The Alluring Thrill & Duality Of SEULGI’s Accidentally On Purpose

Ever since we got our first taste of 28 Reasons, we knew SEULGI of Red Velvet was not only a total all-rounder like we already thought, but also one of the most intriguing solo artists in K-Pop. Each song is still in our regular rotation and the mini-album’s creative direction absolutely wowed us. We’ve been not-so-patiently waiting for her first solo comeback and it’s finally here! The Accidentally On Purpose mini-album is a masterclass on how to create a project that will keep people locked in and talking about your creative artistry.

One of SEULGI’s defining strengths as an artist is her ability to create a world around her work. For her 28 Reasons mini-album, that world had a twisted fairytale theme as she explored the boundaries between good and evil. Accidentally On Purpose takes on more of a sleek, Gotham-esque vibe as Seulgi balances mischief and mellowness. She paints herself as an anti-hero who’s not your typical rom-com lead, standing fiercely in who she is even as she gradually becomes more vulnerable and lets a partner in. It’s a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance that keeps you hooked with every song.

Part of how SEULGI makes this duality so dynamic is through the women she draws inspiration from for this era. First off, there’s the clear Catwoman influence on the mini-album’s cover, which ties into the Gotham thread and shapes the more clearly bad*ss attitude she shows. It introduces a physical mask, and as we’ll get into later, a lot of Accidentally On Purpose is about Seulgi finding herself beyond the “mask” or persona she shows the world. Beyond being Catwoman, Selina Kyle even goes from being Batman’s enemy to being a love interest and someone he can rely on. There’s a lot more to her than being a villain, and as we’ve learned, there’s a lot more to Seulgi than being an immensely talented idol.

The second woman we think Seulgi drew from is Britney Spears – parts of the daring ‘Baby, Not Baby’ instrumental remind us of that iconic piano progression from ‘…Baby One More Time,’ and the song’s “oops, I did, I did it again” line calls back to Britney’s ‘Oops!…I Did It Again.’ Over time, Britney has gone from America’s Sweetheart to a symbol of strength and courage as she’s spoken out about her conservatorship and mental health. Her combination of fun and ferocity is something anyone could look up to and learn from! 

Throughout Accidentally On Purpose, SEULGI diverts expectations to showcase her musical versatility and the duality of powerful women as she gets to know herself on a deeper level as an artist and a person. The dreamy bridge of the rebellious ‘Baby, Not Baby’ would be natural in a Red Velvet song, but the cheeky “I’m so f**cking sorry” ad lib on the chorus packs a surprising punch. She refuses to put herself in any sort of musical box, showing us a new side of her work and herself that’s unlike what we’ve been lucky enough to hear in the past.

The intro of ‘Better Dayz’ sounds like it would fit into the 28 Reasons tracklist before a beautiful, airy guitar comes in… only to be cut off by an electric guitar in the chorus. It all culminates in an epic outro that brings the eerie energy back with a vocal effect that reminds us of that iconic ‘28 Reasons’ performance when Seulgi’s mic cut out during the high note. She comes to the conclusion that “hope is a paradox,” not wanting to rely too heavily on a hopeful outlook when it could just come back to hurt her.

Right after Seulgi muses that “good things all come to an end,” ‘Rollin’ (With My Homies)’ (which nods to Coolio’s song of the same name, as referenced in Clueless) offers a bouncy change of pace that strays from the pessimistic view on ‘Better Dayz.’ It’s a melodic and bright song that will make the perfect soundtrack for summer car rides, with Seulgi saying “I know we’ll be alright” as she spends time with friends and makes the most of happy moments. She’s no longer casting her hope aside, coming to terms with it as part of who she is and using it to appreciate the good things in her life. Being hopeful and allowing herself to enjoy these things doesn’t make her any less powerful or independent.

‘Whatever’ kicks off with some eerie notes that might lead you to think we’re getting the closed-off, dark SEULGI back again, but it quickly changes pace and unfolds into a melodic R&B-influenced track that sees her embracing an “it is what it is” mindset. It acknowledges her fears and doubts from ‘Better Dayz’ while also acknowledging her strengths and ability to move past any disappointments that her hope brings her: “the fantasy that broke the frame inside, all those pieces cannot hurt me.” We love the harp notes on the post-chorus and outro, which reinforce how things are looking brighter for Seulgi once she accepts all sides of who she is.

The production on ‘Praying’ – which is seemingly about finding an encouraging partner through hard times, but could just as easily be about finding yourself through hard times – really drives home the duality that SEULGI ponders throughout the mini-album. Her voice becomes an instrument of its own in a dreamy intro made of vocal chops and an impactful outro that sees her high note merging into a synth or guitar line. Seulgi also harmonizes with herself on the post-chorus, as if her lighter and darker sides are learning to work together to create something beautiful: a complete, authentic identity. 

And so we arrive at closing track ‘Weakness,’ a dreamy R&B-driven song that SEULGI co-wrote. It sees her tossing away her guarded shell and embracing her softer side while falling in love. As you think more about the Accidentally On Purpose mini-album – and quite literally as you listen, ultimately reaching a song she was involved in writing – you get a deeper understanding of Seulgi’s journey and who she truly is. Where 28 Reasons examined the gray space between good and evil, Accidentally On Purpose invites us into the gray space where we can truly meet ourselves, somewhere between each of our edges that seem so far apart from each other.

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Do you agree with our analysis of SEULGI’s Accidentally On Purpose? Which tracks did you love most? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! You can also buzz on over to our Reddit community to chat with us.

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