#SAME YONGGUK SAME

[tvxcue]

gave in to feeling real things abt bap so i had to follow that with real feelings abt spn. normal things to do.

[ramenrains]

TW: Death

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Kris' mother and I just got off the phone a few hours ago, and I am heartbroken to announce this, but @blackfairypresident passed away today.

Kris was one of my dearest friends for many years and had endured his fair share of struggles, but I admired his resilience and his willingness to get back up each and every time he was knocked down. Whether he came to visit me in Greenville or we were going to concerts in Atlanta, we always had fun and felt at ease around one another. He had an openness in his heart that was unmatched, a sense of humor that could have you screaming with laughter even in your worst moments, and a passion to help those who had endured the same struggles he himself had faced.

That's why I'm writing this post.

Kris met many of his closest friends online. We provided a safe space for him to be his truest self. As such, he didn't have many ties to his real life on these accounts and kept them separate from the places he added work associates and family.

I didn't want you to be left in the dark. More importantly, Kris wouldn't want you to be either.

More details, including funeral arrangements if Kris' family feels comfortable sharing them, will be forthcoming in the replies or edits to this post. If you need a friend or a shoulder in order to help process this news, feel free to reply here or you can shoot me a dm whenever. I know this is sudden and completely unexpected. I'm still going in and out of shock myself.

Let this serve as an online memorial space in the meantime. Share things you loved about him or fond memories.

Here are a few of mine in pictures:

-When Kris visited me in December of 2022. He scuttled around downtown Greenville taking pictures of whatever he could, and it was adorable.

-The BAP Forever 2018 tour. It was notoriously a shitshow and they were giving free tickets away hand over fist. Kris posed with the extras we had to let people know they could come find us and nab them.

-VAV in Atlanta in early 2020. We were vvip and got to take this photo with the group together.

There were many more times we spent together that I didn't commemorate with photographs, but now I wish I had. The last time he and I were together for Bang Yongguk in 2023, I mentioned he, Jun and I should take group pictures and we collectively forgot. I'm sure I have some on Snapchat on an old phone somewhere, and I'll go digging probably later today.

I love you, Kris, and I'm so sorry this happened the way it did. I know how hard you were fighting for the life you deserved. I love you I love you I love you. I love you. I love you. I'm grateful that this was one of the last things I said to you, so there was never any doubt that's how I felt.

[bapdaydreams]

Thing I can remember Yongguk said/did in the London concert yesterday (20/10/24)

1. He thanked us for always being by his side - said he wouldn't be here without us and then said not to cry as he proceeded to preform all the emotional songs (i.e Journey, Hikikomori, AM 4:44)

2. Said he missed London - said he will try his best to come back with his members

3. Spoke about B.A.P's comeback at which point everyone started to chant B.A.P - he looked so happy

4. Someone was very brave and kept on complementing him (i.e you're so handsome) - he was smiley but also flustured

5. It was someone's birthday! He sang happy birthday to them (along with the rest of us in the crowd) And they got a hat from him...he's too sweet for this world.

6. He just looked so happy! I can't stop staring at the photos I took of him all smiley!!!!

7. Someone gave him the inflated crown!!!! Everyone cheered! (I am sure other Brits will agree when I say...he is the king we want) And then someone passed the UK flag to him - he said he wasn’t sure if it was okay for him to have the flag and the crown on at the same time. Someone screamed it was fine cuz the Queen (they could have said King but at his point my hearing had given out) was 💀 anyway

8. He also used the flag as a head scarf towards the end in his true grandpa form

9. He also said 1 and half hours are not enough for him - someone screamed 3 hours next time and he laughed saying he would need all his members for 3 hours

10. He said he had personally designed the concert tshirt so it would be a great opportunity to buy it now, no pressure though 😂😂

And that is about all I can remember. 😂😂 If anyone else who was there can remember anything else, please do add on (or correct me cuz it all feels like a fever dream and I am also not one to record every second of the concert)

Snapshot was also a bit of a fever dream. I will say that it felt rushed, which I understand since its the end of the night and more snapshot tickets were being sold so more people to get through. Also, it seems a bit...monetary to make fans pay £65 for each individual photo...but that's just me and my opinion. Everyone is free to spend their money as they see fit. I will add, last year I think it was about £60 for snapshot and the staff took more than 1 photo, so you be the judge here.

I also wish they would accept card payment for merch. Those are the only 2 things I can say were a bit of a downer but it's nothing major.

Other than that, it was an amazing night as always. I think I am also getting a little old now since my feet and back started to hurt after a while 😂😂😂😂

10/10 would recommend going to see Yongguk if you haven't already!

[nugu-heaven]

The one reason I wish I had gotten into Kpop earlier is so that I could've lived through B.A.P's That's My Jam era in real time. We do not appreciate her enough and she was nothing but good to us cause like,,,

Cheeto Youngjae?

Fluffy rainbow hair Daehyun?

Zelo with glasses?

Yongguk in an undercut and low-cuts showing his tattoos?

JONGUP WITH PINK HAIR?

And this all happened in the same era???

[ateez-himari]

LXST; RECORD ONE

[NEW UPLOAD FROM ATEEZ]

LISTEN TO 'ADDICT' NOW ON YOUTUBE

Liked by dovecameron and 2,038,019 others

ateez_official_ LXST; solo project

#ATEEZ #애이티즈 #HIMARI #히마리

View all 1,339,371 comments

donatella_versace Never in my lifetime have I seen someone this hypnotizing 💛You are truly one of a kind, the diamond of this generation

no1likehim hear me out, she could very well be a real life siren because personally if I was out at sea and seeing her out in the water like THIS...idc I'm jumping in 💅🏾

mitosglass.es Wait omg she was saying she'd perform a new song later in the tour and that the outfit was dangerous 😰If she comes out in this in Toronto I'm actually gonna lose it, I'll be in shock, you'll never see me again

mochimochimari stop because LUST is the title of this project?! (don't try to hide it, we know) she has insane musical duality bc wdym she's written the most heart wrenching songs but then is gonna sing about wanting to get freaky-

sansatori is this the ATEEZ naked era 🫣first the sleeves magically disappear from their shirts, then the shirts start disappearing on stage, now we have MIN HIMARI coming out of the water like this?? pls i would do anything for this woman to even look at me

himarry.me Mingi pls give me a chance with your girlfriend...he literally stole the most beautiful woman from us how are we supposed to cope now 😭also we won guys, we had to beg her to release her solo project and it was so worth it, we blessed humanity💪

31 July 2024 • See Original

Industry Reactions

When asked about the industry's current aces in a live broadcast, second generation artist Taeyang responded with this statement; 'The first one that comes to mind is Himari from ATEEZ, people call her the second Hand of Midas for a reason. 'Addict' was created using her voice in various ways instead of relying on instrumentals and it came out like an angel call. It's almost entrancing whenever she sings, almost like a siren song.'

Taemin obviously had to boast about his protegee and posted this on his story; 'From creative direction of this music video to having only her name in the credits, there really is nothing she can't do!❤️I'm so honored to have such a talented artist by my side, go stream this song everyone, quickly!'

Former B.A.P leader Bang Yongguk posted the music video link with this comment underneath; 'i've been listening to this on repeat ever since she sent it to me and it feels like I'm being transported to heaven (even though the lyrics are far from holy ㅋㅋ) her voice really is on a whole other level, it could lead sailors into the water'

Twice leader Jihyo could not seem to stop praising their former trainee; 'I can't believe ATEEZ took this angelic artist from us 🥺The dancing is as mesmerizing as watching a ribbon flow in the wind, the vocals sink deep into the soul, the visuals make you fall in love...I could go on. I'm so proud of you Himie, we all are!'

Netizens Reactions

@/himaswife on X 'If i was a six foot tall rapper with a deep voice hearing this song that was definitely made about me...imagine such a stunning woman singing about how infatuated she is with you 😳 I would kiss and marry her on the spot (i'm not jealous at all why would you think that-)'

@/yeosangiecookie on X 'she definitely chose to do it in English for a reason and she was right, it's so sensual but innocent at the same time that you just can't stop listening to it. i thought it would be provocative from the project title but the lyrics were just suggestive enough to make you think about the possibilities but not picture anything, truly a masterpiece from our maknae as always 🙌'

@/ateenypresent on X 'the way you can tell these lyrics are genuine because it's things we point out every time, especially the "These things I'm thinking when you're looking in my eyes". if you don't notice the way her and Mingi make eye contact you must be blind...look i'm delusional and reaching but yk how in Work he says "ride [with] me"?? and how she said "fuck it i'm still riding"?? 😳'

@/yunhosbuckethat on X 'i NEED to see her performing this live, I don't even care if I have to watch it through tiktoks or a low resolution youtube video. the choreography was so beautiful, i love when she incorporates classic and contemporary stiles into her dance, it just suits her so well. plus imagine how good it would sound echoing in a stadium 🫠'

Min Siblings Updates

Hanzo on Instagram 'My wife woke me up this morning telling me that my sister's new song was so good that she'd been playing on loop for ten minutes now...first of all I'm mad that I didn't get to hear it first. More than anything though I'm so proud of her, 7.3 MILLION views in not even 24 hours for a SOLO project that was announced the day of release is genuinely insane🥹I LOVE YOU MY LITTLE TIGER 💕(I'm so playing this to the whole team before practice, the rest of you GO STREAM IT WHAT ARE YOU DOING'

Yoongi on Weverse 'There are no words to accurately describe how divine my sister's song sounds, it's so delicate yet powerful, I wouldn't be surprised if every speaker in the country starts playing it. Without a doubt I can say that she's one of if not the most talented producer of this generation, who else can manipulate vocals and instrumentals so perfectly as to transport you to another world? Our Hima, you did well, I love you ❤️'

Translated from Korean by Google

[qserasera]

parallax {a yoo joonghyuk/kim dokja fanmix}

songs 1-10 mostly for kim dokja, with some appearances by yoo joonghyuk; songs 11-20 for yoo joonghyuk throughout ORV

{{LISTEN ON SPOTIFY HERE}}

Song list below 'The Incarnation Kim Dokja will be killed by the one he loves most' {01 Black Crown - Kingdom [instrumental] | 02 The Story - KANGDANIEL 'Paradise that feels like it's going to me / As we get closer / That's just how / That's just how the story goes' | 03 Nine Lives - Stella and the Storm 'Because i've got nine lives, nine nine lives, baby ' | 04 Bring Out the Devil - Black Math 'While everyone is shooting for heaven / I've been planning on storming the gates' | 05 Scenario - SF9 ' I will decide a new story that will change’ | 06 Gambit - Park Jihoon, Bang Yongguk 'Oh, shall we play a sweet game? / It's dizzying, as if I'm about to reach the precipice' | 07 Pretender - July Talk 'I lean in real close as an informer / What if you're just a performer?' | 08 Soul is a Star - Jagwar Twin 'She said Papa was a sinner / Playing God behind the scenes' | 09 The Lovers Dancing - innerpartysystem 'The love still moving through my hands / I'm building and making a beautiful thing / that will never be made again' | 10 Kneel Before the Crown - Audiomachine [instrumental] }

[The Story 'Life and Death Companions' is continuing its storytelling] {11 Heart Memory - Extraordinary You OST [instrumental] | 12 When I Watch the World Burn, All I Think About Is You - Bastille 'The world is ending / on the news / But here in my head / I'm drunk on you' | 13 Lost in the Dream - MONSTA X 'Every night, I look for you / wandering in the same dream / I want to stop, but can't escape' | 14 Rewind - twlv 'Time is no medicine / the wound is growing bigger' | 15 Desire in Silence - The Glory OST [instrumental] | 16 Chained - machineheart 'I've been saying things about you in my deepest sleep / I want you back, I want you back, I want you back' | 17 Cracked Open - Lawless, Britt Warner 'You lose your mind to find your heart in the dark' | 18 Good Love - Zola Blood 'Always, I'll take a good love / or anything that might save our place a little longer' | 19 Fools in Love - Yeju 'And all I can see / is how my future holds you, my dear' | 20 love story - Jhove [instrumental] }

[mykpopwire]

exclusive interview: BANG YONGGUK shares moments from 'III' US TOUR 2024, challenges, future plans and more.

Q: Congratulations on completing your ‘III’ The US TOUR 2024! How did you feel to successfully wrapped up a full month of concert?

I want to say thank you so much to the fans who gave me so much inspiration and love. Without them, I couldn't carry out the schedule. It felt like we performed together in every performance.

Q: What was it like during the tour? Any moments that you want to share with fans?

I sang all the songs on my new album live. It was just released, and it was really special that so many people sang it together. These were moments where I felt deeply in my heart how much they loved me and my music.

Q: You’ve been to Europe, Asia, America, almost all over the world. Did you perform differently each time or did you try to convey the same experience?

Usually, I make one chapter of setlist for a tour. I think I naturally take the ending and encore songs according to the atmosphere of each city or country. After a year-long tour, we prepare a new set list from the next year. That's why I think I put a lot of time and thought into making a set list for the tour.

Q: Can you describe the atmosphere and vibe of your tour that will make people want to attend again and again?

It's hard to fill up the entire 2 hours by myself. I think it's a special moment that the fans fill the empty space on the stage together. I'm not a good speaker, so I'm going to sing at least one more song live rather than a comment. I feel like I'm performing together with the fans. I think that creates an atmosphere where my performances become special.

Q: Performing every other day must have been challenging for you. How do you keep your energy and voice healthy throughout the tour?

It's not easy. This time, there were performances that I was not in good condition, and there were moments when I blamed myself. I refrain from going out as much as possible and stay inside the hotel only before the performance. I only take a light walk when I go outside. It's important to save energy and prevent other illnesses. Sometimes, my manager comes to check if I'm alive, and I think it's the only time I've met someone. Unfortunately, that's how I keep myself in good shape and protect myself throughout the tour. (laughs)

Q: What should we look forward to from your next plan?

I'm preparing for a new project in summer, and I've been planning it slowly since the U.S. The moment I came back to Korea after the tour, I haven't had a day off yet.

Q: In the future, when people look back at Bang Yongguk and the music you’ve made, is there a certain way you would like it to be seen or remembered?

I like to hear that Bang Yongguk's music is like Bang Yongguk. If people remember me as an artist who has his own style, regardless of the chart rankings and album sales, I think my career has succeeded just by hearing that. That's why I make music.

Q: To all your fans and listeners who wants to know and learn more about Bang Yongguk, what is the best way for them to do so?

I hope you listen to my first full-length album, "BANGYONGGUK." I think you'll know more about me. And I don't think I'll be able to make an album like that in the future. (laughs)

Listen to Bang Yongguk's "BANGYONGGUK" here!

Q: Thank you so much for spending some time with MY K-POP WIRE! Any last words to your fans?

I would like to express my love and respect to the fans who always give us a lot of love. Please continue to show your interest and support for that way I will show as an artist,  Bang Yongguk. I will be back. Thank you.

*photo courtesy of YY Entertainment

Don’t forget to like, follow and subscribe to MY K-POP WIRE for more K-Pop interview, debut, comeback and event updates!

X (Twitter): mykpopwire

Instagram: mykpopwire

TikTok: mykpopwire

Facebook: MY K-POP WIRE

YouTube: MY K-POP WIRE

Connect with BANG YONGGUK!

X (Twitter): @BAP_Bangyongguk

Instagram: bangstergram

YouTube: BANG YONGGUK

Soundcloud: BANG YONGGUK 

[arkanah]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PREDICTION : most young kings get their heads cut off.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[everythingbap]

🎤 allkpop: [INTERVIEW] Former B.A.P members BANG&JUNG&YOO&MOON on reuniting after 7 years and growth: "The timing was right for us this time"

Nearly seven years after concluding their activities as one of the renowned groups that rocked their generation, B.A.P is back in the game, now as BANG&JUNG&YOO&MOON, hoping to put a "good closure" for the band's chapter.

Reuniting together several years after parting ways with each other is not an easy feat. Members BANG YONGGUK, JUNG DAE HYUN, YOO YOUNGJAE, and MOON JONG UP have gone their own ways, dropping solo activities here and there. Despite the members' busy schedules, they were able to get back together to work on their long-awaited group record, titled ‘CURTAIN CALL,’ released on August 8th.

This reunion came to fruition thanks to the boys' unwavering enthusiasm, they were able to create this one chance to get back again. During the interview with allkpop, YONGGUK acknowledged the difficulty faced by many idols who used to be in a group but now couldn’t do activities with their fellow members post-disbandment. He hopes that this BANG&JUNG&YOO&MOON return can serve as an inspiration and hope to those idols in a way, too.

Two months before the album's release, the former B.A.P members unveiled a teaser for their ‘Man on the moon’ documentary, igniting excitement among the fans and the general public alike. The five-episode (as of writing) documentary showed how YONGGUK, DAE HYUN, YOUNGJAE, and JONG UP were very much hands-on in crafting the album.

“Our last album [‘EGO’] was a bit fizzled out,” JONG UP expressed in the first episode. Now that they're back with ‘CURTAIN CALL,’ DAE HYUN wants to “share this last time with the fans in a really happy and beautiful way.” He said, “We don't know if there's another chance of us being together again, but we hope you will still support us.”

The mini-album boasts 5 tracks, “Love,” “Farewell,” “Gone,” “Stand it all,” and “Way Back,” all of which YONGGUK took part in crafting, from penning to producing them. YOUNGJAE also contributed lyrics to the concluding track, “Way Back.”

They are also set to hold the “last fan-con Asia tour,” which will commence with the two-day fan concert in Seoul on August 17 and 18, followed by their shows in Tokyo, Taipei, and Hong Kong.

To commemorate the group's highly-anticipated comeback, we sat down with BANG&JUNG&YOO&MOON to chat about ‘CURTAIN CALL’ and the process behind it, their growth, and more. Check out our exclusive interview with them below!

Shout-out to allkpop:

[Note: YOO YOUNGJAE wasn't able to participate in the interview due to his conflicting schedule. However, he sent a message for allkpop readers and the fans over email.]

You might want to check out our previous exclusive interviews with BANG YONGGUK (2023)(2024) and Moon Jong Up as well.

First of all, congratulations on your long-awaited comeback! What does it mean for you to finally reunite with your fellow B.A.P members? How did you come up and talk amongst yourselves coming back? Was there a little bit of awkwardness when you got to work together after 7 years or did it feel the same?

Jong Up: First of all, we made this comeback for the first time in seven years, so I think that’s why it’s heart fluttering and we’re so excited about it. During those seven years, we had actually been talking about getting together at any time. We asked questions like, “When will we do this again?” “When will we be having a reunion?” I think the timing was right for us this time and we thought that we were finally ready to do something we had been preparing for for a long time.

DAE HYUN: In the process of reuniting, of course, it would be nice to have a lot of laughs and smiles. As we shared our opinions, I think there were definitely some things that became sensitive. I think the reason why that happened is because we had a lot of personal growth as individuals. So, we needed a lot of time to bring those things back together. I think those were the moments that got us talking a lot.

What do you feel about closing this chapter? What have been your favorite moments from that journey? I feel like there’s a little bit of sadness because I know your group was once a big part of your idol life, but I also feel like you are rather happier because you get to be together again. It’s not that every group gets to be reunited after disbanding.

DAE HYUN: We mentioned that we have kind of ended our chapter as B.A.P, but we also want to tell you about another beginning. We’re going to go on our own journey are also looking forward to our future individual endeavors. We don’t know if there’s another chance of us being together again, but we hope that you will like our return with ‘CURTAIN CALL’ and that you will still support us. I want to share this last time with the fans in a really happy and beautiful way. We hope that this album is a good closure for this chapter.

Jong Up: Actually, when I think about the moments that have gone by since we started and now that we’re back together after seven years, I think I always remember a lot of things that I was disappointed with. I wonder if it would have been better if we had done something more like this. These regrettable moments were very memorable, but the reason why I think that we are so lucky to have the opportunity to get together again is that I don't know what to say about those regrettable moments. I feel like I'm actually getting a chance to challenge those things again, so I think I'm blessed to have those moments.

Tell us more about the album ‘CURTAIN CALL.’ What aspects of the album do you think “fill your fans with nostalgia”? In what ways do you think were you able to “showcase your chemistry”?

YONGGUK, you’ve been putting out solo releases and you have also been producing songs for other idols. How does it feel to be able to do that for your group after years?

YONGGUK: I feel like rather than making my own solo album or giving songs to other artist friends, it’s the most enjoyable for me to do work for my group. It’s because I’ve known the members for the longest time. It was easy to understand what each of us could do well. I think making music for our group is the easiest and happiest time to work.

Let’s talk about the songs. How did you find the album preparation, music video shooting, song recording, and all? Was there something that you found hard during the process?

DAE HYUN: First of all, I think it took us quite a long time to decide on the songs, including our title song. The company also edited a lot of songs, and YONGGUK continued to work on them. Ultimately, after a lot of time, the album was filled with such solid songs. I think there are people who probably struggled and went through a lot of hard work in that area. This was especially true for YONGGUK. The recording itself was organized a little quickly. YONGGUK was the one who directed us, he knew our points well, so the recording went very smoothly.

From each of you, I want to hear which track is your personal favorite and why?

DAE HYUN: I like the song called “Love” because it fits my sensibilities so well.

Jong Up: My favorite is the title track “Gone.” The reason is that I think it's the song that best represents us right now and I think it's worthy of the title. That's why I like it.

YONGGUK: For me, I like every single song. I kind of think of every song as a title track.

I watched your documentary on YouTube and you always said that the members hope that this album is something that you can be proud of. So I wanted to ask you that: Are you proud of how it came about? Are you satisfied with the outcome?

DAE HYUN: It’s an album that I’m very proud of, and that’s because it’s produced by YONGGUK. We also had a lot of input and participated with a lot of opinions from the members. And the company also put a lot of effort into making an album of better quality.

Jong Up: It’s an album that we’re proud of, not just because of the quality of the record itself, but also because we've had so many things going on and just the fact that it’s tuned out the way we know it’s going to turn out, I think that’s a testament to a lot of things, that itself proves a lot about ourselves. I think our fans are going to love it as well. I’m very proud of it and I can’t wait to show it to my parents. I feel like they’re going to be proud of it too.

(members laugh)

YONGGUK: You haven't got them to hear it?

Jong Up: Not yet. (laughs)

You said in our interview from 12 years ago that the reason why your fans are attracted to you is because you show a different image compared to other groups. Could you describe to us how unique and different this album and this new era are to you? What do you think still stands out within your group even today?

YONGGUK: I know that there are many idols like us who used to be active in their groups but are now unable to do group activities for some reason. I hope this album will be an album that has some meaning to them as well. And rather than showing or making a new trend, the album is a reflection of our past times. I hope people will listen to it a lot because I think it will be an album they can reminisce about.

Since it’s been over a decade since your debut, how would you describe your growth as an artist? If you have free time, do you look back on your old music, stage performances, videos, and photos, and think to yourself, “Oh, I’ve grown a lot. I’ve matured a lot”?

DAE HYUN: I think the concept of growing up has completely changed since I turned 30. I think in my 20s, I was making myself used to the songs. I was like, "Oh, I'm going to get that into my body and I'm going to get that into my ears. I'm going to grow that way.” But now that I'm in my 30s, I feel like I'm on a journey to find my true self. I think I've tried to create something of my own within myself.

Jong Up: In my case, in the past, I thought, researched, and worried a lot about how I wanted to show myself. But now, I think a little more about what is unique about me and want to show my true self, so that I can be seen better. I think there are things I try to do to show myself in a better light. So, in the past, I worked hard to show what I wanted to show, but now I just show what I can do, the next thing that I can do. I think I've matured a bit in that difference, in putting in effort to show that side of me well.

YONGGUK: I’ve matured a lot. Now, what I want and try to do is to do a lot of meaningful things in my life. I’m so happy that this album is exactly that.

In this album, you also talk about the challenges you faced in the past and express your hope for the future. What in that journey you remember in particular made you the artist and person you are today? What were your biggest takeaways and realizations from that journey?

DAE HYUN: I think I've been able to grow as an artist faster through my members because we're all really hard workers and we're still working hard until now. But I think I've always had a platform or a stepping stone to grow as a musical artist through the members closest to me. And now that I'm around a lot of people, I think I've learned a lot about trust, rhythm, friendship, love, and things like that because there are so many people around me.

YONGGUK: Same for me!

Jong Up: Same!

Following the album release, you’re going to hold two-day shows in Seoul. Congratulations on that! How are you preparing for this? What are you most excited about, and what should fans look forward to this special reunion?

DAE HYUN: It’s the live performance. I think our color as a group is really good, and that’s why many of our existing dans have trusted us and liked our group’s live performances. We will practice focusing on those points when performing live and also while hanging out with the fans at the concert. So, we are practicing as hard as we can every day.

Jong Up: There is a lot of cute and diverse merchandise, and this time, the t-shirts came out so pretty. The designs are really pretty and detailed. I think there will be a lot to enjoy in the concert itself. And the most important thing, as you said, is the performance we put together for the first time in seven years. I wonder if there will be more of our own mood, something a little different now. Actually, I'm looking forward to that too. I don't know how it will turn out... so, shall we have fun together?

We’re looking forward to those! What kind of comments or words would you like to see and hear from your fans after the album release?

YONGGUK: Music now gives us a certain amount of joy when we listen to it, and I hope that this album will be one of those albums that when people listen to it, they will be able to remember something from their childhood and be reminded of how we were when we were young and that they can look back through that.

DAE HYUN: Same!

Jong Up: I love you!

(members laugh)

Do you have anything else to say to allkpop readers and your fans who have long waited for your comeback?

DAE HYUN: First of all, thank you to allkpop who has interviewed us a lot since our debut era. We remember that we did a lot of interviews with allkpop as well before. I hope our fans support us and give us a lot of love especially thank you to all the B.A.B.Yz all over the world and I hope you guys enjoy the album

YOUNGJAE: To all the fans who have waited for a long time, I hope you enjoy what we’ve prepared for you and cherish this time spent together. Thank you and I love you.

[torialefay]

Not us having the same taste in men. My longest standing kpop crush is Jackson wang following with Bang Yongguk. That man is so gorgeous and his voice is insane not to mention he seems like such a good person and I’d trust him and Jackson with my life no questions asked. I’m a Sag so it’s not surprising I have a thing for Aries men and Libra men. Though for some reason I also seem to be insanely attracted to earth and water (Pisces, Scorpio and virgos) sign men. I think it might be bc 2/3 of my big 3 are earth signs tho I don’t think it’d ever last lmao.

idk this yongguk man but here we go... i'm about to have to go down ANOTHER rabbit hole 😭 i don't have time for this whyyyyyy 😭😭

we just have good taste i guess 🤭 PLUS EVEN IF IM NOT A MAN, i'm a pisces w libra moon & an aries stellium SO that's probs why we found each other then hehe <3333

[fadinglights]

continued from here, @gcholdtrops

eva  watches  quietly  as  yongguk's  tall,  broad-shouldered  figure  disappears  from  the  group's  line  of  sight,  a  faint  flutter  of  anticipation  stirring  in  the  pit  of  her  stomach.  quickly,  her  attention  turns  back  to  her  friend,  wrapping  up  the  conversation  they'd  been  having  about  their  respective  projects  and  commitments.  with  a  polite  excuse,  eva  takes  her  leave,  following  the  same  path  yongguk  had  taken  just  moments  ago.  her  heart  races  as  she  discreetly  scans  the  area,  searching  for  any  sign  of  where  he's  escaped  to.  just  as  she's  about  to  give  up,  she's  suddenly  yanked  by  the  wrist  and  pulled  into  a  dimly  lit,  dusty  storage  room.

the  giggles  that  tumble  from  her  ruby  red  lips  are  involuntary  as  yongguk's  mouth  crashes  against  hers  in  a  desperate,  hungry  kiss.  his  wandering  hands  caress  the  curves  of  her  petite  frame  through  the  thin  fabric  of  her  little  black  dress,  effectively  consuming  her  focus  and  drowning  out  all  other  senses.  maybe  it  does  make  her  a  terrible  person  for  her  to  enjoy  their  indulgence  this  much.  but  as  they  slip  away  from  the  chatter  of  their  friends  and  the  ambient  noise  of  the  fancy  restaurant,  eva  allows  the  familiar,  intoxicating  scent  of  yongguk's  cologne  to  envelop  her.  in  a  hushed  whisper,  she  murmurs  against  his  ear.  "thought  i'd  come  check  in  on  you..."  her  body  flush  against  his,  she  can  feel  the  unmistakable  effect  her  actions  have  had  on  him,  his  heartbeat  thundering  in  her  ears.  "...since  it  didn't  sound  like  you  were  doing  too  well."

[khiphop-discussions]

Bang Yongguk "3" album review

Movimiento - It's EDM-ish. I'm not really a fan of this one. There's a lot going on but somehow it's not interesting.

EDIT: When I started listening to "Bad", I realized Younha's voice sounded a bit chipmunk-ish. I know she has a higher-pitched voice but this was a bit much. It turns out that I had my YouTube set to 1.25x speed. I set it to normal and then went back to listen to song number 1. After setting my playback speed to normal. I actually like this song a lot more. It doesn't sound too messy with too much going on now.

Bad ft Younha - OK this one is off to a better start. I think part of that is that I like pop rock/pop punk style songs better than EDM. This one is a bit more concentrated intstrumental wise. It doesn't have too much going on. Younha's voice is really nice. Thank god Younha has a high pitched voice. Even with the speed set too fast, Yongguk's voice is still so deep. I probably never would have noticed the speed.

IXLU (explicit ver) - OK so this one seems like an R&B-ish one from the intro. He's really doing a different style on every single song. I like that! So versatile. I think it works really well! His voice can kinda sound monotone since it's so deep. I think him strategically using the intrumentals throughout this album to create more contrast is a REALLY nice touch. I think I like one the best so far.

Numb - This instrumental reminds me of something DPR Ian would have on one of his albums. I can't really put my finger on what this instrumental is though. Indie? Alternative R&B? I've seen people say that's what Ian's music is? I like how he sings a bit higher pitched on this song.

Buss It Down - This is a complete tone shift from "Numb". He goes back to his signature deep voice and it's just a more hip-hop song. Overall, this song is alright.

IXLU - Same as IXLU (explicit ver).

Overall, I think it's a good album. It's a nice length and has a lot of different types of songs. It never gets boring because he has a different genre for each song. I stil think IXLU is the best song. Followed by either "Numb" or "Bad". I'm leaning more towards "Numb" so I guess it's that one more but as I listen to this album more, I can definitely see it going toward "Bad".

[hauntedbythenarrative]

rules: shuffle your ‘on repeat’ playlist and post the first 10 tracks, then list 10 songs you really like, each by a different artist. then tag 10 people to do the same thing

Tagged by @ferizuli , ty💕💕

1. Aimed to kill, Jade Lemac;

2. Xie xie (remix), Bang Yongguk;

3. Given-taken, Enhypen;

4. Stay with me, Chanyeol, Punch;

5. Arcade, Duncan Laurence;

6. Maria, Hwasa;

7. Suzume no tojimari;

8. Without me, Halsey;

9. Hold the girl, Rina Sawayama;

10. RIP, Love, Faouzia;

10 songs I really like (not in a particular order):

1. Heaven is here, Florence and the machine;

2. First love/late spring, Mitski;

3. A dangerous thing, Aurora;

4. Fuck this world, Rina Sawayama;

5. Should have know better, Sufjan Stevens;

6. Shadow, Suga;

7. Organs, Of Monsters and Men;

8. Noir, Sunmi;

9. 0X1=LOVESONG, txt;

10. Bells, the naked and the famous;

Tagging @that--funny--feeling , @shatteredlesbian , @rosiefridayrogersunday , @milfcoded , @callisteios , @mazripan , @a-aristosachion ,@rosesnbooks , @spooky-kakashi , @thesouththth131

If you don't want to do it, as always, it's okay.

You can tell me to stop tagging you🌈

[insolitus-academy]

1x1 fluff plots

☁️ | a sweet reminder [ buttercup ] Muse A finds a song that matches the person they are facing (Muse B) perfectly- and while it is unknown whether muse a and muse b know one another already it doesn't matter. Sometimes something just matches (possibly involving a piano at a small train station if one of them can play the piano). @jiwoo-ia x @jeonjungkook-ia

☁️ | secondhand love [ sunflower ] In a thriftstore Muse A and Muse B meet wanting the same item. There is no way to find another just like this; and after some discussions the owner of the shop throws the two out with the item for free- just figure it out together! @baekhyunx-ia x @leeknow-ia

☁️ | parental authority [ tulips ] After watching some human parents struggle with their kids, Muse A and Muse B discuss the joy or horror of parenthood. Luckily they are then faced with a lost child who they need to bring home together. Show off those parental skills, guys! @yongguk-ia & @ethirdil-ia

☁️ | Baker's delight [ Poppy ] Muse A and Muse B somehow find themselves at a baking TV show and are paired together- don't worry it is a magical show so you don't have to worry about pesky humans. Though, what will you do in this 3 rounds baking show?! @hyungwon-ia x @enchanted-irene-ia

as always, first listed writes the starter!

[queenseowon]

"Colors of Bang Yongguk Tour" Fan Account - Oakland, CA (230616)

It’s been 2 days since I saw Yongguk live and he’s truly been on my mind non-stop for the last 48 hours. :’) 

>>Personal “Origin” Story<< Since B.A.P debuted and were active during my high school and college years, unfortunately I never had the money (or time) to be able to attend any of their concerts. When I saw that Yongguk was going on tour, I didn’t know what to think -- I’ve been in and out of my “kpop phase” for the last 12 years, and the only group that I consistently stanned throughout that time was BTS. All of my friends are either newer kpop fans or strictly girl group fans so I knew I’d be going to this concert alone, but ultimately I knew it wouldn’t be a big deal as I’ve gone solo to many concerts in the past. I saw the (shockingly) low price of the ticket and the venue being so nostalgic (I partied a decent amount at The New Parish pre-COVID lol) so I bought my ticket happily in May. The excitement did nothing but grow overtime.

I’ve been thinking about how many BABYz used to write fan accounts during fan signings/concerts waaay back in the day (if you were on Tumblr during 2012-2014, you’ll know what I mean). I remember being a teenager discovering kpop for the first time, having B.A.P be the first group where I started stanning since debut, learned every member’s name, kept up with releases on the daily, had Yongguk become my first “ult bias” (before I even knew what that was) and “fan’d” my heart out every comeback on Tumblr. I wanted to write a fan account to remember this concert but also hopefully share it with other long-time BABYz who are feeling nostalgic!

>>Going solo to the concert<< As (somewhat) expected, I met some amazing people in line as well as inside the venue who were also attending the concert solo! For me, I love hearing about how others got into stanning a certain musician or group as well as their favorite(s) song(s). As someone who didn’t grow up with other “kpop friends”, it felt so surreal to think that there were others like me 10+ years ago fully enjoying the same music, and having that musician tie everyone together now one decade later. Sometimes I get anxious in crowds and especially with strangers, but I did not feel that way for even a minute before, during, and after the concert. Maybe it’s a mix of the Bay Area/California and long-time BABY vibes. (Also fun sidenote: some people and I were comparing our tattoos in line and we said “Okay now it’s time for Yongguk to do a tattoo tour. Show the chest piece pls” -- So when Yongguk came out in that button-up shirt with only two buttons buttoned and his chest tattoo on full display… I need y’all to know we manifested that for everyone’s benefit. 😩🫡)

>>REACTION TO THE CONCERT & SONGS<< I’m not sure how long people were lined up for, but I arrived around 5PM (doors opened at 6PM and the concert started at 7PM) and I ended up standing to the right of the stage (Yongguk’s left) in the second/third-ish row right next to the speakers with an amazing up close view the entire night. (In hindsight, I should have remembered to bring my ear plugs because I’m not as young as I used to be and should probably take better care of my eardrums and hearing lol). Also, as I mentioned before, I knew the venue relatively well so I knew to go to the side closer to the stage rather than standing several rows back in the middle even if it meant having not as wide of a view of the stage. The person next to me and I were super excited because our angle meant we were going to be able to see the minute Yongguk appeared from off stage and onto the stage. 

Although normally I do not listen to the setlist of artists before their concerts, I hadn’t listened to Yongguk consistently in years so I did look up the setlist and made my own Spotify playlist to get myself hyped up and ready to sing along. As soon as Yongguk came out, I feel like I metaphorically blacked out for the first couple songs (GMT, Up, Race) because I did not remember those performances until I watched others’ fancams. I think I came to my senses during “Rain on Me” because that is THE twerk anthem. The sex appeal and confidence from him from the start of the concert (and especially during “Rain on Me”) was no joke. I feel like my jaw was probably embarrassingly dropped wide open for all of the first songs. There’s also something feral that awakes inside me everytime he says “you never fucking know” and the chorus of “UFO” starts then his voice DROPS a register as he starts rapping and hearing that live??? I was transported to another dimension.

When he started singing “Hikikomori” then went into “I Remember” I think it was then I realized he was doing this tour for us -- for the fans and the BABYz who have been here the whole time (or at least a very long time). As I’m writing this now and reflecting, everything he said during his ments/talks was him just continuously thanking us, telling us how much he loves us, and saying how it’s been “such a long time”. I literally could choke up thinking about it right now how he’s waited just as long as we have.

Yongguk asked the audience to put their phones down so he could make eye contact with every person. And like someone said, “when Bang Yongguk tells you to do something, you do it no questions asked.” Then he started singing “Screwed Up” while literally looking at every corner of the venue, balcony, floor, sidestage -- literally my delulu mind was convinced he was staring and flirting with me too. I lost the “IDGAF if this man notices me” war right then and there. (I have yet to find a fancam of “Screwed Up”, which is fair because he told us to put our phones down, but if anyone has a video of him literally making flirty eyes to the entire audience, PLEASE send it to me.) 

Right after “Screwed Up”, he goes into “Green” and at the end said something similar to “I wrote Green so I could sing it with all of my fans one day, so thank you for singing along with me.” and I just about sobbed. 

By “Ride or Die” and “YA” he is fully body rolling everywhere on stage, flirting with every single person in the audience, and everyone is losing their minds (including me).

Also at some point during the show he started sending so many air kisses to everyone. He also would be (seemingly) speechless in between sets and just repeated “wow… woah…” and kept showing his gummy smile 😭 The cheers were so loud inside the venue sometimes my ears were ringing just from the crowd singing and screaming so I wonder if he was in awe or wasn’t expecting that? (Even though he deserves all the love!)

Then at some point the crowd started chanting “take it off” (meaning his shirt that was truly barely hanging onto him) and he gets SHY and kept asking “Why?” -- I just don’t understand how someone can go from biting his shirt, flirting with the entire audience, body rolling nonstop on stage, to a completely genuine “I’m so shy” cute smiley lil baby. He was so cute I could barely process him going from rapping his lungs out to “uwu vibes” in the matter of seconds and the only single thought my single braincell had was “so cute so cute so cute”. Yongguk is truly the duality of mankind. (He did eventually give one more ab flash [in addition to his “tattoo sticker” promo shirt lifting] so you can find that photo floating around on social media.)

He threw water (from bottles he drank out of) into the crowd twice during “OFF” and “YAMAKAZI” and I have never been happier to be blessed with holy water. I think “OFF” is my favorite hype song in recent years so I absolutely loved hearing that live -- despite it being toward the second half of the show, his energy never stopped and the crowd’s energy also kept getting more and more hyped.

Towards the end Yongguk said, “Although tonight is the last U.S. stop for the tour, it’s not a goodbye. I promise to come back… I’ve said this all tour, but as much as you all love me, please also love yourself.” Before starting “Orange Drive”, Yongguk dedicated the song to his fans and his grandfather in heaven. Then during the encore, alongside the usual “Xie Xie” and “See You Later” he also sang “Ride or Die” one more time and did a lot of fanservice. 

His marketing worked because all the merch was soldout after the show, but I was able to snag the "tattoo sticker" sheet just like he suggested :') -- I am lowkey glad I was unable to get a meet & greet ticket because I feel like I was already internally combusting at the thought of having to meet him and take a selfie after the concert, so if it actually happened I probably would've externally exploded.

ALSO -- This man’s stamina is no joke though because he really kept going for a full 1.5 hours and jumping around on stage with minimal “ments/talking” in between songs. If this hadn’t been the last stop on his tour, I would have definitely considered attending another stop. If I had known how amazing of a performer he was and how great the energy would be to hear everything live (from him and the crowd), I would’ve balled out and gone to the LA stop the day before.

>>FUTURE?<< Yongguk promised he would release another album in the future and go on tour once again. Though none of us know when that will be, I know I will wait with anticipation for this experience to happen again (and again if he and/or other B.A.P members decide to tour). The combined elements of a small venue, love from BABYz and Yongguk, and seeing someone I feel like grew up alongside me is something that I won’t ever have the right words to describe, but can only feel. Thank you for taking the time to read my reflections and ramblings~

If you want to be mutuals, I’m on twitter @ queenseowon <3

[suuho]

Hey! Can you share your thoughts on Suga as an artist and a performer? This ask is inspired by all those gifs btw.

hi!! i have NOT forgotten about this ask, i promise. i was meant to answer this, like, a week ago, and then i got off track because my sister sent me a tweet and what can i say, i have the attention span and object permanence of a very small dog. sometimes. it HAPPENS. but i have not forgotten and that is why i am going to finally answer this.

under the cut because this is extremely long.

so, the thing is, it's been forever really since i've watched any bts live performances, they have just become so grating to me that i could simply NOT bear it, like. i have to love myself a little too, and i cannot deal with the rapid decline of their already subpar vocal standard, and the blatant disregard of the rap line's actual function. which is, you know. to rap. but all of this aside, i did sit down to relive the glory days of monster performances and, especially, rap line and yoongi solo performances.

which is why we will start this thing with my thoughts on yoongi as a performer. i even got out my hard drive with the bts concerts for this, which i haven't looked at in ages EITHER. *blows off the dust*

my favorite live performances he's done are: trivia: seesaw, outro: tear, cypher pt. 4, intro: never mind, boy with luv, and mic drop. i think? in that order. it's really been forever. honorable mention to interlude: shadow and black swan. black swan yoongi is something else and he shines in that song for reasons i will be getting into further down. it's kind of like the thesis of yoongi as a performer. but more to that later.

yoongi as a performer is very. hm. how do we get into this? this could (a/n: and will be!) be an endlessly long post. so, the main takeaway that i get whenever i watch yoongi is that he isn't a natural on stage. i think, whatever he does up there is hardly-fought-for and hardly-earned. yoongi is the kind of idol type that should not be an idol. that could not be suited less to be on an idol stage but he bodies it, because the yoongi who decided to become an idol is a product of his time and circumstance. the yoongi who became an idol is the kind of guy we saw in the late aughts and early 10s. the yoongi who is an idol can be traced back to a certain idol type that was super popular in the first and second generation of kpop, that only made it possible for a guy like yoongi to debut in the first place. you can draw a direct line from g-dragon, beast's junhyung, b.a.p's yongguk, block b's zico, and 2pm's taecyeon, to yoongi.

i have mentioned it before but pretty much everything bighit did with yoongi up until, like, 2016 (and especially during you never walk alone and the most beautiful moment in life) is quintessentially modeled after beast's junhyung. for good reason and unsurprisingly; beast was pretty much the biggest kpop group that existed at one point. yoongi and junhyung are the same type, visually and artistically, down to their similar vocal types. it's so obvious when you know what you're looking for. i had that epiphany when i was watching beast's 12:30 and good luck mv's.

anyways. yoongi is an introvert, above all, and you can tell when he performs. he will never know the sort of ease that hoseok possesses on stage, for example. when yoongi performs, he does not project his energy outwards. he is not a charisma bomb like hoseok or jimin, but he has a certain draw that makes you want to know more, look closer, keep your eyes on him at all times. he has a very commanding stage presence and especially up until 2018, there was a lot of anger and fury beating beneath yoongi's live performances. he mellowed out significantly for songs like boy with luv or dna, but if you watch him perform tear or seesaw or idol, you notice there is a certain sort of desperation that clings to him. that certain desperation wrote interlude: shadow, by the way. and i think he never let go of that feeling until he released that song (and black swan). everything had to be so immediate for yoongi when he performed. the energy he did project had no goal and was not aimed at anyone or anything; it just burst out of him. it's the kind of thing that drove him from the underground rap scene to the stage of wembley stadium.

that makes yoongi not the most likable performer in the world because he does not perform for anyone. when he is on stage, it is not for the crowd, it is for himself. i feel like yoongi spent the majority of his life as an idol proving something to the world at large, and to himself. to that kid that never thought he would make it there, but had all the swagger and arrogance to do whatever it took. (which is how we got idol yoongi)

something, something, this is why it all went down the drain after dynamite.

he shines in rap songs, unsurprisingly. yoongi is a passable, capable dancer, an okay singer if in his own range, but a very, very talented rapper. and his affinity for double time raps is driven by the desperation and fury i mentioned, i think, all the words he had to say had to get out somehow, no matter at what cost, and sometimes that meant squeezing them between the beats, the metronome. he is not just a 'fast talker'. in my opinion, that does a great disservice to his skillset. he is pretty good at what he does, actually. he is the most skilled rapper in bts, and bts has the second best rapline in the industry.

he is prone to arrogance, i know i already said that, and that makes him come across as plain unlikable very easily and has made him fuck up more than once. as a performer and as a human. it is not his best trait, but it works in his favor on songs like cypher pt. 4, idol, and blood, sweat and tears. it offers his rap an edge that neither hoseok nor namjoon can sell as well as he does. this is the classic idol rapper blueprint that has gone lost among the sauce of most 3rd and almost all 4th gen. we do not have performers like this anymore, because an idol has to be likable, needs to sell you a product, needs to be your potential love interest, etcetera.

yoongi as a performer: introverted, skillful, arrogant, commanding, sharp, desperate, furious, melancholic, occasionally gentle and sweet.

now, yoongi as an artist. well, that's a different beast, but not entirely. yoongi as an artist is in a way just another side of yoongi as a performer, but someone who allows us to delve deeper into who he is and what he wants to be. what he wants the public to perceive him as. which is paradox because yoongi as a songwriter and producer affords him to dig deep and say things that yoongi the idol, the performer, would never allow to be seen or heard. it's like a song allows him to confess things. and whatever is the result, well, it will be judged but not in real time. not directly out of his mouth. this is how we got the last, seesaw, his tear verse, and black swan. like, it is crazy to me that song he hasn't even written is so accurately a reflection of who he is as an artist. (the connection is dionysus -> black swan -> suga's interlude and sprinkled among that are first love, interlude: shadow and intro: never mind)

"born as an idol, reborn as an artist" led to "oh, that would be my first death i been always so afraid of," and ended at "honestly, it’s different from the future I hoped for, but that doesn’t matter, now it’s the matter of survival — however it is."

yoongi is cocky as a performer and he had no qualms of threading those parts of himself into his work, but i think what would truly kill him, and is partly why this recent development of bts is so hysterical to me, is if he would have to let go of the part of him that creates art. if yoongi would never be allowed to touch a pen or a piano, i think that would kill him. he lives and dies for this shit, and it makes up a lot of who he is as a person, too. it is no surprise that suga's interlude and black swan were released at pretty much the same time.

yoongi constantly lives with the success he has achieved and the dreams he has realized, and the dread that comes from how all of this has happened and none of it has turned out the way he had hoped for. a lot of his work is trying to come to terms with this super stardom and who exists beneath. and what happens when those dreams turn to nightmares. and how in the end, it doesn't matter, because he does it for the art. how much it pains him that he loves the success. what loving that success has done to him. the rot it infests you with, that you cannot help but crave. that kind of paralyzing fear it breathes into you.

on another note, the only reason why the most beautiful moment in life worked so well is because it was built around yoongi in so many ways. that entire narrative rises and fallswith him. he just, kind of, internalized and owned that. like, he is that manic pixie dream boy. if you are dead at the end of the story, you are dead at the beginning of it. it's so crazy! if i think about it for longer, i really do go crazy. yoongi's desperation, fury, tenderness. it all lives in that narrative. man.

i feel like i am just rambling at this point but yoongi as an artist is a safe space, a place for him to unburden himself, to do what he loves the most with no restraints, to practically stage an exorcism of a cripplingly introverted performer. yoongi as an artist allows him to speak his innermost thoughts. he is meticulous, sensitive, attentive. he has a great ear, a vision for what he wants to make, and a very definite style depending on the genre he produces for. his style reminds me a lot of the songs junhyung produced for beast (not a coincidence). so, here we are once again! full circle.

anyways. i guess that's it! i hope that answer was even just a little satisfying and i feel like i didn't even say half of what i wanted to, but this is so long already. thank you and have a good day!