TUIDE Rejects K-POP's 'Dopamine' Formula...A Stark Contrast to Label-Mates ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM

Rookie group TUIDE has taken a direct stand against the short-form-driven K-POP trend led by fellow HYBE groups ILLIT and LE SSERAFIM. At a time when "dopamine-seeking" content dominates the K-POP market, TUIDE has instead made a weapon out of a more understated approach by stripping away attention-grabbing production in favor of something more restrained. However, the strategy of emphasizing the group's overall atmosphere has also left the individual charms of its members particulary indistinct, which for a rookie group, could be especially important.

TUIDE made its debut on August 24 with its first mini album, "TUNE & PLAY." As the first artist launched by HYBE label ABD, TUIDE has already attracted considerable attention, with every track from the album entering Melon's "HOT100" chart for songs released within the past 30 days, just one day after its debut.

In particular, K-POP fans have continued to praise the group's debut track, "SUN KISS" music video for its stylish visuals.The video recorded approximately 3 million views on YouTube within a day with viwers leaving positive comments such as, "It captures freedom, vastness, freshness and excitement all at once," and, "I love that they chose such a laid-back song for their debut."

Furthermore, TUIDE's album is distinctively different in tone from releases by many of K-POP's major artists in recent years. As short-form content has established itself as a key promotional tool throughout the 2020s, the ability of immediately grabbing viewers' attention has become increasingly important within K-POP content as well. Repetitive point choreography, strong hooks, rapid cuts, vivid colors, instantly recognizable props and visual concepts are some of the most common examples as of yet.

Instead of catering to these trends,TUIDE has gone in the opposite direction, releasing music and a music video built around calmer, more restrained compositions. The approach appears aimed at domestic and international audiences who may have grown tired of a K-POP scene packed densely with sounds and imagery.

TUIDE's "SUN KISS" is filled with a sense of openness, both visually and musically. The first thing that stands out is the video's subdued color palette. It differs from typical K-POP music videos that rely on highly saturated, vibrant colors to emphasize an overflowing amount of energy. In this regard, it notably contrasts tracks such as "It's Me" by ILLIT or "BOOMPALA" by LE SSERAFIM, groups which are under other HYBE labels.

During the group choreography scenes in "SUN KISS," the members dance in matching white outfits. Their surroundings, the plains and mountains of Iceland, are similarly rendered in calm, dark shades of green. In other choreography scenes, several TUIDE members wear primary colors such as blue and yellow, but the brightness and saturation have been slightly lowered through color grading to maintain the video's overall subdued tone.

As a result, the music video does not necessarily leave viewers with the impression that each member's individuality strongly stands out. Instead, "SUN KISS" is directed in a way that allows each member's charm to blend into TUIDE's broader group identity. While K-POP music videos are often constructed almost like visual films designed to emphasize each member's beauty,TUIDE takes a different approach.

Rather than actively showcasing the members individually, the video largely limits itself to lightly introducing them one by one. Although each member receives close-up shots, their faces are not emphasized through bright colors, soft filters or other conventional visual techniques.

More than anything, TUIDE's "SUN KISS" music video evokes a desire to escape from everyday life as it shows the members against vast natural landscapes of mountains, waterfalls and the sea. The video also further emphasizes a sense of freedom through scenes in which various members can be seen moving freely alone beneath a massive Icelandic waterfall, as well as them riding bicycles and running around on an open road.

Musically, "SUN KISS" is similarly smooth and easy to listen to. It lacks dramatic melodic rises and falls or the repetition of a particular lyric, thus setting it apart from many recent songs designed with short-form content in mind. Instead, sampled vocals from Brazilian funk track Soviente's "Copacabana (Escape From Rio) – Copacabana Dream Mix" linger in the listener's mind almost like a hook.

The track lightly centers on Afrobeat-inspired rhythms that create a gentle groove, while blending elements of new jack swing, R&B and other genres. At the beginning of the first and second verses, the arrangement is deliberately stripped back to highlight the members' vocal tones. Moreover, electric guitar strums sit lightly over a soft pad which create a sense of space while the subtle percussion and hi-hats, reminiscent of new jack swing, provide additional accents. In the chorus, the Afrobeats rhythms take center stage as a rounded bass sound that feels weighty without becoming aggressive combines with a push-and-pull rhythmic pattern to define the section.

TUIDE's greatest strength could also simultaneously become a weakness as "SUN KISS" emphasizes the singular atmosphere created by the seven members together rather than spotlighting them individually. While this helps strengthen the work's overall cohesion and leaves behind a fresh image, it may also make it more difficult for audiences to quickly distinguish and remember each member during the crucial early stages of building a fandom.

For that reason, it remains to be seen how TUIDE will sustain this concept moving forward. Through future promotions, there is hope that the group will be able to showcase not only its collective appeal, but also the individual charms of each member.