The second single from former Miss A-vocalist Bae Suzy’s debut EP Yes? No?, ‘Yes No Maybe’ is a full-on tribute to the work of Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai.

Leaning on Wong’s period of collaboration with Australian cinematographer, Christopher Doyle, ‘Yes No Maybe’ is unique among K-Pop videos in how it actually appropriates the directors oeuvre. While nods to Wong are not uncommon in the genre (Chungking Express in Twice’s ‘Cheer Up’ and 2046 in Beast’s ‘Good Luck’), seldom do videos venture beyond a few background easter eggs. ‘Yes No Maybe’ on the other hand could almost be read as a homage to the technical skill of Doyle.

Imitating Doyle’s colour schemes, frame composition and use of step-printing in 1994’s Chungking Express and 1995’s Fallen Angels, at the one-minute mark it recreates the former film’s iconic opening sequence, going so far as to match the specific shutter speed and number of frames per second (12 with the final one frozen).

‘Yes No Maybe’ Chungking Express

‘Yes No Maybe’ (left), Brigitte Lin in Chungking Express (right)

Of course, Suzy’s specific character is only a partial nod to Brigitte Lin’s character Woman in Blonde Wig from Chungking. In actuality, she borrows more from its spiritual sequel, Fallen Angels, which is an expanded version of a third story that did not fit into Chungking‘s loose narrative.

Michelle Reis as the Killer’s Agent in Fallen Angels

Generally, Suzy is doing her best impersonation of The Killer’s Agent (Michelle Reis) in Fallen Angels, mimicking her awkward walking style and stealing from her wardrobe. Were Bae Suzy not championed as one of Korea’s more pure and wholesome idols, she might have taken up smoking too, but you’ll have to do with lipstick for now.

Bae Suzy (left), Michelle Reis (right)

Fallen Angels (top left), Chungking Express (top right), ‘Yes No Maybe’ (bottom)

The video’s final sequence begins as a fairly on-point reworking of the closing scene from Fallen Angels.

Instead of having Suzy and her bae (that’s hilarious) flee on a motorcycle however, she takes a taxi alone, which makes for a more ambiguous cinematic reference once the overall colour scheme also shifts.

As opposed the green tone of Fallen Angels, this sequence opts for the warmer palette featured in the likes of 1997’s Happy Together and 2000’s In the Mood for Love, i.e. those of his works that were shaped by the hand-over of Hong Kong to China and which explores the isolation of committed relationships.

Yes No Maybe Fallen Angels

‘Yes No Maybe’ (left), Fallen Angels (right)

Happy Together (top left), In the Mood for Love (top right), ‘Yes No Maybe’ (bottom)

‘Yes No Maybe’ is the gateway video for art house cinema lovers into the world of K-Pop considering it takes as its chief inspiration one of Wong Kar-wai’s less popular works from the 90s. When people talk about the coolest film in Wong’s repertoire to list off as your favorite, Fallen Angels is most certainly that one. It is the twisted and less palatable version of Chungking Express. A literal night to Chungking‘s day, the story consists of all those characters too disturbed to fit into the off-beat love stories that weave together the 1994 classic.

Sure, having Bae Suzy use it as a concept on her first proper solo outing isn’t on the same level of promoting forgotten gems as having Kurt Cobain wear a Daniel Johnston t-shirt. Still, you can argue that this is definitely a victory for the underdog.