#k-pop soloist dr

[nayeonline]

Ari's K-Pop Roundup: July 2024 (aespa, KATSEYE, KISS OF LIFE, STAYC, tripleS, + MORE)

last months installment ✦ full masterlist welcome back to episode SIX (!!!) of this review series I started back in february - I've tried a lot of review formats in my time on kpop tumblr, but this one feels the most fun to do, and is by far the most well received. thanks so much to everyone who likes, reblogs, or even just reads these rambles, I appreciate it so much <333 This month was pretty fun from the get go so lets go get into it ~ ari

Hot Mess - aespa

A month and a half after their first korean full album, aespa have dropped their first proper foray into Japanese releases with 'Hot Mess'.

This is a classic aespa style track, like something off the 'Savage' or 'Girls' mini albums. Powered by a distorted trumpet base melody and filled with vocals delivered with a hyperconfident attitude, 'Hot Mess' is very Bratz doll, very Y2K. The chorus is reasonably catchy, but the verses fall somewhat short in my opinion, and the post chorus feels slightly out of place? The bones for a great song exist within 'Hot Mess', but for me the song peaks at 'good'. Is it anywhere near on the level of 'Supernova' or 'Amargeddon'? No, but it is cute and shows off the aespa members' skills well, as a debut song should do.

Giselle, as the member who speaks the most Japanese, is the BEST on this song, she sounds the most comfortable in her delivery and the tone of the song suits her style perfectly. Ningning is also a huge highlight of this track.

'Sun and Moon' is a classic SM style b-side, half way to a dance track, half way to a ballad. Where 'Hot Mess' highlighted vocal tone, 'Sun and Moon' emphasizes vocal range and the runs the members can pull off - in that sense it is the perfect b-side for a song like 'Hot Mess'. It's an easy hit, I like it a lot.

'ZOOM ZOOM' has actually already been released, so I won't delve into that one today, but the tl/dr is that it's a 10/10 aespa dance track that is forgotten about FAR TOO OFTEN.

Overall, this was fun. 'Hot Mess' didn't quite do it for me as much as I would have liked, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The b-sides are great, and as a debut, it works well. With their influence on the Y3K aesthetic in japan, success over there is inevitable and I'm wishing the best for them as always.

Touch - KATSEYE

If nothing else can be said about 'Touch', at least it was a decent song this time around.

Let's not lie, you can hear the PinkPantheress print on this song as well as I can, and while that results in an enjoyable song, it does not bode well for the future of KATSEYE. The derivative nature of 'Touch' isn't inherently bad - PinkPantheress coded songs have been popping up in kpop frequently over the past year or so (though granted never quite as obviously referential as this), but contextually the song is a bizarre choice. Even though their 'Debut' was released last month, KATSEYE is still extremely fresh on the scene, and every choice they make right now in musical, conceptual and creative direction will impact how they are perceived by global audiences.

Making music that sounds like a another artist will almost always tarnish your reputation and brand as a soloist/group UNLESS the artist you are emulating caters to an entirely different market. For example, ILLIT got backlash from kpop fans both inside and outside of Korea for emulating the sound of NewJeans, but the discussion of Tinashe's undeniable influence on kpop is limited to select groups of international fans. KATSEYE are trying to appeal to the western market presumably, so while 'Touch' imitating PinkPantheress may result in a few million streams and TikTok song of the hour status, it does nothing to build a brand, create a signature sound, and make a name for KATSEYE outside of kpop. Not to mention, it sounds unconnected from 'Debut' sonically, tonally, and conceptually, further meddling with any chance they have of building an iconic (in the original sense) discography.

However, this concept did seem to suit some of the girls better, Yoonchae especially seemed comfortable taking the centre this time, she was the star of the song for sure.

I would be remiss if i didn't bring up the song length after bitching about it so heavily last time, so here we go for round two. From 'Debut' clocking in at an appalling 2 minutes and three seconds, the HYBE overlords have blessed us with SIX MORE SECONDS on 'Touch'!!! At least this song calls for a bridge slightly less than 'Debut' did, but regardless this is absurd. I may be glad that the recession has triggered a resurgence in upbeat pop music from the west with BRAT summer and all that, but if it means song length shrinking by minute every year, I'm not sure if it's worth it.

Sticky - KISS OF LIFE

Kiss Of Life are just KILLING it, every release has been fucking incredible and 'Sticky' is no exception. Built on a foundation of afrobeats and powered by spirited vocal runs from all the members, 'Sticky' is the perfect song for the summer. It doesn't over-complicate itself, this is a song all about wearing short-shorts in the blaring July heat and having a blast with your friends. the melodies aren't especially new but they are classic and highly enjoyable. Hanuel is the beating heart of this song. Her vocal tone is on the more nasal side which usually means she's delegated to the verses or adlibs while Natty takes the frontline, but in 'Sticky' she is centre stage and I couldn't be happier about it. Natty and Belle take the post chorus sounding incredible as always, and Julie punches up the verses and post chorus ad-libs with her citrus-esque vocal tones. All the girls come together on the chorus in a chant thats been stuck in my head since I heard it. This and Chuu's 'Strawberry Rush' are my songs of the summer.

If 'Sticky' is a midday bike ride along the beach, 'Te Quiero' is a midnight beach party lit by campfires and neon swimsuits. Its the perfect b-side for 'Sticky', equally as addictive but slightly more unique in its construction. The strings on this track are to die for, and the lyrics are surprisingly enjoyable too.

A great single album for the summer months, Kiof have done it again - are we surprised?

Cheeky Icy Thang - STAYC

STAYC's last couple of releases, 'Bubble' and 'Teddy Bear' have been highly divisive, and while they didn't perform poorly by any means domestically, they were pretty unpopular among international kpop listeners. It seems HighUp recognized this lack of interest, and when the head prophet said the omens were right for STAYC to have a full album, they dropped the more childish concept and circled right back to 'RUN2U' - and now we have 'Cheeky Icy Thang'.

To be honest, the first couple of times i heard this song I didn't get it. My main impression was that it was messy - there were too many elements fighting for dominance, too many hooks, too many words in one line. And while I do still stand by some of those elements (you cannot convince me Sieun says 'rock' in the line 'on-the-rock whiskey ring-a-ring ding-dong'), but now I see the song as more maximalist than messy. I consider 'RUN2U' to be one of the most polished and well executed kpop songs of all time, and 'Cheeky Icy Thang' is not that at all - but it's charm comes in how rough and chaotic it is. While yes, the lyrics did need a second draft in some cases, notable exceptions being Sieun's '미녀와 야수면 내가 Beast' in the intro (excellent, no notes), the song's structure is genuinely a masterpiece - J's subversive pre-chorus having that tinny answerphone layer was amazing, easily the best part of the song. The production is top tier throughout, but that is to be expected from Black Eyed Pilseung.

It's difficult to pinpoint what exactly is so charming and subversive about 'Cheeky Icy Thang', because on paper it is neither something new for STAYC, nor something new for the industry at large in terms of concept or sonic style. However, what this song does that is so odd for kpop is that it does not put all of its eggs in one basket at all. Kpop songs, especially kpop songs post the TikTok era (thanks SO MUCH for that Zico), tend to be top heavy, and concentrate all the fun and creativity and catchiness into the chorus. 'Cheeky icy Thang' does not do that - the verses are a treat, the pre-chorus is a stunner, the breakdowns are groovy, and the chorus leaves us just satiated enough to keep listening. Crucially, 'Cheeky Icy Thang' cannot be compressed, and while they undoubtedly will make a dance challenge out of it, you cannot get the full experience of this song from a 20 second soundbite, as you can with so many other songs coming out right now.

### - tripleS

Lack of music video aside, '###' is the perfect tripleS japanese debut. A lovechild of anime intros and tripleS's iconic maximalist sound with a tS trademark 'lalala' post chorus, EVERYTHING about '###' is deliciously addictive. It's hyper-cute to the point of psychosis, and the members vocal delivery is perfectly imperfect.

Like a year ago I started yapping about what I called 'love island pop', and with this review I would like to introduce another micro-genre my prefrontal cortex cooked up 'Rhythm Heaven Fever pop'. Basically, music that sounds like it wouldn't be out of place in a Wii U rhythm game from 2011. '###' fits this perfectly, other notable examples being 'Dumb Dumb', 'Rookie' and '#Cookie Jar' - Red Velvet, and 'BBoom BBoom' - Momoland. This is the kind of music that keeps kpop going in my opinion, it's been a steady undercurrent of the trending sounds over the last 3 generations, and I am more than glad to see tripleS stoking the embers.

Such an unabashedly FUN song, it never takes itself seriously and that works FULLY in it's favour. Definitely a must-listen track from the July roster.

MINI REVIEWS:

[ALBUM] MINISERIES 2 - SUMIN & Slom: Wasn't sure if I should include this since it's not really kpop, but what the fuck SUMIN IS BACK BABY and yeah its another FUCKING BANGER of an album. Just go listen to it. I might do a separate review of it because it's just that good, so expect that in the next 2-5 business years. Just go stream it.

Klaxon - (G)-IDLE: For all I don't really like (G)-IDLE's music, I can usually admit that it is at least catchy. And yet, somehow Klaxon is not that catchy? The first line of the hook feels like a bizarre Frank Sinatra interpolation, and that post chorus does most of the heavy lifting for this track. Overall, this felt pretty derivative, but hey, sometimes a throwback isn't the worst.

FOREVER - BABYMONSTER: Babymonster are leaps and bounds away from my stan list, and even though this is vaguely something different from them (not really, it's just that there isn't an empty chorus), it's once again not for me. The vocal mixing on this song is very odd and as a result any emotion or power the girls used in their vocals is totally lost and tonally the song falls flat. The key change in the final chorus is a nice touch, and Pharita and Haram especially shine on this track. The fact that this was somewhat 'something new' gives me hope though - perhaps all is not lost over at YG. Perhaps.

Something Ain't Right - XG: XG are so consistent in the quality of their releases it's actually insane - from the production to the hooks to the vocal direction this is such a fun song. I don't know if I love it as much as TGIF or New Dance from X-GENE, but it's a very solid release. XG are well and truly the ones to watch, and the dichotomy between this and 'Woke Up' proves that perfectly.

Let It Burn - H1-KEY: You know, this was so close to being one of several contenders to be included on my mini reviews segment that just get cut, but this release really shocked me. I went in with almost no knowledge of H1-KEY, I had heard of them, but I had no idea what the concept was, who the girls were or even how many of them there were. 'Let it Burn' is a fucking delight from start to finish. A lot of these kpop takes on punk rock anthems fall flat for me, but this one keeps it honest and heartfelt throughout. The lyrics are honestly a delight, the chorus is fun, but the verses are the real star of the show, snappy and well delivered, and backed by a clean, classic hip-hop beat. You probably missed this track this month, and I would definitely recommend a listen.

JUSTICE - Dreamcatcher: Trust me, I am SO CLOSE to getting dreamcatcher to click for me, and 'Justice' proves that. It's lowkey fucking amazing, SO well executed. I truly think I am one discography deep dive away from falling in love with DC, this song is SUCH A BANGER. I really appreciate how DC never sacrifices their unique sound for whats trending, no one else is doing what they are doing, and holy hell are they doing it well.

Don't - LEE CHAE YEON: It's cute? I guess? Not overly spectacular, but not spectacularly awful either. I still don't know who the fuck Charlie is.

[liyahsreality]

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ introduction!

○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ liyah / lia , 08 liner , kpop shifter

shifting to; idol school , svt 14th member , & soloist dr DNI; racists, homo phobics, Islamophobics , k-pop antis, shifting antis, pedophiles, atheists who don't respect Christianity or any other religion, Zionists, misogynists

[fortuna9]

INTRODUCTION POST

 ☆ My name is Alice; she/her, south African, I am a minor!!! I am a shifter, baby pagan and baby witch.

 ☆ Main drs currently: Velvet Veil dr, 2010s fame dr, K-pop soloist dr, Mermaid dr, Princess dr, Magical girl dr/better cr, Magical girl dr (team ver.), K-pop girl group dr, Spiderverse dr, Actress dr, pjo dr, wizarding world dr etc etc

 ☆ DNI: Pro Israel, racists, homophobes, transphobes, fatphobes, shifting antis (what are you doing here), weird Swifties, kpop stans, and Lana fans, incest supporters, 18+ blogs

☆ I haven’t shifted yet, feel free to ask any questions (I need the motivation lol)

[heffy1111]

°☆Cherry Unlimited ☆°

Own gg dr.

Debut: 20th March 2024.

Introduction: "Hello, we are Cherry Unlimited."

Concept: lovesick.

↳ Kprofile

Cherry Unlimited.

Cherry Unlimited profile and facts.

Cherry Unlimited ( ) is a ten member K-pop girl group originating in Seoul, South Korea. They are under the company Team Wang Korea. The group consists of ten members; Holli (홀리) Hayami (速水 / 하야미) Vivien (비비안) Lihua (梨花 / 리화) Shūhuì (淑惠) Mali (มะลิ) Pensri (เพ็ญศรี) Su-a (수아) Seo-yeon (서연) Ha-eun (하은).

Fandom name: pips

Official fandom colour: Deep red.

Socials:

Cherry_unlimited_ on insta and tiktok

WWW:https//Cherry_unlimited.//

No personal socials as of yet.

Member profiles:

Holli (홀리):

- born in Cymru Bach in Incheon to Welsh Expat parents.

- biggest idols in the industry are exo, mamamoo and nuest.

- started training at 17

- debuted at 21

- leader of cherry unlimited

- first trainee under the company ever.

- hates snakes (literal and metaphorical)

- helped CEO Jackson wang reorder his files. which led to the discovery of Hayami (速水 / 하야미).

Hayami (速水 / 하야미):

- born in Osaka, Japan.

- lived there until she was 15 when she moved to South Korea to try out for any talent agency possible with her background in ballet.

- gets scouted after two months by Team Wang Korea.

- trains for three years.

- debuts at 18.

- can do anything but focuses her talents on rapping.

- biggest idols are itzy and nct.

- really really hates mint ice cream.

- didn't know jackson wang was an idol in Korea before opening his talent agency. (He still is one in both China and Korea, so that's funny)

Vivien (비비안):

- born in Los Angeles to Vietnamese Parents.

- lived there until she was 18.

- came to Korea to train, and after 11 months, she debuted at 19.

- her idols included super junior (or well, they did until Holli provided a slideshow presentation on their controversies) so now she really likes Kard.

- she is a sub Vocalist and sub dancer.

- despises the sound of people obnoxiously chewing.

- big fan of GOT7. However, she was disappointed not to see her Bias Mark Tuan for the first few months.

Lihua (梨花 / 리화):

- She was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

- Lihua has cited IU and Taeyeon as her biggest idols.

- Lihua trained for several years under different companies, which included time spent training in China and Korea.

- lihua is a powerhouse Vocalist.

- didn't know jackson wang had member and thought he was a soloist.

Shūhuì (淑惠):

- Shūhuì is known as the main rapper and sub-vocalist of Cherry Unlimited.

- She was born in Taichung, Taiwan.

- Shūhuì has mentioned CL of 2NE1 and Lisa from BLACKPINK as her biggest idols.

- Shūhuì is multilingual, speaking Mandarin, Korean, and English fluently.

- she debuted at 21.

- she really appreciates that Team Wang Korea as a label does not debut people who are too young.

Mali (มะลิ):

- She was born in Bangkok, Thailand.

- Mali has expressed admiration for Lisa from BLACKPINK and Sunmi

- Before debuting in cherry unlimited, Mali was a well-known dance cover artist in Thailand. Her dance covers of popular K-pop songs gained her a significant following, which eventually led to her being scouted and trained in Korea.

- she likes Korean food but maintains that spicy Thai food is better.

Pensri (เพ็ญศรี):

- She was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

- Pensri holds the position of lead dancer and sub-vocalist in KISS OF LIFE. She plays a crucial role in enhancing the group's choreography

- Pensri has a passion for traditional Thai dance and often incorporates elements of it into her choreography.

- she likes sticky mango rice

- idol used to be hyuna now she's her number one anti.

Su-a (수아):

- She was born in Seoul, South Korea.

- Su-a looks up to Taeyeon from Girls' Generation and IU

- Su-a has a keen interest in fashion design. She often experiments with styling and fashion in her personal life, and she enjoys incorporating her fashion sense into her stage outfits and public appearances.

- Su-a enjoys Korean comfort foods like bibimbap (mixed rice) and kimchi stew. She also has a fondness for sweet pastries

- debuts at age 20 after two years training.

Seo-yeon (서연):

- She was born in Busan, South Korea.

- Seo-yeon is a skilled calligrapher. She developed an interest in calligraphy during her school years and often uses it as a relaxing hobby

- her got7 bias is yugyeom

- Seo-yeon enjoys Korean barbecue and spicy noodles. She also loves tteokbokki

- Seo-yeon is the main rapper and lead dancer of cherry Unlimited.

- debuts after six months at age 22.

Ha-eun (하은):

- She was born in Gwangju, South Korea.

- Ha-eun admires Ailee and Hwasa.

- Ha-eun has a passion for photography. She often takes her own photos during tours and events

- Ha-eun enjoys Korean comfort foods such as kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) and sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew)

- she is an all rounder and can do everything like Holli.

- she debuts at age 23, making her the oldest.

[hime-jellyfish]

how it is your k-pop dr? are you in a group or u are soloist? :D id love to know about your dr even tho im not into k-pop hahah

I haven't worked on that dr in a while lol.

So in my dr, I'm in a mixed gender group (which in K-Pop is not a common thing, KARD is one of the most popular ones). Despite that, o focus more on my vocals rather than dance.

The group consists of 2 girls and 2 guys and we were trainees for 6 years, from ages 13 to 19 (2010-2016). We debuted in early 2016, which is when I will be shifting to, making us a 3rd gen group.

We work under SM entertainment, but idols are treated better. We still have a tough work schedule but not to where its detrimental to our health.

I'm friends with shinee (my ult bias group), exo, and red velvet because of running into some members during training.

Been a while since I've talked about this dr since its not my main focus lately, but i still enjoy it

[calciumcryptid]

Calcium List of K-Pop Worth a Damn Pt.1

Hello, my beloved mutuals.

It is I, Calcium, who has consumed way too much K-Pop and has opinions on which songs (and by extension artists) are actually worth a damn.

This is part one because there is so much K-Pop to sort through, so this is going to cover female artists whether groups or soloists. These songs range from bubblegum pop to rock, so I do not expect you to enjoy every single one on this list.

In case this breaks containment: Just because a song or artist is not on this list does not mean I think the song or artist is bad. Also, understand this was made specifically for my mutuals and mutuals only.

Important Language Note: When Romanized, the word 'you' in Korean translates to 'nega' and the word 'I' in Korean translates to 'naega'. When said very fast it sounds like the n-word. I promise it is not the n-word, they are saying 'you' or 'I'.

Now, without further ado, my recommendations!

Girl Groups

Come Back Home by 2NE1

Fire by 2NE1

I Am the Best by 2NE1

OOMM (Out of My Mind) by 3YE

Crazy by 4Minute

Hate by 4Minute

Volume Up by 4Minute

Next Level by Aespa

Say My Name by ANS

Come See Me by AOA

%%(Eung Eung) by Apink

Dilemma by Apink

I'm So Sick by Apink

Lalalilala by April

Oh! My Mistake by April

GingaMingaYo by Billie

Ring x Ring by Billie

Crazy Over You by BlackPink

Lovesick Girls by BlackPink

Playing with Fire by BlackPink

Abracadabra by Brown Eyed Girls

Kill Bill by Brown Eyed Girls

Dramatic by Bvndit

Dumb by Bvndit

Devil by CLC

Me by CLC

Love so Sweet by Cherry Bullet

Fri. Sat. Sun. by Dalshabet

Jazz Bar by Dreamcatcher

Scream by Dreamcatcher

La Di Da by Everglow

L.I.E by Exid

Cupid by Fifty Fifty

Lovin' Me by Fifty Fifty

Uh-Oh by (G)I-dle

Nxde by (G)I-dle (Watch the MV, trust me)

Lil' Touch by Girls Generation

The Boys by Girls Generation

Not That Type by Gugudan

Drip by Hinapia

Whatta Man (Good Man) by I.O.I

Wannabe by Itzy

I Am by IVE

Love Dive by IVE

Antifragile by Le Sserafim

Eve, Psyche, and the Bluebeard's Wife by Le Sserafim

The Great Mermaid by Le Sserafim

Eye to Eye by Limelight

Wave by Limesoda

Butterfly by LOONA

So What by LOONA

Hip by Mamamoo

Décalcomaine by Mamamoo

Gogebebe by Mamamoo

Bad Girl Good Girl by Miss A

Hush by Miss A

Bboom Bboom by Momoland

Girls by Nature

Ditto by NewJeans

Hype Boy by NewJeans

Catallena by Orange Caramel

Poison by PinkFantasy

Get It by Pristin V

Nerdy by Purple Kiss

Zombie by Purple Kiss

Dr. Feel Good by Raina

Automatic by Red Velvet

Feel My Rhythm by Red Velvet

Psycho by Red Velvet

Bouncy by Rocket Punch

Touch My Body by Sistar

After School by Weekly

Picky Picky by Weki Meki

Female Soloists

Make Up Your Mind by Ailee

Kazino by BIBI (Watch the MV, trust me)

Vengeance by BIBI

Gotta Go by Chung Ha

Killing Me by Chung Ha

Rollercoaster by Chung Ha

Hello Bitches by CL

Twit by Hwasa

Maria by Hwasa

Picture by Hyo

Dally by Hyolyn

Lilac by IU

What Type of X by Jessi

Plant by KimSejeong

Glitch by Kwon Eunbi

Knock by Lee Chae Yeon

Alien by Lee Suhyun

Eclipse by Moon Byul

On the Ground by Rosé

Spit It Out by Solar

Villain by Stella Jang

Heroine by Sumni

Mr. Stranger by Sumni

Tail by Sumni (Watch the MV, especially my DC mutuals. Trust me, you are going to want to watch the MV.)

INVU by Taeyeon

Spark by Taeyeon

Perfume by Yubin

Overall Artist Recommendations + Explanations

Apink: South Korea's music industry has a problem allowing their female artists to mature over time, but APink has a good blend between the bubblegum pop sound and some of the most beautiful vocals you'll ever hear.

BlackPink: This is going to be controversial, but I found them to be a good (metaphorical) gateway drug. I recommend listening to their first album The Album, but whatever you do skip Ice Cream.

Chung Ha: I cannot emphasize how much I love her entire discography. Most of the soloist listings would have just been her and Sumni if I wasn't self-regulating myself.

Dreamcatcher: Dreamcatcher has come to be known as "The Face of Rock in K-pop", and they deserve the title with the bangers they put out. Not to flex, but I've been a fan since their debut in 2017 and I'm not letting go anytime soon.

NewJeans: This girl group is inspired by 1990s-2000s pop, and it shows in the way everything they make is criminally catchy. If you want to feel like the beginning of a teen movie, they are the go to group to go to.

Sumni: She is my favorite soloist, and most of the soloist listings would have just been her and Chungha if I wasn't self-regulating myself.

That is it for part one, even though I know I am going to be kicking myself later for leaving out some songs but I hope my mutuals appreciate my list.

The next part will be boy groups and soloists. :)

Now to figure out where to cut this.

@insomniac-jay @opalofoctober

[fluent-in-lesbianism]

I started following you around the time I first got into k-pop around 10 years ago, and in that time I never saw you mention anything to do with k-pop. Now here you are in the past like, month, reblogging gifs of a million different girl groups like huh???? you think you know a blog

Tbh I’ve been a casual kpop fan since 2NE1, but mainly for CL. I got some of her posts sprinkled in here somewhere. I randomly saw her live cover of Diplo’s Revolution way back in the day and fell in love with her for a looong time. But I never really paid that much attention to other girl groups/soloists unless a song hit the US charts (like Blackpink, Red Velvet, Mamamoo). I never saw any posts on my dash outside of BTS (*yawn*), so I just didn’t think to seek it out myself. It’s like an outta sight outta mind type deal.

But then I started watching GAP, reblogging posts about GAP, which led me to posting more about gls, which led me to Korean dramas, which somehow led me to finding Bibi (my beloved ❤️), and now my For You section includes kpop girl group gifsets I’d never see if tumblr didn’t show me. Random sets with random idols. Some I know, some I don’t. But they’re pretty so I reblog them anyway. And for some reason I’m now seeing mutuals reblogging them too! So I get to find them in the wild as well.

tl;dr: GAP made me gayer

[krewekreep]

Introduction of Sorts + Interests

This page will really be for me to get back into writing, develop my writing and indulge myself. I’m open to requests though but ask people to definitely contextualize your Bias (person you’re requesting for—yes I’m gonna use K-pop lingo oh well) and/or the scenario cause otherwise I’d simply write for myself. Which is why I also am making this page because I’ve been on tumblr for 10 years (my main account turned ten this year) and I’m worn out of the smut fest no prose or story fics. Definitely has its place in the community but the older I get the more I need actual full blown delusion. I need scene, setting, set up, climax, denouement…and so I’ll fulfill the order myself. 🫡

My interests:

(Im a 2010s coded Tumblr user so uh, I mean I suppose Dr Who and Supernatural aren’t 😂😂😂😂lmao ew anyway (I was into supernatural I’m ewwing at you and myself) .

Too I usually am not following everything that’s mainstream (I know im so cool) so also if something isn’t listed I most likely know of it—but went no further. I also like older anime and media so if you have something super specific that feels out of place no worries. Im gonna end up writing Greek smut about Dionysus so…🤷🏾‍♀️

Anime: (I’ve seen actually too much anime to name so here’s the ones I have a bias or have an affinity for the characters)

JJK,

Chainsaw Man

Bleach

Naruto

Demon Slayer

Attack on Titan

Fate Series

Etc

Manga:

JJK

Chainsaw Man

Bleach

Attack on Titan

Spy x Family

DanDanDan

Berserk

Etc

Fave genres are horror/seinen, shoujo, and slice of life.

KPOP: (1st-mid 3rd Gen main but still aware of 4th gen pretty deeply)

I dont really want to do requests for idols but I don’t mind overall, explained further below

My fave boy groups (somewhat in order): Big Bang, Shinee, BAP, BTS (ex-army, long story**, don’t come to my page with that bullshit 💕) B1A4, IKON, EXO, 2PM, GOT7…I could go on. (I’m not gonna list them in an order but my heart can’t not include MBLAQ, Teen Top, U-Kiss, etc ugh those were the days😭)

Girl Groups (in definitive order): 2NE1, Brown Eyed Girls, F(x), Girls Generation, TWICE, 4Minute/Hyuna, Wonder Girls, Secret, After School, Global Icon (short lived), Tiny G ( VERY short lived), EXID, Ladies Code, etc.

Now 4th Gen…is cute…they got CUTE people that’s for sure. This list will be co-ed simply because I’m not feral for boy groups like I was younger. Really the boy groups don’t do it for me (4th gen overall criticism tbh) cause it’s really looks and kinda arrogant personalities I find obnoxious given y’all can’t even publicly date or be seen smoking…tone down the elitist vibe lol. But shade aside I do jam some things and have a playlist for my fave 4th gen songs so for sure no hate just a BOMBASTIC side eye sometimes. Anyway…

Stray Kids

Aespa

Lessaraffim (I’m gonna leave it like my mind spells it, enjoy)

NCT 127 (specifically them ((in reference to the units)) cause I enjoy R&B coded K-pop, they do too much Niggaboo shit (looking at Mark and Taeyong DIRECTLY in the eyes 👁️👄👁️)((BUT it’s a Soo Man thing cause him, YG, and JYP competing over who wish they were a born a Black man the most…Soo Man and JYP ✨fist fighting✨over the top spot IYKYK)

New jeans (they’re minors and if they all aren’t their def much younger than me so no requests for minors please this is for taste assessment only)

BIBI and other female soloists (Hyuna, Sunmi, Ga-in, Lee Hyori, etc)

IVE (they really got some bops tbh, this is another TWICE case of let these young women talk and sing how they naturally would…music and live performances will thank them for it)

Nobody really else I guess honorable mentions are Ateez, Fifty-fifty,

———————————————————————

*im gonna add that for Anime/Manga the double dipping means some combination of me knowing the material in both forms of media. Like Jujutsu Kaizen is an amazing example currently as of course the anime is ongoing but the manga is far ahead by a large portion of plot. So if your anime only, manga only, or something be sure to let me know so I’m not spoiling by accident. Don’t want the smut to spoil a character death or something….right? 😅

**the long story short and overall caveat of why I’ve fallen out of love for groups and K-pop are the fact that yeah as a Black person I genuinely started getting pissed off with colorism, n-word usage, appropriation, and mockery. The shit gets old and as a poor old super fan I’m happy I didn’t spend the money people do for folks who would literally refuse my hand…🫤 be fr. Likewise, the deaths of idols who were literally my biases really (of course) bothered me and took a toll on my enjoyment of the genre too. The more you love it the more you learn and that’s usually where the fun ends and now it’s numbers charts and placements. Lame 😭. I let the time I was fan be that but otherwise ? Eh I’m good I’ll bop from time to time and catch the tea but my bread in my pocket (besides my B1A4 What’s Happening and Twice Scientist albums😂)((and the other old albums I’ll get before they disappear forever or get destroyed🫠))

But yeah that’s that on that. I’ll be posting whatever ends up decent enough to be read by others. Otherwise wherever this ends up hope you drop a message🥸!

[sunnyvaeler]

Third acc of @skz-eunji-dr

DR CHARACTERS | KPOP SCENE

EUNJI KIM | Xtina of Korea [ @skz-eunji-dr ]

• Main vocalist, dancer, and rapper.

• Known as "Xtina of Korea" for her powerful voice.

• Soloist under JYP Entertainment and member of Stray Kids.

• Grew up in Melbourne, Australia.

• Korean mother and Arabic father, with a Spanish stepfather.

• Fluent in Spanish and deeply connected to Spanish culture.

• Never calls older men “oppa.”

• Big vocal range, smooth and deep tone.

• Best friends with Denali Foxx and Tyla

• Western rider, prefers no saddle.

• Appeared in Dance Academy and Obsession.

• Known for comedy, hosts "Eunji's Show."

• Enjoys both singing and stand-up comedy.

• Deep connection with Native American culture, especially Lakota heritage.

• Brother Tae-Hwan is a dancer, sister Ellie is 12.

• Adventurous, loves blending different cultural influences.

-------------------------------------------------------------

RUÈ NNA | The Cutie Pie of K-Pop [ @ruenna-itzy-dr ]

• Member of ITZY, lead dancer, and singer.

• Soloist and ballroom dancer.

• Can hit high notes like Ariana Grande.

• Half-sister of Lee Know from Stray Kids (half Chinese, half Korean).

• Actress, with a growing presence in K-dramas.

• Hosts a Disney-themed children's show every winter.

• Loves Disney, especially singing iconic Disney songs.

• Frequently shipped with older idols and actors.

• Adorable, known as the “cutie pie” of K-pop.

• Balanced talent in dancing and singing.

• Playful and cute yet professional on stage.

• Often praised for her high energy and charm.

• has a bubbly energy

• won a few competitions in ballroom dancing

• is 23 years old

• is often shy in interviews

-------------------------------------------------------------

HEESO JEONG | Amy Whinehouse of K-Pop [ @heeso-soloist-dr ]

• Known as the “Amy Winehouse of K-pop.”

• 29 years old, with a bold personality like Amy Winehouse.

• Mix of Russian and Korean heritage.

• Heavily tattooed, inspired by Amy’s unique style.

• Together with Kai from EXO, a high-profile couple.

• Entered the K-pop scene in 2023 (not under JYP).

• Friends with Somin Jeon, often seen together.

• Loves jazz music, incorporating it into her modern K-pop sound.

• Signature deep, raspy voice reminiscent of Amy's style.

• Extremely skinny, with a distinct, edgy fashion sense.

• Expressive stage presence, known for emotional performances.

• Often writes her own lyrics, raw and deeply personal.

• Has an affinity for vintage and retro aesthetics.

• Strong independent streak, unafraid to push boundaries.

• Combines modern K-pop with old-school jazz influences.

• Gaining attention for her rebellious, soulful style.

-------------------------------------------------------------

NEZERA QX | Unique Rapper of Korea [ @nezera-qx-dr ]

• Former member of Blackpink, left due to intense public criticism.

• Hate transformed her into a bold, experimental artist.

• Known for her red, edgy hair and unique makeup style.

• Embraces bizarre and unconventional concepts in her music and visuals.

• Often uses dark and eccentric themes in her music videos.

• Considered the most distinctive rapper in Korea, with a one-of-a-kind style.

• Has a rebellious, "I don’t care" attitude towards the industry and critics.

• Her lyrics reflect deep emotions, often addressing pain and defiance.

• Incorporates elements of punk, hip-hop, and avant-garde fashion.

• Plays with futuristic and dystopian aesthetics in her performances.

• Known for pushing the boundaries of what K-pop can be.

• Despite her tough exterior, she's known for supporting underground artists.

• Heavily involved in the creative direction of her music videos and performances.

• Her fanbase, though niche, is fiercely loyal and loves her nonconformity.

• Constantly evolves, refusing to fit into a typical idol mold.

• She’s often called the "Queen of Odd" in the K-rap scene for her unique artistry.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[adasoui]

Hiiii I was curious about your drs? I love talking about drs with people and hearing about there’s too!

ofcc!!!

i have two bnha drs, my first i first shifted to in august 2021 which was the first time i shifted!! i now call it my pro hero dr because i graduated and am now a pro hero !! i love this dr so much as i have so many memories from it! when i first started shifting there i hadn’t scripted much and didn’t have a s/o. eventually me and bakugo started dating :3 and we still are (and are in every one of my drs!) i love him smsnsjdbhevdhwbw

my second bnha dr is just ua but i changed some classes so its kinda different! i really like this dr it’s so fun and i love all my friends and sneaking into bakugos dorm at the weekends and studying with him dhdbeheb i love this dr

my k-pop dr (own gg) i haven’t shifted yet as im a perfectionist and still working on our discography because i want to be perfect lol. our group is called ONLY:U and is kind of like everglow, aespa, purple kiss, yena vibes! ofc you don’t have to script to shift but i love scripting for this dr and planning all our stage outfits and mvs! i also go through phases of loving kpop so sometimes i feel unmotivated to script for this dr 😭 but will def shift here in the future

my soloist dr - it’s more a singer dr. i really love krnb so in this dr i’m a krnb artist! i’ve shifted a couple of times to this dr and it’s so cute! me and bakugo live in this cute apartment and we have a recording studio where i record songs and it’s so fun!

i had a long break from shifting from the start of 2023 to like march 2024 because my life was so busy and have just started shifting again and have come so close recently ! i missed bakugo and my friends so much. i have a lot of old drs which i don’t shift to anymore or never shifted but just dropped: itzy dr, skz dr, victorious dr, better life dr, harry potter dr!

thank you for the ask! 🎀

[scentede]

Tranquilizing essence fulfilled with tremendous picturesque moment—she places bewitching stardust between her dreamscape, intertwined above paradise’s horoscope: Long-last odyssey.

Faithful Solemnity: 𐇵

ANIMANGA: 𓍼 ❥ She finds everlasting excitement whenever she watches anime or reads manga. Moreover, when it contains action or fantasy, sports must be something she enjoys too. Here’s the list of her favorite ones: Haikyuu, Kuroko no Basketball, Tensura, Mashle, My Hero Academy, Gokurakugai, Moriarty The Patriot, The Apothecary Diaries, Blue Period, Solo Leveling, Vanitas No Carte, Kaiju No. 8, Dr. Stone and Kaoru Hana Wa Rin To Saku.

GROUPS & SOLOIST: She’s not someone who pays too much attention to K-pop, however these groups and soloists always accompany her life-journey: Kiss Of Life, Newjeans, IVE, Bangtan, Chuu and Yena. Beside that, she just being a casual listener.

MUSICIANS: Music has become a part of her life—She loves listening to music more than other people, despite being busy about her work, music will always accompany her. These musicians are her favorite all of the time: Ichiko Aoba, Laufey, NIKI, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Sohodolls, Wave to Earth, Reality Club, Chappell Roan, Conan Gray, Adrianne Lenker, Aimer and Lamp.

PATOOTIES: ♡ These people are someone who has brought infinite happiness in her life: Jeon Jungkook, Nana Komatsu, Kim Namjoon, Jang Wonyoung, Kento Yamazaki, Belle, Haerin Kang, Belle and Suzu Hirose.

[naivrse]

nabillera  ,  often  referred  to  as  simply  nabi  ,  was  a  five–membered  south  korean  girl  group  that was  formed  and  managed  by  seventh  heaven in 2007.  consisting  of  leader  and  main  dancer  minji  ,  main  vocalist  naomi  ,  visual  ,  center , and main rapper  ara  ,  lead  vocalist  jinah  ,  and  lead  dancer  and  maknae  nani  ,  the  group  made  their  official  debut  in  may  of  2009  with  the  digital  single  “  diva  ”. they were the first act ever to debut under seventh heaven , and are are widely considered to have paved the way for the company and all of its artists subsequently.

nabillera were best known for their catchy dancepop sound , girl crush concept , and glamorous aesthetic— their iconic logo being a hot pink and purple school crest adorned by blinged–out butterflies. they were highly influential , constantly setting fashion and concept trends that still permeate in the k–pop industry today. however , they were also quite controversial , coming under fire for their signature "skimpy" look and the influence they had on young girls at the time as a top girl group.

nabillera's disbandment in 2013 was abrupt , as seventh heaven had reported that they were preparing to release another studio album in the new year only a few weeks beforehand. a news outlet ended up leaking that all of the members , save for ara , had petitioned to a court to terminate their contracts with the label. despite 7h's blatant attempts to drive them apart , all five of the members managed to remain close up until 2022 , when ara released a collaborative single with honeylemon , creating animosity between her and naomi and crushing what little hope fans had that they'd ever reunite for a comeback.

to this day , the public still can't get over nabillera— constantly lamenting and theorizing on what could've been for the girl group. all of the members are still prominent public figures ; minji opened her own dance studio in 2015 and recently competed on street woman fighter 2 with one of its troupes , placing third. naomi is an actress and married her longtime boyfriend early last year , she's also released two studio albums. ara is thriving as one of the highest selling female soloists in k–pop history. jinah started her own fashion brand in 2016 and has since opened several stores in korea , and is gearing up to take it international this year. nandhini is an actress and model , and has found great success in the u.k. , where she was raised , and the u.s. , where she currently resides.

general

company  :  seventh  heaven

genres  :  dancepop  ,  electropop  ,  r&b

fandom  : flutter

colors  : hot pink ( #ed66b2 ) , purple empress ( #86469c )

popular tracks : genie , crazy , lose my breath , catch me if you can , dr. evil

members

lee minji ( b. 1989 )

naomi utaura ( b. 1991 )

baek ara ( b. 1991 )

seo jinah ( b. 1992 )

nandhini "nani" pillai ( b. 1993 )

[lakkimi]

[TRANS] RollingStone Japan magazine interview - “FTISLAND’s Lee Jaejin’s story, a new challenge ‘the moment before I enlist, it is now’“

FTISLAND offers band-style music that is rare in the K-POP world. On October 9 (note: 2019), Lee Jaejin, the bassist of the band, has released his first solo album. Before he goes to enlist, he had made the determination to himself, “if you are going to go solo, now is the time”. Jaejin who was visiting Japan at the time had made the time to visit RollingStone Japan for an interview.

Korea is the number one idol powerhouse in the world. In the midst of the massive survival competition in the K-POP world, where there are more than 300 idol groups, donning intense hairstyle, makeup, and costume, and boasting unparalleled synchronized group dance, it is very rare to see a group of youths that are still faithful to the authentic pop and rock style and moving forward with it, drawing a line of difference between them and the others in the industry. This group is FTISLAND. As the group is marking their 10th year since they made their major debut (in Japan), this time, we will be featuring Lee Jaejin, the band’s bassist who has been by Lee Hongki’s side on stage. Unlike his lovely face and delicate appearance, this central pillar of FTISLAND is dropping a bold sound that is hard to imagine through his solo album, Scene 27. He had answered to the interview with RollingStone candidly in fluent Japanese without any need of the use of interpreter.  

―Following FTISLAND’s Lee Hongki to debut as a solo, is it something that you wanted for yourself?

Actually, since a few years ago, I have received offers from the agency, “Do you want to try out going solo?”, but I had wanted to focus on FTISLAND, so I had only been gathering ideas. However, Hongki-niisan will enlist in September, and in line with that, FTISLAND will go on a break, and I will follow niisan to enlist too. As soon as I complete the military service, I intend to focus on FTISLAND  again, so I thought, “if I want to do a solo, it is now”. I thought to myself that I might not get another opportunity to move one step forward for myself if I don’t take the chance to go solo now, so I got back to the agency, “I will work hard, let’s do this!”.  

―It feels like, your long-held wish has finally come true.  

That’s right. However, in the beginning, I didn’t have any vision as to what kind of music that I wanted to do for my solo... I don’t like the way that it sounds like an excuse, but we were really busy, so I didn’t have any time for it! (laughs) I have just written a lot of songs and done a lot of comebacks with them, gone to a lot of tv shows, and done a lot of live concerts in Korea, Japan, and around the world. I didn’t really have any time to think of the songs that I would want for myself. However, this time around, I have received a lot of help from the agency, I was able to make it somehow (claps to himself proudly).

―How do you want to express yourself the most as?

For me, I had always felt like I would describe myself the most for my FTISLAND-ness. After all, I have dedicated all of my youth for FTISLAND. I would propose melody and lyrics that I made from my point of view, and these ideas would collide with the other members’ (Lee Hongki (Vo.), Song Seunghyun (Gt.), Choi Minhwan (Dr.)) as they have strong personalities. That’s why, I thought, if I want to honestly express myself as a soloist, I would have to do the opposite method, making it “Lee Jaejin’s uniqueness as seen by other people”. I tried to extract how is Lee Jaejin seen by other people, from people who inspired me - the members, fans, family, staffs, seniors and juniors from the same agency, friends, colleagues, and people that are precious to me, and from these people, their impressions of me and advises to me are reflected in my music.

―So it was a reversed method, it is surprisingly quite out of the box. 

It’s because I have always expressed how I view things through FTISLAND already. Through my solo work, I actually get to have an opportunity to show another side of me, and I thought it would be interesting to show a mix of the Lee Jaejin that other people think of and the Lee Jaejin that I think of. That’s why, from my way of singing to the way the songs were recorded in the studio, I made it different than how I would usually do it.

―Is there any impression that other people have told of you that you found “eh, that’s unexpected!”?  It was when people told me that I produce high pitch voice easily.

―It’s because the audience always listened to your live singing attentively.

No, it’s not like that! (laughs) My role (in FTISLAND) is to harmonize with Hongki-niisan’s voice, so that it sounds nice to hear; however, if I sing using the same way that I did for FTISLAND for my solo release, it would sound strange. I’m still retaining my ability to control my voice easily. It turned out that all of the songs that I had picked for my solo album had higher pitch than my usual voice, so I thought it could only be done with adding in more breath and warmth than usual to my singing. It was really hard when I did the recording. Particularly, when I recorded for Love Like The Films, the key was lowered and raised several times, that we had to repeat the recording for 3 or 4 times, and the entire recording process took about a total of 6 days. 

―In the “Love Like The Films”, Hongki is credited under vocal directing.

Frankly speaking, image that I have of Hongki-niisan is “the bad person who never practices”. Of course, he is an excellent singer, he also does a great job as the band’s frontman, however, as fellow team members, I wished he would practice more. However, after he helped me with vocal direction this time around, I would like to review that. (laughs)

―Ah I see. (laughs)

For me, as a main vocal, I still need to find something that can stand out and be my point of attraction. I haven’t really calculated the way that I sing in the way that “if I sing a song this way, it will be delivered to the audience also in a certain way”, so I thought that Hongki-niisan who has had a long career as a vocalist would know more about it, so I asked him to watch over the recording. Lately, niisan is working hard practicing and he also has a musical coming up, he just has been really busy so I didn’t have the heart to ask him to do it at first. But our agency then said that “Hongki will give (vocal) direction to Jaejin”, so it was sorted out that way.

―So, that’s how he came in!

That’s true. In reality, the moment that he heard the song, he told me “This is Jaejin that is singing, but it sounds somewhat not right”. “This song is putting together the ideas that everyone suggested Jaejin should do” but “in this part, you sang this too softly, you should give more power to it, so the audience can still hear it clearly” or “in this part, your pitch should be more straightforward” - all kinds of possibilities that I wasn’t even thinking of. Hongki-niisan is very knowledgeable in techniques on how to “sound good”, he taught me these in great details.  

―As expected of the vocalist who has carried FTISLAND on his back. With just one added detail, the way that a song could be expressed could increase greatly.

That’s why, we were able to complete the recording of the song with satisfaction, I felt really grateful that Hongki-niisan was willing to help. When we asked him “please also look at the recordings of the other songs”, he replied “I don’t want to, it’s too bothersome”. (lol)

―Ah, that’s what happened.

It was unfortunate that he was able to only look at the title song, however, niisan was really busy that he didn’t even have any time to sleep. FTISLAND also was working on the preparation of our encore concert at that time, so it couldn’t be helped. 

―Then, Scene.27 is packed with all of the efforts poured into it.

Thank you. I hope the message could be delivered well.

―Other than that, are there comments on the album that you found refreshing?

I heard things like “R&B suits you well” or “you can take on Jazz if you work just a bit harder”.

―The voice that has a bit of huskiness in it, it is Jaejin’s voice charm.

I appreciate any feedback. I have prepared myself to accept any feedback, whatever it is, so I actually would be grateful if the listeners could give me a lot of them. Actually, in this album, I wanted to focus only on the vocal and let go of my bass. 

―And as a result, it purely shows Jaejin as a vocalist.

Please indulge in thinking of this as someone completely different, not the Jaejin from FTISLAND. I am challenging myself to take this opportunity to present myself as an entirely rookie solo artist. I also am planning to hold a mini live this coming October with band style performance, so please look forward to my vocals. 

―Your agency junior, N.Flying is also starring in the MV. As they played with so much fun there, the MV also turned out to be full of energy.

These guys were actually busy too, but for me, they deliberately made the efforts to empty out their schedules, practiced and filmed with me - “we will help niisan with everything!” and somewhat I felt “ah, this is the weight of being an older brother”. 

―You guys really have a good relationship.

I can only reply with “Me too, I will work hard!”, and paid them back through my (bass) performance. Actually, this is the first time that I felt such a proper give and take relationship with my juniors. I supported N.Flying by helping out in their live concerts, and this time, they came to help me instead. This made me feel such a brotherly relationship with them, that lately, I thought of how cute these guys are.

―In fact, you have been seniors-juniors for a long time in your agency, but “lately”?

Yes, lately. Originally, I am the kind of person to not really think of any other relationships other than with the FTISLAND members.  

I usually listened to anyone who asked me for counseling or just to share their worries, but I don’t usually feel that “we are one team at heart” with my juniors.  Honestly, in the past, I used to not to be too fond of N.Flying (smiles), I thought that they didn’t really put in enough efforts and seemed to be still too premature.  For me, I am solely the bassist of FTISLAND, and my team is solely FTISLAND - if we put it in the extreme, “I am only the bassist to FTISLAND”. However, lately, these guys have worked so hard and have grown rapidly too. I have come to “If it’s N.Flying, I can play for them too”. Now, they are such a team of cute juniors in my eyes. I’m not that great of a senior either, but now, I want to share with them and have talks on things that I have knowledge on or things that I can give them advise on.

―Why did you choose bass in the beginning?

I only realized recently, but I was an introverted kid when I was in elementary school. I didn’t have any friends, so when I entered middle school, I wanted to brighten up my image. I had started to have friends then, and they asked me, “do you want to make a band together?”. I didn’t have any experience with any musical instruments back then, so I only replied, “Sure, what should I do?”, and they said, “Drum and guitar are hard, so you’re bass”, and so, that’s how I started bass. Compared to guitar, it only has 4 strings, and I could just start by producing the “dung, dung, dung, dung” sound riding the rhythm, it was easy. It was also popular with the girls. 

―Most of bands indeed start with “I want to be popular!”.

For me, it is the case (laughs). However, it is for sure that it was how my life began. My sister is an actress, and she used to be under the agency that I am in now. She told me, “I think my agency is setting up a band, do you want to give it a try?” - she recommended me to an audition, luck was on my side, and I managed to debut. 

―You debuted in 2007, in the midst of the heyday of idol teams that sing and dance, why did FTISLAND aspire to be a “rockband” back then?

Actually, in the beginning, the aim was a multiplayer kind of band that can play a lot of genres. However, if we look at the world, there are a lot of rock bands particularly that are charming. The more that I immersed myself in a new genre, and the more that I practiced, I was captured even more by the rock genre, and swore to myself, “Let’s become a rock band!”, and here we are now. I am crazily in love with the kind of power that only rock holds, and the feeling of catharsis that one gets when they perform. I feel the pride of this band called FTISLAND that possesses the charm to suit not only upbeat rock music, but also are good at pop ballads, and any types of music.

―So, what types of bass that you like?

Currently, I’m mainly using SPECTOR, LAKLAND, and Fodera. However, when I am discharged later, I want to buy Fender.

―Are there any differences between doing activities in Korea and in Japan?

Honestly, I think FTISLAND can best demonstrate 1000% of their charms in Japan. In Japan, we really feel that we can play comfortably and with a peace of mind. As stages and sets in Korea are centered around idols and hiphop, there isn’t many place where we can perform as a band properly, so honestly, we have had a hard time because of this. There is also the case where we don’t have much choice but to give up the (musical) direction that we want. So, when we want to perform properly to the audience in Korea, we got our PAs, sound directors, concert managers, and staffs that we trust in Japan to come to help. Doing major debut in Japan and actively promoting there is highly regarded in Korea. The home of the rock genre is the US, and so I don’t know if it’s a country thing, but the staffs there (in Korea) seem to just have “Going my way”-like mindset to them. There have been instances where it was hard when we tried to request something when we had performances. For example, when we asked them “please slightly raise the volume of the kick drum in our ear monitors, and please make the bass sound harder” or something like that, they would reply “Is that necessary?” or the like. They did follow our request, but I guess if we think about it, those who think that these kinds of exchanges are what rock is all about and those who enjoy these, thinking that these are merely differences in culture and way of thinking, are those that are winning.(smiles) 

―I love that you are looking at it positively (smiles). Now, what are your dreams for the future? 

If I get to be a bit richer, I dream of building a nice livehouse in Korea. It will be an ideal place, where performers can perform properly, and audience can listen to music properly as well.

―In a RollingStone Japan interview too before, Hongki also said that he wanted to build a music studio.

That would be nice! However, for Hongki-niisan, even if he does build a music studio, I think all that he does there will be just play games. He would say something like “You guys, do your best!” and leave the trivial or bothersome things to us, and when he feels like he is in the mood, he would say “This is nice” when he does vocal recording. However, songs that are made in such lively atmosphere will end up pretty rock, so I guess everyone would enjoy such songs anyway.(laughs)  

~~

Disclaimer: Translated by Lu. This translation is based on the Japanese - Korean translation credited to fprit. Due to the indirect translation, inaccuracies are likely and possible, but I will also refer to the original article here to do double checks whenever needed.  

And enjoy Jaejin’s Scene.27 album here ;)  

[aliendes]

About Me

hi, hello, how are you!

First off, it’s truly an honor that you would like to know ‘about me’ and you clicked this link! I’m Desy, or Des for short (it’s pronounced like dess, not dez!) and I’m a new fic writer on Tumblr! I’ve been writing since I was 11 years old, but have never posted my writings online, so this is a first for me! Outside of writing, I play a lot of PC games (see: League of Legends & Overwatch). I am a chaotic bisexual and use she/her pronouns. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for stopping by my blog! 

Here are some random facts about me:

Scorpio  🌞 Cancer  🌚 Capricorn ⬆️ My best friend says I am the most typical Scorpio she’s ever met, so that should tell you a fair amount about my personality? I am a major history buff! (It’s what my degree is in) I speak English conversational Korean & French My favorite color is yellow, but literally everything in my life is black In middle and high school, friends called me an alien because apparently I can look different from day-to-day (hence my blog name) 👽 I am an avid consumer of Diet Dr. Pepper & will whine when I run out I am a multi-stan! Here are groups I stan and my biases:

BTS (Jin & Yoongi bias wrecker: Jungkook you destroy me) Twice (Momo) ITZY (Yeji) Mamamoo (Hwa Sa) Red Velvet (Irene & Wendy) Monsta X (Shownu) TXT (Yeonjun) Chungha (Soloist - she destroys me) GOT7 (Jackson)

There really aren’t any k-pop artists I don’t like, I just enjoy music in general! 🎵

Thanks again for checking out my page, I hope you’ll stick around! 🛸

[mcs-rise-of-kpop-blog]

The Rise of Korean Pop

 Adriana Mandujano Angel

Intro to Media and Cultural Studies

Dr. Anderson

Section 029

November 8th, 2017

     In the American music industry, we praise popular artists by hosting award shows. One such award show is the highly watched and anticipated American Music Awards or AMA for short. Contrary to its name however, it has been revealed that BTS, a rising Korean pop boy group is amongst the list of performers for the 2017 AMA’s making them the first korean boy group to do so. Five years prior to this event, PSY, a popular korean soloist broke into the American music industry with his hit song titled ‘Gangnam Style.’ PSY’s hit song went viral due to its catchy dance and lyrics. His music video was the first youtube video to accumulate one billion views. In a way, these two acts serve as prime examples as to how much power social media outlets hold over the music industry through Habermas’s ideas of the public sphere.

        Five years after the release of PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style’, it has garnered three billion youtube views. After it had become a viral sensation in 2012, it was gaining six and a half million views per day. Additional accomplishments for PSY include: spending 5 weeks on billboard's k-pop hot 100 list and spending 15 weeks on billboard's regular hot 100 list to name a few. During the time in which Gangnam Style was most popular, it received immense radio play and huge fan support. In the consequent months, PSY performed at the American Music Awards and made various television appearances. For many, PSY’s impact upon western culture was seen as a ‘one-hit wonder’ but it actually left a lasting impact. This is because it broadened the western music spectrum to include foreign artists such as PSY and also paved the way for the success of foreign artists to come. PSY’s success is also an example as to how powerful social media is and how it can be beneficial for foreign artists. If it wasn’t for Youtube, ‘Gangnam Style’ would not have become the global sensation that it became. The most recent example of social media platforms aiding in the global success of foreign artists is in the korean pop boy group named BTS that has a huge social media presence.

      After PSY’s success, the only act that exceeds is the popular korean boy group named BTS. In 2017 alone, BTS has achieved so much that they are often referred to as ‘global sensations.’ On May 2017, BTS made history by becoming the first korean act to win a Billboard Award for Top Social Artist. They competed against household names such as Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. In order to be nominated for the category, a nominee has to have a huge social media following and presence which is what BTS does so well. ARMY, the fandom name for BTS, voted over 300 million times via twitter using the hashtag #BTSBBMAs. BTS has also recently hit the 10 million twitter follower mark. Their social media platforms and their loyal fan following definately helped propel them towards being a nominee. BTS has also entered the guinness book of world records for having the most twitter engagements for a music and averaging 252,200 retweets per tweet. This goes to show how popular BTS is on social media and is the reason why they are breaking into the western music industry.

         As a result of their immense popularity on Twitter, BTS has collaborated with a couple of popular western artists. One such artist is Wale, an american rapper, who released a song with RM of BTS titled ‘change.’ The music video alone has accumulated 10 million youtube views. In their latest album titled ‘Her: Love Yourself’, there is a track titled ‘Best Of Me’ that was co-produced with Andrew Taggart from The Chainsmokers. Most recently, BTS has released a remix version of their song titled MIC Drop off their latest album. The remix was done by Steve Aoki and featured Desiigner. There have also been talks about possible collaborations between Demi Lovato, ZEDD among many other popular western artists. None of this would have been possible if it wasn't for the public sphere.

   The public sphere, as described by Jurgen Habermas, is an area in social life where individuals can come together to freely discuss and identify societal problems, and through that discussion influence potential action. In essence, a public sphere is an area where individuals come together and create conversation about different topics. In this case, these individuals began as fans of BTS and has increased to create a global conversation. Although this conversation began in 2012 because of PSY, it has gained momentum in western culture and is elevating BTS to be on the same level as artists such as Justin Bieber. The only real difference between korean pop and western pop is the lyrics but western culture has been so closed off to the idea of non-english music that when talented groups come along, they are close minded. Since the global conversation has already started, the western entertainment industry is accepting BTS wholeheartedly creating diversity in the music field and asian representation.

    BTS has achieved so much in 2017 that they are expected to do even greater things next year. During their time in America, they appeared on television shows such as Ellen, Jimmy Kimmel and The Late Night Show with James Corden. Their songs have also hit #1 on Billboard's hot 100 and majority of their music videos have surpassed 100 million youtube views. Their fanbase has also been growing at a very rapid pace since their performance on the American Music Awards. None of which would have been possible without the help of global communication via the public spheres and social media. The use of social media in the twenty first century has brought korean pop into the popular eye. BTS’s popularity would not be the same without social media. If it weren’t for social media, BTS would have only been famous in South Korea.

WC: 994

[eluqa]

Korean Music Rec List

tl;dr: Lim Kim, Lee Hi, Anda, Akmu, Bolbbalgan4, Hyukoh/Oh Hyuk, Code Kunst, Primary, Suran, Mayson the Soul, Sungwoo Junga, and WINNER,

Most of these artists are self-composers as well and these songs aren't strictly k"pop"  ~~this is mainly a Korean indie rec list LOL.~~ These are my absolute favourite Korean artists that I can listen to for eternity and beyond hahha.

**LIM KIM** - One of the most unique female singers out there with the coolest blend of a sultry voice and electropop sounds in [Awoo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXPADwU05OQ), [Stay Ever](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-9-0v3vvw8), and [Love Game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKlJXpjeYC8). If you like her, you'll probs like **Lee Hi** (Seoulite) and **Anda** (Touch) too.

**HYUKOH/OH HYUK** - An indie group/soloist who's husky voice can melt you and leave you breathless. I'm not exaggerating when I say that everything he releases is gold. [Comes and Goes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECMc1SB60E0), [Wi ing Wi ing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr4GaRPX6cM), and [Gondry (w/ Lim Kim)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3RAU0T2RC4) are must listens. All of his collabs are mindblowing too - it's like whatever he touches turns to gold (or maybe he's just absolutely good at choosing people to work with). Check out **Primary** (Bawling, Mannequin), **Code Kunst** (Parachute, [Beside Me ft. Suran](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3GAkXvKQ4c)), **Mayson the Soul** ([Bushwick,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpWb3geGxxw) Holiday) too. Bonus: He featured on Infinite Challenge - [Your Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDa8KlZDAFA).

**AKMU** - Cute brother-sister duo with a charming indie-folk/pop sound.[ Re-Bye](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST8O-AeY3Uo), [Melted](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUCIzn0mRHc), [How People Move](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbc2yBheAbo), [Reality](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M17VbuwIe5k).

**BOLBBALGAN4** - Another indie folk duo (2 girls this time) who's popularity exploded in Korea last year with [Galaxy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U8uA702xrE). They're a perfect example of an underdog becoming successful *within* a year of debut. [Fight Day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ri7I32Auhg) and [Tell Me You Love Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5MAgMVwfFs).

**Sunwoo Junga** - She's relatively unknown (not rly kpop more indie) but mmmm her sultry smooth voice that just connects with me entirely, I love her so much. She also likes delving into diff. genres that I'd recommend checking out her [entire discography](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuM2SxvMhWY&list=PL5eevznEUBHalLRURHlFn8xr7MfsGnfQz). Some songs are jams while others are full on ballads that make me want to cry haha. [Sooni](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TJizuwQEXs), [Hot and Cold](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86Kc0WcOG7g), [SPRINGIRLS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO7L9Lwe8s4), [Far Away,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VnMtLpptsU&index=2&list=PL5eevznEUBHaM2gTl4L65bcrcflii9xBc) [You Are So Beautiful,](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5xqqtm_Zk0&index=6&list=PL5eevznEUBHalLRURHlFn8xr7MfsGnfQz) [It's Raining](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuM2SxvMhWY&list=PL5eevznEUBHalLRURHlFn8xr7MfsGnfQz), and [Don't Cry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73dVeUGEslo&list=PL5eevznEUBHalLRURHlFn8xr7MfsGnfQz&index=8).

**WINNER** - Winner was the group that got me hooked and blew away all my prejudices about kpop with [Sentimental](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV9NJGTLm-4) and [Baby Baby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBBy2p5EQhs). What I absolutely love about them is that they hit a diversity of sounds/genres (as a group and as soloists) and they do it So. Damn. Well.  Here's a glorious performance of [Okey Dokey + Baby Baby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkZ1pK2ChZ0) where they look classy as hell that I *highly* recommend watching. [Empty](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEqlF5N8UMs), [Color Ring](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQIfXg7UukI), Immature, Different, [Pricked](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knyUO0He_B0) and Don't Flirt are great too. Check out their entire discography (most on [Spotify](https://play.spotify.com/artist/5DuzBeOgFwViFcv00Q5PFb)) there's bound to be something you like. ~~stan WINNER they're having a comeback soon~~

* **Mino**, their main rapper is one of the top idol rappers in the industry right now and both [I'm Him](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQnAL-f2grI) and **[Body](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlJHZJ8EqeA)** are fantastic. I was never interested in rap or hiphop until I discovered his releases lmao. Check out [Shoot!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5MAgMVwfFs), [Fear](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgLah5W7yK0), and [Turtle Ship.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0qTjRGXGdw)

* **Seungyoon**, their lead vocalist and leader is more into rock/R&B. Some of his solos are [You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G293hRiR1EE) (R&B), [Wild and Young](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYktOE77oog), and[ Stealer.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orPDXm41C3M)

* **Taehyun**, their former member ;-; lovesss indie music (blues, rock, etc.) and experimenting with different sounds on his SoundCloud [South_Club](https://soundcloud.com/user-337858352). He's also deleted a bunch but their still on YT, like [Good Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqlYpfWcPqU), [Annyeong \(Hi/Goodbye\)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOv2QGLuhds), [Hug Me](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10eezuDM6e0), and [Who Is This Song For.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGd0FNSLv-Y) There are so many more I haven't mentioned like his covers of [Creep](https://soundcloud.com/user-337858352/creep-cover) and [Forrest Gump](https://soundcloud.com/user-337858352/forrest-gump-cover) that are just absolutely soulful and emotionally packed, you NEED to check him out.