#2019 most anticipated movies

[meltthefrozenheart]

Revealing these questions at D23 is a good signal for Frozen 3 & 4

<Coming out of Frozen 2 we still had questions, a lot of questions actually. That's just page one. Now you see why it will take two films to answer them> - Jennifer Lee

Now, we all are speculating about the direction these two new movies will lead us, but I think the most interesting aspect is how much they anticipated these questions to the audience. I won't disect them because a lot of people already did that and it would be too long for me, but still, I think it's important to consider what all this might mean.

When it came down to Frozen 2, they didn't anticipate that much to the audience until it was the D23 Expo of 2019 and for the most part they were left mostly for the interviews that these questions (here a ScreenRant article for example):

Here they decided instead to go with a 3 years anticipation about what the two movies will mostly be about. This means they have already an idea of where they are headed, at least premises wise.

I think the most important aspect here is that the questions put on stage connect back to both Frozen and Frozen 2.

F2 already did that by answering a couple of important questions connected to the first movie:

Why Agnarr and Iduna chose such an extreme course with their daughters? The trauma of what happened 34 years before in the Enchanted Forest

Where were the parents headed to which led to their deaths? They were trying to sail through the Dark Sea to reach Ahtohallan and have answers about Elsa powers

Why Elsa was born with her icy powers? As a gift because Iduna saved Agnarr's life when they were little despite being on opposite sides

In that case those were all things connected to the sisters and their parents, basically focusing mainly on the prologue part of F1.

As we can see, the Frozen 3/4 questions extend beyond Anna & Elsa, allowing other important characters like Kristoff, Sven, Olaf, Marshmallow & the Snowgies and even Hans to appear in this list. Yeah, maybe some will most likely be for fun and quickly answered (the iconic Oaken expression for example), but it doesn't sound much logical to spent two movies just to maybe make fun of some characters, that sounds pretty stupid.

I think it's clear the intention here is basically the same when they were making Frozen 2: trying to give a sense of complition and clearness to the saga as a whole, not simply introducing a new situation with new characters.

Even questions related to the ruins in Ahtohallan, the idea of a previous Fifth Spirit, getting a better understanding of Elsa's evergrowing powers and see the challenges Anna will face as Queen are all elements that most likely will allow to expand the world of Frozen beyond the Arendelle and Northuldra borders.

After all, even the Frozen 3 concept art only give us an initial idea of what we will see but, just like the F1 concept always showed at D23 shows us almost nothing about the the plot (just Anna and Elsa skating), it's not all.

Who knows, maybe we will see the Duke of Weselton again? Or the Trolls are in fact hiding something, but maybe not what people has theorized for years?

[frozen10fanzine]

Frozen Through the Years

Yearly Spotlight: 2019

Written by @toriofthetrees

After six long years, 2019 saw the release of the long-anticipated sequel, Frozen II.

The lead-up up to the release was intense to say the least.

The first teaser trailer premiered in February, opening with Elsa on a black-sand beach stripped down to her bare essentials, barefoot, ready to take on a raging sea. She attempted twice to cross the torrential waters before the trailer turned to Anna’s shock of hundreds of diamond-shaped glass covered in strange symbols, taking over Arendelle. Following closely behind were several moments of Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, and Anna taking on dangerous challenges, and a show of strange, foreign magic. All of this was centered around this new, mysterious setting known only at the time as an autumnal forest.

It gave just enough of a preview to hook millions.

The trailer was viewed and downloaded several million times on Twitter and YouTube within a short amount of time. In the fandom, a storm of news, posts, speculation, and discussions broke out over several platforms, too chaotic to keep track of. The months that followed the teaser were absolutely brimming with excitement! Across cinemas, television, and the internet—both in the US and internationally—came many trailers, sneak peaks, and posters about the upcoming movie. Alongside this came leaks as well, all of it sparking speculation in the fandom over what the plot of the movie could be.

Countless books about Frozen II came onto the market before the film was even released, notably without the end of the film printed within their pages. This lead to fans in many locations to protest the shops selling these books, wanting their money back.

Most of these protests lead to no results.

Success for Disney Studios, specifically. contributed to the exposure for Frozen II. ~In March, Disney invested billions of US dollars in company acquisitions across the film and TV industry, creating the most powerful media company in the world in the USA. ~This was the year of the 6th Disney D23 Expo, the biggest Disney fan event of the year! It was held on August 23–25 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, showcasing news and pictures around all the new Disney parks, resorts—and movies! Including Frozen II! ~On November 12, 2019, Disney launched its streaming platform Disney+ in several countries ~2019 ultimately proved to be Disney's most successful cinema year to date, regardless of which new film was released!

All of this led up to the release of Frozen II on November 20, 2019 in most countries (unfortunately some countries had to wait until the beginning of January).

This new installment to Elsa and Anna’s story saw the sisters and their found family making a long trek away from Arendelle… in order to save it. Mysterious magics send them up north to the Enchanted Forest, that is covered in an impenetrable mist. Yet, it parts for them. The deeper they go into the forest, the more they discover about themselves, their family, the spirits, Arendelle… so that only one thing can be said for certain: Nothing will ever be the same again.

This film was polarizing.

In the cultural zeitgeist, it was a massive success like its predecessor, exceeding Frozen as the highest grossing animated film of all time. It received mostly positive reviews and it would go on to be nominated for multiple awards, including an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. The Disney merchandising machinery was running at full speed and earned the company many more millions within a short amount of time. The limited edition dolls were sold out on the same day as release! However, it notably did not have the same cultural reach that its predecessor had. “Into the Unknown,” to many, was not comparable to “Let it Go.” And the film was nominated aplenty, but never actually received any awards.

However, it was within the fandom that this polarization was seen the clearest.

Frozen II made good on its promise that nothing would ever be the same for these characters. The sisters, though still as close as ever, no longer lived under the same roof by the end of the film. Elsa abdicated her crown for her duties as the Fifth Spirit and Guardian of the Enchanted Forest, while Anna took over as Queen of Arendelle. This separation, whilst to some was a step-up for the sisters, others saw as a step back. This debate rages in the fandom to this day, and many, many fans on Tumblr, Reddit, and other social media prefer Frozen to its sequel.

The fandom did gain some new content, including the addition of multiple ships. There were two that were rather popular. The first was Agduna (Agnarr/Iduna), which came about because of the major focus Frozen II had on them, the sisters’ parents. The second was Elsamaren (Elsa/Honeymaren), which came about because Honeymaren had a minor, but important interaction with Elsa in the film that sent her on the right path to Ahtohallan.

Just as Frozen II’s main theme—change—impacted the sisters, so to it did the fandom. The polarizing effect of the film lead to quite passionate arguments over its content. However, the fandom did not get any smaller or lose any passion. People continued to create, debate, discuss, and post about Frozen and Frozen II. In interviews, the cast and crew said that Frozen II was made to grow up with the audience who were there when the first film was released in theaters. With that in mind, the fandom no longer looked like it did when Frozen first came out.

Things change.

But we can still all agree on one thing: We love Frozen 💕

Stay Tuned For More

👆🏻 Click above if you want to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Frozen. The due date is April 12, 2024.

We look forward to seeing your memories ❄️

[michaelhholden]

Every Taika Waititi film ranked by how much I liked them, while I count down the days to the release of Next Goal Wins (my most anticipated movie of the year!)

DISCLAIMER: I like all Taika Waititi films, so don't get angry at me

7. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Fun and colourful, I love Korg, Jeff Goldblum is great, but to me this is just a Marvel movie. Sorry, Marvel fans, this movie was just OK.

6. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

More fun and colourful than Ragnarok, loved Christian Bale, loved the kids, loved Jane Foster's arc (I thought it was well handled!). There was a bit too much Korg, I admit. People say this movie had too many jokes and didn't take itself seriously enough. Well, of course it didn't! It's a movie about gods and aliens and stuff in space! Honestly it was a blast and I liked it better than the third one. I said what I said.

5. JoJo Rabbit (2019)

This is a great film, we all know that. It speaks really well of Taika's filmography that it's so down on the list. It was hilarious and adorable and important. I feel like the comedy-drama could have been better balanced, I couldn't fully connect emotionally. Still, it was great and hilarious, the parody aspects were really well done and I really liked it.

4. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

This one is really funny, it doesn't get enough credit for how funny it is. I loved the too leads, especially Sam Neill, I wasn't sure how well he'd fit into Taika's style, but he was fantastic. A really fun film.

3. Eagle vs Shark (2007)

All Eagle vs Shark haters are wrong, this film is great. Lily is the most adorable person, Jarrod is a dick but played with so much love that you can't help but emphatize with him and hope that he gets a redemption. The story was so sweet, I was actually, like, 'awww'ing out lout at times. Also the small town vibes and the awkwardness, and the feeling of having a giant crush on someone you have never really spoken to, it's all so real, I really love it.

2. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

That I didn't rank this as number 1 is a surprise even to myself. This is one of my favourite movies and maybe my favourite comedy film of all time. I love the show as well, but to be honest I think the film is much much better. It's just- the vibes, man. The documentary aspect is fantastic. Also, Stu.

1. Boy (2010)

This movie feels like being told a secret, it's so personal. It is small and self-contained, but at the same time it creates a world so huge and lived-in that it's hard to believe it wasn't really filmed in the eighties. The kids are adorable, the scenery is so beautiful, the story is so heartfelt and full of emotions it genuinely made me cry (not for anything in particular, just everything had been done with so much love, it made me feel so many emotions and they could only escape through tears). It is Taika Waititi's masterpiece. Where he usually leans more into the comedy, here he lets the seriousness take over when necessary, and it really works so well. I just love this film, it is amazing, go watch it right now.

...and that's it. Taika Waititi is probably my favorite director at the moment, he's got a vision and is very good at realising it. He writes heartfelt and funny stories, likeable characters, amazing dialoge and his films always look very pretty. Totally recoment any of the ones in this list!

[chase-ingjackson]

A few reasons I like and dislike the the new Percy Jackson show (and why I think the musical is better) - initial reaction

To start, I think this new PJO show is a million times better than that dumpster fire of a movie (though I love logan lerman <3). I like that it is quite faithful to the overall arcs and major plot lines of the book. I love the diversity and high caliber of actors (though I def have some Viria-art inspired character images in my head that are god-tier). I love some of the characterizations/portrayals, especially when it comes to making the character more complex (I really appreciate TV Sally for being a real person with complex emotion, though of course book Sally is my fav). And I love that it's so high budget and hgihly-anticipated (great marketing) that it is bringing this beloved story to a greater audience, especially the younger generation and older generation (as parents/grandparents) than those of us who grew up with the series.

I can boil down all of my dislikes of this show into one overarching but very essential part of the show: I don't like that it is a drama. The characters are way too serious and too every-other-moment-we-need-an-instense-heart-to-heart. What I think this show should have been is a comedy adventure with drama/melodrama sprinkled in. In the books, it's all about the banter. And the TV show does some good one-liners, but it's always so serious. I think the best part of the book is that the characters can stay light-hearted and fun despite the horrors and terrors they face. In the show, the gods spoon feed the trio most of the answers, so when they do have a good realization (SPOILER: e.g. Kronos being the orchestrating force) it kind of comes out of nowhere. TV Annabeth is so serious (I know in the first book she is her most serious, but not to this degree) and a lot of the moments when she has time to use her smarts are gone or approached differently. Percy, too. He's not just self-sacrificing (which they really lean into in the show) but he's also incredibly smart and silly. In the books he's kind of a surface-level himbo with great critical thinking, but in the show he's kind of left in the dark and doesn't get opportunities to make his own plans (also, he doesn't seem to know how to control his power (by the 7th episode); whereas in the book he def did at this point. Then there are just dumb changes to make the show more "serious" like not mentioning that cell phones attract monsters or that monsters just smell demigods and not have a 6th sense for them. I'm finding that by trying to change these small details to make it something more exciting or interesting, it's distancing us existing fans by not letting us relate to the small details that really don't matter. For the cellphones, they still use Iris messages rather than getting a payphone or something, so that's kind of a plot hole in the show that is answered by the book.

Anyways, those are my main takeaways. Now, when I say "the musical" I refer to The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical by Joe Tracz and Rick Rokicki which first premiered in 2014 but got revamped and redebued in 2017 (which is when it came into my life). I got to see it live in Toronto in 2019 with my middle school best friend, but have been an avid listener of the soundtrack since 2017 (the day it came out on streaming platforms).

The musical in my eyes is a nearly-perfect adaptation of the book. It's soo funny - def the action comedy I'm after, but does have the meaningful emotional moments (ballads, which are essential in musicals). The show itself if the full package; however, even just listening to the soundtrack gives you the whole gist. Here's a link to hte soundtrack on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFwX6FWeUFQ&list=PL0hK1fYMaqXbtZ0Fhm48TYcLJl7ikNX7Q&ab_channel=TheLightningThief%3AOriginalCastAlbum

Anyways, I want to hear more thoughts and pls tell me what you think of the show (and the musical!!)

[itsvivace]

— SAD GIRLS CLUB . . THE DISCOGRAPHY !

tw: flashing lights !!!

Sad Girls Club is a fictional sub-unit of the fictional thirteen-member girl group, VIVACE, consisting of five members : EUNMI, NOELLE, ARA, YANA, & HAYEON. VIVACE is split into three active sub-units to promote in, and today, we’ll be exploring their first and most famous unit, Sad Girls Club. Sad Girls Club explores more of VIVACE’s mature side, along with heavily Second Gen inspired music, which has captured the hearts of fans all around the world.

— 2019 - 2021 . . ALL EYES ON ME . .

A few weeks after VIVACE’s debut, I-Teen Media announced that they would be debuting their first sub-unit under the name Sad Girls Club. Due to the popularity of ARA, NOELLE, & HAYEON, their debut was hugely anticipated by even non fans of VIVACE. Sad Girls Club debuted on October 2, 2019, with the self-titled mini album “SAD GIRLS CLUB” consisting of five tracks, “Like This” serving as the title track. SAD GIRLS CLUB debuted with 96K album sales, and Like This immediately charted #1 on every South Korean chart within the first week of release, even getting the girls their first win on their second week of promotions.

Sad Girls Club would return six months later on April 4, 2020, with their first single album, “My Attitude”, consisting of two tracks, “Inside Job” serving as the album’s title track. The album debuted with 139K album sales, with Inside Job debuting at #3 on the chart and moving up to #1 a week after release. Inside Job was the start of their slower and more mature sounding music, which gained them a bunch of fans during this era.

A few months later on August 5, 2020, they released their second mini album, “REVOLUTION”, which consists of six tracks including the title track, “VILLAIN”. REVOLUTION is a more noisy and experimental sound than what they usually did but the album still debuted with 194K album sales and debuted #2 on charts.

As an end-of-the-year release, they dropped their third mini album, “WOMAN”, consisting of five tracks, including the title track “Woman”, on December 14, 2020. Woman trended for its second-gen sound and woman-empowering message, which earned the album 482K album sales and #1 across global charts.

Sad Girls Club would only release two things in the year 2021. On May 23, 2021, they put out their first digital single, “Pretty Savage”, which charted #3 on Melon and #2 globally. They would then come back on July 15, 2021, with their fourth mini album, “Movie Star”, consisting of six tracks, including the title track, “N♡︎DE”. They would comment on the unfair standards and sexualization women go through, especially in the music industry, which earned them Album of The Year in 2021. Movie Star would give them their first million-seller album, debuting with 1.3M album sales and all of the songs on the album hitting the top ten on charts.

— 2022 - 2023 . . I LIVE FOR THE APPLAUSE . .

With the hype from Movie Star starting to die down and having no comeback announcements from Sad Girls Club, fans were beginning to get anxious waiting for a new release. They would release their first full album, “SUPERWOMAN”, on January 28, 2022, consisting of twelve tracks, including the pre-release single, “SUPERLADIES”, and the second title track, “I Am The Best”. SUPERWOMAN is a powerful album about empowering women, self-love, and self-appreciation. SUPERLADIES would gain 85 million views within the first 24 hours and earned them six music show wins. As of August 2024, SUPERLADIES is one of Sad Girls Club’s most viewed music videos, with 953 million views. I Am The Best went viral for its second-gen influence and powerful sound, releasing with 294 million views in the first 24 hours and giving Sad Girls Club eleven music show wins. The music video is currently at 1.2 billion views, their most viewed music video ever. SUPERWOMAN debuted with 7.8M album sales and sold out almost instantly, making it Sad Girls Club’s biggest release.

Sad Girls Club would come back on June 23, 2022, with their fifth mini album, “Club 5”, consisting of five tracks including the title track “Live It Up”. Club 5 shows a slower and more mature side to Sad Girls Club which earned the album 4.8M album sales and Live It Up hitting the top five on the South Korean charts.

They would end the year off with the release of their second single album, “Bad Boy”, consisting of three tracks including the title track of the same name, “Bad Boy”. They would continue their slower and mature sounding songs for this album which made it get 4M album sales and debuted first on the Global Charts.

Sad Girls Club released their sixth mini album, “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, on February 4, 2023, which consists of six tracks, including the title track, “Lion Heart”. Breakfast At Tiffany’s has a '60s aesthetic and is heavily themed around media created from then. It also talks about the downside of Hollywood and the movie industry as a whole and how it treats its actors, which gave the album 7.6M sales and charted in the top ten.

In a huge suprise to fans, they released their second full album, “The Plastics”, on June 3, 2023, consisting of fifteen tracks, including the pre-release singles “Get In, Loser”, “You Can’t Sit With Us”, and the title track, “Queen B”. The album was completely based off the movie “Mean Girls” made in 2004 and is filled to the brim with references to the movie. The album debuted with over 9 million sales, five music show wins, and a performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards, which they were nominated for.

Sad Girls Club released their third full album, “I’m The Drama” on October 16, 2023, consisting of eleven tracks including the title track, “DRAMA”. This album brought many worries of Sad Girls Club being possibly overworked but nothing was outwardly confirmed other than a few hints some of the members made. The album sold 14 million copies overall and is what fans say was the start of their “Reputation” era.

The latest release from Sad Girls Club is their second digital single, “Hopeless Romantic”, released on November 29, 2023. The song charted third on the charts but fans still say it was overall forgettable and earned the group a suprising amount of hate. As of September 2024, Sad Girls Club have not made a comeback despite the members outwardly stating they would like to have one soon.

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

My ten most-anticipated films for 2024: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Beetlejuice 2, Brush of the God, Drive-Away Dolls, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, I Saw the TV Glow, Mickey 17, Rich Flu, Nosferatu, and Ultraman: Rising. Beetlejuice 2 poster by Alex Murillo. This is my tenth list like this on Tumblr—where does the time go? It's also the first list without a single Marvel movie. I'm finally free... well, until the next Spider-Verse.

(2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015)

[youranemicvampire]

My favorite shows and movies that i've watched in 2023

Barbie (2023)

Always been a sucker for great production and costume design. Feminism aside, it’s so fun and smart with all the references. I just don’t like the Ken hype. He’s fun, sure, but a lot of fans are missing the point or just proving the message of the story.

Bottoms (2023)

Need more lesbian chaos as a comedy fan. Sapphic softcore is ok of course, but you know, there should be a variety of WLW cinema. Perfect also for the Y2K nostalgia. ‘Bring It On’ fan here!

Nocebo (2022)

I actually watched it last year, but it was too late to be on my 2022 list. Underrated political-horror film. Underrated cast! It should’ve had the same hype with Parasite and Triangle of Sadness. For me, it was simple and well-written. The structure of the story was smart but easy to absorb.

About Us But Not About Us (2022)

The first and last single-location film that I watched was Kisaragi (2007) and I’ve been waiting for something like that since then. One of the most important things i look for a media is the script so i really enjoyed it especially when they switched characters. Very intriguing.

The Little Mermaid (2023)

Been waiting for this since 2019! I’ve been a fan of Halle Bailey since that announcement. I rarely watch things on the cinema, but it’s something i couldn’t miss. Beautiful, pure and magical. Perfect casting and amazing chemistry!

Si Chedeng At Si Apple (2017)

Another chaotic lesbian film, but make it Filipino! It was funny and bloooody just like Bottoms so if you liked it then you should try this one. Not a spoiler, but part of the plot: That lady in yellow killed her abusive husband.

Maria Clara At Ibarra (2022)

I haven’t finished it yet! But i would recommend it! Brought back my trust and love for Filipino series. If you are not Filipino, it’s a good way to learn our history. Fun, written with passion + great set and costume design.

Mga Lihim Ni Urduja (2023)

After Maria Clara at Ibarra, i became more interested in Filipino series especially with historical fiction. This one is so underrated and empowering! Has the prettiest and hottest cast tbh and a queer undertone *wink*

Betcin (2021)

I have to say that this is the best Filo GL/WLW so far. It has an actual interesting story and interesting characters. Both leads are toxic AF, but it was sooooo entertaining. Top tier chemistry. Top tier acting!

Swarm (2023)

As a Beyhive, i don’t really like how they chose us coz there are more crazy fandoms out there, but still watched and finished it because of Dominique Fishback. SHE IS AMAZING. She deserves awards for this portrayal alone.

Ang Babae Sa Septik Tank 3: The Real Untold Story of Josephine Bracken (2011)

Another mockumentary that is to die (of laughter) for! I’ve always wanted to finish the trilogy, but i started with this because of history. Frustratingly funny. I don’t know if i would root for her or not lmao 

The ultimatum: Queer love (2023)

I admit, watching reality shows is my guilty pleasure so imagine my excitement when it’s full of queer women??? The dramaaaa lmao i need more seasons of just sapphics. It’s also a cool and chaotic concept tho. I thought it was just a normal dating show at first. 

Physical 100 (2023)

This is my kind of reality show! I hope it will have multiple versions from different countries. The best thing about it is how fitness is really measured by getting competitors from different backgroundsand giving them different challenges. 

Rookie (2023)

The most anticipated movie of the Filipino sapphics! And if you’re a volleyball fan? I’m sure this would be automatically on your list. It’s just so cute and wholesome. 

Ladies First: A story of women in Hip Hop (2023)

Must watch! Not only for the history of the rap girlies, but to trace back the struggles they faced and are still facing. You might discover talented women to stan in your music or lyrical style too.

[pinkscaped]

🩰𓈒 ⋆ ⑅ ˚ ₊ ୨୧      ANALISE was a soloist under FLOWERBANK Entertainment. She was once a member of ALLUME's THIRD GENERATION as their main vocalist and center. Once graduating the group in 2015, Analise would go on to have a prolific solo career and was on the rise to being the top-performing soloist under Flowerbank. Tragically, just three years after her solo debut in 2019, she passed away in hospital due to unknown reasons. In 2021, sasaengs of the late singer would go on to reveal she died of a drug overdose in an attempt to tarnish her name even after death.

TW // DEATH, CHILD EXPLOTATION, ONLINE HARASSMENT, AND DRUG OVERDOSE.

🩰𓈒 ⋆ ⑅ ˚ ₊ ୨୧     CHAPTER   ONE.     ──     HUMBLE   BEGINNINGS.

Analise Yan was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 21st, 1997 to an Irish-American mother and a Chinese father. Her mother was a set designer and her father was a talent manager. Analise has no memories of her life without a camera in her face, her first memory being of her on the early 2000's sitcom "Our House" when she was just three years old. She had a very successful acting career, becoming a silver-screen darling before age ten. She scored multiple TV show roles, direct to VHS/DVD movie roles, and began a music career.

Her music career was primarily targeted towards children her own age, performing on the Disney channel and having her music videos showcased on Nickelodeon. In 2007 at just ten years old, she starred in the popular and now classic Nick TV show iCarly as the character "Melody" who acted as Carly and Spencer's youngest sister.

Her run on iCarly was shortlived as in the second season in 2008, she would leave the show due to unknown reasons and would disappear from the American entertainment industry for good.

🩰𓈒 ⋆ ⑅ ˚ ₊ ୨୧     CHAPTER   TWO.     ──     THRID  GENERATION.

After she vanished from the American limelight, Analise shocked many by appearing in the Korean Pop Scene. At just 13 years old, she debuted in the third generation of ALLUME. During their debut ceremony, Analise revealed she had begun training in 2008 after leaving iCarly. She also would say she was a big fan of f(x), 2NE1, and Wonder Girls and they inspired her to take up Flowerbank's offer to begin training for the third generation of Allume.

Though showing exceptional talent at just 13 in singing and dancing, she was heavily scrutinized by netizens for a multitude of reasons. From her mixed heritage to her "annoying" persona, she seemed to be the target of online harassment. The harassment continued off-screen as well, often being yelled at by fans of the other members to "get out of the way" or having marriage proposals shouted at her.

Despite having a hate train against her, she remained one of the most popular members during her run in Allume many comparing her to the likes of Jung Krystal or Bae Suzy in terms of icon status and notoriety. She's easily considered one of the most widely-known idols in South Korea in the 2010s.

🩰𓈒 ⋆ ⑅ ˚ ₊ ୨୧     CHAPTER   THREE.     ──     SOLOISMS  .

After her graduation from Allume in 2015, she instantly began her highly anticipated solo career. She debuted solo just a month after her graduation with the mini album "Graduation" with the promotional track "I'm Shy" which became an instant chart-topper and K-pop classic.

The success of her debut would be repeated with each comeback, growing in fame and popularity with every performance she gave. In every sense of the word, Analise was a star. You could not walk down the street without seeing her face or hearing her music.

She picked up acting again in 2016, acting in her first major movie role in "The Train to Busan" to major success. She also starred in "My Annoying Brother" and made her drama debut in "Love In Our Hands" as the lead actress. Her acting was highly praised, with many saying Analise is the perfect all-rounder and can do anything she sets her mind to.

Throughout her musical career, she had six mini-albums, seven singles, and three full albums. You can find her discography on the Flowerbank Website (WIP).

🩰𓈒 ⋆ ⑅ ˚ ₊ ୨୧     CHAPTER   FOUR.     ──     THE  CONCLUSION.

In the early morning of June 15th, just two weeks after announcing her third full album, news broke that an unnamed idol had been rushed to the hospital via ambulance under mysterious circumstances. This news sent social media into a frenzy as people attempted to uncover the identity of the idol and the nature of the incident.

For about three hours, netizens engaged in wild speculation, tossing around various names in an attempt to solve the mystery. Eventually, the Seoul police department stepped in, issuing a statement that identified the hospitalized idol as Analise Yan, who was in critical condition. However, the specific reason for Analise's hospitalization was never disclosed due to "personal reasons," a detail that sasaeng fans did not respect.

Sasaeng fans began making numerous harassing calls to various hospitals in an effort to uncover the truth behind Analise's condition. This prompted the police to issue another statement, warning of legal consequences for anyone who continued to pester hospitals for information.

Finally, after five hours of intense speculation and uncertainty, Flowerbank Entertainment released a statement on behalf of Analise.

"Hello, We are Flowerbank Entertainment, During the early hours of the morning, our beloved artist, Analise, required immediate medical attention and was transported to the hospital under urgent circumstances. To safeguard her privacy and well-being, we must emphasize that the specific reasons for her hospitalization will not be disclosed. We are committed to taking legal actions against any attempts to breach her privacy. At this moment, Analise's condition remains critical. Regrettably, we are unable to provide additional details. We kindly request your heartfelt thoughts and prayers for Analise as she faces this challenging period. Your unwavering love and support are deeply appreciated. With gratitude, The Flowerbank Entertainment Team"

Tragically, on June 18th Analise passed away in the hospital after three days in the hospital. There are still little to no details about her final days in the hospital. Flowerbank would release a statement around three hours after she passed

"Hello, This is Flowerbank Entertainment, It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we must share the devastating news. Our beloved artist, Analise, has passed away at the hospital. Analise fought valiantly during her time in the hospital, but despite the best efforts of the medical team, her condition became insurmountable. She departed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. We extend our deepest condolences to Analise's family, friends, and all those who cherished her and her artistry. This is an immense loss, not only to Flowerbank Entertainment but to the entire entertainment community. Analise's memory will forever live on through her music and the impact she made on the world. We ask that you continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time. In memory of our dear Analise, The Flowerbank Entertainment Team"

Analise's funeral, against the wishes of her family and loved ones, was very publicized. The entire industry mourned the beloved child star turned superstar, all of her co-workers, co-stars, and labelmates attending her funeral as well as other notable celebrities. Hundreds of fans gathered to pay their respects at various balloon-releasing ceremonies and fans held memorial services.

Flowerbank would create a memorial site for Analise in their building for fans to mourn her, leave letters and flowers for her, and celebrate her as an artist. The memorial site is still up in their museum.

At her personal request, Analise was buried at Yeongnak Park in Busan, South Korea, and is where she currently rests.

🩰𓈒 ⋆ ⑅ ˚ ₊ ୨୧     CHAPTER   FIVE.     ──     LIFE  AFTER DEATH.

Even in her passing, Analise continues to hold a special place in the hearts of Flowerbank Entertainment and the broader K-pop community. Her posthumously released third album not only climbed to the top of the digital charts but also sold an impressive 1.5 million copies, solidifying its status as one of Flowerbank's best-selling soloist albums.

The title tracks from the albums "New" and "One Chance" enjoyed a remarkable ten-month reign atop the Goan charts before gradually descending from the top ten. Meanwhile, the B-side track "My Sky" maintained its chart-topping position for an impressive seven months. Furthermore, all the associated music videos garnered over ten million views within just one week, marking a significant milestone in her career.

Every year, Flowerbank Entertainment commemorates Analise's birthday on their social media platforms, as well as the day she departed this world, ensuring that her memory lives on and reminding the world of the star she was.

However, in 2021, despite her enduring popularity, there were those who sought to tarnish her legacy by leaking her hospital records, which revealed the tragic truth that she had succumbed to a drug overdose. This revelation answered the long-standing question surrounding her passing. Flowerbank Entertainment promptly took legal action against the individuals responsible for the leak, who have since refrained from posting online.

Nevertheless, despite these efforts to sully her image, Analise remains an artist who is adored and cherished by countless fans.

[hypaalicious]

NGL y'all, it's been rough.

On the surface, I guess you could say I'm doing alright. I have a roof over my head, adequate food to eat (most of the time), good friends and family to rely on... But when I say this world has beaten me down to pieces, it definitely has.

COVID was the first chink in the armor. Watching the entire world basically shrug off mass death and try to blithely live like it's still 2019 despite a pandemic raging worse than ever with less protections than we had before is wild. Don't matter how much facts you have to show to people, they will ignore it and then also in the same breath wonder why everyone's sick all the time. I mourn the children who aren't protected, who are sent into schools with no masks to become disabled/chronically ill for the rest of their lives. I mourn the immunocompromised who are trapped indefinitely in their homes because the world has moved on from pretending to care about COVID. It's been 4 years. Time doesn't even feel real. Then October 7th happened, and I get to watch a genocide happen in occupied Palestine in real time. Now, if you don't know me, then you may not know that I generally avoid rated R live action movies because I am a wuss and can't take the explicit violence and gore in a lot of them. I went from that, to watching lives of Palestinians recording their loved ones blown up, carrying their remains in plastic bags, IDF psychos shooting women and children in the back, the despair and anguish of Palestinians being corralled, starved, poisoned just because they exist. I have irrevocably been changed by bearing witness to this horror. Writing my script for my game has slowed down to a crawl. I close my eyes at night to sleep, and dream about the devastation I witnessed. I wake up and see even worse horrors, all unchecked by world powers. I get on Facebook and see people carrying on with life as if nothing is happening at all. I don't... I feel like I'm looking at society from the opposite side of a glass window. Everything has lost its color. How can I care about movies, video games, traveling, etc when it all just serves as a distraction to the ugly reality that cannot be ignored? I don't care about celebs and their drama. I don't care about the regurgitated mess Hollywood puts out. I don't care about what overpriced AAA game is highly anticipated. I do not care at all. The climate is fucked up and I see venture capitalists literally selling pieces of iceburgs to rich folks in the UAE for cocktails like it's nothing. People wanna talk about what new restaurant opened up and all I can think of is the fact that a singular bell pepper is like $2. A musical artist announces a tour and all I see are more superspreader events where people won't mask then bring home viruses to their families. Is this the future we want? Hell, will we HAVE a future? We, collectively, will rue the day we sat around and did nothing to stop all of this. And I fear that day will come very soon.

[rookie-critic]

Rookie-Critic's Halloween Horror-thon: Part 2 - #6-10

#6: Doctor Sleep: The Director's Cut (2019, dir. Mike Flanagan)

I have, of course, seen Doctor Sleep before, but I am not labeling this as a re-watch because the Director's Cut of this film, while not really that different from a plotting/through line perspective, is a wholly unique experience to the theatrical version of the film from a character perspective. This version of the movie gives you much more context around the its antagonists, The True Knot, and it's secondary protagonist, Abra Stone, that those major story beats existing in both versions hit with much more impact in the director's cut. It bumped this particular work of Flanagan's up in my ranking of his stuff all the way to third behind Hill House and, now, Usher.

Score: 9/10

Not currently available on streaming.

———————————————–

#7: Gemini (1999, dir. Shinya Tsukamoto)

This one surprised me by not being the kind of film I was anticipating it to be (this happened a handful of times this month). Gemini is the story of three characters plagued by their circumstances/upbringings, and a look at classism and people's desire to give and receive love, shot and told in a frenetic, gonzo style that only Japanese cult-director Shinya Tsukamoto can make work. Tear down the walls of your expectations for this one, it's a great watch.

Score: 8/10

Not currently available on streaming.

———————————————–

#8: Nightmare Detective 2 (2008, dir. Shinya Tsukamoto)

The sequel to Tsukamoto's lukewarmly received 2006 film Nightmare Detective (which you will see further down on this list), this one makes the original look like a litmus test for the concept. A much more restrained and patient film compared to just about all of Tsukamoto's prior efforts, Nightmare Detective 2 sits in the corner, quietly analyzing its core cast in a story about misfits and generational trauma. Really, a lot of the themes and ideas presented here would be honed in on and presented again, albeit from a different viewpoint, in Kotoko. This one really feels like a turning point for Tsukamoto in terms of tone and approach. Not to say that his earlier, more frantic films aren't sometimes just as good, it's just the mark of a talent that's willing to evolve.

Score: 8/10

Not currently available on streaming (this film has actually never seen any kind of official release in the States at all, so unless you're willing to do a little swashbuckling, this one's out of your reach).

———————————————–

#9: The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970, dir. Dario Argento)

Horror icon Dario Argento's (Suspiria, Deep Red) debut feature is an unrivaled "whodunit" mystery thriller with that hallmark giallo flair that Argento would become known for. There isn't a whole lot to say about this one other than this was one of the most singularly entertaining of my October viewings, and that I highly recommend it for just about anyone.

Score: 8/10

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

———————————————–

#10: Noroi: The Curse (2005, dir. Koji Shiraishi)

This is the best Japanese found footage horror has to offer. Noroi is told in a documentary style, acting as the discovered footage of the final film made by a supernatural investigator that has disappeared without a trace. This was my final watch of the Horror-thon and I couldn't think of a better way to send off the spooky month, because this was one of, if not the scariest watch of the entire month. It had me wanting to turn the lights on and sleep with one eye open, and certain images from the film's final moments will be burned into my retinas until I die. If I had any complaints, it's that I honestly could have used even more, although I guess an argument could be made that that's actually one of the film's good qualities.

Score: 8/10

Currently streaming on AMC+/Shudder.

[black-arcana]

POWERWOLF Shares Cinematic Music Video For 'We Don't Wanna Be No Saints'

POWERWOLF has shared the official music video for the third single, "We Don't Wanna Be No Saints", from its new studio album, "Wake Up The Wicked", which is being released today (Friday, July 26) via Napalm Records.

POWERWOLF's cinematic new video showcases their iconic style, combining striking church visuals with sinful, sacral atmosphere, shot in the same monastery, where classic movie "The Name Of The Rose" was filmed. This high-quality production captivates the senses, perfectly complementing the release of "Wake Up The Wicked" and indulging in a taste for sin.

POWERWOLF guitarist Matthew Greywolf comments: "'Wake Up The Wicked' is not only the next POWERWOLF album, but also a chapter of the band where we focus even more on perfecting our trademarks, especially within the individual songs. The orchestral side of us is still omnipresent, but this time the heaviness of the album is given even more space. We've also tried out completely new elements, such as in 'We Don't Wanna Be No Saints', which features a children's choir for the first time and underlines the theme and atmosphere of the song in a completely new way. In general, there's a hell of a lot to discover on 'Wake Up The Wicked', so get ready for a wild listening experience!"

"Wake Up The Wicked" — the highly anticipated follow-up to the extremely successful "Call Of The Wild" (2021) — comes a little over a month before the launch of the award-winning band's first-ever full North American tour, starting in August 2024, followed by their biggest European headline tour to date, the "Wolfsnächte 2024".

"Wake Up The Wicked" was once again produced by Joost Van Den Broek at Sandlane Recording Facilities and marks a new benchmark and undisputed career highlight for the band. The new album is hard, surprising and full of variety. While staying true to their established, loved sound, POWERWOLF go one step further and showcase a different facet of their deft musical and technical skills. This is evident, for example, on the outstanding single "1589", which is based on a true story from the 16th century.

20 years after their formation in 2004, POWERWOLF are expanding their repertoire with the highest quality and adding many future live hits to their extraordinary discography. "Wake Up The Wicked" is yet another statement cementing the status of the band as a leading force in the world of heavy metal.

The first single from "Wake Up The Wicked", "1589" tells the story of Peter Stump, who lived near Cologne, Germany in the 16th century and is known today as the Werewolf Of Bedburg. After being defamed as a werewolf, the farmer confessed to several murders under torture and was cruelly executed on October 31, 1589. This morbid story has fascinated people all over the world ever since and has been picked up by National Geographic, among others.

For the video for "1589", POWERWOLF traveled to England to stage Stump's fate in the dark woods in a cinematic way. With carefully selected locations, countless actors and crew members, and impressive special effects, it marks the most elaborate music video production in the band's history to date.

"Wake Up The Wicked" track listing:

01. Bless 'Em With The Blade 02. Sinners Of The Seven Seas 03. Kyrie Klitorem 04. Heretic Hunters 05. 1589 06. Viva Vulgata 07. Wake Up The Wicked 08. Joan Of Arc 09. Thunderpriest 10. We Don't Wanna Be No Saints 11. Vargamor

POWERWOLF are undoubtedly one of the most celebrated and successful heavy metal bands of the last decade. Multiple No. 1 album chart entries, gold and platinum records, huge sold-out arena shows, as well as headline slots at the biggest festivals have paved their way. In less than 20 years of band history, POWERWOLF has made it to the very highest league of heavy metal.

POWERWOLF has conquered countless stages at the world's biggest summer festivals, and their last "Wolfsnächte" headline tours (2019, 2022),as well as their aforementioned North American debut in early 2023, were almost completely sold out — resulting in a massive triumph. They have performed headlining sets at Wacken Open Air and Summer Breeze, as well as held premium slots at genre festival giants such as Hellfest, Graspop Metal Meeting, Masters Of Rock and many more, captivating enormous audiences. No other German metal band has been able to write a success story even remotely comparable in recent years.

Following their onslaught of North America, POWERWOLF will embark on their most impressive European tour yet in celebration of their highly anticipated 2024 studio album. Amid 16 shows in total, the tour will visit colossal venues in Munich, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Hamburg and Antwerp. POWERWOLF will be accompanied by Swedish heavy metal legends HAMMERFALL as special guests, with support from viral rising stars, dwarven metallers WIND ROSE.

The story of the frontrunners of today's German metal scene, POWERWOLF, began in 2004 and only knows one direction: ever upwards. Their trajectory may seem like something out of a fairytale, but it is the result of the band embodying the highest quality of heavy metal in the universe. Outstanding album production, bombastic live shows and a tireless drive for perfection on and behind the stage are what this exceptional band is known for around the world.

Over the course of their career, the band has not only fascinated metal fans, but has also won over international press and critics. Countless cover stories in the most important magazines, critics' awards such as the Metal Hammer Award, and effusive album and concert reviews underpin POWERWOLF's outstanding international status.

POWERWOLF is:

Attila Dorn - vocals Falk Maria Schlegel - organ Charles Greywolf - guitar Matthew Greywolf - guitar Roel van Helden - drums

Photo credit: VDPictures

[tomorrowxtogether]

TOMORROW X TOGETHER On Their First Time Meeting, Performing in Singapore And More

Everything you need to know about K-pop’s Gen Z darlings

Since making their highly anticipated debut in 2019, TOMORROW X TOGETHER has made waves with their energetic, youthful sound and dynamic dance performances. This weekend, the group finally brought their ACT: SWEET MIRAGE tour to Singapore, in their first-ever concert in the city. Below, the band’s five members tell BAZAAR all about their first times, from what made them fall in love with music in the first place to the first impressions their bandmates left on them.

When was the first time you realised you wanted to become singers?

Hueningkai: For the three of us (Soobin, Yeonjun, Hueningkai), it was more or less the same. We took part in music and performance-related club activities in middle school, and would perform during school festivals.

Yeonjun: The experience of being on stage and delivering the song you’ve been working so hard on, having everybody cheer for you—it’s incredible. Nobody can forget that. So from then on, we decided music was what we wanted to do.

Beomgyu: I was really young and was watching a movie called August Rush. The kid in there, played by Freddie Highmore, is really incredible with the guitar. I thought it was so cool, and sooner or later, it was my new dream to become someone who can touch others with music.

Taehyun: I was watching a newly released music video with my sister. The group was SHINee. Watching them sing and dance like that made me want to give it a try, and here I am.

Soobin: Yeah, the idea that it was something we wanted to do just came to us very organically. My parents always loved listening to music in the car, and we also had friends around our age who loved K-pop. We knew that doing music was a possibility and we all took it. I’m glad we did.

Is this your first time in Singapore? What do you love about touring here?

Yeonjun: Yes! We’re here on tour for the first time, and it feels incredible to be here. I know some of our fans here have been waiting for this show for a long while and I just want to make sure they know that we’ve been eagerly awaiting this night as well. We’re really happy to be here.

Taehyun: We keep our eyes and ears out. The best thing about being on tour here in Singapore is definitely the fans. They’re so passionate already. Also, it’s beautiful here. You have the Marina Bay Sands, one of the world’s iconic architectures, and really good food as well. We’re having a great time.

You’re set to be the first K-pop group to headline Lollapalooza. How does it feel?

Beomgyu: You can ask any of us. LOLLAPALOOZA last year was definitely one of the most memorable events of our 2022. The crowds were passionate and so were we. We were reminded yet again of why we love being in music so much. We’re really honoured to be invited back to the festival for the second year in a row, this time as headliner. All I can say is, it’s going to be a fantastic show so you better be there.

Tell us about your latest EP, The Name Chapter: Temptation. Are there any notable firsts on the album?

Hueningkai: I guess one song that we want to draw your ears to is “Happy Fools (feat. Coi Leray).” We all wrote lyrics to Yeonjun’s melody, so in that sense, it’s a very TOMORROW X TOGETHER-ish song. We’re really proud of this one and happy we can work on such good songs together.

What about this latest tour? How does it feel to perform certain songs for the first time?

Soobin: Without revealing too much for any of our fans who want to keep the show a surprise for when they actually get there… I want to say this tour and the songs we’re performing really mark our youth. If you feel that you’re also in your youth right now, you’ll be able to really connect and relate to the songs.

Do you remember the first time you all met one another?

Beomgyu: We’re all going to say the same thing for Yeonjun. We joined the company and he was already “BIGHIT Legendary Trainee Yeonjun Choi” since he was really good at everything. Soobin was really, really tall so he stuck out a lot since we were all young and therefore much shorter than we are now. He always liked to reach out and take care of others. Taehyun had huge eyes, and had random talents like magic tricks. He’s also very smart.

Soobin: Beomgyu was really shy for just one day but we soon found out just how energetic he can be. He really brightens up the mood. Hueningkai was really young, basically a baby but look how he’s grown now.

Lastly, what career firsts are you still looking forward to in the future?

Taehyun: TOMORROW X TOGETHER is just getting started. We have a great team here with incredible trust, synergy, and friendship and I can’t wait to see what else we can achieve together.

Hueningkai: We want to become a group with a unique signature sound that anyone can recognise. I want people to hear our music and immediately know, ‘hey, that’s TOMORROW X TOGETHER.’ I guess we want to become a staple for all youth who are experiencing growing up.

Yeonjun: We’re still here now, but we’ll also be back again sooner than you know. And you won’t be disappointed.

[agirlwholovesrockstars]

I SAW DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE!

I saw it recently in Aug 3 and guys, GUYS, I've never had a good Marvel film like this before, ever since Endgame, after that it's all just dull and so shallow but I think this era is going to promising and hopefully it continues because I'm having a feeling that Marvel? is going to have a very huge comeback and this is just only the start and I'm very thankful and otherworldly grateful to freaking live in the moment of 2008-2019 full on experience of Marvel! and that excitement, thrilling, joyous feeling is BACK, like, I kid you not! watching this with the whole crowd is reacting with you on the same time is such a bliss! I literally do miss it and I am so incredibly happy to have that again and audience???? was so freaking great and amazing! this is a very hot take but as much as I enjoy the Deadpool 2, this one they take it into a whole another level, I'm so glad that they lessen the "multiverse" and they did not overuse it and Ryan Reynolds is made to be Deadpool and Hugh Jackman is one hell of a an actor like yes, I admit, I did grew up in both actors and I'm very much a fan of Ryan but Hugh steals my attention because after seeing this? me and my bestie (especially my bestie) we're both having a Hugh Jackman filmography marathon, they we're a part of our childhood and Ryan always knows how to make the best Marvel film like I swear to god, a word thank you isn't enough for him like he always ALWAYS does his very best to make every Deadpool film to be the most enjoyable film ever like he never ever disappoint and he does it very seriously! like he takes his time and effort to make the whole movie great as much as possible, Marvel, y'all better take a leaf out of Ryan's direction and also better to take down notes because that's how you make a film that will get viewers to be so pumped, hyped and get your film to be anticipated! my expectations for this film are high but after watching it???? I've never knew they would freaking cross it off the goddamn roof! the soundtracks are always top-notch and a banger, the cameos the mind-blowing cameos, the action scenes, comedic timing is insanely well done, the pop culture references are making my brain stutter is absolutely so hilarious and I am so fond of it! the wait is so worth it and you won't ever regret it seeing it for yourself! 😭😭🤌🏻🤌🏻❤️❤️✨✨

you might wanna bring your bestie with you because???? It's a best buds film???? hello??? 😉

[littlechibs]

This is actually my first year being back on tumblr while I've been doing this, so!!! IT'S TIME FOR THE CHIBSAWARDS!!!! Which essentially something me and my friends do at the end of the year, compiling things we liked about media we watched/read/played in that year. Surprising nobody there's like 7 different awards that go to DetCo.

(Under the cut are the Honorable Mentions that didn't make it into this years Chibsawards)

-Boy Most Likely To Get Himself Killed If It Weren't For Plot Armor (Conan Edogawa/Shinichi Kudo)

This didn't make the cut because he's already Blorbo Of The Year for the 4th year in a row so I didn't want to put him on here twice. (Technically 4 times because he's on the cover of DetCo's manga as well as the poster for Black Iron Submarine.) This award was mainly because I watched Black Iron Submarine last week and was just, SHOCKED, at this boy's reaction to something later in the movie. He worries me.

-Game That Baby Chibs Would Have Loved (The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap)

Thanks to Nintendo's official GBA Emulator app on the Nintendo Switch, and my friend who kindly lets me be on his NSO Family Plan, I was able to play Minish Cap earlier this year! It was a delight the whole way through, and it makes me a little sad that I didn't know this game existed back when I had my GBA as a kid, because I know kid me would have loved it to bits.

-Best Comedy Manga (Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You)

You'll notice the character named Sasaki who won the "Chibsbait" award? He's one of the main characters of this manga. He's really cute I cannot resist a middle aged easy flustered salaryman.

-Best Pokemon (Appletun & Mabosstiff)

Originally this was going to just be for Mabosstiff, but I can never forget Tagi the Appletun from my SWSH playthrough.

-Most Rewatched Movie (Trigun Badlands Rumble)

I've watched this movie 3 seperate times this year, so that's why it gets this award.

-Most Atmospheric Final Boss (The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom)

OOOOOOOOO THAT FINAL BOSS WAS SO PRETTY. But putting a screenshot of it in this would spoil my friends who haven't finished TotK, and also it just wasn't cool enough of a category to make the cut.

-Most Anticipated Game (Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth)

Yes this is a TGA category. Yes it didn't win. Yes it won in my heart.

-Ugly Bastard Who's Invaded My Thoughts (Irish)

Most of my DetCo followers and mutuals should know who this is, but for those of my followers and mutuals who aren't into DetCo, he's from the 13th movie "The Raven Chaser". He's ugly he's awful, he kicked the shit out of Conan, but yknow he had a change of heart at the end and that was apparently enough to forgive everything he did in the whole past 15 minutes of the movie. I've seen this movie multiple times since 2019 when I first watched it, but I've been thinking about him the most this year I think. (Which is funny bc I haven't rewatched it at all this year. It's mainly bc he was mentioned in Movie 26 and I've seen fanart of him with Curacao and Pinga.)

[thebroccolination]

So, I have a theory about GawinKrist and Gawin's vampire show with Joss that seemed to come out of nowhere.

THE GOLDEN BLOOD THEORY

Gawin's been around since 2018, but he didn't get a main role in a BL until Be My Favorite. Back in (presumably) 2017, he worked as an usher at a movie theater after graduating from high school in the States in 2016. His two biggest roles before BMF were arguably Mork in the Kiss series (2018-2019), and Dan in Not Me (2021).

He was also the best part of Enchanté (2022), but tragically not one of the main cast.

After Gawin stuck with GMMTV through the worst of the pandemic regulations that restricted filming and then thoroughly proved his range in Not Me, I have a feeling that GMMTV was finally planning to give him his first leading role in a BL series: a vampire series opposite Joss planned for 2023.

Then, unexpectedly, Mike left his leading role in Be My Favorite in maybe August or September, and this is presumably when GMMTV looked at their options for Krist's costar and decided Gawin was their best bet.

Here's my thinking: if Golden Blood was planned for 2023, then GMMTV would have announced it at their showcase for 2023 programming in November of 2022. But the Be My Favorite recasting of Mike for Gawin was announced in September of 2022, so GMMTV could have easily pulled Golden Blood from the lineup and pushed it back a year. Since Gawin has never had a partner and Joss has never been in BL before this, no one was expecting a series from them, so no one would have known to expect anything from Gawin at all. Based on conversations I've had with Gawin's fans, he'd been so inactive that they didn't think he'd have a series at all in 2023.

Meanwhile, GMMTV had already announced Be My Favorite at their 2021 showcase of 2022 programming, and the director Waa had requested more time to work on the script in 2022, so the air date was pushed to 2023. As of September of 2022, Be My Favorite was announced, anticipated, already pushed back a year, and most likely paid for, so it was probably considered a high-priority series. Not to mention it had one of the Holy Trinity and the director of The Gifted attached, and it was to be the first BL series produced by Parbdee Studios.

My mantra with GMMTV for the past several months has been this:

They're incompetent, not malicious.

The fact that Gawin Caskey, better known to most for singing rather than acting, had never performed onstage before this summer at MUSICON in Japan and had to go to Krist before the second show because he had no idea what to talk about between songs is bonkers to me. Like, I'm not at all a GMMTV anti. I praise them when they deserve it, but holy shit. You've had a talent like Gawin Caskey for five years and you only just put him onstage this year?

I think SOTUS being the shock hit that saved them from bankruptcy is a good summary of how GMMTV seems to operate, at least from what I've seen: they throw stuff at a wall and sometimes it works really well! They like money a lot, so if money happens immediately, they do more of that even if they have no idea how it happened or why it was appealing.

Speaking of which—

GAWINKRIST & BE MY FAVORITE PROMOTION

Over the course of filming and promotion, Krist and Gawin became very close. They've both called each other their safe zone, Gawin moved his TV into Krist's house to be a second gaming screen for a while because he was over there constantly, and Krist got Gawin three (3) separate, custom birthday cakes in August (one at a small surprise party, one at the BMF final episode screening, and one at Gawin's birthday event). Krist even integrated Gawin into his university friend group, which is so absolutely fucking wild I can't even. Krist is twenty-eight years old and he adores Gawin so much he wanted Gawin to be part of a friend group he's had for ten years.

Gawin adores Krist's favorite child, they went to an art gallery, and once they even tried to bring a guitar to a beach at night to play music to the stars or some shit (the beach was closed they're both ridiculous). So when Krist calls Gawin "my precious buddy" he doesn't do it as some fanservice thing. They are basically family at this point, regardless of what happens in their professional lives, and it was a beautiful dynamic to watch over the summer.

Part of what made their chemistry so natural in Be My Favorite probably had a lot to do with how much they opened up to each other. Back in May, Krist shared that because he and Gawin aren't especially fond of social media, they discussed how to do the necessary promotion for their series comfortably. Krist actually got Gawin Caskey on TikTok to do TikTok dances, so once again: very good friends.

They also shared videos of them just hanging out at Krist's house eating snacks and playing video games, or playing guitar and riffing, playing with harmonies so beautiful I mourn daily that they don't have an album together.

When the series started airing, Krist invited Gawin to his house to watch the episodes together and go over their acting choices. But GMMTV had also scheduled Krist for a slew of solo concerts throughout Asia, so he had to watch some of them alone on the road overseas. What would have been a fun weekly promotion opportunity was complicated by GMMTV's bizarrely timed scheduling. (Of course, Krist rarely has a day off in general, but you'd think they'd organize his schedule to prioritize his first BL series since 2017.)

Be My Favorite didn't get much promotion overall compared to other GMMTV series, and GawinKrist especially seemed to be treated sort of as an afterthought. They had a few podcast interviews, they went to see Elementals at the cinema (which ended up inspiring Krist's theme for his solo "Elements" concerts in Bangkok), they went to Japan together for MUSICON, Aye had them sing on her channel, and they had a live session for RISER. Those were all the major ones, I think. Not nothing, but there were a ton of missed opportunities for more.

And for a company whose CEO recently touted their actors as influencers and obsesses over Twitter hashtag trends and viewing numbers, the lack of opportunities they gave GK is a little unusual to me.

Unless GMMTV knew they had a vampire series starring Gawin and another actor that they'd postponed. And it'd be announced at their showcase for 2024 programming in October shortly after Be My Favorite ended in August.

It might also explain why, when pretty much every other series had a song performed at the showcase medley, Be My Favorite wasn't included. Even though Krist and Gawin are both known singers who had four songs in Be My Favorite between them.

In the immediate aftermath of the showcase, a lot of GawinKrist fans were unhappy with the news of Gawin's new series, myself included. I'm not a big vampire fan in general, and I'm not impressed with the teaser, the director, or the screenwriter, so I probably won't be watching it. (BounPrem's vampire series is starring BounPrem, so that's why that one's my exception.) I am, however, very happy for Gawin for getting more main character money and remaining in a lead role. He's an absolute sweetheart, and I hope he has more music in 2024 that I can support.

As days passed after the showcase, the more I thought about Golden Blood and where it came from. GMMTV is incompetent, sure, and GawinKrist didn't make the same waves as other pairs, but they definitely have a committed fanbase, and Be My Favorite got overwhelmingly positive reviews, particularly for GawinKrist's chemistry. They trended consistently whenever they did anything, and most intriguingly, Japanese fans really love them thanks to MUSICON and FanFest. Japanese magazines are still releasing interviews and photoshoots with GawinKrist to this day (with plans for more!).

The only thing that makes sense to me is that Golden Blood was meant to happen first, and GMMTV didn't want to waste resources pushing GawinKrist over the summer when they knew Gawin would have to start from scratch with Joss in October.

It's kind of wild to think about, but if Mike hadn't left Be My Favorite, it would have gone ahead as planned, and Golden Blood would have aired this year at some point. And that would mean there's a timeline out there where Gawin and Krist were never cast together, and this beautiful friendship they created never happened. They never got to experience that safe zone they found in each other, and they never would have known what they were missing.

I'm still sad that their professional time together was so short, but this theory makes me feel better about it because rather than being something we were robbed of, they were a gift we never expected.

And just like KristSingto before them, GawinKrist are still close, still friends, and can enjoy their time together without the added pressure of selling and promoting their closeness. They can be friends without scrutiny. They can count their series as a point of pride. This unexpected masterpiece that brought them together.

And maybe someday, when their schedules line up again, they can make the beautiful fucking album that I deserve. [fire emoji]

[austin-in-taiwan]

July 22 - Taipei - NCCU, Zoo, Tea House

Today, we started at 9:20 AM and had a smaller bus, so we did not have to take public transportation. Our first stop was National Cheng-Chi University, Yeh Lao Shi's alma mater. It's also the second-best university in Taiwan, behind NTU (National Taiwan University). We toured the international dorms and the library. The dorms were nothing special, but the library, which was recently built in 2019, was super cool. It was actually the best university library that I have ever been in. It's hard to explain, so if you want to see it yourself, look at the images below this post. There were many study tables and seats, many study lounges/rooms, a gaming area, a movie area with a selection of English and Chinese films, and tons of books. Afterward, we visited University Avenue and enjoyed dumplings and beef noodle soup. Overall, I enjoyed seeing the university's facilities here in Taiwan.

Next, we went to the most anticipated activity in Taipei, the zoo. We spent 3 hours there and saw so many animals. A few were the giant panda, Chinese bears, koalas, turtles, red pandas, tigers, otters, elephants, giraffes, panthers, gorillas, hippos, and so many more. This zoo was so big we definitely could've spent an entire day exploring. It was also really cool because, for some reason, many animals were especially active today. I captured videos of them walking around or playing, which, from my experience, is uncommon at any zoo.

Next up, we went to the YaoYue Tea House. This tea house had a fantastic view in the middle of a mountain range. First, we had Jasmine tea. There was a whole process of making it right at our table. First, you put three scoops of tea leaves in the pot. Then you poured the boiling water in, waited 30-45 seconds, poured that water out and discarded it, poured more water in for 30 seconds, poured the tea into a filter, and finally served the tea. It was a cool process, and the tea was delicious. In addition, after we finished our tea, we walked around the mountain range area and explored nature.

Academic Reflection

The tea experience, not just enjoying the ritual of serving the tea but also the area in which we had the tea, was a fantastic experience. However, learning more about the history of the Yao Yue tea house and Maokong in the Muzha Mountain District of Taipei City. Until about 1980, the area was just for the production of tea. However, the Republic of China pushed to open leisure tea gardens in the Maokong area. The one we went to was actually the second-ever tea garden there. Soon enough, about 80 tea gardens had been opened, which was unprecedented. After an economic boom and an increase in people partaking in leisure activities, this tea house went from one thatch hut to tons of seating up and down the side of the mountain. Overall, learning about the history of the tea garden over the years and why/when it was initially built made me appreciate the experience I had even more.

In addition, I also learned a bit about the famous tea from the area, Tieguanyin Tea. Initially produced in the Fijian province, but in Taiwan, it is only produced in the Muzha district. It was introduced to Taiwan in the Qing dynasty. It's crazy to think about how long ago this tea started to grow here. According to the teahouse website, it can be harvested 4-5 times yearly. However, its best quality is in Winter and Spring. The website also describes the tea: "The watercolor is orange-yellow with red, the taste is rich and mellow, slightly astringent but sweet, and has a pure and weak fruity sour taste." I included this direct quote from their site because it interests me how distinct they can get about the taste of this one tea. I have never been a big tea drinker, so reading this detailed description piques my interest. As a result of understanding and learning about tea in this way, I want to learn more about the details of tea culture in Taiwan and other countries I visit.