Jeon Somi Plans To Take Revenge in ‘XOXO’

Three months after her August 2021 release “Dumb Dumb,” K-pop soloist, Jeon Somi makes a bold and fearless comeback with “XOXO.” 

Back in August, a wide-eyed and lovestruck Somi was willing to do everything under the sun to get the attention of a charming young man. What the doe-eyed girl thought was her fairytale romance has now brutally shattered her, changing her forever. Enter Jeon Somi– a fierce woman who responds to betrayal with chaos and animosity. 

Co-written by Jeon, “XOXO” is a dance-pop track with trap beats that keeps the momentum upbeat. Bidding adieu to an unfaithful lover, the vocalist brings an edge with a varied vocal delivery, helping the singer highlight the sarcastic tone of the track; “Don’t say such things/ The half I gave you is mine now/ Don’t call me a bitch/ Your girl, she’s the bitch.”

The track’s selling point resides in its soundscape and high-budget music video. With “XOXO,” Jeon brings a youthful yet more refined sound, proving her willingness to grow with every release. While “Dumb, Dumb” laid a cheerful field with its whistle-driven melody, “XOXO” is characterized by somber synth beats, making this track perfect for long drives. 

Building on plot cues from “Dumb, Dumb,” “XOXO” opens with Jeon looking devastated after hearing about her boyfriend’s infidelity. What follows next is a carefully curated plan involving breaking into her ex-boyfriend’s house, abducting a dog, a high-stakes car chase and holding her ex-boyfriend hostage. Soon, the news of her missing ex makes headlines. Upon seeing this story plastered on a newspaper’s front page, Jeon bids farewell to her ex; “Feelin sorry for myself that I gave you half of me/ Had enough/ Don’t want it anymore even if you give it back.”

“XOXO” concludes on an open ending with the video revealing the preceding events to be a part of Jeon’s grand plan which is still in motion. Turns out, everything that we just saw was a part of her imagination. 

The music video is also an early Christmas present for fans of BLACKPINK, holding several references to the K-pop group’s previous releases, including Jennie’s shoulder swerve from “Solo,” which Jeon performs as she sings “glowing as a solo.” The singer is also seen wrecking cars using a sledgehammer( a visual we last saw in BLACKPINK’s “Lovesick Girls,” where Lisa destroys a vintage car during her segment.)

Jeon Somi’s XOXO marks the singer-songwriter’s first-ever studio album. The eight-track project features the collaborative track “Don’t Let Me Go with South Korean rapper Giriboy and the self-written track, “Watermelon.” The album also contains three of the singer’s past releases: “Birthday,” “What You Waiting For” and “Dumb Dumb.”