The person a forgotten song brings back
Some people are remembered longer by the songs they used to sing than by their faces. The details of conversations may fade, but a melody hummed together comes back instantly. Vaundy's "Kaijū no Hanauta" is a pleasant song that holds onto such memories. The feeling of thinking about someone overlaps with the desire to sing along.
As a result, the longing in this track carries both warmth and regret. While there is no going back to that era, the songs from then can still be sung today. Thinking of it as taking up a voice once heard beside them and continuing it with their own now gives the powerful chorus a different resonance. It feels like a moment where forgotten time is briefly drawn close.
Photo: Original Korean article
Who is the monster in the title?
The title “Monster” might suggest a need to hunt for some special symbolism, but the explanation from Yūichirō Fujishiro, who directed the music video, is unexpectedly modest. Why does a song sung by a childhood friend stay with you so long? The director says they started from that question and deliberately refused to pin down whether the monster was a friend, themselves, or some other entity.
That openness allows listeners to layer their own memories over the song. A friend you have lost touch with might come to mind, or perhaps a younger version of yourself who used to sing your favorite songs on repeat. Rather than pinning down exactly who the title refers to, it is better to simply follow whoever surfaces while listening. After all, even when everyone hears the same track, the faces they long for are bound to differ.
Photo: Original Korean article
Why the song comes alive when sung together
Vaundy mentioned on TOKYO FM's "SCHOOL OF LOCK!" that he created this song specifically for live performances, intending to make it easy for the audience to sing along. That intention likely explains why listeners find themselves naturally wanting to join in during the chorus. It also fits the song well that memories recalled while listening alone can transform into new memories of sharing a voice with someone nearby at a concert.
When listening again, try following the section where a missed person is recalled into the chorus as the vocals swell. The flow feels like memories kept only in the mind are finally spilling out through the mouth. Perhaps the reason the melody lingers even after the song ends is that the person layered over it still remains in the heart.
Photo: Original Korean article
Track details and listening links
Open the official video on YouTube
Kaijū no Hanauta – Vaundy
Release information and further reading
It was released as a single on May 11, 2020, and later included in the debut album "strobo," which came out on May 27 of that same year.
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