Links to Phantom of the Opera Part One

By this point, you already know there are connections between the Enhypen Universe and "Phantom of the Opera," but hopefully this post and the one to follow will give you a more complete rundown on the connections between the two.

Let's start with the most obvious...  Border: Day One's Outro samples directly from Phantom's Overture.  You can check it out how it sounds in the Cross the Line MV here: Phantom Sample, and how the original music sounds here:    

Perhaps the second most obvious link is to the Phantom's Mask.  I believe the first time we saw a mask in the EnU was in the photobook for the Border: Day One Dusk Album.  This shot very much parallels a key scene in Phantom, when the main character escapes his pursuers and the only evidence that remains behind is his mask sitting in his chair.

  

I would argue that perhaps even the opening pose of the Given Taken Choreography could be interpreted as the boys wearing phantom masks.

The next time mask visuals appear are during the Given Taken MV.  Embedded in that giant hyphen the boys dance in front of are rapidly flickering (I did that on purpose) images including one of people in masquerade costuming.  Did you know Phantom of the Opera has a song called Masquerade? The movie version even features fireworks exploding which is another common Enhypen motif.

 

We see masks again several times in the both the Border: Day One Outro and the Border:  Carnival Intro.

Enough of Masks already --on to the more tenuous connections...  Twice now I've seen a Chandelier associated with Enhypen.  The first time was at their NYEL performance of Given Taken.  In fact the entire set itself is very evocative of an opera house theatre.

 

We see a Chandelier again in the Carnival Intro, but this time it's wildly swinging.

The chandelier (and it's swinging)  is significant because the prologue of Phantom of the Opera opens with the auctioning of an infamous Opera House Chandelier.  It's the same Chandelier that will later crash down on to the stage during the Climax of Act I.  For more background knowledge, check out this behind the scenes video about the Chandelier and it's operation in the Phantom production: Phantom Chandelier.

I've also seen Enhypen sets that call to mind the Phantom's underground lair.  To start with, let's get a visual reference from the movie:

As early as the Enhypen Debut performance of Given Taken, I was reminded of this imagery.

  

Both their FNS Music Festival and Inkigayo Stages also had the underground lair feel to them.

Phantom lyrics also express some of the same themes common to the EnU.  The title song of Phantom of the Opera starts with these lyrics:

    In dreams he came
    That voice which calls to me
    And speaks my name
    And do I dream again?

In general, there are a whole lot of calling voices in the EnU as well as references to dreams and dreaming.  Some songs to check out include Calling (Run to You), Dive Into You, and Chamber 5 from I-Land as well as Given-Taken and Outro: Cross the Line.  

Other than Chamber 5, each of those songs also reference a "new world."  Perhaps the most famous song from Phantom, Music of the Night, also contains its own "new world" lyrics:

    Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world,
    Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before.
    And listen to the music of the night.

Finally, Music of the Night also contrasts day and night (dawn and dusk, anyone?) .  Generally, the Phantom is of the night (hence Music of the Night.)  Here's some lyrics from the same song that also remind me of the onset of Dusk:

    Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation.
    Darkness stirs and wakes imagination.
    Silently the senses abandon their defenses.
    Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor.
    Grasp it, sense it tremulous and tender.
    Turn your face away from the garish light of day.
    Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light,

Can you believe I'm not done yet? Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series where I'll talk about themes common to both the EnU and Phantom as well as structural similarities in storytelling and more!