Author: Mac Turija

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FEATURES LATEST STORIES

Tracking SM Entertainment’s First Gen Idols

It used to be that entertainment agencies have “slave contracts” with their talents, holding them under their care for as long as they want. With idols starting to realize how inhumane this treatment is and taking legal action like SHINHWA in 2003, Hangeng in 2009, and JYJ in 2010, entertainment agencies, particularly SM Entertainment, have taken action by making their contracts more friendly towards idols and shortening their contracts from the usually ambiguous effective dates to very precise terms, usually at seven years for the initial contract, after which both parties have an option to extend the contract every three years.

This prevailing arrangement has caused a lot of movement among idol groups and soloists in the company’s illustrious history. Here is a rundown of the status of the various idols who started their careers in what used to be the country’s largest entrainment agency, SM Entertainment.

H.O.T.
If you are a fan of TV’s Reply series, you would know how huge H.O.T. was. Unless you’re more of a Sechs Kies fan, it could be argued that the late 1990s was dominated by the group. That was, until 2001, when Tony, Woohyuk, and Jaewon were not able to come to an agreement with SM on the terms of their contract renewal. Thus, the group was officially disbanded in May 2001, causing a wave of protests in front of the SM HQ and the company’s behavior towards inactive groups – since then, SM Entertainment has never officially disbanded any groups on their stable.

H.O.T performs Candy for MBC TV in 1997

Kangta and the group’s leader Heejoon actually re-signed with SM after the March 2001 debacle, although the latter left the company after finishing his military enlistment. The three who left formed jtL which enjoyed success until 2003, in their new company, Yejeon Media the year they didn’t renew their contracts with SM/ Although all five members are still in the entertainment industry, only Kangta, who already happens to be a creative director with SM, is still active as a singer, having just released songs to commemorate his 25 years in the music biz. Woohyuk and Jaewon are more focused on running businesses while Tony and Heejoon have successfully shifted into careers as television personalities.

SHINHWA
As mentioned earlier, SHINHWA was among the first group to actually bring SM to court. This all started when after the release of their album Wedding, SM offered contract renewals to everyone, except Dongwan. All members then chose to re-sign with a different company, but this also started their long-standing legal battle with SM, as then SM head Lee Sooman prohibited them from using “SHINHWA” in their activities outside his company. It wasn’t until 2014 when the courts finally rule in their favor, allowing them to use Shinhwa for their company as long as they will continue as a group.

A few seconds into the song and one can recognize it’s SHINHWA’s T.O.P. (Twinkle Of Paradise)

The group has not disbanded and all members are still active in the entrainment industry. Their last music release was in 2018 to celebrate their 20th anniversary, and they also held a 21st-anniversary concert the following year. All members have released solo albums and all of them have also established a career on television as reality and variety show personalities, Dongwan and Eric have also acted in numerous TV dramas. The two were also embroiled in a social media exchange (yea, the two of them fought), which fortunately was resolved in March this year.

S.E.S.
SM also found massive success with their three-member girl group, S.E.S. From their debut in 1997 until their official disbandment in 2002, Shoo, Bada, and Eugene competed against DSP Media’s Fin.K.L for dominance in Korea’s girl group scene. Shoo continued with SM until 2006, while Bada and Eugene signed with other agencies. The three reunited in 2016 and released a 20th-anniversary album, complete with a reality show and a reunion concert. Bada has continued with a career in music and has also appeared in variety and talk shows, while Eugene has been killing it with her role as Yoonhee in the top-rating The Penhouse: War in Life.

Another 90s K-pop culture icon, S.E.S, performing the easily recognizable I’m Your Girl

BoA
Then, there’s BoA.

BoA is BoA. She’ll always be my (and everybody else’s) number 1. Still signed with SM (now on her 21st year), still releasing amazing tracks, still a top endorser being pursued by just about any brand of any product, and still appearing as mentor or judge in reality survival shows. She’s set to appear as a judge in the dancer reality contest Street Woman Fighter.

Just by looking at this list, one thing is for sure: SM Entertainment sure has an eye for finding great talent.

Featured image: BoA on SBS Nightline. Photo: boakwon/Instagram
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BTS FEATURES LATEST STORIES VARIETY

You Quiz on the Block: 4 Most Memorable Guests

IU on Yoo Quiz on the Block. Photo: 유 퀴즈 온 더 튜브/YouTube

On the September 1 episode of You Quiz on the Block, the legendary girl group Girl’s Generation reunited—finally—after four years since their last activities as eight. Viewers were regaled with new stories as the girls reminisced of their 14 years as the nation’s leading girl group. Now, if you’re looking for other outstanding episodes of the show, here are other personalities that have made Yoo Jaesuk and Jo Seho’s program a must-watch:

1. IU

The Nation’s Sweetheart is definitely a fixture in Korean contemporary pop culture – she’s a singer, she composes some of the songs, has a constant presence in ads and product endorsements, not to mentioned she has also acted on both television and even on film. But one thing she hasn’t done much is giving interviews, so much so that even if she had been involved in a number of scandals and controversies especially in the earlier years of her career, the public is still left wanting more, hoping to know her better.

So, it came as no surprise that her You Quiz on the Block guesting just in April this year to promote her album Lilac eventually became one of the show’s highest-rating episodes. She did not disappoint at all as she revealed quite a lot during the interview, including her struggles with self-hatred that she reflected in the songs she composed. As for her acting career, she admitted feeling a lot of commonalities with her character in the drama My Mister, which a lot of people considered too dark, although many were impressed with her performance.

2. Gong Yoo

When Gong Yoo went to You Quiz on the Block to talk about his film Seobok late last year, people were reminded why he continues to be one of the most well-loved personalities in Korean showbiz. Actually, he started off by claiming that he, as Gong Jichul (his birth name), is just a normal person whose personality doesn’t stand out and whose life is not as extraordinary as Gong Yoo the actor. He adds that this may be the reason that he likes being an actor – because he gets to play more exciting characters who are braver and get to do things that he may not have the courage to act on in real life.

The actor also commented on his co-star Lee Dongwook, who sent a snack and coffee truck to the location where the interview was conducted. He claimed that the Grim Reaper to his Goblin is a smart one who wanted to hit three birds (i.e., endearing himself to Gong Yoo and the two hosts) with one stone by sending the coffee truck. He further commented that his friend is a real fox, referring to Lee Dongwook’s role as gumiho (a mythical nine-tailed fox) in Tale of the Nine-Tailed.

Finally, Jo Seho also played a recording of Gong Yoo reading a Korean translation of Australian poet Erin Hanson’s Not, in relation to the episode’s theme of “How to Live.” If you still weren’t swooning at the man, the poem reading was definitely the final guarantee you will.

3. Ju Jihoon

Kingdom lead actor Ju Jihoon made sure no stone was unturned to make his guest appearance in You Quiz on the Block as memorable as possible. The guest wore a leather jumpsuit to the interview, leaving the two hosts in awe of their guest’s fashion statement, with Jo Seho left commenting, “Just wow.” The Princess Hours star is still somehow getting used to his newfound fame as the face of Netflix’s hit show Kingdom that when he was asked how it feels to be an international star, he answered “I feel bitter.” After everyone in the audience laughed, he corrected himself by saying that he actually meant he feels dazed about the experience of international stardom.

Netflix’s Kingdom is what the actor considers his second wind in his acting career. After experiencing a phenomenal rise to his popularity with his debut performance in Princess Hours, his career immediately took a blow after he was found guilty of drug use in 2009. After enlisting in the military and making moderately successful comebacks, his career experienced a major resurgence with the two Along With the Gods movies, followed by his role in Kingdom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAHQuZC2hu4&t=175s

4. BTS

Of course, this list will not be complete without acknowledging the March 24, 2021 appearance of the world’s biggest musical group, BTS. After all, the show dedicated a full episode to feature the fabulous seven only, not dividing the show with other personalities like it usually does. The group revealed several details of their struggles when they started in the music business as they faced several obstacles, from shoddy treatment when they guested in variety shows to sharing one bedroom and one bathroom for seven people. Jimin even had a long-standing (albeit one-sided) feud with V about who gets to sleep on the upper deck of the bunk bed they shared.

A majority of ARMY may know BTS since DNA or Spring Day eras, but as far back as 2016, the group was still facing a number of challenges despite already slowly gaining an international following. Suga and Jungkook narrated that they were mistreated in variety shows, although they were not sure if those encounters were done in jest or if there was some sort of malice on them. In the 2016 Busan One Asia Festival, their live performance was eventually cut from the TV broadcast. Imagine if a TV station were to do this now? There would be protests in front of the TV station the same day for sure.

Who have been your favorite guests on You Quiz on the Block? We hope the show features more legendary interviews on future episodes.

Featured image: IU on Yoo Quiz on the Block. Photo: 유 퀴즈 온 더 튜브/YouTube
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KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Girls’ Generation Reunion on Yoo Quiz on The Block: 5 Things Revealed

Teaser for Girls' Generation's reunion on Yoo Quiz on the Block. Photo: youquizontheblock/Instagram

So, the day SONEs all around the world waited for crazy anticipation finally happened. Taeyeon, Yuri, Hyoyeon, Sunny, Yoona, Tiffany, Sooyoung, and Seohyun blessed us on September 1 had tVN’s You Quiz on the Block premiering their episode featuring a reunion of all eight Girl’s Generation members in one interview. But not only were we blessed with the reunion; the interview also blessed us with some new information never heard before in interviews the girls gave for the past 14 years. Here are some things that happened and were revealed to us in the 121st episode of You Quiz on the Block, featuring Sonyeo Shide.

1. The Schedules Were Crazy 

When the girls reminisced about their legendary 14-year career, most of them can still clearly remember the crazy schedules they had, considering they were the Nation’s Girl Group. Sunny recounted how they took a 12-hour flight to Australia and perform there before taking a midnight flight back to Seoul and go directly to a music show  Yuri for her part narrated their trip across three continents, from Korea to Paris to the US, while Hyoyeon talked about performing for a year-end music program in Tokyo then taking a jet back to Seoul to perform on a year-end music show as well, so they did not have any time for even outfit changes.  

2. Taeyeon the Diet Rebel

With stunningly consistent and stable vocal abilities even during her days an SM Entertainment trainee, there was little doubt Taeyeon would debut in Girl’s Generation, or in any girl group. But then, that still didn’t stop SM and its managers from subjecting the Kid Leader to strict and rigid rules applied to all trainees, including strict diets to achieve an idol-level body image. Taeyeon herself admitted that she was considered chubbier than the other trainees (is that even possible?), and so everything she had to eat was monitored. She got so frustrated that she snuck out of their trainee quarters and went hope to be away from her strict managers and obviously, to enjoy some good ‘ole home cooking. Seohyun seconded this, claiming that all of them were guilty of hiding chocolates and eating them when the managers were not watching them.

3. The Impromptu Performances!

Obviously, since there was no time to do a review of SNSD’s discography like we SONEs demand, there were some segments in the show that allowed the members to reminisce some of their songs and their equally legendary dances. While talking about that iconic Music Core performance of Genie in a helipad, Yuri got up on her feet and danced the iconic leg beauty dance (that move where the girls kick imaginary dirt while stretching their legs in the process) and the iconic Kissing You live stages that Yoona performed complete with lollipop waving, where Hyoyeon, Yuri, and Sunny, could not resist but join her before the chorus ended. The National MC, who has a distinct preference for songs released in the previous decade, couldn’t help but sing along with the teenybopper song, repeatedly saying he “likes the song so much” 

4. A Hard Knock Life as Year-End Rookies

As the most in-demand female group in the early 2010s, SNSD needed to be present in each and every special year-end program presented by the various TV stations. As they were still relative rookies after only being in the business for 3 to 4 years, they had to satisfy SONEs with their regular appearances while performing hits of their sunbaenims like Fin.K.L, S.E.S., and of course, BoA. Maknae Seohyun recalled that in a lot of year-end performances, it is assumed that they have stocked knowledge of 1st gen k-pop choreography from their trainee years, so they are usually taught their special stage choreos hours before the performance. Tiffany testifies to this when they had only two hours to nail the moves to Lee Hyori’s U-Go-Girl. This reminds me how impressed Tiffany’s unnies in Sister Slam Dunk were when she memorized the dance to their song Shut Up after only a couple of repetitions.

5. A Possible Girls’ Generation Reunion Song?

Of course, the show couldn’t end without Yoo Jaesuk and Jo Seho asking the girls if there are plans for an OT8 comeback. As with their previous reactions when they have been asked this question in other interviews, the girls were coy and played it safe by saying they are always open to the possibility. But then, Sunny just had to give us that glimmer of hope by saying, “I guess we’ll have to do it now since Yoo Jae Suk said so.”    

And a million SONE hearts fluttered. 

Featured image: Girls’ Generation’s reunion on Yoo Quiz on the Block. Photo: youquizontheblock/Instagram

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FEATURES LATEST STORIES

How Many Music Show Wins Has SEVENTEEN Collected?

SEVENTEEN TTT September 1, 2021. Photo: pledis_17/Twitter

For K-pop fandoms, expressing and proving their love and support to their idols is a top priority. Aside from streaming their group’s music videos non-stop and making sure they have bought as many copies of their albums as possible (got to complete all those collectible photo cards for all members, after all), one concrete way of making fans and idols connect is through music show wins. After all, in order for a song to win in a music program, it needs to do well in music charts: sales, downloads, streams, and even radio airplay, as well as—depending on the music program—a good dose of fan votes.

Carats, the SEVENTEEN fandom, has been quite successful in making SEVENTEEN win in these shows. Let’s see how successful they have been since 2016, when the group first won for Pretty U. Take note that Music Bank Show! Music Core, and Inkigayo are the three major music programs since they are broadcasted on free TV, while The Show, Show Champion, and Mnet’s M Countdown are shown on cable TV.

Music Bank (13 wins)
Among the three free TV music programs, SEVENTEEN has been most successful in KBS’ Music Bank, where they have managed to snag 13 1irst place trophies, including two for their most recent Ready to Love comeback. They won their second triple crown for Home the day after they first won it in M Countdown. Their other eight #1s include wins for BOOMBOOM, Don’t Wanna Cry, Clap, Thanks, Oh My!, Fear, Left & Right, and HOME;RUN.

Show! Music Core (2 wins)
MBC’s Show! Music Core is one of the more complex music shows, as they have, since 2020, been tinkering with their criteria every three months or so. SEVENTEEN has won twice in Music Core for Home in 2019 and Left & Right in 2020.

Inkigayo (2wins)
SBS’ Inkigayo is probably the most difficult music program to win in, with its chart system directly connected with the official national Gaon Chart. SEVENTEEN has won two Inkigayo trophies, the first time for Home on February 3, 2019, and the second time on November 1, 2020, for HOME;RUN.

The Show (2 wins)
Since The Show is shown on SBS MTV, a lot of purists claim that having a win here is not really that big a deal since the audience is mainly composed of those who have cable TV only. Moreover, the show’s chart system depends on 15% of votes on Starpass, SBS MTV’s app where fans can vote for their bias’ release.

SVT has only won twice on The Show, on its May 30 and June 13 episodes for Don’t Wanna Cry.

Show Champion (13 wins)
Show Champion broadcasted by MBC Music has been the most generous music program to the boys, with 13 wins since 2016 when they won for two weeks in May with their 2016 release Pretty U, and just recently in their Ready to Love comeback. They also won once with BOOMBOOM (Dec 21, 2016), Clap (Nov 15, 2017), Thanks (Valentine’s Day 2018), Oh My (July 25, 2018), Left & Right (July 1, 2020), and HOME;RUN (October 28), while they won twice for Don’t Wanna Cry (June 7 and 14, 2017), and Home (January 30 and February 13, 2019).

M Countdown (10 wins)
The boys also have a pretty impressive record in M Countdown, MNet’s signature music chart program. Their M Countdown record is pretty similar to their Show Champion one, although their first win in MNet was with BOOMBOOM, they didn’t win for Thanks and Clap, and they only won once for Don’t Wanna Cry. They won for Fear on September 26, 2019 and got their first triple crown for Home earlier that year.

A note on Very Nice
So, SEVENTEEN has pretty much a consistent record in winning music show #1s for almost every comeback since Pretty U, which means the groups has only not won anything for the two releases before Pretty U (which are Mansae and Adore U), Hit and the absolute banger Very Nice.

Hit is understandable since it didn’t even chart that well and the album it was in, An Ode, was not promoted as effectively. But Very Nice? The song that until now, many (including this writer) considers as one of the group’s best songs ever? For music shows, it sometimes boils down to the competition. During the month of July, when Very Nice was released, songs that dominated the charts and won the music programs were Taeyeon’s Why, the Wonder Girls’ Why So Lonely, and alas, Navillera by music show “monsters” GFriend, a song that went on to win 14 music show trophies, including three triple crowns in The Show, M Countdown, and Inkigayo.

Obviously, music show wins are not an absolute measurement of a song’s success, but I’m sure you’ll find a Carat somewhere in Caratland who hasn’t gotten over this missed opportunity.

With rumors abound that the group is staging another comeback before the year ends, here’s hoping that Carats will have more opportunities to support SEVENTEEN by giving them more music program wins.

Featured image: SEVENTEEN TTT September 1, 2021. Photo: pledis_17/Twitter
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K-POP ARTISTS LATEST STORIES

Blackpink: A Quiz for Eagle-Eyed BLINKs

Blackpink MV for As if It's Your Last. Photo: BLACKPINK/YouTube

Who is excited for Lisa’s upcoming solo?

Lalisa’s first single album will be out on September 10, 2021. Photo: BLACKPINK/Facebook

Well, it’s not like everything in the YG family is confirmed until it actually happens, but after Jennie and Rosé’s solo debuts, it is almost inevitable that the Thai ace will have hers real soon. Even YG insiders have already “confirmed” this; so, while we wait for that, why don’t you take this quiz based on all the music videos they’ve released so far? Acing this quiz may require you to be detail-oriented, but if you’re a BLINK, the line between being just keen and an outright obsession with Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, and Rose is almost non-existent. So, let’s see how “detail-oriented” you are.

1. Boombayah
What was printed on Rosé’s crop top, the one with fishnet sleeves?
A. Brrrt… Rambo
B. Beyond Kawaii
C. Boom Boom Oppa
D. Sexy War

2. Whistle
In a number of scenes, what was between Lisa (who was wearing a headband) and Jisoo as they were seated facing each other?
A. A wilted plant
B. Nothing; only empty space
C. Jennie, sitting on a table
D. The video console controller Lisa painted pink

3. Playing With Fire
There’s a lot of fire throughout the video, but name the only member who was shown actually holding a lighted match?
A. Rosé
B. Jisoo
C. Lisa
D. Jennie

4. Stay
What letters were missing on the McDonald’s sign behind Lisa in the music video’s opening?
A. o and d
B. c and s
C. the two D’s
D. All the letters were present; it was the Golden Arches logo that was missing.

5. As If It’s Your Last
Which statement is TRUE about this video?
A. The video did not show Jisoo holding cotton candy.
B. Jennie sang while driving her ice cream truck.
C. The video ended with the girls spelling L-O-V-E with their arms.
D. No guys were seen throughout the video.

6. DDU-DU DDU-DU
This is not the video for Playing With Fire, but who was the member with things burning in the background during her part?
A. Jennie
B. Jisoo
C. Lisa
D. None; there was only a flame backdrop of flames on the second chorus.

7. Solo
Jennie was reunited with this item after first appearing with it in the As If It’s Your Last MV.
A. Plush toys
B. Roses
C. Her ice cream truck
D. Washing machines

8. Kill This Love
What was written on the wall of the room filled with cereal where Lisa rapped?
A. HEAVEN
B. LOVE
C. CEREAL
D. LISA

9. How You Like That
It was Jisoo’s turn to be reunited with an item she was last seen holding in the Whistle MV. What item is it?
A. A phone
B. An umbrella
C. A book
D. A disturbingly wide white headband

10. Ice Cream

In the scenes where the girls were dancing on a quirky version of a tennis/squash court, what was the color of Lisa’s hair?
A. Black
B. Pink
C. Rainbow
D. Green

11. Lovesick Girls
How did Jisoo end up in the Lovesick Girls video?
A. Wet while crying
B. Panting while looking straight at the camera, ala 4th gen idol ending fairy
C. Shouting at her male partner
D. Walking in a field of blue flowers

12. On the Ground
What did Rosé and Jennie both do on their debut music videos?
A. They both visited a laundromat.
B. They both threw roses while looking miffed.
C. They both ran in front of exploding cars.
D. They both tore pages of books.

13. Gone
Rosé usually interacts with mirrors in a lot of Blackpink videos. What did Rosé do with a mirror this time?
A. She wrote her name on it with lipstick, as per tradition.
B. She wiped the mist off it.
C. She smashed it in a fit of anger.
D. Trick question – There were no mirrors in the Gone MV.


Answer key

Boombayah
B. Beyond Kawaii
D. Sexy War was written on the pink jersey she wore in the latter part of the video.

Whistle
A. A wilted plant
D. The video console controller Lisa painted pink went into some tank with fishes.

Playing With Fire
D. Jennie, while inside a bathtub.

Stay
A. o and d

As If It’s Your Last
D. No guys were seen throughout the video.

DDU-DU DDU-DU
B. Jisoo has burning things behind her, along with sparks that look like someone was soldering something, all while our visual is being protected by an umbrella.

Solo
A. Plush toys. She wasn’t singing to them this time, though.

Kill This Love
A. HEAVEN, I guess for Lisa, heaven is a room full of cereal.

How You Like That
C. A book. But this time, she threw it instead of levitating with it like in the Whistle video.

Ice Cream
D. Green, a color we don’t normally see in BP videos, unless we’re talking about plants.

Lovesick Girls
A. Wet while crying
The video didn’t even have a male partner for Jisoo.

On the Ground
B. They both threw roses for unknown reasons.
In the middle of On the Ground, Rosé was playfully throwing flowers at someone. In both Solo (0:40) and On the Ground (0:23), Jennie and Rosé both threw a single rose with a noticeable degree of aggression.

Gone
B. She wiped the mist off it. Maybe to see herself while ugly crying? Sad not to see our main vocal happily writing her name on the mirror; as usual.

So, is your BLINK membership confirmed or do you need to spend more hours rewatching all BP music videos? Better commit to it fast before Lisa drops her solo debut!

Blackpink MV for As if It’s Your Last. Photo: BLACKPINK/YouTube
Categories
FEATURES K-DRAMA LATEST STORIES

Memorable Cameos of K-pop Girl Groups and Actresses in K-Dramas

Hyeri and Lee Sungkyung in Record of Youth with Park Bo Gum. Photo: tvN DRAMA/YouTube

In our obsessive consumption of Korean dramas, I am sure you’ve come across an episode where you saw someone and asked yourself, “That store manager sure looks familiar” or “”Isn’t that (name) of (name of girl group)?” and there’s a huge chance you’re right. There are quite a lot of people who want to be in the Korean entertainment industry, but (unfortunately), the work is mostly concentrated with a few people. Directors and writers love working with the people they have had great experiences with, celebrities love to have their friends (from those in their birth year-lines to their agency-mates) and former colleagues appear in their shows. Finally, agencies of actors in the main cast would sometimes request the show’s producers to have other talents on their stable to stage an appearance or two.

Here are some cameos from ladies in recent k-drama history that have proven to be more popular than their  five seconds promised:

Red Velvet performs in Descendants of the Sun 

I’m sure a lot of us who watched this Red Velvet cameo wondered if we were still watching the last episode of the Song-Song couple’s drama or if we’ve stumbled upon a never-before-seen episode of Real Men. Alas, Irene and the girls were included in the story, performing their 2015 hit Dumb Dumb for the Special Forces to boost their morale, which does happen to real girl groups who are regular visitors of military camps (think Brave Girls who esperienced a career renaisance after years of performing in front of enlisted personnel). The thing about RV’s stint is that Capt. Yoo (Song Joong Ki) somehow thought it would be a great idea to tell his girlfriend by that time, Dr. Kang (Song Hyekyo) that he will be in a confidential “operation.” Alas, Resident Lee Chi-hoon (Shinee’s Onew) saw him and and Sgt. Seo (Jin Goo) in a fancam video, with the captain proudly carrying a sign that reads, “Red Velvet over my girlfriend.” Dr. Kang went on full denial mode, saying “That’s not Yoo Si Jin” while crushing the water bottle she had in her hand.

Blackpink Jisoo in Arthdal Chronicles

Speaking of Song Joong Ki, another idol made an appearance in the next series he starred in after DoTS. In Episode 7 of Arthdal Chronicles, Blackpink’s visual appeared in a flashback scene as Sae Na Rae, Sa Ya’s (Joong Ki’s character) love interest. Though Jisoo didn’t have any lines, the appearance that didn’t even last for more than 10 seconds went viral, with Blinks going full throttle by making the hashtag #JisooOnArthdalChrinicles top worldwide Twitter trends when the episode aired on June 30, 2019. It should also be noted that before Jisoo debuted to join Lisa, Jennie, and Rose in 2016, she had some speaking lines in her debut cameo in The Producers, where she played a trainee who was given the chance to appear on Two Days, One Night with the show’s main character Cindy (played by IU) and her fellow YG idols Seungyoon of WINNER and Dara of the legendary 2NE1. 

Bae Suzy in My Love from the Star

By the time Suzy appeared in the 2014 hit drama My Love from a Star, she was already an established career, both in singing as a member of miss A and in acting with credits such as the massive hits Architecture 101, Dream High, and Gu Family Book. In My Love from a Star, which reunited her with her Dream High co-star Kim Soohyun, she also introduced herself as alien Do Minjoo’s student… wait for it… Go Hyemi! She takes things further by claiming that the professor looks like her ex-boyfriend named Sam Dong. Dream High fans were instantly sent down memory lane when the mini-reunion was interrupted by a jealous Songyi who was wearing ahjumma gear to mask her identity. It was sweet and just perfect respite that sustained us for another three years, before Suzy made another cameo, this time in Soohyun’s movie, Real.  

Go Ara in Hospital Playlist 

Fans of the writing-directing tandem of Lee Woojung and Shin Wonho are always on the lookout for actors they have worked with in their past projects to appear in their current series. That has happened multiple times with eternal Reply father Sung Dongil as a different sort of “father” (a Catholic priest) in Hospital Playlist and Taek and Sunwoo’s parents in Reply 1988 as Ikjun’s (Jo Jung Suk) patient and her husband in this new show. Another notable cameo in Hospital Playlist was Reply 1994′s Go Ara playing Dr. Ikjun’s ex-girlfriend who eventually became the top actress… Go Ara! One thing’s for sure: The number of actors and actresses making cameo appearances in shows connected with the Lee-Shin partnership is testament to how well-loved the tandem is by everyone who has worked with them. 

Hyeri and Lee Sungkyung in Record of Youth

Speaking of shows by the Lee-Shin tandem, who could forget the adorable Dukseon-Taek team-up of Reply 1988? Shippers of the love team got excited when it was revealed that Hyrei will have a cameo appearance in Bogum’s drama Record of Youth, where he was paired with Park So-dam. Alas, fans were a bit disappointed as Hyeri, who played an actress, did not appear in any scenes with Bogum and instead only had dialogue with Sodam’s character Jeongha, whom she hired as her makeup artist on special occasions. It was weightlifting fairy Lee Sungkyung who played the role of Jin Seowoo, a model-turned-actress who has known Sa Hyejun (Bogum’s character) in their modelling days and was working with him again, this time with both of them as actors. It wasn’t really something Jeongha was supposed to be jealous of, and it is actually lawyer Ji-ah (played by Seol Inah) who has had a tumultuous romantic past with Hyejun.

Featured image: Hyeri and Lee Sungkyung in Record of Youth with Park Bo Gum. Photo: tvN DRAMA/YouTube
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KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

Joy Goes Dating, ReVeLuvs Rejoice

Crush and Red Velvet's Joy in Mayday. Photo: Crush/YouTube

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve most probably heard the news that Red Velvet’s representative actress and “face of the group”, Joy, has R&B singer Crush. What’s fantastic about this was that once rumors started circulating that the two former collaborators have explored the possibility of furthering their relationship, their agencies, SM Entertainment and PNation wasted no time in confirming the news. And much to the surprise of Korean entertainment onlookers, the public response has been positive!

What? No saesangs threatening to set SM Entertainment on fire? No petitions to the Blue House for the removal of Joy from RV? Are ReVeLuvs gunning for the Nobel prize for most matured fandom? The degree of acceptance and even love for the newly dating couple is something not a lot of us are used to, or even have experienced in the past.

Thus, this begs the question, why are the fans manifesting a great deal of calm and even approval to Joy and Crush? Of course, K-netz have a gazillion opinions ranging from logical hot takes to grand “Next Level by aespa” theories. Let’s check out the more outstanding ones:

1. Crush is not an idol.

When an idol dates another idol, two fandoms usually go to war with each other – the fandom of the boy group who has a lot of displaced anger at both their oppa who is “abandoning” them by prioritizing this girl than them, his loyal supporters and the girl (and obviously, her fans) for taking away their oppa from them and the fandom of the girl group who will naturally defend their girl from haters. This is not happening in the case of Crush, who has mostly male fans, and Joy, whose fans won’t be up against overly possessive female fans. Now, if say, Joy transforms her reel relationship with her We Got Married “husband” BTOB’s Sungjae into a real one, ReVeLuvs and Melody might get into a full-blown confrontation. Also, this ties to point #2, which is…

2. Joy enjoys a balanced (i.e., equal number of female and male) fandom.
Because Joy has successfully dabbled in an acting career, she has widened the demographics of her fanbase. Now, it appears that she has a healthy male fanbase, a majority which are Red Velvet fans, as well as a growing number of female fans composed of 20-something women to ahjummas who have grown to like her in The Liar and His Lover and Tempted, and are anticipating Only One Person. Thus, despite constant criticism of Joy (or more precisely, her acting) being a wet blanket in the TV dramas she has starred in, most people (even the causal TV viewer) have identified her in different acting roles (and thus having different personalities) are not overly possessive when it comes to her. Maybe, if it was visual Irene getting caught in a dating “scandal”, then men might definitely react.

3. Crush started off as a Joy-stan.
The relationship did not just pop out of nowhere.

Joy and Crush first collaborated on a song called Mayday from his album homemade. Mayday became a moderate hit, chartering as high as #32 in the Gaon Digital Chart. Days after, both parties posted cute photos of them together on their social media accounts, which fans credited to them just promoting their song. A lot of people did notice that they looked nice cute good together. In behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, the two went on to gush about each other. Joy admitted to being a fan of the singer even before she was offered the project, while the R&B singer revealed that his Red Velvet collaborator has been his ideal type for some time.

And have you seen that music video for Mayday? Cutest. Thing. Ever. Thus, when dating rumors started swirling days ago, people somehow just had smiles on their faces upon hearing the speculations.

4. ReVeLuvs and K-pop fans welcome some good news.
In the midst of a fresh batch of depressing news, K-pop fans are faced with on their every waking day, from former EXO member Kris Wu’s woes to (G)-IDLE losing a member (or a forced resignation, perhaps?) because of a bullying scandal and NCT Lucas’ abuse rumors, k-pop followers are surely hankering for some feel-good developments. Thus, when it was revealed that Joy is dating Crush, her groupmates subjected her to some good-natured teasing and the PR Department of SM Entertainment surely celebrated this break from having to issue apology statements. Alas, with Wendy’s accident in 2019 and Irene’s attitude scandal last year, the successful Seulgi and Irene sub-unit (successfully launched just before the Irene scandal), solo releases of Wendy and Joy, and finally Joy’s rosy personal life may just be what ReVeLuvs need.

And it is on this note that we wish the new couple more happiness as they get to know each other more and for Red Velvet and the fandom to enjoy more good news in the months and years to come. Isn’t the contract renewal for the group coming up very soon? Stand by for further developments!

Featured image: Crush and Red Velvet’s Joy in Mayday. Photo: Crush/YouTube
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K-pop Girl Groups Stages For the Ages

Oh My Girl performs Destiny in reality show, Queendom. Photo: Mnet K-POP/YouTube

Since we’ve already covered some iconic performance stages from boy groups, it’s just right for the ladies to get some attention. Here are a number of performances that prove that girl power is indeed alive and well in k-pop. 

SNSD Grants Wishes From a Helipad

There was a time (c. 2009-2012, to be exact) when the music show Music Core blessed fans with “outdoor performances,” which for the most part… worked in their “fresh” approach. Infinite danced on water to their debut song Come Back Again (probably a tribute to their MV where the boys danced in the rain?), Rainbow sang To Me with colored fountains as background, SISTAR sang Push Push in a waterpark (yes, Music Core producers had a water fixation for a time), A-Jax in a clearing in the middle of a field, APink in what looked like a countryside garden with white statues guarding them. And who can forget the iconic Sunny Hill performance of Midnight Circus in a condemned garage with flattened cars piled on top of each other serving as their background? But that is totally dangerous and deserves its own article. 

We are here to talk about the Nation’s Girl Group singing Genie, wearing their navy uniform costumes in a skyscraper rooftop helipad! As the girls were in their sexy navy garb, one would expect Music Core to exploit that element to their advantage, bringing the SNSD live performance to a marina maybe, or an oil tanker? But no, they opted to have the girls sing while kicking imaginary dirt (that choreography actually has a name – leg beauty dance) in a helipad.

And in an era where drone videography was still an alien concept, the show used actual helicopters to circle around the rooftop, with cameramen taking overhead footage of the performance. Actual helicopters and rooftop rental – that should have cost a leg! Fortunately, the show’s efforts paid off as the SNSD performance holds the record as the most-watched performance in Korean television history, with 8.6 million viewers.

Red Velvet Kills It in Hostile Territory, Twice!

Be warned: This is definitely not your usual live stage. 

It was April 2018 and for the two Koreas to show a warming of their relationship, South Korean musical acts went to Pyongyang to stage a two-day concert entitled “Spring is Coming” . Among those acts was Red Velvet. Yes, Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Yeri went north of the 38th parallel to spread some happiness, and how! Before you complain, Joy had to finish filming scenes for her drama, so her schedule did not permit her to visit Kim Jongun. 

To say that the performances were scary is an understatement. Take note that North and South Korea are still technically at war and are only enjoying an extended ceasefire, so just thinking about that should scare the living hell out of any performer. The girl’s first performance in the 1,500-seater East Pyongyang Grand Theatre was Red Flavor. Song – perfect, outfits – honestly, I was scared for Seulgi and Yeri who were wearing shorts but with knee-length boots, audience – stoic throughout except for this one lady who smiled during Seulgi’s first lines. Seriously, watching that stage made me want to pee in my pants. 

After Red Flavor and a short talk came Bad Boy.. Song – scary. Choreography – scary, with the gun gestures.   And true enough, in an episode of Knowing Bros, Seulgi admitted to having agreed to change the rifle cocking move she was supposed to execute with something like her left hand cupping her mouth, like she was going to whisper something. Alas, during the performance, her nerves got the better of her, so she forgot the agreed replacement, though she had some sense to convert her rifle into a pistol just in time. Luckily, the audience still received it well and no wars were declared. Besides, various credible sources claimed that the supreme leader was so smitten by Red Velvet’s leader that those small incidents can be easily ignored.

GFriend Risks Life for Stage

Idol groups performing under the rain and consequently, a wet stage are not that rare, with countless members getting caught on fancams suffering from all sorts of accidents from small slips to face-first dives.  Examples of “accident-prone” idols include SISTAR’s Bora who famously fractured her thumb in the middle of singing Shady Girl as she used her hand to balance herself as she fell. The performance had to be stopped, the rapper’s thumbs had to be bandaged, and guess what, the group redid the entire performance before the injured member was sent to the hospital. For a group whose footwear options in their live performances were limited to stilettos and chunky platform heels (their choice), almost all members have been victimized by wet stages. 

Oh My Girl, WJSN, and LABOUM have also had a fair share of wet stages, with some performances having the members wear raincoats while dancing. How’s that for dedication?   

But perhaps the most memorable idol wet live stage in history is GFriend’s Me Gustas Tu performance at the 2015 Hyundai Eco-Driving Concert. From the start, you can already see some of the members kick water to the side in vain attempts to dry the stage. For a close to four-minute performance, main vocal Yuju fell not once, not twice, not thrice, not four times, but FIVE times, with the final spill only, milliseconds before she had to do a vocal run adlib. The other members also slipped at least once, but it was simply amazing how Yuju survived without injuries save for some minor bruises and a bit of trauma, for sure. 

Even if the audience cheered them on by chanting “gwenchana” (it’s ok!) as they exited the stage, you can’t help but feel sorry for the girls. But then, these stages give way to the birth of legendary groups, which begs the question, when should death-defying performances be acceptable and when should groups put their foot down and say no for their health and safety? .  

Oh My Girl Makes Destiny Their Own

In one of the most jaw-dropping reversals in Korean television history, the reality competition Queendom had participating girl groups perform trademark songs of their competition. (G)-IDLE performed 2NE1’s Fire, while Park Bom performed (G)-IDLE’s HANN. MAMAMOO went full-throttle sexy with AOA’s Good Luck, while usually-sexy AOA went full-on girl crush with their rendition of Egotistic. 

So, we were supposed to end up with the two remaining groups, Oh My Girl and Lovelyz exchanging songs, a scenario both groups wanted to avoid since their concepts are too similar. However, Lovelyz won a challenge, which rewarded them with their own say on what song they will perform in the next round. Thus, instead of singing an OMG track, they went with Brown Eyed Girls’ militaristic Sixth Sense. With no available options for them, Oh My Girl ended up signing the usually bright Destiny, but with a twist. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5BseJ4fxzA

Instead of doing a teenybopper version of the track as they were expected to do, the girls of WM Entertainment went the mystical route, giving the song an ethnic and mysterious feel with traditional musical instruments. With resident rapper Mimi adding an additional rap verse and the choreography undergoing a major do-over, the OMG is way distinct and unrecognizable from Lovelyz’s version. The performance received overwhelmingly positive reviews from viewers and even from the contestants themselves. Oh My Girl’s cover of Destiny went on to chart as one of the highest songs from the reality show. Not bad at all for a version of a song long identified with another group. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list of iconic girl group stages. So, here’s hoping we can have more iconic stages in the future.

Featured image: Oh My Girl performs Destiny in reality show, Queendom. Photo: Mnet K-POP/YouTube
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Five Boy Group Stages You Should Watch

BTS performs On at the Grand Central Terminal for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Photo: Live Nation Chicago/Facebook

Looking for amazing live performances so you can calibrate your standards. Here are five performances to start you with. Take note that the following were not considered to keep the options limited:

  • Performances in year-end concerts and music awards shows that are usually medleys 
  • Performances in a group’s own concerts
  • Collaboration stages with two or more groups

B2ST’s Memorable and Beautiful Night in Gwanghwamun

Only a few idol groups can boast of having performed in Gwanghwamun Plaza. An iconic Seoul landmark that boasts of monuments to Admiral Yi Sun-sin (remember the 2014 epic movie The Admiral: Roaring Currents?) and King Sejeong (of hangul fame), the public square has been immortalized in the 2009 KBS hit series Iris, where a long gun chase scene was filmed. And if you are an ELF, you may have listened to Kyuhyun’s debut song, At Gwanghwamun countless times. But although the area has been designed and renovated for cultural events, no idol group has had the chance to perform in it. 

That all changed in 2012 when B2ST filmed their comeback performance of Beautiful Night for Inkigayo in Gwanghwamun Plaza. On July 26 at 11 PM (an hour short of midnight, which may be a nod to their EP’s title, Midnight Sun), an estimated crowd of 4,000 fans flocked to the square to see Junhyung, Dongwoon, Yoseob, Gikwang, Doojoon, and Hyunseung stage a guerilla performance with the historic gate as their background. It was a beautiful night, indeed as the group’s performance on the makeshift stage gave a similar feel as the song’s MV, which showed them performing before an American crowd in a US location.

With their Gwanghwamun live stage, B2ST not only successfully proved themselves as one of the most popular groups of k-pop’s second generation, but also cemented themselves in the annals of Korean pop music history. 

The World Revolves Around BIGBANG

What can you say about BIGBANG, a group that treats each and every live stage performance like it’s part of their concert? Brash, high-energy, and loud are some words you can always use to describe their live stages. But when it comes to their ballads, how do they perform them? With intimacy and a lot of charisma, obviously. In the 424th episode of M Countdown, G Dragon, TOP, Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri performed Loser very intimately, in a circular revolving stage, surrounded by VIPs loyally waving their yellow lightsticks. Watch this performance and dare say you’re not at the least impressed with their live performing skills. 

VIXX’s Shangri-La Remix at the 2017 MBC Music Festival

A list of memorable live stages would not be complete without the Concept Kings. VIXX has established themselves as a group that executes every single concept with so much slay that Starlights can only consider themselves the luckiest fandom in all of k-pop. Duality of darkness and light? Check with Hyde and subsequent Jekyll stages. A dark concept bordering on horror? Check with Voodoo. Sci-Fi futuristic love story? Check with Error. Polished but bordering on risque with chains and bondage? Check with Chained Up. Sexy nobility with aggressive hip-thrusting? Check with The Scentist. 

But nothing has been more iconic as a VIXX concept, at least in the aesthetic sense, than 2017’s Shangri-La. Six sexy men dancing in flowing robes? Check. Six sexy men dancing with fans? Check. Cherry blossom background? Check.  Each and every live performance of Shangri-La is simply beautiful to watch, and the 2017 MBC Music Festival performance with the group adding remix portions to the song only meant more dance breaks and aesthetic elements. As soon the group closed their fans and executed their ending pose, every viewer was left wanting more while being thoroughly satisfied. 

BTS puts ON a Show in Grand Central Terminal

How else can a groundbreaking group perform a historic song than staging a live performance in one of the world’s most iconic locations? And that’s exactly what BTS did when they performed the lead single off their album Map of the Soul: 7 in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. 

When the seven perform ON with dancers doubling as a post-apocalyptic drumline, even those who haven’t enlisted themselves as ARMY would surely appreciate this single-take live stage. As most, if not all of us, are quite spoiled with the work done by Korean music show camera operators, we may have a couple of items to critique with the American show’s shots, as some members get cut in some moments, but our nitpicking obviously doesn’t diminish our appreciation of this historic performance.

Thanks to SEVENTEEN

If you’re looking for excellent live stages, you can never go wrong with SEVENTEEN. Any and every single SEVENTEEN live stage is guaranteed to give you the best choreography, vocals, fashion, synchronization, and overall energy. And all of these factors are perfectly embodied in their comeback performance of Thanks on M Countdown in February 2018. 

The live vocals are flawless, the sharpness of the intense movements can cut anyone, the perfect balance between precision and flair of the transitions are glorious, and THE FORMATIONS! No words to describe the hard work displayed by the program’s cameramen in showcasing the group’s beautiful formations. The cuts from zoomed-in shots of some members to panoramic shots to overhead shots that show the formations in full effect are breathtaking. The 9.3 million views the video has gotten is a testament to the beauty of this masterpiece.

Watching these performances shows the amount of work and dedication our idols put into their live stages. A single performance is a result of countless hours of practice and vocal recording sessions all members subject themselves to.  And we haven’t even mentioned legendary performances from SHINHWA, Super Junior, EXO, and Infinite, to name a few. Here’s to more exciting live stages to come!

Feature image: BTS performs On at the Grand Central Terminal for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Photo: Live Nation Chicago/Facebook
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Boo Seungkwan and His War With the English Language

SEVENTEEN. Photo: SEVENTEEN/Facebook

Boo Seungkwan, main vocalist of the 13-member group SEVENTEEN, doesn’t have a lot of struggles when it comes to abilities and talents. Singing skills? Top-notch. Variety sense? Natural. Comedic timing? Perfect. 

English language? Now, there’s a concern there. 

Mr. Boo’s struggles with the English language have been well-documented, and here are five moments that chronicle his battles, which can be considered as victories for us, his amused fans and the Carat fandom. 

When in Starbucks LA, Ordering in English is a Must

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW2q35PY5MU

On an episode of GOING SEVENTEEN, the members took a tour of Los Angeles and somehow found a Starbucks. Which should be okay, considering Vernon and Joshua were there to make ordering a breeze. 

Except they were not there.

Instead, English “experts” Jeonghan, DK, and Seungkwan bravely went inside the store to order two hot and three iced Americanos. But it doesn’t end there. DK gave Mr. Boo the task of inquiring about the unicorn frappuccino, a limited drink available only in selected stores.  

Seungkwan started out okay, telling the barista of the Americano orders. When it came to the 3rd item, our main vocalist, said the now-classic inquiry: 

“Excuse me, um. Can I? Uhh.. I have a question. In U.S… only… America. Starbucks…limited beverage… 있어요? Unicorn…”

– Boo, 2017

Luckily, the cashier read between the lines and informed the three giggling customers that the beverage is not available in their store. Boo Diva struggled for nothing, but I dare say, earned the respect of the English-speaking world.

Seungkwan, culinary language barrier conqueror

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF15YZM9mB8

This is an absolute classic. This moment came from Seungkwan’s livestream with Hoshi called Andromeda, where a kimbap-making competition was staged between Jun and Hoshi versus Seungkwan and Joshua. When Joshua poured a healthy amount of seasoning into his hand, Seungkwan thought he was going to put all of it into the kimbap they were making, prompting him to ask his partner in panic, 

“Oh my gosh. Your mistake? Oh my gosh what zyoo doing now… are you kidding me? Kimbap kidding?”

To which Joshua in his trademark calmness, apologized and said he was going to just “spray a little” of the seasoning into their dish. Upon realizing his partner’s intention, the usually high-strung Boo backpedaled, praising his partner with exclamations of “Oh, so… so genius!“

The pair won with their iconic “kimbap kidding” creation. 

Seungkwan, the standard of English quality

Here is one for the books. In footage from Seventeen TV, where the future members were still trainees, Mingming (one of the final SVT trainees who opted to leave Pledis in 2014, months before the boys were slated to debut) held an impromptu interview with star-shaped sunglasses-wearing Seungkwan, asking him to show everyone his English skills. Not one to stand down from a challenge, Seungkwan goes, 

“May I take two orders? I kkk… I work… “

To which Vernon reacted by saying, “Oh gawd. What are you doing?”

Baby SK eggs him on, asking, “What are you talking about?” 

To which the native English speaker answers, “I’m talking about your very low quality English.”

Boo Diva was not having any of it, aggressively asking, “Low quality? Low quality???” Then in Korean, asserts, “I’m the best quality. I’m the best quality.” End of story.

Seungkwan and Joshua strike again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn246C30Mfs

In behind-the-scenes footage of the Mansae music video filming, Seungkwan was caught reading an English book in front of the camera. After reading the title of a chapter without a hitch, he got stuck with what sounded like instructions for an activity. Joshua then swoops in, reading the entire passage without even blinking, to which our variety ace can only stare at him in mock disdain. 

After Joshua’s display of impeccable English reading skills, Our Boo can only comment with, “I envy kids with good pronunciation but don’t tease us who aren’t good.“

Woozi, who watched the entire interaction, can only laugh non-stop. And so did we. 

The nightmare of an English interview 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOHL1mNfFuM

As one of the hosts of the variety quiz show Unexpected Q in 2018, Seungkwan subjected himself to one of the show’s trademark portions, an interview in English. He couldn’t understand the first question which was, “What’s it like being an idol in Korea,” so he answered,

“Another… many… many mathematics.”

The next question was, “What did you do yesterday,” to which he answered, 

“I… I…” pointing to his head, “My hair… shampoo. Shampooed.”

Next question, “Have you ever been abroad?”

BSK: “This year… March… I went to Jeju Isand. Jeju is my hometown.”

Then, quickly realizing his mistake, he apologized and continued with, “Two days ago, I went… to L.A.“

Last set of questions: “What did you like most about L.A.?”

BSK: “I like L.A.’s weather.”

Prodded on with what he likes about the weather, he answered, 

“No cold… no hot… so so,” with matching gestures. 

Totally nailed that one, for sure.   

With his active participation in variety shows, we are sure to witness more struggles of our variety ace with the English language in the future.

Feature image: SEVENTEEN. Photo: SEVENTEEN/Facebook
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