I’m linking what I honestly think is the most insightful analysis of ITZY’s new EP Tunnel Vision that I’ve seen so far. You don’t have to agree with it, but I really, really recommend giving it a watch.
The conversation around ITZY and their supposed 'downfall' has grown repetitive, to the point that the internet feels like a massive echo chamber. im obviously biased, but also very tired.
This is one of the first videos I saw that puts into words what I've been feeling. I absolutely loved the MV so I damn near paused it frame by frame haha. As the resident neighbourhood overthinker it was early Christmas, but then again, I digress.
It was truly sad to see ITZY go from an unstoppable, universally loved group to one that was mostly criticized, and often pitied. Even when they did release good music. The sad thing about the industry is that it's very rare for a group to stick around with consistent success and reception for more than a few years after the novelty wears off.
Understandably, that led to an identity crisis. I personally did like sneakers since the whole teasing an elegant, royal concept then flipping it to bright and chaotic seemed very ITZY but I understand the criticism it gets. Since then I believe their creative team has been trying to find a solid ground for them and this is the album where they actually did.
Also, I say this as a debut era midzy, people need to fuck off with the 'old itzy' thing. This nostalgia is suffocating the group. And obviously their team has been trying to replicate that sound. In case the newer members here didn't know, they did go the formulaic route with MITM and loco and even then people talked about how repetitive it felt. It seems like there's nothing they can do without disappointing people.
I respect that people have preferences, that's perfectly fair. However every creative project needs at least some context and thought put into it to make sense. I only wish people weren't so quick to judge. Both GWBG and Tunnel Vision were a step in the RIGHT direction. Yes their theme is self confidence but the way you'd put it at 19 is very different from how you'd do the same at 25.
For an industry that punishes evolution, I think it's great that they kind of stood their ground, and frankly it is necessary. The general perception is that ITZY’s drop in public excitement was purely because “the songs got bad.” I don’t think that’s accurate. The songs themselves were often fine, even good. The problem was that the projects didn’t feel cohesive. The concepts were saying one thing, the sound another, and the visual storytelling a third. It felt like good tracks thrown into albums instead of a clear, intentional narrative.
The songs that DID have good narratives like imaginary friend were received well. It felt like a song pulled from a fully realized emotional world. The frustrating part back then was that the album around it didn’t fully commit to that same depth. For the first time in a while, it feels like ITZY is operating inside a very tight, intentional space.
Either way, I think the video has more important things to say than I do. of course you might still walk away from it not liking the album but at least you would be disagreeing with what it IS, not the same old narrative about what ITZY used to be.