Watch YONGYONG’s Electrifying Music Video ‘Dying Every Second’

South Korean rapper-singer YONGYONG travels through galatic landscapes in her latest music video “Dying Every Second.” Featuring South Korean rapper and composer Han Yo Han, YONGYONG’s the single comes roughly six months after the release of her single album Rain Star. 

Split into two chapters, each one treated with a different sonic approach, YONGYONG beautifully blends refined guitar sounds with fresh, rhythmic percussion arrangements in the first chapter of the track. This sonic approach rustles up a pop-punk atmosphere befitting the genre’s resurgence, which has been noticed in the Korean industry since early 2021. The vocalist further elevates the ambiance of the track through the seamless incorporation of breathy vocalizations as she comes to terms with the loss of her partner: “I can’t even touch you/ I can’t hold it/ I’m falling into the deep sea/ There’s no meaning to my life/ I miss you right now.”

The second chapter relies on the power of bass-synth and richer, deeper guitar riffs to narrate the track’s sonic transcript. The initial alt-rock arrangement manifests into a punchier, darker melody, brimming with a sense of urgency, similar to what you’d experience while watching a high-stake car chase. Though the lyrical sentiments in this chapter remain unchanged, the sudden introduction of a deep, piercing rock arrangement may catch you off-guard at first. 

This drastic sonic shift from a semi-serene to a cut-throat realm could be a fitting symbolism of how loss evolves in one’s mind. What may start with one buried in the depths of despair and desolation could slowly transform into insanity and perplexity if not addressed: “I keep dying every second/ Even when I was lonely, you kept hugging me, I laughed/ Don’t know where it’s going/ I can’t even get out of the sea/ I’ll see you again after a while/ Now you’re not by my side.” 

On the other hand, the cyber-punk-inspired music video paints the picture of a cyborg finding her way to a futuristic city; perhaps in the search of her long-lost lover. It opens on a heartening note, urging viewers to “Spread love, not COVID” (keeping in mind the current global climate as we fight the Omicron variant). As the video progresses, we see an AI version-eerily resembling a cyborg-  of YONGYONG levitating between two large objects. Shortly after being ‘rebooted,’ AI YONGYONG drifts through space and lands on a torn, post-apocalyptic planet. 

The rest of the video focuses on YONGYONG’s transformation. Starting as a brooding lover, picking up the pieces of her broken heart, and then going on to becoming a confident woman who unapologetically celebrates herself. This shift, however, is visually communicated when the vocalist drives off into a futuristic city, commencing the second chapter of the story.

Born in South Korea, 23-year-old YONGYONG has previously performed with rapper Ash ISLAND, Victon’s Hanse and D.ark at Rolling Hall.