Some comebacks age like fine wine. Instead of becoming artifacts of their time, what made them great then makes them even greater now. “The Chaser” by INFINITE is one such fine wine. Somehow, as K-Pop’s musical landscape rapidly transforms through Y2K phases and fits of punk rock, the electro-pop melody of “The Chaser” gets tastier with time.   

Though the video features macho scenes of car crashes, high-speed motorcycle rides, and vandalism, not to mention an absolutely iconic dance set, “The Chaser” at its core is a love song:

Don’t be sorry, you can abandon me spitefully and leave

If that’s what you want, yeah, good bye

But that doesn’t mean I have given up too 

My love wins

The story follows a man who has been abandoned by the woman he loves. Still, he resolves not to give up, though his love has moved on. 

I’m sorry girl, I don’t ever want to let go of the line that is you

But it’s okay because I will turn back your heart

It’s not a big deal even if my heart is ripped apart

For better or worse, he becomes “the chaser” of his obsession, the hero (or antihero) in his own  action-romance.

One of the things that sets “The Chaser” apart so starkly from today’s tracks is the absence of English lyrics. Now, this is not to say that English lyrics are a bad thing–not at all! They can, however, disrupt the flow of the Korean lyrics and compromise the poetic sound of the words. “The Chaser”’s poetry is uncompromised, flowing perfectly. The track is also musically fascinating with its ‘80s-inspired electro-synth beats and choruses that repeatedly raise in key.

The song’s uniqueness has led to acclaim in the international music scene. Billboard put it at No. 3 on their list of best K-Pop songs of the 2010s, and Rolling Stone named it one of the best boy band songs ever. 

K-Pop is more popular than ever before, and as a result, it’s changing faster than ever before too. However, as K-Pop keeps evolving, it’s reassuring to remember that second generation classics like “The Chaser” still innovate with every listen.

Edited by Deshalia Murray