Six years ago, on August 1, 2017, GFRIEND released their fifth EP PARALLEL and their music video for “LOVE WHISPER.” “LOVE WHISPER” is an addictive song with poppy beats that gets listeners (and GFRIEND) dancing non-stop. Listen closely, and you’ll hear the story of a track bearing an impressive title: the hardest choreography for GFRIEND to perform live.

The Environment of “LOVE WHISPER”

Producing duo Iggy and Yongbae, who established GFRIEND’s musical identity, composed “LOVE WHISPER.” The song followed “FINGERTIP,” a funky song with hard-hitting bass and electric guitars.“LOVE WHISPER” returned to a softer sound: this time with bubblegum pop and New jack swing. 

Like many GFRIEND title tracks, “LOVE WHISPER” was named differently in Korean and in English. The English name of “LOVE WHISPER” still connects to its Korean title, which is loosely translated as “if [I] listen very carefully.” While not a direct translation, there’s enough within the lyrics to see why the English title turned out that way. The theme that bridges the two titles is a confession after a special moment. The lyrics lay out a story of this confession, something heard only between two individuals on a lovely day.

The Performance of “LOVE WHISPER” 

The music video presents “LOVE WHISPER” with pretty summer imagery and “Me Gustas Tu” vibes. The group dance in a grassy field, the storyline progression of a summer outing with friends, and the fast dance break followed by a high note from Yuju — a classic combo — all equate to similarities to the “Me Gustas Tu” music video. However, all GFRIEND songs have something that sets them apart. The unique strength of “LOVE WHISPER” lies within its tiring choreography.   

As stated by SinB, the “LOVE WHISPER” choreography is the most difficult to perform live. The song’s choreography is non-stop with precise movements that will keep any dancer on their toes — or in this case, their heels. It also wasn’t enough to perform this choreography normally. What is K-Pop without filming dance segments surrounded by water? Not only does its music video show GFRIEND performing their moves in a pool of water, but their comeback stage on Show Champion also featured water. 

The story of GFRIEND’s “LOVE WHISPER” is an interesting one. Releasing after massive summer hits like “Me Gustas Tu” and “NAVILLERA” put “LOVE WHISPER” in a tough spot. It also came at a time where the image of future releases felt uncertain after “FINGERTIP,” leaving a lot of pressure on the songs’s figurative shoulders. Despite everything, “LOVE WHISPER” created its own legacy within the discography of a group often hailed as masters of synchronized dances. It deserves all the love. 

Edited by Omani