Earlier this month, it was reported that Amber Liu — better known by her mononym as a K-pop idol for f(x), Amber — would not be renewing her contract with SM Entertainment. It was also known at that time that she already signed on with another entertainment agency, Steel Wool Entertainment, to help promote her career back in the United States. What was not known at the time was when Amber would make her comeback or solo debut outside of SM Entertainment.
Just about two weeks after she left SM Entertainment, Amber Liu is back with a song and music video titled Hands Behind My Back. The song and music video on their own are amazing, but she is getting a lot of hype for possibly “taking jabs” at the K-pop industry too.
These hands won’t let me go
Amber Liu made her comeback outside of SM Entertainment on Friday, September 20, 2019. She personally directed and participated in the editing of the music video.
In it, Amber is trapped in what appears to be some kind of holding facility or psychiatric hospital. In the beginning, people seem to be entering willingly but once inside, they are held against their will. They wear masks to keep silent, are given restrictive diets, and given surgery of some kind.
When Amber Liu cooperates with another “prisoner” of the facility in an attempt to escape, they are both caught. Amber is brought back in and given a more restrictive mask to wear.
Right now, the music video is doing very well given the fact it was self-directed and self-edited with no real backing from a major studio. It has been seen over 400,000 times since its upload on Amber Liu’s official YouTube.
With these eyes, I’m trying to deny
Amber Liu has said that Hands Behind My Back is about loneliness. That may be what the song is about but the music video appears to “take jabs” at the K-pop industry.
As many know, Amber was one of the members of the K-pop girl group f(x). Their music was catchy and innovative. Their fanbase was constantly growing. Despite all this, SM Entertainment never meant them to be the next big girl group under Girls’ Generation.
Though Amber Liu, as well as other f(x) members at one time or another, have complained about not making a comeback, they eventually went silent. With no real support and no real plans for f(x), it is no wonder, Amber, as well as Luna and Victoria, have left.
With no more restraint holding her back, Amber Liu seems to have foreshadowed some of the dark side of K-pop in Hands Behind My Back. For example, everyone going into the facility seems to be willing. This represents how many people want to be K-pop idols without knowing what it truly is. They all wear masks meaning they should all stay silent and submit which includes strict diets, cosmetic surgery, and conformity.
For those who know the truth about K-pop and try to talk and get out, unless their contract is expired, they are pulled right back in given a new muzzle to keep silent.
There are more foreshadows pointing to jabs at K-pop but it must be stressed that despite how many people think this, it is still conjectured as it hasn’t been confirmed by Amber Liu or anyone associated with the song or music video.
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