Lore/Analysis/Generation

See Also Generation & Acid Angel from Asia

Acid Angel from Asia.SSS 'Generation' Official MV-2

Acid Angel from Asia 'Generation' MV

Music Video Description

The Generation music video starts in a vertical format with NaKyoung filming YooYeon, HyeRin and YuBin singing and dancing to "Generation" a la A cappella in long black dresses, assumed to be their school uniform, before YuBin goes to grab for the phone embarrassed that NaKyoung was recording.

The video then transitions into a horizontal, wide length framing and there is a dark blue, yet dreamy filter layered over it while the girls playfully try to get the phone from NaKyoung. They are in a school, surrounded by other girls also on their phones, scrolling through apps like TikTok or Instagram.

A teacher starts coming down the stairs and all the girls disperse, hiding their phones and bowing their heads as the teacher inspects them. YooYeon tries to hastily pick the black nail polish off of her fingers, while NaKyoung watches her.

HyeRin, YooYeon, YuBin and NaKyoung are then seen running through the school while the rest of their peers watch on. They are seemingly ditching class/school and enter a subway station to change clothes into a more trendy, fashionable style which resonates most with teenagers of the early 2000s and late 2010s. The girls appear in various parts of Seoul filming themselves, taking selfies and dancing.

The video then changes to a messy bedroom and all the members have changed outfits once again, this time into a more brown/beige look, more familiar with fashion currently used by Generation Z. They continue taking selfies, videos and dancing. The scene transitions back to the members outside in their previous outfits seemingly filming a dance video/TikTok when an elderly person walks in front of the camera. HyeRin runs to get the phone awkwardly while the others bow apologetically to the woman.

All of the girls are then shown dancing in a circle facing one another in the subway station before they get chased by a security guard and run off, all the while still filming and uploading to their socials.

The music video then transitions to an opening elevator where all the members are inside dancing and having fun once again, before an influx of businessmen and women come into the elevator, disrupting them. Nonetheless the girls still continue dancing amongst them, whilst flashes of them running freely through the streets of Seoul at night are presented.

For the last chorus, the girls are presented dancing on a raised white platform in new outfits whilst dark feathered wings float and flap behind them, raining black feathers over the members. Clips of the girls dancing and having fun at night outside are incorporated during this last sequence. We see them dancing near a highway, in the elevator again but this time only a red light with the words Generation are highlighted on the members and various footage taken on a camcorder is implemented.

Once the song has finished the dark wings enclose over the members as they stand, posed on the platform.

+(KR)ystal Eyes makes their appearance at the end of the MV when all four members walk into the elevator AAA were previously seen in. They are all also looking down at their phones and typing. SooMin presses the 82 floor button and all girls look up at the same time to stare down the camera as the elevator doors close.

Main Theory

The main theory that most fans are in agreement with, is that Acid Angel from Asia represents today's youth, social media's influence and freedom/the instinct to break free from restrictions.

At the start of the video it's implied that the members all attend a private/catholic all girls school due to their stereotypical uniforms. They, along with the rest of their peers are all using their phones, scrolling on social media apps, in particular TikTok, the app which also gets namedropped in Generation.

The school girls all seem to be watching Acid Angel from Asia and liking their videos, possibly implying that the members are already well known, at least amongst their classmates, internet influencers. Even though this is a possibility, it's also more likely just a creative direction/cameo for the music video.

A teacher makes her way down the stairs and all the students disperse, quickly hiding their phones and making themselves presentable by bowing their heads in respect as the teacher inspects them. It's mainly theorised that the teacher (and all adults in the mv) represent the older generation and their misunderstanding of today's generation and their interest in social media/fashion trends etc.

Whilst the members are standing still, hoping they don't get in trouble, YooYeon hastily tries to pick her black nail polish off, most likely because it's not permitted in the dress code and she doesn't want the teacher to see. There seems to be a specific reason YooYeon's nails were shown in this moment as by the end of the video, all members have the tips of their fingers 'blackened'.

The bedroom scene makes it seem like there isn't much to be analysed or interpreted, that it's just a messy room of a teenager in today's age. Yet throughout there is religious imagery/statues, cementing that the girls attend a religious/holy school.

In the bedroom there can be found three Holy Mary statues and two christian crosses. This isn't the first time christianity seems to play a role in tripleS' lore or at least, concept. The inside of a church was first shown in the signalis teaser and there is already an established christianity/religion theory here. The use of the religious imagery throughout and the descent of the members going from school girls restricted by non-expressive clothing and obligated to obey authority figures to rebellious teenagers ditching class and running from security personnel to finally an 'Acid Angel' at the end when they dance on the white platform with the dark angel wings behind them, could all be a metaphor for breaking free of society's restrictions and being your true free self.

During the last chorus the members are separated from society, they're no longer dancing in public on the streets of seoul or in their bedroom/school, but now on a white, checkered platform with dark angel wings behind them, raining down black feathers. Their outfits have changed once again to a cooler, distressed uniform much different from their original school uniforms at the start of the music video. Here they wear black ties, shorts and blazers and converse/sneakers with long black socks etc. Another noticeable change is the tips of their fingers are now all 'darkened'. This paired with the dark wings brings theories of 'fallen angels', as it also links with their unit name; and that by the end they have fully been 'corrupted' or broken free from their restrictive lifestyle.

Some other theories suggest that Generation depicts the obsession with social media and how it seems to 'corrupt' the youth in an unhealthy way.

At the end of the video we are shown four girls walking into the elevator Acid Angel from Asia were dancing in. They are +(KR)ystal Eyes, the second sub-unit set to debut in the near future. Their appearance at the end of the Generation MV, led fans to speculate about their connection to AAA. The most popular theory is that KRE are living in the same timeline as AAA, but are in a different dimension. Another theory is that they are both in the same world but don't know each other and KRE only watch AAA through their social media content.

SooMin presses the 82 button when they all step into the elevator. The number 82 seems significant to KRE's concept as 82 is South Korea's phone country code and their unit name is stylised as +(KR)ystal Eyes. The outro on the ACCESS album is also titled +(82) and serves as a teaser/connection to KRE. There are also theories that units created during the same DIMENSION will share the same universe or be connected to one another. As both AAA and KRE were created from First Gravity, they may share a timeline, though perhaps through different dimensions.

The closing scene of the mv depicts KRE all typing on their phones, but compared to AAA they are far less boisterous and energetic, instead seeming isolated and lost in their own world. They don't really acknowledge or talk to one another. In comparison to AAA, they give off a more refined, calm, yet disinterested aura.

Just before the elevator doors close, the members all raise their heads and stare down the camera as the doors shut on them.