#i really love that this drama touches on different aspects of an idol life. and how po blends well with them. | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

multiverseforger · 4 years ago

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In November 2013, Marvel Comics announced that Kamala Khan, a teenage American Muslim from Jersey City, New Jersey, would take over the comic book series Ms. Marvel beginning in February 2014. The series, written by G. Willow Wilson and drawn by Adrian Alphona, marked the first time a Muslim character headlined a book at Marvel Comics.[2] However, Noelene Clark of the Los Angeles Times noted that Khan is not the first Muslim character in comic books, which include Simon Baz, Dust and M.[3] The conception of Kamala Khan came about during a conversation between Marvel editors Sana Amanat and Stephen Wacker. Amanat said, "I was telling him [Wacker] some crazy anecdote about my childhood, growing up as a Muslim American. He found it hilarious." The pair then told Wilson about the concept and Wilson became eager to jump aboard the project.[4] Amanat said that the series came from a "desire to explore the Muslim-American diaspora from an authentic perspective."[5]

Artist Jamie McKelvie based Khan's design on his redesign of Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel and on Dave Cockrum's design of the original Ms. Marvel.[6] Amanat requested that the design "reflected the Captain Marvel legacy, and also her story and her background."[7] Amanat stated that Khan's costume was influenced by the shalwar kameez. They wanted the costume to represent her cultural identity, but did not want her to wear a hijab,[8] because the majority of teenage Pakistani-American girls do not wear one.[9] Amanat also stated that they wanted the character to look "less like a sex siren" to appeal to a more vocal female readership.[8]

Marvel knew that they wanted a young Muslim girl, but stated that she could be from any place of origin and have any background. Wilson initially considered making her an Arab girl from Dearborn, Michigan but ultimately chose to create a Desi girl from Jersey City.[10] Jersey City, which sits across the Hudson River from Manhattan, has been referred to as New York City's "Sixth borough".[11][12][13] It therefore forms an important part of Khan's identity and the narrative journey of her character since most of Marvel Comics' stories are set in Manhattan. Wilson explains, "A huge aspect of Ms. Marvel is being a 'second string hero' in the 'second string city' and having to struggle out of the pathos and emotion that can give a person."[14]

The series not only explores Khan's conflicts with supervillains but also explores conflicts with Khan's home and religious duties. Wilson, a convert to Islam, said "This is not evangelism. It was really important for me to portray Kamala as someone who is struggling with her faith." Wilson continued, "Her brother is extremely conservative, her mom is paranoid that she's going to touch a boy and get pregnant, and her father wants her to concentrate on her studies and become a doctor."[4] Amanat added,

As much as Islam is a part of Kamala's identity, this book isn't preaching about religion or the Islamic faith in particular. It's about what happens when you struggle with the labels imposed on you, and how that forms your sense of self. It's a struggle we've all faced in one form or another, and isn't just particular to Kamala because she's Muslim. Her religion is just one aspect of the many ways she defines herself.[2]

First appearance of Kamala Khan from Captain Marvel #14 (August 2013) by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Scott Hepburn

In the series, Khan takes the name Ms. Marvel from Carol Danvers, who now goes by the alias Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel writer Kelly Sue DeConnick revealed that Khan actually made a brief appearance in Captain Marvel #14 (August 2013) saying, "Kamala is in the background of a scene in Captain Marvel 14 ... She is very deliberately placed in a position where she sees Carol protecting civilians from Yon-Rogg."[15] According to Wilson, Khan idolizes Carol so when Khan acquires superhuman abilities, she emulates Danvers.[14] "Captain Marvel represents an ideal that Kamala pines for. She's strong, beautiful and doesn't have any of the baggage of being Pakistani and 'different,'"[4] Wilson explained. "Khan is a big comic book fan and after she discovers her superhuman power – being a polymorph and able to lengthen her arms and legs and change her shape – she takes on the name of Ms. Marvel," Amanat elaborated.[16] Khan is one of several characters who discover that they have Inhuman heritage following the "Inhumanity" storyline, in which the Terrigen Mists are released throughout the world and activate dormant Inhuman cells.[17]

In the series' first story arc, Khan faces off against Mr. Edison / the Inventor, an amalgam of man and bird. Wilson created the Inventor to be Khan's first arch rival in order to mirror Khan's own complexity. Wilson characterizes the Inventor, and the overall visual look of the opening story arc as "kooky and almost Miyazaki-esque at times", owing to the art style of illustrator Adrian Alphona, which balances the drama of the threats which Khan faces with the humor of Alphona's "tongue in cheek sight gags." During the storyline, Khan also teams-up with the X-Man Wolverine against the Inventor. Because Wolverine is dealing with the loss of his healing factor during this time, Khan is placed in the position of having to shoulder much of the responsibilities, as Wilson felt this was a role reversal that would subvert reader expectations that Wolverine would take the lead in such a team-up.[18]

At the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con International, writer Dan Slott announced that Khan would team-up with Spider-Man beginning in The Amazing Spider-Man #7 (October 2014) during the "Spider-Verse" storyline. Slott characterized Khan "the closest character to classic Peter Parker,"[19] explaining, "She's a teenage superhero, juggling her life, making mistakes, trying to do everything right."[20]

Beginning in June 2015, Ms. Marvel tied into the "Secret Wars" crossover event with the "Last Days" storyline, which details Khan's account of the end of the Marvel Universe. Wilson explained, "In the 'Last Days' story arc, Kamala has to grapple with the end of everything she knows, and discover what it means to be a hero when your whole world is on the line."[21] In the storyline, Khan rushes to deal with the threat in Manhattan. However, Wilson revealed, "She will face a very personal enemy as the chaos in Manhattan spills over into Jersey City, and she will be forced to make some very difficult choices. There will also be a very special guest appearance by a superhero Kamala—and the fans—have been waiting to meet for a long time."[22]

In March 2015, Marvel announced that Khan will join the Avengers in All-New All-Different Avengers FCBD (May 2015) by writer Mark Waid and artists Adam Kubert and Mahmud Asrar, which takes place in the aftermath of "Secret Wars".[23] A second volume of Ms. Marvel starring Khan by Wilson, Alphona and Takeshi Miyazawa is also debuted following "Secret Wars" as part of Marvel's All-New, All-Different Marvel initiative.[24] Amanat said,

By the time this new launch comes around, it will have been almost two years since the premiere of Ms. Marvel—and boy, has Kamala Khan been through a lot since then. She's been slowly coming into her own, dealing with the challenges of navigating adulthood and being a super hero. But her training is over now and it's time for the big leagues; the question is can she handle it? ... As much as Kamala has a right to be there—it's still a bit of a culture shock. Dreaming of being an Avenger and then suddenly being one is a lot to take on for someone of her age. So, she'll be a little awestruck, a little overly ambitious.[25]

In March 2016, Marvel announced that Ms. Marvel would tie into the "Civil War II" storyline by releasing a promotional image illustrating a rift between Khan and Danvers.[26] "While "Civil War II" may have initiated this rift, we've known for some time that Kamala would eventually need to separate herself from her idols. Her journey centers around self-discovery and identity, and a part of that exploration includes separating yourself from those you put on pedestals. The rift between Carol and Kamala doesn't really have to do with right and wrong. It has to do with growing up and realizing that you perceive the world differently from even the ones you love," Amanat elaborated.[27]

In July, Marvel announced that Khan will join the Champions, a team of teenage superheroes who split off from the Avengers following the conclusion of "Civil War II". The team, featured in a series by writer Mark Waid and artist Humberto Ramos, consists of Khan, Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Nova (Sam Alexander), Hulk (Amadeus Cho), Viv Vision, and a teenage version of Cyclops. Waid said, "The first three are the kids who quit the Avengers proper. That was an easy get. Those three, in and of themselves, form a nice little subteam. Their dynamic is great. They all show up in each other's books, and even though they have their arguments and stress points, clearly they're good together."[28]

In August, Khan made an appearance in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #10 by writers Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare. In the issue, Khan acts as a mentor to Moon Girl (Lunella Lafayette) who is also a young Inhuman that suddenly came into her powers. Amanat stated that Khan sees much of herself in Lafayette and by teaching her, Khan learns much about herself.[27]

In November, Marvel announced that Khan will join a new incarnation of the Secret Warriors in a series by writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Javier Garron that debuted in May 2017. The team, formed in the wake of the "Inhumans vs X-Men" storyline, also includes Quake, Karnak, Moon Girl, and Devil Dinosaur. Rosenberg stated that there is some conflict and friction amongst the team members explaining, "Ms. Marvel and Quake are really fighting for the soul of the team in a lot of ways, while Moon Girl will continue to really do her own thing. They will all be tested and challenged, they are superheroes after all, but they are going to do things their way."[29]

In March 2017, Marvel announced that Khan would team-up with Danvers in a one-shot issue of the limited anthology series, Generations by Wilson and Paolo Villanelle. Wilson stated that the issue would explore Danvers' and Khan's mentor–student relationship, but "at its heart, [it] is about growing up, and a big part of growing up is discovering that your idols have feet of clay – and forgiving them for their flaws as you gain an adult understanding of your own."[30]

In December, Ms. Marvel began the "Teenage Wasteland" story arc, as part of the Marvel Legacy relaunch. Wilson said, "Since the events of 'Civil War II', there's been friction between Kamala and her mentor, Captain Marvel. In this arc, we're exploring how complicated legacies can be when they're passed from generation to generation ... She's questioning a lot about herself and her mission. Her friends end up stepping into some very important—and unexpected—roles. So in a sense, the arc is really about a bunch of chronically under-estimated teenagers who pull together to fight evil."[31]

Ms. Marvel #31, the 50th issue of Ms. Marvel featuring Khan was released in June 2018. To mark the occasion, Marvel brought in additional collaborators for the issue including writers: G. Willow Wilson, Saladin Ahmed, Rainbow Rowell, and Hasan Minhaj; and artists: Nico Leon, Bob Quinn, Gustavo Duarte, and Elmo Bondoc.[32]

Beginning in March 2019, Khan headlined a new series titled, The Magnificent Ms. Marvel, written by Ahmed and illustrated by Minkyu Jung. Wilson stated that she had been planning her departure from the series for over a year, stating that she originally anticipated that the series would only last for ten issues and was excited by the fact that she had written 60 issues. Ahmed said the new series will have much wider scope, "while still maintaining that intimate tone that people have loved about it."[33]

In July 2020, Marvel announced that Khan would star in an original graphic novel, published in conjunction with Scholastic and aimed at younger readers. The book will be written by author Nadia Shammas. An illustrator has not yet been named.[34

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inspired-by-the-music · 5 years ago

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For You: 4 O’Clock

Chapter 1: Comeback

Taglist: @jineunwootrash

“Dude! Lei!” Lucas cheered into my ear as he (again) combed his fingers through my recently chopped black hair. Independent from those who cried that I ruined my visuals, he boasted, “I love this!”

Lucas was too excited. About my haircut, about my still-secret impending debut in SuperM’s comeback, about getting to work together after years of being best friends. Even as I struggled to escape his reach, trying to smooth my hair before a stylist could scold me for wasting their hours of hard work, trying to force my smile into the hard line that would fail to convince Lucas to behave, I laughed. I was too excited too.

My laughter died with the ever-present realization that somebody is always watching. That curse of being an idol meant that we couldn’t feel this way— carelessly happy— or, rather, that we shouldn’t.

Before I could remind Lucas (he always needed to be reminded), Mom’s voice broke through the on set bustle. “Break’s over, kids! Hands to yourself Lucas— this is why we have dating rumors! You don’t want to end up like the idol who never debuted!” She spoke without glancing up from her clipboard, without faltering in her fast-paced course to who knows where to do who knows what, the fabric of her bright red pantsuit swishing in time each step.

Lucas finally stepped away, instinctively abandoning his assault on me to stare after Mom. As I dropped my phone into my backpack, satisfied that there was nothing worth a response in my inbox or on social media, he whistled. “Dude, Mom is hot.”

Were I not used to that— Lucas referring to my mother as if she were also his, calling her hot— I might have cringed. Indifferent, I forced my eyes to roll because that was the kind of reaction Lucas liked. “Do you ever think that’s why you can’t get a girlfriend? The fact that you lust after my mother— our manager?”

Lucas shook his head. “Nah. I can’t get a girlfriend because everyone things I’m dating you.” He poked my forehead accusingly as if his smothering affection weren’t the cause of those false rumors, and I swatted his hand away. “Plus, didn’t ya hear? We can’t even touch a person of the opposite sex or else we’ll end up like the idol who never debuted.” His breath huffed out of his forever-swollen lips.

The story about the idol who never debuted because of an unplanned pregnancy was some kind of fable, myth, or urban legend that pervaded every aspect of life as an S.M. idol. Maybe nobody ever really believed it. Maybe everyone thought it was some cleverly crafted tale to get us to focus on training. Maybe we thought we wouldn’t hear it after debut, but it was whispered in response to every dating scandal and mentioned by Mom still on the (frequent) occurrence that Lucas ignored my boundaries.

All I know is that Lucas and I hated that story, and we expressed our hatred differently. Lucas was determined to rebel against it not by getting a real girlfriend but by committing to being my best friend in every sense of the word, regardless of what the press said, regardless of how fans often misinterpreted, regardless of Mom’s plentiful scoldings. And I— well, Lucas said that I was the perfect idol because I was as obedient as I was talented, but the truth was that becoming the scandalized idol in the next cautionary tale was my biggest fear. That’s why I strictly observed a self-imposed total dating ban: fear of controversy. And maybe deeper down, a fear of intimacy, but more on that later.

I shied away from Lucas’s reference to the scandalized idol, rationalizing to his widening eyes, “I’m due on B set. I have to re-do my introduction because I kept getting distracted by Taemin’s laugh yesterday.” I wondered what could have been so funny to Taemin, but I never would have asked back then.

Lucas’s mouth fell open, I’m sure, to tease me about being incapable of functioning around Taemin, but his turn to speak was stolen by a boisterous trio of men I would recognize anywhere.

The faces of Donghae, Eunhyuk, and Shindong were among the most familiar of my childhood. I could remember vaguely when they debuted. I was six years old, sitting backstage where Mom could find me as soon as the first Super Junior Stage was completed. Being an unofficial trainee at the time, I was studying Mandarin.

Anyway, what matters is that I couldn’t escape once Super Junior fixed their gaze on me. If I did, they would tell Mom, and I would be in trouble not only for disrespecting my elders from work but also my elders in a familial sense.

“Where’s our manager?” Shindong barked at nobody in particular. Nobody responded because Super Junior’s demands for Mom had become too commonplace to garner any attention.

“Isn’t this a bit bold?” I smiled gratefully while accepting a strawberry milkshake offered by Donghae, who greeted me with a small closed-mouth grin. “You guys have stormed onto the SuperM set every day this week.” Which meant I had a strawberry milkshake every day that week. Oops. Another failed diet.

Donghae said, “We’ll cross improper lines for you mom every day of every week,” and Eunkhyuk added loudly, as if aspiring to arouse Baekhyun’s attention, “Yeah! She was our manager first! She loves Super Junior best!”

Baekhyun appeared out of nowhere. As always, his voice— a bright shout— preceded him. “Not a chance! She’s our manager now! I’ll never let you take her!”

And just as quickly as he had appeared by my side, Baekhyun dashed off in pursuit of Mom with Eunhyuk and Shindong following closely behind.

I shook my head. Goofball Baekhyun, running the wrong way.

“What is it?” Donghae tilted his head to meet my gaze. “She’s not that way?”

Donghae was so earnest, so intent on looking right into somebody’s soul, that these moments when I held his attention were blush-inducing. I squirmed, and Lucas snorted. “Oh, uh, I don’t know. I don’t know where Mom is. It’s been kinda hectic, and I haven’t seen her in a few hours—”

It was hard enough to lie to Donghae without Lucas butting in.

“What are you talking about?” Lucas had been quiet for too long, so he shouted through a mouthful of barbecue chips fished out of my backpack. Thief. “She just told us— ow!” He shrieked as I grabbed his hand and crushed it with all the force I could muster.

“Sorry, Donghae.” I bowed to my senior. “We really have to go! I hope you find my mother!” Guilty, my eyes flinched away from his frowning face.

Once we were out of Donghae’s earshot, and once I dropped Lucas’s hand, he stretched his digits and whined, “That hurt, Lei! Why did you do that? And why did you lie to Donghae about Mom?”

“Because,” I hissed, narrowly dodging an intern running with two tall cups of coffee, “they’re fighting.”

“They’re fighting?” Lucas gasped.

I nodded. “Yeah.”

Or, at least, I thought they were fighting. I didn’t know why Mom was avoiding Donghae, but I had overheard vague snippets of her conversations with Heechul when they were supposed to be watching some drama in the living room after dinner. I heard her sigh of relief when she learned that she would be responsible for organizing SuperM’s comeback and tour rather than assisting with the next Super Show. I didn’t need to know the specifics that Mom would never tell me. No matter how much I liked Donghae, if there was a fight, I was on Mom’s side.

“Here.” I passed my milkshake to Lucas after taking one long sip. “You can have this. I can’t take it onto set.”

“Ooooh!” Lucas’s eyes rounded in gratitude. He skipped off before turning back to shout, “Wait, Lei, what’s my schedule again?”

He needed to listen during briefings instead of playing around with my hair.

Having settled into the chair, sitting perfectly still so the audio technician could clip a microphone to the collar of my sheer black sweater, I responded (not loudly enough to disturb the tech), “You’re supposed to take pictures with Mark.”

“Okay! Thanks!” He grinned.

That time, my smile wasn’t forced for the camera; it was a reaction to Lucas.

Taemin and Kai were unapproachable, each for completely different reasons.

Lucas joked that I was the born and bred idol, and most people seemed to agree, but I always thought that if the perfect idol existed, his name was Lee Taemin. Like me, he debuted at 14. Unlike me, he proved himself worthy of fame and admiration with pure talent.

Hate comments didn’t need to remind me of the role Mom played in my success. I was grateful and, under my carefully crafted proud exterior, I was insecure. I was not talentless, and I worked hard almost in a vain attempt to distance myself from the poorly disguised mutters that I was only an idol because of Mom; Taemin was beyond talented, and he worked hard because he knew no other way to stride toward his goals.

“You need to stop being so weird,” Lucas told me after one of my first practices with the group. “You can’t just stare at Taemin when you pout about how everyone stares at you.”

Lucas was right. I hated being lumped in with the millions who failed to acknowledge Taemin’s humanity. But the truth— that I was some kind of hypocrite— was easy for Lucas to see; it was easy for him to say.

Lucas was the only person who didn’t seem to realize that Taemin was the center of every room. He was the only one who didn’t cling to Taemin’s every word. He was the only one who didn’t see Taemin’s other-worldly glow.

I think that’s why Lucas was my best friend: he didn’t see me or Taemin or anybody as idols. He saw us as people, liked us as people, and that was rare. From that first day at practice, I was torn between the desire to be like Lucas and the desire to be like Taemin.

Anyway, Kai didn’t like me. He didn’t hate me (at first) or anything, and he didn’t particularly dislike me, but he was the only member (aside from Taemin, who I admired too much to approach for fear of saying something stupid) who didn’t know me pre-SuperM.

Even once I was approved to debut with them, Kai hadn’t held eye contact with me for more than three seconds at a time. I wasn’t sensitive about it, and I wasn’t in the market for a new best friend— Lucas was more than enough— but Kai’s aversion to me was inconvenient, annoying, and frustrating considering that we were cast into a subunit together.

We recorded our songs (which were the most sensual of my career because they were meant to evolve my image from bubble gum pop Idol to something more “adult”) separately. Despite the quickly approaching tour dates, we hadn’t once practiced our choreography together. Kai was my senior, so I couldn’t approach him with my concerns about our lack of preparation. That’s why he was unapproachable; I had to wait patiently for him to address our tension.

I hoped that he would have taken the first step toward me before we had to shoot promotions, but Kai still couldn’t meet my eyes— despite the photographer’s repeated demands that were carefully phrased as requests— as our bodies were pressed flush together before a swarm of cameras.

Although I would rather forget, I think I can pinpoint the moment Kai decided to hate me. He flinched away from my touch again as I draped my arms over his shoulders and laced my fingers together behind his neck, per the photographer’s instructions.

“Come on, Kai!” I rolled my eyes, whining in unison with the rest of the members, who had gathered around the set nearly an hour ago after finishing their schedules. My face was hot not because of the close proximity to somebody as handsome as Kai, not because of the glare that hooded his dark eyes, but because my patience had run out. “Everybody is waiting for us! Can’t you just act professionally so we can get this done some time this year?”

His eyes widened as if I had slapped him across the face. Note: if you ever want to insult Kai— and I can’t imagine why you would— challenge his idea of professionalism.

Kai’s jaw tightened as he forced his eyes away from me to glance tiredly at Mom. “Manager, do we have to do this? I would really like to avoid a dating scandal.”

My next few words were kind of hypocritical since nobody feared dating scandals more than I did. “A dating scandal? These are pictures for our subunit— for our job. Stop making it weird.”

“It is weird!” Kai argued without looking away from Mom as she pinched at the bridge of her nose. He took two big steps backward, and my hands fell from around his neck to my sides. “And I don’t understand—”

“Just do it like this, Kai!” Baekhyun bounced onto the set, leading Lucas by the hand. After winking at the camera, encouraged by Lucas’s laughter (and Mark’s panicked, “Yo, man, what are they doing?”), Baekhyun threw his arms around Lucas’s shoulders and tossed his head back.

When everyone except me, Mom, and Kai laughed, Baekhyun leaped into Lucas. They toppled onto the hard ground, the only indication that they hadn’t broken their neck or any other bones being their ear-splitting laughter.

“Fine!” Mom was calm despite her sharp increase in volume that made me flinch. “If you don’t want to be in a subunit with Lei, Kai, then you won’t be.”

While Kai sighed in relief, I wheezed, dejected. My heart sank down to my ankles. It was bad enough to lose the opportunity to be in a subunit with one of the best dancers at S.M., it was worse to lose it at work where I couldn’t express disappointment, and it was worst to lose it in front of Taemin, who stood stiff and red at slack-jawed Taeyong’s side.

Embarrassed and eager to escape the stares, I bowed to Kai and set to scoop Lucas off the floor, where he still laid giggling with Baekhyun, because he would make me laugh hard enough to drive away this sinking sensation.

“Where are you going?” Mom’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Stay where you are, Lei. Kai—”

She didn’t have to finish the order. I understood mainly from Kai’s wince that he was ejected from our subunit— not me.

“Wait,” Ten said slowly, in time with my realization, “Lei’s subunit is still a thing?” His eyes sparkled. He smiled because the choreography he created for me and Kai would still find an audience.

Lei’s subunit. My subunit. The title was exciting and terrifying all at the same time.

Who would replace Kai? I wondered, watching him sulk to Taemin’s side. As Taemin’s eyes flashed to meet mine for the briefest second before he muttered something to Kai— probably words of comfort, probably words to condemn my role in Kai’s semi-public disgrace— I could only think Please not Taemin. Don’t let it be Taemin. Anyone but Taemin.

And I looked at Mom pleadingly, as if she would be able to read those thoughts through my eyes. She blinked back at me.

“Oh my God!” Mark shot both hands up in the air and waved them excitedly. “I’ll be in Lei’s subunit! Let me do it, Momager! Please!”

Oh God. Please not Mark. Don’t let it be Mark. Anyone but Mark.

“Why should you get to do it?” Ten glared up at the standing Mark from his metallic folding chair. “I choreographed their dances, so I should be cast.”

“But I’m, like, the king of subunits!” Mark rose to his tiptoes and waved his arms again in an effort to secure my attention. “If you pick me, Lei, I’ll get you into NCT Dream!”

That was a bit of a running joke— my longtime aspiration to perform with Dream. Hearing it in that moment of high stress made me laugh out loud. One of those side-splitting laughs. Real. Mark smiled at having untangled the knot in my stomach with little effort. In moments like those, I thought it wasn’t so bad that he had a crush on me.

“First of all,” Taeyong interjected, ever the mediator in NCT conflicts, “Mark, you can’t get anyone into Dream—”

“Who do you think talked the agency into making Dream a fixed unit?” Mark’s face turned scarlet as he yelled, and Taeyong didn’t bat a single eyelash.

“— Second of all, Lei doesn’t get to pick who takes Kai’s place.” We all shifted at Taeyong’s casual acknowledgment of Kai’s ejection. “Ms. Kim does. So both of you—” Taeyong eyed Ten and Mark sternly, and I wondered how they didn’t fall apart under his gaze— “be quiet and let her make her decision.”

Mom nodded at Taeyong gratefully. “It’s not much of a decision to make; I’ll just employ the second choice—”

“It’s me, right?” Baekhyun finally jumped off of Lucas, stood upright, and brushed off his all-black suit while flicking his bleached bangs out of his eyes.

Baekhyun’s goofy smile faltered when Mom shook her head. “Lucas, get up. Your dream is coming true: I’m giving you permission to touch Lei.”

“Oh yeah!” Lucas flew to my side.

Before I could wrap my mind around the fact that I would be in a subunit with him�� my best friend, my rumored boyfriend— Lucas grabbed me around my waist, which was exposed under a fitted white crop top— and pulled me flush against him into the pose Kai had struggled with for hours. “Leicas forever, suckers!”

As Mom ushered Baekhyun to stand with the others off set, and everybody groaned at Lucas’s ever-enthusiastic embrace of our rumors, I laughed.

The camera flashed at last. Finally relieved enough to breathe, I returned Lucas’s embrace and joked, “Is that going to be our subunit’s name? That silly ship name?”

Lucas laughed as he lowered to press his forehead to mine. That was how things should have been all along: me and Lucas free to smile at each other and express our friendship— as silly and affectionate and beautiful as it was— to the whole world without fearing backlash.

“Look at this.”

I slid my phone to Lucas across the glossy light wood floor as we sat, stretching in preparation for dance practice. I watched his eyebrows knit together as he scooped the phone into his hands; I watched his jaw fall open as he scrolled past the headline and through the fans’ comments.

“Hey.” Taeyong kicked at Lucas’s foot before joining us on the floor. Always the leader (even without the title in SuperM), he reminded, “Phones aren’t allowed in practice.”

Lowering effortlessly into a stretch that resembled the splits, Ten defended, “Momager isn’t here yet, so—”

“Look at this!” Lucas shoved my phone into Taeyong’s face. Then, as if Taeyong couldn’t read for himself, Lucas said, “Pop News is writing about the idol who never debuted!”

As Taeyong gripped the phone with his slender hands (and a curious Ten and slack-jawed, messy-haired Mark gathered around him to gawk at the screen), Taemin plopped onto the floor next to me. His knee brushed against mine, and I stiffened while he smiled despite the room’s tension, skin shimmering without the aid of makeup.

“We don’t have to worry if it’s Pop News,” Taemin said. “They aren’t exactly a credible source— remember how they covered that ‘Any Other Name’ scandal?”

Nobody could forget the chaos surrounding the Korean adaptation of a best-selling novel written by a young American woman. The love triangle between the author, a scandalized actor (Jungkook) and the author’s best friend/famous fashion designer (Jimin) was the biggest scandal in recent history. Everybody knew that gossip as if it were the plot of a classic blockbuster film or an almost distant, almost tangible high school memory, so I shouldn’t have been surprised by Taemin’s reference.

“You keep up with celebrity gossip?” I asked Taemin quietly, my eyes narrowing to see how this information fit with my conception of him.

Taemin’s face flushed pink. He mistook my interest for criticism as he often did in those days, and I didn’t know how to correct him.

While trying (and failing) to connect his phone to the Bluetooth speaker, Kai started, “Maybe Pop News isn’t credible—”

“They’re definitely not credible.” Ten crawled to the side of the room to tuck my phone into my bubble-gum pink backpack. Turning back to the group, he grinned, “Pop News is, like, if Mark was a news outlet: cringey, baseless—”

“Hey! I’m not baseless!”

“Anyway.” Kai puffed his cheeks full of air. “Pop News may be a scam, but they have a lot of followers. Sometimes if a lie is heard by enough people, it becomes like the truth.”

It would have been nice to be able to disagree, to believe that truth is truth, and lies are lies, and rumors are just rumors. I wanted to disagree. But I couldn’t.

Kai continued, “And obviously Pop News isn’t wrong about everything. Jungkook and that author were dating! They’re even engaged now!”

So Kai kept up with celebrity gossip too. Was that the kind of thing he and Taemin talked about over meals?

While my pulse quickened at the talk about dating scandals and I tried to ease my anxiety by resuming stretches, Baekhyun stirred from his nap in the corner of the room.

“Well!” Baekhyun yawned. “If you ask me, Momager is the idol who never debuted.”

“What?” The rest of us shrieked in unison, and Baekhyun laughed like a maniac at our identical wide-eyed open-mouthed expressions.

“Just think about it! When Taemin, the king of dance—” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Taemin stiffen at Baekhyun’s playful compliment despite the bashful smile pulling his lips taut— “kept screwing up that choreo, Momager demonstrated. And she was no amateur.”

Considering Baekhyun’s evidence, I gnawed on my cheek. Mom was a gifted dancer; her precision, like Baekhyun said, rivaled Taemin’s. No, her precision enabled her to find fault in Taemin— perfect Taemin.

Baekhyun wouldn’t mention this, but Mom was also a natural singer. She proved that on the first day in the studio when she coached Baekhyun through a challenging run. After he crossed his arms and whined, “What you want is impossible!” she stunned him silent by belting the notes in one attempt.

But Mom couldn’t be the idol who never debuted, I frowned, because that meant I was the reason—

“Look, Mom is totally hot enough to be an idol,” Lucas smirked before his eyebrows lowered skeptically. “But don’t you think Lei would know if her mom was a former trainee?”

At that remark, everybody turned to face me.

No, I wouldn’t know if Mom was a former trainee.

I knew very little about Mom’s past because I hadn’t asked many questions. I knew that I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, her hometown. I knew that I could not remember the last time we spoke to my father. I knew that life didn’t really begin until Mom started her career by managing Super Junior.

I didn’t remember anything before Donghae started bringing me milkshakes, and Heechul started making me laugh with funny faces, and Ryeowook (or Wookie, as I had always called him) started fitting our tea parties into his busy schedule, and Eunhyuk started unofficially training me to be an idol through dance lessons. I didn’t remember anything before Super Junior became my family.

As I crumbled under my members’ stares, as I drowned in the guilt of having neglected Mom’s pain if she was the idol who never debuted (in the guilt of knowing I had never asked about her because the spotlight had always been on me), Baekhyun repeated, “Momager is the idol who never debuted!” “What?”

We all turned to see Mom’s ghostly pale face in the doorway so quickly that we whimpered and rubbed at the backs of our necks. Whiplash. Great.

“Don’t say stupid things, Baekhyun,” Heechul scolded as he nudged Mom’s motionless body into the dance studio. “Of course Kimberly isn’t a failed trainee! That story about the idol who never debuted is just something we tell you kids—” he jabbed an accusatory finger at me and Lucas— “to keep you from dating!”

Lucas boasted, “I knew it!” And everyone laughed as he triumphantly pumped his fists into the air.

My laughter was forced, though.

A glance down at my watch confirmed that Mom was half an hour late; Mom was never late. Heechul never escorted her to her schedules. Heechul never called her by her full name; to him, she had always been Kimi. Heechul never pressed a comforting kiss to the top of her head.

Something was wrong, and I couldn’t ask what because we were at practice. And I wouldn’t have been brave enough to ask in the privacy of our home. And I wouldn’t have been strong enough to stomach the answer.

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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Rebecca: Leaving Hitchcock Behind for Something Darker

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This article contains spoilers for the film and book versions of Rebecca.

Leave it to Ben Wheatley to remake Alfred Hitchcock. The younger British filmmaking iconoclast has been nothing if not provocative with his filmography so far, which includes the disturbing horror-crime hybrid Kill List (2011), the serial killer black comedy Sightseers (2012), the psychedelic, very weird A Field in England (2014), and the unsettling dystopian nightmare, High-Rise (2015). But with Rebecca he takes on not just a classic Hitchcock film, but the master’s sole Best Picture winner. Why not, right?

We’re being facetious, of course. Wheatley’s version of Rebecca (now on Netflix) is not a remake of the 1940 film but a new adaptation of the 1938 novel by Daphne du Maurier on which it is based. Both films are mostly faithful to the book (with a couple of notable exceptions), but Wheatley and his screenwriters (Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel, and Anna Waterhouse) coax a moral ambiguity and feminist twist out of du Maurier’s multi-layered Gothic romance that wasn’t permissible in the 1940 film.

“I mean, it’s the same conversation I have about every film,” Wheatley says when we ask him over Zoom what drew him to the project. “It’s like, ‘Oh it’s a comedy. The last one you did was a horror film,’ or, ‘Oh it’s a fashion movie and last thing you did was a family drama,’ or whatever. I try and choose stuff that’s at 90 degrees from the last thing I did every time, and I’ve been lucky enough to do that.”

Wheatley adds that reading the script led him to rethink his assumptions about the story and the Hitchcock film. “What attracted me to it was initially Jane Goldman’s script,” he explains. “When I read it, I was really surprised by it. I felt all the twists and laughed at all the right bits of it. And that surprised me doubly because I had seen the Hitchcock film and I’d read the book. So I thought that was really odd, that I would misremember it in that way. I talked to a few other people and they were kind of like, ‘Yeah, Rebecca. It’s just this beautiful romance, isn’t it?’ And I’m like, ‘No. That’s not the half of it.’”

It’s fair to say that Rebecca deceptively starts off as a “beautiful romance.” In the new film–as in the book and the 1940 version–the main character is an unnamed young woman (played now by Lily James), who is working as a personal assistant to a wealthy older American (Ann Dowd) on holiday. In Monte Carlo, the young woman meets Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer), also rich, who is quite dashing and recently widowed.

The two strike up a whirlwind courtship that results in de Winter whisking the young woman back to his ancestral estate, Manderley, as the new Mrs. de Winter. But once ensconced there, she discovers that the house is permeated with the lingering presence of her predecessor, Rebecca, who still commands the unhealthy loyalty of the mansion’s housekeeper, the sinister Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas). It is here that Rebecca pivots from romance to thriller, with the plot turns and psychological subtexts piling up like the waves crashing at the bottom of the treacherous cliff upon which Manderley sits.

“When I reread [the book], I just imagined du Maurier had written Rebecca as a dare or something,” says Wheatley. “That it was kind of, ‘You like romantic fiction? Well, I’ll write a book that will stop you reading romantic fiction forever. I’ll take the tropes of it, which is the widower and the holiday romance, and the rags to riches, and then I’ll really smash it and rub your nose in it.’ I loved it.”

In the book and both versions of the film, it’s revealed that Rebecca was not the perfect wife and society hostess that she was reputed to be. In fact, she was a cruel, selfish woman who claimed to Maxim on the night of her death that she was pregnant with another man’s child and would force Maxim to raise it as his own, a revelation that leads her tormented husband to shoot her dead. He disposes of her body at sea, but when the corpse washes up a year later, Maxim reveals the truth to his new wife.

Hitchcock’s film, due to the moral decrees of the Hays Production Code that was in existence at the time, had to change Rebecca’s death to a suicide since movies were not allowed to show murderers going unpunished. Under no such constraints, Wheatley takes his Rebecca a step further: The new Mrs. de Winter evolves into a protector of her husband, taking action to clear his name while at the same time fully aware that she is complicit in the cover-up of a murder.

“The moral structure of it is very different because of the things that were missing from the ’40s adaptation due to the Hays Code,” says Wheatley. “So the actual heart of the book is the idea that Maxim de Winter has murdered his wife and that you then side with de Winter and the second Mrs. de Winter as an audience member, and basically root for them to win throughout the rest of the story–which is utterly despicable. But I thought that that felt like a good reason to revisit it.”

His reasons to approach the source material aside, Wheatley knew he might touch some kind of third rail of cinema by taking on a story that the general public remembers as a Hitchcock masterpiece (it didn’t work out too well for Gus van Sant and his 1998 remake of Psycho, which like the original was also based on a novel). Getting all that noise out of his head was the first step Wheatley took.

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“Right at the beginning of the process I went, ‘Oh, right. I’m going to get a kicking for this,’” he says with a laugh. “And then I didn’t think about it anymore and I made the film. I put it right to the back of my head.” But the subject inevitably came up as the director began promoting the film. “I saw the reviews [and it was like] ‘Oh my God. It’s all about Hitchcock.’ But that’s inevitable. It’s fine. The audience that’s there for this movie is a much bigger audience than just the audience of people who’ve seen that version of it.”

Wheatley says he’s less concerned with his movie being compared to Hitchcock’s than feeling as if he did justice to the novel. “I had a lot of questions about filling the shoes of Hitchcock and all this,” he remarks. “It really isn’t about that. It’s filling the shoes of du Maurier. That’s the challenge and the fear of taking a book that is so beloved and so central within a culture in lots of ways and so influential. To take that and balls that up is the problem. The other adaptation is done and everyone loves it. There’s going to be no shifting of that from the pedestal of cinema history by anything I did.”

Of course Wheatley wasn’t the only one dealing with the ghosts of adaptations past. His trio of leads–James, Hammer, and Thomas–took on characters first embodied on the screen by Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, and Dame Judith Anderson.

“With Lily, we talked a lot about the agency of the character,” says Wheatley when asked how he approached each actor about their roles. “But there’s the aspect of the book where you don’t know if you believe what the first-person narrative is saying. She says she’s very weak, but at the same time her actions are strong. So is she slightly self-serving in how she talks about herself? And is the whole truth there?”

He continues, “That’s the craft, I think, of Lily James’ performance, trying to be nervous and terrified, but also not capsizing the movie by being irritating or being too confident or strong.”

Kerry Brown / Netflix

As for Hammer’s portrayal of the equally enigmatic Maxim de Winter, “It was more the other way around of taking someone from the position of being completely in control and being like a matinee idol and then just destroying them over the period of the movie,” Wheatley says. “But then as usual, the film is not shot in chronological order. So it’s an absolute nightmare to track all those kinds of performances. But that’s basically what we talked about a lot.”

When it came to casting Mrs. Danvers, perhaps the most iconic of the story’s three leads, Wheatley says he was “totally” enraptured with the idea of the great Kristin Scott Thomas taking on the part. “This version of it is a kind of more sympathetic Danvers,” he reveals. “I think that had come out of reading it and going, ‘I feel like she’s the moral center of it in many ways.’ There was a lot of quite complicated emotional stuff that she had to do–to go from being stern to being vulnerable, from beat to beat to beat. And I think that it took someone of her kind of pedigree to be able to do that.”

Whether viewers come to the new Rebecca with their own memories of the book or the original movie, or tune into Wheatley’s version with no preconceptions in mind, the director thinks that a new version of the story, some 82 years after the book was first published and 80 since the release of Hitchcock’s film, could have a different impact on new generations of viewers experiencing it for the first time.

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“I think every film that you make is putting the film through your experience of the moment,” he explains. “So I think that there are things that are happening now which become more pertinent, and there’s also general universal truths. The idea of, what is your history of your own partner? How do you deal with the jealousy of that and the obsession? What would you do in this situation? How do you compete with ex-partners? That kind of stuff. It’s also a tale of privilege, of someone who can float through life because they’re good-looking and rich, and they do what they like and get away with murder.”

Rebecca is streaming now on Netflix.

The post Rebecca: Leaving Hitchcock Behind for Something Darker appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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bluemoonpunch · 5 years ago

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What's going on with JK that it just seems that the universe is against him. Like the media making a big deal about minor things like his car accident that he caused, but it was really minor. But the media is still talking about it, and the whole dating thing. It's like he's the one being scandalized for really small things. Any insights you can offer to this?

Anonymous: hi there! i was wondering if you could do a reading on jk. more specifically, it seems he is finally doing the things he likes, the things he WANTS, all w/the long hair and “tattoos” and piercings. is he happy? i know that a lot of rly judgemental ppl dont want to do these things and go as far as to call him mean things but how does he feel personally abt all this? is he slowly letting us see more into his reality? his true self?

Anonymous: Hi, could you please do a reading on Jungkook? Recently he changed not just physically but mentally and it’s hard to understand him because he’s a closed book and seem like a whole different person. Maybe he went through some difficult times during break or he said to himself i don’t care anymore i’m gonna do the real me. I just really care about him and hope he’s okay now. Thank you in advance!

Anonymous: I’m really happy to see Jungkook expressing himself in this new way. I was wondering if this is something he is intentionally doing to //individualize// himself? I know you’ve mentioned he’s struggled w trying to show his mature side, so I hope he isn’t too affected by the rumors and drama going on and doesn’t feel pressure to conform to ppl’s “concept"of him.

000

This has to do with the shift in maturity and mindset brought on by the integration process and the process of separation. I’ve talked about it a million times. Just look at any of his readings, including his relationship readings that I’ve done and you’ll find a bunch of stuff about it. Bla bla bla.

So, this made me really, really happy because, in terms of how these processes manifest consciously or superficially, Kook has really interested me because he would be such a drastic shift, or at least it would be very noticeable, and it was. I’m really happy that all of that came to a peak while he was on vacation and when he really had time and freedom to actually, very intentionally, let go of some of those restrictions and guidelines that he holds himself to, or that others hold him to, in order to explore himself a little more. It really opened a lot of things up for him mentally, I’m sure.

The first set out was the King of Pentacles and the Knight of Swords, which definitely shows this very independent and driven energy towards personal fulfillment, which is what I’ve been talking about with all of them in terms of what would happen when they were separated on a soul level. The focus is put on personal soul fulfillment and that becomes the main driving force.

There’s actually a lot of focus here on mentality, perspective, thought process, things like that with the Knight of Swords and the Page of Swords being present as these points of a fresh outlook and perspective. The reversed Hierophant there is literally an intentional separation from and resistance to any kind of “traditional” expectation or ruling placed over him by outside forces, which mostly has to do with the general public and the audience. He’s learning to think for himself and in turn, act for himself, do things that make him happy without being concerned about what a bunch of strangers will think.

This is where The Magician comes in. With that independent thought process separate from the external rule and directed towards the fulfillment of the King of Pentacles, he can better direct and formulate manifestations not just physically but energetically or etherically. Basically, he’s getting in touch with his soul more, and in that time where he was left to kind of do as he pleased with himself, a lot of blocks or blinders were knocked off and he’s able to see where certain things or mindsets are holding him back — this actually plays into the reading I just did for all seven of them where Kook’s current conscious state of outlook was reflected in the 8 of Swords where he is able to see different blocks within himself and he’s trying to pull them out. You can read that here.

Obviously, this process is not complete, it’s not a switch that can be flipped and suddenly he’s different, so don’t consider anything permanent or unmoving. Also, the fact that some people are so “worried” and “concerned” about him, or were worried and concerned while he was just kind of living his life is massively part of the problem.

And in terms of the scandals and issues, not a big deal. It’s an aspect of balance through the challenge. His whole thing is about being judged by people and here he is after this pretty big shift being put in a position where he is judged and criticized quite openly… it’s like a test. I feel like one of the biggest lessons for him in this was that this got stirred up into something more, or why it became more controversial than needed, was specifically because fans tried to downplay it, like, lol at ARMY for doing what every other fandom does. Like I was honestly a little shocked that so many people were so quick to pull that kind of nonsense with someone from BTS because I would have assumed with how quick everyone is to criticize how other fandoms react to their idols doing illegal shit, something this small and relatively insignificant would have been taken a bit more maturely, but nah. Can’t have that. Hypocrisy is the vibe here.

But like I said, there’s a lesson in that for Kook, lol. Which would be the opinions and perspectives of his audience are feeble and mean nothing, therefore he doesn’t need to concern himself with it on such a deep level, especially when it concerns him and his actions.

Love that for him.

More Mini-Readings | Celebrity/Idol Readings

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comicteaparty · 5 years ago

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November 25th-December 1st, 2019 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party week long chat that occurred from November 25th , 2019 to December 1st , 2019. The chat focused on Action Hat: Big Trouble in Little Everywhere HD Remix Gold Deluxe Edition by Sergio Ragno.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB START!

Hello and welcome everyone to Comic Tea Party’s Week Long Book Club~! This week we’ll be focusing on Action Hat: Big Trouble in Little Everywhere HD Remix Gold Deluxe Edition by Sergio Ragno~! (https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/action-hat-big-trouble-in-little-everywhere-hd/list?title_no=260255)

You are free to read and comment about the comic all week at your own pace, so stop on by whenever it suits your schedule! Remember, though, that while we allow constructive criticism, our focus is to have fun and appreciate the comic. Below you will find four questions to get you started on the discussion. However, a new question will be posted and pinned everyday (between 12:01AM and 6AM PDT), so keep checking back for more! You have until December 1st to tell us all your wonderful thoughts! With that established, let’s get going on the reading and the chatting!

QUESTION 1. What has been your favorite strip in the comic so far? What specifically did you like about it?

QUESTION 2. Of the strips with a connected story, which one did you like the best and why? Overall, do you prefer the interconnected story strips or the one-off strips more? What is your reasoning?

AntiBunny

Favorite strip so far is this one here https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/action-hat-big-trouble-in-little-everywhere-hd/the-legality-of-keeping-it-real/viewer?title_no=260255&episode_no=41 mostly because it is quite different from the rest. Since Action Hat is largely a running gag comic that's been doing "wins by doing absolutely nothing" since before Luigi made it cool, this page is a refreshing shake up of the usual gag, being entirely dialogue driven.

To answer the second question, I prefer the one offs. There's a little bit of connection between strips, in that any given of episode of the Simpsons is connected by common characters, and that every event that doesn't contradict the status quo is canon, but mostly it's meant to be taken one strip at a time. Read, get your laugh, and go about your day. Action Hat is best read that way in my opinion. Not unlike a newspaper comic in that regard. Not to be binged, but to be taken in small, regular doses.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 3. At the moment, who is your favorite character? What about that character earns them this favor?

QUESTION 4. Which jokes connected with you the most from the comic, whether in terms of relatability or hilarity? Also, which jokes caught you the most off-guard in terms of making you laugh?

mariah (rainy day dreams)

So I didn't make it all the way through the archive but to sort of answer questions 1, 3, and 4, I thought the strip that had Detective Detective-Partner's gun was super funny. The premise of the already a farsical type of comedy, but I feel like adding a second inanimate object character just pushed it to a new level of funny for me. Especially since the gun just goes off without provocation in the last panel. I'm not sure if that's enough to call the gun my favorite character, but that joke was definitely a highlight moment while I was reading though.

SergeXIII

Hello everyone, thank you for taking the time to read my comic this week.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 5. What has been your favorite illustration in the comic so far? What specifically about it do you like?

QUESTION 6. What piece of advice from Action Hat do you actually think is also a good lesson for how we should carry ourselves in life? How in general do you think the comedy of the comic shows how it can be used to say things about life?

RebelVampire

1) My fave strip is definitely this one: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/action-hat-big-trouble-in-little-everywhere-hd/cool-guys-dont-look-at-explosions-action-hat/viewer?title_no=260255&episode_no=21 This was exactly where I wanted the idea to go, but it was still funny when it happened. Won't get into specifics since I don't want to spoil it for others at this juncture, but suffice it to say, I'm impressed the payoff was everything I dreamed of. 2) I liked the The Power of Love series the best. I am in love with the concept that theres a Guns and Bourbon store, and everyone acts like its the most common thing in the entire world. And I like the story about Detective Partner and Ex Wife met because it's a love story that fits too well in this world. There were just a lot of great continuing gags through. In terms of the second part of this question, I don't really have a preference. I actually like that the comic does a bit of both, since that gives wider appeal. Doesn't matter what you like, there's something for all.

3) My favorite character is Action Hat. Because Action Hat is the wisest of all characters despite not saying a single thing. And that's just badass. 4) The jokes that have connected with me the most are the ones regarding common cop tropes. Like the fact Detective Partner is a macho dude who doesn't open up to people, or that there's massive property destruction, etc. As a fan of cop dramas and cop action stories, I equally enjoy when people make fun of it cause they can be over the top and ridiculous. As for jokes that caught me off guard, it was definitely the one about the shopkeeper being Velma. Cause the entire time I saw the resemblance but thought, nah, that's impossible. But then someone said it. XD

RebelVampire

5) My favorite illustration is definitely from the same strip I answered for number 1. I love the explosions and the angles chosen. Especially the last panel where Detective Partner's face is slammed against the camera. It really gives some good depth to the image that really captures the badass atmosphere it wanted. 6) I think the advice in this strip is actually good https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/action-hat-big-trouble-in-little-everywhere-hd/enter-the-hat-9/viewer?title_no=260255&episode_no=9. Which to me the advice is that people do often lash out because of their own insecurities and fears. And while there is, of course, a line we need to draw at toxicity, sometimes we need to be patient and gentle with others to make them understand how their actions hurt us. In general, though, I feel this comic is a good reflection of how comedy is often a callback to human condition. And that in a lot of ways, it helps us deal with uncool things in life by making us laugh and remind us that sometimes, we need to take a step back from life and consider things from other angles (or even just take a break).

SergeXIII

I really appreciate all of these questions, RebelVampire, but I especially appreciate question number 6. The gag of the cop and inanimate object duo has been done before, but I always thought that what makes Action Hat stand out is that it serves as kind of a conscious for Partner (and Lynda, who is new to this version of the comic), so it is really valuable for me to get feedback on this so as to gauge the effectiveness of this.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 7. Which characters do you enjoy seeing interact the most? What about their dynamic interests you?

QUESTION 8. Given Action Hat is not a speaking character, how do you think this works in terms of the comic’s comedy? In other words, what aspects of the visuals and other characters’ dialogues help pull the comedy off?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 9. What sorts of art or story details have you noticed in the way the comic is crafted that you think deserves attention?

QUESTION 10. What is your favorite aspect of Detective Partner’s and Action Hat’s relationship? What has been your favorite moment between them so far? What about these aspects when it comes to Action Hat and Lynda?

RebelVampire

7) I enjoy seeing Detective Partner and Action Hat interact the most. I really love how the two play off of one another. Especially cause Action Hat is, you know, a hat. And I really like that despite basically just sitting there doing nothing, Action Hat is still given a personality because of how everyone else interacts with him. And I like how Detective Partner makes Action Hat super wise. 8) I think the silence works cause of two main reasons. First, what I hinted at to above. Even if Action Hat doesn't speak, there's still a lot of personality there because of the words other characters add in. And that itself is kind of funny cause it's just a ridiculous idea to have an inanimate object be in the police. So in essence you wind up these ridiculous situations that are brought on by other characters cause of what they assume an inanimate object said.

RebelVampire

9) A detail I really appreciate in the comic is actually the throwbacks to police drama tropes. Like the gruff partner, the dirty business dude trying to bribe people, the belligerent chief always complaining about the wanton destruction. It takes a lot of knowledge to really capture the cop drama spirit, and I love seeing it present while also torn apart in the most entertaining ways possible. 10) My favorite aspect of their relationship is probably their honesty. Like I love how Detective Partner basically immediately apologized to Action Hat for lashing out and became best friends. And I like how much Detective Partner idolizes Action Hat too, cause it is both funny while also revealing of Detective Partner's own wisdom. My favorite moment between them is still probably the one from my fave strip, but I've mentioned that to death. As for Lynda, I like the patience in their relationship. Not a whole lot of people have patience for anything, and I just like this is kind of a key point to their relationship. It's got that good slow burn kind of feel. For fave moment, I like when Lynda is touched Action Hat "waited" for her. And it had nothing to do with the fact it's a hat and has no legs to move.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 11. What do you think are this particular comic’s strengths? What do you think makes this comic unique? Please elaborate.

QUESTION 12. What sort of tropes of cops and cop dramas have you seen in the comic so far? In what ways do you think the comic successfully subverted them and/or changed how you thought about them?

RebelVampire

QUESTION 13. What are you most looking forward to in the comic? Also, do you have any final thoughts to share overall?

QUESTION 14. In general, what other police-drama related shenanigans are you hoping to see Action Hat tackle? How do you think those scenarios will play out?

RebelVampire

11) I think this comic's strength is just how the comedy works. There's lots of creative ways it uses both the fact Action Hat doesn't talk and is an inanimate object to its advantage. There's also just a good balance in how it treats everything since the comic somehow acknowledges the ridiculousness while at the same time taking it seriously. So in the end, it's just got a great tone for having fun with the subject matter. 12) I've talked about this one quite a bit already. But got the disgruntled chief who forces partners together, gruff partner who just like guns, massive property damage, sleezy rich dude, etc. The comic does a great job of reminding you that all this action stuff is actually silly if you were to frame it in the context of reality. Like there's only so much property damage the police will take before firing someone, etc.

13) I am looking forward to seeing other cop action drama tropes. Like serial killers etc. Theres so many more cop stuff to be explored that I'm really hoping to see. 14) In line with the above, I would like to see Action Hat and Detective Partner deal with internal investigations. Cause theres always that one scenario where the cops get framed and get in super trouble and then they have to solve their own case. I'm just waiting for the moment where Detective Partner is like "Action Hat how could you!?" THere's a silent pause, and then Detective Partner gasps and is like "YOU WERE FRAMED I'm sorry I doubted you."

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- WEEK LONG BOOK CLUB END!

Thank you everyone so much for reading and chatting about Action Hat: Big Trouble in Little Everywhere HD Remix Gold Deluxe Edition this week! Please also give a special thank you to Sergio Ragno for volunteering the comic and creating it! If you liked Action Hat: Big Trouble in Little Everywhere HD Remix Gold Deluxe Edition, make sure to continue to support it via some of the links below!

Read and Comment: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/action-hat-big-trouble-in-little-everywhere-hd/list?title_no=260255

Sergio’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SergeXIII

Sergio’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/sergexiii

Sergio’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/sergexiii

#ctparchive #comics #webcomics #indie comics #comic chat #comic discussion #book club #bookclub #webcomic book club #webcomic bookclub #comic tea party #ctp #action hat: big trouble in little everywhere hd remix gold deluxe edition #action hat #sergio ragno #studio sergexiii

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dunkalfredo · 7 years ago

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sonic forces but its that one theory

okay so there’s that theory where like, infinite and gadget were friends pre-Forces (kinda ties into a theory about infinite’s backstory and stuff) and while i doubt that this theory is gonna happen (like im not getting my hopes up yall im just gonna go with whatever sonic team hurls at us) i wanted to have a little fun anyways bc why tf not

im developing a like. prequel based off of this theory that just follows their life up until the events of the game, but in all honesty i doubt im gonna ever do more than prewriting and planning for it so i decided to share some ideas for the two's personalities and the like.

(click keep reading to see the Things)

infinite

name never mentioned in [hypothetical story i’d write]; buddy can’t remember it during the main game due to [spoilers for hypothetical story i’d write]

all about that punk/goth aesthetic

wears the leather gloves/boots seen in-game for the drama

all his clothes have soft and comfortable material but it Must Be Black

smiles are small but have that all-encompassing warmth of true mirth

loves conspiracy theories

“i just think they’re neat”

unironically subscribes to illuminati theories

legit has a wall at home that’s like that one meme with all the connected points and shit with the dude in the middle of the shot freaking out

its really just a hobby and its very comforting to just go home and work on his theories; gets him in a zen headspace

fall is his favorite season

rainy weather = good for staying indoors with some hot tea, a soft blanket and a good book

halloween is the Best Holiday

pumpkin flavored everything

that crisp, organic smell of wet leaves, crumbling moss, and concrete cooled by rain

buddy/gadget has more of an excuse to hang out bc he’s usually in town in the fall so fall is just automatically superior

time for sweaters and punk af boots; also its finally cool enough for infinite to wear his favorite leather jacket

aspiring writer

wordy, needs to work on grounding abstractions

good sense of atmosphere

millions of story ideas but only one idea for a protag

protag is based on gadget; hasn’t told him yet

vent writes a lot

rainy weather is great x2 Bonus bc staying in and listening to the rain patter against the walls and roof while writing is such a mood

more into short stories than long narratives

bonus points if the short stories are connected tho

super bonus if its an abstract out-of-order narrative (because he’s extra like that)

quiet, reserved; secretly a snarkmaster and sarcastic

dry sense of humor

best deadpan when telling jokes, gadget busts out laughing every time

think phoenix wright’s internal monologue

way too polite; avoids conflict like the plague

will protect gadget with his l i f e

they’re fucking life partners bro they ride or they die and they do it together

there may or may not be a crush in there but shhhhh

ideal lifestyle

get a job that isn’t really his dream job but is still enjoyable and makes a comfortable salary

live in a nice apartment overlooking the cityscape

lots of houseplants

a pet fish maybe

fast wifi

walls absolutely covered with various things

posters for movies he likes

prints from local artists

photographs haphazardly pinned on top of and in between everything

a wall dedicated to his conspiracy stuff

conspiracy stuff interspersed with no rhyme or reason amongst other walls

vinyl covers

t-shirts of his favorite bands

maybe some cool lookin fabric???

time in the evening to write/read/browse the internet

gadget as a roommate

clothes that are both black and super comfy

wants to move out of rural hometown and to somewhere like seattle

plans to move out with gadget; they’re both saving up

gadget/buddy

the thematic antithesis of infinite’s aesthetic

while infinite is slow and contemplative, gadget bursts and bubbles with energy

clothes? colorful. music? cheery, peppy, lots of chiptune thrown in.

quick temper (aka will fight anyone in a denny’s parking lot at a moment’s notice)

like damn he can be an angry boi sometimes

mostly he’s just excited; he’s in general rather bombastic and immediate in his self expression

this can also translate to impatience when he wants to get on with something.

along the lines of “Cmooon its time to do things! It’s all so cool and neat but its gotta happen now!”

“lmao watch this” proceeds to do something that’s extremely dangerous and threatens life and limb, somehow survives, laughs it off and drinks some kool-aid

loves to travel

can probably speak thirty different languages at any given point, even if only in segments

expanded worldview due to Going Places and Seeing Things

to infinite: “dude you gotta like. go outside. youll get more inspiration for your writing. i just saw a guy stuff an entire corn dog down his throat before diving into a harbor and i think that just gave me a whole new outlook on life.”

favorite seasons are late spring/summer

warm

days are long

lots of sunshine

great for going outdoors and explooooring

sun feels heavenly on his fur

if he wasn’t a wolf and thus had skin he’d be a Golden Boy

that fresh cut grass smell tho

bonus points for Smokey Smell of Barbecue

everything is berry flavored

only downside is he’s usually not in town so its harder to visit infinite

hobbyist mechanic (see: nerd mechanic)

likes to recreate weapons from video games and anime

just in general likes the flashy stuff more than practical creations

often draws out blueprints for whatever fictional contraptions infinite talks about in his short stories

sometimes forgoes the electrical aspect and just outright makes final fantasy-type swords in his basement for fun

pretty happy with current life but wouldn’t mind moving out with infinite and sharing an apartment

granted an apartment wouldn’t have the room he’d need for his equipment but that’s fine as long as he’s with infinite

would probably leave the equipment back at home and travel out on weekends to do his mechanic stuff

during the week/whenever he couldn’t travel back home he’d put more focus into drawing out and selling blueprints on the internet (there’s enough space in an apartment to do that)

tactile and affectionate

is okay with rainy days when w/ infinite because guess what? time to hang out and watch netflix while they both huddle under a blanket for warmth

(gadget gets cold easily lmao)

lots of nudges, casual touch, slaps on the back, hugging, bro just wants that sweet sweet contact yo

i mean he respects people’s personal boundaries but let’s face it. if you let him He Will Sit On You

sonic is his idol

infinite doesn’t really think he’s hot shit but boy howdy gadget loves this dude.

infinite supports gadget even tho he doesn’t like sonic a whole lot bc goddammit a happy gadget is a blessing

thats about it thank u for reading

#sonic forces #sonic the hedgehog #sth #sonic forces infinite #sonic forces avatar #long post //#pls read this and lemme know what u think #hopefully tungle doesnt mess with the formatting lmao

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lokgifsandmusings · 7 years ago

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Definitive Ranking of Book 1 Episodes, #12/12

12. 1x12 Endgame

Amon stands and lets Korra expose him for drama, Asami and Hiroshi are just like Kevin Bacon, let’s hide in an empty room from the bloodbender, people weren’t all that into justice anyway, and Aang brings the funk.

What? It hasn’t been over 4 months since I last did one of these...get out of here!

For those who don’t know, I’ve been going back and rewatching each LoK episode, then definitively ranking the entire season with a series of metas, starting from “worst” to “best.” Wait, no quotes because it’s DEFINITIVE.

I began with the beautiful, heart stopping, breathtaking, life-changing shitshow that was Book 2, because its flaws in some ways became the show’s greatest strength, so it felt very worth the dive. Then I went to Book 4 probably because that’s the time period that interests me a ton, and it was a solid season, but one that sort of felt like it needed some polish. Book 3 is damn near perfect in my opinion, and the one I want to end on for that reason.

So yup, we’re in Book 1! And here’s the thing: rewatching this show, the first season is the one that gives you the least back. It’s not particularly deep or nuanced. And that’s fine! It did a good job expanding the world building, the aesthetics were beyond on-point, and I’ll stand by the characterizations as pretty dang compelling, even if Mako never landed for me until Book 3.

At the same time, had this been the one season mini-series it almost was...I just don’t see still talking about it. And yes, I say that knowing the end game (you see what I did there?) would have been a bit different. But it doesn’t really change that the greatest success of Book 1 was its set up and potential. So, I guess it’s not a shock that the episode at the bottom of this list is its finale. Which is best depicted here:

Yeah, it sounds harsh for something that was ~fine~, but each time I rewatch it, it gets even less fine. However, there’s also been a lot on this already. If you haven’t already, read @got-your-back-always-will’s piece on why it was so damn disappointing. Or you could read my words where I call it a narrative beer fart (I think I use this term a lot, to be fair), point out the leaps in logic and reasonable action necessary for it everything to occur, and then talk about kind of shitty, sexist, ableist implications. Hell, even my photo recap touches on this.

Yes, it was all unintentional, but just imagine a character as intersectional as Korra being sent off with her depression having been magically healed by a male character (yes I know Aang is her, but imagery matters and she was passively sitting while he did his thing) and then hooking up with the guy who treated another woman as something stuck to his shoe.

And I mean, add to that the way the main plotline just FIZZLED. Oh man, people aren’t oppressed anymore because the guy who wanted to help them was actually a bender? WHAT. Everything Amon and the Equalists were set-up to be, and it just ends with a crowd shrugging and looking sad.

Like...this ending isn’t the worst thing that’s been on TV. It’s just formulaic and feels not well-planned, which is kind of weird because wasn’t this the only season that *had* been fully scripted? I really don’t want to pile on as if it’s the most toxic thing ever (not by a long shot), but would this have actually been satisfying to anyone?

I feel like I’m going to just end repeating myself, and I really don’t want to pile on. So instead, I think it’s important to zoom out and look at what the season was supposed to be accomplishing as a whole.

Korra is the opposite of Aang. Not in a moral sense, but in the sense that Bryke’s process in creating her was literally, “instead of a spiritual, not-super-physical, reluctant male hero who was not happy about his role, what if we had a girl who was super into it, non-spiritual, and kind of a hockey-kid type?”. They talk about this on podcasts and stuff. Aang’s narrative was about how he needed to embrace his role since the world needed him. We’ve seen this before (though Aang and ATLA was very unique, don’t get me wrong) with stories like Harry Potter, or LOTR, or the Star Wars OT, and so on.

That kind of arc is sort of best summed up by this quote from our pal Dumbledore:

“It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.”

But when you have a character that WANTS to be the hero, what do you do? You write a world that doesn’t want *them*. You write a struggle in their quest to find a place for themselves when the role they’re so ready to take on doesn’t really make sense anymore.

This is the point of the Equalists. Benders are the privileged minority, extorting the oppressed masses in the nonbenders. The Avatar in some ways represents the ultimate bender (with her inherent abilities), and is now in a world skeptical, scared, and teaming for revolution.

Specifically against her and her power structure. There’s the spiritual aspect to her role, but she was out-of-touch with it in the first season, while also facing a very here-and-now kind of problem.

The conclusion that Korra needed to reach as a character, and where she gets at the end of Book 2 actually (and then spends Books 3 and 4 fine-tuning that role while also going through a very powerful healing arc) is one where she stakes her OWN claim in the world. She defines her role in a way that’s significant to her and the meaning in her heroism comes from her assertion of that agency, and the way she basically screams for her right to exist into being. The world will find it *does* need her, and here’s why, damnit.

Book 1 didn’t get there at all. Fuck, it didn’t even address things like how Korra’s actions out of bravado were because of her horrible fear of appearing weak. That fear...it’s only something she got over after her healing arc, when she learned that being afraid isn’t a weakness, and she can recontextualize that fear and find a kind of strength in it. Now, it’s possible that whenever it was decided that Book 1 would be 1 of 4 seasons, they made sure to keep room for Korra’s character growth. Except...in 2x01 she’s rather backdialed, so it’s a difficult case to make.

Then, remember how her solution had been (more or less) to punch things? Which is why @projectvoicebend has been referred to as “biting satire” thanks to their exaggerated depiction of that? But in Endgame, she literally saves the day with brute force. Not that Amon *shouldn’t* have been knocked out of a window, but this is rather bizarre messaging.

She unlocked airbending in a time of desperation, and used it aggressively to get rid of the threat. Like...okay. But, we didn’t need to see an entire season to buy this kind of thing happening. Hell, if she had been de-bended in 1x04 and someone else was threatened, I could still see this happening.

Was the implication that it’s the power of love? Had it been Bolin or Tenzin there, just sucks for them? I kind of find that hard to swallow, too. Really, they just needed Amon to be unmasked, and this is the way they contrived Korra to do it. It wasn’t exactly a huge character moment as much as it was leveling up in a video game.

Now, I do think overall it’s good that Korra didn’t find a place for herself in the world at the end of the first season. That was hard-earned, and even creating the new spiritual age wasn’t the endpoint of that theme since people were resistant to change—of losing control. However, could there have at least been an indication that REFORM WAS GOING TO HAPPEN? Yeah, the revolutionaries aren’t exactly blameless here seeing as they bombed an entire city, but Endgame literally reset the tensions in Republic City. Well, until Shiro recapped the creation of an entire democracy for us in 2 sentences.

It was like...the set box that Bryke had created at the beginning of the season needed to stay perfectly intact. And it wasn’t organic at all for Korra to be the person upholding that, because she is inherently such a transgressive character. This is why I’ve called it a round peg in a square hole, and this is why had *that* been the ending to the series, my own reaction would have been as dejected as the people who realized Amon painted a scar on his face.

Hell, what does this even mean on a thematic level? Desperation breeds education? Never idolize anyone who promises simple solutions to your problems? Reincarnation has its uses if you’re in enough pain?

Really, this show is supposed to be about Korra’s growth and trajectory, and...I just am struggling to see much of anything here.

Frankly, it gets worse the longer I think about it too. Equalists are like, bad and junk. Bombing cities and brutalizing your enemies (while evoking genocidal language with that whole ‘impurity’ thing) is not good, mmkay? But from another entirely valid angle, isn’t part of what Amon stood for really about disarmament? Should they have been so cartoonishly evhul that they suddenly needed to de-bend the pacifistic airbender children?

The only thing that kind of worked in this plotline was Asami and Hiroshi. And yeah, I know I’m the ultimate Asami fangirl so it’s going to read biased, but I’m serious: she was the only nonbender we really heard from about this. She was the one who had the same pain that her father had (her mother’s death at the hands of bending gangs), and experienced the same type of oppression he did, and still resoundly rejected violence. I’m not sure what she saw as a pathway to reform, but she could tell that Hiroshi’s actions weren’t coming from a place of empathy any longer, even if it might have begun like that.

Rewatching everything today when nazi punching discourse is disturbingly not theoretical, there is something a little frustrating about how simplified even this conflict was made. I’m not saying the Equalists are fascists at all, but can we at least try and position ourselves in the nonbender perspective, when there’s a lot of valid grievances, and Amon is just doing exactly what Aang did to Yakone (initially, back when he was targeting just triad members)? That’s worth a conversation! Sure, we got Asami standing up to Tarrlok in 1x08, sure, but her drive to take down her father was so clearly personal thanks to the years of deception, that the nonbender oppression sort of got swallowed in it all.

I still think it worked better than anything else, especially how Asami was not able to bring herself to harm her father the way he was willing to do. It’s tragic, and I don’t even begrudge Bolin swooping in for the save for that reason, even though the whole passive-woman/active-man thing is what I’m bitching about for Korra. But it’s different. Right?

I also found Tarrlok and Amon’s ending perfectly fine (and VERY jarring for a Y7 show) given that it was another exploration into abuse, the cycle of violence, and a kind of poetic self-fulfilling prophecy. But that’s more for 1x11.

God, you know what it is? Bryke never figured out what they wanted to say with Book 1. They had great worldbuilding ideas, and the tensions set up were quite compelling. It just lacked a *point* beyond “this might be cool to explore.” It was, and then the time came to tie it up, so it splatted.

In the end, they’re just damn lucky that Korra had something to say of her own.

Book 2 ranking/essays found here

Book 4 ranking/essays found here

#book 1 ranking #lok meta #korra #korra 1x12 #endgame

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unnursvanablog · 7 years ago

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We are already more than half way through! Only five more episodes to go! Hopefully, when I finish writing this post the subs for ep. 8 will be out (that's wishful thinking). It almost feels kinda old-school having to hunt for subtitles like this.

I can't believe it. Time sure does fly when you are having fun (with shipping Song Ji Won and Im Sung Min). I spend my days atm just watching youtube videos of Song Jieun and Sung Min, because I just can't get enough. And I just felt like I needed to write something about this drama, since I can't stop talking about it on twitter.

I just want to say that like Age of Youth 2. I think it is a solid drama and a pretty good season 2. Time flies while I am watching these episodes and I am enjoying myself, for the most part. It isn't as good as season 1, but I kinda didn't expect it to be able to live up to that and I don't think that is a bad thing. I am still very invested in these characters and their stories and I keep refreshing these drama-websites to see if the subs are out. I am hooked tbh and I haven't felt that way since Circle.

I think it helps that I am already invested in these characters. Some of the story-arcs aren't as interesting as the ones in season 1 - but I expect it is hard to come up with something as gripping as the ghost-in-the-cupboard story-arc. That one took me by surprise, since it sort of made the show much more than just a drama about five girls who share a house together, like it was advertised. This season feels more like that. And it isn't really a bad thing since I enjoy that sort of slice-of-life aspect of it. It is just a bit different and maybe takes a bit of the edge from the drama.

My main problem is the fact that the plot of who the letter was suppose to belong to isn't really explored well enough and it doesn't really feature in any of the other girls stories apart from Jo Eun. While the ghost in the cupport story really did sort of connect all of these different stories together and managed to be a nice symbolism as well. It was super cool and well done.

I kinda wish the other girl knew about the letter or something. It might make it a bit more of a think-peace (if that is the right word) for the girls and would maybe give the story a nice center or evolve around. Because right now they all have their separate stories and while the I do think they all have an equal role to play within the drama I feel like there isn't much that is connecting all of these stories together other than they all live in the same house.

I also miss the fact that each girl got her own episode. Were they would narrate the episode and sort of be the focus of the theme of the episode. I felt like that did add a very nice touch to the show and allowed us to get more inside into each character. We could see them from different points of views. Now we are sort of just moving from one story to another, which is a very nice way to do things, but I just felt like the way they did it in season one was more... unique. But maybe I am just nitpicking.

It isn't as romance heavy as I thought it would. That is a nice surprise. The dudes don't really steal the show and are more in the background. They are just there to accompnay the girls and I feel like the friendship between the girls is still the main focus of the show, even if all these different storylines are sort of scattered around.

I am mostly invested in the Song Ji Eun story line and her chemistry with Sung Min. I can't get enough, honestly. I have given them an otp status at this point (and I don't feel like I give that to anyone, even if I ship people together). Their chemistry is so good and I just find myself waiting for their scenes. I also just find this quest that Song Ji Eun is on about what happened when she was young and why her memory is failing her so interesting - and the fact that some people are saying that this was teased a little bit in season 1 is super intriguing. I feel like that really is the strong point of the drama this season, they are kinda going all out, and I am loving it.

The second most interesting thing about this season is Jin Myung and her being a career-woman now. I love how she is in a long-distant relationship with the Chef guy (I am really bad with names btw), though of course I wish that Yoon Park was in this drama and we could get some lovey-dovey scenes with them. I like the fact that she sympathizes with that idol guy because she sees her younger brother in him. I find that true to her character. If that will end up developing from feeling sorry for the guy into more of a romance - and maybe he will find another career that he is passionate about, idk, since I can't see Jin Myung with some idol guy, since she craves stability - then I hope it will be done well and not just out of the blue. And I just like seeing her wearing office-clothes and doing well at her work.

I find the new girl and the guy who is shorter than her cute together and I adore their height difference. And we aren't together but we are going to act like we are is one of my fav rom-com tropes, so I am enjoying that. And I hope that her friend is a lesbian and has a crush on her and that it will be done very tastefully. Because it really feels like. I would kinda not know how to explain why her friend is acting the way she is does sometimes. If not then she is just a very annoyingly clingy friend. And Jo Eun doesn't think it is weird when people ask if her friend likes her in that way. She is more concerned about hurting her feelings than anything else.

Ye Eun was never a big favorite of mine in the first season, even if I found her character interesting (but frustrating at times). I like how the writer is handling her recovery and that is is happening gradually and how she is taking these small steps at a time. I am not too thrilled about her ex boyfriend coming back and I think that she is somhow involved with that letter that Jo Eun found. In what way I don't know, but I just have this feeling. I don't find the scenes with her and Ho Change dude to be very interesting, but I guess her talking to guys again is a good thing and important to the story. But I don't see any romance there and I kinda prefer that.

Now to my surprise I find the Eun Jae x her sunbae story the least apealing thing about this show, which is sort of the oppisite to what I felt in season 1. And I don't want to blame it all on the actress being different - since I am sure she is doing the best she can and of course she is going to play her differently, since she isn't Park Hye Soo and therefor she is going to interpret the script and the character differently. I don't have a problem with her, even if I prefer Park Hye Soo in that role.

It is just that I don't understand what Eun Jae is thinking. Why she broke up with her sunbae and why she is now trying to win him back. It kinda feels like they broke up just to add some drama to Eun Jae's story line - since she kinda has nothing else to do this season - and so they can get back together again. And I just hate it when show do that. Make couples break up and get together again just to break up and then get together again. Also, this makes Eun Jae look like such a loon. I just can't understand why they are doing this or why Eun Jae is doing this and I am just a bit frustrated with that story-line.

#age of youth 2 #this is just a ramble tbh

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theteenagetrickster · 5 years ago

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The 50 Best R&B Albums of The Decade (2010s) - Rated R&B

If there’s one genre that has experienced the most sweeping changes in the 2010s, it’s R&B.

From the survival of the EDM phenomenon to the decline in music sales to more artists taking the independent route, this decade seemed to prevent more challenges for established and emerging artists.

And let’s not forget about the ongoing debates about “the state of R&B” and critics declaring R&B a “dead genre” on more than occasion.

Still, with all the harsh talk about R&B, what remained consistent throughout this decade was the generous amount of extraordinary music from the artists we always adored to the ones we grew to love.

After many internal debates and sleepless nights, Rated R&B’s editorial team has compiled an unranked list of the 50 Best R&B Albums from the 2010s. The albums are listed in alphabetical order.

1. 4 — Beyoncé (2011)

Before the digital drop, before she got in formation, and before she renamed Coachella ‘Beychella,’ Beyoncé was laying the foundations of legendary status with 4. Riding high on the success of I Am… Sasha Fierce in the previous decade, Beyoncé took a much-needed hiatus from music to rediscover the world and herself. What came out of that year-long break, however, was the need to produce a timeless R&B record. “I really focused on songs being classics, songs that would last, songs that I could sing when I’m 40 and when I’m 60,” Beyoncé said in 2011.

With 4, Beyoncé grabbed pieces from all eras of music, from ‘80s and ‘90s R&B on tracks like “Party” and “I Care” to ‘70s funk and Afrobeat on songs like “End of Time” and “Run The World (Girls)”, to create a sound that was bolder than anything she had ever done. Released in 2011 with moderate initial success — reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart and winning the Grammy award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 55th annual ceremony for “Love on Top”— 4 set the precedent for what was to come in the 2010s, while slowly being embraced as Beyoncé’s bravest, most soulful record to date. — ANDERS HARE (A.H.)

2. A Seat at the Table — Solange (2016)

To encapsulate a significant portion of what it means to be Black in America is a difficult task. Not many have been called to it, yet Solange willingly hit the nail with much accuracy on A Seat at the Table. Inviting the general public to her spread, she expressed the pain, anguish, resilience and pride one can feel on a daily basis. Solange covers as many necessary bases as possible including wanting a piece of something to call your own in a covetous space (“F.U.B.U.”) to establishing boundaries, while demanding respect (“Don’t Touch My Hair”). The glimmer of hope in the beautifully melancholy number arrives towards the end with “Junie,” inspired by Ohio Players member Junie Morrison. In a little under an hour, the multidisciplinary artist gives way to an intricate experience in a manner that is complex and poetic. — DANIELLE BRISSETT (D.B.)

3. Another Round — Jaheim (2010)

As the title suggests, Jaheim returned for Another Round of passion-fueled belts and beloved street poetry on his fifth album. Serving as the solid follow-up to The Makings of a Man, the 2011 Best R&B Album contender is essentially an album that conveys thoughtful lyrics and tender ballads and midtempos with familiar and fresh sounding instrumentals. For the pre-album single, “Finding Your Way Back,” Jaheim works hard to retrace his last steps to rekindle a favorable romance. He expresses excitement to be a first-time dad on “II Pink Lines.” On the piano-laced “Bed is Listening,” Jaheim asks his talkative lover to keep their relationship troubles and joys only between them. A deserving listen to Another Round is highly recommended. – ANTWANE FOLK (A.F.)

4. Anti — Rihanna (2016)

Barbadian-born singer Rihanna has long been described as “anti”— going against the grain in fashion, music and lifestyle choices, and doing everything an icon shouldn’t. While her first seven albums detail her narrative of a “good girl gone bad,” none of them really tell Rihanna’s true story. When in the early stages of her eighth studio album, Rihanna ensured she played a major role in its inception, serving as executive producer. She sought to create a timeless album with replay value she could perform years after its release. The final product was Anti, an album nearly four years in the making that truthfully recounted Rihanna as a human being better than any album she previously released. Sonically, the album is a soulful adventure of self-exploration and a footprint of the culmination of every sound in Rihanna’s catalog. Anti earned Rihanna five nominations at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards, however, did not win a single one. This defeat is symbolized as a body of work that is ahead of its time. Still, Anti remains one of the most progressive, personal, and touching albums of the 2010s. — A.H.

5. Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart? — K. Michelle (2014)

K. Michelle’s 2013 debut, Rebellious Soul, officially introduced her as one of the most unfiltered R&B storytellers, but her follow-up LP is the moment her undeniable talent couldn’t go unnoticed – even by her Love and Hip-Hop naysayers. That said, Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart has it all for a second album: a strengthen concept, sharper lyrics, and improved quality in production. Throughout AWBAH, K’s expressive vocals are equally as emotional as the love drama she belts. At the center of many of the complicated lyrics is acclaimed English actor Idris Elba, who she had an alleged fling with sometime before (or during) this album recording. K isn’t modest about the effect he’s had on her heart at the least on songs like “How Do You Know?” and “Maybe I Should Cry.” But, regardless of the heartache he caused K. Michelle, she mustered up enough strength to put out a body of work that doesn’t sound like anyone but herself. – A.F.

6. Art Official Age — Prince (2014)

Prince’s Art Official Age is a concept album that takes listeners on a futuristic journey. Prince is placed in a suspended animation and awakens 45 years in the future to a whole new world. British singer Lianne La Havas makes a few appearances on the album as she plays the role of a therapist who helps guides him back into consciousness and gives him an overview of what to expect. On Art Official Age, Prince showcases the highly influential funk-pop-rock-soul sound he innovated in the ‘80s. “Clouds” serves up the kind of bass-heavy, guitar-accented groove diehard Prince fans know and love. A celebration of affection and intimacy, this standout brilliantly decries the impersonal aspects of modern, technology-reliant communication and a lack of sincerity in human interaction in a world of “reality”-show posing.

“Breakfast Can Wait” is an ode to morning sex. Prince is in stellar form on “Breakdown,” a heartfelt lament of a relationship gone wrong. He puts his falsetto to great use over a stirring track that transitions multiple times between sparse, vocal-and-keyboard-only verses and a chorus with those elements effectively joined by drums and a gripping bass line. He closes the album with “Affirmation III,” where Havas helps spread encouragement with some words of wisdom. “Remember, there is really only one destination, and that place is you. All of it, everything, is you,” she says. — KEITHAN SAMUELS (K.S.)

7. Back to Love — Anthony Hamilton (2011)

It’s hard to resist the raspy-voice charm of Anthony Hamilton. On Back to Love, the veteran continues to showcase his strong admiration for old-school soul music found on most of his previous albums. This time, rather than wallow in “the sad cat” persona, Hamilton puts his emotional outbursts in check and delivers the shimmering danceable number “Sucka For You” and the reassuring duet “Never Let Go” featuring Keri Hilson. Despite the bright lights, big city production influences, Hamilton isn’t out of touch with his Southern roots. On “Pray For Me,” the hit single, he gets on bended knees to plead with the Most High for his ex-lover to return to him. And like a home-cooked meal, richly flavored tracks “Best of Me” and “I’m Ready” are like food to the soul. — A.F.

8. Back to Me — Fantasia (2010)

Fantasia’s third studio album, Back to Me, was released four years after her self-titled sophomore LP. Taking a more daring direction with the previous project, Fantasia returned to her core elements with an elevated sound. The American Idol winner’s growth was evident on this album, from the lyrical material to the vocal performance. She collaborates with accomplished songwriter/producer duo Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony for the first time on the initial single “Bittersweet” and the opening track, “I’m Doin’ Me.” Coming out swinging, track one sets the tone for what’s to come throughout the rest of the album. While the striking piano is a key piece, it’s Fantasia’s ad-libs and backgrounds that truly elevate and amplify the song’s magic. A few retro-leaning numbers (“Trust Him”, “Collard Greens & Cornbread”) make an appearance on the tracklist but Fantasia’s soulful grit produces a piercing comfort, connecting a seasoned energy to a contemporary feel. — D.B.

9. BEYONCÉ — Beyoncé (2013)

The world stopped momentarily when Beyoncé released her fifth studio album without any warning. Two years after 4, her eponymous album was in a league of its own from the rollout to its musical landscape. Fans got an authentic peek into Beyoncé’s personal life through the music for the first time; bringing us into her high profile marriage, motherhood and her views on success. Beyoncé experimented with a variety of different musical elements, including electronic and pop. It leaned towards an alternative R&B feel, straying from the traditional R&B sound that was prevalent in her previous body of work. Even though eccentricity flowed throughout the album, “Rocket” was R&B at its core. Honoring “Untitled (How Does It Feel) by D’Angelo, the soulfully funky slow jam oozes seduction as Beyoncé slides across the yearning electric guitar and thumping bass. The self-titled project contained an assortment of flavors that were unexpectedly satisfying in a way only Beyoncé can serve. — D.B.

10. Black Messiah — D’Angelo and The Vanguard (2014)

D’Angelo is a legend among men. As one of the pioneers of neo-soul, his weighted contribution to the movement would be inadequate without him. He made his long-awaited return to music 14 years after his sophomore album Voodoo with the politically-charged Black Messiah. It was slated for a 2015 release but he was inspired to push the date up due to the verdicts of the Eric Garner and Ferguson cases. Capturing the Black American experience during a tense time, D’Angelo and The Vanguard responded with an eccentric, yet spiritual album. Musically, Messiah is a rebellion from structural norms, with nearly inaudible lyrics that are intended to be felt and not necessarily understood word for word. Intertwining funk, soul, gospel and blues, there’s a wide range from societal issues (“1000 Deaths,” “The Charade”), to romance (“Really Love,” “Another Life”) and all the imaginable feelings in between. The intricately beautiful body of work rightfully earned the award for Best R&B Album at the 58th Grammy Awards. — D.B.

11. blackSUMMERS’night — Maxwell (2016)

“It’s an album about trying to find love,” Maxwell told Mic on the overall theme of blackSUMMERS’night. “It’s sonically grittier than usual and I’d say that this album is much more poetic.” Complied with well-written songs that weren’t crafted from any rushed recording sessions, this second album of a romantic trilogy covers a lot of ground on discovering true romance like on the splashing groove “Lake By the Ocean” and captive solo “Hostage.” In a vulnerable fashion, Maxwell opens his heart and mind to a hopeful lover on the mood-setting “Listen Hear.” His distinctive voice extracts intense pain on “Lost,” the darkest and finest moment. Now while blackSUMMERS’night doesn’t entirely follow the bluesy formula of BLACKsummers’night, his commercial breakthrough, it’s most definitely an R&B collector’s item. – A.F.

12. Calling All Lovers — Tamar Braxton (2015)

There’s something to be said for not trying to reinvent the wheel. Despite a strong sophomore album and a hit single (“Love and War”), Tamar Braxton didn’t go after the charts for her third studio LP. Instead, the R&B star upped the ante on Calling All Lovers by delivering fervent vocals to yearn downhearted and joyous love tunes like the vintage-soul ditty “Simple Things” and summery throwback “Must Be Good to You.” Braxton is at her best when she sharply focuses on her vocal powers, as she does on the sorrowful “Broken Record” and the eminently romantic “Raise the Bar.” So while Calling All Lovers is written off by many as a disappointing follow-up because it didn’t receive a proper commercial rollout as its parent album, it is an incomparable gem that’s proved a hit after one fair spin. – A.F.

13. Caution — Mariah Carey (2018)

A music legend cannot release an album without high expectations from fans and critics. Throughout her career, Mariah Carey has always set and exceeded the bar of musical excellence with her impeccable vocal range and her mesmerizing lyrics. Caution, Carey’s 15th studio album, proved why she has been able to sell over 200 million records throughout her career. Whether she’s singing tender ballads like “With You” and “Portrait” or showing off her playful side on “A No No” and “GTFO,” Caution pleasantly reminds the world that there are levels to Carey’s talent. — K.S.

14. Ctrl — SZA (2017)

The first lady of Top Dawg Entertainment crafted a playbook on self-awareness, boldness and reflection on Ctrl. SZA, along with her mom and granny, narrates the ebbs of flows of self-discovery in numerous aspects. Along the interestingly insightful journey, the alt & B singer stops at sensuality (“Doves In The Wind”), insecurity (“Drew Barrymore”) and acceptance (“Normal Girl”) with an ever-changing destination in sight. She takes flight on “Pretty Little Birds” featuring label-mate Isaiah Rashad. The lucid lyrics about soaring high with her lover are stretched across palpitating production with fluttering jazz horns and synths. SZA quaintly captures the nuances of growth in a way that was widely and immensely felt upon her release. Her full-length debut is a comforting coming of age album for young women in their 20-somethings, stepping into their own. — D.B.

15. Doubleback: Evolution of R&B — Joe (2013)

It doesn’t get more soulful than Joe. The Grammy-nominated veteran, who debuted in 1993 with the album Everything, effortlessly proves that he’s untouchable in the romance department. By merging elements of well-rendered vocals, convincingly tender lyrics, and classic and modern R&B feels, Doubleback: Evolution of R&B is a stroke of pure genius. Never sounding too dated, Joe reaches back to give his male listeners lessons on the beauty of settling down like on “I’d Rather Have a Love,” the yearning lead single. He breaks down the pleasurable difference between “Love & Sex” with Fantasia and indulges in the sweet company of “Mary Jane.” Doubleback is another reminder to bachelors that there’s nothing wrong with turning in your player cards, once and for all. – A.F.

16. Ego Death — The Internet (2015)

The Internet’s third studio album was a wake-up call to anyone who slept on the eclectically soulful band. While their sophomore effort floated in the lo-fi realm, Ego Death took the tempo up a notch. Building on their neo-soul adjacent sound, they pulled from alternative, jazz and lounge music elements to create a body of work that is expansive, yet focused. A common thread for Ego Death is the relaxing, easygoing tone, appropriately displayed in “For The World” featuring James Fauntleroy — a track that shares a similar groove to “Butterflies” by Michael Jackson. The Internet’s melodic palate transformed from a mystic vibe to a soul knocking sound on their third album; proof they’ve grown from being the adolescent band next door to a musically inclined group who’s pushing their sound further. — D.B.

17. ELDORADO — Ro James (2016)

Ro James summons an authentic essence of soul. With a husky and smoldering timbre, his ability to bridge the musicality of his forefathers and his personal influences enhance the listening experience. James pulls from rock, soul and gospel to create a rich and fortifying sound. His trilogy EP Coke, Jack and Cadillacs was released in 2013, simmering a carefully crafted energy that steadily lured fans in.

Three years later, his debut album ELDORADO solidified a lane solely reserved for James to cruise along. His Willie Hutch-sampled track “Permission” took over urban adult contemporary radio and promptly aided his growing success. ELDORADO would be incomplete without hazy and seductive tracks like “Burn Slow” and “GA$” but “Holy Water” contributes a contrasting but necessary element. Swelled with sonorous organs, James belts about becoming better and not losing himself with choir-adjacent backgrounds for full support. For his first major-label release, James leaves an undeniably lasting impression. — D.B.

18. Feel The Real — Musiq Soulchild (2017)

When it comes to love, Musiq Soulchild has a lot to say. Released as a double album, Feel The Real is a 100-minute expedition through the different stages of a relationship. “I kinda wanted to do the whole Feel the Real thing because this love thing, this romance thing, this relationship thing, this interpersonal intimate thing we deal with it’s all about how you feel,” he told HipHollywood. “You can’t think your way through it.” The title track, which features Marsha Ambrosius, hears Soulchild shooting his shot at a woman he is interested in pursuing.

On the same token, he isn’t looking to settle too quickly. He gets very candid on “Benefits,” where he only wants to be friends with benefits. He admits his wrongdoings on the Willie Hyn-assisted “My Bad” and asks his partner to do the same on “Humble Pie.” “Let Go” is about knowing when it is time for both partners to move on from a relationship. With everything he experienced in his previous relationship, Soulchild wants to make sure he is ready to make his heart open for the next person. “Test Drive” is about testing the waters before settling down. “We could both crash and burn or we could fly high / Couldn’t hurt to take a test drive,” he sings. Soulchild expresses his gratitude on the album’s closer “Simple Things.” Although the album is a lot longer than traditional releases, Soulchild makes the experience enjoyable with his velvety vocals laced over live instrumentation. — K.S.

19. Freudian — Daniel Caesar (2017)

The early 2010s consisted of R&B artists trying to keep up with what was contemporary, with many gravitating toward pop, alternative and EDM. On the contrary, Ontario-born singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar spent much of the early 2010s being recognized as a budding voice in classic R&B stylings with the release of several scattered EPs such as 2014’s Praise Break and 2015’s Pilgrim’s Paradise. However, Caesar’s debut album Freudian became a constant revisit for casual listeners of the genre after its release in 2017. The obvious nods to gospel music on tracks such as “Hold Me Down” and “We Find Love” adds a natural anointing to Caesar’s smooth sound. However, it is songs such as “Blessed” and the H.E.R.-assisted “Best Part” that elevate Caesar to timeless status, as both became radio and wedding mainstays, respectively. While everyone else was making moody, aesthetically-pleasing sounds, Caesar created a timeless record that offered a little something for everyone.— A.H.

20. Greater Than One — Dwele (2012)

Dwele is arguably one of the most underrated neo-soul singers. The Detroit native’s fifth studio album, Greater Than One, is proof in the pudding. Drawing inspiration from ‘80s R&B, Greater Than One highlights various topics surrounding a relationship. From missing out on love (“Going Leaving”) to knowing how to keep his woman happy (“What Profit”) to avoiding temptation (“Frankly My Dear”), the subject matter is relatable for anyone who has ever experienced a relationship. A standout moment on the album is the eargasmic “Obey,” an alluring tune where Dwele takes complete control in the bedroom as he instructs his woman to submit to his orders. Looking back, Dwele stepped outside of his traditional sound for Greater Than One, all while staying true to his artistry. — K.S.

21. Gumbo — PJ Morton (2017)

There is no place like home. PJ Morton returned to his New Orleans roots for his fourth studio album, Gumbo. With just nine tracks, the introspective LP is seasoned with intense topics that are most personal to him. On “Claustrophobic” featuring Pell, Morton vents about his frustrations in the music industry, making it clear that he is not interested in chasing trends. He offers hope to the marginalized on “Everything��s Gonna Be Alright” featuring BJ the Chicago Kid and The HamilTones. “Religion” hears Morton calling out people who use religion to justify their bad behavior, singing, “But you blame your God when it’s your own fault / Where is the love that your God spoke of?” He celebrates lifelong love on “First Began,” which was nominated for Best R&B Song at the 2018 Grammy Awards. The album also received a nomination for Best R&B Album. — K.S.

22. H.E.R. — H.E.R. (2017)

Before she was the ominous, multitalented music virtuoso known as H.E.R., California native Gabi Wilson first appeared on a radio talent competition Next Big Thing in 2009, ultimately losing. However, it was not until she put on a pair of massive sunglasses to cover her face, changed her name to the acronym Having Everything Revealed, and released an eponymous debut EP that H.E.R. became a slow-burning sensation everyone wanted to know. A compilation of her first two EPs released in 2016 and 2017, respectively, H.E.R. is the diamond that emerged from the coal that came with the introduction of alternative R&B in the mid-2010s: a purely R&B album that is true to its roots, yet can easily compete with the fiercest competitors. H.E.R. received several nods from critics and contemporaries alike, including a co-sign of the album’s second single “Focus” from Rihanna.

With just one feature on the entire project, H.E.R. puts her messages of love, regret, pain, and pleasure at the forefront of the album on songs such as “Rather Be,” “2,” and “Losing.” Although not a radio-heavy project, the resonance of H.E.R. made it all the way to the Grammy stage, earning the singer-songwriter Best R&B Album, and Best R&B Performance for her duet “Best Part” with Daniel Caesar. While she still has yet to put out a proper debut LP, H.E.R. remains a staple of the 2010s as the world waits to see what she will do next. — A.H.

23. Honestly — Lalah Hathaway (2018)

Lalah Hathaway’s first studio album on her independent imprint followed her pair of Grammys won for her 2015 live album. All-around musician Tiffany Gouché is involved with each song on Honestly, pushing Hathaway into a more free-spirited and adventurous territory sonically than her previous albums. Fortunately, this bold play works to the polyphonic-voiced singer’s advantage. Everything from Honestly is a mood. “I Can’t Wait” beams with feel-good vibes to get any party started. The Lecrae-assisted anthem “Don’t Give Up” is a large dose of reassurance, while “Won’t Let Go” ducks and dodges an obsessed ex. And while her rich, warm overtones are attached to nostalgic video game noise, it doesn’t seem scattered or muddled. It’s actually a positive step in the next direction of Hathaway’s elevated artistry. – A.F.

24. In My Mind — BJ the Chicago Kid (2016)

With the many directions R&B has taken, only a few have been able to elevate the genre while staying true to its core elements. When BJ the Chicago Kid independently released his debut album Pineapple Now-Laters in 2012, he garnered attention with his soulfully robust voice, suggestive of prominent hometown soul singers like Sam Cooke and Curtis Mayfield. Six months later, he signed a deal with the famed Motown Records where he released his major-label debut, In My Mind.

By injecting the quintessence of his forefathers into his resonating sound, BJ evidently distinguished himself from his peers. He makes use of his storytelling skills on a tale of infidelity on “Wait Til the Morning” featuring Isa. On the sensual track “The Resume” featuring Big K.R.I.T., BJ channels the computerized ’90s energy by way of Jodeci. He closes the album with “Turnin’ Me Up,” a soothing and irresistible acoustic number with the impromptu spirit of a jam session. BJ presents a modern take on soul music with In My Mind, while keeping the spirit of the music form alive. — D.B.

25. Kaleidoscope Dream — Miguel (2012)

Miguel had a lot to prove with his sophomore album, Kaleidoscope Dream. His debut All I Want Is You was the spacey and rhythmic introduction to his genre-melding talents, yet it wasn’t well-received upon its release. Taking significant creative control this time, Miguel returned to the drawing board to create an imaginative fusion of psychedelic soul, rock and R&B. The album begins with “Adorn,” the feel-good throwback-adjacent single that matured into a classic over time. As the ear-bending journey continues, the title track is more than fitting of its name, navigating a chromatically rippling number that’ll take listeners to another plane. The daringly neoteric direction Miguel took resulted in him becoming a regarded voice among male R&B. — D.B.

26. Late Nights & Early Mornings — Marsha Ambrosius (2011)

As half of the neo-soul duo Floetry, Marsha Ambrosius is one of the pillars that fused rap, soul, and jazz to create the genre nearly 20 years ago. It was these elements and a sultry, operatic voice that are the driving force behind her debut solo album Late Nights & Early Mornings. However, pushing the envelope even further, Ambrosius brought her unique form of storytelling into a new era and rewrote the book of grown and sexy for a new decade. She included clever scenarios in songs like “I Hope She Cheats On You (With a Basketball Player)” and “Far Away,” a tearjerking narrative that you feel just as hard as the sensual slow jams. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, and “Far Away” earned two Grammy nominations at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012. Late Nights & Early Mornings became less of a single project for one moment in time, but a mood for the right time of night, anytime. Whether those listening were feeling kinky, sad or just lying awake thinking about life, Ambrosius’ pen was there to get them through it. — A.H.

27. Love Life — Tamia (2015)

It’s hard to believe Tamia recorded her very solid sixth studio album, Love Life, in just 10 days. Taking an edgier approach than her previous works, Love Life is grown and sexy at its finest. “It’s not as deep and dark as some of my past albums; it’s in a better place,” she said in a past interview. The Canadian singer worked with a diverse group of songwriters and producers including The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, Pop & Oak, Chuck Harmony, Claude Kelly, Polow Da Don and The Stereotypes. The romantic album highlights the best moments of being in love — and could even serve as a guide on how to add a little spice to a longterm relationship. Tamia describes the feeling of falling in love with the opener “Love Falls Over Me.” On the album’s lead single “Sandwich and a Soda,” she gets submissive as she sings about taking care of her man in and outside of the bedroom. Speaking of the bedroom, Tamia doesn’t hold back on songs about making love (“Chaise Lounge,” “Lipstick” and “No Lie”). The album’s standout track is definitely “Stuck With Me,” which peaked at No. 14 on Billboard’s US Adult R&B Songs chart. Love Life is another example of how an artist can be intimate while leaving something to the imagination. — K.S.

28. Love, Marriage & Divorce — Toni Braxton and Babyface (2014)

Toni Braxton and Babyface’s Grammy-winning joint album Love, Marriage & Divorce is a quite satisfying collection of gorgeous selections that profile the romantic confessions of their lives. Working closely alongside heavyweight musician Daryl Simmons and Antonio Dixon, the two R&B greats cover past, present, and future love stories and share important experiences to provide healing for one’s relationship and heart. Passionately-sung numbers like “Where Did We Go Wrong?” minister on the power of listening, while “Reunited” supports mutual reconciliation. Other standouts include the remorse hit “Hurt You,” the love-drenched makeup tune “Sweat” and “I’d Rather Be Broke,” the bittersweet solo by Braxton. Needless to say, Braxton and Edmonds are a fine duo, and it’s a serious crime when they’re apart for too long. – A.F.

Stream: Apple Music / Spotify

29. New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh — Erykah Badu (2010)

Two years after releasing New Amerykah, Pt. 1 (4th World War), Erykah Badu followed up with the album’s sequel, New Amerykah, Pt. 2 (Return of the Ankh). While part one centered around politically-charged topics, part two is more personal as Badu focused more on her love life. Sonically, the album pulls inspiration from Badu’s early works like Baduizm. “The album is more emotional and flowy and talks about feelings,” Badu explained at a listening party in 2010. The obvious standout is her liberating single “Window Seat.” The controversial video, which shows Badu walking around nude in Dealy Plaza, ultimately led to her getting charged for disorderly conduct. Other highlights on the album include the funk-infused “Turn Me Away (Get Munny),” the cautionary “Fall in Love (Your Funeral)” and the buttery “Umm Hmm.” — K.S.

30. No Boys Allowed — Keri Hilson (2011)

Some fans and critics had to learn not to judge an album by its title when Keri Hilson announced her sophomore effort, No Boys Allowed. She explained the meaning behind the album in a press release, “It’s not about excluding men. It’s more about women understanding that there comes a time in your life when you want a man. A real man. A grown up. Not a boy. And that’s not a bad thing.” While Hilson’s debut album In A Perfect World was more on the safe side, No Boys Allowed saw the singer-songwriter more confident and open. Kicking off the album with her J.Cole-assisted banger “Buyou,” Hilson made is clear that she wasn’t about the shits. “You want a ride or die chick, baby / But you ain’t got a whip, baby / It ain’t gon’ happen / You don’t got shit, you need a walk or die chick, baby,” she sings in the second verse. After setting the record straight, she showed love to the ladies with her empowering anthem “Pretty Girl Rock,” which was co-penned by Ne-Yo.

Some of the best moments on the album are Hilson’s most vulnerable tracks. “Breaking Point” is about being fed up with a lover’s shenanigans. The bittersweet “Beautiful Mistake” is about regretting a past relationship. The John Legend-penned “All the Boys” hears Hilson reminiscing about relationships from her teenage years. At the time, she thought she was in love but later realized what true love is. “After all the boys that I thought I loved before I didn’t know what love was / Til you knocked on my door,” she sings. Hilson balances the emotional feels with flirty numbers like “The Way You Love Me” featuring Rick Ross, “Gimmie What I Want,” and the reggae-tinged “Bahm Bahm.” No Boys Allowed is a nearly flawless genre-blending album that can be played from start to finish without skipping a track. The hidden interludes make the listening experience even more enjoyable — even during some of the darkest moments on the album. — K.S.

31. Now or Never — Tank (2010)

Three years after releasing his Grammy-nominated album Sex, Love & Pain, Tank returned with more bedroom vibes on Now or Never. It was his first album to release under Atlantic Records, following his departure from Blackground Records where he released his first three albums. Now or Never is a coherent body of work that is filled with tender R&B tunes. With enticing titles like “Sex Music,” “Scream” and the Chris Brown-assisted “Foreplay,” the R&B General was on a mission to please his listeners in every way. Sonically, Now or Never is a lot lighter than its predecessor, which was done intentionally. “It’s a happier album, I’m appreciating more, I’m celebrating more,” he told The Boombox. Speaking of “Celebration,” his Drake-assisted track is among the standout tunes on the LP. “Emergency” is probably the most recognized song on the album. Borrowing the same melody as Pleasure P’s “Under,” which he also co-wrote and co-produced, “Emergency” sees Tank coming to the rescue to satisfy a woman’s needs in the bedroom. “When I got there, put her on the floor / She leakin’ but she still breathin’,” he sings. While Tank ended up releasing six albums this decade, Now or Never remains a staple in his discography. — K.S.

32. Passion, Pain & Pleasure — Trey Songz (2010)

By the end of the 2000s, Virginia native Trey Songz was a full-fledged R&B sex symbol. On his fourth studio album, Passion, Pain, & Pleasure, Songz builds on the slow jam catalog he’s become notorious for. Moreover, he expands his seductive pallet to include more than just sex, but more mature emotions like lust on songs like “Can’t Be Friends,” a rarity in the genre at the time. Also, the album spawned hits such as the Nicki Minaj-assisted “Bottoms Up,” which is certified four times platinum in the United States and reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his highest-charting song to date. Outside of being a great album, Passion, Pain, & Pleasure was one of the only albums that remain consistently R&B through and through. While his contemporaries were switching it up to keep up with the times, Songz carried the genre into the next decade by starting off strong. Not only that, he inspired several future baby-making hitmakers in the genre. Passion, Pain, & Pleasure earned Songz several nods, including Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist at the 39th Annual American Music Awards, and will forever be remembered as the album that paved the way for R&B in the 2010s. — A.H.

33. Perfectly Imperfect — Elle Varner (2012)

As the daughter of two published songwriters, it is no surprise why Elle Varner has a knack for storytelling. Her debut album Perfectly Imperfect via RCA Records is a compilation of relatable stories centered around love and self-acceptance. Varner worked closely with production duo Pop&Oak and her father Jimmy to craft one of the most noteworthy debut R&B albums this decade. Although her Grammy-nominated single “Refill” gets all the attention, there are quite a few gems on the album. With a sample from Kool & The Gang’s “Little Children,” “I Don’t Care” finds Varner going “into the deep end” with a guy and having no regrets about it. Over a funky bass, she tells her lover what she can bring to the table on “Leaf.” The closing track, “So Fly,” is probably one of the most important songs on the album. The uplifting tune is about accepting yourself — flaws and all. “So, I decided I’m the definition of fly / And if you want to know why / I know what money can’t buy,” she sings. — K.S.

34. Pieces of Me — Ledisi (2011)

First and foremost – Ledisi is one of the best R&B/soul vocalists of the last 20 years. The New Orleans native has made a name for herself as an artist who renders lovely, traditional R&B-styled compositions with thrilling jazz crescendos. For her third major-label outing and fifth overall, Ledisi doesn’t miss a chance to continue enticing R&B fans with more sensational vocal takes. Pieces of Me satisfies those deeply in love on joyous tunes like the tender “I Gotta Get to You” and everlasting ode “Stay Together” featuring Jaheim. Like the winning titular track, this remarkable set gives Ledisi a platform to be delightfully inspirational on empowering jams like the bluesy “BGTY” and the self-advocating anthem “Raise Up.” – A.F.

35. Raymond v. Raymond — Usher (2010)

Usher was undoubtedly a bonafide superstar in the 2000s. However, all of that changed with his marriage to Tameka Foster in 2007, and the Atlanta-native began to focus on themes of love and marriage. This caused a dip in sales for 2008’s Here I Stand, an album almost entirely inspired by his marriage to Foster. When the two unexpectedly divorced in 2009, it inspired Usher to create an album based on the situation as well as where he expected to go from there. Thus, Raymond v. Raymond was born. Seen as sort of a return to the sensual, yet pain-stricken Confessions of 2004, Raymond v. Raymond features some of Usher’s finest uptempo hits of the decade, including “OMG,” “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)” and “Lil Freak.”

However, Usher’s sixth album saw him utilize the emerging sound of EDM for songs such as “DJ Got Us Falling In Love” and “Somebody to Love.” This new-found sound extended into Usher’s hit love song “There Goes By Baby,” a wedding song for the ages. Raymond v. Raymond won Usher two Grammy Awards in 2011, including Best Contemporary R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. An album with features from Nicki Minaj, JAY-Z, will.i.am, and more, Raymond v. Raymond is Usher’s return to form for a new generation of R&B fans to discover. — A.H.

36. Reality Show — Jazmine Sullivan (2015)

When Jazmine Sullivan cleaned out her music industry cubicle in early 2011 to discover her true purpose in life, she left the world in complete shock. But, after nearly five years, the Philadelphia native had music admirers tuned into Reality Show, her third album. Ordering 12 songs, featuring studio input from the likes of SaLaAM ReMi, Key Wane, and Chuck Harmony, this phenomenal LP plays out overtly personal situations associated that are often a common narrative of many young Black women.

As a songsmith, with a knack for vivid imagery, Sullivan loads Reality Show with originals that seamlessly exalt her contemporary spirit like the trapsoul “Brand New” and down-chick anthem “#Hoodlove.” Some cuts sound like old favorites like the After 7-inspired hit “Let It Burn” and “Forever Don’t Last.” Other attention-holders stand in a league of their own like the introspective art “Masterpiece (Mona Lisa).” At the end of the day, Reality Show finds Sullivan singing with new conviction and versatility that makes her triumphant return to music more notable than other R&B comebacks. – A.F.

37. Souled Out — Jhené Aiko (2014)

Being off-brand isn’t Jhené Aiko’s motive. Resurfacing on the scene with her 2011 mixtape Sailing Soul(s), she introduced her newly-crafted sound that was more authentic to her artistry than her earlier work. Garnering recognition with her Sail Out EP in 2013, the debut album Souled Out concluded her motif. Aiko has remained steady on her music journey, refusing to let the industry steer her off course. Against an ambiently rhythmic background, her soothing voice lulls the sting of her realer-than-life lyrics. Aiko pulls from personal experiences and sets them in her songs, mirroring her reality with yours. With “Lyin King,” Aiko floats across the aquatic-like synths with a conviction that her lover will never know when a good thing is in his face. Souled Out is littered with philosophical gems, while providing a guide through the commensurating stages of heartbreak and enlightenment. — D.B.

38. Still Standing — Monica (2010)

The title says it all. Monica was Still Standing after a 15-year career of ups and downs. In the seasoned vocalist’s first album in four years, Monica capitalizes on the strength of her sincere duet with Keyshia Cole (“Trust”) and makes a triumphant return with age-appropriate uptempo and downtempo R&B tunes. The iron-solid hit “Everything to Me,” which marks her first-ever solo Grammy nod, takes its cue from Deniece Williams’ soulful single “Silly.” Monica keeps on the nostalgic path on “If You Were My Man,” while she lays her head on the chest of “Superman,” a soulful ode to her the man in the red cap. Other solid selections include the in-need banger “Here I Am” and the sappy ballad “Love All Over Me.” While Monica reflects mostly on love, she masterfully fuses songs about perseverance and self-importance on cuts like “Mirror,” “Believing in Me” and the survival title track. – A.F.

39. SweetSexySavage — Kehlani (2017)

There is a captivating nature about Kehlani. It could be her transparency, her charm or her confidence but all those aspects and more attribute to her debut LP SweetSexySavage. The Bay Area native signed a partnership with Atlantic Records, following the success of her 2015 mixtape, You Should Be Here. Her follow-up presented a refined body of work that remained honest to Kehlani’s discography. Tracks like “Too Much” and “Personal” lift melodies and song structures from the ‘90s and early 2000s without relying on obvious samples. She beams on “Piece of Mind”; her flawless harmonies perfectly compliment the consonantly layered production, reaching peak vocals by the 2:42 mark. Kehlani exhibits a vibrant synergy of her inspirations with her artistry on her debut, successfully providing songs for the sweet, sexy and savage sides in all of us. — D.B.

40. The Electric Lady — Janelle Monáe (2013)

Janelle Monae’s imagination is aptly cinematic. From her debut EP Metropolis: The Chase Suite, Monae showcased her well-rounded vision by introducing the story of her alter-ego, android Cindi Mayweather. As the prequel to The ArchAndroid, the afro-futuristic dystopian tale of The Electric Lady directs with a livelier soundtrack. Pulling inspiration from the early eras of soul music on tracks like “Dance Apocalyptic,” Monae shows she is a true student of those who came before her. She creates a sonic time chamber of sorts and lingers in the ‘70s on “It’s Code” and “Can’t Live Without You,” which takes a page out of Stevie Wonder’s book. Skillfully bridging the past, present and future of R&B, Monae brings Prince, Solange and Erykah Badu along as co-pilots for the electrifying ride to the world of Metropolis. — D.B.

41. The Lady Killer — CeeLo Green (2010)

CeeLo Green had the world shouting “Fuck You” at the start of the decade. The tell-off anthem was the lead single to his third solo album, The Lady Killer, and earned Green a Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance in 2012. Sure, we can talk about how a song about a failed relationship with a gold digger was one of the biggest records at the time, but there is much more to be said about The Lady Killer. Best known as a member of the hip hop group Goodie Mob, Green steered clear from rapping this time around on his soul-infused project. “I thought The Lady Killer sounded edgy and elegant at the same time. So I wanted something like James Bond, but like Barry White would do it,” he told Billboard in an interview. Green introduces his “Lady Killer” persona on the opening track, before living his best life on the catchy “Bright Lights Bigger City,” which has a looping bassline similar to Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” Green keeps his listeners engaged with his dynamic vocal performance throughout the rest of the album. Some of his best vocal moments can be heard on “Love Gun” featuring Lauren Bennett, “Fool for You” featuring Earth Wind & Fire’s Philip Bailey and the classic Motown-tinged “Old Fashion.” — K.S.

42. The Light of the Sun — Jill Scott (2011)

After laying down the bricks of neo-soul with her epic The Real Thing: Words and Sounds trilogy in the 2000s, Philadelphia native Jill Scott ventured into acting, making her cinematic debut in the films Hounddog and Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? in 2007. Scott released The Light of the Sun, a dramatic sonic change from her previous work. As Scott’s first three albums dealt with self-discovery and maturation through mellow grooves and heavy jazz influence, The Light of the Sun had a brighter sound than anything Scott had ever released. Having given birth to her son Jett in 2009, the album reflected Scott’s happiness at the time as she celebrated life and love on songs such as “Blessed” and “So In Love” featuring Anthony Hamilton as well as her proudful womanhood on tracks such as “Womanmanifesto.” The Light of the Sun debuted atop the Billboard 200 and Top Hip-Hop/R&B Albums charts and earned Scott two Soul Train awards for Best Female Artist and Best R&B/Soul Album. Scott’s fourth album represents her transition from a young woman trying to find her way to a grown woman who knows exactly what she needs. — A.H.

43. The London Sessions — Mary J. Blige (2014)

As the only accomplished force in mainstream music to take home Grammys in four different genres, Mary J. Blige has earned the right to experiment with new sounds and depart from the musical style she’s responsible for pioneering. For her 12th studio effort, The London Sessions, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul left the states and jetted across the pond to draw recording inspiration from the UK’s brightest stars, including Sam Smith, Disclosure, and Emeli Sandé. The deep house tracks “Nobody But You” and “My Loving” thrive on blissful lyrical material. Meanwhile, The London Sessions features acoustic, therapeutic ballads (“Not Loving You,” “Therapy”) that speak for themselves. Overall, this noteworthy disc sends an important wake-up call to the music industry: Mary J. Blige isn’t afraid of change if it means she doesn’t have to be boxed in. – A.F.

44. The Love and War MasterPeace — Raheem DeVaughn (2010)

There comes a time when an artist wants to create a body of music to help heal the world. For Raheem DeVaughn, the time came for his third studio album, The Love and War MasterPeace. “I named the album The Love and War MasterPeace because I feel that where I am as a person and where we are as a people, we are all trying to master that internal peace and happiness in a very strange time,” DeVaughn said in a past press statement.

Pulling inspiration from fellow Washington, D.C. native Marvin Gaye’s critically-acclaimed album What’s Going On, The Love and War MasterPeace tackles issues affecting our society. Gaye’s influence can clearly be heard on the album’s lead single “Bulletproof” featuring Ludacris, which is a call to action for everyone to open their eyes on what’s really happening in the world around them. “You betta’ pray to the most high or whoever you praise / ‘Cause politicians can’t help you, they puppets to slaves,” warns DeVaughn. He empowers women on songs like “The Greatness” featuring Wale and reminds them of their worth on “Black & Blue,” which brings awareness to domestic violence. It wouldn’t be a Raheem DeVaughn album without his babymaking music. He brings the seductive vibes on velvety tunes like “Fragile” featuring Malik Yusef, “B.O.B,” “Microphone” and “Garden of Love.” — K.S.

45. The MF Life — Melanie Fiona (2012)

Melanie Fiona cemented herself as a retro-soul singer with her debut album, The Bridge. The sound of her Grammy-nominated single “It Kills Me” would serve as the blueprint for her next album, The MF Life. Released on Universal Records, The MF Life explored the highs and lows of love. With an emphasis on low moments, the 14-track offering is filled with punch-you-in-the-gut emotion and vivid storytelling. “I wanted it to be a collection of music and songs that make people think about the things that we actually go through and feel,” Fiona told NPR. Heartbreak and sorrow are reoccurring themes on The MF Life. “Wrong Side of a Love Song” is Fiona’s desperate attempt to get her man back after he broke up with her. “This is what it feels to be the one that’s standing left behind,” she sings.

Fiona also deals with loss on the album. “Gone (La Dada Di)” featuring Snoop Dogg is probably the most depressing song on the set. The Soundz-produced cut finds Fiona trying to process the death of her lover and regretting the argument they had. “Guess I’m thinking bout the last conversation we had / And the mean things that we’ve said / Wishing I could take the whole thing back / As I’m standing at his doorway, covered in red,” she sings. Fiona’s raspy vocals shine on records like “Bones” and “Running.” There are some lighter moments on the album such as the uplifting tunes “Change the Record” featuring B.o.B and “Watch Me Work.” The MF Life is a testament that our lives are not perfect and we will all go through some painful and traumatic experiences at some point. And when we do, we can always revisit Fiona’s stellar body of work. — K.S.

46. Three Kings — TGT (2013)

At a time where male singing groups were scarce, Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank filled a necessary void. Following in the steps of their predecessors LSG (Gerald Levert, Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill), the solo R&B singers who are actual friends formed their supergroup TGT and released their only album Three Kings in 2013. They include all of the quintessential R&B album checkpoints: a song with a rap feature (“No Fun”), a few ballads and slow jams (“I Need,” “Lessons In Love”) with a few interludes in between. Among the tracks, “Burn Out” is the standout sleeper from their debut. Each gentleman performs ostentatiously on the intricate production that consists of multiple sonic and vocal peaks. The finished product creates an aural rush that’ll drive listeners into melodic bliss. Their distinct voices combined created harmonies that offered a unique texture and technique that has been absent from current R&B music. The trio’s undeniable formula lead them to a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album in 2014. — D.B.

47. Two Eleven — Brandy (2012)

Four years in the making, Brandy’s sixth album is her blood, sweat and tears. Drawing ultrasonic magic from familiar names like Sean “The Pen” Garrett, Bangladesh, Frank Ocean, Rico Love, and Mike WiLL Made-It, Two Eleven is an almost hour-long masterpiece that is home to singular vocal runs, adventurous, high-quality production, and broad songwriting. Though Two Eleven lacked a true conceptual vision, at least it had strong songs with potential hit value. “Put It Down” featuring Chris Brown is rhythmic radio gold. Advanced-sounding tracks “So Sick” and “Slower” had what it took to be embraced by urban as prized singles. Elsewhere, Brandy flawlessly adds in gem-worthy solos like “Wish Your Love Away” and “Without You.” In a few words, Two Eleven is just that album – period. – A.F.

48. VII — Teyana Taylor (2014)

Before Teyana Taylor became a household name from her iconic performance in Kanye West’s “Fade” video, she released an album that many people slept on. Taylor has always been open about her musical influences. On VII, her debut album, the Harlem native takes a few pages from the ‘90s R&B playbook to create a timeless masterpiece. She draws inspiration from some of her idols like Aaliyah, Brandy, Janet Jackson and Lauryn Hill. Co-writing every track on the album, Taylor enlisted help from hitmakers like James Fauntleroy, Eric Bellinger, Harmony Samuels, Boi-1da and Stacy Barthe to create songs that will be played from decades to come. “I want that album you can clean up to, the album you can make love to, the album you can just relax to,” she told Fuse TV.

Taylor opens VII with “Outta My League,” which sounds like an outtake from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The calming production helps set the mood for the rest of the album. Most of the album sounds like it was made for the bedroom, especially on “Request,” “Do Not Disturb” featuring Chris Brown and the booming lead single “Maybe” featuring Pusha T and Yo Gotti. She looks for a no-strings-attached affair on the Fabolous-assisted “Broken Hearted Girl” (don’t let the title fool you.) The album isn’t completely sex-driven, though. She reflects on a failed relationship on the piano-driven ballad “Sorry,” before finally dismissing her no-good man on “In the Air.” With VII, Taylor successfully positioned herself as an R&B singer who cared more about making meaningful music than keeping up with trends. — K.S.

49. Woman to Woman — Keyshia Cole (2012)

Put some respect on Keyshia Cole’s name. For the most part, this Oakland native has a solid catalog, even though there was a disconnect with fans and critics on her fourth LP Calling All Hearts. Taking serious note, the R&B vocalist regained her early career glory on Woman to Woman. This essential comeback album perfectly mixes Cole’s trademark soul-baring touch to tuneful radio melodies and forward-minded arrangements. Album highlights include the whimsical duet “Wonderland” featuring Elijah Blake; the beans-spilling title track with Ashanti; the grand ballads “I Choose You” and “Trust and Believe;” and everything else in between. Woman to Woman is indeed a strong return for a promising R&B legend with more fire in her belly. – A.F.

50. X — Chris Brown (2014)

Like many artists in the early 2010s, Chris Brown merged his sound with that of contemporary genres such as Dubstep and EDM on 2012’s Fortune, and with innovation came criticism from critics and fans alike. However, in 2014, the Grammy-winning artist proved he was still all in for R&B with his sixth album, X. Combining old and new sounds, X is anchored by radio-ready singles Brown fans were accustomed to such as “Love More,” “New Flame,” and the massive summer hit “Loyal.” The latter went on to peak at number nine of the on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is now certified four times platinum in the United States. With this project, Brown also became one of the few artists to reconnect with the late songstress Aaliyah on “Don’t Think They Know.” An LP for the ages, X is stacked with features from some of the biggest stars of the time such as Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, Trey Songz, Usher, Rick Ross, Brandy and more. Plus, it features production from some of the brightest talents including Diplo, DJ Mustard, and Jean Baptiste. X was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, and ultimately is a representation of Brown’s hit-making ability in R&B and beyond. — A.H.

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egle0702 · 8 years ago

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[TRANS] Scene PLAYBILL July ‘17 Chansung Interview

LET’S MEET

The Man Next Door

Hwang Chansung is an easy-going actor who totally doesn’t know how to put up an artificial front. He openly discloses his first theatre challenge experience.

Editor Kim Euna Photographer Shin Isu

Hwang Chansung first introduced himself to the audiences through the sitcom “Unstoppable High Kick.” He played a high school kid “Chansung,” who was immature and thoughtless, but you couldn’t help but love him. It is hard to say where the acting ends and his actual personality emerges, but it is clear that this sly and friendly nature, that sometimes looks like part of his character, added up to the overall charm of that role.

Therefore, although Chansung’s character could not stand the protagonist brothers, the viewers eventually could not hate him. And now as Hwang Chansung goes up on a theatre stage for the first time with “My Love My Bride,” it seems that he still emanates that special friendliness. Quite accidentally, in this role he also plays a character of a similar age, too. Youngmin loves his wife, but he’s a sloppy newlywed, who doesn’t know how to express his feelings. He is a childish husband who is very frustrated with himself, and unleashes his anger on innocent people. The character came to life on stage as an ordinary man next door thanks to how natural Hwang Chansung is.

When you meet Hwang Chansung behind the stage, he has the ability to confuse people. That is because he is not only natural; there is nothing artificial about him. As originally he is an idol, I would’ve thought he has always lived on standby, ready to “show something.” Always at the sight of a cue sign ready to give a perfect answer that is, consequently, somewhat devoid of human touch. But the idol Hwang Chansung, with 10 years in business behind his belt, didn’t give a single inertial answer to protect his image. If there was a point he didn’t know well, he just clearly said he didn’t know it or that he hasn’t thought about it. For example, like this:

“What are the strong points of Hwang Chansung as an actor?” “I don’t know. What could it be?”

“Is there a specific charm that only Hwang Chansung’s Youngmin has?” “Oh! I have never thought about it… what should I do?”

“Usually, when actors get asked this, they are busy boasting… you seem to be very humble.” “Excuse me?” (his eyes grow big and his ears turn red) “I have never heard such a compliment, so I don’t even know what to say…”

As we kept on having such conversation, eventually, I couldn’t help but believe when he said he liked or disliked something. You could see that his personality doesn’t let him say something he doesn’t believe in.

This honest man began thinking regularly about standing on a theatre stage some 2-3 years ago. He simply couldn’t make time for it with his schedule full of album releases, Japanese tours, and drama filming. “My Love My Bride” is a piece that Hwang Chansung took up when it corresponded with two aspects: timing and preference. He also had a drama filming at the same time, but it depended on child actors for its first story arc, and so he could dedicate his time for play practice. The play pulled him in because it is a sweet romantic comedy that cheerfully displays real conflicts between couples. Also, for his theatre stage debut, he wanted to do a play one could enjoy comfortably, rather than a piece that deals with extremely heavy subject.

“Eventually, I want to go through all genres, challenging various styles in acting. But I couldn’t ignore the pressure of the first piece. I thought that I would be more confident about showing better acting if it were a comfortable “real-life” piece. And “My Love My Bride” was exactly that kind of play. The moment I read the script, I was like “Oh? This is fun! I want to do this.”

He thinks that one of the play’s charms is that it tells a story anyone can relate to. For example, “Why are you so angry? --> You still don’t know? --> I’m sorry. --> What are you sorry about? --> I don’t mean… --> So you’re not sorry? --> It’s my fault. --> What exactly?” – these realistic lines that sound like something anyone would experience at least once while they’re dating.

“I still remember the script reading day. We were practicing that part, and even just by reading I got really frustrated! I don’t like this scene! I don’t wanna do this! I even said so (laughs). Isn’t that a conversation like from a dating textbook? On stage I can also feel that the audience emphasizes with it a lot.”

That also has something to do with the fact he insisted on doing a play rather than a musical on a small stage rather than a big theatre.

“You can get really close to your audience only at a small theatre. I also thought that I could learn quite a lot from the fact that there is a certain synergy between the audience and the actors. A bigger stage is good, but I think I’ll have a chance to stand on a big stage in the future, if I consistently work on it.”

The charm of a small theatre was a lot bigger than he expected. He says the “taste of small theatre” lies in the way the audience can burst into laughter from his one line or movement. He seems to be rapt by the fun of giving and receiving instant reaction. He also feels it refreshing when he stands in front people who are not his fans.

“We’ve shared our joys and sorrows with the fans for 10 years, so you could say they’re a family. We understand each other well, so even at a concert they will react the way I want. But there are a lot of ordinary people coming to see the play, so it makes me nervous. Luckily, up until now the reaction has been good, so I gained some confidence.”

Stage acting is different from acting in front of the camera, when it catches every movement, angle and your even breath to the tiniest detail. Since you have to convey every single word only with your voice to the audience sitting in the last row, your voice and your actions have to clear and big. Usually, this aspect is the most unfamiliar to TV actors who come to challenge stage plays. Hwang Chansung was obviously worried about that before rehearsals began. He was concerned that he might feel lost, but he enjoyed the practice time without much confusion or trouble. He realized that it was just a difference in method, while the essence of acting his body was familiar with was the same.

“There is no difference between the moment you need to immerse yourself in the character or how you do it. The quality of the piece also rests on the same point: Just how much you believe that the given situation and the stage is solely yours. No matter which medium it might be, eventually everything depends on the actor’s ability to focus.”

“Then does actor Hwang Chansung have a good focus?” I ask, you might think he has forgotten he was just giving me long confident answers, when he grows shy like a newlywed bride and says laughing:

“I don’t know.”

The time spent preparing for this play to Hwang Chansung was also a time used to meticulously examine himself as an actor. It was a time to make a detailed list of the things he needs to prepare if he continues to regularly walk down the acting path. He also found something he should cross out of that list. Stubborness.

“Up until now I used to be stubborn about certain things when I was acting. I’m the type who prepares as many cases as possible even if I have to play just one situation. Then I select the cases that might be the most persuasive to my mind, and then I re-select them again. And eventually the one method that remains is the one I choose, the one I believe the most. However, in this play, as I had conversations with the director, my opinion has changed. I found that even if things change a little bit as I leave my stubbornness behind, that can actually turn into a far better acting. You need to be certain about things at a particular level, but now I’m trying to stop insisting on the absolute belief only in my acting.”

You can clearly feel the evidence of his self-searching, and as I listened to his answers, I decided to skip a few remaining questions. Questions like, what is the objective of your solo activities in the few oncoming years before 2PM comes back in full composition, or what is actor Hwang Chansung’s biggest concern… It’s because I realized that rather than wrapping his mind around vague discussions that haven’t even reached him yet, Hwang Chansung is an actor who treasures the real fruit of his labor he plucked himself. He will probably continue bringing to life natural characters here and there, in the stories that pull him in, without any grandiose planning. Because that is Hwang Chansung’s style.

Scans: naljung0430

Kor-Eng: Egle0702

MAY BE TAKEN OUT WITH PROPER CREDITS!!!

#Chansung #2PM #Scene Playbill #Chansung Scene Playbill #translation

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smileyanie · 7 years ago

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[TRANS] YOONA ALLURE MAGAZINE (SEPTEMBER) INTERVIEW, credit @ch0sshi Sunday, on a quiet road in Hannam-dong. It was a day where it would rain for a moment before it slowly dried on the floor. The studio for the shoot was filled with flowers and artwork, but the most beautiful subject was, of course, Yoona. Walking through the studio filled with staff, Yoona and her character San from her drama 'The King Loves' seemed to overlap. "I think the light appearance of San early in the drama is a lot like my actual self. I think I appeared a bit more comfortable and most like myself." It was a Sunday with an afternoon where Yoona, who is good at performing on stage and acting, was only smiling beautifully. Q: It's Sunday today, so we should be able to watch 'The King Loves' tomorrow. Why did you pick this drama? YOONA: I always thought it would be difficult for me to attempt a historical drama, but San was a character that got rid of those thoughts. I felt that I could play it comfortably. Q: What part made you think that? Is it because San had the appearance of a modern female, even though it is a historical drama? YOONA: I think so. She's not passive, and the various ways she expresses emotions, I felt it could be a good experience for me. The story was fresh, and it felt a little different from other love triangles. Even though it contains some history in it, I liked that it had various emotions to express. Q: Historical dramas take a long time to get ready for, and there are lots of locations. How does it feel experiencing that? YOONA: It was a pre-recorded drama, because filming sites were so far from each other, there were times when we were tight on time. It took a long time to get ready, and, because I have to wear a wig all day, it felt like all my hair was going to fall out. (laughs) Q: It still feels like a sweet, youth romance, but I heard there will be strong emotions as the drama continues. How did you express the different emotions? YOONA: I thought, I hope I don't seem like a lead female role who is 'playing the field' to viewers. I worried the most about that part. I discussed it a lot with the writer as well, but I'm not sure how it will appear. It was a little confusing trying to act out the feelings for the opposite role. Q: Doesn't that kind of emotion fit with that type of situation? A bit ambiguous? YOONA: I think it's being expressed well so far. The script was good, so I just had to follow it. Q: It seemed like you got along well with Im Siwan, Hong Jonghyun, and other cast members. How was it filming? YOONA: We got really close. We're around the same age, and we comforted each other. We actually went around a lot like the 'Won San Rin trio' in the drama. I think we got closer faster because we always went around together from the start, and the oppas adored me so much that it was a set where I was liked a lot. Q: I think it would've been kind of unique as it was Im Siwan's last drama before enlisting in the army. YOONA: It was, he's probably really sad he had to go without watching it broadcast. The entire cast is close. Not just the three of us, but there's a group chat with almost 20 people. We have sudden meet ups often, and it was brought up that we should all visit Im Siwan at the army. I think we will once. Q: San tries to overcome the feelings she got in the process of losing her mother. Trying to find the truth. YOONA: I guess she's mature and bold. I think that's the kind of person she is. How hard must this character have tried to grow confidently, enduring difficult times. I thought a lot about how I should become gentle in appearance, but strong in spirit as well while acting as San. Q: How are you like? Are you actually like that? YOONA: I think so. I'm definitely more like that than I appear. Rather than being brave, I have a personality that endures things well. I feel that I need to become stronger and bigger on my own. Q: Musicians develop through performances, and movies/works for actors. I think the movie 'Confidential Assignment' is one that can't be left out when it comes to your acting. YOONA: 'Confidential Assignment' is something that brought me a lot of things. I think it's a movie that let lots of people think, 'Huh? Did Yoona always have this side to her?'. Hearing that a lot, I gained confidence, and more passion for acting. 'Confidential Assignment' was my first film, and I wanted to start by playing a smaller role and learn from my good seniors, instead of taking on a lead role. Everything fit in all aspects. Q: What's another work you're waiting for? YOONA: I think I'm receiving lots of projects this year, but I'm carefully picking characters that I can do best without worries. Lots of people liked my appearance in 'Confidential Assignment', so I want to do a drama or movie that's realistic and shows that side of me. Q: Is there anything that inspired you recently? YOONA: The last film I watched in a movie theater was 'La La Land'. I really enjoyed it. I normally like music-related movies. I like when films have a clear theme song, and listening to that song, it makes you recall those scenes. I also like films with open endings, and the end of 'La La Land' felt realistic. Q: When I listen to SNSD's songs, I recall scenes in my life at those times. Because SNSD's music was always played anywhere at certain times. Especially like 'Into the New World'. YOONA: Really? That's also the song we chose as our favorite. There was a Japanese swimmer who always came to our Japan concerts. It's Olympic gold medalist Daiya Seto. I appeared in a program with him before. I was really touched when he told me he always listens to 'Into the New World' before competitions, and that he was able to win a gold medal after getting strength from listening to it. I'm really touched when I hear people gain strength from listening to our songs. We had a fan meeting yesterday, and the members had a survey to share with fans. We voted on our best songs and 1 was 'Into the New World, 2 'Holiday', and 3 'Gee'. Q: Among fans, I heard fan meetings are events that they really want to go to. YOONA: Because we only have fan meetings on special occasions, it feels more like a limited edition kind of thing. We have concerts numerous times, in various places. But fan meetings are only on one day, and it's something we only do with fans. I have birthday parties with fans almost every year. No matter how much we talk on SNSD and broadcasts, I feel like meeting in real life and spending time together is important. Q: When interviewing idols nowadays, they say they want to become like Yoona sunbaenim (senior). YOONA: It's still amazing hearing someone say they want to become like me. I also dreamed looking up at SES, Finkl sunbaenims, and BoA unnie. It was really amazing that those seniors, who were my role models, knew my name. I wonder if those people have the same feelings that I did when I looked at my seniors in the past. I think I'll have to work a bit harder. (laughs) Q: What kind of dream do you have now as an artist? YOONA: I hope I can have my own individual charm. I'll be good with that. Q: You have a particular kind of naturalness. Rather than an unconventional transformation. YOONA: I normally like classic things, as well as simple things without patterns. It's to the point where, when it gets colder, my closet is filled with just black, white, and gray things. Q: There's SNSD's Yoona, actress Yoona, and, when you're not promoting, there's you as yourself. How do you balance it out? YOONA: I'm the type of person who stays loyal to the situation I'm given. While it is good to look at the big picture far ahead, but I like doing what's in front of me well, so I always stayed faithful at those moments. Q: For a while, different mediums will ask how it feels reaching your 10th anniversary. What's a feeling you really want to deliver? YOONA: First, i want to congratulate our fans and my members. I'm grateful to my members, staff, and fans who were with me until now. I think I didn't realize it because they were always next to me, but the creation of our 10th anniversary title made me feel how precious they were even more. I felt like we're great. Q: You are. Whatever it is, doing something for 10 years isn't easy. Did the 10 years pass by quickly? YOONA: They flew by. It feels like it's only been about 7 years. I can't believe it's our 10th anniversary. Having a party, releasing an album, and having a fan meeting now makes it feel real. This album contains the meaning of spending it with fans. There's a fan song for fans, lyrics written by the members, and, when you listen to it, it has a similar atmosphere as our first official album. The members said it's like our debut album a few times. Q: I look forward to your next 10 years even more. What kind of appearance will you show? YOONA: 10 years ago, I thought, 'I think I'll be like this?', but I don't think there's that much of a difference except having gained lots of experience and becoming mature. It just feels like the time went by. Working and resting like this, I think another 10 years will have passed. I'm not sure about my next 10 years. I'm really curious too, I hope I'll have grown well. Q: How do you want to spend the rest of your year? YOONA: I want to rest and get some time to myself. So I have resting as my priority. Because I ran through working every day, I'm the type of person who can't reset well when told to. I think you need to practice resting, too. Q: What do you plan on attempting this time? YOONA: I want to travel a lot and learn things I've always wanted to. I want to learn to golf. I want to master Chiense, and learn English after... I also want to learn to cook in my spare time. Q: Haha. That doesn't feel like you'd be resting? YOONA: That's why travelling is my priority right now.

#im yoon ah #yoona #snsd #girls generation #allure korea #allure magazine #september 2017 #ch0sshi

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misssparklyprincess · 8 years ago

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Distance Relationship

Word Count: 2096

Produce 101

Contestant: Woo Jinyoung

Author: I cried during ep 8 T~T my small pink boy, and i couldn’t come up with a good title name so…

I sighed looking at my phone. ‘Should I text him?’ You thought. It’s right now 11 pm there. As I was in deep thoughts I heard my phone buzz. I quickly grabbed my phone as I saw his name pop up on my screen.

{Jinyoung} : Are you awake? {Me} : Yes.. Why are you awake?? you should be sleeping silly. Secretly I was really happy he texted me even though he needs his sleep for the show. {Jinyoung} : ahhh~ I was thinking about you. {Me} : cheesy haha {Jinyoung} : I know you like it {Jinyoung} : When are you coming back to Korea?? {Me} : I don’t know, as soon as My parents allow me to go {Jinyoung} : aigoo~ okey dokey I’ll call you soon okay? {Me} : ok~ go to sleep cutie {Jinyoung} : wish you could kiss me goodnight T^T {Me} : soon I promise xx

I was so annoyed at the fact that my dad got transferred to some Newspaper company called ’Newspaper name’. Like why not give him a job in Japan so I could stay in South-Korea. I shut down my phone and went back to my homework. It was so frustrating that my parents forced me to with them to ‘Y/C’ for I don’t know how long. It doesn’t make sense. 'Wish they let me enter SOPA there gadh’ I ruffled my brown hair. “skip homework” I murmured under breath, I grabbed my laptop to watch some random K-drama I started last week. I guess you could say I continued my boring ass life here in 'Y/C’.

How I wished my parents would come up to me and say “ Y/N you got accepted into SOPA” or “We decided you can go back to Korea” but they would never do that so the only thing I can do is save money for an airplane ticket.

I worked my ass off everyday at some stupid supermarket, probably the worst place on earth. I didn’t spend any money unless I got some from my parents, everything for moving back to Korea. 'Woah it’s a lot more then I expected’ I thought looking at my bank account. Never thought I would reach €1500. I decided to work a couple more months so I won’t die there. There were days where I thought I might as well quit and stop chasing my dream. Every time I had those thoughts, my boyfriend Jinyoung, would motivate me again. His 'I miss you’ 'I love you’ and 'I wanna see your beautiful face’ kept me holding onto my dream.

{4 Months later}

By now I had over €2500 and I wasn’t complaining at all. “Mom I wanted to talk about something” I sat down in one of the chairs in her office. Maybe not the best time right now, but I couldn’t care at all. My future is important too. “What’s the matter honey?” She put down her pen and looked me straight in the eyes, making me extra nervous. "W-well I had made some plans..exactly Ehm I saved lots of money to go back to Korea” I looked everywhere but my mom. I heard her sigh, scratching the back of her neck. "We talked about this remember?” She used that tone when she isn’t agreeing to something. I felt my heart sink to my feet, 'Game over’ I thought. "We moved here as a family and you’re part of this family so you’re staying. Besides where are you gonna sleep? At your useless rapper boyfriends house, who probably still lives with his parents? You know Y/N, break up with that boy, and i’ll introduce you to Edward. The son of my boss” she grabbed a book from the shelves. “He’s not useless” my voice broke. “And I wasn’t planning to stay at his house but at Shanna’s house, she offered me to stay there” I wiped my tears away.

“I’m saying no to this, maybe your dad thinks differently about this.“ She opened her book "you can leave now”

I quickly grabbed my phone to text Jinyoung. {Me} : guess I’m staying here forever T_T {Jinyoung} : They still hate me do they? {Me} : you could say that yes… {Jinyoung} : Wish I could change their opinions about me ≥o≤ {Me} : more like my mom, she wants me to date the rich son of her boss {Jinyoung} : Well tell him you’re taken or else I’ll beat his ass hehehe

I laughed at his reply, such silly boy I thought. Sliding my phone in my pocket, biting my nail from nervousness. I hesitated to talk to my dad, but I still did. My feet felt so heavy as I walked over to my dad’s office. I knocked 3 times before entering.

“Can I talk to you dad?” I closed the door behind me. “I don’t know can you?” My dad joked sitting up straight, mentioning for me to sit down. I explained to him, what I’ve been doing the past months and how much money I saved. At first he didn’t look quit happy, but as soon as he saw my broken face, his expression changed a bit. He said that if it’s really my dream to go back, that I should chase it. I was relieved he thought about it this way. He supported my relationship with Jinyoung more than my mom did. Probably because Jinyoung is a rapper with an chill vibe and not some nerd who wants to spent his whole life sitting behind a desk.

{Me}: guess what? {Jinyoung} : what’s up cutie~ {Me} : My dad agreed to me moving back to Korea~ {Jinyoung} : Oh my gadh are you serious?? That’s great!!! {Me} : I know right, I can’t wait!! {Jinyoung} : Waoh I’m crying huehue {Me} : Ahh don’t, you’re making me cry {Jinyoung} : I can’t help it, you just made my day ;) I fell asleep after calling Jinyoung for hours.

{1 week later}

I couldn’t thank my dad enough, he paid my airplane ticket and gave me extra money. I was so nervous, first time flying alone, going my back to Korea. I hugged my mom really tight, “I’m gonna miss you” she whispered in my ear, “It’s okay” I wiped away some tears, that were streaming down my red cheeks. “Promise us, that you’ll call us as soon as you land okay?” My dad informed me for the 100th time. “Yes dad” I hugged him. Holding tight on my passport and tickets I walked over to the security. I shouted one last 'I love you’ and went of.

{12 hours later}

I felt horrible after the flight, I felt like fainting. My knees are so weak and I still have to carry my suitcase. I called my parents when I got my suitcase. I walked over to the gates, looking for Jinyoung. 'ah I can’t find him, how frustrating!’ I sighed. I felt two arms sneak around my waist, making me jump. I turned around, to be greeted by a pink haired boy. “Woah y-your hair” I stuttered, touching his hair. “Not even saying hello or hugging me back” he laughed, “ah right” I hugged him really tight. “I missed you a lot” I whispered in his chest. “I missed you too, my princess” patting my head. I kept looking at his hair, it looked so fluffy. I reached for his hair again, slightly touching it. “That amused?” He giggled. “Why did you dye you hair?” Walking hand in hand towards Starbucks. “ah~ there is no reason to be honest” He grabbed his wallet. “It suits you, this makes you the cutest rapper” I smiled at him, he on the other hand looked quite annoyed at my comment. I know he doesn’t like to be called cute but I couldn’t help it.

“Welcome at Starbucks, can I take your order?” The adorable girl behind the counter asked. “Yes can I get 2 medium iced caramel macchiato.” Jinyoung said handed her the money. “Am I really the cutest rapper?” He pouted handing me my coffee. “Yes I’m gonna call you smoll pink bean” I laughed hitting his arm lightly, not hurting him. Jinyoung kept pouting, he grabbed my suitcase and walked off, leaving me dumbfounded. I guess he must be upset, running after him. I could pass him with my short legs and stood in front of him. He just looked at me, surprised I could keep up with him. I panted sipping my drink before speaking. “Yah oppa~” making my voice a bit higher than usual. “Don’t ignore me please” I whined, blinking my eyes cutely. He looked down at me smiling a bit, knowing he can’t resist my big E/C eyes. “ahh you drive me crazy” grabbing my hand, swinging it as we walked towards the exit.

I missed this, the warm weather, lost of people and my boyfriend. I forgot how soft his hand are, how cute he can smile, the way he smelled. “Can you stop staring please, it freaks me out” I blushed, embarrassed at my own action, I quickly apologized. “Y/N” I looked his direction, without noticing his lips landed on mine. They were so soft, I felt butterflies in my stomach, my cheeks glowing by now. His lips moving against mine was like magic, his arms sneak around my waist, as mine held onto his shirt. I pulled away, looking at my feet, with my hands on my beet red cheeks. I could say that this was the best day of my life. Being back in my home country, being with my amazing boyfriend, I mean what else can I wish for?

{Couple weeks later}

I got accepted into SOPA, reunited with my friends and family. I got a job at a bubble tea store, I live with my aunt and I talk to my parents basically everyday. Jinyoung and my best friend Jihoon both did audition for Produce 101, and got accepted to be on the show. Unfortunately I can’t see them till they get eliminated or till the show ends with them in the top 11. Supporting Jinyoung and Jihoon as much as I could. Showing up at all the shows, and if I was lucky I could get backstage. Jihoon got ranked 1st for 4 weeks in a row, sadly for Jinyoung his skills didn’t get noticed at all. The highest rank he could get was 40. Korean citizens should vote for talented not the visual. I sighed watching episode 7. “Woah he is such a sweetheart helping other trainees, how am I still alive” clutching my heart. Texting him was no use, Mnet forbid the use of cell phones. My aunt sat beside me, handing me a bottle of cold water.

“See it in this aspect, his company will notice him more than before you know. He may not be in the top 11 but he does get more attention” she patted my back. I know that, but he deserves the best, I started to doubt what my mom said. Was she right? Is he really useless? Will I ever proof my mom she was wrong? Why do Koreans want good looking Idols and not rappers? What’s wrong with these people? Stan talent for god’s sakes.

As long as Jihoon is in the top 11 I’m satisfied. And I will love my boyfriend no matter what, even when he doesn’t debut. My mom is wrong he is pure talent and she unfortunately can’t see that. I laughed at my own changing thoughts, I’m so confusing sometimes. I watched his fancam a million times, he looked amazing, his rap is so strong it just blows me away.

Let’s say I fell in love with an pink fluff ball named Woo Jinyoung.

#produce 101 scenarios #produce 101 imagines #produce 101 #produce 101 season 2 #pd101 imagines #pd101s2 #pd101 #pd101 boys #woo jinyoung #kpop #kpop scenarios #park woodam #park jihoon #kang daniel #chimchimaliensuga #my work

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podcake · 8 years ago

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Podcasts & Structure

Every time I get around to sitting down and actually writing these articles, I have to seriously consider what I’m going to talk about. It seems the conversation of audio drama is becoming more widespread lately, oozing its way into mainstream media faster than I can keep track of.

And so many are being made at such a rapid pace, catching up with it all can be its own challenge. A lot of people are starting to see the power and potential of audio plays and it’s a slow burn revolution I am a hundred percent behind.

When I achieve my dreams of becoming a licensed journalist under that sweet, sweet trademark PodCake©, know that I’ll be somewhere in the front lines, keeping everyone up to the date and in the zone until I’m old and gray and still very, very pink.

So with this exciting idea in mind, I find it appropriate to do a somewhat different type of “Podcasts&”. This is still very much an article dabbling into my specific interests and experiences though also a guide of sorts to those who may be wrapped up in the creative hype. Allow me to pull you starry-eyed artists aside for some well-meaning advice. May you follow in the footsteps of your idols, though know you are above any of their common mistakes.

I had a few options in store to pick from when it came to another topic covering audio drama critique, though I felt that I wanted to address this first. This is another dabbling into the more specific structures of my podcast journalism and the consumption and creation of audio drama in general.

In a similar vain to my latest article, “Podcasts & Critique”, I’ll be talking about something that perhaps not many are willing to discuss out in the open but is certainly touched upon enough that I feel the merits to bring it up in more depth. What we will be discussing today is the element of effective story structure.

Get comfortable, this is gonna be a long one.

Let me start by saying that I adore and always will adore a nice, rich setting presented only through words. I adore lavishly designed dystopias and lively apocalyptic wastelands more than the next guy and the idea of a soothing, sweet voice cooing to us over a delicately designed world is a surefire way to ensure a fanbase. This is the popular set up known as The Newscaster or The Fake Radio Show or Handsome Male Character Headcannon Sitting in a Big Chair or whatever you want to call it.

I enjoy this format namely for its simplicity and ability to relay information to the listener all while still characterizing the narrator as an active part of the world. Though these shows might be more episodic, to a degree, the ideas are still being connected by one single thread. It’s such a regular aspect of the podcast scene that it’s nothing short of being a style.

This style places a lot of emphasis on lore and quirks and memorable little moments that arrange themselves into a little audio scrapbook. We’re given this collection of information, all gorgeously described in luscious detail.

That’s why it’s such a shame how boring it can be at times.

Don’t get me wrong here, my problem is not with interesting landscapes and rich lore, my problem is when a lot is being said but not enough is being done.

I fell out of love with Welcome to Night Vale for this particular reason, this inconsistency with stakes and conflict that made any enjoyment to be found quickly tedious. Night Vale is and always will be a staple in the audio drama community, though it doesn’t mean we can’t learn from its mistakes that may go over our heads due to its excellent writing and characters only sometimes overshadowing it.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: an excellent audio drama is the sum of many parts and only succeeding in one area won’t always make the cut. But today’s topic is less about writing and more about narrative pacing…which is still kind of about writing but in a different way.

The central issue with these types of single narrator driven shows, being that we are being presented with a setting, problems, and characters who can solve that problem, but an effort is rarely ever made to get to a satisfying conclusion that is worth the wait. Of course, there actually being conflict to resolve can be its own and even more disappointing dilemma.

A crowning example of this type of flaw occurred in what used to be one of my favorite audio drama comedies, Kakos Industries.

I promptly stopped listening to Kakos after a lackluster attempt at it’s first real arc after roughly fifty episodes of filler and build up that didn’t contribute much to whatever the arc was trying to get across. None of the past episodes helped create a central theme that the arc was meant to represent, making its conclusion lack any emotional stakes or a reason to get invested.

The primary mood of the arc was all over the place with rapid character changes, unclear motivations, and a rushed explanation behind multiple episodes with little to no foreshadow to back it up. Furthermore this supposedly crucial ending didn’t tie into the continuation of season three beyond the absence of the past antagonist who was the center of the whole thing and the victim of a bloated backstory that needed way more than twenty minutes to be summarized.

No one changes from the whole ordeal, not even the protagonist who goes about his daily life as if none of it ever happened, and nobody and nothing is lost from the whole thing besides the character we already knew was bound to kick the bucket because it needed to end somehow. Generally, it does everything arc is not supposed to do as it doesn’t act as a changing phase for the story and doesn’t give us any vital information that will effect any of the characters long term.

The problem also lies in that there are a number of interesting subplots that emerged within the show’s canon as of season two: some more details about head rival Melantha Murther that imply she may be older than she seems, the relationship she has with Corin Deeth I as well as his involvement with the company, and a theory about cloning being brought up to name a few, but we have yet to even gently nudge at these ideas yet for a good batch of episodes because we wouldn’t want all those penis jokes to go to waste.

This is content with potential to be interesting arcs on their own and functional ones as they key into new information about characters we’ve come to know and gives Kakos Industries the tension and mystery it desperately needs.

These little bits and pieces of information can keep a listener engaged long enough to keep tuning in, but it can quickly become a chore to go back to something that seems to have been forgotten in exchange for repeated jokes and some new standalone characters that don’t really matter.

These might be in the footnotes of the creators for episode whenever, though to us they feel like throwaway lines pitched as bait more than anything of actual importance. They’re just there to be there.

And when the show peddles back to its roots of everyday shenanigans and jokes, the luster is lost, no matter how funny or well executed they might be. In the end, a lot of gimmicks and a lot of chatter with no real weight becomes nothing short of a series of filler episodes with no purpose.

I understand that indifference and dissonant serenity is part of the Kakos Industries’ humor though it often comes at the cost of events not carrying any real weight because it’s already predetermined that it’s being treated like a joke or that things will be resolved and go back to status quo with minimal effort. It insists you don’t take it seriously even if the problem at hand would suggest otherwise. To anyone else listening, this makes the stakes nonexistent and the protagonist seem overqualified to handle any problem thrown at him, never giving him a chance to be vulnerable to the slightest misfortune.

The same could be said for Welcome to Night Vale, a show with many compelling ideas and character drama though one that loves to meander and reestablish how strange and bizarre their world is on repeat instead of doing anything of actual substance, at least as far as season three is concerned.

Night Vale has a much better grip on characters and conflict that Kakos Industries does, though it also suffers from some of the same problems. Night Vale also had arcs, one incredibly well done to the point it’s been considered a crowning moment of the series while another that wavered a bit too long and simply wasn’t intriguing enough to make a huge difference in the end besides being another case of the Put On the Bus trope. And when they concluded, we’re back to square one again.

Once again, we are given a lot of ripe material here: There’s instances of Cecil’s childhood that we must piece together, pretty much anything about Kevin is bound to be creepy and interesting, Carlos and his apparent involvement with a college university, and something about sleeper agents and traffic signs and blood space but I lost count.

The case here is almost as dire as this is something of a multiple choice scenario where there’s just piles and piles of plots being given to us but all of it feels for naught when something else is being added to the collection a second later.

The same way Kakos is so obsessed with its dark and sexy aesthetic to the point it under develops its characters and has an absence of stakes, Night Vale is the same with its surrealism and seems to pull the “it’s a weird show” card whenever something gets unresolved.

There comes a point where a show’s quirky nature can only be used for so long to avoid the big question about what it’s all in service of. If all the oddness has no meaning and the plots are just being pitched with no real agency, then they fail to provide the show with any real purpose.

The point of an arc ending is for another one to start later, namely by picking up leftover plot points from before or starting something else that still entwines with the story’s central lore.

For a good example of how to manage an arc, I’d recommend Wolf 359 that has at least four in the duration of about forty episodes. I’d go into more detail about exactly what made the individual arcs in Wolf 359 work so well though that would lean heavily into spoiler territory and I wouldn’t want to ruin anything for those who haven’t listened to it yet.

This too started as a sort of news caster from space format until it flourished into the characters offering their points of view on a scenario and developing as people as they are placed in tight spots.

We learn more about who we’re dealing with, what is at stake, and grow invested because we never know which direction the events can take us. Wolf 359 has become so successful in its run because of the writer’s ability to admit something is amiss which gives the listeners something to anticipate rather than just tolerate.

Listen here, I know that podcasts are all for entertainment’s sake and I will always respect that, but even something that is entertaining must have a hook-line-sinker mentality, as I like to call it:

The hook is the first impression: What made you want to listen in the first place? Did the general synopsis intrigue you? Maybe there was just an actor in the show that you really like. Simple.

The line is the plot: This is the thing that makes you keep coming back for more. You’ve gotten comfortable with the story and its characters, you want to know as much as you can about the lore and the stakes. This is very much literally “a line” the audio drama is following and encourages you to keep up with.

The sinker is the payoff: This is where all the accumulated information you’ve gathered really matters-the climax. This is where we get the hidden motivations of characters, know about the dark secrets and figure out who the heroes and villains might be. We have a winner and a loser or at least some kind of ending, be it good or bad for the protagonists.

Many podcasts are capable of the first two steps though tend to forget the third. And when we do forget to touch that oh-so crucial sense of conflict and resolution, it becomes the equivalent of a Breather Episode series.

To those who don’t know, a Breather Episode is a common trope that is put into place to remind the audience that all of the past problems have concluded and we can once again revel in comedy and lighthearted fun.

I am a big fan of the this trope, it’s an implication that the past troubles of our protagonists have been dealt with and they can now relax, getting back to basics, but it’s getting back to the old grind that really matters.

We as listeners are a bit bloodthirsty, to say the least, constantly seeking out what new thing might be out to threaten the characters and disrupt their tranquility. Though in the character’s universe, and, to some extent, the writers, this is a pleasant period to soak in for a bit for just a little while.

It is prone to overstay its welcome if the average episode is nothing to look forward to. In short, if there’s nothing to hold on to, people will drop your story knowing it was of no loss to them.

A constant barrage of drama can be very overwhelming to the story’s ability to stay surprising and believable, so it’s good to have that even blend of “the bleeder and the breather”, as I’d like to call it, to keep things balanced.

But Podcake, you might be saying. This is audio drama! Emphasis on audio. They’re just sounds! Why expect so much when we can’t get visual input?

And you have a point there metaphorical reader. I’m not saying every show needs this epic score, high budget, and groundbreaking editing, I actually encourage shows who rely on this minimalism to try even harder in the writing department.

It is actually possible to have a consistent sense of tension even with limited sound effects and budget.

A good example would be The Bright Sessions. The presentation is mostly contained in one room and only occasionally stepping outside of it to overhear conversations. Despite the format being mostly casual and calm, there is still a pressing sense of drama and conflict we keep coming back to. And when we do get “the breather” in between, it’s a welcome change until going right back to where we started.

This is because the show stands on its own two feet in the dialogue department to get their point across and let things flow naturally. No big pizzazz or flashiness, just saying what it needs to say.

And if you insist on the superb audio editing part of this, I’d say Hadron Gospel Hour is always an recommendation, as well as defining the even blend of episodic with tension combination.

Gospel Hour is a sci-fi comedy with multiple unrelated cutaway gags and strange characters that have events in episodes that may not always be highly relevant to the next. But this has yet to cripple the storytelling since there are always connecting threads our protagonists go back to that develop their backstory or truly emphasize the dire circumstances they’ve been put in, something I’ve begun to notice in later episodes.

And if you’re still concerned about arcs, The Once and Future Nerd has the decency to have well established and satisfying beginnings, middles, and ends to each chapter. They have a wide and vast world to explore and take any opportunities they can to remind you of the fantastical yet still dangerous and grisly setting.

And maybe you’re really stuck on the newscaster format. Fine, I like those shows too. From here I’d highly encourage The Bridge: a show with a rather complex world, decently sized cast, and a steady increase in drama that isn’t afraid to step back from the main character’s perspective to tell a complete story.

Sorry to name drop so much in this particular document, though this is a narrative problem I’ve seen so often and so poorly I want to save anyone attempting this style from the same shortcomings. If you enjoy these shows for that exact reason, that is completely fine, though don’t be afraid to ask for something more genuine than just empty world building.

A good story is what you make of it but a memorable story can be much more.

#podcast #audio drama #audio play #radio drama #radio play #podcasts and #welcome to night vale #kakos industries #the once and future nerd #the bridge #the bridge podcast #hadron gospel hour #the bright sessions #wolf 359 #wolf 359 podcast

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