I feel like Persona was their safe album. They did the same thing with LY:H but then they came out with Tear which was just so experimental. Like FAKE LOVE AS A TITLE SONG. NEVER HEARD A KPOP ARTIST DO A SONG LIKE THAT AS A TITLE. They start the song of with the bridge. The fucking bridge. Aaaaargh, don’t even get me started on the b-sides. I have a feeling the new comeback will be like that too. So we better be prepared.
1000% agree with you! and notice these “safe” albums correlated with big breakout jumps of recognition and opportunities the west. i think they want to make songs that will draw people who have never listened to kpop, and they’re doing that by making some of the songs sound as familiar to western radio as possible
i also wonder if it’s a timing thing, where they were so booked around her and persona that they made those safe albums because they were easier to accomplish in their minimal time
