It’s safe to say Baekhyun and LOCO probably wouldn’t have hung out with the same groups in high school. So, it’s a bit of a puzzle figuring out how this collaboration came to be. There’s not much of a connection between the two; the closest they’ve come is LOCO’s feature on Punch’s “Say Yes” for the K-Drama Scarlet Heart Ryeo, which Baekhyun starred in. But their message to the youth is reaching out to all sorts of crowds that share concern over the uncertainty of the future.

The duo’s release for SM Entertainment’s new SM Station project “Station 0” visualizes the mind-numbing rut many young adults can get stuck in. We all start out as blank canvases as we enter adulthood, which is depicted through the untouched white of, presumably, clay and the blank stares of the people who tick to the same beat.

Circles are a huge theme throughout the video. They can symbolize a lot of things—protection and wholeness, but also boundaries. It’s almost unsettling how devoted the young people are to maintaining the perfect circle. But the boys seem to have broken out of the cycle, observing from the center. We also see LOCO opening a door adorned with a circle, entering a rainbow-splattered room filled with men and women facing different directions and wearing their own clothes—young people following their own paths without fear. Finally, Baekhyun opens one last door with a circle window, which leads to a sunset paradise.

The song itself is loud, but not menacing. It’s sprinkled with anthemic claps and layered harmonies that signal the rise of a revolution. The verses are minimal, which allows the lyrics to be the center of attention while the chanting choruses are amplified by the heavy instrumentals.

Baekhyun states his own confidence in his unique approach to life, spraying colors on the black night sky and playing tricks on the uptight world. He encourages people to experiment with their youth, to make mistakes, and to take the road less traveled because imitating others is boring. LOCO chooses to guide through example as he reflects on his own path of taking risks while being young, eventually leading to his success today.

I don’t think anyone expected such a message from an SM Station track. It could’ve simply been a hype collaboration between the two artists, but they chose to convey an important message to their young fans, which speaks of their character. We hope this means more projects between EXO and AOMG in the future!

Check out the music video for “YOUNG” here: