Dreamcatcher was the very first K-pop artist/idol/group I have ever listened to. I've gotten to listen to some Kpop way before them but, none of them were intentional, nor did anything pulled me in.
Fast forward to today, and while I'm not doing some usuals I did before in this subreddit, and sadly haven't been able to view much DC content due to IRL, I'm fortunate enough to still keep up with the news and songs and covers they put out. What I never honestly expected was seeing them end a very important chapter of their journey this quick.
Instead of hastily uttering every word I can from the get go, I decided to write something for them come by 03.31 (that is, today), done in an old-fashioned way from yours truly:
Dreamcatcher are one of the most powerful musicians I've ever come across. You could say, for most of the time off-work, they're goofy, hilarious, unhinged, even lmao. But once the stage is live, everything quickly turns into a beautiful soundscape. The amount of sophisticated timing and choreography, paired with carefully executed vocals as much as possible, they are what some would call as the "complete package". And this extends further to their discography, where they've been able to offer the audience with all different kinds of genres, from Rock, Pop, to Hip-hop, Electronic, and even to Jazz and RnB. But you know what, maybe screw all that for a while. Because maybe I'm giving them too much credit only by their skill, which might be too cliché. So maybe I have to reinvent what the meaning of "7 Doors" is just to convince you how powerful of musicians that they are. Beyond their skill and personality, I think part of what made Dreamcatcher themselves is, unsurprisingly, Dreamcatcher Company. It's known to be a risk for K-pop groups to reinvent themselves, which could steer public attention away, which ends up being this rollercoaster fire. But, it did happen to them. And I think it allowed them to be fostered in such a way that renews their strength, and through that makes Dreamcatcher grow and explore more options they never thought they could do. And it was also through this that led them to developing another core strength of theirs: World-building. I think Dreamcatcher has mastered this formula since day one, and from then on just kept building on top of it, so much so that in the recent releases, we literally had an ARG to solve just for a mystery code, the puzzle piece that marks the start of a comeback. I think that's one of the more healthy and productive ways to get the fans involved in such a way that tests their wits and skills. It's also this World-building that allows Dreamcatcher to tell stories through their music and music videos, something that, because of the way it's done, can be openly interpreted by a lot of fans, while still being able to hold the original thought in mind. And the lyrics. I'm very particular on the lyrics of every song, so I'm glad to see that DC and DCC have taken care of these alongside other elements of their production. I think it helps that they actually have the world-building because it allows their songs to touch on many aspects of the stories, whether it's emotions, the problems, or a certain thought. By piecing all these altogether, I think its pretty clear that "7 Doors" could also be a metaphor to all the different avenues Dreamcatcher could take to deliver messages to people. I think this is a way for them to leave a valuable memory in the minds and hearts of their fans for the many years to come. I think Dreamcatcher wasn't meant to only feed their personalities and such to the audience, but show them how valuable and memorable music is. And that because it is, and always will be, a craft that stems from the nature of being human.... By showing these 7 Doors, it may hope to instill inspiration and resilience in our lives.
It was literally the pandemic, and there's this community Jpop chart I've come across on YouTube from someone called TheDX3; it would only take a few weeks before Dreamcatcher pops up on the charts with "Endless Night". I had no idea what the song entirely sounded like as it was a preview for the chart. But when I finally decided to listen..... Sparks blazed around. Never would've I known that a Kpop group could do full-on metal, regardless whether its for their JP market or not, until Dreamcatcher astonished me on my screen. I started to explore their discography more and more ever since and I've always thought like why doesn't Kpop do a lot of this, in contrast to the Japanese market. It was those questions that led me from one thing to the next, fully understanding the Kpop scene. Dreamcatcher broke that wall for me. To learn and immerse myself to a music culture that I know next to nothing of. And fortunately, it wasn't the only wall that they broke. By that time I've heavily been into Japanese music, at a phase where I'm getting to know more and more modern artists of this era, artists that would later on become the mark of the next golden age of J-music. I was still a big rockhead, and quite frankly, a bit restrictive on musical genres. But because of Dreamcatcher, I was able to grow out of that shell, and try to hear what other wonders were out there in the sonics of music. It led me to a deeper understanding of how these genres worked, how they blend together in the contemporary world, and just in general the history and development of both modern Korean and Japanese music. I was even able to create Song Analyses for the subreddit out of curiosity and appreciation for their music. It was because of Dreamcatcher that allowed me to become a better musician, seeing both the possibilities and reality in this industry and hobby, and how these things can also impact my life and the life of many others who also adore the group. It's a gift that I'll always be thankful for.
Dreamcatcher.... You are a journey I'll never forget. I know, I know, it's too early to say that. Because this marks the end of the beginning. A welcome into a brand new chapter for all seven of them, for Dreamcatcher Company, for Sooyeon and Co., for Olleez and the Pepperoni Team, a chapter that I think everyone will welcome. But I'd regret not saying that this early as I think it's best to acknowledge this closing chapter. A chapter that brought a lot of starts, brought a lot of joy and sadness, of lessons and of memories. It's a big hug that'll embrace you tomorrow. Ultimately, it will become one of the strongest memories in the hearts and minds of InSomnia.
Bon Voyage,
Alexa, play "4 Memory" by Dreamcatcher