Video Analysis-"Universe" by MinHyun

Official Music Video “Universe” by MinHyun

It is undeniable that Nu’est’s participation in Produce 101 brought change to the group. The show Produce 101 was very popular among domestic and international audiences, and Nu’est was bound to gain newer fans, even though only one of them made it to the final 11. Their newly gained attention was used to gain international fans. With an already established domestic fan base, Nu'est's Agency, Pledis’s attempt to attract international fans can be seen in MinHyun's Music Video: "Universe". The Music Video effectively outlines the two most important factors which can contribute to their global success. These factors include the display of performance and story-based themes and the implementation of the westernized factors to spread K-pop to an international audience.

The K-pop industry has earned global recognition over the years with its consistent and systemic execution of high-quality music videos. Music Videos (MV) are a crucial part of the visual music of K-Pop music, and a compelling music video can influence the success of the song and the idol’s popularity. In the official music video “Universe”, the visuals and story draw attention from global audiences. Nu’est’s video “Universe” demonstrates how K-pop “producers must continuously provide K-pop fans with high-quality entertainment content that features eye-catching young artists and catchy music.” (Oh and Park 2012: 372). Since “K-pop is performance centered,” (Ono and Kwon 2013: 208) the video itself tries to be unique from other Music Videos, having a story that people can easily understand. One of the reasons why groups like Nu’est focus on story based context is to allow the performance to attract foreign audiences since they do not understand the language. Not only does Nu’est’s utilization of story based content make K-Pop seem less Korean-specific, but it introduces new doors for the group as the video appeals to a broader audience.

Also, in “Universe”, foreign actors and backgrounds are used, incorporating westernized elements. The increase in the number of foreign actors, videographers, songwriters in the production processes are essential as the audiences tend to enjoy media more when they watch something similar to their own culture according to the “cultural proximity hypothesis” (Baek 2015: 734). With a Korean singer, the incorporation of the foreign elements makes the unfamiliar to become familiar (Lee 2006: 139). The utilization of a foreign setting and foreign actors in “Universe” provide evidence that groups and companies such as Nu’est and Pledis are attempting to reach out to global audiences. The Music Video helps international audiences perceive the products as relatable content and provide a sense of familiarity to global audience. Thus, their feeling of enjoyment increases and in return can grow Nu’est’s fanbase.

In conclusion, Nu’est’s attempt to achieve global success can be seen through the Music Video “Universe” by MinHyun. It demonstrates the visual and contextual quality expected to allow “Universe” to identify as a high quality music video. By incorporating foregin art forms and foreign influence, Nu’est attempts globalize themselves as they target a broader audience.

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