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★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀TOWER OF BABEL is the fictional fourth studio album released by South Korean-based idol band PLASTIC FLOWERS on April 8, 2024. This will be the last album released with all five members being signed under SUPERBLOOM MEDIA, as the company confirmed the departure of four members in early March. It would later be confirmed by the various South Korean music shows that Plastic Flowers' lead tracks ARE U COMING, EASIER, and KNOCK ME OUT would be banned from performance due to inappropriate lyrics and negative effects on the youth. They would instead promote THE RIVER for a month.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀The album gets it name from the biblical story of the same name from GENESIS 11:1—9 and is an origin myth meant to explain why the world's peoples speak different languages. According to the story, a united human race used to speak a single language and when they moved eastward to Shinar, they decided to build a new city and tower with it's top in the sky. Observing their city and tower, Yahweh makes it so they can no longer understand each other and scatters them across the world. According to leader SALEM, the name TOWER OF BABEL was chosen to reflect the major themes of the album, which includes miscommunication, self-destruction, decaying relationships, and escapism.

That is why it was called Babel—because there, the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth ( NIV; Genesis 11:9 ).

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀TOWER OF BABEL would peak at NUMBER ONE and achieve a PERFECT ALL-KILL with the fifteen songs locking out the top spots for THREE DAYS. The lead single ARE U COMING? would remain at the top of the chart for 739 hours, replacing DITTO by NewJeans as the song with the longest perfect all kill. Despite not promoting their actual title tracks on music shows, THE RIVER would earn 17 music show wins across the different shows.

TRACKLIST — playlist.

‘ # 001.⠀ ⠀A KISS WITH VENUS ──── written by oliver song, produced by kwak yulli and oliver song, and performed by oliver song. beginning with a heavy drum line and instrumental, a kiss with venus explores themes of love, sexuality, and self-expression as the narrator attempts to break their societal norms. as they "reach planet earth", the song confirms that it will deal with subjects that are often considered unconventional before leading into their challenges of stereotypes and diversity of an individual's identity. though beloved by fans, a kiss with venus was met with criticism from the general public as their open discussion of sex and oliver's sexuality was "too much" for them.

‘ # 002.⠀ ⠀TITLE TRACK: KNOCK ME OUT ──── written, produced, and performed by oliver song. twitter user @/oliver4eva summed it up best: "you know the pf album will be good if they get banned from music bank". knock me out deals with themes of desire, connection, and vulnerability as he wants to completely surrender to the passions of this new relationship. the chorus emphasizes the power and intensity of their connection, describing it as loud, angelic, and addictive, as they become completely captivated and consumed by each other. by the end, they are dependent on each other and the lover has made such an impact on their life, needing the other person their constantly and feeling insignificant without them.

‘ # 003.⠀ ⠀RUTHLESS ROCKSTARS ──── written, produced, and performed by salem kuaekulsri. originally released in 2017, ruthless rockstars is not only a fan favorite, but beloved by all five members. it was re-released with deurim to celebrate their short time together and show how plastic flowers have changed since 2017, with minor edits being made to the instrumentals. the song explores themes of frustration and defiance in the face of control of others. they are seen as suspects, watched closely, and labeled as "hopeless murderer" by those around them. those around the narrator continuously reject and oppose them, leading to a growing sense of resentment with the other around them. the chorus emphasizes their resolve to stay true to themselves because they are doing nothing wrong.

‘ # 004.⠀ ⠀THE FALL OF BABYLON ──── written by salem kuaekulsri, produced by minami hiro and salem kuaekulsri, and performed by oliver song. the fall of babylon is about two people who were once deeply in love, but that love was not strong enough to stay together. though they wanted to take their love to the next level, it was too intense and burned out quickly. they tried to stay together, but it was in vain, and eventually ended. it uses the ancient city of babylon—known as a place of destruction and ruin—to emphasize the unfortunate destruction of their relationship. anyone that's caught up on the plastic flowers lore clocked this as a draft from oliver and salem's break up back in 2022 and has been subjected to intense analysis by those fans, leading to the interpretation above.

‘ # 005.⠀ ⠀TITLE TRACK: ARE U COMING? ──── written and produced by oliver song and finn lee, performed by oliver song. an oliver song classic, he pulls out all of his favorite themes of yearning, escapism, and longing in a romantic situation. the lyrics paint the picture of a place where hopelessness is nonexistent and creating their dreamlike reality. they are eager for their partner's presence, symbolizing a deep emotional yearning for connection and intimacy. rather than their traditional music videos, the production for are u coming? was just a performance at cheeky's! in seoul, confirming that the place discussed in the song is a bar or some sort of party.

‘ # 006.⠀ ⠀TITLE TRACK: EASIER ──── written by lee jiyeon, produced by oliver song and oh deurim, performed by oliver song. now this was the talk of twitter when the highlight medley dropped and it was confirmed that jiyeon of all people had written easier. unlike the rest of the members, she's never been involved in a dating scandal so fans were surprised to see a break-up song from her. easier revolves around the question of whether it is easier to stay or go, contemplating the idea of letting go of a toxic relationship, but at the same time, admitting the love is too strong to leave. she is unsure if she wants to stay in such a relationship, creating a cycle where they are stuck running away and returning to each other. when asked about

‘ # 007.⠀ ⠀THE RIVER ──── written by salem kuaekulsri, produced by min eunji / roze, and performed by oliver song and salem kuaekulsri. if you loved please from ohio impromptu, you will definitely be a fan of the river. originally just meant to be a b-side and not promoted, when it was confirmed their three singles would be banned from music shows, they were quick to petition and lost once again. the river was chosen as the replacement title track because of how similar it is to previous singles and how much the members liked the song. the river focuses on the complexities of a failing relationship and highlights the struggle of two people walking down a lonely road together. the chorus explores the depths of emotions as the singer contemplates throwing everything into the river, symbolizing the desire for change and renewal.

‘ # 008.⠀ ⠀DAY DRINKING ──── written, produced, and performed by oliver song. this song explores themes of escapism, dysfunctional relationships, and self-destructive behaviors. it goes into the struggles and complexities of dealing with personal issues and trying to deal with them through unhealthy means. though he knows that the behaviors are unhealthy, it serves as a temporary escape from their emotional turmoil and helps them avoid confrontations. throughout the song, it reflects a trouble relationship as the emotional toil is taken on both parties and one's search for escape from reality.

‘ # 009.⠀ ⠀EAST COAST BLUES ──── written by oliver song, produced by lee jiyeon and oliver song, and performed by lee jiyeon. east coast blues dives into themes of self-destruction, depression, and a desire for escape. for many fans, this is seen as a spiritual successor to day drinking as it was also written by oliver and actually confirms them escaping from their current turmoil. the protagonist grapples with being overwhelmed by life's challenges as they think about moving to a different location to start new, highlighting a need for healing and self-improvement. despite the struggles in the lyrics, there is a sense of liberation in letting go of toxic influences and embracing the unknown.

‘ # 010.⠀ ⠀CRASH MY CAR ──── written by oliver song, produced by salem kuaekulsri, and performed by oliver song. the song depicts a sense of desperation and longing for someone near, even to the point of risking something like crashing a car to be with them. it suggests a strong emotional attachment and an ability to let go, as well as a willingness to do anything to be with the person they desire. poppies have so many theories about who this song could be about and it's causing a mini-fandom civil war as they try to figure it out. many still believe that salem is in the picture, while others—mainly solo stans of oliver—think there's a new person and want to figure out who that is.

‘ # 011.⠀ ⠀NOTHING / EVERYTHING ──── written by oh deurim, produced by oh deurim and oliver song, and performed by oh deurim and kang junyeong. as the member with the least amount of songwriting credits, fans were excited to see what she would bring to such a conceptually strong album. thankfully, nothing / everything would rise to the occasion as an introspective song that dives into themes of perseverance, loyalty, and self-reflection, inviting the listen to contemplate their own experiences and struggles they may face. they question if they have given everything or lost everything, yet acknowledge that despite any deep changes, their heart remains steadfast and unchanged in its dedication to their loved ones. on live, she confirmed the song was written about plastic flowers and how much she's given over the past few years.

‘ # 012.⠀ ⠀JOKE! ──── written by lee jiyeon, produced by minami hiro, and performed by lee jiyeon. whatever jiyeon is going through, it's creating some amazing music as joke! explores themes of power dynamics, control, and emotional manipulation within a relationship. this enters a new "arc" of the album, which heavily focuses on relationships and the downsides of them. it depicts a complex dynamic between two individuals, with one asserting dominance and the other at their mercy. though they don't want to harm their lover, the narrator gains a sadistic pleasure from the other's reaction and gets a sense of empowerment from it. the phrase "i know you need to be someone, evil angel, or someone has to suffer" reflects that power dynamic, insinuating the other person much embody a deceptive person or endure suffering for their relationship to continue.

‘ # 013.⠀ ⠀THE SWEETNESS ──── written by oliver song, produced by chloe lee, and performed by oliver song. using the concept of sweetness and darkness, this song explores the contrast between moments of joy and happiness with moments of despair. the lyrics depict a journey from innocence to adulthood, where the speaker reflects on the past and longs to return to a simpler time. the sweetness is described as seeping into one's bloodstream, bringing a renewed love for life while darkness creeps in like an unwelcomed intruder, descending into the depths of the basement. the sweetness poses the question "are you still sane?", implying a struggle with mental health issues or the consequences of relying on such methods to find temporary relief.

‘ # 014.⠀ ⠀THRONE OF LIES ──── written by salem kuaekulsri and kang junyeong, produced by salem kuaekulsri, and performed by oliver song. throne of lies represents a sense of uncertainty and confusion as the song implores the listener to not just speak empty words of affection, but to go beyond and truly convey one's true desires and feelings. they used the pounding drums and brass horns of the seoul national university marching band to add to this sense of tension and chaos. on the plastic Flowers youtube channel, they even posted a 10-minute vlog that went from their first meeting to their performance at their comeback stage. the musicians all confirmed that working with plastic flowers was easy as the five members remained professional and were always happy to help understand the song further.

‘ # 015.⠀ ⠀I KNOW THE END ──── written, produced, and performed by salem kuaekulsri and lee jiyeon. at the end of the world, the narrator finds herself in a state of detachment and longing for the comfort of home, which she lost a long time ago. throughout the song, she reflects on past memories while acknowledging the inevitability of change and loss. as the song progresses, there is a sense of acceptance and embracing the unknown, symbolized by driving towards the sun and letting go of that fear. the haunting outro, featuring a long scream from jiyeon, suggests a sense of liberation and rebirth.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀FIND THE PRODUCERS ... finn lee ( @bluwavez ) ★ chloe lee ( @venusvity ) ★ min eunji / roze ( @d0zenr0zes ) ★ minami hiro ( @lvcky0ne ) ★ kwak yulli ( @superbloomz ).

ERA SUMMARY.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS: 2,000,000 copies sold and The River won 17 times at the music shows. Are U Coming? also officially dethroned any record held by CNBLUE and Ft.Island as the top selling single by an idol band in South Korea.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀This album was well received by fans and critics alike since they had spent the last few years complaining about "the old Plastic Flowers" being missing. Tower of Babel was the perfect combination of those beloved Oliver title tracks and b-sides that had gotten them their original fan base. Everyone has their opinions on Plastic Flowers' musical identity, but Tower of Babel will always be in their top five. It's just that album.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀Critics rated the album four out of five stars. Though they were able to see some lyrical growth and new themes, many took issue with the album being composed of first drafts rather than finished songs. Many blamed Superbloom Media for this, however, as the band hasn't been given a proper break since their return from hiatus in May 2022. They praised Song and Kuaekulsri for their experiments when it comes to the new songs, however, they dismissed the other members as secondary songwriters. Han Jiyoon called the album "self-indulgent" and "fun", praising how the different arcs of the songs worked together to create a larger picture.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀It was also noted by the members the album should be listened to in order of the original tracklist. Salem said, "putting the album in track order is always one of the hardest parts. For this album, we all agreed that the best way to listen to it was in order rather than shuffling around because of the different thematic arcs we composed. The beginning is very focused on that rougher and more rock and roll sound and mellows out at the end of I Know the End. It just makes the most sense."

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀When the track list dropped and fans saw they had brought in a bunch of guest producers and songwriters, everyone was torn, to put it nicely. Many Poppies have a complex about Plastic Flowers being completely self-produced for seven years and now, with their supposedly final release, they featured others? Call them Julius Caesar the way they felt back stabbed. Other fans were excited to see Plastic Flowers actually making friends and lowering the burden self-producing a studio album can take. Their main defense was that writing, producing, and promoting three studio albums in less than a year would destroy anyone so why not invite their friends to help out?

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀After Deep Dive's newest come back with Tax Writeoff, seeing Finn Lee in the credits for Tower of Babel was not surprising. Finn and lead singer Oliver were practically inseparable at this point and have been photographed inside their respective companies and even outside as well. In an Instagram live, a fan asked a question about working with Finn, to which Oliver replied: "It's always the best. He really understands whatever I can't put into words and where the music should go next. He's just great, I love being around him."

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀Salem stans were glad to see Hiro on the track list, knowing how close they are. In a live stream with Jiyeon, they reflected on how much fun it was having Hiro in the studio again and their misadventures with Roze as well. While reflecting on Bloom with Us!, Jiyeon said, "I know there's a lot of discourse surrounding having guest producers, but it made the album better. Having these fresh sets of eyes really helped navigate us forward and present the best album we could."

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀However, seeing the Chloe Lee of Venus on the producers list was a bit more surprising. In defense of Oliver, many Poppies had spoken ill of Chloe during Shooting Stars after she had called Oliver a "loser" on national television and seemed upset by his mere existence. In an interview with Elle Korea, Oliver laughed the whole thing off and reminded everyone about "evil editing" and that they'd gotten closer since Starzie's promotions for their debut album. "I mean, it's Chloe Lee," Oliver stated with a laugh, "I would be upset about losing as well. We've put that all aside, though. She was a really big help on The Sweetness and she got along well with the rest of the band. That's all you can really ask for sometimes."

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀In a suprise, it was Kang Junyeong who had the most to say about working with their label mate, Kwak Yulli of Belladonna. "I had never met her before this, but I can see why she's so popular. Great songwriter and even better singer, she's gonna go pretty far." He even likened her to bandmates Oliver Song and Serin. Yulli would repost the comment to her Instagram story with crying emojis and thanking Junyeong for his kind words.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀The theories that fans were coming up for this album were actually insane but well proven by the lyrics and visual content. There were fan wars over any relationship pairing you could think of, especially with Oliver as many of his songs seemed to be about a new relationship rather than lamenting the past as usual. People looked into his recent interactions with other idols and his bandmates trying to figure out what was going on.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀Speaking of shippers... The Salem & Oliver Truthers went insane over a report from Dispatch hinting at them maybe being together again. Their biggest piece of evidence was them being see shopping together in Gangnam. Not even a rumor about them being on a date and they had Twitter freaking out. Salem, however, shut this down pretty quickly with a comment while being interviewed on a variety show.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀You either loved or hated the hair colors this era. While Salem, Junyeong and Serin all felt the love from their fans, they did not express the same feelings for Oliver and Deurim. Fans felt that their colors were playing it safe and should have also be a similar shade or just gone blonde like Salem had.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀Plastic Flowers reminded everyone that they were singers first and a band second with their appearance on Dingo's Killing Voice. They sang Easier, Are U Coming?, Scared, The Chain, Death Valley's Take My Hand, Oliver's Youth, and b-sides Monster Among Men and Wishful Thinking. The video received over 2 million views within the first day.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀This era was actually really good for the Found Family believers. There was very little fighting between the members and they all seemed to be at ease despite only one of them having a career past September. Even the hate train for Deurim seemed to be smaller than usual with the members talking about all the drafts and new music that she brought to the table.

★⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀The music video for EASIER was the talk of Twitter for days. The members were all featured on the accounts "kpop moments that could kill a sapphic" and "kpop moments that could kill achilleans" as they filmed in that cave. A self-described "Plastic Flowers anti" would go viral for asking "what business did Oliver Song have in that cave and acting like that" and honestly, they had a point! It's become a copypasta within the fandom now and is always featured in threads about Poppyville's best moments.

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