#JM Film Production

[kaknewsdotcom]

Burna Boy Drops Official Music Video for "Bundle By Bundle"

Global Afrobeat sensation Burna Boy has released the electrifying visuals for his latest single, “Bundle By Bundle”. Directed by JM Film Production, the video exudes luxury, hustle, and celebration, perfectly complementing the song’s high-energy vibe. Set against a mix of glamorous club scenes and striking visuals of stacks of dollars, the video brings the theme of affluence to life. Burna Boy’s…

[kanmom51]

Chapter 3 in the making

Traveling together to "film a show" was big (yes, this was to film a show, but we all know it was mainly to spend much needed time together, and if we didn't, let's be honest that we did, but if we didn't, then JK literally confirmed this for us in episode 1 of AYS). But back in 2023 when a public Jikook was a scarcity, left us with more question marks than anything else as to how this will actually be coming to fruition.

Enlisting together was HUGE. Like H U G E. Them being the only ones to do so not only within BTS but the first and only idols to do so. A choice made by the two of them. To do this together. With each other. Not with anyone else.

Are You Sure?! Do we need any words here? Like really? Because AYS was as loud as F$@&. No, seriously, idk what you want to call it, a soft launch, a smack in the noggin, whatever you do, it was quite clear to those who have eyes and a brain. With or without knowing who JM and JK are, their history, their culture. Louder to those who do know them.

Since their enlistment and even through Muse and AYS we got practically nothing from the two. Oh, we did have a couple of interesting pics from their basic training and graduation, a few pics from the unit, a shit ton of signatures, some more interesting than others (joint messages, pretty decorations...) and a few nice messages, but mostly silence from the two. This stood out even more so in comparison to the almost barrage we've been getting from NJ and Tae, both enlisted only a day before Jikook.

And then came December. With less than 6 months to go.

JK going live from his new place. Dare I say their new place? It's not like we haven't talked about this over the past 18 months. Speculating, wondering. But man (figure of speech y'all), these last couple of months, they are sure making me feel like what we saw as leaning to the delusional side or more so wishful thinking, ain't no delusion or wish, but more so a very possible reality to come.

But let's get back on track.

So, December gave us:

"We spend our free time together", "we sing together", "we sing while we shower daily together", not to mention JK's btw remark about seeking privacy away from others "to sing".

Then came JM in January with their "conversations before going bed" about "what kind of image we want to show" and "what kind of lives we will live moving forward".

And February rolls in and we think that we will be back to their silent treatment, but JK comes to us with a heartfelt message (they really feel the end and want out). But nothing prepared us for Hobi's birthday live and once again those two with their "we share a room" and "we have stories to tell, but not sure how much we actually can..." that won't scare us off, lol.

Funny how every single hysterical claim made by those who were hit so very hard by their joint enlistment has been shut down by the two of them by now!!

Anyway, do we see a pattern here? Can we call this a pattern? Is there more to come? Well, obviously there is post military service, but seeing as to how they have been in the past couple of months, I'm thinking that we will be getting more even before that.

I'm guessing that conclusion isn't a far fetched one, seeing what we got last night.

And OMG, that was another HUGE loud af Jikook statement.

Ribbon on right: "I love you 🖤"

Ribbon on left: "BTS Park Jimin and Jeon Jungkook".

Yes, a statement.

I stand by that.

Because even if you don't think it's anymore than a cute thing, just another thing that Jikook do together, then you are not seeing the cultural context here.

So, several content producers/directors that were Hybe employees (directors of I am still, AYS and JM's production diary amongst others) have left the company to open their own company (Idk too much about the company they opened, but my guess is that they will continue working with Hybe as contractors rather than employees, but also allowing them to work with other companies and create their own content, including producing a new boy band). And they posted the congratulation they have received.

From Hobi.

Hoshi and Woonhoo of Seventeen.

Each sending a separate wreath.

Zico

And there are wreaths they received from more than one sender. Joint wreaths. But this was from companies (joint ceos), or business partners. Not two separate idols or people.

Now, if you don't see what's huge here, let me show you the K side of this to maybe get some perspective (although, let's be honest, you don't need to be on the K side to see this is a couple thing).

Yes, I wonder the same thing!!!

There is more.

So much more.

The K side of things is literally going mad. Good mad.

And there is a reason they are.

This is most definitley not something friends, as close as they might be, would do. Not friends, not multimillionaire friends. They most definitley can afford two wreaths. And that's one of the points here.

Once again.

This was a choice.

Not to send separate congratulative wreaths. They sure can afford to do so. Even if they aren't on vacation at the moment and are in the base. Seriously, two young men closing in on their 30s, independently financially sufficient and so much more.

Yeah, this most definitley was a statement.

And the frenzy K Jikookers are in at this very moment is well enough proof to that.

Btw, haven't been to the dark side, don't know just how crazy and rabid the cult and antiis are going, but my guess would be...

Anyways, sitting here smile plastered on my face, I'm kind of starting to think, that this is maybe, just maybe, going to become our new normal. Jikook doing couplie things, openly, proudly, unapologetically.

And if this is them even before they are discharged...

What a great time this is going to be.

[curio-queries]

ARE YOU SURE?!

Production Notes from eps 1 & 2

At this time, I'm not planning to do full response posts for these episodes. Maybe once I'm done with my Run BTS series but for now here's some production thoughts.

My initial thoughts are they've done an excellent job of merging the concepts for Bon Voyage and In The Soop while also adjusting for a reduction of members from seven to two.

To really understand this though, let's talk about some of the logistical requirements and goals of the previous shows for comparison.

Logistical Assumptions

So I think y'all do realize that there is SOME amount of planning that has to happen for a show like this to be made but honestly...the way some of you talk, it's like you think this footage just magically appears in front of an editor, capturing whatever the members happened to wander into. These aren't self-recorded vlogs. This is a full production with a crew, a budget, and a deliverable requirement; just like any other TV show.

One of the cutest moments for me was at the brewery when JM was teasing JK about a summary of what the show about. I KNOW this was the 5 second explanation that both of them would have had to say/hear dozens of times while pitching the show. That's what's so endearing about the way JM says it and JKs reaction.

They also know that statements like that, captured during filming often end up in promos. All the members are very aware as they're being filmed what footage ends up being used. We've heard them time and time again, 'please use this as the thumbnail', 'please keep this in', etc.

Jimin has always been the most vocal about questioning if the content works for their intended purpose. How many times have we heard him say 'can this even be used?' or 'this will be cut'. Usually it sounds to me like he's aware the footage they're getting in the moment doesn't align with the predetermined plan. But as is common with the footage we getnof the members, even though it wasn't according to plan, doesn't mean it's not releaseable.

The main point of JMs AYS concerns being his sickness. I'm sure he thought the show was in jeopardy of not fulfilling their deliverable requirements since it would be difficult to completely edit out. There is a legitimate concern that if they aren't able provide the agreed-upon footage, the show would never air. I'll talk more about this in my section on the edit.

For now, here's a list of SOME of the basics that have to be managed for y'all to keep in mind when consuming any kind of produced content.

Camera management: How many and what kinds of cameras need to be brought along? Are there special operators required like a drone operator. How often is the footage saved. How is it backed up? When and where are batteries charged? Who locations require early access so the crew can place stationary cameras prior to the member's arrival.

Sound management: Someone is making sure the microphones are charged, and capturing correctly. Being mic'd up is one of the easiest indicators of when the show is actively being filmed or not.

Security: this is BTS. The members didn't go anywhere without a security consultation and discussion of requirements.

Crew management: These are people that have to have places to eat, sleep, and have time off as well. They don't just vanish into thin air as soon as their job is done.

Location approval and tax requirements: Every country in the world has different regulations, incentives, and permits to be managed. The US varies these laws state-by-state.

Budget: Businesses don't stay in business by not managing the finances. We can talk more about this if anyone's interested but there are definitely some interesting points with how much on-screen time we got over the years regarding members' spending on the shows.

There's more but let's leave it at the for the moment and talk more about why I think this show was such a good blend of Bon Voyage and In The Soop from a production standpoint.

What was the initial goal of Bon Voyage?

I believe it was to promote the band and the members to viewers by giving us access to what it would be like to travel to various destinations around the globe. They knew the episodes still needed a catalyst though so there were various preplanned activities and games to motivate the editorial narrative.

BV1 was very experimental as they were obviously managing the challenges of such a production. There was a heavy emphasis on trying to make the members seem like regular ppl and seeing how they would tackle the problems many of us face with travel, chiefly budgetary and managing how to feed all of the travelers with strict spending limits.

BV2 completely game-ified the concept with the mini challenges and breaking everyone into different groups. It's very clear that this is not the strategy they preferred as BV3 was much lighter on the control. There were still some structured activities and events but the members were experienced enough to bring forth some of these moments themselves during the shoot rather than as a completely planned itinerary.

BV4 was a continuation of this with us also getting footage of the members being included in the event planning as well. I'm not saying they didn't have input in the planning of the previous seasons but by this point, production knew the members understood the requirements of a successful show as well as many of the necessary logistics. But it was still a travel show with some key events to fuel the storytelling.

How about In The Soop?

Enter pandemic. They obviously still wanted to do another show once they worked out what was permissible to film at the time. But now the changing of locations would not be a part of the engine. How were they going to ensure they still had a viable show? They did put in place a semblance of their previous formula with that silly daily schedule (that was ignored nearly to the point of being completely edited out) and a couple of events like the 94s mountain hike and vhope's car drive. But overall, they realized they had to rely purely on the members to find story moments and insure they were captured. Their trust was rewarded though and ITS1 was a hit.

Now ITS2 is a more interesting case. I do believe it may have started with the same intent as season 1, but it must not have been long in the pre-planning stage before a new goal was added: controlled access of a BTS tourism destination. I'm sure I'll go further into this topic whenever I do finally make posts on this series, but it's very plain to even the casual fan that the ITS2 location was a planned financial investment.

Enough about the location though, what were the filming objectives? Honestly? Not much. The members were clearly ready for a break and were mired in the uncertainties of the time period. Balancing the focus of the english-solo-songs era with the preparations for ch.2 solo activities resulted in an odd lack of direction for the members, which is evident in the show. Yes, there are great moments and segments but there's no progression and very little footage of all the members all together except during certain meals.

But ITS2 is still hailed as enough of a success that there was justification to add to the franchise with Tae's friendship installment.

But what does all this mean for Are You Sure?

We'd heard from many of the members during ch.2 that they would like to continue Bon Voyage so it honestly wasn't surprising that we'd eventually get another travel show featuring our beloved BTS members. Early in episode 1 of AYS, Jungkook says he's never traveled so loosely before. However this show was justified, it definitely wasn't planned to be another hyper-detailed barrage of JM & JK going from activity-to-activity like early BV but it also couldn't be as aimless as ITS. For as long as the conversation was surrounding the name of the show, we never hear them suggest Bon Voyage 5 because AYS was never intended to be another installment of that series.

This is why I said AYS is a perfect mesh of the two kinds of shows. Granted, the first episodes definitely had some unexpected obstacles due to the unexpected health concerns but I think the production team managed it well. Although, I'm convinced there's at least one activity they did have planned that had to get scrapped to let our poor guys rest and recuperate. I also wouldn't be surprised if by the time they started filming in the US, they hadn't locked another destination and schedule with how unsure JM & JK are when talking about the scope of the show. (And I hope we get some update on the poor motorcycle, I want to know how it got where it needed to be from the rainy grocery parking lot).

The Edit

The overall tone of the show is very lighthearted. Kind of surprisingly so for me. It's not the vibe I would have necessarily expected but it's one of the points that leads me to say they have merged BV and ITS so wonderfully.

A major aspect of BTS's content is usually the chaos and shenanigans the surround the members. Now much of that is emphasized in the context of one of these shows but I honestly wouldn't have been surprised if the edit had tried to make up for the lowered member count. Instead, it's a very laid-back edit. The quality and tone of the on-screen captions was world's different from some of the BV seasons (thank goodness!)

Now, about Jimin's illness. There's a reason why the coverage is cut the way it was to only bring us in on the story once both JM and JK started talking about it lightheartedly. If we'd had all of that footage chronologically, we also would have had building tension throughout the day's activities. But this way, we're able to enjoy the show per the original pitch as much as possible.

This show would have been planned during the time when the members were under heavy scrutiny for how successful they'd be as individuals and how their content will be received without the full seven members. Again, the way some of y'all talk about these shows, it's like you don't realize that the members are aware of how this content is structured. They are. They absolutely are.

Also, a big part of greenlighting AYS would have been a discussion of how it could be made with just 2 of the 7 members. JM and JK would have to take on a lot more of the burden since there wouldn't be other member to cut to. The solo vlogs we got at the beginning of ch.2 absolutely would have been used as a proof of concept. There are easy comparisons to make between JKs camping vlog and the camping scenes we got in these first AYS episodes.

Another key justification of the show could have been as promotional material for the current musical releases. While they did highlight quite a bit of both JK and JM's work in these episodes, the narrative definitely wasn't tilted in the direction of promotion. I love that because it's absolutely not what I would have expected.

What am I looking forward to for the remainder of AYS?

From a production standpoint, I'm already curious about the following:

Will there be any tonal shift? Specifically now that JM and JK have some uncertainties about the viability of their US adventure. Will it seem like they're compensating?

We know Tae is going to be in at least the next episode. How is this going to handled narratively and will there be any visible contradictions from that narrative in the production?

At what point was the final quantity of locations and shoots locked down? And when/if will JM and JK make mention of this.

If/How will the music promotion narrative shift? It's clear that this episode could not have been released until after MUSE's release once they decided to keep the footage of JK listening to Who. But when was that decision made?

What are your thoughts on the production of AYS so far?

Editing to add a link to my post on episode 3. Surprisingly I had a lot more to say!

Are You Sure?! Production notes from ep 3.

And there has been even more to say so here's a MasterList link

Are You Sure?! MasterList

[heartofbusan]

While we're theorizing about AYS, may I leave this one with you?

THEORY: Before the shoot began, JM and JK had a chat about how they were going to approach it as entertainers. One of the items they agreed upon was that JM would film 'house tours' of wherever they stay the night and JK would film the food insert shots. We see JM film a trour of their camping tiny house, the air b&b in CT and the house in Jeju. The only time he films the food is at the omakase but honestly, what else was he supposed to do there? Lol. JK was very diligent in getting 'dynamic' food coverage everywhere.

They each had their own little responsibility and I'm just so endeared. Who knows if we'll ever find out the answer but I think it's cute.

If anyone isn't following along with @curio-queries AYS production breakdowns, please do so. They are so insightful!

Thank you for this ask 😙 I feel like it's part of a longer conversation about how AYS came to exist, which I'd love to have. We might get some more insight into the 'why and how' of it after all the episodes and behinds have aired. But because theorizing is part and parcel of being ARMY, I say: why wait, let's go!

Early in episode 3, there's this one off-hand comment JK makes to Tae about getting out the 'company card' to pay for their meal in Jeju. It was relatable as most of us have at some point gone to lunch or dinner on 'the boss's dime'. It also served as a reminder that the expenses of this trip are literally billed as 'work' for them. And as they took it upon themselves to embark on this show, task assignment comes with the territory. So yes, it makes sense for them to have agreed as to their part of 'the coverage' during pre-production. The coverage being the type of shots they were willing and able to film themselves. And mind you, them filming parts of it is not only another checkmark on the overall shotlist; a way for production to get close up's of their faces and inserts of their meals, but also a way to emotionally seat the audience inside their experiences. Seeing it all through their eyes. So it was a great production choice as well as a narrative one to have them film with the go-pro's.

I think that's part of why it's so funny to them. They literally arranged a paid vacation for themselves, lmao. That omakase, they needed those shots as receipts to justify that (surely extremely expensive) meal. Do we think Taehyung would have had his meal paid for by Jimin, or could they have written it off as a 'guest star' expense? 🤔

Another thing that filming with the go-pro's does is, literally, hand jikook the reigns of what they're willing to film/show.

A much discussed example is the morning scene inside the CT house. JK wakes up, turns on the camera in the hallway outside Jimin’s door, entering, the scene cutting to the camera inside, etc. There are scores of decisions that took place prior to that scene. The editing of it is doing nothing to make the timeline of events any clearer. But all those cameras would have had to be turned on prior to them 'waking up' in the reality of the show. Parsing all of those choices, including when crew is back inside the house once morning comes, will have to wait for another day (that is , if anyone even cares to know, lol).

The point I'm getting at is that while traveling, JK and JM have more control over what we're being shown than we even realize. As you stated in your blog, ITS did this a lot.

ITS would end right up until the tannies would have had to leave a place. Never showing the travel back, probably because emotionally, you want the audience to stay with the characters inside the happy bubble of the experience, not the slog of traveling home. Especially because there is no longer a story to work towards.

My question to you, do you think they 'woke up' together prior to turning on the cameras and putting on the microphones? Who turns off the cams and mics at night before they actually sleep?

I think you know as well as I do that we shouldn't forget that AYS is a story we're being shown. There is a production that has to takes place in order to make it, and there are two professionals who are working to show us these moments. But more importantly, there are two human beings who are also having 'off-camera' moments who decide what they're willing to include in this show.

Sometimes, the lines get blurred, but the intentionality of this show and the kind of relationship they're inviting us to observe is monumental, in my opinion.

[akookminsupporter]

You mentioned in your post about the logistics of flying back to Seoul than LA, and it reminded me of why it was always Meaningful (and in a different way from jm flying out for hobi or jk flying to tae) was jm flying to Seoul for jks birthday. He could’ve flown directly to Hawaii and Sungwoon could’ve met him there. But he added an extra 5 hrs of fly time plus dealing with the hassle of going thru another airport.

Jimin it appears had no schedules in Tokyo that we know about at this time. He could’ve flown direct to Sapporo. And yes maybe there was filming production logistics or that it was easier to have them go at the same time (I don’t think it’s this, we could’ve gotten go pro footage of jm travelling to Sapporo and making his way to their first hotel, and that would’ve added another perspective to the episode, and tbh I think having two members fly out is a bigger security risk than one at time regarding airport), but it more so seems like jm wanted to fly out with jk and spend that tiny bit more time rather than resting from Who filming. Just like Jk could’ve had that beer and gotten drove back to the airport. My tinfoil hat is that jk saw jm was a bit morose and wanted to spend the last segment of their trip, the last bit of freedom, together alone. They just prioritize each other in a way unique to bts, and with how much those 7 love each other is saying something.

Love this. I 100% agree with you, anon.

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Have you noticed that there aren't many staff like they were in jeju

Yes, but they were still intrusive. Always showing up in the shots. I personally found it unprofessional and embarrassing. When filming documentaries or any type of a similar show, there's always a crew. Obviously. But usually, they stay out of shot. You try not to mess that up as much as possible. I don't think they teach that at BH. So you have freaking bodyguards and managers in the background, on the sidewalk, sometimes having an attempt at staying away and other times simply not giving a fuck.

No one was gonna jump JM and JK on the streets of Sapporo when there's a crew with them, so no need to always be 2 meters away from them. They can also buy snacks from a convenience store and have enough footage from their go-pros.

Anyway, I can agree that perhaps the number of staff and their presence was needed in each location (at least jikook had some resemblance of privacy inside their accommodation). But I do not agree with their incapability of staying out of shots. And as long as that company can't hire actual professionals to film/edit their content and train staff how to act properly depending on the specifics of a shooting schedule, this will happen again and again and each show/doc/travel content will lack in terms of production value. I like AYS?! thanks to Jikook and what I see, but not entirely how it was done format-wise.

[not-goldy]

Tae is traveling to US tomorrow (confirmed) and JK will be in the US on 28th so yeah again jokers being proven wrong. Taekook will be together like the happy couple they are and spending their time together bfo MS. Jimin will be back in Korea after filming a company contact. At the end of the day you guys will always get peanuts as we enjoy the whole buffet. Stay strong

Jimin will be back in Korea.... but where is he now???

THATS RIGHT WITH HIS MAN WHILE YOUR SHIP CO PILOT IS IN KOREA cutting his hair tryna look good for his Jennie.

If I were you I wouldn't worry much about when they will be in the same location- if ever they will. I'd be concerned what they do with other people when they aren't by chance on the same continent🤣

"Let's have faith. They might be on the same continent soon. Let's pretend this is not happening. Let's pretend he's not out there in the cold with another man. Jimin had his turn. Tae's turn coming"

Well since they on rotation for dick, I'm just gonna go ahead and claim Monday through to Sunday for my client, Tae can have him like never in a week and on in- your-wildest-dreams when JM is done taking strokes😙

If you act nice, I'll let Jk have drinks on Thursday afternoons with him- don't worry Jimin will not be home ill make sure of it🙂

Your Jk cheating on his bf with Jimin trope must wear you out by now cos forget side chick- This is an overthrow. Find several seats in the back for Tae. He deserves better than this.

Company Contract- cognitive dissonance is a bitch huh.

The beauty of becoming the most successful Solo Kpop artists in 2023 is.... they've built enough leverage to walk away from productions they don't want to participate in. Also, they are a Solo artists. They don't need to film content with anyone they don't want to for nothing. Do you even understand what SOLO artist means??

If Tae Kook did any of the things these two do out here, I wouldn't even ship Jikook. I'd be a Tuktukkers. Yall lots are nuts. Go lick your wounds somewhere else.

[dearweirdme]

I guess Jungkook cooking dinner for JM during their non-filming time was also part of the show/fan service according to you Tkkrs? 🤔 Yall like to call the travel vlog "fan service" and "company content" but it's also suddenly not company content anymore whenever Tae and Kook are on the screen lol? Tae himself said that Jungkook and Jimin traveling to Busan "would be meaningful for you two" and you still have the audacity to undermine the time Jikook spent together just because it was filmed?

You're all just so desperate because we all know you'd kill for this type of "company content" if it was between your favs. Too bad Jungkook chose to do it with another person (poor guy, he looked oh so miserable and didn't call these trips the best of his life) and then chose to be even more miserable for another 2 years and enlist with that same person (he's the company's puppet according to all of you, they can just make him do whatever they want).

I know all ships have their delusions, but to be a Taekooker unironically after Jennie/ travel vlog/Jikook enlisting together among other things still in 2024? Absolute madness.

Oh fun… another one of yall 🙄.

Clearly you have no clue about my thoughts. So let me enlighten you and be done with it.

The travel show was work. Content creation if you so like. It’s abundantly clear that that’s what it was. They get constant direction or intervention from staff, they have very clear product placement, they themselves think about making shots and whether something is good to watch. It’s their job. Do they like this part of their job, most certainly, but it was most definitely work. Tae being in there, also work.

This show having been work does not undermine Jm and Jk’s friendship at all. Them choosing to enlist together is special, there’s just nothing romantic about it. Me saying that Jm and Jk are close friends is not an insult at all anon, your insecurities are showing if that’s what you think.

Oh, I would indeed give a great deal to have Tae and Jk do a show like this, if that’s what they would want… and I would most definitely be enamored all throughout. We’re never going to get one though. Not one Tkkr has that expectation. But even if we get Tkk content, we still realize that it’s content. We know that what we see is edited and that we might get glimpses, but definitely not a honeymoon type of reconciliation trip or whatever it is mainstream Jkkrs go with these days.

There’s plenty of delusion going around considering this travel show.. I can assure you it’s not coming from Tkkrs’s side though.

[thevindicativevordan]

Thoughts on Superman Earth One by JMS?

Reading it again transported me back to the Great Recession Era. Fitting that Earth One was envisioned as "Ultimate DC" because it is as much a product of the 00s - albeit the Great Recession era - as Ultimate Marvel was a product of 9/11.

What if Superman was Spider-Man is a pretty obvious direction to go when you've tapped the guy who just got done writing Amazing Spider-Man (and controversial second half aside I still love the JMS run) to come kick off a new Elseworld version of Superman. What fascinates me about this take on the character is that JMS, knowingly or not, applied the original Stan Lee/Steve Dikto approach to Spider-Man onto Superman. Unlike the modern approach where, black suit aside, Peter basically transforms into a secular saint post-Uncle Ben, 616 Peter remained an asshole. His evolution into the iconic Spidey we know and love was the product of years of character development. He did not suddenly transform overnight. Here we get a Superman who is the same way. First time we see him use his powers is to do this:

I have to admit I smirked when I saw that. Not because it's cool or badass or whatever, but frankly because it's the kind of edginess you plain don't see in superhero comics these days. Left me feeling almost downright nostalgic for the edge of yesteryear. Superman wearing Alex Mercer's fit is such a tryhard design choice. Sets the tone for what kind of Superman we're getting here perfectly too. No rescues or acts of heroism for this bad boy, instead we get Clark frying all the hair off a would-be mugger. Second volume has Superman fantasize about massacring an army because he couldn’t stop seething over a dictator who evicted him from a war torn country. Third volume has him chew out the UN for standing back and letting Zod try to kill him. Wrath is what this guy has in spades, to the point it seems to be his defining trait.

Rereading Earth One I was blown away by how large it's shadow looms over the DCEU. Even the coloring, subdued as it is, evokes Snyder's films before they had been finished. Metropolis isn't a gleaming City of Tomorrow, it's a recession ruin that evokes the worst parts of Detroit. No one is living there except the people with nowhere else to go, and while it's not actually explored at all, the idea of Superman being drawn to a city of outcasts works for me just as much as him unconsciously seeking out the one place on Earth that's closest to Krypton.

Ironic how much Snyder took from JMS, Waid, and Johns while managing to alienate all three. Obvious examples are Zod serving the same basic function in MoS that Tyrell does here, down to the hijacking of all Earth broadcasts to demand Superman turn himself over, or how a Kryptonian ship serves as Superman's equivalent to the Fortress. But then there's other little details like the memory of Jonathan Kent urging his son to "fly" playing over a triumphant moment for Superman, as seen in ZSJL. Makes sense because reading Earth One, the Clark depicted here is a far more believable result of the teachings of the DCEU Kents.

He doesn't want to be a hero, he wants to take care of his mom and himself (there's the early Spider-Man DNA). Altruism doesn't come naturally to Clark. And you know what? This is actually a great premise for an Elseworld Superman story! A Superman who is forced into the role, who spends the first couple minutes of an alien invasion trying to stop it while maintaining his secret identity, who has enough of a moral core to realize what he needs to do, but is scared to death of actually doing it? Elseworlds were created for a premise like that, something you could never do with the mainline guy. Where it falls short however, and the sin it shares with it's cinematic offspring, is that neither JMS nor Snyder realized how their Supermen came off.

After Superman deposes a dictator via arming a rebellion in the second volume, we're treated to a radio broadcast that proclaims a new democratic government has formed. Played totally straight as an unambiguous good deed too, at least within the second volume. For a book written long after the failures of regime change in Iraq and Afghanistan were obvious to all, and while the Syrian Civil War was raging, it comes across as totally naïve and tone-deaf. No one buys that it would be that easy. Now it does end up backfiring on Superman in the third volume, but not because JMS acknowledges the likely reality of Superman's actions where the nation would descend into total chaos, but because the rest of the world fears he'll do the same to them someday. For a series that is trying to be a grounded take on Superman if he were real, the portrayal of Superman meddling in global affairs feels downright fantastical.

Shame because there are great character beats where JMS emphasizes Clark's loneliness that are overshadowed by the poor writing overall.

Good stuff! JMS understands that isolation and feeling like an outsider are key components that make Superman who he is. Throughout all three books there's a plotline of Clark having trouble connecting with anyone, which he finally overcomes first by joining the Daily Planet after being inspired by Lois and Jimmy helping him in the fight against Tyrell, and then when Lisa saves him against Zod and the two begin to date. Despite my knocking the trilogy as a whole, that was something I enjoyed seeing play out.

With all the Spider-Man influence in play here, I believe JMS’ biggest mistake was not centering this Superman’s mission around guilt. Clark was selfish and didn’t want to be a hero, he didn’t immediately leap to protect people when Tyrell attacked for fear of being outed, and innocents died because of that decision. Making Superman be Clark’s realization that he let his father down and he has to live up to his father’s beliefs in humanity’s goodness by serving as an example, that would be a great “realistic” way to explain why Clark is Superman while sticking to the Everyman+ foundation. Peter Parker is Spider-Man because he let his uncle die when he could’ve prevented it by stepping forward to stop a thief. Clark Kent is Superman because he let people die when he could have stepped forward to stop Tyrell from massacring people around the globe to force him out of hiding. It’s taking Spidey’s origin and expanding it to the greatest possible scale via a global threat.

Biggest complaint I have is that this iteration of Superman feels unfinished. Earth One Batman and Wonder Woman, whatever your opinions on them, at least feel that they've reached their natural endgames. Batman builds a family to replace the one he lost and will fight crime forever. Wonder Woman destroys the patriarchy and builds a new feminist utopia. But this version of Superman? Everyone was scared of him because he showed a willingness to intervene where he pleased, and while he promised to not repeat his dictator deposing at the end of the third volume, I don't believe this Superman would stick to that promise.

A natural endgame for this Superman would be to go full Miracleman. Use his powers and his Kryptonian ship (which can apparently manufacture materials for him and even convert matter) to transform Earth into a paradise, marry Lisa, turn Lois against him, and end his days asking himself if it was worth it. He fulfilled Pa's dream of using his gifts for the better, and accomplished it through science rather than through tyranny like Jor-El, but Superman can't help wondering if he proved all the naysayers right. Especially since the person he asked to play conscience for him, Lois, doesn't think he did the right thing. Earth One Superman started his journey asking himself if his father's dream for him was one he actually wanted to pursue, you bring it full circle by having him end where he began by asking if fulfilling that dream was the right decision.

Now as for the rest of the characters?

The Supporting Cast

Daily Planet Crew - They're fine. None of them can be called great or memorable but they're recognizable as variations of the Lois, Perry, and Jimmy we all know. Only major difference is that I don't buy this version of Clark and Lois ever getting together romantically. They're rivals who respect each other but not "soulmates" (much as I hate that term). No chemistry between the two of them here (another commonality with the DCEU), and I'm actually glad this series ended without the two ever becoming a couple.

Lisa Lasalle - Never seen anyone touch on her that much, guess I'll be the first to say that pairing Clark with gritty and realistic Mary Jane Watson was actually sweet. A redhead who is the "girl next door" in Clark's Metropolis apartment, wants to be a model but has to hook on the side, is the first one outside his family to discover his secret identity, and has an upbeat party girl personality before revealing a deeper side later on? Go ahead and try to argue that isn't a darker and edgier take on MJ. Far as civilian love interests for Superman go, she's the only one I've ever liked enough to want as endgame for Clark other than Lois. Seeing Clark bring her into his world and take her to meet his Ma was a genuinely touching moment. Funny that adaptions of MJ tend to make her more like Lois, while here we get a Superman who dates someone closer to 616 MJ.

The Villains

Tyrell - Other than looking like a Hickman reject he's as generic as they come. He shows up, threatens the world, pushes Clark to become Superman, dies, and that's that. Not sure why JMS even went with this guy over using a traditional member of the Rogues Gallery. I do dig his techno-angelic aesthetic, too bad it's wasted on such a paper-thin character.

Parasite - Shockingly great take. His backstory as a hitman is whatever, but once he becomes Parasite he's exactly what I want Parasite to be. Loves being able to kill people, after draining Superman and finally being able to think straight, he feels no shame, guilt, or horror over the people he's killed and the monster he's become. Instead he fantasizes about finding a unique way to kill every single person on the planet, that's the kind of sociopathic energy I like to see. Also shares the delightful trait of zero accountability with his MAWS counterpart, blaming Superman for his sister's death despite it being his own fault.

Zod - Bland as his knockoff predecessor Tyrell. Don't even know why he's made into an El here, nothing interesting is done with it. I've always been a fan of Zod trying to recruit/win over Superman to his side, and at first he feints at doing that. After showing initial promise he firmly grasps the idiot ball for the rest of the book, having Superman at his mercy several times but insisting on making Clark "kneel", rather than simply finishing him off. Despite taking clear design influence from the MoS movie, this is a straightforward "modernization" of the Stamp Zod. Other than wanting Superman dead he seems to have no other ambitions. It's not even clear why he bothers with the pretense at first, when he has superior training and should be easily able to kill Superman in combat.

Lex² - Uhhh they sure existed didn't they? Weird how both JMS and Johns pulled the "instead of the person you think will become the villain, it's their opposite gender counterpart” (wife for Lex, sister for Two-Face). I guess if there were plans for a volume 4 we would've seen "Alexandra" use the kryptonite against Superman, maybe via creating Metallo? Could've been interesting with Alex talking about how she hates Superman for taking away her husband who was the one person she considered an intellectual peer, that would've been prime setup for this Superman to show he was also as smart as she was (since this Clark is explicitly a genius). Since that didn't happen they're merely a curiosity.

Final thoughts: JMS' best Superman work remains his Becoming Superman autobiography.

No clue if the events he depicts are accurate or exaggerated, but if it's fiction then it's the best Superman story that shows how he can inspire real people that I've read. Really hard hitting stuff in here, particularly for anyone who has grown up in abusive homes and had to rely on fiction as an escape. If you want to check out JMS' Superman work, I honestly recommend this over anything else.

[poisonousjk]

https://www.tumblr.com/poisonousjk/763433999726149632

Wait so let me understand something. Do you honestly believe that Jm left all the way from korea to the USA to go film a travel show with Jk in the US, a travel show where we saw Jk riding a bike on the second day, a show where we saw Jimin and Jk go to a brewery (something they both like) amidst other things without Jk knowing in advance? We saw Jm and Jk go to a restaurant on the same day Jm landed and he was still in the exact same clothes he wore to travel but you honestly think Jk didn’t know and he was ambushed? What sense does that even make? So you honestly believe that Jk just found himself in a shoot that he had no idea about whatsoever? Please give Jk more credit that that and I know you don’t care for Jimin but please don’t make him out to be that kind of horrible person because you know he isn’t. Jk literally said Jimin proposed and he agreed. Jimin said he only went at that time to shoot because Jk had some free time inbetween his schedules which is something that would have been designed that way so how on earth do you think Jk was ambushed? Jk was packing his bags for the trip and if you watched that clip till the end you would see that Jimin was shown packing too. So even Jimin didn’t know about the trip to only be packing for it at that time? Let’s say you are right and Jungkook was indeed ambushed, why on earth would he then propose more destinations for them to go to if he was ambushed the first time? This is really not fair to both Jimin and Jungkook and the saddest part of all of this is that it all boils down to a ship. All this vitriol and lies and character assasination against Jimin all boils down to a fucking ship. Jimin is someone Jungkook has known and been friends with for over 10 years. This is someone that Jk himself has mentioned several times that is the most considerate person yet his words mean nothing against your personal feelings. You don’t have to like the show but doing all this and intentionally damaging someone character is not fair no matter what.

I know many of you don’t care for the truth but this is how things really happened and even if you don’t think what is written here is the truth, just use your head. Locations had to be scouted in advance, the yacht they were on had to be have been rented or booked ahead of time, the motorbike had to have been rented ahead of time too. How did they do all these without Jk knowing? How did they know he would have loved to ride his motorbike?

https://x.com/bighit_music/status/1821787058655862896?s=46

I will say again that this is not about some ship war for me I’m not blaming Jm for planning the show or showing up in NY with a full production because whether the show was his idea or not I know Hybe is responsible for the terrible scheduling and based on that yes I do believe it’s very possible that Jk wasn’t given any notice about filming that show at that time.

I know all about preproduction and I watched that show which is why I think it was thrown together especially in NY where they basically had no activities for them to do it was so bad that they went had to watch them go to some store twice and as far as the motorcycle it’s no secret that Jk rides a motorcycle and it takes no time to rent one for a couple days the same with the yacht and the cabins.

[moistvonlipwig]

i think fandom people are generally not very good at analyzing the behind the scenes workings of tv productions largely because fans (like most people) tend to make assumptions & inferences that support their own biases. the reality is that the television industry is a mess and there are many hands in the pot and all of them have different agendas -- network execs, showrunners, producers, writers, actors, etc. sometimes decisions are made for storytelling reasons, sometimes they're made to make money, sometimes they're made because one of the execs/showrunners is a petty bitch and wants to take it out on someone.

the other reality is that it is very rare for (network) live-action tv shows (though this is changing w/ streaming & it's different w/ animation) to have a longterm plan and that's not a bad thing. jms had a 5-year-plan for babylon 5 and then the network that aired the show looked like it might go under after season 4 and he rushed to fit everything into the end of season 4 (+ tv films) and then the show got renewed for a fifth season anyway and he had no idea what to do. babylon 5 is well-regarded by sci-fi fans but to tv writers jms is a cautionary tale. when people speculate about what the "original plan" was for a tv show they are most likely talking out of their ass. either that or one of the writers mentioned a half-baked concept they tossed around in the room for five minutes at a convention one time and the fans took that and ran with it. there is almost never an "original plan". and again. that's not a bad thing if you understand how tv is made.

oh and i also think fandom people are way too quick to spread narratives crafted by other fandom people without evaluating the source of the narrative. i have seen so many myths get repeated -- some of them obviously false, some that are quite possibly entirely true -- that have nothing to back them up except that people in fandom keep believing them. and i don't want to be too harsh but uh. i don't like that sam i am!

[kanmom51]

SEVEN

So there is something I only realised this morning.

I can't believe I didn't see it before, but then I was so used to how things were done so far that it totally slipped by me.

The release times.

They are all US ET.

Not KST.

How I didn't notice this before is beyond me (given there were literally 2 posters, one in English and one in Korean, but my brain was living on past experience).

My brain was on automat, cause since when do BH release songs with US ET detailed schedules? ONLY ET schedule?????

It's like even in the schedule poster they are disconnecting JK from the Korean music scene. This isn't a K-pop song with a KST release time. Not for those that see the poster in English. They separated them. One for the Korean consumer, one for the American (I'm getting there, bare with me).

And once I digested that piece of information I knew that what I was thinking all along is a given.

JK is a big part of BPD's end game. This, Seven, it's part of BPD's end game.

It's a song in English. Created for the US market, the American consumer.

It's going to be flogged, well it is already, like no other BTS or BTS member song has been before it.

That MV, it's going to be big. Production big.

A lot of thought and planning has been put into this.

They are throwing it all at this song.

And the way I see it, this will also be the first song to be played on the radio. I really believe we are going to be getting Seven played on the radio. Like A LOT. Like lots of money changing hands to make it happen A LOT. Like lots of but kissing to make it happen A LOT.

Because BPD wants Korean artists and Kpop to reach the next level. Which is not only fan acknowledgement. He wants them to acknowledged as artists, just like any other artist who releases music in the States. He wants the stupid ass stigma that stuck to K-pop erased. He wants in. And Seven is the start of it.

They always had their eyes set on JK.

That is one of the reasons they were unprepared for JM and his success hit them right in the Face. Literally. They underestimated JM's power. They didn't know what to do with it. In a way, didn't want it. It wasn't part of the big plan. JK is.

And now thinking back to Qatar - I can't help but wonder, was it the organizers request only for JK or was it what Hybe wanted?

And that's a hell of a lot to put on JK's shoulders.

I do hope that this works. Not for Hybe's sake, nor BPDs. I want JK to do well. I want this for him, assuming this is what he wants too.

Look, everything I'm writing here can be a big pile of bull crap.

I could be proven totally wrong. No radio play, no big push, no big production. But wait. I think it's safe to say that the MV was a big production (flying out a well known Korean actress to LA to film, and what is with the Recording film?). Oh, and since when did we ever get posters all over the world for a single? I kind of think I'm on the right path here...

Anyway, if I'm wrong I'll own it. But I really do think this is part of the big plan. And my question is what's next?

Well, truthfully that's just one question. And I for one have plenty more. That have to do with JK and what he wants and what it means... for him and for JM and for them as a couple.

[curio-queries]

Do you think AYS is viable for a series after MS? Do you think Jimin and JK would want to carry on if they could?

Hi anon, thank you for this ask!

Personally, I do think AYS has been designed to allow for continuation post-ms but there are a few considerations:

Logistics with the rest of BTS as a whole team. It'll be astronomically easier to schedule travel with just two members rather than seven but these two members are still in a very high-demand group. It'll be interesting to see the juggle of schedules. More on this point below.

Format. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I believe the format of AYS evolved from its original pitch. The idea of a few mini-travel shows bundled together to form one cohesive show is definitely different. I wouldn't be surprised if the continue evolving the concept further. I have a theory of how this could work if they'd like to stick to the current formula but I'll list this below.

Finances/Distribution. The more we're seeing, the more I'm convinced that the show was pretty far into post-production when it was shopped to Disney for Distribution. If that's the case, then there'll definitely be some different options/discussions regarding licensing/Distribution of further seasons. I've purposefully avoided much of how Disney operates with streaming and original content so I know very little here but it's something that could impact any future of this show.

I'm sure there are more but that's all I've got off the top of my head.

So for my theory. This is purely based on the idea of keeping the show as close to the current concept as possible while not impacting any group activities. The easiest way this can be done will be to film mini-adventures with JM/JK as they travel around different cities on a concert tour.

We know many of the members frequently said they weren't able to leave their hotels and that it's something they'd like to do more. This would give them a controlled plan to make it happen occasionally. There'd still definitely be some major concerns to manage but if the goal of 2025 is to reassure ARMY that BTS is back as a complete team, that will have to be the highest priority and any activity that doesn't feature all seven members will have to fit in around group schedules.

I wouldn't be surprised if BTS's tour schedule is far more relaxed than past ones have been. Maybe not at the beginning, but they absolutely have been making the case that BTS will be about longevity going forward and you don't do that by burning out your talent. More time in the schedule will allow for some side journeys by our beloved JM and JK to neighboring cities/countries that they may otherwise never be able to visit.

But that's just a theory.

I do think they've both shown us adequate motivation that this show is something they'd be interested in continuing. It'll be a lot easier to manage another season of an existing show rather than get a new one together from scratch.

[davewhenham]

The JM Rescue Package

 I’ve recently received a “Rescue Pack” of 120 film from John who was concerned my lack of productivity might have been due to a diminishing stock. Whilst it is true that my stash of film is lower than usual though I’m not quite out of materials just yet BUT the very generous gift has given me the idea for a series of posts featuring Images from the Rescue Pack. This is the first of these…

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

km really do have incredible chemistry. It’s noticeable even just within the 2 minutes JK dropped into JM’s watching live, or through the comments and their reactions. their gimbap making lives are so comfortable and funny. ppl use bickering as an example of chemistry a lot which personally i don’t really see, but when km bicker it somehow feels intimate. there’s an undercurrent of trust and understanding to all their interactions and don’t even get me STARTED on the tones of voice…sorry this just went full delulu haha so I will say all this could be true without them being a couple, but needless to say I expect their travel show will be a really sweet and comforting watch! So I’m really looking forward to it cus I need some of that. you are right that most of the interactions we saw from them recently were indirect, so it makes sense there’s a sense of excitement and anticipation to see them together and totally at ease. from what we’ve seen they appeared to be filming a lot themselves with supplementary camera work, so I’m really curious what the vibe & premise will be.

Oh, I'm really curious about the format as well. It will probably be mostly vlogging style, with hand held cameras used by KM and probably some other establishing shots, full and wide framing if they had other people filming them. But given the BH/Hybe style, I expect an editing mess made by a team that barely knows the basics. It's not something they excel at. Even Jungkook does a better job, although he's not into it anymore.

Jungkook's camping vlog is most likely the way the travel show will look like as a finished product.

As to their chemistry, bickering and all that, I always got the sense that we are seeing the surface of a dynamic full of inside jokes and an established and well rounded relationship in which we only get some glimpses of. They come across as people who know each other extremely well, what clicks, what doesn't and all this to be but a really small part of their lives because they don't show us more.

I've seen other people saying they either don't expect "jikook moments" or they warned other fans to lower their expectations. It's this mantra that gets spread each time there's something to be released, particularly Memories. I found that nonsensical because it's not like it comes across as KM doing "something" that constitutes a moment and then they don't do it on other occassions. They behave the same with each other in every instance that I have seen. There is no switch that changes behavior. Everything can be called a "moment". It's not fiction, in which the story leads to an important, defining scene.

Take ITS 1 for example. The mosquito incident is considerent a moment, right? It shows up on twitter from time to time, gets discussed and so on. Do other KM interactions not count as "moments"? Are they boring? Is there no "action"? I enjoy them being drunk out of their mind, but also talking about nothing important while they go to eat. They could be the most boring guys on that travel show and I would still be excited and I would enjoy it. It could be a repeat of Jungkook telling Jimin a story in detail about sand fleas and I would be entertained for the simple reason that I like to watch them be with each other.

[peachjagiya]

Check out this underrated TKK moment from BV4. JK acts all chill saying he only saw Jm and Jhope during vacation, but then he gives Tae this intense look when he talks about his trip with friends. It's like, "V-hyung? Never heard of him," but then he's chilling and playing games with Tae's friends on a random Tuesday. What is going on?

The probable reason JK couldn't say he sees Tae is if that information tells a story that they cannot tell.

People keep asking lately "why wouldn't they promote their most popular ship?"

And that got me thinking a little about B4ng's beef with Tae and wondering if that's why Taekook was getting squished out of the official narrative. Is it literally just an attempt to isolate Tae? Does he just not want Tae to be as popular as he is?

If we agree this suppression happened between like 2017 and 2021ish, it kind of worked, no? Tae got a lot of hate for being "cold". But Tae can't be the moody cold outsider alien if he actually maintains a closeness with a very popular bandmate.

So I have been wondering if it's less about them being a couple and more about taking things away from Tae.

Then you point this out, anon, and I'm reconvinced it's as much to do with them being a couple. There's maybe an element of beef between Tae and company - editing, subtitles, selection of subunits - but ultimately, if it's all a Tae smear campaign with no particular reason, I don't think it makes sense. That really does become a case of "why would the members get involved in that?"

I feel like there's something to hide/protect with a reason good enough that JK and Tae themselves broadly go along with it.

Anyway BV4 filmed Sept 2019. Prior to the August vacay, July 2019 is that curious Summer Package situation where JK, wearing modern hanbok he was filmed in, and Tae are watching Winter Bear on a bed despite the group staying in a hanok (with Jimin and Hobi as roomies respectively.) Potential explanation: maybe they had a bed for naps in a production cabin?

Then after Jungkook is on camera at MMA in November 2019 calling PSJ Seojoonie-hyung so... Maybe I don't buy that they didn't see each other but I suppose there's no proof to contrary.

Anyway did this make sense? I feel like it's a lot of words and no sense 😂

Thanks anon 💜