"Dream In a Dream" by TEN


“Dream In a Dream”
TEN

The atmospheric dance-pop of “Dream In a Dream” took me by surprise, as I do not typically listen to male K-Pop artists/bands. Before listening to this song, I did not know who Ten is, but a quick glance around the internet shows that he is a member of the K-Pop boy group NCT (and their various sub-units). The single “Dream in a Dream” was originally released digitally on April 7, 2017 by SM Entertainment. The track also appears on the album NCT 2018 Empathy, which was released on March 14, 2018. The song was written by Stephen Carl and composed by Dillon Pace, Brian Lee, and Stephen Carl.

The production is fairly straightforward and minimal. Rolling synths carve out a cavernous space for the booming percussion to echo around in while various sounds and instruments ripple throughout the song to create a mellow tension. This tension is mirrored throughout the brilliantly conceived and performed choreography and the earnest, pleading lyrics. 

While a lot of K-Pop tends to look towards Western influences, both the song and music video pay homage to various Asian cultures. The neon-tinged color palette of the music video bear a striking resemblance to the colorful garlands phuang malai of Thailand (side note: Ten was born in Bangkok, Thailand). The instrumental motif heard throughout the song brings to mind traditional stringed instruments (such as the Chinese guzheng , the Japanese koto, or the Korean gayageum). Throughout the music video both Ten and Lucas can be seen on opposite sides of a traditional Japanese shōji  wall found within a structure that looks like a simplified pagoda. The circular panel on the floor takes its design cue from Chinese porcelain and the costumes feel influenced by Japanese kimonos. The beautiful choreography incorporates elements of contemporary dance, ballet, and martial arts (specifically, the Chinese marital art of tai chi). All of these references could come across as as a disjointed and disrespectful tactic, but thankfully, they don’t. These cultural homages are held in high esteem and treated with a reverence that elevates them above thoughtless appropriation… working together to create a refreshing and singular pop art experience.

By: Daniel R.




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