OWIS’s Debut EP Belongs in a Museum
Photo: OWIS Official X
The newest virtual K-Pop group has entered the industry with the release of OWIS’s first EP, MUSEUM. From the mind of creative director Lee Haein, OWIS came out with an eight-track EP on March 23 that turns forgotten dreams into reality. Standing for “Only When I Sleep,” OWIS consists of Serene, Haru, Soi, Summer, and Yuni.
TRACKLIST:
“MUSEUM”
“airplane : 143”
“juicy”
“missing piece”
“lonely lullaby”
“ONLY WHEN I SLEEP”
“forNEVER”
“MUSEUM - English Version”
The Creation of OWIS
OWIS debuted as the first group under All My Anecdotes (ama), a company co-founded by Lee Haein in January. Lee previously worked as a creative director for soloist ADORA and girl group KISS OF LIFE, and she currently serves as an executive producer for boy group CLOSE YOUR EYES. OWIS’s concept focuses on unearthing fragments of discarded memories through dreams. The dreams enable the OWIS members to create music and explore lives detached from the real world. Though the identities of the singers behind OWIS aren’t explicitly stated, video teasers and social media posts have teased details.
Like with virtual boy groups PLAVE and SKINZ, motion capture technology brings OWIS to life. The singing and dancing of real-life idols gets reflected through this process. Since PLAVE and SKINZ use tools built in Unreal Engine, a real-time 3D graphics creator, OWIS likely takes a similar approach. Global toy distributor Aurora World, who produces OWIS’s merchandise, handles the 3D motion capture and real-time rendering technology.
MUSEUM is a Piece of Art
The pleasant strumming of an acoustic guitar makes “MUSEUM” a joyful, easy-listening experience. The song expands on the story of women realizing their true selves through the dream world. Through this dreamscape, they feel rejuvenated while away from the dreary real world.
Shots of the music video switch between the singers’ real life identities and their lives as OWIS. With some identifying features still obscured, the members who look lost find meaning through their virtual selves. The combination of 3D models, 2D animation, and regular video footage creates a striking blend of styles. Rigend Film and Studio Mir, the latter known for international animated productions, created a spectacular first music video for OWIS.
The rest of the EP is equally enjoyable. Half of the songs credit an OWIS member as a lyricist. Summer helped write lyrics for “MUSEUM” and “juicy,” she and Serene also co-wrote “forNEVER” with rapper toni rei (formerly BAE173’s Dohyon), and Soi worked as the sole lyricist for “airplane : 143.” Many songs often use “143” to mean “I love you” and “airplane : 143” describes love like a plane ride.
Much like a museum, the EP offers a diverse selection. OWIS paints their story using genres like pop, R&B, and hip-hop. Hopefully it won’t be long until OWIS curates their next piece of work. In the meantime, fans in Seoul can explore OWIS’s pop-up stores that act as the group’s museum exhibition.
Edited by Clark Royandoyan