Disclaimer: This is all opinions-based, simply looking to see if anyone would like to agree and add upon this constructive criticism.
The latest BOOMPALA Performance Film was visually stunning. It was authentic, simple yet filled with so much personality and felt more cohesive and conceptual than the music video felt. I was so intrigued by the scorpion teasers (perhaps the next era theme?)
Now onto the original music video. I liked a lot of the colors, sets and visuals that the music video used but it was conceptually not cohesive and felt very chaotic especially towards the second half with the overuse of AI visuals and gimmicky CGI just creating visual clutter. The sets in general were at times underutilized and had nothing to do with each other. It felt like they mashed 4 different performance films together, from the Mad Max set, City Parade, Traditional Spa, to the grocery store, and more.
I believe that the core message of the video is that they’re in a celebratory mode despite any environment they’re in, that they’re the life of the party but I think the visuals are too messy for me to relish the concept. Even with the performance videos not being included as sections to the music video and being whole separate aesthetics/artistic directions, it just feels that the BOOMPALA era doesn’t have a specific theme as opposed to their countless cohesive conceptual eras they’ve had. Even their previous B-sides have felt more fine-tuned.
To the team that handles visuals at Source Music, please kindly consider that the visuals can do with minimal to no AI usage and there are fans that gravitate more towards cohesive concepts that LSF has had for the past years now.
What do you guys think? Does anyone else feel a similar way?
by drecmboy
15 Comments
You know what, you articulate well what I was feeling and didn’t quite think too much on: it’s too noisy.
Our distaste with the parts which have that obvious AI quality to them aside, the traditional CGI (what a funny phrase) was indeed also not great because it was needless clutter, and the switching of visual concepts throughout definitely brought down the core message/concept of the song itself, as you say. The opening scene feels like it’s going to smoothly lean into it, especially with the very tell-don’t-show moment of describing the song as ‘feel good’, and then it ends up being a chaotic mess instead. Again, as you say, it might fit since it’s supposed to be that they’re all ‘boompalah’ in spite of the chaos of their environment, but it actually gives me the feeling that they’re pretty amped up and highly strung as well. Doesn’t help that the choreo is actually pretty highly strung, and the smooth watery motions in one part are actually the exception.
Love love love the performance videos. They should have just been the music video honestly.
Truthfully I was extremely disappointed in the BOOMPALA MV due to the AI (at one point there is a guy on a snowy mountain with 4 fingers, wtf). Our girls have otherwise celebrated and embraced actual creatives, who post on their socials the creative process behind what is made for LE SSERAFIM, and this Google ad (that’s what the MV is… a giant Google ad) ruins the spirit of all that and the spirit of what BOOMPALA is supposed to be IMO.
I hope Yunjin reads this and understands that her fans do not like this and expect better creative direction than using AI.
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all i know is this is the single greatest video i have watched this year:
https://preview.redd.it/b0zdee4mpi3h1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=595bb84e0958de4c04fe2c4304a7fa0db1ca7e8f
boompala, and everything that came with it, led us to this absolutely PERFECT performance video. just crazy camera work and insane performances from le sserafim.
hard to hate on anything that led us to this 🤭
Hard agree on the use of ai, like they already had actors, why were ai people needed for the meditation scene😭 it was so stupid
however, the mv did have a plot, they explained it behind the scenes. basically tons of anxious people go to chaewon (who’s supposed to be some kind of teacher) in hopes of getting better and she heals them with the power of “boompala”. maybe not as deep as some of their other mvs, but it still has meaning
edited to add that the performance videos are absolute perfection tho!! i’ve watched them more than the mv atp. and maybe if we stream those instead of the mv, source music will get the message and do better
For me in general, I’ll understand and tolerate the usage of AI if it’s a small business and they have not much resources to spend money on visuals…. But HYBE and Source Music has no excuse to use generated AI given the status of their company right now.
My sentiment also applies to all the Korean variety shows that I’m watching on networks and Youtube and that includes AI graphics, art, songs, conversations and such. I know that Korea is pushing AI hard on their country, but it’s so blatant that it’s so annoying lol.
We can’t escape AI we need to learn and accept this norm… But at least give some effort and stop being lazy because of it lol.
If only the song was palatable like almost every other song on the album…
People were initially very happy about the AI so I’m glad to see opinions are turning around. It’s disgusting and unbecoming of a group as talented as LSF. I’m sure the members have no say over it – But I hope that fan outcry can change HYBE/SoMu’s minds on using it going forward.
Not to compare, but BTS is under the same umbrella company and didn’t use AI in their latest comeback. I hope the rest of the groups push back against it too and SoMu listens.
Edit: downvoting because another HYBE group avoided ai and I wish source would do the same for LSF is wild. Ai is killing us.
they make wayy too much money to be using AI the way that they did and it really puts a sour taste in my mouth
I love the girls and will always support them. But the music video and all the AI usage icked me out and I’ve only watched it 3 times when I would have watched it way more if it wasn’t so AI heavy.
agreed on the ai/cgi. a lot of us are westerners so our stance on ai will vary greatly compared to the korean perception, but still i must say i really don’t like it. it’s a full english song and made with western audiences in mind, and it’s a oversight by source to think people will be ok with the mv when there is ai. the performance video had me smiling from beginning to end and was a lot more charming imo, and gave me the intended effect of boompala
I thought that both Boompala and Celebration had videos that detracted from the songs. They were both too busy and overwhelming. I know the songs are fairly simple so maybe they thought that they needed crazy visuals. But IMO it just was too much. If they just took a few things out, it would be easier to follow and possibly more entertaining to watch. Regardless of AI or CGI usage, they were just too much. It’s like someone wearing all of their jewelry at one time because it’s all beautiful but the overall effect is just confusion and nothing stands out. IDK, the songs are okay and I think they will be good live (I can see them transitioning from boompala to crazy in concert really nicely) but the videos are just too much for me.
I appreciate this measured take. I definitely prefer the performance videos (tho that tends to be true for me in general). I don’t mind 90% of the video. I like seeing the girls act and all the costumes and facial expressions, but I could’ve done without the giant statues and camels.
The AI is so unnecessary and just stains everything it touches. Le Sserafim deserves better than this tainting their image.