#tw: k-pop scandal

[yourkeeperoftherunners]

For those who know me, I tend to view celebrities of all types and all places with a slightly cynical view. My dad sort of ruined parasocial relationships with brands and famous people as he’s in product marketing. (Not entertainment, but he said marketing uses the same techniques and tactics for almost every field or situation.)

Short version: the goal of any company is to market their product/person in a positive light. They will craft this image to appeal to the majority of people that could be interested in the product/person. In order to keep things going between the audience/fan and their product/person, the company will continue to release relevant content or materials to remind the public about their product/person and encourage the audience/fan to engage by purchasing said content or materials.

Twenty One Pilots said it well with their song “Ride”: “But it’s fun to fantasize!” The fans need to remember that fantasy does not equal reality most of the time.

To those who used to support the individual in the news now, I’m sorry and I hope you’re going to be okay. To anyone affected in the situation coming to light, please take care of yourselves.

[male-reader-haven]

~That Horrible, Wonderful Feeling~

Author note:

Here is chapter 1 of the project I've been working so long on!! I'm super passionate about this storyline, so I'm hoping you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it. As of right now, I have about 4 chapters completed, and depending on how well this is received I plan on posting them as well. Enjoy your Namjoon crumbs, there is SO much more to come!

Chapter 1: Ideal Woman

Namjoon's POV as he deals with prying reporters, stalkers, and some unwarranted feelings that send him spiraling. How can he claim to know and protect his fellow members if he doesn't even know himself? Y/N, one of 8 members of the worldwide popular K-pop boyband BTS, slowly helps Namjoon along in his journey of self-discovery and acceptance, dealing with his own feelings along the way.

Pairing: Kim Namjoon x male idol Y/N

TW: Stalking, internalized homophobia, heavier topics, invasion of privacy, slight NSFW, 18+

Word count: 2801

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“Now, RM, the fans are dying to know. What are your ideal traits in a girl?” The interviewer smiled and held out the microphone towards Namjoon expectantly. The camera pans over to his face and he forces a smile and glances down.

What a stupid fucking question. 

He is so tired of being asked the same questions. Although he knew it was bound to happen due to BTS being worldwide famous idols, still, indulging reporters and tabloids who are constantly hungry for new content and scandals to feed their prying gossipers is so exhausting.

“Ah, well, you know, we all are focusing on our career and don’t have time for anything like that.” He avoids the question, hoping the reporter will drop it. She doesn’t catch on. She has a smile that is too wide and obviously faked. Honestly, Namjoon is pretty sure this american interviewer doesn’t even really know BTS too well or even listen to their music.

“Come on, everyone has a type. ARMY wants to know what kind of woman is RM’s type?” 

As if you can speak for ARMY.

“Why do you care?” Namjoon snaps. He surprises himself with his response and immediately follows it up. “I-I mean, it doesn’t really matter. As long as they love and accept me, I guess.” He saves it the best he can. The interviewer stares him down.

“Awe, how sweet. Well before you go Namjoon, we just gotta know! There have been rumors going around that you secretly have a girlfriend! Is it true? Should we be expecting an announcement soon?” As she speaks, pictures flash across the screen of Namjoon caught in the street taking pictures with a fan. Namjoon feels frustration bubble up, not only at the accusation but at the lack of privacy and how the tabloids must have been following him around taking pictures.

“Wow. Really? Shameless.” He loses his patience. “I don’t appreciate being followed and stalked everywhere I go, you know. She is a fan and we took a picture. Sorry I couldn't satisfy your gossip.” He can’t stop himself. “Do you guys really get paid for this? Pushing this  scummy, heteronormative agenda on celebrities hoping for a sliver of drama just so you can get a few clicks in by exaggerating and lying? We are people too, just like you. Normal people. So no, you don't get to make assumptions about me or pry into my life.”

“Heteronormative? Are you saying you are something other than straight? Is this official?” The woman interjects. Namjoon is fuming.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Namjoon gets up and storms away from the lit up booth and over to his staff, who briskly apologize to the interviewer and team and take him back to the studio.

Namjoon knows he went too far. Luckily his agent made sure that the interview would be scrapped and not published, but that is now an entire news group that BigHit won’t ever get an interview with again. Honestly they didn’t need the extra publicity, since at this point any company would be more than ecstatic to host an interview from BTS, but this was supposed to be a series of solo interviews from each of the artists, which would have no doubt been popular. Still, he didn't feel bad. Too many times have people asked BTS questions about their private lives and tried exposing them with false accusations and start scandals, none of which ever stick due to ARMY being so protective of them, but it took a toll on their mental health sometimes. Namjoon sinks into the back seat of the car as he looks out the window, listening to the patter of rain on the roof and watching the street lights reflect off the dripping window. 

My ideal woman, huh?

He reflects. Everywhere he goes where people ask him these questions, they always say “ideal girl” or “woman,” always assuming he is straight. I mean, he IS straight, but it bothers him nonetheless. It’s not like anyone bothers to ask, they always just assume. He knows that people just want to hear him talk about specific traits and types to fulfill people’s fantasies. It seems people also assume that all ARMYs are straight fangirls. It’s 2023, how are people still pushing heteronormative standards? He takes out his phone to see new messages in the BTS group chat.

WWH: How’d the interview go?

Namjoon sighed and typed out his response.

Me: Horribly. Pretty sure I ruined it for   all of us, sorry guys. JK: How so?  Me: I lost it and kind of snapped V: Dang, sounds like they deserved it then.  No worries man, probably for the best Me: Stupid private questions. I got  too pissed though, it is my fault, but still Y/N: Ew, don’t they have anything better to do? Jimin: Fr. Don’t feel bad, I would have  been short tempered too J-hope: Does this mean we have a free  weeknd? WWH: Nice spelling J-hope: thx dad JK: Hell yeah, let's do a movie night! (read by SUGA, WWH, J-hope, and 4 others)

Namjoon puts his phone away and looks out the window again. 

“Are you saying you are something other than straight? Is this official?” 

The woman’s words echo in his head longer than he would have liked. Namjoon has always liked women, that he is certain of. Ever since he was little he had crushes on disney princesses and actresses all the time. He had his fair share in heartbreaks and girlfriends in school too. Ever since becoming an idol, however, everything relating to romance seems to have left his life and been put in the back of his mind. He knows it's because they are idols that they aren't allowed to publicly date. That isn’t to say however that he didn't fantasize about having a partner or being in a romantic relationship. Despite BTS being his family and never truly being alone, he couldn’t help feeling lonely in some ways. These days, Namjoon finds himself stuck in his room working even in his free time. Maybe this weekend becoming suddenly free would be a blessing after all.

Namjoon walks into what he and BTS know as the “safehouse,” which is a large home away from the city where all 8 members have access at all times and their own separate rooms. They usually go to the safehouse when they want to meet up, have events and parties or just whenever they want to get out to somewhere private from their own separate homes. The other members are already gathered around in the dining room as he comes through the door.

“Hey, there he is! Welcome to the finest restaurant in all of Korea.” Hoseok yells over from the table where they are all feasting on what looks like bbq.

“Join us, I slaved away at making this for all of you, congratulate me.” Jin’s bubbly voice calls.

“As if. All you did was order the food hyung, don’t act like you prepared it!” Jimin teases Jin and reaches over to put some beef over the bbq and then dips it in some sauce.

“Ah, perfect. I’m starving.” Namjoon puts away his things and sits down in the empty chair next to Y/N. They all get into food and conversation, laughing and smiling and having a great time.

“I’m curious, what did she ask you that sent you over the edge?” Jungkook quired, sitting back as Taehyung brought over some beers.

“The interviewer started asking about my ideal type of woman, a question which I can usually dodge, but she was persistent. Then they pulled up pictures of me back when I was visiting Switzerland where I met a fan and they tried to frame it like a secret girlfriend situation.”

“They followed you to Switzerland?” Y/N looked up, a disgusted look on his face.

“Guess so. Anyways after that she-” Namjoon cuts himself off.

 “Are you saying you are something other than straight? Is this official?” Her words came bubbling up again, making him feel nauseous.

“She what?” Taehyung presses. Namjoon shakes his head.

“Nothing. I just got pissed, snapped at her and left after that.” He avoids eye contact with any of them, hoping someone will change the subject.

“I think you were in the right. I would have been so snarky.” Yoongi speaks up from the corner seat. 

“Yeah, don’t think about it too much man. There will always be more interviews, with better and more respectful people.” Jungkook says, trying to make him feel better.

The conversation shifts from there and as the night goes on, the boys get more and more inebriated. Jin is practically howling from laughter at Hoseok, who is falling over in his chair with his face bright red. Jimin is half asleep, Jungkook is not far behind him, and Taehyung is talking about some nonsense with Yoongi. Y/N and Namjoon seem to be the better off in the bunch, simply making stupid jokes and laughing at the other members. Namjoon speaks up.

“I’m drunk, gonna turn in for the night. As should all of you.”

“I think Jimin is already there.” Jin laughs and points at Jimin, who is face flat on the table.

“I’ll take him to his room.” Jungkook sighs and lifts Jimin up and carries him away. The other members eventually all go to their respective rooms also. Namjoon makes his way to his room. 

Namjoon closes his door and goes to get ready for bed. His tipsiness makes him stumble sometimes, but he manages to get changed and brush his teeth. After getting ready, he practically falls into his bed and crawls underneath the light brown and white covers. He drifts into thought.

Ideal woman… 

Namjoon starts thinking about what he finds attractive. He imagines lean, fit bodies and smooth skin. Silky hair and slightly parted lips. Sparkling eyes and light voices that entice him. He imagines a pair of hands caressing his face, feels the hands move down his neck and to his chest, constantly moving. The hands then become arms attached to a lean and skinny body, a dancer’s body. He feels the body with his own hands, moving to the sides of the person and down to their hips. The person materializes even more, revealing defined abs that lead to a man’s chest and strong thighs that straddle Namjoon’s middle, masculine shoulders that carry beauty and grace. The person is a beautifully built man. The face is blurred, but he can make out plump lips that shine, half parted in a silent breath. The figure leans down into Namjoon, hands on his chest and head as it gets closer to his face. Namjoon is lost in a trance by this beautiful person, and leans in to meet his lips with theirs, when he is met with air. He opens his eyes to his empty room and him in bed.

What a strange dream. 

He winces as he adjusts under the covers and discovers that he is partially hard.

Great, just what I need. 

He doesn’t have the energy to fix it right now, so he just takes a deep breath and ignores it. Eventually, Namjoon drifts off to sleep.

The next day arrives quickly, and the members are all hung over in the house waking each other up and groaning in the living room.

“What’s everyone’s plans today?” Jimin pipes up, cheerfully, as if he didn't get absolutely wasted the night before. J-hope looks up at him from his fetal position.

“How are you a real person?” 

“Yoongi-ssi and I were going fishing if anyone wants to join us.” Jin puts the offer out there, to which nobody volunteers.

“I thought you hate fishing?” Y/N asks Yoongi.

“I do, but it makes Jin hyung happy. And it's more fun with friends.” Yoongi half spoke, half groaned his response.

“Awe, he does have a heart!” Jimin teased. Yoongi curled deeper into his blanket in response.

“I want to go hiking today, anyone want to come with? We can get ramyeon after and karaoke!” Jungkook suggests.

“Oh, that sounds fun! I'll come.” Hoseok blinks the sleepy away from his eyes and nods.

“Jimin and I will come too.” Taehyung holds up his arm.

“Do I get any say in this?” Jimin smacks Taehyung’s shoulder.

Guess that leaves Namjoon and Y/N. Namjoon turns to him.

“Would you be interested in going to the National Folk Museum of Art in Seoul? I haven’t been there in a while.” Namjoon and Y/N both share a passion for minimalistic art and artists as well as art history. Y/N looked up at him and smiled through groggy eyes.

“Sure, that sounds fun!” 

Cute. 

“Sounds like we all got plans then! Get up and get going boys, or these hangovers are gonna take your Friday away.” Jin initiates the march to get ready for the day and get going. As everyone gets up and gets ready to leave, Namjoon also stands up. Y/N stays on the couch for a second before groaning and putting his arms out.

“Help me up hyung, i'm dying.” Namjoon smiles and exaggeratedly pulls Y/N up from the couch.

“I take it I will be driving us?” Y/N teases.

“It’s safer for us and the universe that I don’t.” Namjoon laughs and lets Y/N go upstairs. He trips over the first step, making Namjoon smile.

Was he always this adorable?

Some time goes by and Namjoon gets a text.

Y/N: I’ll be ready in 15, meet me in my car? Me: SOunds good Y/N: Lol typo

He puts his phone away and gets ready. After 15 minutes of looking for a good art museum outfit (he decides on jeans and a hoodie because he couldn't decide) Namjoon heads downstairs and to the parking lot to meet Y/N. He sees the light mint green beetle with its engine on and in the driver’s seat is Y/N, in what looks to be a brown sweater and a green beret with thin circle glasses. He opens the passenger door and buckles his seatbelt.

“You look nice! Perfect for the museum.” Namjoon compliments his outfit.

“Ah, a classic Namjoon look.” Y/N laughs, pointing out Namjoon’s plain outfit.

“Yeah well, I'm okay with being inconspicuous.” 

“You will be my staff as I get all the attention!!” Y/N smiles and gives Namjoon’s shoulder a light punch. Namjoon looks around the inside of Y/N’s car, taking it all in. The interior is light brown and clean, Y/N likes to keep his things tidy. On the windshield mirror is hanging a car freshener that looks like a daisy. Y/N turns on his bluetooth and connects his phone to the radio.

“Any music suggestions?” He asks Namjoon.

“I want to listen to what you want. What are you listening to these days?” Namjoon inquires. It has been a while since he hung out with any of the members one on one. Y/N nods and scrolls through his phone as if it was a super important decision.

“I need to find songs that you wont judge me for.” Y/N laughs, half joking.

“You know I listen to a bit of everything, not much can surprise me.” Namjoon reassures him. Y/N smiles and a song begins to play. Namjoon recognizes it as Troye Sivan’s “Lucky Strike.” Y/N bops his head along to the music and looks at Namjoon for approval.

“I know Troye Sivan. He has a great voice.” 

“God, what I would GIVE to do a collab with him!” Y/N reels, then puts the car in reverse and they set off. The car ride is pleasant and calming as they take turns recommending songs and vibing to them, moments of silent listening as well as gushing about artists they like.

“I wish we could be more open in our music. Like Troye Sivan or Frank Ocean.” Y/N expresses. “I mean, I know we technically can, and there is nothing wrong with expressing your true self through music, but I feel like we have to be so on edge because of how many people listen to our music.” Namjoon understands what he means.

“I get it. We have to tiptoe around certain topics because of how international our reach is.” Y/N nods solemnly to Namjoon's response.

“Yeah. I just wish I could write about what I want without worrying about scandals. We write about girls all the time, I'd love to write a boy love song.” Y/N is focused on the road. Namjoon turns to look at him when he says that, but doesn't say anything. They bop their heads to music the whole way, Y/N making silly gestures and expressions to the music as he drives. A slight burning feeling arises in Namjoon's chest, and upon realizing he is staring quickly glances away and swallows.

Must still be hungover.

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Aaaaaa what did you guys think?!?! I have SO much more written that I'm excited to share with you about this story. If you enjoyed and want to see more chapters please show this some love and tell me what you think below!!!

Stay tuned, Jae loves you <3

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Mention of riize made me want to pick your brain on the current state of kpop. I find the longevity of the 3rd gen boy group popularity fascinating, given how things were for the generations previous. What do you think might be behind the dearth of 4th gen bg kpop musics resonating with the korean public?

I don't live in korea, so I can't comment on the lived realities of music consumption in the country. Given your experiences and music expertise, I'd love to hear your thoughts! My understanding is that 4th gen bg music was not an easy listening experience and the public was turned off by the burning sun scandal??

***

“What do you think might be behind the dearth of 4th gen bg kpop musics resonating with the korean public”

BTS.

And the specific reasons why are linked to a couple other factors.

BTS is still pretty much a wall, even for 5th gen groups. K-pop generations typically last about 7 years, both tied to contracts and the typical life cycle of previous star idols at their peaks. For example, GDragon / BigBang was very popular from 2012 to 2018, for Girls Generation their peak years were 2009 to 2015. Both groups are active till today but even during their peaks, in 2015 and 2018, BTS was out charting both groups.

BTS is ~2 years into their hiatus and halfway through completing their military service and yet, nobody is anywhere near their critical acclaim and charting performance. Like, nowhere in the vicinity.

Like I keep saying, the biggest determinant for BTS’s success is their music. We know K-pop or ‘idol music’ in general is a somewhat niche space in Korea (Korea has its regular pop singers like Gaho, Junny, or Jimmy Brown who certainly aren’t traditional k-pop), but one reason BTS has had the widest appeal to the Korean gp is the quality of their music and lyrics. This is something I’ve talked about before so I won’t go into it lol, but on that note, it brings me to one of the factors I said was linked above.

That factor is song choice. A lot of 4th gen groups have never once not snorted the EDM garbage. You know the ones, the groups who have two hammers: dubstep and trap (EDM), and who see everything as a nail. And that’s before we get into the frankly atrocious writing. Some songs are great to jam out to mindlessly in the gym or the club, but there’s no real substance to it. In my opinion. I also think songs like that have limited (obvious) appeal for the Korean public (with time and exposure therapy they’ll learn to tolerate it).

I think it’s been clear for a long time that most 4th gen boy groups have had to rely on other tools besides music to build up their fanbases. But those kinds of tools result in an increase in dedicated fan girls, not gp support which is what BTS and most girl groups enjoy. And again, a big reason for that is song choice.

Which is why 5th gen boy groups are doing more actual consumable music (thank you NewJeans), groups like Riize, ZB1, TWS, and BOYNEXTDOOR, are making waves and charting higher than Stray Kids or Ateez ever have.

The one leg-up those 4th boy groups have though, is their performance credibility and experience. And that’s what’s going to lead to the resurgence of 4th gen boy groups this year. I actually expect 2024 to be the best year ever for 4th gen boy groups, a modest reversal to the trend so far of the girl groups far outperforming the boys. NewJeans will dwarf everyone else, but overall boy groups in 4th gen will close the gap compared to their peers, in 2024. Ateez and Enhypen (performance juggernauts), Stray Kids and TXT (solid soundscape), The Boyz and P1Harmony (for the really cool kids) will be groups to watch for.

This year is critical for most boy groups because it’s their last chance to gain significant ground with k-pop fan girls (including ARMYs), before BTS comes back.

Because once BTS returns, that wall goes back up reinforced and mutated… it’s going to be so crazy lol.

[dojae-huh]

https://theqoo.net/hot/3504020237?page=2

Link

Number of streams of k-pop artist in 2024 on YT, SK only.

Newer groups have advantage as they are in trend, their fans stream their songs for music shows and charts, plus the fans of older groups may listen to mp3 or CDs bought way before instead of online. Thus it's even more impressive when old gen artists are in demand on YT.

This list also shows the difference in popularity in SK versus international. Ateez and SKZ are much less popiular at home than it appears globally. Before we talked about how it is benefitial to be popular abroad and at home, try to target both parties.

Day6 is really a phenomenon, huh? 1st place 462 million streams. Maybe 127 also has a chance to jump this way and peak again in the future, afterall, heh.

Google translation with name corrections and my comments under the cut

1st Day6 (boy band) 462 million streams

2nd Big Bang (boy group) 259 million streams

3rd Seventeen (boy group) 249 million streams

4th BTS (boy group) 196 million streams

5th Jungkook (solo) 148 million streams

6th Riize (boy group) 144 million streams

7th Lucy (boy band) 123 million streams

8th G-Dragon (solo) 122 million streams

9th Stray Kids (boy group) 117 million streams

10th TWS (boy group) 109 million streams

11th N.Flying (boy band) 105 million streams

12th Zico (Solo) 99.1 million streams

13th BTOB (Boy Group) 98.5 million streams

14th EXO (Boy Group) 94.1 million streams

15th NCT Dream (Boy Group) 90.1 million streams

16th Lee Chang-seop (Solo) 75.8 million streams

17th NCT 127 (Boy Group) 72.7 million streams

18th Tomorrow X Together (Boy Group) 68 million streams

19th Plave (Virtual Group) 65.8 million streams

20th SHINee (Boy Group) 61.2 million streams

21st FT Island (boy band) 59.9 million streams

22nd D.O. (solo) 57.3 million streams

23rd Block B (boy group) 53.9 million streams

24th Boy Next Door (boy group) 48.3 million streams

25th Beast (boy group) 46.9 million streams

26th Cho Seung-yeon (solo) 46.3 million streams

27th Enhypen (boy group) 45.9 million streams

28th Kyuhyun (solo) 43.9 million streams

29th NCT (boy group) 39.5 million streams

30th TVXQ (boy group) 38.5 million streams

31st Boo Seok-soon (unit group) 38.4 million streams

32nd Taeyang (solo) 37.9 million streams

33rd G.O.D (boy group) 37.9 million streams

34th Winner (boy group) 36.3 million streams

35th iKon (boy group) 33.3 million streams

36th Infinite (boy group) 33 million streams

37th Lee Hongki (solo) 32.4 million streams

38th The Boyz (boy group) 29.3 million streams

39th Baekhyun (solo) 29.2 million streams

40th Monsta X (boy group) 27.1 million streams

41st Jimin (solo) 26.9 million streams

42nd CNBLUE (boy band) 23.2 million streams

43rd B.I (solo) 22.6 million streams

44th Doyoung (solo) 22.2 million streams

45th NCT Wish (boy group) 22.2 million Streams

46th ATEEZ (boy group) 19.4 million streams

47th Super Junior (boy group) 19.2 million streams

48th Yang Yo-seop (solo) 18.5 million streams

49th V (solo) 17.9 million streams

50th Zerobase One (boy group) 17.8 million streams

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BlockB, Beast, G.O.D are old groups, and still remembered and listened to.

Lee Changseop is a BTOB member, he played Fersen same year as Doyoung (the guy who asked Do's fans to pass hello to Doyoungie, when he was leaving a music show place in a car). I didn't know he is such a popular soloist.

It's really suspicious how big TWS became in half a year. SKZ (from JYP, not a small company) and 17 took years to achieve this attention. Are they promoted as 17's little brothers, so 17's fandom supports them the way BTS's fans did for TXT?

Out of k-pop groups 127 is the 10th most listened to.

BTOB is known for their vocals. Debuted in 2012, so a 14 y.o. group. They had a hit when one of the members left due to a scandal. They even went to Kingdom show to remind the public about themselves.

Despite the 13th place, they do not sell well. Afterall, streams and financial stability are not correlated. Physical albums, concerts and merch bring money, not digitals. Therefore, be careful with such lists and conclusions based on them. It's only one piece of a puzzle.

Another example, Lee Changsub is much higher than Doyoung, but look at his sales. Likewise, Zerobaseone isn't popular with gp at all, but their albums surpass 1mln.

Ok, ladies next.

1st New Jeans (girl group) 570 million streams

2nd Aespa (girl group) 483 million streams

3rd IU (solo) 445 million streams

4th Ive (girl group) 384 million streams

5th (G)I-dle (girl group) 305 million streams

6th Lesserafim (girl group) 277 million streams

7th QWER (girl band) 260 million streams

8th Taeyeon (solo) 257 million streams

9th Blackpink (girl group) 211 million streams

10th Kiss of Life (girl group) 159 million streams

11th Red Velvet (girl group) 152 million streams

12th Twice (girl group) 141 million streams

13th Baby Monster (girl group) 137 million streams

14th Nmixx (girl group) 129 million streams

15th ILLIT (girl group) 127 million streams

16th Rosé (solo) 95.3 million streams

17th Fromis_9 (girl group) 92.4 million streams

18th 2NE1 (girl group) 91.4 million streams

19th Itzy (girl group) 90.6 million streams

20th StayC (girl group) 84.9 million streams

21st Viviz (girl group) 84 million streams

22nd Chungha (solo) 78.5 million streams

23rd Jennie (solo) 76.7 million streams

24th Girls' Generation (girl group) 75.9 million streams

25th T-ara (girl group) 62.8 million streams

26th Oh My Girl (girl group) 59.2 million streams

27th Jung Eun-ji (solo) 55.3 million streams

28th Triple S (girl group) 50.7 million streams

29th Chuu (solo) 48.9 million streams

30th IZ*ONE (girl group) 43 million streams

31st Apink (girl group) 41.6 million streams

32nd Choi Ye-na (solo) 41.5 million streams

33rd Sistar (girl group) 41.5 million Streaming

34th Isegye Idol (Virtual Group) 39.6 million streams

35th Sunmi (Solo) 38 million streams

36th Fifty Fifty (Girl Group) 37.2 million streams

37th Kara (Girl Group) 36.3 million streams

38th GFriend (Girl Group) 35.3 million streams

39th H1-Key (Girl Group) 34.8 million streams

40th Mamamoo (Girl Group) 34.8 million streams

41st f(x) (Girl Group) 33.3 million streams

42nd Jeon Somi (Solo) 32.3 million streams

43rd BoA (Solo) 32.2 million streams

44th Lisa (Solo) 31.2 million streams

45th Hyorin (Solo) 28.6 million streams

46th Kwon Eun-bi (Solo) 28.6 million Streaming

47th Nayeon (Solo) 26.5 million streams

48th Miyeon (Solo) 26 million streams

49th Hwasa (Solo) 25 million streams

50th Winter (Solo) 24.7 million streams

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

Never heard about a couple of ggs here.

Taeyeon alone is more popular than BTS or Seventeen, haha.

Ifans were not kidding saying that 4th gen was dominated by ggs, huh. NJ, Aespa, IVE, (G)-Idle and even LSF do have massive streaming power in SK. Doyoung needs to upgrade his game 10-fold to catch up to noona.

[p-antomime]

— minors don’t interact.

— wc: 1,4K.

content + warnings: 18+, dom!hanma shuuji, fingering, non con, stalking, obssession, toxic hanma, mention of just one cigarette, manhandle, vaginal sex, misogyny, dehumanization, dark content.

pairings: stalker!hanma shuuji* x k-pop idol!fem!reader.

* = future!hanma shuuji.

request.

tw. this work may contain triggers about stalkers, misogyny and sexual abuse, so please be careful reading.

So... stalker!hanma shuuji, that's interesting

first of all, I don't think stalker!hanma would be interested in any female k-pop group that was cute or even sexy in concept, but something more girl crush (like ITZY) or elegant (like Psycho by Red Velvet).

that being said, stalker!hanma would be a big fan, maybe the #1 fan, of your group since the middle of the pre-debut era, when the official formation of the group hadn't even been fully released.

and at the exact moment his eyes fell on your beautiful, flawless, stunning figure, something seemed to click in stalker!hanma's brain

soon after, stalker!hanma found himself going after any and all information on the Internet he could find about you, about where you came from, if you had any siblings, what your position in the final group was, how tall you were, how much you weighed, how you went to school and if there was anything problematic in your school file; any bullying scandals that the company swept under the rug, any scandals involving you being underage and going to nightclubs; anything about you.

stalker!hanma started to orbit around you, his mind started to become 24/7 addicted to thinking about you, you, you, you, you

and when you debuted, he streamed the MV so much that during the end of the day before bedtime it felt like his head was going to explode, and it wasn't long before he started trying to spread the word about you (and your group, but you were more important and a priority to him) on Twitter, on Instagram, on Facebook, on TikTok, on any social network he could find

stalker!hanma who would definitely pay internal staff from your agency to get your group's weekly schedule to follow you around the streets to take pictures, record videos, and most importantly, to make sure that no one on the streets of Seoul nor your group mates would treat you badly - since this was a job he preferred to do on his own

and that, brings us to the next two topics:

stalker!hanma who would open a fansite¹ to have an excuse to follow you around the streets photographing you even on days when there was nothing scheduled in your idol career, and so it wasn't long before he started to fall under the sasaeng² label by other fans of your group

stalker!hanma who would not necessarily become an akgae³ of yours, but would see your akgaes attacking other members of your group on the internet and in Korean forums and would not scold them, just watch and mentally agree, since you alone in his mind outshone your fellow members and deserved much more stardom than them

stalker!hanma who would cum tribute to you on Twitter via a recorded video and every time he ejaculated over the printed photos of you that he took himself or the photocards that came as gifts in your group albums, the only thought echoing in his mind was how much he wanted to bury his cock inside you, nice and deep

and every time stalker!hanma was thinking about manhandling you during his sexual fantasies with you, he would cum harder, with more intensity

stalker!hanma who would almost explode with rage when at your girl group's first comeback, the company disclosed that the concept to be executed would be sexier, and he would not be angry that two of yours group friends were still underage and because of sexualization, but because other people would see what was his in positions and aspects and actions that only he could and should see

stalker!hanma who, after your agency's disclosure of the concept, would start plotting a personal plan of how to finally get his hands on you, shamelessly taking advantage of the fact that after promotions at music concerts in Korea you would return to your home alone

and how did he know? By paying to get information from other sasaengs and to internal staffs of your company.

and during all this time that he prepared the plan, stalker!hanma would desperately look for k-pop nsfw accounts on Twitter with female bodies looking like yours to masturbate and cum at least three times in a row, with the swollen tip of his cock starting to hurt at the end of it all

but, it was no longer enough, fucking his hand to porn was no longer enough, he wanted, needed to cum deep inside you, fill your pussy totally with cum while subduing you by being so much taller and stronger than you

It wasn't long before the perfect chance to catch you completely off guard arrived, inside information from your agency said that next Friday you would end up going home alone because while some girls were going to practice a little more choreography, others were planning to go out to dinner tonight just to celebrate the comeback

stalker!hanma who left the house that day wearing a black sweatshirt set and waited for you outside the company building anxiously with a cigarette between his lips, but not close enough to deliver his presence there

stalker!hanma who followed you for several blocks and knew that you knew he was following you

the several times you looked back over one shoulder trying to disguise your apprehension gave you away, the way your shoulders seemed too tense gave you away

and now it was right over eight o'clock at night, you were prowling various streets for more than forty minutes trying to lose stalker!

you even tried to look for someone in the middle of the road to ask for help before you got back on the right path home, your mind racing a thousand times trying to figure out some way you wouldn't have to run for your life because you knew he would catch up with you sooner or later and it would be worse if he got in a bad mood

and your mind briefly remembered seeing stalker!hanma in the cold streets of Seoul following you and taking pictures, so much so that the girls in your group liked to joke that your not-so-secret secret admirer was always on the prowl, they made fun of the fact that you had a stalker.

stalker!hanma, who when he saw you approaching a street that led to a dead end, rushed to run towards you and it didn't take long for his hands to reach your body.

— Shhh~ — Hanma purred, pinning you against the dirty wall with his much taller body as he pinned your arms behind your back and used his other hand to pull down the sweatpants you were wearing. — I don't want to hurt you, I love you, I love you so much that it hurts inside of me. We were made for each other, you'll see that soon enough, my love. — Now tears escaped yours eyes and yours legs tried to kick Hanma away; and foolish mistake: this only helped him to steady himself between them, with his erect cock still covered by his underwear and pants brushing up against your pussy now hidden only by lacy panties.

Screams for help escaped your throat to the point where your vocal cords quickly began to burn with pain, fear growing deeper and deeper inside you.

Eventually, Hanma already had his hand shoved inside your panties, pressing on your clit with an agility that almost made your mind forget the principle of your situation. Soon after, your walls unashamedly were massively squeezing his long, slender, slim fingers inside you. The wet sounds of your pussy blending with the sound of your crying and Shuuji's moans of pleasure.

It was a matter of time before Hanma was able to shove his cock deep inside you. Every vein of his being felt deep inside you, deep inside your soul. And at that moment you just gave up. You gave up crying, your throat aching, and your hands clamped down on Hanma's thin shoulders in a way not to lose your balance as he began to thrust hard into you. Back and forth, back and forth. It was almost a dream for Hanma Shuuji, to have his cock finally being engulfed into the biggest star of his life.

Hanma had left you facing forward from the beginning, staring at him, your back to the cold wall of the alley because he wanted you to see him take possession of you, wanted you to see him steal your body for him. Hanma wanted you to see the smile of ecstasy and self-centeredness decorating his lips.

Glossary.

¹ = fans who LEGALLY follow their idols during their working hours to photograph them, they are usually Korean fans who have a lot of money.

² = is an obsessive fan who stalks or engages in other behavior constituting an invasion of the privacy of the idol.

³ = a fan who likes only one member of a group and hates the others.

[stayarmytinyzenmoa-l]

side note i just remembered that you said that prominence was supposed to be on the darker side- honestly i would like to see how that would be but i like this au as well ahkdbfn

I mean, if you're curious I'll include the main premise of it under the cut here:

TW: Kidnapping, Sasaeng Activity, Backstabbing, Death Threat Mention, etc.

I scratched it for much obvious reasons but here's the original idea I had for it before realizing "shit that's too fucking dark for Tumblr and for k-pop fanfiction the fuck?"

Basically in the original draft of Prominence, note it wasn't supposed to be called Prominence at first, I believe I settled on Viridity, but I'll check later. It was going to play out similarly, ANiMA debuts, they get a lot of hate initially because WHAT NCT's coed now? Then when they finally debut they blow people away. NCThree is also still a thing here and it makes people even more mad for no reason but they end up being one of the best-selling NCT U subunits. There were originally five members of ANiMA but when YN and Seonghwa start dating and the group start's getting shit on again for no reason one of the members starts to harass and gaslight YN until she finally decides fine I'll break up with him and when she does Seonghwa sees through it easily and tells her that if she really loved him then it wouldn't matter leading to a huge fight because at least ATINY are nice about it meanwhile she gets death threats on the daily. So they end up not breaking up and said fifth member gets pissed and teams up with a ssng to get said ssng and YN together. Obviously the whole process of getting kidnapped is traumatic for both YN and Seonghwa, YN because she's the victim and Seonghwa because where the fuck is she but since he's an idol he has to pretend that everything is okay and only goes on hiatus for about a week before the company asks him if he's okay coming back because he's Park Seonghwa, to put it bluntly he's one of the main moneymakers of the group whether they liked it or not. Eventually after about three weeks she is found and hospitalized cuz girl was not doing well and the status of ANiMA was up in the air for a while until the police started investigations and linked Fifth member to the kidnapping causing an even bigger scandal that now involved the whole of NCT because what's this? Johnny Suh throwing a woman out the door? What a misogynistic prick, right? Nah, man was hella pissed that anyone would have the audacity to even think of that. Soon though police release a report, truth comes to light, YN is asked whether she wants to terminate her contract or keep going and she chooses to stay with the company because Fifth Member wanted her to leave and she didn't want to give her the satisfaction of winning. Her and Seonghwa end up getting closer than ever because mm trauma, people realize how irrational they've been towards her so they all apologize save for some Fifth Member apologists cuz you know they're gonna be there, etc.

Then I realized "shit this is not a good thing to write about" and turned it into a comedy series instead lmfao

[panda-writes-kpop]

Scandal - Handong (Part 3 of BUS)

A/N: Hi guys, girls, and non-binary pearls! I hope you enjoy this third part of the series. Let me know what you think of it. ❤️

Series Masterlist

TW: Alcohol, clubbing, Handong moves on with her life while the reader is still heartbroken. If you’ve read other parts of the series, then you know the amount of angst that you’re getting into.

Your breath finally evens out as you wipe that single tear from your face. A glance over to a nearby clock makes you realize that you’re going to be late to your best friend’s birthday party.

Has it really been an hour already? Time really does fly when you think about the good memories.

You don’t dare to correct your thinking as you quickly gather your belongings.

Focus on the good, get rid of the bad. That’s what Dongie would want, right? She’d want me to be happy. I promised her that I’d be happy even if she wasn’t in my life; however, promises and relationships never last, and yet here I am, feeling like garbage in my own house.

You grip the door handle just a bit too tight for your liking.

She didn’t keep her promise, yet I’m beating myself up for not keeping mine. Who is she to tell me how to feel anyways?

You take one last breath to clear your mind before leaving your home.

I’m never letting anyone hurt me like that again.

Baby, we’re a scandal, way too hot to handle

The universe really knows how to mess with me on a personal level.

You glare at your phone, but more specifically at the headline on your screen.

Local K-Pop Idol Caught With New Fling After Public Break-Up!

You can’t help but let the tears flood down your face. That’s most certainly Dongie on your screen, holding hands with somebody who isn’t you.

Is that why she doesn’t love me anymore? Was she in love with someone else the entire time? Why can’t I be that somebody who she loves?

Her promise to you comes right to the front of your mind.

You promised me that I’d be your forever, that we’d get married after you were done chasing your dreams. In return, you made me promise you that I’d always be happy, even if I wasn’t by your side. Do you make those same promises to them? Do you whisper sweet nothings into their ear just like you did to me? Do you spend hours baking in the kitchen while making the biggest mess that anyone has ever seen? Do you even think about me anymore?

“Y/N, come on. It’s been six months, and Handong had to move on eventually. You do too, believe it or not.” Your best friend’s voice breaks through your thoughts. They start to wipe your tears away as they gesture for you to talk.

“...But how do I move on when it hurts so much?” You let your honest feelings out, since you’ve spent months acting like you’re fine.

“Like this.” Your best friend snatches your phone from your hand.

“What are you doing?” You try to get your phone back, but they stop you.

“No phone for the rest of the night. It’s only making you feel worse, and I don’t need my best friend feeling miserable all night. Now, let’s get some drinks and party before the bar closes!” Your best friend cheers as you let them drag you inside of the bar.

It’s not a bad idea, and I’m willing to try anything in order to get her off my mind.

As the bar door closes behind you, you feel your mood lift and those pesky tears finally dry up. ...That is, until you make eye contact with the one person you’ve been avoiding for months.

Handong…

You can’t keep your eyes off, my love is like a candle~

[carolinejroth]

2021 | Info Post

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Hi! 👋🏼 I’m Carol. This is a discourse blog.

Quick Intro!

Age: 25+

Pronouns: she/her (more info)

I’m demisexual and panromantic

I’m autistic and I have dyslexia

About My Blog

I don’t follow or message underage users.

I try to avoid interacting with underage users so I don’t make them uncomfortable, but I may reblog/boost important posts.

My blog is Safe-For-Work, but I’m not family friendly.

I don’t talk about explicit/adult topics or share explicit content

I cuss and I talk about tough topics.

I don’t care who interacts with my posts or follows my blog.

I block bullies, trolls and entitled users who disrespect boundaries.

So If you’re chill, It’s alright to be here 👍🏼

If you’re uncomfortable in any way, it’s okay to block me! It’s no worries.

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I’m a writer and artist, and I care about disability advocacy, autism acceptance, LGBTQIA+ and transgender topics, discussions around the bipoc community, and other related points of discussion.

I reblog LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC artists, fundraiser and financial help posts, and informational posts on LGBTQIA+ topics, BIPOC topics and autism/neurodiversity topics.

Sometimes I talk about writing, publishing web comics, fandom and fanfic.

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If you want to see what kind of content I create under my author name, you can click on the spoiler below.

Otherwise, please have a wonderful day.

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Author account for adult erotic romance books: Carol J. Scarlette (Not-Safe-For-Work)

Carol Scarlette is my pen name for my erotic romance books and other content. I write scandalous romances involving vampires, witches and magic, and I aspire to write all of your guilty pleasures, like werewolves and demons.

My genres include urban fantasy, paranormal romance, slice of life and erotica. My stories lean towards kinky and unusual, but they’re always consensual, characters are always 18+, and I try to be LGBTQIA+ and trans friendly.

NOTE: My Carol Scarlette platform is intended for adults only, regardless if my content is safe-for-work or not. Minors should not interact with my content under my Carol Scarlette accounts.

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I sometimes write fanfic, for fun and for free. A lot of my stories were inspired by fanfic tropes, fandom theories and fic prompts.

I’m in a variety of different fandoms, and I do make K-Pop music playlists to accompany my different books and fics.

Check the links below if you’re curious.

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[aijee]

To Trust or Not to Trust, That is the Question

TW: themes of abuse, bullying

So many mixed feelings surrounding The Situation with MG right now. It’s so difficult to trust allegations made against idols/celebrities because of the frankly vicious Internet culture in Korea (netizens have too much god damn power) and an ingrained sociocultural competitiveness that breeds the desire to tear people down. This much is evident in many cases of celebrities being wrongly accused yet still facing serious consequences. But there ARE obviously cases in which K-celebrities have and probably still do legitimately and legally shitty things, and pass them under the rug because of fame and money. Considering how “trendy” it’s been to put idols in scandals these last few days, too, makes me very skeptical. There will always people who have it so out for celebrities because they present the most public and, therefore, accessible form of success.

As an American with mixed cultural values, I hate having mixed feelings about this. I have long been on the side of the victims because (a) it takes so much damn courage to speak up, (b) abuse of power is disgusting, and (c) I am a victim of abuse and people who aren’t do not understand how hard it can be to talk about, especially if you thought your experiences were “normal” for so long. Having very close friends who grew up in Korea, I am further well aware that the social side of school life there can be fucking brutal. International fans don’t understand that some of the shit that goes down cannot be frivolously passed off as “It was just high/middle school!!” It can be so dehumanizing sometimes. Where is your sense of humanity and empathy for those who could have been traumatized and are dealing with the repurcussions? Imagine being abused to the nines and seeing fans of your abuser forgive them that easily? Abuse also doesn’t just mean the most extreme things we know of (sexual, physical)—just saying mean things, verbal abuse, is indeed abuse. Yes, we are naive as kids and adolescents and are fully capable of learning to be better. But age and immaturity don’t absolve the effects having done shitty things. It’s only part of the explanation.

With all this said, however, there are just so many things that muddy up the water that make having judgments so difficult. I rarely take neutral sides in these types of accusations for the reasons above. But the unique nature of Korean entertainment, and the culture it’s entrenched in, pushes me towards neutrality. While the reality of Korean society is very harsh, that harshness has been equally unfairly used as fabrications of reality against celebrities. I am fully aware that this string of scandals could be throwing dirt on a clean resume (and that really sucks because it harms the legitimacy of REAL accusations). It’s important to not be definitive about anything until things are resolved, which I hope to the gods these companies can grant their artists at the very least.

I am of the firm belief that we don’t really know our idols. If you do, you need a reality check. The nature of idol culture is to breed that sense of familiarity for profit, and it is all well and good to indulge in healthily, which is to say in moderation and self-awareness. A similar principle goes for really admiring or having great affection for people in your life whom you haven’t really gotten to know: like people in your workplace or other students/teachers you only talk to in specific social environments; individuals on the internet who you constantly talk to or interact with but don’t know in real life.

I also think it’s admirable that we try to see the best parts in people, but the fact of the matter is that human beings make mistakes and do shitty things. All of us. What we have to do is own up to and grow from them. It’s fucking scary to have as wide-reaching of a public platform and voice as idols/celebs, and the risk of losing an entire career or audience sounds paralyzing, especially given the trajectory of so many idols wronged by false accusations (e.g. Wonho, B.I.). Following a voice for so long and trusting in the light they provide you makes questioning that light source even harder and more painful. I get it, god I do.

But never forget your roots as a human being. You are a person first, fan second. As a victim, it’s so painful to see blind, unwavering trust of fans in those who do so much wrong and get away with it. It’s not just about MG or K-pop idols, it’s about a far bigger picture of power, abuse, social hierarchies, justice, truth, empathy, self-awareness, and reality. I’m not saying that we aren’t allowed to continue loving and appreciating MG, or seeing him as a fundamentally good person who can grow. In fact, I fucking hate cancel culture like you wouldn’t believe, especially for singular or rare fiascos (with exception, of course, on a case-by-case basis; VIPs who still support Seungri are beyond reality at this point imo...) But god knows fans in K-Pop can be so wrapped up in their love for their faves that the idea of them being imperfect in more serious ways is absurd. And the fact that we think it’s also our business is an entirely different can of worms.

Take care of yourself in these times. Step away from the Internet (especially Twitter, good lord) if you must. Stay vigilant, critical, and never forget your roots. We love and respect Seventeen and K-Pop in this household, but we should also love and respect human beings in general.

[yourkeeperoftherunners]

Jennie may not be my bias in BLACKPINK, but I hope that she can work through the difficulties caused by her ankle troubles. (I have read that she is working to strengthen her body through regular exercise to address the issues.)

The original rumors about her lack of effort in dancing goes to show how quick the online community is to jump to conclusions. As my old marching band instructor once said, “Assume nothing.”

[unit-kou]

･:*:･ﾟ( YOSHINO HOKUTO. 23. CIS MALE. HE/HIM. ) ( KAMIYA KOUSUKE / K.OTIC ) is a ’ ( 97 ) liner from ( OSAKA, JAPAN ) and originally debuted in ’ ( 13 ). their specialty is ( VOCAL ) and they auditioned with ( TRUE LOVE - KIM SUNG KYU ). fans say that they are ( + KIND, + CARING AND + HARDWORKING ) but they can also be ( - SHY, - MISCHIEVOUS AND - SILLY ). i hope they have the chance to showcase their talents. [ skill level: vocal 9.5, # dance 4, # rap 7 ] (Becks, 21+, gmt +1, she/her). 

hellow everyone i’m Becks and it’s very lovely to meet you all. This here is my small and ‘tsundere’ prince Kousuke. He currently is on hiatus with his group Beyond. Byeond is a six member group and Kousuke is the maknae, lead vocal and sub rapper. If you like to plot hit the heart and i’ll be coming into your dm.  [ tw: cancer death in his profile/bio ] ✰ Kousuke is the grandson of a 3rd generations Okinawa Kyokuryu-kai Yakuza Boss and the son of famous enka singer and actor Kamiya Kaisei. His mother was a non-celebrity and a pre-school teacher. Growing into a celebrity family he became an child actor at a very young age. While his oldest brother turned out to be a very talented singer. ✰ With his love for K-Pop Kousuke left his agency by the age of 12 years and moved to Seoul short before he turned 14. Holding auditions for several entertainments he shorty got accepted into one and trained their for two years before debuting under the stage name of K.otic with a group called Beyond. ✰ Sadly Beyond was lacking in success for around three years and promoting mostly in Japan. The group finally rise to top with several number one hit singles, all kills, music show wins and in 2017 they won an award for best vocal group, male.  ✰ It didn’t took long before the fall and member leaving the company or going for their military service, after their CEO got into a huge scandal.  ✰ ✰  Kousuke might looks like a prince straight out of a manga and he mostly behaves like one. But beside being kind, hardworking and caring. The young Japanese male can be pretty tsundere as he sometimes turns out to be a ‘black’ prince. He acts silly and loves to prank others around him but sometimes turns out cold and not paying attention, mostly when it comes to dance. Because he really isn’t caring much about his horrible dance moves since he himself thinks his body is too stiff and not made for dancing. 

[haich-slash-cee]

Is the print publishing world picking up online/fandom terms? How they are using them? How do we feel about this?

So this is... attention-getting, for folks who like to follow publishing and meta stuff.

https://twitter.com/sapphicxrey/status/1215065948677443584

https://twitter.com/TorDotComPub/status/1233391556750647299

(2nd tweet -- TW, mentions of non-con)

Are we seeing the beginnings of book publishers directly borrowing from online/fandom culture in promoting their books? How do we feel about these examples?

More below cut.

Exhibit #1: screenshots of Bonds of Brass promo from Jan 8 2020. (Which is probably going to have reactions of “haha, cute” at most.)

Transcript of blurb: 

“If you like... 

forbidden romances, “there’s only one bed”, cityships, weaponized umbrellas, powersuits, secret princes, best friends, best friends PINING, fake dating between PINING best friends, tactical streaking, the minivan of starships, cigar-chomping cyborg ladies, scary empress moms, galactic-level bisexual disasters, LEGACY (WHAT IS A LEGACY?), rooftop hopping, golden trios, rumblin’ drums, bootleg fireworks, BIG SPACE BATTLES PEW PEW, a surprisingly functional public transit system, mob trouble, one hell of a pilot, the inherent DRAMA of empire, a nice interlude in a river, smoking a joint that’s been on the floor, sick stunts, slick grifts, hiding in a dumpster, or any combination of the above,

 Then you might like 

BONDS OF BRASS”

The Twitter responses seem to be generally enthusiastic. (And also, “FinnPoe! FinnPoe!”)

Personally, I’m intrigued from a meta-view of “oh so that’s definitely pulling from online world and fanfiction world, interesting. I wonder how much fanfiction culture is starting to influence print book culture and promotion.” Maybe I’ve got some questions like, “Ok so moneymaking companies such as Penguin are now using culture developed by the not-moneymaking-world of fanfiction? How do we feel about this?” Anyway, the book looks cute, I’m interested enough and I might get it from the library.

I suspect many people’s reactions are along the lines of “hm, interesting”, “sounds like a lark”, or “haha they’re using AO3 tags as promo”, etc. 

Exhibit #2, screenshots of DOCILE promo, from Feb 28 2020 (today is March 1 2020), and screenshots of Twitter responses so far:

(*CW, non-con discussion)

Tweet transcript:

“DOCILE by @KMSzpara:  

-Dubcon/Noncon 

-Dramatic Trillionaire Content 

-BDSM and then some more BDSM and then a lot more BDSM

 -Hurt/comfort and hurt/no comfort

 -Cinnamon roll of steel 

-The most scandalous kink: love 

-Courtroom, bedroom, & Preakness drama

[Tor book website link]”

So this is getting mixed reactions on Twitter. All dozen or so reactions, so far. Here’s text transcripts and bio info from repliers, below. I’m being a little obsessive, mostly to show that there’s a mix of queer, book-ish people in the replies (including the author).)

Noncon is nonconsentual sex, rape. Even in fandom it's a content tag, not a promotional term. I can't imagine being a rape survivor and seeing this come across my TL. -- @WriteSomeGood [queer rainbow] [Cis queer homemaker, aspiring author, maker of incredible cinnamon buns. She/her] [has a Tumblr page]

I’m not a survivor but it was an instant “no thank you” from me. And I was sincerely looking forward to this prior to. This is the most immediately off-putting marketing push I’ve seen for a book in a long damn time. -- @AGAWilmot [Author, editor, artist. Co-EIC of @anathemaspec. @SFU alum. The Death Scene Artist/W&W 2018. Ace/enby. They/them. Horror is my comfort food.]

Whichever intern wrote this tweet, deserves a full time job. With benefits. -- @simeontsanev [Aspiring writer, post-aspiring musician, and overall geek  He/Him /[queer rainbow]/ To the world we dream about, and the one we live in now! http://simeontsanev.com]

Idk why everyone thinks it’s always an intern writing copy and not a team comprised of extremely skilled social media experts, editors, publicists and marketers, and their assistants  I worked on those tags with my editor and a good friend!! -- @KMSzpara [Kellan. [queer rainbow]  Speculative fiction writer. Queer agenda.  Hugo & Nebula finalist.  DOCILE 3/3/20 from Tor Dot Com Publishing.  He/him.  Rep @suddenlyjen] *The author, bio page and twitter page.

this is CUTE! -- @MSSciarappa  [queer rainbow] I do books. he/him.

I am Extremely Ready for this content thank u -- @JessicaBCooper [Journo ☽ Writer of faerie, villain fuckery & cruel desires ☽ Lestat & Loki's love child ☽ Aleksander Morozova's side-hoe ☽ Rep'd by Kate Testerman @ktliterary]

I’m listening -- @MerynLobb [Government worker. Weightlifter. Nihilist. Aspiring cult leader. Avid user of words, often bad ones. #AMM R6 Mentee. she/her]

Soon! Soon!! -- @castrophony [Geek. Gamer. Cosplayer. Bibliophile. Scientist. She/Her.]

[happy reaction gif] -- @TorDotComPub [Providing a home for writers to tell SFF stories in exactly the number of words they choose. All our titles are available globally in print and DRM-free ebook.]

[throwing stuff in dumpster, unhappy reaction gif] -- @cursedgravy  [name's xavi, im a transman and i like to daydream about making content] 

For more context, here’s the blurb from the author website. Below is the blurb from the publisher’s site:

“Docile

K.M. Szpara

K. M. Szpara's Docile is a science fiction parable about love and sex, wealth and debt, abuse and power, a challenging tour de force that at turns seduces and startles.

There is no consent under capitalism.

To be a Docile is to be kept, body and soul, for the uses of the owner of your contract. To be a Docile is to forget, to disappear, to hide inside your body from the horrors of your service. To be a Docile is to sell yourself to pay your parents' debts and buy your children's future.

Elisha Wilder’s family has been ruined by debt, handed down to them from previous generations. His mother never recovered from the Dociline she took during her term as a Docile, so when Elisha decides to try and erase the family’s debt himself, he swears he will never take the drug that took his mother from him.

Too bad his contract has been purchased by Alexander Bishop III, whose ultra-rich family is the brains (and money) behind Dociline and the entire Office of Debt Resolution. When Elisha refuses Dociline, Alex refuses to believe that his family’s crowning achievement could have any negative side effects—and is determined to turn Elisha into the perfect Docile without it.

Content warning: Docile contains forthright depictions and discussions of rape and sexual abuse.”

So that’s a lot of info and reactions.

Personally: at first glance, I absently skimmed the tweet and “hurt/comfort” popped out, and I was like “What? Mainstream publishing is cool with this now? I was wondering if ‘hurt/comfort’ would one day become commonly used in publishing [related post]. But this is way sooner than I thought.” And then I read the rest of of the tweet and thought, “Wait, what?” 

And then I started reading through the tweet replies and thought, “OK, at the risk of getting a bunch of Tumblr drama, I want to bring this to the whump community and see how people feel."

As for myself, one of my squicks is non-con, and I’m not really interested in hurt/no comfort. So just from the tweet, I know the book is not for me. The official blurbs confirmed that. In this sense, this is like skimming Ao3 tags on a fic and saying “pass” on a story.

However, I have questions about the specific promotion of the book. So the official blurbs are pretty standard. What about that tweet, which Tor (and the author, who helped put it together) put out? Because I think an official publisher’s Tweet comes with different context than Ao3 tags.

First, the different internet spaces. You can filter tags on Ao3 and Tumblr. I know you can mute words on Twitter, but is that the same thing? Also, would people be expecting these tags on Twitter? Compared to Ao3 or Tumblr or Tumblr Whump spaces?

Within the Tumblr Whump community, from what I’ve browsed, the community attitude (guidelines?) seem to be “Write and discuss what you want. Be sure to tag it, use content warnings, or otherwise clearly communicate if you have things that may be triggering. Respect people’s squicks/triggers. Walk away from what you don’t like.” Like, tumblr whump has a very specific culture of trying to balance discourse/stories about potentially very dark stuff, but also wanting to make sure the IRL people and Tumblr users are okay. There’s always posts going around about how to do this, are we doing this in the right way, ethics, so on. Also -- and people can correct me -- the whump tumblr space might be where tags are content warnings for people to stay away, and also what people might actively look for. So if any space is going to discuss if this promotional tweet checks out, I feel like it’s this space. 

Also, to note again, Tor Tweets are in the money-official-publisher-world, not unpaid-tumblr-people or unpaid-fanfiction-fandom-world.

Maybe I just want to ask, “Hey those first two tweet responses, does they have a point? Tor using ‘noncon’ as official promotion? On Twitter?” I mean, I’ve previously written, “The CW and TW tags that Ao3 writers use, I really wish those were used with published books as well.” But somehow, the Tor tweet was not quite what I was expecting. Maybe for reasons similar to that first tweet response. (I guess one could debate if a tweet is really promotion or just information... you know what someone can correct me, but I’m gonna say that a Tor.com tweet is promotion, compared to information like Ao3, and that tweet was there for promotion.)

Those tags operate within specific Ao3 and Tumblr cultures and infrastructure. I don’t hang around Twitter for whump stuff, IDK what the culture is. Anyway, does dropping these tags into a promotional tweet from Tor.... translate?

The tweet is evidently gathering the people who are there for it, and the people who aren’t there for it are quickly realizing that they are not there for it. But personally, the Tor website blurb does a better job at that, using writing that I’d expect from a publisher for communicating fictional non-con situations. (Maybe the blurb content warnings are what I wanted more of, when I said I wished for CW and TW in books.)

Anyway, there’s no huge drama about that Docile book promo on Twitter, as far as I can tell. So this is a niche thing, right now. But. The promo for Bonds of Brass and for Docile might be the beginnings of a trend of well-known book publishers borrowing from online writing / fandom culture and terminology in order to promote or categorize their books. These two promos might set a precedent or have other significance.

So if anyone has discourse on the tweets or potential future trends... 

[kpopmultifan]

My K-Pop Top 50: July 2020 - Week 4

[My K-Pop Top 50 Apple Music Playlist] [My K-Pop Top 50 Spotify Playlist]

#1 (+1) Red Velvet-Irene & Seulgi - Monster [LW: #2 - TW: 3 - PK: #1]

#2 (-1) SF9 - Summer Breeze [LW: #1 - TW: 3 - PK: #1 (2w)]

#3 (=) Chung Ha - Play (feat. Changmo) [LW: #3 - TW: 3 - PK: #3 (2w)]

#4 (+1) GFRIEND - Apple [LW: #5 - TW: 2 - PK: #4]

#5 (+2) VERIVERY - Thunder [LW: #7 - TW: 4 - PK: #5]

#6 (-2) Sunmi - pporappippam [MV] [LW: #4 - TW: 4 - PK: #4 (2w)]

#7 (+13) AB6IX - The Answer [MV] [LW: #20 - TW: 4 - PK: #7]

#8 (-2) Golden Child - ONE (Lucid Dream) [MV] [LW: #6 - TW: 5 - PK: #1]

#9 (=) SEVENTEEN - Left & Right [MV] [LW: #9 - TW: 5 - PK: #1]

#10 (-2) BLACKPINK - How You Like That [MV] [LW: #8 - TW: 5 - PK: #2]

#11 (NEW) Red Velvet-Irene & Seulgi - Naughty [MV] [LW: NEW - TW: 1 - PK: #11]

#12 (-2) Stray Kids - God’s Menu [MV] [LW: #10 - TW: 6 - PK: #4]

#13 (-1) NATURE - Girls [MV] [LW: #12 - TW: 6 - PK: #12 (2w)]

#14 (+8) TOO - Count 1, 2 [MV] [LW: #22 - TW: 2 - PK: #14]

#15 (-2) Weeekly - Tag Me (@ Me) [MV] [LW: #13 - TW: 4 - PK: #13 (3w)]

#16 (-5) IZ*ONE - Secret Story of the Swan [MV] [LW: #11 - TW: 6 - PK: #3]

#17 (-2) Weki Meki - Oopsy [MV] [LW: #15 - TW: 6 - PK: #15 (2w)]

#18 (NEW) HYO (Hyoyeon of Girl’s Generation) - Dessert (feat. Loopy & Soyeon of (G)I-DLE) [MV] [LW: NEW - TW: 1 - PK: #18]

#19 (-5) VICTON - Mayday [MV] [LW: #14 - TW: 8 - PK: #1]

#20 (-4) WJSN (Cosmic Girls) - Butterfly [MV] [LW: #16 - TW: 7 - PK: #4 (2w)]

#21 (-4) WOODZ - Love Me Harder [MV] [LW: #17 - TW: 4 - PK: #17 (3w)]

#22 (-4) Hwasa (of MAMAMOO) - Maria [MV] [LW: #18 - TW: 4 - PK: #18 (2w)]

#23 (+2) DONGKIZ I:KAN - Y.O.U [MV] [LW: #25 - TW: 3 - PK: #23]

#24 (-5) Zico - Summer Hate (feat. RAIN) [MV] [LW: #19 - TW: 4 - PK: #19]

#25 (+2) GreatGuys - RUN [MV] [LW: #27 - TW: 3 - PK: #25]

#26 (-5) TWICE - More & More [MV] [LW: #21 - TW: 8 - PK: #1 (2w)]

#27 (+1) XRO - Welcome to My Jungle [MV] [LW: #28 - TW: 2 - PK: #27]

#28 (-4) TXT (Tomorrow x Together) - Can’t You See Me? [MV] [LW: #24 - TW: 10 - PK: #1]

#29 (-6) MONSTA X - Fantasia [MV] [LW: #23 - TW: 9 - PK: #1]

#30 (-4) KEEMBO - Scandalous [MV] [LW: #26 - TW: 9 - PK: #11]

#31 (+1) Jeong Sewoon - Say Yes [MV] [LW: #32 - TW: 2 - PK: #32]

#32 (+6) PinkFantasy - Shadow Play [MV] [LW: #38 - TW: 2 - K: #32]

#33 (+9) 1THE9 - Bad Guy [MV] [LW: #42 - TW: 2 - PK: #33]

#34 (+1) Ha Sungwoon (of HOTSHOT) - Get Ready [MV] [LW: #35 - TW: 7 - PK: #13]

#35 (-6) Park Jihoon - Wing [MV] [LW: #29 - TW: 9 - PK: #6 (2w)]

#36 (-5) 3YE - YESSIR [MV] [LW: #31 - TW: 4 - PK: #29]

#37 (NEW) MustB - Realize [MV] [LW: NEW - TW: 1 - PK: #37]

#38 (-8) SEVENTEEN - My My [MV] [LW: #30 - TW: 5 - PK: #20]

#39 (-5) Kim Wooseok (of UP10TION) - Red Moon [MV] [LW: #34 - TW: 9 - PK: #11]

#40 (-3) WayV - Turn Back Time [MV] [LW: #37 - TW: 6 - PK: #16]

#41 (-8) ONEWE - End of Spring [MV] [LW: #33 - TW: 9 - PK: #9 (2w)]

#42 (-2) EXO-SC - 1 Billion Views [MV] [LW: #40 - TW: 2 - PK: #40]

#43 (NEW) SOMI - What You Waiting For [MV] [LW: NEW - TW: 1 - PK: #43]

#44 (-8) DKB - Still [MV] [LW: #36 - TW: 9 - PK: #23 (2w)]

#45 (-6) Ryu Sujeong (of Lovelyz) - Tiger Eyes [MV] [LW: #39 - TW: 10 - PK: #3]

#46 (-2) Chung Ha - Be Yourself [MV] [LW: #44 - TW: 7 - PK: #26]

#47 (-1) N.Flying - Oh Really [MV] [LW: #46 - TW: 7 - PK: #19]

#48 (-1) NCT 127 - Punch [MV] [LW: #47 - TW: 10 - PK: #6 (2w)]

#49 (-1) SECRET NUMBER - Who Dis? [MV] [LW: #48 - TW: 10 - PK: #25]

#50 (-1) REDSQUARE - ColorFull [MV] [LW: #49 - TW: 10 - PK: #16 (2w)]

- BUBBLING UNDER -

PENTAGON - Basquiat [MV] Lee Jinhyuk (of UP10TION) - Bedlam [MV] AleXa - Villain [MV] SSAK3 - Beach Again [MV] Yukika - Soul Lady [MV]

- RETIRED -

NU’EST - I’m in Trouble [MV] [LW: #41 - TW: 10 - PK: #3]

DAY6 - Zombie [MV] [LW: #45 - TW: 10 - PK: #1]

- DROPPING OUT -

AWEEK - One Four Three (1, 4, 3) [MV] [LW: #43 - TW: 5 - PK: #28]

D1CE - Draw You [MV] [LW: #50 - TW: 5 - PK: #36]

[dojae-huh]

like i dont getting korean beauty standard... U knw how they criticize if an idol is ugly, like even they call dy ugly sometimes (antis I meant)... But normally i do heard abt how they act towards ppl quo are not that fair considering korean ppl skin.. Even light dark skin consider ugly, that's what I heard.. But u knw boy group tws, nd everyone is a visual member in that grp I guess... But I saw they consider dohoon center nd visual member even when is skin is a bit darker than others.. ( but can't ignore his sharp facial features nd smile, it's really beautiful nd I love him, don't get me wrong), but considering korean beauty standard he is not that fair, but still I don't even saw anyone calling him ugly.. It's really good to see the good approach, but am really confused.. How is this korean beauty category works...

Honestly I don't mean anything bad, but really curious to knw abt this , but if I ask this anywhere else it will be a blast, coz dohoon is kinda popular..so forgive me if I made u angry, nd Thank you huh nim..

It is simple. Yes, there are common beauty standarts of the decade in every country, however, in the end the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. When someone is loved his "imperfections" become "charming points", when someone is hated, even positive traits are labeled as "ugly" or "fake". Haechan is a pretty popular member in SK despite his tanned skin. However, of course his antis use his complexion to explain why they see him as unattractive, use it to call him names. Same with Doyoung (yes, his face doesn't follow SK standarts closely, Cha Eunwoo's does).

Look at G-Dragon. He is a national fashion ikon, the king of k-pop. He is pretty plain in the face, he sometimes gains weight, he intentionally pushes the gender norms when it comes to clothes, and people still copy him and look up to him. People like his confidence, swag and his creativity. And because he has that celebrity power, his natural looks are not important. He is cool because he is GD.

For whatever reason this Dohoon guy became popular, his tan skin will be ignored (or even celebrated) as long as he maintains his status. Once he does something that deems him unworthy of fans' adoration, his skin will be used against him, the "ugly" label applied.

There are many handsome and beautiful faces in poorly known groups. K-pop fans don't care untill a group makes it and becomes popular. The halo of popularity and the celebrety status that comes with recognition are more important as measures of "attractiveness" of an idol than real facial features.

Lastly. TWS is very pushed, and we know from Hybe's recent scandals how they use media play and fabricate images. It might be the case that Pledis created this image of a visual for this member on forums, planted the seeds, and so the guy is currently perceived as one. (Of course, maybe he has a fun personality and attracts attention on idol programmes, I don't know the group).

[onenettvchannel]

OneNETnews Investigates x HONEST OPINION: Illegally Controversial Hate Scandal for framing the BTS and the #TwitterSucks trend [EXCLUSIVE]

SEOUL, KOREA -- A heartbreaking controversy for framing the BTS as fake news, which includes this trend called #TwitterSucks. This time, DJ Unikitty (formerly known as ColeThePony from Tillsonburg, ON in Canada) sends a news tip for the immediate investigation on us.

Our Station Manager/Programme Director/Radyo Patrol #4 reporter/President of ONC: Princess Twilight Sparkle, together with Hekapoo Diaz (our investigative Disney XD reporter) goes to Seoul in South Korea together to deep down on everything.

Twitter username @YOUI57881933 spoked out inappropriately in Korean dialect told DJ Unikitty, they honestly slammed and framing the privacy of BTS. Not just any of the BTS band, it’s a fewer k-pop group/bands to boycott with; even for harassed or humored someone.

Few hours later, he suspended for a half-day without the warning (effectively starting last Monday late night in EDT) by limiting a Twitter Account to DJ Unikitty by reporting the anonymous user from the Twitter accounts. This resulted as this illegal trend called #TwitterSucks: Boycotting half of the Twitter staff and the moderators. We’ll get to that little later.

A short example for this Suspended Tweet that violates the Republic Act #10173 or Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Anything it’s posted the illegal privacy of K-Pop like BTS before the event starts, may resulted in sentence to 3-6 years in prison.

But Denny Mack has a response from Quora to OneNETnews:

Princess Twilight Sparkle & Hekapoo Diaz told exclusively to OneNETnews, they illegally stalked, framed and boycotting the entire K-Pop group/bands. They called it as “Sasaengs”. It’s like a free VIP Access in order to stalk any of your favorite K-Pop to commit and it’s illegal. All of them are against the Korean Law.

The conclusion, BigHit Entertainment has taken a bigger layer of security measures before, during and after the event. Even sadly of course, the early birds on Airports or Jetplane for it’s Private Life. K-Pop fan enthusiast is off-limits, even on Premium & VIPs if found them caught red-handed. You’ll end up a crime as permabanned for good, leaving only as a free attendee role in general but you are no longer be granted any of these VIP or Premium pass of K-Pop by any single centavo. And that’s the honest fact.

Back in this controversial topic of #TwitterSucks... Negative Tweets are suspended and red-taped to this one.

So because Twitter pinheads @Twitter management & boneheads @Twittersupport have destroyed TW Search Top Results by limiting it to only past hour I call this censorship of the news I call for Twitter to be regulated like a utility#Twittersucks #TWSearchsucks #TWSearchbroken

— Tomi T Ahonen (@tomiahonen) January 4, 2020

My New Years resolution is to ignore all Twitter & Facebook political posts from anyone going forward. I’ve realized that these engage in nothing other than spreading propoganda, hate, division and no one is held accountable for what they write. Politics is all bad! #twittersucks

— Vincent Ioia (@vjioia) January 1, 2020

Wow! Twitter really sucks!#TwitterSucks

— GAYS LOVE PRESIDENT TRUMP (@trump_gays) January 6, 2020

and

I am so pissed at Twitter! The jailed me for 12 hours for a tweet I was able to see posted hundreds of times by others. Apparently I'm stepping on some liberal Nazi Twitter Cop Toes. Good! They need to be stepped on! #TwitterSucks

— The Great Deplorable Henry ♿ (@hammy413) August 1, 2019

And one positive tweet, has a certain mistake.

FYI~ I’ve gotten 2 of these warnings in the last two day.. I have no idea why. Maybe my Gun Training Clip? Last time I received a warning like this, Twitter started deleting 1,000’s & 1,000’s of friends that I follow until I had 0 friends left🌻 #TwitterSucks If happens B patient pic.twitter.com/3OgrLFZxyA

— Cali4Trump 2020 (@DigiDiva2020) September 7, 2019

We contacted the Twitter Support to OneNETnews (even on e-mails), but he/she has no comment on us. Feedbacks and Messages in negatives will permanently ignored. It is suggestive to boycott behind the Twitter is only either the redacted names of CEO or CFO. This trend is deadly illegal and it’s against the law for the internet.

So there you go. BTS-haters are rapidly growing today. Even the newest illegal movement of propaganda trend of #TwitterSucks. This considerly needs a newest worldwide internet law to IP Banning, even using a Virtual Private Network for evasion. There is sadly nothing to declare the internet war of K-Pop & #TwitterSucks movement. Leaving the rest of the negatives to yourselves... will be electrical chair’d, suicidal or maybe both.

Life choices of K-Pop, is your future... So think twice before you head out.

SOURCE: https://www.quora.com/Why-are-sasaeng-fans-seen-as-dangerous

SERIOUS HONEST DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed from this news article are not those from the News Reporters of OneNETnews and it’s affiliates. Furthermore, the assumptions of this news report aren’t stated or reflect those of the Host, Station, Management and the internet network. Thanks you for reading!

-- OneNETnews Team

[idolizerp]

LOADING INFORMATION ON POIZN’S MAIN RAP, LEAD VOCAL JEON DOYOON...

IDOL DETAILS

STAGENAME: j.dean CURRENT AGE: 29 DEBUT AGE: 21 TRAINEE SINCE AGE:15 COMPANY: 99 SECONDARY SKILL: Lyric writing

IDOL PROFILE

NICKNAME(S): 

korean homer: this embarrassing nickname was thrusted onto him in the early days of POIZN since 99 media played him as this rising, prodigal songwriter. ( the nickname is, obviously, used as a joke )

yoonie bear: mostly used by female fans when they saw the stark contrast between his stage persona as a looming and intimidating figure, and his real self who is soft like a teddy bear.

INSPIRATION: doyoon had dreamed to become an artist who could tell his own story and was heavily influenced by korean hip-hop artists such as yoon mirae, tiger jk, and epik high, and he thought being an idol would be the best way to get his name out there. SPECIAL TALENTS:

playing the piano with his feet

nail art

NOTABLE FACTS:

lived in montana, usa for seven years and returned to korea with his grandparents at 12 to become a k-pop idol

was a pianist in his church band

his mother gave him the english name james-dean because she is a big fan of the actor

had numerous part time jobs while he was a trainee to financially support himself

started writing songs and lyrics since he was eight. his first song was about his pet rabbit

IDOL GOALS

SHORT-TERM GOALS:

doyoon hopes to regain the trust he had lost with 99, so he can regain the possibility of the solo opportunity they had given him years ago. to do that, he is trying to soften the public perception of him as one of the “scandal-clad screw ups of 99,” and finally reclaim his debut as a solo artist.

LONG-TERM GOALS:

doyoon has realized time and time again that being an idol is hard, and he is somewhat sick of the lifestyle. so he wants to quickly transition out of that idol title he holds and become an artist that he desperately wants to be by being recognized as someone who writes and produces songs — either for himself, his group, or other artist both in and out of 99.

IDOL IMAGE

as if by fate, 99 knew exactly what they wanted doyoon to be ever since they laid their eyes on him. from a visual standpoint, doyoon seemed to have been born just so he could be a part of POIZN with his sharp eyes, intimidating glare, and baritone voice. 99 sets him out to be a bad boy – not exactly a wild, partying bad boy, but as the classic “hollywood” bad boy ( most likely due to his american upbringing. ) while he initially played the role of a rambunctious young blood, doyoon gradually brings it down and became reserved the more he played his role into what 99 wanted him to be.

he is neither loud nor boisterous – loudness is not what doyoon excels at. he is the old school, quiet but strong candidate, a quiet flame in the background that flickers steadily, refusing to burn out. silent, resilient and intense — these are what 99 wanted to convey, and doyoon became the perfect representative of that image.

now doyoon, left alone and away from 99’s packaging, is unrecognizable. his POIZN persona is on one spectrum, and doyoon stands on the exact opposite end of that spectrum. POIZN’s doyoon is boiling lava while jeon doyoon the person is one of the many kindling on the hearth warming your home – gentle, patient, and meek. so the people have always been surprised to hear about the great divide between the mask and the person that lies beneath it, because doyoon was a breath of fresh air; one of the few POIZN boys who had lived his idol life scandal-free due to his hard work behind the scenes, locked up behind studio doors collaborating with producers to help POIZN rise in the ranks.

it played out in their favor, at first.

but who’s to say that this surprising revelation wasn’t media play itself?

IDOL HISTORY

tw: implied alcoholism, dubious consent.

life is full of choices and doyoon seems to be always picking the wrong ones.

v.

the first choice that changed his life wasn’t necessary his choice to make, nor was he given a voice in the matter. he was only five, after all, and the opinions of a five year-old do not really matter, right? he’s given a new life in a new city that belonged to a new country with a new name and a new sibling.

james-dean jeon is his new name – not just ‘james’ and not ‘dean.’ it’s a mouthful, especially because he’s only five and can barely speak the language.

“i promise you’ll have a better life here, doyoon. you can make your dreams come true here!”

that’s what his parents tell him the night before he starts his first day of american kindergarten. but the thing is: he’s had a great life back in korea. he even had a pet rabbit named pony. oh how he missed pony. but he doesn’t question them further. he smiles and nods to let his parents go to bed because, like him, they too have a busy day of work the next day.

vii.

it’s not that he doesn’t like going to church – it’s just that he doesn’t like waking up at 7 o’clock on sundays to go to a church about 40 minutes away from his home when there are plenty of churches in the neighborhood.

“you know grandpa and grandma aren’t very good at english, and you have to immerse yourself in your culture.”

and his parents are right…to a certain degree.

he should be more understanding of his grandparents needs, since he actually goes out into society – all grandpa and grandma have are each other and the rest of the koreans in their city in montana ( which just happens to be the rest of the family. ) so he shouldn’t get so frustrated when they want to be with the people they have in common.

but did doyoon have to leave korea ( and pony and his other friends ) just to immerse himself into his culture?

he doesn’t say anymore, but he does think about it on his way to church.

x.

rap – it’s what his grandparents and the majority of the grown-ups in his church refer to it as ‘the devil’s music.’ it’s what the older kids at his school and church thought was the best thing in the world. and doyoon thought it was one of the best things – next to drawing stick figures and his two new sisters.

at school, he listens to what he and others know – american rappers and hip-hop artists. while at church, he was introduced to korean hip-hop. doyoon has always been fond of music – that’s why he deliberately stays late after church: to get piano lessons and participate in the church band – and he’s found something that he could love ( even more than pony. boy, he still missed her. )

xii.

call him a silly child all you want, but nothing is stopping him from becoming who he wants to be.

unfortunately for his parents, america is not a place where his dream will come true.

he’s figured out a few years ago that this place isn’t as great as people claim it to be – there are countless iron walls blocking his way, and no matter how high he jumps, he can never go over it like a simple hurdle.

so he decides to be a little selfish.

he goes back to korea with his grandparents, leaving his family and friends behind.

despite his nationality and his blood all originating from korea, the country feels foreign to him – and so does the language, unfortunately. but he’s still growing and he regains the vocabulary as he reincorporates himself into his birthplace.

xv.

there’s an unexplainable distance between his classmates and doyoon – possibly because he spends most of his time at a music academy than at socializing with his peers. he needs to build his skills, because what was the point of coming back to korea if he wasn’t going to work hard?

apparently he’s pretty good at singing ( all those years in the church choir must have paid off ), and he’s come so far in his rapping and dancing skills. the teachers at his academy suggest agencies he should audition in because he might have the potential to become famous.

“just mention us when you hit big, kiddo.”

there is only one agency that takes him in, though ( though he didn’t show it on his face, he was shocked that he passed only one out of six auditions. )

xix.

he manages to finish high school, but he doesn’t get that sweet taste of freedom like the other students do: he practices all day and works all night, partaking in late night shifts at convenience stores.

he will admit that initially, he was ignorant about idols. he didn’t know they had to endure years of training, years of criticism and years of rivalry to debut.

they say his singing is decent, lyrics original and well-crafted, and that he has the right tone and look to be a rapper, but his overall dancing ability is utter garbage. they tell him to either: get better or leave.

no matter how much he practices, they want more – more improvement, more soul, and more blood.

it is a savage world, but it is the world that he chose to belong in.

…

does he belong in it?

xxiii.

doyoon works hard – anyone can see that, and he’s present.

he tries to make POIZN become better and stronger; make it rise to the top like their opponents. so he sits in on the meetings, engages with the producers, and offers his two-cents on certain affairs.

maybe it isn’t his place to say such things, and maybe he’s being too selfish but POIZN and his members are like family to him.

xv.

he is clean – cleaner than bleach, and maybe that’s why 99 is so taken with him.

a solo opportunity is given to him. though it wasn’t handed to him on a silver platter like he had hoped, he takes it without a second thought. even though he wants to dedicate his all to POIZN, POIZN is…well…poison. and doyoon wants to separate himself from that image as soon as possible.

99 offers him some creative control over his content, because they know he won’t screw up.

because doyoon never screws up.

xxvi.

doyoon spends his nights in the studio – a yellow legal notepad on his right and a bottle of whisky. art isn’t something that is created overnight. it is a struggle that takes months – even years to complete.

but doyoon is tired, so tired.

from other work to this, he doesn’t know if he can keep up the burning desire anymore.

is this fine? does this sound good? no. none of this sound good.

not even acceptable.

he doesn’t want to be selfish but he wants something better, something more.

xvii.

99 is ruthless, but he’s sure other companies are just as ruthless.

a picture – not a harmless before an after of a false accusation of cosmetic surgery—

[ +400, -31 ] ㅋㅋㅋ what are they saying? it’s totally him. bye bye loser~ > [ +25, -299 ] how are you so sure it’s him? > [ +450, -19 ] his tattoos, you delulu ㅋㅋㅋ

—but a scandalous picture.

he can’t remember the night well, only fragments of it – all hazy. but he does know that he needed comfort and a night to release his inhibitions.

that night, he remembers two choices:

1)      a long night with a bottle with a flavor that he recognizes all too well, or

2)     spending time with the person sitting across from him.

xxix.

the big opportunity is stripped from him as soon as the pictures leak, and he’s back to square one – a trainee, trying to prove his worth to the ones high in the clouds. but they still feed on him – feed on his words, his work, his mind, his melodies, his art. that’s the real poison here, but doyoon still craves that attention that small acknowledgement that says, ‘at least you’re doing this right.’

and that is better than nothing.