SEVENTEEN Want You to “SPILL THE FEELS”
SEVENTEEN’s new era encourages people to value authenticity and openness above all else.
The narration that begins the “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” music video is as follows:
“Choosing love over money and fame is easy to say, but hard to do. Without deep, genuine love, it can feel nearly impossible. So how to love… and how do you express it?”
This question is one that has consumed SEVENTEEN since their earliest eras. A big-picture theme throughout their discography has been struggling to know what the “right” words are to fully convey how they feel. Because words often feel insufficient to capture the full depth of their emotions, they let other things do the talking, like music and gestures.
Although SEVENTEEN only want connections that are the kind of “deep, genuine” ones for which there are no words, they recognize that they have to use words to get to that point! They also have to be willing to experiment with forms of communication, and they recognize the need to let the fear of saying the “wrong” things be surpassed by the fear of what they will miss if they never say anything. They have to put themselves out there, and in this new era, they do so with the help of everything from lyrics to alter egos. Irrespective of what messages and modes they try, SEVENTEEN care about being caught trying. Stressing the importance of communication itself over its particulars aligns with the themes of their past eras, which include valuing creativity, community, and curiosity.
By being brave enough to “Speak Up” and “SPILL THE FEELS,” SEVENTEEN’s new songs and videos convey this bottom line: What matters more than what one says or how one says it is whether or not one says it at all.
Language’s Elusiveness
SEVENTEEN’s message is not that words do not matter, nor is it the other extreme that words are everything. Their message is more complex than that, recognizing how language is socially constructed and therefore more malleable than people act like it is. Things mean nothing until people decide what they mean. The same expression can have entirely different connotations for different people, because characterizations come from people, not dictionaries!
As explained in a previous big-picture essay about SEVENTEEN’s discography:
“Words direct actions. However, at the end of the day, SEVENTEEN acknowledge the importance of not taking too much stock in word choices, because words do not equate to actions. Miscommunications shape stories but do not define them, so fussing too much over word choice is not worth it… SEVENTEEN simultaneously acknowledge that words aren’t everything and that they hold a power worth valuing.”
One of the ways SEVENTEEN demonstrate the flexibility of language is with the new album’s title: “SPILL THE FEELS” is an anagram for “I FELT HELPLESS.”
This era’s main track is titled “LOVE, MONEY, FAME,” aka “LMF.” A previous era that focused on the feeling of helplessness was called “FML,” standing for “F*ck My Life.” The group also said “FML” stood for “Faded Mono Life,” which shows how their messages extend beyond text and into visuals. The “FML” era’s album cover was plain and gray, while the “LMF” era’s cover is as colorful and full as it gets.
Simple rearrangements of letters or redefining of acronyms are all it takes for SEVENTEEN to flip a message on its head, showing why they find the meaning of gestures more reliable than those of words.
Purposeful Stylization
SEVENTEEN continue to be intentional with their grammatical choices to bolster their words’ impacts. On SPILL THE FEELS, the song titles that are entirely capitalized are “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” and “1 TO 13.” The former is also notable for its commas that emphasize the order those priorities should be written in, with “LOVE” coming first. The latter song title emphasizes that each SEVENTEEN member plays an essential role in the 13-member group.
The capitalized words in the “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” music video are also significant. Each member fills in the blank on a paper that says “LOVE IS ___.” The responses vary in substance and format, and a copy of that prompt is shredded mid-video. How each member responds does not matter; what matters is that they have thought about what love means to them personally.
Another notable capitalization is the “Us” in “FameUs.” The FameUs Show is a fictional show being filmed in the music video, and like their Truman Show-inspired era, SEVENTEEN want the audience to get in on the action. The invitation to help rewrite SEVENTEEN’s stories is implied throughout the “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” video, with a script copy being mailed to “you;” THE 8 brushing off paparazzi, implying getting all the attention to himself is not ideal; and WOOZI staying on the phone with JEONGHAN while filming the FameUs Show, proving he is never too busy to be there for a lonely and distressed friend. (The way WOOZI reminds JEONGHAN that he is not alone has additional layers of meaning when considering two facts: JEONGHAN feels brave enough to leave his apartment and face the world after that phone call, and a split-screen moment reveals that support is closer than JEONGHAN thinks it is; WOOZI is talking to him from the other side of JEONGHAN’s wall. Like in previous eras, physical space is a way they convey the message that help is closer than one feels like it is.)
The blank space in “LOVE IS ___” is another purposeful decision that invites fans to contribute to SEVENTEEN’s meaning-making process, much like the “_WORLD” era. Plus, there are 12 words and phrases that are bolded in social media teasers’ captions for the SPILL THE FEELS era, implying that the thirteenth key word or phrase is up to fans to choose. And there is the “Speak Up” video, which ends with the audience being asked, “What is it that you want to spill out?” (emphasis added). One more noteworthy decision: the “DIY” aesthetics of the SPILL THE FEELS album cover (which looks hand-painted) and medley video (which looks like a kindergartener’s sketchbook). Like in the SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN era and “Cheers to youth” video, featuring unused coloring pages (more on these pages’ significance later), this comeback lets fans fill in the literal and metaphorical blanks.
To Each His Own
The “Speak Up” teaser video gives each SEVENTEEN member the chance to “spill the feels” in any way they want, and the results vary widely. They choose a range of colors, writing utensils, and fonts. Some use capital letters, some do not. Some have one-word answers (like “Attention!” and “CHALLENGING”), some use phrases (like “POSITIVE VIBES ONLY”), and some ask questions (like “WHERE ARE WE?” and “TO GO OR NOT”). SEUNGKWAN has two messages (“DO NOT DISTURB” and “NEED SOME SPACE”). DINO splits his one message across two scenes (“CAN I BE” and then “BETTER”). DK gives one answer but repeats it (“Attention!” appears on multiple billboards). And the mediums they choose know no bounds: paint on the ground (DINO), paint on windows (WOOZI), billboards (DK), a parachute (HOSHI), the side of a bus (JEONGHAN), the side of a car (JUN), an arrangement of lights on a rooftop at night (JOSHUA), an Instagram poll (MINGYU), letters projected into the sky (S.COUPS), rainwater on a rooftop (SEUNGKWAN), printed and typed papers (VERNON), a movie that plays in an empty theater (WONWOO), and a t-shirt (THE 8).
The SEVENTEEN members seem to have also had free rein when it comes to their animated alter egos. In a series of SPILL THE FEELS teaser videos and photos, their cartoon selves range from a cloud to a bunny to a set of three creatures stacked on top of each other! Logic is out the window color-wise, too, an example being WONWOO as a purple fox with glasses!
A third way each SEVENTEEN member expresses himself differently is through the chosen object for a package in the “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” music video. Again, they run the gamut: objects meant to last (like a teddy bear), objects that definitely are not (like ice cream!), a symbol of being ready for showtime (like a TV show flier), a symbol of being ready to stop filming or start over (like a ripped copy of a script)...
Despite all of these major differences, the props, messages, and mediums chosen by each SEVENTEEN member do relate to each other. Which specific symbols connect which specific members’ stories matters less than the fact that those connections are indeed there, and the settings and objects associated with certain members in “Speak Up” are attached to different members in the “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” video. In the latter, the subway is associated with DK instead of MINGYU; the car is associated with MINGYU instead of JUN; WONWOO is the one on the rooftop instead of SEUNGKWAN; the list goes on. The members take each other’s roles to show how what matters more than who does what is the fact that they each get a role.
Team Pride
SEVENTEEN celebrate their team identity in clever ways in the “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” video, especially with MINGYU’s car’s GPS. It shows him headed for “Rosequartz River” (SEVENTEEN’s official colors are “Rose Quartz” and “Serenity Blue”), and the time is 5:26 (SEVENTEEN’s debut date, May 26). Also, the TV channel JEONGHAN watches is called “LMF 13.” Another possible self-reference is to the song “247,” since a license plate says “LOV-2247.”
Besides music video Easter eggs, SPILL THE FEELS shows pride in SEVENTEEN’s past eras through self-referential lyrics (like in “1 TO 13,” which references both their debut month and two of their album titles: “Since May, all my seasons are only you;” “You make my day;” “You made my dawn”); the reappearance of certain props (for example, red balloons like those in “Rock with you”); and the use of recurring analogies, including bodies of water. Arguably the most meaningful symbolism of all, though, comes from the group’s official symbol: a diamond.
What Matters Most to SEVENTEEN
As observed in this essay about SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN:
“‘Diamond Days’ is an overt follow-up to ‘Shining Diamond,’ a song from SEVENTEEN’s debut EP. Both songs use a diamond metaphor to explain how time and pressure create something that shines after a period of being buried ‘under the dirt.’ Both songs also mention a ‘shining promise’ and describe ‘every minute’ and ‘every second’ as precious jewels… they sing, ‘We’re still the same as we were at the start,’ something they reemphasize every time one of their lyrics nods back to a previous one.”
The phrase “shining promise” is part of a teaser image for SPILL THE FEELS that has an empty chair and two ice cream cups in SEVENTEEN’s signature colors. The caption: “I’ll give you this shining promise.”
This adds context to VERNON’s ice cream in the “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” music video, which he manages to deliver through the mail without it melting! Trying to “freeze” a moment in time and cherish it before it “melts” away remains one of SEVENTEEN’s ongoing goals, and the other animated teaser images and videos give examples. The adventures their cartoon characters have are simple: grabbing a meal together, shooting hoops, going bowling…
SEVENTEEN redefine what “valuable” means, deciding what is of the highest value are life’s simple pleasures and good company. This sentiment is part of “Cheers to youth,” too:
“On the way home today, I’ll tell myself that I did okay… That in this suffocating world / I still found little things that made me smile.”
Similarly, in the new song “Candy,” they consider it best to “love like candy / So that even a small word can make us feel good.” Much like JOSHUA values the “Keep being your unique self!” note that his coworkers give him in the “Cheers to youth” video for the thoughtfulness, not for the literal paper it is printed on, SEVENTEEN do not value the literal candy so much as the way it brightens their day.
“Cheers to youth” is similar to this new era for the high value placed on things others consider trivial or forgettable. In that music video, members of the “Tiny Issue Club” believe no issue is too small to be worthy of validating. As the club’s fliers say:
“Tiny Issue Club is here to help you tackle your small problems together… Sometimes a simple conversation, some advice, or just a supportive hand can help you overcome the small obstacles you face… We believe no problem is too small, and often, these small issues can lead to significant changes… We welcome you with open arms. Here, we’ll listen to your story, empathize with you, and be your companion through thick and thin. Let’s create precious moments together!”
Not only is everyone welcome to the “Tiny Issue Club,” but everyone is welcome to show up in any form they want. In JOSHUA’s case, that is as a meerkat for part of the time! In WOOZI’s case, he sends a digital stand-in! Just like how the SPILL THE FEELS cartoon characters pay no mind to which species their friends are, the club members only care about lending each other an ear and a shoulder to cry on, not how outsiders view and label their appearances.
Snail Mail
Two SEVENTEEN members write physical letters in the “LOVE, MONEY, FAME” music video, and both epitomize the essence of the SPILL THE FEELS era. JOSHUA’s reads:
“Hey, I’m at the cafe where we last met. So many things have changed [since] then. Some for the better, some for the worse. No matter what, I’ll always be here for you. Because to me, love is about expressing”
Notably, the sentence ends there, with plenty of room to finish the thought but no need to, and JEONGHAN’s letter trails off too. Although parts are too blurry to read, here is what is legible:
“... figure out… my feelings to you… how to do it right. It’s hard to piece my emotions into words, and I worry that what I say might not fully capture how I feel. But I still think it’s important…”
Both letters show that the desire to form deep connections transcends everything else for SEVENTEEN. They are telling people, “Do not worry if you can’t figure out how to finish that letter. Send it as sentence fragments if you have to; just make sure you send it!”
Conclusion
SEVENTEEN’s music and videos are ways of making abstract themes - camaraderie, insecurities, uniqueness - concrete and visible, helping people recognize what form those abstract themes take in their own lives. People can take stock of how concepts appear in their daily lives by seeing SEVENTEEN’s many examples, learning how limitless the options really are for feeling seen and heard, and then feeling ready to follow SEVENTEEN’s lead, as detailed more in this essay:
“By validating the richness and range of people’s interior worlds, SEVENTEEN embolden people to project elements from those worlds into the exterior, shared world. Growing and cherishing one’s individual identity is what makes it possible to add more enthusiasm and meaning to a collective identity, and SEVENTEEN foster that environment. Their music is as much about valuing each player as it is about valuing a whole team, a team all kinds of people are welcome to join. They reject a zero-sum mindset and recognize that shining one’s own light does not dim another’s.”
SEVENTEEN’s mission has always been to use the power of music for good, making SPILL THE FEELS another success story. SPILL THE FEELS reminds people of the freedom, support, and sky-high possibilities that await them on the other side of overthinking. Every aspect of this new era is its own reminder that SEVENTEEN want as many people as possible to feel free to “Speak Up,” for the benefit of everyone. SPILL THE FEELS is a powerful permission structure to join SEVENTEEN’s inclusive, imaginative, nonjudgmental, and always-expanding musical universe.
Stay tuned for more thoughts on SEVENTEEN’s new album, and catch up on past SEVENTEEN essays and podcast episodes here!