Gaming & Girl Groups: SONAMOO And Dreamcatcher
It’s no secret that South Korea has a very pro-gamer attitude as a country, with public places to rent computers all the way to Korean teams consistently winning tournaments in League of Legends and Overwatch alike. Gaming is so embedded in the country’s modern culture that there’s even a law forbidding children from gaming between midnight and 6 o’clock in the morning in order to prevent gaming addiction and the many side-effects that come with staying up all night to finish another quest or two.
As this is the Ladies Corner, though, it’s not difficult to see where this is heading. Stereotypes have portrayed gaming as a pastime for young men and, as a result, is often marketed as being such, yet with the global movement towards equality, there has been a massive surge in women that actively participate in gaming culture. This, in turn, has allowed for the companies behind mobile and console games alike to collaborate with female artists with more freedom than the companies behind many beloved games otherwise would have—as games now want to attract women and men alike. Alas, here are two incredibly recent collaborations with mobile games that will either bring something new to your playlists or give you a new game to check out!
SONAMOO - “We Are Legendary”
Starting with the most recent collaboration, it’s SONAMOO! Well, four of the five remaining members. Originally a seven-member group, members Nahyun and Sumin are currently in the process of terminating their contracts while High.D is busy filming elsewhere. Despite this, “We Are Legendary” still manages to impress with a high-power vibe containing a variety of vocals that perfectly encapsulate what it means to be unstoppable. My personal favorite moment in the music video is Minjae’s shot with the purple overlay, as it really stands out from the rest of the sets with an almost relaxing aura that perfectly balances the pre-chorus.
The music video can’t be talked about without mentioning the mobile game that largely inspired it, though, as Legendary Game of Heroes actually created four new characters based on SONAMOO to celebrate their launch in the Korean language! With this in mind, the vast differences in the members’ individual sets can be even more appreciated and admired—even if they don’t quite make up for the absence of the other members. Nonetheless, anyone listening to this track is bound to feel unstoppable so it’s a perfect fit for any gym playlists or gaming sessions alike!
Dreamcatcher - “Deja Vu”
Not even a month after the release of “Breaking Out” came the release of this epic collaboration, which was a surprise to INSOMNIAs worldwide! Dreamcatcher collaborated with King’s Raid to bring “Deja Vu,” which is a fairly relaxed song when compared to their other Korean and Japanese releases, yet should not be underestimated. The track starts off light and fluttery with feathery vocals and delicate piano notes, only to be absolutely flipped by a powerful beat drop followed by a metal-infused drumline and a choir of backing vocals. The track returns to soft tones the moment the chorus comes to a close.
With the music video, however, there’s an entire story to unravel! There are actually many interpretations of what actually transpires within the castle walls, from the members constantly battling in order to sit atop the throne to the more widely accepted theory that Yoohyeon was more or less possessed by darkness and ended up killing everyone. It’s such an interesting video that manages to be completely mesmerizing all while pulling off an exceptionally well-written plot line. Everything from the prominent theme of betrayal to the symbolism of blue roses looks to be meticulously planned, which is what really makes this video stand out as more than just a mobile game promotion.