K-pop titans Red Velvet are no strangers to the ultimate summer bop, acing it immediately with debut single ‘Happiness’ in 2014. Their 2018 single ‘Power Up’ continues to showcase their dominating talent in this area, with a song that is, at least to me, synonymous with summer. Although perhaps not considered one of their best songs by the masses, I feel this song captures the absurd yet bubbly energy of their ‘Red’ eras and brings with it a piece of summer magic. The song is as catchy as can be, paired with choreography that is just as addictive. The lyrics express the desire to find energy for the summer in an inescapable season of heat.
Offering a sense of escapism, the song’s music video encapsulates the song’s message of ‘you only live once’, showcasing the members breaking free from their monotonous daily tasks to gain energy and youthful life. Starting with an amp being plugged into a pineapple, we are brought back to the fruit-themed summer songs of the group’s past. The music video visually encapsulates the bright colours of summer through bold sets with retro inspirations, paired with various iterations of yellow and blue outfits, with the gingham dresses and co-ords being the most successful encapsulations of the summer theme. Once they gain their ‘summer magic’, the members begin turning the set around them into fruits, with vinyl records becoming kiwis and plant pots becoming watermelons. Then breaking free from the confinements of the indoors we see them celebrating outside by having a juice-picnic-party, a party I am sure we would all love an invitation to!
