EXO vs X-EXO: A War via Music Video
by Christa Note: All theories and opinions mentioned below are the author’s and only the authors. Dropped on the 27th of November, the music video for Obsession shows the war...
by Christa
Note: All theories and opinions mentioned below are the author’s and only the authors.
Dropped on the 27th of November, the music video for Obsession shows the war between EXO and X-EXO, two opposing forces that are fighting for the control of the EXO Planet.
The storyline is shown in scenes where the members are fighting a war against their dark counterparts using the superpowers that were revealed in the music video for Power.
The video depicts this war through the cinematography and editing while the differences between EXO and X-EXO are shown in the makeup and styling of each members.
While the EXO members are wearing solid black clothes and natural styling, X-EXO can be distinguished by their pop of colour (or pattern in Chanyeøl’s case) as well as their intense and dark makeup styles such as bold makeup, light coloured contacts, dramatic hairstyles, and even their accessories. From starting with Chanyeøl rising from the centre of X-EXO to ending with half of EXO Planet burning, it’s something that is sure to draw the viewer in.
The video starts off simply enough, Chanyeøl rising up from the ground while the rest of X-EXO snake around him. It cuts then between EXO and X-EXO snaking back and forth. It’s not until after does the action truly begin.
Baëkhyun is shown with a sword about to face off against his EXO counterpart Baekhyun. There is a side by side of Kai and Kāi, in the middle of a field.
Then it goes to a scene of Suho suspended midair while Suhø is in the middle of a lake with hands of unknown figures reaching towards him from the water.
Chën and Sehůn are seen briefly before a scene of Chën and Chen playing chess in front of what seems to be screens that stream security feed form all over the EXO Planet.
At one point, Chanyeøl is seen engulfed entirely by flame before Sehun is seen aiming a bow and arrow to what is assumed to be at Sehůn.
The dance scenes with EXO vs X-EXO are seamlessly weaved in and out and the cinematography helps show the viewer which group they’re looking at. X-EXO are typically surrounded by more colours, cool tones of deep blue with red accents that contrasts EXO’s warmer ones.
In addition to the lighting, the fight scenes between EXO and X-EXO made my jaw drop in the best possible way. The fight scenes are beautifully captured by the camera work; Chanyeol and Chanyeøl’s hand to hand fight with their fire powers, Baekhyun and Baëkhyun’s sword fight in slow motion, and Sehun and Sehůn’s fight by bow and arrow.
The stylists also did incredibly in this video. They had EXO dressed in a near militant fashion which is perfect for their impending war with their dark selves.
X-EXO were dressed in a much more dramatic fashion, from Kāi wearing a crop top that only covers his upper chest paired with a cropped yellow leather jacket to Suhø with his dramatic style of an all red suit jacket and pants combo and his crimson hair styled to convey devil horns.
They weren’t the only members of the X-EXO crew with a more dramatic style, though. Such as Baëkhyun with his single silver extension and the delicate chain over the bridge of his nose; Chanyeøl with his pink hair, bright blue contacts and contour-esque makeup that could be reminiscent of bruises to match the cute going across his nose. There’s also Chën who sports a slick wavy hairstyle, a single blue contact and two lip rings, one of which is attached to his ear piercing via a chain.
My favourite part of the video has to be the ending, as strange as that sounds. After the final dance break EXO Planet is shown, half of it on fire and crumbling apart as if a way to signify that through all the fighting, X-EXO prevailed.
I love EXO’s music videos and they’ve always been some of my favourites overall, but after the release of Obsession, I have to say it’s in my opinion, their best video.
Order your EXO ‘Obsession’ Album on SM Global Shop today.
