LOONAVERSE/Analysis/Hi High

MV 이달의 소녀 (LOONA) "Hi High"

Official Description

‘+ +’ represents the ‘plus plus’ effect LOOΠΔ 1/3, ODD EYE CIRCLE, yyxy, and YeoJin gather to create.

LOOΠΔ was born in its own universe with three uniquely structured teams. In other words, it was not designed as a group diving up into three units, but three teams were built to create one universe.

LOOΠΔ 1/3 is a combination of girls present on planet earth. These girls portray the most realistic and practical sceneries that can easily be found on the streets or in school. HeeJin, HyunJin, HaSeul and ViVi start their stories in France, Japan, Iceland, and Hong Kong to become unified as one.

LOOΠΔ / ODD EYE CIRCLE places itself in between the earth and the cosmos. The beginning of ODD EYE CIRCLE was by looking at three moons (ODD). Mutative, or varietal, girls gather to form the ODD EYE CIRCLE, and show themselves by taking control in love relationships instead of waiting passively.

LOOΠΔ / yyxy was also known as ‘Edenism’ as it was placed beyond the earth of 1/3 and the middle earth of ODD EYE CIRCLE, in the place where we call ‘utopia’. But, the girls of Eden decide to deny the rules of Eden to venture off on a forbidden quest to find their identities. The emotions of each girls, faith, hope, love, and anger gather to form a being named yyxy.

As the title suggests, the first track ‘+ +’ is a mash-up of the intro tracks of the albums by LOOΠΔ 1/3, ODD EYE CIRCLE, and yyxy.

The titled track ‘Hi High’ is a song in the genre of Hi Energy, emitting positive energy that the gathering of the twelve members create. The desire to play hard-to-get is portrayed in the lyrics through the characters of each member. HeeJin says, “I don’t want to pass my love on to you so easily,” while HyunJin says, “because I’m that pretty girl,” and Choerry says, “I’m not playing hard-to-get but boys will be boys, watch out, watch out,” telling what is on their minds candidly. The high BPM like a high-speed sprint along with melodies pouring down, and splendid track arrangements forces the listeners to hold their breath and focus on the music.

The official music video of ‘Hi High’, directed by the visual director Digipedi, narrates how LOOΠΔ 1/3 meets ODD EYE CIRCLE, and how these girls unite with yyxy to soar to the sky, with countless visual symbolisms hidden in the scenes.

The lead-off single ‘favOriTe’ is the iconic signature sound of LOOΠΔ, completed with beats and synth stabs that previous girl-groups have never tried before.

‘열기 (9)’, is a track that proves a point that even without aggressive tempo, the temperature of the music can become heated up by the fervor of the girls. Along with it, a track with commercial sound that grabs you like love at first sight, ‘Perfect Love’, and a musical suggestion for you to become brave through the luxury of imagination that everyone cherishes in a corner of their hearts, ‘Stylish’ complete [+ +], the first album of LOOΠΔ with musical elements of LOOΠΔ 1/3, ODD EYE CIRCLE, and yyxy.

LOOΠΔ, building LOONAverse with belief and certainty, finally gathers all twelve members and stands on their first stepping stone.

Main Theory

Synopsis

Together, the Twelve members work together to break the möbius strip and unite as LOONA. HeeJin works with Odd Eye Circle to find the rest of LOONA scattered throughout the LOONAVERSE before time runs out.

Introduction

The music video for Hi High begins with all of the members looking towards the sky. This could symbolize something changing within the LOONAVERSE, something big. We know that the entire universe is ruled by the möbius strip, which has put all of the members in a repetitive loop. We see this through such images as the running track on Earth, keeping the members of 1/3 running in a constant loop. Or the tape player in Girl Front, which is constantly spinning, keeping ODD EYE CIRCLE trapped. Or Sweet Crazy Love, which was released after the members unite in Girl Front, but signals the beginning of ODD EYE CIRCLE's story. Even with some more recent music videos like favOriTe, which hinted as the beginning of LOONA with extreme similarities to Sweet Crazy Love as well as none of the members having their individual colors. But now that they're all together, everything is shifting. They now have the ability to break the möbius.

HeeJin

We then see HeeJin standing on a rooftop wearing green. This is a color she wore throughout ViViD, and when she opens her eyes several words flash in several different languages. When translated and put together it doesn't make much sense, but when they're put into member-order based on color, it tells us the driving force of the girls (The beginning of fate, fly high, High High, Higher than expected, Take off, Girls of the month, the moon, the expectations, twelve girls, Full moon, Fate, Meeting and beginning of twelve). They want to unite and create LOONA.

We then see her sitting high up, in a similar fashion to HyunJin in Love & Live. This could be an easter egg to the pre-debut music videos, or could symbolize the möbius strip repeating. While some things have changed, her actions and the colors she wears stays the same. But when she opened her eyes she knew something is different. The members are together, they can break the möbius. She looks up and sees the moon is beginning to fill, and knows she doesn't have much time. We see her looking up at the warehouse where Yves stood, retracing Yves' steps. She's going to find her.

Kim Lip & Choerry

Next we meet Kim Lip, who is sitting in front of a structure that's a similar color to several of the buildings and walls in Girl Front. This could again be an easter egg, or more symbolism that the möbius has been repeating itself. Kim Lip leans against the number 10, with the numbers 9 and 11 next to her. As we know, Olivia Hye is the odd member out in yyxy. She doesn't follow the other girls by escaping Eden, and therefore isn't pictured. (Also isn't it interesting that we start put with the first members revealed of each sub unit? HeeJin is the creator of the LOONAVERSE, Kim Lip is the leader of ODD EYE CIRCLE, and Yves is the leader of yyxy. In order for the möbius to break the leaders must act first, then others will follow.)

Then Kim Lip meets with Choerry, who we see stands near a green shipping container with a butterfly on it, Go Won's animal and color. We know that Choerry is the only LOONA member who has a fruit and isn't in yyxy, and is seen in One&Only. She was there to help Go Won join yyxy, and was convinced by Yves to do so. As soon as Kim Lip approaches her Choerry lights up, knowing now is the time.

LOONA 1/3

We then see YeoJin, who we know was not in 1/3 due to her being lost in the forest. We saw her at the beginning of the music video alone, looking up with the other members. Even though she is stranded, she knows change is coming. Now when we see her we know HaSeul has found her, she is no longer alone. We know that since HaSeul decided truth over peace in Let Me In she was destined to experience tragedy, but also gain a higher knowledge of the LOONAVERSE. She was extremely close with YeoJin, and when she left HaSeul became miserable but also had an understanding of yyxy, even when HeeJin didn't (appeared in Heart Attack). But now thanks to the möbius breaking, she can finally meet with YeoJin, and they can escape together.

Next we see HeeJin who is still looking for Yves, and then we suddenly flash to ViVi. At the end of Love & Live we saw ViVi running away from the girls, trying to break free from the möbius. But instead it always pulled her back. Now she's realized that in order to break the möbius she must run to the other members, not away.

Next is HyunJin. She stands on a bridge, not knowing where to go. She looks up at the sky, seeing the other girls are getting together, but she can't get through this one on her own. We also see JinSoul, alone. Though she is part of a team, like her animal, the betta fish, she likes to be alone.

ODD EYE CIRCLE

Then Kim Lip and Choerry run off in different directions. When Kim Lip runs she has courage. Instead of being held back by the möbius she runs through the red sheets. This is mirrored to Sweet Crazy Love, but isn't as hopeless. She knows where she's going now, she has a plan.

We then see JinSoul, and when she turns around, we see a desert, similar to Girl Front, where the members were also looking for each other, but this time they're not being stopped by the möbius. We then see HaSeul, which could symbolize that JinSoul was the one who helped HaSeul find YeoJin, and is watching from afar.

Choerry & HyunJin

Next Choerry meets with HyunJin. The two halves of yellow finally are together. As we know when HyunJin left ODD EYE CIRCLE to be with HeeJin. JinSoul and Kim Lip had to create someone in her place, and they created Choerry. The two of them have a huge connection, and when ODD EYE CIRCLE could sense the beginning of yyxy forming, they went to seek out HyunJin, but were unable to find her and kept being stopped by the möbius. But now that it's breaking, they can finally meet up. And as we know, Choerry AND HyunJin both have connections to yyxy. Go Won gave HyunJin the bracelet allowing her to leave the Cosmos, and Choerry was tainted by Yves into doing her bidding. They could tell when the two of them met, and we see Yves, Chuu, and Go Won in the forest, which looks near identical to the one they ran into during love4eva.

ODD EYE CIRCLE & Olivia Hye

During the dance break we see eight members, 1/3, YeoJin, and ODD EYE CIRCLE. This tells us that the only members that are left to find are the yyxy girls. Then Kim Lip meets HeeJin in the same location that Yves was dancing in during new. This confirms that 1/3 and OEC have found each other, and that HeeJin is still looking for Yves. But Kim Lip tells her not to worry, since ODD EYE CIRCLE have a plan.

We now see ODD EYE CIRCLE surrounding Olivia Hye. This is the first time we've seen her in the entire music video, and we know that the dark room symbolizes the inside of the members' minds (This is confirmed in Let Me In, Kiss Later, Singing in the Rain, Girl Front, etc.). We know that Olivia Hye is the odd one out in yyxy. She's the fallen angel, the first member to turn against HeeJin, but is later abandonded when her own creation, Yves, decides to take over yyxy and abandon her. She struggles to trust.

All that she ever wanted was a friendship like 1/3's. And here ODD EYE CIRCLE tell her to trust, that it's okay, that they forgive her. And so she does. The members (most likely Choerry and JinSoul, with the powers of transportation) take her to where yyxy is, Eden.

She stands up high, in a scene very similar to Egoist, except this time Yves is on the ground standing on Earth. Chuu and Go Won arrive, and seeing Yves smiling up at her and waving (saying hi), Olivia is convinced to join them, so she leaves Eden and joins the other girls on Earth. And now they've broken the möbius strip. They've united as twelve and together form their moon.

LOONA

And now, together, they can soar (Like a Butterfly, but more on this later ;). As theorized by some, them being together isn't enough, they must run together.

We see running in every reveal of a sub unit, it's essential to the LOONAVERSE. We see a repeat of scenes we've seen before, with Yves and YeoJin looking up, showing us the repetitive patterns of the möbius one last time. We see several more words flash, this time being in member order, revealing their feelings again. (Let's fly, + +, + +, Orbit, Are you ready, Steps, Together, Beautiful, Start, + +, First steps, Start). They're ready to run.

All at once they run into the light and out of the darkness, and together end the cycle created by the möbius strip. the members are free.