#BUT I STILL STAND BY THAT SONG BEING GOOD ITS THE WEIRD MV THAT FUCKED THEM OVER OKAY MAMA BEAT IS A GOOD SONG

[bailaconox]

found out one of the xeed guys almost became a member of lc9 and he is still friends with two of them so UHHHHH COUNT ME IN BOOK ME A SEAT ON THE XEED TRAIN PLEASE!

[sanstropfremir]

since you're the designated great kpop analyst and enjoyer of slutty outfits on kpop boys, I wanted to know what your opinion was on sf9's kbs performance? personally I really enjoyed the styling but the actual performance, idk if its the camera or the stage design or the members themselves but it felt sorta of...disconnected? not like hard to follow exactly but I remember their tear drop stages being impactful in a way their trauma stages weren't. I love hearing your thoughts because I always learn something new, even about my own perception of art that I couldn't articulate. Thank you so much!

thank you for the accolades but really i'm only the designated kpop analyst because i'm the one talking the loudest, probably. but i do hope i continue to be interesting at least!

i did also notice that the kbs stage felt a little disconnected and i think it comes down to a couple of factors, the first of which being that trauma is just a hard song to conceptualize. it's complex and has a lot of layers in the lyrics, as opposed to teardrop, which on paper is kind of a basic breakup song. teardrop (as a comeback) was planned MONTHS in advance, longer than a normal kpop comeback; they filmed the mv in january, before kingdom even started, so they had six whole months to ruminate on the completed song and concept before they even got close to putting it out to the public. and then they got the snot beat out of them during kingdom. and the thing about sitting on a completed concept for so long: it spurs you into thinking about what you can improve on. so when they got all that good feedback from the move stage and leaning more into their 'sexy' image but still ultimately ended up last? their planned typical elegant concept breakup song became a sexy revenge concept. a 'yea get a good long look, you can't have this anymore'. and that's a pretty straightforward motivation; they were likely all feeling mad and they channelled it well. but trauma? well, even just from the title, that's a lot more complicated. and as much as i like sf9, there's really only about half of them on a good day that are good enough performers for the nuances of this. i think if they'd had a longer promotional period (they only did THREE stages), we would have seen them fall into groove more, but as it stands they were unhappy with how short their promo was (hwiyoung talked about it on fancafe (i think?), after someone asked him how they felt about winning), and some of that has probably bled into it. can you imagine getting your second song win and you weren't even promoting??? like obviously that's king behaviour but i'm pretty sure they would have rather been there to accept the trophy in person.

oh and lastly, i also think there was some really wonky camerawork. i noticed it with a couple of other stages where no one really knew where to look/which cameras were live, and because the eye contact thing is SO ingrained in the structure of kpop content that when you don't have that or something fucks that up, it feels really weird. see the end of my fave choreos post here where i talk about the genius of shinee's good evening for more on that.

[okashiras]

Notes: Supplementary reading and a sequel of sorts. Enjoy.

KPOP AU PART 1

ao3 link

30 March 2014

If you had told me 4 years ago that Sasuke and Sakura would never officially confirm that they’re dating but would instead, out of nowhere, announce their engagement, I would have laughed my fucking ass off.

Anyway, I’m briefly back from my hiatus. Cheers to all of us! We did it. :’) (Or rather, they did it?)

tags: #CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!??!!, #I CAN’T BELIEVE ITT, #text post

cherry-shadow asked: you are a fandom high priestess!! ur blog is like my sasuke x sakura bible. i missed ur blog, thank u for bringing it back. bless you!!! have a nice day!! :-*

You’re very kind! Thank you!

tags: #cherry-shadow, #ask

sumuwu asked: sandy here, i’m not even that big on kage or kunoichi but i’m so glad for them and for you guys!! i support their mutual hotness. i’m sure they’ll have beautiful and talented babies in the future!!

Thank you so much for your support for our favorite couple!

PS: I love SuMu sibs, too. I just haven’t posted about them (because I’m always on a SS high). Looking forward to their comeback.

tags: #sumuwu, #ask

Anonymous asked: OH MY GOD YOU’RE BACK!!!!!1 will ur inbox be open for info/translation/general questions?? Asking for a friend. Lol ok bye!!! I love u ;A;

Haha, yes! For now. I just needed an outlet for all this excess energy and excitement. Thanks for still having me! I’ll try to reply as much as I can. But no promises that I can answer them all. ;;

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

Anonymous asked: now that they’re confirmed to have been dating for years (!!!!), i couldn’t help but want to review their interactions. do u recall moments in shows and such where it looks like their members are teasing them??

The members of Kage and Kunoichi have been kind of friends in varying capacities since before they even debuted so they’d always greet and bow to each other during shows and events. Nothing really special there. Unless we reach. Which, as you know, is exactly what this blog is for.

Since Anon specifically mentioned members (plural), I will only address moments where multiple members do the teasing.

**

(2007) Kiba and Naruto are rowdy hype men while the three members are more reserved, except when Sai does weird dances at select performances. Which is why when Kunoichi did their first performance ever at the KChart Music Awards, we can see Sasuke in this fancam (link) looking like he’s reprimanding Kiba, Naruto, and Sai because it distracts him from watching the girls (or just one girl?) perform.

**

(2010) This Kunoichi fancam from Konoha Music Awards in November (link) shows the girls standing while Rock Lee performs on stage. On Sakura’s side, you can see members of a boy group who keep moving and shuffling around. Another fancam (link) revealed that it was actually Kage members trying to switch places with each other.

So the member order was as follows: Tenten, Hinata, Ino, Sakura, Kiba, Sai, Sasuke, Naruto, Neji. When Kiba realized who he was next to, he walked away and tried to get in between Sasuke and Naruto. The two finally budged after a while, but Kiba was still unsatisfied because Sai was still between Sasuke and Sakura. So he went back and whispered something to Sai who promptly moved away and followed Kiba to stand between Naruto and Sasuke. Sasuke is now beside Sakura. Mission accomplished, guys.

**

(2011) In this Kunoichi fancam reaction to Kage’s stage on the KChart Music Awards (link), everyone was standing up. Unfortunately, the members were situated at the back, and Sakura, wearing combat boots, was at a height disadvantage. But the members came to her rescue when it was Sasuke’s turn in the spotlight. Ino who was the tallest member of the night thanks to her sky-high platforms, and Tenten the actual tallest member were whispering to Sakura, and looked like they were reporting and giving her a blow-by-blow account of what was happening on stage.

**

(2013) In this fancam of Kage’s reaction (link) to Sakura accepting the Best Female Solo for Courage at the Golden Leaf Awards, we see Naruto and Kiba who are smirking as they turn to a decidedly blank-faced Sasuke. Neji turns to their direction too, looking mildly exasperated.

**

tags: #masterpost, #Anonymous, #ask, #all of naruto’s teasing warrants a post of its own tbh

Anonymous asked: “#all of naruto’s teasing warrants a post of its own tbh” DUDE??!! please make that post a reality!! please!!!! i’ll give u my first born!! :)))

Haha! Okay, since there’s a bunch of you asking in my inbox: yes, the Naruto masterpost is underway. It’s gonna take a while but please look out for it if not by the end of this week then next week. Kinda swamped with work at the moment.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

Anonymous asked: love you’re blog! :) Just wondering, who’s you’re bias in Kage??

Thanks! My bias is Neji because he’s the most fabulous.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

Anonymous asked: hi!! do u have a link to the interview where they talk abt that line from shadows?? thanks

There were different articles with varying quotes from that interview (during SAGE album promotion, the one held in Konoha Mountain Villa back in March 2012) so I’m translating by combining the info from these articles: (x,x)

Q: Naruto, was the line “You are the sunshine in spring” from “Shadows” written for someone in particular?

Naruto: Uh, that’s— It’s not my place to say, sorry. Sasuke?

Sasuke: No comment.

Q: Is it perhaps about Hinata? She has the ‘sun’ character in her name.

Naruto: She does?

Sasuke: I wrote that line.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

SS movie date in Wave Country (2012)

I just needed to update this post in light of new information.

In the Kage Konoha Mountain Villa interview 2012 (the one I linked in the previous post), Sasuke was recorded saying: “I like classic action movies. The most recent one I saw was In a Grove (藪の中 Yabu no Naka).”

Two months prior, Sakura uploaded a video of the instrumental ‘Prologue’ originally from the soundtrack of a film Rokurota. Both In a Grove and Rokurota are films by the director Makino Chikao which led people to speculate if the connection ends there or if there’s more. So I did a little investigating.

Sakura posted the video on the evening of 31 January 2012. During that time, Sakura was in Wave Country where she was a guest performer for Kage’s show in Sector D District. I searched the cinemas around that area and found one that at the time was having a director Makino Chikao retrospective. (You can check out their site here: link) I wasn’t able to see the list of films exhibited to confirm but I have no doubts that both In a Grove and Rokurota were screened there, especially since both films are critically-acclaimed and universally loved. And it’s likely that Sakura and Sasuke went to these screenings together.

Furthermore, you know what’s in front of Kaiza Theatre? An Owson grocery mart, aka the same one where those pictures of Sasuke and Sakura were taken the same year (link). See the side by side comparison (link) and note the same shelves and wall paint. And of course, those photos led to Danzo’s damage control denial of the dating rumors, and then Sasuke’s infamous “[KGE] is just a workplace” statement. Y’all know the rest.

tags: #text post

Anonymous: any opinions on danzo? lol

None. Hope he enjoys retirement.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

yrzra asked: Hi! What’s your favorite Sakura era/hairstyle?

All Sakura is good Sakura to me! But if I have to pick one, I’d say when she came out with chin-length hair on her solo debut. It signified a new era, a new sound, and I was honestly blown away when I first saw it. That’s why it holds a special place in my heart.

tags: #yrzra, #ask, #little known fact: i prefer sakura’s solo songs, #but i still love kunoichi very much, #ino can step on my neck anytime

Anonymous asked: Wasn’t there an analysis of Heaven and Earth mv about Sakura’s romantic relationships? Or do you know the post I’m referring to?

Hm, sorry, I don’t remember that.

tags: #Anonymous, ask, #i personally don’t think it’s about her relationships at all?, #just about striving for self-improvement?, #which is a common theme in her lyrics

Masterpost of notable moments of Naruto being the SS fan club president

Note: As promised, here it is. If you have anything else to add, please don’t hesitate to reply/message me.

Let me preface this with a little background on Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto and Sasuke are the closest to each other in Kage not only because they are the two youngest members of the group, but also because they started training in KGE in the same year. The other trainee who started the same year they did was none other than Haruno Sakura. The three of them were said to be friendly even after they debuted in their respective groups. And it’s because of this that I believe they are privy to each other’s lives and relationships, and would, like any regular friends, every now and then tease the crap out of each other.

**

(2007) [VIDEO STAR] - Naruto talks about Kage members + colors 20070728

Naruto’s first solo guesting in Video Star variety talk show. There was a part where he was asked to describe the members of Kage via color association. (@ 2:11)

Izumu K: So black for Sai-kun, red for Kiba-kun, white for Neji-kun—

Naruto U: Yeah— Oh, no, not white. Ivory. Neji is very specific about this, you see.

Kotetsu H: Right, right.

Izumu K: What about Sasuke-kun?

Naruto U: Sasuke is... pink. Yeah. Pink. Pretty and memorable color. Lots of energy. (laughs)

Kotetsu H: Pink? For Uchiha Sasuke-kun? Really? Isn’t that a bit— (laughs)

Naruto U: Oh, you know what, scratch that. He’s gonna send me angry texts if he sees this. Okay, I’ll change it. Let’s see...

Kotetsu H: (laughs) Why would he?

Naruto U: Got it! Green. Nice, refreshing green.

Izumu K: Konoha green.

Naruto U: Yeah, yeah. Sure, green. (turns to the camera) I changed it, Sasuke! If you’re watching this, don’t be mad at me. (laughs)

Kotetsu H: Sasuke-kun, please take it easy on Naruto-kun.

Izumu K: Okay, what about you?

Naruto U: Orange, of course!

Pink is too obviously referring to Sakura/her signature hair color which is especially obvious since Kunoichi just debuted around the time of this interview, so Naruto changed it to green to prevent Sasuke’s wrath. But you know what else is green? Sakura’s eye color. Thanks, Naruto! Your subtlety is unparalleled.

**

(2007) KAGE reaction to KUNOICHI performance - MINDBLOWER + BLOOM @ Konoha Music Awards

Sasuke is a famously stoic cold city guy at award shows, especially when sat beside Naruto who dances exuberantly to every other performance. That is, until Kunoichi debuted. Sasuke would begin showing signs of life whenever Kunoichi performed, like foot tapping, some head bobbing here and there, and some stray finger flicking actions during the Mindblower chorus.

Anyway, in this particular performance, Naruto elbow nudges Sasuke on his side (pretty hardly, if Sasuke’s annoyed expression is anything to go by) just as Sakura’s verse is about to come on. (@ 1:32)

**

(2008)  [FULL/ENG SUB] [HD] 080805 Idols Weekly EP 56 - KAGE Part 1

KAGE’s appearance in Idols Weekly where Naruto said he would join Kunoichi because his group kept betraying him, and then he said he would drag Sasuke along with him. He didn’t get to elaborate on why exactly because he was cut off by Sasuke’s glare.

Okay, this is kind of a reach but they were all just previously nailing the Bloom choreography, and then Naruto was dragging Sasuke specifically to join Kunoichi. Why just Sasuke? All of Kage are on friendly terms with Kunoichi members. That’s why I’m inclined to believe Naruto was teasing him because Sasuke has eyes on someone in Kunoichi. And we all know who.

**

(2009) [Music Bank K-Chart] 2nd Week of January - SN, Sound5

Sakura had the opportunity to host Music Bank for January. At the time, Sasuke and Naruto were promoting their subunit single “The Valley.” On the one episode that month where they performed, during the K-Chart announcement part, you can see Naruto subtly (not really) pushing Sasuke to his right. When the camera switches to wide shot, it appears that Sakura was on standby from hosting duties a few feet away over at Sasuke’s right side the whole time. (@9:42)

**

(2010) Sasuke was in Snow Country on a personal schedule and posted a rare picture of himself. Well, kind of. It was him looking like a hypebeast cryptid wearing multiple layers of winter clothes and scarves, against the backdrop of flower trees in Land of Spring (Snow Country’s capital). Captioned: ”wish you were here.” (My god he is so basic sometimes, I can’t.)

Anyway, on the said post, Naruto left a comment of around 15 cherry blossom emojis.

Cherry blossom = Sakura. King of subtlety…

Sasuke deletes this post five minutes later (which would have been suspect if he wasn’t such a serial post deleter). But luckily, we still have a screenshot which includes Naruto’s comment.

[IMAGE: @sasuke_deleted]

(Also note that a month prior to the announcement of their engagement, Sasuke and Sakura were reported to have had a rendezvous in Snow country. That place must be significant to them and Naruto being in their inner circle probably knows why this early on.)

**

(2010) [20102310] Naruto’s KLIVE Chat

Naruto was promoting his solo mini album and did a KLive broadcast where he called some Kage members. During his phone call with Sasuke, out of nowhere, Naruto mentioned Sakura. (@ 40:07)

N: Anyway, Sasuke, aren’t you preparing for your final show this week?

S: Mm.

N: All Kage members are supporting you. Not me, though. But the rest of them do, apparently.

S: Make yourself useful and promote my show.

N: I’ll do you one better. I’ll call Kunoichi and ask them to come to your concert.

S: What?

N: Yeah, I’ll personally pick Sakura-chan up and make sure she’s there.

S: [unintelligible]

N: Sasuke, what?

S: I said you’re an idiot.

**

(2011) Sakura was reported to have fainted from exhaustion after the last set at Kunoichi’s concert late October 2011. (This was the third time it had happened [that we know of!!!] and it honestly says a lot about what little regard KGE had for their artists.)

Meanwhile, Kage was doing their second to the last fanmeet scheduled in Earth Country. But on that night, Sasuke and Naruto took a red-eye from Iwa to Konoha. There are no pictures, only some K-netizens reports of Sasuke and Naruto entering Konoha General at around 8 am. (Some eyewitness accounts said that Sasuke appeared to be bringing a pillow.) At 10 am the same day, Naruto was spotted in his orange BMW convertible hanging around the KGE building, while Sasuke was nowhere in sight.

It can be surmised that Naruto, being a good friend, accompanied Sasuke so he can visit Sakura. But there’s more.

Konoha General to KGE building is a one-hour drive, but seeing how Naruto got his car and a new set of clothes, he most likely headed to his apartment first, which would add more or less 30 minutes to his journey. If he arrived at 8 am in Konoha General, but was already in KGE building by 10, that would mean he only stayed in the hospital for about 15 to 30 minutes at most.

I imagine what happened was: Naruto accompanied Sasuke from Iwa to Konoha, probably said hi to Sakura for a bit (if she was already conscious by then), and then promptly left them alone to have their moment. :’)

**

(2011) 30 October. Sasuke’s K-D Magazine photoshoot previews were released. Sakura liked one of the posts from the K-D account. Later, she posted a cute video selfie with heart eyes filter with ねぇ聞こえますか？(Can You Hear Me?) an old love song, playing in the background. Her timeline was probably filled with Sasuke’s pictures that she just had to post some kind of lovey-dovey reaction to it. A few hours later, Naruto commented with a (very knowing) smirking face emoji.

[IMAGE: @narukage_likes]

**

(2013) 8 August. Naruto posted a picture of two mochi (pink and blue) from Amaguriama, with the caption, “Look how sweet my friends are.” He tagged Sasuke in the blue one. Who else could the pink one be?

[IMAGE: @narukage]

**

That’s all I know for now. Naruto hasn’t updated his account with anything SS-related since the engagement was announced, which is really odd for him. (Maybe he’s still busy partying because his OTP is canon?) When he posts something, I’ll update this accordingly.

tags: #masterpost, #text post

bl00m asked: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT MASTERPOST!! My life is significantly better because of it! But just wondering, since Sakura and Ino refer to themselves as best friends, do we have an Ino-teasing-Sakura-about-Sasuke moment, too?

Seems to me like Ino is much too professional to tease so I only found a couple. Hope that’s okay.

**

(2007) K-D Kunoichi Feature (magazine issue published around the time after Kunoichi’s debut):

Q: Out of the four of you, Ino and Sakura were the first ones to sign under KG and become trainees. What were your first impressions of each other? Has it changed now?

Sakura: I thought Ino was full of confidence and charisma and that hasn’t changed until now.

Ino: Sakura used to be really shy and quiet but clearly she has bloomed since then.

Sakura: Having someone my own age really helped, I think. We pushed each other to work and get better. It was kind of a friendly rivalry.

Ino: Yeah, rivalry, not just in terms of work, though. I used to have a crush on another trainee at that time, and then one day, Sakura announced that she—

Sakura: Oh my god! Can we not?

They didn’t outright say that it was Sasuke whom Sakura and Ino were crushing on, but it’s kind of general knowledge that Sasuke was quite popular with the KGE trainees not only because he was the younger brother of Akatsuki’s Uchiha Itachi but because he is good-looking and talented, so it’s not a stretch to assume Ino was talking about Sasuke and was teasing Sakura about it.

**

(2009) [VIDEO STAR] - Kunoichi (FULL EP) (@14:23):

Izumu:  Any music you’re currently listening to?

Tenten: Believe it or not, I’ve been listening to a lot of trot music recently, like Might Guy, and stuff. I like the joy in it and I would like to also bring that kind of energy on stage someday.

Sakura: Creation , the album by Tsunade. I’m interested in albums that have some sort of narrative or a theme that makes everything cohesive, as opposed to trying to make hits after hits and then just compiling them all in the end. She’s certainly not the first to do something like it, but I thought it was groundbreaking for a pop artist, so…

Ino: We like Kage, too, don’t we, Sakura?

Tenten: (laughs)

Sakura: I— Well, everyone likes Kage for sure.

Kotetsu: Right, you did collaborate with them on a song in their album last year.

Sakura: Yeah.

Ino: (quietly) Is that what the kids call it these days?

Tenten: (laughs)

That innuendo, though.

tags: #bl00m, #ask

Anonymous asked: it’s funny reading your posts now and realizing how much it all makes sense like how did no one else (but us) seE THIS COMING??? we’ve endured being called DELUSIONAL for years!!!! i feel so vindicated now so i’m literally never gonna shut up about this LMAO

RIGHT?! I’m sure I’m not the only one who has remained quiet and kept to myself when I’m with other fans because I’m in the minority for shipping Sasuke and Sakura while most of them shipped the boys with each other. I don’t really mind it, but, you know, when it’s real, IT’S REAL.

And it feels so good to be right.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

Anonymous asked: how’s life for a grown ass adult still projecting on other people’s relationships like ur 13 lmfao

How’s life for someone who has to type with only 2 brain cells?

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

kageyah asked: gawd, what a rude anon that was. don’t let those lowlifes bother you. i’ve been enjoying your recent posts a lot and it’s so fun to see you back again on my dashboard. i missed you sm. ^_^

Kags!! Thank you! I missed you, too! Nah, don’t worry. Sasuke and Sakura are getting married so I’m unfazed and unbothered by virtually anything. Haha!

tags: #kageyah, #ask

lildonut: i love your blog!!!! that masterpost gave me life!!! i was wondering if you have any fic recs?? Thanks <3

Thank you! I don’t really read fics, sorry. I have a very little scope of imagination so reality is enough to keep me interested. But maybe someone here can help you? Anyone?

edit: Thanks, @darliang!!

These, our bodies, possessed by light by RikkudoS — “‘Tell me we’ll never get used to it.’ Sasuke and Sakura through the years. Canon.”

Cherry Bombs by xXxFullMoonxXx — “Double dates are easy enough. That is, until you end up falling for the wrong person. High School AU.”

Of Demos and First Kisses by sugimura — "5 times Sasuke and Sakura wrote songs together and the 1 time they didn’t. Canon."

Under the Same Sky by msshkshmt — “Uchiha Sasuke expects to die in battle. But seeing this pink-haired girl cry for him (again and again), makes him wish that wasn’t the case. Ninjas AU.”

tags: #lildonut, #ask, #fic recs

Anonymous asked: Do you have any idea as to when and how exactly Sasuke and Sakura started dating? Other than the 5 years that Sasuke mentioned in his fan page message? Thanks! Love your blog!

Thanks!

By the way, I love how Sasuke is known to be very private with his personal life and relationships but would, intentionally or not, obliquely reveal details like how they’ve been dating for 5 years already.

Anyway. Well, I can’t really say anything with certainty but if I were to extrapolate and make an *educated guess*, I’d say they probably started dating officially mid to late 2009. As far as I can recall, that’s also when dating gossips about them started popping up. Also the fact that they started wearing matching white gold bands late ‘09-early ‘10 (I’ll make a separate post about this later) just solidified to me that they really did start dating in 2009.

Prior to my projected time, their collaborations have been frequent, starting with Sakura helping to write a song for Kage, and then both of them being featured on each other’s solo projects. And even before that, it’s kind of general knowledge that they’ve been fairly close as trainees (not to mention, Sakura has allegedly been crushing on him before), so they already had that foundation. There’s that mutual respect for each other and each other’s talents that, over the course of their collaborations, probably grew into something more.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

Anonymous: re: how sasuke and sakura started dating, i would also like to add that since they are the most hardworking out of the members of their respective groups, they are probably the trainees who used to work overtime the most and got close because of it, probably helped and looked out for each other too. sakura used to say dancing wasn’t her strongest suit while it came naturally for sasuke so maybe he helped her with that. conversely, since sakura is reportedly an A+ student, she must’ve helped him with studies as well. they probs already have a mutual understanding but couldn’t be official cuz of the dating ban. ^_^

Ah, I’m actually not entirely sure if the dating ban is real, but what you’ve said is possible. Can’t say anything conclusively, though.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

Anonymous asked: wher do sassuke and saura have sex???

How tf would I know lol

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

List of alleged Sasuke x Sakura couple items

These are only the more important, more unique items. So don’t bother sending me pictures of them holding identical paper bags from Sannin. They aren’t the only idols who shop from that brand.

***

(2009-2010) White gold band

Sasuke is not that big on accessories. If we do see him fully accessorized, it’s because he is styled for promotional materials, and stage or music video looks. Otherwise, he doesn’t wear much accessories other than a standard watch, etc. That’s why it was so glaringly obvious when he started wearing a white gold band on his left pinky finger (note: pinky = pink = Sakura, lol!) in December 2009, which led fans to speculate if he is in a relationship. Everyone was suddenly on the lookout for a similar ring worn by idols and celebrities. Especially Sakura whom Sasuke was rumored to be dating that year.

Sakura accessorizes quite a bit but has never been seen wearing the said band. That is, until she had a fan meet in March of 2010. Sakura fansite First Love took HQ pictures of her in the event. In one of them, she leaned over while signing an autograph for a fan and consequently revealed the necklace she’s wearing inside her blouse, and behold, the white gold band hanging on it. It took quite a lot zooming in and adjusting the photograph which is why the legitimacy was contentious among fans, but you can see it for yourself here.

[IMAGE: White gold band]

[IMAGE: Sasuke Konoha airport pic white gold band]

[IMAGE: Sakura necklace zoom in]

***

(2011) Chair

Sakura posts a picture of her succulents by the window of her house, the chair from Sasuke’s Heavenly Hand music video is seen in the corner. It’s a one-of-a-kind modern chair by Konoha master carpenter Kanna, so it couldn’t have been a duplicate.

[IMAGE: MV screenshot]

[IMAGE: @sakurah]

***

(2012-2013) Ceramic vase

Sasuke posted a picture of a Hanasaki-style ceramic vase by Masho’s protégé ceramist, Kanyu, which was exhibited and auctioned at Leaf Gallery, and captioned it (now deleted) “Mine.”

[IMAGE: @sasuke_deleted]

The following year, Sakura posted a photo of her bed after a concert tour with the caption “Home Sweet Home.” On the bookshelf on the right side, the same vase is seen. Note the pure white color and cracks on the surface that resemble intertwining flowers.

[IMAGE: @sakurah]

Did he give it to her or was she able to procure an identical one? I’m inclined to believe in the former, but either way, cute.

***

(2013) Chambray shirt

Sakura was photographed at Konoha airport wearing a chambray shirt, which is similar to a shirt that Sasuke was wearing in the behind-the-scenes photo of his album back in 2009. The shirts have an identical tear at the left collar.

According to fashion fansite SakuraCloset, this shirt is from Sannin Men’s chambray shirt. This is how it originally looked on the runway. No tear.

[IMAGE: Sannin RTW F/W 2006]

So it’s either a huge coincidence that Sasuke and Sakura have identical tears on the same brand of shirt, or it’s just the same shirt that they share for some reason*.

*They were dating.

tags: #masterpost, #text post

Anonymous asked: you forgot the beanie that often sasuke wears at airports which was spotted worn by sakura.

You mean in the Road of Life webisode from last year? No, it’s the same color but they’re different. Sakura was wearing a fisherman beanie, while Sasuke usually wears a slouchy one.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

mindbl0wn: do you know what the strong 100 will be about? Love ur blog ^_^

Sorry, it took a while to answer this. According to these articles (x,x), it’s gonna be a heist film with an all-female cast. Sakura’s appearance will be brief (a cameo maybe?) but apparently she does her own stunts.

tags: #that’s my girl, #mindbl0wn, #ask

Anonymous asked: lol i still keep seeing antis tryna say sakura might be doing it for attention and sasuke is just pity marrying her or using her as a beard to cover up another relationship or sth man i can’t with them anymore

I really worry about people who spread stuff like this. Like, please give your faves the credit they deserve!

Sasuke “ I-take-relationships-very-seriously” Uchiha marrying someone for shits? They can’t even make him forego his IG feed aesthetic to promote his group/members’ stuff, let alone force him to marry someone out of pity or publicity or whatever.

And Sakura. Why would she marry for publicity? She’s already famous and influential on her own, and not to mention, rich from all the songwriting royalties among other things. She doesn’t need clout. Least of all from Sasuke or the Uchiha. Like 90% of the hate directed towards her come from ugly Sasuke/Hoekage stans and weirdos who have conglomerate boners. She need not subject herself to all that.

They are also, by the way, at the height of their respective careers. If they cared all that much about their image, wouldn’t they wait until they’re in their early 30s to marry like most idols? They could potentially be throwing away endorsement deals from brands who prefer celebrities who are single to appease the fans who feel like they have some sort of ownership towards idols.

And yet! And yet despite everything, they chose to make their relationship public in their own terms.

(Also, note the timing of their announcement. It’s a few months after Hatake Kakashi became the new CEO. It’s like the management up until then has been the main reason that has kept them from coming out with their relationship, which is why the ‘secrecy’ of it felt kinda half-hearted and they’ve been [knowingly or not] dropping hints.)

Clearly, they just didn’t care and they couldn’t wait to spend the rest of their lives married to each other. It’s not that deep. You don’t have to like it. But if you love them as you claim, then respect their decision and stop spreading rumors like that.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

WAIT WHAT

tags: #text post

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD

tags: #IS THIS REAL, #AM I DREAMING, #GUYS!!!!!!!!!!, #text post

THEY REALL YDID IT OH MY GODD!!!!11 ;;;

tags: #text post

Un-Follow Me Now, This Is Gonna Be the Only Thing I Post About For The Next Week. Ive Wanted This For Years Fuck. What The Fuck.

tags: #text post

Anonymous: Lol theres still a few months before the wedding date so they might still cancel it and break up lmfao xD

I delayed answering this to avoid jinxing it but guess what, babe:

**

BREAKING: UCHIHA SASUKE AND HARUNO SAKURA OFFICIALLY GET MARRIED

July 17, 2014

Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura have made it official!

Yesterday, the two were reportedly spotted at the Konoha offices to file for their marriage registration. On July 17, the two officially got married in a private ceremony.

The couple initially announced their engagement last March, with the wedding that was supposed to be held November 5 later this year.

Representatives say that the newlywed couple “opted for a small and private wedding along with their loved ones, in favor of donating the expenses that was supposed to be for their ceremony to the pediatric ward of Konoha General Hospital.”

Uchiha Sasuke is best known as a member and the primary lyricist of boy group Kage under KG Entertainment. Haruno Sakura is known as a member of girl group Kunoichi under the same company. Both have gone on to have successful solo careers.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

**

source: knewsdaily

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

Sasuke and Sakura: We will get married on November 5 this year.

Also, Sasuke and Sakura: sothatwasafuckinglie.jpg

tags: #WHEN WILL THEY LET ME LIVE!!!!!, #text post

I’M SHAKINGG;;

tags: #REFRESHING EVERY 30 SECS FOR UPDATES, #text post

SAKURA IS SO BEAUTIFUL

tags: #THAT’S IT, #THAT’S THE POST, #text post

Attendees’ social media posts (so far)

Kakashi: posted a photo of the still empty venue, but everything is prepared already. The flower ceiling is especially striking. (There appears to be not more than 30 chairs for the guests. I guess it really is a small wedding.)

“I’m on time for once. #SasuSakuCouple #AmIDoingThisRight #lol”

[IMAGE: @kh_tactics]

Ino: posted picture of Sakura holding a bouquet of Baby’s Breath flowers, smiling contently.

“My baby girl is married! I’m so emotional right now and can’t even form a proper message. I’m proud to have seen you blossom right before my eyes, and I feel lucky to get to call you my best friend. I wish you all the happiness in the world. I love you!”

[IMAGE: @xxinoxx]

Sai: posted a video of Naruto and Kiba having a dance showdown at the reception.

“#lit”

[IMAGE: @sai_00]

Hinata: posted a picture of the flower arrangement at the table.

“Congrats”

[IMAGE: @hinata_hyuuga_official]

Kiba: posted a group selfie of the Kage boys being rowdy, Sasuke and Neji looking unimpressed in the back.

[IMAGE: @kibakage]

Tenten: posted a group selfie of Kunoichi being cute.

[IMAGE: @10ten]

Neji: posted a photoset of miscellaneous aesthetics of the wedding (floral ceiling, the food, the lights, details of Sakura’s veil), and a selfie.

“S/S 2014”

[IMAGE: @neji_]

Itachi : posted (1) a photoset of the groom’s and bride’s parents—first photo is a formal one, on the second one, they’re doing finger hearts.

“#familyphoto”

(2) a picture of the silhouettes of Sasuke and Sakura facing each other, seemingly in a happy conversation.

[IMAGE: @itachiuchiha]

tags: #no update from naruto yet, #king of being late, #masterpost, #text post

I know it’s a private affair and I respect that but...

But would it seriously be too much to ask for a proper picture of the newlyweds??

tags: #i love you itachi-nii but what the heck was that??, #do you need your eyes checked perhaps?, #or am i too pedestrian to appreciate the high art-ness of it, #probably that, #in any case: i need the pics PLEASE, #i’ve been a good person, #i deserve this, #text post

Anonymous: do think it’s possibel that sakura is pregnant that’s why they were so quick to marry. Pls reply

Highly unlikely. She would’ve been showing by now and looking at the photos we’ve seen, her stomach is very much flat. Moreover, she was just shooting an action movie where she does her own stunts. You think they’d allow a pregnant woman to do that?

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

Anonymous: YO DID YOU SEE SAKURA’S UPDATE JUST NOW?!?!??!!111

YES!!!! I’m translating it but I’m trying to wait if Sasuke posts something so I can translate that too and (rightfully) post them together.

tags: #Anonymous, #ask

SASUKE

He

tags: #text post

Sakura and Sasuke post-wedding social media updates

Sakura posted a pic of their hands with the rings, a bouquet of flowers visible on the side, with the caption:

“Today we got married.

We had deviated from our original plan because we wanted to do something meaningful and more like us. As a result, we have decided to just keep the ceremony quiet but, rest assured, full of love.

I’ve never felt so loved as I do at this moment and that’s in huge part because of all of you who have been congratulating us warmly, and have been so patient and understanding of our decisions every step of the way.

Please continue to look kindly upon us as husband and wife. Thank you.

- Sakura“

[IMAGE: @sakurah]

Sasuke, of course, never does what you expect so he didn’t post a message. Instead, he cleared out three rows of his feed with plain white tiles to have a single picture of Sakura looking beautiful in her wedding dress in the middle. The colored picture especially stands out in his generally grayscale feed.

Moreover, he is now following 1 account: @sakurah.

[IMAGE: @sasuke]

tags: #text post

Masterpost of notable moments of Naruto being the SS fan club president

Note: As promised, here it is. If you have anything else to add, please don’t hesitate to reply/message me.

Read More

EDIT: Naruto posted a photoset: (1) the newlyweds smiling arm in arm, Sasuke gazing warmly at Sakura, (2) same as the first but they’re looking at each other and smiling, (3) Naruto gets in the picture to pose with the two.

“Why I believe in love”

[IMAGE: @narukage]

Tags: #MY JOB HERE IS DONE, #update, #masterpost, #text post

END

[blauregen]

fav ♀-releases in 2018 (in no particular order)

so, since i started this list like this last year too, here we go: i know little to nothing about music, i have weird (may i say b a d) taste and my reasonings are - as expected from a subjective list - Super personal ,, also i dont follow every female k-artists so there are definitely blind spots for me too! that said ... LETS GET GAY! LETS GO LESBIANS!

Wind (바람 ) - Heize

suprise surprise, its Heize again. i was rarely this excited about a comeback this year as i was about Wind ... i adore this mini. i really love Heize’s voice, especially now that she is playing around with rapping And singing more than ever, its just ,, i hear her voice and i just, immediately calm down and feel a warm glow in me rising and --- this is getting really cheesy, isn’t it.

my fav tracks have to be Sorry and wish you well (feat. DAVII), however i can listen to this whole album without a problem - of course Jenga as the title was amazing as well, Dahye’s voice works really well with Gaeko’s as well. additionally i loved the ~design for this album, the photoshoot is stunning and the whole aesthetic is very much up my alley.

AND SINCE WE R ALREADY TALKING ABOUT DAHYE:

+ First Sight (첫눈에) - Heize

as expected, i love her winter single release as well. again, a Lovely mixture of her singing and a solid very groovy amazing rapping part. i did like her mini a lot more lyricwise (lots of it is really sad but Sorry has such smart lyrics!!!), however as a “”simple”” winter release that is meant to fit this season, this is amazing.

...... also have i mentioned how Beautiful she is, jfc.

Deine - Ha:tfelt

Oh Boy. Here we go.

this is hands-down my Favorite Release of this whole year. i don’t know if its clear, but i adore yeeun. i adore her as the person park yeeun, who is an activist and very outspoken about her position of a woman in the industry, her experiences in one of the most successful girlgroups Ever, her views on feminism and sexism, the fact that she collabed with a drag organizer for her exhibition, etc etc etc. however, i also love yeeun as Ha:tfelt and adore her music. Pluhmm is such a sensual, fun and soft and yet strong song about her Own Desires and a woman that Wants to flirt and be in love and have fun and Be sensual and its so so so lovely and warm and playful and confident? i died a little at the MV because Ha:tfelt is a Woman and is portrayed as such, she is sensual and sexy and its portrayed by yeeun dancing around a flat in the sexiest dress and feeling herself and. its just Wonderful. so wonderful. i love her. Cigar is super touching too, very smooth and slick and polished and yet it has a vulnerable touch to it and is just ,, such a good song ....... thank u yenny.

Warning - Sunmi

ANOTHER AMAZING WOMAN. if i had to choose a soloist that is more active and actively promotes and performs on music and award shows etc, i’d definitely go for Sunmi. first of all: sunmi is outstandingly hardworking, talented, tough, brave, but also so so so kind and sweet and self-aware (seriously her twitter account is my social media highlight of this year, she is beyond ADORABLE and wonderful and funny) and of course she is fucking beautiful. this album is AMAZING - i can listen to the whole tracklist without skipping a single song. i adore Siren (aesthetically its my favorite title track of hers, though i do think Gashina is a little more catchy, esp together with that choreo - but i Love Siren’s horror-esque MV with the, well, siren-mermaid-imagery, so good!) but personally my favorite SONGS are ADDICT and Black Pearl - both sound very different actually, one being completely in English, but it just shows how well Sunmi can pull of different styles. god ... have u seen her on stage? shes a m a z i n g.

KHAN - I’m Your Girl ?

I started following Euna and Minju already before they debuted ... but what really made me fall in love with both their voices, be it singing or rapping (cause both are quite good at both ,,) was their DNA cover! generally the fact that they keep posting really cool covers on their youtube channel is beyond lovely and these two really managed to make me like a version of DNA ... (probably my least favorite BTS title track, lmao ,,)

their actual debut was just lovely. the song is great, soothing and super smooth and groovy and easy to listen to, their voices are stunning in it, the MV is VERY GAY, the choreo is fun and their outfits for promotion stages were such a lovely fresh wind and i really enjoyed seeing them perform a LOT. i just really like that KHAN already is quite unique and m so so so looking forward to future comebacks!

BBIBBI - IU

no highlight list without Jieun. the lyrics to this track were solely written by her and it shows - IU is an outstanding songwriter, i adore her hard work and experience and talent. the sound of the track itself is fun and bubbly and groovy and Very catchy, but my highlight is how this conflicts so beautifully with the lyrics that are quite ... critical and rough and basically show a very very sweet lovely middle finger to the rumour-netizen-culture around her ,, i am super excited for future full releases from jieun, though i still listen to Palette a lot and think she should take all the time she needs!

Bad Boy - Red Velvet

sadly, i didnt not really enjoy Red Velvets later release this year and neither did i really dig their summer release, but what i do adore to the moon and back is their The Perfect Red Velvet - The 2nd Album Repackage, though thats a lil bit of cheating since i already mentioned their Perfect Velvet album last year ,,

Bad Boy is my favorite title track of theirs this year, the styling is OUTSTANDINGLY GOOD MY GOD and the sound is just, smooth and cool and sexy and just ... damn.

also, Red Velvet definitely has some of my favorite jacket photoshoots of this year, the quality and beauty of their photos is amazing, i could spend hours just looking at those ......... and maybe i did.

What Is Love? - TWICE

the nations girl group powered through this year and released so many catchy awesome songs that i had a hard time choosing one ,, but What Is Love is definitely my MV highlight of the year and also the song itself is so so fun and lovely and cheerful and just makes me feel happy ... thank u for making me happy, TWICE!

You And I - Dreamcatcher

i have to admit: Dreamcatcher is not really my sound. their tracks remind me a little too much of Very Loud Stressful Anime Openings, so i accept that its just not my music taste ,, HOWEVER i actually really really like You and I. the song is very catchy and has this one part right before the chorus that i really love, its a very cool mysterious “dark” awesome track. moreover though i love the Whole Package that is Dreamcatcher (again, this horror-esque style of theirs is Really Up My Alley) - their styling and choreos are so clever and SEXY and goth-y and different, its just so fucking fun to watch them perform, especially the Choreo to You and I is so so so so so cool!

(also they r somewhat of a lesbian cult and m Very Appreciative of that, my god.)

LOOΠΔ - just, the whole thing.

SO - it took me until this year to really get into Loona. i knew them beforehand and was intrigued by the unique pre-debut “schedule” that their company was doing and checked out some songs but never got into them deeper. however, this year i truly listened to the Broad Amazing Variety that Loona offers and i just Have to include them here. all the girls and the subunits are super interesting and diverse and i love how especially the solo songs all sound different and lots of things were tried out and the AESTHETICS ARE OFF THE CHARTS. their full group debut was a little too ... they played it too ~safe for my taste, however i still adore lots of LOONA songs and can only recommend them!

(my favs are So Boring, i love Egoist and Heart Attack and Singing in the Rain and New and ... i’ll get back to this once i develop an actual Interesting opinion lmao)

i Can’t possibly end this list without some honorable mentions, because girls are amazing:

- (G)I-DLE are amazing rookies and performers and just such an awesome new girlgroup. Soyeon’s stage presence is just ,, wow, she is such a good rapper and performer, but the other girls are also so amazing and m so glad they are so successful and loved so far. favorite track of this year is def HANN (Alone), though all their songs are mighty good.

- Oh My Girl. maybe i dont listen to their songs as much but m in deep love with their visuals and stages and man ... call me, Yooa, please, m free almost every night.

- fromis_9 had such a cute quirky hyper Love Bomb comeback, i loved it!

- Momoland similarly had such catchy fun songs, i gotta mention them too!

- Hyuna - i love Hyuna and i wish her all the best and happiness and love and success and i hope to see her on stage again soon! (i especially loved her in Triple H, since i was actually quite a fan of that trio and the retro funky sound they went for ...... big sigh @ cube)

- Yubin ... again, not really my sound, but man. kill me Yubin, just do it, cmon.

- EXID is back to OT5! m so happy!!! I Love You was really fun, but I definitely enjoyed DDD last year more ,, but i still wanted to mention them, such a fun, diverse, different girlgroup that offers lots of different sounds and visuals and stands out to me a lot, so so good!

- Chungha ... m still in the process of falling in love with Chungha but oh god .... have u seen her? her dancing skills are out of this world, her beauty is stunning, she is so so sweet and kind and tough and her songs m so eager to properly discover and also a rly niche point but: I LOVE HER ALBUM DESIGNS SO SO SO MUCH.

- Minseo is another new amazing soloist ,, i discovered her at first through my fav photographers instagram (@ mu_gung) who took just. outstanding pics of Minseo but i also Adore her voice and she has done Amazing covers as well, her Why So Lonely is my absolute favorite and id dare to say i like it just as much as the original ... check her out, her MV visuals and concepts are Super interesting and beautiful and fun as well!

and many many many many more that i missed or forgot!

just know: girls are the best.

[kwanfairy]

CHOICE TAG

Rules: Answer the questions (if you want to skip one, feel free to do that too of course!). Tag 3 people (or more or less, you choose really). Tag your post with #CHOICE_tag so we can find each other’s posts! Have fun!!

I was tagged by @choi-hae - thanks love for always thinking of me (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)

I’m tagging: @aamorella @moonsehyoon @kimbye0ngkwan

i know i havent interacted with either of you 3 yet and i feel kinda akward for calling you out like this so pls feel free to ignore.

1. Introduce yourself. You choose how much and how little!

hi hi im Bikki and i hate introducing myself cause i never know what to say lmao. im a pretty big loser with a big heart and an unhealthy obsession with anything dog related cause dogs are everything („ಡωಡ„)

2. How and when did you become a CHOICE?

ive started to get into kpop fairly 'late' (in 2016) and by the time undercover dropped a year later i was still quite confused and overwhelmed but i remember i really liked the song (and could not for the life of me tell bk and sehyoon apart in that MV wtf @ 2017 me LOL). fast forward to 2020 when favourite boys hit me like a truck and honestly it all is kind of a blur afterwards lmao. the aes of the MV had me fall in love with them instantly and i think i watched a bunch of 'funny moments' vids and stuff and it all spiraled from there

3. What is your favourite part of being a CHOICE?

4. What is your favourite A.C.E song? Do you prefer their title tracks or b-sides more?

this fandom mirrors the boys' crackhead energy like i have yet to meet a choice who isnt just as weird as the fools themselves and i absolutely love it (◡‿◡)

also: being choice means being a fan of ace and whats better than that

i really cant say. i like each song for very different reasons. i love Stand By You for its soft yet melancholic vibes. i love Golden Goose cause their performance on theshow killed me. id literally go feral listening to Hell if they finally. give us. a studio version. :) :) :)

5. Who’s your bias? What do you like about them?

my bebi Byeongkwan for sure eventho i also feel very drawn to Sehyoon cause we are pretty similar personality wise (i say as i dont really know him at all lmao). but best boi BK will put me into simp mode in -0.34 secs. i cant really say why i just love this gorgeous lil firecracker (ಥ◡ಥ) and im obsessed with ppl calling him fairy it literally makes me flatline cause yes yall are so right.....

but really, im a huge simp for them all (yes... even jun eventho it makes me gag to admit it LMAO)

6. What is your favourite thing about A.C.E?

how they play (and fuck) with gender norms and try out so many different things, esp style-wise. to me, it is such an aesthetically pleasing group(point proven with the siren teasers id say). i also love how natural they seem. like they dont bother about upholding a fake image. i esp get that feeling of 'just 5 dudes being friends' which i love so dearly during their vlives - its so refreshing and fills my heart so much

7. Which concept has been your favourite? What kind of concept do you want them to try?

8. Which A.C.E friendship is your favourite? Which one do you want to see more of?

id say undercover is pretty high up there (i mean pig tails crop top BK .......) but it looks like siren will take the crown once she drops....

i showed my anti(kpop) friend the intro:escape video and she said it gave her the creeps in a good way and ever since i have gone mad wanting a horror concept omfg

9. If you could tell A.C.E one thing, what would you tell them?

given that wowkwan are soft, tender, gentle boyfriends who have all my fucking uwus and therefore dont count, id say dongjun. wait nevermind these are husbands... ok junchan it is. i just love their father-son vibes

id love to see more donghun/sehyoon but only if grandpa doesnt call yoon fat or pig cause thats a big nono!!! or dongkwan cause i cant really think of any moments of them wth

how dare yall (¬_¬)

10. Which A.C.E member would die first in a horror movie?

11. Leave a small message for your fellow CHOICE!

i think its funny that everyone says jun but lets be honest.. the dumb ones usually make it longer dksdjkl

it for sure is sehyoon cause this airhead would probably get lost in his own thoughts without even noticing that he got separated from the others. the second his man BK isnt with him anymore to protect him its over for him lol

how are you all dealing with the teasers share your secrets cause im not doing so well :')

no but srsly the choice ive interacted with have been so incredibly nice and kind and patient with me and i love how this small lil fandom is so vibrant and caring both towards the boys and one another.

[kpoprambles00-blog]

Spring comeback review [Part 2]

Alright, time for part two - I've put this off long enough as it is, so let's not waste any more time!

[This is a two-part review - part one can be found here!]

R.TEE X ANDA (안다) - WHAT YOU WAITING FOR (뭘 기다기고 있어)

~ MV link ~

For those of you that don't know, I'm quite a fan of EDM - and that applies to K-Pop, too. R.Tee has done some fantastic stuff in the past; when he's not producing songs for YG (he's done quite a few of BLACKPINK's best title tracks, like "Playing With Fire" and "KILL THIS LOVE", actually), he's doing his own thing and making his own music. (Hell, he's even collaborated with EXID's Hani before - "We Got The World" is a fucking great song, too!) But just like a lot of other celebrities and male idols, he unfortunately had to enlist earlier this year. So, before that, he decided to go out with one last bang and release his collaboration with Anda, "What You Waiting For." Now, if you've never heard of Anda, let me just say that you've been missing out. She's got an incredibly unique voice and an undeniable sense of charisma, and she's definitely one of the better K-Pop soloists out there. She recently was signed to YG after leaving Amoeba Culture, and it looks like this is her first proper song under YG.

Artists aside, as for the song itself... yeah, um, wow. It's fucking phenomenal.

When it comes to EDM in K-Pop, I always have an apprehensive side; I'm always worried it'll veer more into mainstream pop, instead of sounding like an actual EDM, bigroom-inspired song. But when R.Tee was put into the equation, those worries flew RIGHT out the window for me. He's got a fantastic knowledge of the genre, and he certainly uses it to his advantage here. That drop had me reeling the first time I heard it. I wasn't sure what the song was going to build up to, and I wasn't entirely sure if Anda would suit it, but goddamn was I wrong. This song is explosive, to put it lightly - that bouncy melody line and the staccato bass in the drop really work wonders. "What You Waiting For" has a sense of gravitas and power to it, and at no point does it ever feel thin or flimsy - it's powerful, raucous EDM at its best. AND I LOVE IT. What's even more impressive is how it never loses its momentum, either!

Like I mentioned, I wasn't entirely sure if Anda would suit this sort of song, but she quickly changed my mind on that. She carries her usual charisma and energy in every line, and her vocal delivery is nothing less than amazing (as is usually the case for her). Her delivery actually ties in nicely to the lyrics, too, which are very impatient and demanding. She knows what she wants, and she's tired of waiting for the person she likes to turn around and tell her they like her. On the other hand, you could look at them as an encouragement to her crush to take the leap that's needed to start a relationship. They can feel one-sided in places, yes, but overall they're definitely interesting, as well as a little bit different.

How slow are you? You're tiring me out Why are you so hesitant? You and I, we already know all we need to know

Thankfully, we were lucky enough to get a dance video for this song as well - and it's just as good as the song itself.

~ Dance practice link ~

I don't mean that on a choreography level - there's nothing incredibly mind-blowing or amazing about this choreo. It's relatively simple, but effective and hard to pull off. ESPECIALLY with those lifts. (Seriously, dynamic stuff like that should be included in K-Pop routines more often, it looks fantastic. I understand why it's not, but... yeah.) What REALLY blows me away about this routine is Anda herself. No, I'm not talking about that pair of twin backup dancers that everyone is fawning over in the comments. This is ANDA'S routine. She owns it. You can tell that the charisma she has is not just limited to her voice - she's a stellar performer, as well. From start to finish, she exudes stage presence and charm in a way that's very damn rare. Even though the choreography is nothing special, she makes it entertaining either way. She's a delight to watch.

And that is just another reason why this song is so damn amazing to me. It delivered in pretty much every way possible, and I still listen to it incredibly often. Don't be surprised if you see me mention this on my best list at the end of the year - it's looking like it'll be on that list, I'll say that much!

BLOCK B BASTARZ (블락비 바스타즈) - HELP ME

~ MV link ~

When it comes to subunits of popular groups, Block B Bastarz have always been one of my favourites. "Conduct Zero" was downright fucking fantastic, and "Make It Rain" was arguably even better - they're big, bombastic hip-hop fuelled songs that blew me away on first listen. I still listen to them, they're phenomenal. But it was clear from the teasers for their recent comeback that they were going to be trying something new, and a little more subdued. Not going to lie, I was worried, but out of the two songs they released, "Help Me" stands out the most. That's not to say I don't like "From Seoul" - I just wouldn't have a lot to say on it.

Between the two title tracks, "Help Me" has more of a traditional Bastarz sound. But just like the teasers indicated, it's heading in a very different direction sound-wise. It's still got hints of that bombast that we've had in the past with those booming synths and blocky violin chords, but there's something a little darker here than before - the bass guitar gives a great melodic lift (and a LOT of groove), but it's surrounded by very echoey 808 bass and subtle acoustic guitar notes to give a slower, darker vibe. The song very much switches between these two moods, going from bombast back to funky a number of times.

Even if I'm not a fan of that clunky trap section in the middle, the members themselves give great vocal performances that put the song's darker concept on display. Hell, their performances in the music video are great too. Now THAT was certainly fun to watch. If you're not good with blood I wouldn't recommend watching it, but this dark, almost action film-like concept really suits Bastarz well!

And nowhere is that darker concept more evident than in the lyrics, which... yeah, they're certainly weird. Whoever these lyrics are following is certainly a bit of a tormented soul, who's either stuck in a back and forth relationship, or - as the lyrics in the choruses suggest - may be doing some harm to their relationship thanks to alcohol or something of the sort. The back-and-forth in the lyrics certainly comes off as uneasy, but lyrics like this aren't seen in K-Pop all too often. They're certainly unique, and probably the most memorable part of the song when you take the time to find a good translation.

Lend me your body tonight, tonight I'm fucked up I'm gonna sleep holding you [...] Can you come to me tonight? Help me, baby

Even though we didn't get too many music show stages, we did get a dance practice for the song.

~ Dance practice link ~

And to be honest, it's nothing really to write home about. There's certainly some interesting moments - those staggered movements in the second verse look fantastic - but all in all, it's a fairly run of the mill choreography for the boys. It's the sort of thing they could probably do in their sleep at this point. But hey, it definitely suits the slower vibe of the song well! It's just not as complex or eye-catching as some other routines out there.

All in all, I do feel like this will be a comeback I'll end up forgetting about down the line. Yes, the song's got an interesting theme overall, the dance is okay, and the MV is pretty damn great, but it's just not... overly memorable, if you know what I mean. The annoying part is, I can't really figure out why. I am glad to see Bastarz experimenting a bit though, and I'm definitely excited to see what they do in the future.

BTS (방탄소년단) FT. HALSEY - BOY WITH LUV (작은 것들은 위한 시)

~ MV link ~

Welp, I knew I was going to have to talk about BTS on this blog at some point... May as well do it now!

I shouldn't need to explain to you who BTS are at this point. Even if you're not a K-Pop fan, the chances are that you know who they are. And I'm going to be completely honest - I was a big naysayer of BTS for a while. As controversial as it may be for me to say this, their releases from "Boy With Luv" onward just... disappointed me. I adored them when they debuted - "N.O." is one of my favourite K-Pop songs ever for its lyrics alone - and I loved the hard hip-hop sound they were going for. But for a while, it felt like they were making music that just... didn't appeal to me in any way. However, when "Not Today" came out, I had a bit of hope again. And not gonna lie, most of BTS's songs that have been popular in the west have been... iffy, if I'm being honest. I don't feel like "DNA" does anything to stand out, and I ended up hearing "Fake Love" enough that it eventually irritated me. But I admittedly loved "Idol", and was excited to see what they'd do next.

And then they released "Boy With Luv", and... I didn't like it. Yeah, this song is a massive grower. If you don't like it initially, just let it take its time. Don't think about it too much, and just try to enjoy it. That's what songs like this are for! It's very much a laid-back, breezy summer song with TONS of energy and colour. The funky guitar melodies, the cymbal-heavy drum line, the tambourine as part of the pre-choruses... It's one hell of an entertaining song. And it's honestly a breath of fresh air to see BTS having so much fun - it's one of the reasons I ended up liking "Idol" so much. And yeah, Halsey doesn't really contribute much, but I feel like she did all she needed to here. BTS are so big at this point that this was bound to do well regardless of whether or not they had a guest star. The members have enough charisma and versatility to pull this concept off well - it hasn't hit for me in the past, but there's something about "Boy With Luv"'s colour and vivacity that just nails it. Admittedly, I didn't like Suga's rap, but that's the only part of the song I didn't like. The rest of it is upbeat, melodic, and perfect to scream in a car. Trust me, I've done it. It's great.

Admittedly, the lyrics aren't anything too special. They're standard pop song fare, all about being in love and how happy you are whilst in a relationship. RM's rap is admittedly the exception, because that has some downright gorgeous fucking lyrics that might be some of my favourite of the year so far. But yeah, the rest of it is fairly standard, but I'm not too bothered by it. For a song as casual and laid-back as this, the lyrics don't need to be overly complicated - they do their job perfectly fine. 👌

But your pain is my pain - when I realized that I vowed to myself, with the wings of Icarus you gave me Not toward the sun but toward you, let me fly

Of course, we have a dance practice to look at here, too. And since it's BTS we're dealing with, you KNOW it's going to at least be good.

~ Dance practice link ~

And yeah, it is! Considering how laid-back the song is, it's hardly going to be as intense as some of BTS' other choreos - but it's really damn pleasant to watch regardless. There are a few little details in the positioning and movements of the members that really stood out to me, like the gentle little hops that are scarily in sync, or the alternation of members moving up and down. It's a very satisfying choreogaphy, and really lets BTS show off just how much raw charisma they actually have. (And it may be because he's my bias, but goddammit Jimin looked amazing this comeback thank you very much.)

While "Boy With Luv" certainly wasn't my favourite song when I first heard it, it's grown on me an AWFUL lot and I really do appreciate it now. Hell, I even managed to find and buy the album in a shop! A K-Pop album! In a shop! In Ireland! What timeline are we in?!

The best one, clearly. LET'S HAVE THIS BE A THING MORE OFTEN SO I DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR SHIPPING ALL THE TIME THANK YOU.

TIFFANY YOUNG - LIPS ON LIPS

~ MV link ~

I don't really know what to say about Tiffany's solo career at this point. Time and time again, she'll release a new solo, I'll get my hopes up thinking that she'll finally release something I like, and I immediately have my hopes dashed when I listen to the song. "Lips On Lips" is no different.

I want to like what Tiffany is doing, I really do. She's a great performer. She's got a unique voice, good dancing and a boatload of stage presence. But... goddamn, her music is not showing that. At all. My main problem with "Lips On Lips" is the fact that it's unoriginal. Now, of course songs are going to sound similar every now and again, but who decided it was a good idea to give Tiffany a clunky, autotune-ridden ripoff of Maroon 5's "Girls Like You"?! That is NOT a flattering concept for her. The autotune is so thick at some parts of the choruses that it sounds like she's off-tune. That's nooooot good. Whoever she's working with on her vocal production needs to fix that.

Hell, whoever she's working with on her production needs to fix what they're doing period. To say this song is blocky is an understatement. The melody is repetitive to a point where it starts to tire before the end of the song, and that's not a good thing coming from me. I can normally put up with the most repetitive of songs, whether it be in pop or K-Pop. But "Lips On Lips" just... overdoes it in that regard. It feels rushed, both in melody and production. The filtered, overly condensed violin plucks and completely unneeded trap snares and blaring synths do NOT help either.

Nothing about this song sounds balanced. It's like every element of the song is trying to compete to get your attention by being as loud and irritating as possible. It tries to come off as sweet and melodic, but it ends up being the exact opposite. It's grating. And just like how the melody was repetitive, the lyrics are too. I understand that that's normal for pop songs, but I think it's exacerbated by how repetitive that melody line is. They're pretty inoffensive on their own, but with that melody they become a pain to listen to.

Only one I choose, ride or die with you Trust I speak the truth, darling, I get weak when you Put your lips on my lips, when they're touching like this, no, they don't ever lie

I'm now at the point where I think I'm going to stop reviewing Tiffany's solo releases on this blog. At the time of writing, she's recently released "Magnetic Moon", and it's not much better. I'm sorry, Tiffany. I DESPERATELY want to like what she's doing, but she's just making all the wrong moves with her solo music so far. Unless she drastically improves, I won't be reviewing her music here in the future. Not if it's as bad as "Lips On Lips". Sorry.

KEY (키), SOYEON (소연) - I WANNA BE

~ MV link ~

And now, for a solo effort that is fantastic in just about every way.

People REALLY need to stop sleeping on Key's solo stuff. I feel like people only pay attention to him when he's a part of SHINee, and even then, I feel he gets overlooked. When he released his solo album "Face" last year, I had no clue it came out - so much so that I didn't even know that "I Wanna Be" was the title track from the repackage! I thought it was just a mini album or single!

And that's a crying shame, because this might just be one of my favourite songs of the year so far. If I had to describe "I Wanna Be" in one word, it's anthemic. This song has such a fantastic sense of presence and atmosphere to it, and that atmosphere is one of absolute joy. The instrumental is downright magical in places with those synths chords and snapping percussion beats, and it never clashes against the more dance-influenced choruses - or the drop. The drop in this song may feel a little out of place initially, but when that ending comes around, it is stunning. The way the drop layers over the instrumental and Key's adlibs is enough to give me chills - and that it does! "I Wanna Be" is the kind of song that took me so much by surprise when I first listened to it that I immediately listened to it again. It's THAT good. It's breezy, it's uplifting, and it's a very cheerful and enthusiastic punch to the gut. To say it took me by surprise is an understatement.

That goes without mentioning the performers themselves. As I've mentioned, Key is being slept on, and that applies to his skills as a performer as well as his music. He's got a very magnetic presence behind the microphone, and he really pulls you into what he's singing immediately. Then there's the fact that Soyeon is on this song, which... she doesn't need any explaining at this point. She's one of the best (if not the best) female idol rappers in K-Pop right now, she's got her own precedent. And she unsurprisingly kills it here too. Her rap section may be short, but it's effective and impactful regardless.

The lyrics, too, are a nice surprise. In case you aren't aware, this is the last song Key released before his military enlistment. When you take that into account, the lyrics are probably enough to make any long-term Shawol tear up a little - hell, I got a little misty-eyed reading them once that final drop kicked in! They've got a celebratory mood that's tinged with the sadness of parting from someone you care about - but they're celebratory because you know you'll eventually get to see them again. They're just as genuine as the song itself, and they're a breath of (very welcome) fresh air.

Think of me when you're feeling alone Even before this song ends Always inside your heart, I wanna be

Unfortunately, apart from some edited fancams, we don't really have a proper look into the choreography for this song. I've seen bits of it here and there, but not enough for me to give my full opinion on it. I don't feel like I'd be giving an opinion that's fair, since I kinda like to see the whole picture before commenting. Regardless, "I Wanna Be" is a goddamn fantastic song that deserves way more appreciation than what it got. I can bet right now this is going to be on my favourites list at the end of the year. It's brilliant, and I hope that we get music of this quality once Key returns, too. 😊

CHERRY BULLET (체리블렛) - Q&A

~ MV link ~

Wanna know what one of my favourite things about K-Pop is? DEBUTS. I love seeing a brand new group with a shitton of potential come out of nowhere - it's probably why I like so many rookie groups. And while Everglow may still hold the title for the best rookie this year in my opinion, Cherry Bullet are another girl group who managed to thoroughly impress me with their debut.

When I heard that Cherry Bullet's concept as such was going to be video game-based, I was worried. I wondered if it was going to be stereotypical, or if it was even going to catch my attention at all. I didn't want it to just be superficial - and y'know what, they fucking nailed it. "Q&A" suits this video game concept incredibly well, thanks to the electronic synths scattered throughout the instrumental, as well as some of the phasers and effects that are used throughout. It sounds very retro and gamey, for lack of a better word, and it's as if chiptune and tropical house had a baby. A very pleasing, delightful baby. Weird metaphors or no, the song is good. It's catchy, and WILL get stuck in your head, it's bright, it's uplifting, and it's cute without feeling over-the-top or cheesy. It just feels like a genuinely bright debut, full of potential and excitement.

And that's particularly apt with Cherry Bullet, since some of these girls have pipes. Seriously, they can SING - Bora and Haeyoon are the obvious standouts here. The melody in "Q&A" is very litled and hard to sing in places, and yet these girls sound like they could do in their sleep. Hitting high notes is one thing, but doing it well is a completely different can of worms. And yet, each of the members has a very distinctive sound to her voice that sets everyone apart, and while I feel like some of the rap sections could have been a bit better, the harmonies and vocals really do make up for it in my opinion. I bet these girls would be amazing live - I'd LOVE to see the energy they bring. Speaking of energy, the lyrics are full of the energy you'd expect from a debut like this one. They're very much about love whilst being playful and cheery, and they get the job done just fine.

I act like I'm not interested I keep beating around the bush I'm playing hard to get, it's how I play my love games

So everything's looking pretty damn good so far - what about the dance?

~ Dance practice link ~

Turns out it's pretty great too! The biggest thing about it is how the choreographer obviously took advantage of the number of people on stage at the one time. There are a lot of groups out there with members in the double digits, but very few of them use each member effectively in their choreography. Cherry Bullet are a fantastic example of this. Every member plays a part in the choreography (which unfortunately cannot be said about the song's line distribution... ouch), and the girls are very well in-sync to match. Combined with some of the more intricate elements going on here, it's a very pleasing choreography to watch. The girls each bring their own energy and vibe to the choreo, and even though I have no idea how Bora is dancing in those shoes, they all kill it.

Cherry Bullet have so much potential, it's astounding. If FNC can keep it up and actually give these girls some proper momentum, we might have another big rookie girl group. And I really hope that's the case, because they deserve it! They really could become something great, and I have every faith that they will.

Hopefully they don't become TOO good though, because I stan way too many groups as it is. It's getting ridiculous at this point. Seriously. Cherry Bullet, I love you, and I want you to do well, but if I end up buying all your albums, then we'll have a problem. My wallet can't take much more at this point...

TAEYEON (태연) - FOUR SEASONS (사계)

~ MV link ~

What else can really be said about Taeyeon at this point? Her solos have all done incredibly well, each being more successful than the last. But with "Four Seasons", Taeyeon seemed to knock it out of the park for most people. The song was hugely successful for weeks on end, and to be honest, when you dig a bit deeper into it, you begin to see why.

"Four Seasons" is Taeyeon doing what Taeyeon does best - lyrically complex songs with a tinge of emotion that only she can really add. The instrumental is lavish and very unique, even if I do feel like the percussion line is a little overblown at times. It never overshadows Taeyeon's voice, which is a huge thing. If you overshadow the performer, that's a problem, and it's a problem "Four Seasons" thankfully never has. The muted guitar lines keep the pace steady as well, and the interchanging lyrics in the choruses keep the song feeling fresh and interesting. It's got a very interested, slightly stilted melody - it's paced very uniquely, and it makes the entire song very memorable and strangely catchy. The quality is high, and the memorability is high as a result.

The lyrics themselves are probably my favourite aspect of the song outside of Taeyeon herself, who gives a great performance as always. She's always so emotionally charged when she sings, I love it. But the lyrics here are referencing a breakup, and how tired and stale the now-ended relationship became. I love how they've got the slightest tinge of sarcasm and scorn to them in places, since it helps the song border on the edge of being a flippant kiss-off, and yet stops it before it crosses that border and allows for a bit more reflection and contemplation. They're deep, to put it lightly. And when they do have that scornful tinge to them, they're admittedly really entertaining! I kinda just want to see Taeyeon do a completely savage break-up song some time - I feel like she'd excel at it.

The four seasons come and go I gave you my winter, I gave you my summer You were my whole world, but I'm letting you go Did I really love you?

While I may not like it as much as some of her other solo releases, "Four Seasons" is still a solid solo from Taeyeon that really shows her versatility. She's had a fair amount of success so far this year, and long may it last! She's one of the best in the business, and "Four Seasons" only serves to highlight her strengths.

TXT (투모로우바이투게더) - CROWN (어느날 머리에서 뿔이 자랐다)

~ MV link ~

So, I sung the praises of Cherry Bullet earlier on - what about TXT? Arguably the biggest debut this year in terms of sheer popularity, TXT were kinda destined to be successful from the get go. Say what you will about them being under the same label as BTS, I'm going to review their debut like I would review any other group. (I do kind of feel like they were destined to be successful no matter how good or bad their debut was anyway, but that's a debate for another day.)

At first, I really wasn't sure what to think of "Crown". The bouncy synths are certainly inviting upon a first listen, and the morse code certainly piqued my interest. Which, for the record, it spells out "CROWN" and I find that insanely adorable. Cryptic messages aside, the song's pretty standard fare for a boy group - you've got trap percussion in abundance, you've got the upbeat energy of a debut, and you've got a pretty nice progression with some of those synths and vocal samples. But at times, the song can end up feeling a little overcrowded, especially in the choruses. It's hard to know what to focus on because you've got so many elements overlapping at once. I'd certainly prefer listening to a song that's too busy rather than one that's undercooked, but it's just something I noticed.

But honestly, the song itself has grown on me. What hasn't grown on me is the lyrics. Now, I'm a particular fan of creepier concepts in K-Pop - hell, I'm a massive Insomnia. So to start reading the lyrics and have the hints at a possible tormented love story going on here? I was enthralled. I wanted to know where they were going to take this - would this be the unique little detail that would give TXT's debut a real spark? But nope. As soon as you reach the first chorus, we're back to being lovey dovey and talking about how the other person in the relationship makes having the pain of having a (metaphorical) horn on your head go away. I wasn't massively disappointed or anything, but I couldn't help but think about what could've been. There could've been something really damn unique and creative here, and I feel like the idea was just thrown out when the lyricists didn't want to put the work into fleshing it out. It's sad. But apart from that, the lyrics are fine. They're nothing too special, there's some nice imagery here and there, but they're just fine.

Are you my salvation who found me deserted Are your wings [in] the same pain like me There's a horn rising up on my head, but I love it You become my crown

Dance-wise though, I went into this with VERY high expectations. It's BigHit, they're known for making very hard and complex dances. But "Crown" might have one of my new favourite routines - simply thanks to its creativity.

~ Dance practice link ~

There are moves here which you will probably never see in another group's choreography. They're so goddamn unique and stylish, and one after the other they continued to blow me away. The position, the staggered movements of the members, the playing with levels, the formations... all of it is a fucking feast for the eyes. That's helped by the fact that all 5 members are superb dancers, which, again, is no surprise coming out of BigHit. Regardless, this is one of my favourite choreographies of the year, and I really hope TXT carries this high standard into the future when it comes to dance. This is amazing!

All in all, "Crown" was a good debut. It's certainly not a new favourite for me or anything like that, but it was a strong debut as a whole. Where they go in the future will be interesting, though, and it's something I intend to keep a close eye on. Regardless, hopefully the boys can overcome the myriad of bad luck and health problems they seem to be facing and successfully come back later this year - seeing a rookie group be so heavily affected by health concerns this early on is heartbreaking, whether you like them or not. Fingers crossed!

DIA (다이야) - WOOWA (우와)

~ MV link ~

Okay, so, we immediately go from one of my new favourite dances to one of my new favourite songs.

If you've never listened to "Woowa" before - which I suspect many of you haven't, because this song is criminally underrated - SIT THE FUCK DOWN AND LISTEN UP. DIA are about to show you how to do 90s-inspired dance-pop.

First off, I feel like I need to highlight my favourite (and the best) element in "Woowa" - THAT BOUNCY SYNTH. I honest to God wasn't sure what to expect going into this, because I've never paid DIA much attention. But holy shit, that synth. I nearly fell out of my goddamn chair. It's big, it's brash, and it smacks you across the face with nostalgia in a way not many songs can. When "Woowa" gets going, it's a monster of a song. The choruses are huge, the instrumental and melody are infernally catchy, and that synth keeps on coming back around to bring it all together. I'd be lying if I said I liked that strange flute-driven section right after the first chorus, though; it does feel a little jarring and out of place. But the rest of what's on offer here is an absolute banger, and really deserves a hell of a lot more love than what it got. I mean, JUST LISTEN TO IT. Please. I'm begging you.

I sure as hell wish the lyrics were as interesting as the song, though. They're standard girl group fare in every way possible - being uncontrollably in love with someone, and wanting them to actually say something and possibly kickstart a relationship. It's nothing you haven't heard 20 times before. It's just a shame, since the song itself is so explosive and full of potential. The lyrics very well could have been the same, and they just... aren't. Not to me, anyway. 😔

You don't have to do anything You could just stand there What else do I need? I just want to look at you in front of me

And unfortunately... The dance isn't much better. Not by a long shot.

~ Dance practice link ~

Yeah, this is a disappointment in about every way possible. I was maybe hoping we'd at least get something interesting and retro to match the style of the song - you know, some wacking maybe? That'd be nice. But no - instead, we get a really sluggish, unfitting routine. I don't know who came up with that main point dance, but it is NOT good. It looks uncomfortable to do, the girls are barely moving, and it really just... doesn't work. This is a really boring routine overall, honestly. There were MOUNTAINS of potential here, and not a single bit of it was capitalized upon. And that makes me sad. There are probably fan-made choreographies out there that are better than this, honestly - and that says a lot.

Now I'm possibly starting to see why this song got so overlooked - the lyrics and the dance are just... not very good, or interesting, for that matter. It's a major disappointment, especially when the song is THIS killer. MBK have always had a bit of a... rocky history, so to see such a good song pretty much wasted breaks my heart. Please, if you haven't heard this before, go listen to it. The elements surrounding the song may not be anything special, but the song itself? It's one of my favourites of the year so far. Let's hope MBK steps it up a bit for DIA's next comeback, because if they keep this sound, and improve the dance and lyrics? Pretty sure I'd lose my damn mind.

PARK BOM (박봄), SANDARA PARK (산다라박) - SPRING (봄)

~ MV link ~

Lastly, we have the song I'm probably the most nervous to talk about.

Back in 2013, when I first discovered what K-Pop even was, 2NE1 were one of the first groups who really blew me away. "I Am The Best" was one of those videos that showed me that there was something for me, that there was a group and concept that I legitimately enjoyed and wanted to see more of. So I, like everyone else, cried a LOT when YG fucked them over. I'm still admittedly upset about it to this day, regardless of if BLACKPINK have begun to fill that 2NE1-shaped hole in my heart. It'll never quite be full, not with how 2NE1 ended.

But the members have tried to at least be active after they left YG - Minzy's solos have been... hit and miss, though. So when it was announced that Bom was finally going to be re-debuting solo under her new agency, and Dara was going to feature on the song, I was both elated and terrified. After the hate that Bom had received, and the "controversies" she'd been thrust into, her comeback was one I was worried about. Nobody had a clue how Korea was going to react. But y'know what? It went down really well - she nearly even won on a music show or two. And with a song like "Spring", I'm not necessarily surprised.

This song is an empowerment anthem at its finest - it's pretty simplistic, but in a way that comes across as elegant and beautiful. The tempo is slow, the instruments are organic, and the melodic swells are perfectly timed. It really does give off an essence of grandeur, which - for someone as experienced as Bom - is very well-fitting. But it's the lyrics that REALLY steal the show here. These lyrics hit home, mainly because I feel like they're touching on depression. And they touch on it a LOT. If you've experienced it, you'll know that from reading them straight away. They're incredibly sincere, especially given all the controversy and hot water Bom found herself in back in 2014. And yet, as depressed as these lyrics may be, there's a ray of hope permeating throughout them. And THAT is what makes me emotional. She may have basically been public enemy number one for a number of years in Korea - simply for trying to treat her own mental illness - but "Spring" shows us that she's finally ready to step back into the spotlight and prove everyone wrong. For a comeback song like this, they couldn't be any more fitting.

I feel like I am alone, tied to you I think I'll be forgotten this way The times when I'm awake, I'm suffering, always

Since this is a ballad, there's no real choreography to speak of here - it's more of a Mariah Carey-esque saunter about the stage. Which I'm okay with - a song like this is certainly befitting of that. To say "Spring" is a triumphant return for Bommie would... probably be the understatement of the century, let's be real. She's certainly come back with a bang, and I know for a fact every single Blackjack is right behind her, cheering her on. Long may this last, because getting to hear her voice again was a fucking delight. 😊

•••••

...well that only took about two months to finish.

ALL THE SOURCES FOR THE ENGLISH LYRICS I USED IN THIS REVIEW:

What You Waiting For (뭘 기다리고 있어)

Boy With Luv (작은 것들은 위한 시)

I Wanna Be

Q&A

Four Seasons (사계)

Crown (어느날 머리에서 뿔이 자랐다)

Woowa (우와)

Spring (봄)

Border with pink and white flowers from PNGTree

[pharahlesbian]

hi, so i just followed you recently and i see you're into kpop. i've been trying to get into kpop for a while (esp the girl groups) but it's just such a big community i have no idea where to even start. do you know what i should do or who to listen to?

ok ok im so happy someone’s asking me about kpop lol? i generally dont talk about it that much. pls feel free to talk to me more as u get into groups and such. anywayy, here are my favs!!

(everything under the cut bc im about to talk for a while)

GIRLS

-f(x)

top bias, favorite group ever, i love them. they debuted as 5 members (victoria, amber, luna, sulli, krystal) but sulli left the group in 2015, right before their most recent album. managed by sm entertainment, debuted in 2009.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7MHZpSNJQc 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8I8QGFA1oM 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnku4o3tRB4 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j7Umwfx60Q 

look up any of their stuff, i have literally their entire discography lol they really don’t have a bad song, imo. they were introduced as like a “cool” little sister group to girls generation, another sm girl group who’s really big in korea and who u might have heard of if ur sort of already getting into kpop. 

-girls generation (snsd)

speaking of girls generation, lol. their korean name is “so nyuh shi dae”, hence the snsd acronym. they debuted 10 years ago under sm, and they’re so impactful on korean culture that they’re like in textbooks and shit. they’re currently 8 members (taeyeon, yuri, yoona, sooyoung, tiffany, hyoyeon, seohyun, and sunny), but they debuted with 9. jessica left in 2014 after some messy shit with the company. snsd is like HUGE in japan. their japanese songs are so good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7mPqycQ0tQ 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVCubhQ454c 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_gfD3nvh-8 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8j_XEn9b_8 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq7ftOZBy0E 

-red velvet

one more sm group lol. i kinda hate sm because they treat their groups rly shitty but i love their groups so much. ANYWAY, red velvet is sm’s most recently girl group, debuted in 2014 with 4 members: irene, seulgi, wendy, and joy. in march 2015, they got a new member, yeri, which everyone was kinda confused about. she was super young at the time, like 16 i think, so maybe she was too young to debut in 2014? dunno. their concept is that they can do girly concepts (red) and more mature, r&b type concepts (velvet). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFgv8bKfxEs 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpAn9ryoB4Y 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glXgSSOKlls 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGdbaEDVWp0 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px2Q47O0_eE 

-twice

managed by jyp, another big company like sm. debuted in 2015 with 9 members (jihyo, nayeon, jeongyeon, sana, mina, momo, chaeyoung, dahyun, and tzuyu). they were formed after participating in a survival show called sixteen where sixteen jyp trainees competed to be in the new girl group. i’ve been following them since their debut so i have a special place in my heart for them. also they’re all younger than me so they’re all my daughters 

they’re pretty huge in korea atm, and everyone’s calling them the next snsd, which is making snsd fans (sones) all pissed off and starting a really dumb fan war. this is why i dont rly align myself with kpop fandoms lmao theyre all so embarrassing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rtV5esQT6I 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7rCyll5AeY 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePpPVE-GGJw 

-gfriend

another favorite. i forget what company they’re under. they debuted in 2015 with 6 members (sowon, yerin, yuju, sinb, umji, eunha). they’re from a super small company but theyre so fuckin talented that it caught everyone’s attention. also they went viral because yuju fell down a lot on a rainy stage once alskdfjs. they’re super known for their really tight dancing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxnD5AViu6k 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-CKVr6Z1Tw 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag2R7Mt8yI8 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se8bbsUFjC8 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8CydQ-Y3Hs 

-mamamoo

debuted in 2014 with four members: solar, moonbyul, wheein, and hwasa. literally the most talented and straight-up performers in every sense of the word, on this entire list. i havent even written the boys list yet, but they beat all of them. they have amazing chemistry, beautiful harmonies and dancing. they have amazing control

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGgrRoMJ6Yc 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFuJAIMQjHk 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h41Rrk_6rzs 

they’re literally so funny and cute and charismatic and talented as hell, pls get into them

BOYS

get ready for this list to be like dramaaatically shorter lmao anyway girl groups are better than boy groups bye

-shinee

best of the best. shinee fucking invented singing, dancing, and the concept of boy groups altogether. they’ve done some really stupid concepts, but somehow they ALWAYS WORK. they’re under sm (surprise, surprise, i love everything sm does ugh) and debuted in 2008 with 5 members: onew, jonghyun, key, minho, and taemin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DocBfPIgk70 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roughtzsCDI 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dww9UjJ4Dt8 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF53cptEE5k&spfreload=1 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcu7yZBeSKw 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJua7KEP_oE 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nchkAmc49p4 

-bts

literally everyones fucking obsessed with bts, including me. stands for bangtan sonyeondan, which roughly translates to bulletproof boy scouts. debuted in 2013 with 7 members: rap monster, suga, j-hope, jin, jungkook, v, and jimin. they were like crazy hyped-up pre-debut, which is probably why they’re so big.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw540DtB5mM 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8MfJg68oCs 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVwAVbKYYeM 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALj5MKjy2BU 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmE9f-TEutc 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEeFrLSkMm8 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Sistar

Exo

Ladies’ Code

Wonder Girls

2ne1

Block B (if ur into homestuck you’ll recognize nilili mambo)

Girls’ Day

Oh My Girl

After School/Orange Caramel

Pristin

Seventeen

AKMU (duet)

Ailee (solo)

AOA

IU (solo)

Lee Hi (solo)

Blackpink

CLC

Crush (solo)

Dean (solo)

Exid

Monsta X

4 Minute

Kara

WJSN