The Best New Music: June 2024

A ranking and review of the best new releases from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Thai artists!

#20: ENJIN, Inception

Inception is J-pop but filled with K-pop title-track staples: ad-libs, melodic layers, suspenseful pre-choruses leading into earworm choruses, and turns for the dramatic that aren’t overkill. “Major” proves to be the right choice for a focus track, and the Latin-pop sound vibes with the fiery, red-filled music video. The hot streak continues with bouncy and brassy numbers like “Dreamland” and “Superb Love.” While the songs tend to stick to pop formulas, making the surprises only last for so long during the album-listening experience, ENJIN do make the most of them, putting an attention-grabbing opener at the beginning of each track. Inception is a colorful collection of J-pop songs that K-pop fans will love!

#19: YUKI, SLITS

Like the slit on the side of a dress or skirt, this album exposes YUKI’s bare feelings. They first spill out of her through a series of dynamic synth-pop jams: “Now Here,” “Amayadori,” and “Ryusei slits.” They reach a culmination of sorts in the live-band-ready ode to individuality that is “Hello, it’s me.” The second half takes a heavier turn, with slower songs and rawer vocals. However, the second half stays just as full instrumentally as the first, and the energy is brought back up for the grand finale, “Kazeninare.” SLITS bookends its serious chapters with uplifting and engaging first and final ones, a smart way to maintain listeners’ interest and to satisfy with a full-circle story.

#18: PRETZELLE, “Cry More Baby”

“WE’RE BACK,” reads a newspaper headline in the “CRY MORE BABY” music video, just one of the many ways the now-trio makes this single an overt re-introduction. Over a catchy Jersey club beat and while dripping with contempt for their exes, the group stresses their resolve to not waste emotional energy on those who fail to see their worth: “I wish you find true love / But it won’t be better than what we had.” They know that their exes will miss them and take pleasure in letting that be the case: “Go ahead and cry to death / She’s got nothing on me.” They reassert their “no going back” stance with visual cues, including graffiti that says “MOVE ON” and the presence of three identical cars. PRETZELLE are on the same page in terms of self-esteem and personal goals, hence the presence of identical cars in the video, but they also imply a new sense of autonomy within their group, hence the fact they each get a different driver’s seat. “Cry More Baby” puts PRETZELLE’s new attitude on full display.

#17: LISA, “Rockstar”

While “Rockstar” might sound run-of-the-mill to casual listeners, a close look at the lyrics and music video show how it is anything but that. “Rockstar” is a run-through of LISA’s remarkable resume and range, bringing attention to both the local and global aspects of her popularity. She touts how her appeal crosses borders and generations, alluding to everything from a Japanese dipping sauce to a KISS song from the eighties! She raps about how her A-list status applies to both the worlds of music and fashion, bragging about making “your favorite singer want to rap,” shouting out Louis Vuitton, and alluding to her status as an in-demand jewelry model (“stealin’ diamonds”). That last example is part of a set of lyrics with multiple dual meanings: “Been on a mission… call me Catch-and-Kill / I’m stealin’ diamonds, make them chase me for the thrill / Been MIA, BKK so pretty / Every city that I go is my city.” In just a few lines, LISA casts herself as a star with juicy stories to tell, a globally beloved artist, and someone on the lam! She stokes her myth at the same time that she touts her legitimate fame, using phrases in two ways at once (“MIA” refers to both the Miami International Airport and “Missing In Action,” and “Catch-and-Kill” refers to both her self-assigned nickname and the practice of media outlets buying dishy celebrity stories). Alongside boasting about her international acclaim, LISA shows pride in being from Thailand. The “ROCKSTAR” music video is set in Bangkok’s Chinatown, prominent Thai influencers appear in it, and she shouts out Bangkok’s airport with the “BKK so pretty” line. “Rockstar” is a moment of appreciation for LISA’s appeal that is also proof of concept.

#16: WOOAH, UNFRAMED

While WOOAH have a new look, new sound, and new name stylization, text on the screen at the beginning of the “POM POM POM” music video reminds people that they don’t mind staying somewhat a mystery, too: “I don’t want anything to be ‘defined.’ Nor can [I] be ‘regulated.’” The video fulfills that wish, not sticking to one clear format. Some scenes are shown from an aerial view, while the camera faces straight ahead in others. Some scenes are set in “the real world,” while others are surreal, with members driving high in the sky at the speed of light. Some scenes are filled with neon lights, while other scenes’ primary light sources are spotlights or the glows of static TV screens. Even the literal framing is toyed with, when black-and-white scenes unfold within an expanding red border. “I’m cheering me on!” is the key lyric that summarizes WOOAH’s point: They have learned to live by their own rules and feel validated enough just from doing that. After the anthemic “I’ll Tell You,” “POM POM POM,” and “POLAROID,” the rest of UNFRAMED goes back to the old WOOAH, with shyer, crush-themed songs. However, this mid-album pivot makes a good point, reinforcing how WOOAH treat their “UNFRAMED” label as a badge of honor; they refuse to check off just one box per comeback.

#15: SAAY, “DOMINO”

SAAY conveys relatable feelings through an analogy about falling dominos that heightens its lyrical effectiveness with visual applications. Flexing her natural ability to suddenly change pitches, she describes herself as in the path of falling dominos, while those who wish her the worst take pleasure in watching them fall. Her palpable resentment is conveyed well through the interpretive dance routine, as others play the role of the dominoes at times and just pure antagonists at others, ones who literally pull SAAY in multiple directions. In some scenes, her enemy appears to be all of them, but it appears to be just one person in others; the choreography at times involves a large group and at times just a duo. Further representing SAAY’s feeling that people are out to get her no matter how the circumstances change are the lighting and outfit changes, none of which ease tension. While the usual sultry swagger SAAY brings to R&B songs does not take its usual form in “DOMINO,” it is still felt through her piercing, unforgiving gaze. “DOMINO” comes from a clearly authentic place while channeling emotions in original, artful ways.

#14: WayV, Give Me That

This EP is flirty and forward but has fun surprises too, thanks to the main track’s music video. The songs take inspiration from nineties R&B, hip-hop, and pop, and the result is a zero-skips compilation of easy-to-love songs. The natural synergy among the WayV members ensures that the likeability of the songs translates into sustained interest. While “She a Wolf” proves to have deserved its initial focus-track contention, “Give Me That” earns that role with its meta music video. From cosplaying as a cowboy to dancing and rapping while wearing an odd mix of casual and formal pieces, WayV’s talent show auditions are anything but predictable! The second half of the video is a great encapsulation of WayV’s appeal, because it shows how their video plots only prompt more questions upon explanation! In this case, the odd “talents” they flex in their auditions are explained as being for a comedic album; they don’t really think what they are doing is impressive. However, this explanation is offered through the members watching themselves audition on TV-screen-like album covers in a record store; they watch themselves audition in real time via the items in their hands! Thanks to curiosity-stoking plot twists like this, this WayV era avoids being generic and forgettable. 

#13: H1-KEY, [LOVE or HATE]

The “Let It Burn” video speaks volumes about H1-KEY’s determination to start fresh and their ability to do so in a unique way. Rather than follow a straightforward, cliche story arc, the video shows how they go from being insecure to being a different kind of cool girl. After disobeying their school’s “club disbandment” request and making a mess of the place, the members take their teddy bear on a bus ride. They ride to a location where instruments are set up, and they rock out with DIY-ed jackets and their teddy bear as the suddenly-life-sized drummer! While the “Let It Burn” video visually represents the end result of H1-KEY’s makeover, the album’s B-sides explain how they mentally got there. They sing about feeling like they lost themselves while trying to fit a certain mold, and they liken a turbulent emotional time to an unreliable weather forecast. The B-sides contrast with the main track, which is a pop-rock and boom-bap hybrid. Throughout this era, H1-KEY reckon with both what has made them “LOVE” and “HATE” themselves, and they conclude the answer is not that simple. They accept the twisted, less-traveled paths between the “zero self-esteem” and “full self-esteem” ends of the spectrum, and [LOVE or HATE] is a fitting soundtrack for that journey.

#12: CHUU, Strawberry Rush

This comeback is as cute as it gets! CHUU plays a perky superhero in the “Strawberry Rush” music video, singing while blasting at animated enemies, riding through the galaxy, and cloning herself to become a whole cheerleading squad! The story starts and ends in the same diner, only at the end, the wall has new framed photos up, snapshots of her galaxy-crossing, cartoon-filled adventures! Some of these adventures are made possible thanks to the gentle giant from the “Howl” video, who is responsible for ushering her into a surreal setting after exposing a rip in the “real world.” The role of the friendly monster is now more of a sidekick’s, while CHUU plays the down-for-anything main character. This is a reversal from CHUU’s time as a timid follower of the monster’s in “Howl;” she maintains a friendship with the monster but no longer relies on him to believe in her dreams enough to make them real. Dreams unfolding in front of CHUU is the overarching theme of Strawberry Rush. She reveals what’s in her imagination, which includes “Dancing dolphins,” unicorns (“the imagined horse with horns”), a talking cat, and anything else she dreams up and draws or writes about (aka “The words hidden deep in the drawer” that she mentions in “Chocolate”)! Strawberry Rush celebrates the stuff of literal daydreams in uber-upbeat, adorable ways!

#11: AKMU, LOVE EPISODE

It makes sense for AKMU to include the older songs “Fry’s Dream” and “Love Lee” on this new mini-album; LOVE EPISODE is a natural extension of their premise. They harken back to the sound of AKMU’s earlier eras and would not be out-of-place as part of “Circle Time” at preschool! Their cute and youthful sound is maintained with the new songs, with lyrics out of a children’s TV show soundtrack. “[Y]our eyes widened / They grew bigger like a toy,” they sing in “Answer Me.” “Like a paper plane, wee-woo,” they sing in “Hero.” They use a hide-and-seek analogy when talking about a relationship that feels so close and yet so far in “Long D[ay],” take a playful tone when expressing frustration in “Answer Me” (“You’re bouncier than my guitar strings / I feel like you’re playing me like an instrument”), and insist that all they need for contentment is a “piece of cake” (“Peace of Cake”). LOVE EPISODE uses the little things in life - toys, sweets, games - to celebrate the biggest thing: love. That message is sweetly brought to life through the “Hero” music video, which unfolds like a fairytale movie mashup. It involves school-play-esque, homemade props and backgrounds; mid-video switches between 3D and 4D action; a shadow-puppet-like scene behind a curtain; and a host of classic children’s book characters, including knights and pirates, all making for a wholesome and re-watchable delight! 

#10: RIIZE, RIIZING

While RIIZING only has one completely new song on it, it is worth appreciating for all that it represents. RIIZING is a time capsule for the first chapter of an up-and-coming boy band’s story, and it shows how RIIZE’s brand of boy-next-door charm has a distinct flavor to it. RIIZE treat talking about lived experiences and talking about the power of music as inextricably linked; they treat music itself as a metaphor. From “Boom Boom Bass” to “Talk Saxy,” songs about crushes and other relatable feelings are intentionally discussed through music-themed contexts. Music rocking their worlds is what the “Boom Boom Bass” video is all about: It starts with a guitar crash-landing from outer space through a music store window. The group goes to space themselves for a while, before becoming literally down-to-Earth again. The video ends with the collapse of another guitar. Music can make people feel like their world has been shaken or like a new world has opened up to them, and those moments of feeling the full force of music’s power are the moments to which RIIZE’s music pays tribute.

Besides using music itself as a theme of their music, RIIZE take the boy-next-door appeal in a unique direction with new spins on other artists’ songs. “Siren” samples “Warrior’s Descendant” from first-generation K-pop icons H.O.T., and “Love 119” samples Izi’s “Emergency Room,” from 2005. Nostalgia surrounding the much more recent past comes from other songs, like “Talk Saxy,” which the members associate with the timing of their KCON LA debut. By repurposing familiar tunes and revealing what memories they personally attach to other ones, RIIZE’s songs trigger nostalgia and forge connections with listeners that become stronger than what is typical. 

#9: Kimberley, aka Kimberley Chen, Kiki

The pacing of this album ebbs and flows like the water in its intro, and also like a body of water, there is something beautiful in both its high and low tides. The more subdued “low-tide” moments are admirable for their softness and sincerity. Kimberley chides herself for falling for a player (“It Can’t Be You Anymore”), pays tribute to someone from her past (“Younger”), and reminds people to practice compassion and kindness (“Good on You”). The “high-tide” moments come from “Say What” and “Love Me More,” rousing songs during which Kimberley brings a more distinguishable style to her voice. The instrumental choices further fuel the feeling of the songs’ rises and falls. Just to name a few: “Don’t Fall Apart” channels the feeling of being on an emotional brink, emphasized with faint echoing, and the drums and background voices in “Say What” compound its rising-action feel. Kiki encompasses a range of topics and sounds without straying too far from its emotional core.

#8: ATARASHII GAKKO!, AG! Calling

ATARASHII GAKKO!’s music is an acquired taste, but that’s just how they like it! AG! Calling is the quartet’s most true-to-them, out-of-the-box project yet. While there is extensive instrumental busyness, with collisions between and among hip-hop, electronic, and brass-band sounds, the lyrics intrigue for the opposite reason: They are often straightforward, short, and repetitive, like sporting-event pep-talk chants. The lyrics are not always in this form, though. Plenty of them have more substance, like the anti-bullying “Fly High” (“Why are they picking on the weak?”), the well-said “Hero Show” (“I don’t know about miracles / What I believe in is love and justice”), and an ode to taking the road less traveled (“Essa Hoisa”: “Leave the shame of the journey behind”).

What makes ATARASHII GAKKO!’s unconventionality likable is their self-awareness of it. They overtly eschew J-pop stereotypes and expectations. When it comes to their intent to be seen and heard, they are anything but subtle, and there is something refreshing to that bluntness! What also comes across as genuine is the fun they have! When other song-makers would give advice like “Dial it back” or “Take that part out,” they do the opposite. Does a song feel too dramatic? Add even more operatic flourishes! Does a song feel disjointed? Make the transition even more stark! The unmissable message is that the world is ATARASHII GAKKO!’s for the taking! They invert genre formulas in ways that are not always winners but deserve an A+ for effort. 

#7: STU48, Natsukashii Ashita Special Edition

While this album comes across as classic feel-good J-pop fare, it has many layers to it. The title combines terms for “nostalgia” and “tomorrow,” and the track list features a handful of older songs alongside new ones. The album stays on-message about evaluating the past and future at the same time, and the audience is made to be more receptive to these evaluations because of the way they are sent: with an encouraging, compassionate tone. Realizing what being in love truly feels like, both for better and for worse, is the subject of songs like “Daisukinahito,” “Ai no Omosa,” and “Omoidaseru Koi wo Shiyou(Mix ver.).” Songs like “Kaze wo Matsu” and “Mubou na Yume wa Samerukotoganai” lament how fleeting memories and dreams can feel. Songs like “Hetare Tachi yo” remind people to go easier on themselves. “Hana wa Dare no Mono?” wishes for a world without arbitrary borders and points out that a flower is beautiful regardless of where it is from or where it grows. Complementary to that “We share one world” message is one about stopping to smell the roses, which they cover humorously in “Sweaty Smell.” The lyrics are about how flowers bloom only after “sweat” goes into taking care of them! Lastly, another album theme is new beginnings, and that is the focus of the final two tracks. STU48 gather all the pearls of wisdom they drop in the previous songs and bring them together for a satisfying conclusion. The lively, grand-finale feel to “Shodoshimae Yukou” does justice to this album’s emotional journey.

#6: Epik High, PUMP

With PUMP, Epik High subversively treat their haters like they were right all along; they appear to feed into the “overrated” label while actually mocking it. They repeatedly act cavalier, deciding to release a just so-so interlude in “GOOD RIDDANCE” (“We can’t let one skit ruin our lives, can we?”) and contrasting a casual tone with a moody instrumental in “PRETTY MUCH (INTRO).” Their message is not “We’re trying our best,” but “We’re not, and that’s fine by us.” “OK GOOD” is an ode to taking breaks; “I’m feeling somethin’ / But it’s probably nothin’” sums up their attitude on “OFF DAY;” they reiterate their need to take a break due to their smiles becoming fake in “I WAS HAPPY;” they ask for a “LATE CHECKOUT” time to get some rest in the “heartbreak hotel” to which they compare life. None of this is to say that this body of work is phoning it in; it is just not trying too hard. Epik High feel like they have nothing more to prove, so making music for the love and fun of it is what matters to them. They do not feel a need to reach even more “Epik” highs! 

Epik High’s caution-to-the-wind sentiment is in addition to, rather than replacing, their biting ways with words. Some examples from “ANTI-HERO”: “I once lost the high ground as soon as I got my footing / Give this world… your time, it will ask for your wrist,” and “Fall asleep on a throne, wake up in an electric chair.” They use the double meaning of “hook” and “hit” (“Hit ‘em with the hook”) in “GROUP CHAT FREESTYLE,” and they liken their life to a one-take-per-scene filming experience in “K-DRAMA.” PUMP cleverly speaks to the natural and simultaneous desires to earn more and more validation and to accept the fact that praise has a ceiling.

#5: Red Velvet, Cosmic

Red Velvet deserve a warm welcome back to their musical and aesthetic sweet spots! Cosmic has everything fans expect and love from them. The B-sides are filled with heavenly harmonies, dreamy high notes, and romantic framing. The enchanting, Midsummer-themed “Cosmic” music video includes animated imagery at the beginning, middle, and end, as if the scenes between them are reenactments of what happens in a classic fairy tale. Their whimsical afternoon spent getting dolled up together and then singing and dancing in a field involves notable details from past eras, like a “Cat’s Cradle” game and an allusion to at least some of the scenes being just a dream. Also on-brand are the ways they show their “red” side in addition to the “velvet” one! Some scenes seem more ominous when stopping to think about them, like seance-type moments and how one member’s journey begins after falling from the sky! Other ominous undercurrents are in the era’s opening trailer (“Love is COSMIC”), which goes from being about an unassuming summer road trip to showing the members standing in darkness, gazing up at a mysterious door into an alternative universe. The text on the screen at the start of the “Cosmic” video is French for “Remember the last summer on this planet,” implying a grand old time but the last one of its kind. The album’s B-sides have some cloudy undercurrents as well. For example, “Last Drop” sighs over a beautiful adventure coming to a close soon. The Cosmic era is light and uplifting much more often than it is not, but the inclusion of less-sunny moments is meaningful and speaks to the group’s range.

#4: NAYEON, NA

NAYEON’s name is literally written all over this! “NAYEON” is the vanity plate on the car in the “ABCD” music video, the album title refers to both her name and the Korean word for “Me,” and a teaser trailer for this era starts with the text “How to fall in love with ‘NA’” on the screen. The “ABCD” video starts with a car crash and “A GIRL NAMED NAYEON” popping up in big, bold letters, like a movie’s opening-credits scene. Right on cue, NAYEON enters the frame and makes sure all eyes - both the eyes of the audience and of the other video characters - stay on her. From a dinner date to a rooftop dance break, peers and backup dancers alike are drawn to her. She naturally attracts admirers in the concept trailer too, both in black-and-white scenes where she channels old-Hollywood glam and in present-day scenes where she attends a red carpet event and fashion show. She does the latter after spilling wine on her white dress, but she struts down the runway and signs autographs without a hint of embarrassment. She carries herself with admirable confidence and does so in yet another way in a concept trailer scene involving a mural of herself. She opens a window in the wall on which the mural is painted and lets down a knotted piece of cloth, as if she is Rapunzel letting down her long braid for a suitor to climb. Through the NA era’s videos, NAYEON is both trying to be a star and already is one; there are tributes to her already, yet she continues generating the kind of word-of-mouth campaigns that make stars the “next big things.” 

The songs themselves also speak to NAYEON’s ability to be a timeless superstar. She works with an increased range of genres but returns to the cute lyricism of her past solo work (“I love you more than a mouse loves cheddar!,” she exclaims in “Butterflies;” “Love is a HalliGalli bell / The flickering glances, the hesitant motions,” she sings in “HalliGalli,” a song that analogizes love with the speed-themed card game). In short, NAYEON carries herself as the versatile icon that she is! 

#3: Sakurazaka46, Jigoujitoku special edition

Every aspect of this Sakurazaka46 era is compelling: its electrifying instrumentals, its meaningful lyrics, its rewatchable corresponding music videos, and its appealing album cover. The group does an excellent job at embedding social commentary in all-consuming, fast-paced soundscapes, and they reinforce their positions through striking and symbolic visuals. 

In “Jigoujitoku,” the group acknowledges the intensity of an emotional wound: “The red blood is still running, not developing a scab yet.” They are in a cynical mood, seeing memories as just cruel reminders: “Reflecting is the worst process.” They compare love to asking a question one might be better off not knowing the answer to: “Before you know it, it comes back to you as pain.” All of these thoughts are represented in a circular courtroom setting. One person sits in a chair in the center, and everyone else surrounds her, at times on the faux-stage and at times from the audience section. As they sing about the trials life puts them through, they appear as if literally on trial! While dancing through the pain, they become covered in paint splatters, many of them red and resembling the blood from the wounds about which they sing. 

The other two main singles from Jigoujitoku special edition tackle apathy and social awkwardness. “Hikikomorujikanhanai” expresses empathy (“I’m sorely aware of how you feel… I used to be that way too”) while reminding people that life is wasted if spent in isolation (“Hope is waiting outside / But will you keep your door closed and refuse [to see] the world you haven’t seen yet?”). 

Then there is “Aishiainasai,” which speaks to generational despair (“Born in these times is like drawing the short end of the stick”). “Am I to end up just as a cog in the wheel?,” they worry. They make sure that is not the case, going from dark outfits to each wearing a different hue. The member who moves front and center has a white dress with many colorful splotches on it, a representation of the “others add color to your life” reminder from “Hikikomorujikanhanai.”

#2: DPR IAN, SAINT

As written about at length previously, DPR IAN is a natural at telling richly meaningful and immersive stories, through an ongoing narrative that involves music videos with alter egos and a scrambled chronology. While his projects are best left up to different interpretations, here is one take on what happens in the latest installment, the “SAINT” music video: 

Lately, the release dates of DPR IAN’s music videos run counter to the chronology of the plot, and since his “Don’t Go Insane” music video ends in the desert in the daytime, the fact the “SAINT” video starts in the desert at night implies “SAINT” is what happens the morning before the events of “Don’t Go Insane.” These songs seem related for other reasons too, including their contradictory natures. DPR IAN mutters both “I’m no saint” and “I’m a saint” repeatedly in his new song, and the song called “Don’t Go Insane” seems to actually be about him doing just that. Another connection to a past era is the magical ball of energy that his character in “SAINT” harnesses. A similar energy source is in “So I Danced,” which came out before “Don’t Go Insane” and, therefore, talks about what happened after the events in “Don’t Go Insane.” The story can get confusing, but piecing together the puzzle is part of the fun! Like always, one can rewatch “SAINT” again and again and keep coming away with new interpretations! Likewise, one can re-listen to SAINT and feel different each time. The songs are classically DPR IAN, not following a traditional chorus-verse-chorus-verse pattern. They are akin to the soundtrack of a live theater production or a musical audiobook; vivid imagery is provoked through sprawling, atmospheric, layered soundscapes. The experience is complete with different voices used for different alter egos. 

DPR IAN’s music is also commendable for the ways it gives listeners a life soundtrack for times of gutting transformation. It is cathartic to watch one’s inner turmoil take on a visual - and therefore no longer formless and endless - presence in his shape-shifting characters. His maximalist uses of space and color add even more layers of catharsis and immersion to the viewing experience. SAINT is a lot to take in, both visually and sonically, and that is par for the course for DPR IAN, as he once again taps into the audience's deepest thoughts and feelings.

#1: JxW, THIS MAN

JxW, aka JEONGHAN and WONWOO from SEVENTEEN, remind fans why regardless of which combination of members team up, the end result is a testament to SEVENTEEN’s knack for thorough and enthralling storytelling! JEONGHAN and WONWOO show off this skill in a new way (although Easter eggs pertaining to SEVENTEEN’s musical universe are incorporated into the videos too) through the “Full Story of THIS MAN” mini-movie and “Last night” music video. Pages on pages could be spent dissecting everything about them (and a whole episode of “17 Talk” about this release might be in order!), but here is a semi-brief overview: 

There is a city where people discuss a popular urban legend about a mysterious man in black. No one can ever remember what he looks like or what specifically he does for them, but they all associate him with helping put them into deep sleep. He mentally transports people into dream states, so, as one person puts it, “Who wouldn’t want to go with him?” The public struggles daily to find solace in much, so sleep is their ultimate escape. They place blind faith in the man in black to make them happy. The public becomes addicted to the man’s powers, sleeping more and more often and “in essence, dying. And these same people all [wear] the same characteristic smile, one of absolute bliss.”

Someone called “the ashen-faced man” searches high and low for someone named “A.” Unable to find A, he tries to remake A with magical powers. This only hurts him in the long run, as the narrator explains: “The closer his creation [comes] to resemble the real A, the more he [deludes] himself into believing he [can] reverse the irreversible.” The ashen-faced man craves repetition, living every day the same alongside A, desperate to never worry about forgetting anything by simply making life one single, ongoing memory. He scours the city for A out of fear of change and of time’s passage, and in the mirage of a world he has constructed for himself to live in, time is indeed frozen.

There is a heated confrontation between two characters, one who vouches for putting more people to sleep and one who vouches for waking them up. Both use the same arguments for opposite points. They both acknowledge that change is an inevitable part of life, that all memories have holes in them, and that people struggle daily; life is hard, and people need a reprieve. One of them takes these thoughts as reasons to avoid life entirely, putting it all on pause and spending every day in an alternate dimension, where there is no past to fear forgetting and no “real life” struggles that apply. The other takes the opposite approach, seeing the state of the world as a reason to wake more people up, to try making reality better. In short, one advocates for the superiority of dream worlds over reality, while the other advocates the opposite.

The tension is dissolved after A appears under a ghostly sheet. There is no one beneath the sheet, letting listeners and readers interpret for themselves who A is or was. Perhaps A has always been just a figment of their imaginations. If so, should A be categorized as “real” or as something of which people only dreamed?

The story ends in a way that can be summarized in the same way that many other moments in the story can: back to where it started, yet somehow irreversibly different. The city roars back to life and the public resumes their waking lives, but something in the air has permanently shifted. Perhaps collective despair has been replaced with hope and a desire to bring elements from dream worlds into reality. After all, as the narrator puts it, “It’s a fine line between reality and fantasy. It all comes down to where you dig your heels in.” Could the public have chosen to “dig their heels in” in a way that they previously had not?

The story of “THIS MAN” is told through a fascinating set of videos that grapples with major philosophical questions. The videos prompt the audience to reflect on how unreliable memories can be, why that unreliability scares people, and what happens when one stops trying to recreate the past exactly as it was. They also turn viewers into detectives, theorizing over when a scene takes place in a dream world and when it occurs in the “real” one. The ease with which one turns into the other is another thought-provoking aspect of the story. What truly distinguishes the line between “dream” and “real” categories? THIS MAN gives a voice to different answers, characters, and perspectives, speaking to the complexity of its themes and making JxW’s debut project an impressively far-reaching endeavor. 

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