It’s truly a blessing to discover new talent. Particularly when they’ve worked so hard through so much to be able to share those talents with the world. Thus we have Paul Shin, now known by the stage name V1NO. This young man has had a life you wouldn’t believe. (But we’ll get more into that in our interview.) Last year he began to pursue his music in earnest. With that came the release of the music video for his song “Runaway.”
Just Wanna Runaway
“Runaway” is a melodic piece of magic. A smooth bit of lo-fi hip hop meant to soothe the ache of so much pain. The music’s smooth composition, however, belies the absolute heartache in the song itself. It’s the tale of a man yearning for some peace as he desperately tries to free himself from self-doubt.
V1NO’s earlier releases (tracks “Sooner or Later” and “’91 and Beyond”) would have you believe he’s all grit with no room for softness. The truth is this is a man who’s emotional core is such an ingrained part of who he is.
He proclaims, “These days, these days, wanna sleep in forever. These days, these days, I don’t want to remember.” A declaration of a troubled soul still in the throes of discovering who he is and how to navigate those tentative steps to self-discovery in a world that seems too big for him. A heavy blues undercuts the drone of V1NO’s delivery. The type of sound that conjures up thick feelings of isolation. A hollow spot in the pit of the stomach, a crack in the heart that you can physically feel forming.
Paul Bang’s Vision
This same emptiness translates gorgeously to the video itself. Director Paul Bang did an astounding job bringing abstract ideas (sadness, loneliness, emotional hollowness) to very tangible levels. Images of world landmarks superimposed on V1NO’s silhouette. Scenes of him acting out his lyrics spliced against markers of time (the ticker on Lotte Department Store in Seoul, a digital clock). It’s all a means to show our protagonist trapped in a void. A black hole in which he’s drowning in his own isolation. Meanwhile, time still marches on (seemingly without him).
Bang seems to have mastered the art of literary visualism. What I mean is he’s taken very lofty ideologies and connected them perfectly to his imagery. The color palette alone is testament to his vision: blacks, muted oranges and slate blues. It’s no mistake V1NO’s face is barely visible during the entire two minutes and twenty-seven seconds of the video’s duration. This is the story of a young man who can’t even identify himself clearly. He’s alone in an underground garage, rolling around in his own self-pity. He’s alone in Paris, the so-called capital of love (unironically on a day when nobody seems to be around).
Silent Reflection
V1NO’s own reflection in the shallow shores of a river is muddled, marred by the restlessness of the water as he says, “Mirror, mirror on the wall.” Then again disturbed when rectangular cut-outs disrupt the scene itself. He’ll get no answers here, even as he calls out for answers. When the screen splits as if to show V1NO speaking to himself, the point is he’s only talking to himself. His entreaties for guidance are only met with more uncertainty. A lost man trying to lead himself out of his own confusion. Bang’s ability to transform V1NO’s words into stark reality adds another deeper layer of melancholy to a song already steeped in thick shades of sadness.
“Runaway” and its video are simple. However, in that simplicity is great depth. A multi-layered vision that gives the MV an especially universal appeal.