WEi’s Kim Yo Han Explores the Influence of Love in ‘Dessert’

Exploring the power of love and attraction, WEi’s Kim Yo Han unveils a dark, symbolic music video for his latest solo release “Dessert.” The single comes at a crucial part in the vocalist’s career —  where he juggled between preparing for this comeback and filming the KBS drama, School 2021.

Co-written by the vocalist, “Dessert” is a symbolic dance-pop track with a groovy baseline. As opposed to the usual disco tracks with a lighter message, “Dessert” describes a dark, twisted tale of romance. While the overarching theme of the track is the influence of romance, the single keeps the rose-tinted lens at bay, opting to view the effects through a slightly darker, mature lens: “I know you hurt me/ I know you influence me/ I know you are a bit dangerous.” 

The music video opens on an unsettling note with Yohan tied down by yellow ribbons as an eerie whisper echoes in the background. The ambiguity is heightened by a montage of cakes, fruits and sugar cubes (different forms of sugars) rapidly appearing on the screen — a nod to how, just like sugar, romance presents itself in a deceiving form. No matter how sweet and addictive sugar may be, at the end of the day, it all had adverse effects on our health — just like romance. This symbolism is further amped up in the following frame where Yohan (dressed in a white suit) finds himself trapped in a glass cage with smoke slowly seeping in.

The smoke soon vanishes to reveal a darker persona of the singer-actor. Donned in a pitch-black leather ensemble, the vocalist looks slightly sinister and conceited. This symbolism could suggest how the addictive nature of romance pushes you to keep pursuing, knowing it possesses the power to quite literally destroy you. An example of the same can be found in the lyrics: “I hope you let me in cause I’m crossing over the risk, yeah/ In my glass bottle, you’re more poison to me/ But even so, I pour you more and more.” 

Yohan brings forward a splendid vocal and dance performance, complementing the groovy composition of the track. Alluring, fresh and peppered with a melodic rap to keep things interesting, “Dessert” is perfect to subdue your Monday blues.

Yohan’s solo EP, Illusions, comes roughly five months after the release of his 2020 single “No More” produced by South Korean hip-hop and R&B singer-producer Zion.T. The five-track EP houses the lead single “Dessert,” alongside “Selfish,” “Bad,” “Landing On You” and “Star.”