Fresh off the release of their comeback single, “100,” last month, K-pop act SuperM dropped their new single and video, “Tiger Inside,” on Tuesday.
The moody, dubstep-inspired track will be included on SuperM’s debut full-length album, Super One, due out September 25th.
“Tiger Inside” was first teased during SuperM’s “Beyond LIVE” concert in April, with the members debuting the song and choreography during the livestreamed event. The new video takes things up a notch, planting Kai, Taemin, Baekhyun, Taeyong, Mark, Lucas and Ten in the middle of a desolate arctic playground, complete with (fake) snow and icicles, before the guys literally heat things up as they sing and dance in front of a cascading wall of fire and flames.
The music video matches the kinetic, aggressive energy of the song, which features an 808 bas-line along with Asian-inspired percussion and distorted synths that conjure up the grumbling noise of a tiger. Sung almost entirely in Korean, the song uses the metaphor of a tiger to encourage listeners to unleash their inner confidence to fight back against haters to make their voices heard. “I won’t bite you if you let me be/I bring out my teeth when you get on my nerves/Don’t try to tame me anymore/Don’t tie me, tie me up”
The tiger references continue throughout the video, with the guys showcasing some impressive choreography inspired by the movements of a tiger. At one point, Taeyong is even on top of a tiger-themed motorcycle before he lets out an aggressive growl. Speaking to Rolling Stone on the set of the music video, Taemin also points out the “fierce” makeup, which he says was created to fit the tiger theme of the song.
Taeyong tells Rolling Stone that the group also worked with their styling team to create the unique looks in the video, explaining that they wanted Asian-themed outfits to go along with the influences in the track. The final scene features the seven members all wearing looks inspired by the traditional Korean hanbok (a sort of vest/robe hybrid), only paired with black sneakers and gold chains for a thoroughly modern twist.
In addition to “Tiger Inside,” SuperM’s album Super One will feature 14 other tracks, including “100,” and “Dangerous Woman,” which the group first performed during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier this year. The album will drop with a number of versions, including limited-edition sets featuring each of the group members. Fans can preorder the album now on Amazon.
