
In the quiet mind of a teen, where dreams intertwine with reality, a young heart begins to feel an irresistible pull—a yearning for a love yet to be discovered. This shadow lover ethereally dances on the edges of imagination. As the past moves into the future, the teen finds solace in daydreams, where hope lingers in the air. Prepared for a love that is destined to bloom, the teen takes us through all the colors of hope, love, and longing.
The Shadow Lover’s Tracklist
The Past
How To Train Your Dragon scene Intro-0:14
One Day More! (Live) – “Les Miserables” 0:14-0:49
紅鞋女孩 (Live)- Sodagreen 0:49-1:23
乾杯- Mayday 1:23-2:01
Viva La Vida- Coldplay 2:01-3:38
The Present
Attack on Titan Quote 3:38-3:45
Love Cut- CNBLUE 3:46-7:02
RED- The Rose 7:02-9:47
Shadow- SEVENTEEN 9:47–13:00
The Future
When I Get Old- Christopher and CHUNG HA 13:00-16:13
The Secret World of Arrietty scene- 16:13-end
Click Below to Follow Along with the Shadow Lover's Music Analysis
The Shadow Lover's Past
Family and friendships is a center the shadow lover who is searching for the one true love who will ultimately accept them. Staring with How to Train Your Dragon:
Legend says that when the ground quakes or lava spews from the earth,
it’s the dragons letting us know they’re still here,
waiting for us to figure out how to get along.
The Shadow Lover’s CIAB switches to the Les Miserables’ song One More Day, representing the value of remaining hopeful while emphasizing the consequences of actions.
One day more,
Another day, another destiny.
This never-ending road to Calvary
(hope) ends with
These men who seem to know my crime
Will surely come a second time,
One day more
One day more
One day more
One day more
This hopefulness is likely installed from family, perhaps a song that has stuck with the teen for a long time. The teen further emphasizes their values, using a reverb on the phrase “one day more.”
The Shadow Lover’s CIAB continues with an old fairytale about a pair of red shoes that a girl desired, but the shoes were cursed when she put them on (Red Shoe Girl).
街上的行人都在注視她~~ (Pedestrians on the street are looking at her)
卻忘了~ (But, I forgot)
自己在做什麼 她幽幽帶來一絲絲微笑 (What am I doing? She says with a faint smile)
紅鞋女孩 (Red Shoe Girl) The Girl in the Red Shoes).
On the surface, this story tells the poignant tale of a young girl who is cursed to dance endlessly, forever trapped in the spotlight. But beneath that, the song also paints a vivid picture of her being whisked away to a distant land by an unknown foreigner. So fast, almost out of control, as if jolted away. You can’t help but ask, does the teen crave to embrace the unknown and dive headfirst into a whirlwind of possibilities, knowing that their life transforms instantly?
This dream continues with the song 乾杯 (Cheers) by Mayday, where the teen will someday look back at this love and wish for one more drink:
有一天 時間真的能倒退 (One day time will really go back)
退回 你的我的 回不去的 悠悠的歲月 (to yours and mine, the long years can never return)
也許會 有一天 世界真的有終點 (Maybe one day the world will really end)
也要和你舉起回憶釀的甜 (I also want to think about the sweet memories of you)
和你再乾一杯 (And, have another drink with you)
A reverb technique is used, perhaps to emphasize wanting the past to continue forever and for eternity (or of slipping away).
Could this be the shadow lover’s yearning fantasy about what might one day become of them? The song is a boyband sung dream, upbeat as if running toward each other or running hand in hand. Can you envision a vibrant and alive world before the teen and their future lover? In Viva La Vida by Coldplay, the dream bursts as if the dream of magic can happen – that their most passionate visions can come to life and that one day, the teen will have it all. The past ends by returning to the retelling of the French Revolution with Viva La Vida by Coldplay. It bookends the beginning from Les Miserable
(a song that bookends the beginning song Les Miserables as it, too, was written about the French Revolution). Starting with:
I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning, I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own
I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy’s eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
Now the old king is dead, long live the king
The song intentionally bookends the French Revolution. Viva de vida is about the downfall of a King. Does the teen know this, or is the teen wrapped up in the fantasy that is the irony? Whichever the case maybe, the crowd singing in unison during this live song can’t help but whisk the listener away into the present.
The Shadow Lover's Present
The Shadow Lover’s present opens with a quote from Attack on Titan
The world is merciless,
and it’s also very beautiful
The music begins with the first 3 min 15 seconds of the Korean song – Love Cut by CNBLUE, a familiar boy band love song. The music is muffled before increasing in volume. A Korean boy singing
넌 날 어떻게 생각해 (I’m a little girl)
(sung in English) Love or not
아니면 장난감 (I’m so tired)
너의 손바닥 위네 (I’m afraid of you)
뛰어봤자 또 제자리로 와 (even if I jump, I’ll end back where I began)
넌 나 아니면 (oh,) (sung in English) That’s my fault
또 이건 내 잘못 (This is my bad)
넌 매번 날 바보 만드는 게임에서 (Every time, you play this game)
날 조종하고 있어 (As you control me)
그대로 싹둑 끊어 버릴 거야 (I’m gonna just cut you off)
모든 기억도 모든 슬픔도 (All the memories, all the sadness)
조금 아파도 금세 아물 거야 (Even if it hurts, it’ll heal soon)
지긋지긋한 사랑 (Sick of this love)
미칠 듯한 사랑의 상처가 (The scars from this love drive me crazy)
Is this the same teenager? The one who dreams of being swept off their feet?
It is only through the next song, Red by The Rose, where it becomes evident that the teen’s first love was terrible, but now there is a wonderful, joyful song about love. Filled with hope, the song begins with fingers snapping and becomes a Boy singer’s love letter to love.
Stay 작은 불빛 (Stay, little star light)
날 끌어당기는 Fireflies (The fireflies are leading me)
Take 날 데려가 (Take take me with you)
숨 막히는 시선 속에 (Inside your breathtaking gaze)
비춰지는 Moonlight (The moonlight shining)
길을 찾아가 (I find my way)
점점 가까이 내게 다가와 (Slowly come closer to me)
The song’s refrain tell us all:
(sung in English) I wanna be red
눈앞에 피어난 불꽃처럼 (Just like the burning fire in front of me)
I wanna be red
빨갛게 펼쳐진 하늘처럼 (Just like the sky painted in red)
I don’t care
I wanna be
The first refrain moves into the verse)
Stay 구름 위에 (Stay, up above the clouds)
꽃잎이 피어나 Like paradise (The flowers bloom like paradise)
Dance move your body
꿈꾸듯이 날아올라 (Fly like you’re dreaming)
Although the CIAB is submerged in the teen’s present, it beautifully intertwines with their future, a whisper of love that stirs the heart. It’s as if a hidden lover is poised to step out of the shadows, ready to bask in the warmth of their affection.
The Shadow Lover's Future
The Shadow Lover’s future is where lover resides. This future embraces the beauty of hidden love and the joy of happiness, revealing how serendipity can guide hearts to find one another. It starts with Shadow by SEVENTEEN:
저 멀리 뜨거운 해 (The hot sun far away)
떠오르지 않길 원했어 (I didn’t want it to come to mind)
(Oh wuh)
빛의 반대편 (the other side of the light)
그늘진 모든 게 싫어서 (Because I hate everything shaded)
(Oh wuh)
널 남에게 보이지 않으려 (I don’t want others to see you)
Shadow my Shadow my Shadow
미워하고 아파도 했어 (I hated you and hurt you)
Shadow, my Shadow, my Shadow
Oh 이제 난 알아 너 또한 나인걸 (Oh, now I know you are part of me too)
숨기고 싶지 않아 (I don’t want to hide you,)
나의 어두움마저 밝게 빛나고 말 테니까 (Even my darkn ess will shine brightly)
Although the song is meant to be about your inner world/shadow, here it takes the meaning of the lover. Then, When I Get Old by Christopher and Chungha, tells the listener that the teen has a bright happy future ahead:
Wake up and smile, ’cause you’re beautiful
Those hazel eyes
When I get old, that’s all I wanna think about
I probably shouldn’t say this out loud
The Shadow Lover’s CIAB ends with a quote from The Secret World of Arrietty – a Japanese anime about a tiny young girl living with her family (between the cracks of the floorboards of a house. Arrietty is part of a small species known for “borrowing” things to keep her family alive.
It’s funny how you wake up each day and never really know if it’ll be one that will change your life forever.
This quote tells us that love isn’t about “if” but about “when” and “with whom.” As you read this, it has been over a year since the teen created their CIAB. Is it possible they have found love so soon?