#I luv heads backup vocals

[gaykornography]

do you ever ?

[drawing-way-outside-the-lines]

➖ Mature content, 18+ ➖ check the trigger tags each time ➖        

Chapter 43 - Surprise concert.

Episode 3.

They arrived at the club about 15 minutes later, Dalton's band already waiting outside

Dalton: He quickly got out and started greeting his band members, then a man who looked like the owner of the place, having a quick chat

Adrian: He parked a few meters down the street, and quickly headed around the car to open the door for Dalton's mom

Una: Oh my she chuckled surprised and stepped out of the car Such a gentleman, thank you dear.

Adrian: S'alright he forced a polite, though awkward smile

James: *He quickly got out on his own and smiled soft at Adrian in a 'thank you way', then stepped in on the sidewalk heading in the direction of Dalton and the others.

Una: She linked her arm with Adrian's Come on luv, we better tag along if we want to get on the guest list.

Adrian: He smiled apologizing You go ahead, I have to make a phone call.

Una: Alright, I'll make sure Dalton gets you on the list too she winked, and hurried after her husband

Adrian: He sighed softly and quickly picked up his phone, dialing Raven's number

Raven: He picked up on first ring Yes? His voice was warm and inviting

Adrian: He sighed soft into the phone Can you track me?

Raven: Mh, I got you?

Adrian: Is there a chance you and Malou can come over here, preferably right now? Dalton and his band has been invited to play at this club, and he's about to disappear into the building. I think Malou would be sad to miss out…. and as far as I understand we need to get on a guest list or pretend to be part of the band… so… yeah… we kinda need to

Raven: On our way, you run along with the others, if we don't make it, I'll get us into the club anyway, don't worry. I'll see you soon.

Adrian: he nodded lightly and rubbed his forehead thank you. See you! He quickly lit a cig then noticed Dalton on his way towards Adrian, so he slowly started walking towards him, blowing out the smoke

Dalton: He walked up to Adrian with a cheeky grin You look very inviting right now.

Adrian: He looked over Dalton's shoulders, his eyes locking at Dalton's parents Your dad is looking

Dalton: He chuckled soft and shook his head Later then, perhaps… I got the others in, and you too, they told me to go pick you up since we're heading in now… If anyone asks, you are 3rd guitar and backup vocals

Adrian: He lifted both brows

Dalton: JUST if anyone asks he chuckled amused I'm not expecting you to get on stage.

Adrian: He took another drag of the cig, grunting soft I called Raven… Malou and him are on the way. I'm sorry I didn't ask first, but you were busy and it's all happening so fast. I assumed she would be sad if she doesn't get to join, and I also assumed you'd want her here anyway… Raven tags along so he can get them in in case they wont make it on the list.

Dalton: He nodded lightly and lowered his voice You know… this only makes you even more inviting…. I love that you think about others… thank you. He stepped a little closer, planting a lose hand on Adrian's hip I would kiss you if I could…

Adrian: He bit his bottom lip lightly, then frowned soft Your dad…

Dalton: He snorted lightly and let go of Adrian, kicking a stone on the ground

Adrian: Do you think he

Dalton: No he turned around looking in the direction of his dad He's just curious about 'the new guy', he's always like that when he meets someone new…

Adrian: He sighed soft and nodded Okay… let's… do it then

Dalton: He turned back around with a soft frown Adrian, you're not forced to come, I hope you know that?

Adrian: Like I wasn't forced to go to lunch? he smirked teasingly

Dalton: he chuckled amused Alright… point taken… do you want to come?

Adrian: He observed Dalton's nervously fidgeting hands Yes, I'd like to come… and I'd love to take your hand right now, to calm you, but I'm just not ready yet, is that okay?

Dalton: He smiled shyly and nodded It's perfectly fine, Adrian, I'm not ready either, this place will be swarmed with journalists and photographers soon enough…. I uh he scratched the back of his neck nervously I don't have a problem with you and I, at all don't get me wrong.. but I'm in general a guy who like to keep as much of my private life out of the spotlight as possible. It's just the healthiest in my opinion… they tend to dissect anything private, if you give them the chance.

Adrian: He nodded lightly I understand… it's hard not kissing or touching you though he took a drag of his cig, trying to casually look at anything else than Dalton, a smirk tucking at the corner of his mouth

Dalton: He grinned wide at Adrian's words, then grabbed his cig, taking a deep drag, pushing it back between Adrian's lips in a very swift and fluid move There… now we kissed

Adrian: He couldn't help but chuckle at Dalton's cheekiness Right.. let's just join the others before you get us in trouble!

Dalton: He laughed loudly Good call!

As they headed inside Malou and Raven caught up with them, and the manager quickly showed them all around, leading them backstage to hang out with the band. He by then had realized half of the people did not belong to the band, but appreciated their effort to try to sneak in, so allowed them to stay. He was a kind round man in his early 60's and with a partially gray hair, and every time he would laugh or chuckle, he'd hold a palm against his round belly. He was one of those individuals that you immediately feel good around, and want to invite for coffee. Once he had shown them around their backstage room, he left to go take care of the other bands

Adrian: Everyone that didn't belong to the band was now sitting in a couch corner, with either a beer or coffee, loosely chit chatting while the band was discussing the lineup of songs. Adrian had been observing Dalton, lost in… well Dalton, when suddenly his ears picked up on Una and Malou, sitting on the couch next to the one himself, Raven and James were sitting on

Una: So I hear a little song bird sing a song about how you make him the happiest boy he has been in years? she smiled warmly

Adrian: ………

Malou: …….uhm…… she looked at Adrian with an expression that clearly showed how uncomfortable she was with the sudden subject, not to mention the fact that she knew the reason why Dalton was extra happy today, had little to do with her, and the credit had to go elsewhere

Una: I want to thank you dear, I have to say, I Knew all along you were the one.

Malou: ….. she forced an almost pained smile and quickly sipped her beer

Una: I have to say, I have honestly never seen him smile that big before after such a short

Raven: Una! he lightly waved at her and smiled big I'm sorry to interrupt, but may I ask you a question? I can't help but notice you have dyed your hair, and I have to ask, how do you get the color so rich and vibrant!

Una: Oh! She chuckled happily what a charming young man you are

Raven: Grinning wide, clearly amused by the fact she called him 'young'

Adrian: He locked eyes with Malou, smiling his best 'I'm sorry' smile

Malou: She forced a soft smile in return and shook her head, slowly getting up

James: Where are you going, dear?

Malou: I just gotta find the toilets, we ran over here, and I didn't make it to pee before we left from home

Adrian: I can help you find them…. if you want? he asked a bit hesitating

Malou: … uh yeah… that would be cool, thank you she forced a soft smile, and started heading out of the room

Dalton: Hey, are you guys leaving? he caught them by the door

Adrian: No… he looked at Malou questioning at least I don't think so?

Malou: No, I just need a bit of air that's all… she smiled soft at Dalton We'll be right in again

Dalton: He nodded lightly Alright…. can I have a kiss?

Malou: She looked a bit shy in the direction of his parents, then looked a bit questioning at Adrian Uhm…

Adrian: He turned his head to look slightly away, to give them space

Malou: She looked awkwardly in the direction of Dalton's parents again, then at Dalton It's…. uncomfortable sitting and taking credit for you being extra happy, when I know that success belongs to someone else

Dalton: He nodded lightly I see… well…. he quickly stepped a little closer, speaking in a lowered deep voice, but loud enough for Adrian to still be able to hear, even without wolf hearing on I think you're both a part of the reason… as a matter of fact.

Malou: A tiny hopeful smile started forming on her lips Really?

Dalton: He smiled bright Of course, Malou, I love you both very much!

Malou: she chuckled surprised and quickly stepped closer, grabbing onto his waist line, as she leaned in and kissed him firm but tender and full of love

Dalton: He smiled happily against her lips and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as he could without crushing her

Adrian: ….. he sorta turned his back towards them and opened the door, leaning in the door frame, giving them some space, trying not to be jealous that he at the moment couldn't get to do the same. It was her turn for now, and he was happy for her, it would be his turn again, he'd just have to be patient for now.

Malou: She moaned soft against Dalton's lips and dug her fingers into his waistline, feeling happy butterflies dancing in her stomach

Una: Ahh look James!

Dalton: He couldn't help but chuckle lightly and pulled out of the kiss MUUUUUM!! He laughed cheekily and turned around, making faces at his mom, then looked back at Malou and Adrian I gotta get back to the boys, sorry, will you guys be okay?

Malou: She nodded lightly and looked back at Adrian for a second yes, we will be alright she planted a quick kiss on Dalton's lips then reached up, tussling his hair don't get too drunk! We will be back soon, I promise!

Dalton: I'll behave… for now at least… see you he leaned in, giving her 3 quick kisses, then pulled away, smiling bright at them both

Adrian: he slowly turned around, feeling weak in his knees as he was faced with Dalton's bright smile, and swore he could feel a blush starting to creep over his nose

Dalton: His smile turned more cheeky again, and he quickly winked at Adrian, then turned and walked to his band

Adrian: Definitely blushing now

Malou: She snorted as she noticed it, and quickly grabbed him by the arm, dragging him out of the room You're blushing!

Adrian: He grunted dissatisfied Well it's hard not to!

Malou: She chuckled soft Oh I know! But I'm assuming you and him agreed not to be public yet?

Adrian: Yes, both among friends, and specially, well, in public he gestured around them

Malou: Yeah, he likes to keep private life and this life she made an equal gesture towards their surroundings as separate as possible…

Adrian: Yes, he told me…. do you uhm… he frowned lightly think the gay part of it has anything to-

Malou: No, not at all. Don't worry about that she smiled softly No… Dalton is a pretty open person, and for him sexulaity is not cut in black and white like that… I mean, I have seen him kiss his band mates on stage, and he has kissed Andy several times while drunk. Granted not with tongue, at least as far as I have seen? But not just a quick mom peck on the lips either. He's not shy about stuff like that, and he also doesn't really care what others will think, nor does he see it as GAY or… well… I dunno how to explain… perhaps it would be easier if he explained it himself she smiled softly but fact is, I am 100% sure he has nothing against it or is ashamed, or wanting to hide because of THAT… he's just simply not like that at all… I think it's one of his least worries, that it happens to be a gay relationship….. she paused a moment it is right? Sorry if I'm just assuming here… but I just thought that

Adrian: Yeah… it's a relationship… I mean, we're a couple, yes he frowned lightly is it uh

Malou: She nodded lightly It's completely okay…. hey… can you and I stop asking each other for permission please? It's really awkward, and it makes me constantly feel out of place and as if we are doing something wrong we have to feel guilt about. She sighed deep I'm more than okay with you, Adrian… I'm more than okay sharing him, as long as he's happy, which he seems to be… so that makes me happy too. Will it take some time to get used to? Probably, and there will most likely be some awkward moments, and we will have to work together, to make it… well you know… work… but I think it's more than worth it, if we get to see that smile on his face more often. He certainly deserves it.

Adrian: He nodded agreeing So we're okay, even if I got to have sex with him first?

Malou: No, I'm wildly jealous about that! she snorted…. no for real… a bit jealous… not a lot… but, it just happened to play out that way, so yeah… hopefully my time will come too one day…. hopefully sooner than later she chuckled lightly and sipped her beer he makes me wildly horny!… is that inappropriate?

Adrian: He shrugged lightly I think we will have to be able to talk like this, in order to make this whole thing as natural as possible? I mean, I'm used to polyships by now, and I don't think there's a set of rules to follow, it depends on the people involved really. But it's new for you, and if you're most comfortable with us being as open as possible, then I think we should try that out, see how it goes… we can always try something else, if this doesn't work. As you said, it's going to take time… and work… I think there's a garden somewhere around here… I spotted it as we walked in… How about I try to be a bit more social and we go have a beer together if it's not too cold to sit outside on a bench?

Malou: She nodded agreeing I'd love that, thank you she smiled relieved

[season11]

luv disco’s place culturally in opposition to ‘proper’ music of the same era that was considered acceptable by straight white men.

i think when mary was young she saw disco as forbidden fruit that she couldn’t openly enjoy without jeopardising her place as ‘one of the guys’ in hunting and as a ‘cool girl/not like other girls girl’ with john. & there’s no way that john didn’t disparage disco to sam and dean.

which is to say that i think mary & dean take cas &/or sam’s mild enjoyment of disco and run with it. ‘oh cas just loves his donna summer i can’t turn it off’ meanwhile cas is sleeping in the front seat and dean’s lipsyncing to the backups and vocals. ‘sammy i’ll put some of your music on while we clean up the kitchen’ mary is bopping her head to hot chocolate as she washes the dishes and dean is using a spatula as a microphone instead of drying it. sam has left the kitchen and is lying on the couch listening to a true crime podcast.

[oreomonsterhunter]

ON:E D2

Day 2 continued (even though there isn’t really a part one since TuMBlr DeLETed iT and I do not have the energy to try to recreate my thoughts, plus they wouldn’t be first impressions anymore since I’ve seen it already. Le sigh)

My Time is up first and I’m not prepared. My laptop even decided to quit the hell out of the website I was watching from, I assume in an attempt to protect me from 23 year old menace Jeon Jungkook. But the show must go on...

Ok I love the guitar move, I loved it the last two times and I love it now

No one come for me but his voice sounded a tad bit off when he first came in

I say this with love because my eyes and ears are peeled for injuries and strain and it is 2000007191819% believable that jk went too hard on day 1

But you know he’s right back on top again when the backing vocals come in and it sounds like a recording 😍 that’s my boy

I SEE TIDDIES I REPEAT THERE ARE TIDDIES ON THE SCENE

This choreo is impeccable

And I say that having seen it thrice and had my eyes peeled for the footwork and hand work because jk can Dance with that real good technique

You can almost touch the hours he’s put into this performance

Can you tell I’m avoiding the sexual nature as long as possible because I am

The leather fit was better for the thighs I’m just gonna say it

I like the red (and spoiler: the fact that he and jimin switch colors) but I reeeeeally liked the leather

My gawd those shoulder moves he’s so aggressive with it I’m 😳

The fact that his entire chest is out is absolutely sending me off the deep end, I am losing it, I have lost it

This sure is a...pectacle

Insert Jin windshield wiper laugh here

Jeon jungkook has pretty broad shoulders...and an itty bitty waist...and he’s throwing it in my face I’m like damn

Ok the backup dancers are lovely, and I like the symbolism of jk being followed by shadowy strangers, his every move inspected and copied

Imma say it: I liked day one hair better

I AM GASPING FOR BREATH JEON JUNGKOOK STOP IT RIGHT NOW I SAW ABS AND A WHOLE FRICKIN SHOULDER PUT THAT AWAY YOUNG MAN

I am keeping my eyes on the prize there is more to come I gotta stay cool but his THIGHS ARE A SIREN SONG AND I AM HELPLESS

That vocal run oof 😍😭 and right after that intense dance nonsense

Ok Santa I’ve had enough, all I want for Christmas is to squeeze jk’s thigh. Just one. Just for a moment. That’s all I ask.

I see sweat 👀 I’m not gonna say the thought I’m having I’ll scandalize you

FILTERRR JIMINNNN FUCK ME UPPPPP

Ok so he has his first note and immediately spreads his legs what am I supposed to do here jimin

His shirt is thin and almost missing as many buttons as mr doesn’t-know-what-buttons-are-jungkook so HOW does he do the outfit change later...we’ll find out

THE ROBE yes this is better this is the one heck yeah new fave

Jimin is Carmen right now (if you know you know) this is my ultimate goal

His hair...I said I was obsessed on day one but tousled is 😍 I love silvery jimin

And yes his eyeshadow is perfection absolute chef kiss Gordon Ramsay is on his knees praising this five star look

The lift and the half fall with the backup dancers is even MORE chef kiss ughhhh I’m so glad I’m watching this again to catch the details (and now I can pause lol)

Oop I caught a glimpse of those hand tattoos hello

Yeah jimin said “jk isn’t the only one with a chest”

HOW the outfit change was FOUR SECONDS OR LESS I COUNTED

I am literally yoongi looking at jhope doing hip thrusts right now. Hand over mouth, phone fallen to the floor, my entire life in shambles. Jimin has brought literal tears to my eyes how is he this potent even through a screen

Potent is the word, he is an actual SIREN like what

Jimin get over here I want you

And now I’m soothed with Jin 😌 thank you

THE PINK SHIRT nvm I’m not soothed I am a massive fan girl

His hair is also perfection, the whole vibe is It

Jin’s voice is sweeter than the WWH kisses he blows to the audience all the time 😭 omggg

I really do love that shirt, the sleeves are so fun and pretty and flowy

The little prince theme is killin me ahh

Things I want after this concert (since part 1 was deleted I’ll repeat myself...thanks tumblr I really love that you deleted valuable notes): jimins ripped sparkly pants, jungkook’s thighs, jimin, Jin’s shirt

HOLY HELL THAT HIGH NOTE

Jin are you sure you’re human I see no flaws, pretty suspect if you ask me

What?!? The song is over already? Excuse me?

Probably because I had to keep taking breaks from jk to breathe, and jimin to regain some control of my brain cells

The way tae does lil kid things as an adult

Not just on stage but I was reminded by that lil finger wave, this absolute cutie

The way he holds a mic is 👀 this man really does everything differently and somehow makes anything look damn good

What’s cuter, this kid or taehyung’s smile right before the chorus??? Impossible choice?

NOPE it’s the way tae makes those little faces at him and pats his head and you hear army in the background 🥺😭😭

His high notes at the end? Are they all trying to murder me with these vocals? Vocal line doesn’t REST

EGOOOOOO I think I need hobi in a red car for the rest of my life

How am I supposed to stay calm when you look That Good, hobi?

This choreo is so much fun ahhhhh I wanna dance but I’m definitely not good enough to learn this on the fly

The lil woah

Ripped jeans hobi 😍

Skipping hobi is an absolute joy, a bit of sunshine everyone needs to witness, the cure to what ails you, the light at the end of a long day, I sob

His joy is seeping through the screen he really is sunshine

He can really make any dance look easy, that’s such a skill

I mean these leg moves? I know they’re hard, or at least tricky, and he just? Does them? And makes my brain think they’re easy because he’s just doing them so naturally? What a lie he’s just gifted beyond this dimension. And also practices to perfection so there’s that

Tae is seriously shaking his booty right now lol

I know the boys always make fun of suga’s rap during boy with luv but I really love it

Jin’s so happy 😊 they’re all excited and having so much fun

I’ll never stop screaming over bts harmonies. Jk can actually turn anything into a masterpiece he blends so well with everyone, goosebumps every time I forget about a harmony and get surprised and ughhhh yesss

Jimin doing the ego dance lol this cutie

See I’m not crazy, they really are so happy on stage 😭 they’re all glowing and now they’re gonna talk about it I better not cry I’m too tired for that

Mmmmm Joonie wearing necklaces is 👌

All of their hair looks stellar oof

DNA choreo is one of my faves (who can watch them and say they’re not amazing performers, seriously)

Yasss Jin goooooo

Dance line really knows how to take and grab my attention like...I’m addicted to them

The hobi center part at the end though 🥳

I love the old songs, I’m always smiling when some of them come on idk

It makes me happy that bts still like performing their old stuff, like...we enjoy it but so do they

SUGA ON THE THRONE WHERE HE BELONGS #king of swag

You know it’s an old song when rapper jk reappears, and y’all know how much I love rapper jk *cough* ddaeng *cough*

The baseball is weird not gonna lie

Ooh little groovy jhope

Jimin seriously considered yanking his shirt up, I saw him think about it 😂 but shirt still tucked in

NEVER OVER THIS DANCE BREAK

Ok usually my jaw drops over jhope NOT NAMJOON excuse ME whAT

This should be ILLEGAL SIR, ILLEGAL

Ok yeah jhope has my jaw dropping again how does he move like that

😳😩🥵 red alert, that smirk is worth calling 911 to put out a fire because Hot Damn

I love jimin’s voice ok I love it

The closeups on heavy breathing sweaty bangtan are actual threats against my life

Not sure I have a pulse anymore

Can anyone in bts perform cpr I think I need it

Ok nvm jhope’s intro in spring day is the virtual version, I’m saved

What excuse me park jimin you better be ok go drink some water bb

Jin forehead I see you, worldwide handsome on full display

Gahhhh hobi vocals simultaneously kill me and bring me back to life

Also harmonies with rapline and vocal line (suga and jimin are lovely omg)

IDOLLLLLLLL YASSSSSS QUEEN

jk is totally doing sound effects lmao

I like how tae has the bandana around his bicep again (they totally stalked the internet and found the thirst, it’s the least practical thing, he’s only wearing that for one reason lol

They are the MOST HYPE how do they just keep going my introverted ass is in awe

Jk like move y’all are in my way this is my moment get out of it ahahaha

Wait how did I not notice tae put the bandana on his head

It must be a pain in the butt to clean up all that confetti

Encore song is only for army 🥺 these are the most precious boys i swear

Jimin fixing jhope’s hair...I thought I couldn’t uwu any harder but I can

Apparently I can uwu even harder because jimin saying he’s not gonna cry and smiling so big his eyes turn into smiles too I’m the softest for one man and his name is park jimin

President joon, I’m happy too 😭

[deadlydreamin]

i have to talk about this

okay bts’ performance at the 2019 mmas....

- boy in luv: taehyung’s vocals.... i gaped at my computer screen throughout the entire thing because HOLY SHIT

- mikrokosmos made me cry the ugliest goddamn tears..... space visuals and that song.... T-T beautiful. work of art. 

- their solo performances were goddDAMN BEAUTIFUL. taehyung and hoseok’s dancing was INCREDIBLE!!! jimin and jungkook.......... words cannot describe how that made me feel. jungkook and jimin’s outfits remind me of demon/angel vibes- all of the dancing from the dance line was fucking amazing. jungkook in water? jimin with the silk sheet fucking thing? taehyung between the column things? hoseok with the lasers and lights and stuff?? I C O N I C. the others? jin on the geometrical horse head and looking LIKE A GOD!! yoongi’s starting and ending lines and being surrounded by the fire on the led screens and- namjoon being all dramatic with the thyrsus and smacking the thing down as sparks erupt from the stage??? INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- dionysus. holy fucking shit. they had horses. REAL LIFE HORSES!  ON STAGE! WHAT WILL BE NEXT??? the jaguar inflating and rising and looking dramatic as f u c k. the girl at 28:50 winking... power move but also g or  g e o u s. also a NO dance break in the middle?? namjin dancing amazingly (and everyone else of course but those two.... i’m proud of them) was the biggest fuck you to the haters that say they can’t dance.

to summarise: bts’ performance was amazing and i swear they keep outdoing themselves at each awards show they go to because they 1) turn it into a bts concert (but everyone is 100% cool w/ it) and 2) the performances get more and more extravagant. last year’s one was a big W O W but this year they had actual. fucking. horses. i will never get over that. the boys did fantastically and well done to everyone else involved behind the scenes and the backup dancers and such because that was the greatest thing i have ever seen with my two eyes and if a doctor said “you have 37 minutes and seven seconds to live” i would watch this and die happy.

[spring-emerald]

Haikyuu!! Aces Idol!AU

Disclaimer: Once again, my references are from K-pop, than J-pop, since I know more about that. Concepts and songs were by groups I am familiar with.

Note: The members included are those that are considered as the current official aces of their respective teams.

The Members

Iwaizumi Hajime – Hajime is the Leader of the group (despite not being the oldest) and serves as its Main Rapper. He’s also the strongest member, despite being one of the shortest (a fact that he bemoans about; he’s extremely grateful for Tora, because if it weren’t for him, he would’ve been the shortest. He wishes that Tora won’t grow anymore…) He’s a chill leader and is a hard worker. Has a cute obsession with Godzilla and owns some merchandise. He received a fan gift of a stuffed Godzilla and it’s his favorite thing ever.

My idol reference for Iwaizumi is former B.A.P’s Bang Yongguk.

Azumane Asahi – Asahi is the Main Vocal of the group. Is considered by fans to have the best reverse charm among them because he looks the ‘gruffest’, but he’s the most soft-hearted one. In short, he looks like he can kill you but is actually a cinnamon roll. He’s always kind to his fans even though they tease him about the disparity of his looks and his personality. Before debut, they thought he will be the group’s other rapper, but he surprised everyone with his smooth and powerful vocal. He used to be misunderstood because of his look, but he still doesn’t want to give up his beard, despite fans requesting to see him without one. (It’s his charm point, and he doesn’t want to lose it. He makes it up to them by wearing flower crowns whenever they give him one.)

Nu’est’s Baekho is my reference for idol! Asahi.

Ojiro Aran – Ojiro is the Lead Vocal of the group. The actual oldest and the ‘mom’ of the manly bunch. He’s somehow a veteran of audition shows, having been part of at least 3 different ones, but he got better known when he joined an audition show that aimed to produce a boy group. He made it until the finals, but didn’t make it to the final group, so he had to return to the agency and wait for his official debut. He also has his own channel where he shares covers of songs from artists he really admires, sometimes featuring some of his members.

My reference for idol! Ojiro is BIGBANG’s Daesung.

Teradomari Motoki – Tera serves as the Lead Dancer, sub-vocal and sub-rapper of the group. Originally a b-boy, Tera, like Ojiro also joined the aforementioned audition show where he showed his chameleon like talents, because he’s an effective sub-vocal and rapper, but he really shines when he’s dancing. Sadly, he didn’t make the cut after the third elimination, but he had proven his worth by then, and fans ultimately looked forward to the day he would debut with his own group.

Teradomari is based off on former Infinite’s Hoya.

Futakuchi Kenji – Kenji is the group’s Lead Rapper, and is considered by the members as the mood maker. He’s their variety representative because he’s the most ‘game’ one among the members. He’s very playful and quite provocative, and doesn’t fail to get a rise out of his more hot-tempered members (read: Tora and sometimes, Iwaizumi) because of his comments and snark. His fans sometimes are not safe from this, because he teases them as well, but it’s all in good fun.

EXO’s Chanyeol is the idol that fits my vision of idol! Kenji.

Sakusa Kiyoomi – Sakusa is the group’s visual and lends his skills as sub-vocal and occasional sub-rapper of the group. For a germaphobe and someone who hates crowds, it’s a wonder how Sakusa is an idol, but he is. He’s dubbed as the Ice Prince Visual of the Group, because he’s aloof and doesn’t interact much, especially in person. But he makes it up on social media, where he usually writes lengthy notes on the fancafe and is usually active on most social media sites, interacting with fans. He’s very blunt when it comes to his members, especially towards his co-maknaes, Kenji and Tora, much to their annoyance.

Think of EXO’s Sehun mixed with Wanna One’s Guan Lin for Sakusa.

Yamamoto Taketora – Tora completes the maknae line and he’s the Main Dancer of the group. Before debut, he’s a backup dancer for the company’s other boy group, and so he had a fair share of appearances in music videos and live shows. He’s hot-headed and loud, but he’s very passionate about dancing and is always dedicated to honing his skills. He’s really, really good with locking and popping, and most of the powerful dance of the group is choreographed by him, with Tera’s help.

The best reference I have for idol! Tora is Bigflo/UNB’s Euijin.

The Group in General

-       Manliest group that is ever to man, and at one point had been dubbed as the ‘Bad Boy-dols’, but it’s full of members with reverse charms. Like, on stage, they’re badasses. Heck, one look and you’d feel like you have to run away from them because they look that intimidating, but off stage, they’re goofs, shy and easily flustered men.

-       And this is so endearing to their fans, seriously. Even though it confuses them sometimes, but they have long since accepted that this is the group’s charm.

-       They’re also mostly chill? Like most of the members, despite their looks are usually calm and collected.

-       The only exception probably is Tora, but he has his moments. Also Futakuchi, but he only gets annoying when he’s in a teasing mood. But generally, they’re chill.

-       Dorm life is pretty much normal, although it’s sometimes a pain to work around Sakusa’s schedule, because he definitely insisted that he always use the bathroom first. Always. As in non-negotiable, but they’re managing.

-       Room assignments are as follows: Iwaizumi and Asahi, Ojiro and Futakuchi, Teradomari and Yamamoto, and as expected, Sakusa rooms alone.

Concept/s and Songs

-       This group’s concept lean more heavily to hip hop, RnB inspired genre. The best song that I think fits their concept in general is BIGBANG’s Fxxk It.

-       They have powerful songs like B.A.P’s Young, Wild, and Free; Punch; and Hands Up; EXO’s Overdose; Monsta X’s Hero; JBJ’s Fantasy; BTS’ Boys in Luv; NCT U’s Boss

-       But they also have emotional songs like B.A.P’s Save Me and Coma; Block B’s Toy and 11:30

-       They also have songs like BTS’ DNA, Winner’s Everyday and JBJ’s My Flower

-       Other songs: MBLAQ’s It’s War; BIGBANG’s Bad Boy and Blue

-       For some reason, I seriously think they can pull off TVXQ’s Mirotic and EXO’s Ko Ko Bop

And that’s pretty much it.

No Bokuto or Ushijima because they are part of the captain’s group + Kita.

Setters Idol!AU

More about the idol AU

[meatmeinthemiddle-mark]

A Brief Introduction to the Stray Kids’ members

since my boys are debuting this saturday (25 MARCH) i thought i would put a lil intro for the new fans joining our (used to be small) fandom!! let us begin

Stage Name: Bang Chan

Real Name: Bang Chan/Chris

Nickname: Kangaroo Hyung

Position: Leader, Producer, Lead Vocalist, Lead Dancer, Rapper #TRIPLETHREAT

Country of Origin: Sydney, Australia (he can also speak Japanese and little bit of Chinese)

DOB: Oct 3 1997

Chan has been a trainee for 7 years before debuting with Stray Kids in 2018. He used to train with members of GOT7, Day6, TWICE. He is reALLY good friends with Bambam (friendship goals). He was the one to gather all 8 members to make a Boys Project team for the 2017 JYP Trainee Showcase. Chan is also in a pre-debut group (3RACHA, he is CB97) with Jisung and Changbin.

In conclusion, he is the most hardworking leader out there who will do ANYTHING for his 8 boys.

Stage Name: Woojin

Real Name: Kim Woojin

Nickname: Bear (cus he is v v v cuddly)

Position: Main Vocalist

Country of Origin: South Korea

DOB: Apr 8 1997

Woojin is a frKN TALENTED BOI WHO CAN PLAY THE GUITAR AND SING LIKE AN ANGEL. He can flawlessly hit falsettos that will make you cry. He used to be under SM and trained with NCT members before joining JYP. He is the oldest in the Vocal Line (with Seungmin and Jeongin). ALSO A BIG DAY6 FAN! His cover of I Smile will forever go down in my history books.

B O i , if he gonna fight you, you better run, this dude works out everyday to improve his physical condition so that he would be able to sing better.

Stage Name: Lee Know (bc he knows himself and he knows the fans, dont u luv a smart boi)

Real Name: Lee Minho

Nickname: Hyung ah

Position: Main Dancer, Rapper, Vocalist

Country of Origin: South Korea

DOB: Oct 25 1998

WHERE DO I START WITH THIS BOI, ok first, we do not talk about the time he was eliminated by the snake during their show. that was a heartbreaking day and my heart goes out to all the minho stans out there. He used to be a backup dancer for BTS during their JAPAN WINGS tour!! He became a JYP trainee shortly after that. HE IS AN AMAZING DANCER, HE WAS IN A DANCE ACADEMY FOR 5 YEARS!! He absolutely loves his dongsaengs and will help them whenever they lack in dancing.

Seungmin accidentally called him mom and i completely agree.

Stage Name: Changbin

Real Name: Seo Changbin

Nickname: Binnie (Binnie Changbinnie)

Position: Main Rapper (he spits fire faster than any dragon, rapper name is SpearB if you see it on his head)

Country of Origin: South Korea

DOB: Aug 11 1999

He thinks he is dark. IRL, he is not, he is an aegyo producing machine. THE SOFTEST BOI. A hardcore rapper im dead, you should listen to all his raps and QUESTION how tf he breathes (i think he breathes through his skin). Owns a plushie munchlax named Gyu aka another reason why he isnt dark. Is in a pre-debut rap group (3racha, name is SpearB))with Chan and Jisung. The other members look for him to improve in their rapping skills bc Changbin is honestly amazing at it. 

he is also in a relationship with felix but we shall stop here

Stage Name: Hyunjin

Real Name: Hwang Hyunjin

Nickname: Jinnie

Position: Lead Rapper, Lead Dancer, Visual

Country of Origin: South Korea (but he can also speak basic english!!)

DOB: Mar 20 2000

He goes to the School of Performing Arts (SOPA) in Seoul, has been dancing for around 3 years. A FAN OF GOT7′S JINYOUNG and 100% fanboy’d when Jinyoung held his hand. He has an adorable pooch named Kkami that I wanna see again :{{. He does have the prettiest face but you gotta enjoy the rap fire he spits during the songs bc hOOOOOman you’ll be shook. Hyunjin is also the tallest of the group at 179cm or 5′ 8′’.

DO NOT LET HIM COOK OR ELSE HE WILL PROBABLY BURN HIMSELF PLEASE. FIRE HAZARD

Stage Name: HAN (his favourite syllable of his name)

Real Name: Han Jisung

Nickname: Squirrel 

Position: Main Rapper, Vocalist (hits the legendary high notes in Hellavator)

Country of Origin: South Korea (he was sent overseas to Malaysia to study so he does know how to speak english)

DOB: Sept 14 2000

B E HO LD, my first bias of the group but that has LONG flew out the window for me. He has the cutest cheeks and he can stuff food in them to look like a squirrel (extremely cute). He can impersonate Doraemon to the best of his abilities. He writes amazing lyrics for all the group songs along with Changbin. I also love his voice so much whenever he raps or whenever he sings I am just s o o o o o o o ooo attracted. Also in 3racha! (his name is J.ONE)

Even though he is super young, he is super talented in everything he does.

Stage Name: Felix

Real Name: Lee Felix

Nickname: Jikseu, 

Position: Lead Rapper, Lead Dancer

Country of Origin: Sydney, Australia

DOB: Sept 16 2000

This is a precious sunshine boy and I cannot live without him. So when he was eliminated bc a SNAKE said he sucked at Korean. weLL JSNAKE CAN SUC MY-. Hella(vator) deep voice. H E L L A. His squish face does not match his voice AT ALL. A bEAUTIFUL SINGING VOICE WE HEARD ONLY ONCE :(. His rap is filled with darkness and angst but his singing voice is filled with the sun and honey. DOES ACROBATICS!! Felix is felixible.

clings onto changbin like his life depends on it, also dabs a lot

Stage Name: Seungmin

Real Name: Kim Seungmin

Nickname: Snail

Position: Lead Vocalist

Country of Origin: South Korean (lived in LA for a while during the 4th grade so he can speak english fluently)

DOB: Sept 22 2000

y o , you wanna know who owns Young Wings?? THIS BOY. His vocals are out of this world and its so wonderfully smooth to listen too. Is an absolute savage when is comes to comebacks (especially to changbin). THE LOUDEST IN THE DORM BECAUSE HE KEEPS SCREAMING. Probs screaming to make the other members get off his bed. The cutest person alive but also can be a rude boi, He came in 2nd for the open auditions!!! 

takes the most breathtaking selfies tbh, boi knows his angles because he was trained to be model for a while.

Stage Name: I.N (because Jeongin is hard to pronounce)

Real Name: Yang Jeongin

Nickname: Desert/Fennec Fox

Position: Vocalist, Maknae

Country of Origin: South Korea

DOB: Feb 8 2001 

A MAKNAE THAT LOOKS LIKE A MAKNAE FINALLY. But watch out because he grows super fast and is becoming more disrespectful day by day. Found his talent because he sang trot in front of his school and absolutely loved performing. A super precious braces-wearing bean who absolutely has to be protected. He goes to SOPA with Hyunjin!! IS ACTUALLY TALLER THAN THE LEADER AND I AM SCARED FOR HIS GLOW UP HONESTLY.

I love him and he is so strong to be able to withstand JYP’s criticism throughout their reality show :’)

aaaaaand that is it for the members!! If you wanna know more or wanna know where to watch their videos just hit up my ask box! 

[joonbird]

Wings Tour Final in Seoul ♡

An extremely long, detailed account of my experience attending the Wings Tour Final in Seoul Day 1!

PRE-CONCERT: I got to the venue at around midday mainly to suss out the merch situation, (quickly realized merch wasn’t going to happen because there were queues wrapping the block, it was mind-boggling how many people were in line!) but it was a blessing in disguise, because I ended up with a tonne of super cute fansite merchandise, and I ended up meeting a lot of really great people! 

CONCERT: I was seated in Section B at the front section of the floor, near the centre stage and the left wing. I was very close to the front stage, even closer to the left wing stage, and a fairly unobstructed (but not close at all) view of the extended stage. They were very, very strict on photography during the concert (until the end). The concert kicked off with a VCR, playing some BTS highlights and also their BBMAs acceptance speech. Mic Drop: When the speech finished playing, the lights came onto the stage to reveal the guys in their Mic Drop costumes. I just about screamed my head off because I was expecting Not Today, and instead I was greeted with the beautiful sight of my Seven Guys in their Mic Drop outfits (and no bucket hats!) They were on fire, Mic Drop choreography is insane live. I was blown away by the energy, and the attitude, and then they did the dance break from Mama and their body rolls were rude and wonderful all at once.

Medley: This medley was the peak of my non-stop screaming because quite honestly, it was sensory overload. They started with We Are Bulletproof Pt. 1 & 2 and that in itself was a shock to my system, because I never, ever thought I would get to see those songs being performed live. They were having so much fun with the medley, and then they started taking turns going down the left and right wings. When the members were on the left side, they were SO CLOSE and it was a shock. I don’t really remember much about the music, or the stage, or anything (sigh) because my attention was solely on the member standing right there in front of me. (I’ll go into more detail at the end of this post re: My Reactions to their visuals bc... i need a separate paragraph for that lmao.) They then did Cypher pt. 1, 2, 3 and 4, and I swear to you my soul left my body. The Cypher series, ESPECIALLY part 3, has always been a dream and tonight that dream was realized. The best part was that Namjoon was standing right in front of me in the left wing while rapping his verse of Cypher Pt 3. He is an unbelievable rapper, charismatic and fierce and intense all at once. Also Yoongi’s verse in Cypher pt. 3 (the crazy fast one) was iNSANE live and I feel highly blessed to have witnessed that irl. He is ridiculously talented. Cypher pt. 4 (on the extended stage) they got us to stand up, and Hoseok owned it - he became Jay Dope and the energy in the crowd was great, we were all cheering and Yoongi threw water into the crowd!

Begin & Lie: Jungkook blew me away with Begin. His vocals were so stable, that if you were listening to him with your eyes closed, you would not have been able to guess just how hard he was dancing. Also, he is an unbelievable performer - he was surrounded by backup dancers and my eyes were drawn to him. He has a really intense way to staring at the audience, and he connects with the music and the crowd so well. Jimin performed Lie on the extended stage so I didn’t get the full effect, but even so, watching it mainly from the screen was incredible. His face when he dances to Lie is so beautiful, and he dances with his entire soul, seriously. The stadium was spectacular too, the Army bombs are synced to the beat of the song/specific colours, and the entire dome was slowly pulsing a dark crimson red and it was like something out of a film. 

First Love: First Love gets it’s own paragraph because out of all the performances tonight, the most memorable one for me personally, was First Love. I can’t even explain Yoongi... he just rapped with so much intensity, and passion, and he just has It. It’s everything- the delivery, the way he stares into the audience, the nuances of his face expressions... he is a performer who makes you feel things. I could not keep my eyes off of him, I cried, and at the end he got really emotional too (which just made me cry harder). 

So Far Away, Lost, Save Me, I Need U: So after First Love, was Seokjin singing ‘So far away’, and it felt like the entire dome was shaking from how loud everyone was screaming. They arranged it so well, the four vocal line members were standing on the extended stage, no choreo, just singing- and it never felt like one was overpowering the other, instead, they all blended together so beautifully? It was really moving. I felt so lucky to be able to watch them perform that song live. After that, was Lost, Save Me, I Need U which are all classic, so enjoyable, and they were dressed in these blue grey silk shirts... some of which were low V neck cuts and I seriously nutted off the face of the earth, they looked so good.

Reflection: I loved every second of Reflection. When I’ve watched fancams of Reflection from other concerts, I’ve gotten emotional because I (personally) sensed Namjoon performing it with a melancholic tone. Tonight though, I don’t know, he just seemed happy? He was smiling a lot, and during the instrumental bit he said, “I believe.” And he looked up and smiled, and said, (something along the lines of) “I believe we are all whales. We are alone, but we are swimming together,” in English. And he was smiling and swaying and then he asked a question, I can’t remember what, but it was a question he wanted us to say ‘yes’ to. Buuuut, because he spoke in English, the audience just chanted back “Kim Namjoon” and Namjoon laughed. It was really cute. He looked really happy, and he was wearing a sparkly black blazer and looked like a Visual Masterpiece.

Stigma: Stigma was another performance that blew my socks off. Taehyung hit every single note, and the tone of his voice in real life is so soulful. He was in his element, he was staring into the audience with this piercing gaze... he was basically eyefucking us and it was incredible. His facial expressions are NO JOKE. He kept smirking, and then staring, and then licking his lips and the entire dome was hooked. Every time he did a certain face expression you could hear people going “ohhhhh”. He absolutely knows how to perform, he’s mesmerizing. And at the end, he ad-libbed a few high notes in Stigma and his voice sounded amazing.

Mama & Awake: Mama was the one song I was the most excited to see prior to the concert! It exceeded all my expectations. Hoseok was in the best mood, he was beaming from ear to ear and being really playful - making love hearts and dancing with a huge grin. It was so heartwarming. He was born to perform, when he’s up there doing his thing EVERYONE is in love, seriously. He is such a good dancer, he engages with the crowd so well... and the end of Mama with the gospel-esque choir and Hoseok singing had my body shivering! He is an INCREDIBLE singer (a true Vocalist) and at the end he gave us the world’s biggest smile and my heart melted in to the floor. Awake was immediately after, and hello, I love Seokjin. I will fight everyone who doubts his vocal ability because his voice was so strong and stable tonight, and those high notes had my soul ascending. He sang with so much emotion, and his voice just filled the arena so beautifully and it never felt strained, it was effortless. I teared up, and the entire dome went quiet and after her finished, they clapped. It was a really beautiful moment.

DNA & Go Go: Before DNA, they played a VCR they recorded (speaking of? how do they have the TIME i can’t deal with them) and the crowd started to go nuts. When we heard Jungkook’s whistle, and the beat kicked in, the roar from Army was deafening. The fanchants were insane, the loudest fanchants of the night, and the guys were loving it. It felt like they were vibing off of us, and they were smiling and enjoying DNA so much. Go Go was so much fun! They were having a good time, and being so so so cute with the aegyo. 

Medley 2: The medley started off with N.O., No More Dream, Boy in Love and Danger. They did the same thing as before, all taking turns to go to the two wings of the stage. I feel like I have no clear memories of the medleys, because I wasn’t paying attention to the screen at all when the members were right there ahhhh. I remember Jimin was in front of us and he did the body rolls from No More Dream (I was yodeling), and Jungkook was with us during either Danger or Boy In Luv and he stayed for ages, interacting with us and dancing around. The second half of the medley they returned to the extended stage, for Fire. They started from the 3:33 dance break and it was fucking crazy. These fireworks popped out of nowhere and they just BROKE into that dance and my eyes fell out of my head. Their dancing was so sharp and so strong (especially Jimin holy mole). After Fire they told us all to stand up, and they started to sing Run. It was an orchestra version, so kind of upbeat, and they were running around and EVERYONE was dancing/jumping up and down. It was the most energetic the crowd was all night, the boys seemed so happy, and then at the climax of the song these gold streamers popped over us on ground floor and it was so beautiful I can’t.

BST, You Never Walk Alone & Best of Me: Blood Sweat & Tears was one of my favourite performances of the night. The dance was AMAZING, they gave it their all and seeing them do that choreography irl was so memorable. Afterwards they said it was their last song, and Army were chanting for about 5 minutes straight refusing to accept that reality... and of course, they came out in these truck things. On my side, I had Taehyung, Hoseok and Seokjin. (from memory). We were waving at them, and they were SO BEAUTIFUL, because they all came out wearing Wings tour merch. When I saw Tae in the beret my jaw dropped and I whipped my head around to look at the screen to see NAMJOON IN THE BERET and I distinctly remember screaming out “THANK YOU” lmfao. YNWA was so cute, and then they did Best of Me which was SO ADORABLE. They were so happy, bouncing around in their trucks with their selfie sticks waving to us and singing. 

Ment 1: (I can’t remember in between the ments because there were so many, but this is a vague memory of ment 1) Jimin said he missed us a lot, Seokjin did his heart event (punching through a sheet of white paper to reveal a red love heart), and Jimin said he really loves performing Best of Me :) Seokjin wanted to mess around with the army bombs and do a wave of colour, and then Yoongi made us all clap ‘once’. Jimin asked us to sing the melody of Best of Me and we couldn’t (it sounded so bad) and they kind of went “oh..” and everyone laughed. It was really nice, and intimate almost, they were mucking around and having fun and I was the softest bitch in the room. They also all went around talking about this year, and thanking us for the success of LY:Her. Then they said that this was going to be their last song for the night.

Road/Path & Born Singer: I can’t explain to you my reaction when I realized they were singing Road/Path. I was facing the extended stage, and I turned to see on the screen, their faces next to different clips of their debut/early era selves. It was so, so emotional. People around me (and me) were crying, seeing for example, Jungkook now singing next to debut Jungkook. (Also, unrelated, but because I was at the front of the section right by the massive screen, I could see every detail of the member’s faces it was kinda intense... e.g. I could see the texture of their skin and the fact that Yoongi had a tiny lil pimple). After Road/Path, they stood in a circle and Jungkook sang “I’m a born singer” and the entire stadium exploded. I was in shock, and I started to cry because WHAT THE HECKIN HELL! It was the same as in the original performance, them in a circle on a rotating platform. I can’t even explain the feeling. They sang/rapped with so much emotion, and behind them was a sea of glittering army bombs. It was really beautiful. The lyrics of Born Singer are so intense and you could hear it in their voices. I was an emotional wreck and it was at that moment I told myself that I will support these guys til my old age, they deserve the world. They’re so talented and humble and they put their 100% into their music, you could feel it in that performance and I think everyone was crying.

Ment 2 & Spring Day: Namjoon was crying, and they all went in turns to say their final words. This time, it was really emotional (as opposed to all the others during the night were they were joking around, teasing us, etc). most of them were crying/teary, and so grateful. They kept thanking us. The most emotional one for me (aside from Namjoon) was Jungkook. He was speaking in this really thick, quiet voice, like he was on the verge of tears, and he told us that he wants to perform well for us, and that tonight he felt like he hadn’t done that. He said his condition wasn’t good and Army all cheered, “it’s okay” (idk how to translate the korean word exactly? but kind of yeah, ‘you did okay/it’s okay’), and Jungkook teared up and said, “Thank you, I love you”. They then performed Spring Day, which was so beautiful live, and they disappeared. A video played on the screen of them writing letters, and a lot of Army left because they thought it was over (fools!!! hehe), because after the video we looked up to see them in those hot air balloons!

ENDING: OKAY SO!!!! Because of where I was sitting, the Hot Air Balloon above me would dip inwards like close to the ground and then back up, if that makes sense (basically I was really close to the balloons). Everyone stood up and was taking photos, and I spotted Namjoon in his beret and I kid you not I dropped my army bomb, my phone, everything, and grabbed my slogan. I had this huge slogan, white fabric with black Korean letters that said “WE LOVE KIM NAMJOON” and I held it up. I didn’t mention this earlier but my section seemed to be full of Yoongi/Jimin/JK stans and every time Namjoon was around there weren’t THAT many cheers for him, also everyone had their phones out, but i was like WAVING my giant slogan from side to side. Namjoon spotted it and I let go of it with one hand and pointed at him like saying “you, you, you” and he smiled and pointed BACK and did the ‘you you you’ and I did a thumbs up (lmfao I didn’t know what else to do) and he laUGHED (and then turned around) but i seriously think my ass was trembling the entire time. They got off the balloons and spent time going to both wings again to say individual goodbyes. Hobi came around and I did a big heart on my head with my arms and wiggled from side to side and he did a head heart back and wiggled I FUCKING SCREAMED, it was a fleeting moment but iconic nonetheless. Namjoon came to the left wing second to last, and I held up the slogan again and yelled “NAMJOON THANK YOU” (in Korean) and no one else was yelling and he saw me and HE POINTED AT ME and I pOINTED BACK AND HE SMILED AGAIN AND THE GIRL NEXT TO ME GRABBED MY ARM AND WENT “AHHHH”....... anyway after this, they all went back to the centre stage. As the big screens were closing they were being cute, Jin asked us to give him flying hand kisses, etc etc, and doing individual dances (Yoongi did a break dance thing) and saying “Bye” until the very last moment.

MEMBERS VISUALS/MY IMPRESSIONS Jungkook: He is so, so handsome. SO HANDSOME. His face is so chiselled irl ugh he’s grown up so much I can’t deal. He has a really nice body and the thighs are NO JOKE. He’s such a good dancer and he exudes so much confidence on stage, he’s so attractive it hurts me Taehyung: I am convinced that he is one of the most devastatingly beautiful people in the entire world. He’s very sharp and intense and beautiful, honestly. His features are unreal - his eyes!!! And at the end he was wearing the beret and his eyebrows and smile had me so weak. Jimin: Also so, so handsome. He has a really nice facial structure, a really nice jaw. And he’s beautiful in a soft, almost delicate way. On stage (after Namjoon because im biased af) I found him the most captivating to watch. Also I know everyone rags on him about his height but he really didn’t seem that way to me! Hoseok: Okay Hoseok is a visual masterpiece? Photos do not do him justice, he was the nicest facial structure and such a handsome face. He’s softer in real life too, and so, so charming. His smile is ridiculous, and when he has that intense stare........ no one is safe Yoongi: Also a visual masterpiece? He has a smaller frame but the way he moves his body is so attractive. He has a really pretty face too. he just has this charisma about him, he’s undoubtedly the sexiest person alive. Seokjin: My jaw dropped when I saw him. He is IT. The best looking man alive, no joke. Like fucking hell, I honestly gasped. His body is f*cked, his shoulders, his torso, his legs, and his FACE. HIS FUCKING FACE. his hair was styled so well and they put him in a lot of plunging shirts, fuck. He wasn’t as fanservicey at the start of tonight as the others and I found it so attractive, he was just STARING at the audience ahhhhh. And during one of the medleys while he was on my side of the stage in the wings, he picked up a bottle of water, drank it, and tossed it over his shoulder with an idgaf expression on his face. It was the hottest thing I’ve seen lmfao Namjoon: I have No Words to describe him.... other than.... truly........ the Visual to end all Visuals. He’s SO ATTRACTIVE. SO. SO. ATTRACTIVE. He has SO MUCH stage presence and he smiles and has these lil face expressions all the time that you don’t usually see in videos, but holy mole. Whenever he was on stage I was staring straight at him. He’s tall, and he has a really nice body, and his FACE!!!! He has a really dainty face and he’s honestly 128293898210x better looking in person which i didn’t even know was possible. HIS SMILE, THE DIMPLES, EVERYTHING, wowowowow

OK SO (wtf this is so long I commend you if you are still reading this), in conclusion, this was an emotional, amazing concert and I am at a loss still! They are all INCREDIBLE performers, and you can really tell that they love what they do. I will never get over this! i feel blessed and lucky. and i love these guys so much. 

[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

[kayostesting]

"8HIT" makes for a really good Training Montage. "Abstract Nonsense" by Rin. Apparently her being suicidal and with black hair contributes to the sheer awesomeness of this song. "Adolescence" uses the tune of "Cendrillon" and renders it better. Len's a capella cover of "Ark" (originally by the band Sound Horizon) is absolutely amazing. Rin and Len's "Astral Domination" has some awesome guitar and vocaloid-work. Len's cover of Justin Bieber's "Baby". Haters to the left! Their cover of "Bad Bye". Once again, the Kagamines cover one of Miku's songs and make it even more awesome (be warned, this video is somewhat disturbing). Rin's "Black*Rock Shooter", backup voices courtesy of Len. "Bloody My Doll" shows that Len tops Edward Cullen any day. "Butterfly on Your Right Shoulder", Len's version. The original Rin version was already great, but Len completely tops it. "Candy Psychologist" by Rin. Just like the name, it's addictive. "Childish War" made by Giga-P and sung by both, both the song and the PV are awesome, very upbeat and catchy. Sibling rivalry at its finest. "City Lights" by PowaPowa-P. "Cloud", an awesome Rin song. "Cosmic Star" by emon, for Rin Kagamine. A very sweet, beautiful song. "CULTURE Liberalization Ward (BUNKA)" features the Kagamines as detectives! Here's to hoping that they'll be able to solve any case that comes their way! "Cursed Glasses: Stray Girl In Her Lenses" by Rin (featuring Gakupo) is outrageously funny and weird at the same time. "Darkness 6". There are no words. "Death Should Have Not Taken Thee!". A parody song of Dragon Quest I made by Jesus-P. Warning, it's EXTREMELY catchy. And has an equally catchy sequel, "Your Adventure Log Has Vanished!". "Discotheque Love" for Len, from Lelele-P. Rin's "Dolls", combined with the very well made video, is incredibly beautiful and touching. Knowing the lyrics also makes it even more tear jerking. "Dreamy Cherry Blossoms" is about a rich girl (Rin) that's getting married in a little while that happens to fall in love with a violinist (Len). It's also note worthy that the art style in the PV is just as beautiful as the song that accompanies it. "Electric Angel" has excellent vocals by both Rin and Len, as well as a very catchy beat and awesome electronica elements (not surprising considering the name of the song). PowaPowa-P's "Equation×**". Len's cover of "-Error". Has some of the best vocalizations by Len. Rin's version sounds rather cute but still good. "A Faint Wish" and its sequel song, "A New Millenium" are very heart-warming. From the same series, we also have "Utopia", which is not quite as heartwarming. "Falling Falling Snow" is such a beautiful song with a simple yet touching PV. Rin's "Fate of Soul", an epic song that manages to be dreamy and powerful at the same time. "Fire Flower" is definitely one of Len's best. "First Virus Resistance". That is all. "Flames of Yellow Phosphorus" by mothy. Disturbing, sad, and absolutely epic. "Gekokujou", hands down. Nothing'll get you hoisting a yellow standard quicker. "Gemini" is just d'aaaaawwwww. "Gigantic O.T.N" is about Len gushing over his enormous penis. No really! You'll love it. PowaPowa-P's "Girl A". "Himitsu ~Oath of Black~" anyone? It's fantastic, and the story is heartbreaking. "Hot Cocoa" by Len is a very motivational song to listen to if you're trying to get work done. It's about Len trying to finish a homework assignment that he put off until the night before it was due. Rin's "I Like You, I Love You" is an adorable song about a shy girl's awkward attempts at a love confession. Len's cover of "Ievan Polkka" (the entire song, not just the leekspin gibberish portion; and in good Finnish too). "Imagination Forest", originally for IA and covered by Rin Sweet APPEND, the mood is captured very nicely and this version is just as nice as the original... and then there's the added bonus of Len coming in for the song's climax. Another amazing AVTechNO song, "Innocence". Awesome use of Len's Power append, sexy heavy beat, and one Epic Riff. "INTERSTELLAR", a Kagamine Rin original by FROMAGE. "Iroha Song" by Rin is a vibrant rock ballad with a traditional Japanese sound about being consumed by love and then losing it (oh, and bondage). "Jabberwocky Jabberwocka" sung by their appends is extremely catchy. The flashy PV doesn't hurt either. "Jutenija" by DATEKEN. Think priestesses singing in a desert temple and you're almost there. "Juvenile" from Dixie Flatline, a nice R&B song with smooth singing by Rin and great rapping from Len. "Karakuri Burst" is an absolutely amazing song. Len looking quite sexy (and non-shota) in that military uniform certainly doesn't hurt, either (also, please note that 卍 itself is not a symbol of the Third Reich — the Nazi symbol faces the other direction). "Karma". Bro. The composition is fantastic, as is Rin's voice, and that scream! "Kokoro". Just... "Kokoro". Len's version or Rin's version, there's really nothing better...except, of course, the mixed version. "Last Stage" and its Tear Jerker alternate ending, "Last Battle". The Synchronicity triology: "Looking for You in the Sky", "Paradise of Light and Shadow" and "Requiem of the Spinning World". "Lost Destination". Act 1 Len with Power, Cold, and Serious Append with an almost Crusader-like, cynical atmosphere. It is truly epic. This version uses Len Append Power and Cold, along with beta versions of Kaito Append Normal, Soft, and Whisper. Yes, Kaito. Append. Rin's "Lost Life" is just so rockin' awesome,and the high pitched voice fits the song perfectly. "The Lost One's Weeping" by Neru. It's a powerful rock song that'll get your head bopping... if the lyrics telling the story of a kid who's gone empty from exceeding pressure to succeed doesn't hit you in the feels too hard. This remix of "Love is War" is better than the original. "Magical Kitty Len Len" is more of a Funny Moment but still awesome nonetheless. "Main Character", a Len song. Awesome tuning, awesome music, but slightly Tear Jerker lyrics. "Make a Wish" is an excellent use of Rin's voice. "Meltdown". By far one of Rin's best. "Memory", a vocal version of the Leitmotif of the title character of the video game Ib sung in Surprisingly Good English by Rin. Ignoring the Engrish, "MIDI MASTER!!" will leave you clicking replay over, and over, and over again... Len's "Monochrome Dream Eater" has an extremely catchy beat. The voice of Len in it is nice, low and just ridiculously fitting for the song's tone. One of Len's best solo songs. Append (Power, Cold, Serious) Len's cover of the Girls' Generation song "Mr. Taxi" is amazing. "Never" is a pretty upbeat song (that comes with Len rapping!) about... eating natto. Their cover of Limahl's "The Never Ending Story". "Noiz bom", "Noiz Are NEL" and "DARK NEL" by AVtechNO are absolutely great. You know, let's just say anything by AVtechNO! Rin's cover of "Only My Railgun" completely overpowers the original. Their cover of "Our 16bit Warz" by their V 4 X voicebanks is just plain amazing, and they sound incredibly realistic. "Pantsu Nugeru Mon", or "I can take off my panties!", is definitely a lot more innocent than the title would suggest, and contains probably the best use of panties as a metaphor (for the care and control of her guardians) that we'll ever see in a a song. The story is about Rin going through puberty, standing on the border between childhood and adulthood, as she is torn between the freedom but responsibility of adulthood and the restrictions but irresponsibility of childhood. The song is very catchy, too! When "Paradichlorobenzene" and "Anti-Chlorobenzene" combine. Here's a Project Diva version of the combination. Len's Append voice with "Pink Rose" is quite lovely. Giga-P's, Orebanana's, and Reol's "Pinko Stick Luv". "Plus Boy." Len is a horny schoolboy who wants to get laid. Rin's cover of "Popipo" is just as energetic as Miku's. AvTechNO!'s "Plus/Space". "Q" by PowaPowa-P, featuring Rin. "Recycle Bin" sung by Len will prevent you from deleting a file from your computer in good conscience ever again. The sequel in Rin's point of view, "Salvage", doubles as a Heartwarming Moment. "The Riddler Who Can't Solve Riddles", a mystery song for Len Also, "The Riddler Who Won't Solve Riddles", its sequel song for Rin. Rerulli gives us another sexually charged Len song in "Sacred Spear Explosion Boy". Like "Brain Fluid Explosion Girl" before it, the words fly by fast, but it's still catchy. "SheSaw Day", a sexually charged song with the most realistic-sounding Len ever. Rin's cover, made by Lu Yurippe, is equally as amazing. Rin's "The Shibuya Catastrophe", complete with a PV as full of explosions as a Michael Bay movie. "SHOTA=RELEASE". Lyrical Dissonance and some absolutely stellar tuning make it a standout Vocaloid song, despite the scary mplications. "Sigh". Some might need a few tissues. "Silver Girl -awaking mix-", sung by Rin — the most epic coming-of-age rock ballad ever. "Skeleton Life" needs to be here. One of the best examples of Vocaska out there. "Skyblue!" is an upbeat song sung by Len, about friendship. Kind of... it's probably supposed to be, at least. Rin's song "Soleil", a song with beautiful instrumentals and an interesting storyline. "SPICE!" is pretty damn seductive. "Spinning Song" is a very soothing song which has a very traditional Chinese feel to it. "Taiyou no Kiss (Rerensa Mix)", a cover of Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl" sung by Len. "Tokyo Teddy Bear" by neru. It's about Rin wanting to change herself, and hating herself. It's a bit of a Tear Jerker, but the beat is so strong, you may be too busy headbanging to cry. Vocaloid Halloween? Try "Trick & Treat". "Undead Enemy" is a sleeper hit of Rin's, and would you believe it's actually about not being able to live up to expectations and good grades in school? Rin and Len cover Miku's "Unhappy Refrain" and completely steal the show. "Unrelated Emergency", which is about how most people think the news going on in the world doesn't concern them. "Vermilion" by toya, a duet by two Lens. "The Weekend's Coming!" Rin wants to confess her feelings to her crush, but the end of the world comes in the way. "Wings of the four seasons", a musical adaptation of a beautiful folktale, with amazing harmonies done by Hitoshizuku x Yama. "White Brick and Black Mourning Dress", sung by Rin, is a little bit confusing, but very touching and a real Tear Jerker. Len's cover of Harry Nilson's "Without You". Not a bad effort of trying to get Len to sing in English. "The Wolf That Fell In Love With Little Red Ridding Hood" by HitoshizukuP. Exactly What It Says on the Tin, although seeing as they're just characters of a story and Status Quo Is God, the two will never get together. However, many suspect that the bitten apple at the end of the PV may prove otherwise... Rin and Len's cover of "World's End Dancehall" by Giga-P is epic in its own right. And it combined with this Project Diva Edit PV just adds to the awesomeness that is this song. Len's cover of "World Is Mine". A must-see for Rin/Len shippers. "The Worst Carnival" is a very empowering Rin song about not letting rejection get to you. "YELLOW TRICK" by Yuugou-P. PowaPowa-P's "Year 3 Class C-14, Chiyoko Kubozono's Joining of the Cabinet", while having a rather lengthy title and having Mind Screw-y lyrics, is interesting and pleasing to the ear.