Seo In-guk Explores Heartbreak With His New Single ‘Fallen’

Four months ago, I had one of the most endearing interactions with Seo In-guk. The superstar’s simplicity and candor impressed me forever. Even though he was on the other side of a Zoom screen, I could feel his friendly vibe. There were no starry-eyed fits and he carried no airs, despite being the big-shot that he is. I was always his fan, an ardent follower of his work, but ever since that day, Seo has a piece of my heart.

His acting chops aside, the actor is a gorgeous singer-songwriter. His vocal range is exemplary, which accounts for his discography’s immense collection of OSTs, albums and singles, to which he has now added “Fallen,” his most recent single.

“Fallen” blends love and melody with feelings that characterize Seo’s incredibly mature sonic landscape. When listening to this track, it’s hard to keep from picturing an overblown heartache moment in a stirring K-drama, which Seo pulls off with his perfect expressions replete with emotions. This song, about a devastated lover striving to forget his ex but unable to, recounts a love story of shattered dreams and a failed relationship. It is probably one of Seo’s most sensitive songs to date.

The music video begins with a ring amid burning ashes and rubble. It crossfades to the song’s title before revealing the following shot: Seo is distraught, lonesome, and under the influence of a melancholic strain, reminiscing on the happy times he had with his sweetheart in the past. As he examines a variety of items while moving about the space – old pictures, a cup with her lipstick stain, couple-rings underneath a framed photo – the tune emanates from him with words that aptly explore his mental state. “Much of our time has passed/ How are you these days/ I’ve been empty for a while/ Just like the grimy memories/ Even if jagged hearts try to hate you/ You are the light that has fallen from the sky for me/ It’s still fresh in my mind/ But I’m like this/ The more I wander looking for you/ The more I miss our days.”

“Fallen” is a soul ballad in the vein of “My Love” from Seo’s previous album, Love and Love. In it, he wanted to express his maturity through his voice – “the maturity that comes with age,” he has said. “I wanted to demonstrate that through my voice while recording the songs for this album. ‘My Love’ is a love song. It creates empathy, saying it’s okay to have a bad day rather than feeling pressured to be strong,” he added. Clearly, Seo is a pro at exploring emotions, and “Fallen” is no exception. Through the stirring scenarios so movingly portrayed in the words, he conveys the anguish in the song. “You’re my light that has fallen from the sky/ It’s in my mind, but I’m like this/ The more I wander, looking for you, the more I can’t see/ I miss our days even more/ I just want to breathe next to you no matter what/ Even when the cold winter comes.”

The fact that Seo values art is hardly surprising. He is a successful, incredibly gifted artist who is fixated on his objectives. This is perhaps the reason he decided to create, compose and choreograph the video this time around with andrea_thegreek. The gloomy color scheme used in conjunction with the song’s tone wonderfully complements the images. The shot layout is excellent. Images of Seo throughout the video demonstrate how he can be both forceful and sensitive without ado. A brilliant metaphor for Seo’s soaring emotions burning his soul in combination with the burning objects is a piano and the furniture in the video bursting into flames.

“Fallen” is incredibly poetic and ambient, with words like, “My world has been falling without you/ Even if my heart is crumbling without you and I can’t reach you/ I won’t ask for anything if it’s you/ I’ll just stand here and wait for you/ I hope your heart can see me someday.” And, of course, Seo’s vocals are so unique and delicate! It hits a nerve because breaking up isn’t always about screaming. You can be crushed quietly by the pangs of nostalgia to the point where you can’t shout because it’s so agonizing and awful.