#BTS mv review

[banghwa]

HELTER SKELTER (2012) - dir. Mika Ninagawa SIREN by SUNMI (2018) - dir. Choi Yongseok

[emerald-notes]

The Astronaut, single by Jin

Note: It’s been a long time and here I am, still stuck in ‘The Astronaut’. Gonna share some personal opinion on this and I swear, I’ll shut up.

Rating - 10/10

“A life, a sparkle in your eyes, Heaven coming through, And I love you.”

Where do I even start? I feel like no matter how much I rant, my love for this song can never be expressed in words. The lyrics, the music and the mv, all of these have their own charms. I just absolutely love it.

Let’s start with its lyrics. I love the references of the cosmos used in this song. If Jin was an asteroid drifting all alone, Army was his heaven, a safe place. When Jin is in darkness, Army shines upon him like the Milky way. “You became my universe” is enough to prove how Jin dedicates his life for us and how we have become everything for him. We all know from the previous solo works of Jin that he is someone who constantly doubts himself and it is the love of the Army that brings him back from despair.

Isn’t it amazing how Jin, and all the BTS members in general, show how grateful they are to us? I am also grateful to them for making us feel loved. This song directly touches the heart. It is, in fact, the best kind of love letter one can ever wish for. It is a song that feels too personal. I feel like it was meant for me, as an individual. That’s one of the best achievements of this masterpiece.

The music video is so cute. Jin, representing an alien crashing on earth, who apparently doesn’t have any emotions. The little girl of his neighborhood plays with him often and he unconsciously grows empathy within himself. On the day his spaceship is finally leaving to go back to space, Jin realizes that it is the earth that is his true home and comes back.

Here are a lot of indications. For a start, the little girl represents Armys. If Jin was someone without dreams, the Armys made him want to dream. Just like the little girl helped him with the development of emotions. Again, though unconsciously, when the alien Jin decided to leave for good, he left his helmet with the girl so that she doesn’t hurt herself riding the bike alone without him around. As our Jin was leaving to join the military, he had left his precious song and along with it, a lot of content for the Armys to enjoy in his absence. Even the morse code for ARMY was literally tattooed on his neck in the mv. Just like the alien Jin realizing that the girl was his true home and coming back to her at the end, our Jin also promises us his coming back after serving his time in the military. Hence, I love the music video so much and I keep coming back to it time after time.

I will forever be grateful to Coldplay for accepting Jin’s request and making this song a reality. They are the sweetest souls ever. It shows how a real artist can recognize and appreciate another great artist. I love the bond between Jin and them, especially with Chris. It makes me immensely proud how far Jin has come. While he considered Coldplay as his idol in his youth, he is now collaborating with them side by side. Both of their styles of music are evident in this track. As if two beautiful melodies came together to become a better version of themselves.

I can’t talk about the Astronaut without bringing up the concert in Argentina. Here’s another reason for me to be grateful to Coldplay. They really understood the significance of this song for the Armys as a goodbye gift from Jin and that’s why they decided to have him at their personal concert. I could see the admiration in their eyes when Jin was performing. I also enjoyed the part where Chris opened his arms for Jin to run and embrace him while he sweetly kissed him on the cheek. This interaction was everything. When, both Chris and Jin were singing together to my favorite part and they couldn’t help but laugh in between, we could see Jin’s sparkling eyes so clearly. It shows how overwhelmed he was with emotion. I won’t lie about crying to that part myself.

Finally, the “I love you” part deserves its own paragraph. Would you think that it wasn’t intentional of Jin to finish his last live performance for the Armys by saying that he loves us? I think not. Jin is a genius and an absolute sweetheart for that. The reactions of the Armys at the concert was genuine. They looked so happy and sad at the same time. And I love you too, my Jinnie.

I am fully absorbed in this piece of art. It has become a part of me and I am totally obsessed with it now. I thank you, Jin, for making me feel this way. This work of yours is going to live in my heart rent free for the rest of my life.

[jiminsass-istant]

Fri(end)s- observations and review

Acting-

As usual, Tae has done a great job at acting. But the actress's acting was just.. meh. Makes me really appreciate IU. And not just that, Tae's acting was fine but they literally had no chemistry. That happens when you don't take time to know your coworker. IU and Tae are great friends and great actors and hence their chemistry works so well. Tae is able to create chemistry with anyone as long as he knows them (as seen with bts members and in his acting works too), even when the other side isn't good at it. But this time, somehow zero chemistry.

Somebody pointed out that there was an 'intimacy director' at the MV set too. Seems like they directed intimacy for all couples except the main one.

Storyline-

From the teasers, I already knew the storyline was going to be fun and interesting. I think it's pretty obvious that the scenes and environment we witness throughout the MV was from Tae's POV.

At first, he perceived that everyone else was happy because they were in love and had partners. In his second life, he was in love (or so he thought) and somehow all his problems in life were non existent. And he stopped noticing other people. So this time we saw the actual state of people around him and no one was actually completely happy, because relationships take work and not all relationships are meant to be. But Tae doesn't know that yet, because he smiles smugly at the camera with the girl by his side.

(somebody teach this girl to act, i swear to god)

And then he dies for a second time, but this time, he is smiling. Because he has realised something finally.

In his 3rd life, he wakes up beside himself (selfcest lol). But basically it means self-love. The moral being that a relationship won't change your fate. And that people who depend on a relationship for all their happiness actually lack self-love.

This time he wakes up with a knowing smile. And you know what, he probably knows he won't die this time because he won't be distracted by any strong emotions of love or despair. He'll focus on himself and he'll notice the speeding car before crossing the road.

Audio-

Honestly, I expected that the song would be 100% english. We already know that Tae is heavily inspired by a lot of western artists and loves to sing in English. The song is good and has some new vocal flavours from him. And it does sound inspired from a couple of songs I've heard before. I can't remember which ones, but definitely inspired. I loved the outro and overall the song is pleasing to the ears.

Edit(+) I appreciate Tae for trying a new cadence and tempo. The words are fast paced in this song and for a non-English speaker, he did very well.

Lyrics-

He's not the writer. But he definitely knows what he's singing about. I'm seeing vminnies make endless connections and tbh, i like seeing theories lol. As a lore and as a story, it's interesting.

[voxyldy]

01.25.2024

Kmedia is praising Taehyung’s acting in Love Wins All and eagerly awaiting the full fledged return of Actor Kim Taehyung!

‘As expected, Kim Taehyung! BTS V showcases acting potential in IU’s MV

BTS V received favorable reviews for his immersive acting skills in the music video.

On January 24th, IU released the music video for 'Love wins all', a pre-release song from her new album.

The music video, which received a lot of attention even before its release when the news of V's participation became known, was directed by Um Tae-hwa of the movie 'Concrete Utopia', and depicts the survival story of a dystopian worldview of a person who cannot speak and a person who sees the world only with his left eye, and the director's own unique visual beauty. Various symbols are added to the topic and are attracting attention.

The white lens on V's left eye and the chain on IU's lips imply that there are numerous barriers to overcoming difficulties in a world where it is difficult to fully communicate with the world.

V drew favorable reviews for his desperate performance of relying on each other and trying to overcome to the end in a hurt and exhausted situation in a world that was in ruins. In particular, the devastated look in the eyes and the expression on the face of fear but facing an unknown entity to protect love were depressing.

After first making a mark on the public as an actor in the drama 'Hwarang' in 2016, V showed his captivating acting skills through a music video for the first time in 8 years, showing his growth to the next level. His acting skills, which cleverly analyzed the various emotions such as will, fear, and love contained in his lyrics, reaffirmed his talent as an actor.

Expectations for actor Kim Taehyung are higher than ever. When V appeared on 'IU's Palette' last year, IU asked about his acting plans, saying, "Being in this industry, I hear a lot from people talking. I know there have been a lot of script proposals."

V replied, “Thank you for giving us such great works, but what the fans are waiting for the most is the album, so the album came first and priority.” He then expressed his strong will to act, saying, "If you think of me again in the future, can't you give me this opportunity just once? I won't even sleep."

As soon as it was released, the music video for 'Love Wins All' recorded 10 million views in 18 hours, and is currently receiving a warm response, exceeding 20 million views.

Since its release, it has been ranked #1 on YouTube Worldwide for three consecutive days, and is enjoying global popularity, ranking #1 in popular videos not only in Korea but also in countries such as the US, UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Canada, and Brazil.

ACTOR TAEHYUNG RETURNS

#LoveWinsAIIMV

Source: @naver_taehyung

[nightswithkookmin]

SEVEN BY JUNGKOOK PT1

Disclaimer: this review is from a shipper's perspective and it's objective is to rebut a few misconceptions about 7.

When I first heard the song was gonna be titled seven, I rolled my eyes- like how many times are these boys going to pander to Army with the whole 0T7 agenda right? Here they with yet another song about how much they love eachother like come on! I love BTS, I do but- I mean yall had the tattoos and the cute meet ups, and heart wrenching sappy goodbyes- isn't that enough why yall gotta make yet another song about your bond and friendship WHYYYYYY yall don't have nothing else to talk about? I thought season two was yall on tour grown grown shit- how is this growth if you singing bout the same thing over and over- right? BOY WAS I WRONG ABOUT THAT!

It's a good thing I didn't come out here to rant about that cos that would have been the biggest embarrassment of my life and I would be eating my words right about now while penning several apology letters to Jungkook- anonymously.

Seven thus, to me, is surprisingly good. Not at all what I had thought the song would be about so when I tell yall I was screaming up and down in my living room surprised and amazed clapping and cheering on as if this was the best thing I ever heard- yall wouldn't even understand.

It is why the first thing I love about the song is the title and how creative it is in as much as it doubles as a play on the word and teases out his connection to Bangtan- say whatever you want but I think that was hella genius and creative and reflects Jungkook's personality for someone who has always been creative in this way from his use of color contrasts in his GCFs to tell a story right down to choosing ABCD as his IG handle.

The MV had Jungkook written all over it- playful, goofy fun yet delightfully hot- it's the memes for me.

It was nice to see him be himself in a music video- nothing felt forced and contrived to me nor seemed out of character and that's what gave the song the flair I think it has. Jungkook pulled this off smoothly.

His acting was spot on- I loved the female character in there (in spite of yall saying they didn't gat chemistry) that's just because she's my type so thank you for that Jungkook. Mean cold emotionally unavailable, physically intimidating- yea no, I'm in love with her not gonna lie🤧

And I don't know what it is but she reminds me of Park Jimin too. And I sorta kinda like Jimin soo🥴

Is it the cheek bone?

Or the neck and shoulders

Either way, she invokes the same feelings I get when I look at Park Jimin- strong alpha female😌 may be it's because they both give off masc/fem androgyny energy and I like that shit- eat it up nom

She played her role very well and helped sell the story.

Those saying they lacked chemistry yall never seen BTS around girls huh cos it doesn't get better than this😩😩😩😩😩

Don't know if yall were expecting them to be flirting and shit- at least this female lead played center I'm still trying to find the female lead in JMs MV😭🤣🤣

I'm actually surprised how good Jungkook's acting turned out in this MV. Whatever they were doing in the restaurant- I'm sold.

And I know alot of people aren't too enthused by the plot of the MV- a young man hopelessly in love with their partner to the point of clinginess and obsession- look, may be if I were looking at this concept from an outside in perspective I would find issues there with that narrative too but as some one who has been following these men almost through out their music career and have had the privilege of consuming content beyond the music they do- I kinda find it hilarious 😂

Hilarious because it's everything fans, and BTS accuse Kook of- it's giving me war flashbacks to the perila leaf conversation they had, to all the times he and Jimin have been caught sneaking into each other's hotel rooms because CLINGY, to Jimin complaining he comes into his room at 1am just to sit on the bed and do nothing, to all the theories about Kook being the clingy one in Jikook- hate to say I told ya😆

It's almost as if he's saying we'll folks yall are not wrong I kinda is clingy and I'm not ashamed🤣🤣🤣🤣

He's a hopeless romantic and he hasn't made that a secret at all. To me, what this is is he's owning the narrative- that is if this was a conscious decision and artistic choice by him.

I had to look up the director of the MV and this is the first time in my life I've genuinely cared about the director behind any project for that matter cos how much of a coincidence is this to cast characters who complement each other so well and craft a narrative which is not a narrative at all!

Their website says they blend "youth and pop culture with high concept storytelling." Well they pulled that off. The plot is simple and easy to follow and reflects pop culture. I wouldn't say this is exactly ground breaking though, because it's been done over and over again- but I think Jungkook rejuvenated the concept by adding his own take and personality to it. It was done well and I must give him high praise for this.

If you are a fan of pop culture and pop music this is consumable as fuck. The song is really catchy. And that's just the thing, there is a market for this genre of music whether you like it or not and he doesn't have to cater to everyone's taste all at once. However to me, this is a step in the right direction for his career especially if he is to position himself as a global artist.

People may know BTS but not everyone knows Jeon Jungkook and this right here is him carving a niche out for himself. He is not trying to ride on the success of BTS. He is not trying to be the solo version of BTS. He is trying to be JEON JUNGKOOK.

His music is gonna play in every teens living room, every adults bedroom, in the club on the streets- he's reaching places even BTS struggled to reach and that's the power of his brand.

He's making waves and he's only just begun. And it's about damn time too!

I don't have much to say about Latto other than give that bae some grammy just for the titties😩 the explicit version of the song makes so much sense why she was so freakylicious up on a BTS song😭😭😭😭

First I was like gurl what? Slurp what??? Then I heard the fucking you right version- I said carry on. My mistake chilee. Jungkook ma n*ga you wild.

It's refreshing to see him step into his power and own his image and his brand and control the narratives- if not capitalize on them.

Overall I think this was a great pop song and Jungkook carried it so well. He's gonna go places. It's high from here and nothing less.

While on the subject, let me address some of the remarks people have been making about the song. To anyone complaining this is yet another pop song- with all due respect, he is not Beethoven he is not an Opera singer he is a freakn pop artist 😩

If yall are tired of pop music just say so and go but don't come for a pop artist doing what a pop artist is supposed to do- and don't let a lie slip out of your mouth it's a great pop song that bops. Seven freakn days a week.

No other kpop artist have come this close to breaking into a western market much less come this close to dominating it. And to some of us, this has always been the dream. I have spent so many sleepless nights meditating and praying for BTS particularly Jikook to gain a strong foothold in the western music market, beyond Korea and Asia and when finally they are making attempts and moves towards that goal yall want to tear him down- fuck yall opps HE IS FREE BITCH.

At this point I really don't care whether people like the song or not because we have moved past that stage where their in their progress in their career was contingent on people liking their shit. How are you gonna like a song if you've never even heard it? Now more than ever, what's important is reaching as many listeners as possible and to that end I think they are all on a right truck.

Jungkook is out to make a name for himself and solidify himself as one of the top pop artist in the world and I don't think his language or country should hold him back- asking him to stick to Korean songs is holding him back from his full potential. Faulting him for for branching out and reaching for the stars is equally holding him back and putting him in a box- well burn that box would you.

I really hope seven is the first of many English pop songs he will make because we want to see more of him, all of him and especially what he can contribute to the genre he dabbles in. His best is yet to come.

And for those complaining seven is nothing new- understand IT IS NEW FOR JUNGKOOK. It is new for many of us who are seeing him do this for the FIRST TIME AS A SOLO ARTIST.

His English keeps improving with each new song, his delivery gets better and better- yall just leave him alone please and thank you.

My final thoughts, as the main vocalist of BTS HE SURELY LIVED UP TO HIS REPUTATION WITH SEVEN. HIS PERFORMANCE WAS AMAZING, COSTUME LOOKED GREAT, SET WAS FANTASTIC AND HIS VOCALS WAS FLAWLESS.

If this is the start we are off to a good start.

The MV to me gave him opportunity to showcase more of his goofy personality, to show people he really doesn't take himself too seriously and has a great sense of humor.

As a performer he nailed his role. Definitely understood the assignment. And it's a good thing they casted a strong female lead cos them damsels in distress be getting on my nerves.

Do we need more of this? Yes AND YESS AND HELL YES!!!!

Between Jimin's Angel and this, you guys have no idea how excited I am for their journey. I want to see more collabs, I want to see them take more risks and build their individual brands.

Jungkook should definitely consider acting. A cameo in a popular American series wouldn't hurt his career.

In fact, the entire maknae line should.

[ranchthoughts]

moments of ephemerality/permanence/YOLO/photography/control/hypocrisy etc. etc. in Only Friends ep. 4

There was a LOT of talk about various themes over the past three weeks, and last week especially, in this corner of Tumblr.

A quick review of where we've been so far:

Post Episode 1

Post Ep. 1 thoughts on ephemerality (@waitmyturtles)

Post Episode 2

Thoughts on ephemerality, permanence, YOLO, and photography post Ep. 2 (original by @ranchthoughts, additions on photography by @chickenstrangers and @lurkingshan)

Thoughts on control (@elizabethsebestianhedgehog)

Post Episode 3

Post Ep. 3 thoughts on plum wine, hypocrisy, and the demise of ships (@waitmyturtles)

Where we are headed post Ep. 3 (original by @ranchthoughts, additions on surveillance and voyeurism by @lurkingshan, @waitmyturtles, and @slayerkitty)

Photography and audio/visual in the series as of Ep. 3 (added in a reblog by @ranchthoughts)

Moments of ephemerality/YOLO/permanence in Ep. 3 (original by @ranchthoughts, additions on Yo, voyeurism, and permanence by @lurkingshan , @waitmyturtles, @twig-tea, and @imminentinertia)

Post Ep. 3 thoughts on control, consequences, and shipping (original by @waitmyturtles, addition on the ephemerality of control by @ranchthoughts)

Let's talk about trust and control (original by @slayerkitty, with additions by @lurkingshan and @distant-screaming)

Boston as photographer and voyeur (@lurkingshan)

Visual effects in the MV and BTS footage (original by @slayerkitty, additions on costuming by @distant-screaming)

Now I will dive into my various thoughts and musings based on episode 4 of Only Friends.

but first - something from another ep (I am not sure which one):

Spotted by @khaotunq! (screenshot courtesy of them too):

Ray's jacket says "Is your life worth something?" An especially poignant sentiment given the beginning of today's episode, where we saw how deep Ray's feelings of being a burden run. This ties into the themes we've been exploring around ephemerality (life is short), and YOLO (you only live once, so live wildly and completely) and the associated lack of forethought and consequences. This gang of characters live fast and hard, without thinking about how their actions affect themselves or others. Due to their wealth (and youth) they haven't really had to confront the consequences of their actions yet or take accountability for them - @waitmyturtles wondered if this was a theme the show would look into. Living so recklessly, as if their life doesn't matter... believing they are a burden on others and therefore worth less... treating others as disposable/playthings in their quest for control and satisfaction... "is your [their/our] life worth something?" is a recurring question on this show.

ok now to dive into episode 4 proper:

photography and permanence tied together again: Top set up a photobooth in his [family's] hotel, thus ensuring the logo will stick in their houses for a long time as people don't throw out photos. Photos are souvenirs, they are memories, they are important, we don't throw them out, they are physical objects we keep.

We've already seen a case of someone not throwing out photobooth photos, and the consequences of that with Nick finding some of Boston and Top's photobooth photos and that kickstarting his unhinged P.I. arc. Second time taking photos in a photobooth comes up in this show (and once again it's Top involved - ?).

Sand once again wearing his You Only Live Once bag (I mean, we can expect to see it a lot. Sand is poor. He's only got the one bag.). In this scene he is (reluctantly) giving Ray another chance after he left him in the car the night before. Sand can see the red flags and almost inevitable end of his mixing with Ray... but those puppy dog eyes draw him in every time. Ah well. You only live once, right?

Control and Boundaries

I have been thinking more and more about control and specifically boundaries this week (in no small part due to @respectthepetty's post about Boston and boundaries). Boundaries can be permanent and steadfast and impermeable, or temporary and malleable and weak (here we go with ephemerality or lack there of yet again).

Setting boundaries this week:

Mew telling Ray they can't continue to be friends if Ray continues harbouring feelings for him

Top telling Boston to stay away from him

Nick telling Top to stay away from Boston

Mew saying he will have sex with Top if he quits drugs, Mew making it clear there will be no penetrative sex

Sand asserting to Ray he doesn't appreciate having everything paid for all the time

Mew asking for complete honesty from Top and promising complete honesty in return (sharing the details of his relationship with Ray)

Boston doesn't want intimate photos taken of himself

Crossing boundaries this week:

Ray continually texting and then eventually going to find Sand (and interrupting his rideshare) when he doesn't answer, Ray generally not taking Sand's no for an answer, Ray constantly trying to pay for things for Sand (paying the driver, offering to pay for the guitar)

Ray kissing Mew when he is asleep

Boston pushing into the elevator to corner Top

Mew conceding ground on his no sex rule with Top, Top demanding a (sexual) reward in exchange for giving up drugs

further fall out from Nick recording Boston and Top having sex in the car (he's now showing the recording to Sand)

Mew asking for complete honesty from Top, but Top not telling Mew about sleeping with Boston

Further assorted thoughts

Boston, voyeurism, photography, control, permanency/records

Boston refused to have a photo taken of himself. He can document others in vulnerable situations, and actively seeks out photos of these moments as (physical) souvenirs to keep, but no one can document him in these situations (unequal balance of power there). We have seen Boston use these permanently recorded moments to get his way (showing Top the photo of Mew and Ray kissing to sow doubt in his mind and get Top to sleep with him), and who knows how else he has used/will use the photos in his collection to serve his own ends.

Boston doesn't want intimate photos circulating because his dad is running to be a political representative and that could harm his campaign ... anyone else getting the sense that the existence/creation of intimate photos of Boston is going to become real relevant real soon? We've already seen the physicality and permanence of photographs (the photobooth photos of Top and Boston, the phone photos of Ray and Mew) come back to advance the plot and cause emotional strife...

Boston has already lost control of this situation/had this boundary crossed, though he doesn't know it yet, because Nick recorded Boston having sex with Top in the car. Based on what we've seen in the trailers and teasers around Nick and Boston, I think it is fair to expect further recording of Boston (and probably without his consent), and this time with visuals. Boston the voyeur, the documenter is having it turned around on himself.

Losing control

I mused last week about the ephemerality of control, and wondered if control would become more permanent/stable as we bring more permanent "evidence" into the mix (e.g., Boston's photos of Ray and Mew, Nick's recording of Boston and Top). This episode we got mostly an erosion of control again, though I remain interested to see where permanence of "evidence" = permanence of control or perhaps a permanence of consequences (especially given the above Chekhov's gun of a sort re: Boston not wanting intimate photos of himself - what permanent/serious consequences will this have for Boston and his father's campaign?).

Mew conceding his no sex rule with Top -> Mew has been trying to control Top through access to sex, trying to see how long he can hold his attention while dangling the promise of "sex eventually" like a carrot on a string. We saw that control slipping last episode and now this episode, Top asks for a reward for quitting drugs, clearly angling for something sexual, and Mew concedes. This is not to say that I think Mew was coerced or forced to have sex with Top, he chose to offer that, but I think it shows how much Mew's control is slipping and how he feels that. He feels like he needs to give something up, a concession, to keep Top around (to "win" this competition), so he offers sex and bends his previous rule.

Nick confronting Top and Top immediately gaining upper hand -> Nick calls Top to his apartment to warn him off Boston, but Nick doesn't realize that Top thoroughly does not want Boston and also immediately reveals his hand of how desperate he is for Boston's attention and care. Top asks Nick if this is blackmail (for money) and Nick says he doesn't want money, he wants Top to stay away from Boston. Top immediately understands the situation and reads Nick for it. Nick has lost control of the conversation; now it is Top who is lecturing Nick on staying away from Boston and Nick protesting he knows what he is doing.

Top rejecting Boston again, this time more firmly -> last week Boston showed Top the photo he took of Mew and Ray kissing and that seeded enough uncertainty in Top's mind he slept with Boston. This episode, Boston tries to leverage that control over Top again to get another repeat and Top firmly shuts him down. Boston is losing/has lost control over Top.

Public vs. private

Something else I've been noting is the continual presence of public, private, and public vs. private. @wen-kexing-apologist wrote about how the character of Boston hearkens back to the queer history of public sex and cruising. Other people noted characters hooking up in cars (Ray and Sand, Boston and Top), and in a photobooth (Boston and Top) - both public spaces. Other instances of intimacy have happened behind closed doors, in private (Boston and Boston's Hookup aka Drake [though was that a camera in Drake's room?], Boston and Nick, Ray and Sand, Mew and Top.

However, some moments the participants thought were private (or, as private as sex in a car parked outside can be) were not - Nick recorded Top and Boston having sex, Boston recorded Ray and Mew kissing. Boston's sexy photos of himself on his own phone were used by Nick as masturbation material. The private became public. This fits with the conversations we've been having around surveillance (cameras at the party, everyone having a phone in their pocket nowadays, etc.) and the lack of privacy in our digital age.

Next week, Boston and Nick walk in on Sand and Ray hooking up - they interrupt a private moment. Boston took photos of a private moment with Nick to keep - but will these photos remain private? With the Chekhov's gun of "Boston doesn't want intimate photos of himself" looming, will Boston's sex life remain private, or will photos and recording of him go public?

Comparisons

I've been thinking a lot over the last 4 weeks about comparisons, and how much this group compare themselves to each other. I don't really have any coherent thoughts more that that but I thought I would point it out. Boston compares himself often to Mew (always holding himself and his way of doing things as superior), especially when talking to Top; Boston compares Nick to Top (one is "cute" and "lovely" and the other is "hot" and "top tier"); Mew compares himself to Boston (more subtly - but there is definitely something "contra-Boston" there in how Mew thinks of sex, his relationship to sex, and how to wield sex as power); Ray compares himself to the others in the friend group (he is a "burden"); Ray compares himself to Top (Top is the first one to make Mew's heart flutter, Top is the one Mew has chosen); Nick compares himself to Top (lamenting that he feels like "nothing" compared to Top).

something about control (placing other people into boxes/making assumptions/limiting them to who you think they are)? something about instability of the self/self-esteem (comparing yourself to others constantly, perhaps as a side effect of being young, social media, etc.)?

There's an unformed thought here too about Ray and his crushes on people who "save" him (thinking of this post by @thatgirl4815). The idea of Ray being more into the saving/the kindness than the person themselves, of projecting his own ideas of who they are (saviour, hero, etc.) and what their actions mean (romantic declarations, etc.) vs. seeing them as a complete person in their own right...

tagging the ephemerality squad in (so pleased this list grows every time): @chickenstrangers, @clara-maybe-ontheroad, @distant-screaming, @lurkingshan, @slayerkitty, @twig-tea, @waitmyturtles

[aliceksoo]

IU "Love Wins All" MV analysis

Every once in a while one of my favourite artists releases something so good that gets me to the point of obsession, which means coming over here writing about all my thoughts.

And no one does that quite like IU (which is why she is my absolute favourite solo female artist, not in k-pop, just in Music).

Here's a short (LMAO, knowing me it will be super long) analysis of this MV!

The story begins with the two main characters in this story (interpreted by IU and V from BTS), running to escape from a flying box, the villain of this story set in a dystopic reality on the verge of apocalyptic doom.

The two characters run to hide inside a Mall, and from the first shots we can already notice few characteristics:

IU is mute, while V is blind from one eye.

the two are lovers.

Once they manage to hide from the flying cube, they get inside the Mall, where they notice a huge pile of clothes in the middle of it.

They keep exploring until they reach an old electronics shop, and they find an old camera: after trying it, they notice that while using that they can "imagine" an alternative reality, in which they both look healthy and clean.

A reality in which they can pretend to be happily in love, while enjoying moments in a world full of colors, which no longer exists...

...So they start to explore around the Mall while imagining their happy moments. They go through a restaurant, where everything is rotten and molded, but they sit at the table and look at each other through the camera, imagining how it would feel to share a meal together, taking solace in those simple moments of happiness, like having dessert together, wiping sugar from your lover's face, etc.

In this imagined reality they suddenly find themselves surrounded by people, but they all look anonymous, with black clothes and covered faces: this is because they do not matter, what counts in this shared fantasy is the happiness between the two main characters, the only focus they have is on each other and their love.

After playing around they run away from the crowd and find themselves in another shop, where they find wedding dresses. Full of love for each other they quickly change into those and play around, pretending to be a newly married couple celebrating their eternal love.

...But their reality is catching up, and in the middle of this happy fantasy, the cube finds them and forces them to resume their escape

While running away the two end up in front of an open gash in a wall, which shows to the viewer the bitter reality of the world in this story: these cubes are everywhere and are destroying the world.

The two keep running together and they end up in front of the huge pile of clothes, where they get cornered by that same cube.

The two stay together and try to fight it, but in front of the inevitable ending the two hold each other and face their destiny together.

We see from the dying camera on the floor that the two get taken by the cube to be vaporized, and after disappearing their wedding dresses fall on top of the existing pile of clothes.

There are many things I can discuss while reviewing this MV, but I want to focus on a few of them.

THE STORYTELLING - when it comes to the Art of Storytelling, setting up a whole world, characters, and narrative with a coherent arc NO ONE does it like IU and her team. This is not one isolated case, she made it a mission in her work to deliver intense stories, ever since her major successes after "Good Day" back in 2010 she slowly established her own sound and image while also experimenting with this focus on narration and "theatricality" that makes the viewer immersed in her stories. Go see: "Eight", "Celebrity", "Coin", "Above the Time", "Ending Scene", "The Red Shoes", "You&I", "Modern Times", "Good Day" and more to get a clear idea of this. You need talent, vision, hard work, effort, and creativity to constantly deliver this quality of work, and IU along with her team is just doing that.

THE ACTING - this ties in with the first point, but I'd say there is no great storytelling if the acting is mediocre. She is one of the most recognized Korean actresses in the industry AND internationally, and it is for a reason. Her acting is intense yet delicate, complex, and fragile, she always gives depth to her characters and develops their backstories to give us a 360° view of them, which makes them more relatable. No matter how involved you are in your work, and no matter how much money and effort your company and team put into it, in the end, if the artists do not make a personal effort to deliver their performative art to the viewer your work will never be 100% effective. IU goes all in each and every time. With her is always quality over quantity, and it shows. Shout out to V for delivering a solid performance: I could easily see parts of him in the "happy" scenes of the story! When he smiles his expressions always look genuine and innocent (if you are ARMY or even a casual BTS fan you will easily know what I'm talking about). He definitely improved a lot since his past experience in a K-Drama, and I can't wait to see more of him on screen once he gets back!

THE CUBE - this is the first important point I want to make in this analysis. Why the cube?! I am sure the jokes about the choice of using a flying cube as a villain are hundreds on the internet, but I haven't seen anyone pointing out a possible actual meaning, so here are two I personally thought of. - The cube immediately reminded me of bright screens: this might be an implied nod towards the online world, the media, and in general the hate that people (and idols especially) receive in the incessant scrutiny both professionally and personally, sometimes resulting in severe and dramatic consequences. If you are familiar with IU you know that her life has been exposed to the public since she was basically a child, and she is now where she is DESPITE all the criticism and invasions of privacy she had to face. You probably also know that she has lost more than one person very close to her, partially because of this online hate that people keep spreading, so it is not too wild to assume that she might have wanted to add that to the meaning of this work.

- ...But more than that, the meaning I personally picked up is more universal and relatable to EVERYONE watching this story. The cube, more than a cube, is a BOX. Which is a symbol for all those social constrictions, limits, labels, and expectations, that society forces on each and every one of us to "fit" inside a specific box. To blend in, to conform to specifics, to get in line and live your life within those metaphorical boxes, that determine whether your aspect, your personality, your career, your private life, etc. are all ENOUGH to the standards the society expects you to follow. It is not a random choice that the two main characters shown in the MV are both showing visible characteristics that make them "different" from the expected conformity. IU's character is deaf/mute (Not sure if it is both), and V's character is blind in one eye. They both have SOMETHING that makes them unable to conform and because of this, they will never be able to fit inside their specific boxes. Because of this, they cannot exist in this dystopic society, that starts to resemble our very reality more and more.

THE PILE OF CLOTHES - Tying the previous point regarding the cubes, I need to point out this last important element in the story. I am sure 99% of you already picked on the not-so-subtle nod to the "Spring Day" MV, which also shows a huge pile of clothes to represent the lives that were lost during the Sewol Ferry Tragedy that happened in 2014. This in turn is using the concept behind a work of Contemporary Visual Art by an artist called Christian Boltanski. With his work "Personnes", representing huge piles of clothes just like the ones shown in these two MVs, the artist talks about life, death, and memory.

He depicts the reality of groups of people that for several reasons (wars, poverty, etc...) have lost their lives. He urges the viewer to go beyond the random acknowledgment of this: he asks us to EMPATHISE, to actually understand that we are in front of the only symbol of lives that are no more. He demands our understanding by showing us something universal, like their clothes. We do not know their names, nationalities, aspects, or whether they were part of metaphorical boxes...

The same artists once said that used clothes, for him, are traces of lost identities, objects of a subject that is no more.

He leaves the clothes, forcing the viewer to focus on those details, to ask questions about those people, to imagine their stories.

He urges us to remember.

I think that the lyrics and the title itself are pretty explanatory of the intent of this song: IU wanted to deliver a powerful message of universal love, and she chose to do it through an MV that shows us how Love can shine bright even in the face of death and tragedy, and she did it in an original, dramatic, deeply moving way that leaves a deep impression on the viewer, perfectly on brand with her previous works.

She showed us that Love Wins All, and she reminded me yet again why she is my absolute favorite solo Korean singer.

[seoul-bros]

Golden maknae on Suchwita

This episode was filmed on the 27th June, a couple of days after the D-Day concerts in Seoul and just before Seven was announced on the 29th June.

Yoongi didn't waste any time to ask JK about a comment he made while watching Jimin on Suchwita. It was similar to JK's comment on Yoongi in the Seven MV recording video and on a recent live after he had been to the D-Day concert. JK finds Yoongi cute but not cool.

Yoongi though thinks JK is the epitome of genius and cool.

Jungkook admitted that if he hadn't found Seven he would probably still be enjoying his break.

But it has definitely spurred him into action and we can now expect quite a lot of new music from him before 2023 closes.

He's been getting in shape fort he promos.

It's kind of ironic that Suga was talking about being ill during his tour and then a few weeks later JK also suffered from a cold during his promotions in UK and USA.

Yoongi is always saying JK has grown up and this interview was no exception while JK echoed what he said in Beyond the Story talking about the influence the other members have had on him.

Whatever content he films JK always seems to include the key elements of food, drink and singing. His vlog last year is a prime example and today's Suchwita episode was no exception.

Twitter Link

This time we also got dancing. We also got the much anticipated JK version of That That as well as a load of other karaoke songs.

Twitter Link

Let's face it Jungkook wore Yoongi out. This was the first time he left before his guest. His face here just sends me.

Jimin was mentioned a couple of times. Yoongi had been out drinking with him a few days before the recording and Serendipity played when JK and Yoongi are talking about BTS's current and future relationship with ARMY. Also JK's bottle ended up sitting on the shelf next to Jimin's.

Post Date: 29/07/2023

[megumi-fm]

this week fortnight on megumi.fm ▸ the last leg

is that a pun referring to my aching ankle? yes. is resting at home for another week gonna ruin my mental health? yes. but am I exaggerating and throwing a tantrum for something that's probably not a big deal? also yes.

📋 Tasks

💻 Internship // progress tracker ↳ biopython model replication ✅ ↳ code for obtaining single fasta from overlapping sequences ✅ ↳ running HMMer and superfamily script✅ ↳ output analysis 🔁 ↳ literature review on transport proteins 🔁 ↳ transport protein family analysis 🔁 🎓 Uni ↳ our paper is finally out! there's a doi and everything now <3 it's not open access though :/// I might do some totally legal things to ensure more people can read it ↳ collected the hardcopy of my LOR ↳ collected my gradecard ↳ visited my advisor and updated her on stuff 🩺Radiomics Project ↳ radiomic features finalized✅ ↳ data cleanup 🔁

📅 Daily-s

🛌 consistent sleep [14/14] 💧 good water intake [14/14] 👟 exercise [/14] just basic stuff to maintain ankle mobility

Fun Stuff this week

💗i went to uni to watch one of my friends present something to the juniors! then I spent the afternoon chatting with my guide and later on went window shopping with my best friends (in retrospect i should not have done this because my ankle got infinitely worse the next day and now I'm stuck resting at home for an additional two weeks) 🎮playing undertale with @muakrrr 📺 ongoing: Marry my Husband, Cherry Magic Th, Perfect Propose, Doctor Slump, Flex X Cop 📺 binged: Blueming, Roommates of Poongduck 304 📹 Started watching Going Seventeen // so I've been listening to SVT for a while now and I did watch their Don't Lie II eps like two years ago but I never really checked anything else... however, considering that I'm stuck at home and that @zzzzzestforlife (who has impeccable taste) has mentioned it often on their posts, I decided to check out GoSe properly and. wow. I started with their mystery episodes [fav scenes under cut] and now I'm watching GoSe2020 in chronological order and !!!!!! The concepts, the storylines, the acting, the humour, the editing, even the subtitles are all so so good. I've been watching this show for two weeks now and I am now officially a cubic <3

📻 This week's soundtrack

Wk1: The Best of ATEEZ // I've been real obsessed since their 2024 world tour clips started showing up on social media; I was a casual enjoyer up to this point and then I went and checked them out and it's all so dystopian and immersive. My favourites would be Intro: Long Journey (which makes me feel like I'm in Pirates of the Caribbean), the Symphony version of Wonderland (for its musicality and Jungho hitting those notes), MATZ (that is insane in it's the visual storytelling in the MV) and Wake Up (whose performance choreo ended me) Wk2: The Best of BTS // in an attempt to revive a project I abandoned a year ago, I spent wayy too much time curating this playlist to get the most satisfying BTS transitions ever and I can confidently say that I'm nowhere close to my goal T-T but I kind of like the way it is now so I am simply going to give up

---

[Feb 12 to Feb 25 ; week 7+8/52 || this was not supposed to be one post but then... idk what happened... I feel very dull lately because of my ankle and just when I thought it was getting better it's become painful again... my friends and parents keep chastising me (and fairly so) for trying to move around even before I fully heal but patience has never been my strong suit. sitting still is really the biggest punishment for a hyperactive ADHD kid like me... i'm sure plenty others have it worse but... yeah... GoSe really carrying my mental health right now ]

my fav GoSe scenes

---

[possession1981]

i was tagged by my beloved angelic @xiaojuun @baekhyunnybyun @yeofi @ye-xiu and @byunbaekhyunie to make a giffing recap/review of my 2023 creations which is always such a good time to be honest thank you all for tagging me 💞

tagging @sunghanbin @yunwooz @souladies

rules: link your favorite and/or most popular post from each month this year <3 (it’s totally fine to skip months!) and tag some CCs you love!

JANUARY top post: this xiaojun phantom bts set which... i can't blame anyone for it's so gorgeous. favourites: taeyang on the cross is probably one of my fave creations of ever. however, i made a lot of stuff i'm obsessed with in january apparently so i'm gonna give a list of other faves. my other xiaojun phantom jacket shooting set, this sf9 leo-line set (🥲), my taemin armpit set lmfao, kai kokobop set and jongtae not included are just all so beloved to me.

FEBRUARY top post: fuckboy keeho in the leopard jacket favourites: this jacob simply kpop mc set because the colouring is CRAZY... also this jongin set like I AM GONNA CRY.

MARCH top post: MR ROVER favourites: my doyoung in shades of blue set for roloved's birthday <3 i really love the way it came out like the textures and the colours just so sexy. also this cutie jonginie and tbz relay dance pile 💝

APRIL top post: taemin military freedom set which honestly makes all the sense in the world. favourites: my gorgeous princess sheon and this chorong set from dnd which is one of my faves possibly ever actually.

MAY top post: jiwoo icky mv set. my followers are gay women. it's also my fave from may. favourites: aside from the above set, juyeon in red for vianey's bday, shinee tell me what to do mv and jacob's bday set were all exceptional exercises in colouring.

JUNE top post: taekey reunion really blew up. favourites: i love the composition of my fromis menow mv set. keeho in jump is a fave colouring-wise and then there's this set of chanhee just being the prettiest ever.

JULY top post: junhui psycho mv set A WIN! favourites: this other set from psycho. also this taemin stage set from hard is INSANE, ksoo in electric kiss is so fucking sexy, and my edit of changmin from maps july issue goes so hard.

AUGUST top post: this set from the end of possession favourites: my brave girls' mv, jihoon fancam 😵‍💫, everglow slay mv, and also this jacob that i'm normal about. there were a lot of good creations in august i could have added more sorry.

SEPTEMBER top post: this goth ass coppola dracula set favourites: gemma arterton from byzantium and chanmina b-list mv.

OCTOBER top post: queen of the damned rose petal scene for the horny people favourites: sunmi stranger mv, the handmaiden love set and a tale of two sisters

NOVEMBER top post: seulgi chill kill fancam! favourites: zhang yimou's hero, sunmi stranger dykey outfit fancam and dawon last sequence fancam <3

DECEMBER top post: gong li in raise the red lantern, coincidentally also one of my faves of all time. favourites: other faves were tvxq rebel mv and woodz amnesia mv

[goldenhickeysandramen]

Golden maknae's show

I can't feel more love and pride for him 😍😍

I'm enjoying his album and his performances like never before. And until the 20th of November, I think I'm going to live in my golden era, along with him.

IMO his album is fantastic. The way he challenges himself with different styles. His vocals. His versatility. His English. It's golden.

I know it's not anyone's cup of tea. BUT.... it only took me a quick glance to understand that sometimes some reviews out there are not only conditioned by musical tastes, but also by certain (unfulfilled) expectations.

Sometimes it's because he shouldnt be succesful beyond BTS or another member. As if JK isn't "Jungkook of BTS". All the new fans that each of them bring in during this Chapter 2, will possibly be armys of the future. Who doesn't fall in love with BTS and their music once they meet them?

But... other times... 🚢🚢🚢 is involved. I don't know if some people thought that maybe the album would be a coming out, as if they didn't understand the boys' personal and professional situation. In any case, I'm also surprised that they're ruling out the possibility that he might be multi-coloured. As far as I know, he has never acknowledged his sexuality. Why should we claim it? Or is part of the fandom suddenly misogynistic? (because I've never seen such a negative reaction to women appearing in a MV)

Some of the people should take the 🐰 off their profiles…. It's fine….really, it's ok, he'll get support anyway from the people who listend to him and value his talent and loves him for who he is, and not for what he does for others.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - PAIN, all the pain you could want

except this is me, I don’t want it... whimper 

Dec 2022 Wk 1

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying the most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

My School President (Fri YT) 2 of 10 - this show is gloriously ridiculous and charming and exactly my preferred kind of BL. Tinn has NO GAME, but man do I love a whipped boy. Anything that harkens this hard to Love Sick gets my vote. 

609 Bedtime Story (Fri WeTV) 3 of 11 - It is nice to see Ohm play a character with more animated facial expressions. I’m liking this show a great deal, but I am really not wild about time loops. Crazy to see Stud & Sam on screen together again. Holy Friend Zone flashbacks batman. 

Between Us (Sun iQIYI) 5 of 12 - it continues to be great, I continue to worry about the fact that apparently only Taiwanese BL considers therapy a viable option for boys who actually, ya know, NEED it. WATCH ALONG HERE.

Ai Long Nhai (Mon iQIYI) 11 of 12 - More nothing is happening, but the nothing is shirtless again, so I’m good. 

Remember Me (Sun Gaga) 9 of 12 - Well, the sweet little BL with Gun & Golf is great. Bummer they only take up 20% of screen time. Golf’s parents are the best. That’s all I got. 

I Will Knock You (Fri Gaga) 4 of 12 - it’s boring, what can I say? 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai 

My Tooth Your Love (Taiwan Fri Viki) 10 of 12 - everything about this show is so stinking cute, even the crumbs are adorbs. So many smiley kisses! (my 2nd fav kiss, the 1st one being a crying kisses, I’m warped). Speaking of, is it just me or is the actor playing Alex 1000% hotter when he smiles? Please no Doom next week, Taiwan? Pretty please? 

Oh! My Assistant (Korea Thurs Viki) 3-4 of 8 - Amusingly, I’m referring to it as OhMyAss in my notes. I do love this one, it has such a Japanese feel to it. The episode titles alone are hilarious. Plus, kisses already? Korea? What’s going on? Meanwhile, this is my favorite bisexual awakening in cinematic history. It made me incandescently happy. 

Happy Ending Romance (Korea Thurs Gaga & Viki) 5-6 of 8 - Look, I can watch Leo be pensive & moody until the cows come home (and have in half of Vixx’s MVs*) but it is getting a little tiresome here. PLUS: this is a KBL they don’t have a lot of time to waste even on his level of evil beauty. I think this would have worked better as a romance if the Writer had known the Editor in (at least) a friendly way in the past/at school as well - so there was more established dynamic to their instant affection and shacking up. Apart from my qualms around the romance thread, the plot is actually pretty good. It’s very angsty and tense for something so simple, which suits this length of show. *I guess what I am saying is if Korea ever did a remake of KinnPorsche, Leo MUST play Vegas.

Choco Milk Shake (Korea Strongberry Tues YT) 10 of 11 - Pain. Argh. It was cruel to send them back, to all of us. Is there an ep 11, or is that a BTS and this was the end? In which case... in Strongberry I no longer trust. I guess we find out next week how shaken my faith is. 

Eternal Yesterday AKA Eien no Kino (Japan Thurs Gaga & Viki) 8fin -Fortunately I have no faith at all in Japan, I expect pain from them. So here’s your final review of this one: 

Smart boy in love with zombie incubus, keeps him alive with sex. Japan, king of thirst, gives us both that and PAIN: these 2 are drowning in yearning and loss. Careful with this one - you break it, you bought it, and it'll break you... wide open just to see what color your guts are. After watching, you too might be walking around alone, forgotten, and wondering why no one understands your loss. Not only does it not end happily, it ends hopelessly. That’s an automatic 2/10 from me. No exceptions and NOT RECOMMENDED.

Sure, it may actually be brilliant, but it hurt me and I’m mad about it. 

It’s Airing But I’m Not Watching It

War of Y (Thai Gaga) 20 eps - it’s just all too much for me.

2 Moons 3 (Thai Mon ??) 10 eps - Possibly a future binge watch. Rumor is it’s banal.

Love Bill  (Vietnam Sat YT) - Bah Vinh is back but I’m too distracted. Also there’s a lot of fund raising stuff going on. I’ll wait and binge.

The Star Always Follow You (Vietnam YT) - same Team RL peeps we have seen before (Sunshine, Stupid)

Till the World Ends (Thai YT) 10 eps - ?

Why You... Y Me? (Thai Weds YT) 10 eps - It's not primarily a BL, but another meta show about BL shipping, with side BLs. @heretherebedork is watching it, ask them about it.

Gossip

Here’s that rumor, by the way. 

I refuse to believe it. GMMTV is simply forbidden to do pain, it’s not their brand and I’ll be very mad if they do. 

In Case You Missed It

Semantic Error movie (Viki) the repackage did have some nice added footage but I wasn’t wild about some of the new scene cut choices. Still, not substantial enough changes for me to deeply lean one way or the other. I prefer the original but that might just be because that’s how I consumed it first. *shrug* 

GAP the series (Sat YT) is a classic office set romance. WATCH IT! It’s GL and this studio needs our support! I’m enjoying it but not chronicling my journey. (Also, the stairs are back.)

Next Week Looks Like This:

Starting December 2022: 

Dec 13 - Never Let Me Go from Thailand, GMMTV’s YT, 10 eps -  GMMTV’s answer to KinnPorsche this is a mafia, attack dog (whipping boy + bodyguard) suspense BL. I’m delighted to see Pond Phuwin get a crack at something that’s not FUTS. Jojo (3 Will Be Free) is directing, so we know the action parts should be decent.

Dec 15 - The Director Who Buys Me Dinner from Korea, iQIYI - A new production house employee whose director (absolutely perfect in every way except that he seems to have lost his mind) claims to have lived 3 lives and insists that they have to date if they don't want to die.

Dec 16 - Candy Color Paradox AKA Ameiro Paradox from Japan, Gaga, 8 eps - A stakeout throws Onoe, a reporter, together with photographer Kaburagi. Kaburagi's haphazard work style goes against Onoe's ethics. Yet, in joint pursuit of a scandal, the two move from enemies to lovers. Adapted from manga Ameiro Paradox by Natsume Isaku.

Dec 21 - The New Employee AKA The New Recruit AKA Shinib Sawo from Korea, (prob Gaga or Viki) - From WATCHA (Semantic Error) virginal Seung Hyun scores the office internship of his dreams but on his first day at work he gets into it with his cool reserved boss. As you do. Stars Moon Ji Yong (Once Again). Based on Moscareto's web novel of the same name, directed by openly gay & queer activist Kim Jho Gwang Soo (Just Friends?). 

Dec 28 - H5: Love in the Future from Taiwan (prob Gaga or Viki) - A cheerful and energetic student from 2000 travels to the future (2022), works as a deliveryman, and meets his first customer, an heir with a domineering personality. Directed by Nancy Chen (HIStory 4, Papa & Daddy).

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Between Us

I love him, your honor. (Ai Long Nhai) 

I catching another bad case of side dish addiction syndrome (GameVee in 609 Bedtime Story) 

We stan a dorky wingman with an imaginary umbrella trope. (My School Pres) 

(last week) 

[slayerkitty]

2023 in Review: Meta Edition

So I got tagged to do a moth-by-month meta review by a few people - @chickenstrangers, @lurkingshan, and @ranchthoughts. I wasn't sure I had enough meta or posts, but then I remembered Only Friends...

So I figured, why not?

January/February

No meta from me yet - was still lurking/starting to poke my head out and interact a little.

March

My Favorite/Most Popular: Dome is Jesus! So I've long said that my first BL meta was for La Pluie, and that's true. However, my first meta since I started watching Thai dramas was for Midnight Museum (which is, technically, not a BL). Thus we have my Dome is Jesus meta. And I don't think I was wrong? But he was also way more than that, lol.

April

My Favorite/Most Popular: Dome is one of the four Horseman of the Apocalypse. Midnight Museum season 2 WHEN?

May

No meta this month.

June

My Favorite/Most Popular: Dream loves Nara. HAHA, my first La Pluie/BL meta and it's about the GL side couple. Dream wore that red 'N' right over her heart on that sweater and since I've been to the @respectthepetty school of color, I noticed it right away. AND I WAS RIGHT.

July

My Favorite/Most Popular: Turtle Tai. My La Pluie meta where I over identify with Tai for several paragraphs. I have no idea if it helped others who were struggling with Tai get a better understanding of where he was coming from emotionally, but writing it was cathartic and I'm so glad @lurkingshan poked at me and said I should write it.

August

Most Popular: Let's Talk About Trust, Baby. One of my first Only Friends metas from early on, when the show was absolutely eating my brain. I had a lot of fun breaking down the trust dynamics of the characters.

My Favorite: Baby, Let's Try. My breakdown of the Let's Try OST MV (and Only Friends BTS videos) analyzing the different framing devices and effects used and what it might be saying regarding our larger group discussions on ephemerality in regard to the show. When I watched this MV and realized what was happening, I had to drop everything and write out meta and that was so much fun.

September

Most Popular: Narrative Frameworks in Only Friends (post episode 4). I ended up doing this weekly and it was so fascinating... until the frameworks went away. Why, P'Jojo?

My Favorite: Working with @jenyifer to figure out the story of the Only Friends end cards for each episode. It finally put the mystery of those moments to rest and figuring out where they originated or where they fight in the chronology of the show really added some depth to certain moments.

October

My Favorite/Most Popular: With the dramatics and exhausting reveals of the Red Peafowl casting announcements, I loved my reaction: Let's Just Stan the Fucking Bird. @blmpff mentioned fan club memberships and the Featherheads were born.

November

My Favorite/Most Popular: (Stages of) Grief in Last Twilight. I wanted to explore where Day and Mhok were with the grieving process. My only Last Twilight meta (so far?).

December

My Favorite/Most Popular: Narrative Choices in For Him the series.

Honorable Mention: my most noted post of the year, lmao, but not a meta - my second Pit Babe is trending post.

Look at me, I got all wordy from July through November, LOL. Here's hoping for more meta and more brain rotting BLs in 2024.

Not tagging anyone, but if you see this and you wanna do it, consider yourself tagged!!

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Jimin, dude, man, bro, wtf? What in actual goddamn fuck???

Listen, there like 3 Jimin solo songs I like and I am not a big fan of some of his vocal choices but let me tell you I was really hyped and hooked when the teasers came out. The drama, war anthem-ness, the grandeur of everything, I liked it all. So I was quite disappointed when the news of him rapping came out because I've heard him rap before and it was bad, and I especially was reluctant to watch the whole MV after I heard a snippet of it on my tl (the stylistically autotuned rap part, yeah). I was afraid to be disappointed after such great teasers.

despite my fears I finally watched the MV... fuck... WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK PARK JIMIN??? It's so damn good! Even the rap part??? I LOVED it. Separately it doesn't sound very nice but combined and mixed it somehow works well. And his stylistic vocal choices, the way he changes his voice all the time, it's amazing, it keeps you hooked and anticipating what comes next, it keeps surprising you, even shocked at some point. I haven't been a fan of bts songs since the fake love era (even black swan is not IT for me, it's really good but not THAT great) so it says a lot. this one is easily one of my faves EVER in their discography.

The song is a statement. A grand opening. Empowering.

BTW, the song is totally a type of song that you would play in your car while driving around with your friends and singing-shouting along. Wow, just wow.

*

Ask 2: Opinions on set me free pt. 2 seem to be divided in some circles 👀👀👀 ofc because of the vocal processingz that’s a common complaint for so many years already lol. I mean Pdogg is the main producer of the album so idk what they expected… personally i love the song and i think the vocal processing works but i think i can understand some people have different tastes and expectations… at the end of that day it was a choice consciously chosen by jimin and his producers. It’s there for a reason imo. I’m happy though that jimin really tried something different!!!!! So many people were expecting a ballad for this title instead we got a banger lol… and like you said Yoongi’s style is obvious even when he doesnt have a hand in making it directly… now i’m so curious what like crazy will sound like!!!! But i wanna ask if youll be making a post for set me free bpp???

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Posting these two asks now because my inbox is already getting out of control and between getting zero sleep and a flight I've got to catch in exactly 73 minutes, I'd rather briefly get out some thoughts now, regardless of if they're coherent or not, because I don't know when next I'll have time.

Hi Anon(s),

I don't think I'll ever write a full review for this song, because there's a lot about it I don't want to talk about, a lot I don't want to share and would rather keep to myself.

That said,

Everything about Set Me Free Pt. 2 is right up my alley and objectively brilliant. Every single thing about it: the melody, the autotune, the chants, the rap, the fact the whole thing plays out in the same prison, the way Jimin uses his body as a canvas for inscriptions that only enhance his storytelling, the performance.

I have nothing to say to anyone who doesn't like this or that about it. Rapper Jimin was in my wishlist for PJM1 so... and I'm a hiphop head who listens to Travis Scott-type autotune at least a couple times a day. Plus I've got Yoongi, that nasty, autotune-loving, foul-mouthed cat as my bias. Joon and Hobi aren't that much nicer either. Anybody reading this to hear me say something critical about this song should wake up and smell the matcha.

Some things I want to gush about:

First of all, the instrumentals. PDogg went stuuuuuuuuuuuupid on this track goddamn.

This song is pure trap. An orchestral, haunting trap anthem is what Set Me Free Pt. 2 is.

It is so sick. So maddening in how good it is. No wonder he was so excited about Jimin ending k-pop in 2023, the song he produced is easily the best produced Korean song so far and believe me when I tell you that is really saying something, because the competition this year has been stiff.

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The Vocals

Jimin's voice is the most emotive in BTS. That's one reason I love it. Another reason is because nobody's vocals in BTS, in k-pop, fuck, in all of Korea, drips as much sauce as Park Jimin's. I've said before, Jimin sounds inhuman almost, I describe his voice as serrated steel coated in honey and wrapped in silk because it sounds distinctly metallic, but can be oddly soothing. But with Jimin, there's a tone he takes sometimes that has this undercurrent of nasty, of unapologetic vulgarity, and in Set Me Free Pt. 2, he uses autotune to amplify it to brain-piercing perfection.

PDogg brilliantly uses autotune to aid Jimin in sending a message.

The shrillest, most distorted we hear Jimin is when he raps after the first chorus, and that's by design. The use of autotune in this song is intentional, and we can see this because every time it ratchets up, Jimin is being crude and uninhibited - as though it's a second voice, an alter-ego, or Jimin himself speaking the deepest truest thoughts he holds, pushing them to the surface after suppressing them for nine years.

PDogg has used this sort of autotune on Jimin's voice before, in the second chorus of Black Swan (timestamp: 2:24 - 2:50)

It's hidden in the backing vocals in Black Swan but felt in full cathartic force in SMF pt 2. And it feels incredible.

Stream:

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The Message/Lyrics

This is the part I don't want to write about because I'd rather keep my thoughts to myself. Not because I have special insight or think I've discovered something no one else sees or whatever, but because it's the only thing about this song that stayed within my expectations of who I think Jimin is. Plus I'm certain various interpretations will be offered by many other bloggers, so I'm okay sitting this one out.

That's the most I'll say now.

[nightswithkookmin]

SET ME FREE REVIEW #1

I said I wasn't going to write a review so I'm not writing one. This is just a commentary. Take a deep breathe, unclench your jaw amd brace yourself for this ride.

I want to start off by saying, admiting, and testifying that Jimin is a genius point blank period. His creativity, his duality, his delivery and execution in every single art work is an attestation to this fact.

If ever his ingenuity was in question, Set me free sets the record straight. It is only Park Jimin that can dare to assemble such imposing sounds, competing talents, daunting expanse and fine rhythm in one room under the single gaze of an equally brilliant director and not get lost in all that magical mashups.

The song is huge. BTS level huge. And for him to attempt to take on a song that takes 7 brilliant minds of our generation, him included, with varying vocal skills and talent- I must say, Jimin has some big balls on him and I respect him for that.

When I tell you my mind is blown, it is.

The song reminds me so much of BTS and everyone seems to agree. However when they say it's a nod to the group I disagree. I'll explain in a minute.

He draws on familiar elements and artistic devices that's signature to BTS as a group thus infusing among other things, nostalgia and that feeling of excellence and excitement we associate with BTS.

But that was the plan all along wasn't it? To show you he is not afraid take on a big shark like BTS or even to be compared to the brilliance of the group? Namjoon told us in words, Jimin just walked the talk.

I don't think this is a nod to BTS however. Because then we have to ask ourselves, is Jimin celebrating the band or has the band been celebrating Jimin all along.

This is bringing to light the artistic inspiration behind the creation of almost all BTS' master pieces. It's jimin. It's always been Jimin, the choreography, the beat, the visuals- everything has been inspired or created around him and his capabilities. The group has always leaned into his strengths in that way. It's why he transitions so well into it even as Solo.

Blackswan comes to mind. The stunning visuals, the contemporary dance styles, the concepts- everything was woven around Jimin. There are pieces of him intricately woven into the fabrics of BTS.

You can't have BTS without Jimin.

He is the secret ingredient that spiced up the group and this master piece of an MV shows it.

It makes sense to say there are songs that were made for BTS with Jimin in mind, choreographies inspired by him and that played to his strengths and uniqueness too.

It's why people accused him of being Hybe's favorite or the director's pet. The writing was on the wall.

Does this mean the others suck?

Yes.

I'm kidding😆

If you want to look at the strength of BTS you only have to look at the strength of the individual parts that make up BTS. From Namjoon's lyrical intellect, Hobi's versatility, Suga's unmatched flow, to even Tae's radiance- you cannot dispute that these men rose not by luck but by substance.

I used to think their Solo phase was them moving apart and away from their shared identity but now I think its the phase for each of them to model and strut across the biggest runway to show the world what they each bring to the golden table that is BTS. It's not a competition among themselves. Not at all. It's a review and examination of the parts that make up the whole and they all have something to prove.

And by Odin's beard, THEY WILL PROVE THEMSELVES. EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. IT'S IN THEIR BLOOD. IT'S THE BANGTAN SPIRIT.

He killed it.

He delivered.

Part two will focus more on the themes, visuals and vocal delivery. Look forward to it.

Hashtag drinking Hennessy. I saw what you did there Jimin. And if you read my blogs closely you'll see what I'm getting at.

Cheers Jimin 🍻

YOU DID IT

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Another day/week/hour of accumulating thoughts which haven't marinated enough.

That Zzinu guy (I can't remember his actual name) is really hanging out with everyone relevant in the industry, he's everywhere 👀 I saw him with RM on IG and at some concert, had no idea they were buddies.

Why did Jungkook come back just for a few days? What was that damn urgent to fly to Seoul only to go back to US in no time? I thought someone would enlist, but nope.

I took the bus downtown twice today instead of calling for a car. I have to stop being delusional and accept that I'm not rich.

I'm not gonna write a review of Tedros' album cause I don't feel there's a point, but I do have like a few things to say. Why is it being talked about like he started working on Layover 3 years ago? I mean, he started working on music, yes, but this thing that came out? That's like some team who probably put together the music a lot more recently. But hey, I'm just babbling so what the fuck do I know? Slow Dancing sounds good. I mean, nice enough to have it in the background in a playlist. All the songs feel too short, like they're some samples and they just decided to release them that way. Since his contribution was mostly singing the actual songs, it feels like he gave Min Hee Jin a pinterest board of who is Taehyung and from that entire thing, she created the Kim Taehyung artiste aesthetic. It's her vibe all over it. Just as it's her entire shtick all over NewJeans. It screams more MHJ than the actual idols.

I tried so hard in the past 30 min to stop myself from being bitchy, but I can't help it. To those who think that they got out of the jikook cult and now they're smarter and feel the need to still use the tag to post their bullshit? Wake up, you're still in a cult, you just switched to another. Absolutely pathetic. I wish I could fuck with pjms cause I admire the way they stand up for Jimin and they're like the most organized fanbase. But the moment they started using cult/tkkr narative and making Jimin sound like a puppet, I just knew they're not better. And a sign that I cannot affiliate myself to any group in this fandom, I'm riding on my own like I always have.

You know what's ironic though? Jikookers are basically the only ship fandom within bts who since the beginning and especially in the latest years, should have just sat back and relax cause they're so damn privileged. No other pair in bts is giving what dumb and dumber (I call them that with all my love) are doing together, but there's not a day in which I don't see stupid anons or jikookers fighting and bringing arguments. Waste of time!

And in that vein, pjms would only have to learn from their god damn classy bias who is no doormat and act accordingly. Fight for him without acting so damn stupid. In terms of artistry, he's the best out there out of this group and others in his generation. Isn't that fucking cool? And look at his behavior. Let army and kpop stans get frustrated thanks to Jimin's achievements and how you can contribute to that, not using the same foul language which only trashy stans are using. Do better ffs. Fix that attitude. And stop believing you know Jimin's brain and soul inside out. No one does. It only makes you sound like any other delusional kpop stan.

Key's Good & Great is out. I only had time to watch the mv once during actual work hours (fitting) and I can't get into anh details, but I liked the idea of workaholism tied to a simulation. There's tons of layers and stuff to be analyzed there, perhaps some other time.