“Singing Got Better”

In Korean popular music (K-pop), where female idols are often objectified and expected to fit into the ideal, feminine image, Ailee’s “Singing Got Better” music video (MV) can be seen as a cathartic eulogy reflecting on overcoming a gender-imbalanced relationship. In particular, the MV and the lyrics allude to elements of female objectification and sexism, while—at the core of it all—the visually somber ambiance of the MV symbolizes the “death” of this gender-imbalanced relationship, and thus a new beginning.

From the very beginning of the MV, Ailee is depicted as a subject of “male gaze” by being shown through a camera recorded by her boyfriend, reinforcing that she is an object for the male to look at (Mulvey 1975: 6; Lin and Rudolf 2017: 28). This is further strengthened by the flashback scene of that moment in which we see Ailee acting playful in front of the camera, wearing shorts that show off her legs, while being filmed by him. All these elements are typical characteristics employed by female K-pop idols that exemplifies objectification (Epstein and Joo 2012: 3-4; Lin and Rudolf 2017: 31-32). Furthermore, the reveal of Ailee realizing her boyfriend had been cheating on her can also be analyzed as depicting the female role as an object or accessory that can be easily manipulated, used, and replaced.

Building off from objectification, the MV also depicts sexism, in which males are seen as powerful and dominant while females are seen as dependent, weak, and submissive (Lin and Rudolf 2017: 30; Wallis 2011: 162). The portrayal of these roles is alluded through the lyrics and several scenes depicting the dynamic of Ailee and her former boyfriend’s relationship. For example, in the aftermath of their breakup, Ailee sings, “I couldn’t see ahead, it was so hard,” which reinforces the idea that females are dependent. Another example is the lyric, “I tried to become a good wife,” while the MV shows Ailee’s former boyfriend writing music for her, and her feeding him the food she made. These lyrics and scenes, coupled with the chorus’ echo of, “my singing got better after breaking up with you,” all exemplify the reliance Ailee had on her former boyfriend. In particular, they exemplify the control he had over her and her music, while she was subjected to the mere role of being a “good wife” for him. The portrayal of sexism alluded to in the MV thus reflects the imbalanced roles between men and women.

However—and perhaps the most significant element—the visually somber ambiance of the MV can be analyzed as Ailee commemorating the “death” of this gender-imbalanced relationship and moving on to a new beginning, hence making the MV a cathartic eulogy. Since visuals are essential to K-pop (Epstein with Turnbull 2014: 316), every detail and its accompanying emotion in an MV are carefully planned and has a purpose. From the start of the MV, Ailee is dressed in black, being escorted into a black car, by men also dressed in black. Immediately, these scenes seem to allude to a funeral and the mourning of a loss. But because Ailee sings that she is better off after her break up and the MV shows her release of these emotions, these seemingly somber scenes depict a cathartic eulogy reflecting on the loss and “death” of a gender-imbalanced relationship. Notably, at the end of the MV, Ailee is seen wearing a lighter-coloured coat, which may symbolize her moving on from this loss and starting a new beginning.

The reinforcement of gender roles through female objectification and sexism has been regularly depicted in K-pop MVs—and given this analysis, Ailee’s is no exception. But by using these elements to showcase a gender-imbalanced relationship, Ailee’s “Singing Got Better” MV can be seen as a cathartic eulogy reflecting on overcoming gender-imbalanced roles, and moving on to a new beginning.

Author: Christy Chan

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