(G)I-DLE released their newest track “Nxde” as commentary on the sexualization of the female body on Oct. 17. While the song is most popularly known for attempting to thwart attempts at searching for child pornography in South Korea by taking advantage of the Korean meaning of the group’s name, the song falls in musical execution, claiming its spot as one of the most grating tracks in (G)I-DLE’s catalog.
Though nudity is the main vehicle for (G)I-DLE’s message about expectations for women, the title “Nxde” serves another purpose too. In Korean, (G)I-DLE is called (여자)아이들romanized as “yeoja ai-deul,” with “ai-deul” having the same pronunciation as “idle” in English. “Ai-deul” means “children” in Korean while “yeoja” means “woman,” so what their name really translates to is “female children.” Though this name has been widely regarded as rather silly, (G)I-DLE are using it to their advantage. Any attempts at searching for “female children nude” will now be filled with the group’s performances, interviews and other promotions.
“Nxde” is yet another example of how (G)-IDLE are becoming bolder than any of their K-pop contemporaries in tackling social justice issues through music. In March of this year, they released the subversive, punky “TOMBOY” after a political election in which both parties dealt with heavy accusations of misogyny. One of the leading candidates — Yoon Suk-yeol — even built his entire campaign around anti-feminism, pledging to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. He won by an extremely narrow margin, and did not follow through with the campaign pledge, but the fact that so many people were willing to vote for him says a lot about what it’s like to be a woman in South Korea.
Composed by Pop Time, Kako and (G)I-DLE member Soyeon, “Nxde” is (G)I-DLE’s take on the theatricality of Old Hollywood, with a vaudeville sound and the members donning showgirl outfits. The concept draws inspiration from the image of Marilyn Monroe, with three out of five members dying their hair blonde and the music video containing many scenes inspired by iconic Marilyn moments — she’s even thanked in the ending credits of the music video.
Following a recent wave of classical music samples in K-pop songs, “Nxde” borrows a melody from Georges Bizet’s “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” — the entrance aria of titular character Carmen in the 1875 opera of the same name. Known better as “Habanera,” the song is more commonly known in popular culture as the backtrack to the montage showing Carl’s life after Ellie’s death in “Up,” as a lullaby sung to Elmo in “Sesame Street,” and even as a part of a Superbowl Doritos commercial.
The prevalence of “Habanera” in popular culture allows (G)I-DLE to invoke familiarity when they reproduce the melody in both the hook and the squealing violins of the chorus. While adding a comedic brightness to the bleak repetitiveness of Carl’s life without Ellie in “Up,” it just feels painful in “Nxde.” The Sisyphean melody leaves the listener feeling like a cartoon cat chasing a mouse, with the notes plonking their way to the bottom only to leap back up and do it all over again. It’s slightly more tolerable when accompanied by the choreography, but by itself the song is the sonic equivalent of getting tossed in a washing machine.
Besides the parts including the “Habanera” sample, the song isn’t bad. The verses progress rather smoothly, and the rising intensity of the bridge is rather pleasant. This is overshadowed by the chorus which is only memorable for all the wrong reasons.
When it comes to lyrics, (G)I-DLE has the spirit. They don’t make the same mistake as the 2022 film “Blonde,” which was widely denounced for its exploitation of Marilyn Monroe’s image. (G)I-DLE instead focused their efforts on redefining the word “nude” as the authentic self, reminding us that nudity is the state we are born in and there’s nothing inherently sexual about it. To be honest, the lyrics aren’t profound, but they have a playful drama that doesn’t pull punches when it comes to calling out creeps, which makes them good enough.
The intro, which is also set to the melody of “Habanera,” is a rhyme rivaled only by Dr. Seuss: “Why you think that ‘bout nude / Cause your view’s so rude / Think outside the box / Then you’ll like it.” It’s a good sentiment — asking the viewer to challenge the presupposition that there’s something inherently sexual about the naked body — but it falls flat when delivered with Soyeon’s nasally voice, the punchy piano and a comedic melody. It sounds much better when repeated in the anthemic outro of the song where the member’s chant the bar to an actual instrumental and round out the track rather cleanly.
It’s unfortunate, but “Nxde” is nowhere near (G)-IDLE’s best. It doesn’t have the spunk of “TOMBOY,” the drama of “Oh my god,” the coy charm of “HANN (Alone)” or the charismatic groove of “Uh-Oh.” It is a great example of artists using their platform for the greater good, and it’s impossible to not commend (G)I-DLE for using their name in order to serve as a shield against predators and predatory content.
Teresa Pham is an Entertainment Intern for the fall 2022 quarter. She can be reached at teresaap@uci.edu.
