#newjeans the first ep

[loonarii]

Ari's K-Pop Roundup: May 2024 (aespa, NewJeans, IVE, tripleS, YVES, ARTMS + MORE)

sorry this one was a little late - it was partly due to my personal life being a bit hectic at the moment, and partly due to the amount of stuff I wanted to say about this month's releases. check out last month's installment here, and happy pride month :)))

Supernova + Armageddon - aespa

Instant classic. 'Drama' in all its electric cyber-crush glory is a tough act to follow, but 'Supernova' holds it's ground from the first second and starts being fucking iconic in the next five.

Dem Jointz is all over this track, I love how he gets to go a little wild with the complexity of his production when working with groups like aespa and NCT. The beat bounces and booms, taking the listener on an intergalactic roller coaster ride of dance-pop rhythm, with the aespa girls as our celestial guides. 'Supernova' is a masterclass in vocal mixing and ad libs, Ningning's vocals sound especially addictive on this track, low and oozing confidence. It's an instant hit, and one of aespa's best.

While 'Supernova' feels very much in aespa's usual territory, 'Armageddon' takes a few more risks - it's slightly less dancepop, a little more edgy; less first-listen club banger and more third listen unexpected groove. Don't get me wrong, it definitely maintains the hallmarks of an aespa title track: full of unplaceable futuristic synths, tin-can trap beats, and a deep sliding baseline, but something about that half time chorus and the switch up to focus on the members lower registers more feels so confident. 'Armageddon' depicts an aespa utterly assured in their abilities as idols, musicians, entertainers, and performers, and regardless of it you liked the song or not, I think it is clear to anyone from this title track that aespa have far from reached their peak, and they still have much more to do in this industry.

Frustratingly, the album did not live up to the quality of the titles that represent it. There are a few stand out hits, like 'Bahama', which pulls off y3k h2o just add water mermaidcore effortlessly, as well as 'Set The Tone' a classic aespa style track evocative of the 'Drama' and 'Savage' EPs in sound, and 'Licorice' which apparently is controversial to enjoy, but I can't help but love its bounce and rhythm; but much of the rest of the tracklist fell short. I couldn't help but notice a lack of coherence both in the sound and concept of this era. The album feels like a hodgepodge of tracks rather than a deliberate project - there aren't any through lines between tracks other than aespa's flagship futuristic production style (which isn't actually present on every track but whatever), and each song seems to be appealing to different scenarios of streaming music - BAHAMA is for a summer beach date, but Supernova is for the club, but then Live My Life is for a disney channel original movie starring Demi Lovato?? The overall vibe seems to be disjointed.

This is a problem I have with a lot of aespa's releases since the 'Savage' EP - on the EP or mini album or album or whatever around 65-90% of the tracks are certified bangers, life changing hits, and then there are a few dull fillers to pad the runtime. I know there is a pressure for groups to release something twice a year or so, but I think aespa is at a point in their career where they can certainly afford to release an album once a year if it's for the sake of quality music.

Great titles, poor b-sides - aespa deserves more than a top-heavy album, SM take more than six months next time you want to make an album for them I beg.

How Sweet - NewJeans

It's been a rough couple of months over at HYBE, and considering how sick we are of it as fans and listeners, I can't even imagine how exhausted the members are of the whole ordeal. Being at the centre of one of k-pop's biggest company dramas in history in the middle of your comeback season isn't for the weak, but NewJeans make it look easy. They are back, stronger than ever, with yet another instant classic.

'How Sweet' is the complementary reversal of 'Bubblegum', capitalizing on the members gorgeous lower registers and pairing them with a 90s hip-hop vibe, featuring their signature NewJeans production flairs as always. I've seen a little bit of criticism that this song feels too much like 'ETA', (which I think is a bizarre comparison, it much more sounds like a lovechild of 'OMG' and 'Ditto') but I don't think that groups releasing music in their established sound is a bad thing at all. NewJeans aren't rookies anymore, they have more than proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with both on the charts and on the stage, and with the korean general public and bunnies themselves consistently loving the NewJeans sonic identity it makes no sense for them to abandon it entirely. They've grown a lot since 'Attention' and 'Hype Boy', and their performance of this song shows that clearly.

The girls' vocals on this song are to die for, every line they deliver exudes confidence and assurance in their capabilities. Danielle and Hanni's little chant of 'Toxic loverrrrr you're no betterrrrr, 거기 숨��� 말고 얼른 나와, you little demon in my storyline, don't knock on my door, I'll see you out' is adorable and SO catchy, Danielle's delivery in that outro with her Aussie accent being a highlight of the song as a whole.

Yet another banger from (in my opinion) the most exciting kpop group out right now - it is becoming clearer and clearer to me that the day NewJeans release a bad song is the day pigs fly.

Girls Never Die - tripleS (<ASSEMBLE24>)

The final lineup for tripleS is here, and with it, one of the groups best songs to date. Juggling 24 members in one song is feat few have successfully managed, but tripleS expertly uses the plethora of voices they have at their disposal to deliver a title track as hypnotic as it is anthemic.

'Girls Never Die' has all the hallmarks of a tripleS song we've grown to adore, from y3k style production to the classic 'lalala' hook in the chorus - sonically it both calls back to the groups humble beginnings with Acid Angel From Asia's 'Generation', and looks to the future of the group with its united 24 members. The verses tend to lose me a little, but although they are dull, they are thankfully short, and the chorus is a stunner. The finale of the track is a triumph, the final refrain of 'girls never die 절대 never cry' closing the song giving the effect of a battle cry - to me 'Girls Never Die' says tripleS are here to shake things up in the industry, and release fun music while doing it.

I've enjoyed many a tripleS project before this, with the +(KR)ystal Eyes EP and the 2023 ASSEMBLE album being real highlights. '<ASSEMBLE24>' is immediately one of ( if not their best) albums, b-sides such as 'Beyond the Beyond', 'White Soul Sneakers', and ESPECIALLY 'Chiyu' bringing the heat fully.

tripleS are one to watch, and while I have genuinely no clue what 'decentralized kpop idol group' means or what the fuck an objekt is, trust when I say I will be watching.

Accendio - IVE (IVE SWITCH)

After the exciting return of an IVE that is worthy of their hitmaker epithet with 'HEYA', I was intrigued to see what 'Accendio' would bring to the table other than a matching cherry-red wig moment for the members (which was iconic btw.)

'Accendio' borrows some ideas from garage, but generally just feels very kpop - it's functionally the epicentre of the sounds of the industry right now; a little bit tripleS, a little bit (G)-IDLE, but 100% IVE. It has an ethereal quality, but in the sense of a fallen angel, with the lyrics bringing a sense of Catholic guilt (not sure why this is becoming a trend right now but sure!). The chorus is half high-fashion girlpop with their chant of 'watch me, don't touch me; love me, don't hurt me', and half rhythmic acid trip with the onomatopoeia and the refrain of '주문 걸어, accendio'; it's a highly successful marriage of opposites. To me it recalls the sound of their Japanese single 'WAVE' which I personally loved, and while 'HEYA' is technically a more advanced kpop song production-wise, 'Accendio' just has a pace and rhythm to it that 'HEYA' lacks, making it feel more exciting and engaging.

It's actually kind of crazy how good the rest of the album is, like IVE's b-sides have never been criminally bad, but this is wild. Potentially a niche reference for you 4th gen stans, but 'Blue Heart' and 'Ice Queen' are to 'Accendio' what 'Clue' and 'Note' are to SHINee's 'Sherlock'. 'Blue Heart' expands on that vogueish, runway style sound from the first part of the 'Accendio' chorus, and 'Ice Queen' explores that gossamer flowy sound from the refrain. I doubt this was intentional, but I love any sense of sonic consistency in kpop albums (@rinas4ki this kind of what we were talking about) and all three tracks are very successful.

'WOW' is a little bit of a wildcard, an acoustic style girly type of track that sounds like the kind of thing SM used to force aespa to sing, but it works very well for IVE. That post chorus of 'wowowow' is very cute. 'RESET' also has a little bit of a garage sound, and reminds me a lot of Yves debut (which will be discussed below), and while it is pretty catchy, it isn't especially memorable, especially in the context of IVE's discography and the quality of the other tracks on this mini album, but it is still worth a listen for sure.

Overall I am very impressed with IVE this time around, 'HEYA' is very enjoyable, 'Accendio' is even more enjoyable, and the b-sides don't put a spanner in the works at all, in fact they in many ways boost the overall quality of the comeback, a feat frustratingly rare in the kpop scene. If you missed the 'IVE SWITCH' album this month, I would definitely recommend giving it a listen.

LOOP - YVES (LOOP)

It feels good knowing all 12 members of LOONA have redebuted after leaving BBC, and what a way to end it. Yves has always been one of my biases in LOONA, and this solo debut proves exactly why she's so special.

'LOOP' is a uk garage style kpop classic, and while Lil Cherry's rap occasionally wanders into questionable territory, Yves' vocals melded with the gorgeous Pink Pantheress style production (no she didn't actually produce it, but a girl can dream, right?) make the track the hit it is. I've seen the use of 8-bit sounding vocal processing being criticised online, but I personally love the computerized sound it brings - with Yves lilting 'ooh's and refrain of 'yeah I'm lost but I like it' 'LOOP' creates an atmosphere of a virtual euphoria.

'LOOP' is great and all, but for me the real star of the album is the beautiful, the stunning, the AWE INSPIRING, 'DIORAMA'. It's so effortless in it's production and that chorus is so subtle yet addictive, it's seriously good. 'DIORAMA' has been on repeat since it's release, I can definitely see this one finding a spot high on my top kpop tracks of 2024 list.

The mini album as a whole is amazing, Yves is such an exciting soloist, she clearly has a lot she wants to achieve, and 'LOOP' is evidence of that.

Virtual Angel - ARTMS (Dall)

WARNING - PLEASE READ: If you wish to support ARTMS after reading this review, please be warned that the music video for 'Virtual Angel' contains repeated flashing scenes, and has been reported to trigger seizures, epilepsy and headaches in a small minority of viewers - even the 'Human Eye Ver.' has some flashing elements. Please stay safe!

I think i speak for all orbits when I say we had big expectations for 'Dall'. Both of the Loossemble albums so far have been excellent, Chuu and Yves have been bringing it in their solo projects, and everything we've heard out of Modhaus concerning Loona has been incredible - for ARTMS to stumble with this album would be immensely frustrating. Fortunately, they did not stumble at all, they smashed through the finish line of the Loona redebuts, and elevated the groups post-BBC discography to another level of excellence.

'Dall' is an album that is difficult to put into words. It has the essence of Loona beyond just having Heejin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Choerry and Haseul involved, it is genuinely quite moving how it echoes that 'Hi High' sound from so long ago. I say this as a joke a lot, but 'Dall' is genuinely an album that feels like an ascension to another plane of existence - it is euphoric and ethereal, especially in the context of the fight the members and orbits have put up since 2022.

I consider 'Girl Front' the gold standard for Loona songs, and 'Virtual Angel' genuinely comes close to snatching that crown. The whole album is so fucking good, and while I would usually go through the charade of describing every track and its genre influences and whether the hook is catchy or not, I refuse for this album - I will not steal the experience from you of hearing this album for the first time.

So yeah, this is probably a mildly shit review, but PLEASE go stream this album, if there was any post BBC Loona album you were going to listen to, let it be this one (but also the Odd Eye Circle album lmao). 'Virtual Angel' is a triumph, 'Dall' is a triumph, 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy', 'Sparkle' and 'Unf/Air' ESPECIALLY are triumphs.

In conclusion... stan loona.

MINI REVIEWS:

Taxi Blurr - Jay Park (feat. Natty of KISS OF LIFE): i may not like Jay Park, but Natty is and always will be my girl, so here we are. I really love the 90s r&b style of this track, and Natty especially sounds amazing on it - her vocal colour is so beautiful. The two's voices blend really well in my opinion, the harmonies in the bridge are satisfying as hell.

Mona Lisa - Soojin (formerly (G)-IDLE)): questionable album titles aside, Soojin is back with her second comeback post leaving (G)-IDLE. This song is frustrating because it's not really offensively bad in any sense, but it is also not really especially good in any sense either. The budget for the MV is kind of crazy, but I wish they had put some of that into the making of the actual song.

No Biggie + Algorhythm - ITZY: (requested by @a-moth-to-the-light) If you've been on my blog before, you will know that JYP's direction of ITZY's korean releases has been irking me for a while, but somehow when ITZY gets on that plane and lands in Japan I am always obsessed. I'm into pretty much all of their Japanese releases, like Ringo went triple platinum in my mental chart. 'No Biggie' is really cool actually, super catchy and Yuna sounds amazing on it - it feels very laid back and relevant to the 2024 music space, something that ITZY's korean singles seem to struggle with. 'Algorhythm' is also SO GOOD, in production, style, and vocal performance. The music video and song also have major old red velvet vibes, which I love. ITZY - please stay in Japan a little longer, the discography over there is so solid. I miss Lia so much though, I hope she's doing well.

LOST! - RM (BTS): I really appreciate namjoon's artistry, and I actually enjoyed his 2022 album 'Indigo', quite a bit, but this song just doesn't work for me. I have heard from others that the album is something special tho, so if i have a spare half hour I might give it a listen.

나의 이름은 (ROTY) - YOUNG POSSE: I would like to redact my previous statements on young posse, I get it now, and this song is so fun. Very 2000s, very y2k, beautiful production, great raps from everyone, what more could you want.

Supernatural - A.C.E: Saw a GIF from the music video on my dash and decided to check it out, and I was severely impressed. 'Supernatural' is not an ear-splitting noisy headache of a track I have come to expect from kpop boy groups, it's a light hearted, classic Bruno Mars style pop hit. Good music and a well produced fun concept? I need to check out this group more.

[usedpidemo]

What are your top K-pop songs released in 2024?

I'm feeling kinda extra, so I wrote some thoughts for my favorite songs of 2024. Not gonna lie, I mostly found 2024 underwhelming, but once the second half of the year began, all the hits began pouring in—especially at year's end. These last four months or so were definitely the best. Ironically enough, it was the opposite of how 2023 was for me: started off strong, but fell off after July.

So without further ado, let me put on my pretentious hat on. Here's my Top 25 K-pop songs of 2024:

25. GGUM - Yeonjun 

A polarizing reception among fans upon release (myself included), but I’ve grown to love how chaotic and disruptive it sounds. It’s meant to be annoying but in the best way possible. It’s completely unexpected of any male soloist, and I appreciate that it tries to do something radically different.

24. POWER - G-Dragon

Back like he never left. While the other pre-release single is a reintroduction to the remaining BigBang members after an extended public hiatus and T.O.P’s departure, Power serves as a powerful reintroduction to G-Dragon after a seven year hiatus. Annoyingly short, but still packs the slick wordplay, smooth flow and playful gloating familiar from one of K-pop’s legends.

23. UP - Karina (aespa)

The four aespa solos for the group’s second tour, Parallel Line, showcase each member’s strengths at their best—in this case, Karina’s natural swagger and dance skills in a beat reminiscent of Iggy Azalea’s Fancy. 

22. I wonder… - j-hope (feat. Jungkook)

A B-side from Hoseok’s Hope On the Street EP during his enlistment, he and his bandmate Jungkook effortlessly flow on a smooth, slick beat reminding us to embrace now and not get overly anxious about the future.

21. Fate - (G)I-DLE

While mostly known for their anthemic title tracks, this B-side showcases the slower, but still meaningful side of I-DLE through the lens of a—pun intended—fateful event during a monotonous day.

20. LOVE, MONEY, FAME - SEVENTEEN (feat. DJ Khaled)

Insane producer tags aside (I never expected to hear the words ‘We the best music’ and ‘Another one’ in a K-pop song, but 2024 has thrown us random surprises every five minutes), Seventeen’s final release as 13 members for the foreseeable future is an emphatic reminder of the members’ devotion as the long, arduous road to enlistment begins.

19. ABCD - Nayeon

Very much early-2000’s inspired, Nayeon’s follow up to the highly successful Pop goes full Beyoncé in all the right ways, never letting up from the first beat drop.

18. Igloo - KISS OF LIFE

A deviation from their flamboyant title tracks (Sticky excluded), the darker, minimalist beat is elevated by the group’s sultry voices, sleek verses, and natural confidence emboldening the song. No wonder it’s overshadowing the main track from the EP, Get Loud.

17. CRAZY - LE SSERAFIM

Some of Le sserafim’s most popular songs are when the energy blasts through the roof—Antifragile and Eve, Psyche, and the Bluebeard’s Wife are definitive examples, and Crazy is no exception. Full of memorable, colorful lines, it’s also one of their better uses of autotune to amplify this infectious beat into a speed limit breaking party track.

16. Spark - Winter (aespa)

aespa and progressive house are a match made in heaven. Accentuated by Winter’s heavenly vocals, this could easily have been released in the early 2010s and it would have been an absolute smash hit in clubs everywhere.

15. Midas Touch - KISS OF LIFE

Another 2000s inspired track, this time in the vein of Britney Spears, showcases Kiss of Life’s natural sexiness in a tasteful, overindulgent manner.

14. Cosmic - Red Velvet

What a way to celebrate your tenth anniversary. It’s able to walk the tight lines of the group’s two distinct concepts, bright red and darker velvet, perfectly while keeping its sinister, creepier undertone. Also has one of, if not the best bridge of the year courtesy of Wendy. There’s simply no saying goodnight to Red Velvet.

13. How Sweet - NewJeans

Hindsight is 20/20, but How Sweet is not so subtle foreshadowing as to the group’s turbulent relationship and surprise departure from HYBE. While generally considered as one of their weaker releases, the lighter, Miami house inspired beat is an example of NewJeans’ ability to evolve and keep their sound fresh, while still feeling familiar to everyone yearning for the next Hype Boy and ETA.

12.  Virtual Angel - ARTMS

The other offshoot from LOONA composed of five of the group’s more popular members reunites them with Jaden Jeong for a fantastical combination of synth and harmonious choir-like melodies that might as well be welcoming one’s soul to the afterlife in a grandiose way.

11. HEYA - IVE

It’s sonically messy in all the right ways. IVE have proven they can handle hip-hop with tracks like Baddie and Kitsch, but HEYA is where they’ve put their classy, elegant spin into the wheel—and they’ve succeeded with flying colors. 

10. FRI(END)S - V

A natural continuation of V/Taehyung’s melancholic, lo-fi sounding EP Layover, this single packs all the angst and emotional yearning that one can imagine playing during a coming of age film.

9. Girls Never Die - tripleS

A project two years in the making, this anthem is exactly the kind of song that matches tripleS’ ambitious 24 member, infinite subunit concept. Somehow, it’s gotten a second meaning as a hopeful warcry after everything that 2024 has thrown at us.

8. Love Is Lonely - NMIXX

Despite their pension for bombastic, disruptive title tracks such as DASH and See that, NMIXX's vocal talents are best shown in softer, more emotionally profound songs. Case in point: Cool (Your Rainbow) and now Love Is Lonely. Under that nostalgic 2010s-inspired beat is an angsty, melancholic longing perfectly encapsulated by the members’ sincere, harmonious voices. 

7. Supersonic - fromis_9

With their futures uncertain amidst their departure from Pledis at year’s end, fromis are still able to deliver on what they do best: release a summer hit. Breakneck paced and infectious, the group’s vocals elevate this likely last hurrah into one for the ages. 

6. FOREVER - BABYMONSTER

Whether this is YG recycling from Teddy’s leftovers or an attempt to rein in Blinks with familiar sounding nostalgia is up for interpretation. Conceptually never leaving late-2010s girl crush behind, this powerful anthem brings to light shades of a bygone era. Blackpink’s As If It’s Your Last comes to mind, structurally, proving that some hits can be rehashed and still hit all the same.

5. Accendio - IVE

When a song begins with the lines ‘Dear priest, I have a confession to make,’ you know you’re about to hear some real shit. The follow up single to HEYA hits all the right notes: breakneck paced, memorable lines, and an instrumental breakdown worth dancing to.

4. Supernova Love - IVE (feat. David Guetta)

Controversial use of Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence aside, Supernova Love is not the first song to turn the great Ryuichi Sakamoto’s emotional masterpiece into a club staple. While not structurally interesting as IVE’s Korean releases, it’s another example of IVE’s ability to elevate a sample into something resonant and magical. Wonyoung’s opening lines especially bring this seemingly average dance track to another level. I really wish this was their English debut instead of All Night.

3. APT. - Rosé (and Bruno Mars)

From the lens of Rosé's album rosie, APT is like an outlier. It’s an upbeat party anthem based on a drinking party game. It’s thematically simple and shallow compared to the outer songs lamenting about heartbreak and toxic relationships. But simplicity works to its benefit. It immediately grows on you. In a particularly dour year, sometimes a feel good song is all one needs to lighten up. 

2. Supernova - aespa

When someone asks for a song that encapsulates K-pop, Supernova immediately comes to mind. Memorable lines (I’m like some kind of Supernova), cringe lines (Body bang?), has room for an iconic dance break, while perfectly blending aespa’s AI/Metaverse concept with a beat that’s so erratic but still cohesive and unchanging. This feels like a direct response to all the slow, easy listening K-pop songs that have flooded the scene lately, reminding us that once upon a time, K-pop was releasing quirky yet catchy tracks every other week.

 HOME SWEET HOME - G-DRAGON (feat. Taeyang & Daesung)

If Power was an emphatic reintroduction to G-Dragon the soloist, then Home Sweet Home was the ultimate catharsis for V.I.Ps and second gen fans who have waited years for BigBang’s return. Structurally, it’s reminiscent of BigBang’s Sober, while still adapting and modernizing to today’s sound. A diehard fan can easily imagine T.O.P’s place in this song, and considering this was in the vault for years, it’s easy to see how. It’s a melancholic but triumphant comeback and a reminder of the greatness that is BigBang. 

You can listen to the full playlist here.

[solarwynd]

I don't know if you have heard of the popstar academy docuseries on netflix but it's about the group katseye and how they debuted and stuff but anyways. their main goal is for them to find a global group that will essentially carry the company from now on like they want this group to be their next BTS but mostly focusing for success in the US. theres this girl there that was a trainee and she was very talented and had star quality but they weren't as interested in her because they felt she was not "the cool rebellious girl" US fans will love and that got me to think about jungkook and jimin. the tattoos, piercings, muscles, the pr smoking incident, him drinking on lives deleting his instagram vs jimin who only does lives at the company, doesn't even like to talk about alcohol in fans vicinity, timid, tries to keep a clean image, the goody two shoes (said lovingly)

now it makes sense to me as to why they push jk so hard especially in the US. he is much more marketable and what supposedly US fans want in male pop artists. they know that the rugged bad boy sells and jimin isn't that

Yea I did. I’ve been in eyekon business for a day or two now lol. I even started watching the show but I haven’t made it past the first episode. I’m really just privy to the Manon drama, but I have seen screenshots of Bang and his foolishness.

“Cool & rebellious” are interesting buzzwords. Two that I can’t exactly say aren’t popular because it sounds like aespa and blackpink. And kpop stans do love that. But what’s really popular right now is the newjeans aesthetic. Which is exactly what Touch was in “sound” and also why I’m confused on what they’re going for in the group’s image. It sounds like they don’t even know. The only thing for certain is that they wanted a multi ethnic group. I listened to their EP and it doesn’t seem like they’re gonna have a set sound and I don’t think that’s an issue. Their music is nice, most of the songs give real summery coming of age vibes. (I liked tonight I might, im pretty and my way) kinda wish they would’ve stuck with that throughout the album cause debut and touch seem like the odd ones out.

Back to the actual topic, Yes I think that cool and rebellious image has more of an advantage for a male popstar for obvious reasons. Jimin not fitting Hybe’s image has been discussed as a possibility as to one of the reasons he’s not getting pushed before but to actually see they confirmed what their ideal is let’s me know how shallow their vision of a true artist is. You’d think they see the results, hype and intrigue Jimin pulls just being him and see that ideal doesn’t hold that much weight as a standard but w/e ig lmao. JK didn’t even fit that stereotypical “bad boy” mold up until recently imo.

Anyway the way HYBE seems so intent on finding the next BTS and strictly speaking in business terms, I really do wonder how much longer BTS themselves are in this for cause to me, it seems like there’s a clock running and Katseye does not seem like the long term solution to me. I know it wouldn’t be smart to wait until BTS calls it quits to then try to build a new group, but they give new jeans. I believe that they’ll find success somewhere down the line, especially if HYBE starts pushing them. But might fizzle out after some time. Touch seems to be gaining some traction and they are building a fanbase. But if they want BTS level fame, it’s gonna have to be a devout one that actually moves for them and not one built of male gg stans that use them for a twitter layout and move out once they get bored. Fandom>>>GP

[777yjw]

YOUTH BLOSSOM 🪷

sypnosis :: L/N Y/N, the IT girl of Decelis Academy, has always been expected to date Hwang Intak, the IT boy of Decelis Academy. They were both off-limits for everyone but each other and every single student at Decelis Academy knew that. However, this expectation is challenged when her best friend Pham Hanni, suddenly announces her "secret crush" on the same guy as her?! Y/N can't tell if she's lucky or not when one day during cleaning time, her fellow classmate Yang Jungwon, offers to fake date her and get Pham Hanni off of her back about her own crush on Hwang Intak after the supposed confession that happened.

(Heavily inspired by the webtoon "Seasons of Blossom" Bomi's Flower)

pairing(s) :: gamer! jungwon x IT girl! reader, slight IT boy! intak x IT girl! reader

genre :: non-idol au, high school au, smau, opposites attract, fake dating trope, strangers to lovers, minor love triangle, fluff, angst, romance, slice of life, crack

featuring :: Wonyoung - IVE (faceclaim), Enhypen, Hanni - NewJeans, Keeho & Jongseob & Intak & Soul - P1Harmony, Hikaru & Youngeun - Kep1er, etc.

warnings :: swearing, kys/kms jokes, [the rest will be posted with the chapters]

status :: ongoing! [starting april 7]

NOTE :: this smau does not at all, reflect what the idols would be like in real life. this is 100% FICTION and they are written how they are for the sake of the story.

authors note :: hello hi this is my first smau and i'm very excited to start it! first chapter should be posted within a week or so :3

CLIQUES :: star girls 🌟 / W wingmen 💪 / league 🤢 players / extras

EPISODES

Ep 1. ungrateful ass BITCH [smau + written]

Ep 2. BREAKING! [smau + written]

Bonus Ep. jake's emo streak

Ep 3. sunoo detective era

Ep 4. y/n notice x1!!

taglist is open! send an ask off anon or comment under any chapter to be added!

TAGLIST :: @ifearjwn @iaaah @aki1e @ensrfm @whippedforbeomgyu @enhafika @artstaeh @weyukinluv @astrae4 @woncheecks @enhy4me2

[professorsparklepants]

here's an out of pocket rant I dictated to my notes app via text to speech on my walk to work this morning.

So since K/DA was really popular I've seen a lot of other MMO companies collab with kpop groups to make songs with animated music videos, but for some fucking reason they all do it extremely wrong? (Shout out to the person on YouTube who described Perfect Night by le sserafim as "they're making my girls sing newjeans music for OverWatch 😭" this is about you!)

Like the reason that K/DA was good was firstly because the League of Legends team knows how to make good music and secondly, because it sounded like a K-Pop song. The other music that I've seen it's not.... *Bad* per se but it just doesn't really seem to capture what makes a K-Pop song specifically both a *K-Pop* song and also good.

There's also such a miscasting of voices. Like the mv that came out that had newjeans singing gods? Why would you get a group of teen girls that specializes in fresh, toothless teen pop to do such a big, dramatic, sweeping song. It doesn't make any sense to me. K/DA pulled soyeon and miyeon from (g)-idle because it was a K-Pop song and they needed K-pop idols to sing it. They didn't just pick them because they're popular and K-pop is in right now. They pulled them because they were doing K-pop music because worlds was in Korea and they needed people who fit the genre and who understood the assignment. And obviously, both parties understood the assignment very well because it fits (g)-idle's music enough that they actually perform the song in concert despite only two of their members being on the track.

Thirdly, they all have animated music videos, but they don't seem to understand why the K/DA music video was animated in the first place? Like the point of the K/DA MV was that the people who are singing are League of Legends characters and that's what makes it cool. It's imagining a group of League of Legends characters as a K-Pop group in a way that makes the archetypes and personality of each character obvious and appealing to people who are not League of Legends players. (Which is one of the strengths of Kpop and idol music in general! Because it's designed to be a parasocial relationship inducing, it is very very good at putting group members in appealing little boxes!) But the other music videos I see are just like... about esports. It's just about a guy who plays esports and sits in a gamer chair and then gets in an imagined mind space where he fights other esports players like it's. It's completely missing the point of why people like that music video in the first place. People don't like K/DA because they like esports. They like K/DA because it was good music. The people who requested an entire EP from them were not people who follow esports. They were people who like music.

Tldr everyone who is trying to follow this and make it a trend just does not understand why K/DA got popular in the first place. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[huellitaa]

bee's record player, may edition 🎀𓂃 ࣪˖

──★ ˙ ̟🎀 INTRO

and here is the long awaited, albeit delayed arrival of bee's record player: may issue! ♡ (went for a slightly different theme this month, how do we feel about it?

this month there was not in fact many music releases or much going on in the music world, but we do still have a few things to discuss for this month's issue:

──★ ˙ ̟🎀 NEW ARRIVALS

risk, gracie abrahams

♡ released may 1st, 2024

♡ pre release single

♡ running time: 3 minutes 12 seconds

take a bite, beabadoobee

♡ released may 9th, 2024

♡ pre release single

♡ running time: 2 minutes 39 seconds

you had me at hello, zerobaseone

♡ released may 13th, 2024

♡ extended play / EP

♡ best songs: have not yet listened! ♡

♡ running time: 20 minutes 48 seconds

dark moon "memorabilia", enhypen

♡ released may 13th, 2024

♡ EP / extended play

♡ best songs: have not yet listened! ♡

♡ running time: 19 minutes 48 seconds

hit me hard and soft, billie eillish

♡ released may 17th, 2024

♡ full length album / LP

♡ best songs: birds of a feather, lunch, chihiro, bittersuite, blue

♡ running time: 43 minutes 49 seconds

turn it up, pinkpantheress

♡ released may 24th, 2024

♡ single

♡ running time: 2 minutes 27 seconds

how sweet, newjeans

♡ released may 24th, 2024

♡ single

♡ running time: 6 minutes 59 seconds

sixth sense, kiss of life

♡ released may 25th, 2024

♡ single

♡ running time: 3 minutes 11 seconds

armaggedon: the 1st album, aespa

♡ released may 27th, 2024

♡ full length album / LP

♡ best songs: supernova, armaggedon, bahama, long chat, melody

♡ running time: 30 minutes 58 seconds

loop, yves

♡ released may 29th, 2024

♡ extended play / EP

♡ best songs: diorama , loop ft. lil cherry (♡)

♡ running time: 12 minutes 6 seconds

──★ ˙ ̟🎀BEE'S TRACKS: TOP 10

♡ 10. red wine supernova, chappell roan

CHAPPELL ROAN CHAPPELL ROAN CHAPPELL ROAN CHAPPELL ROAN LETS GO LESBIANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i've been SO obsessed w chappell roan this month and this song is. oh my gosh. the red wine sueprnova bridge changed lives idc everybody go listen to chappell roan right now !!!!!!!!!!! <3

♡ 9. midas touch, kiss of life

i love this song!!!! oh my gosh!!!!!!! i've been so into kiss of life the past month or so and i love love love this song so much, it's such a vibe u don't get it. i didn't like it at first but it's so cunty so that makes it all good in my books <3 also kiof vocals are no joke see 5th gen kpop this is what happens when you debut actual adults !! <3

♡ 8. telepatia, kali uchis

i don't know if it's just the pretty summer girl vibes this song has or the immense love i have for latina women in music but like oh my gosh this song?????? i'm so????????? i can't do this?????? definitely wasn't lured in by the pink on the cover nope nope nope but like i seriously need to get into her more u don't get it

♡ 7. turn it up, pinkpantheress

i do not often listen to pinkpantheress but she came up on my spotify and i'd heard good things about her and liked the pink on the song cover so i gave it a listen and u don't understand the chokehold she's had on me this month i'm so obsessed. her vibes r EVERYTHING

♡ 6. bahama, aespa

AGAIN. THE PRETTY SUMMER GIRL VIBES ARE IMMACULATE. alcohol free was THE summer kpop song for me before but aespa has overtaken this title i fear! their voices are so pretty and the whole summery beachy vibes are absolutely PERFECT <3 aespa u ate so hard w this one !!!!! <3

♡ 5. birds of a feather, billie eillish

i am so in love with this song and have been since it came out oh my gosh. the vibes are immaculate, her voice is literally angelic, the lyrics are everything to me and i want this song at my wedding. i do not take criticism case closed thank u very much

♡ 4. how sweet, newjeans

AHHHHHHH OH MY GOSH i just know this song would have been higher if it hadn't only come out a few days before the end of may but the energy is everything, and the prechorus?????????? hello??????? obsessed??????????? my girls still going strong despite whatever the heck is going on at hybe at the moment idk but ate as usual !! <3

♡ 3. take a bite, beabadoobee

OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH,,, I'VE BEEN SO HYPED FOR IT SINCE IT WAS FIRST TEASED ON SPOTIFY AND I ACTUALLY . I. IM SO OBSESSED U DONT UNDERSTNAD IT S= NOT EVEN FUNNY I'M SO EXCITED FOR AUGUST 16TH

♡ 2. good luck, babe!, chappell roan

I CANNOT. I HAVE BEEN SO OBSESSED W CHAPPELL ROANB THIS MRONTH SHE ISW MY EVERYTHNIG. HER VOCALS IN THIS SONG I FEEL LIKE I'M ASCENDING TO HEAVEN EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE I'VE SPENT WITHOUT CHAPPELL ROAN FEELS LIKE EVERY DAY WASTED CHAPPELL ROAN IS LOVE LIFE CHAPPELL R

♡ 1. bubble gum, newjeans

alright anyway anddd onto number one,, the song that has been on loop since release, bubble gum by my favourite girlies newjeans!!! <3 my best friend has been BEGGING me to listen to this for weeks now and oh my gosh i felt so stupid when she finally made me listen to it because it is a literal work of art. maybe i'm a sucker for summery songs at the moment, maybe it's the fact the music video makes me violently sob from how sweet it is and danielle's curly hair and hanni's short hair makes my eyes turn into hearts but like i adore this song. i think one of my favourite compliments i've ever gotten is that i look like this song 😭<33

──★ ˙ ̟🎀ALBUMS

♡ 1. rise and fall of a midwest princess, chappell roan

woahhhh this is sooo surprisinggggg ahahahahaaaa!!! this album is everything to me u DONT get it i LOVE chappell roan i LOVE cunty lesbians i LOVE music i EUAHHRRRRRRRR

♡ 2. super real me, illit

i am still not over this debut i fear......... midnight fiction was #11 on my top tracks of this month and the chokehold these girls had and still have on me since march is ridiculous. best kpop debut quite possibly ever i rest my case

♡ 3. beatopia, beabadoobee

BEABADOOBEE I LOVE YOU so basically i've been listening to bea a lot more since i got my bsf into her too and the amount of times i've relistened to beatopia and our extended play in this month alone is absolutely ridiculous. i adore her so much oh my gosh what i would GIVE to hear 10:36 live !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3

♡ 4. hit me hard and soft, billie eillish

i've listened to this album so many times since it came out oh my gosh. i'm obsessed. i am not a big billie eillish listener, i liked her when she was super popular but since then i haven't really listened to her, but i love love love this album oh my gosh she ate so bad

♡ 5. armageddon, aespa

i was so excited for this album !!! especially as it's their first full length one after four years of being one of THE most iconic kpop girl groups in my honest and humble (and completely correct) opinion, and though it was not as amazing and perfect and fantastic as i hoped it's a pretty solid album and the more i listened the more i liked and it's really grown on me honestly !!!!

──★ ˙ ̟🎀ARTISTS

♡ CHAPPELL ROAN (the fact she even overtook tubatu in this column just tells u how obsessed i am. it's not even funny anymore.)

♡ TOMORROW X TOGETHER (everybody act surprised again !!! )

♡ BEABADOOBEE (bea ily forever)

♡ ARIANA GRANDE (yes i'm still on my ari shit!!!!)

♡ AVRIL LAVIGNE (quick guys pretend you can't tell i'm emo)

──★ ˙ ̟🎀SPECIAL MENTIONS

♡ bea announced her new album,, "this is how tomorrow moves"!! everybody go presave her new album IMMEDIATELY <3 releases august 16th !!!!!! <333333

──★ ˙ ̟🎀 EDITOR'S NOTE

aaaaaand that wraps up this month's issue of bee's record player! once again i'd like to apologise for making u whole month to actually get this month's edition but you're getting a double edition to make up for it so we're all good. thank you all for your patience and i look forward to seeing you again very soon! ♡

all my love, and until next month! 💘🫶🏻🎀

[beautifulpersonpeach]

has anything about the mhj-bsh-hybe scandal changed how you view bts relationship with hybe, bpp?

***

Yes. Reading Min Heejin's whistleblower report (pasted below) is one of the first things that made me firmly take her side, because aside from how comprehensive it is (she names the key staff within HYBE who are responsible), it confirmed several suspicions I've had for the last couple years about the managerial bloat in HYBE and the dip in music quality (except in projects the members personally control).

Prior to this feud between Min Heejin and Bang Sihyuk, I felt HYBE relied disproportionately on BTS, and by extension, ARMY, to a concerning degree. Nothing about that is healthy, not for BTS and not for a public company. That's also been a major concern for investors since HYBE's inception and one reason HYBE was eager to show diversification from BTS ahead of their military service. Now, after everything MHJ has revealed about the level of incompetence within HYBE, not even counting how they blundered the injunction case, it's clear that HYBE's relationship with BTS is, I think, parasitic.

I initially saw their arrangement as a neutral win-win. But now? Nah.

HYBE has always needed BTS more than BTS needs HYBE, and now that's only more the case.

Thankfully, the harm to BTS is very limited because they are BTS, and now that the future of HYBE's fastest growing group (NewJeans) is uncertain, I expect HYBE will plow only more money into making sure BTS is satisfied and supported in every respect.

---

[I can't find a good English translation to post here, so I suggest entering it into a translation engine you've used before and trust.]

하이브 경영진 귀중

지난 2024년 4월 3일 주식회사 어도어는 주식회사 하이브 / 주식회사 빌리프랩을 상대로 아일릿의 표절 시비로 인하여 뉴진스의 브랜드 가치가 훼손된 것에 대한 입장 표명과 시정조치를 요구하였습니다.

(하기 메일과 첨부 파일 참조)

아일릿 표절 시비 논란은 그간의 뉴진스-하이브 간 발생된 문제 중 수면위로 드러난 극히 일부에 불과합니다. 뉴진스 법정대리인은 하이브가 뉴진스에 대해 진행해 온 그 동안의 각종 방해 행위 및 차별적이고 부당한 처우의 정도가 심각하여 도저히 참을 수 있는 수준이 아니라면서 어도어에게 하이브에 대해 시정을 요구할 것을 간곡히 부탁하였습니다. 그리하여 뉴진스의 매니지먼트를 책임지고 있는 어도어는 뉴진스 법정대리인 및 이와 관련한 어도어의 입장을 아래와 같이 말씀드립니다.

앞선 메일이 빌리프랩을 포함 하이브에 발송된 내용임에도, 빌리프랩은 답변 준비 중이라는 답변만 제공할 뿐이고, 하이브에서는 아직까지 명확한 답변이 없습니다. 뉴진스 법정대리인과 어도어는 하이브의 답변을 기다리고 있습니다. 앞선 메일뿐만 아니라 본 메일을 통해 전달하고자 하는 내용이 어도어/뉴진스에 국한된 것이 아니라 하이브의 윤리경영 그리고 지속가능경영에 대한 내용이기에 하이브 경영진에 발신합니다.

하이브가 가지고 있는 큰 문제점은 기존 업계의 병폐를 답습하면서 비도덕적 행위를 아무런 비판 의식 없이 지속하고 있는 것입니다. 엔터테인먼트 산업의 대표기업으로 가져야 할 사회적인 책임을 다하지 않고 있으며, 지배구조 또한 투명하지 못하여 그로 인해 뉴진스에 대한 직간접적인 피해가 계속 늘어나고 있습니다.

1. 가장 대표적인 사례는 하이브의 ‘음반 밀어내기’입니다.

‘음반 밀어내기’는 발매 일주일간의 판매량, 즉 ‘초동 판매량’ 을 인위적으로 부풀리기 위하여 유통사나 해외 자회사를 이용하여 대량의 주문을 넣거나 팬 이벤트등을 급조하여 판매량을 부풀리는 부당행위를 뜻합니다.

이는 아티스트의 성과에 대해 거짓된 정보를 보내는 일로서, 더 이상 성장이 이루어지지 않는 팀을 계속 성장하고 있는 것처럼 보��게 하거나, 프로젝트의 성과를 실제보다 부풀려 알리는 것 등 공정한 시장질서를 교란하는 행위입니다.

특히 음반 밀어내기로 인해 주식시장에 미치는 파장은 더욱 심각한데 단순히 숫자만을 부풀리는 것이 아니라 기업과 엔터테인먼트 산업의 성장성이나 미래를 심각하게 왜곡시킵니다.

이는 주주와 구성원, 자본시장과 팬덤을 기만하는 행위로 이미 여론으로부터 강력한 질타를 받았으며, 이러한 행위가 계속되면 궁극적으로 엔터 산업의 생태계를 뿌리부터 망가뜨리는 불건전한 사안이 됩니다. 그럼에도 업계의 선두주자라는 하이브가 규제의 사각지대를 이용해 음반 밀어내기를 자행하고 있다는 사실은 정말 심각한 문제라고 하지 않을 수 없습니다.

뉴진스는 ‘음반 밀어내기’를 하이브로부터 권유받은 바 있습니다.

뉴진스는 2’EP Get Up’ 음반 발매 시 하이브로부터 에스파 초동기록을 꺾을수 있다며 10만장의 밀어내기를 권유받았으나 어도어의 사업 철학에 위배 되기 때문에 단호하게 거절하였습니다.

어도어가 거절한 이유는 지금까지 음반 밀어내기 없이 뉴진스가 달성해 온 순수한 1위 기록들이 퇴색될 수 있고, 그로 인해 발생했던 다양한 사업 기회들이 훼손되는 것을 우려했기 때문입니다. 참고로 뉴진스의 법정대리인은 밀어내기 이슈가 커뮤니티에서 문제제기 되었을 당시, 어도어에 해당 사항에 대해 질의해 왔으며 이에 어도어는 뉴진스는 밀어내기를 하지 않는다는 사실에 대해 확인 답변 드린 바 있습니다.

향후 ‘음반 밀어내기’ 이슈가 더 큰 문제로 여론의 주목을 받는다면, 단지 하이브의 일원이라는 이유로 음반 밀어내기를 단호하게 거절한 뉴진스 조차 마치 ‘음반 밀어내기‘를 이용해 성과를 포장한 것으로 오해받을 수 있습니다. 이에 뉴진스의 매니지먼트 관리 책임이 있는 어도어는 음반 판매량 뿐 아니라 어도어/뉴진스가 꼼수를 쓰지 않고 성장해 온 그 동안의 각고의 노력이 송두리째 부정당하는 상황이 생기는 것을 막고자 합니다. ‘음반 밀어내기’ 없이도 월등한 성적임에도 그만큼의 가치를 온전히 인정받지 못한다는 점도 뉴진스에겐 이미 ���각한 피해입니다.

무엇보다, 편법 없이 오롯이 음악과 퍼포먼스/콘텐츠 만으로 성공할 수 있다는 믿음이 깨질 수 있다는 점이 가장 큰 문제입니다. 이는 시장의 비전과 희망을 꺾는 일입니다.

‘안하는 놈이 바보다’라는 인식이 더이상 확산되지 않길 바랍니다.

‘음반 밀어내기’ 없이도 음반 판매량이 높은 뉴진스 같은 그룹에도 타 그룹의 기록을 뛰어넘을 수 있다면서 권유 했을 정도인데 다른 그룹의 경우는 어떠했을까요.

이는 하이브의 심각한 윤리의식 부재를 보여주는 것이라고 하지 않을 수 없습니다.

이에 기존 엔터 업계의 부조리와 모순에 대해 비판하고 엔터 산업의 선전화를 지향 한다던 하이브의 표리부동한 태도에 대한 개선과 조속한 시정을 강력히 촉구합니다.

이미 하이브 레이블 내 만연한 일로 알고 있습니다만, 자회사에 대하여 ���품 조건부로 거래한 내역이 있는지 여부를 비롯하여 ‘음반 밀어내기’로 보일 수 있는 거래가 있는지를 강도높게 조사하고 투명하게 처리하여 엄중히 대처해 주시기를 다시 한번 말씀 드립니다.

2. 하이브는 유통, 사업, 관리 등 제작을 제외한 전 사업의 영역에 있어 레이블끼리 서로 공정한 경쟁을 통해 최상의 파트너를 선정할 기회를 제한하고 있습니다.

최근 하이브 - UMG 간 체결된 10년간의 음반/음원 독점 유통하는 계약은 뉴진스의 향후 업무를 방해하고 있습니다. 단기적으로는 유통수수료를 낮출 수 있다고 이야기를 하나, 뉴진스와 같이 빠르게 성장하고 있는 아티스트에게 10년이라는 오랜 기간 동안 특정 레이블하고만 거래하게 하는 계약은 합리적이지 않습니다. 짧은 계약기간을 통해 업체들 간의 경쟁을 유도하여 최상의 조건을 유도하는 것이 합리적임에도, 하이브 - UMG 간의 계약으로 인해 뉴진스는 더욱 낮은 유통수수료를 제시하거나, 뉴진스를 위해 더욱 좋은 조건을 제시할 수도 있는 레이블을 찾아볼 수 있는 기회가 원천적으로 봉쇄되었습니다.

또한 설령 유통수수료가 낮아졌다고 하여도, 레이블은 UMG 에 지급하는 외부 수수료 외에 추가적으로 하이브에 이와 거의 유사한 규모의 내부 유통수수료를 지급하고 있기 때문에 레이블의 입장에선 사실 조삼모사와도 같습니다. 앞으로 아무리 좋은 성과를 달성하여도 향후 10년간 상당한 수준의 유통수수료를 지불해야 하는 점은 뉴진스에 전혀 합리적이지 않습니다.

문제는 여기서 그치지 않습니다. 이보다 더 큰 문제는 UMG 산하의 레이블들이 제공하는 서비스의 수준이 높지 않아 그에 대한 만족도 또한 높지 않다는 점입니다.

이는 어도어만이 아닌, 하이브 내 모든 레이블들의 불만이기도 합니다.

즉, 향후 10년간은 본 계약으로 인하여 불만족스러운 서비스가 개선이 되지 않아도, UMG 산하 레이블들을 이용할 수 밖에 없습니다. 따라서 이런 장기 계약은 현재도 심각한 문제인 UMG 산하 레이블들이 서비스를 개선할 동기를 저하시킬 뿐 아니라, 어도어/뉴진스의 해외 경쟁력을 약화시키는 중대한 사업 방해에 해당됩니다.

하이브 - UMG 간의 장기계약은 뉴진스에게 득보다는 실이 큰 일로, 이로 인한 리스크를 온전히 레이블과 아티스트가 부담해야 하는 것은 부당합니다.

UMG와의 계약 협상 시, 뉴진스가 하이브의 입장에서는 협상에서 활용할 수 있는 좋은 카드였음이 분명하였을텐데 정작 뉴진스는 하이브로부터 어떠한 서비스 수준과 혜택을 얻어낸 것인지 의문을 갖지 않을 수 없습니다.

3. 하이브가 본업인 레이블 운영의 개선과 고도화를 우선순위로 하고 있지 않은 점이 큰 문제입니다.

하이브는 현재 하이브 사업 조직의 능력이나 서비스의 질과는 무관하게, 레이블에게 공연과 MD 등의 사업에 대한 권한과 광고와 음반/음원 유통에 대한 Agency 권한 등 다양한 사업을 하이브와 진행하도록 종용하고 있습니다.

그러나 사업자가 내부 계열회사인지 아니면 외부에 있는 회사인지는 레이블 입장에서 크게 중요하지 않습니다. 레이블은 사업자의 사업수행 능력을 가장 중요하게 보기 때문입니다.

�� 번의 사례로 하이브의 사업수행 능력이 어도어의 기대에 못 미친다는 것을 경험했기 때문에 어도어는 응당 더 나은 결과를 위해 공연, 광고, MD 사업을 위해 자체 리소스를 확보하는 한편 다른 외부 협력사를 찾아야 했습니다. 하지만 기존 내부 사업자와의 관계를 정리하는 일부터 쉬운 과정이 아니었습니다.

일례로, 광고사업의 경우 뉴진스는 데뷔 부터 높은 화제성으로 외부에서 다양한 광고 제안이 쇄도하던 상황이라 인위적 광고 영업 없이 자발적으로 인입된 광고주들만 잘 관리해도 되는 상황이었습니다. 하지만 광고사업을 담당하는 브랜드시너지사업팀에서 벌인 문제들로 광고주는 물론 레이블과도 불필요한 분쟁이 잦았습니다.

어도어는 이러한 상황이 발생했을 때마다 여러 차례 문제제기를 했습니다. 그러나 이러한 문제제기를 통해서도 개선이 이루어지지 않았고, 결국 치명적 사건이 발생되고 나서야 가까스로 정리될 수 있었습니다. 뉴진스와 계약 중이었던 해외 명품 브랜드와 르세라핌의 신규 계약을 추진하는 과정에서 이해 상충이 발생되었고, 브랜드시너지사업팀은 어도어와 브랜드 양측에 서로 다른 거짓말로 계약을 체결한 정황이 드러난 사건이었습니다.

브랜드시너지사업팀은 어도어, 쏘스뮤직 각 레이블을 모두 공평하게 대하는 것이 당연합니다. 그러나 브랜드시너지사업팀은 특정한 아티스트에 편향된 업무처리를 하였고, 그러한 정황이 밝혀지고 나서야 어도어의 항의를 수용하여 3개월 치 에이전시 수수료를 반환하면서 계약을 마무리할 수 있었습니다.

그 과정에서 브랜드를 직접 만나 사실 여부를 가려내고 시시비비를 따지는 불필요한 업무 또한 온전히 레이블의 몫이었습니다.

외부 사업자와 동일 수수료 요율을 지불 하는데다 계약 파기 사유가 분명한 부당한 일을 겪었음에도 같은 계열회사 소속 내부 사업팀이라는 이유로 계약 파기 과정은 수월하지 않았습니다. 오히려 파기 이후에는 사내에서 어도어가 까다로운 레이블이라는 근거 없는 소문을 들어야만 했습니다.

경쟁력 있는 공연이나 MD 사업을 위해 외부 사업자가 필요하다고 판단하여 규정과 절차를 지키며 진행 했음에도 불구하고 외부 거래를 진행한다는 이유로 이러한 절차가 마치 하이브의 내부규정을 위반한 사항인 듯 불필요하게 경고하며 눈치 주는 일도 있었습니다.

하이브가 보유한 인프라의 품질이 부족하다고 판단되면 응당 해당 사업 수행 주체들의 경쟁력을 제고시키는 것이 급선무여야 할 것입니다. 그러나 하이브는 사업자들의 경쟁력 고취, 개선시키기기 위한 방안을 찾기 보다는 레이블의 성과지표를 연결매출, 즉 하이브의 덩치 불리기에 유리한 지표로만 관리하고 있습니다.

본업에 집중하지 못하는 산만한 경영 문제는 하이브의 신규 법인들의 성과에서도 잘 드러납니다.

2021년 이타카홀딩스를 1조원이라는 천문학적인 금액으로 인수하였으나 그 이후, 하이브의 글로벌 사업은 성과를 보이지 않고 있습니다. 플랫폼 / 게임 / 음성AI / 블록체인과 같은 사업 역시 큰 자금과 인원의 투자가 있었지만 지지부진한 성과를 나타내고 있습니다.

2023년 사업보고서를 통해 알 수 있듯이, 하이브아메리카 (-1,424억원) , 하이브 UMG LLC (-234억원), 위버스 (-44억원), 하이브IM (-209억원), 수퍼톤 (-67억원), 바이너리코리아 (-38억원) 등 신규 사업들의 실적은 모두 마이너스를 기록하고 있을 정도로 초라하기 짝이 없습니다.

본질의 핵심 사업이 아닌 부가 사업들로 심각한 적자가 이어지고 있음에도 하이브의 2023년 실적 보고는 부실 사업들을 보정하기 바빴습니다.

엔터테인먼트 사업의 근간은 아티스트를 육성하고 매니지먼트 하는 레이블 사업에 있습니다.

2023년 뉴진스는 2년이 채 안된 시점에 엔터 업계 30년 역사에 없던 이례적인 실적 상승을 거두었습니다. 하지만 IR / 보도 자료등에는 이러한 뉴진스의 압도적인 성장세가 언급조차 되어 있지 않습니다. 오히려 편향적 IR 스크립트 내용을 발견하여 수정했던 사건도 있었습니다.

왜 뉴진스에만 이런 일이 자주 벌어지는 것일까요.

4. 어도어/뉴진스를 지원하는 하이브의 Shared Service의 개선이 절실한 상황입니다.

앞서 강조했듯 엔터테인먼트 사업의 본질은 레이블 사업이고, 하이브는 레이블 사업이 번창하도록 돕는 역할을 수행함이 옳습니다.

하이브의 Shared Service는 현재 멀티레이블 체제에 대한 이해 없이 본질을 비껴가고 있습니다. 멀티레이블 체제에서의 Shared Service는 단순하게 공통의 기능만을 지시에 따라 수행하는, 즉 군대식 효율을 추구하는 지원조직이 되어서는 곤란합니다.

어도어는 매년 ‘어도어 전체 인건비’에 준하는 금액을 하이브에 법무, 인사, 재무, 홍보, IT 등의 서비스 수수료로 지급하고 있습니다. 하지만 빠르게 성장하고 있는 사업을 지원하고, 제작과 운영을 개선시키기 위한 노력이 필요함에도, 높은 수수료 대비 하이브가 제공하는 서비스에 대한 레이블의 만족도는 낮습니다.

레이블/아티스트별로 다를 수 밖에 없는 컨디션과 성장세를 감안하여 레이블과 아티스트 입장에서 섬세하게 고려된 지원이 필요함에도 앞서 3.에서 언급 했던 사례와 마찬가지로, 하이브 - 레이블 간에, 혹은 레이블과 또 다른 레이블 사이에서 균형 잡힌 태도를 갖추지 못하고 있습니다.

뉴진스는 누구나 알다시피 데뷔 직후 부터 이례적 성공을 거두었습니다. 하지만 하이브 PR은, 이러한 성공사례를 있는 그대로 알리면 됨에도 불구하고 미온적인 태도로 일관하였습니다. 이러한 하이브 PR의 태도에 수 차례 이의 제기 하였습니다만 이런 태도는 꾸준히 이어져 IR/PR 스크립트에도 발견되었고, 외신이나 국내 기자들로부터 ‘하이브 PR팀은 하이브 내 타 아티스트 대비하여 뉴진스 PR에 소극적인 것 같다’ 라며 어도어에 직접 연락해오거나 관련 자료 제공을 직접 요청한 사례도 있었습니다.

또한 위버스 매거진의 강명석 편집장으로부터 매주 내부 회람 되는 ‘업계 동향 리뷰’ 문서에는 편파적이고 편향된 내용이 지속되어, 어도어는 ‘수치나 지표와 같은 사실 기재가 필요하며 최소한의 객관성이라도 유지하라���고 이의제기를 한 적도 있습니다.

박지원 대표이사에게도 이의 제기를 했으나 ‘읽지마라’, 김주영 CHRO에게는 ‘한 개인의 의견으로 생각하라’는 피드백을 받았습니다. 객관성도 결여된 공신력 없는 개인의 내용이 어떤 이유에서 마치 대표성을 가진 듯 전사 임원들에게 배포되어야 하는 것인지 모르겠으며, 그 내용의 편향성 때문에 일종의 목적성을 띤 선전/전파를 위해 배포한 것은 아닌지 하는 의구심마저 생길 정도입니다.

시장에 대한 한 개인의 판단 오류가, 타 업계에서 이직하여 엔터업을 잘 모르는 이들에게 미칠 영향과 파급을 생각한다면 마냥 무시하고 가벼운 일로 치부하기만은 어렵습니다.

그런데 여전히 최근 문서에서도, 아일릿의 표절 논란과 관련하여 부정 반응은 무시한 채 원하는 반응들로만 취사 선택해 리뷰하는 자기 위안적 태도가 여전히 이어지고 있다는 사실을 전해 듣게 되었습니다. 어도어는 이미 수신 거부를 요청한 바 있습니다만 최근 다른 수신인들로부터 해당 내용을 전달받은 바, 리뷰에 공감하지 못했던 것이 비단 어도어만은 아니라는 것을 확인할 수 있었습니다.

얼마 전 뉴진스는 일본의 첫 공연을 도쿄돔에서 진행한다는 초유의 뉴스를 배포했습니다.

그런데 공교롭게도 하이브는 UMG 유통 계약 체결이라는 뉴스를 같은 날짜, 시간대에 배포하고 이 내용이 호재라고 알렸습니다. 이러한 기사를 접한 뉴진스 법정대리인은 어도어에 다음과 같은 내용을 문의해 왔습니다.

“하이브 PR팀은 데스크에서 모든 기사를 배포하고 콘트롤 하는 것이 가능하지 않나요? UMG 건이 좋은 뉴스라면 뉴진스 빅뉴스와 분리해 연일 호재를 이어가는 모습으로 홍보하는 것이 상식적이며 하이브에도 더 이득일텐데요, 오랜만의 컴백을 알리는 뉴진스에 포커스를 맞추고 도쿄돔 최단기 입성이라는 빅뉴스를 홍보해도 모자른 시점에, 하이브는 어떠한 이유에서 굳이 겹치게 배포하여 UMG 계약 기사의 대단함을 홍보한 것인지, 그 이유가 궁금합니다.”

우연히 날짜가 겹쳤다 하더라도 모든 뉴스를 취합하고 정리하여 협의, 조율해 서로의 이득을 극대화하는 방법을 찾는 것이 하이브 PR의 존재 이유입니다.

특히, 뉴진스와 레이블도 다르고 평균 연령이 높은 팀 임에도, 홍보할 때만 굳이 묶어 ‘하이브 막내딸’이라는 수식어로 표현해 가면서까지 배려하는 아일릿에 대한 하이브의 노골적 지원과 비교하면 상당히 대조되는 내용입니다.

아일릿 표절 사태에 대해 CCO에게 물었을 때,

“데뷔 전에 표절과 관련된 얘기가 나왔으나, 정식 데뷔로 무대와 음악 발표되고 난 뒤에는 오히려 그런 논란이 사그러든 상황으로 보고 있다” 는 답변이 돌아왔습니다.

표절 시비가 생겨 널리 이슈가 된 점은 공공연한 사실입니다. 그리고 시비 여부를 차치 하고서라도, 한 회사 내에 불필요한 노이즈 이슈에 휘���린 피해 레이블이 버젓이 존재하는 상황입니다.

놀라운 점은, 하이브 PR을 총괄하는 중책의 임원마저도 특정 레이블에 편향된 의사를 아무렇지 않게 피해를 입은 레이블에 전달하고 있다는 점입니다.

하이브는 ‘표절 시비가 회자되고 이슈가 된 것부터 문제’라는, 그리고 그로 인해 ‘피해를 당한’ 대상이 존재한다는 지극히 당연한 이치부터 깨달아야 할 것 같습니다.

5. 하이브의 경영 윤리 원칙은 무엇입니까? 뉴진스 법정대리인과 어도어는 하이브에 묻습니다.

모회사가 잘 된 자회사의 것을 함부로 취하고, 그럴 때만 한 회사라는 점을 강조하며 상대 동의없이 연관지어 마케팅하고, 눈 가리고 아웅하는 뻔뻔한 태도로 일관하는 것이, 창업 당시 오랜 엔터 업계의 부조리에 항거한다는 하이브의 태도입니까.

음악에 정말 자신이 있었다면, 왜 뉴진스의 컨셉 모사가 필요하고 뉴진스의 안무가 필요하며, 뉴진스의 화제성을 이용했어야 했습니까. 왜 정정당당하게 자신들의 작업만으로 승부를 보지 못하는 것입니까. 그렇게 얻은 결과가 기쁠 수 있습니까?

‘뉴진스 신드롬’이라는 말이 생겨날 정도로 뉴진스가 대성공하여 KPOP 트렌드를 바꾸었고, 그로 인해 음악 제작의 유행 또한, 기존 걸크러쉬 스타일에서 소위 ‘뉴진스 스타일’로 대변되는 이지리스닝 계열로 크게 변화되었습니다. 이는 시장 선도와 멀티 레이블의 성공이라는 타이틀로 하이브의 기업 이미지는 물론, 주가에도 큰 기여를 했습니다. 뉴진스 이후에 데뷔한 신인들은 성별을 가릴 것 없이 뉴진스의 영향을 받았으며 하이브는 문제가 될 정도의 수준으로 그 흐름에 동참했습니다.

하이브는 어떠한 이유에서, KPOP의 흐름을 바꾸고 선도한 어도어/뉴진스를 보호하기는 커녕 모회사가 나서 뉴진스에 대한 활동 방해의 화근과 요인을 만드는 것입니까.

뉴진스의 고유한 아이덴티티를 창작함에 있어 어떤 기여도도 없는 조직과 사람들이 왜 뉴진스의 것을 공공재인 듯 함부로 사용하고, 흔한 것인 듯 이용하여 공들여 쌓아올린 뉴진스의 이미지에 해를 입히는 것입니까.

하이브는 아일릿의 없던 인지도 상승을 위해, 가장 주목받고 인기가 많은 팀인 뉴진스를 이용하여 실컷 화제성을 끌어올리는데 동원하고 비교/대조로 인한 언급량을 생성해 이미지를 소진시키는 것으로도 모자라, 적반하장으로 다르다라는 반대 급부의 반응을 역으로 이용하기까지 하여 뉴진스의 가치 평판을 훼손했습니다.

하이브는 아티스트 RM에 대한 개념도, 소속 창작자/아티스트에 대한 균형잡힌 예우라는 기본 개념도 없는 상태라는 사실이 금번의 일로 확인되었습니다.

이런 일이 타 회사도 아닌 모회사에서 벌어진 일이라는 것이 황망한 가운데, 어도어/뉴진스가 이미 입은 피해는 어떻게 보상받을 수 있는 것인지 묻습니다.

뉴진스 법정대리인과 어도어는, 뉴진스에 대한 배려는 커녕 불필요하게 뉴진스의 가치를 소진하고 이용한 하이브에 책임을 묻는 한편, 본 서한에 담긴 내용에 대한 현실적인 시정을 요구합니다.

더불어 아일릿 마케팅 방향성 및 컨셉 전면 수정을 요청합니다.

2019년 오래도록 민��진의 창작물을 선망해 성덕의 마음으로 영입을 제안 하신다고 하셨던 방시혁 의장의 의도는 결국, 민희진의 창작물을 쉽게 도용하고 활용할 수 있을 것이라는 기대에서 비롯된 것이었는지요.

르세라핌의 데뷔 전, 하이브 첫번 째 걸그룹에 대한 계획이 일방적으로 변경/통보된 것도 무례하고 무책임한 사건이었지만, 그것으로도 모자라 르세라핌의 데뷔 전까지 ‘민희진 걸그룹’에 대한 홍보를 하지 말아달라며 박지원 대표이사가 민희진에게 간청했던 내용이 아직도 대화 기록으로 남아 있습니다. 방시혁 의장의 요청으로 알고 있습니다.

전원 신인임을 밝히면 ‘민희진이 준비하는 팀이 어떤 팀인지 확연히 드러난다’는 비상식적인 이유로 뉴진스의 홍보를 하지 말아달라는 해괴하고 납득하기 어려운 요구를 했던 그 때와 지금의 하이브는 달라진 점이 없습니다.

외부적으로는 멀티레이블 체제를 홍보하며 하이브가 합리적인 운영을 하는 듯 보이지만, 어도어 설립 당시를 돌이켜 보면 이 또한 사실과 다릅니다.

민희진은 쏘스 뮤직으로부터 하이브에 의해 변경된 데뷔 계획을 일방적으로 통보 받았습니다.

르세라핌이 하이브의 첫 번째 걸그룹이 될 것이고, 당시 데뷔조 연습생들은 쏘스 뮤직의 차기 팀이 될 것이라는 내용이었습니다. 당시 데뷔조 연습생들이 현재 뉴진스 멤버들이 포함되어 있던 연습생팀입니다.

하이브가 먼저 약속을 어기고 데뷔 시점을 일방적으로 바꾼 상황에 대한 양해를 구하며 자발적으로 먼저 별도 레이블 설립 의견을 제안 했어도 시원치 않았을 상황에서 쏘스 뮤직의 차기 팀이라니요.

하이브의 첫 번째 걸그룹이라는 대외 공표에 민희진을 이용하고 그 홍보를 바탕으로 연습생들을 계약 했음에도 약속을 헌신짝처럼 쉽게 저버리는 하이브에, 당시 민희진을 비롯한 현 어도어 임직원들은 큰 환멸을 느껴 퇴사하고 싶었습니다. 하지만 대중들과 남겨진 연습생들에게, 우리들마저 책임감 없이 약속을 지키지 않는 사람으로 인식되고 싶지 않았습니다.

당시 박지원 대표이사에게 이런 의도를 설명하며 어도어를 설립해 별도 데뷔를 기획 하겠다는 제안을 전달했습니다.

어도어 설립과정이 기꺼이 흔쾌하고 수월했던 과정이었던가요.

지난 여러 사건들을 돌이켜 보면, 방시혁 의장의 주변엔 객관적으로 직시해야 하는 업계 동향마저도 편파적으로 기술해 보고할 만큼, 직언을 해주는 인물들이 없다는 생각을 하지 않을 수 없습니다.

3년 전의 비상식적인 요구를 바로 잡지 못한 일이 결국 지속되어 금번의 문제로 재발된 것 같아 이번에는 분명하게 말씀드리고자 합니다.

아일릿 뿐 아니라, 르세라핌 또한 세 번에 걸쳐 발매된 음반들의 컨셉과 곡 모두 끊이지 않은 표절 시비에 시달렸습니다. 어도어와 일하는 해외 프로듀서들 및 관계자들로부터 르세라핌 곡들이 표절 문제로 하이브와 비용 협의 중에 있다는 소식을 전해 들었습니다.

어느 때보다 반성과 개선이 절실한 시점이라고 생각합니다.

하이브가 곧 대기업 집단에 지정될 가능성이 있다는 뉴스를 접했습니다.

하이브는 대기업의 안 좋은 점을 모방하지 말고 지위에 걸맞게 ESG 경영을 실천할 방안을 모색하기 바랍니다. 그리고 그간 대외적으로 열심히 홍보해 온 멀티 레이블 체제에 대한 책임을 이제라도 느끼고 개선과 미래지향적 목표를 설정하여 실천하기 바랍니다.

방시혁 의장이 대내/외로 설파했던 “업의 부조리, 불합리를 마주하면 말하기 어렵더라도 이견을 말하고 고쳐나가야 한다”는 제언을 믿고 제안합니다.

‘모회사가 잘되는 것이 결국 자회사에게도 이득이 되는 일이다’, ‘결과가 좋으면 과정은 미화된다’와 같은 시대착오적 논리를 글로벌 엔터 업계를 선도하는 KPOP, 문화예술사업에 적용시키는 우를 범하지 않길 바랍니다.

이러한 사고는 ’군대 축구’와 같이 특정인, 특정조직에 몰아주는 구시대적 관행, 악습을 합리화하여 결국 조직을 둔화, 와해시키고 나아가 엔터 업계 전반을 황폐화시키게 됩니다.

다양성과 리스크 분산을 위해 멀티 레이블 체제를 만들었다면 ‘다르게’ 만드십시오. 그리고 건강한 사업환경을 만드십시오.

창작자에 대한 존중 까지 갈 필요도 없습니다. 주주들의 권리와 이익을 위해서라도 창작을 근간하는 기업이 카피캣을 양산하는 일은 상식적이지 않습니다.

사업적으로 둘 다, 결국 모두를 잃게 되는 근시안 적 제 살 깎기와도 같은 어리석은 일입니다.

하이브 상장 당시의 방시혁 의장이 전사를 대상으로 배포한 온라인 타운홀 메시지에 이런 내용이 있습니다.

“회사 경영에 대한 저의 근본 철학은 변함이 없었습니다. 상식에 기반하고, 그 상식을 구현하기 위해서 필요한 문제를 풀어내기 위해 노력함으로써, 궁극적으로 더 나은 세상을 만드는 데 기여하는 것 말입니다.”

“회사의 경영 건정성과 투명성을 증대시켜 경영 선진화를 이루는 계기가 될 것입니다.”

현재 하이브는 창작, 경영 모든 면에 있어 윤리경영 실천이 그 어느때보다 절실해 보입니다.

방시혁 의장의 말씀대로 현재 당면한 문제를 풀어내는 노력을 하시기 바랍니다.

상식적이고 건전하며 투명한 하이브가 되길 바랍니다.

뉴진스 법정대리인과 어도어가 시정촉구한 내용에 대해 2024년 4월 23일까지 회신해 주시기 바랍니다.

[lizyxml]

Here's a drawing I made for my little @suprrstaar birthday ^^💙

I'm not very good at drawing, but I dedicated myself to making this drawing. So. I drew they as Gir! This year, since they met Invader Zim, they has fallen in love with the series.

(Including, they are Zim!!!)

And I also couldn't help but make a reference to NewJeans hehe (The background is inspired by the group's 2nd EP 'Get Up') Taking advantage of the fact that I contaminated them with NewJeans!! Teehee

Also, I am very happy to be able to celebrate this important date alongside them and our other friends (@fazclub). Ever since I met them on social media, I've become a big fan of their work and especially their drawings. Their style is my favorite! And I'm grateful that I went from fan to friend. I will never forget our first conversations on Instagram. And the first video of Moon (fnaf) bugged along with a funny song they sent me JDJSKJSJSJD

Again, I'm not very good at drawing, so this isn't perfect. But I really liked the result! (And if they liked it, it's a good thing jdhdksjjd)

(I'm sorry if the English ends up being bad, but I'm using Google Translate :))

Happy Birthday my little Staar (⁠.⁠ ⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)💖💖

[jiminsass-istant]

Even though i have

THOROUGHLY

enjoyed this whole Hybe vs MHJ drama, thinking about a few things in relation to bts left me feeling less than good..

Firstly!

Let's talk about her direct involvement with bts, which was for Layover. Tae approached her and she talked about it just once and EVEN THEN, she made it seem like she was very busy but still took up the "opportunity".

I can't help but feel bad for Tae, because this woman was literally seeing a shaman🧙 praying for bts to be eliminated from her path to success.

We know MHJ always likes them 'young' and look at how she directed Layover concept shoot-

-androgynous concept which had Tae getting hair extensions

-he lost a ton of weight for the album (entirely unnecessary)

- these particular pics -

You will understand what i mean when you read about how she did Shinee's concept photos, especially Taemin who was barely 19-20 years old-

Somehow her concepts seem like teenage sexualization. And if you don't get my point-

Also see this detailed twit thread about her pedophilic ideas.

Secondly!

I can't help but imagine since how long she has prayed for bangpd and bts's downfall. For how long has she tried make a group bigger than them? Right from her SM days.

And when bangpd slithered and crawled to her to help create a Girl group, she didn't hesitate at all. She knew no other label would make that big of an investment and it would also be Hybe(BTS label) first girl group, first female juniors to BTS. She had the opportunity handed to her on a golden platter.

Obviously not all defamation and malicious news about bts members were by her, but a lot of them could be??! I mean she clearly doesn't respect BTS's achievements at all??

But what affects me most-

Is how Hybe itself and Bangpd himself are treating BTS since the hiatus. They thought if they bring bts down, downplay their achievements and not post about the hot 100 jm got without his support, they would clear the way for other Hybe groups to rise?? Seventeen, txt, new jeans -

All of these groups have articles written on them in a way that DOWNPLAYS BTS.

It seems very intentional. Which brings me to my next thought-

Why is Hybe trying so hard to make other groups relevant? Trying out all formulas? Paying the media?

Do they already know something about BTS member's possible intentions? What is the new contract that BTS signed? I'm sure that contract is not something that can tie bts to Hybe like a slave. Each bts member is a big enough artist to have their own independence with more than enough money to buy themselves out of the contract.

Thirdly!

What is still baffling to me is while Hybe was giving billboard awards, playlisting, music videos and tiktok push to NewJeans, Jimin got none of that, despite being nominated.

I know it must have rattled bangpd's brain when jimin was able to achieve a full blown success without an ounce of his support. Jimin and his success was fully because of jm, pdogg and his production team. And no one else. Just pure, organic success. I wonder what MHJ thought about it? Did she go running to Bangpd and throw a fit about how BTS isn't supposed to be stealing all the attention? That BTS was still carrying kpop on their back even as soloists? I'm sure it rattled a lot of people in Hybe AS WELL AS Scooter.

No wonder Jimin separated himself from all those snakes in the building while making his album.

I can't wait for the day BTS open their mouths.

*sigh*

Anyway, are you listening to HOTS and Like Crazy Remixes EP?

[toletoles]

　　　miscellaneous personal rentry layouts ive made

MY UPLOADS HAVE BEEN KIND OF SLOW LATELY BECAUSE IVE BEEN WORKING ON SHORTER PERSONAL LAYOUTS LIKE THESE!! these are NF2U, but i do allow inspo as long as it's not heavy

all used graphics made by me (IM PRACTICING!!! I SWEAR!! im trying to make smaller layouts for graphic practice) except the tole tole one was a joke kind of so it doesn't really count idk but i still made hte graphic for it anyways

decided to upload these to make up for the fact i havent been uploading gulps

[loonarii]

Ari's K-Pop Roundup: April 2024 (NewJeans, IVE, RIIZE, KISS OF LIFE, ARTMS, LOOSSEMBLE, BABYMONSTER + MORE)

check out last months installment here :)

Bubble Gum - NewJeans

With HYBE collapsing in on itself and ADOR being the epicentre of the explosion, a part of me was a little afraid that NewJeans' comeback would take a hit in the quality department. From the first bars of 'Bubblegum' I knew I had been worried for no reason.

'Bubblegum' is an early 2000s synth fueled record with an edge of 80s Japanese citypop. It's groovy, simplistic, and effortless in execution, and while it isn't necessarily an innovation in NewJeans' notoriously trend-setting discography, it's still a welcome addition that capitalizes on the members vocal tones and the group's style beautifully.

The music video is gorgeous, as usual, with it taking notes from the raw, realistic nature of 'Ditto' and the colour-pop confidence of 'Hype Boy'. Danielle looked especially gorgeous in her natural curls, and Hanni's sharp bob is so striking - she looks like an anime heroine, and I love it.

I know we've all heard the phrase 'I think I just made the song of the summer' a little too much these past few years, but I am of the opinion that NewJeans has successfully achieved it with 'Bubblegum' - it's been a whirlwind year so far for me, and something easygoing and chill like this is exactly the energy I will be bringing into the hotter months.

Even though they have made ripples in the kpop industry, it seems nobody can do it quite like NewJeans.

해야 (HEYA) - IVE (IVE SWITCH)

note: i will be covering the rest of the mini album when the m/v for 'accendio' is released next month, so stay tuned :)

Coming off of the mildly contrived 'Baddie' and the shockingly beautiful 'Off The Record' from 2023's 'I'VE MINE' EP, I wasn't sure where I was going to stand with IVE's comeback. Once again, I was pleasantly surprised.

'Heya' is a track with a chorus melody that makes such perfect sense that you are left amazed that nobody has thought of it before - its so easily catchy, and being 100% real, it's been stuck in my head since the m/v teaser. The construction of this song is honestly very impressive (Dem Jointz is the arranger so this is unsurprising), every vocal or instrumental motif pokes it's head in and reappears in an effortlessly perfect way, even the raps aren't jarring, a pitfall many a kpop track have fallen down before.

Functionally, this song is the perfect response to 'Baddie': that playful edge they centred in on in that track is still present here, but IVE have returned back to home base a little more and drawn from that elegant, untouchable concept they built in their iconic debut trilogy. 'Heya' understands the elements that saved 'Baddie' from succumbing to unlistenability, and knows how to use them redirect back to the right track without discarding the lessons learnt entirely.

While I don't think this song has reached 'After LIKE' or 'Love Dive' levels of perfection for me, it's still a super fun song for IVE, and absolutely a step in the right direction.

(final note: does anyone else feel like this song samples 'flashing lights' by kanye west?? does anyone else hear this? like at 45 seconds?? maybe im slowly going insane idk)

Midas Touch - KISS OF LIFE

(check out my breakdown of the historical allusions in the mv here)

Kiss Of Life seems to just know exactly what they are doing, and the music is just getting better and better. The Britney edge and old SNSD flair on this track is right up my street, and all the members just give their all on this song, their talent is so consistently clear.

Their seemingly exponential growth in popularity and success from debut is so well deserved, they are truly setting the standard for the quality of music of the 5th generation; they are proving with every release that kpop does have more to offer, there is more innovation to be made.

My grievances at this release being a single album aside, this was a perfect comeback in my opinion. Congratulations Kiof for graduating nugudom, I can't wait to see what you do next.

Impossible + 9 Days + One Kiss - RIIZE

And just when I thought I would never enjoy a boy group release again, RIIZE dropped 'Impossible'. The audacity to release something as fucking amazing as this like 3 months after 'Love 119' (which i controversially loved)??? Insane.

This track marks SM's latest addition to their arsenal of iconic house bangers, 'Impossible' revitalizes everything that made Shinee's 'View' and f(x)'s '4 Walls' so good for the 2024 music scene. It has that late night BBC Radio 1/love island pop edge to it that I have been yapping about for months, and I am so obsessed. This is how to compete with Somi's 'Fast Forward' for the most british sounding kpop song.

'One Kiss' is a sonic sequel to 'Love 119' - I am just so obsessed with how much they sound like an early 2000s western boy group on tracks like this, they just exude NSYNC energy. '9 Days' is another laidback pop hit, with a little more energy and longevity than 'One Kiss'. The sound of 2024's summer in kpop has clearly been established, and I for one am in favour.

RIIZE being the first boy group to last more than two comebacks on my stan list is really something I didn't see coming, but it's a welcome change.

SHEESH - BABYMONSTER (BABYMONS7ER)

I think babymonster may start to be delegated to the mini review section of these monthly reviews, because I am genuinely struggling to find something likeable within this song. 'Batter Up' at least had a danceability to it, even if it was highly derivative, but 'Sheesh' is just so predictable to me. Even the switch up from the standard YG party final chorus felt formulaic somehow, and the mini album wasn't much better.

Ahyeon is back though, and she proved once and for all that she is absolutely a necessary part of the group - her rap was easily the song's highlight. The performances from this era were genuinely excellent considering what they were working with.

I don't like being a stuck record with groups I just will never enjoy, so I apologize, but discussions around their future releases will be limited going forward, unless they drop something that I actually enjoy.

Pre2: Flower Rhythm + Pre3: Candy Crush- ARTMS (Dall)

There is something about modhaus production that just works for me, and the interpolation of Heejin's 'Algorithm' on 'Flower Rhythm' is a really exciting choice. The verses, post-chorus and bridge are very strong in my opinion, but the chorus itself seems to get a little lost in the sauce. I can see that chorus growing on me however, and the rest of the song is highly enjoyable, very evocative of the yyxy sub-unit.

Haseul's 'Plastic Candy' is one of my favourites from the ARTMS girls' releases, and with it's interpolation in 'Candy Crush' means I am predisposed to be obsessed with this song. It's a little jazzy, a little citypop, and it's the perfect late night summer vibe. This is easily my favourite of the pre releases so far, but the sheer array of styles the girls have demonstrated makes me very excited to see where they go for the title track.

Girls' Night - Loossemble (One Of A Kind)

LOOSEMBLE AND ARTMS RELEASES IN ONE MONTH??? WE WON

Loossemble's 'Sensitive' was pure pop perfection, and the album was just as impressive, so going into 'One Of A Kind' and its title 'Girls' Night' I just knew they were going to deliver.

'Girls' Night' is a classic LOONA type track, a total kaleidoscope of sonic innovation, and it stuns throughout its 3:24 runtime (we love long songs). My girl Yeojin got PINK HAIR, Vivi got a lore update, and Gowon unlocked her irish ancestry - overall a 10/10 in the visuals department. The rest of the album is an actual masterpiece; 'Moonlight' is a banger that caught me off guard by how good it is, 'Boomerang' has an addictive almost hyperpop edge - it's very evocative of Yeppi Yeppi by aespa, or even Paradisin' by Rina Sawayama. 'He Said I Said' plays it a little too safe in the production department in my opinion, and it comes off a slightly childish for them - it's a perfectly enjoyable song, but probably the weakest on the album. 'Truman Show' brings in a more acoustic sound, which builds with the synth to create a truly cinematic feel - it has a ballad vibe, but keeps it on the upbeat side, so if kpop ballads aren't your thing, you still might enjoy this one. 'Starlight' is a perfect album closer, and although it will never be my favourite LOONA song with 'Star' in the title, it's a really beautiful song. This was a really successful album for them, and I can't wait to see what else they bring to the industry.

MINI REVIEWS:

SPOT! - ZICO feat. JENNIE: I was fully prepared to lie and act like this was a masterpiece before I listened because it has my queen jennie in it, but when I actually heard it I was pleasantly surprised with an absolute certified banger. This has that TripleH - 365 Fresh energy that I love, and Jennie's amazing vocals have made me so excited for what shes going to do with her solo work at odd atelier :)

Could It Be + Freak - YUQI ((G)-IDLE): I've never been a huge (G)-IDLE fan, so 'Freak' really wasn't my vibe, but 'Could It Be' had a Sunmi-esque edge that draws me in somehow. Having heard a snippet on TikTok, I also listened to the b-side 'Red Rover', and it's a real standout, make sure to give this one a listen if you only heard 'Freak'.

Blush - woo!ah!: i am in denial thay the official group name is now WOOAH, why are we erasing herstory?? Anyway, 'Blush' really blew me away - this song is so fun, every second is packed with memorable melodies and beautiful production, and that post chorus??? a killer!! SO underrated, if you haven't checked out this song yet this month, be sure to, it's an underrated song that I can see making it high in my yearly ranking.

고민중독 - QWER: Sapphic themes?? in a kpop music video??? with a girl BAND??? yoasobi vibes??? of course i was going to love it! I had never really heard of QWER before this month, but this song is such a banger and the pop rock sound is immaculate - ( @a-moth-to-the-light this feels very much up your street) I will 100% be checking out their discography, and I can easily see these girls making a home on my stan list, this track is truly amazing.

Final Love Song - I-LAND2 Contestants with ROSÉ: This is the kind of kpop song that makes me understand why this genre is so bullied. What are we doing. Rosé sounded good I guess. Moving on.

IMMM - ILY:1: Such an unexpected groovy sound - big Momoland energy. Pretty much everyone is eating up these April releases, even the nugu girlies are bringing it more than usual. I'm slightly worried about the lack of music video or promotions, but this song is really fun, so please go stream and show ILY:1 some love :)

[outsidereveries]

viral moments, newjeans

for 2024

unfortunately, i see the possible viral moments for the group is about something that will be on hold. recently i saw the spoilers for the girls' upcoming full album, which will be their first one. as long as i want that to happen as beneficial and as chill as possible, there will be delays that aren't in tokkis' control but ador's. i do see that min heejin (yes, especially her) is waiting for the perfect moment to snatch that opponturity and just release it. however, to some extent that might not go well before officially releasing because newjeans' fanbase (at least most of them) is impatient and they seem to want the comeback, like, right away. i see long threads on x and even tiktoks about the speculations why it seems to be delayed, it can be discussed to the local korean sites and blogs, allkpop and other sites too. i do see hybe being blamed about that too (and won't talk about it from what i see). if that's not about their next comeback and possibly or not their full album is released as planned, i do see some other possibilities:

• ador release ep or single release (different from ost/commercial songs) for newjeans before the full album that was spoiled about. therefore, the buzz about the delay will be justified

• ador focus on something else for the girls instead such as individual activities which i saw for 2025 at first but the energies can always change, i haven't asked them yet

• ador delays the comeback after the first full album which will be explainable why there are talks

i also see that at some point i'll-it might (unsure) be involved as explanation from tokkis' side (ex. newjeans was going to come back in november but i'll-it will debut at that time, then when newjeans will release something again?)

asked on 8th jan 2024; 6 of wands rx, queen of pentacles, the hanged man • king of cups

[everythingbap]

🎤 DAZED: The 50 best K-pop tracks of 2023

#38: MOON JONG UP, "X.O.X"

A member of 3rd gen boy group B.A.P and, more recently, a contestant on survival show Peak Time, Jong Up’s first post-show EP, SOME, is a lesser-known gem amongst the avalanche of 2023 releases. His legacy as a dancer has always been weightier than as a vocalist but “X.O.X” swings that balance - his voice punching through the pre-chorus, adorned elsewhere with a husky edge that holds court over the rubbery bass - as its driving groove offers the perfect spotlight for his feline prowess on the stage.

[thesinglesjukebox]

ILLIT - "MAGNETIC"

A K-pop debut that we're quite drawn to...

[7.15]

Iain Mew: It's 2024, of course the single picked from their EP picked is the song with the most candied music-box elements. The song isn't as fully committed to replicating that sound as the tentative spoken word intro suggests, which means its sweetness is diluted, but the other elements in the mixture work with it. The bass stomping forward and the 2010s stuttered "you you you"s are a great alternative, and the 16-bit swoops and pops tie it all together with a fizz. [8]

TA Inskeep: This smart K-pop groove has the feel of '80s first-wave electro without actually sounding like it. I don't love the sound effect-sounding stuff, but "Magnetic"'s airiness (especially ILLIT's vocals) counterbalances its rubbery bassline nicely. [7]

Alfred Soto: Its twitchy pulse and winking vocals are a tonic after the relationship psychobabble of their American contemporaries. [7]

Nortey Dowuona: Super eclectic. I'm very proud of Martin KOR. For a first credit, he made his mark; he should have more than one credit. [8]

Isabel Cole: A pleasantly summery little bit of froth; I like the video game twinkles that pop up every now and then. [6]

Taylor Alatorre: Nobody wants an entire genre, even the most vertically integrated of genres, to be flattened into an arms race pursuit of weaponized competence. But there's a bit of a collective action problem, in that it's very hard to object to any single display of that weaponized competence. The besotted bits of spoken word that bookend "Magnetic" are like the blurb on the back of a bag of potato chips, touting its recipe's lovingly handmade origins and capped off with the inkjet signature of the company's long-dead, possibly apocryphal founder. The chips taste good. [7]

Katherine St. Asaph: Synth and squelch and pneumatic charm, engineered to precise specs. [8]

Ian Mathers: None of the alerts from my phone or computer (personal or work) sound much at all like that notification-ass effect they use here, and yet I have found myself reflexively checking to see whether someone's trying to get a hold of me at least 3-4 times each time I've played "Magnetic." I can't decide if it's genius or maddening or both. [6]

Michael Hong: ILLIT make low-key proclamations: "you're! my! crush!" exclaimed, but only on paper; "we're magnetized, I admit it," confessed, but not meant to be heard. "Magnetic" is all glittery synths and the word "you" transformed into a dial-tone sound effect, toeing the line between fantasy and reality in regards to a crush, but perhaps that's what makes it so addictive. [7]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: Pretty easy to pin down everything here: a spoken intro reminscent of vintage Apink, a vocal melody that points to K-pop’s undying love for “My Boo,” the sort of half-time breakdown that TWICE has been doing since “Likey,” a diaphanous atmosphere that screams NewJeans, bed squeaks that are decidedly unsexy, and pretty synth flourishes and vocal manipulations that are classic “K-pop does J-pop” a la Red Velvet’s “Russian Roulette.” It’s a summation of girlish K-pop throughout the past 15 years made palatable for the genre’s 5th gen. [7]

Leah Isobel: The TWICE-ification of NewJeans -- more garishly obvious, with a thicker candy shell that messes with the textural balance. Still tasty, but less subtle. [6]

Kayla Beardslee: Everything is NewJeans -- except it’s also not, Min Hee Jin, stop making your delusions everyone else’s problem. Trend shifts happen when a force builds up in the background without people noticing, until someone influential who’s great at reading the room happens to give it a push that bursts the damn, and suddenly everyone is swimming together in the changed current. In the last few months, the dam has burst on the 5th generation of K-pop, and "Magnetic" may well have been the song that caused it.

I don’t think even ILLIT’s company expected their level of breakout success: it seems like K-pop listeners were waiting for a release like "Magnetic" without even knowing it, and when it finally came along, it was so perfectly primed for the current moment that we had no choice but to be pulled in. What set the stage for ILLIT wasn’t one group so genius and unique that their tactics simultaneously influence everything yet cannot be replicated, but a combination of releases from multiple big names over several years that gradually pushed K-pop in a new direction. First, in late 2021, IVE debuted to instant massive success with a concept that was essentially "What if we just made good pop music without any gimmicks?" Then NewJeans picked up that same idea and debuted in summer 2022 to even more unprecedented success, causing an instant aesthetic reset in K-pop from the boldness and busy-ness of most leading 4th gen groups back to mellowness, warmth, and simplicity. Between mid-2023 and early 2024, Zerobaseone, RIIZE, and TWS debuted, which was the first time in several years that multiple high-profile boy groups debuted in quick succession. All three hit it off with breezy debut singles about letting boys have fun and be earnest instead of acting cool. (Think about the dorky confessions and bright synths of TWS’s "Plot Twist" next to to the shouted chorus and crunchy hip-hop textures of NCT 127’s "Kick It.") Then, in the span of three days at the end of this March, five different K-pop related girl groups debuted with singles that ranged from mellow candy-colored pop to tight electropop to chill pop-R&B to, finally, the ILLIT track we’re actually reviewing.

Most 4th gen K-pop singles are distinguished by a density of ideas and hugeness of sound that match the expanding size of the global K-pop audience in the late 2010s to early 2020s -- the glut of Blackpink-inspired girl crush comebacks, the boy groups doing a million loud hip-hop and electronic songs, tons of rapping regardless of how good they are at it, deliberately disjointed song sections -- but the flood of girl group debuts in the last week of March focused first and foremost on constructing a solid pop beat, then layering relaxed, approachable vocals over it with a topline that does just enough to keep the listener interested. (If you’re asking, "Is this too slight, or is it actually good?" then it’s probably on trend.) Compare these to the energy and density of "Dalla Dalla," "Savage," "Tomboy," or "Panorama," and you’re in two completely different worlds.

This is how we ended up with "Magnetic," which is nowhere near the most musically ambitious or complex track of the year, and certainly not the most vocally interesting, but is a gently glowing sign that we’ve transitioned into a new generation of K-pop that values entirely different aesthetics. It’s also so supernaturally catchy that it sounds like it was created in a lab: not in a "Haha K-pop is a product" kind of way, but like I think they actually had test tubes with different samples of the hooks sitting around in the HYBE building, and they probably tested them on animals to find the most insidiously catchy ones. (Like, does Lauren Aquilina have a dog who listens as she writes?) "Magnetic" is the biggest K-pop bop of the year so far, and yet it feels so small and accessible due to the incredible economy of its tight, groovy production and its multitude of hooks, which are embedded not just in the lyrics but also the rhythm of the instrumental against the vocals and the careful negative space placed throughout. (Oh! beat My! beat Gosh!) ILLIT are balanced on the crest of the wave as K-pop moves into a new generation, from the larger-than-life ambitions of the 4th gen to the idol-next-door simplicity of the 5th. They didn’t set the wave in motion, but they caught it just early enough to have a pivotal role in its shaping. "Magnetic" is perfectly constructed and historically significant, but it’s also cute and so much fun: I can’t imagine hating a song as endearing as this. Wait... why do I hear boss battle music? [9]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: pretty! [7]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[vitaminwaterreviews]

Young Posse - XXL

I absolutely loved this EP, I don’t even know what else to say. I liked the sound, I was impressed by their vocals, I thought the feature was really good, the title track is obviously awesome. It’s interesting though, because the sound is kind of similar to Illit, but I think Young Posse just did it better somehow. I don’t really know how to explain the difference. Like, when Illit do it, it feels like they’re trying to be cool. When Young Posse do it, it feels like they are cool. Plus the title track gives a lot more legitimacy to the album. I do wish there was a bit more rap on the album, but then again, we got a ton of rap in Macaroni Cheese, so in terms of their discography as a whole (all two EP’s) this is a reasonable shift for an album.

Average score of 8.8, but I liked it a lot, so imma round up to 9.0.

- I’ve already seen XXL and I absolutely loved it. Very excited to hear the rest of the album. This is immediately after I heard Illit, so let’s see how it is.

Scars

Oh hey, all of the songs are over three minutes Except the title lol

Well this isn’t the Young Posse sound we’ve come to know and love

Mildly impressed by the vocals, but also the autotune is everywhere

This does actually sound kinda like the Illit album

They wouldn’t be using This excessive of autotune though

Oh her low register is pretty, alright

Why does this make me feel Sad?

Actually I kinda get Look At Me vibes from this haha

(Also I liked Look At Me before it was cool just to be clear)

DEEP VOICE MOMENT

The synth here is so good oh my god

It makes me feel like I Just, sort of

9/10

XXL

God the MV for this is just so good

See this is what I mean by Fun kpop

Like, kpop that doesn’t take itself too seriously

10/10

DND

And now we’re back to r&b

I dunno why but for some reason this feels more like proper r&b than a lot of the NewJeans style to me

Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of NewJeans’ music, but it’s impossible not to compare groups to them

Woah, BM fits this so well. I don’t know much Kard, maybe I’ll have to listen to more of him

Their singing is so Good, you never would’ve guessed it by their first album

Mmm and now we’re more upbeat

8/10

ROTY

Is this like, a statement of intent?

Oh wait it’s on their Album cover

I love that so much for them

Why does all this music make me so SAD?

Like for some reason this is crying music to me

(Not that I do much crying but still)

It’s got me dancing around the room, that’s neat

9/10 for the audacity to put it on the album cover

Skyline

I always find it a bit weird when kpop groups reference western artists in their music (Red Velvet)

But actually I think it kinda works for Young Posse, at least for me

I guess at some point I’ll have to figure out what all the Stevie Wonder is for

Hopefully someone writes up a lyrical analysis that I get to read

Ah yes, random piano outro bc why not

8/10

[beautifulpersonpeach]

What do you think of new jean’s’ latest EP?

*

Ask 2 (quick ask):

Last year you said XG is a group you like. What do you think of their comeback? Grl Gvng is my fav from them rn. Then Tippy Toes. Do you still like New jeans btw? Ever since you said to watch how kpop stans treat NJ I've been checking the reactions and discourse and you've been right on the money. Again. You could make real dough from predicting how things play out in kpop fandoms.

***

Hi Anon(s),

Get Up by NewJeans is a solid 8/10.

Every song on the EP is an earworm and I've been streaming the album since it dropped. There's no other 4th gen girl group that gets me excited for new music lately, more than NewJeans. XG is a distant second (anon in ask 2, all they've put out so far is a couple of singles which I think are very good, but the actual comeback is in late September so we'll see).

The stand-out songs on the EP for me are Cool With You, New Jeans, and ASAP, but every song on the EP is doing very well (except ASAP that most people seem to hate right now. But I suspect that will change with time.)

My theory of NewJeans' overarching concept being Alice in Wonderland, was confirmed for me in their visual album as that's the throughline idea in all the MVs, despite their very different themes.

The Powerpuff Girls / New Jeans intro being the most obvious analog, starting the EP with taking bunnies inside the imaginary world of NewJeans' townsville, reiterating that they aim to "make you feel like you're in a game", that this sound and vibe is what to expect, etc.

Super Shy which follows the girls within their universe where they're already known and loved (the callback to Attention at the start of the MV which people are already dancing to)

ETA is the first obvious reference to the parasocial attachment that NewJeans continues to highlight in their music. Just as in Ditto, it's self-aware with a morbid and surreal undertone to it. The MV director Shin Woo-seok, has also said the MV plot lesson is centered on how rumours can be used and weaponized regardless of whether they're based in fact. Which... again, just brilliant considering everything about how k-pop stans operate in general.

Cool With You & Get Up are the climax of the EP in my opinion, and in them we see the most interesting and sophisticated expression of identity conflict and reconciliation in parasocial attachments, using the story of Eros/Cupid and Psyche. Get Up, according to Ador, is only an interlude in this EP but will serve as the sonic blueprint for their next album. And this also confirms another pattern I've noticed. Min Heejin has been using one song from each album to hint/tease the dominant sound for the next. So, what I mean is:

1 - In NewJeans (debut EP) Cookie was a slight departure sonically from the other songs on the album, but sounds very similar to OMG which followed.

2 - In OMG (singles album) Ditto sounded nothing really like OMG (the song) but its UK garage + Baltimore Club combo sounds more like the full fledged expression of D&B that we see in Super Shy, Cool with You, and other songs in Get Up.

3 - And now in Get Up (2nd mini album) we hear that their next album project will sound a lot like Get Up (the song).

ASAP is easily my favourite song on the album. It reminds me a lot of Close Your Eyes. As the outro, here NewJeans doesn't hint at it anymore, they show you that you're Alice, and that you're already well and deep within their beautifully fantastical wonderland. There's just enough horror elements in the MV to keep you alert even though everything about the song is meant to lull you into a dreamlike illusionary state. It feels childlike and nostalgic.

If it were up to me, I'd nominate Get Up for every Album of the Year award. And I have to give kudos to Ador for not just collaborating with PPG by borrowing their trademarked characters and visuals, (which is where most k-pop groups and companies would've stopped at), but by finding a way to incorporate even the PPG theme song into their music. Whoever realized that a nostalgic cartoon has one of the most recognizable beats in the Drum & Bass genre and thought to repurpose it in their music, that person should get a raise.

I'm aware k-pop stans have tabled their usual complaints, tried getting various controversies to stick, from claiming Min Heejin was pushing terrorism to claiming that Hoyeon (the respected South Korean actress most known from Squid Game) was involved in making porn in front of minors... thankfully, the facts won (in more sane corners of k-pop fandom) and none of that bullshit really stuck. Now the only complaint I'm still seeing around is that the songs are too short, but again, it just drives home the fact as I keep saying, k-pop stans really have no idea what they're talking about. It's one thing to wish the songs were longer for your own enjoyment, but one of the characteristics of the D&B and Garage genres is their length, because they are percussion-driven and repetitive, songs in those genres are typically shorter.

Also, aside from a handful of other girl groups, NewJeans is producing some of the most fun, interesting, and engaging choreographies I've seen in a hot minute.

*

My favourite still in the entire visual album:

Hoyeon is built like a goddess, my gosh.

*

Ador needs to be given their due. They know what they're doing and I hope they continue having the freedom and cash to fully flesh out each of the girls' talents in NewJeans, because all five girls are incredibly talented. I'd love for Jimin to work with them somehow, Yoongi too (both as a collaborator and in a production capacity). I'm looking forward to seeing more from them in every possible way.