02/05/2025

FRIDAY | MAY 2, 2025

25

LYFE

TV SHOW REVIEW

More than ever, music is becoming a genuine source of mental health support. – PEXELSPIC

Song lyrics soothe heavy emotions

Power fantasy ascends again o Solo Leveling’s Jin-woo has the ability to extract and use the souls of those he defeats in his personal army.

IN times of crisis, people often seek distractions or escapism. Some meditate, while others exercise or cook. But for many, it is music that becomes a refuge. And at the heart of this, it is not so much melodies that leave their mark, but lyrics. A study, published in the journal Frontiers of Psychology , revealed how song lyrics can play a decisive role in the way we weather emotional storms. The research was conducted by Hebrew University Business School professors, Renana Peres and Adi Levy, in collaboration with Hebrew University of Jerusalem senior lecturer at the Department of Musicology Roni Granot. Their analysis looked at over 2,800 “coping songs” chosen by people in 11 countries during Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. When asked about their experiences, they explained how certain lyrics echoed their emotions, sometimes better than their own words. When anguish took over, many turned to songs about loss. On the other hand, to soothe loneliness, songs celebrating human bonds and belonging took over. In times of crisis, music becomes a precious source of comfort. “This research offers a new perspective on how people use music not just for entertainment, but as a meaningful tool for emotional self-regulation. Lyrics embedded in music often give voice to emotions that are difficult to express – grief, remembrance and hope among them,” explained Granot. And contrary to all expectations, it is not the musical aspects such as tempo, tonality or harmony that most influence our feelings. It is the lyrics that move us, that resonate with us, that accompany us through these difficult times. The right words at the right time can become a lifeline. This study is the first to empirically establish a link between lyrical content and emotional regulation strategies. For Peres, it is a lever for action. “At a time when many are dealing with personal and collective trauma, understanding the emotional power of lyrics can help us better support mental health – individually and as a society,” Peres said. More than ever, music is becoming a genuine source of mental health support. New approaches are emerging, such as new music therapy techniques, playlists designed to accompany our moods and digital tools designed to promote well-being. All these initiatives highlight the power of song lyrics in echoing our emotions. –ETX Studio

Jin-woo’s strength and abilities skyrocket to astronomical levels. By the end of the season, he barely breaks a sweat against the strongest enemy in the series so far. Each encounter, be it against humans or monsters, is a decisive win for him before it even begins. Any tension is immediately drained, as instead of Jin-woo being in any danger, it is everyone and everything else who are on the losing end by default. By the end of the season, Solo Leveling devolves into a gauntlet of fights that are pure hype and excitement, but devoid of any substance. Solo Leveling is obviously a wish-fulfilment power fantasy and though the action and animation is at the highest levels in the industry with the second season, it is certainly at the bottom of the barrel in terms of having actual stakes or developing its protagonist beyond making him move faster, hit harder and summon a bigger undead army. Solo Leveling is streaming on Netflix.

growing threat on Jeju Island involving an army of powerful ants that have begun to take flight to the mainland and further out, eventually leading to a desperate war between the ants and a coalition of Hunters from South Korea and Japan. In the background, Jin-woo inches closer to healing his mother’s ailment and finding out more about the lingering mystery of how he is the sole Hunter that is able to “level up” as he quickly ascends to becoming one of the strongest Hunters in South Korea. Therein lies Solo Leveling’s only and biggest problem: Narratively, Jin-woo is too strong and faces very little opposition. In last year’s first season, Jin-woo’s journey from being the weakest Hunter to gaining and learning about his powers and abilities is very compelling. Most of the episodes often saw him being beaten within an inch of his life, only to get up from sheer willpower and resolve. This character development effectively ends by the start of the second season as

second season delivers epic fights, lacks stakes

Ű BY MARK MATHEN VICTOR

B UILDING on the success off the first instalment, Solo Leveling’s second season has succeeded its predecessor on almost all fronts, placing itself firmly in the top echelons of modern anime. Picking up directly from the previous season, Sung Jin-woo (Taito Ban) continues to clear the monster-infested Gates that appear in South Korea, all while experiencing exponential increases in not just his physical abilities, but also the numbers of soldiers in his “shadow army”. A bulk of the season involves the

True to the nature of power fantasies, Jin-woo will become stronger in the future seasons. – PICS FROM NETFLIX