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BTS at the United Nations General Assembly 2021

BTS made history once again as they carried out their first official duty as “Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture,” as appointed by South Korean President Moon Jae In. They stood in front of world leaders at the 76th United Nations General Assembly in New York, and talked about the younger generation’s experiences during the pandemic.

https://twitter.com/BTSupdate_7/status/1439942344665706496?s=20

Serving as the youth’s representative, BTS presented #YouthToday stories through their own creative collages.

Giving more perspective on what the pandemic “took away” from the youth, Jungkook mentioned the canceled important events such as graduations and concert tours, leaving a hole in our hearts and a gap in our lives.

They went on to discuss other pressing matters, such as taking the environment for granted. Suga and Namjoon explained that despite everyone mourning for the earth, the youth is out here looking for ways to extend its life for future generations.

Refusing to call the youth as the lost generation, Jimin and Jin talked how the “welcome generation” adapts to the lockdowns and quarantines. They showed the UN that young people are finding new ways to get the most out of this new normal.

The group also highlighted the importance of getting vaccinated, with J-Hope announcing that all the members got their shots while V/Kim Tae Hyung explained that vaccines can help in making face-to-face events happen again. A reassuring message for the vaccine-hesitant population.

Ending the speech, the group showed a special video of “Permission to Dance,” where they performed the song at the UN Headquarters.


BTS performs Permission to Dance at the UN Headquarters

And the internet went wild, of course.

Not wavering in their support for BTS, ARMYs have flooded the speech’s livestream. Just check out the live chat replay from the UN’s channel.

Everyone applauded and felt proud of the group’s words.

Even the world leaders, apparently…

Maybe they felt proud of themselves, too.

Bonus feels for letting them speak their powerful voice in their mother tongue!

This isn’t the group’s first time at the United Nations Headquarters. Back in 2018, they went in front of world leaders (and the whole world, tbh) to speak about self-love and bullying within the youth. BTS broke barriers by being the first K-Pop idols to be at the UN and by being vocal about these very relevant topics in South Korea.

BTS isn’t a stranger to speaking up and supporting advocacies. Since their 2013 debut, the group stood out by pouring their hearts and sending strong social messages in their lyrics. Off-stage, the boys never stopped in showing support and generosity to causes like Black Lives Matter, Anti-Asian Hate, and their Love Myself campaign.

Featured image: BTS at the 76th United Nations General Assembly. Photo: United Nations/YouTube.
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BTS Airport Fashion: “Have a safe flight” trends as BTS and their airport fashion head to NY

“ARMY wish (sic) BTS a safe journey as the group travel (sic) to New York for the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly,” it reads on Twitter.

It’s all the airport feels once again as special presidential envoy BTS heads to New York for the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Given the pandemic and how it understandably canceled their Map of the Soul world tour, seeing RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook venture out to the world again hits differently. No one imagined that BTS airport fashion could be taken away from us anytime, so it means the universe to have this comforting blessing once again.

https://twitter.com/jmnsvibes/status/1439187271882739717

And here you can see more of BTS’s airport fashion:

“Have a safe flight” trending is as poignant as it is comforting. Who would have thought we will miss BTS airport fashion and saying “have a safe flight” to them this much?

Bangtan first graced the United Nations in 2018 for Generation Unlimited, following their “Love Myself” campaign with UNICEF. Unlike their first appearance, they are now speaking as diplomats, representing South Korea as “Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture.”

Have a safe flight, Bangtan Boys! We’ll root for you as you change the world, with ARMY right behind you.

https://twitter.com/parkjiminfiles/status/1439186385848520712

Featured image: Have a safe flight, Bangtan Boys! BTS airport fashion as they head to NY for the UN General Assembly. Photo: BTS_twt/Twitter
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K-pop in Met Gala: A Wishful Thinking List of Idols to See at the Fundraiser

With Rosé and CL making their debut appearances at the Met Gala—one of the fashion industry’s biggest events—the floodgates may have opened for other K-pop idols to also attend the event. Here are some names that may be great ideas to grace Met’s steps in May next year.

BTS’ V

Given that the Met Gala is already one of the most important events in the fashion industry’s calendar, just imagine the commotion it would cause if some of the members of the world’s biggest band to date would attend the event! Maybe having all seven members attend the event would be a bit too much, so we’re thinking the V would be great representatives for the band. Kim Taehyung has long been considered to be the most fashion-savvy among BTS members, and it would be great to see him grace the Met steps, with all the world’s red carpet photographers capturing his unique fashion sense.

Blackpink’s Jennie


When people got wind of news that a Blackpink member was going to attend the Met Gala, most of them made the quick assumption that it was going to be the first member who also launched her solo career. But lo and behold, it was the face of Saint Laurent, Rosé, who was on the grounds of Met, becoming one of the first two female K-pop idols to attend the event. So, if we are to think of the next Blackpink member who needs to be seen in the Upper East Side’s most famous steps, then it may be high time for Calvin Klein’s most recent brand ambassador to make her appearance But then we wouldn’t mind at all if it were Celine’s muse, Lisa, who would be next in line. Since the next Met Gala will be in May next year, we may think Jisoo might not make it because she should be too busy preparing for her solo release, cross fingers.

EXO’s Kai

If we’re on the subject of fashion, it simply is a must to mention EXO’s main dancer Kai. Since being a global brand ambassador of Gucci, Kim Jongin has appeared in countless fashion spreads and pictorials for the brand, as if we still need convincing that the group’s visual (not that the group lacks in this respect) can hold his own with the fashion world’s movers and shakers. That height, those chiseled features, and that camera-ready aura would be such a refreshing sight to see in Met’s fabled steps. With tennis queen Serena Williams and red carpet mainstay British actress Sienna Miller wearing Gucci in last Thursday’s event, I say let’s go for Kai attending next year’s event in full Gucci regalia.

Red Velvet’s Seulgi

It can be argued that they would rather see the Red Velvet’s original visual Irene in fashion’s biggest event, but I’d rather see Seulgi in attendance. With those sharp features that scream high-fashion and commanding presence, Red Velvet’s main dancer would no doubt be a hit in New York. Also, it should be noted that Seulgi has been Besides, shouldn’t Italian luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo may want to push its muse to attend the event? This needs to happen, ASAP!

SEVENTEEN’s Mingyu (and Vernon)


Blessed with a fashion model’s height and matinee idol features, SEVENTEEN’s visual-cum-rapper Mingyu would surely create waves should he appear in the Met Gala. Everything looks good on him and luxury fashion houses would love to give him something to wear. Besides, he has walked several runways for Korean fashion designers and is one of the busiest idols every Seoul Fashion Week, so he shouldn’t have any problems going head to head with other bigwigs in the fashion industry. But then, Mingyu is also known to be a bit awkward in social situations, not to mention he is quite a klutz, so being escorted by the group’s resident Leonardo di Caprio-lookalike and English speaker Vernon should be a great idea.

Let’s hope for more K-pop idols to make their appearances in next year’s event.

EXO’s Kai named global ambassador of 2022 Seoul Fashion Week. Photo: Seoul Fashion Week Official – 서울패션위크/Facebook
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BTS Officially Diplomats After Special Appointment of South Korean President Moon Jae-in

RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook have formally accepted their special documentations as special presidential envoy from South Korean President Moon Jae In, officially making BTS diplomats of South Korea just a week ahead of their attendance to the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.

On September 14, Moon presented BTS their certificates as South Korea’s “Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture.” The seven members of BTS attended the awarding ceremony at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, along with Big Hit Music President Shin Young Jae and HYBE executive Lee Jin Hyung. With this official designation, the Bangtan Boys also received their Republic of Korea diplomatic passports.

BTS continues to prove that they are more than just another K-pop act. As with any country, diplomatic passports are only awarded to a few, qualified individuals. Along with their new status as diplomats comes expectations that the OT7 will be deployed for more official government businesses.

In July 2021, President Moon announced BTS’s appointment as Special Presidential Envoys for Future Generation and Culture. With this officially sealed, the septet will accompany him at the 76th session of the U.N. General Assembly (September 21 to 30, 2021). For their first diplomatic duty, BTS will deliver a message during the Sustainable Development Goals Moment (SDG Moment) of the Decade of Action session.


Featured image: (From L-R) BTS’s V, Jungkook, RM, Jin, Suga, Jimin, and J-Hope are now officially diplomats of South Korea. Photo: BTS_official/Twitter
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BTS Yet Again Wins Group of the Year and Best K-pop at 2021 VMAs

What can we not expect from BTS?

The Bangtan Boys took home two major awards and a previously unannounced award category at MTV’s 2021 Video Music Awards (VMAs) last September 12, 2021. For the third year straight, BTS nabbed both Group of the Year and Best Kpop awards.

RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook have consistently won Best Kpop at the VMAs since it was introduced in 2018. First for Boy With Luv in their historic (not to mention controversial) first VMA win in 2019, ON in 2020, and now, for Butter.

BTS was up against some major players for the 2021 VMAs Group of the Year award. The OT7, however, proved that they are unstoppable because they are “not seven, with you.” Beaming with love, they credited ARMY—the group’s equally phenomenal fandom—for their VMA win.

“And ARMYs, this is all possible thanks to you guys.”
-BTS in their acceptance speech for the 2021 VMAs Group of the Year award.

BTS was unable to attend MTV’s awarding ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. They accepted their 2021 VMA awards through a video message instead.

In addition to these two major awards, BTS also took home the Song of the Summer award for their hit single Butter.

BTS was nominated in six major categories including Best Pop, Best Editing (for Lumpens’ Yong Seok Choi), and Best Choreography (for Son Sung Deuk with BHM Performance Directing Team). The hit single Dynamite was nominated for the Song of The Year category instead of Best Kpop.

Congratulations to BTS and ARMY!

Featured image: BTS wins 2021 VMAs: Best Group award, Best Kpop award, and MTV’s Song of the Summer 2021. Photo: MTV/YouTube
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Happy Namjoon Day: World Creates a Lot of Love for BTS’s God of Destruction

BTS’s leader, Kim Namjoon, is effortlessly extra in a lot of things. He has an IQ of 148, chose rapping and music over school (he once ranked as South Korea’s top 1% students), serves as BTS’s English translator since he learned the language by watching the sitcom Friends, lives and breathes as BTS’s God of Destruction every chance he gets, and, at the age of roughly 19, started to lead the Bangtan Boys.

Rightfully so, ARMYs all over the world also go extra in celebrating Namjoon Day every September 12. Just like Kookie’s birthday celebration, tributes poured out for leader-nim Rrrrrrrap Monster this year.

Billboards and display ads
ARMYs made it an agenda to let Namjoon and the world know about RM’s birthday. In South Korea, ARMYs installed various RM ads across the country. These include digital billboards, display ads, a book café, a “book street” that showed different tribute posters for the BTS member.

ARMYs in New York were blessed with these Times Square ads.

In Pakistan, ARMYs broke through by putting up RM Birthday Ads in Lucky One Mall, Karachi. Fans say that RM is the first South Korean idol to have such a display in the biggest mall in Pakistan.

Namjoon’s face was also seen in birthday ad displays in Ukraine.

Greeting projects

Namjoon is a known lover of art and museums. With this, ARMY artists teamed up to create a virtual gallery of fanart and fan-made portraits of RM.

ARMYs also showed their love in this 92 minute-long greeting project that’s full of kind words and heartfelt messages for RM.

They also used the occasion to showcase their creativity, as seen in this poem-writing initiative.

FUNDRAISERS AND CHARITY PROJECTS

RM—along with fellow BTS members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—are loved for spreading light and positivity across the globe. That same spirit is also seen in various RM birthday projects that benefit non-profit organizations, charities, and communities.

This group partnered with Greenpeace for their initiative. It’s a month-long joint project for Namjoon and Jungkook’s birthdays.

Another group of ARMYs worked in creating storybooks for children.

There’s also a birthday charity project that aims to help empower children through art, feeding, and educational programs.

Other ARMYs also gathered to help victims of gender-based violence.

Tree-planting projects were also arranged by ARMYs all over the world.

These are only some of the ways ARMYs celerbated Namjoon Day, and, considering RM’s positive impact, we are certain that there are a lot more out there.

Celebrating the one and only Rrrrrrrap Monster

RM doesn’t mean “Rap Monster” for no reason. He carries the name for his incredible rapping skills. Just check out how he spat and sped through bar after bar in his solo track from 2015.

His performances are just amazing and topnotch

All while exuding that effortlessly cool vibe.

But he can be cute and soft, too. His love for that small crab? ADORABLE.

RM is also known for being one of the youngest and most credited songwriters in the industry. Last July, he trended on Twitter for having more than 170 songs under his name (and counting!).

Even when he is offstage, Namjoon shows that he is the epitome of a good group leader. Even other K-pop idols take him as a role model. We have witnessed this time and again, whether it’s for a huge concert, variety show, or Bangtan Bomb episodes.

He can get a bit scary, but that’s just him caring for the group.

Have we mentioned that Namjoon is a genius?

And that he learned to converse in English by watching the sitcom Friends? Tbh with BTS members taking English lessons now, we will surely miss RM’s strong power translations.

And he’s great at Math, too. Totally nothing extra about it.

He doesn’t fail to make ARMYs and BTS laugh, whether it’s through his jokes, expressions, or just exceeding expectations as God of Destruction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpUiuHoIOa4

Beyond all these, we love Namjoon because of his kind heart and how he spreads positivity through his platform.

He even led the UN speech addressed to the youth.

Whenever BTS was asked about RM, a unified voice says that they won’t be who they are today if he wasn’t their leader (and yes, even though he and V once sneaked out for some Melona after tonkatsu while they were still trainees. Lol; I know.) With all their achievements and seeing how well they have raised the Maknae Line, we all have proof that while Namjoon is BTS’s God of Destruction, he has created a lot of good in this world.

Happy birthday, RM!

Featured image: September 12 is Kim Namjoon day. Photo: bts_bighit/Twitter
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Watch: BTS’s 3J Special Performance Video for “Butter feat. Megan Thee Stallion” Remix

3J—BTS’s dance line—is back with a performance nothing short of euphoria.

Watch J-Hope, Jimin, and Jungkook as they dance their way to our hearts (or, quoting Jin in Festa 2021 Chicken Noodle Soup performance, poppin poppin poppin poppin poppin poppin poppin) featuring the Megan Thee Stallion remix:

ARMYs were quick to appreciate the new video and could not stop gushing about Jung Hoseok, Park Jimin, and Jeon Jungkook’s cheeky performance of the Butter feat. Megan Thee Stallion remix (which also coincides with Butter climbing back to the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart).

ARMYs have been looking forward to the return of 3J since BTS dropped the teaser on their official Twitter account:

 

Considering it’s been three years since BTS’s dance line owned the iconic Idol stage at the 2018 MMA, it’s almost a given that they have made us fall like that.

The BTS x Megan Thee Stallion Butter remix finally dropped on August 27, after the Houston-born rapper revealed her label was against the release. Thank the maker, a judge ruled in favor of Megan Thee Stallion and now here we are, enjoying this comforting treat from 3J.

Featured image: BTS’s dance line drops a special performance video for Megan Thee Stallion “Butter” remix. Photo: BANGTANTV/YouTube
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BTS’s “Butter” Races Back To No. 1 On Billboard Hot 100

Butter, BTS’s digital single of summer 2021, has officially returned to the top spot on Billboard Hot 100. The song has now spent 10 weeks at the summit, giving RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook another major achievement.

Butter has always been a mainstay on the Billboard Hot 100, comfortable in the Top 10 since its release. The single would then rise back up to Number 1 whenever BTS drops a new remix, such as the recent release of the BTS x Megan Thee Stallion Butter remix. The first time it left the top spot was when the Bangtan Boys’ own song, Permission to Dance, took over.

Also read: Conversations with BTS and Coldplay’s Chris Martin on YouTube’s Released

The BTS x Megan Thee Stallion “Butter” remix was released on August 27 after the American rapper appealed for its release. Megan had previously revealed that her label was against the version’s release, so she filed a petition asking for emergency relief. A judge ruled in favor of the Houston-born musician, allowing the song’s release.

The release of the Butter Megan Thee Stallion remix had encouraged ARMYs and Hotties to continue supporting the single. The effort ensured the song’s return to the top spot on Billboard Hot 100, and BTS was eager to reward their fans.

Behold, the amazing return of 3J.

On Wednesday, the BTS dance line dropped the “Butter” Megan Thee Stallion remix Special Performance Video. The sweet treat featured J-Hope, Jimin, and Jungkook showing off their swoon-worthy moves, to the tune of everyone hopint that 3J is here to stay.

Butter also drew 12.2 million radio airplay audience impressions this week, in addition to the 10.7 million U.S. streams and 143,000 downloads sold last week. The song is now expected to continue dominating the charts and sales, thanks to the relentless support of ARMYs and Hotties.

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Conversations With BTS and Coldplay’s Chris Martin on YouTube’s “Released”

This week, ARMYs and Coldplay fans can look forward to a special episode of YouTube’s “Released.”

BTS confirmed that they will appear in a special episode of “Released,” YouTube’s weekly music series, right before the premiere of  their “Permission to Dance (Shorts Challenge Ver.)” Coldplay frontman Chris Martin will interview the septet, with the video airing on September 9, 11:45 p.m. ET (September 10, 12:45 p.m. KST).

The trailer for BTS “Released” starts with RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook greeting their fans. BTS leader Kim Namjoon then confirms that they will chat with Chris Martin. ARMYs can look forward to hearing straight from the boys about the “Permission to Dance” challenge, featuring people worldwide dancing to the group’s second English-language song. The original song debuted in July, replacing their own song “Butter” as the No.1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Watch the “Released featuring BTS with Chris Martin” teaser here:

https://youtu.be/xTgI9-cjunE

It’s an interaction that ARMYs and Coldplay fans have been waiting for since early 2021. In February, BTS covered Coldplay’s “Fix You” on MTV Unplugged. Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Will Champion were impressed with the rendition, calling BTS’s performance “beautiful.”

Bookmark the official “Permission to Dance” (Shorts Challenge Ver.) premiere party and video drop here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hgWG5gtZJg

Will your “Permission to Dance” short submission make it to the official video? Catch YouTube’s Released featuring BTS with Chris Martin on September 9, 11:45 p.m. ET (September 10, 12:45 p.m. KST), followed by the “Permission to Dance” (Shorts Challenge Ver.) worldwide premiere.

In the meantime, rewatch BTS’s “Permission to Dance” music video while waiting for the challenge premiere here:

Bonus: Here’s BTS’s chilling performance of Coldplay’s Fix You at MTV Unplugged.

Featured image: Special BTS interview with Coldplay’s Chris Martin on YouTube’s Released. Photo: BANGTANTV/YouTube
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You Quiz on the Block: 4 Most Memorable Guests

On the September 1 episode of You Quiz on the Block, the legendary girl group Girl’s Generation reunitedfinally—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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