#one of the best fictional idol visuals i have seen

[minsarasarahair]

Tsukiuta 10th Anniversary illustrations (Six Gravity ver.)

[aihoshiino]

chapter 131 thoughts

PLEASE NOTE BEFORE READING: because of the content of this chapter, i will unavoidably have to discuss CSA, grooming, victim blaming and parental abuse and the long term effects of surviving these things. the chapter in question does not depict any of the above but reveals that this is an aspect of Ai's history we were not privy to before and as The Ai Guy, this is something I can't NOT dig into. Basically, stay safe and if you're not in the headspace for it, I'll see you next chapter!

First off though, it's immediately striking to me how quickly the lines are being blurred between the movie's fiction and Ai's reality and how unclear it is when we transition from one to the other. The narration appears to be picking up from Ai's DVD but the visuals are very clearly from the movie as we can tell when Melt shows up as Ichigo. Not only that, but when Ai is introducer to the other B-Komachi girls, we see Mei portrayed as being there even though we know for a fact via 45510 that the founding members were Ai, Takamine, Watanabe and Nino. Over and over, we are shown that the movie is increasingly breaking away from the actual story of Ai's life out of a need to dramatize and fictionalize it into something that can be commodified.

In short, even though this is the supposedly 'real story' of Ai's life, it's just the same shit over and over again. Slicing her fundamental humanity into hunks of meat that can be prepared into something for the public to tear into. That this tragedy is being perpetuated personally by people who supposedly love and wanted the best for her really got me doin the Tragedy Enjoyer boogie

enjoy that one single joke btw i get the feeling this post is going to be pretty light on the yuks

Speaking of inaccuracies, of particular note is the way this retelling clashes with Viewpoint B in a way that feels extremely intentional -- if this was a straightforward retcon, I don't think the people behind OnK would be so far out of their way to make that story as widely accessible as it now is (the audio drama and bundling it with the Spica novel). 15YL depicts Ai as running away and conveniently falling in with Saitou as soon as she got to Tokyo and being whisked out of the children's home and placed in someone's care at great cost to Saitou, all before she formally joined B-Komachi. The reality is so much more dull and mundane: Ai just stayed in the children's home even as she worked as an idol until she aged out of the system. But sad, commonplace reality like that doesn't sell movies.

This especially becomes clear when we finally get to the real meat of this chapter and the introduction of a character whose presence has lingered on the fringes of the story since the prologue arc: Ai's mother, Ayumi Hoshino.

Ai's mother has been a dark shadow lingering in the corner's of Ai's history ever since the start of the story. In both the side stories, her abuse and abandonment of Ai is emphasized and we know that Ai experienced horrific physical abuse at her hands, likely hand in hand with emotional abuse and neglect. Ai is a child who describes herself as a 'people hating liar' who has never loved or been loved by anyone. It paints an incredibly grim portrait of her past and her mother was a boogeyman to such an extent that I'd even seen people speculate she may have had a hand in her own daughter's death.

But of course, the sad and mundane reality isn't quite so dramatic. Abusers very rarely look or act like cartoonish monsters. Ayumi Hoshino isn't some Saturday morning supervillain who cackles evilly as she gloats about making her daughter's life a misery. She insists that she loved Ai and that of course she planned to go back and get her daughter in the same breath as confessing to violently abusing Ai -- AN EIGHT YEAR OLD CHILD -- because she was jealous that her adult boyfriend had taken a sexual interest in her.

I genuinely can't overstate how much this reveal shook me. Based on the way this is phrased, I do not Ai's stepfather followed through on his intent, but I have absolutely no doubt that she was made aware of it given that Ayumi confesses that she began to physically abuse Ai out of jealousy and that the family fell apart as a result. I'd picked up on a lot of stray threads relating to this idea in Ai's behaviour but I had never followed it through to the end result of 'Ai narrowly avoided CSA and was abused by her mother for it'. So many aspects of Ai's behaviour suddenly click sharply into place with this piece of information. Her fucked up relationship with her own totally normal sexual desires, her tendency to blame herself first before anyone else when things go wrong for her - how is she supposed to do anything else when she was abused and then blamed for her own abuse by her own mother?

It's also so, so telling that even as Ayumi cries and paints herself as the martyr in this situation, she admits she would do it all over again and centers Ai as the reason for their marriage falling apart, Ai's beauty and her growing into a woman as the cause of their issues rather than centering her own anger and jealousy or, you know, blaming her boyfriend for being a fucking pedophile. Though she cries and talks about 'atonement', Ayumi doesn't mourn her daughter's suffering but focuses on her own pain and her own regrets. It's so frustrating to read because it's real. Real toxic parents are like this. Real abusers behave like this. Ayumi Hoshino is, as I've previously discussed, yet another example in OnK of a mother who failed her child when she was needed most and it says so, so much about what an incredibly strong and kind person Ai is that she broke that chain and was such an incredible loving mother to Aqua and Ruby.

One last thing before I move on: something that has been a quiet underlying motif of Ai's tragedy for a while is the ways she, as a child, was often... is there a word that's the opposite of infantilization? Adultification, I guess? The point being, she was often objectified, sexualized and evaluated as an adult woman despite being a child. Ayumi's confession takes this implicit idea and makes it explicit and textual: Ayumi did not see her daughter as a child being victimized but as an adult woman to be evaluated and destroyed as a sexual rival. Even before she became an idol, this enforced adultification has been inflicted on Ai as a method of abuse.

oh god. jesus, right. other things happened in this chapter.

I won't lie i did the fattest eyeroll imaginable when I saw Akane hanging around outside lol. Her not revolving around Aqua was nice for the, what, three chapters while it lasted?

maybe I'm being unfair because I think it would be weird for her not to be interfering after she did her death note ass I'LL STOP YOUR PLAN speech back before the arc kicked off but I was so, so glad to see Akane doing literally anything in this story that wasn't solely about Aqua and this feels like some horrible foreshadowing that she is once again going to be reduced to orbiting Aqua because Akasaka is terrified of letting her do anything else. can we PLEASE get some akane focus that isn't to do with Aqua!!! I'm on my fucking hands and knees here bros

break next week.... oshi no ko is my favourite biweekly manga

[adorewo0]

SUMMARY : You are gifted barricade tickets to a Seventeen concert by your best friend. Woozi ends up taking your phone leading you down a slightly hectic and confusing love story with someone you never thought you would meet.

PAIRING : Ruby(?) Woozi x reader

GENRE : Fluff, delulu, idol au/smau(?)

FEATURING : All of Seventeen

WARNINGS : None :)

NOTES : This is my first story, so any feedback on things I need to improve on would be helpful. Also some parts will be set up like a smau. It’s all based on what I’m feeling in the moment/what I think is visually appealing. THIS IS PURE FICTION AND NOT RELATED TO THE IDOLS IRL!

Thank you <3

Chapter I

I stare at the long line of bodies ahead of us in agony but also excitement.

“We should’ve come earlier,” Kya complains.

“I know but I didn’t want to camp. That’s too much,” I responded, cringing at the thought.

“Whatever we’re already here,” she says, agreeing with me. “Hold our spot for me I’m gonna go look at the merch.” I give her a quick nod and she heads towards the shorter line. In the meantime, I look at my phone scrolling through my Instagram feed. Okayy Hoshiii. The line continues to move forward at a slow but steady pace. I look around for Kya hoping she’s coming back soon because she doesn’t have her ticket with her. The line gets a little bit quicker and just as I am about to message her, she is standing right next to me huffing and puffing.

“You okay?” I ask laughing.

“Bro that line was no joke, I barely got out in time.”

“I know, I was starting to get worried,” I replied seriously. We go through security, check-in and then head to our barricade spots. We stand there for a little bit before the stadium goes dark and the concert begins.

The concert is nearing the end and ‘Very Nice’ starts playing. The song gives the crowd that last little bit of energy to make it to the end and everyone is jumping along to the beat. All of the members are running around the stage interacting with different fans getting everyone hyped. I see Woozi, so I wave hoping to catch his attention. He waves back and thankfully I got it on video with my phone in my other hand. He walks away towards the other side of the stage, admiring the crowd around him.

A little bit later in the song they all come down to interact with the fans. Woozi comes to my side and takes my phone to take a picture with me. The song ends and he goes back on the stage to say goodbye, but the never ending loop of ‘Very Nice’ starts. Everyone is excited, wishing that the concert didn’t have to end soon, but they still enjoyed the moment.

The concert ends and everyone begins to leave. I start to put away some of my stuff but then I realize I lost my phone. I look for my phone around the barricade, asking the people passing by if they have seen my phone, but no luck. I then also realize I lost my friend in the big stampede of people leaving. I start to panic not knowing what to do, but then I realize that Woozi still has my phone from when we took a picture together.

I stick around a little bit longer hoping I can find a security guard or someone to help me get my phone back. As I’m calming myself down I see a figure walking towards me in all black. I recognized the figure as one of the security guards and he approached me telling me to follow him. I do as he says and I’m taken backstage to Seventeen's dressing room. Woah wtf I wasn’t expecting to be back here. I slowly start to freak out in the back of my head, but I try to keep myself as calm as possible on the outside. I see Woozi and he gives me my phone back.

“Sorry for taking your phone, I was really in the moment and forgot that it wasn’t mine or the staff’s,” he says apologetically.

“It’s fine,” I say politely.

“You want to eat with me, Wonwoo, Minghao, and Joshua as an apology gift?” He asks.

“Sure,” I say, smiling calmly, but still freaking out on the inside. I went to eat with them and surprisingly we had a good conversation and nothing was awkward. My friend texts me wondering where I am because it has been a while since we lost each other and we both need to get home. Meet me in the stadium, I text back. I say goodbye to all of them, but before I leave Woozi stops me.

“I need you to keep this a secret and tell no one that you were allowed back here, not even the family or friends you trust the most,” he says seriously.

“Okay, I promise. I don’t want you or any of Seventeen to have any controversies.”

“Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your night, and I am sorry about keeping your phone.” he says with a calm face.

“Same to you!”

I start walking back to my seats to meet up with Kya, but then my knee starts to hurt. My leg starts to give out but the person who was walking past me rushes to catch me before I fall. I look and it is S.Coups. Oh Shit.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah I’m fine,” I try to walk again but my knee is still not right.

“You obviously aren’t, let me help you.” I reluctantly accept and wrap my arm around his shoulder. He walks me back to the seats and sets me down.

“Thank you,” I say nervously.

“Do you need me to get anything for you? Is your knee okay? Why were you back there anyways?” he asks hurriedly.

“No. Yes. Woozi.” I answer simply. He straight faces me, so I guiltily elaborate, “No I’m okay, sometimes this happens because of a previous knee injury. Yes my knee is fine. And I got authorization to go backstage because Woozi accidentally took my phone.”

“Okay well thank you for the explanation. Do you need help getting to your car or anything?” he asks.

“No, I'm okay. I’m waiting for my friend.”

“Oh well I’ll wait with you. How did you like the show?” he asks with a smile.

“It was so good. You guys did great!” I said to him. We continue in a calm conversation, but I see Kya out of the corner of my eye. I get up and pull him with me and I push him away. I speed walk as fast as I can back to Kya after my knee failed me earlier.

“Hey!” I guided her back out of the stadium, making sure her focus was ahead. I look back at S.Coups seeing his confused but calm face. I pay no mind and keep walking, inherently keeping my promise to Woozi.

[lv-iceprince]

@daemontargaryennn

hello my awesome buddy! i really didn't think i'd be coming back this soon so thank you so much for letting me do this for you. i just love how this one turned out, and guess what? i love you more <3

this is so so so long i'm sorry!

also since i could easily ship you with half of the industry i decided to give you a boyfriend and a girlfriend so you can choose which one your heart desires! sending so much love your way and yeah! love love love love!!

and you're a hottie so of course you bring in all the icons and have an ex.

~your company~ starship entertainment

~group name~ mireu (which means dragon, basically be fancy and really roll that 'r' )

~group type~ co-ed

~members~ 11 (six girls and five guys)

~debut date~ 14th of May, 2020

~pre debut days~

I don't know how to even write this without glamourizing you. But seriously each small thing that you possess resembles a fictional character or at least someone who has had a lot of time to develop a stage persona. Even as a trainee.

You came in seeming like a stone cold, confident aspiring idol who is for the time being so preoccupied with becoming an idol. This wasn't entirely accurate, you actually had so much respect for your fellow trainees and had wanted to reach out and be their friends but you were worried that it wasn't the right time to be striving for connections with other.

The disappointment at this revelation lingered for a small moment before you realised that you actually drew people in from being yourself, yes you were mysterious but you also had charm and there were a good handful of trainees who wanted to know you.

It took some time adjusting to the trainee life, you desired time to figure out where you were going and what you wanted to achieve but that wasn't ever really possible. You were thrown into the deep end and adapted to the realities of being an idol, but you figured out a way to go about things and you actually found that you enjoyed it in some way. You liked knowing that each day you were getting closer and closer to a chance at having the career you had envisioned for yourself.

You were also the hardworking trainee, like you didn't ever have time to rest because you were juggling learning Korean on top of some studies and your training. But this insane schedule left you with the best time management and coping skills that one could ever have. As soon as you were proud of your achievements everything else fell into place. You were able to perform at your best now your confidence was there. You felt like you were finally able to show everybody who you were and what you were going to bring to the table once you became an idol.

Though you were popular, you were shocked to find that you debuted with members who you hadn't ever interacted with, but you were willing to at least try. It was a bit stilted and slow on your part, you didn't want to admit it at the time but the 10 other new idols looked so threatening, and you had seen them perform they weren't a joke. What you didn't realise was that you were looking into a mirror, you were on the exact same level as them and you were capable enough to be a member of Mireu. And what shocked you back then was when they all came up to you and greeted you with beaming smiles.

~about you~

Starship struck gold with your group, despite this only becoming evident later on, your entire group was a turning point in the companies reputation. Even if their idea was fairly experimental it birthed such a unique group that were currently rivalling SM in terms of style, visuals and KQ in dynamic performance and creative stage shows. It's a dream scenario, having a one of a kind group under their belt but it was true. Mireu quickly became the calling card of all k-pop stans who wanted to stand out.

Since Mireu has 11 members all of your roles aren't 100% set in stone, you all take on certain roles when needed. When navigating Mireu the rule of thumb is the members positions are a general idea of what each idol is capable of.

Being one of the producers you have a significant influence in the overall sound of the group, honestly, the hyperpop almost vocaloid sound of your earlier songs has to do with you. Eventually the overall style became a combination of street and urban pop but you still add your flair to some of the songs. This is actually important to mention because this also is a big part of your reputation as an idol, you're the gleefully experimental one and even if your style can seem a bit out of pocket you are still just so endearing! It really is a case of your music reflecting your personality, so people really see you as the idol they would love to hang out with.

Even though you are fairly popular, you fit into the archetype of being the reserved quiet with multiple layers to them. It may seem cliché but no one will ever really know what goes on in your mind until you have your moment during a group vlog or challenge video. Then all became clear, you went from 'no one is on their level' to 'they're just one of us'. This isn't meant to fuel your ego but you're the really quirky cool one, you have this way of standing out in a crowd even if you feel like you're performing at an average level. Most of this comes from your clothing but the rest of it comes from you being fairly experienced in a variety of areas. You always have a skill that you can whip out or an analogy that will help everyone regardless of the situation.

In some ways you are the voice of reason until you decide to take a back seat and be as chaotic as your younger members. Also I don't know where to put this but you have a very good relationship with the guys in your group. I mean, you do get along with all of them, seeing them as your second family, you really just seem to connect with the boys. Both you and the oldest guy in the group take turns parenting, he is also the person you co-produce with along with three other members. So you can probably assume that the group's music and choreography is so exceptional.

I mean this lovingly. Deep down even though you seem so cool and removed from yourself when you perform you are pretty much the groups lovable nerd who is almost always spending time tucked away in their room watching anime or playing video games. Your stage persona is so different and unique and in some ways it's actually quite iconic. Your style fits in with the groups theme, but it also brings enough attention for you to stand out.

Again I don't know where to put this but something that is just a you thing is the collabs you do whenever your group has a comeback. Honestly no one expects it of you but you always have the sweetest most wholesome collab ideas. Fun dances and challenges or just tiktoks of you hanging out with other idols. It's actually amazing how many idols you know, you may seem like a homebody who only socialises with their own group but during your comebacks you're collaborating with most of the industry.

A small but vital thing to mention is that you are one of the members that brings in the international stans.

This is the perfect point to leave this part of the ship, you are something that the industry rarely has, you fit the lineup of artists like Hongjoong, Soyeon and Woozi. The producers who you just have to respect. Mireu values all of its members, each on can be labelled a visual, each one has an interesting backstory and personality, and you go along with that. No matter how much you stand out you also know for a fact that you belong in your group and that each time you go live, you're communicating with fans who idolise you for every single good trait you possess.

~your position/s~ visual, producer, sub-rapper and dancer

~debut song~ crush(ed) culture in the style of something ain't right by xg

~other songs include~

bom chicka bom bom boom in the style of armageddon by aespa

i know you want me in the the style of supernatural by newjeans

taste (you've got me on your lips) in the style of brought the heat back by enhypen

~debut album~ Something Like That

~stage outfits~

~Relationships~

~best friend~ doyoung (nct)

He is the other half to your partially chaotic dad friend trope. Some days he is your voice of reason but what matters more is that he is your friend each day of every year. He isn't a cheesy guy so he mightn't be as sentimental as most people but he would happily say that you were his best friend.

Both of you seem to have this personality that keeps unfolding as you grow and as you go about your idol lives. Amongst all of this awkward charm and personality you find that you and Doyoung have so much in common. This results in a conversation where you just nod or sign what you want to do and there is this mutual understanding about what the hell you want to do that day.

He isn't a boring friend by all means, both of you are just relaxed enough to relax around each other. You're both quite intense when it comes to performing and being successful in your ventures as an idol but you are so chill. But no matter how chill he is he can't help but get shy around you for some reason.

I guess he doesn't want to seem kind of lame around you, but that's impossible you can see how hard he grinds and how charming he is.

OH AND OH MY GOD YOU ARE THE TWO HOT BEST FRIENDS, YOUR VISUALS WORK TOGETHER SO WELL?!?!? In short all of your fans have a tendency to get petty if they don't see you hanging out with each other. Yes it's parasocial but they really want to see how two cool friends interact with each other.

He will always be there to offer you advice, especially when it comes to figuring ways to rest or improve your vocals. This is his way of returning the favour since you listen to his cute rants about some of the other members not taking him seriously some days.

Some friends have matching jewellery or phone cases, but you two took it one step further and have not just matching denim jackets but matching hats. How else can you show your devotion to your bud. And if you happen to get married soon Doyoung would be your best man at a drop of one of those hats.

~friends~ yunho (ateez), ningning (aespa), ryujin (itzy), changmin (the boyz), hyunsuk (treasure), yoshi (treasure), lily (nmixx) and gabi (blackswan).

~boyfriend~ mingyu (seventeen)

Before getting into the lore behind you and Mingyu's relationship I want to preface this by saying this whole relationship began because homeboy had a man crush while denying it was more than a man crush. He really thought he was getting excited for his surface level friend, each time he saw you back stage, his hug was just him being polite. He was sorely mistaken.

While he was still trying to figure out whether she sky was blue and if he was starting to crush on the hottest dad friend ever you were totally checking him out. All this to say that you were totally crushing on him the entire time you had known him.

Both of you had passes each other occasionally, always exchanging a polite word and a nod of recognition but it was ISAC that brought the two of you together. In the rush to fit all the idols into some type of competition the decision was made to sit Mireu and Seventeen together and get them to compete in some of the same competitions.

This was a whole mistake, 11 + 13= disaster. Both groups had way too much energy to contain and everyone was bouncing off each other. Amongst the loud chaos that rang back to the audience, Mingyu was stuck by your side. Always trying to break the silence with a joke or a conversation to take your mind off of the nerves you felt from competing. However, what he didn't realise was that he was adding to the butterflies you felt, honestly it was hard to contain yourself. BUT it was even harder to not get possessive over Mingyu. You were absolutely thriving with all the attention he was giving you.

The tension between you was growing ever thicker but all everyone could see was him guiding you and being the gentleman he was, constantly making sure you didn't get lost and that you were always within reach in case he needed to come over and help you.

It was a nerve wracking thing being the first to ask him out, though you were hoping he held the same feelings for you, there was always the potential that such a handsome guy was taken or that he just wasn't interested at all. The dancer in you had experienced a chronic case of changing the subject and dancing around the issue entirely until you decided to sit him down and come clean.

Oddly enough it was a few weeks after his Sticky performance, that dance was still plaguing you and like any sane person you just had to shoot your shot, especially since he refused to dance it in front of you no matter how nicely you asked.

Your conversation was gentle but you completely took him out of his delusions and oh my god he was so glad you did that. Once you came clean, he started to smile and giggle like a maniac, he was flattered? No it was more than that, he really wanted to say yes.

It was that sunny day on his couch that you had your first kiss, and while he still wouldn't give in and give you a private show he reassured you between each soft kiss that he would gladly do anything else, starting with your first date as a couple.

~girlfriend~ chuu (soloist)

You know the sentiment that everybody has somebody? This is something that Chuu truly believed in yet she was so caught off guard when her heart literally skipped a beat. What made the entire situation that bit more confusing to her was the fact that you were literally just out here existing.

Chuu had always been captured by a certain type of person, someone who is just so open to their deepest desires, someone who is self aware and someone who is almost as quirky and bright as her. Though she hardly ever denies love she really loves the idea of falling for someone who is as excited by life as she is.

In short Chuu knows exactly what she wants, but it's about finding the right person. She mystifies herself with her crushes since she only really falls when she feels like she fully understands them. This moment of realisation for her came after you had made the finishing touches on your album.

She had stumbled across Mireu's music and was always captivated by your covers and remakes of songs, and since you both had such a unique style clothes wise and music wise. So started her attempts to try and get the two of you to collaborate, it started with her mentioning your music to her company and when that didn't seem to work she took to publicly announcing how much she admired you and how you were the first idol she wanted to collaborate with.

Once the two of you met, one song turned into another and another until you both had an album that you were excited to promote together. She was planning on keeping everything professional between the two, that was until you had your first stage together. You were so into performing so maybe it was a bit of stretch but Chuu really believed that you had something special, you supported each other with so much grace and poise. The bright poppy concept brought out the innocence in both of your hearts, from there it was destiny that you would eventually date.

Your relationship is the embodiment of kindness and love, honestly it's actually a little bit sickening how romantic you both are when you're together. Wait, you don't even have to be in the same room for people to witness just how in love you both are. Loving life and loving Chuu is the same thing, she is your life, and while I want to say she feels the exact same way I can't.

It turns out you are more special to her than life itself, no words can express how she feels about you. In proper Chuu fashion she can only really jump around excited or sing out how she feels. You drown her in a wave of feels and she just help but squeal at how excited she is to wake up knowing she is dating you.

Both of you know deep down that you are meant to be, both of you possess an inkling that you will be together forever and that one day you'll get married. Be careful, Chuu is ready to propose every single time you hug her, kiss her, smile, cheer her on and more.

~ex~ hanse (victon)

Your relationship was built on the whole notion that you matched each others energy. There was something untamed in both of you, something raw that lusted after each other, this was especially true for Hanse. At the time he had met you he had remained pretty lowkey, flying under the radar in many parts of his life, especially when it came to romance. That was until you met.

There wasn't anything wrong about your relationship, it was more that it was extremely passionate and moved way too quickly for both of you. It was a real Now by Troublemaker type of relationship. You took the role of the sexy unique one and he was the guy who was fully dedicated to you in a way that resulted in him shooing away any jealousy he felt when you were in the presence of another man.

You had always had a thing for bad boys or guys that seemed out of pocket and threatening and Hanse was the closest thing you had to that at the time. It was a very unpredictable relationship but that's actually where this unmistakable sense of comfort came from.

Neither of you expected to end things, but you did for the record end it on relatively good terms. Both of you were mature enough to come to the conclusion that being together was limiting the potential that both of you had to live the life you wanted. You both had to be more career focused and you needed to grow and figure things out.

That being said, both of you are thankful that you got to date especially since he was your first boyfriend. This was 100% a relationship where you walked out with a lot more self love and happiness.

~crushing on you~ lily (nmixx)

Crushing on your friend was hard, but what was harder was knowing that she lost out on being your best best friend. She was really trying to win you over but Doyoung had to swoop in and steal the show with his semi awkward charm. She was jokingly petty about it but she got over it.

Mainly because she actually had a huge crush on you and it would be weird if she was your best friend, in her mind it surely had to be more. Lily was just so sentimental over you. You saw her crazy moments, her goofy moments, her sad moments, her happy moments, she just wanted to share everything with you. Not to mention you had such similar personalities and interests, it was hard to dismiss the idea that you might just be her soulmate.

She didn't even hide her crush on you, it's just that you seriously didn't notice it because you were preoccupied and looking elsewhere. Even now you never seemed to see her crush for what it was, regardless she is such a good sport.

Her love for you is so pure and genuine and she is still one of your good friends, however, her crush on you is a longstanding one, she can't forget how you make her heart flutter plus each time you are around her it fuels her romantic ideals.

If you happened to find out about her crush on you she would ask that you don't pity her and apologise for not noticing because seriously she is fine with it. And she isn't lying again she really is the most understanding person ever.

She mightn't be your best friend but she is the friend that you can't live without.

~other idols crushing on you~ belle (kiss of life), sehyoon (a.c.e), jeno (nct), jini (soloist), jiwoong (zerobaseone), wooyoung (ateez), nayeon (twice) and hui (pentagon).

~extra info~

you're the social media savvy idol, but you have so many viral moments on your twitch channel where you do a daily sit down and game stream

for one of your comebacks you created a limited edition clothing brand but since you loved it so much you actually kept the brand open. it houses the more progressive unisex fits that has that little dash of punkish gyaru that you love so much

you're up there with one of the artists that has a huge list of producing credits under their belt, you've even created songs for artists such as key, boynextdoor, enhypen and xg.

you were also the first of your group members to have public relationships which started when you started dating hanse.

~scandals~

netizens discovered some of your old social media accounts and started to heavily critique the way you expressed yourself (basic stuff that didn't actually mean you were in the wrong).

people were so convinced that you were dating two of your female members at the same time, and that the other didn't know about it. they really thought you were two-timing even though you were never in a relationship with anyone in your group.

honestly you have the silliest, baseless scandals including the time where you shared your favourite anime and the characters you kinned in a way and people used that as an excuse to claim that you were a horrible person and that you had to have a past of bullying people or some ish.

[common-blackbird]

2, 3, 11, 18 & 20

Alright, this has been sitting for so long, im so sorry.

Here are the answers.

2. top 5 books of all time?

I don't want to repeat myself with things you know i love (like lotr and asoiaf) so im gonna choose the books that i know made me go galaxy brain.

Brothers Karamazov (Dostoevsky) - best book ever, duh. People are always very emotional about the depth of the book and the big questionsTM, which i completely agree with, but my fave part of the book is the humour. The characters are intentionally lame and silly and over the top, and i just love how the unlikeable characters become likeable ;__;

The Powerbook (Jeanette Winterson) - I want to write as intimately and hit the core of things like Jeanette Winterson. Such a beautiful book. She doesn't waste any words, she gives such visual imagination, it hits you in the heart. Every sentence is poetry. Absolutely love it.

Debt: The first 5000 years (David Graeber) - We read this for our book club, and honestly, i think everyone should read at least one chapter of this book. It's about history of debt seen through anthropology. Or in other words: what do we owe, why do we owe, do we even owe? Each chapter deserves a special analysis and i am searching for a physical copy of the book bc i want to, need to buy it but it's impossible to find it ;___;

Croatian Tales of Long Ago (Ivana Brlić Mažuranić) - The underdog of fairy tales in the world. it saddens me that when you’re in school or see museums or other cultural institutions here praise Brlić Mažuranić, it’s usually in the spirit “she’s one of the first croatian female authors”, “She’s Hans Christian Andersen but CroatianTM” and so on. But i’ve never seen anyone seriously dissecting each fairy tale, analyzing, interpreting her style. Or i have been searching in the wrong places.

It took me some 20 years to figure out what is the point of the fairy tale “How Quest Sought the Truth” and, like, if you ever question your place in the world, that’s THE fairy tale for you. I read this book every year and it still surprises me with its richness in short stories, depth, imagination, all while being accessible from youngest to oldest age. Amazing writing.

Also now that i think about it, that’s the book i read the most times.

Returning to Reims (Didier Eribon) - We're reading this book for the book club right now and im half-way through, but already i have been crying my eyes out and been having so many revelations. It's a memoir about estranged gay many returning to his home after his father (whom he hated) dies, and ruminating on nature of social status and class that effects all of us. He voiced out lot of my thoughts and the way he's self aware of privilege and reality of the underprivileged without idolizing them is refreshing to see.

3. what is your favourite genre? 

I wish i knew! My go-to answer is fantasy, but honestly, with exception of Left hand of Darkness, it’s been a while since I properly enjoyed a fantasy book.

I’d say i love drama, but most books have drama, i more philosophical books, but sometimes i just love trashy stuff. idk. I love themes of figthting against “leviathan”, anarchism in general, ruminations about social classes, cultures, nature of humans, conflicting ideas...

11. what non-fiction books do you like if any?

Well this is where i come in again with the book club (all hail the book club!) where we read non-fiction books, from publicist to theoretical, and it is usually social and cultural themes, like “why do we read?”, “what is art?”, “what is pop culture?”, “what is economy? “let’s start a revolution?” and so on. So far, the best books were by Graeber and Eribon, Bregmann gets a pass, John Berger is great (you should check him out on yt!).

My other passion is history books, but it’s more that i like the idea of reading them and i’m hoarding them in my room, but can’t find or dedicate time for them :(

18. do you like historical books? which time period?

I have yet to read any good ones... Most historical books that i see through the bookstore windows are some romance in court stuff that i have 0.01% interest in. The only historical book that i’ve started reading is Der Spielmann by Oliver Pötzsch which is supposed to be a retelling of Faustus, but i was so annoyed by the prologue already, i gave up very early on... (especially frustrating bc everybody is praising this author as a great author of historical fiction...)

In general, i think it’s very hard to write a good historical book bc there’s always a trap of wanting to be historically accurate too much so you infodump history that has no relevance to the plot. Sometimes it’s better to sacrifice historical accuracy to gain immersion. But you still have to keep it in the spirit of that time and i don’t often see that being the case :/

As for time period, love late middle age/early modern age, especially 17th century lately!

If you have any recs, i’m all ears!

20. what are things you look for in a book?

Narrative, idea and style. If the book executes one of these three factors well, it’s a solid book and i’ll like it. I mostly enjoy the narrative, how do you get the reader to your idea, the way the story is structured, the parallels, the interference of various outside and inside factors, when you can connect the dots from two different poles... it’s always fun, it makes me go all galaxy brain.

That being said, if the narrative sucks, but the sheer idea is original or universal, it can hit harder than anything else and it stays with you forever. Sometimes, a book is really bad but one quote really hits you bc it’s an idea that resonates with you. Like, i didn’t like the book Pachinko at all, but the core idea “Life is like a pachinko” still pops up in my brain all the time.

And style. I think that is what creates immersions, and what makes us reread endlessly. Like, Karamazovs wouldn’t be half as great (to me) if it wasn’t for the slightly ironic, casual and knowing narrator that breaks “the 4th wall” every now and then. When i want something that hits me emotionally, i search for Winterson’s writing bc of the style more than the plot (which is with her always a mess... sighs). Persistent and endless descriptions of grey sky, rain and snow and black-and-white mountains is what makes me fall in love with Left hand of Darkness even more than the incredibly slow plot.

And if this question is about themes, those would be: fighting against the impossible, invisible enemy, “leviathan”, man against society, of human nature, what is love, what is purpose, what is happiness, deep moral conflicts... just happy stuff to think about x)

Anyways thanks for letting me rant!

Bookish asks game

[ultimaid]

TEA ASKS: earl grey, white tea, chamomile, ginger, bubble tea, mug, & chai!

earl grey: how do you take your tea?

answered in a previous ask!

white tea: occupation/career aspirations?

i would love to write creatively in the future; not necessarily fiction (though i would love that), but just with some kind of control and agency over what i write and how i write it. i don’t mind being a copy editor (which is what i do now), but it’s very repetitive and you don’t really get the chance to be creative with it.

my big dream job would be to write film criticism for a newspaper or magazine. that would make me incredibly happy. i love film, i love analyzing film, i love writing about films i’ve seen… plus, roger ebert is one of my writing idols. we don’t always agree on films (i did a big project in college which argued against his review of deliverance), but i really respect his writing skills as well as his methods and ideas as a critic. i’d give anything to be able to talk and think about movies the way he did.

chamomile: comfort movie?

i have two big ones!

jack and the cuckoo-clock heart (2013) — animated musical from france that’s been a comfort movie since i was 15 years old. the music is wonderful, the visuals are fun and quirky, the story is sweet yet heartbreaking… it’s not a perfect film, but it means a lot to me.

my own private idaho (1991) — the first time i saw this movie, i didn’t think much of it. then i realized weeks later that i had been thinking about it nonstop since i had watched it, and one rewatch later it became one of my favorite films of all time. the story is beautiful, the acting is phenomenal, the production design is flawless, and you get to see keanu reeves’s tits.

ginger: favorite color(s)?

answered in a previous ask!

bubble tea: what ride would you pick at an amusement park?

i love big roller coasters!! i am a huge thrill seeker when it comes to amusement parks. i consider myself a coaster enthusiast and i’d love to someday be able to travel to all the world’s biggest and best parks to try lots of different coasters! i went to carowinds recently and absolutely LOVED riding the fury.

chai: what do you order at starbucks?

funnily enough, i answered this in a previous ask for the “coffee” question! i do also get pastries in conjunction with my usual drink, though; i love the petite vanilla bean scone. if i’m feeling really spicy, i adore the iced lemon pound cake.

[mickgaydolenz]

@tantamount-treason tagged me to list my top 10 favourite movies (thank you so much dude fr 💖🥹!!)

so i’m going to go a bit crazy here and get into why i like these 10 movies as much as i do because today i am feeling extra passionate about movies. so buckle up bby because i’m about to get hella long winded ✌️😔 (p.s these are in no particular order except for the first two which are forever and always my all time favourite movies💖)

1. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - i could literally go on for YEARS as to why this is both the BEST and the most UNDERRATED WWII movie of all time (no literally i could i made a whole slideshow presentation and write up to convince my irl friends of this very thing) but i’ll keep it short and simple here. why i think this movie is so spectacular is because it purposefully undermines the glorification of war and violence while simultaneously retaining a very human narrative. Nagisa Oshima, as a japanese director, does a particularly phenomenal job of critiquing japanese societal views on the war, which at the time (the 80’s) were still largely sanitized or skewed to view japan’s participation as a relatively harmless one, by simultaneously highlighting the hypocrisy and humanity of japanese soldiers through their engagement with british POWs.

2. Labyrinth - the movie that got me into David Bowie 💖😔. the nostalgia i have for this film is off the charts and i love it with my whole heart. my twin and i watched this movie so many times we wore out the vhs. i can quote this movie in my fucking sleep 😴. it has such a feel good vibe to it, and i have a particular fondness for classic puppetry (a dying art form in my humble opinion) and practical effects which i think are major highlights of this movie!! just overall a great time

3. Death by Hanging - another film from Nagisa Oshima that i adore. i’ve only seen it once, but it captivated me right away. it’s a film that, on the surface, deals with a group of people that have to decide what to do after a man sentenced to death survives his execution. beyond that it’s a fantastic critique of the japanese death penalty, police corruption, and japanese prejudice towards korean people.

4. Mishima a Life in Four Chapters/Patriotism - so i’m cheating because these are two separate films, but they both deal with Yukio Mishima (an author i am unhealthily fascinated by). the first film (Mishima a Life in Four Chapters) is a really interesting blend of fact and fiction as it details the events leading up to Mishima’s suicide with intersecting snippets from his various books to better contextualize the viewers understanding of Mishima as a person and his ideologies. the second film (Patriotism) is a short film adapted, directed, and starring Mishima himself based off a short story he wrote. it is a super interesting example of everything Mishima wanted to embody as a person, and ironically serves as a near blueprint for how he’d later kill himself.

5. The Game - this is one of those movies where i don’t even really know why i like it as much as a do, but there is something about it that just does it for me. it’s an interesting psychological thriller about a man who starts participating in this game that quickly gets out of hand. it’s mind bendy and the first time i saw the ending i spent a good five minutes afterwards just going 🤯

6. Perfect Blue - the most perfect psychological thriller ever made hands down. i love this movie SO MUCH!!!! a fantastic peak into the super sketchy, super skeevy world of japanese idols and all the exploitative, disgusting hoops they were expected (and still are expected in some cases) to jump through in order to further their careers beyond the idol realm.

7. The Spirit of the Beehive - actually just rewatched this today, but a super atmospheric movie with beautiful visuals. it’s a spanish film set in the 1940’s about two young sisters that are greatly impacted after watching frankenstein for the first time. this film deals a lot with death and how children come to internalize the conflicting concept of mortality. (it also deals with the franco rule/regime in spain but i am woefully uneducated in that area and am unsure exactly to what extent that is present in the film)

8. Head (1968) - duh.

9. Kiki’s Delivery Service/The Cat Returns - two of my other childhood staples! both of these ghibli movies were big comfort movies for me, and i still enjoy watching them if i just want to have some nice cozy viewings :)

10. Interview With the Vampire - trash. i know. and yet this movie is one of my best friends <3. in general i just love the little bitch ass that is lestat de lioncourt and his sad little drowned rat lover louis de pointe du lac 😔🙏. oh. and antonio banderas as armand is simultaneously the funniest and BEST casting choice anyone has ever made. (also this is probably the only movie i’ve seen where tom cruise actually does a decent job acting).

wow sorry that went on forever. anyways i tag @reignoerme @tomvorikandharry @repurposedmeatlocker @vintagecocacolainthesun @birdie-hop @kuryakincore @distortedfractals @rollingthunderevue and @kvetchs (as always no pressure and feel free to ignore if you do not want to do this 💖✌️😔) i also tag anyone who wants to do this fr!!!

[aliceinteyvat]

Genshin Impact Idol AU ideas

So we all know the groups Veechu made with 4nemo, DCKZ, L/yue and, TVT DREAM however, I thought it was a crime the actual idol Barbara wasn’t in a group so, I made my own! I do not have the skills to draw this so, I will be including concept photos by actual groups(older and newer as well as the time in those examples i think suits them just for an example bts run era - dope era for a boy group) for the general vibe. Click on their names for a link to the kpop wiki about them. I also won’t include Lumine because many fans have made their own headcanons for that I like.

Feel free to use the ideas I added to this in fanworks just please credit me for the idea of the groups I made myself if you do. All will be under the read more so mobile users don’t break their fingers trying to scroll past. Wiki links are included for each real world inspiration. If looking for a specific character use ctrl+f on PC to search for them to make your life easier.

Note: their stories can be changed if you would like to make it different for your art/writing/whatever. I just think a bit of drama makes them feel more real. None of the stories are 100% based on any real group even their inspirations aren’t direct copies. As new characters are released/shown in stories I will be adding onto existing groups I made up or, making new ones so if you like my ideas save this and come back to it.

                             7evelUp! [pronounced Level Up!]

A rookie girl group created from the top seven trainees(voted by judges & public vote) in a survival show that quickly gained international fame from their debut single and, performance. No one doubts their talents however, some question how legitimate the voting/ranking was in the show.  No one blames the girls themselves for this and, there is no real evidence to prove this. All of the members believe the show to be real due to their own experiences too although, a few of them due to their low self-esteem believe other trainees would’ve been better suited in the group even if they are thankful for the support. It will take a while for all of them to adjust and, have it all feel real. Will they rise to super stardom or, crack under the immense pressure?

- Members

Amber (leader, main dancer) 3rd place(got the leader position because she is the one who brought every team she was in together to usually win the challenges showing her leadership skills not from ranking)

Barbara (main vocalist,maknae,center) 1st place

Noelle (lead dancer,visual) 6th place

Sucrose (lead vocalist) 7th place

Xiangling (lead dancer, lead rapper)  5th place

Yanfei (main rapper,oldest) 2nd place

Yoimiya (lead rapper, vocalist) 4th place

- Real World Inspirations

Weeekly(Tag Me era - 7Days Tension era)

Girls’ Generation(Into the New World era-Gee era)

TWICE(Like Ooh Aah era - Heart Shaker era)

                                                                                                         SYZYGY

An unconventional girl group with a unique sound. Despite their enormous amount of talent/skill , they haven’t been as successful as their small company had hoped. However, they continue to invest everything they can into this group much to the displeasure of the other idols under the company. Will their burning hot passion find success with the masses or, will they disband early leaving their company in complete ruin?

- Members

Hu Tao (leader, main rapper, vocalist)

Fischl (lead vocalist, lead rapper, maknae)

Mona (lead dancer, vocalist, visual)

Rosaria (main dancer, vocalist, rapper, oldest)

Xinyan (main vocalist, dancer,center)

- Real World Inspirations

Dreamcatcher (Chase Me era - Odd Eye era)

1NB (Stalker era - Once again, Winter era)

                                    1MP@CT [prounced Impact]

A previously underrated boy group that seemingly appeared out of thin air on the #1 spots of all major top music charts. Most attribute their overnight success to their newest song going viral on social media but, some who work within their company secretly wonder if it has anything to do with the CEO’s private life and, the new anonymous investors. Regardless, they have made a name for themselves. They have a work ethic like no other and, will do whatever necessary to rise to the top. Even though fans are starting to worry their agency is pushing them too far. Will they become legendary performers the kind that future generations remember by name or, will their boss’ dirty little secrets make them guilty by association to the press when/if the time comes?

- Members     

Baizhu (leader, lead vocalist, lead dancer)

Dainsleif (main rapper, lead dancer, maknae)

Scaramouche (main dancer, lead rapper, oldest, center)

Albedo (main vocalist,visual)

- Real World Inspirations

Big Bang (Fantastic Baby era - Bang Bang Bang era)

ATEEZ (Wonderland era - Fireworks era)

B.A.P (Badman era - Hands Up era)

                                                    DoDoCo

A junior girl group for kids/tweens made(and managed) by Alice to promote her daughter Klee and, have her gain experience for her dream of being a real idol. Although they perform, act, model and, release music similar older groups they still are children so, their concepts are always wholesome feel-good things to appeal to kid’s even younger their age or, younger. They also don’t have the same restrictions or, work hours due to their age. This group is very popular with Elementary schoolers and, sometimes even their families but, can be annoying to anyone older due to how cheesy it all is.

(Note: I don’t personally agree with kids being idols irl especially some I’ve seen that look like older teen/adult idols it’s scary. However, since it is a thing that exists and, this is a fictional head canon let’s pretend this is a world where none of them get hurt and can live pretty normal lives during & after their time as idols if they choose to do so. I just didn’t want to leave a playable character/important story character out of the AU entirely. Also, Sayu would be here but since she’s not officially released yet and, we don’t know any story about her I think it’s best for her to join later.)

- Members

Klee (leader, main dancer, vocalist, maknae,center)

Diona (main rapper, dancer)

Qiqi (vocalist, oldest)

Yaoyao (main vocalist, rapper)

- Real World Inspirations

RE:KIDS ANGEL (Ocean era) note: also their only era so far it seems but, apparently RE:KIDS is a larger thing with many other kids kpop groups so I assume others would have a similar concept.

CutieL (Debut era - Jungle Journey era)

                                                Dandelion

A girl group that has stayed at the top for the past 7 years known for their elegant concepts although, they have had other concepts in the past(sexy, cute, etc.). Not only is Dandelion super famous but, each member has their own solo careers just as successful. Outside of the group Jean is known for her solo albums and, charity work. Lisa is known for her modelling career and, secretly is a successful author under a pen name. Eula is known for her many wins on dancing contest shows and, the many important roles she plays in dramas. Since this year marks the dreaded 7 year curse fans worry they might disband or, go on a permanent hiatus. Before this year they seemed inseparable to fans but, something happened during their last tour. Jean and, Lisa who were known to be best friends suddenly won’t even sit next to each other. Eula who was usually more reserved during interviews is having to do most of the work since they’re just awkwardly sitting on the opposite sides of her. Eula has never been the best at public speaking and, her blunt responses are causing antis to go on huge smear campaigns on social media. Jean who previously wanted to renew her contract is thinking about starting her own company. Lisa who previously wanted to renew her contract now wants to leave and, join a modelling agency. Eula still wants to renew her contract but, she doesn’t want to be solo yet. She is trying her hardest to get the group back together but, her harsh personality is only making the problem worse she feels. Will they stay together or, will they split? And if they stay together, will it be the same Dandelion fans fell in love with or, are some bridges burned forever?

- Members

Jean (leader, main vocalist, center, dancer)

Lisa (main rapper, visual, sub vocalist, oldest)

Eula (main dancer, vocalist, maknae)

- Real World Inspirations

IZ*ONE (Violeta era - Panorama era)

GFRIEND (Sunrise era - Mago era)

TWICE (Fancy era - Alcohol Free era)

Solo Idols

- Ayaka

From a wealthy Inazuman family Kamisato Ayaka (known as Ayaka) shocked the entire nation when she decided to stop pursuing traditional dance(which she had earned many honors and, was famous for since she was a small child) and, instead go overseas to become an idol. Due to her connections it wasn’t long after becoming a trainee that she was put on the same survival show that formed 7evelUp!. However, her good luck ran out when after filming she got into an accident in her company’s car on the way to her company’s trainee dorms. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured but, she sustained an injury to her ankle that made her unable to perform for the rest of the show and, therefore was disqualified. She was a fan favorite and, everyone was heartbroken that she couldn’t compete. Due to her popularity, her company decided that if she could prove she was able to work after being healed they would let her have a solo debut. She far surpassed their expectations being even better than she was before, resulting in her debuting the same time 7evelUp! did. She doesn’t have any negative feelings towards those girls but, she views them as her rivals. She is quickly gaining popularity for her insane talent in singing, dancing, acting, modelling and, song-writing. She is known to the media as “The Idol Princess” for her family’s wealth, her talent and, her graceful demeanor. Don’t put her into a box though, she can pull off any concept with ease. The question is though, will her company allow her the freedom to express herself to the fullest?

- Real World Inspirations

Note: I am not saying she would be super similar to these artist’s work but, I am saying she has the range and, the potential to reach this level of fame. Since I can’t pinpoint a single solo artist that has what I think she would do I’ll put the ones I think have the insane talent and fame I think she would have as well as a similar feeling although it will take a while for her to get to their level

- IU

- Taeyeon

That was all of the Genshin Impact characters that I know enough about currently to feel comfortable making headcanons for them! Let me know what you think and if you make fanfic of or fanart of these ideas please credit me for these specifically and veechu for the idea of the idol au in general! Feel free to spread this post around if you want to or repost it too with credit. I also would love it if you tagged me if it’s on here or would be kind enough to send me a link to your work/work you find of it.

[accio-victuuri]

2017 BJYX Timeline : At First Sight.

Everything starts with a blank canvass. Oh we painted each others lives inch by inch. from black, gray and blue to colors we never thought existed. Two photos from different places, longing to be one. 

Let’s start from the beginning of this whirlwind timeline. There will be very minimal interaction between our boys, but this will also be a good time to see how they were before working together. I wanted to paint a picture of  XNINE’s Xiao Zhan and Idol Wang Yibo. Before their names got tied to the Untamed and each other.

They were doing their own thing, working hard with their careers, no clue that one chance meeting will be so important. Warning, this post is video links, image and information heavy. I am missing some stuff because this hell site refuses to save things and continues to glitch.

🡆 MARCH 2017

03242017 : The story starts when XNINE was a guest in Day Day Up. When asked, they always say that this is the first time they met. However, they did not interact at all.

But there are definitely times on this episode where they pay attention to each other and it’s so cute. You can find different videos that will highlight these moments better than any screencaps can.

1. Web Stealing a glance at GG

2. First meeting

3. Gun heart - This is the gesture GG used when he introduced himself. The hosts all imitated him and teased, that included Web who smiled too. The same love gesture will be seen in the following years as “their thing”.

4. Doing the same steps for the dance.

5. Web allowing GG to pass and did not lift up the bamboo to trap him when it’s his turn.

6. Red string of Fate

7. Love at first sight-ology

When asked about this shooting, especially the segment when they were in the fields— GG said it was too cold. There is also CPN that the bag Web was using was GG’s.

03252017:  Yin Yue V-Chart Interview with XNINE. GG talking about being scolded for not updating his video diaries and updating his fans. 😂   On the same day that this interview came out, he posted a selfie. 

🡆 APRIL 2017

04022017 : XNINE shanghai concert - BE A MAN.  blessing us with this dance from GG. The next one is the one that the Untamed Cast were watching. He also posted a selfie for this night. 

Full video of the concert 

04082017 : The Wolf starts filming. According to GG, this is the drama that made him decide to really be an actor.

04092017 : Web attends the 17th Top Chinese Music Awards and wins Best New Idol. This also blessed us with the blindfold dance. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW9gM7tfyFM

04132017: Southern Metropolis Entertainment Interview - XNINE. GG sings Jay Chou’s Love confession on this one ( I died ). We also see his very shy side when people say that he is the Visual of the group. Also, LOL at Peng Chuyue’s face when GG says this.

 https://youtu.be/X8Xoax8dIHM

04162017: Posts a selfie on set of The Wolf in the blistering cold.

04242017: XNINE “Say No” BTS is released.

https://youtu.be/wU_tKzK64Ns

04252017: GG posts a selfie. 

04282017 : Release of Single “Say No” - XNINE 

04292017 :  Wang Yibo X Guan Xiaoton release of the song Once Again for the Once Again OST.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0TT8y7VXNk

🡆 MAY 2017

05072017: GG posts himself with that stubble. 

05292017: Another selfie in specs. 

🡆 JUNE 2017

060172017 : Both GG and Web posted selfies for Children’s Day. 

06082017: Zhelife

06222017: Another selfie. I’m side eyeing the date this was posted wtf. 622. 

06232017 : Posted alot of selfies this time. This is one of those. 

🡆 JULY 2017

072017 - Filming for GG’s “Battle through the Heavens” has ended where played the role of Lin Xiuya.

07032017 : GG posted a bare face selfie, wearing Stussy! 

07032017: Adidas NEO CF for Web

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNYqVa58mgg

07102017 : Web CF for Estee Lauder. Our boi in shorts and white shorts, using estee lauder in the morning. 

https://youtu.be/xeTT0QR_iKs

07192017: Idol Interview - XNINE @ Asian Music Gala. They won the Most Popular Group award. This is Where you can see a very quiet GG who does not speak at all. https://youtu.be/7dwA6WwD-5c

07202017: Cute selfie. 

07272017: Posted a selfie photoset which includes the photo he sent to Web, apparently, in 2018. I’m a love at first sight believer, so I don’t buy the story that this was only sent in 2018. hahahah! don’t believe me. 

🡆 AUGUST 2017

08042017: GG posted a Happy Birthday message to DDU for their anniversary. DDU weibo account responded with :

“Thank you handsome and attractive little zhan zhan! ( btw little Day Day won’t tell you that a colleague of us already became your fan. )”

08082017 : XNINE Metersbonwe photoshoot.

https://youtu.be/jM9lla6aF08

08152017: Episode 1 of Love Actually Drama aired with Web acting alongside Joe Chen. He played the role of Zhai Zhiwei who is an IT genius.

08162017 : First episode of the TV program "When we were young" airing. Web guest starred on this, for episodes 16-17 and played the role of Lin Jiayi.

08242017 : Web shoot for Once Again MV the making released.

https://youtu.be/-yn_st5vOO0

08252017: XNINE “be strong girl” campaign message. Have some encouraging words from GG.

08272017 : XNINE performs at Fresh Asia Awards.

https://youtu.be/PzGlTQ3Fga0

08302017 : “Unsurpassed Conference” ; Where we got this absolute gem of him not wanting to talk but ended up being a host on DDU.

Web : I don’t really like talking 

Host : so you went to DDU 

Web : I don’t know why I went too.. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjO5vIfD_PQ

🡆 SEPTEMBER 2017.

09052017 : Wang Yibo and Joe Chen video in an Amusement Park shooting the drama “Love Actually”. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__gIWih39Is

09162017 :  Wang Yibo attended the “2017 Asian Influence Awards Ceremony.” and won Best New actor.

09222017: Web interview and photo shoot for Hey idol. This shoot is responsible for that photo where Web eats an orange like an Apple. 

https://youtu.be/wCqVxog9i18

09232017: Selfie time again 

09262017: Web and Wenhan represent UNIQ as they perform in TV Online Video Influence Ceremony

https://youtu.be/lc_cvlLtSaA

09272017: Web AD for KFC. Please watch this. He looks good in Yellow- dancing and eating chicken. I STAN THIS BOI! 

https://youtu.be/ABH3BfZf4dg

🡆 OCTOBER 2017

10102017: Posted cute selfies with him as a cat and a Pig. hmmm. pig? 

🡆 NOVEMBER 2017

11072017: Web’s Just Dance single is announced. This is the Theme song of 4th Xuan Wu Festival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvsyOxC6cs4

11092017 : Filming of Oh My Emperor has finished. GG plays the role of Bei Tang Moran in this drama that will be broadcast in 2018.

11092017 : Web attends the Ifeng Fashion show event where he won   Most Popular New Actor. 

11162017 : Web recording the song “just Dance”. does the clothes he’s wearing remind you of another recording session? 

11212017 : Web x Fashionable Photoshoot

11262017 : Attending and performing in Star Night of Mister Inke. His style in this one is really Joker-like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75wtl-JAjis

🡆 DECEMBER 2017

2020 : Web is cast in the science fiction drama Super Talent/ My strange friend.

12032027: XNINE performs “ We want what we want”.

https://youtu.be/IJNIgPl8ImI

12032017: Web performs JUST DANCE in Tencent Games Carnival.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbIzvMut2CY

12092017: Photoshoot with Rayli 

12122017: Photoshoot with Cheese Fashion 

12132017:  Photoshoot with NTSnap 

12142017 : BEST TASTE releases one of it’s short films that include Wang Yibo. We see two personas in this feature and it’s really interesting.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP83-bEOEv0

This one called “耳” Ear; about sounds. [What we heard can’t take away by time 🕙 ]all the good memories when we were a child, some one them we might not be able to remember what happened, but when you hear the sound/voice of them, they trigger our memories

12152017: Volunteer Union photoshoot / campaign 

12172017 :  Attending Tencent Star Charity Night 

12202017 : Photoshoot feature with our street style AKA everyone's favorite Web flower boi spread. 

12222017: "Just Dance" single MV release

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asb8I3oqG00

12222017 : Winter solstice post from both of them. Talking about eating tangyuan. It’s of those mirroring posts, but again, could just be coincidence that they posted something similar.

12312017 : Web Participates in Hunan TV’s new year countdown as a Host. 

*** Note 01 : In 2017, XNINE was transferred from EE media to Long Danni’s Wajijiwa Ent. Company. Some initial problems that they had was that their company was more interested in promoting them as actors and not as an idol group. They were also not kept safe in public venues which will be a recurring issue to GG as we go along other timelines.

*** Note 02 : I wanted to add Web’s Rossi posts and more pictures but it won’t save (will try again at a later date, but I think Web’s awards and projects are more important to highlight here). LOL. Thankfully, GG’s selfies worked. I mainly added stuff that they did in 2017 to give a sense of where they were career-wise. 

*** Note 03 : Looking at how this timeline turned into a monster, I will probably split the 2018 timeline into two parts. Forever Summer Part I & Forever Summer Part 2. Seeing the amount of Activity these two did in 2018 alone is STAGGERING. Plus, this site is glitching with all the content when I save it so splitting it might be better. if you have suggestions, let me know. 

[seulgiology]

that’s my type | jeon jungkook

pairings: fwb!jungkook x fwb!female oc

words: 3k

genre: SMUT with an “i love you” at the end , uwu

warnings: cursing, praise, dirty talk, thigh fucking, pet names, choking, a widdle exhibition, a lil pussy spank, ass slapping, piercings, tattoos (are those warnings?? idk), oc loves to mess with kookie lol save him

a/n: GIF IS NOT MINE! sad yer. admin 1 is sadly alive. HERE’S A REQUESTED JUNGKOOK SMUT, I TRIED MY BEST PLZ ACCEPT MY OFFERING TO YOU @itboykook . Also, i just randomly put two names together, so if by any chance that it relates to an actual idol IM SORRY. anygays, being a student is hard and online school is a lot :))), sorry for my inactivity.

disclaimer: This is a work of fiction from our imagination. It is not intended that the plot, theme, original characters, idols, etc. portray any real-life events/people. Plagiarism is NOT tolerated on this blog. If you believe we have copied an existing authors’ work, please message us privately. thank you and enjoy :)

--

Mid July - 12:03 p.m.

Jungkook fit right in with the rest of you, his quiet, odd, yet lovable personality was enticing and it didn’t fall short from the other 6 guys. 

He was the newest and the youngest out of your friend group, only a junior in college. His adorable teeth whenever he smiled that contrasted with his toned body was so attractive and he knew it too. He nearly rivaled Jimin when it came to visual duality.

You all were on one of the campus’ fields, enjoying a rare afternoon of no classes on your spread blanket. You and Hoseok were trying to play a makeshift game of basketball in the field with a random volley ball lying around and your jacket in a circle as the “hoop.” 

You were both dying of laughter from your failed attempts at playing defense and rolling in the grass like a couple of kids on a sugar rush.

Jungkook was next to Taehyung listening to brief him on everything about you, from your flat feet to your unconventional love for Tom Holland. He was sitting comfortably on the blanket, hands resting behind his back as he watched you and... What was his name? Hobi?  He’ll remember later. 

He couldn’t see you too clearly but he knew you were having fun after hearing your bubbly laughter from the distance. You didn’t seem to be coming over towards the others anytime soon so he thought he’d rest his head on Jimin’s plush lap and rest his eyes for a bit, letting the spring sun beat down on his face.

“Don’t you come over here with all that grass on you, Mae, you don’t know whose child was in there pissing.”

Jungkook’s eyes snapped open, and he hissed out at the suns rays blinding him. He lazily shifted towards the direction of the noise and heard Seokjin— Jin grumble to you two. 

You were in the middle of rubbing the loose grass off your jeans when you could feel someone’s stare on you.

Jungkook shamelessly drank in your figure, loving the way your ripped jeans hugged your thick thighs. He could only dream of burying his face in between them and leaving hickies. You were slightly bent over in front of him trying to wipe the dirt off of you, but he had a great view of your full and round ass trapped inside the denim.

Is this what it feels like to look at an angel? Jungkook didn't know what to believe anymore after being graced with your existence. Did he want to worship your body, make you laugh, hold your hand? Or something more? The blood rushed to his center the longer he kept his gaze on you and letting his thoughts take a sexual turn.

You didn’t catch him practically eye-fucking you, but when you looked up and around, you did see him blushing and hastily putting his bag on his lap.

He must be a shy guy. Yet his whole presence makes you want to shut up and be a good girl for him. He was only laying down with his arm propped up for support, and his short black hair was flowing in the wind, making him look goofy with such a concentrating look on his face.

He pretended to be searching in his bag for something as his heart raced when he saw your shadow coming towards him. He tasted the saliva pooling in his mouth at the sight of you towering over him, your nose and ear piercings glinting in the sunlight. 

“I’m Maerin, the only reasonable one here. You are?” You carefully reached your hand out for him to shake with a charming grin on your face, amazed that your friend group just continues to add more attractive men to your circle.

“Jungkook, the other reasonable one here.” You laughed at his statement and his adorable nose scrunched when he smiled with you. You took the vacant seat next to him, and his sight was glued to your physique on your descent, entranced by the minimalistic ink on your arm.

Could you get anymore perfect? Perfect face. Perfect ass. Perfect thighs. Perfect body. Perfect personality most likely. HIs mind raced with thoughts of only you as soon as he took your much smaller hand in his in a firm shake.

He was going to have you one way or another. And that’s a promise he kept. Sort of.

--

Early December - 11:46 a.m.

Those god-awful finals had just ended for you guys and it was time for winter break. It was decided that you all would put in money to go to a ski resort for the break, needing the stress reliever and rest.

And get rid of stress was exactly what you did.

“Fuck, you really don’t know what you do to me,” His hand tightened around your neck in the most pleasurable way, and you were hazy from the dream-like steam the shower was bringing.

He had you pinned against him, his arms held you tightly in place as he thrusted in between your thighs, only sliding his cock against your slick womanhood. You hated not being able to feel him inside you, but he was in heaven when he had you like this. 

Jungkook’s reasonably unreasonable obsession with your ass and thighs played a great part in your friends with benefit arrangement. 

“This is all mine, sweetness,” He grunted in your ear, and all you could do was gasp in response. His wet and wavy locks draped over your shoulder as he sped up his pace, leaving you devoid of any type of release as your thighs tightened around his cock sliding in between them. 

“Jungkook-” You whined to him, upset that he was using you to get himself off. He payed you no mind however, his thrusts speeding up as the unrhythmic slide of his cock in between your folds meant he was going to cum soon. 

"You wanna cum pretty girl? Wanna feel me stuff you so full you won’t remember anything but me?” He moaned in your ear at the thought, torturing himself as much as he was torturing you.

You let out a pathetic but audible yes that you knew had his dimple popping from the grin that adorned his face. You yelped when he manhandled you against the wall and pushed your back down so your ass was to his front. You turned around to see him desperately pumping himself in his hand and his lips slightly parted. The sight had your arousal trailing down your legs along with the water and you licked you lips at his hard cock in his hand.

He pumped his load on your cheeks that were spread for him and he watched it get rinsed away as quickly as it came with the water.

Your body was still on edge when you felt Jungkook rise you up and back hugged you so tenderly, you were ready to fall asleep in his arms at the safety they welcomed. He chuckled in your ear at your languid body and held you tighter. “If you fall asleep you won’t get your reward for being good for me,” his voice was so sweet and you. Why isn’t he your boyfriend again?

“Mmm, really?” You questioned him in a sultry tone, wanting to get him riled up again. You grinded your ass on his hardening manhood and you loved the way he grabbed a handful of it and rolled his hips on you.

“Jungkook, you in there?” You both froze in panic upon hearing Namjoon over the white noise. Jungkook’s finger tips stopped their descent down your stomach and lightly dug in. Shit, fuck, fuck fuck, shit- 

“Yea hyung, I’m in the shower, what’s up?” His voice was unusually shaky to the older man, but he brushed his overanalyzing to the side. “Have you seen Maerin? She said she was looking for you but she disappeared.”

Your heart pounded to the speed the water was hitting you. Namjoon wasn’t stupid, he’d probably figure you guys out, if he didnt already.

Jungkook frowned at you in confusion and you shrugged back at him, your face heating up at the excuse you told the others men to just come see your fuck buddy. 

“She told me to meet the rest of you in the lobby but I wanted to take a shower before leaving. Um... I think she went to get more food before they closed the breakfast buffet.” He lied smoothly, and you sighed in relief and let your grip on hi arm drop.

THUNK!

Namjoon jumped after hearing the load thump and an extremely familiar feminine squeak from the bathroom.

Wait.

Was that Maer—

“Sorry hyung, the soap fell on my foot when I tried reaching for it! I’ll be out soon, don’t wait for me.” He replied in a haste after turning the shower off and giving you a hard look. After hearing the room door close, your body chilled beyond return and your nipples hardened in anticipation.

“You think this is a game, huh?” He tilted your chin up with his cold finger tips and glared at your smirking face.

This was most definitely a game you wanted to play.

—

Late December - 1:30 p.m.

“Who brought the liquor, im trying to get wasted tonight.”

“Jimin, we’re watching Stranger Things.”

“Ok— so where’s the liquor...?”

You smile to yourself at hearing your friends’ conversation, they never fail to amuse you. You were in the kitchen, trying to get popcorn ready for all 8 of you to watch the supernatural show in Jungkook’s apartment.

You leaned on the counter in front of the microwave and listened to its humming as the bag of popcorn started to slowly inflate.

“The guys are here and you have your ass all out like this?” A silent groan left your lips and arousal pooled in between your legs when Jungkook grinded his hips into your ass and grabbed a handful of it.

Your friend group had no idea that you were fucking each other for about 2 months now. It felt wrong to be sexually attracted to each other, especially because you were friends. So you both didn’t want a bad reaction if you told the others.

“Jungkook, someone’s going to walk in—” But you ignored your own words and instead rubbed against him more. You were breathing softly but heavily when you let him cup your cunt through your leggings. He loved it when you wore leggings, it always left little to his imagination when he wanted to guffaw at your legs.

The microwave beeped loudly and it startled the young man behind you into jumping back in fright. Jungkook swallowed hard at hearing your snickering and in a haste, left the kitchen and into the noisy living room instead. He was hard under his sweats, and hated how uncomfortable he was because did it.

They were all seated and prepared to binge watch the latest season of the popular American show when you crept out with two large bowls of kettle corn popcorn.

After they graciously thanked you, you took the obvious seat next to Jungkook on the loveseat. The others expected this, they knew you two were closer than ever. He threw the fuzzy blanket over you both as you cuddled close to the arm chair and put your feet on the other side of his thighs.

Your knees were bent up because you couldn’t fully extend your legs, and it was the perfect position for him to touch you in. He turned to gaze at you under his dark and curly fringe and his earring dangle from the movement.

He discreetly leaned in and whispered, “I dare you to try something while they’re here. Watch what’s going to happen.” The eerie theme song of the show began and you knew for a fact you weren’t going to pay attention. 

You’ve seen the legendary show already. So instead you’d mess with the man directly in front of you.

So for eight long hours you you teased him under the blankets; Rubbing his length with your feet, edging him and never letting succumb to the unusual pleasure. It was exciting to see him sweat while all of your close friends were so close to you yet too engrossed in the T.V. set to notice.

Just as your group was piling out and saying their goodbyes, you suggested that you stay to help the maknae clean. it was late and everybody would be busy the next day but you. 

And Jungkook wasn’t going to let you go that easy.

--

9:54 p.m. [same night]

Your damp forehead was pressed into soft cushion and your hands clutching the closest pillow on the couch as you were hopelessly whimpering for more. 

Jungkook wasted no time in having you ass up, head down with his wet tongue abusing your cunt and giving you a taste of your own medicine.

“You really must think this shit is funny, baby” He said, basking in the taste of your arousal. You whined when he lightly slapped your clit, your hips involuntarily pushing back for more and he arrogantly chuckled at your neediness.

“I asked you a question and I expect you to answer it.” His voice was gruff when his hard and angry cock slapped against your swollen lips, the slickness of it making it an obscene noise.

“Only if you fuck me first.” You breathlessly said to him and wiggled your ass to draw him in even more. His hooded eyes caught the sight and he moistened his thin lips, loving they way your bottom moved.

You both sighed in relief when he finally pushed in, the initial sting always catching you by surprise, no matter how many times he’s done it. 

“Shit, you always take me so well Mae,” He pumps faster, his hips snapping into yours and you cry out from the intensity of it. Your clit throbbed from your fingers circling around it, and your moans were purely sinful. Jungkook loved seeing you like this.

Back arched and your pussy clenching around his length. The way your ass bounced against his hips whenever he thrusted into you. Fuck. His hand came down hard on your already stinging before grabbing them and drilling into you impossibly quicker than before. 

“Please don’t stop!” You cried out, living for the way his dick filled you so fucking full until you you were seeing white. “Look at you pretty girl. You’re such a brat and all I do is fuck you and give you what you want.” He grunted in your ear and kissed right below it, hearing the dangling sounds of your own earrings.

“Ohhh, Jungkook I’m so close,” He huffed before carefully flipped you over and fucked you with vigor, your toes curling and an amazing sensation rushing through you. “Come on sweetness, you’re almost there.” He placed your legs over his shoulder and gripped your delicious thighs so tight, this wouldn’t be the first time you’d see hand prints there tomorrow.

His forehead was pressed against yours as he watched his dick push in and out of your sopping cunt, your cries egging him on to spill inside of you without hesitation.

The feeling in your lower stomach was becoming uncomfortably persistent and with one final rare moan of your name his hips stuttered sloppily and he filled you with his seed to the brim. Your body spasmed around him and your mantra of his name didn’t even let up after you came. 

When you finally came down from your high, your eyes cleared to see the sweaty boy slumped against you, body spent from putting his all into this session.

He peppered kisses along your collarbones and softly massaged your chest as your eyes closed from his blessed hands working on your soft tissue.

He peeked up at you through those unruly locks of his and that boyish charm never failed you whenever he literally did anything. Don’t even get you started on his boxing practices, whew-

“So round two?” He quirked a playful eyebrow at you as his fingers lightly danced over your torso. You giggled when he reached around your waist and applied pressure, the soft skin felt like silk to him. 

“What do you expect an answer?” You giggled up at him, stars in your eyes. You sneakily reached and tickled under his arms, and he let out the most adorable laugh your ears could ever hear. You shushed your laughs with unsuccessful kisses that were even more laughs because of your failed attempts of keeping a straight face.

When he pulled away, his doe-eyes were stuck on your gorgeous face. The way he was looking at you wasn’t unfamiliar, you we’re just too stupid to play it off as the “post-fuck love stare.” But here you were now. Laughing in between his strong arms and pecking each others lips. 

We’ve been friends fucking like this for months and I’m just realizing this now?

“What if I told you that I loved you? How’d you answer to that..?” He trailed off towards the end, his spontaneous confidence wearing off by the millisecond from his impulsive words. 

You could combust with the overwhelming feeling of happiness and your chest felt lighter even with his body of muscle on you. You smiled so wide up at him, you could barely see his own face morph into the dimpled look you’ve grown to love since you first met him. But you still wanted to mess with him for 10 more seconds.

“I would say I love you with all my heart...” 

You think his just dropped to his stomach with the way his face turned ghastly pale and his eyebrows raised in worry. He was not expecting that after your reaction to him confessing his feeling towards you. Was this a joke? But you were smiling... mayb-

“But my ass is bigger.” Your laugh was contagious and he couldn’t even be mad at you cause he couldn’t agree more.

[rens-room]

hypnosis mic thoughts:

I wanted something fun and lighthearted to binge that wasn’t a romance show. don’t judge me. also disclaimer this is just my opinion. 

you cant show the guy with two different colored eyes first. of course he’s gonna be my favorite.

I dont even like rap that much idk why I’m watching this.

it’s like loveless but with rap and idk how to feel about that.

where do these giantass stereo sets come from??

loveless style team battles meets (kpop) idol anime.

ok I love the blue fire and skulls...but the guys with different color eyes had a better sound (in my opinion). 

so far I’ve seen edgy, edgy, and sugar sweet. what’s the last guy gonna be like?

tamaki suoh when did you get green highlights?

so the last group features two tone hair and a doctor! and a host lol. and a brunt out worker which same bro I’m tired too.

ok so the visuals for the last group in the first episode, kinda fire with the giant gold circle stereo and the neon light train. (matenro I think)

i feel so bad for doppo, having extra paperwork and then going hime to find a dead body. 

also the implication that matenro lives together? perfection.

^followup: it’s just the two of them live together, no hot doctor. 

he’s a doctor and a detective on the side and he’s way too old for me. in other words he’s perfect and I’m in love. the long silver hair is actually what I like lmao. 

jk I think doppo is my favorite character so far. too relatable being unremarkable compared to his friends (I too am a brainless water flea)

but his mic is a flip phone so I’m deducting points for that.

claude faustus not only learned to rap but also joined the police. not sure which one of those is a bigger surprise. 

mad trigger crew more like adult, edgy, rappers gokudera and colonello from katekyo hitman reborn. 

I like the visual aesthetic of two out of three members of mad trigger crew, but sound wise, they are not my favorite group. 

so to summarize the groups, theres the punk teenagers who are brothers, the young adults with wildly different aesthetics, the adults with weird jobs who are edgy and like skulls, and the less edgy adults with real jobs and two toned hair. 

I can’t believe the halloween episode was released on halloween. wow I am just so surprised. (this is sarcasm) 

worst way to die: trampled by fangirls. 

I feel like this was just an excuse to make pretty boys with 10 different aesthetics (the buster bros all kinda share the same one). 

YOU CAN’T JUST BORROW LIQUID NITROGEN!! and now you really can’t return it!

I really thought doppo made a friend/that guy had a crush but no he was just using his coworker to commit crime. 

should he really have police equipment backstage? anyone can hear that radio buddy. 

you dress like a million dollars, how are you just a police officer?? like the red gloves? the gold accessories? how do you look so sharp? 

do you think that as a cop...it’s a little sus that your best friend is yakuza? 

half of this show is detective work. which is fine, but not what I was expecting. 

also what is going on with the wack politics/government situation?? the whole concept of rap battles for conflict resolution could have been introduced in any number of ways including “welcome this this fictional universe where rap battles are used to decide conflicts” instead of all this weird government stuff. because the government is shady af and I really don’t care for the political subplot. 

kinda want buster bros or matenro to win. 

over half way through (episode 9) and we finally get to just the straight rap battles I was expecting. 

why is there so much tension/unresolved conflict between these four?? watch it all just be a misunderstanding. 

never trust a pink haired bitch. 

please stop abusing the doctor, he has the most important job out of all of you. 

samatoki has both the looks and the voice for rap though. not to mention the blue fire and skulls. overall I really like his aesthetic. 

like all spicy tournament anime, you can’t forget about the extra battle the audience totally isn’t expecting. 

double damage for excessive english lyrics lol. 

overall thoughts: very entertaining. and probably the show that I learned the least names after 13 episodes. no really, I remember Minimal names. I did not like the slowness between the first episode and the rap battles or the evil government plot line. 

[sprawa-przybyszewskiej]

I cannot claim to know about this play more than some others (Ewa Graczyk, Jagoda Hernik-Spalińska, Kazimiera Ingdahl and Maria Janion, in alphabetical order, are the official Horsewomen of the Apocalypse in this topic), with a lot to bring to the table, and so I will sometimes discuss parts of it which are - at the very least at the first glance - absolutely and doubtlessly simple; but  by discussing them I hope to be able to bring into the discussion some new material, new evidence, perhaps - for the contrary of the popular belief.

I remember when I first read the scene between Danton and Robespierre, I was completely mystified, just as Maxime. To somebody who at that point knew nothing about the historical events, the exchange between them was very logical (and everyone knows how hard it is to obtain, especially in a piece of media where the author blatantly favours one of the characters over another). I am very glad then, to be able to say that while Przybyszewska did everything she could to humiliate and belittle Danton in the more visual aspects of the scene - his gestures, movements, actions, mimicry, even the sound of his voice etc.  - she didn't bother making him out to be a complete clown. His arguments are populistic, but that's not necessarily a bad thing when you're n politician aspiring to be even more than that. Perhaps she thought that painting him out to be a weakling would somehow diminish Robespierre's awesomeness, which is a valid concern. For Robepsierre has little left to do in this scene - it is made out to ba a confrontation between them, of sorts, but is it one, really? I don't think so, not for the large part of it. Robespierre comes in, dishes out few sarcastic lines, looks at Danton with disgust and contempt and then crushes him in a yet another sarcastic line and then leaves. There isn't that much he can do not only to participate in the exchange, but to be visually and audially appealing to the audience as a character in a play. And even though we all know staging The Danton Case is a secondary affair, the main thing you can do with it is to read it and ponder over it, when you do stage it, a lot of responsibility rests on the actors recreating the part. Which is why choosing a good actor can, potentially, make all the difference, sometimes going as far as completely changing the way you view the very same scene you read earlier.

I have always assumed by "the same man" they meant Robespierre. It makes some sense in the light of the conversation, altough I have to admit it makes little sense in the light of Robespierre's reaction. The question thus presented to us is: do we go by what is written, do we percieve a play as a piece of fiction in a real world, OR do we immerse ourselves in the fictional world, suspend our disbelief and for a moment treat it as an alternate reality of sorts?

Polish director Jan Klata has managed to put on stage a compelling retelling of The Danton Case and I would like to present to you a scene from his version, which we're lucky enough to have on YT, with translation courtesy of @that-one-revolutionary​. I've seen the play in its entirety: some metaphors were heavy-handed to say the least, some aspects I wish he'd done differently, but all in all, when choosing the main protagonist, the director casted in the role a truly splendid actor (please note that Marcin Czarnik was young. Young! It made all of the difference and it's worth watching if only for that), who brought home some of the points of character of Robespierre's which could have easily been brushed aside in order to highlight some other aspects of the conversation (the most famous example of this would be the very same scene from Wajda's movie, where the appealing and in all aspects imposing Gerard Depardieu dominantes the scene, thus presentign it in a very different ligt). While it can be read as a political statement, or a match of two great personalities, or a display of cunning on either part, Klata (or Czarnik; it's hard for me to say what the director tried to do with it, a lot of Robespierre's quirks, mimicry, gestures etc. seemed to come directly from the actor, which I can only say because I've seen him in other things and that's sort of his style of acting; all in all, I'll try to treat this not as a discussion over this particular staging, because for that I lack needed data, but it's unavoidable in the long run at least at some points, so please bear that in mind) treats the conversation itself as a minor thing in comparision to what is going on in Maxime's mind at the moment.  Just look at this: there is no significance brought into their meeting, no change of the scenery, nothing indicates this meeting is special in any way. The logical conclusion is, then:  it's not special. Both Danton and Robespierre seem to treat this as a step which cannot be avoided, but which bears no great weight either. The only reason they agreed to make this step altogether is - for "the same man". For Camille.

I do think Przybyszewska's intention was actually to disguise Maxime under this vague title. If this is a play about love - as I will always state it is - she wanted to underline the fact some people will be hatefully loved by those who are beneath them, who have nothing whatsoever in common with the object of their affection simply because the loved one is so great, so genius, so shining and bright it is impossible not to love them. I think this is the relationship between Danton and Robespierre (that is, on Danton's part) up until this point in the play. Danton idolizes Robespierre against his will (against both of their wills, really), because Robespierre is truly made out to be a demi-god at the very least. If you could team up with a hero like this, you should. So Danton goes through a humiliating process of trying to reconcile with Maxime, because humiliation, if everything paid off in the end, would be worth it. That Robespierre doesn't reciprocate the affection is simply a further proof that he is above Danton in every way.

Klata-Czarnik duo seems to have gone into another, subtler direction though. The man that both politicians make an exception for seems to be Camille, moreso because Robespierre loves him than because Danton has any special feelings for him. What is his relationship with Camille, anyway? They are cordial enough, but always a bit on the edge, and we know that Danton doesn't know everything that Camille thinks and feels in regards to Robespierre, mostly because he doesn't care that much, but also because he is characterised as a brute, and this simply goes above his head, it's too subtle, too delicate of a feeling for him to know it. It is also clear he knows Camille pretty well, but he doesn't know his soul, so to say. Therefore, he cannot actually love him, not to the point to make him the one and only excpetion from his otherwise coldly and precisley calculated plans.

Is there, however, a scenario in which Camille could be Danton's exception? Yes, when it becomes more about Robepierre than about Camille. When Camille is sort of offered as a mean to lure Robepierre in. Danton could make this exception only if it meant getting what he wanted (which is later mirrored by his blatant admission that the only reason he lets Camille take the fall with him is to deny Robespierre any joy in life after this point).

Robespierre, however, doesn't see it this way. He actually makes the exception for Camille and I think Danton's words – whatever he means by them, whichever interpretation we think is correct – put him on alert, for the fear of having his secret discovered. In the video linked above it is even more than that – once Robespierre hears Danton indirectly name "the same man", he gets aggressively defensive. For him to have someone like Danton talk almost openly about what he treats as his personal secret (a secret that Danton, being in great familiarity with Camille, could potentially know for certain) is equal with defiling it. I have violated your secret. Do you know what he says in the original? I have raped your secret. It really brings into the focus how much “the secret” needs to be protected, and how much it will hurt Maxime once it’s uncovered and destroyed.This is what he fears pretty much for the entirety of the conversation, his suspiscion somewhat confirmed when Danton says: No catchphrases, Robespierre. I know you.

As I mentioned earlier, the shift in my reading of the scene was prompted by the video. It is worth observing what exactly does Robespierre do when mentioing Camille by surname – he gets visibly more upset, he ponders for a split second for the best way to talk about him. His choice of words is interesting as well:

Both translations here are poor and I quite like what that-one-revolutionary did with it. "Katarynka" is a music-box, so "an instrument" fits much better (not to mention the obvious English connection to the phrase "play like a fiddle", which is adequate here). A parrots is after all a living being, something with a will of its own, if steered by more powerful handlers. But admitting that Camille, from his own free will decided to go against Maxime and everything that Maxime believes in is much harder for Robespierre than calling him an inanimate object, which can be unwittingly used by people with their own agenda. That leaves Camille almost blameless, perhaps careless and foolish, but not responsible fo anything that has transpired.Calling him names serves another purpose as well, which is to steer away the suspiscion that Robespierre protects Camille becuase he cares about him in a special way. He knows there are Danton's accomplices turning ears by the door, so he doesn't want to give himself away with his care and concern.

Ultimately, what do you believe, whom do you think they were referring to I think says a lot about what you think about Maxime's state of mind at the time. Danton's too, though, it can be used as a litmus test whater or not you believe he was honest in idolising Robespierre and offering him his adoration and obedience. In some stagings it will be presented as true, in some as a lie, and that's the beauty of adapting a piece of literature, there are so many options, all blooming from the same roots.

[thoughts-on-bangtan]

I feel bad for JK. He's the jealous BF in every pairing. I say support who you want, but if JM came out tomorrow and said come out of your imagination about Vmin (The way V did about TK) or V went on camera saying his and JM's relationship was awkward (The way JK did about V), I would pack it up. Yet Tkrs continue to disrespect Tae and JK. Sometimes JKrs too cause they also cast JK as the jealous, insecure boyfriend. Too bad, neither group sees One half of their ships are in love with each other

This turned into a bit of a rant, I hope you don’t mind...

Leaving aside my opinions on T*ak*ok and J*k*ok as “romantic ships” and focusing just on the actual people, or more specifically on Jungkook (as well as those who use him for their ships in toxic manners), I very much agree. 

Jungkook is a good person, a kindhearted one at that, he works incredibly hard, he’s incredibly hard on himself, holds himself to a sky high standard, and is a perfectionist at that, he tries his best regardless of what it is he’s doing, his heart is so big, pure and filled with love not only for his hyungs but also for ARMY, even though some have done him incredibly dirty in the past, and others continue to do so to this day and chances are they likely won’t stop any time soon. Jungkook is also a romantic, someone who believes he will hear bells when he’ll meet/look at the person he’s destined to be with/his one true love, someone who wrote Still With You for ARMY and tried his best to convey his emotions just right, who even has the word tattooed on his hand, is someone who’s sensitive to smells, likes doing laundry and snuggles against his hyungs when he’s cold. He cried and was inconsolable when Hobi temporarily left Bangtan, recorded a song cover in 30 minutes simply because Namjoon said the song would fit his voice, and he painted a pretty painting for Hobi simply because he asked him for it.

Remember when Jungkook was a guest on Yoongi’s ‘radio’ in May 2020? How nervous he was and how he felt the need to explain himself and apologize to ARMY for potentially having upset us, even though, realistically, there was nothing really there for what he would have to apologize and with how some were quick to throw him under the bus (again), if anyone should’ve apologized, it would’ve been those people. To this day Jungkook continues to rarely be on social media, rarely posts a selca and goes on vlive even less, and honestly, I completely understand him. I would do the same, though I won’t pretend that I know his exact reasoning.

Like you said, there is a large portion of shippers (not all of them, of course, but I’m specifically talking about the bad ones here, and my opinions on these shippers have no connection whatsoever with my opinions on and love for the maknaes and their bonds, just so we’re clear) who have created this alternative reality version of him which shares no resemblance with who he actually is beyond the name and body. Somehow, they’ve created this jealous, possessive and toxic version of him that constantly feels the need to mark his territory, gets angry and has controlling tendencies toward either Jimin or Tae (oddly enough I haven’t seen that happen as much when he’s shipped with a member of the hyung line), depending on which camp you ask. How long did it take for “JK was so jealous” analysis videos to appear after RUN episode 128 and that moment of Tae kissing Seokjin’s cheek? An hour, two?

And if that’s not what they are doing, they overs*xualize him to the point where it just feels gross and so dehumanizing it crosses every imaginable line. Or they infantilize him as though he were still the teenage boy we got to know when they debuted 7.5 years ago, which is especially ironic and weird when the people who do this are younger than him.

Of course this isn’t just an issue with Jungkook, it’s something that happens with all three of the maknaes, but I feel like it happens a little differently (or manifests itself differently) for each one of them, and Jungkook, being involved in both of the main big ships, basically has it worst. He isn’t treated as someone they love or admire, not because he’s part of their ship but because of his talents and other qualities as idol and human being, but as basically a human Sim that shippers project their own fantasies onto. They lack respect and the bare minimum of human decency. They don’t care about him as person, barely care about his music if they can’t find a way to connect it to their ship, they just want him to look pretty and act accordingly so they can continue living their shipper lives and search for “proof”, even if sometimes that means twisting reality, ignoring context, and making someone out of Jungkook who he really is not.

And honestly, just like you, if Tae or Jimin would come online and say “get out of your imagination” about vmin, I would accept that immediately and move on. Sure, I’d be a little sad and surprised, but I wouldn’t look for ways to twist their words to create some kind of false deniability of their statement, wouldn’t try to find some kind of loophole that would allow me to ignore their words and continue doing what we do. But, unfortunately, many don’t think that way. Clearly.

At some point, I think, some have forgotten why we are here in the first place, as well as the fact that Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung are actual living, breathing human beings, and not fictional characters. We are here, first and foremost, for their music, since that’s what got us interested in them in the first place, right? Or at least that’s how it should be, though I know visual stans are a thing, and apparently shipping stans also seem to be a thing that exists. And sure, shipping is fun, having a pair you particularly like together for one reason or another, because you think there might actually be something there, like we do as vminnies, or because you simply like their dynamic, but the moment your entire existence as ARMY is merely revolving around your ship and finding ways to prove, against all logic and contextual evidence, that they are real, even if it means disrespecting the people that are part of your ship, as well as the other five people in the group they love more than anyone, that’s when you’ve gone too far. Way too far.

We know how much Jungkook loves the members, how much he respects them, and we know he had a bit of an awkward rough patch (at least partially) with Tae, since they told us about that, and he enjoys spending time and being silly with Jimin, and yet ship camp one and two have no issue disrespecting, belittling, badmouthing and erasing his friendships with either of them, or basically flat out calling him a liar (or a BH controlled puppet with no free will or ability to speak out when he doesn’t like something) because what he said about his friendship with Tae doesn’t fit their agenda.

Jungkook is basically stripped of all agency, humanity, free will, and everything else that makes him a person, an idol, and just an extremely talented and kind individual. They even try to take away his name despite the well-known fact that Koreans don’t change last names. It’s upsetting, unsettling, and wrong on every possible level.

I couldn’t care less which BTS duo others ship, I’m not the kind of person who will go and try to convince others that I’m right and they are wrong because, for all we know, we could all be wrong, but I think the least anyone in the shipping world can do is have enough restraint and humanity in them to show a bare minimum of respect for the people they ship and treat them like human beings, not Sims or dolls. Especially since we know the members are aware of all of this to some degree because there is no way they didn’t notice all the comments during vlives across the years, didn’t notice the videos on YouTube (we know Jungkook looks up reaction videos etc), and didn’t notice the posts on Weverse, after all we had Tae tell off a shipper.

All I really wish for is for people to see and treat Jungkook as the good, kind, intelligent and talented person he is. Ship him with whoever you want, that’s none of my business, but please respect him and see him for who he is, not who you’d want him to be so there would be more drama to theorize about. It’s the least he deserves. It’s the least all of them do.

[davidmann95]

Comics this week (5/26/2021)?

Heroes Reborn #4: JAMES STOKOE?! Hahahahaha this shit ruled

Heroes Reborn: Magneto & The Mutant Force #1: Nothing revolutionary but if you're in for Orlando or any of a couple eras of X-Men worth a look-see.

X-Men #20: I recently realized Hickman's entire 'main' X-Men run has been nothing but setup for either what he'll do with his upcoming next book, X of Swords, or other titles in the line, and that the real story hasn't actually progressed since HoXPoX. Glad to see any sign of that changing soon.

The Marvels #2: My dad did want to get it himself after all, and it's a perfectly decent issue.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #26: I think I'm done. This represented another slight uptick but I don't think I can justify continuing with a book defined by its occasional slight upticks anymore.

Abbott 1973 #5: This on the other hand flat-out sucked and I'm not bothering with whatever trilogy-capper's in store.

Haha #5: Another relatively not-horrifying one! Maybe Prince really is starting to vary himself a bit. In any case it's Walta so obviously it's gorgeous, if you're already in the tank for anyone involved this issue's a treat.

The Department of Truth #9: Oh boy howdy do I love me a good high-falutin' bullshit lecture issue. This can't exactly hang with Promethea in that regard but it's a respectable mere rung or two down.

The Blue Flame #1: This didn't knock my socks off the way I was hoping, but for a mini of I believe just a few issues I'm curious enough where it'll go.

Strange Adventures #10: I don't think it'll go for a disappointing 'actually it was Alanna all along!' ending at this point so I'm pretty wholeheartedly enjoying this testament to how hard my least-favorite character sucks. Everybody's fixed on the map, but personally my favorite art accomplishments of the issue were Doc's look at the Seafolk and Gerads' Alanna in flight.

Action Comics #1031: PKJ continues to strut his stuff but for me this was first and foremost a Sampere showcase issue, this is the most since Ryan Sook I've thought "this is the guy who should define Superman's interior art for the next decade".

Batman/Superman #18: Increasingly a slight Multiversity vibe to this whole thing even besides the dimension-hopping, with 'traditional' storytelling giving way to something more unsettling as a reveal of deeper social truths - I continue to extremely fuck with it.

RWBY/Justice League (digital) #10: A letdown tbh aside from Bennett clearly having her own take on the arc of Yang and Blake's relationship; I was hoping this is where her character talent would get a chance to shine, but not so much. It just feels shockingly perfunctory compared to her original run, though I suppose that's par for the course with crossovers, and I'll continue to hope for a more fruitful sequel.

Batman: Black and White #6:

Thomas/Randolph/Bennett: Unsurprisingly a fun little story coming from Thomas. However - and I'll concede it'd be hard to do a 'Batman realizes that as a white man however well-meaning he's still unconsciously practicing systemic racism' story I'd be 100% onboard for, and maybe that's just on me as a white guy who doesn't want that fictional idol despoiled in quite that way - I've never bought the idea that there are parts of Gotham Batman avoids, whether the East Side or the Cauldron or in this case The Hill.

Charretier/Colinet/Maher: Nice but we've all seen this exact story done better before, though the last panel of the kids' recounting was effectively striking and Charretier really struck the perfect visual balance for it.

Derington/Wands: Writing's not as good as it wants to be but who cares it's Derrington drawing Batman.

Arcudi/Harren/Napolitano: ...ok?

Snyder/Romita/Janson/Napolitano: It's fine, it's a Scott Snyder Batman story so you know roughly what you're getting (though his chapter in Detective Comics #1027 really should have been his last word on the character), and Romita Jr. does his best work in a minute here.

The Other History of the DC Universe #4: Probably the best issue since the first, bringing back a lot of the intimate focus in possessed and the same visible filter of how this particular character is perceiving things in a way the reader is inevitably going to clash with that gives the whole thing a charge. And my philosophy-major dad will definitely get a kick out of the last couple pages. Shame it didn't end with "AND THEN I RECRUITED THE SUPERMEN OF THE MULTIVERSE TO HELP BEAT UP MANDRAAK THE DARK MONITOR" though.

[passionate-reply]

This week on Great Albums, I finally explain the deal with that record you’ve seen in the background of these videos, with those dudes working in the office. These dudes used to be in the Human League! Oh, and they really hate fascism. Full transcript of the video after the break.

Welcome to Passionate Reply, and welcome to Great Albums! Today, I’ll be looking at the debut album of Heaven 17: 1981’s Penthouse & Pavement. While you may not be familiar with Heaven 17, chances are pretty good that if you know your Western pop, you’ve heard of the Human League! Before forming Heaven 17, Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware were members of the Human League--and they were also the band’s creative core. But they had a very different artistic vision, and one that doesn’t exactly prefigure the success of hits like “Don’t You Want Me.”

Music: “Being Boiled”

Between its plodding electronics and inscrutable lyricism, “Being Boiled” is pretty far from a pop hit. When Marsh and Ware left the Human League, they were keen to continue pursuing this sort of underground, experimental, quasi-industrial direction. Initially, the two of them formed the British Electronic Foundation, or “B.E.F.” It was chiefly a production company that worked with other artists, though they also released some instrumental music under this name. With the recruitment of vocalist Glenn Gregory, who Marsh and Ware had initially intended to front the Human League in the first place, they were set to get right back into the groove of what they had been up to before.

Music: “Fascist Groove Thang”

“Fascist Groove Thang” is the opening track of Penthouse & Pavement, and was one of its chief singles. While it’s much less ambiguous than “Being Boiled,” and much easier to dance to, it’s still got a lot of that subversive, underground charm--enough to get banned by the BBC, anyway. I know they always say that history rhymes, but it’s one of those songs from this era that really feels like it belongs more in our time than the one it came from. I like to think that its unforgettable chorus sounds more like a chant you might hear at a protest march, as opposed to something that belongs in a proper song. “Fascist Groove Thang” is actually based on an instrumental track by BEF, which was simply called “Groove Thang” before being reworked into this political anthem. Both versions are indeed pretty groovy, thanks in large part to the bass guitar work of session musician John Wilson. Compared to their work with the Human League, Penthouse & Pavement has an overall richer sonic palate, with more of those traditional instruments, as well as backing vocals. You’ll hear a lot of those on the album’s title track:

Music: “Penthouse & Pavement”

Penthouse & Pavement’s title track is the longest track on the album, clocking in at over six minutes. Between that, the lush instrumentation, and the honour of being the title track, it certainly feels like an anti-capitalist epic, dramatizing and dignifying the inner thoughts of a common wage-slave. The first side of the album, dubbed the “Pavement Side,” is where you’ll find both of these tracks, and it seems to deal chiefly with working-class struggles, as well as having a bigger emphasis on that bass-heavy groove, musically. Naturally, then, the flip is the “Penthouse Side,” it’s more melodic, and it seems to focus more on the lives of the rich and famous...though it isn’t quite that straightforward.

Music: “We’re Going To Live For a Very Long Time”

“We’re Going To Live For a Very Long Time” is perhaps the clearest expression of the idea of the upper classes living in their own protected bubble, shielded from plebeian woes. There’s a religious dimension to it, in that the narrator manages to live without worries because of their assuredness that Heaven awaits them when they die...but, as the title reminds us, they’re also confident that Earth will be good to them, as well. In case you were worried this message might not be ironic, the song actually stops abruptly in the middle of its final refrain, providing a sudden end for that narrator--as well as closing out the entire LP with a bang, since this is the final track! The idea of the wealthy actively taunting those beneath them is also central to the most rhythmic track of the Penthouse Side, “The Height of the Fighting.”

Music: “The Height of the Fighting”

In “The Height of the Fighting,” that march-like chanting takes center stage again, but it feels very different here. Rather than embodying a sort of grassroots resistance to the consolidation of power, “The Height of the Fighting” seems to be the voice of authority and power coming downwards, fitting the theme of the Penthouse Side. The song’s assertions, like “if you can’t take it, fake it” and “they sent you to it, do it” could be interpreted as pithy, meaningless sayings--perhaps throwaway lyrics, taking up space on a single aimed squarely at the dance floor. However, if you know the context of the Penthouse Side, it’s hard not to see them as representations of the worthless advice the rich often give the poor. Get a job. Get a side hustle. Work harder. Eat out less. And so on. Much like the implicit messages about class in popular culture, “The Height of the Fighting” might seem disposable, but the thrust of what it’s saying is actually deeply warped. Another complex, and perhaps conflicted, track on the Penthouse Side is “Let’s All Make a Bomb”:

Music: “Let’s All Make a Bomb”

Songs against nuclear war were commonplace in Cold War-era music, but “Let’s All Make a Bomb” isn’t quite a typical example. At first, its slow pace and despondent melody make us think we’re getting the usual fare. But the return of that swelling, chant-like refrain style, as well as a closer inspection of the lyrics, reveal otherwise. As the title might imply, “Let’s All Make a Bomb” asks us what kind of character is actually crazy enough to *want* nuclear war, and the character Heaven 17 have chosen is a hedonistic libertine, who sees the end of the world as one big party. The atomic bomb is not a thing to be feared, but “a brand new toy, to idolize.” As dark as that is, the fact that it’s also part of the Penthouse Side, and ostensibly a representation of what those who hold influence and power believe, adds a whole new level of horror to it.

While I love album art, and my interest in it is the main reason I started collecting vintage vinyl, I think [the cover of Penthouse & Pavement just might be my favourite of all time. Penthouse & Pavement’s cover portrays the three members of Heaven 17 as though they were businessmen, co-opting motives like glass-paneled skyscrapers and the deal-making handshake straight from the 1980s corporate visual lexicon. They've even got cities they're allegedly based out of, one of which is their native Sheffield, England. If you look closely, there are a few hints that they’re actually a music band and not a firm, such as the reel-to-reel tape player in the upper right-hand corner, and the fact that in the lower left-hand corner, Martyn Ware is writing music in front of a keyboard. At the bottom, we also find the logo of B.E.F., which brings this grand “joke” full circle. As the “British Electronic Foundation,” they had also billed themselves as a faceless organisation, adopting a name that sounds more at home on a utility bill than an album cover. Here, the trio have done it again, in a bit of ruthless satire towards the rising “yuppie” culture of the 80s. Incidentally, the cover art is a traditional painting, credited to one Ray Smith. It wasn't unusual to commission paintings for album art at the time, but it does tickle me knowing a human being physically painted Heaven 17 as office workers. If the original ever came up for auction, I'd probably shell out for it. It would look great in my office!

Anyway, it’s also worth mentioning how the title “Penthouse & Pavement” adds to that corporate theme. The X-and-Y format recalls the names of many real-life firms and companies, such as Ernst & Young. A “penthouse” is an apartment located very high up in a tall, urban building. Such apartments are usually expensive, and are hence occupied by well-off tenants. “Pavement,” in this context, probably refers to what Americans call the “sidewalk,” the paved pathways where the less fortunate among us might walk past those penthouses, without ever getting too close. Each side functions as an ideal symbol of the kind of people it represents, and the physical gap between them is a visceral representation of economic inequality. The title is also quite pleasingly alliterative!

While Penthouse & Pavement maintains a certain underground integrity, which is consistent with Marsh and Ware’s track record as part of the Human League, it’s still much more of a pop record than anything they had done before. Heaven 17 never went quite as pop as the Human League did without them, and they certainly never saw the same level of mainstream success, but they did pursue an increasingly pop direction with their next several releases. Their 1983 followup, The Luxury Gap, delivers less of that hard-hitting critique of capital, but did produce some of their best-known singles, namely, “Temptation” and “Let Me Go.”

Music: “Let Me Go”

My favourite track on Penthouse & Pavement is “Geisha Boys & Temple Girls.” I like this track’s overall mysterious, otherworldly vibe--it’s not terribly easy to pin down what it’s really about, or what sort of mood it’s meant to convey. The intro to this song sounds more like Karlheinz Stockhausen than something you would hear in pop, and I love how strident and abrasive it is. Given its place as the opening track of the Penthouse Side, and its opening line, “look ahead, on the screen,” I’m tempted to interpret it as a representation of a fictional romance in television or film. It’s dramatic, unpredictable, exotic, and also completely fake and divorced from how people behave in the real world. The idea that entertainments and diversions are part of what shelters the rich from the consequences of their actions is another one of those things that makes this album continue to feel relevant. That’s all I have for today--thanks for listening!

Music: “Geisha Boys & Temple Girls”

[daleisgreat]

Speed

Today’s entry will mark the first official 4K home video release I am writing about. I already own a few other 4K UHDs, and a couple of months ago, I watched my first 4K video at home with 2001’s The Fast and the Furious. However, I already covered that movie’s BluRay release here several years ago, so I will not be dedicating another entry for it, other than to say that the 4K upgrade pops and makes it look like a new release. Today’s entry is for 1994’s Speed (trailer). Before diving into this movie, I noticed one of the tracks from this film’s score repeatedly used throughout sounds awfully like one of the main themes I primarily associated with the Metal Gear Solid franchise. I have no idea if this was pointed out before, and I just overlooked it all these years, or maybe I am grasping at straws. Click or press here to take a listen and decide for yourself. 1994 was a hell of a year for Hollywood movies primarily transpiring from a highway with The Chase, Speed, and the OJ Simpson Bronco chase….oh wait (although I highly recommend the ESPN 30 for 30 on it, simply titled: June 17th 1994). The majority of Speed has a straightforward premise: serial bomber and local madman Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) planted a bomb on a bus rigged to explode once the bus drops below 55 miles per hour. Police officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) is alerted to this by the bomber himself to exact revenge on Traven after successfully rescuing hostages from an elevator Payne armed at the beginning of the film.

From there, for the middle hour of this nearly two-hour film, the action almost entirely takes place on the bus. Traven makes a grand entrance onto the bus by commandeering a Jaguar and having its owner (Glenn Plummer) take the wheel so Traven could heroically leap onto the bus and save the day. It would not be that easy of a rescue mission as Payne has eyes on the bus, and Traven has to play by his rules and get him his $3 million ransom to disarm the bus. Without question, the middle hour on the bus is the best part of the film. The opening half-hour is an excellent appetizer with the elevator hostage crisis that Traven and his partner, Harry (Jeff Daniels), successfully foil. However, once the action shifts to the bus is when Speed takes off. Shortly after taking control of the bus, one of the passengers freaks and inadvertently shoots the bus driver, and a fellow passenger, Annie (Sandra Bullock), takes over the wheel. Throughout the film, Annie and Traven have wonderful chemistry, and I could not help but root for the duo throughout. Every couple of minutes, there is a new potential conflict to overcome to keep the bus going over 55mph. The film wisely peppers in brief dialog exchanges to let the movie breathe just enough before the next hurdle makes itself present.

The film's standout moment is the major obstacle for the bus to overcome when it encounters a stretch of unavoidable highway under construction and missing a hearty chunk of the road. Traven’s solution is that since that stretch of a road is on an incline, they may clear that gap if they build up enough speed! That epic stunt hits all the right notes, and I got goosebumps all over again re-watching it, and odds are, I bet you did too if you have seen this movie. If you have not, then watch this scene and see for yourself by click or pressing here. A lot of the critical discussion in the aftermath of this movie was if that jump was realistically possible. The best thing I can do is to compare it to another film, Road Trip, which is likely a better indicator of what could happen when attempting such a feat. Once the middle bus portion of the film is over, there are still about 20 minutes left where Traven tracks and chases down Payne in a subway station. The movie felt over once the bus portion had such a satisfying conclusion that it almost feels wrong to keep sticking with the film by this point, but I recommend you do since there is a satisfying payoff in the form of Payne’s demise. I have to share a story now when I first saw this film at around 13 or 14 on VHS. My dad’s VCR had what seemed to me at the time was a revolutionary feature where if I kept pressing the pause button repeatedly, it would slowly, frame-by-frame, play the film in super slow-motion. At that age, I thought this was a fantastic way to get the most out of the biggest stunts in action scenes. My favorite moment exploiting this feature was seeing Traven and Payne wrestle around on the top of a subway train until Payne was not watching his field of vision, and a warning light lead to his sudden beheading. I slow-motion replayed that sequence countless times in my awkward, early teenage years. Suffice it to say, Hopper plays the out-of-his-mind bomber perfectly, going so far as to make sure he receives his appropriate cinematic comeuppance.

The director ensures the many passengers on the bus maximized their minutes to the point I where it feels like you are right there with them!

Two audio commentaries are the only extra features of the 4K disc in this 4K/BluRay combo pack. One is with the director, Jan de Bont, and the other is with producer Mark Gordon and writer Graham Yost. Props are to whoever decided to subtitle the commentary tracks. I very much appreciate it! I first started to bounce back and forth between the two commentary tracks, but Bont was way too relaxed and had too many pauses to hold my attention, and I finished up with his track within five minutes. However, Yost and Gordon are very much engaged from beginning to end and have fun cracking jokes and sharing memories throughout. Some quick takeaways I got from them were how they wanted to film a major scene outside of a sports arena, dealing with critics poking holes at how unrealistic their stunts were, and how watching the movie felt very different at the time of the commentary recording just two months after 9/11. The BluRay disc contains the remainder of the bonus features. Inside Speed is a four-part feature lasting just under an hour breaking down the visual effects, stunts, and location sequences, but half of it also contains an HBO First Look special hosted by Dennis Hopper that hits all the right kinds of cheesy mid-90s EPK nostalgia that it is worth checking out. Aside from 12 minutes of extended scenes and a Billy Idol music video that seems totally off base with the tempo of the film, there are a couple of Action Sequences mini-features breaking down some of the stunts. I highly recommend watching the one dissecting how they did the bus jump, as it shows raw footage of what really happened when they shot it, and showed footage of some of the specific safety measures they instilled to make that stunt as safe as possible and had some eye-opening interviews with the stunt driver before and after.

After watching that old VHS copy nearly a dozen times, Speed wound up being one of my favorite action films I got burnt out early on and never bothered upgrading to a DVD or standalone BluRay. Watching it again in 4K all these years later breathed new life into it for me. I am not an expert at breaking down video quality by any means, but watching the 4K disc on my 4KTV gave the impression of this having far more current production values. The editors somehow managed to remove all the old film grain defects for a smooth 4K upgrade. If you have not seen Speed yet, then it has everything you could want out of a mid-90s action movie with explosions, gripping thrills and stunts, dramatic rescues, plenty of zinger one-liners…..and a Billy Idol theme song. Pardon me while I attempt my best Dennis Hopper impression here, “Pop quiz, hotshot, which 1994 blockbuster that takes place primarily on a bus is a perfect candidate for beer and popcorn movie night at home?” Other Random Backlog Movie Blogs 3 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown 21 Jump Street The Accountant Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Atari: Game Over The Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers: Endgame The Avengers: Infinity War Batman: The Dark Knight Rises Batman: The Killing Joke Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Bounty Hunters Cabin in the Woods Captain America: Civil War Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christmas Eve The Clapper Clash of the Titans (1981) Clint Eastwood 11-pack Special The Condemned 2 Countdown Creed I & II Deck the Halls Detroit Rock City Die Hard Dirty Work Dredd The Eliminators The Equalizer Faster Fast and Furious I-VIII Field of Dreams Fight Club The Fighter For Love of the Game Good Will Hunting Gravity Grunt: The Wrestling Movie Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Hell Comes to Frogtown Hercules: Reborn Hitman I Like to Hurt People Indiana Jones 1-4 Inglourious Basterds Ink The Interrogation Interstellar Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Jobs Joy Ride 1-3 Justice League (2017 Whedon Cut) Last Action Hero Major League Mallrats Man of Steel Man on the Moon Man vs Snake Marine 3-6 Merry Friggin Christmas Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpions Revenge National Treasure National Treasure: Book of Secrets Nintendo Quest Not for Resale Old Joy Payback (Director’s Cut) Pulp Fiction The Punisher (1989) The Ref The Replacements Reservoir Dogs Rocky I-VIII Running Films Part 1 Running Films Part 2 San Andreas ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery Scott Pilgrim vs the World The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Shoot em Up Slacker Skyscraper Small Town Santa Steve Jobs Source Code Star Trek I-XIII Sully Take Me Home Tonight TMNT Trauma Center The Tooth Fairy 1 & 2 UHF Veronica Mars Vision Quest The War Wild The Wizard Wonder Woman The Wrestler (2008) X-Men: Apocalypse X-Men: Days of Future Past