#and yes this is an actual trend for the song. NCT started it. it was Taeyong and Ten
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xeedtiktok · 1 year ago
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🗣️😎 #BaggyJeans #NCTU_BaggyJeans #XEED #JAEMIN #UO
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dojae-huh · 9 months ago
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hi! briize here to answer ur riize qns :D
riize gained attention initially due to 1) sungchan & shotaro & their new grp 2) a bit bc of anton being yoon sang's son and 3) siren mv because of their difficult choreo!
personally, their success in enlargening their fanbase probably came from tiktok as well? i saw them getting viral in tiktok due to the get a guitar challenge, sohee's talk saxy bridge & anton being 'riize's tiktok social manager' since he (and the members) were rly active in liking and commenting briize's tiktoks + creating rly gen z tiktoks w themselves too
their mainstream success probably came from 1) their performances (they debuted nearing towards award season, so they did a lot of performances i.e. rising sun by tvxq which highlighted their proficiency a lot) & 2) the members' visuals going viral (i.e. wonbin & sungchan who are constantly getting mentioned by hong seokcheon)
riize has rly become monster rookies since they debuted, earning rookie of the year titles less than 6 months of their debut. sohee is being lauded by his seniors for his vocals, wonbin is constantly on the spotlight for being a 'once in a generation' visual who's likened to jaejoong (and jaejoong knows this as well).
and although most news do center on seunghan's situation, that still pushes riize's name to the forefront, esp when it comes to briize's relentless support (rii7e forever 🥹)
and yes, there's no leader! they don't exactly have set titles aside from the basic dancer, vocal, rapper (sohee's the only one labeled as 'main' as the main vocal!)
riize's name was formed by sungchan, and riize as a group was set to debut due to a choreo by shotaro & wonbin which the 7 of them did together. they still don't have a full album yet, and is going to comeback in april iirc?
hope i was coherent and it's helpful 😭
Hi, thank you for the detailed overview!
So several factors contributed: virality of challenges and choreo, timing of the debut, members' visuals. It's interesting that Anton supervises tiktok, heh. SM's early attempts at using the platform for promotion were very clumsy, the staff didn't know what to do, while few neos, aside from Tae, are interested in tt. Younger people are needed, who grew up with the platform and know it and its algorythms well.
I'm somewhat baffled about Seunghan's situation. I'd think he is on hiatus to let the group go through the debut stage more smoothly, have time to gain strength and a dedicated core fanbase, however, other members also get accused of things. And the fandom seems to stand with him, asking for OT7. Taeyong was also hated by knets during the debut, SM didn't remove him. Demands to get rid of Irene, Chen also were ignored. Which makes me think that either Seunghan's mental state plummeted and he asked for a leave himself. Or there are more idols and companies involved, I heard a rumour that one of the winners of Girls planet was taken out from the final debutet line-up (Illit) due to her connection to Seunghan's group of friends.
How dooes Riize function without a leader? Fans invented positions in the first place, and, as far as I know, NCT got theirs with a delay. It seems that it's a 5gen trend for groups to not have fixed positions.
A full album is too early. It takes a couple of years for a group to make one. Some groups never release a full album. But, perhaps, you meant an EP? I see only singles in their discography. 4 songs with language versions + 1 special project.
Wish also started with singles. So did aespa, actually. Seems like a new strategy in SM. 127's first EPs are poorely know. People buy/download single songs, and often don't look into the whole discography.
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jentlemahae · 2 years ago
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i’ll forever be pissed off at how mhj is annoyingly good at her job. yes her ideas are just recycled tumblr aesthetics but she consistently manages to bring those aesthetics to kpop before anyone else does, which is exactly what she did with nj. even if they never debuted kpop would have done the y2k thing anyway
it pains me that she’s the one behind some of my favorite concepts/eras from sm in the 2010s. shinees replay, view, dream girl. exos call me baby, growl, love me right, monster. snsd’s genie, itnw, hoot. any red velvet concept but especially russian roulette and bad boy. obviously f(x) entire discography was ahead of its time. and without her she would have nct u 7th sense and who would i be without that song? the most gorgeous albums i own were designed from her and i’m so angry about it
i can’t believe despite everything she’s said and done due to her creepy lolita obsession that she’s still allowed to be around and in charge of these underage girls who all idolise her (where are the boundaries in their relationship omg??) AND she had the nerve to put that bit in that mv where she said the people calling her out belonged in a mental hospital i hope she chokes actually
same 🙃 i hate her and think she is a very bad and evil-hearted woman, but i also cannot deny that i absolutely love a lot of her stuff. also bcs i only found out everything about her past when nj debuted last year, so i spent years being a genuine admirer of her work :| but like u said, her ideas really are basically just recycled aesthetics - i think she just does a very good job at picking up on rising trends and uses them right before they start spreading around the industry (which is why some foolish ppl treat her like some sort of pioneer when truth is that she just has a good marketing eye). and i wont lie, the stuff she creates IS pretty. but she still is a very creepy person and her mere presence in the industry worries me, and no matter how good her work looks it will never make it otherwise 😐
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yuuana · 2 years ago
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Music May #4: EXO-CBX - Blooming Day (Throwback Thursday #3) release: April 2018 genre: Kpop
Thursday means another throwback, but this time we're only going as far back as 2018. And continuing the trend of Kpop despite having so many other options (so many), because I have the attention span of a small goldfish right now and EXO is a relatively easy group for me to write up. :p
Debuting in 2016, CBX combined Chen and Xiumin (originally of EXO-M) and Baekhyun (originally of EXO-K) and started as a way of combining the two halves of EXO in a smaller unit that produced music in the same overall vein as the main group while also making first forays into the Japanese market with Japanese-language releases starting in 2017. So a mix of ballads and dance-pop, since this is a subunit with two of the 4 original EXO main vocals, and a chance for Xiumin to shine a bit more.
As a song, Blooming Day is a sweet ballad with a question guaranteed to make fangirls swoon: can I be your boyfriend? It's a fun up-tempo dance beat with love song lyrics and considering who sings it, a perennial favorite. The image of the song is softer than previous EXO releases with a the members in very "boyfriend" styles throughout both the MV and the promotional period. An overabundance of flowers and softer colors on the sets further contribute to that almost cozy feel in the music video, with Baekhyun in particular looking very soft and fluffy throughout.
I don't normally bring up covers in these, but if you feel like you've heard this song again recently, it probably means you wartched the start of the new season of The Show, in which new MCs Xiaojun (NCT/WayV) and Hyeongseop (Tempest) joined returning MC Yeosang (ATEEZ) in forming special unit MC NAEggUZ (yes, this is a visual pun) for a special stage, which is actually a splice of at least two of the three times they performed it - a stylist put too much faith in just rolling Yeosang's sleeves in one run, so his left sleeve Does A Thing where the cuff slips and at one point falls out completely, yet is magically back (and then not and then back again) across several camera cuts. Which, uh, maybe says something about how many times I've watched this performance now, but the song's such a warm bop and I've needed that especially lately.
"Blooming Day" is the lead track off EXO-CBX's second mini album, Blooming Days, which may or may not be in stock wherever you typically buy these things if you're looking for physical copies, but certainly is up for digital purchase and streaming.
Want to sponsor a song selection? You sweet angel! For the low, low price of one (1) KoFi, I'll write up the song of your choice. ANY song of your choice. Yes, even that one that's been played to death. Yes, your obscure faves too. Sponsor a current CB for the next open Music Monday slot or sponsor a throwback for a Thursday feature! DW | Twitter | Mastodon | Ko-fi | Patreon | Discord | Twitch
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ms-indifferwnt · 4 years ago
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Hey guys I just wanted to say Im taking a 3 week Hiatus due to my schedule for graduation, but i already have a series in mind (Inspired by "Its not another song about love" By Hollywood Ending)
Said series is NCT Idol!Johnny x fem!soloist!reader. Consisting of 11 Chapters, Including a Prologue and Epilogue without further a do
Trailer of Its not another song about love:
In which Soloist reader looses fans when she and StrayKids Han broke up about a year ago disregarding her talent in songwriting and singing, while NCT needs a something in order to get fan's attention when their sales dropped. And with that thought in mind both companies decided to set up a scandal between the two: "Breaking News: NCT Johnny Suh and Soloist L/n Y/n have been spotted on a date"
You sat at the sofa of the recording studio in SM building, typing lyrics into your phone while you're still inspired, For some reasom Johnny has been the cause and root of your inspiration. The bitter memory of writing a song nownin the back of your head while you finished typing
"Noona you're here" Mark breathed when he walked in and bowed to show respect
You smile and pat the space beside you "Hey I'm waiting for Johnny to finish so we can eat"
Mark nods and sits beside you "Oh that's cool" He says and looks at the booth where Johnny was finishing up "what were you doing while waiting?" He asked wanting to start a conversation
"Oh I was writing lyrics. Come look." You unlocked your phone and showed him what you were working on
Johnny left the booth about ten minutes later and was greeted with the sight of you leaning your head on Mark's shoulder while Mark types on your phone "Mark?"
"Oh Hyung," Mark starts and hands the ohone back tk you as yiu sat properly and he hugs Johnny "How was it?"
"Its fine. " Jihnny and swerd and pats Mark's back "You might get a little tongue-twisty at the end, but I know you can pull it off"
You saved the note and stood up beside Mark, wishibg him luck when he enters the booth
"Feed me" You started the moment Mark closed the door yiu can hear the producer snort at your words
"I've heard you say that before but I can never get over it" Johnny says in disgust
You opened your mouth to reply but the door opened and it was yours and Johnny's managers "We need you both to come with us"
You sighed and nodded, "And there goes lunch" Johnny wraps his arms around your shiulder to lead you out
Johnny's manager was buzzing with joy as he showed that the two of you were trending "Y/n you did wonderful in that interview. Look how much people are talking about you both"
You grin "Thank you" and bowed
"What did you do?" Johnny asks with a tilt of his head
"Y/n managed to subtley say that you're her type without exactly saying it and now the internet is going crazy"
Jihnny snorts and you roll your eyes "Watch the interview and tell me yiur heart didn't skip a beat"
"I'll take that bet" He replied
You nudged your manager and they showed Johnny their phone where the interview was already playing
"Actually a lot of fans want to know this" The interviewer says and you nod. "What's you're ideal type?"
"My ideal type?" you asked narrowing your eyes before humming "Well, I would like someone who is good at dancing, um someone who is kind, loves to make people laugh, is in shape" Yiu laugh and so did the interviewer
"What else? What else?"
"Well, I love writing songs so someone who produces and writed could also be a good match, someone who is good with their words, someone outgoing" You nodded
The interviewer hummed "wow sounds like a dreamboat" You grin and nod "Actually, at first I thought you were talking about your ex, StrayKids' Han Jisung but now that I think about it It sounds more Like NCT's Johnny Suh"
"It does?"
"Yes it does, its subtle but there."
Yiu smile "Well I wasn't really aiming for anyone in particular but since yiu say it sounds like Jihnny then, I think you just found my Ideal Type"
Johnny's heart skipped. He would be kyibg if he said and cleared his throat handing the manager their ohone back
"So? What do you say?" You asked
He looked at you from the corner of his eye "You win" He murmured
I'm back guys heres the link to Prologue
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asthmark · 4 years ago
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❝ comfortable ❞ l.mk
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synopsis → “oh, i’m mark. mark lee.” he gives her a lop-sided grin, reminding you of a high school boy. the kind you would have a crush on.
word count → 3k
a/n → instead of admitting to the fact that this has been in my drafts since october what if i just said i was watching superm interviews and got inspired.. would anyone believe that??? anyway superm on the ellen show was a fever dream lol
your leg bounces nervously as your makeup artist touches up your look and you stare at the tv screen in anticipation. you were finally making your television debut. you knew you were blessed for the wonderful opportunity, especially for how new you were to the music industry.
you had started like nearly every other artist; posting covers on youtube. these were well received and gained a good amount of views and likes but your career really took off when you began creating original content. every time you would release a single, it would make it on the trending page thanks to your growing fanbase and exposure to the general public, who seemed to like you. soon enough, requests to interview you whether it be on radio, tv, or magazines were high and, thanks to your managers, you found yourself in los angeles, backstage in a studio, waiting for the ellen degeneres to introduce you to her live audience and thousands of viewers at home.
“don’t move so much, miss l/n,” the woman trying to apply your highlighter comments. “you’re smudging your makeup.”
you force yourself to sit still as you apologize. “sorry. pre-show jitters.”
the woman smiles, emphatically. “i understand, sweetheart. i would be nervous too.”
you’re quiet for a moment, debating if you should continue conversing with her. “can i be honest?”
she hums as she dabs a beauty blender into your cheek. “go ahead.”
“i am so nervous that i’ll mess up or say something stupid. the only thing close to an interview i’ve ever done was a q&a on my youtube channel. and at least i could edit stuff out then.” you huff. “if i make some kind of mistake on my tv debut, my career will be over before it even started.”
“well, think of it this way,” she says. “you went from a moderately popular youtube channel to the ellen show. that doesn’t happen for no reason. there are people out there who really admire you.”
you chuckle in disbelief. “it’s crazy to think about people actually wanting to see me. i still can't believe it.”
she giggles, softly. “they know there's something worth seeing.” at seeing your small smile, almost as if you were barely realizing your own star status, she laughs. “you seriously gotta wake up, girl. you’re famous!”
you smile at her, finding humor in her words. “thanks for the wake up call.”
you both direct your attention to the tv placed backstage that broadcasted what was happening on stage. you listen in to ellen’s monologue as she tells jokes and addresses current topics. before long, there’s a knock on the doorframe. you half expect a staff member to let you know that you’ll be on soon but instead you hear a quiet, “hello?”
you and your makeup artist both turn to the boy standing in the doorway. he's wearing a black jacket paired with dark, ripped jeans held up by a belt. he goes to bow, then remembers that korean etiquette does not apply and decides to wave as a greeting instead. you reciprocate the gesture. he stands with only one foot inside the room, almost as if he’s too polite to enter without being given the okay.
“did they send you to get your makeup done?” the woman who had done yours says.
he nods. “they said something about concealer and bb cream, i think?”
she smiles. “yeah, it’s basic stuff. come on in. what’s your name, dear?”
“oh, i’m mark. mark lee.” he gives her a lop-sided grin, reminding you of a high school boy. the kind you would have a crush on.
“well, mark lee, i’m lily. i’ll be doing your makeup, making sure you look pretty for the cameras.” she motions to you. “i'm just about done here so i’ll be right with you.”
“okay, thank you.” he shuffles in, his eyes glued to you and you hold his stare. he nods, a wordless greeting as he settles in next to you. in return, you throw up a peace sign and he smiles at your casual behavior.
“you know what? somebody used all the setting spray. i’ll be right back, i’m just going to steal some from my co-workers.” with that, lily darts out of the room.
it’s pure silence between the two of you until you spark conversation. “i didn't get to introduce myself but i'm y/n.”
“i know,” he responds, quickly. “i'm kind of a fan, actually. i mean, it’s practically impossible to not be. you’re all over the place. especially with the new single you dropped... which is a bop, by the way.”
you smile at his simply-worded praise. it was a nice switch up from the professional reviews you received from critics. “that’s so cute. i’m honored.” you miss the way mark’s ears turn slightly pink at your words. “but enough about me, what do you do, mark?”
“oh, me? i’m in the k-pop scene.”
you hum. “that’s a good genre to be in. which group?”
“right now i’m promoting with superm, it’s kind of like a side project. but originally, i’m in a band called nct.”
you lean forward at hearing the familiar name. “nct? as in, nct 127?”
mark’s eyes light up. “yeah! you know us?”
you nod, enthusiastically. “oh my god, yes! you collabed with ava, right?”
“we sure did. are you guys close?”
“i help her write lyrics sometimes.” you lower your voice down to a whisper for dramatic effect. “i wrote the chorus to ‘sweet but psycho’.”
the way mark’s jaw drops is almost comedic. “no way! that song got her famous, dude!” his lips curve into a playful smirk. “just because of that i’m gonna have to get you in the studio.”
you return the mischievous look. “is that a promise?”
“i’m back!” lily announces, giving mark no time to respond. she gives no warning as she spritzs you with the bottle she had gone to retrieve.
you cough, choking on the mist. “no heads up?”
“sorry, dear. you’re on in two minutes, no time to waste.”
you feel a chill go up your spine. it was finally time.
mark nudges your arm. “you okay?”
“a little nervous.” that proves to be the biggest understatement of all time because in reality your heart is doing somersaults.
“hey.” you stare at him, his brown eyes boring into you. “you’ll be fine. there’s nothing to worry about. you got this!”
you smile at his words of encouragement. he cared about you and you find that your heart is pounding for an entirely different reason now.
“i'll be here to cheer you on while you’re out there and i’ll be back when you’re done to tell you how amazing you did, okay?”
you nod.
“now get out there!”
“well, we have a great show for y’all today,” ellen says, clasping her hands together, having just finished her monologue. “i mean, it’s always great but the exciting thing is we have two musical guests today.”
the audience that cheered wildly is shown on screen. you almost forget about the knot in your stomach when you see some people in the crowd wearing shirts with the cover art and quoted lyrics of your last single.
“i see you guys are ready so, without further ado... let’s get started. our first guest is a soloist who has made quite a big name for herself in such a short period of time. she currently has three singles on the billboard charts, her most recent music video is number one trending on youtube, and she has a new ep coming out soon. here for her television debut, please welcome y/n l/n.”
you walk out from behind the stage, a huge smile on your face. the crowd screams and you wave to them until your hands become too occupied hugging the hostess who greets you with open arms and a proud smile. once the hype dies down and your entrance music fades out, you take a seat, opposite of ellen.
“how have you been y/n?”
“amazing,” you respond, letting your hands fall neatly in your lap.
“and why is that?”
you sigh, wistfully. “everything has been going so well for me lately. i mean, i feel like all these doors are opening up for me all of a sudden. i think i finally made it.”
“you’re just barely realizing that?” ellen exclaims.
you laugh, along with the audience. “kind of, yeah. it just all happened so fast.”
“is there an experience that comes to mind where you finally realized how famous you are?”
you try to think for a few moments before your eyes light up. “okay so, i was at a mcdonald’s like, last month and i went through the drive thru and ordered some nuggets and fries. so, i pull up to the window to pay and it’s around 2 a.m. so the cashier guy is super out of it, like he’s not even paying attention to me. finally, he goes to grab my card and he gets a good look at me and just freezes. like, full on shuts down. so i ask him if he’s okay and he nods so i try to hand him my card again but he goes, ‘no, you’re famous, you don’t have to pay’. and in that moment i just knew.”
“hold on, pause,” ellen announces, dramatically. “you’re telling me that you have been nominated as artist of the year, gained over ten million followers on social media and made your national television debut but the thing that really made you say ‘wow, i’m famous’ was a couple of chicken nuggets?”
“ellen, c’mon,” you begin, seriously. “it was a twenty piece.”
“oh, well, that changes everything,” she says, playing along with you, as the audience erupts into laughter.
the rest of the interview goes smoothly, running on jokes and sarcastic energy. you discuss your young age (thus resulting in some of your baby pictures finally being revealed to the world), millennial culture (the crowd went wild when you explained terms such as netflix and chill to ellen who claimed she didn’t understand yet her sly smirk said otherwise) and your upcoming ep (that you would be giving a sneak peek of later on in the show).
you continue chatting once the commercial break is announced and ellen showers you with praises, commenting how young talent never failed to amaze her, although it did make her feel old. you get to thank the hostess and tell her how much you appreciated her sweet words and the opportunity she had given you before the crew is dragging you backstage so you can prep for your upcoming performance.
you’re greeted by a “that was awesome!” and a high five one you get backstage.
you flash mark a full smile. “couldn’t have done it without my hype man.”
just then lily walks in to touch up your makeup.
“and my hype woman!”
she just rolls her eyes and chuckles as she reapplies gloss to your lips. 
“seriously though, y/n. why did you have to be so perfect? the bar is all the way up here now.” to emphasize his point, mark raises his arm as high as it will go.
“hey, i only tried hard because you’re up next. you’re a hard act to beat, mark lee. i mean, you’re charismatic, charming, witty; basically every talk show host’s dream.”
he scoffs yet you see how he avoids your gaze, your compliments obviously flattering him to the extreme.
a staff member walks by, cutting your conversation short. “y/n, you’re back on in one. superm is on right after.”
you and mark turn back to each other, speaking the same two words at the same time.
“good luck.”
ellen introduces you again, only this time you hold a guitar and stand in front of a microphone once you’re back on the stage. you perform a never before heard song but judging by the roaring applause and standing ovation you receive by the end of it, it’s another successful hit.
you bask in the amazing response and then you’re ushered backstage for the last time. you catch sight of the staff placing more seats on the stage as you exit and you smile eagerly, knowing exactly what’s to come. you search the hallways for your new friend, hoping you can catch him before the show goes back on air. you’re almost about to give up when you hear your name being called.
you lock eyes with mark who stands a couple feet away, barely hidden from the audience’s view. even from where you stand you can tell he has a nervous smile on his face. you jog towards him and to your surprise, he envelops your figure without a second thought. in return, you tentatively wrap your arms around him.
“great job,” he murmurs, breath fanning your ear. “i really did cheer you on.”
“i’ll make sure to do the same.” you hesitantly pull away from his embrace, holding him at an arm’s length away. “go get ‘em.”
he gives you a determined nod and you watch him rush on stage, the audience’s wild cheering increasing. their energy didn’t fade once throughout the interview and just as you had suspected, mark was doing wonderfully. he clearly thrived in interviews; his awkward, boyish nature enchanting everyone in the studio, yourself included.
ellen crosses her legs and clears her throat. “so, i have to ask you something, you know, for the fans.”
the group leaned forward in anticipation, awaiting her next words.
“are any of you dating?”
the crowd released noises of amusement at hearing the very personal question. you can’t help but feel intrigued although you knew ellen has always been quite the invasive person. you watched as the seven boys looked around at each other, unsure what to say but before their silence can become suspiciously long, mark ends up taking the question.
“why are you always so curious about this, though?” he blurts.
the audience absolutely eats up his response, cheering at his bluntness. even you find it humorous, shoulders shaking with a chuckle. that’s definitely gonna become a meme, you think.
“it’s my job!” counters ellen. “why are you so defensive?”
the crowd is very responsive to ellen’s rebuttal, ‘ooh’ing in amusement.
mark’s silence only pushes the hostess to continue teasing him.
“does it maybe have anything to do with y/n?”
your smile drops. had she seen you two? you’re not sure why you feel so exposed; after all, you had just been talking.
ellen’s lips adorn a sly smile at mark’s stunned reaction. “you seemed to be getting very comfortable with each other backstage.”
the black haired male stumbles over his words before he gets a semi-coherent sentence out. “we just, um—we just met.”
“oh really? you two looked like you had known each other forever.”
mark chuckles breathlessly, eyes glued to his lap, obviously at a loss for words. ellen stares at him expectantly so he mutters, “i like making friends.”
ellen, the audience, and even some of the band members laugh at his response.
“well, i’m sure there’s a lot of fans out there that wish they were your ‘friend’.” her tone makes it clear she doesn’t buy his excuse but she prods him no further, instead turning to stare into the main camera. “when we get back superm will be performing their title track ‘jopping’. during the commercial break, please feel free to place your bets as to how long mark and y/n will remain ‘friends’.”
the camera pans to mark for a couple seconds; his ears are bright red and his cheeks are dusted light pink, his makeup doing nothing to help hide the blush. his eyes dart around, anxiously and then they cut to commercials.
you shake your head, smiling at the entire situation and just how big of a dork mark was.
you attentively watch superm’s two performances, eyes mostly glued to a certain rapper. you sit patiently in the makeup room, waiting for mark to return backstage so you can congratulate him but he never appears. you try to conceal your disappointment, even when lily enters the room, smiling brightly.
“well, the show’s over, doll.” she removes her makeup stained apron and glances at you as she places it on a nearby rack. “hey, why the long face?”
you stare at your reflection in the mirror, no longer bothering to hide your pout now that your frustration had been made known.
“you did great, if that’s what you’re worried about. just ask mark.”
“he left,” you mumble. “i thought i’d be able to catch him before he left and we could… i don’t know, talk a bit more? i just really—” you trail off.
“like him?” lily suggests, too loudly for your liking.
your head snaps towards her, eyes wide, only confirming your feelings.
“don’t worry, dear, you can say it. i won’t tell ellen,” she jokes.
you sigh and slump down in your seat. “yeah. i like him.”
“well, then, i have good news for you.”
you half-heartedly hum, allowing her to continue.
she waves a piece of crumpled paper in front of your face. you grab it from her, staring at it curiously.
“what’s this?”
she nods her head at it, encouraging you to find out for yourself. “open it and see.”  
you obey, unfolding the tiny item. your eyes struggle to read the words inside but if you squint, they become clearer.
please call, me i would love to become closer ‘friends’.
(xxx) xxx-xxxx
it’s mark btw :)
you can’t contain your smile at the cute little note.
“he’s adorable,” you say, mostly to yourself but lily audibly agrees.
“he ran into me as he was leaving and begged me to deliver that message to you. which reminds me, i’m supposed to let you know that he wishes he could have stuck around but his schedule is ‘crazy tight’ so he had to ‘dip’. his words not mine.”
you nod, grin widening. “thanks, lily.”
“my pleasure. nothing like young love.”
you give her a glare although it’s all but threatening.
she folds her arms, teasingly. “so, are you going to give him a call or what?”
you’re sure she sees the phone in your hand and the way your fingers press the numbers on the keypad, excitedly but nevertheless, you decide to answer.
“i’d be crazy not to.”
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itsarealshitshow · 4 years ago
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NCT 127 reaction to falling in love with a fan
Requested by @fruityutas​
Pairing: NCT 127 x reader
Warnings: None
Author: Admin Wiki & Admin Emelia
Scenario: The members have secret accounts to keep up and interact with their fans. What happens when they start talking to you and they develop feelings? 
A/N: so we changed the request up a little bit. instead of them falling in love with a fan on their like secret account, it’s how they meet and fall for you. i hope you like it!
Moon Taeil
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YOU ACCIDENTALLY DM HIM
sir is a grandfather
like literal grandpa energy radiates off this man
i see him on facebook and pinterest 
but for the sake of this fic
let’s say haechan downloaded tiktok on his phone and that taeil uses it
you sent him something once accidentally thinking it was your friend but it was taeil
and he replied to it 
soon after a beautiful friendship started 
eventually he trusted you enough to go on video call and he was like plz don’t tell anyone that you’re friends with taeil moon
and you guys start going on video calls so often that he just falls for your humour and your beauty
he eventually realizes by himself that he loves you 
it’s a late night on video call with you and he doesn’t care that he’s going to be tired in the morning during practice
he knows that you’re a fan and he doesn’t care because to him you’re so much more
Johnny Seo
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CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO LOVERS
ok so basically 
you guys were so close as kids 
then he moved away and lost contact with you
of course when you got into kpop you’ve heard of johnny seo 
and were like omg it’s my childhood best friend
luckily
one day you go to go to an nct concert 
and he saw you and stood there like 👁👄👁 too
he got you backstage for afterwards
and was like omg i’ve missed you, i can’t believe you’re a fan 
you’re like i’ve gotta seize this opportunity
so you’re like johnny i’m in love with you
and he’s like OMG I’VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH YOU TOO
and once again you guys look at each other like 👁👄👁
johnny’s first instinct is to be like wanna date then 
and you
being the rational one 
asked about you being a fan 
and he was like OH SHIT RIGHT
but you two brought it up with sm and somehow they let you two date
Lee Taeyong
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BECOMING FRIENDS THROUGH ANIMAL CROSSING
so of course this mans plays animal crossing
we been knew
but one day he needed to sell his turnips very desperately 
and used an app to find someone with the highest prices
which happened to be you
and so 
your island is the cutest and most amazing island taeyong ever seen 
you have a welcome sign and are so nice to him in the game
he saw that you have some custom designs of nct stuff and that’s when he found out he was on a fan’s island
but he doesn’t really care
and he asks for your number so you two can text
he told you to call him yongie 
so he can be anonymous
and over time you two just fell for each other
taeyong becomes worried when he realizes that he’s fallen for you
because you’re a fan and if he confesses without ever doing a video call or meeting in person it’s weird
but he decides to confess to you over text and makes sure you actually like him for him
after taeyong confirms that you like him too he suggests going on a video call
that’s when you two see each other for the first time and you’re like omg 
and he asks you to be his s/o
Yuta Nakamoto
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FOLLOWS A FAN ACCOUNT AND FALLS FOR THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF THE ACCOUNT
disclaimer : i don't know how the photo accounts actually work
but anyways
this man is full of himself
it’s kinda obvious 
so of course he follows fan accounts
one day he direct messages you to see photos that you haven’t posted yet 
and you were like um hi?? 
who are you??
he’s like hi i’m yuta i wanna see photos of myself, also do not post about this interaction or else i can sue you 🥰🥰
so you’re like um ok first i want confirmation that you’re yuta and not some crazy fan wanting unreleased photos
anyways
after that whole shebang
you two just start talking on the regular about anything and everything
and he realizes that he’s fallen for you
he doesn’t care that you’re a fan because he’s genuinely fallen for you
and the next time he sees you at an event is when he confesses how he feels
Kim Doyoung
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HE GETS SAVED FROM SAESANGS
we all know that mans hates saesangs and fights them a lot
so one day doyoung is trying to escape some crazy fans 
but nothing is working and they keep catching up to him 
you end up running into him when he’s running away
realizing that saesangs are following him like crazy you figure he must be an idol
and so you grab his hand
you pull doyoung to a really small café that no one knows about
once you’ve lost them you realize that it really is doyoung that you were hanging onto
doyoung starts to open his mouth to thank you when all of a sudden you start apologizing
“i’m so sorry! it was really rude of me to just grab onto you and drag you around. i can’t believe saesangs are like that! honestly i hate being in the same fandom as them when they do stuff like this.”
he sits there like 👁👄👁 
“so you’re a fan of mine?”
“oh yes, i’m so sorry for just grabbing you like that doyoung. i should’ve asked you first.”
he’s like “actually, i should pay you back. you got me away from the saesangs.”
so you two go on a date 
and then he finds he actually likes you and that you make him feel normal even though you’re a fan of his group
he’s surprised because he thought he would fall in love with a fellow idol and not someone who idolizes him
Jaehyun (Jung Jaehyun or Jung Yoonoh)
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HE MEETS THEM DURING A BUSKING
while strolling through seoul on his day out jaehyun stumbled upon a group of people doing a busking
the songs they were performing happened to be NCT songs which is what caught his attention
there was one person who had completely captured his attention 
which happened to be you
luckily for jaehyun he was wearing a hat and a mask which meant that no one would know it was him 
he watched as you performed and was completely enamoured with your charm and looks
after your performance had ended jaehyun decided to come up to you 
he was like “i think you’re super cool and really good looking do you wanna hang out sometime”
no cap you recognize his voice and are like “🤩 yessir”
he keeps coming to your buskings and you two hang out all the time
he quickly falls for you but is worried that you only like him because he’s an idol 
he gets johnny or mark to ask you how you feel about him and if you care that he’s an idol
jaehyun’s decision is set when they tell him you like him for him and not because he’s famous 
Kim Jungwoo
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THEY DO AEGYO DURING A FAN MEET
jungwoo loves the shit out of these fan meets
he’s anxious about them of course but he loves meeting fans and seeing them
before the fan meet had even begun jungwoo spotted you in the crowd
he thought you were the best looking person he’s ever seen and couldn’t wait to meet you
he forgot about you but when he heard mark laughing at someone and saw you he got all excited again
finally when you came up to him you performed some aegyo for him
he thinks he’s died and gone to heaven you are so cute
you guys chat it up during the time you guys have with each other and he sneaks his phone number in for you
he loves the fact that you’re a fan because it means you just appreciate what he does so much more
Mark Lee
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ACCIDENTALLY HITS THEM WITH A NCT BONG DURING A CONCERT
ok so picture this
all the members were given some light sticks for this song to just fool around
when the song starts haechan looks at mark and is like “i dare you to recreate that video of taeyong dancing and breaking the light stick without you actually breaking the stick”
spoiler alert 
it still fucking breaks and hits you in the face
mark is screaming that he’s sorry and tells the security guards to bring you backstage
haechan is on the floor laughing because he can’t believe mark just hit a fan in the face
once mark is backstage he’s rushing around looking around for you
once he spots you he’s on his knees apologizing so hard he switches to english
you’re like “it’s ok! i’m fine! it’s just gonna bruise a little maybe”
he’s like “THAT’S EVEN WORSE”
so he’s like “how ‘bout you go out with me after the concert so i can repay you for this” 
ofc you say yes
so you two go out to get something to eat 
and mark falls for you so quick
he likes everything about you that you’ve shown so far
he also really likes the fact that you’re a fan because that means he has a chance with you since you already like him and understand what he’s doing
Haechan (Lee Donghyuck)
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HE MEETS HER ON TIKTOK MAKING FUN OF RENJUN 
so this mans obvs has a tik tok
he loves the trends and seeing what fans are doing
and one day he stumbles upon your tik tok making fun of renjun 
it’s you and your friends recreating iconic nct moments and you’re the one who gets to recreate the renjun video
you know the voice crack during the my first and last era
he dies when he sees your recreation of that video
he direct messages you and asks if you guys can be friends because you seem so cool and cute
you’re like sure how bout we talk on snap 
and that’s when you find out that he’s haechan
he tells you to not say anything about his identity
you two become close and eventually meet up like regular friends
he doesn’t really remember that you’re a fan because he feels normal around you
and that’s what he really likes about you 
174 notes · View notes
leejungchans · 4 years ago
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— juliet’s archive #5
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(a/n: yes this is the fifth one 💀💀💀 i haven’t gotten around to deciding what the previous four are about yet so ahsjahjsjs also i made this with an app called social dummy so it’s not going to look the same as an actual youtube video so please ignore any inconsistencies🥺)
note: juliet’s archive is her series of solo content on ateez’s youtube channel (in the same realm as mars asmr, sanchelin guide, etc.)
click on the image for higher resolution!!
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— notes;
released in january 2021; created and filmed during late 2020
juliet covered the song (breathin by ariana grande) and hongjoong did the arrangement
she also choreographed the dance by herself; the dance style is similar to contemporary and modern dance; what i have in mind in terms of the dance style is similar to hyunjin’s (stray kids) dance cover of when the party’s over and ten and winwin’s (wayv/nct) dance cover of lovely (i linked them both if you want to watch them, they’re incredible!!!)
juliet’s inspiration for the choreography was based on her own struggles with her mental health; the dance starts off with a more solemn and sad atmosphere to represent the hopelessness and the feeling of being trapped in her own mind, but ends on a lighter and happier note to symbolise the comfort she feels from knowing that ateez, atiny’s and her family and friends are there to support her through the pain
in case you’re wondering, i made the “JULIET’S ARCHIVE” logo so it’s obviously not the best and doesn’t look as professional ahsjhajs 🤡 i typed it out in an app called phonto, leaving some space to write “juliet”, then i imported the image to procreate and wrote “juliet” to make it look like she wrote it herself? 🤡
— atiny’s reactions;
finally a full dance cover from the legend herself✨
before juliet had only posted short clips of her covering other groups’ choreographies on ateez’s twitter account, so atiny’s were really excited to get a full dance cover!!
they were shocked that she covered the song too; we stan a vocal and dance queen!!
atiny’s were slightly disappointed that juliet didn’t actually sing the word “shit” in the song 😔 (she did a “shhh—” sound to replace it)
the cover went viral and trended for a while!!
atiny’s also trended #kqletjulietsayshit on twitter which she found hilarious
a few days later atiny’s noticed that ariana grande liked the cover on her twitter and everyone (including juliet) freaked out pls it made her day🥺
overall juliet was so happy and thankful for the positive reaction her cover got bc she put a lot of effort, especially into the choreography!!
38 notes · View notes
neocatharsis · 4 years ago
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The Brilliant Members of World Renowned NCT 127 Share Their Thoughts Fashion, Music, Lifestyle, Favorite Things… What Their Individual Styles Are #007 JUNGWOO
Read more https://mensnonno.jp/post/53212
Some Excerpts
What’s the relationship between JUNGWOO’s “appeal” and “confidence”?
MN: To the question, “How would you particularly like to appeal to the readers of this series”, you wrote,“I have yet to show all of what is fascinating about me as a person. There are many appealing sides to me”. Of all those appealing aspects, what are you most proud of?
J: I’m sure many know this by now, but “being sort of cute and lovable” is my strong suit. Because I believe that the fans deeply love that adorable charm I have, I honestly think that “my cuteness” is my strong suit!
MN: How lovely that you feel ‘the part my fans love = my strong suit’. For the question, “What is important to you in expressing yourself and conveying your style as a global artist?”, you wrote,“By far, the most important thing to have is confidence. That is because I believe that with confidence you can achieve anything”. Is it because you value self-confidence that you are able to find yourself to be fascinating?
J: But to be honest, for a while after our debut, I didn’t really have much confidence in myself. So, I was constantly thinking about and wondering “how I could gain confidence” and was always trying to be confident.
MN: For “your favorite motto”, you also wrote,“Be confident and do my best”.
J: Yes. I have also been training to strengthen my mind for a very long time. Even if I may sometimes tend to lose confidence, I tell myself not to, and I have continued to try to overcome these things. At first, I often felt nervous and unsure, but by keeping that in mind, over time, I think I became confident in a natural way.
MN: Even though you say “natural way”, there probably was a tremendous amount of effort that went into it… You told us that you worked very hard to become confident, and now, through that process, from the viewpoint of the performer JUNGWOO of NCT 127, could you kindly share with us what you are able to feel confident about?
J: Personally, I have the most confidence in my performance for the song “Hero; Kick It”. We practiced hard for it, especially since it has been a while since we have been able to present something to our fans. So, how do I say this, it was like ‘sharpening our act’.
MN: Woooooooooooh.
J: It was a deeply awakening feeling preparing for this stage. So, for me, it became a very memorable piece of work.
MN: Was there something that was particularly challenging?
J: I would have to say managing our facial expressions on stage. We were very particular about how we wanted to present our expressions, so we challenged ourselves with many options. I thought about what I was lacking, and I challenged myself to be bolder and more confident. Those were the goals I placed on myself. I’ve always wanted to show my fans how wonderful I can be, but in this case, I wanted to go deeper, beginning with my facial expressions, so I prepared much more differently and with creativity.
MN: You are the seventh person to be featured in this series, JUNGWOO-san, but all the members up to now have pushed with confidence “Hero; Kick It” as their most recommended NCT 127 song. Perhaps we can say that it was that challenging for all of you, and that what you felt, as well as your self-assessments, was in line with one another. As each member responded with the same song one after another, you could feel a strong sense of accomplishment that is shared within the group.
J: I agree with that. The song “Hero” is a powerful song, and so a lot of practice and preparation went into it. I think that it is very NCT 127 and expresses our personality more than ever. On top of that, we were confident that the fans would love the song. Our fans tend to love our individuality and our unique “color”, so we thought this was the perfect song.
NCT 127 is like a chameleon?
MN: You mentioned the word “color”, but to the question, “What do you feel is the “coolness” of NCT 127, you responded,“To impress and share empathy with our fans, and show them our unique “color”. If you were to share something that is truly your “NCT127 color”, what would that be?
J: Regardless of the type of song or genre, we are a team that has the power to absorb whatever it is, like a chameleon! To continue to express genres across the board; I believe that is the best of our team when it comes to “color” and strength!
MN: Right from the opening, you mentioned the metaphor “Yairo-Bird”. You seem to have a very colorful image when it comes to yourself as well as your group and its activities, JUNGWOO-san. Now then, let’s share with the readers that ever-changing chameleon attitude that challenges all types of songs. Could you recommend any MVs other than “Hero; Kick It”?
J: Yes! There’s a song called “Punch” that I would like to recommend first. It was released after “Hero; Kick It” and it was part of a re-package album. It is really a strong and powerful song. In addition, even in the visuals our personality shines through. It is a very well put together piece and I love it. Another one is a song called “Highway to Heaven”. The music video has a wide open feeling and is amazing, and it is a song that suits us very well. So, I would like to recommend these two songs.
MN: It certainly is a song with a completely different feel. You can see how you challenge different tastes.
J: Yes! Exactly! I wish we could ask everyone what they would like to see about NCT 127, too.
MN: You’re sure to have a bunch of different responses.
As a global artist, what have you found meaningful?
MN: When you’re being creative while also constantly challenging yourselves, teamwork is imperative. Could you share with us exactly what NCT 127 means to you, JUNGWOO-san?
J: We members are family as well as a team. We all make up for what each of us lacks and what we need, which unite us as one strong team. We are all there to help each other to be our best. In that way, our individual personalities and virtues work together like a synergistic effect…. creating synergy, and I believe it further enhances NCT 127’s “color” so-to-speak. I hope more people will get to know this about us.
MN: Listening to what you have to say, JUNGWOO-san, our image of the group becomes even more colorful. Speaking of complementing one another, in what way in particular do you feel the members help you out?
J: Oh, that begins with song and dance, all the basic stuff, I know I am being supported and helped by all the members. And not only for our performances, but also, for example, I feel that the parts in which I have no confidence, the other members are right there to jump in and help out. We talk things out and I get advice on what I feel I am lacking. In that way, I am able to discover what I need to improve on from a different angle than I would have on my own. Thus, they give me a lot of insight and make me think. That’s the kind of role they play for me.
MN: For the question, “What do you think has had the most impact on you as a global artist?”, you responded,“By being able to share what is appealing about us to all the different fans around the world, I feel that it has given us an opportunity to become even sharper”. Does the presence of your fans help you, JUNGWOO-san, to have confidence when it comes to your “appeal”, as mentioned earlier?
J: This is something I’ve felt as we’ve traveled around the world, but the reaction from the fans differs depending on where we are. Even so, everywhere we go, the fans welcome us with such enthusiasm, making us feel, “wow, we really are loved”, and we’re so moved by their passion as we tour the world. As we go to places for the first time and see all the fans for the first time, it is touching to know that they actually listen to our songs and are able to relate to us in such a way. Their reaction also differs depending on the atmosphere of the songs. It has to be because they diligently listen to each and every one of our songs. They sing together with us, and it means a lot to me when I feel like, “ahhh, so we can interact and relate to each other through the songs in this way”. That has left a powerful impression on me.
What triggered you to start singing and dancing?
MN: And now you perform on the global stage, but what is it that made you wind up loving to sing and dance?
J: The first time I became fascinated by singing and dancing was through a movie. I was in the junior high and it was a movie called “Step Up”. It was very popular at the time and everyone around me was crazy about it. The characters in the movie were portrayed doing all these really cool dance moves. That’s when I thought, “Wow, I would like to dance like that, too.” So, I started taking dance lessons. Through taking lessons, I was naturally exposed to all kinds of music, and that’s how I became fascinated with music.
MN: That’s true, learning to dance also means you come in contact with music.
J:“Exactly. I seek out and listen to a wider variety of music than before I began dance lessons, and regardless of genre, whether it’s HIP HOP, the trending songs in the US, jazz, etc… by listening to a whole range of songs on an even scale, my love for the music itself has grown deeper and deeper, and that’s how I developed a desire to sing and dance.
MN: That makes a lot of sense. So, the flow is that you then became a trainee at your agency?
J: Yes. My desire to continue to sing and dance became stronger, and so I decided to audition. I was lucky enough to join a major company like SM (SM ENTERTAINMENT=NCT 127’s agency), but thinking back now, “My dream really has come true,” which is an enchanting feeling. I have the confidence to say that I will continue loving to sing and dance even more, and that’s the kind of person I want to become.
What fascinating person, piece of work, words have had an impact on you?
MN: Your desire to do more as a performer comes through. To the question, “What kind of adult do you want to become in the future?”, your answer was,“To become a cool adult. I’m still searching”. You mentioned earlier that you did not have confidence in yourself, but this comment feels like you are now looking forward to the future you. What kind of person is the “cool adult” to you, JUNGWOO-san?
J: To me, an adult that is cool is someone who has integrity, works hard at and continues to work towards a goal, and is able to be a good role model for others. Someone who does their best with what they have been given and are passionate about everything. That’s the type of adult I think is super cool”
MN: Do you have a specific role model of the kind of person you want to be like?
J: Well that role model would have to be our senior artist BoA! Of course she’s a senior artist from the same agency, but more than that, watching her pour her passion into her music and the love she has for singing and dancing, without skipping a beat for 20 years… This is truly inspiring. That is why I plan to continue to cheer her on with as much passion as I can round up, and I also hope to be a senior artist to my junior artists in the same as BoA has been for us. I want to become an adult that will give it his all.
MN: To the question, “What culture has had an impact on you?”, you wrote,“I watched ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ with deep interest. It made me feel that nothing is impossible to achieve.” In the same way as “Step Up”, it seems that movies have had an impact on your mindset and behavior.
J: You can see from the main character of that movie [editorial staff note: An editorial assistant of a fashion magazine], that she is really passionate about everything she works on. No matter what anyone says to her or about her, she’s going to achieve what she believes in and what she intends to do. That really struck me. After I saw that movie, I thought, “So there really is nothing I can’t achieve…”, which left a strong impression on me and that is why I wrote this.
MN: It seems that many things have had an impact on you, such as the people you have met, what you have seen and heard, and the times you have spent. To the question, “What piece of advice you have received from others has left the biggest impression on you?”, you wrote,“The words that have left a lasting impression on me are, ‘You do whatever it is you want to do’.”When do these words come to mind?
J: I believe that whenever there is something that you want to do, it should be done without hesitation. I also believe that you should never do anything you’re going to regret. No matter what it is… For example, I always do the best that I can when I’m up on stage, and for mental preparation, I always think, “I’m doing what I love to do”. To think in that way. I think that’s what motivates me, and these words often come to mind in moments like that. I want to reach out to everyone with that kind of power and I think the people around me have given me that kind of power as well.
48 notes · View notes
saltypicks · 4 years ago
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reviewing may’s comebacks (in june, because i have shit to do)
There were a lot of comebacks this month. I guess it's summer now? No idea, there's no summer in my country. The girl groups have started coming back in full force but are not impressing. The boy groups seemed to mostly go the groovy route and now I need an adjective other than 'groovy' to describe songs.
Not The End, Highlight
I'm so glad it's not a ballad. It's not bad.
You are so beautiful, SGO
Everyday I'm grateful for the retro trend and this is a great representation.
Gray Area, Hi Cutie
At some sections I like this song (the verses and the chorus) and at others I dislike it (the trap breakdown, the middle of the chorus). I complained about MAJORS' company having no money previously but Hi Cutie's company is bankrupt. Poor nugus.
Dreamcatcher and GWSN have far superior 'Red Suns' but this song is okay and I'm happy the girls look so happy to have some work (and hopefully some money) at last.
Today, CITI
A nice midtempo song. And no, I did not hear it first from a drama OST.
Make Up Your Mind, AILEE
Sounds like a Beyonce-type song.
MALO, SHAX
Apparently this is a drama OST (Imitation, to be specific. It's based on a webtoon). Basic boy group song but it sounds like it's from the 2010s or something, and that's a compliment.
Hot Sauce, NCT Dream
Initially: Um...at least Renjun looks good? Honestly I don't know what to say about this song. NCT is a group I stan so this will definitely grow on me but...is this really not an advertisement for hot sauce? Also the set resembles the set for SHINee's Atlantis in my opinion. Now: The shouting is annoying and unnecessary. Love Chenle's voice in this; it provides a nice contrast to Haechan and Renjun. Someone said the chanting should've been left to the rappers and I fully agree. Don't know about Jisung and Jaemin but Jeno and Mark would be a good fit with a chant. In my opinion the dance break isn't really needed but is it NCT without a dance break? Also, wtf are they wearing around their necks? Someone should inform the SM stylists that less is really more.
DUN DUN DANCE, OH MY GIRL
It's light and pleasant but if this song was a meal it would be a tiny appetizer that tastes good but doesn't satiate you.
WHATEVER, KEEMBO
I didn't think I'd like it at first but this is groovy and makes me want to dance while doing my chores.
Always, VAV
Song for the fans but if you need a VAV song to listen to I recommend Gorgeous.
Hurt, Baekhyun & Seomoontak
Hasn't Baekhyun been shipped off to the army yet? Anyway, love how dramatic this is.
Waiting for Victor, 015B ft. Dawon
Another great retro song! Also the singer is cute and her hair is cute as well. She reminds me of Chuu a little.
Uncertainty Principle, 015B ft. Dawon
I prefer their other song, but this one is retro as well and it's great.
척하면 척, 강혜연 (Kang Hyeyeon)
Trot that's kind of subdued but still danceable.
Badly, SURA
Loved it from the first second.
BLACK MIRROR, ONEUS
Then: Is it good enough to make up for No Diggity? I don't know about that, but this song is groovy and I'm somewhat okay with it. Doesn't have much replay value for me though. Now: Eh, it's basic groovy boy group song but I won't skip if it comes on.
Breathe Again, BLITZERS
Another boy group with a somewhat questionable name. This song is pretty good as a debut and it's somewhat memorable. I wonder if my rating increeased because of the guitars? District 9 was the same for me, but right now it doesn't interest me. I think this song will stay for a good while on my playlist though. I like the anthemic vocals in the chorus and this song needed more of that.
EASY, WJSN THE BLACK
The girls looked good but the storyline kept getting interrupted by shots of the girls. Yes, we know they're all visuals but I'd be more interested if there was actual action and plot. The song is good objectively but doesn't really interest me. Who knows? Maybe a few more listens will change my mind.
Outerspace (ft. Loco), Kang Daniel
Groovy and better than his last two releases.
Giant, Yuqi
So nice to hear Yuqi's voice on its own. The song was fine until the chorus crushed all my love for it.
Glass of Tears, HONG JA
Appropriately dramatic for a song named 'glass of tears'. It's good and if you like trot you'll like this one.
Taste of Life, Yang Ji Eun
What do you call this? Folk trot? Whatever it's called, it's good.
LOOK AT ME, ICU
OK.
WE GO, fromis_9
It sounds like the token girl group summer song. I don't dislike it, but nothing about this song stands out to me. Honestly with a mini-album called '9Way Ticket' I expected more, because it reminds me of Nine Muses' Ticket everytime I see it. The b-side 'Airplane Mode' is pretty good though and the other one, 'Promise' is a slow song but I don't really mind it, it's fine as background music.
Next Level, aespa
Umm...what is SM's plan for these girls? How can a rookie group from the big 3 have only 3 songs? And only one is an original? The song is not the best thing ever and SM surely can do better but at least it wasn't as bad as M.A.F.I.A. aespa deserves more than this.
Ring Ring, ROCKET PUNCH
Finally after Bim Bam Bum these girls have a title track I enjoy. You can't go wrong with covering Take On Me, can you? It's no Platonic Love or Sea of Moonlight, and it certainly could have done without the rubbish trap section but it's a bop anyway. Meanwhile, the b-side Ride is great and I hope they promote it. This song would be more enjoyable if their voices weren't so shrill in the chorus. High notes aren't a necessity for good songs.
Advice, Taemin
Not the best of Taemin but it's good. I love the fast tempo of the piano and the way it drives everything. Taemin's performance also elevates this song and I'm grateful he's leaving us with a good song before going on his two-year vacation.
RUB-A-DUM, TRI.BE
They're really going all out with this 'tribe' thing, aren't they? It sounds very Middle Eastern to my ears at times, sometimes it sounds African-ish and the other times it is just typical trap kpop. DOOM DOOM TA was better and more fun. At least they got the catchy catchphrase right. Blackpink in your area who? Tri-bee da loca! The b-side 'LORO' is not much fun either. The only difference is it's Latin-influenced.
Shadow, Dreamcatcher
Typical Dreamcatcher song slowed down by a lot. It's not bad, plus it's nice to hear Dami sing. Also what is it with Korea and zombies? With the MV the song sounds a lot better but the MV distracts me. Shouldn't zombies be mindless? How do they use tools and know martial arts? Or is it just my eyes? And can that tiny gun protect anybody? Are you sure that's not a toy?
The beginning of spring, E'LAST U
Not horrible but not for me either.
Oh MAMA, BLING BLING
One of the few new ggs in a while with unfortunate names. They've clearly upgraded in terms of styling and MV budget, but their song quality is no different.
Let Me Know, PIXY
Sonically it sounds nothing like their dark concept. Actually it does sound like a dark concept, if done by a boy group. It's not bad but it's not good. The industrial-like sounds in the back are interesting but the whole song is not.
Son of Beast, TO1
TOO rebrands as TO1 with this song. It's groovy.
HAPPEN, Heize
For the first time I like a Heize song. The MV is interesting too, the story was cliche but I liked the visuals and aesthetics.
FEVER, ENHYPEN
Rhis song was from the [BORDER: CARNIVAL] mini. I listened to that mini but I remember not really liking any of the b-sides except the outro and the intro, so this is a surprise.
My Flower, Kim Jaehwan
Nice upbeat song with guitars all over it. I like it.
Corazon Perdido, Yesung (Super Junior)
Initially I wasn't going to review this because I didn't even review the title track but the final moments of this song are beautiful and it deserves a mention.
Butter, BTS
The song is smooth as its title. The MV is fine except for that ARMY thing; I cringed so hard.
Bonnie and Clyde, Yuqi
Better than the other one.
Ride, ROCKET PUNCH
This is so great and I'm glad it got its own video, even if it was just a dance video glorified as a 'Special Stage'. Now if only I could stop chuckling whenever I hear "looks rike a lainbow".
Rush Hour, GAHO
Love it, especially the guitar strumming moments and the chorus when the electric guitar comes in.
GEMINI, AB6IX
Love how the vocals don't distract from the great instrumental.
FIRST, EVERGLOW
In a comment section someone said La Di Da was a fluke and I kind of agree. Everglow returns to their usual style (chanty chorus + catchy riff repeated over and over) and this song is in the same vein as Adios. I like the chorus but the rest of the song is hard to recall. Siyeon, Aisha and Yiren are the only ones who actually look good and EU needs more lines and her blonde hair back. Also why does kpop think that moving the camera around a lot creates the illusion of motion? All it does is make me dizzy.
Like It Hot, GWSN
Sometimes I like GWSN title tracks, and sometimes I don't. I don't think much of this song, but their album is great.
Je T'aime, Joy
I love you Joy but this is boring. If it was meant to be a lullaby then SM succeeded.
Burned All Black, Kim Jaehwan
His other song is a ballad which is somewhat pleasant. Well, it was until it slowed down in the first chorus.
Purple, woo!ah!
Still not one song from woo!ah! I like.
GGOMA, Tae Ho (IMFACT) and Choi Ye Geun
Loved Choi Ye Geun's Scarecrow so I was happy to see her again. The song is groovy but the chorus sounds somewhat...empty? Love the scat at the end, should've been longer. This is also a great example of a bright boy group song. See? Upbeat and bright boy group concepts don't have to be childish.
DIAMOND, Sparkling
Another Imitation OST. I honestly doubt that there are actual kpop songs as bad as this.
7days Tension, Weeekly
Ad song. Bright and the chorus is nice.
0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You), TXT feat. Seori
The angsty opening line caught my attention, then the verse after it dropped the energy. It picked up again in the chorus and pre-chorus, thankfully. It's very much pop rock, except there are no guitars in this. Doesn't stop the song from being good though.
Hello, Joy
I love Joy's voice as always but this song doesn't do much for me even though it's upbeat. A few more listens might change my mind.
Call Me, Omega III
Another Imitation OST. Doesn't do much for me, just like all the Imitation MVs. At least let us understand what your drama is about. Instead we get these random shots of what idols are supposed to be like? I don't know much about idol life but it's obvious these girls would be called nugus in real life, and I honestly doubt nugus have such nice living conditions.
No Answer, LA LIMA
Jiyeon from T-Ara is on this one. This and MALO are my favourites from the Imitation OST so far. The song is nice with a sleek catwalk vibe to it but like the rest the MV is boring.
Show Me, Tea Party
Are these the Omega III girls? Not sure but I think so. MV still boring, song doesn't interest me.
Let me go!, The Volunteers
Great rock song, I just wonder why it's all in English (I'm not complaining).
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smolie · 4 years ago
Text
in december i wrote a 2020 year music review for myself that i intended to post here BUT...because i was infamously restricted twice last year, i didn’t bother since you wouldn’t be able to read it anyway because it was not possible to view my blog hjfdhfd
now that my restricted era is (hopefully forever) over i just want to post it here for the sake of completion since i want to do the same thing this year
this is really long so if you actually read it ... idk you are insane in the membrane and i love you... but i genuinely don’t expect anyone to read this hjfdhjf i just like reflecting on the music i have listened to and be able to look back on what i enjoyed in certain stages of my life! okiiii bye 💗
january
mac miller - circles (album) it’s a bit funny that i worried putting my thoughts down about this album and now it turns out to be first on the list, chronologically of course … oh bittersweet irony </3 listening to this album is such a double edged sword, either way i am always hit with a truckload of feelings when i turn to this release.
this album came to me in a time of my life where i was slowly but surely sliding down towards rock bottom again just after i got out of it and thought i was okay. the times i’ve listened to this crying in the bathtub with a glass of wine….girl let’s not lol…. it’s almost strange how much i can relate to the thoughts another person brought to paper. the comfort this album brings me is otherworldly, i feel so understood by mac’s words and it’s my go-to “wallow in self-pity for a bit then come out stronger than before” album. then again, i feel a little sting when any of mac’s songs come on shuffle. a friend of mine said she cannot listen to artists who have passed because it feels too strange and most of the time i agree but this time, it’s so so different. this album would have been mac’s salvation, i can feel it. everything would have been a bit brighter and lighter for him after this, it would have had to be. i feel like i would do him a disservice if i did not listen to this album, so i will cherish this final gift from him as his legacy and my comfort. i miss him incredibly and am all the more thankful he shared his heart with us.
album favs: circles, good news, surf
tiny meat gang - broke bitch (single) MAN I TELL THAT BROKE BITCH IF YOU WANNA GET IN TUNE BETTER CHANGE YOUR WHOLE PITCH LIKE WOAH !!!!!!!!!! did that give you whiplash? hehe funny to say this about a song called broke bitch by a duo called tiny meat gang but this song actually means a lot to me! it came out shortly before their show in berlin and i almost exclusively listened to it on my 7+ hours train ride from one side of the country to the other to see my meat boys. this played out of the fat ass speakers at the venue when they stepped on the stage and i will never forget meeting them :’) also the song fucking slaps obviously
february
loona - [#] (mini album) ah yes, the most controversial loona release to date! i’m not gonna lie and say this sounded anything like i expected it to. but also, i have come to terms with the fact that loona release noise music now and personally i am here for it. why not did not have the endless energy of hi high or otherworldly vibe of butterfly, but it’s a hype song and i am always there for hype. i also have to say the b-sides were not as strong for me as on previous releases but i think i have to come to peace with the fact that loona will never top their debut mini for me. though if i can wish for one thing…… let loona have title tracks with a chorus in 2021? pls? crumbs?
album favs: so what, oh (yes i am)
tame impala - the slow rush (album) *lights cigarette* i’m listening to pretty underground music….i don’t think you’ve heard of this band….they are called tame impala *intro of the less i know the better starts playing* yes i am a basic white bitch and listen to like 3 alternative bands but damn i listen to them religiously. like any other basic bitch on this planet i found out about tame impala through the less i know the better and checked out their music. i wasn’t too much into this album as i was into currents but towards the end of the year, i was in a moody alternative music slump that took me back to this album and i like it a lot more now! most importantly, tame impala fulfills my primitive urge to listen to songs that exceed the 4 minute mark. something clicks in my brain when i see a song that is like 6:34 and chances that it ends up as one of my faves on a album are high. i enjoy tiktok like everyone else but this trend of 2:50 long songs needs to be stopped immediately.
album favs: borderline, lost in yesterday, it might be time, is it true, posthumous forgiveness
honorary mentions: onlyoneof - dOra maar, everglow - dundun
march
nct 127 - neo zone (album) ah, yes. the album that fundamentally changed me as a person <3 i’ve been listening to nct for a while, matter of fact i checked my top tracks 2019 playlist on spotify and cherry bomb was on there lol. i remember trying to get into them in 2018 when they released their regular-irregular album but the endless member & unit concept scared me off, so i only listened to a handful of songs without looking into them march 2020, the fateful month in which they released kick it and screencaps of jaehyun’s sexy ass tiddies in the kick it mv landed on my tumblr or twitter and i HAD to look up who this man is…...remember when i thought jaehyun was my ult for like, 2 weeks? me neither, johnny suh only in this house <3
anyway, i checked out this album and by god, is this pure kpop perfection. last time i listened to a god tier no skip album like this was … maybe the perfect red velvet? hype songs, well crafted ballads, love songs that make me wanna learn the lyrics, genuinely fun and interesting pop songs, this album has it all. somehow, the way this album is crafted greatly reminds me of brown eyed girls’ sound-g, it has the same vibe, concept and mix of genres to me, i’m not entirely sure how to explain. anyway, this album is one of my favorites of all time and even though i’ve obsessively listened to it (lastfm says 1.4k scrobbles as of today, december 7th…) i am still not tired of this. i recommend this to anyone who loves kpop tbh, you will have a good time with this!
other than being just a musically solid album, the emotional ties i have with this are …. isabel stop making albums your emotional support 2021 challenge. i’ve listened to this release all spring lockdown, this basically played at every waking hour for all of march and april. the promotion time of this era and lockdown are deeply intertwined for me and so i am always remembered of all the nct content i consumed during that time which inevitably cheered me up so much. this album really means a lot to me :’)
album favs: kick it, mad dog, love song, boom
honorary mentions: itzy - wannabe,
the weeknd - after hours (album) my dear melchanoly, was one of my favorite releases of 2018, so i had been desperate for a new release by abel and boy did he not disappoint. the perfect thotty, dirty emo 80s, making it clap while crying in the club album! this is a no skip from top to bottom and all i can say is that the grammys can go to hell <3 abel aoty! there is really not much i can say about this album, the flawless production, lyrics and sound speak for themself. my only criticism is that i feel overwhelmed by 14 songs, especially when some of them are really long. a few songs greatly overshadow the weaker tracks on the album for me but i still love this to death.
album favs: escape from LA, blinding lights, after hours, faith
dua lipa - future nostalgia (album) after the weeknd’s masterpiece of an 80s inspired pop album i was really looking forward to this. i greatly enjoyed the pre-releases, i played don’t start now and physical up and down, they are still some of my favorite songs released this year! when i first listened to the album i really liked it, songs like boys will be boys or pretty please sound like fillers to be but the rest is solid. yet a month after release you couldn’t catch me listening to this and i cannot even really tell you why. i think it was a combination of the following: 1) i greatly overplayed dsn and physical to the point where i didn’t want more of the pop 80s sound that the album has 2) there were other releases at the time that caught my attention and interest more like neo zone or after hours 3) dua herself….girl….she really gave it her all this year to make herself as unlikeable as possible. nationalist propaganda and the constant traveling during a fucking pandemic were really the kicker. i can barely stand seeing her on my instagram feed anymore, much less listen to her album. her having the nerve to go “we’re in a pandemic lol” when people asked about an animated music video …. if you don’t shut the hell up lmao … also, she takes the crown for the corniest album opener of all time. i nearly closed spotify when i heard future nostalgia (the song) lmao
album favs: don’t start now, physical, levitating, hallucinate
honorary mentions: megan thee stallion - savage
april
apink - dumhdurum (song)
listen, i’m not gonna sit here and pretend like this mini album interested me in the slightest but god, the title is such a banger.i’m so sick, eung eung and dumhdurum are a holy trilogy that i will defend until the end of time! i really hope apink stick to this mature, elegant concept, it suits them so well and goes well with their new sound. come back soon queens <3
rina sawayama - xs (song) i feel like i’m gonna catch some hands here … xs is an absolute banger, the guitar riffs and disruptive sounds really get me going every damn time! but the rest of the album … tell me why it doesn’t catch me?! i literally cannot explain. i need to take an hour, sit down and do nothing but listen to the album from top to bottom once again and see if my thoughts change but right now i only care about xs.
chungha - stay tonight (song) drama! vocals! dance break! choreography! this release served it all. i listened to this obsessively during the time of the release and it still holds up today. can we talk about the run chungha had with gotta go > snapping > stay tonight? lord have mercy.
honorary mentions: april - lalalilala, nct dream - ridin’
may
lady gaga - chromatica (album) the immense disappointment i have in this album is tough to put into words lol. any other artist might have gotten away with this release but gaga having the discography that she has, well … she doesn’t get away with it. this has underwhelming all over it. i enjoyed the pre-releases and my hope was high but the rest just doesn’t live up what i expected, i can’t even say why. it’s just underwhelming pop for someone of gaga’s calibre. i listened to this album during release week and then never again till december to write this list and i can see why.
album favs: rain on me, sour candy ft. blackpink, stupid love
baekhyun - delight (mini album) it’s confession time … this is a name i never would have expected on any of my music lists to end up. exo has always been one of those boy groups i casually listened to. i greatly enjoy their title tracks and a handful of side tracks, i have a few members that i keep an eye on more than others but that’s about it. baekhyun was never one of those members i had any interest in, matter of fact i always thought he was kinda vanilla and boring 😭 i didn’t even plan on listening to this release if it wasn’t for his association with superm and thus nct, so i gave it a shot and we have no choice but to stan. his voice is like butter and can cut sharp at the same time, his versatility is insane. i dived a bit more into baekhyun related content and he is so likeable, it’s almost ridiculous. this production is absolute god tier, not a single skip on this mini. late spring/early summer i had this weird urge to listen to songs with mellow voices but still a banger instrumental and i wholeheartedly blame this release. matter of fact, this album is so good, i had to buy a physical copy. Y’ALL. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. i haven’t bought a kpop album of anyone that’s not holy top 3 (brown eyed girls, loona, nct) in like … idk, 5 years?! baekhyun’s impact. i’m a fan now <3
album favs: candy, r u ridin’?, love again
ak aussenkontrolle - in meinem benz (song) this … is very unrelated to this entirely list but i had to put it on here. i miss my ex boss and our 3 hour drives to meetings in the south of the country where we would blast trashy german rap music </3
nct 127 - neo zone: the final round (repackage) *airhorns* REEEPACKAGE TIIIIIME!!! my first nct era that i experienced from start to finish! i remember watching nct 127’s beyond live with luna where these mfs performed punch and we finished the concert having no idea what this song sounded like. the structure is so unusual and the intro catches me off-guard every time just to hype me up beyond compare. not gonna lie, the fact that johnny has exactly one (1) line hurts but! it’s my favorite line of the entire song! possibly related to the fact that it’s his line but let’s ignore that ….
album favs: punch, make your day
kim woo seok - red moon (song) i’m not even gonna lie to you. i have not a single idea who this man is. you could put him right in front of me and i wouldn’t know … all i know is that he has a banger song. i saw him perform this on a music show that i watched for nct and i ended up loving the song … thanks for your service sir, whoever you are ...
june
stray kids - go live (album) 2020 was kind of the year of boy groups for me, i’m so sorry … stray kids promoted simultaneously with nct 127 so i ended up hearing their title track and holy hell, is that a song. god’s menu is hype from start to finish. it reminds me of good ol’ 2nd gen noise boy group song a lá b*g b*ng fantastic baby. just pure hype and fun noise. i am forever grateful to witness the birth of the line cooking like a chef, i’m a five star michelin. the title track impressed me so much that i ended up checking out the entire album which i rarely ever do with boy groups and what is even rarer is that i enjoyed the b sides lmao!!! it’s not an album that i would put on and just enjoy from start to finish but it has some really solid tracks! this release made me want to keep an eye on stray kids, they seem like a really fun bunch.
album favs: god’s menu, TA, airplane
seventeen - left & right (song) the boy group run continues … same thing with stray kids, seventeen promoted during punch era so i heard their song while watching some music station show for nct and i heard this and was sold. solid, fun pop with the catchiest pre-chorus in history and a banger chorus. i listened to the entire mini and can’t say it really caught my interest so this is a title track only release for me.
dishonorary mentions: twice - more & more (i hate this song so much lol)
honorary mentions: ryu sejeong - tiger eyes, monsta x - fantasia, chloe x halle - do it
july
irene & seulgi - monster (mini) this is a weird release because it’s good. the title track is fun enough, the b sides are dope. but my issue with this is that it’s nothing new. this sounds exactly like a red velvet release. i get that they didn’t want to a  joy, seulgi, irene, yeri release only and went for the sub-unit route instead, but why not be experimental and stray away from the usual sound of the group? also, whoever made monster and not naughty the title track deserves to be spat on. at least the choreography here is more interesting and “experimental” for kpop standards. also, why only a seulgi solo and no irene? i have no idea how reveluvs reacted to this release but this has rushed written all over it.
album favs: monster, naughty (i’m counting this to the mini idc), uncover
exo-sc - 1 billion views (mini) doing my part as a filthy casual exo listener. this release goes in the same category as baekhyun’s delight where i like the album so much that i HAD to get a physical copy. i don’t know what they put in the title track for it to be so diddly darn addictive but it clearly worked. the only bad thing about this release is how criminally mismanaged it was by sm, when i get you lee sooman ...
album favs: 1 billion views, on me, say it
baekhyun - garden in the air (song) i told you i’m a loyal baekhyun fan now <3 king releases and i listen, that’s just how it goes now! this is a cover of a boa song and i really love his version. there is not much to say except that it’s a really smooth song and his voice absolutely carries the track. i enjoyed this much more than i thought i would!
hyoyeon - dessert (song) YOU KNOW WHAT I DESERVE??? DESSERT!!!!!!! *insert tik tok challenge here* imagine if miryo featured on this instead of the ethnic hip girl … why can’t we have nice things. anyway, a banger!
johnny - sunny side up episode 1 set (spotify playlist, actual set) johnny being the skilled, talented, multi-faceted king that he is has been dj-ing since before debut (not me acting like i was around at that time lmao) and thus he decided to bless our quarantined, lockdowned asses with an online dj set! that was the most turned up sunday morning i ever had in my entire life. this set kicked off an edm/house/techno affinity that i had for the following couple of weeks. this set is an absolute banger, i would go insane to this in the club. he has an amazing ear for transitions and drops and i still just put on this set on the regular when i have cleaning to do or so. he could fill the void that rona and thus no clubbing in 2020 left in my heart and i’m so happy he decided to share this with us <3 now … john … sunny side up episode 2 pspspspspsps
honorary mentions: gfriend - apple, jessi - nunu nana
august
cardi b ft. megan thee stallion - wap (song) late summer 2021. we are vaccinated, icu beds are free, barely any new cases, clubs are open, this song plays and i can finally make it fucking clap.
troye sivan - in a dream (mini album) a cute mini album! nothing life-changing or as exciting as previous releases but easy (haha!) to enjoy. i really, really enjoy easy, can always count on troye for a dreamy sound.
album favs: easy
honorary mentions: itzy - not shy
september
wonho - love synonym pt. 1: right for me (mini album) honestly? i know like, 3 monsta x songs. i never bothered to get into them and maybe i never will, but it was difficult to ignore the whole wonho & monsta x mess that went on. i have absolutely no memory of why i decided to check out this release, i guess i was curious what he was going to do and … i was positively surprised lol. open mind is the exact time of song i had been so desperate all summer (remember mellow vocals with banger instrumentals? yeah) and uhm … can’t ignore the obvious … mr wonho is fucking fine. sir, you just gained a fan … now, where is love synonym part 2?? huh?????
album favs: open mind, i just, losing you
joji - nectar (album) this one is on tiktok. i heard gimme love in a bunch of tiktoks and had to look up the song and here we are. what an album! it came right as seasonal depression started to hit and accompanied me for a good chunk of autumn. at this point one has to ask if joji can ever really miss? the entire album is a no skip, it’s almost difficult to narrow down my favorites if my favorites weren’t so damn god tier!!!
album favs: gimme love, ew, tick tock, pretty boy, your man
super m - tiger inside / 100 / drip (songs) okay, listen. technically tiger inside & 100 were already released in august. instead of those three songs i was gonna write about the entire album until i realized i really don’t give a fuck about it 😭 i really only care about those three songs. and YES, i unironically like 100. is it a good song? no. but neither is jopping and that fucking bangs. i don’t turn to superm for life-changing, profound music, i turn to them for a good time LOL and that’s what they deliver every time! that being said, taeyong’s VROOM VROOM, UHMM UHMM, GRRRAHHHH verse is life-changing and profound! speak your truth king! also i wish drip was a b side for nct 127 that song is so damn sexy
taemin - never gonna dance again act 1 (album) this isn’t kpop, this is taemin pop. taemin never misses and the fact that hw*s* won dance performance over taemin is a literal hate crime. i will never forget the industry for this daylight robbery … anyway, nice album!!!!
album favs: criminal, black rose, waiting for
stray kids - in life (repackage) *airhorns* REPACKAGE TIIIIME 2.0!!!! i was on the edge of my seat waiting what stray kids were going to deliver after i greatly enjoyed god’s menu. i was still not over listening god’s menu when the repackage came out so i didn’t listen to it right away and now i greatly regret the few days i could have listened to back door earlier </3
album favs: back door, any
jackson wang - pretty please (song) i’m not gonna pretend like i ever listened to a song by jackson ever before. he is short king from got7 in my head and that’s all! i don’t even remember why i listened to this song but all i know is that it slaps severely. i love the wong kar wai inspired music video and the choreography is fun too! i’m gonna check out more of his music <3
honorary mentions: fromis9 - feel good, knk - ride
october
blackpink - the album (album, duh) i don’t even know what to say about this … this might be the weirdest release on the list for me. there are song i absolutely fucking hate (ice cream …) and songs i get my life to (pretty savage) on here and the discrepancy just gives me massive whiplash. i would never put this album on and listen to the whole body of work, i just cannot with the brain damage it gives me. i am still stuck in 2016, begging for bp to release music like whistle/boombayah/stay/playing with fire but i think i need to give up on that wishful thinking … i am just grateful we a got a title track with actual lyrics in the chrous for once.
album favs: pretty savage, lovesick girls
nct - nct 2020 resonance pt. 1 (album) this era was … a ride. nct 2020 happening was near inevitable but with covid it got pushed back so far, i started to believe it wasn’t even going to happen. i was semi-terrified of what was going to happen during a comeback with 21 (now 23!!) member group since i only experienced nct 127 comebacks so far and uhh … a LOT happened lmfao but let’s keep this about the album … i had no idea what was going to hit me. johnny having effectively 3 lines in nct 2018 did not give me much hope and after he got denoted to no line treatment in punch again, i was ready to not even have any expectation but this release changed everything. make no mistake that most of my favorite songs are units with johnny, we knew that was gonna happen lmaooo they dropped the teaser video for misfit and i thought i had my favorite song in the bag and then faded in my last song happened. y’all. JOHNNY SINGS? LIKE? ACTUALLY SINGS? DOESN’T GET FORCED TO RAP OR TALK-SING? MY MAN’S VOCALS??? OH MY GAAAAHD! this song is dramatic, theatrical, emo, it serves vocals and rap, it has catchy english and korean lyrics, this is THE song, the ULTIMATE song. i love this song so much, i want to belt it on top of my lungs in the pouring rain. apart from fimls, i also loveeee misfit, that was to be expected after i was going completely insane over the track video. johnny has like 3 lines but again they are iconic (WARNIN’! NCT WE MOBBIN’!) and i just enjoy the track too much to be upset over that. nectar. holy fuck. nectar!!!! wayv never disappoints with their thotty songs, they now have an absolute god tier hoe-ly song trinity with love talk > bad alive > nectar. the first chorus and hendery’s first verse (CHOP CHOP CHOP!) get me every time, this song is so insanely good i am severely upset i cannot sing along to it :( music, dance has nct 127 written all over it in bold letters, it’s so inherently 127’s sound!!!! i love this song so much, it’s so fun, upset and has massive dance-ability, i wish we had gotten a stage for it but i guess you can’t have everything in life </3 make a wish……………………………..the cursed unit. i don’t want to say anything about this except that, unfortunately, the song is fun and i enjoy it. the end. overall, this album is so insanely solid. i know i talk about my favorites A LOT but i genuinely do not dislike a single song on here, this is an absolute no skip album! that’s it. see you for resonance part 2!!!!!
album favs: FADED IN MY LAST SONG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, misfit, nectar, music dance, make a wish
loona - 12:00 (mini album) controversial loona release 2.0! i don’t know what it is, but somehow they managed to lace the words di da dam di dam di dam dam dam dam di dam (yeah) with pure crack. i fucking love why not, i would even go as far to say it’s my 2nd favorite title track. that is right, i think it’s better than butterfly (btw: hi high > why not > butterfly > so what). so much was strange this comeback, from the inexplicable concept + teasers, the outfits, the styling (yves….i mourn your hot girl era) but the title track is just SO good, SO fun, SO catchy that i am willing to ignore it all. i also enjoy the b sides much more than on #, they are much more memorable to me. and now … HASEUL RETURN…………….i purely live to see the next loona comeback at this point
album favs: why not, voice, universe
twice - i can’t stop me (song) thank fuck twice released a good song this year. if more & more had been the only 2020 release, that would have been the real tragedy. not gonna lie, i still haven’t listened to the full album, it just keeps slipping my mind. but! i’m going to! until then i’m gonna bop to i can’t stop me.
ariana grande - positions (album) the way this album has people upset is so funny. i am a huge dangerous woman fan myself, it’s my fave ariana album to date but she has said repeatedly that this is not the sound she is striving for. now she has her coin and can do whatever she wants in music and if that is r’n’b then fuck! we have to live with it! lmao! i can live with the sex theme of the album because it’s delivered in a fun way? but it’s getting a bit old...if the next album is about riding dick only too idk how much i would enjoy that. i would probably always come back to ari because i like her voice so much but girl, there are other topics to sing about, i promise! anyway! i like this album, it’s one of those where i can hit shuffle and enjoy it in the background while doing other stuff.
album favs: positions, 34 + 35, love language, my hair, pov
tiny meat gang - sofia (song) ayyy, it’s my meat boys :’) ending the year the same way they started it, with a banger! i absolutely love the guitar instrumental, the melancholic love song type sound paired with the theme of singing about loving a robot … yup, that’s creativity and talent right here! this makes me so freaking desperate for a new ep and i genuinely have no idea how far or close we are to one but!!! i am always waiting!!!
noel - push (ep) this is something i absolutely did not expect. noel (of tiny meat gang!) released his first ep ever and i was absolutely wowed. noel has it all, the voice, the talent, the creativity and all it took him was the confidence to finally put something out and i’m so happy he did. he gets real personal on bus back, more than ever before and i always get a bit emo listening to this track </3 this man is gonna go places and i’m so happy to witness his journey.
album favs: crow, head sunk, bus back
honorary mentions: sam smith - diamonds
november
taemin - never gonna dance again act 2 (album) i’m gonna say it. idea is better than criminal. the chorus drop???? when he goes MY AH AH  MY AH AH MY AH MY IDEA MY MY IDEAAAAAA A-A-A A-A-A???? bitch … tell me you can sit still, i won’t believe you. i like part 2’s title track more, but part 1’s b sides are more interesting to me. either way, taemin delivered as expected!!
album favs: idea, impressionable, exclusive
nct - nct 2020 resonance pt. 2 (album) part two, baby! we made it! part 2 had more mellow, ballad-y songs with my everything, i.o.u. and all about you, overall less drama than part 1 but i still enjoyed it. work it is one of those controversial songs where you despise it with your entire being or you defend this top tier noise till the end and i am absolutely the latter. the agony of not being able to listen to it and seeing the timeline so divided nearly killed me, but i have concluded that people who hate work it have never felt joy in their life <3 honestly my opinion cannot be counted because i eat up anything johnny participates in … biased ass… what i’m not gonna talk about is resonance (the song), this absolute mess of a “remix”. the audacity sm had to release this as a single is insane. anyway!! this era was a rollercoaster ride. all the interactions truly made me interested in members of other units more. hendery (the rise and fall …), yangyang my beautiful son, jeno aka blue hair guy, chenle the chaos kid and xiaojun after he made make a wish his bitch in particular! all the interactions between the units were so fun to witness and it was fun while it lasted but i am … so glad it’s over lol. i miss nct 127, i miss some peace, i hope the boys get to rest for a bit and so does my bank account.
album favs: work it, 90s love, i.o.u., raise the roof
miley cyrus - plastic hearts (album) not in a thousand years would i have expected a miley release to be on here. this girl does everything to be absolutely unlikeable in my eyes but after severely banging out to her heart of glass cover, i was really excited for this and it did not disappoint. what is disappointing is that it took her so long to find a sound that fits her like a glove. i believe many people miss out on this release after her previous history and i nearly would have done the same. this alt/rock influenced pop does her voice so many favors and i really hope she sticks to this direction, i love this album greatly!!
album favs: heart of glass, midnight sky, night crawling ft. billy joel, wtf do i know
kai - kai (mini album) just. imagine debuting with an album like that. lol. what a god tier big dick move. we all knew whatever this release was gonna be, above all it was going to be sexy and boy were we RIGHT!!!! mmmh is exactly as thotty as i needed it to be and the b sides give me everything from r’n’b to trap. i love this release and i love that it’s only the beginning of kai! like!! he is only gonna gain even more experience and become even more powerful!! what the fuck!!!!!
album favs: mmmh, ride or die, hello stranger, nothing on me
honorary mentions. gfriend - mago
december
nothing? wtf?? 😭 no interesting release happened,,,,half the time i listened to christmas songs anyway lol
pre 2020 releases i only found this year
mgmt - little dark age (album, 2018) & oracular spectactular (album, 2007) another tiktok serve. i found little dark age through a tiktok trend and ended up really liking mgmt. they fit perfectly into my autumn/winter moody alt/rock mood that i had going on and i’m happy they have so much more music that i can check out!
artist favs: little dark age, electric feel, time to pretend
tame impala - currents (album, 2015) everyone’s favorite basic alt bitch album! i enjoyed this more than the slow rush for a good chunk of time, it also fit right into my alt rock autumn mood. i really love this album, like previously mentioned it has my favorite long ass tracks on there but also a good amount of short or medium long tracks. i’m still busy enjoying currents and the slow rush but i can’t wait till i finally take the leap to dive into their other releases because i’m loving everything i’ve heard so far.
album favs: the less i know the better, let it happen, new person same old mistakes
joji - ballads 1 (2018) after liking nectar so much, checking joji out was a given and i just love this album. only when i listened to this i realized i heard slowly dancing in the dark a few times on tiktok lmao that cursed app man … i would say i love nectar a bit more but this is still a fantastic album!!
album favs: slowly dancing in the dark, attention, test drive, yeah right
jus2 - focus (mini album, 2019) in my “mellow moody bangers” phase i was scouring playlists for more songs and i think i found focus on me first which fitted right into the niche i was looking to fill and i ended up enjoy this whole release! only later i realized this is a sub-unit from got7 lmao how come i enjoy solo or unit releases by got7 members but their group discography never interested me? anyway, very sexy ep!
album favs: drunk on you, focus on me, love talk
knk - sunset (song, 2019) part of my mellow bangers playlist. very sexy, i can imagine this as a runway song! i have no idea who knk are but given the fact i enjoyed two of their songs so far maybe i should look into them lol
baekhyun - city lights (mini album, 2019) i am repenting for my sins of missing out on baekhyun releases by consuming his music at an exorbitant rate. un village is one hell of a title track that i didn’t appreciate before, but i feel like in 2020 my music interests started to vary and i love the groovy r’n’b and string sound of this song so much. i also love stay up to death, the vocals baekhyun serves here are unreal. his BABY WE CAN STAY UP!!!!!!! gets me every single time!!!! what a mini!
album favs: un village, stay up
mac miller - swimming (album, 2018) i’ve listened to this album before 2020 but i had the urge to put this on here. this is going to sound so corny, but if i had to pick one song to be my life’s title track, it would be ladders. the hope this song gives me is unreal, it feels like a light at the end of the tunnel. this album is so fantastic, i love the upbeat instrumentals paired with sometimes gloomy lyrics are so incredible, mac was truly one of the greatest artists of our time. this album is  so outstanding and i miss him every day.
album favs: ladders, jet fuel, 2009, self care, perfecto
doja cat - hot pink (album, 2019) i can never decide if i like doja or not but the album slaps lol that’s it come on tiktok queen
album favs: say so, juicy, like that, streets
my fav 2020 playlists
slapping mellow
neo culture technology
malcolm
why go to therapy when this playlist exists?
top songs 2020
(by spotify)
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way-veee · 4 years ago
Text
yan yu
Tumblr media
rating: m
genre: romance, fluff, comedy, wayv being absolute crackheads
word count: 1.5k +
pairing: reader x wayv
pt. 6
“okay, sure, has the osaka part of the report been sent in yet? the editors need it by friday, also can you get me an estimated time for the cover photo and staff member list?” 
you roll your eyes as your manage asks you a multitude of questions  over the phone due to the change in arrival.
“yes i sent in the report yesterday and the cover photo will be taken on the last day. everything’s fine, don’t worry i got this.”
you hear her huff through your phone.
“okay that’s great. i read part of the preview you sent over last week and it seemed pretty good. keep up work like that and the report will be trending in no time.”
you nod into the phone.
“listen,“ you start, “ i was wondering. what would happen if maybe i covered wayv in a not so unrealistic light. what if i focused more on their struggles and issue with their company-”
“y/n” your manager snaps, definitely upset. “if you do that you’re fired. do you hear me? we don’t need our company getting shit on by sm or their fans because you wanted to have some political coverage to make you feel authentic or whatever. if i see anything like that i’ll fire you right on the spot. i swear to god.”
“okay i’ll take that as no. nice talking to you as always.”
“you too” she responds flatly.
she hangs up a second later and you pocket your phone, ready to go out.
you try to push probably being fired from your job out of your mind and enjoy the day.
wayv was at the studio again today, practicing their choreography and finishing lyrics. you wanted to get more coverage on the process for the report so you decided to go as well.
the boys left earlier in the morning than you, and not wanting to wake up at 6:30 to sit in a cold practice room, you had declined.
you go to the cafeteria and get a latte and bagel for your breakfast. you tuck the bagel in your purse for later and walk out the front exit of the building to get to the bus stop.
it was cold while waiting for the bus so you put on your hat to keep warm. the bus came fifteen minutes later and you gladly boarded, taking one of the only empty spots beside a girl that looked about your age. the bus took off with a jolt and you leaned back into your seat sipping your vanilla latte.
“hey i know you!”
you look over at the girl surprised, you didn’t think you knew her.
“you were in my vocal class senior year!”
you inspect the girls face more thoroughly. her sloped nose and clear skin jogged your memory. 
“ohhh i remember you! you’re nene, the one who sang adele for their final exam.”
(not very well if you recall correctly)
“ya! that’s me!” she responds cheerfully while looking you up and down “and you sang....”
“i didn’t.” you reply embarrassed, looking past her at the highway falling behind the bus window.
“riiight, that was when you ran out of the exam and threw up in front of the science classrooms!”
you nod desperately trying to forget when you were too nervous to perform and vomited in front of your classmates.
“then the principal came but you wanted to come back and-”
“how’s the singing going now?” you cut in, slightly annoyed.
“oh great!” she replies with perfect teeth and rosy lips.
“i’m still doing auditions but i have a feeling something big is coming my way. plus i’ve already achieved something better!”
“what’s that” you reply, losing interest in the pretty girl from high school that you remembered was also quite boring.
“i’m dating a celebrity!” she yells.
everybody on the bus slowly turns to look at us, mostly annoyed at us being loud. you shrink down wanting to disappear from this conversation.
“oh, that’s so cool...” you say not wanting anything more to do with this girl.
“do you wanna know who it was?”
“no that’s okay, you probably shouldn’t tell people anywa-”
“they were in nct 127!”
“what” you say a little too loudly.
“you heard me” she smirks definitely liking your shocked reaction.
she disinterestedly plays with a pink charm on her purse. she was going to make you ask to her to tell the rest of the story. you had to know a little bit more because wayv and nct 127 were both sub units. 
you hated girls like this.
“nene, can you please tell me a little more? if you can, i understand if you can’t but-”
“okay, it was like 5 months ago and i was at one of the recording studios downtown doing backup vocals for this really cool band called the rain and as i was going to get a snack they literally walked right past me.”
she retells the story so perfectly and without skipping a beat. you figured she was telling the truth. 
“and i totally make eye contact with taeyong. like eye contact” she emphasizes making big eyes at you while continuing.
“the recording manager said that they’d be on a break in 20 so i waited outside and when taeyong came out he says hi to me. and we talk for a little bit and he gives me his number! his actual phone number.”
“wow” you say trying to sound enthusiastic. maybe this was just a boring story and you shouldn’t have asked about it.
“so then a week later we set a date at the dorms... and you know” she says smiling cheekily at me. 
“he was super sweet too, he told me this funny story of when mark went on a date with a reporter because she kept writing bad articles about them and she totally thinks that he likes her and that they’re like dating or something. anyways, when i got there..”
your jaw dropped. it made sense now. why they were nice to you and became your friend so suddenly. 
god you were so dumb, 
why didn’t you think that the managers of wayv would also get the rough drafts of your report too. they definitely told the boys about what you had initially said.
it was apparent now that they were just using you so you’d write a positive report based off of friendship not truth.
“hey y/n?” nene says pinching your arm with her pointy nails. “oh...” she says while definitely trying to suppress her smile. “i forgot, aren’t you are reporter too?” she tilts her head looking at you bemusedly to see how you’d react.
“this is my stop” you say while gesturing to the red flashing light announcing the street that the dance studio is at.
“bye y/n!” nene screeches from inside the bus. “you know where to contact me!”
you wave meekly as the doors shut and the bus passes by you.
while walking to the studio your sadness of being deceived turns into anger and embarrassment. you hated celebrities and vocal majors and cold days and bagels. 
you walk into the building and find the room number you had written down on a piece of paper. you walk up two flights of stairs and down a large hallway with closed doors.
finally, you bust into their room to see them by the full length mirrors practicing formations.
they saw the pain and anger on your face and were frightened by how different you seemed.
“y/n, are you okay?” kun asks getting up off of the floor visibly concerned.
you knew that you shouldn’t do this here for so many different reasons. but you felt like you had too. wayv meant too much to you for it all to be fake.
“is this real.” you ask, staring at them and their confused expressions.
“y/n what do you mean-” kun starts
“is this real. is our friendship real?”
they look at you quizzically. why were you bringing this up now.
“yes, we’re friends now. remember we got past the whole hating eachother bit and banded together to make music and you were gonna write the article-”
you cut ten off sharply
“are you just being nice to me because of my job. because you want me to write something nice about you guys.”
they stay silent as you feverishly try to push back tears. the buzz of the room is so loud in your ears.
“i know this is dumb because we haven’t known eachother for long. but i thought that we were friends. i thought you guys- you superstars liked me for who i was. i- over this week i was really happy working and talking with you guys. i’m so stupid to think that you would actually like me.”
you started to get really nervous for speaking your thoughts to them in a rom-com fashion. you wanted to crawl into the floors and disappear.
everyone is quiet for a moment. thinking over what you said as you clutch the cold bagel in your purse trying not to cry.
“what about the song? do you think that was fake? or that we do that with every reporter?” lucas asks.
you look up at them.
“do you know what yan yu means?” yangyang asks
“of course” you reply. “ it means to speak”
“that’s going to be the name of our new title track.” he replies
you look at yangyang wanting him to explain.
winwin steps forward slightly looking at the ground.
“we called it yan yu because you allowed us to speak. because of all that you’ve done while you’ve been here. the thing we care about most isn’t the article, it’s having our own voices. we want to tell the world- through our music that we’re ready to be heard because we finally have something we can say that’s ours. this is all because of you, we can speak now because of you.”
you look into his eyes as they soften in the corners. you know that what winwin said is real because he never liked you enough in the first place to make up such a heartfelt lie. 
you start to melt a little as you continue to process the words.
“if we wanted you to write a positive article we would’ve just seduced you.” hendery says. “it’s easier and probably has faster results especially if there’s more of us-” 
you run and hug hendery before he finishes. you smile in his arms as he hugs you back. you pretend that you’re not crying but his shirt is probably wet now, so they’ll find out very soon.
 what they said was so sincere and nice. you were now convinced that what you had with the boys was real to them too.
all of your worries from early dissipate into the stale air above you. you felt someone hug you from behind only to feel lucas’s warm chest against your back. you smiled bigger as you felt the other members join your hug, feeling warmer and warmer each time a member joins.
a moment later when they were all silent you spoke, trying to not let your voice crack from your crying.
“you deserve to be heard. you guys have so many important things to say and a lot of music that needs to be listened to. i’m glad i could help you all become the fantastic artists you’ve always been.”
you feel the hug tighten around you and you swear your heart smiles within your chest. 
how were you ever going to phrase this in the report.
“no, xiaojuns arm is too far above lucas’s it looks weird.”
“are you sure that’s not what the video looks like?” ten questions walking over to inspect the boys formation.
“no shes right” he says moments later after glancing at the laptop screen.
he adjusts their arms and they slowly runs through the next steps as you try to compare them to the video they had given you on one of their laptops.
you stop them seconds later, “lucas coming down from the high kick you were behind by a few seconds and henderey you need to extend your leg more.”
they run the moves again as you enjoy your newfound power over the boys. they had been practicing a new intro choreo for their music bank performance for a little over two hours. 
you had agreed to help them because you thought it would be good to add how much hard work and dedication it took to just perform a two minute intro for your article. 
okay, another part of you also felt bad for barging into the practice room, accusing them of being fake friends and thinking that they were influencing you so you’d use the little power you did have to make them look good. maybe a little more of the second, but they didn’t need to know that.
“wait stop! did you guys change that cross formation there or was it in the second half.”
“um,” ten says while sweating and breathing vigorously from the nonstop motion. “we changed the triangle formation in the second half to the diagonal line. this is the cross formation.”
“okay, i wasn’t sure, i’ll mark it down. also lucas and yangyang you guys need to fix your levels on that cross because it looks unbalanced” you say while scribbling that down on the stage direction sheet.
“jeesh” xiaojun whispers to the boys, “she’s worse than our choreographer and that’s his actual job.”
the boys chuckle while glancing over at you as you wrote the note down.
“well we’ll be out of here faster and the performance will be good.” kun shrugs while trying to hold back how tired he really was.
lucas pokes kun’s shoulder with one of his long fingers and he goes tumbling down to the ground. the boys laugh hysterically.
“you won’t even be able to walk by the time we do have to perform!” lucas yells in his face while laughing at the tiny amount of pressure that had sent him tumbling to the ground.
“okay we’re gonna take it from the top one more time!” kun yells at you while trying to get up off the ground as the boys continue to laugh at him instead of helping him.
you nod and rewind the video. you had a few more notes but wasn’t sure if they could handle it today. kun seemed pretty tired so reluctantly you just pressed play and let the music run.
you watched the boys in such fascination at how fast and expertly their bodies moved. it was insane to you how some of them couldn’t even dance before becoming trainees but now were better than some professional dancers.
the boys were hard at work on this sunday afternoon. practicing the same painstaking motions over and over again until it morphed into art. to this day i will never understand how idols can turn such mundane actions into a performance piece worthy of national acclaim. for now i have only one solution, i believe there is something inside them that is extraordinary.
part 7 will be linked down here:)
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sometime-in-1995 · 5 years ago
Note
hi i saw ur post about sm and the graduation system and i’m kinda new to kpop and kpop companies, i was wondering if u could explain what the graduation system is?
Hi! Uhm Okay, please bare with me 'coz I don't know where to start or how to explain this properly but I'll try lol
Let's start with history, shall we?
So a graduation system is basically a group concept made by SM Entertainment a music label/entertainment company where SJ, SNSD, SHINEE, F(X), NCT, EXO, TVXQ, RED VELVET, BOA & others are housed. So as per my knowledge, the 'Graduation System' was first applied or given to Super Junior when they debuted in 2005 making their debut album titled as 'Super Junior '05'. Meaning, the 12-member original lineup back then will be reorganized (idk if that's the proper term) based on their performance making the members work hard or do their best if they want to be part of the next lineup for Super Junior '06. It's like competing with your own members. So basically, every year or every comeback, there's a different or a new set of members. On the following year (2006), they added another member which was Kyuhyun making SJ a 13-member group, the largest pop group in history so far at that time. There were backlash when Kyuhyun was added. Fans (ELF) were worried and threatened about the instability of the group and the uncertainty of the concept that they have. Fans were worried about the members' future after going through intense training for yearsss so basically they didn't like it. And then in 2007, SM introduced another new member featuring which was Henry in SJ's 'Don't Don' comeback. Backlash continued. SM didn't expect that SJ's first and original lineup would appeal to the public like that, afterall, SJ was known to be 'TVXQ's leftovers'... damn writing this hurts... After all the backlash that SM received, they never tried adding anymore members into SJ and cancelled the 'graduation system'. They made Henry and ZhouMi (both are Chinese) members of Super Junior - M (SJ's sub-unit based and marketed in China) instead. Yes, just a member of the sub-unit, not the main group. If you still don't know since you're new to KPop, SJ was the first group to ever venture into sub-units. Considering they have large number of members, SM saw this opportunity to utilize their artists. It's like value adding. The first sub-unit in KPop was Super Junior - K.R.Y, a ballad sub-unit composed of SJ's main vocalists: Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, & Yesung. So yeah, the graduation/rotational system failed with SJ. They remained as a 13-member group since then (15-members actually including sub-unit members Henry & ZhouMi) Basically, SJ was a lab rat for SM, an experimental group. They gave the graduation system to them and tested the sub-unit thing as trial and error.
Fast forward to 2012, SM debuted EXO with 12 members as a whole divided into 2 sub-units which were EXO - M (Mandarin; based in China) and EXO - K (Korea) with 6 members each. There were no graduation system in EXO although they are an improved version of the sub-unit concept given, tried and tested first by SJ. SM would like to think that they left the errors they encountered with SJ's sub-unit system and then apply the 'improved' version of it to EXO. Did it also fail? You tell me. I'm seriously hoping that history won't repeat itself on WayV. Once you get deeper into Kpop especially into SM groups, you'll see eventually the connection, trend, similarites and differences between SJ, EXO & NCT (SM's largest groups) and also their Chinese sub-units, Super Junior - M, EXO - M, and WayV respectively and realize how SM worked around this concept of graduation/rotational system and infinite members and infinite possibilities that they gave NCT.
Fast forward to 2016, NCT debuted with its first sub-unit NCT U which has this rotational concept. Apparently, in NCT's case, rotational system and graduation was made separate and different. Any member in NCT regardless of what fixed unit they belong to could debut and release a song & MV as a member of NCT U depending on whoever fits the song. It could be a duo, a solo, a trio, or indefinite number of members.
SM would like to think that they left the errors they encountered with SJ's graduation system and then apply the 'improved' version of it to NCT Dream. NCT Dream debuted in 2016 with the original lineup of 7 members composed of Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, & Jisung. They were literally just 14 - 18 years old (Korean age) back then, teenagers. And the graduation system that SM gave them was that when they reach the age of adulthood which is 20y.o in Korea, they have to 'graduate' or leave the group and re-debut separately into another fixed unit which is based in another country's city ('coz SM was planning to conquer the world through music somehow lol). So after reaching the age of 20, these kids who literally grew up together as childhood friends are bound to be separated. Mark turned 20y.o in 2018 and graduated by the end of the same year. The members threw him a Kamsa (Thank You) Party which is like a send-off party around Christmas time of 2018. He was no longer part of NCT Dream's activity or comebacks after that nor seen together with the other NCT Dream's members unless it's a full group (NCT as whole) activity. So in 2019, 00liners Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, & Jaemin turned 20y.o and were expected to graduate from the sub-unit at the end of the year just like Mark. But SM announced concert tour schedules for NCT Dream on November of 2019. Til 2020 came and Chenle also turned 20y.o and SM never mentioned anything about the graduation. Not until today April 14, 2020 where they finally broke their silence and announced that NCT Dream's graduation system is abolished and will adopt NCT U's rotational system instead making NCT Dream a fixed unit. I know this might cause confusion later on especially for new NCTzens so I'm gonna clear it up here now. NCT U's rotational system includes everyone in NCT and give them opportunity to collaborate and release a song regardless of the sub-unit they belong to. While NCT Dream's rotational system is only exclusive to NCT Dream's 7 members: Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, & Jisung.
SM isn't really good at taking back whatever they've started, they'll see to it that at some point, they'll still be able to push through their original plan. That's why I said on my previous post that they've 'compromised'. They didn't give in to our demands, they've 'compromised' thinking that this is the 'best' they could give us given the situation.
Other people say it's no big deal, they're still in the same group just not in the same sub-unit. Or they're just separated in sub-units, it doesn't mean they're no longer friends which is all true. But if it's just something that light of a thing to deal with, it wouldn't affect the members so much. SJ have mentioned in some ocassions before that the graduation/rotational system they had during debut was extremely hard on them because even if they didn't want to, the concept made them look at their members, their friends as rivals. It made them compete with each other. The managers kinda pressured them into thinking that way, the company made them feel that way. They were still budding into adulthood back then, around 18- 22y.o. They were struggling because their concept gave them so much uncertainty. Imagine joining the company at a young age aspiring to debut as an artist so you could put food on the table for your family (because most of SJ members came from poor families) so you went through years of intense training and then to debut in a group where your future isn't assured. While for NCT Dream, since they are childhood friends, some of them have said on ocassions before (specifically Jaemin & Jisung) that aside from their members, they don't have friends. Because they've dedicated their childhood in intense training. They didn't have the time to mingle with other kids in school because right after classes, they'd go straight to training so the only friends they know and have are their members. Think that all those years they were building that relationship together, while SM were planning to separate them from each other when they turn 20. SM even made Jeno, Haechan & Jaemin drop out of high school just a few months before their high school graduation to focus on NCT Dream's graduation. Think about how they were robbed of that opportunity. I specially/personally feel bad about knowing how Jeno enjoys school and excels in academics. Think about how hard they cried during their first ever concert The Dream Show thinking that it might be their first and last concert together because even themselves don't know what SM plans to do with them after graduation. That's what the 'graduation system' does to young group of people. Although the concept is not all bad, but it's not nice to play with other people's emotions like that. That's why no one wants it.
So yeah, that concludes my explanation. Sorry if it's kinda information overload. I think, while writing, it became more of a vent/rant more than explaining. 😅
If there's any of ya'll who comes across this post may correct me (politely, of course) if any of the info I've wrote were wrong. Thank you. I hope this helps to you dear and to any Kpop newbies out there 😊
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yuuana · 2 years ago
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Music Monday #210: JAEHYUN - Forever Only release: August 2022 genre: Kpop, R&B
Monday again and oh look, still on my Kpop bullshit. At least this time it's a different subgenre? Stressed out jaguar burrows into comfort sounds when stressed so yeah, the two musical spaces I've been in this month are ATEEZ and K-R&B, so shoot me.
Jaehyun's second appearance via SM Station and first solo on NCT LAB is a heartfelt, up-tempo R&B ballad that, unsurprisingly, had me hooked from the second that acoustic guitar lick started. What can I say? This jagu has predictable tastes. And a weakness for a guy who plays guitar and can serenade me with such a sweet voice. Worse(ish), this goes back to the trend of being an up-tempo love song whose lyrics are full of melancholy (select English CC for official translation). Even Jaehyun admits there's wiggle room for hope in the lyrics he wrote, but the overall vibe is meant to be a wistful melancholy, which lives more in his voice than it does in the backing track.
The music video leans more atmospheric over narrative, the camera spending most of the time on Jaehyun as he sings the song, first in "his" room and then transitioning to the beach. The beach "set" is really perfect for the vibe, the deep blues of a night shoot and the warmer yellows and reds of fire light (both actual and simulated). (what do you mean, my night-and-wild-water bias is showing?) It's another dimension of soothing
Of course, NCT means SMCU means asking the lore question. Shortest answer: not lore. Like Taeyong's "Ghost," this is a passion project Jaehyun's been working on for some time now, something he co-wrote as part of a conversation with his fans. The song itself is a vibe check and the video is, as noted, much more about building an atmosphere rather than telling a story. Between SM Station being a non-lore place in general and LAB being a sub-space of Station meant specifically for showcasing what the ever-growing NCT is able to do musically, this is not a surprise.
"Forever Only" is out now wherever you prefer to stream music, including Amazon, Deezer, and Tidal. NCT just wrapped SMTown 2022 Tokyo with the rest of SM, with NCT 127 tour tickets on sale now (or maybe sold out, depending on when you read this, since they tend to go fast).
Want to see Music Monday deep dives more often? Sponsor a song selection! For the low, low price of one (1) KoFi, I'll write up the song of your choice. ANY song of your choice. Yes, even that one that's been played to death. Yes, your obscure faves too. With sponsors, I can stop skipping weeks and falling further and further behind in the releases! Sponsor a current CB for the next open Music Monday slot or sponsor a throwback for a Thursday feature! But seriously, if you've been enjoying my selections and analyses, we (me and the foster kittens) would love a KoFi in thanks. DW | Twitter | Ko-fi | Patreon | Discord | Twitch
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grlfriends · 4 years ago
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giovanna give us your #controversial kpop takes!! you seem passionate abt ***** being mediocre 👀👀👀
omg anon this is definitely going under a read more
ok so it's not that I think they are mediocre but rather that I know how much being from a big company can determinate your success, onces will go on and on about how much jyp was broke before them and how sixteen had a low viewership rate and how jyp was almost "out" of the big3 (a lie bc if that was truly the case then yg wouldnt be considered big3 rn, big3 is about how much influence and power you have on media yes it's related to how rich the company is but not all that matters when we all know that's not even being considered by anyone lmao) but at the end of the day no matter what they were still under big3?? the amount of money they had to even START a show about the group and then to film the like ooh ahh mv was huge man, onces make it seem like they had 10 dollars and a dream when that was definitely not the case, I know I seem bitter about this but bc I'm a fan of a group who was truly in that situation it just seems so fake and attention seeking?? yall know how much an mv like like ohh ahh and cheer up cost?? yall know how much producers and outfits and hair and makeup and studio and everything else costs?? jyp was always powerful and just bc they were in a bad time and bc they got more rich after twice it doesnt mean they were # broke before them, of course luck is a factor in any situation but let's be honest, do you think if a company was that broke and if twice had done that badly in their debut an mv like cheer up would even exist?? it's expensive y'all
also about the mediocre thing: I dont think they are mediocre but rather that no twice track has made me fall in love with them, I do like some songs but that's it, I feel like after their cheer up promotions jyp was very smart and played all the right moves and got them even bigger, they are not mediocre but we all know jyp has a fucked up ear that has rejected THE iu and THE yuju which is now considered top3 best vocalists of the 3rd generation (along with eunji from apink and wendy from rv) and I dont think they have been necessarily giving them the songs that fit their voices the best, some of them are able to adapt better (nayeon) and some are not (ie: momo voice was too deep for some of her parts in more and more), at the end of the day it still sounds nice if you're not listening to the live locals, their choreography is okay but is more focused on going viral than anything lmao, it's not bad but you can definitely see the comeback their team opened their email box and found out about all the emails about onces having to defend themselves bc twice had easy choreographies and SOME members were still not doing okay vocally and then decided to turn up their difficultly level to catch up with the current trend among ggs at the time ON THE TOP OF making them a token gg (along bp) to white gays listen and like bc they werent cute like that anymore and were doing hard choreographies so they were # not like the other ggs and this only expanded twice fan numbers in western countries (I also think that the bigger a group is the more their fans get obsessed with them and stop caring about their song quality and only listen to them bc they're a fan not bc they truly enjoy the music anymore you know?? I feel like feel special was okay but if a smaller gg like idk weki meki (I know it's not their sound but bear with me) or even a nugu gg like pink fantasy had released it it wouldnt have achieved 10% of the numbers it did or even made these groups have a bigger fanbase you know??) so do I think if they were from an actual broke nugu company they would have be as famous as they are now releasing the same songs? no and there's nothing wrong with that, kpop isn't a talent show and it's more about how well known you are with the most basic stuff
once again, I know this is too big of an essay for someone who has said they dont think they are mediocre but honestly that's my opinion and at the end of the day it doesn't matter bc they're still million sellers but that's my opinion ✌🏻 also do I think they're the nation's gg? no that's snsd and will always be
other hot and spicy takes:
bgs should go cute again, where's my fresh and energizing concepts?? astro why did you leave us in the dark?? sm why did you ruin nct dream when you could have made them comeback under another name/unit and make dream remain with the cute concept still
if any bigger gg had released queen by 3ye everyone would have lost their minds, it's the girlboss anthem everyone is looking for and no one knows about, everything from choreography to the lyrics is what blinks think bp is doing in terms of power
I miss gfriend intros so much :(( source PLEASE listen to this poor soul and give us intros, i cant stop thinking about how good the sots album intro would have been with that yuju siren call notes
also about gfriend but ma'am. apple supremacy, this is hands down their best release and best album this year (even tho I'm in live with three of cups and grwm for as long and the songs have been out) and also I wish crossroad had a bigger impact in the instrumental, the guitar should have been louder and it should have appeared sooner, the post chorus (that part they sing about the star) should have something more so it wouldn't feel as flat as it kinda did
↳ and I think that the beginning and bridge choreography should have been not that, specially the bridge..... that arm movement and the walking becomes okay after a while and getting used to it but still, it should have been anything else, let sinb choreograph a part of the title track for a change please
normalize people saying gfriend were robbed in 2016, rough WAS the 2016 soty and no one can tell me otherwise, people were so mad a nugu gg had the catchiest song of the year 2 years in a row (me gustas tu and then rough) they literally boycotted my girls 🤒
CONTROVERSIAL but I dont think rv has the best choreography and bsides in kpop..... their fans are just too used to noise and saying everything is # a concept (but the Russian roulette mini album DAMN it was amazing)
↳ also their title tracks..... it's been a wild ride but the ride is in flames and about to explode
I miss seventeen fun songs, now they're all about being edgy and dark and it's okay I guess but I miss their early days so so much, everything since thanks (even tho it was released close to my bday I have to admit I dont think it's that good either....) has not been it and it made me stop being a fan, I loved them so so much once and now all I have is old pretty u performances and funny gifs of them on their gose eps 😔 svt comeback with the pastel colors I miss those days of your youth
↳ also I cant believe pledis still has trainees when they're probably going to debut another bg when svt enters military years and then will be working in their solos and/or units since a gg wil be boycotted by pledis after 2 years maximum
the loona lore is 100% more about orbits going crazy over anything than BBC actually planning out stuff, their mvs are like any other aesthetic mv y'all
↳ also on the loona topic I dont think they're the powerful dancers people make them out to be, they have beautiful choreographies and are in sync that's all
↳ can orbits please STOP the ch*ves madness, yves is so straight it hurts and people are turning this into a l*rry of kpop almost
↳ when is haseul coming back 😭 people are calling Kim lip the leader for the longest time and it makes me mad seeing haseul forgotten like that.... maybe when she comes back loona will stop having those sm adjacent (derogatory) songs
I cant believe korean people have turned as you wish by wjsn the top end of the year song to enter the new year when dreams come true is RIGHT!! THERE!!! as is just much better by simply being good where as you wish, well, it wishes 😶
↳ ot13 wjsn was the best and their only good releases as ot10 was boogie up and save me save you, yuehua and starship if any of you break ot13 I'm going insane and beating everyone involved
cant believe non stop was the sing that made oh my girl famous when closer exists and they were not problematic yet, non stop is an attack on peoples ears and sucks so bad there's nothing remotely good or even okay about it (actually, their last good song was a-ing bc that's when jine was there 😢 other than that bungee was okay and banana allergy monkey was quite catchy too) also yooa has an annoying voice idk how they chose HER to debut solo
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flowerspecial · 5 years ago
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I.M falls in love with another artist
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Being brand new into this industry, you didn't really know what to expect. You had never expected for your career to blow up like this. Your mother had pushed you to send a video of you singing to a local record company. And here you were. One of the hottest new artists of the year. You had to relocate to America, so you felt somewhat lonely. Uprooting your life is never easy, and adding the enormous gamble of whether you will actually make it or not. Your heart had been on edge for a while now.
Your manager had booked you into what seemed like hundreds of interviews and talk shows. Your promotion was huge. Your manager had put a lot of money and time into making you a known name in every household. Every interviewer had told you that you were a breath of fresh air coming into this industry. Your voice was deep and strong, it resonated through any arena that you performed in. It's almost as if your voice was that bridge between musical theatre, and jazz. You had this Aretha Franklin vibe going on, and it was greatly received by the public.
Normally at the end of an interview, you are requested to sing a song for the audience. It's a great way for people to get that little taste of who you are as a performer. Your most recent interview was with none other James Corden. James Corden was your favourite talk show host, so you wanted to make this interview better than the others. As the interview proceeded, James began to ask you rather basic questions, such as, how did you get discovered, what's it like living in America etc. But James being James, he’s always going to throw in a cheeky question here and there. That’s just in his nature.
“So, is there anyone on the scene?” James asked you, smirking.
“I’m afraid not.” You replied, shrugging your shoulders slightly to the camera. “I’m not that lucky in love I’m afraid.”
“But you write songs about heartbreak, so surely there must be something there?” He said quizzically.
“I mean I’ve watched my friends experience heartbreak. And I’ve seen enough heartbreaks on tv to know the essence of one. You don’t have to have direct experience with the thing you are writing about it. It's all about embellishment.” You’ve rehearsed this answer so many times, it reels off like an automated response. James did have a fair point. You do tend to write songs that are more melancholic, but that's just because those types of songs show off your vocals the best. Also, you’ve always had quite the sad, dramatic heart. So you found writing lyrics that are more on the sad side much easier than writing about sunshine and rainbows.
“Is there anyone in the industry that you would like to collaborate with?” James asked.
“I mean it's still early days for me. So honestly if anyone reached out, I’d probably say yes. But I would love to work with a K-pop group. They are all dominating right now so it would be cool to see their process to creating music.”
“So BTS?” James said, which elicited a deafening roar of applause and cheers from the audience.
“BTS are a definite. But also groups like NCT or Monsta X. I love Monsta X, so that collab would be a dream come true.” You spoke like a true fan girl, clutching your chest when you mentioned Monsta X. You had been following the group since they debuted, and so if there was any chance in the world that you could do a collaboration with them, you were down.
At the end of the interview, you began to prepare yourself for your performance. When you are on stage, you tend to stand off to the side. This is because you love having dancers be the focal point. You have always said that dancing accentuates the points that the singer tries to get across with the lyrics. You also preferred your lighting to be quite dark. The darkness matched with the soulfulness of your voice, which helped transport the audience into this almost eerie but nonetheless beautiful place that you tried to emulate.
The following day, you woke up to a frenzy of notifications buzzing on your phone. The light dazzled you slightly, but you saw that all of your friends were telling you to get onto twitter pronto. On twitter you saw that your name was trending, but it wasn't just your name. It was your name and Monsta X that was trending. Confused, you click on the hashtag and began scrolling through to see what everyone is going on about.
Your eyes practically doubled in size when you saw that you had been mentioned on Monsta X’s official Twitter page. You dropped the phone in astonishment. Your heart was beginning to race as you could possibly think what they had said. Maybe it was to say thank you for mentioning them? Or maybe it was to say that they hated you and wanted nothing to do with you? Okay, so you realise that maybe you were beginning to run away with yourself. So you picked up the phone to read the message:
We love you too! We would love to work with you sometime! Message us - Changkyun
Was this real? You thought to yourself. Was this actually real life? Did the real Changkyun from Monsta X genuinely just tell you that he is down to work with you? You honestly didn't know how to process this information. So you just sat upright on your bed staring blankly at your phone. What was the protocol here? Should you actually message them? Or were they just being nice for the sake of their image? You was conflicted about your next move but thankfully that decision was taken out of your hands as a notification had popped up that you had a message.
We are working in the same studios that you work in. If you are free at all today, maybe you could come down and we could talk about the collaboration? - Changkyun
You smiled at yourself and thought it was cute that Changkyun was the one who messaged you and mentioned you on twitter. But maybe that was just because he was one of the strongest in English. You didn't want to make a mountain out of a molehill.
After reading the message you sprang off your bed and began to rush around your house. You needed to have a shower, brush your teeth, have breakfast, get dressed, the list was endless. And you know that phenomena that when you are in a rush, everything goes wrong and things keep slowing you down? Well, that was indeed happening to you. It took you ages to finally get out of the house, but thankfully the studios were only a short drive away.
Walking into the studios, you felt nervous in a way. People always say that you should never meet your idols. What happens if they are actually all horrible people? Or maybe this is just one big joke to humiliate you. You pushed the door of your studio slightly, and you sighed in relief as you saw Changkyun sat in there.
“Hey, it's nice to meet you.” You bowed slightly trying to show your respect. But you felt a tad awkward, so you also put your hand out for him to shake. He laughed at your cute little introduction but took your hand anyway.
“Likewise. Your performance last night was amazing. I was stunned.” Changkyun said smoothly. You cursed yourself inwardly as you began to feel a bit hot under his gaze.
Trying to look anywhere, except at Changkyun, you looked across the room. But something didn't seem quite right. “Wait, where is everyone else?” You hadn't noticed it when you first walked in, but now you had realised that Changkyun was alone.
“Oh, the others have something right now but they are coming later!” He sensed your body shift slightly. “Is that okay? If not we can just wait for them to come! I just thought that you and I could get started now. Besides, the other boys don’t really speak English that well so it would be me doing all the talking anyway.”
“Yeah it's fine with me! It just seems strange with only one of you being here. I’m used to seeing all of you together.” You giggled slightly at the end. You took a seat on a chair near the recording deck and patted the seat next to you for Changkyun to sit in. “Now, is there anything you definitely do or definitely don’t want out of this collab?”
“I would like to do something that shows off your voice. You have the best voice I have ever heard. It's so soothing yet powerful. It's like nothing I’ve ever heard before.” As Changkyun confessed, his eyes captured yours and he held them hostage. You was flattered by his sweet words. Due to your rather sudden success, you had grown accustomed to compliments. Many of which you could tell were not said sincerely. But you felt touched by Changkyun’s comments. You could tell that he was speaking from his heart.
“Thank you so much, I’m flattered. I’ve been a huge fan of yours since you debuted. I am honestly shocked that I even get to be in the same room as you!” You replied, prying your eyes away from his. What you didn't notice, as you had looked away, was the faintest of smiles that danced on Changkyun’s lips. He studied the features of your face as if he was about to take an exam in them. He could stare at you all day, and one day he intended on doing just that. But for now, he remembered why you two were here in the first place.
“So I’m thinking, to go with your aesthetic. We could a slow song but with a good beat in the background. That way me and Joohoney could rap. We could even get the other boys to harmonise with you!” His eagerness to appease you was charming.
“I like it. But I don’t actually mind doing something a bit more uptempo. My manager did say it would be good to have at least one song that is different from the rest. That way I can test the waters, you know?”
The afternoon continued as you bounced ideas between each other. In the end you had settled on a fast-ish paced song. Something that really hits hard. We are talking Shoot Out times a thousand. Lyrics was something you always found quite easy to come up with. And working with Changkyun made it even easier, if that was even possible. You seemed to constantly be thinking on the same wavelength. You threw lyrics out left right and centre and Changkyun just had this undeniable talent for making them all connect. As you worked, you sat very close to each other, your shoulders touching. Changkyun would forever be leaning into your personal space to read what you have written. Not that you minded of course.
Changkyun suggested that you should go into the booth and have a mess around with some of the vocals that you might like to feature. That way he could really get a feel for who you are as an artist. Messing around, he told you to go full on Christina Aguilera. And you did just that. The songs that you produce don’t necessarily require that type of singing. You need to be strong in your voice, but you don’t really need to do a lot of runs or belting out. So it's nice to actually see if your voice is capable. Changkyun was truly mesmerised by your talent. He'd only suggested singing like that as a joke, and yet here you were making a joke out of him. You shocked him every way possible, and he loved it. You took your headphones off for a second, just to get a drink.
“We are definitely using that in the song!” He exclaimed, using his hands to show his undeniable excitement.
“Are you sure? I don’t think it sounds that good.”
“You are joking right?” Changkyun stands up and places a hand on each shoulder. “You know I’m just saying this because you are stood in front of me. I truly think you are the best singer I have ever heard! You make everything seem effortless and I could listen to you for hours. You need to show the world that you can sing like that!”
“I guess I could do it once. Just to try it.” Before you or him registered what he was doing. Changkyun embraced you in tight arms and lifted you off the group slightly. He thought you were the most endearing person he had ever met.
“Well excuse me, looks like we are interrupting something.” A voice said. You jumped away from Changkyun in embarrassment. You looked over at who was speaking, and you saw the rest of Monsta X stood before, smirking at you both.
“Oh no, nothing is happening here. We are just working” You quickly spluttered out. You rubbed your arms in comfort and looked at the floor awkwardly.
“Clearly,” Minhyuk began. “Hey Chan, why don’t you hug me like that when we are working?” He asked suggestively.
“Please shut up.” Changkyun mumbled to his older member, clearly mortified with what he was insinuating.
“Okay, okay. Well are you at least going to show us what you have been working on. It seems like Channie here wants you all to yourself.” Minhyuk said.
“I thought you had meetings earlier? That’s why you couldn't get here.” You asked confused.
“Nope. Chan told us this time.” You tried to look at Changkyun but he was looking at the floor with bright red cheeks. “Clearly he didn't want us to ruin the moment.”
Looking at Changkyun, you decided not to press on it further. The boy looked like he would feel this humiliation for days. So instead, you went to the desk and pressed play to show the rest of the boys what you two had been working on. The boys left cheeky comments here and there about Changkyun’s obsession with you. The boys were eager to tell you that he had watched every video and interview that you had ever been on. And they were sure on telling you that when you mentioned on TV that you were a fan, he all but fainted on the spot.
When it was time to leave, the boys filled out of the room quickly, leaving you and Changkyun alone once again.
“I’m really sorry about what they said earlier. It's true, I am a huge fan of yours, when you said you’re a fan of us, I may have screamed a little. So I understand if you think that I am coming on too strong. Or was sneaky for wanting to spend some time with you on my own…” Changkyun rambled on. The best way of shutting him up that you could think of was to place a tender kiss on his cheek. It worked wonders.
“You know, I think it works perfectly that I’m a fan of you and you're a fan of me. It shows we both have excellent taste in music.” You winked at him, causing him to giggle slightly. “But it also means that you will have my best intentions at heart. It means that you will care for me and nurture me when I need it. It means that I think you and I should go on a date sometime.”  Changkyun struggled to contain his elation at your comment. He grabbed both of your hands and kissed the back of each. He pulled you in close to his chest, and said softly.
“Well, what about now?”
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