On September 27, BIBI released the music video of her pre-release single Animal Farm, which blew my mind. I wanted to write this blog post sooner but you know…Life and stuff. As you may know, the video is heavily inspired by Kill Bill (2003); I chose not to talk about the similarities between the two. However, I did make a short edit (see below) to give you an idea in case you never watched the movie.

What I like the most about this music video is that it focuses on the details: every shot, and every stage set matter. It is directed and written by OJUN KWON. Without further ado, let’s dive into this analysis!

Is it a farm, or is it society?

The society BIBI refers to is the music industry which quickly makes her disillusioned. She does not criticize her label in any way. I rather think that BIBI plays a character she has an affinity with. This character enters into this magnificent world like a princess who sees her dream come true:

It might be pretty, it might be beautiful
It might be grand
This might be right, this might be justice

However, she realized that at the top of the music industry, most people only care about power and money, which leaves no room for art and creativity. The masks have two dots under the eyes, which is BIBI’s makeup style. It means that these people act like they are on her side, having her back, but they don’t support her. They are “shameless friends“.

There’s a stage with two speakers and a microphone, but no one to perform. BIBI is gagged on the table; her talent is only used to feed the “hungry pigs” (“배부른 돼지들“). A guitar is enclosed in a glass frame because the guests treat this instrument as a decorative element, something made to show off their wealth.

죄악의 단어 [the world of sin]
위선의 가면 [with a mask of hypocrisy]
넘쳐흐르는 무도회장 [an overflowing ballroom]
터지는 champagne [Popping champagne]
포도주와 빵 [wine and bread]
배부른 돼지들의 춤 [the dance of hungry pigs]

Obviously, greed is symbolized by the pigmen. But not only. Let’s first talk about the table seating. Etiquette dictates that the two most prominent hosts (or guests) sit at the ends of the table, and that to their right and left sit the second category of esteemed people (or the lucky ones).

Long before she cuts off his head, we know from the first shot who the big boss is (he also has bigger ears). That’s why he and those sitting next to him are not wearing masks (like the other guests and waiters).

They don’t need to wear a “mask of hypocrisy” (위선의 가면) and are not ashamed to show their greed and bestiality because these people are at the top of the hierarchy, and therefore think they can do whatever they want, including treating an artist like a roast pig. How ironic!

As I told you before, the table ends are prestigious. In the first screenshot, you can see that the cutlery is set but no one is sitting, there’s not even a chair to sit on. I could be wrong, but I think this specific place is made for us, the listeners.

The screenshot above looks like a first-person shot as if we were part of the guests. We also have an important role to play as we are the ones who consume the music. In my opinion, it is crucial to support passionate artists who treat their music as a work of art. Depending on our listening habits and how we treat artists, we may wear a mask or “sing the song of lies” (불러라 거짓말의 노래를).

Colorimetry also conveys the world of this animal farm but in a more subtle way. According to many philosophers, our reason distinguishes humans from other animals. However, colors are vectors of emotions and therefore return us to our primitive selves. Three colors particularly stand out, red, white, and black. One color can have different meanings:

• BIBI’s white dress embodies innocence and purity, while the white masks indicate something not warm, something cold. This means that these cold men are not sensitive to art;
• the black suits suggest power and elegance, and the black katana evokes strength;
• the red carpet symbolizes the vices and sins of the music industry, while the blood on BIBI illustrates her freedom and passion for music.

Am I a tiger, or a gazelle?

The idea of an animal farm implies a balance of power between the different species. The character played by BIBI has only two choices: to assert herself as an artist (being a tiger) or to be taken advantage of (being a gazelle). This struggle for survival is illustrated by the black and white tiles that look like a checkerboard.

The checkerboard is the place where we struggle to survive, and the checkerboard is under our feet. So I think in real life this struggle is more like an implicit fight. It is a psychological game between the members of the music industry and one of the foundations of our relationship with the other animals on the farm. BIBI is saying that she and the other artists need to stand out for themselves or they will be eaten.

Here comes the gory part 😀!

BIBI cuts the big boss’s head as a sign of rebellion. She holds his ear in a fork, meaning that she breaks away from his influence and states that he does not deserve her art.

BIBI does not get on the actual stage at any time. She releases the guitar from its glass prison and performs on the table, right where she was supposed to be devoured. The reappropriation of the space is also an act of rebellion.

The rain cleanses the music industry of all its impurities and reveals the true face of the guests.

In addition to being a nod to the movie Kill Bill, the snow symbolizes the purity of art. It starts to snow, then right after we see the guitar. For a brief moment, it feels like nothing matters but this guitar. It’s like a calling. Setting this guitar free allows her to reach a paroxysm of artistic bliss.

죽어라 불러라 거짓말의 노래를
죽어라 따라춰 악마들의 춤사위
English translation:
I sing the song of lies to death
Dance like the devil

The image of a BIBI covered with the blood of her enemies in the midst of a chaotic and burning setting reminds me of the bloody prom scene in Carrie (1976) directed by Brian De Palma. The two characters have this in common:

• people have abused their naivety and innocence;
• both are covered with pig blood
• both reach a kind of trance after exploiting their full potential (BIBI’s creativity, Carrie’s mastery of telekinesis).

Yes, BIBI is surrounded by men. But to me, it has nothing to do with a feminist stance. I’d rather think it is a way to emphasize her character’s bravery. In Kill Bill, for example, the Crazy 88 is made up of men and women, and Black Mamba is highlighted by her yellow outfit, no one else is dressed like that.

Conclusion

This is a brilliant and well-thought music video. BIBI and OJUN KWON did an amazing job. ANIMAL FARM is about art, passion, and freedom. It’s about letting our creativity run free. But this independence comes at a price.

Want to know more about BIBI:
– Instagram: @nakedbibi
– Twitter: @nakedbibi
– YouTube: BIBI

Want to know more about OJUN KWON:
– Instagram: @arfilm_ojun
– Website: ARfilm