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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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FEATURES LATEST STORIES VARIETY

Call of Duty: Five K-pop Idols Due for Enlistment in 2021

Best friends Mino and P.O. in New Journey to The West. Photo: tvN Asia/YouTube

Enlistment. The dreaded E-word for K-pop fans everywhere. Every year, fans go through the painful process of sending their idols off to serve in the military. South Korean law requires all able-bodied Korean men aged 18 to 28 (or 30, according to the revised military enlistment law that will allow entertainers to apply for deferment, if they are recognized by the government to have elevated South Korea’s image globally) to undergo mandatory military service. 

Most 1993-born idols—who are or will turn 28 this year—have already enlisted, but there are still quite a few who have yet to enter military service. Here are some idols born in 1993 that are due to enlist this year: 

Block B’s P.O. (born 2 February 1993) 

P.O debuted with Block B as one of the group’s rappers in 2011, and in the group’s first sub-unit, Bastarz, in 2015. He is also an actor, making his acting debut in the 2017 SBS drama Temperature of Love. He has since landed roles in other dramas such as Encounter, Hotel Del Luna, and more. 

P.O is also a variety show regular. He has been a fixed cast member of New Journey to the West (NJTTW) with his best friend, Song Mino, Great Escape, and Amazing Saturday since 2018. He is also on Kang’s Kitchen, a NJTTW spin-off program. 

Winner’s Mino (born 30 March 1993)

The rapper and producer has been active as a member of Winner since 2014. Following his runner-up finish on Show Me the Money season 4, Mino has since released numerous singles. He also debuted as a soloist in 2018 with his first studio album, XX. Mino has been a fixed cast member of New Journey to the West since 2017, which his best friend since high school P.O. joined in 2018. He also has his own web variety series on YouTube, Mino’s Pilot. Later this year, he will be appearing as a producer on Show Me the Money season 10. 

Mino made his official debut as a painter at the Special Exhibition for Emerging Artists (SEEA) 2019 art exhibit at the Seongnam Art Center’s 808 Gallery. His works were also displayed at London’s Saatchi Gallery in 2020 as part of the Korean Eye 2020: Creativity Daydream exhibit. 

VIXX’s Ravi (born 15 February 1993)

VIXX’s Ravi has had an active career both as the group’s main rapper and as a solo artist. The group known as the “Concept Kings” may be on hiatus due to military enlistment, but Ravi has made sure that he and his group stay firmly on top of Starlights’ radar. He has released several solo EPs and mixtapes since 2016; in 2020, he released his first full-length album. He has also been busy collaborating with various artists as a featured rapper, songwriter, and producer. Ravi is currently a regular cast member of the popular travel-variety show 2 Days 1 Night and has guested in other TV and web variety shows.

Ravi has also been busy as the CEO of his own hip-hop label, GROOVL1N, which he set up in 2019. This year, he set up The L1VE, an agency that supports artists across different genres. 

B1A4’s Gongchan (born 14 August 1993) 

Singer and actor Gongchan has been active as the maknae of B1A4 since 2011. He debuted as an actor in the web drama Delicious Love in 2015. His most recent dramas include Lonely Enough to Love and the web series Mokkoji Kitchen. 

Gongchan has also been active in the variety show circuit, appearing as a guest on shows such as Celebrity Bromance and Knowing Brothers. He also hosted the music variety show Global Request Show: A Song for You season 4 with former Super Junior Kangin and f(x)’s Amber in 2015.

DAY6’s Young K (born 19 December 1993) 

Young K is a member of the pop-rock band DAY6 as the group’s bassist, rapper and vocalist. He is also part of the group’s first sub-unit, Even of Day, with fellow members Dowoon and Wonpil. The sub-unit debuted in 2020. 

Young K is enlisting as a Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) soldier on 12 October. Before his enlistment, he will be releasing his first solo EP Eternal in September.  

Of these ’93-liners, who will you miss the most?

Featured image: Best friends Mino and P.O. in New Journey to The West. Photo: tvN Asia/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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MONSTA X Posts Cryptic Tweet Teasing Next Comeback

MONSTA X - Kiss or Death Official Preview. Photo: UNIVERSE_OFFICIAL/YouTube

MONSTA X is having a busy year.

The six-member boy group has been releasing new music and endorsing products since January. So are the idols now ready for their next project without their leader? MONSTA X has posted a cryptic tweet that teases the group’s latest project without Shownu.

In July, Shownu confirmed his enlistment into military duty. The MONSTA X leader revealed he will serve as a public service worker because of his medical history. Son Hyunwoo had eye surgery for a detached retina last year. The main dancer had also dislocated his shoulder in the past.

Shownu might be serving his country but he continues to be a part of MONSTA X’s ongoing promotions. Most of the current MONSTA X content, like the promotional single Kiss or Death, was recorded before his enlistment. However, the group could be working on their first project as a five-member band.

https://youtu.be/nPEmoaNCBNg

The official MONSTA X Twitter account is usually posting new photos of the idols or updates on their current promotion. However, a recent tweet proved to be different because it was written in English and seemed rather cryptic.

“They say hindsight’s 20/20,” the tweet reads along with the eyes emoji and the MONSTA X hashtags. It doesn’t say much but Monbebes were mystified by the post.

Fans have many theories about the mysterious tweet. Some believed that it was a teaser for the next MONSTA X comeback before the end of the year. Others pointed out that it could be a new project that will look back on the group’s six-year career.

The expression “hindsight is 20/20” is attributed to humorist Richard Armour. It points out how something is easier to understand after it has happened. It is generally stated when someone realizes late how to act in a situation.

For now, MONSTA X has not yet clarified their cryptic tweet. However, Monbebes hope that if it is for a new project, it would still involve Shownu.

Featured image: MONSTA X – Kiss or Death Official Preview. Photo: UNIVERSE_OFFICIAL/YouTube
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BTS FEATURES K-POP ARTISTS LATEST STORIES

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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Jay B Releases First EP, Hints at Possible GOT7 Reunion

GOT7's Jay B releases first solo EP, SOMO:FUME. Photo: H1GHR MUSIC

Lim Jaebeom’s solo career is officially taking off.

As of August 26, 2021, the leader of GOT7 has finally released his first mini-album SOMO: FUME. Not surprisingly, it’s filled with songs that are distinctly Jay B.

While JB is currently promoting the title track “B.T.W” and enjoying his status as a solo artist, he is also eager to work with Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom again. Jay B has confirmed that they are working to make a GOT7 reunion happen soon.

GOT7 has been working together since 2014 but the group hit an unusual milestone in early 2021. All members of the idol group decided against renewing their contracts with JYP Entertainment. The decision made Ahgases worry that it would mean the group’s disbandment. However, the boys made it clear that GOT7 is “Forever Seven” and will continue to perform together.

Since then, the GOT7 members have signed with different companies and worked on solo projects. Jay B was the last member to choose a new company and signed with Jay Park’s H1ghr Music. Jaebeom then made his mark as a solo artist with the digital single “Switch It Up.”

https://youtu.be/D-kjUANWM9c

It’s clear Jay B is having the time of his life writing new music on his own. While speaking to MTV, the other half of JJ Project admitted he loves the artistic freedom of a solo artist.

“The freedom that I feel is that my ideas, my creativity, and my direction do not get lost in translation and doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. It doesn’t get overridden by other people’s opinions,” Jay B elaborated. “Now, my creativity is becoming more of a reality. It’s not that I have the freedom to do whatever I want with my music—that’s not it. It’s just that my ideas are being more prioritized here, and I feel like you see that in my songs.”

Being a solo Korean R&B artist means new fans but Jay B also wants to please Ahgases with his current sound. Jus2’s second member assures GOT7 fans that he hasn’t changed at all. 

“I want the fans to continue to see me and keep their love for me. Nothing’s going to change. Just look at me and take me for what I am and who I am. I’m still me,” he said.

https://youtu.be/cUAsTQUU3xk

Pleasing Ahgases means a GOT7 reunion. Jay B knows this and reveals that he and his fellow members are looking for ways to make it happen.

“I really want to let the fans know that every one of the seven members are trying extremely hard to continuously do good work and maintain the name of GOT7,” Jay B said. “Even today, we were talking and are still thinking of ways we can do something together so we can maintain the fandom and honor for GOT7. We’re always thinking of new ways to progress, but it’s challenging.”

Jay B, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom are all working on their own solo projects. However, fans can expect GOT7 to eventually work together again when the time is just right.

SOMO: FUME, Jay B’s first mini-album, is out now.

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FEATURES LATEST STORIES SUPER JUNIOR

Variety Kings: Super Junior

Super Junior's online variety show, SJ Global. Photo: SUPER JUNIOR/YouTube

The men of Super Junior have been in Korean entertainment for the last 15 years and have had numerous variety show appearances under their belts. Their crazy-happy personalities make them variety favorites—much to the delight of E.L.Fs everywhere.

You’re guaranteed to be rolling on the floor laughing by watching shows with any (or all!) of the Super Junior members in the cast. So, bring out the tteokbokki, ramyeon, and soju, and have your very own viewing party with these programs and web series: 

Super Junior Returns (2017 – present) 

Starring: All Super Junior members 

The plot: Super Junior Returns is an ongoing web series featuring all active Super Junior members. The first season documented their 8th album and comeback preparations. In season two, the members went on to show the best food around Japan. Season three featured the members’ individual schedules, as well as their 9th album preparations. The current season’s concept is all about fulfilling requests from E.L.Fs. 

Where to watch: VLive 

Knowing Brothers (2015 – present)

Starring: Heechul

The plot: Heechul is part of the fixed cast on Knowing Brothers, one of the most popular shows in South Korea today. Every week, “transfer students” come out on the program and are interviewed by the cast members. The guests also participate in activities such as games and skits. 

Where to watch: Netflix

My Little Old Boy (2016 – present) 

Starring: Heechul 

Plot: My Little Old Boy features celebrities’ mothers, as they observe and comment on the daily lives of their unmarried adult sons. Heechul and his mother, Kim Sun-ja, are in the show as part of the fixed cast. 

Where to watch: Viu (as Mom’s Diary)

Analog Trip (2019 – 2020)

Starring: Leeteuk, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Donghae and TVXQ’s Yunho and Changmin 

The plot: Super Junior and TVXQ go on a trip to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with time travel as their concept. They all go back to 2002, and in order to “return” to the present time, they had to complete several tasks and challenges.

Where to watch: YouTube

New Journey to the West (2017 – present) 

Starring: Kyuhyun

The plot: The show is inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West. Along with Kyuhyun, the program also stars Kang Hodong, Lee Sugeun, singer Eun Jiwon, actor Ahn Jaehyun, Winner’s Mino, and Block B’s P.O. For each season, the cast members dress up as different characters, go on a trip, and complete various missions to receive dragon balls that will grant their wishes. 

Where to watch: Viu, TvN D ENT channel on YouTube

Things that Make Me Groove (2020 – 2021) 

Starring: Kyuhyun

The plot: In Things that Make Me Groove, Kyuhyun sets out to find food that best complements alcohol. The program, a spin-off from New Journey to the West, shows the idol at home, as he invites different friends for a night of games and storytelling over food and alcohol. 

Where to watch: Channel Fullmoon on YouTube

SJ Global  (2021)

Starring: All Super Junior members 

The plot: Leeteuk, Yesung, Shindong, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook, and Kyuhyun are the new employees at SJ Global, a small to medium-sized company that has been supporting Super Junior. This variety mini-series has the members take on office tasks to earn badges for the privilege to get off work early. They also go on a cooking challenge, attend a special class on sales pitching, and more. 

Where to watch: Super Junior’s YouTube channel

Super Junior is everywhere in the Korean entertainment industry indeed! What’s your favorite variety show in the list? What other programs do you love to watch?

 

Feature image: Super Junior’s online variety show, SJ Global. Photo: Super Junior/YouTube
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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
Categories
K-DRAMA LATEST STORIES

5 K-dramas (and a movie!) Starring Super Junior

Choi Siwon in She Was Pretty. Photo: MBCdrama/YouTube

OG K-pop idol group Super Junior has been a consistent music chart-topper in the last 15 years. They’ve also changed the K-pop scene in many other ways: they’re the first group to have more than 5 or 6 members—they had 13 (15 including Super Junior-M members Henry and Zhou Mi) members at their peak—and they introduced the concept of sub-units. 

Their talents are not limited to music, however. The men of Super Junior have since branched out to star in variety shows, musicals, movies, and K-dramas. Check out these K-dramas (and a movie!) that feature Super Junior members in main or supporting roles. 

1. Quiz of God Season 4 (2014)

Starring: Donghae 

The plot: Quiz of God is a medical and forensic drama franchise that tackles unusual cases and suspicious deaths. Donghae stars in the fourth season of the series as one of the people in the team of investigators. 

Where to watch: See info on the OCN Channel website

2. She Was Pretty (2015) 

Starring: Siwon

The plot: Childhood sweethearts—a pretty girl from a rich family and an unattractive boy—meet again as adults after a reversal of fortunes and appearances. The pretty girl lost her good looks after experiencing hardships, while the boy grew up handsome and successful. 

Siwon gave viewers major second lead syndrome in this drama with his cheeky and lovable character Kim Shin Hyuk. 

Where to watch: Netflix

3. Voice Season 1 (2017) 

Starring: Yesung

The plot: The crime thriller drama Voice follows the lives of emergency call center and dispatch team members. The team, led by a policewoman with a talent for voice profiling, solves cases together. Yesung was cast in the first season as one of the members of the emergency call center’s Golden Time Team. 

Where to watch: Netflix, Rakuten Viki 

4. Revolutionary Love (2017) 

Starring: Siwon 

The plot: In this society drama, Siwon stars as an unemployed third-generation chaebol who hides his identity to live life as a regular person. In the drama, his character meets people from all walks of life and helps him see the struggles of the working class. 

Where to watch: Netflix 

5. My Fellow Citizens! (2019) 

Starring: Siwon 

The plot: The drama follows the story of a talented con man (Siwon) who is married to a police detective. He hides his identity from his wife as he continues to live life as a swindler. But after a series of unfortunate incidents, he suddenly finds himself in the running for a seat at South Korea’s National Assembly. 

Where to watch: Netflix, Viu 

Bonus: Movie featuring SuJu

Attack on the Pin-Up Boys (2007) 

Starring: All Super Junior members except Kyuhyun, with cameos by Super Junior-M’s Henry, SHINee’s Key, and EXO’s Suho 

The plot: Mysterious attacks on high school flower boys prompt amateur high school detectives to investigate who may be behind these incidents and speculate who the next victim will be. The movie stars all of the Super Junior members except Kyuhyun, who was then recovering from his car accident. The story is campy and hilarious—and all the members played their exaggerated high school characters in their signature Super Junior style. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime

Categories
LATEST STORIES VARIETY

Some Iconic K-pop Idol Moments on TV to Remember

TWICE's Dahyun with JYP in Knowing Bros. Photo: JTBC Entertainment/YouTube

You have to remember that our beloved K-pop idols train for years, not just to be the amazing performers that we watch on stage. Yes, they spend countless days undergoing voice training, rap training (for the rappers), dance training, and composition and music production for some. All of them go through personality development and “variety” training. Variety training, you may wonder. As we have seen through the years, K-pop idols, especially groups, have appearances in just about any kind of TV program to promote their new releases and keep their group visible to the public, strengthening their “brand reputation”. It’s also a way of introducing each member to the viewers. A lot of idols have their own variety shows, but most of those are only available online, so they still somehow prefer to make televised appearances to reach a wider audience.

And not just anyone can hack a TV show guest appearance. You need to develop skills like spontaneity, dealing with sometimes difficult hosts, winging through awkward interactions, and having to do tasks and “challenges” that you may not be in the mood to be doing and be seen on national TV. But in the spirit of fun and “fan service”, even idols who may not initially have the personality for these public appearances develop this “sense” and, surprisingly, become good in them.

Here are a number of legendary appearances on TV shows and specials that have stood the test of time, showing that some of these idols have really excelled in “variety training,” and endearing them more to us. As if we need more reasons to love them!

Endless laughs from whispers?

The whisper challenge is one of those portions in the variety show Knowing Bros that have produced iconic moments for idols. The game pairs two idols, where they sit facing each other with one saying a word or phrase and the other trying to guess what that word or phrase is, while wearing a headset with loud music so the guesser can’t hear what his/her partner is saying. This game has also been played on other variety programs, but the two most memorable are those played in JTBC’s reality-variety show classroom.

The Epic Dahyun vs. JYP Whisper-Turned-Shouting Match

Among today’s crop of JYP idols, TWICE’s Dahyun is one of those armed with natural “variety sense.” She is also known to be quite close with her entertainment label’s founder—who also happens to have quite a music career himself—the JYP, also known as:

  • Park Jin Young
  • J.Y. Park
  • The Asiansoul

And aka the guy whose trademark is whispering “JYP” at the start of every song he produces. As the owner of that iconic whisper, one would expect JYP to be good in a whisper challenge, but alas, he only frustrated his partner Dahyun. And the depth of Dahyun’s disappointment knew no bounds as her face turned red only 20 seconds into the first round (the mystery word was “plastic pants”, a JYP iconic fashion statement), kept yelling at her boss, called him by his first name, and asked him why he was so bad in this game. The situation was so funny yet anxiety-inducingly bad that host Heechul had to restrain Dahyun a bit, because even for a casual viewer, it looked like Dahyun was going to blow her fuse. In the end, JYP guessed 2 out of 7 words correctly.

 

EXO, Especially Kai

When six EXO members visited the Knowing Bros classroom, they were the first to admit that they were really bad at playing the whisper challenge. To encourage them to improve their game, they were challenged by Kang Hodong and the group that if they did well in the whisper challenge, they would be able to perform their latest release that time, Obsession. The first pair of Chen and Chanyeol did okay, but when it came to Baekhyun and Kai, and Suho and Sehun, hell broke loose as EXO’s main dancer kept on interpreting Baekhyun’s clue of “when you’re cold” (the mystery word was “warming pads”) to “dead people” while the maknae kept on complaining that he can’t hear his leader-partner when it was exactly the point of the game. Things went a bit naughty when Baekhyun’s clues of “in your underpants” and “two words” were misinterpreted by Kai, making him wonder if his answer can be said on air without the strict Korean censors bleeping him, consequently sending the members rolling in laughter on the floor. 

Award Shows

And I’m not talking about MAMAs, MMAs, and end of the year concerts from TV stations. I’m talking about TV and movie awards where actors and actresses attend. These events are super awkward for idols to perform in because usually, the actors, actresses, and other attendees of these ceremonies are, to put it kindly, stoic when reacting to musical performances. But a couple of idols brought their A game and at the very least, sent tongues wagging and K-netz on a search frenzy as soon as they were done. 

Mamamoo Kills Awards Nights

If there’s a group that can leave people open-mouthed and breathless in their performances, that has to be vocal powerhouse Mamamoo. That they can make even the most stern-faced actors dance with them (Cho Jinwoong in 2016’s AAA) and have them react to their witty adlibs. For the 2017 and 2018 Blue Dragon Film Awards, Moonbyul, Solar, Wheein, and Hwasa changed some of the lyrics to Decalcomanie and Yes I Am to pay tribute to the nominees and their memorable dialogues. From Sol Kyunggu in The Merciless, Song Kangho in Taxi Driver, Na Moon Hee in I Can Speak, Lee Byunghun in Inside Men, and yearly subject Jo Insung, the girls didn’t leave any stone unturned, making these awards show less stiff than they usually are. 

Hyolyn Doesn’t Dilly Dally

Hyolyn is no stranger to television, having starred in KBS2’s Dream High Season 2 and contributing to several drama OSTs. So, it may not have been a total shock that she was invited to perform in the 2018 edition of the KBS Drama Awards. The performance started off beautifully, with the SISTAR main vocal singing Spring Watch from the soundtrack of 2017 TV drama Black Knight: The Man Who Guards Me. Then, out of the blue, Hyolyn asks Cha Taehyun who was in the audience if he wanted to go to the sea with her. Trench coat off, Hyolyn segued to See Sea wearing a sparkling silver one piece costume. Then came her performance of Dally, her single known for very… physical choreography. Actors and actresses in the audience froze as body rolls, hip thrusts, and twerks came in rapid succession. Suffice to say every single jaw dropped as Hyolyn’s performance ended. Criticism of the performance, particularly the outfit, ensued the next day, but for KBS, a TV station usually known to be conservative, their event was the talk of the town, so it was a win-win situation. 

Weekly Idol

From 2011, one of the first things that any K-pop fan would think of when “variety show” was mentioned is Weekly Idol, initially hosted by Jang Hyungdon and Deffconn. Every week, idol groups would join in the fun as they, with the two hosts, would engage in a variety of games and activities that somehow gave the fans a glimpse of their personalities outside the stage. Some appearances were a bit controversial, with the hosts sometimes getting called out for asking questions that sound a tad out of line and awkward, which may have led the two to step down as hosts in 2018. Donni and Conni eventually hosted a similarly-themed show on JTBC, Idol Room, while Weekly Idol had a number of host changes before finally settling with ZE:A’s Kwanghee and SuJu’s Eunhyuk. 

The B2ST Credit Card Game

The 2nd generation group B2ST, now known as Highlight, is not popularly known as the “variety kings” for nothing, Their perfect comedic timing, the balance or energies among the members, easy rapport with the hosts of any show they visit, and their lack of reluctance to do anything for a laugh is a testament to how great they are in the variety department. In their first Weekly Idol appearance since the departure of member Hyunseung, they did not disappoint even if they had to establish instant rapport with co-hosts EXID’s Hani and SuJu’s Heechul who filled in for Conni who was on extended medical leave. In the segment where they are supposed to perfect challenges to receive gifts to be bought by the credit card of their agency’s CEO, the program introduced a new twist: The show was apparently going to use THEIR credit cards instead of the CEO’s. It was a riot to see the usually cool and brooding Junhyung egged on by his friend Heechul to do aegyo and for the group’s leader Doojoon to fake cry in embarrassment as the members went all-out to win items on their wishlist. Gikwang won a new gaming PC, Dongwoon won a Hulk action figure, Junghyun won two vacuum cleaners, Doojoon won a tablet, and main vocal Yeoseob, who wished for a gold bar, wasn’t chosen by his members to win. 

Fortunately, it was later revealed that they were going to use the CUBE Entertainment CEO’s card, provided they win a whisper relay (a variation of the whisper challenge where members relay the mystery word to the next person wearing a headset until the last person guesses the word correctly. They did win the relay and Junhyung gave his extra vacuum cleaner to poor Yoseobie. 

GFriend, Double Speed Dance: Legends

Weekly Idol was the show that introduced the Random Play dance to the public, where group guests had 3 seconds to remember the choreography and formation to a random song in their discography and actually dance it. Very few groups succeed in this mission, with one of them being the legendary GFriend, known then for their sharp synchronized choreography to even their sweet teenybopper songs. Thus, Weekly Idol took the challenge a step further the next time the Navillera group guested on the show by playing their iconic songs at twice the speed. The girls took the challenge in stride, perfecting the choreography to their songs at double the cadence. They passed the challenge with flying colors on all three occasions: they did Rough one time, Fingertip another time, and finally, Glass Bead, Me Gustas Tu, and Navillera one after another. 

I’m sure you have other iconic moments with your favorite idol groups on other TV shows and webcasts. Here’s hoping we continue to get more memorable episodes from them in the future, especially these days when a lot of idol activity happens online!

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