#for the record I do not involve myself in kpop fandom I just like watching silly little music videos on my own in peace

[leahdrawsstuff]

Sorry I need to go slightly insane about something for a second.

So I was reading this NME article about the song Guilty by Taemin, minding my own business, until I came across this paragraph:

I read that quote and was like um not to make everything about Utena but that sounds exactly like Utena. Like “crack the world’s egg”. Utena absolutely had to have been inspired by this book too.

And lo and behold, look at the title of the OST track that plays during the student council scene:

Maybe this is some obvious basic shit to the kinds of people who have dug into every single literary reference made in Utena, but as someone who hasn’t done that and also has never heard of this book before I feel extremely validated that I read a random quote in an unrelated article, thought “this gives me Utena vibes”, and turned out to be 100% correct

[dearweirdme]

https://x.com/BIGHIT_MUSIC/status/1818112395048595545?t=ZFr9UZMp6rbjV1LKKRzU4g&s=19

(The translation)

🤣🤣🤯That company... is really something. And also there are two things playing with my neurons right now (stream neuron by hobi)

1. Maybe I should watch the entire suchwita interview by myself and not rely on a solo reply, but apparently the company decided to make them shoot something at the last minute. I'm not saying they forced them or anything similar, but I just had this thought : what if in the future, jk and jm don't plan on "feeding" their shippers anymore. And let's say the company kind of knew. About the fanservice so they kind of decided to throw something just like that. Just to fuel. But I can be wrong tho. It can also be something that jk and jm decided to do long ago and the company just brought it back up.

2. I'm a tkkr and honestly if this was in taekook case, I would have yelled out of happiness. But then i would have closed my mouth shut the minute i'll remember they are behind the barracks. 🤣 I saw one jikkr and there are probably plenty others, saying we are mad and that jkk is tgt. 🙈🙈

There are a lot of places I wanna explore. One of them is jkk brain. Seriously. They are really strong believer, because by now, if this was me I would have been convinced two men that I think are each other's husband are nothing more than buddies.

I say it all the time and I will say it again for any jikkr lurking (without hate) : South Korea has a fcked up law where two men who enlist together cannot be more than buddies or family. The moment the opposite is proven, they'll be thrown in prison and whatever career they have kind of end there. Now I don't know about any other kpop group but I do know that in no world BTS will go to a place like that, which we know dang well stress them out and they want it to be over as soon as possible, and make two of them who are supposedly a couple, enlist, while they plan on coming back as a group. This is a risky and stupid move. A big one at that.

And there's no " BUT IF THIS WAS TAEKOO-" because yes jk did want to go in Taehyung division but he didn't. He said he wanted to and he didn't!! That's the real difference right here.

Ps : ( I think that tweet is no big deal. I just wanted to vent a little.)

Hi anon!

We all need to vent a bit at times right 😊?

So... the translation on X says "a page of youth and romance". I did read in the comments that it can be translated as "bromance" though.. which falls in line with what we've seen I think. My Korean is level zero, so I'm always hesitant when it comes to these things.

Your "feeding" actually inspired my former post about Jm and Jk feeding Jkkrs. I think we've all been talking a lot about fanservice, feeding, real connections, company content, etc.. a lot these last couple of months. No wonder with one side of fandom wanting the JmJk travel show to be a romantic private getaway, and the rest of us seeing that this wasn't that. I mean, there's obviously a team with them, plans were made.. there is no way around that.

I think what's most likely, is that Jm thought about what he wanted to do for army. Somehow the idea of doing a travel show with Jk reëntered his thoughts, he got excited, Jk got excited, the company got real excited and made it happen. That's not a bad thing. It does not undermine their friendship if this is what happened. Things can easily be two things at once. So this being for army doesn't mean Jk and Jm aren't also actually close. It being recorded inbetween Jk's promo is perhaps ill timing, but it's also still very possible that Jk really wanted to do it. He loves Jm (platonically.. don't get excited Jkk lurkers), he loves doing stuff for army, he's a hard worker. I think that literally is it.

Now the company involvement is a different thing ofcourse. Because we know they don't shy away from editing stuff a certain way and adding captions that might be suggestive. I think the company definitely plays into shipping and shipping wars.

I mean, as Tkkrs we don't really expect content like this. It's the same way I never expected Jk and Tae to enlist together the way Jm and Jk did. There's just boundaries to what they can do, we know that. Aside from Jkk shenaniganse, I love that Jm and Jk enlisted together. I think they are such a huge source of comfort to each other, and I think knowing they would go together probably soothed some of the unease they were feeling while preparing for this.

[angel-is-not-creative]

SwampCon

I have to admit, I was a little embarrassed walking through all the Honor Society students and the middle school science fair kids in cosplay at 9 in the morning but I persevered.

I did go to high school in cosplay once for spirit day however I was insufferable in high school so I try not to think about it. I've never been to an actual convention before though so this was a first.

I am pretty heavily involved in fandom culture but god I was shocked by the amount of anime I did not know. I also felt incredibly old because where were the Hetalia cosplays?! I didn't see a single one and it just feels like as a community we have forgotten our dark past. Though I did see a homestuck cosplay so I have some hope left.

I attended for the entirety of the day on Saturday, most of my time was spent volunteering but I did manage to spend $80 somehow like I really don't know what came over me.

Volunteering was very nice and laid back and it is something I will likely be doing next year as well. I was a bit upset that I didn't get to check out the maid cade because I was so busy but I know that it will be back next year so it's cool.

I really enjoyed watching the kpop dancing panel, I don't know anything about it but the dancers looked really good and everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun.

To be honest, I don't think I have complimented this many people in my life, there were so many cool cosplays and a lot of them were from some of my favorite shows (lots of sk8 the infinity which I loved, a few soul eater and danganronpa ones as well).

The artist alley is where I lost all of my money. There were so many talented artists with amazing pieces and I'm a huge sucker for supporting small artists. Here is my haul (plus a pair of horns that are not pictured).

For the record I have never even seen My Hero Acadamia I just really love Present Mic and this print was just so cool I couldn't not purchase it. The posters are so amazing and I had to stop myself from buying more things. These were all an investment into my happiness and honestly, cash isn't even real money.

Javi's bad fanfiction reading panel was so funny, I feel a little guilty for contributing in the emotional turmoil of a couple dozen people with my very enthusiastic vote for the most horrendous fanfiction known to man, but also I think those people left just a little more cultured. Fanfiction is a vital part of fan culture and we cannot deny how much of it is just straight-up horrible and frankly disturbing so much of it is (I read over 15 million words of fanfiction last year so I am qualified to speak on this). I did have to leave a little early because at that point I had been at the con for over 12 hours and was starting to fall asleep in my chair.

I met a lot of cool people throughout the day, and it was really nice just knowing that you already have a shared interest. Within the first few hours of being there, someone asked me if I was a "button, keychain, or sticker autistic" and when I told them I was a sticker autistic they handed me a swampcon sticker. It was a really nice moment for me I don't know why.

The other volunteers were also all so kind I didn't really come to the con with anyone but I was always talking to someone throughout the day because everyone was so friendly and open. I even got to talk about Hetalia ships with someone which just made my day. I ran into a lot of you guys there as well which was so fun. If you saw me after like 1 then my wig was off because that thing was way too itchy to wear for a full day, I only made it like 4 hours.

Next year I will not be spending all of my money and I'm gonna drag some of my friends along to make sure I get to do all of the activities like maid cafe and the Miku concert (I did not attend but I helped pass out glowsticks so you may have seen me hehe). This was actually so much fun and I would have attended on Sunday as well if I didn't have so much homework to do.

This was me at the beginning of the day with my volunteer badge :P

[alottamoney]

This is very frustrating because you can't be messaged.Nevertheless I would like to share something very serious with you. These are strictly speculation. Firstly I would like to clear my position with Taekook.Long story short: I believe them.

Quite recently I stumbled upon a theory about Taekook's coming out process that seemed very logical to me.The summary of the theory is, the art that BTS has been releasing from the beginning,or from 2015-16 to be exact, have been quite evidently inspired by Taekook's journey from discovering themselves, to then losing themselves, to then finally be able to find their happiness and true-self with each other.From Stigma, to DNA,to FAKE LOVE.A lot of BTS songs are talking about a hurtful love filled with sadness.Also, the kind of songs Taekook listens to and covered from the beginning traces that journey from sadness to happiness.From the official songs,Singularity, The truth untold,Heartbeat,House of Cards,Whalien,Make it Right to name a few.It's justified to assume that BANGPD supports them and love them.But if it is so then why the separation from time to time?According to this theory it is to prepare the ARMY very slowly to getting used to Vkook.We have seen since 2017 taekook is used to promote the Album the most,to hype it up,and once the Album's released,it's the watchful eyes again.BangPd was very supportive of Jkwon,a kpop idol who likes drag.But he also told him that you cannot throw a stone into a still lake and expect everyone to be fine with it.It will take a long time to get the water to settle down.What bangpd is doing with Taekook is he is engineering a very long process of getting people used to the message of acceptance through messaging of their album,love myself,be yourself.He is creating a generation that is used to these ideas so that when that stone lands,there will be no ripple.

Now nitpicking time.Tae and BangPD share a mutual dislike for each other.It's not a secret.Because Tae made it obviously clear on many occasions. Everyone in the kpop world knows it.Starting from Taekook's relationship, V was being portrayed as a non-essential member.Idk if it was a coincidence,but taekook is the king of coincidence and the timing somehow matches.It got to the point where he had only 1/2 lines in a song. If you know Tae's journey, you would know and I'm not gonna elaborate the extent to which it was bad.I also get the feeling he doesn't like Kookie's personality(he doesn't respect him) because he has a psychological need for Tae built in him.The golden Child of BTS.If BangPD is supporting Taekook and engineering their smooth coming out,and taekook are in on it,then why do they seem displeased when separation happens?It has happened so many times that there is no other option to consider than them being unhappy with the situation.

My pessimism will take over from this point.It's about money in the end.I personally believe BangPD supports lgbt.Before elaborating on my point I want to present someone else's viewpoint who I had a discussion with.They are even more pessimistic than me.A bit hilarious too.According to them if BangPD really supported Lgbt he would not try to corner Tae like that.It's an unwritten code among lgbt that you hold each other's relationship up despite your personal things.According to them BangPD used all these messages for marketing purposes and used Taekook and the members as a gimmick for it.That's why he was okay with Jikook but not taekook.Tae did not like jikook happening on stage to the extent it was happening but it was given a free pass in the name of it being just a job.According to this person,an lgbt supporting person would never do something like that to a lgbt relationship.Scary stuff.

Now my elaboration : BangPD is not necessarily protecting Taekook or BTS,he is protecting his investment. He wants to engineer a smooth path for their coming out but only under his term?I know before military it's unthinkable and even after that, my opinion is Taekook are not the declaring in a statement type couple.They prove by actions,not by words.That's why I am a bit confused as to what pd's thoughts are regarding Taekook future.All I know is that Tae does not like it when someone instructs him how to behave in his own relationship.He's been throwing middle fingers left and right to whoever can see.If they are not on the same page with Pd's plan for them,then....what?On a sidenote: I am sure JJK and KTH1 mixtapes are getting delayed due to profit sharing issues.You just know they are going to break every record out there.V said in 2019 that his mixtapes were ready for release that year,and he wanted to see how ARMY react to it and then he uttered something very interesting"It's going to be delayed anyway"..then he laughed in the brattiest way possible at the staffs while spoiling 😂 BH couldn't get that sweet sweet money from "Sweet Night".Going back to my previous point,it really seems like everything is connected to money.Does BANGPD want a situation where if Taekook have to come out,whether by accident or something else,he can be there to take advantage of the situation?Like saying he supported them all along,and the money will come in as support for them pours in.Idk how that will a viable situation.For one, Tae will consider eating poison before agreeing to letting PD use his personal relationship for circus,and it's fair to assume BangPD knows it.Then what about the possibility that PD really is like a strict parent,who wants the best for his children even though his methods are torture.Did he think taekook not being a couple was in their best interest?Taekook's interest/BTS' interest?Like I said, I personally believe pd supports lgbt.He doesn't like Tae's personality,his rebellious streak.I could be wrong but would his personal dislike move him to create tough situation for taekook even though he supports lgbt.It seems unlikely because wouldn't it create unhealthy environment within the group,pd must have known this.Or did he think it's just a teenage romance,one push and it will break easily.All of these possibilities because all I have gotten that TK are not happy when their relationship is micromanaged.

Now there's Lisa in JK's Vlive correcting his steps in Euphoria.Guess we are all delulu at this point.I really think that was Lisa though.Don't ask.I'm sorry for this long ask.Please share with me what you think.

Hi anon, I'm happy that you shared your views on Taekook. My opinion on this topic might be disappointing but I'll share anyway.

First, I don't have a coming out theory because I don't think any BTS member would willingly reveal any sort of romantic relationship because of the fan frenzy around them.

I don't analyze MVs, lyrics, and such because these things involve a lot of input from a lot of people: producers, composers, lyricists, designers, stylists, choreographers, etc. It's much more than just BTS sharing personal stories and trying to find clues about the members' private lives from them is a pointless venture according to me. The covers and song recommendations made by Tae and Jungkook in the earlier years, like you pointed out, have more weightage in this regard.

About Bang and his relationship with Tae and Jungkook: I think there is a large gap between fandom perception and what has actually been shown. While I don’t think Tae is Bang’s bias, I also don’t think he dislikes him or is out to sabotage him. It is even possible that him “favoring” Jungkook does not extend beyond his potential marketability. He seems indifferent for the most part to them as individuals. Assuming Tae and Jungkook are in a relationship, I agree that maybe Bang did not take it seriously until he had to. He could also have done a lot more damage than just separate them on screen or cut them out of content so I don’t think he micromanages them outside work (or may he tried and Tae and Jungkook are just that inseparable🤷🏻‍♀️). He might even consider it beneficial, not in a direct financial manner but in that it makes them easier to control and monitor- two less NDAs to worry about. It doesn’t help that Tae and Jungkook are also very erratic in a way that can’t be attributed to company micromanagement. That could explain some inconsistencies, they’re also figuring it out (and they’re a bit dramatic about it in my opinion).

Jokwon hasn't said anything about his sexuality explicitly, I don't know if this counts as an example of Bang's support of the LGBTQ community but he seems open-minded enough and he hasn't said or done anything homophobic. Tae and Jungkook though are part of his biggest cash cow so, while he might not be homophobic it's not a stretch to assume he has different standards for them vs Jokwon who isn't signed to his label. About using the members and Jikook as a gimmick, I think that is simultaneously complicated but also not that deep and it’s probably a separate discussion; in short, I don’t think Bang is thinking farther than taking advantage of and promoting a popular (easier?) ship but it seems to have affected the relationship of the members involved (Disclaimer: I don’t think that all permutations and combinations of relationships between the members have a possibility of being “real”. I don’t think it’s an everyone loves everyone situation.)

Will Bang or the company try to take the credit if Taekook are outed by accident? The way they act, I feel like they are pretty confident that no such thing will happen. In the very minute chance that it does, I think they'll wash their hands of Taekook and let them fend for themselves. I don’t think they’ve done the groundwork to benefit from such a situation nor do I think they are making it easy for Taekook. The narratives put forth in In The Soop and other content do the opposite of cushioning the blow. There’s no overall consistency and it’s really hard to predict how such things will play out, so I don’t know if they have any plans centered around Taekook right now much less back when they discovered that Taekook might not be typical bandmates. 

I'm not sure what you meant by that last paragraph but why Lisa?

[5sosbitchfest]

Although that anon was rude for saying find a hobby and etc, I’d hate to agree with them about leaving the relationship alone and stop trying to tear a couple apart without any actual proof that they’re fake. Put your self in someone else’s shoes and imagine someone trying to prove your relationship with your significant other is nothing but a fake and a lie, how would you feel? I don’t like C and M as a couple but I at least respect them as humans regardless what their relationship really is =)

Anonymous said: Sure that you’re never too old to like a band or get involved with their personal lives but I still don’t get what’s the point for 5sos to have PR and why it benefits Crystal because at the end of the day, nobody cares for her. There’s only like 10% of the fans who would think that the relationships these boys have are all just for show and business but they’re people too who’d like to know what love is & experience it & they are. There’s more proof that their relationships are real than fake.

So I’ve been busy the past couple days, hence why I haven’t actually been around to answer asks. A lot of them I’m not going to get to because I’ve either already talked about them (the kpop instance, for example) and others I’ve said the same things over and over and feel like a broken record. That being said, I did save these two asks for when I had a moment to sit down and actually answer them properly. I’ve been mulling over as to how I was going to respond to them and I think I’ve figured it out. I don’t know if these are both from the same anon but they’re along the same vein, and if I know lurkers I’m sure they’re just waiting to see what I have to say. So here we go. 

To the first anon, I find it quite laughable that you just assume I’ve never been in a situation where my relationships have been judged or people have been intolerant. Let me give you a little bit of information about myself: I’m in a lesbian relationship with a wonderful woman whom I can’t even be publicly proud of because of how the world still is in 2018. We’re happy with one another but we aren’t even comfortable holding hands in public because of scrutiny of others around us but you know what? We don’t care because ultimately we don’t know those people and their opinion doesn’t matter. In the words of one of my best friends fuck ‘em, we don’t know them. Ultimately, I’m a faceless stranger on the internet with an opinion that ultimately does not matter. I’m not their friend, family member or co-worker.  You say there’s no proof that their relationship is fake well…I’m not going to sit here and convince you otherwise. If you can’t see the bullshit then nothing I can say is going to change your mind. 

I respect Michael. I don’t respect Crystal because I think she’s a horrible person who doesn’t take responsibility for herself. She’s manipulative and she lies. Period. It’s scary how much power she holds over the fandom and how people blindly adore her because she makes herself out to be nice and sweet when she’s actually none of those things.

And lastly, I’m not trying to “prove” their relationship is fake. This blog is meant for people to have a space to discuss how they feel about it or why they think it’s bullshit. None of us are going to Michael, Crystal or anyone outside of this blog and being like “DID YOU KNOW IT’S ALL FAKE AND IT’S NOT REAL???” This blog literally has less than 100 followers. We tag things only to keep shit organized if anyone who has questions or wants more info because they’re already skeptical can browse it. That is literally it. If people have followed this blog it’s because they’ve found it on their own. Not because we’ve advertised it.

To the second anon, I’m not going to repeat myself about why I think it’s PR or how it benefits Crystal and to some degree, the guys. Go take a look through the stunts tag which is linked in the sidebar. I’ve repeated myself over and over again about this. If you don’t want to see shit for what it is that’s not my problem. 

5sos have PR relationships because couples sell. It sells their music. It ups speculation. It makes people wonder who the song is about thus they go listen to it and read about it, watch interviews, etc. How many times do I have to say that this is common in Hollywood? Go utilize Google. It’s your friend.

Here’s what this all comes down to and ultimately what I don’t understand: why is a blog like this not okay? Why is it okay to have Crystal/Mystal/Sierra/Lierra update blogs that praise these women and kiss their asses in the hopes for a follow from the guys, but a private blog to discuss things that don’t feed into the official narrative aren’t okay? Why is it so bad to have a space for people who don’t think these relationships are legit (or that there’s something off about them) to come and talk about it amongst ourselves? Furthermore, why are you lurking on this blog if you don’t like the content? It’s simple to hit the block button. 

In any event, that’s my tangent for today. Have a nice day, everyone.