Gyeong Ree Blue Moon review: killer heels and voyeurism

This new pared-back version of Nine Muses is brutal.
That's a joke for fans who have watched the tragically under-rated girl group go from a nine-piece to  six-piece, to a seven-piece (the talented Euarin rejoined after leaving three months earlier) to a nine-piece, to an eight-piece (three members left; two new ones joined), to a four-piece.
(I may have skimmed over some line-up changes, but that is the gist.)

And so here is Gyeong Ree, who joined in 2012, with her first solo release.
Through all the line-up changes, one thing remained constant: Nine Muses released innovative songs with great hooks and delivered them in flawless stages: Figaro (2011), Dolls (2013), Drama (2015), Sleepless Night (2015), Remember (2017) ... there are plenty more, and that's just the title tracks; their albums are full of great cuts.
Add Gyeong Ree's solo debut to the list: Blue Moon is flawless in every aspect, from music to concept to delivery. And the MV is stunning.

Being focused on dance, I often don't pay as much attention to the MVs as the live stages. This one is a knockout, even by K-pop's high standards. The art direction is incredible. Deep, vivid colours and indelible imagery. It reminds me of some of dearly departed Stellar's MVs.

 In rough terms, it's a '"sexy" concept. But there's a lot going on. Voyeurism is a theme: Gyeong Ree is seen through a viewfinder; as negative film frames; through a gauzy scrim; in a room full of mirrors, as if the viewer is surreptitiously checking out her reflection. Another theme is bondage, or restriction: the dancers (male and female) all wear harnesses and heels (one of them is on "Team Kill Heel" according to his Instagram). At one point she is in a wheelchair. She steps into a pair of red shoes and walks away at the end.

I've looked at the lyrics and I didn't get a whole lot of out of them (or the English translation anyway); so I am not clear on how much the visuals tie into the words (if at all). But they definitely stand up on their own.

And the music is incredible. Chan Wook, who did the amazing Drama, created the song, choosing a 4/4 house rhythm (rather than dance hall), but he plays with rhythms throughout, setting Gyeong Ree's breathy vocals and ambient and trance-like sounds against a solid earthy bass anchored to the kick drum. The only misstep is some auto-tune on the vocals. The arrangement is outstanding.

The live stages have been wonderful: Gyeong Ree performing with a bit of a twinkle in her eye like: yeah, I snuck some heel-wearing LGBTQ waackers and voguers on Music Bank, how do you like that?

* Post updated to include a correction from @captaintabouli