#i still dont fully understand the lyric

[1i0v3ry4nr055]

tb to the time i was struggling to figure out the meaning of some lyrics and staring at the genius page so hard the office lady asked if it was a hw assignment

[serejae]

while you were sleeping | c.hs

-

it was a known fact that vernon wasn’t one to express himself fully and that rule still applied to the early stages of you and his relationship. he had a hard time processing that you would be with him for the rest of his life (hes not letting go in the first place), so for the first 4 months of your relationship vernon just kinda went with it blindsided.

he didnt know what to expect and how to react to anything coming for him, hell he probably didnt even fully process he was in a relationship

vernon tapped his fingers against the table as he leans back in his seat staring at the brightly shined laptop screen in the dim lighted room. to the left of vernon was your peacefully sleeping figure, although you insisted that he go work in another room so you wont disturb him when youre on your phone, he just didnt want to leave you.

going against your protest vernon insisted he stay to keep you company so “you dont feel lonely”, but why now was he feeling lonely as he admired you. sighing to himself he leaned in closer to you to move some of your hair out of your face and paused,

you look so pretty

no,

you are pretty

youre pretty always to him

his heart beat more rapidly as he caressed your cheek unconsciously smiling. vernon turned to look at his laptop squinting slightly to read the small text in the corner 3:30 am, his eyes then drifted to what he had gotten done for his song

with each line that he wrote, there was a trace of you

each lyric had a meaning behind it, that all concluded to you. the song was sappy and for sure would get him a week of teasing from his members, this wasnt like him. writing a love song?

he never wrote love songs, he only wrote about his life experiences, from growing up, to success, to

love?

holy shit

vernon was experiencing love

vernons been experiencing love

the thought had always been there, he knew he felt an insane amount of love for you but the realization was different, you can think something all you want but when you finally understand it hits

and it hit vernon like seungcheol to mingyu

he leaned back in his chair while staring at you as he slowly looked around the room, there were traces of both of you. from the picture frames, plushies or “your kids”, and a fresh bouquet of flowers that he never forgot to change out on the nightstand.

vernon loves you?

vernon loves you

vernon loves you.

smiling to himself he looks back at the screen that began to dim before he heard movement

“vernon? youre still-“

“i love you”

[deathbxnny]

hello! aventurine, blade and sunday with a teen!reader like margarita blankenheim?

dont know if youre into ec, but its shocking that margarita is canonically 16💀

anyways, reader is very skilled at making poisons, are often in denial about the reality they live in and pretending that theyre happy despite not being happy at all and mostly pretending that their problems dont exit at all, often comparing themselves to a “doll” due to the prolonged explotation and neglect,and much like sunday, they believe that sleep and dreams will make other people and themselves happy

Despite my deep obsession with Vocaloid and Hatsune Miku in general, I have to admit that I never really got into the EC lore, despite still knowing the lyrics to all songs by heart lol. (If you play "Madness of Duke Venomania" at my funeral and I DON'T wake up... then you'll know that I've truly left you guys-)

After post edit: I misread this request and accidentally made it into a romantic relationship with an Aged up reader!! I'm sorry for that Anon but hope this is okay anyways!! :((

Content: Reader is kind of delusional/crazy?, vague mentions of non-descriptive neglect, mostly bitter sweet, romantic relationship, kind of suicidal descriptions in Blades part?, vague brain washing in Sunday's part, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not proofread))

》BLADE

Blade didn't get along with you at first. Mainly because he thought that your insistence on escaping reality was rather futile and pathetic. He saw dreams as a waste of time, always seeking the comfort of the dark reality he was forced to live through to find his way on the dark path he treaded.

And yet, over time and through the many missions you were sent on together, he learned of your own cruel fate and past, one filled with a loveless, neglected existence, akin to a broken, thrown away doll you often compared yourself with. He felt his emotions develop in odd ways for you, a mutual understanding despite your stark differences leading you into an aimless relationship only the two of you could comprehend.

Despite your lack of belief in yourself, that you often hid in utopian daydreams, he still found your talent for poisons rather interesting and even impressive. He had requested a vial of the worst poison you could make once, drinking it all in one go after a warm thank you. It didn't kill him, ofcourse, yet the pain of momentary death by your own hands was enough to drive him into another, much deeper level of appreciation and love for you.

》AVENTURINE

Aventurine understood you from day one, even if he didn't agree with all of your views. He knew the yearning for freedom all too well. He, too, attempted to escape all his troubles behind the mask of a sly gambler, the illusion, however, often shattered by the branding on his neck. You two bond over this silent feeling of helplessness as you try and find your way out of the hell that life created for you. This is what made you become an unlikely couple over time.

He enjoys spoiling you with all he has, perhaps as a way to compensate for the many trips and travels he has to take. It's also a way for him to show his deepest appreciation for your existence in his life, one he doesn't take for granted. He definitely funds your love for poison making, even if he doesn't fully understand why you enjoy it. He, however, views it as his own love for gambling, simply a coping mechanism, which makes him not question it any further than that.

With that said, he views himself as a doll as well, in a way, one especially crafted to be at your side. And yet... if the world eventually teared your strings in different directions, whether it be through the actions of other or even his own, he hoped this momentary solitude you two attained was enough to prove that you are more than your broken past.

》SUNDAY

Oh, how Sunday adored you from day one. You matched his ideals and understood him perfectly. You didn't put him down for his opinions, nor did you judge him for them. Your views were the same, after all. Dreams are an escape from the harsh reality that the "weak" couldn't handle. So where was the harm in coddling and keeping them safe in a realm far from it all? He saw himself as your savior through his plans, one's he eventually crafted to fit your perfect world. He wanted to make you happy, finally repaying you for the love and kindness you showed him.

He doesn't let you view yourself as a doll and often gently lectures you into seeing yourself as his "angel" instead. Every God needed a messenger, after all. Sunday also tries healing you from your broken past, attempting to undo years on years of heartache and pain all on his own. And he KNOWS he can do it one way or another, even going as far as using his tuning ability on you to help. He doesn't see anything wrong with it anyway, since it helps you feel much better, doesn't it?

Your love for poison making confuses him at first... but over time, he sees it as rather useful for the "elimination" of people who cross you both. Don't worry about some of your vials going missing. Just dream on and be happy, just like he always tells you to.

Alrightttt, I hope this was okay, Anon, and thank you again for the request!! (Sorry again for messing up the request, I haven't slept in a while😭😭😭)

[islandofsages]

darling heart.

summary: in which you are someone who participates in/identifies with jirai kei culture.

characters: heartslabyul boys x gn reader

tags: relationship not specified, fluff, imagines format

warnings: mentions of mental health, mentions of self-destructive tendencies

author's notes: hiiii this is very self-indulgent bc i am a jirai kei babe,, im specifically a jirai danshi <3 i might do for other dorms too, depending on my motivation lol you can find out more by searching up jirai kei tho dont just read the jfashion wiki for it, it's more than just a fashion style. also beware of potentially triggering stuff since it deals with mental health and all

Riddle Rosehearts

He’s intrigued by this subculture that you participate in and he’d ask you more about it, if you don't mind telling him - he’ll do his own research too anyway

When he finds out it's basically a subculture consisting of people with emotion dysregulation issues and is generally controversial, he checks up on you and asks you if you're okay or not

You laugh then – you’ve had your ups and downs but really, so has everyone. You hope reading about it hasn't scared him off

He’d feel like calling you a “landmine type” is too insensitive but you assure him that there's nothing to worry about and that people who participate in the subculture has reclaimed such stereotypes and fully embrace it

He’d really enjoy seeing you decked out in jirai kei fashion; he may want to try it himself but he’d insist that it's not in his place to participate, only support from the sidelines

You do get him to try out clothes that are similar to or inspired by the culture though – he seems to be comfortable in the style and you're happy that something that you enjoy can also bring the same joy to him

You’ll also recommend some songs to him, especially ones that you think would help him in studying despite the sometimes concerning lyrical content

If someone tries to bully you for identifying with the subculture, he’d step in immediately and defend your honor

“What right do you have in deciding what (Y/N) identifies with? That's what I thought. I’m always in the right.”

Through your downs and ups, Riddle will always be there for you.

Ace Trappola

He has heard of it before but he thought it was only a type of fashion, not a whole subculture with more substance to it than clothes

You’d infodump to him all about it and your journey with it, whether you just discovered it or have been identifying with it for a long time – he listens to you curiously all the while

He’s caught off guard for a moment by the more controversial and depressing part of it but he quickly recovers

He’s happy for you and glad that you’re comfortable having such a culture define a part of you

Though he implores not to do all the self-destructive stuff if you could and he’ll look out for you more just in case

He definitely thinks you rock while wearing your jirai kei outfits; it’s not his style but he wouldn’t mind trying it once, just to get a feel for the style

“Yeah, this is definitely not my thing… you, on the other hand, look pretty awesome.”

You’d give him a link for your playlist (or a playlist you’ve saved) and he’d listen to it when he’s bored – ends up adding a few songs to his personal playlist

If he finds anyone stereotyping you unnecessarily, he’ll call them out, saying as if they’re any better

Despite everything, you are still uniquely you in his eyes.

Deuce Spade

He apologizes for not knowing too much about it when you bring it up and you tell him it’s okay because it gives you an excuse to ramble about it

You tell him what it entails and how you’ve come to find out about it, sifting through your past experiences both good and bad

He tries very hard to be understanding, even if he doesn’t really get it. You’re just grateful to have his support

“I don’t really get it but it gives you a sense of community, right? I think that’s pretty cool!”

He’s also a little concerned about the mental illness part so he’d regularly check up on you to make sure you’re doing okay

He’d ask you to tell him more about your experiences with the subculture if you have any more and if anything exciting happens, you go to him first

Such as acquiring a brand new article of jirai kei clothing for example! He thinks the style is super pretty and fits you really, really well

He’d listen to the music together with you, sharing earphones and all – maybe he would even listen to them while he tries to do anything

He’ll be your guard dog and bite back whoever dares to make fun of you for being part of the subculture’s community you’ll have to calm him down sometimes

You couldn’t ask for a better cheerleader than him.

Cater Diamond

He’s always known about the subculture and although he doesn't participate in it, he thinks it's really neat

You tell him more about it and about the misconceptions people have about it so that he doesn't misunderstand

He’s super stoked that he knows someone in real life who actually participates in the subculture since he gets to see how it actually is in reality

He mostly knows about the fashion and when you come rocking up to him wearing the classic jirai kei look, he tries his best not to fanboy

He compliments you then proceeds to ask you where you got it – though cute styles like it aren’t his thing, he feels like he can give this style a try

He’d match with you on days he doesn’t feel too uncomfortable with more cutesy styles and snap pictures of you two to post on Magicam

He’d also go scouring for the music online to add more songs to his already rapidly growing playlist. He’d share some recommendations with you too!

Unintentionally got you more jirai kei friends since some people saw his posts about matching with you on Magicam; even people you already know commented on his post

“Look at us, (Y/N)! We’re totally Magicam-famous now~”

You laugh with him, head thrown back while the seeds of your relationship bloom behind where the two of you sit.

Trey Clover

He doesn’t know too much about it so he’ll ask you to explain to him what it is – to which you excitedly agree to

You tell him everything from the origins to how you’ve come to participate in the subculture – he nods patiently all the while

The mental health part of it has him questioning you a bit but he has no ill intention, he’s simply looking out for you and is worried about you

He’s supportive all the way and thinks it’s nice that you have something you’re passionate about. He’d even do his own research when he has the time

He’s pleasantly surprised when you show up wearing jirai kei fashion one day; he definitely thinks you look striking in the get-up

He wouldn’t mind going with you if you were to shop for more jirai kei-related things – he would joke you’ll have to repay by helping him out another time though

He’ll listen to your song recommendations and if he likes them enough, he’d listen to them while he’s in the kitchen. He likes that they remind him of you

“Oh, this one’s pretty catchy. …These lyrics though…”

Going places with you certainly catches attention sometimes but he doesn’t mind, as long as you’re happy and comfortable in your own skin

His name truly defines him – you sure feel lucky to have him in your life.

[vince-linder]

[Broken] City of Dreams

And "little" writing to the piece under the cut

Half a year ago Johnny left Nightcity after all that happened in Mikoshi, with his new body, he headed down to Texas in the hope of forgetting all that happened and starting over. 

But he was back in Nightcity, back in this shithole that only could take lifes and friends away from you. He took a long walk through the busy streets, the guitar strapped to his back, before he walked up a bunch of stairs just to reach the top of the megabuilding 10, sitting down on the edge there and looking over the city, just as he and V did in the last moment before attacking Arasaka Tower. One of the last heartfelt talks they had. Johnny pulled the guitar into his lap and played a few chords, just to feel less surrounded by silence.

"Hey V. God, this is so pathetic. I know you are not there anymore, but I still have my hopes high that you may nonetheless be listening, somehow. I mean what do I know bout that whole netrunner shit."

He took a deep long breath, staring down at the neon lit city, taking a look at billboards and anything close, deep down hoping for a sign that V was indeed with him, listening to him. But as so very often, radio silence. By now V probably was just another AI ghost trapped behind the blackwall. Johnny looked down at his guitar and started to play the song he worked on lately. Just some sappy shit to get through all that happened since he woke up in Vs head. After a moment of trying to strum the chords he paused again, feeling like his thoughts were extra unfocused today. 

Maybe it was just one of those days. 

"It's been half a year since we, I, left Mikoshi and I still cannot grasp it all. Your last words still ringing in my ears and I feel like I hitted the repeat button one too many times. Still wearing your stupid face, only changed to a more me fitting clothing style. But deep down it still didnt feel like it all belongs to me. This is still your body, not mine. Tho I think, maybe one day, I get used to it.

Oh fuck V. I thought, leaving this shithole of a city behind for a bit, would help me find my peace, once and for all. But Just sitting in the countryside of nowhere in Texas made me only feel more restless, and the silence there is so fucking deafening."

Johnny closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the inner turmoil but not ready yet to just give in and sit here like a kid and cry. In the end he was still Johnny fucking Silverhand and not some pussy. He tried to listen to the sounds of the city to focus his mind again. Gunshots, shouting, loud honking, an AV just flew over his head. In the distance he could hear some song, too silent to clearly understand the lyrics, but with a soothing melody. Almost sounded like it could be some of the new songs from Kerry.

"And back here, I talked a bit to Rogue and Ker, but they both dont fully understand my struggle, they never did. Not in 2020, and not now.

 It just feels like back than and it takes my all to not just fall back into all my old, bad habits again. So far I didnt smoked nor drank once in your body, but it gets harder every day, the urges are still there. I really dont know what I should do with the second chance you gave me, V. May it would have been better if you kept the body and tried to cure the shit just. But so? We both know I just gonna waste it in the end."

Johnny flinched, the old phantom pain of his cybernetic arm was racing through his shoulder and spine, despite not being there. He stared at his, at Vs old, left arm, all skin and good. Well, synthskin since Johnny fully got the Blades in it removed. But still, it looked natural, and he knew that V never once had this weird phantom pain he knew so far too well. Johnny rubbed a few times over his lower arm, trying to sooth the not even aching muscles, but hoping that the phantom pain would vanish if he tried enough. It was always like this, in situations where he would be stressed, the arm would start hurting, or worse, start talking to him. Gladly, that part didn't start over again since he got Vs body. Somehow they both never had any problems with cyberpsychosis, despite V being chromed out like hell. A small sigh left Johnny as the pain slowly got better.

"Oh V, why did you think that would be the right idea, hu? You make me think twice with your decision of giving your life for my stupid one. Doing anything dangerous, or well, like I did in my old life, feels like I would throw away this fucking big present you made. Why did you think my life was worth more than yours, V. I dont get it. People here are missing you, and I can never take your place fully."

The guitar long forgotten on his lap, now fell down on the concrete beside Johnny, as he pulled his knees up to place his head on top. He really felt overwhelmed and his oh so strong and stoic masquerade was about to break. Johnny just wasn't used to just feel his emotions, instead of drowning them in drugs.

[chatter-crow]

please do. personally went off about the soundtrack the first time i heard it.... it's's . not good (about mean girls)

alright this is a whole lot because holy SHIT i think about this more than I should

! ! This is all my opinion ! !

If you liked it, good for you ig just dont attack me lol

They took every bit of musical theater out of the soundtrack and made it sound like generic pop. Theater kids pay WELL for good stuff, they could have made a lot of money.

Also, the complete lack of emotion is awful. Stupid With Love is meant to be Cady being absolutely thrilled, on the fucking moon with joy, but she sounds completely apathetic about her feelings for Aaron. Plus, the way they used autotune (esp on Cady) makes it feel like Disney Channel in the worst way possible.

There are some lyrics changes that really bother me. In the orignal Sexy, Karen has a line of 'I expect to run the world in shoes I cannot walk in,' while in the new line is 'Watch me as I run the world in shoes I cannot walk in', which chnages the entire meaning of the lyric from 'Karen thinks its #feminist to assert control over people because she's priveleged' to 'Karen is a girlboss who can do anything cause women are cool and smart' , which in the most respectful is *not* who Karen is as a character. There are more, but I can't name them off the top of my head so,, whatever lol

On casting, I think just about everybody but Cady were cast extremely well. Renee Rapp does such a fantastic job as Regina, really suits the character and knows how to play her. (Makes sense, she played Regina on Broadway).

Auli'i Cravalho pulls off Janis's character pretty well, but I don't think she fully captured the essence of the character. She doesn't really have the bitterness/jadedness that the orginal Janis has and I don't feel like she has the fact the Janis is in fact a mean girl down. This is no shade to her, I feel like it's more the way they rewrote Janis rather than her acting. I do like that they changed Janis's last name to reflect Auli'i's culture though. Nice detail.

Avantika and Jaquel both pulled off their characters perfectly. Avantika really has the right face for Karen, with big doe eyes and whatnot, she can really pull off the effect of being as stupid as Karen is. (That sounds mean, it's really not.) Jaquel did Damien good, and I don't really have a lot to say on his performance other than his voice is fantastic and he has Damien's character down. I do think he got type-cast a *bit* just due to how I've seen him act off screen, but he still did good. He knows his type.

Cady. Hoo boy. She is.. a look.

Angourie Rice is a fine actress on her own, but her vocals just aren't strong enough to keep up when she's surronded by people like Auli'i Cravalho and Renee Rapp, whose careers have been strongly focused on the muscial side of things, with Auli'i playing Moana for Disney and Renee having a music and broadway career alongside her movie career. Angourie just isn't able to compete with them. I'm sure she's a lovely actress on her own but she just doesn't have the muscial expiernce to be leading in a movie-musical.

Also, with representation, I appreciate that they made the cast more diverse, but it bothers me that four of the biggest MAIN CHARACTERS are still white. I can understand keeping Regina blonde because of the constant references to her blonde-ness in the musical, but Gretchen or Aaron absolutely could have been changed.

Hell, I would have loved to see Gretchen played by an asian actress, reconnecting with her culture at the end, since in the original she began to learn japanese or chinese (I don't remember which rn) as a way to connect with her new circle of friends.

On costumes, I don't think they did Janis justice, but I do like the gradual shift they have for Cady in her style and the Plastics are accurate.

I think keeping Janis emo like she was in the orignal movie and the musical would have been better. Artsy styles like hers are more widely excepted by teenagers while emos are mocked and harrassed extremely often, so keeping her emo would have added to her status as a social outcast.

I enjoy how they used social media to change the plot to be more modern, even if it isn't entirely accurate to how teenagers nowadays act. I think they were trying their best and did what they could with what knowledge they had.

I'm mad that they cut Stop, More is Better, Where Do You Belong? and Do This Thing. Stop is a fantastic chance to put the spotlight on Damian (since he has almost no solos COUGH COUGH) in and it could have absolutely been spun to have a more modern take on internet safety.

The plot. Oh my god, the plot. I HATE how they changed Regina being homophobic to Janis to 'oOOOooo Regina made it seem like Janis was an arsonist', which is.. litterally not the point. Homophobia still exists, Tina Fey, and sapphics/lesbians often do face discrimination from other women who claim to be allies. Plus, with calling Regina a lesbian and trying to set up Rejanis in the end? No! That is just not it! Regina is a fucking homophobe. Fight me y'all.

Okay I'm running out of time rn BUT i will be back later to add more onto this ,, thanks for reading through all of this if you did kudos to you

so long yall

[kaoharu]

how would you rate every a' song & ciel song ever! looks

yippeeeeeeeee !!!!!! heart heart

ill start with ciel bc he has less songs lol

Ache&Deny – worlds most predictable baby ( me ) ok anyways im just a reallly big sucker for kenns vocals in this song. the guitar Also gets me so bad really fucked up how its Always there . even when the loud drums come in . eheh :my eyes tear up: i dont have any comments for the lyrics unfortunately ( mg illness doesnt allow it . . . )

Heaven's Door – i really like the instrumentals for this song also . also always a big fan of when lyrics reference religious concepts and stuff like literally wahtever ( htis is just like hanadoll . sorry )

BLACK ANTHEM – religious concepts again. hi i think hes so interesting stares off into space did you know that die fledermaus is thw name of a german operetta . which im pretty sure is why in the intro ( and the instrumental breaks ) there is the opera like singing. so cool right thumbs up emoji

LUV (Your) StiNG – i just think he sounds really good in this one . no further comments :scratches head:

Vibes – i actually reallly lvoe the lyrics of this song it sucks i cant place it higher . sinc ehe only has five songs. bursts into tears sorry ok also random but it just feels really criminal for vibes ro be last. i love this song i just love the others more for various reasons waaaahhhhh

aaaand for a' 👍 im so excited for his headliner release in :checks calendar: october . strained smile

Pinch102gou – worlds most predictable baby pt2 ( its still me ) i dont even have a really good explanation other than the instrumentals have kept me captive for literally forever. oh yeha and i rlly kimuryos vocal performance its very cool . . . the lyrics are ❓️ if im being honest.i still dont know what he meant but its fine. i like it i dont have to understand

SorakaraHuruYume – this song makes me want to shatter into ten billion pieces i have a hard time listening to it purely bc it makes me stupidly emotional whej i thinkna little too hard in fact i havent even fully listened to it in a while bc i keep skipping and avoiding it cause i get really sad LMAO im ill

THE MIRROR HOUSE – this peaked i love it veryvery much the contrast between it and sorakarahuruyume is wild to me. anyways tho i like to look at the lyrics and jst sit down and think a bit its his second song talking abt mirror images . . . hrmmm

Kamukamu Miracle – I LOVE THE LYRICS FOR THIS SONG. theyre truly as fun as the instrumentals if we ignore his mental health streaks . its season one :] hes just a sillyguy :] and whatnot anyways this is Truly a nsfw song to me heart heart

RE:Morse – big fan of mirror imagery and stuff. i feel liek the lyrics here are an interesting glimpse into how a' views himself and his issues . . . . not rlly sure how to articulate my thoughts on this aside from theyre just kinda Separate from his identity raaaahhh what am i saying

Dakara Onegai Dakara – this song fucks i think it should be listened to more 👍 the lyrics are surprisingly ( or not rlly surprisingly bc this is a' afterall ? ) serious despite his instrumental whimsy what do you mean do you want to kill yourself why are you asking us man /silly

Masaka no Massacre! – worlds biggest sin is that i have literally never been able to find a tl for this song. who cares tho ig it can still be peak to me

Papipupepo de Rarirurero – no one loves this song like me. itd be second place if not for factoring in lyrics . the lyrics are ok papipupepo and rarirurero are really fun to say tho and i can spell it out without having to double check myself anymorw . heh

Yoiyami ni ainori – i looooove how this song sounds . nodding the lyrics are also interesting to me with the various meanings of some phrases in it

Crazy≒Nutrient – i rlly like how it sounds. im not gettung into the lyrics :seal eyes:

#HAPPY – the lyrics for this song are really sweet to be honest. a' happiness ambassador . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i like this song 👍 to be honest maybe it shld be a little bit higher but the instrumentals dont strike me as much as some of his other songs and such . but yes i think everyone shld read the lyrics nodding

Calling Cat – everytime i listen to this song i think of lady gaga im sorry anyways its a very solid song tho i think the lyrics are an interesting read . glimpses into his strange as fuck mind as they say(?)

Ningen Yametatte yo – this song is Very heavy instrumental wise. i think it is neat still . . . yeah :]

Yotsuba CLOVER – i wish i liked this song more like. its very good its jusr surprisingly not up my alley . the lyrics are quite nice however so hearttt

Mirai e – this song is alright . j feel like id like it more if i cld find a tl for the lyrics WAAAAHHHHH anyways not too much to say i feel like unfortunately. i do like the music break its very fun sounding everything else was just Average for me. is this mean

S≠O≒S – waaahhh. i have a complicated relationship with this song. i think the lyrics are ok and the music is fun but i juust feel like his other songs are Better im sorry sos i still like you

KKK->E – another one i cant find a tl for my misery but its ok 👍 this one is a weaker a' song imo like i like it but its not very nsfw soundign thay sounds awful hello . you know i mean it just doesn't sound like their bands usual music to me

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Sorry pls ignore my last ask BPP. Your point about Seven being the 'Dynamite' equivalent in solo era is a good one and explains the treatment it got. After the BB article I also now understand why BH dropped LC. If BB believed the LC record was 'tainted' with Chinese cash and BH never had that 'Dynamite' promotion plan for it, everything that's happened makes sense. But it still leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. I can't wash it out. Are we now at the mercy of BB's whims? Also don't you find the support for Seven excessive? Is the elimination of direct to consumer sales enough to explain that kind of support to keep it number 1? I'm just trying to understand how the company is thinking about things without victimizing the members. They all seem to be still working with purpose so I feel they don't feel shortchanged, but from the outside looking inside it doesn't feel fair.

*

Ask 2:

Hi BPP,

Re: bb article

1. Do you think there will be additional changes coming, making sales even less relevant for bb charts?

2. I absolutely hate that it is again Jimin that takes the brunt of all this bulshit, I really do. He doesnt deserve this at all. But he is strong, he will be OK. That being said, its making me really upset IRL, so I will have to do some me time.

3. I would be interested to know your outlook on BB as a whole when it comes to BTS and their future in US market (if you have talked about this pls refer me to the post)

My opinion is, that while BB is paramount when it comes to big awards season, eventually BB and the awards themselves serve as a kind of promotion, to validate the artist to their (potential) fanbase, keep them invested etc. BTS guys do all of that on their own, with their music, personalities and lyrics. So going forward, if they dont chart as much, dont win as much... It will not matter in the long run. Their fan base is so solid that I trully believe they will have no problem selling multiple stadium stops 25 years from now. Easily.

There will be a significant fandom fall off, when all the people who are here for bragging rights lose their interest. And that is a good thing... But the people who will stay, who love the guys for who they are and for their art, those whose love does not depend on how many grammy noms or BB H100 they recieve... These people will stay and buy the tickets. And their numbers will still be enourmous. Enviable. More than the majority of the western industry plants can only dream of.

Rant over. Have a good weekend

*

Ask 3:

The latest Billboard discussion is disheartening, but the NYT article description of U.S. conservatives aping the tactics of Swifties and BTS fans to get their nefarious messaging across is even more so. Have we opened the gate for the Trumpsters of the world?

I was struck by this partvof the original question to you"

'... figure out a way to truly determine which songs are most popular (whatever that even means anymore)....'

So, how can we ever know what is truly popular? Are fervent fans willing to devote time and resources to get their fave to the top really the best arbiters? Even if they number in the millions, we are still looking at support that is far deeper than it is wide.

I mean, better than the suits deciding, I guess? Or is it just another group--this one outside of the target country--imposing their agenda on the population? One has the goal of making money; the other of winning a fan war.

So, how do we ascertain what is truly popular with the much-vaunted GP? Or doesn't it matter?

***

I've said many times on this blog that I'm not a writer, and that English isn't my first language, so I suppose it's unsurprising that despite my efforts putting my thoughts to paper/Tumblr, I'm still unable to fully communicate it in a way people understand right away, to eliminate/answer a lot of questions that I believe should be clear to infer from what I've written before. So rather than write a massive post like before where my key points could get lost, I'll pick out key questions from your asks and give fairly brief answers to each one. I'll work my way from the top, down.

Hi Anon(s),

Select answers below:

"Also don't you find the support for Seven excessive? Is the elimination of direct to consumer sales enough to explain that kind of support to keep it number 1?"

I think the results speak for itself. Dynamite and the PET got what is easily the biggest support any BTS release had gotten to date at the time - all of it tailored to mirror how American labels promoted their tracks, *and* the fandom had D2C sales buttressing it as the primary support mechanism. Like, please read that sentence again and think about what it means. Sales are the easiest and most transparent way for the fandom to influence charts, and so was always preferred for ARMY. Even if you weren't in the fandom then, understand it's impossible to overstate how much D2C sales mattered. With that now out of the question, everything we're seeing for Seven for me feels like a given, especially after the Billboard article.

"Do you think there will be additional changes coming, making sales even less relevant for bb charts?"

Yes. But not 'less relevant' in a sense, more like differentiated and treated as its own thing, perhaps in a separate chart.

"I would be interested to know your outlook on BB as a whole when it comes to BTS and their future in US market (if you have talked about this pls refer me to the post)"

This probably requires its own post but the long-short of it is: just like Ticketmaster, Billboard is only one arm of one of the largest private monopolies in the US entertainment market - PMC, and as such they serve as gatekeepers of sorts. Their interest in BTS (and k-pop by extension) lies primarily in how they can profit off the group/fandom, which so far BigHit and ARMY have created very limited avenues for. BigHit's strategy until now has been to expand BTS's reach without relying on the PMC apparatus, using it only for select releases that are explicitly tailored for it e.g. Seven and PET. While I don't think this strategy will change dramatically, every change from BB is to force more compliance with their apparatus. BTS will continue facing handicaps from PMC so long as BigHit continues limiting how PMC can profit from BTS for each release. (This sentence makes sense in my head but if it's not clear, please let me know.)

*

"Have we opened the gate for the Trumpsters of the world?"

Well, yeah. But ARMYs can't take all the credit. After all, ARMYs are only doing what the Bey Hive and Swifties have been doing for almost a decade with none of the scrutiny. BTS, more than any other group, actually has the absolute numbers in demand and grassroots support to justify it as they're comparable to the afore-mentioned artists, proven by their concert showings not just in the US but worldwide, as far back as 2018. People only started paying attention to ARMYs' movements because BTS didn't look like the sorts of people they expected to see at the top of the charts. Everybody took notice, including a political faction in the US that in recent years has moved more aggressively into the entertainment sphere to influence culture, such as Ben Shapiro's entertainment empire, movies like Sound of Freedom topping box office charts, and conservative country singers pushing Reagan-esque talking points to the top of music charts. So it's basically the result of timing and opportunity.

"So, how can we ever know what is truly popular? Are fervent fans willing to devote time and resources to get their fave to the top really the best arbiters? ... how do we ascertain what is truly popular with the much-vaunted GP?"

I've talked about this before I think. You can find my views on it in my Masterlist, and I've linked the post here.

*

People sent in more asks on BB but I've since lost interest in this topic and will post my responses when I feel like it, much later, using the same format I've used to answer the asks above. The truth is that while I understand why many people feel like everything that's happened so far with Seven and Jimin is unfair, I think a lot of the discourse is awfully reductive, actually does a disservice to Jimin and BTS, and that there's a much bigger picture here that's more consistent with how BTS has operated for the last 10 years.

This is probably not the best analogy, but one way I think of BTS is like a Swiss army knife, with each member being a separate tool. And that at different points, in various markets, BigHit and BTS are testing various approaches to expand their reach while aiming to maintain the market share they've gotten so far. The group has always had projects they release that have more artistic merit and cache, versus projects made by all appearances to be purely for commercial purposes to expand the reach of the group. For example, consider how BigHit promoted Butter/Permission to Dance, compared to the BE album, or how Seven was created and promoted relative to Indigo. To go back in even further in previous years, I remember how BTS appeared to center Jimin in Blood, Sweat & Tears era to build out his and their presence in Korea, and Taehyung in DNA era where his and BTS's presence in China ballooned in 2017.

While in the solo era some people feel like every accomplishment remains solely with individual members, I feel everything serves only one purpose: to further establish the group. Because by BTS's own words, they all have their individual ambitions, they've always had that and each member is aggressively competitive on that note, but they've each all said that their priority remains the group. Not everybody likes that, not everybody believes them when they say it, but the good thing with BTS is that they plan in multi-year stints and time always reveals what the facts of the matter are. We're only one year into Chapter 2, and while certain parts of the fandom are treating their solo debut albums as the be all and end all, I don't think there's anything to suggest this perspective lines up with the reality of how BTS has behaved for the last 10 years. I could be wrong, but either way we're just going to have to wait and see. In the meantime, I believe there's significant artistic merit in what the guys are putting out in Chapter 2, that I hope isn't lost in the noise. The fandom should do a better job of bringing the attention back to this, rather than a tunnel-vision on performance metrics that only tell half of the story.

[definitelynotshouting]

I’ve been trying to grasp why I’ve been so in love with hunger au, and it wasn’t until looking up the lyrics to ‘ibuprofen’ to try and spoil the next chapter for myself (I am very good at making things up) that I figured out why.

Your World building is beautiful and I’m a massive sci-fi fan I thought that was why I was originally so invested, but I realized that the entire story (as of rn) can be read as a metaphor for a type of personality disorder?

This isn’t me saying that the story MUST be a metaphor, or even that you intentionally wrote it like that, but goddamn it does click some button in me like oh!!

Sometimes w personality disorders it feels like all you can do is hurt people. You’re carefully restricting your actions and expressions so you dont ever get too comfortable and hurt someone, but you inevitably fail and all you can do is feel bad because you were able to be yourself and meet some kind of internal satisfaction but the result is other people being hurt and you still aren’t happy cause that’s inherently a bad thing.

And then the logical conclusion is that you should never speak or hang out with people (or like. Live.) ever again because it’s not right to be hurting other people with your mere existence.

Idk if anyone else has mentioned this before but yeah that’s this for me lol. But!! Help exists!!! and Grian will get help too with his watcher tendencies after he realizes that his existence isn’t inherently detrimental and that there are solutions for his problems if he uses his big boy words and asks.

And no one will forgive him for what’s happened overnight, and those who forgive him will still have been hurt, and some of his relationships will be permanently altered because of the way he’s hurt them. But it’s not the end for him and it’s not the end for anyone else!!

Sorry this is so long! Idk if I should tag anything sensitive in case you decide to respond so Ima leave that to you— I’m a tumblr lurker I’ve been here for years but never commented on anything lol. Ty for the story, keep living laughing and loving (It’s what Grian would want apparently) and have a good one!

placing some obligatory tws here for those with post filtering: tw for discussions of mental health, personality disorders, and minor suicidal ideation (in the ask)

alright with that out of the way this is actually really validating for me to hear bc a lot of what you're seeing in this has been inserted very deliberately. While its not intended to fully be a metaphor for having a personality disorder, a lot of what's been depicted does draw on that, so im really glad this resonates with you!!

At its heart and core, hunger au is about the raw process of recovery, and how grueling but ultimately rewarding it is to commit to getting better. Showing this process through the fic is, i suppose, my way of holding the hand of everyone who is struggling with their own recovery and saying "i see you. i understand. you arent alone."

I cant overstate how humbled i am by everyone who has taken the time to tell me how theyve seen themselves in hunger au. And the fic is just getting started!!! The fact that people are resonating this hard with it at only 5 chapters in just blows me away. Its everything ive wanted for this fic. Thank you for taking the time to tell me this, because im truly so grateful that i am making an impact with it, no matter how small or personal.

[meat-pvppet]

just gonna talk about my vessel guy, archive vessel, real quick cuz i never talked about him that much and i dont wanna bother my friends with my oc chatter

these are mostly disconnected thoughts vaguely strewn together that steered up cuz i listened to the man on the internet broken vessel theme with lyrics

ALOT under the cut be warned

anyway archive vessel's a really mild-mannered little guy, a little socially anxious and awkward cuz obviously, and kinda just hangs out despite everything, fucking around in the archives and keeping themselves occupied by reading whatever was left behind and trying to maintain the place once they found it

it kinda started to idealize the idea of family and friends through what they could read and they started to wish they could have that

be a big ol normal family with their siblings and parents

maybe they could have made friends too

be a kid

but they realize that, obviously, due to the nature of their conception and just

what they are

its not really possible

but that doesnt stop them from wanting that

i can imagine they hold a lot of resentment towards their father for abandoning so very many of its siblings to die in the abyss

theyd probably understand why

he had a kingdom to protect and he believed this was the only way

but that doesnt mean they would forgive what was done

they hate how they cant help but feel

cheated at life, yaknow

done in by something they couldnt change

and after its cursed conception, to simply be cast aside to rot among the corpses of its siblings...

their anger is painful to them, like something lashing out violently in a cage barely holding it in

it wants to lash out at those that hurt them, but obviously thats not possible

so it just

festers like that

mind you, they wouldn't take that out on their siblings

they were put into the same situation as it, so it isn't fair to them or itself

at most, they treat their siblings like the most precious scrolls in the archives

theyd also just

put in alot of their time to gather the bodies of their siblings that were able to escape the abyss but died anyway

make proper "graves" for it to just

grieve

even though they never knew them

they just wish they couldve found and helped them earlier, but at the least it finds peace in giving them proper resting places

i feel like their shade wouldn't have the same restrain they usually have with their anger and would probably violently attack anything that comes too close so uh

itd be a really big hassle to try n get them back in their shell if ever it got cracked open like an egg

theyd also act like this if they were ever able to meet pk after everything like in those aus

theyd still have some restraint cuz

yeag

but they just

are not handling it well™

theyd meet him once and never want to see him again until they can find it in themselves not to wish to hurt him

shell would crack (moreso than it already is) under the pure stress

they wish to yell, to hurt, to let out all these pent up emotion

but it wont

despite everything, when meeting pk again, it'll find it unfair

i mean

everything pk did to them and their siblings was unfair but

archive vessel cant bring himself to make it "fair" by letting all that resentment out like that

doesnt feel right

if ever they were forced to continuously interact with pk theyd keep it as brief as possible and treat him like a stranger-it-has-to-be-around most of the time

if pk were to try to like

be a dad to the archive vessel itd just be

very uncomfortable and awkward, cringing away from touch and, again, keeping things as brief as possible

which may hurt pk (if he cares cuz note my characterization of pk isnt fully done cooking so im not sure if he'd even be interested in doing any of this it might be more likely he never interacts with archive tbh) cuz with other people showing affection to archive, they eat that shit up but with pk itd just

naw

generally, they dont wanna be around him for too long cuz then it'll need to actually feel the things they feel at full force and feeling things is kinda cringe to them

they hate how intensely they feel sometimes cuz of just how painful it is for them (projecting /hj)

equally so, they also hate bothering people with shit like that cuz "i survived until now, everyone else has their own problems and issues and struggles, i dont need to add on to what theyve got" (projecting /hj)

[discoidal]

did you ever listen to the recent fob album? id love to hear your thoughts!

omggg i LOVED so much (for) stardust i have an abundance of thoughts!!

love from the other side is a good opening, i think it's a good song and sets the tone for the rest of the album well plus i love the sound and it gave us "what would you trade the pain for / im not sure" and other cool lyrics. one of the best choruses of the album also imo 8/10

heartbreak feels so good DOES feel pretty damn good no lie i lovee fall out boy cheesiness! 7/10

hold me like a grudge got me like i dont want heartbreak anymore i want to be loved now. the prechorus in this one is sooo addictive so good gets stuck in my head every time. patrick stump gets to sing his heart out i love it ALSO gave us "part time soulmate full time problem" 9/10

fake out understands me like every fob album has that song thats like My song and this is it . it's mine. THEE best chorus. i cant even articulate my feelings fully here. i feel a little cringe listening to it on repeat but thats my business and my business only 10/10

heaven, iowa is one i didnt rlly connect with unfortunately. ehhh 6/10 it sounds good naman and lyrics are good my heart just isn't in it

so good right now WHAT did i say about fall out boy cheese! i <3 mania the album and mania the psychiatric symptom and it shows. 7.5/10

the pink seashell i missed u fob spoken word....

i am my own muse i acc havent listened to this one that much which is a shame and i aim to rectify that immediately. 8.5/10

flu game my FAVORITE song on the entire album! i LITERALLY carved out a place in this world for two but it's empty without you..... also pretty cheesy but earnest and true last night i dreamt i still. knew. yOUUUUUUU!!! 10/10

baby annihilation I MISSED YOU FOB SPOKEN WORD...

the kintsugi kid not many thoughts abt this one actually. lol 6.5/10

what a time to be alive this song makes me soooo depressed you dont even know. 7.5/10 with the caveat that this song is the most likely to make me cry on the album

so much (for) stardust DESERVED title track what a song omfg. 9/10 we thought we had it all!!!! one of fob's best for sure like it is Up There for me. this entire album was so honest and this one is just as honest but more morose and more operatic which i think works WITH not against the rest of the album. optimism's dark underbelly. smth like that ANYWAY. loved.

thank u sm arby for asking this im sure u didnt expect this length but well. i have things i want to say and i thank you for hearing them 🥰

[demonstars]

this is literally so serious to me Please all criticisms to my inbox ok FALL OUT BOY ALBUMS RANKING

infinity on high cause she's THAT GIRL. i didnt even know ENGLISH when i listened to this album for the first time and still i got hooked and every bit of lore i learn makes me want to kill myslef in the best way. this is the album my sister calls the gay one because of how many times i've talked about the symbolism and the gay sex. Wishing to be the friction in your jeans, man..

folie I actually only knew i dont care until 2017 and then my life fuckign changed LIKE WHAT DO YOU MEAN. wams and tiffany blews are part of my top five fob songs ever it that serious. BUT ALSO GOLDEN?? HEADFIRST?? WHAT A CATCH. COFFEE'S FOR CLOSERS. THREE TIMES FOR THE HOLY GHOST! it would be the first if infinity hadn't actually properly changed my brain chemistry

from under the cork tree: something about how the themes of this album talk to infinity makes me seriously want to wed it, it's so delicious?? like do you guys ever read something that's so well done that you just want to kiss it. they call it competency kink i just call it being in love with their work. anyway. beautiful album. nobody pits baby in the corner

mania Like i spent these few minutes talking about it. UNDERRATED!!!!! UNDERRATED!!!!!!!!!!! NOBODY GETS HOW FUN AND AWESOME SHE IS BUT I DO!!! HOLD ME TIGHT anthem for high school me. also one of the first ones i could understand without fully googling the lyrics

so much for stardust. I think she single-handedly made me go thru 2023 Sorry for relying on albums to stay up and about. The way they refer to their own previous musical identity has me on a chokehold. also it's so clearly a pandemic album and i find that really interesting, the commitment to refer to their context. WHEN I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE THIS ISNT QUITE WHAT I MEANT I GOT THE QUARANTINE BLUES WHAT'S LEFT? ??? <- written on my wall

take this to your grave is so awesome to me sorry i literally have to put it here its not top 5 but IT IS LOVELY TO MEEEEE i like it so much but its clearly a very experimental one idk

save rock and roll I like the songs individually Idk why it annoys me so much the order they are placed that i cannot in my good conscience put it up. also i havent watched the mv movie entire SORRY I HAVE TROUBLE FOCUSING ON MOVIES ON MY OWN AND I HAVDNT CONVINCED MY SISTER TO WATCH IT WITH ME

ab/ap: i have Heard there's controversy with this album I just have a lot of fun with a lot of songs but there's a lot of skips so last my bad. uma thurman irresistible fourth of july and immortals songs of all time tho. ARGUE WITH THE WALL

evening out with your girlfriend is their first one for a reason

[mekatrio]

Have you watched this?

https://youtu.be/AF8KGdV92ag?si=ccE042UR1LbURuZV

no i have not... but i did just for you anon. usually i avoid will stetson vids cuz his translyrics often piss me off LOL. im aware the translyrics from this vid are written by breadbox rather than him, but his remind blue vid w translyrics by breadbox also pissed me off so....

also u didnt ask for my opinions but i love to blabber so im putting down my opinions 😋 it also ended up long af woops so sticking it under a read more

first off, wow will stetson has rly improved his vocals. ive listened to a few of his recent covers and hes way better nowadays than in this one. the high notes are kinda kicking his ass here, but thats fair. LTM is not an easy song to sing.

that aside this concept is very interesting.. since the lyrics are by breadbox, its very illuminating to see how he interprets the manga and ayano's character in general. which is important to me bc i am aware that he's like the only? kagepro youtuber out there i think.. or at least the most popular. meaning his content and interpretations have shaped recent english-speaking public opinion of kgpr's narrative whether for better or worse. and i care abt that kind of shit

OK ENOUGH NITPICKING THE CREATORS LOL um my thoughts on this entire video: most of it is very standard bread and butter ayano interpretation (sacrificing herself for her everyone etc etc), but its pretty interesting to me that they chose to expand on route m konoha's and ayano's relationship, which was something that was very, very barely touched on in the manga. like konoha gets fucking possessed and ayano doesnt say a word abt that like LOL this manga is.... yeah. its interesting that they wrote their relationship as konoha worrying about ayano, but ayano feeling like he is unable to relate to her. i dont necessarily agree or disagree with that interpretation cuz its something i hvnt really thought about, but i find that to be an interesting interpretive choice.

also the second verse + chorus is pretty confusing bc the verse references konoha and ayano, but then the chorus jumps back to ayano from two years ago cuz the chorus is "Girl, 16" (ayano is 18 in the present day of route m). tho i guess the manga never really specifies how long konoha and ayano had known each other??? so maybe they met when ayano was 16??? god this vid is making me very confused abt the manga LOLLL

i will say tho that the last chorus was very confusing to me. bc it showed LTM ayano, i was under the impression that it was about a route 1 ayano? but i was confused, cuz the lyrics were "Girl, 18", and no route 1 ayano ever makes it to 18 (also when i say route 1 ayano i just mean any ayano whose part of the yuukei quartet + jumps off the roof etc etc). but after a few rewatchs, im pretty sure the last chorus is about yakitsu. i really wish they didnt use a pic of LTM ayano then, theres plenty of good pics of yakitsu from the last chapter of the manga they couldve used instead.

i get why they would believe that LTM ayano is yakitsu tho. thats cuz this is something that still isnt fully agreed on among fans, cuz even after 10 fucking years no one actually understands what LTM's mv is about LMAO. personally i think white dress ayano = yakitsu. and i think the ayano in LTM is just.... ayano from that route, not from route m. why she disappears tho.. um... hm......

but yeah interesting video, gave me much to think about... a bit too much to think about. cuz now im thinking about LTM and how that like.... makes no sense....... kinda..

[silverprongs08]

Why is my playlist about Regulus Black the way it is?

Hi! So—whenever I get terribly obsessed with a fictional character I make them a playlist. Now it's up to…*drumroll* Regulus Black!

But...you all must know a few things:

I am a jegulus shipper (that does not mean I hate Lily, those things should have nothing to do with each other), so a few of these songs do revolve around this ship but it's okay, bare with me.

My first language is not english. If I make mistakes along this post please forgive me, I'm trying.

 I’m known for doing long-ass playlist’s so I only chose ten of the sixtyfour I have.

Also if you don't agree it's okay just don't tell me cause I'll fight you.

That disclosed, let's start. 

Seraph by DPR IAN.

I am a SUCKER for the Regulus/Icarus... headcanon (I guess you could call it). Listen to this: he flew too close to the sun, he was young and didn't know anything afar from being trapped, died drowning searching for this new freedom he just discovered was actually for him. Regulus IS Icarus and no one can stop me from relating songs that talk about the myth to him. Wich takes me to the next song.

Sunlight by Hozier 

Hozier is talking about Jegulus in this song and I love that for him (and for me). The same logic, Regulus is fighting for that light he didn't knew he could have and was willing to sacrifice his life for it. I love him so much.

A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay

This whole song is so Regulu in crimson rivers coded its crazy and meanwhile I don't fully love Regulus' character always being a tragedy I love how this song wraps the way I think Regulus understands love: intense and sometimes violent but completely devoted.

when the party is over by Billie Eillish

Regulus stayed so Sirius could leave (do not take this the wrong way I know it was hard for Sirius too). He yearns for a different live, for another chance but still belives he doesnt deserve it THAT'S what this son is about, don't care what anyone say's.

Money Power Glory by Lana del Rey

Regulus Black is the Lana del Rey character. Its giving: ambitious, old money, revenge,"I wanted you to know that it was I who discoverd your secret." type of vibe.

Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift

I dont think I have to explain further. Taylor told me herself this song was about him.

Moon Song by Phoebe Bridgers

Read the lyrics with jegulus in mind and let it sink in. This is my personal headcanon but Regulus knew about the profecy before going to the cave so...there is that. He feels so much and loves so much that even himself can't bare it.

Not Strong Enough by boygenius

This album has me in a chokehold and Im certain that if Regulus could hear it, it would have him in one too. R.I.P Regulus Black you would've loved boygenius.

bellyache by Billie Eillish

Hear me out on this one! This song is a revenge crime comitted mostly out of spite that ended up being pointless anthem just like Regulus' whole horrocrux hunting (I mean this in the nicest of the ways).

Turtles All The Way Down by Sammy Copley

THIS IS THE REGULUS SONG. Each line hits you like a train. Actually Regulus is real and he wrote this song. Please, if you listen to any of this songs let it be this one. ITS JUST SO HIM.

And thats it. I'm missing songs but I think that pretty much sums up how I understand him. I love Regulus and this songs and I hope you all love them too.

Bye bye! : )

[jeonqkooks]

i couldnt agree more with you! i really dont understand why everyone is so hyped over seven. i have to admit it kind of disappointed me with its shallow lyrics. and i dont understand the purpose of the explicit version? i really hate it. and i think its okay not to like every single song they put out, being an army definitely doesnt mean you have to agree with everything they say, do… but i really hope that the rest of the songs in his album wont be so shallow and i really want them to be more unique like the rest of their songs… i feel like with songs like seven you can listen to them a couple of times and then get bored (but maybe thats just my opinion idk). tbh i think jk is just trying to show us something different than what he showed us previously and i dont blame him for that. but im definitely more looking forward to the songs that he will actually write because im sure that he is capable of writing deeper and more meaningful lyrics. and even if the whole album is in english it doesnt necessarilly mean its going to be completely westernized, right? he did say he wants to try new genres… i think he just wants to challenge himself to try something new and i think a fully-english album is a part of that.

either way, i really wish him all the best because i genuinely believe he’s a bit lost and lonely without other members. to me, it seems that the hiatus definitely had the biggest impact on him? but at the end on the day, 2025 is not THAT far away and im excited for when we can see them as a group again💜 jk even said (recently) that after hiatus they will come back even stronger and i think these words are definitely worth lookig forward to💜

p.s. im sorry for such a long message🥲 i just wanted to share my thoughts on here… and i apologize for my poor english😬

if Watt wanted a no brainer song then he succeeded 😂 and yeah i don't like the explicit ver lol someone i follow here said it sounds like they only did it for shock value, which i kinda agree with. the explicit ver cheapened a song that barely had any meaning to begin with (y'all do not come after me for this. you know it's true) but i guess people really wanted to hear him say fuck 😂

true. jk is definitely trying to show a different side of him and good for him, honestly. but i don't think it necessarily reflects in the quality of the songs yk? i think this is more about presenting a new image rather than exploring the sound.

when you say just bc it's in english doesn't mean it's completely westernized, that is also true. but then considering the people he's working with, i'm not holding out much hope for that 😔

the hiatus... yeah :( they raised him, he literally spent half of his life with them and this is the first time he has to be apart from them in like 13 years. also i feel like there's this kinda pressure for them to all release a solo album before enl*sting, so idk if this also plays a part in him not taking the time to focus on His sound himself but yeah just putting this out there

do not apologize for the long message!! i love it i truly truly do. you could send me 50 whole pages of condensed text and i will still be left wanting more. i love that we can have respectful conversations about this :') and what r u talking about, your english is flawless!!

[mapof-mysoul]

K-POP ?

It's been a while, but here I am. I was under a lot of stress as I was getting a new job. I started this week and though i haven't done much besides training. I'm excited about the possibility. I have been writing and reading and existing. My mind seems clearer not without its usual hurricane  of thoughts but just enough for me to see out from where I stand in its eye. 

Enough for the constant ache to be dulled. Kinda like what KPOP does to me. 

Weird transition but okay. I'll talk about KPOP.

As I write this I'm listening to BTS and Lee Know from StrayKids is commenting on bubble. So my reason for getting into KPOP BTS and my reason for spiraling down its rabbit hole SKZ. I thought it was a small hyper fixation as most things are for me. But a year and a half later here we are multi stan and all.

I joined this world just as BTS was announcing its group hiatus. Which sucked but I think I was lucky also. I get to experience them all for the grammys together and I get to learn them though their own individual music and schedules. I get to see them each for who they are as artists outside of BTS global phenomenon. I get to go back and see their struggles and growth knowing how it will all turn out.

I do however miss those who have enlisted and i'll miss those who still have to enlist. But thanks to BTS I have 5 individual artists I love and soon that will be 7 once JK and V  release their solos.

Thanks to them opening the door I found SKZ, which includes 8 chaotic guys whose music, energy and personalities also make me feel. 

When your mind is a mess to be pulled out of that is as close to euphoric as it gets. 

Yes there are other groups I enjoy. But these particular two make me feel seen, heard and understood. Yes they speak a language I'm struggling to learn but that's the thing they have opened me up to a culture and side of the world i never would have otherwise thought of learning about. Food, culture, language, customs and history are only a few of the things I've allowed myself to start learning. I want to understand them fully. 

The effort it takes is worth it. When you learn the meaning behind lyrics or remarks they make. Whether it's Love Yourself or Youtiful, I am grateful for the feelings behind these songs. I am grateful that I can know this world of BTS and SKZ and get immersed in so much more than their beauty. I mean yeah it's great to look at them, collect photo cards, albums or place posters on my wall. But when I look at those things I remember their words of kindness. 

I remember JK talking about how he missed us. Or Bang Chan seeing us weekly for Channies room. Things they don't have to do. Eat Jin or Asmr with Felix. Jimin and his little building lives or I.N drinking way too many energy drinks. They chose us as much as we chose them. Taehyung and Lee Know taking time to answer comments on their respective platforms. Namjoon's song recommendations on IG or Yoongi telling us the meanings of his songs regardless of how painful it must be for him to relive it. Hyunjin and Jhope dancing across my screen. Or Changbins laughter. Seungmins sacrasm and jokes and Hans' vulnerability.

These mens gentle masculinity is what has led most of us to feel closer to them then other western artists.

I love western music, from pop to rock, classic, jazz and indie but there is also rap and hip hop R & B on my playlist. As a latina i listen to bachata and ballads, reggaeton or merengue and salsa. My playlist has at least 11 languages on it. 

Can you tell I love music?

As a writer, feeling and hearing an emotion can fill me with it. I dont have to know the language, take one of my favorite songs by BTS' Min Yoongi or in this case his alias Agust D, The Last. 

The first time i heard it i cried, no lyrical reference not in either language i know. Just me feeling exhausted from the pain inside myself. Unable to cry at that point. Maybe it was the angsty pain in his voice but I knew I felt it too. I cried. Silent tears covering my cheeks. I was not alone. When I looked up the lyrics I sobbed again, because my soul understood before my mind could. He himself says music doesn't have a language. 

When I had the opportunity to see him in concert I jumped. Because he is my bias after all. I cried twice, once during Amygdala, because I knew exactly what he meant. Our traumas looked different but their effects were the same. I cried again during Snooze as he repeated over and over and over how "everything was going to be okay". As he reminded me to lean on him to take a break, and then when i'm ready pursue my dream once again. It felt good to hear it in person. But I didn't cry during The Last like I thought I would. Instead I smiled because that was a song that connected him and I and millions of people around the world. 

I wasn't an emotional mess the entire time. Instead I screamed in anger during Burn It, a song that gave way to that kind of behavior as well as a lot of his others. But hearing him pause to say hey “from now on i'll write with less anger”. Reminded me of my own writing journey. Of how I too have written angry and dark and pained. But like him I too have begun to step out of that. When im asked why Min Yoongi, its because he spoke to a part of me i thought would never heal and he was there when when it started to. Im not saying he saved me but it really fucking helped to hear someone, like him say "yeah same".

It wasn't just him, my SKZ bias Bang Chan. Might not have done one of his weekly check in in a while but he is also much like me. He fights for those he loves endlessly, forgetting himself in the process. Working until he pushes too far. Wanting to be better, do better, be the best and continually climb that perfectionist ladder.

I've heard him give advice about living and taking care of yourself. I've also heard him say he values respect amongst all things. He has many times spoken to his Stays about leaving the haters alone. He almost said he liked people who didnt give a fuck. But stopped himself saying people who don't care instead. He has talked about periods and sex education calling it explicit education. A Stay asked “what will i do without you?” his response they should live, “live life to the fullest.” He even says that no matter who you are, what you want to be, he will be there for you. As a leader he is both beyond honest and careful, also hopeful that  overly enthusiastic Stays don't take things out of context or too far. He trusts his fandom. 

So when i say i listen to kpop. This is it. I watch endless content from many groups that catch my attention. Often I laugh until my stomach hurts and oftentimes I cry. I Read books they recommend, learn a language and culture and customs and history. So yes kpop sounds toxic or intense but to me it's safe in a world that often does not provide that. 

A world where my own mind is my biggest enemy. This is where I can both find myself while I lose myself. Disconnect from my own life and become immersed in another one. So ill keep reading subtitles and translations while i learn korean. But i'll also learn about their history and customs. 

Bowing, instead of the western greeting of hugs or Spanish cheek kisses I grew up with, is probably my favorite. I've never been a touching random strangers person. But in Dominican Republic that's what you do. I also love art now too. That's thanks to RM, the leader of BTS, who is an art collector and Hyunjin of SKZ who paints masterpieces to destress. I eat plenty of Korean food and visit HMart too much. But i've never been a picky eater. I'll try anything twice. 

So yeah this was all because of K-POP but I'm lucky I found them when I did because things have only gotten better since.