Bite Review: P1Harmony’s “Unique” is Let Down by Average Aesthetics

We’re in a K-pop era defined by viral moments and instant debut smash hits. But P1Harmony are outliers: one of the few successful active K-pop groups that didn’t rocket to the top. Instead, they slowly and steadily built a name for themselves. Cultivating and refining a playful, brash, and high-energy signature style, they’ve really hit their stride in the last couple of years. Their latest catchy comeback, “Unique,” continues that winning streak. But the track’s MV is another story.

“Unique” opts for a maximalist, VFX-heavy approach, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Maximalism can be great fun, and on-paper lends itself to P1Harmony’s bold energy. But the execution here is lacking. There’s simply nothing new or interesting about the run-of-the-mill dystopian fantasy imagery in “Unique.” It is, alas, not unique.

It’s also not done artfully enough to make these old, but classic for a reason, tricks gratifying. Frankly, MVs of this type that work well are the product of some company throwing down a blank check. That’s clearly not the case here. The editing is choppy and many effects pop clunkily off the screen.

That’s not to say there aren’t good moments in “Unique.” A couple of the VFX shots that work in-concert with the members’ performances — like a comic book style drawing of Jiung that melts seamlessly into his actual face, or a close-up shot of Intak that sees dramatic veins run down his face – are quite fun. The MV’s greatest crime though is that is largely drowns out P1Harmony’s charisma in all the clutter. Compare the MV to a music show stage of “Unique” and the difference is stark: The song bursts to life, full of fun performance touches and strong choreography.

Ultimately, “Unique” is still a strong comeback for P1Harmony. It’s also good that they tried something different in the MV (the group has historically had a fairly interchangeable aesthetic between MVs), even if it wasn’t successful this time. Hopefully, the group will continue to experiment, but do so while keeping one truth front-of-mind: Any aesthetic that fails to highlight the group’s charm and performance power is not an aesthetic worth pursuing.

(YouTube[1][2]. Image via FNC Entertainment.)