On December 26, 2017, DEAN released his single “instagram.” The soft and smooth track combines R&B with soul and was written, composed, and produced by DEAN (listed in the credits under the moniker Deanfluenza). DEAN based the lyrics of “instagram” on his own personal experiences with depression and feeling as if he wasn’t as cool as the people he saw on social media, with DEAN describing “instagram” as a dark and depressing track with no real solutions and adding that it’s a song you can cry to as the track understands what it’s like to feel alone. The same day the track was released, a teaser for the music video was posted on DEAN’s YouTube channel. 

The Music Video

The music video for “instagram” was released on January 30, 2018. Directed by DEAN alongside FLIPEVIL and 96WAVE, the video is shot exclusively in black and white and opens with DEAN sitting in a warehouse and “strumming” a skateboard. During the second verse, graphics begin to bleed down the walls and onto the floor, tying into the lyrics as DEAN expresses falling into the rabbit hole that is social media and not being able to escape. The more he sings about feeling trapped, the more the room fills with media until the lights above DEAN blink out. Once all five sets of lights turn back on, the video turns to smoke and begins to billow away.

This is also when the video cuts out completely and we get a distorted voiceover with yellow subtitles that read, “sometimes i feel alone / even when i’m with a lot of people / i feel / i feel like i’m robinson crusoe / yeah / that’s what i feel” before we’re taken back to DEAN seated in the room to finish out the track. If you’re unfamiliar with Robinson Crusoe, he is the protagonist from the 1700s novel of the same name who spends 28 years on a deserted island before being rescued, so it’s easy to see how DEAN, who was 25 at the time “instagram” was released, could identify with that character. After singing about almost liking an ex-girlfriend’s picture but not doing it and finding the situation funny, there’s a brief pause before DEAN sits back in his chair and begins laughing as the music picks up beat. This could be playing off the lack of sleep he mentions in the lyrics, some form of depression-based hysteria, or perhaps even him gaining freedom from his social media obsession. Whatever it is, it’s a rather stark change in demeanor from the singer who spent much of the video somber and upset. 

The Legacy

Even though DEAN was unable to promote “instagram” due to the title mentioning a specific product brand and being deemed unfit for broadcast in Korea, “instagram” is DEAN’s best performing single to date. The day “instagram” was released, female soloist IU posted a set of covers of the song onto her Instagram account, with her post helping the track to gain a lot of attention. The track also received strong word-of-mouth support on social media, getting “instagram” even more attention and DEAN new fans.

“instagram” peaked at No. 1 on the Gaon Weekly Digital Chart and on the Gaon Weekly Download Chart (with 171,979 downloads), No. 2 on the Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100, and No. 23 on 2018’s Gaon Yearly Digital Chart. The track also appeared on the Billboard U.S. World Digital Song Sales Chart, where it peaked at No. 20 and spent a week on the chart. This was the only non-domestic chart that “instagram” appeared on.

“instagram” was nominated for “Song of the Year - December” at the 2018 Gaon Chart Music Awards and “Song of the Year” and “Best Rap Performance” at the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards but unfortunately didn’t take home any of those awards. Also at the 2018 Mnet Asian Music Awards, DEAN was nominated for “Artist of the Year,” “Best Male Artist, and “Best Composer of the Year,” with DEAN taking home that final award. 

To this day, many idols are still seen singing the track on stage or in live videos, like San of ATEEZ in his January 20, 2021 VLIVE, helping to keep “instagram” in the forefront of people’s minds.