11.08
Most people who have been enjoying Jikook for a while or simply catched up with the theories and content revolving around them, could think this post is going to further explain or investigate the quite interesting lore behind the date I put above. But no.
I dare to say the main character of the following reflection is way, way, way more prestigious and valuable than those numbers, which hold the meaning they hold also thanks to her: Golden Closet Film in Tokyo.
I’m a big fan of classics - meant as north stars in every field, from music to literature - and things that acquire meaning and substance through time. Something I know for sure is that the most precious and impactful pieces of culture or science or art in history have gained weight with years passing by, with every generation stopping by it, reading into it and giving it more value each time.
Am I comparing GCFT to Van Gogh’s Starry Night or a Nolan movie? Kinda. Because just like those, it’s time that made the space for every feeling Jungkook poured into that video bigger and bigger. It’s time that made it clock more and more for people. It’s time that made it fully expressve of what Jungkook meant with it 8 years ago, in one week.
There have been plenty of analysis on the way he chose to edit it, the clips, the tones and colors, the slowmotion, the Jimin focus. And I think those just prove more and more how precious this video is: people all over the world felt the need to deepen it. Because we all felt something the first time we watched it, we all felt that. But that is not easy to articulate, especially when all you have is images following one another with a song in the background. Am I projecting? you could’ve asked yourself. Am I making this something it isn’t? Why does it feel romantic, am I invasive?
I think those were all fair responses to a groundbreaking gesture that let us all speechless and surprised, but also a plausible reaction for people to have in front of such a transparent declaration of love. I’ve received an ask a while ago that I’ve answered already but am a bit scared of posting, because those questions I mentioned above haunt me when I read it. But one thing I said there that I’m sure of and feel like sharing now too, before going to the core of GCFT, is that this gift fully encapsulates what we all mean when we say “Jikook love each other, no matter what that love is about”.
I know the video looks very romantic, the aura and the song suggest more than a platonic bond, and that’s infact the light under which I’m gonna talk about it. But I also think no matter how hard anyone tries with dismissing Jikook’s relationship, after years of presence, of fair highs and lows, of commitment, GCFT makes every bubble pop. It’s undeniable, it’s there, and it makes even the most skeptical of stans admit there’s love in it. Openly or not, they gotta admit it to themselves.
And that’s something I feel like belongs to Jikook and Jikook only, as a “ship” for many and more generally a speculated about couple: what they share is so strong and sweet, that you reach a point where that “what” can stay undefined. It doesn’t bother you. It leaves you shrugging and wondering, with a smirk and peace in the heart. It’s love, in its simplest and best form, do with that what you please. It stays real.
“There for you”
A little bit of background here is needed even though we all know about it, and I promise I’ll be quick with it. The song Jungkook actively chose for his video, and that he had to pay copyright for in order to use it, is There For You by Troye Sivan, the openly gay artist that Jikook have supported repeatedly throughout the years.
That song is fundamental in order to get GCFT. I bet it is, considering how specific Jungkook was with it and what he was willing to do in order to get permission to use it. We can’t ignore its lyrics. Up to a few years ago, some people were still trying to interpret it as simply catchy ond to adapt to a video like that, justifying their point with Jungkook’s very very basic English skills.
Then Beyond The Story came out, in 2023, BTS book. And a specific chapter talking about Jimin and Jungkook’s trip to Tokyo was titled as “ ‘Real’ Love”, is juxtaposition with BTS song ‘Fake Love’.
The passage explained how drained Jimin and Jungkook were at the time, how needed their trip was, how special and unforgettable it became, and that they purposefully chose each other to heal from a dark time and enjoy life again. Being there for each other.
There For You was no coincidence, indeed.
What we read in those pages and hear in that song, together with the vibes of the filming and the colors and the moments they shared - and the importance Jikook themselves have attributed to it - all gave birth to that feeling of joy and emotional warmth we get when we think of this masterpiece.
GCFT starts with Jikook in the airport, ready to take their flight. Out of focus, very simple, very domestic. They’re both wearing hoodies over their heads, and the feelings I get from this very first frame are specific, just like opening that first page of a timeless book: “these young dudes have no idea this trip is gonna change the trajectory of their lives” and “this is pivotal”.
Young, clueless, together towards something they just knew they needed.
The camera is already slightly turned to Jimin here. And it will be completely faced to him in the next frame, as we’re following him through the airport.
There are still people speaking in the background, no music. Just the general sound of life moving around them in a crowded place.
Something I should’ve pointed out at first is that I’m very much into cinematography and that will probably show in a cheesy manner throughout the post. I can’t help but point out that it’s very, very poetic that after introducing the two people involved, Jimin and Jungkook, as to say “it’s us, we’re the ones doing this”, the first thing we see is Jimin’s back moving forward.
Maybe it was to focus on him only, which is the main goal of the entire thing, or maybe it was symbolic: whatever reason this happened for, we’re metaphorically following Jimin’s lead, not because he feels like a proper guide but because we feel safe with him. This is one of the many times in which Jungkook records Jimin’s back in crowded spaces during the video, and it always takes me back to one thought: we’re seeing Jimin and Jimin only in every place, especially the crowded ones.
And when I say we, it’s because we’re gonna be Jungkook for the entire video. He’s gifting us his eyes for 3:42 minutes. And those same eyes feel very, very focused on a specific, comforting human. The way he records Jimin’s back, infact, feels exactly like we’re just inside Jungkook’s head, behind his pupils.
Check in of the tickets, and we’re ready to take our seats. Again, we’re following Jimin’s goofy figure the entire time, from a little but noticeable distance that gives him more relevance.
Still no music.
We see the sky from the window, a little bit of wait and patience channeling through our feet moving before departure. Look at the beauty of these shots, the temperature, the tone and the exposure levels Jungkook chose for these images. It’s very suggestive and intimate.
And then, only then, when the trip starts and we’re officially not in Korea anymore, the music starts.
We see the sky while we’re flying, the view from the taxi when we get to Tokyo. It’s night, and Jungkook makes sure we see the very mundane things they’re seeing. Cars, lights, sky. The point is not where they are, or how visually appealing it is. It looks like an avarage undistinguished city so far.
The point is that they’re where they wanted to be, together. The music started, they’re safe.
And it’s raining, too. An interesting coincidence, I’d say.
I woke up pissed off today
And lately everyone feels fake
Somewhere I lost a piece of me
Smoking cigarettes on balconies
This is where we see Jimin again, making a funny expression to the camera.
But I can’t do this alone, sometimes I just need a light
If I call you on the phone, need you on the other side
Before the first chorus of the song starts - I know you were gonna sing it with your chest - we see Jungkook recording that beautiful view of Tokyo from a higher perspective, then we get in the elevator to leave the building, ready to explore the city.
I asked myself multiple times why out of all images, Jungkook chose that one as a thumbnail for the video on YT. Which became so timeless and iconic now that we all know what it stands for.
Out of all the beautiful frames, he and Jimin, other shots he took that are very representative of Tokyo and its beauty, Jungkook chose the view from their hotel, Remm Tokyo Kyobashi. Maybe there isn’t a really deeper symbolism here, but I thought it was very, very sweet. Contributed to the sense of intimacy it all gives out.
When your tears roll down your pillow like a river
I’ll be there for you, I’ll be there for you
When you’re screaming but they only hear you whisper, I’ll be loud for you
But you gotta be there for me too
The taxi scene during this chorus is mesmerizing. Jungkook basically synchronized every beat of the song with a frame, since the car door is open till Jimin gets out. Jungkook recorded it all, and kept it in: he kept something as simple as Jimin getting out of a car, in.
He does it multiple times, while Jimin walks, again in a crowded street but we’re focused on him only, or in an emptier one where he’s dancing around, till we get to the another elevator and we see, in the reflection, Jungkook’s big smile while Jimin’s funnily waving at the camera.
The thought of Jimin not expecting this to be what it was or to become what it became makes it even more fascinating. He wasn’t pretending, wasn’t acting, wasn’t forcing himself to do anything more or less than what he felt, because he thought there was gonna be no audience except Jungkook. And not only this means their bond was deep enough for Jungkook to record him over and over again during their trip just for the sake of memories, but this also means that Jimin is his truest self exactly when he’s with JK.
Sexy shots included.
Or trying clothes and buying them, as we follow him through the process, surrounded by black luxurious items in this expensive-looking place, before he tells us to close the cameras.
Last year took a toll on me
But I made it with you next to me
Around the world and back again
I hope you’re waiting at the end
This second verse is my second favorite part - the first favorite comes in a bit. If you want to - I highly recommend - look at the entire sequence from 1:40 to 1:52. For more than 10 seconds straight, we’re following Jimin. We’re behind his back, yet we don’t feel distant, and what I said at the beginning is completely reinforced. He really is the main character, and I can’t help but see in this chasing/following/protecting sequence something more that it’s hard to articulate… I just know that it’s making him very central, the streets of Tokyo losing their relevance when Jimin is walking through them. We’re fully on him.
But I can’t to this alone, sometimes I just need a light
If I call you on the phone, need you on the other side
So when your tears roll down your pillow like a river
I’ll be there for you, I’ll be there for you
When you’re screaming but they only hear you whisper I’ll be loud for you, I’ll be loud for you
This last pic is immensely sweet and pretty. He’s just smiling there after eating a good meal, and we’re right behind Jungkook’s eyes witnessing Jimin’s happiness and full stomach. Adorable, so much that I can’t blame the guy for falling in love and dedicating this whole thing to him. If you think I’m exaggerating - what are you doing here then? I’m literally obsessed with this blonde guy -, the following sequence will make you change your mind.
I got you a promise, but let me be honest
Love is a road that goes both ways
After a beautiful and brief recording of the streets of Tokyo at night, truly stunning, which makes me feel like applauding Jungkook for the way he captured scenes like they were paintings, we get to my favorite sequence of the entire thing. Starting with Jimin at the end of the stairs, and Jungkook at the bottom filming him. As if he saw the whole background, thought of it as cinematic and romantic, and waited for Jimin to climb it to record him.
The entire trip was probably just Jungkook’s heart shaped eyes looking for aestethic and evocative frames to catch on camera, with Jimin as the protagonist of them all.
When your tears roll down your pillow like a river
I’ll be there for you
But you gotta be there for me too
This is what I describe as joy of life and devotion. Please look at every pic, one by one. Focus on the fact that we’re Jungkook’s eyes. These images right here, while they’re having fun together and spinning around, represent Jimin’s happiness at its best - because he’s being himself, he’s safe - and Jimin’s happiness… through Jungkook’s gaze. Beautiful, captivating, worth recording for every single instant it lasts.
This sequence made me realize that if with the trip Jungkook needed someone he trusted to find himself again, and if with the song he’s asking for that person to not leave, through this video - but this part specifically, from the moment Jimin steps on the spinning cup to the moment he leaves- Jungkook is not asking anything. He’s surrendering to the feeling. We are basically saying “I’m in this deep, and I love it”.
Because Jungkook was going through a hard time, didn’t trust anyone, felt observed, scrutinized in a bad way, in a way that neglected him. Life was beating him up, to the point that he didn’t need anything groundbreaking: he needed to go back to simple, daily life. The opposite of what people with a daily life could look for. He needed a break, and chose Jimin for it. They chose each other, and Tokyo was their safe escape, their days of wild and peace, of real and true love.
He could’ve thought to himself, like many would have, I’m gonna relax, this is my vacation. “I’m gonna rest and focus on my happiness”. But what he did, instead, was focusing on Jimin’s.
He took this trip, which was meant to give himself comfort and hope, and made it an occasion to celebrate Jimin, to record him, to show him how much he loves him, as a present, as a vow, as a promise, like the song says. As a statement, for us to witness, but for Jimin to hear.
He dedicated a huge part of his vacation and a huge part of his time when they came back to filming and editing this. Which means he planned it, which means he felt it. So intensely that he had to say “fuck it” and birth this masterpiece, spilling love all over us like a broken glass.
Because, for Jungkook, that didn’t mean enjoying any of his time less. It meant enjoying it better.
This gets my heart like nothing else does. Absolutely pure sweetness, diabetic energy.
No wonder Jimin blushed and giggled when he was gifted a Minnie hat at a fansign. He went through the most cinematic, romcom, dreamlike moments this planet could ever witness and we only got the reflection of it through a camera. We have no idea how fast his heart was beating the entire time.
Because this is something that needs to be pointed out as well: letting someone film you, in your most genuine moments, after choosing them too to break free and heal, is as important and romantic as what Jungkook did. It’s the same kind of surrender, of trust, of “I have no idea where this is going but I’m happy now”. It was mutual from the very start.
Boy I’m holding onto something, won’t let go of you for nothing
I’m running, running just to keep my hands on you
There was a time that I was so blue, what I gotta do to show you
The music here slows down and so does the atmosphere and the frame, it’s so cinematic and it truly feels like we’re in love with who we’re looking at and the world slows down as they smile at us. The lyrics only help with printing this feeling onto us, because now I’m really feeling like being with this guy is not easy. I’m feeling like we gotta run, hurry, look around, check, question, hide, and run again to get him and be with him. The feeling grows as the music fastens.
I’m running, running just to keep my hands on you
Running, running just to keep my hands on you
Running, running, just to keep my hands on you
Running, running, just to keep my hands on you
And after feeling like we’re truly chasing Jimin, with every frame getting faster and faster and the beat as well, as if we’re reaching something and we’re so, so, so close to it, and we almost missed it but we didn’t, because there was no way in the entire world we would’ve let that go, the video ends with, again, the view of Jimin’s back in front of the bright building.
But you gotta be there for me too
Black screen, the song itself has a cinematic ending so it plays a huge role in this finale. G.C.F. In Tokyo, three words that can not physically summarize what these two have just been through, and then:
Director: JK.
Director of photography: JK.
Editor: JK.
Actor: JM.
Black screen, music fades.
They had the time of their lives, no doubts on that. Something shifted inside and outside, and when I say that I love art and self expression this is what I mean. This is a treasure that we get to go back to everytime we want to. It’s important that we see how human and vulnerable and maybe a bit, as I said, spilled - in a very ingenuous, romantic way - it is, but still keeping in mind that behind all of those scenes and music and editing there’s meaning, there’s a sentiment, there are feelings and intentions of communicating and self-liberation firstly, but of loving and celebrating that love secondly. Two people. Two struggles and two healings.
That’s why I chose to title this with 11.08 only: this does not belong to 2017 anymore. This simply but astonishingly is November 8th, every year, forever. And that’s, I guess, the power of love.
