#the korea herald

[bandhyukoh]

[The Korea Herald] Star musicians add own touches to films as music directors

Disclaimer: This article belongs to The Korea Herald. Find the original source here. By Kim Da-sol. October 18, 2023.

[...] Oh Hyuk, leader of the band Hyukoh, also has experience as a music director, having composed the music for the upcoming film, “The Dream Songs.” Directed by Cho Hyun-chul, an actor and rookie filmmaker who is best known for his roles in “Hotel del Luna” and “D.P.,” the film tells the tale of two young girls who have feelings for each other.

Oh and Cho have also worked together in "Rustle," Cho’s earlier independent film.

“I asked Oh Hyuk if he could make sad but also awkward-feeling music. We understood each other without having to talk too much about it,” said director Cho.

[dailykoreanpop]

[Herald Interview] 14-month world tour gifts Ateez with confidence, teamwork

Ateez is set to hold Seoul encore concerts from world tour "The Fellowship: Break the Wall" April 28-29

Returning to their home ground after more than a year of touring the world, the members of Ateez seemed to be glowing with energy.

The eight members -- Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung and Jongho -- sat down with local journalists at a cafe in Seoul on Wednesday to speak about their two consecutive series of concerts around the globe and share their anticipation for the remaining year.

From January to July 2022, Ateez conducted its first world tour after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, "The Fellowship: Beginning of the End," through which they traveled around Europe, the US and Japan to meet 180,000 fans. In October, the band kicked off a new global tour titled, "The Fellowship: Break the Wall." This tour started in Seoul and traveled to the US first and then to Europe. Over the past year and two months, they have met a whopping 430,000 fans globally through the two world tours.

"We've put out so many songs, and during the recent tours, we were able to showcase songs that we hadn't been able to perform in front of fans (during the earlier parts of the pandemic)," the group's leader Hongjoong said.

It was a year to release their longing to meet fans face-to-face, Seonghwa said.

"I felt the happiest seeing Atinys (members of Ateez's official fan club) in person at such huge venues. We’ve had so many dynamic experiences on various stages, and through them, we've gained the confidence that we'll be able to showcase better performances," said Seonghwa.

There is an excitement that comes only with live concerts, where artists and fans come together. This element, which had been snatched from the team over the two previous years of pandemic, was felt more deeply than ever by the members during their recent tour.

"Fans reacted louder to different songs in different countries. This is something we can experience through on-site gigs, and where we can learn what our fans' needs are," Hongjoong said.

"The set lists varied and our conditions differed for every show. Through all that, I think all the members expanded on our ranges of expression and performance levels, especially on the details we manifest for every song," Yunho said.

"It's not just onstage, but even offstage, the members have become more proficient in managing themselves. We often moved under a very tight schedule, and even then, they took care of their condition," the leader said, displaying confidence on his team.

San also noted the teamwork that had made the 14-month journey possible.

"Carrying out the performances isn't easy, and there were moments when we became tired. But we could push through with everything because the eight of us were always together. I think we matured in that aspect," San said.

Debuting in October 2018 as the first K-pop group launched by the fledgling label KQ Entertainment, Ateez quickly garnered a strong international following through its exceptional flair on stage and powerful hip-hop sound.

Pushing its limits further every year since its debut, Ateez marked an exceptional year in 2022 with its eighth EP, "The World EP.1: Movement." With the album, the group nabbed its first million-seller title and also won its first No. 1 spot on a local televised music show, a feat most idol groups strive to achieve.

The album also peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, a new record for the group.

Backing Ateez as it made its way out into the world was KQ Entertainment, a novice label that improved and grew over the past five years or so with its first group.

"Since our debut, we've communicated frequently with the label chief. Even nowadays, he asks for our opinion first and accommodates them, and we know this is not something we should take for granted. We're always grateful," San said.

KQ is set to launch its second boy band, Xikers, this month. The members of Ateez expressed their joy at being able to pave the path for a rookie group.

"We feel a sense of accomplishment and pride that the younger trainees can train in a better environment and system that we created," Wooyoung said, to which Hongjoong added, "We hope that in such an environment, they can nurture their own talents and build their own system in which they can spread their wings as artists."

Since its debut, Ateez has rolled out the group's story through different series. The "Treasure" series marked the start, extending over four EPs and one LP. The next chapter opened with "Fever," under which three EPs and a repackage edition were released. With the eighth EP, the group started the latest series, "The World," in July.

From their expansive discography, Yunho picked "Treasure" as the act's signature series, while Yeosang recommended "Fever."

"I feel 'Treasure' reflects our identity the best," Yunho explained, while Yeosang said, "I personally like 'Fever' because it conveys a comforting message to youth."

In February 2020, Ateez also debuted in Japan and dropped several original Japanese records. On Wednesday, the group's new Japanese single, "Limitless," came out.

Now in their sixth year, the group members hope to show their colors more clearly.

"We're caught in the middle. We can't be called rookies any more, but we're not exactly a veteran group. But as a group looking to last for 10 years or more, this year will mark a significant period for Ateez," Hongjoong said.

A concern about making music that could appeal not just to fans but also to a larger listener base lingers, the members shared.

"It's always a dilemma for us, whether we should release a song that could become a hit or just focus on maintaining our originality," San said. "But we are a team which pursues our own music and we hope that, one day, the public will recognize us for our music."

Ateez is now ready to leap forward.

"Last year was mostly devoted to adapting to the changes that came with the pandemic era and catching up on what we had been missing out on," Hongjoong said. "We'll be showing who we are properly this time. This year, we have more songs and albums of good quality to release."

The leader continued: "There are moments when we don't feel so confident ahead of a tour or an album release. But this time we have a good feeling. Although I can't speak on behalf of the entire K-pop industry, at least for Ateez, it's a good time. This season is when we can prove to the world everything we're capable of."

Ateez is slated to hold two encore concerts of its world tour, "The Fellowship: Break the Wall," in Seoul on April 28-29, before flying to Japan where it is set to perform in Tokyo May 2-3 and in Kobe May 6-7.

Credit: The Korea Herald 

[winxlover666]

https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230205000112

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[shineearticles]

"To make the case that his presence is the one and only and greatest of all time in the cutthroat K-pop industry, Key of boy band Shinee welcomed the beauty of the new season with his second LP, “Gasoline,” released Tuesday evening.

This marks a return for the singer-turned-soloist nearly 11 months since he dropped his first EP, “Bad Love,” in September 2021. It is also his first full-length studio album since his first LP, “Face,” in November 2018.

“It’s an album I set a great value on. I’ve poured in so much effort. It’s hard to see 11 tracks in an LP these days, but mine is a jam-packed album,” Key said, gushing about his new music."

[htyfnetwork]

HOW TO MEET THE THREAT OF COMMUNIST AGGRESSION (with Gunnar Aasland from Norway, Vangala Jaya Ram from India, Johnny Antillon from Philippines, and Chin-Tai Kim of Korea)

from 1954 the world we want

[voxyldy]

07.06.2023

.@BTS_twt's Jimin is the first K-pop artist to rack up 500K monthly listeners on @pandoramusic! Reaching the feat on June 27, he went onto mark 594K on June 30, heading past his group BTS' 571.9K listeners! His monthly listener is now beyond 610K and growing daily! 💜 #JIMIN

Source: Kpop Herald/ The Korea Herald

[boricuacherry-blog]

[hoonieyun]

letter from: sunghoon ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

the snows gonna fall and the trees gonna glisten and i'm gonna puke at the thought of you kissing. the boy who i love who's now in love with you... -sabrina carpenter "cindy lou who"

pairing: park sunghoon x reader (slight x sim jaeyun)

genre: angst - heartbreak - betrayal - infidelity

warnings: suggestive, profanity, alcohol, cheating, and overall 18+

summary: a holiday surprise turns into holiday heartbreak

christmas herald masterlist ⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

word count: 3886

Surprising Sunghoon for the Holidays was a plan you had been working on for the last few weeks. Going to University in different countries was a task in and of itself but keeping secrets from your boyfriend Sunghoon proved to be a difficult task on its own because he always wants to know your whereabouts. It’s a habit of his that he’s always had since before you two were even dating and over the last year or so, he’s been more adamant of knowing where you are even if you’re in another country. 

When the opportunity presented itself and you’d be able to come home back to South Korea for the Holidays when you thought you couldn’t because of your research, you couldn’t pass up the chance to visit your family and loving boyfriend for Christmas. You had been coordinating with Jake, you and Sunghoon’s best friend, to pick you up at the airport and you’d be staying with him in the meantime while you prepared to surprise Sunghoon and because Sunghoon and you were childhood neigbors, you didn’t want to stay at your parents just in case he sees you back home. 

There would be a Holiday Party that Sunghoon’s frat is throwing and when Jake told you about it, you thought it was the best moment to surprise him. You’d be arriving two days before the party so you’d have enough time to prepare yourself and continue acting like you weren’t back in South Korea. You told Sunghoon that you had a long research day during the time of your flight so you wouldn’t be able to respond. 

Thankfully, even though Sunghoon always asked about your whereabouts, he never asked you to share your phone location with him so you never asked as well. 

You were so excited to see him after not seeing him for upwards of a whole year since you had transferred to a new University at the beginning of the year when you were asked to conduct research on molecular biology. It had been a passion of yours since you were young and the opportunity to study abroad at a University specializing in molecular biology with a connection to a major hospital was too good to not accept. You and Sunghoon both knew it would be hard being so far away but he would never want you to choose him over an amazing opportunity like that; and for that you would forever be grateful for him. He understood you like no one else could and you couldn’t wait to finally be able to hug and kiss him again. 

The airport is bustling with hundreds of people trying to fly home for the holidays much like you were and as you step through the security exit, the cold winter air of Seoul whips by and the chilling air that gives you a shiver is slightly comforting. You give Jake a quick phone call to let him know you’ve arrived and had your bags, you give him your arrival terminal number and he lets you know that he’ll be there in 15 minutes and sure enough, 15 minutes later you were loading your suitcase into his trunk and buckling your seatbelt in Jake’s car. 

“Yooo, YN it’s been so long dude! Can’t believe you’re back in Seoul!” Jake says as he merges into the highway, heading towards his apartment. You laugh at Jake, he was always the brighter and more outgoing between him and Sunghoon. They were complete opposites but of course they ended up becoming the best of friends regardless. 

Sunghoon balances out Jake and together you’d think the two of them were siblings. When you started dating Sunghoon, he was a bit nervous to tell Jake because as the three of you became friends; he was afraid your relationship would make Jake feel like he was merely just a third to the pairing of you and Sunghoon, but nothing changed. 

Jake was happy, maybe even happier than you and Sunghoon, about your relationship. He always knew Sunghoon a lot better than you did so he was someone you could reach out to whenever you weren’t sure how to talk to Sunghoon about certain things. You just wished that you could know Sunghoon as well as Jake did. 

The car suddenly comes to a halt and you realize Jake has parked and is heading to his trunk to grab your luggage. Luckily, you were able to fit everything you needed including your personal items and presents you brought for your family and Sunghoon. Jake gives you a little rundown of his apartment and shows you where you’d be sleeping. His apartment wasn’t gigantic but he got lucky and was able to score a place with 2 rooms for an affordable price. You’d be staying in his office/spare room and while you would’ve been fine just on the couch, you were grateful for Jake’s generosity. 

The day comes to an early end after you’ve settled in. Taking a shower and getting dressed in more comfortable clothes, you and Jake just spend the rest of the day going over your plan to surprise Sunghoon. Jake ensures that Sunghoon has no idea and that he’s been so preoccupied with his own life that Sunghoon wouldn’t know about the surprise whatsoever. Jake’s words made you excited for the surprise and made your restless. You couldn’t wait to surprise Sunghoon and you just wished the day would come sooner. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

After the longest two days of your life and telling Sunghoon a handful of white lies, his frat party was finally upon you. With your hair done up and makeup just how you like, you were sitting in Jake’s passenger seat wearing the dress that Sunghoon got you on your birthday. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t nervous but you knew that as soon as you see Sunghoon, all of your worries would cease to exist and you’d only be filled with love. 

You and Jake head inside of the frat house, the party already in full swing. Groups of people with red solo cups in hand, empty beer bottles scattered on various surfaces, and a random array of snacks in the kitchen that didn’t necessarily provide anything but sustenance so that people don’t pass out from all of the alcohol. 

“Sunghoon just texted me, he’s upstairs.” Jake tells you and you follow him up there. The unfamiliar frat house was definitely owned by a bunch of men as there were minimal decorations and the decorations that were there were all just photos of the frat members and random wall ornaments that consist of boxing gloves, a rubber chicken that shrieks, and an assortment of fruit hats. When Jake notices the confused look on your face he tells you that it’s a long story. Jake was also a part of this frat but because he was a casual member, they let him live outside of the frat house. 

As you and Jake approach the top of the stairs, he leads you to Sunghoon’s room and you can hear a few voices come from inside, one being Sunghoon’s and another being an unfamiliar voice of a girl you didn’t recognize. You look over at Jake and he urges you to go inside and just as you’re slowly pushing the door open, it reveals Sunghoon on his bed with a girl in his lap, their lips just centimeters away from one another. 

“What the fuck?” comes out of your lips, a lot louder than you meant. 

Both heads turn towards you, shock clearly spread across Sunghoon’s face as he sees you and the girl filled with confusion. 

“Baby, what are you doing here?” Sunghoon asks, standing up and pushing the girl off of his lap. She scoffs at his actions, “Baby?” she asks, her glance bouncing from Sunghoon to you. “Don’t call me that…” you say, trying your best to fight off tears as you leave Sunghoon’s room, lightly pushing past Jake. 

“What the fuck man?” a side comment from Sunghoon directed to Jake as if any of this was his fault. Jake, however, doesn’t respond but shoots daggers at Sunghoon’s back as he chases after you. 

“YN! Baby, wait please!” Sunghoon pleads as he weaves through the crowd of people at his frat house. “Yo! Hoon, I just saw your girl!” Heeseung says as Sunghoon walks past him. He gives Heeseung a small smile and nod before going back to trying to find you. He sees you slip through the front door just in time and he picks up his pace, afraid that if he lets you go now he’ll never be able to get you back.

“YN! Wait, please!” Sunghoon shouts as he’s running down the steps out through the front door.

“What? What do you want?” you say, stopping in tracks but refusing to face him. Afraid that if you even looked at his face the tears would fall and would continue to fall until you run out of tears. “Let me explain-”

“Explain what? What is there for you to say…?” you interrupt, facing him and in the moment of silence, Sunghoon says nothing; realizing that he doesn’t know how to explain what you just saw without making himself look any worse. 

“Whatever” you scoff, turning on your heel to leave but a voice stops you in tracks once again. 

“Tell her the truth, Sunghoon.” Jake says and you and your now ex-boyfriend both turn around to face him. Jake is standing at the top of the steps at the front of the house, Sunghoon is looking at Jake like he’s just been betrayed by his best friend and you’re looking at Jake like he was witholding information from you. 

“What are you talking about Jake?” you ask and he joins the two of you on the front lawn. 

“Tell her or I will…” Jake says to Sunghoon and the two are glaring at each other with so much hatred that you could see steam coming off of their heads. 

“Baby, don’t listen to him, okay? He’s lying…” Sunghoon says frantically, moving over to you and cupping your face in his hands. In any other situation, you’d melt into his touch but opposed to melting, you felt nothing but ice. You roughly tear his hands off of you and avert your gaze to Jake, “What are you talking about?” you ask and Jake doesn’t hestitate to tell you what Sunghoon has been hiding from you. 

Ever since you had moved away, Sunghoon had fallen into this hole of loneliness and the only way he found comfort was in another woman. It only took you being gone for 2 months for Sunghoon to find someone else to fill the you shaped missing piece in his heart. And although the girl he chose wasn’t you and could never be you, it was enough to stop him from feeling lonely. 

Of course he still loved you but the longer you were gone the more he found himself loving the other girl too. Sunghoon was doing a good job of keeping his affair a secret but when the other girl started questioning Sunghoon’s love for her, he was faced with a hard decision. Does he risk taking her out in public or continue to hide her away and show how much he loved her in the confinement of his room? 

He ultimately decides to take her out on a night on the town and he just so happens to run into his best friend, Jake. The two best friends get into a heated argument about Sunghoon cheating on you and since then, the two haven’t been best friends let alone friends at all. 

This was only a month ago and although Jake planned to tell you one night when you called him, he couldn’t bring himself to do it when you had told him about your plan to surprise Sunghoon when you fly back home for the Holidays. 

Jake figured that if you were coming back home, you should see it for yourself, so he went along with your plan and had a plan of his own. He’d make sure that Sunghoon was with the other girl when the two of you arrived at the party and you’d see for yourself that Sunghoon was cheating you. 

All of this information was overwhelming you and you hadn’t even realized that you were now bawling your eyes out as Jake explains. Sunghoon breathing heavily as he stares at Jake, his own best friend, betraying him. 

When Jake is done explaining, the silence between the three of you is so loud that you could no longer hear the music from inside the house. “You done, Jake?” Sunghoon asks and Jake narrows his eyes at his best friend. 

“You forgot the part where you told me that YN didn’t deserve me and that you’d be a better boyfriend for her than I am…” Sunghoon says, now it was his turn to expose his best friend. 

“What?” you ask, now even more confused than before. 

“Yeah, Jake here wasn’t as happy for us to be dating than we thought.” Sunghoon explained and he was right. Jake wasn’t happy when he found out his two best friends were now dating, not because he didn’t want to be a third wheel. No, it was because he loved you and was angry Sunghoon stole you from him. 

He just wishes that he made the move before Sunghoon did and ever since the two of you started dating, his hatred for Sunghoon only grew because Sunghoon knew that Jake liked you and he decided to make a move on you first so that he could have you over Jake. 

The two of them always had a secret competitive relationship that you didn’t know about and when you noticed it, you assumed it was just boys being boys. 

But to them, you were simply just a prize to be won. 

“Are you fucking serious..?” you began. Anger boiled inside of you as the two boys in front of you threw insults at each other to make the other look worse when in reality, their attempts to get on your good side was only driving you further away from both of them. 

“YN, please. I love you, don’t listen to Jake, okay baby?” Sunghoon says, trying to grab your hands but you quickly retreat away from him before he could even touch you. 

“We’re done.” you begin. 

“I can’t believe you’d even think, I would trust anything you said after what I saw upstairs. You disgust me and I never want to see you ever again. 

Sunghoon, I loved you and I spent everyday while I was away thinking about you and waiting for the day I finally get to hug you again and when I got here to surprise you only to be surprised myself and have it thrown back in my face is fucking humiliating. 

Merry Christmas… I guess. I hope she was worth it.” you say, your voice trailing off in the end as your lips began to tremble and once again tears were pooling in your eyes. Sunghoon didn’t know what to say but he knew that he fucked up and the hurt in your eyes and voice was proof of that. 

He had never seen you in so much pain before and knowing it was because of him was a reality check he didn’t know he needed. What began as a way to get one over on Jake and to take the girl he had a crush on turned into a two year long relationship that he loved but ended so quickly because of how selfish he was. Selfish, that was a word to define Sunghoon because although it seemed like he had so much, he always wanted more. 

Wiping away your tears and choosing to walk away before you couldn’t keep yourself together anymore, you’re stopped when a hand grabs ahold of your wrist and when you realize it’s Jake and not Sunghoon, a part of you breaks as a small part of you wished it was Sunghoon. Unsure of what you’d do if it was Sunghoon, you weren’t necessarily excited to see Jake either. 

“YN, let me take you home. It’s dark out.” Jake says, his voice small and for a second you contemplate it but oppose. Sunghoon was nowhere to be seen when you peered behind Jake and you could feel another part of your heart shatter. 

“Let me go, Jake.” you say softly and when he does, Jake looks at you confused, like you were treating him like he was the one who had just cheated on you. “Are you upset with me? YN, I just told you what your boyfriend has been doing for the last few months? You should be thankful…” Jake says and you scoff. 

“Thankful? Jake, you hid the fact that my boyfriend was cheating on me! You should’ve told me as soon as you found out but instead you held onto it so you could use it against him all because you had a crush on me? 

Is that supposed to make me feel better? Neither of you had any sympathy and care for me because if you did none of us would be in this situation. I’m grabbing my things from your place and going to stay with my parents. Please don’t follow me, I’ll text you when I’ve grabbed my things and left your place.” you say and leave, not even allowing Jake to get a response in. 

Jake watched as your figure got smaller and smaller the further you went down the street. A feeling in his chest that he couldn’t describe. Jake had liked you for so long and he was so blinded by his anger for Sunghoon he didn’t realize he would hurt you at the same time. He wanted to be with you so bad that he didn’t realize how selfish he was being. So selfish that he was willing to hurt his two best friends just to get what he wanted. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

You spent the last few days of your little Holiday break with your family and when you told them what happened, they tried their best to comfort and console you but their efforts weren’t enough to fix your brokenheart, having lost not only your boyfriend but also your best friend. 

Countless messages and missed calls from Sunghoon and Jake filled your phone and as you pondered on the endless decisions and outcomes of what played out a few days ago, you couldn’t help but think of only one thing that would allow for you to heal with as much time as you needed. Not only time, but distance. 

After talking with your family in a conversation that seemed to go a lot better than you thought, you soon found yourself grabbing the last of your personal items from your childhood home and packing them in a box to send them to your new home. 

You had decided that the only way you could move forward from this was moving away from South Korea for good, or at least for the meantime. You were going to focus on completing your research, graduate from University, and acquire a position at a medical institution to put all your hardwork to use in progressing the research and creation for a cure for molecular diseases. 

Being away from all of this was going to be hard because Korea will always be your home but with the amount of pain you’ve experienced here in just a matter of days, going back to your new home away from all of it will definitely help in healing. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

Stepping onto the plane that was going to fly you thousands of miles away seemed a lot easier today than it was just almost a year ago when you first left home. The conditions are a lot different now and although you were excited but reluctant before, there was nothing but solemnity now. Although it felt like you were running away from your problems, you knew that facing it would be a lot harder than ignoring it. 

Finding your seat on the aircraft was no issue at all as you luckily secured a spot at the front and after you nestle your bag in the overhead bin space, you think about what life you want to live moving forward. Unsure of what that could look like, you are sure that you just want to be happy. 

Soon enough, the flight staff is closing the door but a small commotion occurs and several staff members are dealing with a situation at the gate so the plane wasn’t able to take off just yet. Choosing to not dwelve in what was happening, you place headphones over your ears and decide that closing your eyes as you wait for the plane to take off would be a good choice. 

The events of the last week replayed in your head and just as you’re drifting to sleep, a small tear falls down your cheek. A single tear, that serves as a reminder that you would no longer be crying over this and the pain you felt will not be something you’ll ever feel again. 

⋆｡˚❆˚ ｡⋆

Sunghoon speeds to the airport after he’s left your parents house, although your siblings refused to tell Sunghoon where you were, your mom always had a soft spot for him and subtly hinted at where he could find you. 

So here he was now, leaving his car parked in front of the airport with his hazard lights on as he ran inside to try and find you. The ticketing agent stops him from walking through and after some time convincing her to let him through because he was trying to fix his relationship, she still wasn’t buying his story; so Sunghoon buys whatever ticket he needs to get through; not caring about how much it cost if it meant he could fix what he broke. 

He runs to your gate and hopes that he’ll catch you but to his dismay, the staff agent at the gate is closing the doors just as he’s running up. He gives her the same speech he gave to the ticketing agent but there was nothing he could do to convince anyone to let him through. Several staff members were now crowding around the door and trying to get Sunghoon to leave or else he’d be escorted out by security and potentially put on a no-flight list. 

If he hadn’t lost all hope before, he certainly has now. As he walked away from the gate and the staff member closed the door to the ramp that led to the plane, he could feel his heart shatter into thousands of pieces. It only took a few minutes before the plane was starting to take off and he watched from behind the glass to see the plane ascend into the sky, taking you away from him. 

The love of his life was getting further and further away and he’s forced to live with the fact that he broke something he didn’t realize was so precious to him until it was gone. 

Until you were gone. 

copyright 2024 - present © hoonieyun all rights reserved

all writing here is fiction & not in any association with characters mentioned.

if you enjoyed reading this please consider reblogging and following <3

[vestaignis]

Вот так цветёт дикая китайская слива - Мэйхуа. Мэйхуа - самый главный поэтический символ в Китае. Слива входит и в "4 благородных", и в "три друга зимы". Её цветение приходится на конец зимы-начало весны. В Китае слива мэйхуа была вестником весны, нередко её цветение совпадало с празднованием китайского Нового года — Праздн��ка весны 春节 чунь-цзе, который отмечается в конце января-начале февраля по лунному календарю.

Родиной мэйхуа считается район реки Янцзы, откуда она широко распространилась по всей Восточной Азии, включая Японию, Корею, Тайвань, Вьетнам. Произрастает на каменистых склонах гор на высоте от 300 до 2500 метров над уровнем моря. Мэйхуа зацветает раньше других цветов и выдерживает морозы до -50°. Нежные цветы нередко покрывает снег, создавая удивительный контраст. Цветы сливы отличаются разнообразием: есть белые, розовые, красные.

В эпоху Тан (618-907) в китайской живописи появляется отдельное направление — живопись мэйхуа, которое окончательно оформилось в эпоху Сун (960-1279). 

This is how the wild Chinese plum, Meihua, blooms. Meihua is the most important poetic symbol in China. Plum is included in both the "4 noble ones" and the "three friends of winter". Its flowering occurs at the end of winter-the beginning of spring. In China, the Meihua plum was the herald of spring, often its flowering coincided with the celebration of the Chinese New Year — the Spring Festival 春节 Chun-tse, which is celebrated in late January-early February according to the lunar calendar.

The birthplace of Meihua is considered to be the Yangtze River region, from where it has spread widely throughout East Asia, including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. It grows on rocky mountain slopes at an altitude of 300 to 2500 meters above sea level. Meihua blooms earlier than other flowers and withstands frosts up to -50 °. Delicate flowers are often covered with snow, creating an amazing contrast. Plum flowers are diverse: there are white, pink, red.

In the Tang era (618-907), a separate direction appeared in Chinese painting — Meihua painting, which finally took shape in the Song era (960-1279).

Источник://anashina.com/sliva-meihua/, //russian.news.cn/importnews/2019-02/01/c_137791307_10.htm, //russian.people.com.cn/n3/2017/0130/c31516-9172556-5.html, /chainka.com/blog/simvolika/255-tsvetushchaya-sliva-mejkhua, bogachkova1957.livejournal.com/86338.html, /koryo-saram.site/glavnyj-simvol-nachinayushhejsya-vesny-i-zhizni-czvety-slivy-매화/, /dveimperii.ru/articles/tsvetuschaya-dikaya-sliva.

[commajade]

the seoul queer culture festival/seoul pride has been growing exponentially in size over the last two decades (from ~50 people in 2000 to ~135,000 in 2019) and the conservative pushback from christian groups and police have been increasing as well. every year church groups host massive protests and rallies with homophobic slogans and chanting on their sound systems right next to the pride parade, i've seen them. this year, the government outright denied the lgbt organizers a parade permit and gave that spot to a christian organization instead. the sqcf's organizers are accepting help via paypal, please support them if you can!

here's an article from the korea herald:

[loving-n0t-heyting]

Im reading about the doctors strike in SK and my impression is that its proooooobably bullshit? So the obvious prima facie case against the strike is that a) SK has a doctor per capita rate just underneath the US, whose cartel-imposed doctor shortage i have had to experience firsthand and ii) the strike is in response to the govt mandating larger incoming med student classes to correct for this shortage. Looking pretty bad! Youd better have some serious defeaters for these reasons for me to take you seriously, korean medical union!

And the excuses offered are, uh, not great. Not great as either rebutters or undercutters. The rationales for the strike include complaints like underpaying wages and fear that an influx of new students will exacerbate a concentration of doctors in low priority fields and urban areas. The second complaint here just seems obviously specious: you can add as many new doctors to the cities or dermatology as you please and it wont delete the inevitable new rural surgeons. As for pay... salaryexpert tells me the average south korean doctors base salary is ~127M₩, glassdoor gives an estimated salary for physicians of ~70M₩. Both within the upper ventile or so of sk worker income (the salaryexpert estimate is in the fucking sk stratosphere). A korea herald article from last june confirms that these incomes are exceptionally high among oecd countries

The striking doctors also assure us the public is served just fine by the current low per capita rate of doctors, a claim with which 84% of south koreans disagree

So yea im calling bullshit. Sorry to be a tool of a reactionary govt and a scourge to labour but physician cartels are past the limit of my solidarity

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss and Helen J. Shen Talk Finding Their ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ on Broadway: ‘It’s a Really Charming, Kind Little World’

It’s best to let Darren Criss describe the simply complex story of Maybe Happy Ending, the new musical he co-stars in with Broadway newcomer Helen J. Shen. “There’s what the story is and then there’s what the show is about,” the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning singer/actor/songwriter tells Billboard in an interview you can watch above.

“Those aren’t necessarily the same things,” he notes about the musical love story from Will Aronson and Hue Park, in which the former Glee star and Shen appear as obsolete Helperbot robots who meet cute and fall in love. “Thematically, it’s about two elderly people in hospice who decide to break out of the situation to go connect with their family,” says Criss about what sounds like a potentially dark theme.

And while that “grim, depressing construct for a show” doesn’t sound like the stuff of uplifting Broadway magic, Criss promises that the musical’s creators have somehow morphed that idea about the chilly march of time and hard lessons about love and life into a “really charming, kind little world” filled with Helper robots who are living embodiments of our iPhones and other digital assistants.

Because many of us imbue our inanimate digital devices with human-like qualities, sometimes holding on to them well past their best-by use date, Criss says the musical asks what happens when those objects become more like us?

Shen makes her Broadway debut in the play alongside theater/TV/movie veteran Criss, 37, after turning heads last year in the ensemble of the Off Broadway musical Teeth. She says one of the most exciting parts of performing in the show is the chance to take the lead in a completely new piece of theater not based on any existing intellectual property or a reboot/revival, but something that theatergoers have never seen before.

“It’s super overwhelming. The idea of it has been something that I’ve dreamed about my whole life,” says Shen, 24 of originating a character on Broadway. “And to have it come to fruition with this particular story, with this particular group of people I just feel… abundance. I feel so lucky and grateful.”

Both say they feel really blessed to be part of the show, with Criss noting that he has typically starred in “iconic” roles in his previous Broadway runs, including as Harry Potter in A Very Potter Musical, J. Pierrpont Finch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, among others. “These are things people know and love,” he says of those classics.

“[Which] were great, with or without me. I now go in there trying to do my own thing and make it my own and there’s the excitement of the challenge, but also the pressure of living up to a certain thing and wanting to do your own thing,” he adds about trying to find something of yourself in a well-known role people may have seen many other times with other performers. “Whereas this, it’s an open canvas, not only for us, but for the audience. They don’t have any preconceived notions. That’s the best thing about this.”

Because it is a new experience, audiences don’t know what to expect, which both actors say makes attendees really listen and sit up in their seats to take in all the nuance of the show that also heralds the Broadway debuts for creators Aronson and Park; it began its life on stage in Seoul, South Korea in 2016 and was later produced in Japan and China as well.

Maybe Happy Ending, directed by Michael Arden (Parade), is open now at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway.

[dailykoreanpop]

[230323] KpopHerald’s official twitter update:

Returning to their home ground after a yearlong journey around the world, @ATEEZofficial spoke comfortably about the experience, thoughts about their career and plans for the future. Here's the full interview: bit.ly/3TGhzWf. #ATEEZ #BreakTheWallTour #에이티즈

Credit: Kpop_Herald 

[myobsessionsspace]

Jimin & Jungkook

Travel Show

Korean Title: ‘이게 맞아?!’

English Title: ‘Are You Sure?!’

Masterlist for:

Promo images, articles, Tweets, Shorts, photos, photobook shorts etc

Posts leading up to the show

Posts by other bloggers on episode thoughts & summaries

Fan video edits

Fan art

…

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Promo:

Big Hit Teaser

Weverse Notice

Disney+ Promo Tweet

Promo Schedule

Official Poster - Summer Version

Teaser Poster

Main Poster

Disney+ Korea Video Edit

Disney+ Korea - Sapporo (no subs)

Photobook BigHit Tweet

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

YouTube:

Show Announcement by Jimin & Jungkook

Launch Trailer

Teaser Trailer

Main Trailer

Jimin OFF? & ON! Short

Jungkook OFF? & ON! Short

USA Trailer Short

Jeju Trailer Short

Sapporo Trailer Short

Sapporo Compilation Short

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Photobook YouTube Shorts:

Photobook Preview

USA

Jeju

Sapporo

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Some Pre-Release Atricles:

Billboard

Vogue Japan

Hype Beast

The Korean Herald

Naver Entertainment

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

My Posts Inspired By Show

All My #Are You Sure?!

How They’ve Always Been [Picture Posts]: (1), (2), (3), (4), (5)

Jikook, Tough Times & Travel

More excited for the show than JK for GCFT?

Musings

More Musings

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

source video

Pre Show Videos

Jimin’s 2017 Tokyo Vlog

Sky & People

Jungkook’s GCF Tokyo

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Videos & Edits

#AYS Fan Edits (click to see)

Fan Edit (Lara)

Fan Edit (homeisjungkook)

Fan Edit (Slaaverin)

Fan Edit (rockstarjikook)

Fan Edit (credit)

Fan Edit (busanzfilm)

Fan Edit (wonsummernight)

Fan Edit (9795folder)

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Fan Art

credits in art

#AYS Fan Art

Post One

Post Two

Post Three

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Awesome Posts By Others

Gif Sets by minieggukie

Summary & Thoughts by jmdbjk

USA Part 1

USA (Kayaking)

USA (Camping)

USA Part 2

Jeju Part 1

Jeju Part 2

Sapporo Part 1

Sapporo Part 2

Sapporo Part 3 (Finale)

Summary & Thoughts by akookminsupporter

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

Episode 7

Episode 8

──────────⋆⋅☼☽⋅⋆─────────

Some Images

[whencyclopedia]

Qilin (Chinese Unicorn)

The qilin (麒麟, or simply lin 麟) is a Chinese mythical creature, frequently translated as "Chinese unicorn." While this term may suggest a one-horned creature, the qilin is often depicted with two horns. However, like the Western unicorn, the qilin was considered pure and benevolent. A rarely seen auspicious omen, the qilin heralds virtue, future greatness, and just leadership.

Throughout history, the qilin can be found in Chinese literature, art, and accounts of day-to-day life. As one of the Four Auspicious Beasts – alongside the dragon, phoenix, and tortoise – the qilin also embodies prosperity and longevity and has a heavenly status. References to the qilin date back to ancient Chinese texts, where this revered creature is regarded as a sign of good fortune and an indicator of a virtuous ruler. Its association with the philosopher Confucius (l. c. 551 to c. 479 BCE) underscores its significance as an auspicious symbol. Qilin imagery was favoured across various Chinese dynasties, and its popularity extends across other Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

The Qilin in Classical Texts

In the classic The Book of Rites (also known as the Liji, date uncertain), the qilin is listed as one of the four intelligent creatures along with the phoenix, dragon, and tortoise, often referred to as the Four Auspicious Beasts. Each of these divine creatures symbolizes different virtues considered essential for successful and harmonious coexistence. Broadly, the dragon symbolizes power and strength, the phoenix renewal and grace, the tortoise longevity and stability, and the qilin prosperity and righteousness. Together, these beings convey a collective message of good fortune and balance.

The Classic of Mountains and Seas (the Shanhai jing, 4th century BCE), a proposed mythological geography of foreign lands, mentions several one-horned beasts, but none are specifically identified as the qilin. The earliest known reference to the qilin in ancient texts can be traced back to the Western Zhou period (1045-771 BCE), which is the first half of the Zhou dynasty, the longest-lasting dynasty in Chinese history. The qilin also appears in the Shijing, also called The Book of Odes or Classic of Poetry, said to have been compiled by Confucius in the 4th century BCE, making it the oldest extant poetry collection in China. The Shijing contains just over 300 poems and songs, with some thought to be written between c. 1000 to c. 500 BCE. The piece in question, "The Feet of the Lin", appears at the end of the section that captures the voices of the common people. From Bernhard Kalgren's translation, The Book of Odes (1950):

The feet of the lin! You majestic sons of the prince! Oh, the lin!

The forehead of the lin! You majestic kinsmen of the prince! Oh, the lin!

The horns of the lin! You majestic clansmen of the prince! Oh, the lin!

Here, lin refers to the qilin, and its defining physical features are likened to regal offspring and relations. Karlgren calls this "a simple hunting song, and an exclamation of joy" (7) and suggests it was originally about a real but rare animal, such as a type of deer, which became a fantastical legend later. In James Legge's translation of the same poem, he notes that the qilin had a deer's body, ox's tail, horse's hooves, a single horn, and fish scales. The qilin's feet are not used to harm any living thing, even grass; it never butts with its head, and does not attack with its horn. As a popular and freely available translation, these notes are frequently cited and show the qilin as supremely peaceful and benevolent by choice.

In the 5th century BCE, we find the qilin, again mentioned as the lin, in The Spring and Autumn Annals, a historical record of events occurring in the state of Lu. This chronicle records that a lin was captured in the 14th year of Lord Ai's rule, 481 BCE. Later scholars analyzed and attributed great significance to this event, as Confucius himself, the compiler of The Spring and Autumn Annals, might have done.

From James Legge's translation of The Chinese Classics, volume V, 1872, page 832, (translator's square brackets):

In the hunters in the west captured a lin.

Continue reading...

[htyfnetwork]

NAKCHUNG PAIK (KOREA) ON HAPPINESS From The World We Want episode "What Do We Go to High School For?", 1955