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Evan Mock and Rosé in the music video for \"Toxic Till The End\"
Evan Mock and Rosé in the music video for \"Toxic Till The End\"
@roses_are_rosie via Instagram
Culture > Entertainment

Here’s What Rosé’s “Toxic Till The End” Music Video *Actually* Means

Siobhan Robinson

Blackpink’s Rosé is opening up and showing her more authentic side with the release of her highly anticipated debut studio album, Rosie. Released on Dec. 6, the 12-track album features a variety of songs that reflect poignant moments from Rosé’s life and capture the raw experiences of navigating your twentysomethings. Alongside the album, Rosé dropped a music video for the tracks “Toxic Till the End.”

The song, which explores the bright beginnings and ultimate breakdown of a toxic relationship, is brought to life in the music video, which stars HBO Max’s Gossip Girl alum Evan Mock as Rosé’s ex. Ahead of the song’s release, Rosé discussed the creative process and the emotions she revisited while writing the track during an interview on the Zane Lowe Podcast. “I think that was something that was living with me for a few years; I personally don’t think I deserved it, but it was there,” she said. “I’m actually shocked that today I can wake up and be like, ‘I don’t talk about that anymore.’” The music video depicts the visual collapse of the toxic relationship through a bold cinematic style, but let’s take a closer look at what the MV is really trying to say!

The music video begins with Mock’s character waving down a ride from Rosé after his bike breaks, leaving him stranded. This brief interaction signals the start of the couple’s whirlwind romance. The relationship starts off well, with Rosé and Mock being playful and enjoying each other’s company. However, after the song’s chorus, the pair’s relationship gradually shifts. It begins with Mock falling off his skateboard, breaking his arm and leaving him in  Rosé’s care.

The mood between the two becomes increasingly bitter, reaching a boiling point as Mock becomes more secretive and begins to hide his phone notifications while he and Rosé are playing chess. The act of playing chess itself contains symbolism that highlights the couple’s relationship, as chess is recognized as a game of wits and strategy.  Rosé openly references the game in the second verse of the song, singing, “His favorite game is chess, who would ever guess?/ Playing with the pieces in my chest/ Now he’s on the screen and saying, ‘Don’t leave’/ You stole that line from me.” The line depicts the analogy of a pawn in the game, feeling used and helpless in comparison to the other players’ broader strategy. 

Rosé regrets how her ex manipulates her emotions and uses them against her, which she eventually goes along with, as seen visually in the music video. Mishaps continue to plague the couple, as Rosé’s car breaks down after she stormed out and attempted to leave. When the two get into another confrontation, we see through flashbacks that Mock was the one who caused her car to break down, while Rosé was the one who broke his skateboard. In a flashback of the incident, we discover that Mock purposefully damaged his bike so that he could meet Rosé. 

In the end, the two keep coming back to each other, despite the fact that it’s clearly emotionally (and physically for Mock) painful for them. The song’s overall message emphasizes the catastrophic nature of toxic relationships and the pain of ending a relationship due to the love and connection that brought them together in the first place. 

Fans couldn’t get enough of the visuals in the music video and took to X/Twitter to share their thoughts.

It’s time to examine the music video a second time to see if I missed anything! 

Siobhan Robinson is a member of the Her Campus national writing program. She works on the Entertainment and Culture team, covering the most recent pop culture events, trends, and entertainment releases. Previously, she worked as an Entertainment and Culture intern during the Spring 2023 semester, where she was supervised in writing breaking news verticals, live coverage of events such as the Grammys and Met Gala, and interviewing emerging Gen Z talent for Her Campus's "Next Questions" segment. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in Spring 2024 with a B.A. in Communication Studies from San Jose State University and received communication honors for completing a graduate-level course during her undergraduate studies. While in college, she was an active member of the SJSU chapter of Her Campus, serving on the executive board as Editor-In-Chief. In this role, she supervised a team of writers, senior editors, and copy editors, and assessed their articles for the site. Previously, she served as a senior editor, supervising a team of 4-5 writers, and also worked as a campus correspondent for the entire chapter. Additionally, she contributed to the school's publication magazine, Access, and became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. In her free time, Siobhan enjoys scrapbooking, hanging out with friends, going to concerts, and, of course, writing for fun! A die-hard fangirl, she loves sharing everything she knows about her favorite boy bands, even if you don't ask. If you need her, you'll likely find her binge-watching the latest K-drama.