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ในเพลง Dream ของ Lisa

Today, I’d like to do something I’ve never done before. Normally, as a songwriter, whenever I post something it’s meant to share happiness. But today I’d like to share happiness that arises from sadness.

This goes back to last Thursday, after I watched Lisa’s Dream MV. I was so moved that I posted just a short message: “Lisa is truly a wonder of this world,” without saying much more—because I was afraid of spoiling it for people who hadn’t yet discovered the song or watched the MV.

Now that the video has already surpassed 10 million views, Lisa’s devoted fans must have watched this MV—or should I say short movie—many times and been deeply touched by it. At first, I thought I’d just call one or two close friends to share my feelings after watching it. But in the end, I decided this was too important to keep between just a few people. That’s why I’m making this post.

The first thing I want to say, briefly, is this: as a songwriter, I believe Dream is an exceptionally good pop song. The production is flawless. The melody is beautiful, stylish, and modern. The lyrics are artistic and meaningful—every important word is placed exactly where it should be, and the choice of words allows the singer to express emotion perfectly. As for Lisa’s singing, she completely silences the critics who said she’s only a dancer or just a rapper, not a real vocalist. In this song, her voice and delivery are stunning, both in tone and technique. To sum up: as a song, it’s brilliant in every way. But that’s not the main reason I’m writing today.

The second, and true heart of this post, is that I want to say: this MV—or short film—is truly a masterpiece. I’ve never seen a music video like this anywhere in the world. Using the language people like to use nowadays: it’s been two days, and I still can’t move on. I’ve watched it over and over again until I fell asleep, and when I woke up and watched it again, I broke down crying all over. My god… Director, are you really this good? I’ve been around for so long, spent a lifetime watching movies and listening to music, and yet I find myself trapped inside this song. Why? Why? Why?

In the lyrics of Dream, there’s a mention of the year 2019. The interpretation of song lyrics is usually something personal, varying from person to person. When the song was first released without an MV, one could easily interpret the breakup as a normal separation—two people who couldn’t go on together, and when it’s time to fall apart, no one can stop it. There’s nothing wrong with that reading; heartbreak is a natural part of life.

But in the MV version, the meaning of “parting” becomes a separation that is final, with no return—because one person has died. And in the story of the MV, it’s the male lead who passes away, “departing in 2019.” That was the first moment that stunned me—because 2019 was the year of COVID-19, one of the greatest losses in human history. People died like falling leaves across the world. Many lost their lovers, parents, children, family, and closest friends without warning. So I interpret this as Lisa and the director intending to reference the loss of loved ones due to COVID-19—not just a coincidence that her lover in the MV happens to die that same year for some unrelated reason.

And if my interpretation is correct—that it’s about a death from COVID-19—then this is truly an epic of sorrow. Countless people around the world will find this resonates with their own bitter memories, as if the song is telling their own story. It’s devastating, but also profoundly universal. Anyone who lost a loved one to COVID-19 will understand it most deeply. In that sense, this song becomes a historical record of COVID, seen through the lens of losing someone you love. This is no small thing.
Looking closer at the storytelling in the MV, I found that every single shot—whether short or long—carries meaning. Nothing is filmed or edited just for beauty alone. Every frame is symbolic. I’ll briefly share my interpretations so everyone can revisit the MV themselves:

• The male lead sitting in the car in heavy rain, while Lisa is inside the church attending the funeral. To me, that means he is already dead—he cannot enter the church, and what we see of him is his spirit, waiting outside.

• The wristwatch glimpsed briefly shows the time as 20:19—signifying he died in 2019, and his time stopped there.

• Lisa remains in the church until morning. When dawn comes, the male lead appears in a sharp suit and begins a long journey with her. I see this as Lisa traveling with his memory. The suit is the same one he wore in his coffin when Lisa laid flowers in his hands.

• During this journey, Lisa’s expressions reveal both smiles—when recalling happy moments—and deep sorrow. Her acting, her eyes, her emotions are flawless here. She is heartbreakingly beautiful in sadness. When she looks at him in the passenger seat, it’s really her looking into her memories.

• At the gas station, the male lead walks inside still in his suit, then removes it against a red background. To me, this symbolizes cremation—his body being burned down to ashes. When he comes out wearing only a torn undershirt, it shows that the cremation is complete. At that point, he hands Lisa the car keys engraved with #GoneNotLost. This means she must now drive forward alone—live her life without him.

• The winding road and fluttering butterflies symbolize separation.

• Lisa drives alone, glancing at the male lead as he slowly falls asleep. When she finally stops the car, she looks at the passenger seat and sees him sleeping deeply—that sleep symbolizing eternal rest. Then the camera reveals that Lisa has really been traveling only with his ashes all along. This scene is enough to bring anyone to tears.

• The urn (or container) she carries is overlaid with the image of a small boat on a river, transitioning into the shot of Lisa paddling. This editing choice is visually stunning and artistic, reflecting cinematic mastery present in every scene of this MV.
• The black-and-white flashback, where they talk about what they want to be in their next life, is powerful in itself—I don’t even need to explain it.

• And finally, the scene where Lisa presses her face to the urn, then scatters his ashes into the water… well, go watch the MV another ten times and let yourself cry it out.

This post is dedicated to all who lost loved ones during COVID-19.
Lisa truly is a wonder of this world. When the director of The White Lotus said she is like Princess Diana—beautiful, kind-hearted, and living a meaningful life—he really meant it. And he was absolutely right.