#monsta x female member

[monsta-x-star]

Star's Tattoos & Piercings

🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪

Star has eleven piercings and five tattoos.

⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡

Piercings ☆

[right ear: 5 piercings | left ear: 6 piercings]

Star got her first piercing on her left ear in 2008. It was a simple earlobe piercing. A couple months later she got the same piercing on her other ear. In 2015 she got one ‘helix’ piercing on each ear and two ‘upper lobe’ piercings on each ear as well. Her latest piercings were the ‘flat’ piercing and the lower helix on her left ear and the tragus on her right ear. She got those in 2019.

🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪

[2019, tongue]

In 2019 Star got her tongue pierced. She said it was more or less spontaneous.

⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡

Tattoos ♡

{2017; inner elbow}

Star’s first tattoo, which she got in 2017 on her inner elbow. It says ‘trust the process’.

🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪

[2018, lower back]

Star’s favorite flowers are sunflowers and they also represent her. Therfore, in early 2018, she got her first sunflower tattoo with a tiny butterfly. This is placed on her lower back, a little off to the left side.

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{2018, lower neck / shoulder}

Star got her second sunflower tattoo in late 2018. This one is placed between her neck and shoulder. It is a sunflower losing petals.

🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪

[2019, between breasts]

In mid-2019 Star got this sun between her breasts. She said for her, the sun symbolizes the change from darkness to light.

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{2020, middle of the back}

Matching the sun on her chest she got this back tattoo in 2020. It is a sun in the same style and covers part of her spine.

🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪🟡⚪

Disclaimer: All the pictures are from Pinterest and are not mine. Credit to the owners.

©︎ monsta-x-star - all rights reserved. do not copy, repost, or translate my work on Tumblr or other platforms.

[skz-sage]

skz + sage 5star moments (maknae line)

a/n: my apolo cheese for being absent. i do really want to continue writing for sage! i have so many ideas. as always, any requests are welcome! please leave them in my ask box :) if i get enough love i MIGHT do lalalala era version

jisung

jisung and sage do a vlog together so sages little series where she posts vlogs every few weeks. this days guest was jisung. every time you put these two together it’s absolute mayhem. literally in every video with jisung and sage they’re giggling, screaming laughing, it’s always happy-going with them. in this vlog it shows them going to practice, the convenience store and to the park. one of the highlights in this vlog is sage and jisung walking into the store and sage says “it’s on me, get whatever.” you can immediately see the sparkle in jisung’s eyes eyes. in subtitles she put “princess peter han~”. you can tell sage was getting worried the more and more jisung added things to the basket. she waited a little more to say “hey! i’m not made of money!” she scolded him. which made him laugh. you could tell he was doing it to mess with her. it didn’t matter because at the end they had a romantic picnic at the park with their snacks.

felix

this moment consist of felix and sage getting their makeup done next to each other. they were the last two to have their makeup done. because sage is a girl, her makeup takes a little longer than the rest of the boys. felix has this cute thing where when they’re getting their makeup done next to each other, felix will stay behind and talk sages ear off. sage took a time-lapse type of video, recording felix just talking, doing nothing just annoying miju. all she really did was nod and make small replies. it’s not that she didn’t like felix doing this, it just who sage is. she could be so interested in what you’re saying but she’ll give half-assed replies. minho gets on her ass a lot for it. she later posted onto her personal instagram the video and pictures she took of him next to her. she captioned it “yongbok? more like yongboring 😒”

seungmin

for this specific part of the mv, sage had to act surprised. for an odd reason it took sage a while to get it right. of course, seungmin found it soooo amusing. just from him staring at him with a grin, she could tell exactly what was going on in his head. this would go in a compilation of “seungmin staring at sage for 30 minutes”. oh he was evil, but she loved him. the camera man will go over to seungmin and he’s laugh to the camera, mocking sage’s attempts to act shocked. “she’s endearing.. but a little stupid.” this made stays be like “HUH?? JESUS HES SO MEAN TO HER”, but no this is just how sage and seungmin joke around. they’re brutal towards each other. later on when it was seungmin on camera and sage watching, she shook her head and sighed. “he’s really pretty, stay. but he’s horrible towards me. you should always love me more.” she joked with a straight face towards the camera.

jeongin

in the 5star concept pics, jeongin and sage were paired together. the visuals they gave were astronauts, intergalactic, out of the world. it had the members talking out it for weeks. went from “she’s so gorgeous!” to “miju where did the years go? you’re all grown up!” which she hears often… it drives her crazy. in the dressing room, jeongin left behind an expensive silver necklace. with a note from jeongin saying “for miju~ ♡”. of course jeongin checked with staff to make sure she can wear it during the photoshoot. of course she gave her best visuals in the photoshoot, as she always does. after the shoot her and jeongin went out to restaurant and sage still had the necklace on. later jeongin would post on his instagram a picture of his kiss-stained cheek and the culprit? son miju.

[bebestay]

[astroyongie]

𓍢ִ໋☕️✧˚ ༘ ⋆ Christmas Male Idol Tea 𓍢ִ໋☕️✧˚ ༘ ⋆

Note: Hello everyone and Merry Christmas Eve/ Happy Yule to everyone who celebrates theses days! for today we have a little gift. This is a tea post done through tarot, so please take it lightly.

-> Questions regarding who X is won't be answered. You can however send in theories about who you think X is but there won't be denial or confirmation from my part.

-> Each X is one member from the group. Female idols post to be posted next!

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

NCT 127 

X has been giving money away to associations. it seems like this act of kindness is also a way for him to be ‘forgiven’ about a few things he has on his heart

X wishes to not renew his contract with SM the moment the opportunity presents to him. it seems like they want to leave korea as well 

X has been working on their inner self and their own courage. you might see him next year speak up about things that other male idols dont speak about 

x is in a very stable relationship at the moment

ever since X has been in a relationship with someone where the cycles keep repeating themselves. it is not very healthy 

Next month, X might travel out of korea for a project he has been collaborating in

X will have a solo in 2025

X will also have a solo in 2025

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

NCT Dream 

X might take a new direction with his career. Acting happening in 2025?

X is still in his healthy relationship and it seems that so far things have been doing well for him

X is in a good state mentally and physically. he is happy and he is genuine when he shows it to his fans 

X will give you news about solo projects that he has been working on 

It seems like X wishes to go as a soloist once the contract with dream ends

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Stray Kids

X is in a relationship but he has not been faithful as he is texting another person through text/instagram and the texts are rather suggestive 

X will go through a whole physical change in 2025

X baby scare

expect some changes in X career in 2025

X will be traveling soon for a solo project 

X went to see a shaman in order to remove some evil eye he had on his shoulder but also to cut ties with someone who has been obsessed with him

Solo music for X in 2025

X is frustrated with his life because he has been stuck in the same pattern for the last months and he is unable to come out of it 

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

Monsta X 

there wasn’t much i can say about X other than he has been living his life happily

X is truly kind, and lately he has been trying to be more kind with the people around since he know he has made people suffer 

X is in a relationship with someone that korea consider like one of the most pretty/female celebrities in korea

X has been dealing with addictions and lately it has been worst 

X will show a new phase of himself with a new solo in 2025

X will make collaborations for 2025 when it comes to music. he will also be more active in social media and raise his community

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

TXT

X has been trying to be positive with their life but it's not easy when there’s so much going on with his mental health

Xs energy is completely chaotic. a lot of anger, a lot of despair and overall negative red emotions. all because they haven't been active 

X is currently dealing with some serious health issues related to his stomach/digestive system/ habits of eating

X has been at peace for the last three months. a good relationship as well, he is happy and content 

X has been physically active, which also has impacted his sexual life. he might have caught something that he didn’t wanted to because of the lack of protection 

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

Seventeen

X has recently decided to take the big step with his partner (probably private marriage)

X is single now after a long relationship. he has won a lot in wiseness and he is mourning that relationship 

X is happy and determined to take control of his life and welcome all the blessings that he has been receiving lately 

X has been talking with 4 different girls and they all learnt that he was flirting with them. the moment he learnt about it, he dipped 

X is very humble and he understands and accepts critics about himself when it comes to his career. not when it comes to his personality 

X has met his forever person a few days earlier 

Since April, X knows that the person he is with isn’t his forever person but he doesn't know how to end a relationship this long 

X is patient and he believes that love and fortune will come to him in the rightful moment 

X has grown in maturity in this year, and he is now prepared to take a further step onto his personal life 

X has been waiting the right moment before he can maybe start a solo career 

X has been turning to his faith lately in order to be able to deal with the issues and the problems he has in his own life. faith helps him a lot 

X has introspected a lot about his life. he knows he has a purpose but it's not always easy to deal with intense feelings like he does

X has also been developing his spirituality. he believes in a lot of things, and he has been opening himself to it in order to hold into life 

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

BTS

X has no intentions of keeping his career alive. Whenever he does solos it's because the company asks him to. in 2025 it's probably that he wont do anything because he simply doesn't want to 

In mars, X will take a drastic decision concerning his career that will shock the public 

X has been thinking a lot about the mistakes he has done on his past and he hopes nothing will be published 

2025 will be a creative year for X and he will be doing a lot of things for his carer 

This winter has been very hash for X because he just doesn’t know what do do with himself and his career anymore that doesn't feel forced

X is under the company's protection after the scandals that HYBE has been involved in. X has been involved in a few things as well related to that 

X has been taking refuge in a lot of things. alcohol, his home, his friends, his family. anything is enough to hide the feelings he bares

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

EXO

X has been struggling with his mental health a lot although he doesn't show it because he doesn't want his fans and his members to be worried about him

X is protected by SM after some shit and rumors have been going on around. X believes he doesn’t need that protection because whatever happens, he will drag the company with him

X has been dealing with quite a few ghosts it seems

10 days ago, X realized that he is not ready yet to do what he truly wants. X has been working toward something that he holds dear but he needs to wit before exposint it 

X has been doing very god despite fans thinking that he isn't okay 

X is a strong man and he has been making sure to keep himself and his family away from the spotlights

February will be a complicated month for X because a lot of things will be requested out of him

X has cheated on his partner and he has been lying to people around him about the reasons for their separations. he hasn't been honest with fans either 

X has been introspecting on his life because he has been very anxious lately about the world in general 

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

Ateez

X doesn't show it but he hides his feelings a lot from the others. there’s some comments about him that hurt him a lot. specially about his physique 

X wil be doing a solo project in 2025

X has been thinking about moving out and having something in common with his partner but he doesn't know how to make it happen while benign discreet

X has gave up from therapy which he had been following this year 

X is having some heavy family issues and he unfortunately cannot do anything about it. he is caught in the middle 

X misses his dad a lot and hisses his grandparents a lot too.

wait 7 days so you fan can receive X little gift 

X will take a while new unexpected turn with his career in 2025 

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The Boyz

ever since X’s last travel that went wrong, he has developed heavy symptoms of anxiety 

X has been gathering courage to assume himself, to be the real self after years of denying a specific part of himself 

X will have an amazing 2025 year, with a lot of recognition and solo works alongside special collabs 

X has been rejected 

In order to fight his anxiety, X has been focusing on living the present moment 

seems like X will make a new meeting with the love of his life in the next days 

X has been searching something, seems like love with someone, but the other person hasn't been giving him what he wishes 

no one knows or is able to see that X has been very alone and lonely lately 

X is in a toxic relationship with someone and he has been trying to write about it on his lyrics 

X is dating an idol who is currently blonde, they have been together for the last 1 months and half 

 X is dating but he isn’t aware that there’s a third person in the relationship. his partner isn't cheating but this 3rd party sure wants to break them up 

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

Enhypen 

X’s self esteem is so high that he doesn’t believe when people say on internet that he is ugly for example or when they criticize his physique 

X is another idol who has spent his days instructing about himself and how to become a better idol for the public 

X has bad intentions toward another member of his own group 

X has been dating his partner for the past 15 days 

X has been very active with people around. his masculine is at peak and he uses that to affirm himself 

X is going through a process of healing after months and months of bad mental health 

X wants to leave the group. Seems like 2025 will reverse a few surprises for the group 

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

Treasure

X will leave korea for a promotion/project he has been doing with his sponsor 

out of all members X is whom has the idol person more genuine and lose to his real personality 

X is dealing with codependency in his relationship but also substance abuse it seems 

This winter was a good cycle for X who has found their person, and he seems to be very in love with them 

X has a good intuition when it comes to know people's intentions toward him and others

two months ago, X has broken up with his partner but it seems like he is the one suffering from that choice 

X will take an important decision for his carer in 2025

X has met someone new that he ha been developing a crush on

expect X to b able to show a new side of himself and to be the center of attentions in 2025 and on his group 

X has true child-like behaviors outside the stage. some members get annoyed that he lacks maturity 

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

Zero Base One

X misses his family terribly and he would give up his career if it meant going back to his family 

The issue with X is that he is unable to forget about the rumors or the scandals about himself which also does not allow him to move with his life 

X has been trying to get away from a saesang, it has been one year since he is dealing with this obsession and its tiring him 

X’s money that he has been winning, beside the debts he has to pa to the company he has been giving it all out to his family (brother) 

X and another member from the group have made peace after an argument 

X is slightly ore balanced emotionally after a debut of year quite complicated 

expect X to have a new contract in 2025

there’s days where X wonders why the hell does he wake up if its to live these things 

2025 will also change X career

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

Boys Next Door 

X is in a way better mood than what he was before. his mental health has improved

X takes medication for his mental health but it seems like he has been developing some type of addiction to it 

X got in a relationship this december 

X might go through mourning 

Bet that X will have quite a good festivities this end of the year as he is planning to enjoy every drop he gets

X has been treated unfairly compared to the other members and even exploited 

♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡♡➳༻❀ ☕ ❀༺➳♡

Riize

X has been suffering from deep and annoying headaches. his body is telling him that it's giving up but it seems like he doesn't understand it 

Solo for X in 2025

The anger that X has in him is no joke and i am scared that one day he won't be able to contain it and it just explodes on the wrong people 

solo opportunities for X as well in 2025

X will accidentally spill some information that will fire up the internet 

X energy has been improving a lot but he still needs to be careful who he calls friend 

[yourfatherlucifer]

So seonghwa is dating an idol and the both perform at kcon but seonghwa doesn't know that s/o is having an special stage with another idol and her outfit in both stages (her own and with the other idol) are very revealing so he gets kinda mad

Idol!Seonghwa x Idol!female!reader

Summary : ⬆️⬆️⬆️

Warnings: NSFW MDNI

My first smut on here, please enjoy, I’m using bullet points for this time! Thanks for the request anon!

It was your very first time performing at KCON, especially performing your risqué Collab song in front of so many people.

Your partner, Son Hyunwoo, Shownu of Monsta X, a big beefy man, a third Gen idol, known for sensual performances and his good looks.

Seonghwa knew the man, he was friends with him. Hell, the entirety of ateez was friends with Monsta X. He admired them.

But seeing his lover, another idol, L/N Y/N performing with said man, was another story.

Especially the outfit she was wearing to match his. The crop top that reached just below her breasts, a black harness wrapped around her chest, that pushed up her breasts just right.

The skirt she wore, just barely covering anything to the naked eye.

How could she wear such a thing, especially with the way Shownu was touching her, his hands reaching to her waist.

The pair swaying to the music, her vocals reverberating in the air.

Seonghwa was gripping the chairs armrest, no one knew of their relationship, yet here she is, dancing like no one else is in the room but shownu and her.

Oh he could hear the rumors now. Shownu and Y/N in a relationship. Only Seonghwa and her, plus the rest of his members, would know the truth.

The rest of ateez could see just how hard Seonghwa was clenching his jaw.

“Is everything alright, Seonghwa?��� Hongjoong had asked, he was concerned.

He snapped out of his trance and took a look at his leader.

“No. She didn’t tell me about this performance. I mean, I knew she was gonna perform with someone, she never showed me her new song.”

His jaw was clenched tightly once again, eyes darting over to the stage.

She had just finished her performance.

It had ended with her in Shownu’s arms, his hand resting on her face, chests pressed together. Faces inches apart.

It really was just fan service.

Seonghwa knew that, but he couldn’t help feeling angry and jealous, he wouldn’t admit being jealous, no.

Seonghwa took this chance to leave his group dressing room and take off to hers.

After ushering out all of her stuff, saying it was important. They left him be. I

She already knew she was in trouble after the performance. She always told Seonghwa everything, but she wanted this performance to be a surprise.

She left the stage, hugging her Collab partner goodbye.

As she slowly trudged to her dressing room, she felt a pit in her stomach begin to form.

Just what has she got herself into..

“Took you long enough. You know what you did, so you took your sweet little time getting to me.”

The door behind her was locked shut.

“Hwa-“

“Don’t Hwa me, get on the couch and strip.”

Her eyes had widened, she didn’t realize her performance would make him this upset.

She knew if she spoke another word it would just rile him up more.

She removed her garments and sat on the couch, completely bare.

Her lover basked in her beautiful body.

“Always so lovely for me.”

He approached her, loosening his bottoms.

“Lean back.”

As he sat next to her, his hand slipping over to her dripping heat, excited over just the bare minimum.

“You must’ve known how I’d react, you’re already so wet for me, naughty.”

She could feel seonghwa’s smirk against her neck.

“Seonghwa please.”

He slapped her inner thigh, “Who said you could speak? Bad girls don’t get to talk.”

Soon enough he plunged two fingers in, not even prepping her for the second finger.

It was her punishment after all.

“You should have told me about this performance beforehand. Maybe then I wouldn’t have been so upset.”

“Then again, he was handsy and so were you. I probably still would’ve been upset.”

She gripped his forearms as he pumped his digits deep inside her. His thumb occasionally lifting up to paw at her clit.

“Should I even let the bad girl cum? I don’t think I should.”

She whimpered and writhed, overwhelmed with the pleasure he was giving her.

She needed to cum, how could he not let her?

He smirked at the distraught yet pleasured look on her face.

Curling his fingers up towards the spongy walls, he whispered in her ear.

“Bad girls don’t get to cum.”

He removed his fingers.

“Get dressed, no touching yourself until we’re home. I have a performance to get to.”

She was shocked nonetheless as he left her high and dry.

She regretted that performance.

[waitmyturtles]

At a bar in Euljiro, one of Seoul’s up-and-coming hip neighborhoods, two voices intertwined in a duet. One was high-pitched, the other an octave lower.

But there was only one singer, a 27-year-old named jiGook. The other voice was a recording made years ago, before he began his transition and hormone therapy deepened his voice.

“I don’t want to forget about my old self,” he told the 50 or so people at the performance, a fund-raiser for a group that supports young L.G.B.T.Q. Koreans. “I love myself before I started hormone therapy, and I love myself as who I am now.”

Like many other South Korean singers, jiGook, who considers himself gender fluid, transmale and nonbinary, wants to be a K-pop star. So do Prin and SEN, his bandmates in QI.X, a fledgling group that has released two singles.

What makes them unusual is that they are proudly out — in their music, their relationship with their fans and their social activism. They call themselves one of the first openly queer, transgender K-pop acts, and their mission has as much to do with changing South Korea’s still-conservative society as with making music.

In the group’s name — pronounced by spelling out the letters — Q stands for queer, I for idol and X for limitless possibilities. Park Ji-yeon, the K-pop producer who started QI.X, says it is “tearing down the heteronormative walls of society.”

Very few K-pop artists, or South Korean entertainers in general, have ever been open about being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. Though the country has become somewhat more accepting of sexual diversity, homophobia is still prevalent, and there are no legal protections against discrimination.

For entertainers, coming out is seen as a potential career killer, said Cha Woo-jin, a music critic in Seoul. That applies even to K-pop, despite its young, increasingly international fan base and its occasional flirtation with androgyny and same-sex attraction.

“K-pop fans seem to accept the queer community and imagery so long as their favorite stars don’t come out explicitly,” Mr. Cha said.

That’s not a compromise that QI.X is willing to make.

The bandmates’ social media accounts, which promote their causes along with their music, are up front about who they are. So are their singles, “Lights Up” (“The hidden colors in you / I see all the colors in you”) and “Walk & Shine,” which Mx. Park says “celebrates the lives and joy of minorities.”

“Someday, we want to be on everyone’s streaming playlist,” said Prin, 22.

As a producer, Mx. Park, 37, who identifies as queer and nonbinary, has worked on hits for well-known K-pop acts like GOT7 and Monsta X. But she wanted to make music that spoke directly to people like her, with “an artist who could encapsulate our lives, love, friendships and farewells.”

She met some of the QI.X members through a K-pop music class she started in 2019, designed with queer performers in mind. (In other classes, she said, “It was assumed that female participants only wanted to learn girl-group songs and male participants only boy-group songs.”)

SEN, 23, said that when Mx. Park asked her to join QI.X, “it was as if a genie in a bottle had come to me.”

SEN had been a dancer and a choreographer for several K-pop management agencies, including BTS’s agency, Big Hit Entertainment, now known as HYBE. The people she worked with knew she was queer, and they were welcoming.

But whenever she auditioned to join an idol group, she said, she “never fit the bill for what they wanted.” People would say she was too short or boyish, or comment about her cropped hair.

That’s not an issue for QI.X, which doesn’t aspire to the immaculately styled look of the typical K-pop act (and, in any case, couldn’t afford the ensemble of stylists those groups have). Individuality, they say, is part of the point.

QI.X often performs at fund-raisers, for L.G.B.T.Q. and other causes, and sees its music as inseparable from its activism. Maek, for instance, an original member who sang on both singles but is on hiatus from the group, works for the Seoul Disabled People’s Rights Film Festival and volunteers for a transgender rights organization.

With no support from a management agency, Mx. Park and the group do everything themselves. They handle their own bookings and manage their social media presence, recording videos themselves to post on TikTok and Instagram.

Many of the videos are shot at LesVos, an L.G.B.T.Q. bar in Seoul that often serves as QI.X’s studio and rehearsal hall. Myoung-woo YoonKim, 68, who has run LesVos since the late 1990s, grew up at a time when lesbians were practically invisible in South Korea. “I would often think, ‘Am I the only woman who loves women?’” they said.

The QI.X members adore Mx. YoonKim, whom they call hyung, a Korean word for older brother. During a recent video session at LesVos, after dozens of increasingly comical lip-syncing takes of “Walk & Shine,” Mx. YoonKim started to join in. Before long, everyone was bent over with laughter.

To a casual observer of K-pop, it might seem surprising that so few of its artists are out. As Mr. Cha, the music critic, notes, L.G.B.T.Q. imagery has been known to surface in K-pop videos and in ads featuring its stars.

Some critics see this phenomenon as “queerbaiting,” a cynical attempt to attract nonconformist fans — or to deploy gender-bending imagery because it’s seen as trendy — without actually identifying with them. To Mr. Cha, it suggests that K-pop has a substantial queer fan base, and that some artists might simply be expressing their identities to the extent they can.

Mr. Cha thinks the taboo against entertainers’ coming out reflects a general attitude toward pop culture in South Korea: “We pay for you, therefore don’t make us uncomfortable.” (Similar attitudes seem to prevail in Japan, where one pop idol recently made news by telling fans he was gay.)

QI.X’s fans, who call themselves QTZ (a play on “cuties”), love the group for charging over that boundary. Many are overseas and follow the group online, leaving enthusiastic messages. “I’m so happy I can finally have an artist in the K-pop industry that I can relate to on a gender level, on a queer level,” one said in a video message to the group. “I’m so excited for you!”

The band also gets hateful messages, which its members do their best to ignore. Prin, 22, is optimistic that attitudes in South Korea are changing. (Joining QI.X was Prin’s way of coming out as gender queer, but friends were much more surprised by the news that Prin was in an idol group.)

The biggest show of QI.X’s career, so far, was in July at a Pride event, the Seoul Queer Culture Festival. In recent years, it had been held at Seoul Plaza, a major public square. But this year, the city denied organizers permission to hold it there, letting a Christian group use the space for a youth concert instead.

Activists saw that as discrimination, though the city denied it. Conservative Christians are a powerful force in South Korean politics, having lobbied successfully for years to block a bill that would prevent discrimination against gay, lesbian and transgender people. Organizers held the festival in Euljiro.

For its set, QI.X had about 20 backup performers, some of whom were their friends (Mx. YoonKim was one of them). They had rehearsed only once together, on the festival stage that morning, because they hadn’t had the money to rent a big studio.

Christian protesters were picketing the festival, some with signs that read “Homosexuality not human rights but SIN.” But fans were there, too. As QI.X sang “Lights Up” and “Walk & Shine,” hundreds crowded in front of the stage, many wearing headbands that were purple, the group’s color. There were Pride flags, and signs that read “We only see you QI.X.”

Hours later, the excitement still hadn’t faded for QI.X. “I felt alive for the first time in a while,” SEN said.

Text by Jin Yu Young, photos by Chang W. Lee (if you have a NY Times subscription or a free trial, the videos and photos of this piece are wonderful!)

[bluecr0w]

What Kpop bands would the DBD characters listen to according to my opinion (It's just an opinion, you can disagree):

Part 2:

Niko I would definitely listen to a lot of kpop bands but if I had to narrow it down a bit I would probably say Seventeen, I feel like they have their vibes, with songs that talk about this idea of sweet, pink love and more relaxing sounds. If I had to name a girl group for her it would probably be Twice and New Jeans, once again a sweeter concept in some cases but they still have their strong moments and female power.

Now Crystal I actually thought a lot about what groups she would listen to, and I feel that she would like the colors and experimental style of Stray Kids, as well as their lyrics. As for female groups, I feel like I would listen to (G)i-dle or Lesserafim a lot, and their lyrics about female empowerment and breaking stereotypes, I feel like their aesthetics also fit with her. I would listen to Queendom or Eve, the psyche and the bluebeard's wife over and over again.

Jenny, I feel like she's a little more old school buuut a girl group she would definitely listen to is Mamamoo or their solo members, I mean the girls make references all the time about loving a girl. Probably CL or Hyuna too.

Also Monsta X with their themes and their more adult and sexy vibes, and Shinee and her concepts, I feel that it would be something that she would identify with.

okaay here is part two (? once again feel free to disagree or suggest anything else!

[kpopsexstories]

Which storyline should I focus on next? Vote below!

Reposting because I messed up the poll...

Earlier I did a poll on what already written story I should post next. I've now scheduled stories accordingly.

Now it's time to look beyond that: what new stories should I prioritize as I keep writing new stuff?

I've got several storylines to explore further. You can cast your vote below, but first let me give you an overview of the options:

Backstage Sex (straight and gay)

MILF Stories (straight)

Group Jerk-off (gay-ish)

NCT 127 Dating Ban (gay)

Lucas Wong Scandal (straight and gay)

NCT Jisung & Haechan's Sister (straight)

NCT Ten & Taeyong's Relationship (gay)

MX Wonho & Hyungwon as Boyfriends (gay)

TXT Taehyun's Gay Journey (gay)

Most Memorable Sex of... (straight)

Other Requests (straight and gay)

Backstage Sex

Idol hooks up with a fan backstage, for wild and rough sex with dirty talk. So far these stories have been idol x female reader but there are requests for gay ones too. If you want me to prioritize more of this type of story, vote for this option!

MILF Stories

Idol has sex with an older, experienced and unnamed woman. So far I've covered NCT Dream. If you want me to do more of these with other groups and idols, vote for this option!

Group Jerk-off

Stories in which some members or an entire group find themselves in a situation where they end up masturbating together. The situation feels weird and unusual to them – but exciting and fun. So far I've done TXT, part of NCT, and a yet-to-be-published Riize version. Vote for this option if you'd like to see more of these stories with other groups!

NCT 127 Dating Ban

You're the gay friend of an idol visiting their dorm, and somehow end up having sex with each of them to help them with their sexual frustrations during a dating ban. I had a lot of fun doing the NCT Dream Dating Ban last year, and next up is NCT 127. This is its own series because the stories connect and tell a bigger, continuous story. Vote for this option if you want me to do the same thing for NCT 127 as I already did for NCT Dream!

Lucas Wong Scandal

The stories in this fictional universe explore how and why Lucas had his real life scandal, and how he deals with his negative emotions during it. In the unwritten stories I've got planned he uses sex as an escape – primarily gay but there's also the mother of his child from this story. I've had several Lucas requests which I plan to use for this storyline, so vote for this option if you want to see those written!

Jisung & Haechan's Sister

You already know this one. Jisung had a major crush on Haechan's sister and had sex with her. Then I gave you an overview of the two years that followed. Next week you'll get a wilder story where they have sex again, after re-starting their sexual relationship. I've got ideas for additional entries to this fictional universe, for example their first reunion after those two years and their relationship going further. Vote for this option if you want to see more of that!

Ten & Taeyong's Relationship

In the story Ten Tries Gay Sex he sleeps with his best friend (female reader) just to try it, but it's revealed that he has a history with Taeyong. This storyline explores their past and future relationship, and I've got story ideas that date back to the Baby Don't Stop era. Vote for this if you want me to explore their gay relationship!

Wonho & Hyungwon as Boyfriends

This started as a request about Monsta X's Wonho and Hyungwon as boyfriends hooking up with male reader at a bar. There's another request to explore their relationship further. I've got several ideas about both Wonho and Hyungwon together, and how male reader fits into their sexually active relationship. Vote for this option if you want me to expand on this storyline!

Taehyun's Gay Journey

This storyline started in the TXT Most Memorable Sexual Experiences bonus story in which Taehyun ended up having sex with a male stranger. The other's didn't seem to know much about their friend's sexuality. The stories in this fictional universe will explore both Taehyun's sexual orientation and the chemistry between him and the stranger, so vote for this if that's something you want to see more of!

Most Memorable Sexual Experience of...

This is a series where I write one story per idol of a group telling of their most memorable sexual experience. I've done NCT, WayV and TXT in the past, and I've got ideas for other groups. Vote for this option if you want me to prioritize finishing the next group for this series – which will be one I haven't written much about!

Other Pending Requests

I've got a lot of requests I've started working on but never finished that aren't about any of the above idols. If you want me to write other stuff, or perhaps have sent a request already that isn't about one of the above, then vote for this option!

Help me decide what stories to write next. Cast your vote below!

I'll be writing and releasing stories for all of these options in parallel in 2025 but will try to prioritize those that get the most votes.

[simpxxstan]

550 followers!!!

cannot believe that so many of you visited, liked and decided to stay on my blog! thank you for being here!! do know that i am grateful to each and every one of you <333 tumblr is a wonderful community space and i am so glad to be a part of it.

i've seen many other blogs i follow do this, and i've taken part in such games too, so here's my attempt at it to celebrate my small, but incredibly meaningful and precious milestone:

550 followers milestone celebration event!

masterlist of this event can be found here!

to celebrate this milestone, i really want to do a request event using your asks. i'll be so happy if you participate in this, and i know i'm a little free now so i promise to answer as many of your requests as i can.

please do note that you can request me anything under the following guidelines:

please be 18+ and have your age mentioned on your blog to request a smut content. if you're requesting as anonymous, i would really ask minors to NOT request or interact with smut content on this blog (or any, for that matter).

i will not write requests involving dead dove content, sexual content for minors, incest, gore, extreme kinks. please also be mindful that this list is not exhaustive and if i feel uncomfortable, i will not be fulfilling your request.

please do not expect request fulfilling content to be very long. they'll likely be headcanons/drabbles/bulleted fics, all less than 3k words.

i will fulfil requests assuming female reader pairing, but should you like gender neutral reader or male reader, please specify that too!

i generally write for bts and svt. but you can request for the following groups as well: skz, riize, monsta x.

requests can be using the following ideas:

option 1: a member + a song lyric/title

option 2: a member + a trope

option 3: a member + a concept

option 4: a member + the first line of the fic

option 5: a member + the last line of the fic

option 6: headcanons of any form

in addition to this, in honour of this celebration, i'm also going to complete the boys over flowers series, a surprise headcanon series, and finish two more wips i have been working on, by the end of this month! (sorry to everyone who's been waiting for me to keep my promises and finish my wips UGH)

my ask box and dms are open for requests till the END OF JULY, post which REQUESTS WILL BE CLOSED! looking forward to hearing from you <3

[letmeoutofthebasementt]

actually came up with an idea for ateez, could you please do select an idol that each member would suit or like to date based on the members ideals? cause most idols probs going to date other idols anyway so might as well ask this for fun lol thanks again in advance!

Who would Ateez date?

Alright, so, my idol repitoire ISNT the biggest, but this is what I’ve got. I’m giving a male and female option for each since we don’t know what gender they’re attracted to for sure. This is based on who matches their ideal type the most. Their ideal type also might change and fluctuate, so this may not hold up for their future and/or past selves, but it does hold up for their current selves. Also, if you’re wondering why some people may be entirely different who’re chosen, it’s because they embody different aspects of their ideal types. And for some I was just struggling. (We're going to pretend I didn't accidentally post this early instead of scheduling it)

San: Kai (EXO) & IU (Soloist)

Wooyoung: Shownu (Monsta X), Yeji (ITZY)

Hongjoong: Wonwoo (SVT), Wendy (Red Velvet)

Seonghwa: Beomgyu (TXT), Daehyun (Twice)

Mingi: Minho (SHINee), Karina (Aespa)

Jongho: J-Hope (BTS), Soyeon ((G)-Idle)

Yunho: Bangchan (SKZ), Sana (TWICE)

Yeosang: RM (BTS), IU (Soloist)

[monsta-x-star]

Star’s Appearance

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Read with Caution! Warning: Images of scars that could be triggering. Pictures of female bodies that could be triggering for people who struggle with body dysmorphia or eating disorders. Disclaimer: If you want to imagine yourself as this character, do not read. This is my idea of this character and is purely fictional. All the pictures are from Pinterest and are not mine. Credit to the owners. Not all pictures match the description.

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[Skin Tone]

Star has pale ivory skin that appears pinkish a lot. She has sensitive skin and often struggled with breakouts. She easily gets burned in the sun and is very careful with her skin. She has a specific skincare routine and only certain products that she can safely use.

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{Natural Hair Color & Type}

Star’s natural hair color is black. Her hair is naturally straight but she does have some waves. She changed her hair styles and colors like underwear during the time that Monsta X promoted the most and it ruined her hair. By now, 2023, she has short hair and is trying to let it heal.

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[Eye Color & Shape]

Star’s eyes are naturally dark brown almost black. You can barely see the pupil inside. She can’t wear light contact lenses because of this, her eyes are too dark. She has monolids.

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{Noticeable Features – Birthmark}

Star has a red birthmark underneath her right eye (similar to in the picture). It is quite big and covers her undereye as well as parts of her cheek. She used to cover it up but once the fans found out about it, they started to compliment it and asked Star to not cover it. The first time she didn’t cover it in public she was scared but the fans positive reactions made her a lot more confident.

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Look Alike – Jang Yeeun

YEEUN (예은) is a South Korean rapper and singer-songwriter under Superbell Company and of the project girl group EL7Z UP. She is also a member of the inactive girl group CLC.

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©︎ monsta-x-star - all rights reserved. do not copy, repost, or translate my work on Tumblr or other platforms.

[zonaenthusiast]

Which kpop group do I think suit every mugiwara the best? And would they be a boy group or a girl group stan?

This is because yesterday I had a specific revelation and I started thinking about it in general, so here are my ideas:

Luffy as Seventeen

Luffy has been one of the ones I've had to think about the most but then it occurred to me that he would really like Seventeen. They have a very fresh and fun concept in general that really suits Luffy and they are one of the very few groups that, despite being together for almost ten years, have never lost members. And that's even stranger considering there are so many of them. They love each other as much as the mugiwara love each other and Luffy would adore them (get it?) for that.

Bg or gg stan? Both.

Zoro as The Boyz

For Zoro I have come up with several groups that could fit very well with him like Ateez or Stray Kids, but I have ended up opting for The Boyz because there is a very specific homoerotic component in their music that very few groups are able to replicate. The bisexual energy they give off reminds me too much of Zoro not to choose them.

Bg or gg stan? Both, but their concept has to be dark.

Nami as (G)I-DLE

This is the revelation I had after listening to Gidle's new song, Nami would fucking love them. Just pure female representation and empowerment. Gidle's last three comebacks (Tomboy/Nxde/Queencard) are three different representations of how a woman can express her femininity and all are valid (Nami in particular is so Queencard coded and Robin would be more Nxde coded, I think).

Bg or gg stan? I think she would like some bgs but she would be mostly a gg stan.

Usopp as EXO

NOW HEAR ME OUT because I know this one sounds weird, but I think Usopp would love Exo's storytelling. The clone lore? He would eat that shit up. Besides, I don't know why but I think Usopp wouldn't listen to just anything and Exo is one of the most talented groups there is, so...

I think Usopp would like groups that focus on storytelling or have very defined concepts, Vixx would be another option that I think fits him very well.

Bg or gg stan? Both.

Sanji as Girl's Generation

This one was also very clear to me. Sanji would listen to ggs exclusively and I feel that only the most iconic gg would be the right choice for him. He would be so Yoona biased. And he is one of those who would know her choreographies to perfection.

Bg or gg stan? As I said, gg stan exclusively.

Chopper as GFRIEND

My main pick for Chopper is Gfriend because the powerful innocence concept they are known for reminds me a lot of him. I think StayC or fromis_9 concepts also fit him very well.

Bg or gg stan? Both.

Robin as Red Velvet

I don't know how to explain this but if you know about Red Velvet concepts you know I'm right. There's something so unique and peculiar about their music that matches every part of Robin's taste and personality. Red Velvet are the epitome of one of my favorite kpop concepts, which I call cute but murderous. Just watch their Russian Roulette mv and you will understand.

Robin would write a fucking essay on why everyone is wrong and Zimzalabim is actually the best kpop song ever.

Bg or gg stan? Both, as long as their music is the strangest succession of sounds you've ever heard in your life.

Franky as Monsta X

Just himbos, I don't have anything else to say.

Bg or gg stan? I think he would tend to listen to bgs a little bit more, but both regardless.

Brook as Dreamcatcher

Oh, I just know Brook would love Dreamcatcher. Women? Check. Rock style? Check. Horror concept? Check. They are perfect for him, it makes so much sense.

Bg or gg stan? Not as exclusively as Sanji because music is music, but gg stan.

Jinbe as MAMAMOO

Jinbe would love every Mamamoo member's unhinged personality as much as he loves Luffy's. He would have so much fun with them and their concepts and their music, it's a strong feeling I have.

Bg or gg stan? Both.

[bebestay]

[pillowfluffs]

MX Short Stories // 101 (CH)

gif made by @rivaillerose

Roars of the fans were loud as they cheered on for their favorite idols and groups, waving their light sticks, holding up banners and signs. It was funny since you were once like them but now you were on the other side. Now there were others cheering for you and your group. ISAC - the Idol Star Athletics Championships, a field day for idols to show off their athletic side and for groups from all companies to come together and to have fun, spend time with friends and fans. Cameras and lights everywhere. But this was also a constant thought that had to be remembered as an idol - there’s always someone watching.

You walked down the hallway, back toward the stadium after your quick bathroom break and now it was time to rejoin with your group, wherever they were. You hadn’t really seen them since you finished your events for the day and they had theirs, so your group was scattered all around.

It was like entering a new world as the lights were suddenly shining down, and you could almost feel some eyes turning toward you. But then again, there was a lot more screaming now that the male group idols were participating in wrestling.

Your fingers fiddled with the bandage you were trying to unwrap but they were so different from the ones you were used to back home. You had a cut you didn’t even realize you had until you were washing your hands and the soap had gotten into the cut.

Your eyes wandered around the stadium before looking back down to your bandage, fiddling with the paper but you couldn’t find the preferated seam, none of those. But with your eyes on the ground, you didn’t even notice the steps approaching you, the sudden body standing before you.

“Uh, do you need help?” A deep voice asked you quietly admist all the chaos and loudness all around the spacious stadium.

You looked up and met eyes with Monsta X’s I.M, his dark brown hair long and his eyes almost invisible behind them. 

“Oh, yes please,” you snapped yourself out of it, realizing you had been frozen for just a bit too long. You handed him the bandaid as he took it from the palm of your hand, ripping the wrapping with ease, though you kept your eyes on the ground. Your mind raced. What was your manager going to say? How would fans react, especially now that Monsta X was on the rise and your group were still rookies. How would they feel toward these interactions, especially since there were fans online and everywhere who were known to interpret the slightest interactions as two idols possible dating or that they liked each other. 

You stuck your finger out, allowing him to wrap the bandage around your little cut. “Thank you,” you bowed, only to feel immense heat rise up in your chest seeing glances from other male idols and that was when it hit you that you were on the “male” side, since males and females tended to sit apart from each other, unless they were close brother/ sister groups like Twice and Stray Kids and such. 

“You’re welcome, Y/N. Try to be careful,” he smiled kindly before he backed away cooly, returning to his seat. 

Why was your heart beating so fast? You were fortunately able to find your other group members, much more at ease with them but you couldn’t hel but glance back toward the area he sat in.. well, to him, though you had to resist the urge - you couldn’t risk a scandal or rumor and trouble either groups and companies. But you did notice something... he was getting closer.. You couldn’t tell if it was just your imagination, if you were thinking too much about it or not. His group was sat in the stands, now they were sat at the edge of the stadium, and now they were sitting closer to the groups. 

When it was time for one of your members’ events, you stood up to cheer when that’s when you felt it. As you stood, you bumped into someone, knocking you right back down to where you once sat. 

“I’m sorry, didn’t see you there,” the familiar voice called out to you as he helped you up, offering his hands to you. Changkyun lifted you up to your feet. “Sorry about that.” 

“It’s fine,” you bowed politely before turning away, though his hand was still holding onto yours. 

“Uh, before you go, maybe we can contact each other?” his voce was quiet as his head down. He slipped a piece of paper into your hand before bowing with the nod of his head and disappearing with the rest of his group. 

~~~~~ Masterlist // MX Short Stories Masterlist for more! Previous // Next

[pretty-mik-97]

Is There a Bias Against Writing Fanfiction About Female K-Pop Idols and Soloists?

I've been reading k-pop fanfiction since 2019. It was mostly BTS fanfiction before I decided to look into other groups like GOT7, NCT and a bit of Stray Kidz and Monsta X.

Fast forward to around 2021, I decided to look into some girl group fanfiction, specifically Blackpink Lisa fanfiction coz i got into a Blackpink phase.

I hop on Wattpad to look for some fanfiction to read. Not much there except for some Lizkook, Lisa x Fem Reader and Lisa x Blackpink member (most of it being Jenlisa) with probably a handful of Lisa x Male Reader and I only found one somewhat decent fanfic on there.

So I decided to hop on AO3. Still the same thing.

So I was like: fuck it I'll write my own Blackpink Lisa fanfic myself. It's called No Love, and it's on Wattpad and AO3.

I also have a mutual on Wattpad who also writes some girl group fanfic on there. Her username is seoulsister_75.

I've also found some decent girl group fanfiction here on tumblr, too.

But I gotta ask: why aren't that many fanfiction for girl groups and female soloists?

When I first got into reading K-pop fanfiction, I was under the impression that it was pretty broad and diverse, seeing that there was quite a lot of fanfiction for damn near every group (with BTS dominating. That's just my observation.) But apparently not with girl groups.

What are your thoughts?

[catch-me-hello]

Boys Planet, Episode 2: Chaos at Planet Camp

Quick bit of housekeeping. Rakuten Viki actually streams series that are currently running, posting each episode a couple of days after it airs in Korea, so at some point, I want to actually watch a live survival K-pop series as it runs and possibly vote as an audience member if I can. It sounds like a lot of fun. It’s officially on my to-do list.

For now, we have a lot to cover in another two-hour episode, and I’m ready for Hui’s stage, so let’s dive in.

It’s snowing hard outside Mnet studios, a contrast to the bright sparkly color scheme of the show. Inside, our trainees are seated in an auditorium, all wearing identical gray suits with accents in G or K Group colors. They’re going to be shown the first episode they just filmed. The people at Mnet sure threw that episode together quickly. But before the show can start, we have a surprise guest to sit and watch the show with them. Her name is Sunmi, a solo K-pop idol who debuted as part of Wonder Girls in 2007. She’s lovely, so of course the trainees are losing their minds.

We see these guys watching the episode I just recapped. It’s fun to see their reactions when they hear the trash-talking between Groups K and G that was done in the confessionals. Then we get to the zero-star stages. The bad performers cringe hard watching themselves bomb, especially now that a hot female K-pop artist is watching right there with them. We also see some really funny responses on Twitter (I refuse to call it X). I’m getting a huge kick out of this.

At the end, they get to see the results of the Star Creator votes. The lowest ranks are shown first, and all the air gets sucked out of the room. Those ranking in the 90s are dealt that harsh blow in front of 97 of their fellow trainees and Sunmi. If I were on a K-pop reality show and ranked 98 out of 98 trainees, and Monsta X was sitting right there to see it, I would just go home, crawl into bed, and pray for a meteor to hit my house.

We move up to the 50s in the rankings. The mood in the room is getting lighter.

When Group K’s Sung Han Bin appears in the Number One spot, he looks stunned. This is our trainee who made an impressive showing in a dance-off with Dance Master Lip J in the first episode. In the grand tradition of Jooheon from No Mercy, he vows to hang on to his Number One spot.

We now go back to where we left off – the Star Level Test. We’re not going to see Hui’s performance yet. Instead, we see a K Group with four members from Redstart Entertainment.  They’ve plastered stars all over their name tags. Together, they’ve crammed a total of 37 stars on every inch of available tag space. If they give a terrible performance, the judges should force them to eat every single one of those stars, right there onstage.

This group is performing “Nunu Nana” by Jessi. Their dancing is full-on high energy hip hop. The vocals are a little shaky, but it’s a great performance. One of them leaps into the air, turns horizontal, and barrel-rolls before going vertical again in time to land. That’s a jaw-dropper. The judges stand up to applaud that, and the group isn’t even done yet.

He does the jump again, and now I’m okay with them sticking all those stars on their tags. If I could jump like that, I would have waddled onto the stage with stars plastered on every inch of my clothes and face. This is one performance where the judges would be 100% justified in giving all of them All Stars.

The judges make their decisions. Two of the group members get only three stars WHAT? Are you KIDDING me?  I demand that the judges take some undeserved stars from YueHua’s K Group and give them to these guys. Their decisions do not make sense.

The other two trainees get All Stars. Yes. Good. But now I’m not sure if I can accuse these judges of having a pro-Korean bias anymore.

Now for a G Group from China. Judging by everyone’s reaction to them, these trainees are 400 feet tall. Everyone reacts like four actual redwood trees just lumbered into the studio. But then the actual heights are shown onscreen. The two tallest ones are six foot one. Okay, that’s impressive, but can they actually sing and dance? Let’s move this along. I want to see Hui perform.

Wait, we’re going to see a group from Japan now. The time jumps in these Korean reality shows are jarring. Four cute boys come in with four stars on each of their tags. I don’t know what happened to the 6-foot China team. I guess they just came here to be gawked at like circus freaks and sent home.

So now for our Japanese group. The judges learn that Keita has been a trainee for nine years, making him the fossil of the entire studio of trainees. Everyone gasps to hear this, and one of the trainees says, “Nine years, that’s half my life,” which makes me feel older than dirt. Thanks a lot, Boys Planet.

Keita started training in sixth grade and actually debuted in 2021 with the group Ciipher. Hold up. Why does that name sound familiar? (type type type) Okay, Ciipher used to have a member named Tan, who used to be known as Seokwon on No Mercy. Seokwon made it all the way to the end but didn’t make the final group. So he was bandmates with Keita. But I can’t find any information on Keita leaving the group. Was he still an active member of Ciipher when he did this show?

To be fair, Hui is an active member of Pentagon, but at least he explained why he’s here. Keita doesn’t really explain much. Did he sneak out of the Ciipher dorm to do this show? Are they wondering where he is? If they go to his bunk right now and pull back the covers, will they find a pile of laundry with a football helmet where the head should be?

Well, I hope Ciipher isn’t watching TV right now. Keita and crew are performing “Zero for Conduct” by Block B’s Bastarz, which is a hardcore artist, in direct contrast to these guys’ cute appearances. The choreography is aggressive and relentless. The vocals are strong and steady. The other trainees are blown away. I never would have pegged these guys for badasses, but here we are.

The judges are over the moon for Keita. They give him the All Star. The other three only get two stars each, and I guess I can see why. Keita was the star, and the others were backups. Now as long as no one from Ciipher sees this show, we should be good.

Okay, now back to the tall guys from China. Their stage is “Reveal” by The Boyz. Their singing is very off-key, and the dancing isn’t that great. Too bad they can’t earn stars for being tall. The judges try to be kind in their feedback, managing to say things like, “Sometimes you were on key.” We don’t get to see how many stars they got, but I’m guessing it’s zero.

Now the producers announce that they’re taking a break to check the cameras. The trainees have fun and pose for the cameras that are now showing them on the big screen over the stage. They look a little stir-crazy, and I know they’ve been sitting there for hours. I hope the show feeds them well.

During this break, the show suddenly makes a hard left turn into Queerbaitville. Trainee Yoon Jong Woo seems absolutely smitten with Jiwoong all of the sudden. “He’s so doe-eyed,” Yoon Jong Woo says. “He looks like a deer with flower buds in his eyes.”

Then it gets weird. He says, “I was looking for my chance. I kept glancing at him. I debated for a long time. I was desperate, I wanted to kiss him.” Then it’s a fake out – he leans in to kiss Jiwoong and pulls away at the last second while everyone watching them on the screen laughs and claps. While this is going on, a quote from Mahatma Gandhi appears onscreen: “Love is the prerogative of the brave.” I’m sorry, what is this now?

In a confessional, they tell us it was just for show. Well, thanks. That was confusing and unnecessary. I would have been fine with it if they were actually gay, but apparently it’s a no-homo joke. I finally broke my own rule and looked into this, and queerbaiting on this show is a huge topic of internet discussion, so let’s set that aside and put a giant pin in it until these recaps are over.

But the show won’t set it aside. Now we have other trainees breathlessly talking about Sung Han Bin like teen girls at the prom. We see another trainee cheering and swooning whenever Han Bin appears onstage. Is it because the show wants to feature how handsome Han Bin is, and there aren’t any girls in the audience? Do girl groups do this too?

Now we have Seo Won lusting after Kim Ji Woong, and can we PLEASE get back to the performances? “I ran into Kim Ji Woong in the bathroom, and he really stood out,” says another trainee. I don’t care what you two did in the bathroom, especially since you’re just acting gay for laughs, so please get back to the stages.

Speaking of Kim Ji Woong, he’s in the next group of Korean performers, and we find out that he is an actor known for BL shows. BL means “boy love,” and these are shows featuring romantic relationships between men. Okay, that sort of puts this whole segment in context. Was this Boys Planet’s awkward way of showing a positive attitude about gay men in this very conservative country?

They show a clip from one of Ji Woong’s movies. Again, interesting, and possibly progressive, I have no idea. Please sing and dance now.

But there’s more. We learn that Kim Ji Woong actually debuted back in 2016 with a group called INX. Back then, he wasn’t ready for the demanding schedule, and it took a lot out of him. So he went into acting. In Korea, most popular actors make a lot more money than K-pop idols, unless those idols are insanely famous like BTS. That whole topic is an interesting rabbit hole to leap into if you’re ever bored online.

In Kim Ji Woong’s case, acting didn’t make him as happy as singing and dancing, so now he’s here to try again. I admire him for not giving up. This group of five is performing “Mirotic” by TVXQ. And it is smoking hot. The dancers’ bodies pulse like heartbeats, and the choreography is fogging up my contact lenses. When they finish and I remind myself to start breathing again, they get a huge response from the audience. I really think some of the trainees might faint.

Yoon Jong Woo and Kim Ji Woong get three stars each. The rest get two stars. Kind of harsh, but not a bad showing.

Now for Takuto, the youngest trainee in Group G, at age sixteen. Everyone is excited about his entrance and chanting his name. We see clips of him from earlier when he’s in the audience, and he’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Baby kittens wish they were this cute. He’s constantly sending finger hearts and waving at everyone, and they wave back in amused confusion. “He seems different. He’s a peculiar one,” Kim Ji Woong tells us in a confessional. HEY. That’s one of God’s cherubs you’re talking about. Show some respect.

Takuto bounds onto the stage, waving excitedly like he’s been picked to play The Price is Right. He will be performing “Instead of Saying Goodbye” by Rain.

He starts with a perfectly-executed backflip. He dances with the pumped-up energy of an entire cheerleading squad on amphetamines. Other than the backflip, it’s simple, playful, and charming choreography, and I just love this kid. At the end of the song, he sings goodbye and waves, and the audience waves back. If ice cream and fireworks and joy were a person, it would be Takuto.

The judges give him … zero stars.

Well, that was a kick in the teeth.

Okay, I get it. The performance was cute, but it probably wasn’t K-pop idol quality. But giving him zero stars is brutal.

Takuto takes it well, bowing and walking offstage while the other trainees tell each other they want to tear off their own stars and give them to him. Seriously, judges, you couldn’t give him one star for that backflip? I feel like I just watched someone tell a toddler that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. I am genuinely sad.

Next up are two K Group trainees who have only been training for four months and have never performed in front of an audience before. They are sweet and cute, and I know this is going to be painful and I can’t bear to watch. They’re doing “Replay” by SHINee. We all know this one. It keeps coming up on these shows. Our boys may look cute, but they’re off-key, and the choreo is pretty much just shuffling around to the beat.

The judges tell them their dancing didn’t look natural … so they want to see them freestyle another dance. Whaaa? Why? Freestyling is incredibly hard. Our boys look panicky, and then they start awkwardly dancing. Everyone, including the judges, is laughing at them. This feels mean-spirited. Just let them leave the stage with a shred of dignity.

But when it’s over, the judges give them two stars each. Even though they were terrible. The judges say they liked their expressions.  And that was somehow worth two stars. I’d say this proves bias towards the Korean group, but these judges have been all over the map in scoring both groups. It has to be frustrating for the trainees.

We get clips of the next several stages, and they’re getting just one or two stars. There’s one clip of a trainee singing “UN Village” by Baekhyun, which is a song I love and wish I could have seen the full performance for, even if the judges didn’t like it.  Overall, it looks like the worst of these are from Group K, and they are worried that Group G is going to come out on top. They’re muttering that Group K needs more All-Stars. Um, maybe put Hui onstage. Why hasn’t he performed yet?

Next, we have five Korean trainees from WakeOne Entertainment, a company that also has a G Group on this show. Apparently their G Group has already performed and earned a lot of stars, but I’m finding it so hard to keep track. There are way too many contestants on this show. This K-Group performs “The Real” by ATEEZ, and it’s a stage that would do ATEEZ proud. It’s cocky and brash with the kind of talent that backs up the bragging. It’s wild and fun. It reminds me of ATEEZ’s recent show at Coachella.

Only one person in the group gets an All-Star. One of them only gets two stars, which is why I now start wondering if the judges are actually biased AGAINST the Korean trainees.

Now for the final stage, and it’s Hui. The judges ask why he’s on this show. We flash back to his audition interview. He says when he got back from military service and returned to Pentagon, things had changed a lot. He says, “It became hard for us to even work with who we wanted to. It was the first time we’d experienced so much rejection. I thought that we were no longer appealing enough to work with. It made me so sad.”

This is a hard story to hear, but I know it’s not just K-pop idols. Music stardom in general turns on a dime. All artists can’t be Beyoncé or Taylor Swift.

The camera zooms in on another Korean trainee in the audience. Hwanhee was in the group UP10TION, and now he’s here. We see other trainees from other K-pop groups. Several contestants on this show have already debuted. It’s like we’ve already learned from these recaps – debuting does not guarantee success.

One trainee says, “I think I’m more desperate because I debuted.” I understand that.  One hundred percent.

Hui is ready for his stage. His song is “Shut Down” by BlackPink. He brings drama, fire, and sensuality to it. He prowls the stage like a hungry animal. He hits an operatic high note that stuns the room.

The judges have nothing but praise. I hope that everyone who didn’t want to work with Pentagon saw that performance. Hui gets the All-Star, which is the perfect ending to the Star Level Test.

Now it’s time to see which group got the highest number of stars so that group can get the next song assignment 24 hours before the other team gets it.

Group K wins, 119 to 81. It came down to the All Stars. Group G has five, and Group K has eleven.

We cut to the heavy snow outside, and then we move to the next day. The trainees get new uniforms showing their star level. Our panel of judges walk into the room and welcome them to Planet Camp, which would be a great name for a Disney Channel series.

The judges announce the Signal Song Test and say they will reveal the Boys Planet Signal Song, which I think means theme song. It’s called “Here I Am.” It will be revealed only to Group K today, since they’ve won 24 hours of advance practice time. Group G is told to leave the room. They do so, muttering in disappointment. No one snuck in a recording device? Just asking. Do they want to win this thing or not?

Once they’re gone, the judges show a video of the choreography to “Here I Am.” I’m glad we’re just getting a snippet of the song, because if Wild Idol taught me anything, it’s that I’ll be sick of it by the middle of the series. Meanwhile, Group G is clustered outside the door. I can’t help laughing to see one of them with his ear pressed to the door, like he’ll be able to hear the choreography.

Night falls, and they all go to their Planet Camp dorms. New roommates introduce themselves, and everyone gets settled in. I’m assuming they don’t allow anyone from Group K to bunk with Group G, because Group G could just torture them for the song and choreo information.

The new roomies exchange Myers-Briggs Personality Types, and wow, that really is a big deal in Korea. I looked up the most common MBTI types for sociopaths and found that people with sadistic personality disorder usually fall under ENTJ. If I were on a K-pop survival show and wanted to freak out my competition, I’d tell them I was ENTJ and then stare at them while they tried to sleep.

You can easily pick out the introverts in the rooms. While the others are dancing and mugging for the cameras, they are quietly staring at their luggage like they wish they could crawl into it and send themselves home. One of these introverts opens a closet door and says, “Can I get out through here?”

All through college, I was an introvert with extrovert roommates. Thoughts and prayers to these long-suffering trainees. And no, you can’t get out through there, but if you have a flashlight and a book, you can spend hours hiding in there.

One of the All Stars gets ready for bed and holds his jersey up to the camera, vowing to protect his four stars. This will officially be known in these recaps as The Jooheon Pledge.

We jump forward a couple of days. Both groups gather in a huge room, and boy, this show loves its shiny floors. Group K has already been practicing for 24 hours. Our judges now share the song and choreo with Group G. Turns out the song is in a high octave and really hard to sing. Both groups are struggling with it. As if that’s not hard enough, everyone has to have the choreography memorized in five minutes. Group G is going hard since they’re a day behind. They are focused.

The trainees will have time to practice in their star groups with the Dance and Vocal Masters. We watch the 3-Star group first. They look good, but Lip J calls out Gun Wook and says he’s falling behind. Seok Matthew gets singled out for praise. Overall, Group G is doing better, and they just learned the song a few minutes ago. What was Group K doing during their head start?

Next up, the Zero Star Group. Five of them, all in Group K. They look a bit chaotic. They’re only occasionally in sync, and those moments look accidental. One of them knocks over a sign. The judges show incredible restraint and just tell them to keep practicing.

Now for the All-Stars. They start off in perfect sync, but then Group K starts making mistakes. Seriously, did Group K spend their head start just filling out Myers-Briggs tests? Why is Group G doing better than them? The judges are harsh on all of the K Group, and especially on Hui. He keeps missing the beat. What is happening?

We don’t get to see the 1-Star and 2-Star groups practice the choreography until the next day. We’re now in a smaller practice room with the Zero Star Group for vocal practice. Well, this ought to be excruciating.

They sound awful. My eardrums are trying to crawl into my abdomen to get away from the noise. Again, how did these guys get into any trainee program? They are completely tone-deaf. Not only is this hurting my ears, but it’s also heartbreaking because they look so discouraged at the negative feedback. Their heads have been in the clouds with dreams of stardom, but now the reality of their limitations is setting in. They’re sweet guys. They’re just in way over their heads, and their failure is being broadcast on national TV and worldwide over streaming.

The Dance Masters are brutally honest with them, but I get why. If they’re this bad, they need to know now, especially since no one in the entertainment company that signed them was able to tell them. Group K trainee Bak Do Ha is wondering if he should quit. I want to give him a hug. I’m seeing a dream die. Overcome with emotion, he turns his head away from the camera to hide his tears, and then he just lets his head drop and sobs.

We go now to the All-Stars and their vocal training. They sound better than the previous group, but some voices are off. Again, the high notes of the song are throwing them off. These are young men who have been through puberty, so I really think they should bring the song down to a lower key. Haruto says he’s tone-deaf, and I can’t tell if he’s kidding. If he knew he was tone deaf, why did he audition for this? On the plus side, Keita is right in his vocal range and sounds great.

We watch the different teams practice, with mixed results. It’s surprising how many of these trainees just can’t do this. I do feel better when the 3-Star group does so well, the Dance Master says they are worth of All-Stars.

When the 2-Star team is practicing the choreo, trainee Lee Da Eul is hiding in the back. The pressure and insecurity are getting to him. His friends in the group pull him closer to the front and encourage him. I don’t know if it’s helping.

Just in case we’re not depressed enough, time to watch these guys go into private rooms so they can call their moms. Several trainees burst into tears at the sound of their moms’ voices. Because of the long distance issues, some of the calls don’t even go through, and I’m just going to eat a whole pint of Cherry Garcia. The mother of one of the younger Korean trainees talks about how worried she’ll be when he goes into the military and oh God can we please go back to watching some terrible performances because I’ve never even considered what it’s like for Korean parents when their sons have to go away and serve in the military for eighteen months.

Finally, the sun rises on Signal Song Test Day. Groups K and G are in separate rooms. The judges appear on monitors in front of them. The trainees will go one by one into the judges room and perform for them, while all the other trainees watch on the monitors. The judges will decide whether to keep them at their current number of stars or promote or demote them. The group that finishes with the greatest number of stars will be featured in the theme song. The Zero Star Group is under enormous pressure to up their game. And they’re up first.

It doesn’t go well. The first one forgets the lyrics and the choreo and just tries to make something up. He finally just stops. He stays at zero stars. His zero star teammates do just as badly. They panic when they make mistakes and completely forget the song and the steps. It’s physically painful to watch them.

I'm right there with them.

We do get a moment of hope. Zero Star Jung Min Gyu has been practicing almost nonstop, the show tells us. And he’s actually not bad. His singing is off-key, and his dancing is awkward, but unlike the rest of the zero star team so far, he’s doing the actual choreography. He’s barely succeeding in the assignment, but he is doing the assignment. And he gets … zero stars.

Okay. I understand that Jung Min Gyu is not showing us K-pop idol material. His singing was terrible. But his dancing was worth at least one star. I’m not saying the judges should get his hopes up if there’s no chance of him debuting. But just one measly star, you heartless jerks!

Finally, 16 year-old Zero Star Takuto steps up. He’s our finger heart-waving, back flipping, cheerleader energy trainee who only got zero stars. This performance is worse. He knows by the time he finishes that he’s done badly and bursts into tears in front of the judges.

He is sobbing, and I’m fighting back tears in front of my computer. This is showbiz, I get it. It’s not just K-pop that gets brutal. Every aspect of showbiz does this to gazillions of people who just don’t have the talent. It just hurts like crazy to watch. I wait for the judges to give him zero stars.

Takuto gets one star.

I’m stunned. What did the judges see that I didn’t I see in his performance? We flash back to the judges’ discussion. It was his expression. His facial expressions during the choreo are what barely dragged him over the line to one-star level. I’m glad for Takuto, and I’m happy to see him celebrating with the rest of Group G, but nothing about this show makes sense.

Now the 1-Star trainees begin their tests. Right away, one gets bumped down to zero stars, which has to be a real embarrassment, and four remain at the 1-Star level.

One-Star trainee Cong from Vietnam steps up. He was heavily criticized in his first stage for his poor pronunciation of Korean, so he’s been practicing his Korean on top of learning the song and choreography. His performance is joyful and energetic. His singing is still a bit off-key, but he does a good job. For once, the judges agree with me. He gets the biggest promotion so far, moving up to three stars.

We only see two of the 2-star trainees. The first one moves up to 3 stars. The second one crashes and burns and falls to zero stars.

The 3-star group is overdoing their performances in desperate attempts to level up. The judges are looking for something more real and less dramatic. The first several trainees remain at 3-star level. Then, in walks Gun Wook.

Right away, his singing is the best so far. He looks ready to debut. He nails the choreography. He’s gunning for an All-Star.

He returns to the other trainees and breaks the big news to them: The judges are postponing the decision. They can’t decide right now, so they’ll get back to him.

This show is trying to kill me, isn’t it?

We keep going. Sung Han Bin gets promoted to All-Star. Canadian Seok Matthew doesn’t fare so well. He barely stays in the 3-Star group after the judges consider demoting him to 2 stars.

Now for Hui. He’s an All-Star and has to try to stay there. As he gets into position, we cut to a flashback of him in dance practice. The Dance Master tells him he’s the worst dancer in the room. I’m having a hard time believing this part isn’t staged, especially since I’ve seen his dance skills in the “Hmm BOP” video, but I guess that’s the narrative this reality show is pushing, so I’ll roll with it. We see him asking the other trainees for help and practicing for hours. This is a very humbling experience for him.

Now for his test. The choreography has improved. He does forget the lyrics (why do so many of the trainees keep doing that?) but keeps going. Then he loses the key. He’s singing the harmony instead of the melody. This is a letdown. I don’t know if he’s purposely blowing it to give the show a storyline or if he really got that rusty during his military service. He gets bumped down to a 3-Star.

Now for another one I really wanted to see – All-Star Jay Chang from the USA. He’s gained many fans among the other trainees. In flashbacks, we see him struggle with the choreography and lose confidence. He cries in frustration during practice. The other trainees help him. One thing I really like about this show is that everyone in the K or G Group benefits when their members get more stars, so everyone is super encouraging and helping each other. No one tries to sabotage anyone else.

Jay gives a flawless performance to the judges. He keeps his All-Star.

As we get closer to the end, both groups are stressing over which group will have the most stars. I don’t know why none of them are tracking the progress and doing the math. The viewers at home miss a lot of the performances, but the trainees are there to see them all. With my OCD, I’d have a notebook with me at all times, logging the progress and keeping a tally of the stars. And then I’d get kicked off the show for ruining the suspense.

K Group’s Han Yu Jin, All-Star, is the last one up. He’s been feeling sick during practice and running a fever, but he refuses to go to the ER because he doesn’t want to worry his fellow trainees.

He starts his test for the judges, and … CUT. We’ll have to see if he collapses next episode.

The show wraps up with the new rankings, courtesy of the Star Creators. As before, I’ll just give highlights.Top of Form

Bottom of Form

The top spots just got really interesting.

Gun Wook has risen to Number 10, up from 15 last episode. We’ve ended this episode with  no idea what the judges awarded him, since they are postponing their decision.

Hui stays at Number 6. The judges may be disappointed, but the Star Creators still love him.

Jay Chang jumped from Number 30 to Number 8.

Sung Han Bin keeps his Number One spot.

This was emotionally exhausting. I’m going to finish up this ice cream and go to bed. See you next time.