Writer: Diya Nair (Delhi, India)
Editor: Prachi Vaid (Delhi, India)
GOT7, comprising members Jay B, Jinyoung, Yugyeom, Young-jae, BamBam, Mark Tuan, and Jackson Wang, have always provided their audience with impactful music. Alongside compelling cinematography, intense choreography, and highly enjoyable music, they are also virtuosic in weaving intricate storylines in their releases. This was made evident when they released their “Flight Log” trilogy, a heart-wrenching tale of Jinyoung trying to get on with his life after losing his friends to a tragic accident. “You Are,” the first comeback after the Flight Log trilogy, cemented this fact. The plotline in “You Are” showcases the reunion of seven members after travelling through different paths of life.
The final scene of the MV shows the members dancing together under a full blue sky on a very aesthetic green plain, dressed in white; fans speculate that this scene might allude to Jinyoung joining his members in the afterlife. Even though all of this isn’t explicitly stated, these theories aren’t completely irrelevant. The storyline starting from the trailers to the music video and concept photos suggests otherwise.
Unlike this apparent trilogy that GOT7 released, DYE was a little bit more hidden and subtle. Before, fans liked to speculate that even though it wasn’t officially released as a trilogy, the DYE series has plenty of lyricism and imagery that ties the three albums together, which makes it hard to ignore all the connections between the series. Another reason why fans believe that these three albums are connected is the “Spinning Top Tour” VCR, which picks up elements from all three MV’s as well as trailer films.
Another peculiar fact about this series is that the trilogy started at the end; that is, “Eclipse” was released first, then “You Calling My Name,” and finally “Not By The Moon.” Strangely, the opening scene of “You Calling My Name” shows an anticlockwise sequence performed by the members. “DYE” is theorized as D – “Don’t Swear By The Moon,” Y – “You Calling My Name,” E – “Eclipse.”
NOT BY THE MOON
“Not By the Moon” is heavily inspired by William Shakespeare’s famed tragedy “Romeo and Juliet.” Not only have GOT7 been inspired by the play, but the MV and the lyrics pick many direct elements from the play itself. For instance, the title track is a direct reference to the play’s second scene, Act 2. Other elements, such as the contrasting use of light and dark and bird imagery, have also been used by GOT7 in the MV. The opening scene of the MV might suggest that the members themselves aren’t the characters in the story but just part of a troop who are putting on the play. The teasers show them wearing masks, which affirms the fact that they are transforming into the characters of the play.
The play actively talks about a short affair that went between the protagonists, the feud between their families, and how love itself becomes the reason for their death; these features are actively present in the MV as well as the lyrics.
“Every day used to be colorless (Every day)
Tomorrow will be dyed with you (Tomorrow)
Just like this, dye with you”
Here, coincidentally, dye means both “colored with your love” and “die with you.” The appearance of the hooded figures towards the end of the music video is an important indication of this specific symbolism since the hooded figures were used as a theatrical device in 20th-century plays as a metaphor for an impending sense of doom. The love that was supposed to free them ultimately led them to their death.
YOU CALLING MY NAME
“You Calling My Name,” as described by the members, is sorrowful, intense, and dark. The song deals with themes of regret, the end of a relationship, and identity loss. Lyrically, the song talks about how the members lost the meaning of their names at the end of a relationship. One of the things that should be focused on here is how the other person had a huge role in molding the identity of the members, and now that the relationship has ended, their names don’t hold importance anymore. The anti-clockwise sequence may suggest how they want to go back to the past to stop the relationship from ending.
The lyrics also talk about how the members felt like a complete person after meeting their lover, but now that the other person doesn’t exist in the same time frame, it haunts them. One instance in the lyrics also talks about how the members don’t want to exist without the other person. The clever use of light is commendable. The MV also has many scenes where the members are shown as silhouettes, which conveys their state: people who have lost their faces and identities after the end of a relationship. This is also in accordance with the earlier theory of “Not by The Moon.”
ECLIPSE
The final song in this series is “Eclipse,” which typically addresses the anxieties and insecurities that crop up when two people are in a relationship. It talks about how two people who are meant to be safe and supportive of one another deal with fear and uncertainty when they appear and wish to overcome the conflict without destroying one another but rather becoming stronger. The cryptic that announced the release of the song just contained a spinning top that spun between light and dark, symbolically representing the confident self and insecure self that this person goes through.
Like all the other music videos, Eclipse too makes clever use of light to show the fluttering between security and insecurity. Jinyoung’s and Youngjae’s solo scenes show the internal chaos that goes on inside a person during this stage. Jaebeom’s and Jackson’s scenes show them trapped inside a glass box, another nod to the Shakespearean play in which Romeo and Juliet’s love traps them without an escape other than death. The final scenes of destruction don’t provide us a clear view of whether they made it out stronger or sank under the weight.
GOT7 have consistently shown that K-pop can be more than catchy music. Through layered storytelling, symbolic visuals, literary references, and emotionally rich lyrics, they have created a lasting impression on their fans. Whether or not every theory is intentional, the depth of their work continues to be appreciated long after each release.
Do you suspect any other theories in GOT7’s songs? Let us know in the comments below!
GOT7 songs often feel like they’re telling one long emotional story rather than separate tracks. A lot of their lyrics hint at relationships that look strong on the outside but are already falling apart internally. There’s this constant push between wanting freedom and still holding on to someone, which creates that restless, conflicted vibe. Some songs give the feeling that they realize the relationship is toxic, but they stay anyway because it’s familiar. You can also sense a layer of insecurity behind the confidence, like they’re trying to convince themselves they’re okay. As their music progresses, it feels less impulsive and more reflective, like they’re learning from past mistakes. Overall, the theory is that their discography shows emotional growth from chaotic love to a more self-aware understanding of it.
I’ve always loved how GOT7’s music isn’t just about the song itself, but also about the stories and emotions hidden behind every detail. The connections between “Eclipse,” “You Calling My Name,” and “Not By The Moon” were especially interesting to read about. I had never noticed some of these symbols before, and the “dye/die” interpretation in “Not By The Moon” is honestly so clever. It makes me want to go back and watch the MVs again with all these theories in mind. 💚
What I loved most about this article is how it looks beyond GOT7’s music and explores the storytelling hidden in their visuals and lyrics. The connections between “Eclipse,” “You Calling My Name,” and “Not By The Moon” made me want to rewatch all three MVs with a completely different perspective. The “dye/die” symbolism was especially clever, and the Shakespearean references added another layer to the trilogy. Even if every theory wasn’t intentional, it’s amazing how much depth their music leaves for fans to discover. 💚