ILLIT are the “borrowed cats” in this story – awkward, overthinking, and perceived as detached. But they finds a catalyst which coaxes them from the couch to the dance floor, and fuels their desire to “do a little dance”.
(In MV, catalyst is a Love Interest, In real life catalyst could represent their fans “Glitts”)
The Korean title “빌려온 고양이” (Billyeoon Goyangi), which translates to “borrowed cat.” This is a fantastic idiom for someone who feels detached and out of place in a social situation.
Imagine being at a party, sitting alone on the couch, quiet and unresponsive. You’re a ‘borrowed cat’ – uncomfortable in an unfamiliar environment, socially removed, but very much noticed. (noticed part is to be emphasized and given attention here)
This directly conflicts with the English title, “Do the Dance.” In English, this phrase often could means to participate in a way that’s expected of you.
For example:
– To get a promotion, you have to “do the dance” of corporate life (Behave in a way that is expected of a corporate environment).
– To fit in at a party, you literally have to get up and dance.
So we have two opposing ideas: the Korean title represents being unresponsive and doing nothing, while the English title is about participating and doing something.
I can’t help but see a second layer here about ILLIT’s own journey. Think about it: they were thrust into an industry where everyone already had strong opinions about them. After quite heavy waves of irrational hatred, Of course they’d behave like borrowed cats. When you get burned for putting yourself out there, you become reserved.
Why blame the cat for for taking a while to find its own comfort when there’re people who forcibly placed them in such an environment ?
People blame a borrowed cat for being inactive or making any little mistake, but it’s a survival instinct – it’s assessing its environment before it can relax. Perhaps this album is ILLIT’s “acclimation process.” – a transition from them being borrowed cats to becoming dancer. (metaphorically speaking)
The title “Do the Dance” represent the members decision to rise to the occasion, to “do the dance” and become the artists they want to be, despite the scrutiny.
submitted by /u/SectionReasonable304
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