arkanah

[arkanah]

LIZ's DIARY - 16/07/24. mentioned: @dreamquest @fiixion @yunzip @pinkscaped ♡ (& ahin lol)

The latest episode of Dreamquest just aired; I’m writing this in my dorm. Have I even written about my dorm? I can’t remember the last time I actually had the time to sit down and write, I think it was just before the show started… I used to be so diligent about keeping this diary, but life has gotten so hectic. I’m sharing a room with Yoon and Miyu. Both of them seem nice, but it’s a little awkward. Since we were all on different teams, I don't know how to approach them them because I'm not sure if they see me as a friend or just someone they'll need to beat. I wish I was the type of person who could start a conversation with anyone, but I just don’t know how to keep it going. The words don’t come for me. I haven't really bonded with any of the other girls, and I can tell that some of the other girls think I’m a bitch, but everyone always thinks I’m a bitch and I can live with that. Sani is really nice, though, she's really really cute, and she was so nice to me after the Fancy performance, so I think it'd be fun to be on a team with her at some point. But it would be really nice if I could at least befriend my dormmates too. I mean, assuming none of us get eliminated, they’re gonna be the first and last people I see every time I wake up or go to bed. Don’t you think that kinda sets the tone for your entire day? Even if none of us make it, it still would be nice to have some friends. That reminds me, now that I’m at Valentine, I hope I get a chance to meet the Medusa girls soon. I’ve always really liked Choi Gain sunbaenim. She just comes out and says whatever she’s thinking, no matter who’s listening or how many cameras are on her. I’ve been trying to be like that, but like everything else I try to say, it dies in my throat. Maybe if I get to hang out with her, it’ll rub off on me a little bit. 

Anyway, I won't have chance of meeting Medusa if Valentine drop me, and they might do just that, cause the CEO already told me that he expects big things from me. He told me to keep my sights set on top 5, because this is the very first time Valentine has EVER sent a trainee to a debut show, and I’m their only trainee, so if I totally flop, it’ll be really embarrassing for them, and I feel like the whole place is built on one man's very flimsy ego so he'll probably just drop me. We got to see our rankings and right now, I’m at nine. It’s not too bad, and so I want to be proud of it, but I know it’s not good enough. It doesn’t feel fair. I didn’t get a single solo line in Genie! How the hell am I supposed to get screen time and convince people to vote for me if I’m not being given the same opportunity to sing as some of the others? I wonder if the showrunners think I can’t sing because I rap. 

I also hate my new CEO, Yoo Seobin. He walks around like a weirdo mafia boss. You know, Ahin sunbaenim told me that when they go out for company dinners, he makes him, Choi Gain and Kwon Harin sit at a separate table with him. It’s supposed to be a ‘leaders privilege,’ but he’s kind of just keeping them away from the party. He thinks he’s the godfather, or something. Like it's an honour to sit with him. If I end up in a Valentine group, I pray to god that I’m not the leader. I’d hate to sit and drink with him. Did you see his fucking press release about me? He talked about how I was hypnotizing and my beauty was unmatched or something… Like he’s a married, middle aged man. It's so weird and I'm really worried if he keeps talking about me like that, people will start making up rumours. Even the thought makes me want to throw up. I wore the baggiest clothes I own last time I had to go to his office, and he still kept looking at me weird. Ahin sunbaenim said I can wear one of his sweaters next time, because if he sees me in boy's clothes he might assume I have a boyfriend and back off. It’s kind of cute that he thinks that would work. 

But Ahin sunbaenim is nice. I’m even going to record a demo for him next week. It’s not gonna be for me in the end, I think he’s just gonna send it out to a bunch of labels and see who wants the song, but I’m getting paid for recording so it’s already the most legit gig than I’ve had in about five years. He’s fun to hang out with. I think he has a little bit of a crush on me, but for once that doesn’t bother me. I think it’s just refreshing to come across a guy, especially one who’s a bit older than I am, who isn’t so fucking leery and demanding. He doesn’t even flirt or anything, he just gets shy around me and it’s easy to make him blush. It’s funny. And he does have a nice smile.

I just realised I'm writing about boys in my diary so I'm going to stop now because I'm not twelve. Kwon Ahin is the last thing I need to be thinking about right now. What I need to do is win this competition. I really hope, like really really really hope that I can rap in the next round. Like a proper rap that wasn’t written by fucking JYP, I mean. I’m really regretting singing for my audition. My first choice was Payday by Yoon Mirae but Seobin told me I had to pick something recent. If I’d pulled off a Yoon Mirae song I think I might be way higher in the ranks by now. But if I don’t get to rap there’s no way I’m gonna crack the top five. And if I get kicked from Valentine, it’s like losing the biggest opportunity I’ve ever had. I feel like I might just be setting myself up for one big joke. I couldn’t even rise up the popularity rankings of Bouquet. Do you know how easy it is to be more popular than a Bouquet member? Most idols who debut achieve it on their first day without even knowing cause they probably don’t know who Bouquet are. Were. Also, FUCK OHJANG ENTERTAINMENT.

I owe more money than I’ve earned, my parents lost all enthusiasm for this path for me a long time ago… I can’t even remember what it felt like for them to take pride in me. Honestly I started writing this entry because I thought I was going to end it by affirming to myself that this would be a turning point and I’d ace it from here on out, but I kinda feel worse than when I started writing. I should go to bed. I have to get up early to get some practice in before official practice starts, and if the girls who ranked lower than me find out I’m whining and moping about ranking 9th, they’ll think I’m even more of a bitch than they already do.

Well, just wish me luck in the next round, I guess!

[arkanah]

»━━› AMIDST SCANDAL, RUMOURS, AND ACCUSATIONS OF FAVORITISM, VALENTINE RECORDS HOLD EMERGENCY PRESS MEETING TO LAY OUT THEIR ARTIST'S PLANS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR AND ONWARDS.

On the morning of June 29th, 2024, Valentine Records CEO, Yeo Seobin, spoke to press regarding the label's goals for fall and winter of 2024. The conference comes after a particularly rough beginning to the year from the label; mired by scandals, rumours of infighting, and accusations of favouritism shown to the label's youngest group, Sour Candy, who's recent mini-album RPG is currently the only record to be published under the label this year.

Yoo spoke on each artist under his label individually, hoping to offer clarity on what may come across as inactivity from certain acts, as well as address any other relevant worries expressed by fans and/or the general public. This lead to quite a lengthy talk, so we've cut it down to the essential for you, and will package it all nicely, group by group! Keep reading, or skip through to find out about your faves below.

Before diving into the meat of it, Yoo Seobin briefly touched on the subject of Liz; commonly known as Elizabeth Hwang, the first trainee to be signed to Valentine Records since the formation of Tarot, Medusa and Sour Candy in 2018. Liz is currently the only trainee signed to the label, and despite her current low status at the label, is no stranger to the industry, having served time in the mid-tier girl group Bouquet from 2018 - 2021 under the stage name Lizzy, and making it to the halfway point of the survival show nextUP. Seobin neglected to mention any plans for a debut any time soon, instead just asking for well-wishes as she competes on her second survival show, @dreamquest. Liz's appearance on the show marks the first time the label has ever sent a trainee to a debut-based survival show.

There has been a lot of buzz recently as Liz, who many of you have known as Lizzy of Bouquet, has signed on to our training programme. We here at Valentine Records are overjoyed to welcome Liz, as well as all of her fans, into our family. It is my personal opinion that Liz is a truly hypnotising idol, difficult to match when it comes to either talent or beauty. I hope she will be able to flourish and reach her full potential under our label. We hope that you guys support for Liz as she partakes in the survival show Dreamquest; we know she has a lot she wants to show you, and a lot she'd like to prove, both to the world and to herself. Please tune in to Dreamquest, and don't forget to vote for Liz!

The first group addressed by Yoo was their most recent girl group, Medusa. Since their debut in 2020, fans have expressed frustration in Valentine's handling of promoting Medusa, especially in comparison to their brother groups, Tarot and Sour Candy. Medusa currently hold the least amount of tracks under the label, and fans have been restless in demanding more over the last few years. Seobin attempted to assure fan that more music may finally be on the way in the following statement;

Medusa's fanbase needn't worry, as the girls will be back before the end of the fall. Medusa have spent the first half of the year preparing for their biggest project yet, and will soon be ready to show you all what they've been working on. Valentine Records' has heard the call for more, and so we would like to tentatively mark October as the release date for Medusa's second full length album. As well as the recording of their album, members Choi Gain and Hero have been working on solo projects, planned to release throughout the winter seasons and early 2025. The members of Medusa, Choi Gain, Son Jiyeon, Ju Chaerin and Hero are all equally eager to get back on stage as you guys are to see them, and have been working diligently alongside the producers at Valentine to prepare something that makes the wait all worth it. We hope you wait with excitement, and show Medusa love upon the release of their second album.

Though Sour Candy have been active throughout the entire year, and have almost become unavoidable, they were the second group to be brought up by Yoo. Sour Candy's third mini album. RPG, dropped in June, and there's little questions to be answered about their next comeback whilst they're still in the progress of promoting one. Instead, the bulk of the CEO's statement revolved around group member Harin, who made headlines earlier in the year for a scandalous night in Paris that caused a commotion at Incheon airport. Yoo also announced some exciting news for fans of one of the boys, but you'll have to read his statement to find out who!

Sour Candy kicked off the year spectacularly, and are actively promoting their latest release now, so I ask that you watch them fondly and support them throughout this current era. I can't say with certainly that RPG will be the last fans will hear of Sour Candy this year, however, for the next few months the members will be enjoying a well-deserved rest period, and focusing on individual schedules for a short while. We have heard many express concern recently regarding Kwon Harin's personal life, as well as had fingers pointed our way for favouring him above the others. The latter statement is simply untrue. Harin is held to the same standards as any idol under our company, and like any idol, the frequency and content of his solo schedules are informed by interest and demand. Regarding the pictures and videos taken of Harin in Paris during his fashion schedules earlier this year, Valentine Records would like to extend the same policy to Harin as we do all of his fellow labelmates, and not pry into his non-work related affairs. Most pressingly, we have noticed many publications posting inappropriate articles speculating on Kwon Harin's sexuality. We would like to remind these publications of the standard of integrity they should hold themselves to in order to be seen as refutable. Sexual orientation is not something that is taken into consideration when one auditions for Valentine Records, and it is not a question we intend to ever ask any of our artists, nor will we allow them to be bullied into answering it. In more exciting news, Lee Bohyung has recently been given the go-ahead to begin work on his first solo album, expected to be ready for release by around December. Bohyung is one of our finest vocalists, and an idol with almost a decade's worth of experience, and we are thrilled to be witnessing this milestone in his career. We ask you all to support Bohyung, as from what I've heard coming from the studio, he's got something special in store!

It's been a few years now, since we last saw HiSTERIA all together, and a ripple of interest spread around the conference room when Yoo uttered their name; however, to the disappointment of many, Yoo delivered an icy statement, in which he confirmed recent fears that Shin Taeeun, Gu Kyunggu and Jang Heejin had declined to resign as solo artists, despite the group's contract renewal last year. As such, Yoo only spoke on the plans going forward for Daichi, who has been working in Japan since 2023, and Kwak Junhong; the group's youngest member, who replaced Song Taejun, better known as Tiny, in 2016. Since then, HiSTERIA have only had two releases, and Junhong has had no solo schedules at all beyond one magazine shoot.

Many have been asking about a HiSTERIA comeback, and I've seen a lot of theories and conjecture in the press, mostly coming to the conclusion that they have been unofficially disbanded. As of July 2024, HiSTERIA remain an act signed under Valentine Records. All five members, Taeeun, Kyunggu, Heejin, Daichi and Junhong resigned their group contract last year. However, negotiations were shaky when this year, it was time to discuss the members' contracts as solo artists, and it has turned out that only Sakurai Daichi and Kwak Junhong's solo schedules will remain to be overseen by Valentine Records. The conclusions to the negotiations were unfortunate, especially given how hard Daichi and Junhong worked to keep the group's name alive while the older three members served their enlistment periods, but we're happy to still be working with the group as a whole, whenever individual schedules allow. For the foreseeable future, Daichi will proceed with his ongoing Japanese solo schedules, while Junhong is excited to explore new opportunities and begin to carve out an individual path for himself. We wish Shin Taeeun, Gu Kyunggu and Jang Heejin the best of luck with whatever it is they've been so eager to go do on their own.

Before wrapping things up, Yoo Seobin finally addressed Tarot. Used to constant updates from the boys, anxiety had been abundant amongst the boy's fans in the first half of the year, which had seen all of the members unusually quiet. Seobin did his best to ease this anxiety. Funnily enough, just last year, after the boy's whirlwind WAKE THE NEIGHBOURS World Tour, fans banded together to demand a break for the boys, who they'd accused of being overworked and appearing bedraggled. Turns out, that's what Valentine had given them. Careful what you wish for, Tarot fans!

The final group to address is, of course, Tarot. It has not gone unnoticed to us at Valentine Records that this year has come with a sharp increase on LED trucks outside our building, and the majority of them seem to have the same name written upon it. Just last year, fans of Tarot threatened boycotts if the boys were not allowed time to rest following the conclusion of their world tour, which wrapped in January of this year. Following this, I extended the deadline on the group's next project by three months, to allow time for recuperation, exploration of creative ideas, and chances for the group's members to return home and see their families, including members such as Junjie and Jorden, who have come to Valentine from overseas. Through the spring, the boys were allowed to work on their upcoming project at their own pace, or not at all, if that had been their wish, with a return to the usual more structured, focused approach to kick in with the change of seasons. Work on Tarot's next album has been well under way since the beginning of the year, as well as a solo project led by Tetsuo. Fans can also expect upcoming good news regarding Jorden Kim, although there is nothing more I can say about this at the present time. As someone who is always thrilled to listen to anything this group present to me, I can sympathise with the desire for more music from them, but I once more must emphasize that these things can take time for several different reasons, especially if we are to consistently deliver work to the standard that has come to be expected of Valentine Records. I can assure you that Tarot will have engaged in group activities, both in Korea and overseas, by the end of the year, and request that before making extreme, continuous demands, that you make your mind up what it is you want, going forward.

With this, Seobin ended the press conference, though not without hints towards a label-wide project, ending with the following;

Valentine would like to give a parting thank you to all of you, wether you support every artist under the label or just like one song by one group, we are sincerely grateful to everyone who has taken the time to listen to the music we all create with so much love. We hope you all look forward to the end of the year, when there will come news that will excite all of you, no matter who your favourite Valentine act may be. With love, this has been your Valentine.

What are your thoughts? Are you excited for your favourite group, or do you think they're being shafted? Do you even believe a word this company has to say? Sound off in the comments below!

[arkanah]

😵‍💫

[arkanah]

Kwon Ahin was born in the outskirts of Jeonju, South Korea. His parents were farmers, and he lived out, from the outside, a picturesque childhood in the rural parts of the city. Ahin was homeschooled by his parents, who in reality were stiflingly strict, not allowing him to leave the farm unattended, watch television, play video games or listen to music. To entertain himself, Ahin turned to art and writing stories; however, through exposure at school, Ahin would become particularly fascinated with music, and soon began writing songs instead.

When Ahin was fifteen, he danced to Candy by H.O.T with his friends at a school festival. The video was uploaded to YouTube, and seen by chance by a talent scout at Valentine Records. After months of convincing, Ahin was allowed to sign to the label, though he has not kept the support of his parents and has since fallen out of contact with them. Ahin had no trouble fitting in with the other trainees at Valentine Records, quickly proving himself popular among trainees and staff alike. As the oldest among Valentine's fourth generation groups, Ahin is seen as a dependable figure by his peers at the label, looked to as a leader even by members of the other groups.

Thanks to his rural upbringing and vocal ticks, and his friendly, open personality, Ahin has maintained a boy-next-door image since his debut as the leader of Tarot, often promoted as a Good Man, with his reliability and good manners constantly pushed by the label. Ahin has also been active as a producer and songwriter since he was a trainee; one of the few members of Valentine Records' production teams to consistently be allowed to work with artists outside of the label. Alongside Junjie, Harin of Sour Candy and Gain of Medusa, Ahin is considered one of Valentine's 'favourites' by fans.

PREDICTION : what kind of a moron builds a throne on top of Fortuna's wheel? well, i suppose you'll have a nice view until she takes her next spin.

NAME : Kwon Ahin. BIRTHDAY : August 6 1996. ZODIAC : Leo. NATIONALITY : South Korean HOMETOWN : Jeonju, South Korea. POSITION : Leader, Lead Vocalist. ARCANA : Wheel of Fortune. FC : Ong Seongwu.

Yoon Yongguk was born in Busan, South Korea, though moved to Seoul in 2005, following the divorce of his parents. From then, he was raised by his mother, an office worker who could not afford to spend much time out of the office if she wanted to continue to support them. Very shortly after his parent's divorce, Yongguk lost contact with his father, who had been quick to find a new girlfriend. This planted a seed of resentment in Yongguk that he would begin to take out on his classmates, and by high school had settled into comfortable delinquency.

At seventeen, Yongguk was scouted by one of Valentine Records' talent scouts while smoking by the gates of his school. He attended the audition solely because the scout had threatened to report him to the school if he did not. Regardless of a complete lack of skill in singing, dancing, nor rapping, Yongguk was accepted into the label based on looks alone, and by the skin of his teeth was one of fourteen trainees to be selected for the Debut Team project; miraculously sorted into Team A while tens of his peers, all far more talented than him, were dropped from the label with no second chance. Although it's easy enough to believe that Valentine Records really were shallow enough to value Yongguk's appearance over everything else about him being unfit to debut, speculation among former trainees always carry the same trend; Yoo Seobin has some kind of soft spot for Yongguk, as if Yongguk reminds him of his younger self. Although this preference hasn't translated into career gain the way it might have for Ahin, Junjie, Harin and Gain, it's always been clear that there's some kind of odd bond between Yongguk and the label's CEO.

As a member of Tarot, things for Yongguk have been fine. That's kind of it. He's there to look pretty, which he knows and does well, without any of the need for approval of Junjie or the desperation for more of Jorden. He takes what he's given and does his job, bows at all the right people, smiles for the cameras, and manages to entertain just enough, but never actually give anyone anything to wonder about. He enjoys the benefits of his hit songs while standing in the back, not singing any of the hard parts, more than happy to let the others play their war games for all the attention. He'll ride their coattails as long as he can, and as of right now, things are fine. Eerily fine, like far more fine than things should ever have been able to get. He searches his name every night and never finds any of his old yearbook pictures next to lists of all the horrible things he's said and done, even though he knows it's coming and it's long overdue. He just waits.

PREDICTION : what's done to you is done to others, and those others do it to even more, and the next others do it to you again. over and over and over, until everything has been devoured.

NAME : Yoon Yongguk. BIRTHDAY : April 24 1998. ZODIAC : Taurus. NATIONALITY : South Korean. HOMETOWN : Seoul, South Korea. POSITION : Vocalist, Sub-Rapper. ARCANA : The Magician. FC : Kim Jiwoong.

Tachikawa Tetsuo was born in Shinjuku in 1998. His father is a prominent figure in the religious community of his hometown, and Tetsuo was brought up in a devout Catholic household. Through church, Tetsuo developed and maintained a love of singing, particularly hymns, and began dreaming of becoming an idol. His father, however, took offense to many aspects of the idol industry, and forbid Tetsuo from even entertaining the idea. Tetsuo's childhood was characterised by extreme restriction, regulation, and punishment, and he has opened up very little about it, even to those closest to him. Since moving to South Korea, he has lost contact with his entire family, and is not welcome home.

In 2017, a nineteen year old Tetsuo arrived in Seoul, and began taking every audition he could find, and sending audition tapes to every single label he could find an email for, sleeping in bathhouses and on the subway for two weeks before being scouted by random for Valentine Records on the street. Tetsuo saw this as a sign from god, and after facing rejection at his initial audition, maintained determination that he was meant to sign to Valentine. Tetsuo waited outside the Valentine building for twelve hours in order to personally hand CEO Yoo Seobin a USB tape with his audition on it, and was signed to the label before the end of the week.

Tetsuo is a beloved member of Tarot, best known for his gentle and sunny demeanour, positive outlook on life, and hauntingly beautiful vocals. Tetsuo has mentioned sometimes struggling with the themes of Tarot's music, and some of their styling/visuals due to his upbringing, but embraces this discomfort as he believes he has a lot still to learn about the world. Due to many fans exaggerating Tetsuo's personality as being far more innocent, naïve and 'pure' than he ever actually presents, a distaste for him has bred throughout the industry; because on the flipside, it's an open secret among industry insiders that Tetsuo is gay and notoriously easy to get into bed, and the disparity between the two translates to obnoxious fakeness to many; after all, is that really how a good, god-fearing man would behave?

PREDICTION : most young kings get their heads cut off.

NAME : Tachikawa Tetsuo. BIRTHDAY : November 2 1998. ZODIAC : Scorpio. NATIONALITY : Japanese. HOMETOWN : Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. POSITION : Main Vocalist. ARCANA : The Emperor. FC : Maeda Kentaro.

Zhang Junjie is the heir to one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Born the eldest of two twins in the winter of 1998, Junjie spent the early years of his life in Shanghai, but moved to London, England, alongside his sister and mother, at five years old to go to school there. As a teenager, Junjie attended a prestigious all-boys private boarding school, where he was a choir member and received classical vocal training. Extremely studious and determined to excel, Junjie also had a spot on the school's debate team, student council, cricket team, and as an extracurricular trained in traditional Chinese dance.

In 2016, it became headline news that Junjie, alongside his twin sister, Zhang Shiyu, had signed as trainees to Valentine Records, making them the company's highest profile trainees. As heirs to one of the biggest conglomerates in east Asia, their entry into the k-pop industry was controversial for some, considering the twins to be buying their way into one of the biggest labels in the industry on a whim; and these allegations of gross nepotism wouldn't cool down until years label, when Shiyu was unceremoniously dropped from the label upon the revelation of her relationship with fellow trainee, Jung Jumin.

Although Junjie is still openly a product of nepotism, the shameful and callous handling of Shiyu's scandal won her public sympathy, and in turn, some of that rubbed off onto him as well. Since his debut in 2018, Junjie's exceptional vocal ability, as well as his status as a kind of a musical prodigy has allowed him to prove his worth and his spot in Tarot. Junjie is fiercely beloved by his Chinese fans, who have a reputation for mass-purchasing anything he attaches his name to and not playing games when it comes to his good name. As the most front-and-centre member of Tarot, being involved in the writing and production of the majority of their music, and just a Valentine Records idol in general, Junjie boasts a formidable fanbase within South Korea as well, although he's often subject to criticism in the way he distributes lines among the group members. Junjie has also garnered notoriety for being brutally candid and outspoken, leading to an ongoing public feud with rock singer Jung Kitae, which has severely effected his reputation. (Not his record sales, though.)

PREDICTION : what use is it to feel one thing and perform another? you're backwards. born backwards. you're the wrong half.

NAME : Zhang Junjie. BIRTHDAY : December 28th 1998. ZODIAC : Cancer. NATIONALITY : Chinese. HOMETOWN : Shanghai, China. POSITION : Main Vocalist, Main Dancer, Face of the Group. ARCANA : The Lovers. FC : Zhang Hao.

Jorden Kim was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, to a lawyer father and a psychiatrist mother. Jorden lived an untroubled, upper-middle class life- he got decent grades, was popular amongst his classmates, was a good enough dancer that he didn't get made fun of for taking dance lessons, and spent most of his teenage years getting high in cars or drunk at house parties. From an early age, thanks to the influence of his older sister, Jayne, Jorden has harboured a love of K-Pop, but kept this interest to himself for fear of ridicule from his friends. Other than his unflinching resolve that Hwayoung of Saint Valentine was the hottest celebrity, none of Jorden's friends would have had any reason to suspect he had any more than passing knowledge of K-pop, and so when he just vanished one day in 2018, it hadn't crossed any of their minds that he'd passed an open audition held by Valentine Records and had run off to Korea with no goodbyes.

Upon arriving in South Korea, Jorden would find his life starkly turned on his head. Added into what was then known as 'Debut Team A,' at the very last minute, Jorden's suggestions of 'getting wasted' during self-directed practice and innocent inquiries on where to buy weed didn't sit well with many of his fellow trainees, many of whom had poured their entire youths into reaching the opportunity that Jorden had seemingly wandered into. As such, Jorden's trainee life at Valentine Records would be notably solitary, with his debut team members Yongguk and Junjie acting especially unkind towards him, often abusing his position as maknae and lack of knowledge of the culture to have him wait on them hand and foot. After intervention from Ahin, Jorden and Yongguk found common ground; however the incident cemented Junjie's dislike for Jorden, with their relationship continuing to worsen to this day.

As a member of Tarot, Jorden is often disregarded as a 'spare part,' referred to as the pinnacle of an unnecessary member. It's rare for Jorden to get a substantial part in any Tarot song, and it's not hard for his fans to notice that their songs seem to purposefully meander away from any of his strengths, never choreography heavy (even when they might benefit from being so) and extremely reluctant to ever include rap segments for more than a few bars. In spite of his lack of musical contribution (and whether you believe it's of his own volition or not) Jorden has managed to keep himself steady at the mid-point of popularity rankings thanks to his work outside of Tarot, particularly his acting career, which kicked off in 2020 when he was requested by director Noh Kangsun to audition for the lead role in queer movie Curtains, which earned him a nomination for Best New Actor at the 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards. Since then, he has appeared in a handful of films and dramas, consistently praised as a strong actor. In 2021, Jorden was the first Valentine act to attend the MET Gala, to which he infamously wore jeans.

PREDICTION : better to reign in hell, and all that. have you read paradise lost, jorden? of course not.

NAME : Jorden Kim. BIRTHDAY : May 21 2000. ZODIAC : Leo. NATIONALITY : Korean-American. HOMETOWN : Daytona Beach, FL, USA. POSITION : Rapper, Lead Dancer, Maknae. ARCANA : The Devil. FC : Kim Sunwoo.

[arkanah]

in honor of tarot's tumblr redebutation, ahin's wp good old days is now edited and re-uploaded to the sourkive !

[arkanah]

»━━› VALENTINE'S NEW-GEN LEADING MEN COME TO (PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE) BLOWS OVER SOUR CANDY'S LATEST HIT.

Between a scandalous Paris Fashion Week and an impactful appearance at the MET Gala 2024, Sour Candy's Kwon Harin has been no stranger to a headline in the past few months; and not all for good. In March, the star was spotted smoking, drinking, and fraternising with both genders in a Paris nightclub, calling his professionalism into question. Now, the singer seems to be wrapped up in strife with label-mate and fellow Valentine favourite; Zhang Junjie of Tarot.

Junjie himself is no stranger to public feuds; having gone back and forth previously with rock singer Jung Kitae, who had mocked the k-pop group’s experiments with the genre. In response to comments about being manufactured and inauthentic, Junjie penned the Tarot track ‘Sinatra,’ which seems to take jabs at Kitae’s own music, as well as his troubled career and history of drug abuse. This time, during a livestream, Junjie seemingly set his sights on Sour Candy after a fan asked him a question about the group’s latest single, Put The Needle On It, a track produced by Tarot’s executive producer.

The subject passed quickly during the livestream, but Junjie’s comments didn’t go unnoticed, with a clip quickly causing heated discussion online. Fans of Tarot lamented the chance to hear their favourite group sing the song, especially given its success on the charts, however Sour Candy fans felt like Junjie had been purposefully disrespectful towards his juniors, implicitly suggesting that Harin had stolen a song. This interpretation did nothing to aid Harin’s reputation, as his recent night on the town and all of his solo endeavours in the fashion world have already been fanning the flames of favouritism accusations.

In a lapse of usually iron-clad media sense, Harin eventually responded to Junjie’s claims publicly, with a quick and simple post to his instagram story.

Valentine Records have declined to make a statement on the discourse; which seems to be their preferred method for any current critique of Harin; as they’ve still yet to address the public commotion caused around him in the airport this March.

COMMENTS.

tachikawaz said: I love them both but I can’t bring myself to care about this argument.

- mnjisearlobes replied: Right? I feel like they’re both being petty…

- streamratedr replied: Harin definitely isn’t. I respect him for speaking up for himself. Junjie is a bully.

haringf said: ㅠㅠ i can't stand my biases fighting

amfhdf said: Why do they even keep Junjie around? All he does is cause trouble.

- ahkwon replied: He wrote and produced 50% of Tarot’s songs and all of their hits, that’s why…

- streamratedr replied: He has very few sole credits, let’s be real about his level of involvement for once. Why’s he being so possessive of Luke’s work if he makes all the hits himself?

promoteminwoo said: this was supposed to be minwoo’s era i want to kill myself

sojaded said: Harin’s kinda right cause he’s the one who wrote the song… so how was it Tarot’s song? I bet Tarot, Sour Candy and even Medusa have all tried the same song out before, it’s like four or five producers working between all three groups… I honestly feel like Junjie’s being kinda stupid

potentialbrkupsng said: Both Harin and his fans just breezing past Harin writing a song based on Junjie’s idea and not crediting him as a writer… and then using that lack of credit as evidence he wasn’t involved. nasty work.

minjidefender said: it's so funny knowing their living situation cause harin could literally just go upstairs and knock on junjie's front door instead of posting about it on instagram lol

harinsflatass said: i think the only way they can resolve this is by kissing

zhangtwins4ever said: everyone is treating this like a fucking joke but junjie is literally telling us that sour candy get whatever they want at the expense of tarot and medusa and he's the bad guy? we need to go back to the boycott.

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I DON'T NEED NO GOOD ADVICE ; I'M ALREADY WASTED !!

TAROT are a five member boy group formed by VALENTINE RECORDS. Consisting of members Kwon AHIN, Yoon YONGGUK, Tachikawa TETSUO, Zhang JUNJIE and JORDEN Kim, the group made their debut in the summer of 2019, with the track SUPERLOVE, however they'd breakthrough with their critically acclaimed first mini album, BEST NEW BAND. Personally selected, trained and mentored by legendary hip-hop artist LUKE, who also acts as their creative director, TAROT have become known for their eclectic, experimental style, their fans affectionately nicknaming their concept 'genre-roulette.' The majority of TAROT's songs are written and produced by members AHIN and JUNJIE, the latter of whom is especially criticised for favouring the best parts of the song for himself.

Despite being critical darlings, TAROT's public image has been shaky from the start, thanks to rumours of infighting, sharp differences in popularity between members, and certain members' outspoken ways. Often wheeled out as damage control when the headlines get nasty for their labelmates; TAROT are easily the most overworked act under VALENTINE, and when they're not on tour or preparing for a comeback, they're split up for solo schedules.

KWON AHIN. leader, lead vocalist; wheel of fortune. YOON YONGGUK. vocalist, sub-rapper; the magician. TACHIKAWA TETSUO. main vocalist; the emperor. ZHANG JUNJIE. main vocalist, main dancer, face of the group; the lovers. JORDEN KIM. rapper, lead dancer, maknae; the devil.

SUPERLOVE. (Digital Single, 2019) Title: SUPERLOVE. BEST NEW BAND. (Mini Album, 2019) Title: POTENTIAL BREAKUP SONG. BRAIN CHEMISTRY. (Mini Album, 2020) Title: 95 DEGREES IN THE SHADE. ROCKET SCIENCE. ('Brain Chemistry' Repackage, 2020) Title: BUBBLE BATH. SORE EYES. (Mini Album, 2021 - Tetsuo Solo) Title: ROVER. ROTA. (Mini Album, 2021) Title: ROUND ROUND. HELLBOY. (Digital Single, 2021 - Junjie Solo) Title: HELLBOY. WHAT WILL THE NEIGHBOURS SAY? (Album, 2022) Title: ANTAGONIST, SINATRA. WWW.TAROT.COM. (Mini Album, 2023) Title: SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND.

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SUNWOO Nectar

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JIWOONG ENERGETIC KCON HONG KONG

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(ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡

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"I also... Never mind. I don't remember either."

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tarot, and the long way down. fictional idol writing blog centred around the lives and careers of kwon ahin, yoon yongguk, tachikawa tetsuo, zhang junjie and jorden kim. written by robbie. contains mature and sometimes dark themes.

i. GROUP BIO. ii. MEMBER PROFILES. iii. DISCOGRAPHY. iv. DISCLAIMER. v. TAG LIST. vi. WRITING MASTERLIST.

LATEST CHAPTER:

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jiwooooooooonnnnnnnngg

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haohao being the visual king he is

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MAEDA KENTARO as Kiriya Keisuke in Utsukushii Kare: Eternal (2023)