotions on camera, happy or sad, from real life. They are really sensitive, lonely, often hide in their shell, and reject care and harms from others. But if they receive real care, like from the bottom of the other’s heart, they would be touched for a long time.

From the program making point of view, Solar is more of a “One Time” variety type artists. Hot on the outside and cold inside, suitable for shows like “Happy Together”. On short term appearances in variety, she is outgoing, shows no restrain and an exceptional girl. However, on long term variety, you will find she’s shy with strangers and sensitive, which I consider a risk for WGM to have her on the show.

 

Spoiler

I'm not really sure what an "One Time" artist is, but I can kind of infer based on how she described Solar. Anyway, I don't quite agree with the statement she wrote there which I highlighted. I don't think short-term and long-term are the correct categories to differentiate between how Solar displays herself on variety shows.  While it is true that she did show her more reserved side on WGM, which is a long-term show, it actually wasn't the only place she's done so. Here is a counter-example to the author's remark to prove my point: Sugar Man - a short-term-show - where Solar clearly showed her shyness in the dance battle against her seniors Amber and Dara.

Whereas with that exact same dance and song, Solar went all-out on YamanTV when she's with her group.

Rather, I think Solar's appearance varies based on the level of freedom from the show and also on the people Solar has around her. I think this interview from Mamamoo describes best how she and other members feel about variety shows in general. They prefer to go in pairs or groups to support each other rather than individually, because they excel in the presence of people they're familiar with. I think Solar with Eric during the Chuseok event is the best example of what they talked about there. Whether Solar can drop her "idol mask"/reservation and be herself or not depend on that. Eric became close to Solar over time and gave her the freedom to have fun, so eventually she bypassed the rigidity of WGM and became the way she normally is with her members in his presence too.

 

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As for Eric, he is another type of artist in the industry. He’s own life experience outshines the typical artist training, rather than what considers to be the ultimate factors in artists,  “appearances”, “warm outgoing personality” and “sense”. He can be as close to whom he actually is in real life even in front of cameras. Going out making friends and without being afraid to be harmed, because people like Eric whose been harmed many times knows how much to give, they know exactly what they want. Therefore he isn’t afraid to let his emotions show on camera because he can handle it just fine. If he senses he’s being harmed he will retract his emotions without hesitation.  

From the program making point of view, Eric is easily love by PDs and Writers. He’s diverse, has lots of “labels”, hot outside and inside, best of all he knows the routine of the show business, especially variety show routines.

Conclusion, from my point of view, Eric can easily give 7 pts (out of 10 pts) on sincerity in variety shows, and can adjust the numbers regarding other influences during filming. Solar on the other hand cannot. She can’t adjust her feelings like Eric, but whenever she puts 1 extra pt into this relationship, she means it and she’s not taking it back.

 

Spoiler

ft@trowabarton99 can you explain to me what she meant by "people like Eric whose been harmed many times"? 

I think a 7 out of 10 sincerity is rather low for someone like Eric who, despite the fact that he's well-versed with variety shows, has always been known for his devotion.He said that he only does one variety show at a time because he wants to give his heart and effort into each one of them. I think the pool's wish and the album as a final gift were best examples of how sincere he is not only to Solar but to WGM. Also, the fact that WGM serves as the best gateway to display his real personality is a huge factor in determining how serious he took it (like I've argued about so many times before).

In my personal opinion, Solar actually started off WGM with quite a lot of adjustments on her own part, and eventually reverted back into her normal self. She is very straightforward and honest, but Solar held back quite a bit in the beginning before she became certain that she could become closer to Eric after the 2nd date. I think the author did mention that with the "psychological reconstruction" part. Also, I actually think that she made adjustments for her image/fan/company, not because of her familiarity with variety shows nor lack of sincerity. Watching her in the early episodes, we could see she mixed in her natural moments (like making innuendos and doing beagle stuffs) with her planned ones very often.

 

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As for the staff, Room Escape basically failed.

 

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I agree and disagree here. I think that the staffs did fail to take into account many things that could happen because of the setup. The biggest failure, I think, was the fact that Solar already figured out it was Eric before he even got into the room, which ruined all of their efforts to build up the anticipation between them two.

However, the Room Escape actually produced some perhaps unintended results for us the so it wasn't a total failure. Here are what it produced:

1) We learned that Solar isn't exactly the most patient girl in the world. Sure, they confined her in a room with bad ventilation for hours while making her wear a mask, and honestly anyone would be uncomfortable by that. But the situation the staffs put Solar in highlighted one of the most important traits about her that Eric himself and all of us should be aware of.

2) This was an indication early on about how calm and level-headed Eric is. The Room Escape itself was the same situation he ran into later on when Solar decided to test him with the candid camera prank. Eric had to use his brain to figure out how to solve a problem while not forgetting about a frustrated Solar herself who'd been put into a bad condition by other people (in this case, the staffs, and during the prank, Eun Ah). Say, if Eric was impatient himself and started lashing out on Solar for complaining, that would be very telling to her about what kind of guy he is, since Solar is very observant.

 

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Later on they traded resumes, which is part of the script, and you can see there’s an edit mark here,

 

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What edit mark is she talking about? 

 

[Cedric Ong]

https://www.soompi.com/2017/02/18/watch-mamamoos-solar-shares-adorable-childhood-photos-mv-teaser-birthday-release/

Her 26th birthday is 21 Feb.

More about his deleted tweets :

http://www.allkpop.com/article/2017/02/b2m-ent-explains-eric-nams-deleted-tweet-about-disrespect-from-agency

[ventj]

 

[coolbrattyro]

 

She trully deserves all the love 

Her letter is really heartwarming.

And who else had remembered our ddongie's laat day in her song's MV ( the cooking of seaweed soup, the letter, all the preparation the morning of their last filming -seems like in that MV).

It seems like she lost some weight though, the moochi cheeks are not quiet visible.

Thanks fam for all the updates, I guess everyone is all updating in kakao more often than in this forum.hahaha I am still having a hard time writing/leaving comments here..

[coolbrattyro]

This will probably be one of the most memorable birthday ever...

Crdt:owner

[gureentea]

have you guys seen this? this is old but.. eric mentioned solar here hehe. its from music core's periscope

he read 2 questions 
Q1: do u miss ur wife?
Q2: do you (live) happily and lovely with Solar?
he answered by asked us to watch the broadcast (WGM) after music core ends

Spoiler

tbh i just found this periscope vid today too, and i quickly reuploaded it on youtube.. wonder why this precious video was "hidden" for so long lol

[enko20]

Eric will be on John Park's Music High Radio on 2/28

The guests alongside him are: Seulong, Ali and Baek Yerin. Baek Yerin caught my attention in particular because it was just revealed not long ago that she is dating someone else:

http://www.koreaboo.com/news/baek-yerin-revealed-dating-producer-cloud/ 

I don't know if this is just pure coincidence or me reading too much, but do you guys notice how Eric has been involved with people with dating rumors/officially dating? Basically, if you watch Life Bar, almost every episode is about that, and now this... idk lol I just think it's funny in a way. 

[coolbrattyro]

Crdt:owner

When yebaness strikes..lol

i miss her

crdt:owner

[trowabarton99]

@enko20 Thanks Emi for you thoughts! I've finished reading them and I would be glad to put these topics into discussion. But recently I'm caught up in some errands irl, so I'm going to have to ask you to give me some time... sorry >"<

And also I've been working on the translation of the second meet during my spare time. If I can get it done earlier I'll post it on here for the fam to check out