Solve the Mystery in Layone’s “F****** World (Feat. BewhY)” from his Latest EP Fake Origin
The wait is over: with the release of the snappy “F****** World (Feat. BewhY)” Layone (래원) has marked the publishing of his latest EP, Fake Origin, and we finally get to know what the music video for the lead single was all about.
“F****** World” (in Korean “세상 따위”) is a neat balance between Layone’s softer vocals and the punchy rap bits, provided by one of the fastest spitting rappers on the Korean scene, BewhY. While Layone hooks you with the catchy verse and chorus, BewhY’s bitter rap slashes through as the perfect counterpoint: the outcome is a perfect blend of sounds that makes you want more.
Although the onset of the song has an upbeat, carefree sound, the lyrics tell a whole different story. In both the sung parts and the rap bits, they touch upon a number of sensitive issues (self-harm, suicide, mental breakdown, incompatibility with society’s dynamics, and so on): they stack upon each other line after line, like there’s an urge to just let it all out in an apparently incoherent way.
Born in 2001, Layone’s stage name is actually a clever transliteration of his real name, Raewon (complete name Jang Raewon, 장래원). He gained popularity through his appearances on the South Korean rap competition show Show Me the Money. He participated already in season 6 (2017), but it was only thanks to his second appearance in season 8 (2019) that he caught the attention of both viewers and judges, which allowed him to go from being an independent rapper to being signed with the label OUTLIVE Records, where he stayed until 2022. Since then, he has been under the Cosm label.
Layone's music often features introspective and socially conscious themes, with his lyrics delving into personal experiences, struggles, and observations about society. He has released several singles and albums, garnering a dedicated fan base for his unique blend of rap and storytelling.
Layone’s music videos from his EP Fake Origin
The “F****** World (Feat. BewhY)” music video is a very cinematographic one (as the previous one, but more on that in a moment), and from the very start it’s clear it’s telling us a thrilling story, filling the apparent normal flow of events with details that foreshadow darker moments.
So here we have Layone playing the role of a young man fed up with his life: works in a restaurant abroad, has to deal with boring tasks, bad food, and most of all a terrible boss and equally awful coworkers who abuse him. The only somewhat friendly presence in his life is that of a homeless man orbiting the restaurant. It’s an escalation of reasons to be frustrated, but from the very start something anticipates the violent outcome already teased in the previous video.
There is, in fact, an undeniable narrative proceeding from “New Zealand”, the lead single released on February 13. The music video for that song woks as a prelude to “F****** World”’s.
In the first one, we see Layone walking in an idyllic place, with lush greenery and fantastic views (the song is titled “New Zealand”, after all!), but later he is joined by a grey-haired man and other people whose attitude only emphasizes the eerie atmosphere of the situation. They seem like they don’t belong, and moving to the ending we can understand that maybe they’re not really alive, anymore. We now know that the last images of “New Zealand” are indeed part of the story told in “F******” World, and the grey-haired man’s identity is easy to recognize.
If you got curious about the videos, check them out in the order of release, and then we’re sure you’ll want to listen to the rest of the EP just like we did!