Before starting our cover video, I watched the original MV and was left with a catchy song stuck in my head more than anything else. Nothing from the MV really caught my attention enough to be memorable; nothing really stood out as interesting or impressive. But through the process of making our video, I have learnt to appreciate the hours of dedication and hard work it takes to make something—no matter how simple—look effortless and cohesive.
Apart from MVs, we can relate this to K-pop in general. When we think of K-pop, we usually admire how flawless everything is. From an idol’s concept, to their hair, their clothes, their choreography and the synchronicity, their voices, and so on—these are all things we often overlook just how long it takes to train, practice, and perfect. Just like the making of an MV, and even though we did not cover the dance, I can only imagine just how difficult it must be to dance, perform, act, and lip sync all at the same time.
Although I did not play a big role in our cover video, I learned something else about K-pop fandom through translating half of the song into English. While translating—which was just four (4!) verses—I found myself wondering how much dedication and time fans put into covering songs in general, when translating four verses took five hours and a whole lot of brain-power. Covering songs in any form all take a lot of time and effort, so it is amazing to see just how dedicated—and talented—fans really are.
At the end of the day, this project was a valuable learning experience that was as fun as it was stressful. It has allowed me to find new appreciation in the things I would have otherwise continued to overlook.
AILEE 