On Lee Hyori's "Black"

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In her song, Black, Hyori applies a subversive and unusual symbolic use of color where she contrasts color with black as opposed to contrasting color with white. For example, she connects dying her hair to denying herself. In doing so, she associates color with the lack of authenticity. In making this association, Hyori conforms to the philosophical view that color conceals what is real and pure. However, Hyori digresses from the usual perspective by associating black, and not white, with the 'realness' that is exposed when colors are removed. I find this a fresh perspective in the symbolic use of black because color is often contrasted with white as opposed to black. 

Hyori also associates color with the lack of freedom. This is contrary to the usual association of color with freedom and independence. She sings "the red lipstick hid my pursed lips/the thing that shook behind/ the colored lens/ it was me who didn't want to be me". Hyori's lyrics associate color with being stifled and oppressed, having been denied the freedom to be one's true self. On the other hand, she associates leaving her hair black, that is undyed, and wearing black clothes with being freed and becoming fearless. She sings “Black hair, black eyes/ I want to dance wearing black... I want to sing in the dark world/ I want to become an ordinary girl/ Who is fearless today”.

Hyori depicts color as being seductive as seen in the following lines: "Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, navy, purple/ When you seduce my heart/ Close your eyes in the darkness/ And feel yourself". When Hyori sings she “want[s] to go back”, it might be easy to assume she wants to go back to purity and innocence, things associated with white. Hyori's Black, however, highlights authenticity as opposed to innocence. According to Hyori, darkness is the inner reality that she retreats to when she closes her eyes. It is in this inner darkness that she can "feel" herself, that is, be true to herself.

Hyori also connects darkness to outer reality and authenticity. Singing "I want to sing in a dark world", she associates darkness with the world's reality. The world is not pure and innocent. It is dark. However, this darkness is not to be feared. In fact, in this darkness and blackness, Hyori asserts she will “become an ordinary girl who is fearless”. Casting away the concealment of color does not leave us with a “pure white” but a "shining black", not an innocent but an authentic and courageous self.

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