“피어나 / Peeonah” (Bloom) is a pop number performed by the popular songstress Ga-in, which was released in 2012 by Loen Entertainment. The song uses metaphors to paint the love interest as someone who encourages the artist to actively discover new sensations of love.
“피어나 / Peeonah” (Bloom) is a pop number performed by the popular songstress Ga-in, released in 2012 by Loen Entertainment. It garnered attention from two different crowds: those who found the catchy beats appealing, like with any other mainstream K-pop song; and those who inferred the meaning behind the racy music video and lyrics. Many K-pop stars, especially female ones, have their work censored because it is considered too “racy.” As Ga-in said, “Our previous music videos had received R-ratings and we didn’t understand the reason why. So, for my recent video, I decided to give them one.” She blatantly defied the double standards forced upon K-pop stars. However, the feminist elements in her song are deeply woven enough to appeal to a large range of listeners.
The lyrics address Ga-in’s love interest, who made her “bloom.” The song uses many metaphors to paint the love interest as someone who encourages Ga-in to actively discover new sensations of love. While the direct address of “you” appeals to the male audience, the song doesn’t objectify women like many other K-pop songs. At the same time, Ga-in highlights her femininity by ending phrases with “니,” as in: “시선 따윈 알게 뭐니.” In Korea, the use of “니” to ask a question is conventionally used by women. Thus, Ga-in appeals to her male followers.
As for Ga-in’s teenage female fans, many of whom do not go so far as to analyze the meaning behind the lyrics, they are satisfied with the image of a flower that has yet to bloom. Although Ga-in is really urging women to be more confident about their sexuality, the metaphor strikes a note that still adheres to the mainstream, while the music conveys an upbeat mood through synthesizers and seemingly light lyrics. The video adds to the atmosphere as well, with pastel color schemes and flowery backgrounds out of Alice in Wonderland.
Like many other K-pop singers, Ga-in also makes extensive use of English “catchphrases” to craft her choruses and allow her rhythms to work better. In Korea, singers are considered well-learned if they can pronounce the English parts of their songs well. With a growing fan base around the globe, following the phenomenon known as “Hallyu” (the “Korean Wave,” as the recent worldwide popularity of Korean culture is known), singers wants to connect with their international listeners through English. Although, in this song, there are a few awkwardly-phrased lines – such as “chemical blue ocean” – which do not have much to do with the themes of the rest of the lyrics, Ga-in’s English chorus continuously repeats the phrase “speak up,” insinuating the need for Korean women to “speak up” about their desires through themselves, not through men. “피어나” is at once light and empowering. Its catchy tempo is something anyone can easily follow, while its words provide a deeper message that many K-pop tracks lack.
