The music video for f(x)'s "Red Light" features various shots that build mystery and intrigue around the group. It begins with a ringing phone in a dark setting before revealing a silhouette of the group members behind a red light. Throughout the video, quick cuts between close-up and wide shots are used to highlight different members. Dark lighting and flashing red lights are also used to match the ominous tone and theme of overcoming societal restrictions. While the video follows conventions like synchronized dancing, it challenges expectations through its unconventional camera angles and members holding burning objects.

1. F(x) 에프엑스 -Red Light

2. About them
They consist of 5 members:
Sulli,
Krystal,
Victoria Song,
Amber Liu,
And Luna

3. The music video for “Red Light” starts off with a
bird’s eye view of an old-fashioned telephone. The
camera is slowly zooming out to reveal more of
the dark area around it. An ominous sense is
created through the careful use of lighting- the
shadow of the phone projected onto the floor,
with no explanation. When it has zoomed out
enough, you learn that it is on a cork slab,
surrounded by nothing. The fact that it is in black
and white at this stage implants the expectation
into the audience that this is going to be a dark
(and maybe depressing) music video. The phone
continues to ring, with no one coming to answer
it- suggesting that this could possibly be set
somewhere abandoned with no one around at all.

4. Six seconds into the video, the name of the
song “Red Light” is put in the foreground of
the frame, in-font of a burning book. Usually
we are immediately drawn to fire, and so the
fact that it is in front of this, shows that both
the band and the record label especially want
this to stick in their minds, and believe it to be
more important. You can still hear the sound
of the phone ringing, however now the sound
of something burning is also layered onto it.

5. The camera slowly moves backwards and slightly
up to reveal that in actuality, someone is holding
the book as it burns. The name of the song “Red
Light” still remains there. Holding anything that is
burning, is a shocking and dangerous thing to do;
so the fact that within the first nine seconds
someone is doing it, immediately grips the viewer,
as they would like to know why and how someone
is in the situation where they are holding a
burning book. The fact that it is a medium shot
and the face of the person holding the book is
hidden from us leaves the audience in suspense,
as it is highly likely that the viewer would like to
know who they are- potentially a band member?

6. At this point, the introduction of a “red light”
shows a silhouette of the 5 group members.
As of yet the viewer doesn’t know which one
is where in the wide shot. This adds another
element of mystery to the video, and makes
their entrance more dramatic. The song hasn’t
actually started yet, at this point it is simply
claps. The use of a wide shot shows that they
are in some form of warehouse.

7. Two members are briefly shown here, and
although the vocals haven’t started yet,
the fact that the audience have caught a
glimpse of them. The first one is a medium
close up, and the second one intensifies
by being a close up shot. The contrast
between the first one being in full colour
and using laser lighting, and then the
second one being in black and white is
used to great effect; creating a very
dramatic and contrasting opening.

8. The music still has not started, however now a
mid shot of the lower half of the girls and some
other dancers is in frame. They are marching on
the beat of the claps; they are therefore following
Goodwin’s Theory of a link being present between
the music and the visuals. It also indicates a
military presence, and that everything is
uniformed and precise. Through their previous
reputation within the music industry, they are
known to break the barriers and challenge
stereotypes, and listeners have a high expectation
of f(x)’s music and video quality.

9. The audience get a very brief glimpse of the
remaining members of the group, and one is
repeated. They all display different styles and
this indicated to the viewer that there will be
many different layers to this video- both
obvious and underlying. The range of shots-from
the close up shot to the wide ones draw
the attention to certain members of the
group.

10. This shot flashes upon the screen twice, and
the second time it lingers on them and slowly
zooms in. The camera has a further limitation
to it: drawing us to only view the three people
placed in centre frame. The camera tilts as it is
moving, and this indicates some unorthodox
element of the video- a common theme
within music videos of this genre.

11. The repetition of the silhouette links the initial
introduction to them in the video. It makes
this entrance even more dramatic. They are
marching to the beat of the music- thus
intensifying the video, and making the red
light behind them even more apparent and
important. It changes to a wide shot, and they
are walking towards the camera. Red lasers
and strobe lighting flash upon them as they
walk- conforming to the name of the song.

12. The cut in to the red flashing lights only add to
the feel of the video. The fact that there is
some yellow ‘Danger’ tape in the background
on the wall signals rebellion, and how they
shouldn’t be there. This continues to build up
the suspense of the video and the wanting to
break the rules and instead act the way they
want to- not conforming to society.

13. The camera is now wide and at an angle, and
slowly reverses- the camera turning even
more. This is simply a wider shot of the one
from the beginning, and it is
revealed that one of the
members is holding the
burning book- they are clearly
putting themselves in danger,
and it is this danger that provides them with
another thrill. It is also conforming to how the
music video has been going so far.

14. What can I learn from this music video?
• There is so much continuity and links within this video- parts in the
beginning are answered during points of the video, and it all makes
sense.
• The wide range of shots used here are all cleverly used to create a
certain effect and view the singers in certain ways. This is all
accompanied by the use of costume and lighting. A serious and
professional costume connotes that they want to be taken seriously
during some parts; the military, that they want to break down the
barriers of society.

15. Evaluation against Andrew Goodwin’s Musical Theory
“Aye aye it’s a red light light
• It follows genre characteristics of a music video.
• There is some vanity in this video- demonstrated through the very
Let’s find it for each other using light
That special emergency exit”
frequent use of close up shots, and their behaviour within these.
• There is a relationship between music and visuals- when there is a pause
(English Romanised lyrics)
in the music, they are doing a dance routine, or filling that time space in
some fashion that still holds the audience’s attention.
• The relationship between lyrics and visuals isn’t really present, as the song is mainly about warning someone
about opening their eyes to see what is happening right in front of them, and that they should stand up, or
witness a change that they may not want to face; and the video mainly only contains them dancing, and
various other shots- there is no narrative to this video.
• The record label (SM) demand high quality music from their stars, and will not distribute something they
believe to be haphazard.
• There are no intertextual references, and the only voyeurism present is when the camera is tilted, and they
are not looking at the camera. At every other point in this video, they are looking directly in the camera-almost
as if they are directly looking into the eye of the audience (thus showing how passionate they are)
• It is mainly a concept video with elements of performance present in the dance routine.