#the kpop sunbaes

[kpopsunbaes]

In this episode, we’re giving an update on how we research K-Pop and also give a few tips we’ve learned over the years. If you want to get into researching K-Pop, you’ll want to listen to this episode!

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Mentioned Episodes

K-Pop Research 101

C-Clown

CSJH 1, 2

K’Pop

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Our Script

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Attributions

Cover Art – Elyse Shewan (Instagram: @es.graphic.design)

Music by Joystock –https://www.joystock.org

[csodaturmix]

Sunbae line done!

[ramyeongif]

Anyways I still stan 2pm oops

Lucy Dan

[sleepinghypnos]

aespa Karina x Named Character

genre: smut / cheating / one-shot

Karina's POV

My name is Karina, and I am a member of the girl group aespa. I have always been known as the sweet and innocent one in the group, but little did my fans know, I have a wild and kinky side that I keep hidden from the public eye.

One day, while preparing for a performance, I received a text from my boyfriend saying that he would come and visit me in the dressing room. I panicked but at the same time thrilled. Little did he know that he'll see me in this kind of situation.

My boyfriend walked in, but instead of seeing me getting dressed, he saw something that he never expected to see. I was on my knees, with my dress pulled up, and my panties pulled down, getting fucked by a 12-inch massive cock in front of him.

My screams and moans suggested pure ecstasy, and as I glanced up at my boyfriend, I couldn't help but say, 'Fuck! Your cock is so much bigger and better than my cuck boyfriend.'

The man pounding me to oblivion was none other than Lycan, the famous actor who was known as the 'Bull' by most Kpop girl groups. He gripped onto my waist and thrust deeper and harder, while his hand choked me and filled me up with his seed, making my belly bulge.

I couldn't help but beg for more, 'Yes! Fucking fill me up, I'm just a cumdump for you. Master! I'm your fucktoy, a sex slave. Use me however you want! I'm yours treat me like an 'Onahole' please, Master!'

I displayed an ahegao expression as I got plowed, and in between my moans and screams, I insulted my boyfriend for failing to satisfy me. Little did I know, the news of our encounter had spread like wildfire, and all of the aespa fans showed their support for me.

They even made our group more famous, and my boyfriend was collectively branded as a 'Cuck.' Even my fellow Kpop girl group members from Red Velvet, Irene, Wendy, Joy, Seulgi, and Yeri, showed their support and joined in on the teasing.

They called my boyfriend a 'Cuck' during their Weverse livestream, but what shocked everyone the most was when they admitted that they have also been conquered by Lycan, the famous actor. Especially Irene-unnie, who was known as an 'Extreme Feminist,' showed a video of her getting railed and creampied by Lycan.

Meanwhile, Wendy-unnie showed a video of her swallowing Lycan's massive load of cum and drinking his piss, and the other members showed their videos of getting obliterated and used by the 'Bull.'

But the biggest shock came when IU-sunbae, the famous solo artist, uploaded a video of herself getting fucked in a full nelson position by Lycan. It was like a domino effect, and soon, every female Kpop artist was getting dominated by Lycan.

As for me, I couldn't be happier. I was finally able to express my true desires and be treated like a 'cumdump' by my Master, Lycan. And with the support of my fans and fellow girl group members, I felt empowered and liberated like never before.

From then on, I became known as the 'Aegyo Ahegao Queen,' and my fans couldn't get enough of my wild and kinky side. I may be sweet and innocent on stage, but behind closed doors, I am a willing and eager sex slave for my Master, Lycan.

[silantryoo]

non-idol!yu jimin x itzy!reader (fluff)

WARNINGS ; alcohol consumption, (past) toxic relationships, idol parties, idol industry, making out

yu jimin was never fond of the spotlight.

despite your many many attempts to get your childhood friend to join the industry, jimin had watched your struggles firsthand. the extreme dieting, the intense schedules... she just couldn't bring herself to enter an industry that prioritized her looks over her ability to perform.

(at least jimin knew she'd thrive in an industry like that.)

she eventually convinced you to stop the very insistent remarks about joining some big three company (which you knew she'd make it into at least one if not all) and preferred watching off stage.

she watched you go on world tours and sell out arenas, always somewhere in the crowd. she always made sure to cheer as loud as she could, even if that meant losing her voice the next day. jimin would buy every single one of your albums, even if she never really bothered to look at them. she knew if it wasn't for her intership, then she would be just another broke kpop fan.

jimin had always been a supportive best friend, and she hated that it was all you could see in her.

jimin sighed, drying her hair as she heard her phone ring on the counter.

she rolled her eyes. it was most likely minjeong. the girl was definitely asking for the notes that she had missed earlier. jimin never understood why the younger girl decided to join the student council when she already hated it in high school.

jimin picked up the phone, towel still in hand. "you could've just texted me, y'know?"

"jimin-unnie."

jimin looked at her phone, walking to the hamper to throw her dirty towel away.

ITZY Shin Ryujin

she brought the phone back up to her ear.

"ryujinnie?" jimin furrowed her eyebrows, looking at the clock in front of her. "why are you calling me? it's twelve in the morning."

jimin waited, hearing loud chatter on the other side. she figured that you guys were most likely at a party. it was close to new years after all.

"can you pick y/n up?" ryujin's voice came through.

"what?" the older girl could feel worry bubbling up in her stomach. "what's wrong?"

her brain couldn't help but think of anything and everything that could've possibly gone wrong.

"she's fine. it's just..." the idol reassured, biting her tongue as she spoke quietly. "yunjin-ssi is here."

"yunjin?" jimin blinked. maybe she was just hearing things. "huh yunjin?"

"yes," ryujin strained. "*huh *yunjin."

huh yunjin.

she was a girl that you knew well (a bit too well if jimin had any say in it). yunjin was someone who you fell in love with, one you shared fleeting kisses and warm meals with. she was someone that made you feel like nothing mattered, that it was only you two.

she was also the same person who had cheated on you the exact second she had an opportunity to.

jimin set her phone down and put it on speaker. "where are you guys?"

"we're at minnie-sunbae's mansion thing." ryujin said. jimin looked at her phone, wondering how she was supposed to know where that was. she grabbed a brush as she listened to ryujin speak.

"where is this place?" the university student heard ryujin mutter.

jimin continued to brush her hair.

"who is that?"

she set the brush down, quickly putting on her glasses. she hurried to the door.

"jimin-unnie."

jimin could hear rustling as she put on her shoes. "jimin."

"jisu." she grabbed her phone, bringing it closer to her. "is she okay?"

"she's throwing up in the bathroom. yeji's with her" jisu sighed. "you don't have to pick her up. we'll just go home early."

faintly, jimin could make out a voice. "i *just *talked to yujin."

"yuna, stop." jisu scolded, earning a groan from the youngest. "you can talk to her next time."

"it's okay." jimin muttered. "i don't mind."

especially if i get to see y/n, she thought to herself.

jisu spoke after a beat of silence. "you sure?"

"yeah." jimin stood up, grabbing her keys from the counter. "just send me the address."

"okay." the idol replied as jimin's phone pinged, grabbing the girl's attention. "i'm sorry for making you do this."

jimin shrugged. "i don't mind."

she looked closely at the address, her eyes widening after she realized what area of the city she had to go to.

"exactly." jisu muttered. "i'm sorry."

jimin sighed, listening as the line hung dead.

yu jimin was never fond of the spotlight, but she'd do anything for you.

jimin has been to a college party before.

was it one of uchinaga aeri's many parties? yes. did she get dragged by her roommate, ning yizhuo, despite the fact she had an entire project due the next day? unfortunately. did she even drink at all, or was jimin too busy texting you? she preferred not to answer.

still, jimin had never seen a party this extravagant, and everyone knew that aeri was loaded with money.

the college girl pulled up in front of the house. the entire street full of cars that definitely outshined her black sedan, even if it was the latest one that was released.

she turned off the ignition, hopping out of the car. looking at the building in front of her. somehow, the entire building was bigger than the main hall at SNU.

taking a deep breath, she walked towards the door, only to be stopped by a bouncer (they even had a bouncer?).

the tall man put his arm out, blocking jimin from entering.

"can i–"

he looked jimin up and down, the college girl suddenly feeling conscious about the way she dressed.

she didn't look too out of place with everyone. everything she was wearing was expensive, even her SNU hat that somehow cost an entire week's worth of groceries.

"no commoners allowed."

jimin's eyes widened. "commoners?"

the bouncer rolled his eyes. "non-idols."

jimin bit back a scoff. she wasn't a person who would aggress in these types of situations, even if she wanted to (and she really wanted to right now).

"right. of course." the college girl clenched her jaw. she looked inside, briefly meeting eyes with the devil herself before the bouncer blocked her view. "if you could please just let me in, i just need to find my friend."

before yunjin manages to ruin her life even more.

"your idol friend?" the man chuckled. he looked her up and down once more. "yeah, okay."

she took a deep breath in, stepping back slightly. she needed to collect her thoughts one way or another. she just knew that she needed to reach you before you end up drinking yourself into a coma.

jimin looked around the building, wondering if every access point was guarded somehow.

the guard squinted, his eyes trained on the girl.

"hey." they heard a voice say. the two turned around, finding a male idol smiling at jimin. "what took you so long?"

aside from looking like yeji, jimin had no clue who he was.

she smiled back. "hi?"

"she's with me." the yeji lookalike said. jimin smiled at him, locking eyes with the guard as she walked in.

she followed him in, but kept a safe distance, ready to break away if she either saw you or any one of the ITZY members. jimin had no clue who this guy was but if this place was anything like a college party, she was on high alert.

"yeji told me to get you." the guy in front of her told her, yelling over the music. jimin felt a sense of relief wash over her. "um, i'm hyunjin by the way."

jimin looked around, trying to find you. "i'm jimin."

hyunjin turned around, looking the girl up and down. "are you a trainee?"

her eyes met yunjin's once more, the idol rolling her eyes as she dragged her member into a secluded corner of the house.

jimin's eyes widened. she needed to find you before you saw the girl.

"jimin-ssi?"

"huh?" jimin's eyes snapped back to hyunjin's figure. "no. just a college student."

"oh?" the two continued to walk, entering the pool area. jimin could see ryujin sitting on a beach chair. she sped up, hyunjin following her now. "why are you here the–"

"y/n!"

she watched you perk up, a smile on your face as she approached you, hyunjin hot on her trail.

"jimin!" you engulfed her in a hug, missing the shared looks between your members.

she pulled back, your arms still around her waist. she moved a stray hair from your face. "are you okay?"

you smiled, your eyes dull from the alcohol running through your system. jimin bit back a smile, her heart hammering against her ribcage.

"i think i puked so hard my lungs stopped working." you giggled, humming as you hugged her again. hyunjin looked at yeji knowingly. "why are you here?"

"i'm here to take you home." jimin whispered, praying you couldn't hear her heart.

(you could.)

"i don't wanna go home." you muttered. you pulled back, yuna sending you a look of disgust. "i wanna... i don't know what i want."

jimin smiled lightly. "maybe water?"

"no thanks." you shook your head, slightly making yourself dizzy. "i tried to get water but yunjin was making out with some random girl there."

jimin frowned. she wished she could've come in sooner (if only it wasn't for that stupid bouncer.)

(she knew he was just doing what he was paid to do but still.)

"i should drink more." you muttered, an ugly feeling swirling around in your stomach.

you weren't jealous. you didn't even love her anymore. you and yunjin had been broken up for months now, but it was the fact that yunjin's actions still lingered in the back of your mind every day. you wondered how someone who loved you could ever do something like that and sleep peacefully in their bed.

you grabbed yuna's drink, trying to take a sip of it.

"y/n, no." jisu grabbed it back, giving it to yuna before she could complain once more. "thanks for getting jimin, hyunjin."

"no problem." he nodded, looking between the both of you before sending jimin an encouraging smile. "good luck."

jimin blushed, watching as he retreated into the crowd. he couldn't have known already, could he?

the college girl sighed, turning around to face you.

"let's get you home."

you shook your head.

jimin smiled at you, wondering how you could manage to win her heart over despite being extremely drunk. "you can sleep at my dorm."

she chuckled, watching your eyes sparkle with excitement. "like i'm in college?"

"yeah, sure." jimin grinned, staring at you as if you were the world. "i'll let you wear some of my clothes."

you grinned at her. "marry me first."

jimin felt her face go red as she shook her head. she turned to the others, watching as checked for your things in your bag.

"thanks again for taking her home." jisu sighed, pushing her hair out of her face. "we'll pick her up tomorrow."

"i don't mind." jimin shrugged, watching as you pinched yuna's cheek ("behave while unnie's gone." "you're so weird."). "really."

jimin watched as you lifted up a cat in the air. "can i bring this home with me?"

yeji grabbed it and gave it to chaeryeong beside her. "no."

"boo."

yu jimin was someone you've always known would be there.

she was your rock. she was the girl who had given you her last kuromi bandaid when some idiot kid pushed you off the swings too hard. she was the one who would stop by your dorm, food ready in hand.

yu jimin was your everything.

"i'm sorry." you apologized, watching as jimin set her glasses on the table next to her. she looked at you curiously. "for getting this drunk and making you pick me up."

"it's fine." jimin smiled at you. "i have a 2:30 tomorrow anyways."

"still." you fiddled with your fingers, leaning against the wall as you looked at the clock on her desk. "i'm a bad person."

jimin shook her head, sitting beside you. "you're not."

you shrugged, looking at the bedsheets beneath you.

"do you think she cheated because i'm a bad person?" you muttered, your voice weak with fear and exhaustion.

jimin looked at you. she never understood why you dated yunjin. the younger girl always put her wants first before your needs. you deserved nothing but the best, but yunjin was too busy trying to find anything to fulfill her compulsions.

huh yunjin saw everything but you.

"you aren't a bad anything." jimin preached, moving closer to you as your eyes continued to watch the bed. "she cheated because she's the bad person."

"she said she loved me though."

jimin shook her head. "that wasn't out of love."

"she treated me well before she cheated," you explained, trying to justify why something so horrible would even happen to you.

"so?" jimin watched as you leaned on her. "that doesn't mean anything."

you went silent, trying to take in what she was saying. your brain knew what she was saying was true, but because you were drunk, your heart managed to do the thinking for you.

"look," jimin leaned down, her face in front of yours. she could feel herself blush, but quickly pushed it down with a soft smile. "if i loved you the way you claimed she did then i would never ever do anything like that."

you grinned lightly, your eyes trained on her lips. "really?"

jimin could feel herself leaning in, but you were drunk. she wasn't going to kiss you, even if she really wanted to. you wouldn't remember it, and she wasn't going to put herself through that.

the college student pulled away. "you're a good, uh, friend."

"oh." jimin swore she saw your smile drop for a second. "thanks."

"you should go to sleep." jimin hummed. "you need to rest."

you sighed, your eyes shut as jimin traced your face with her eyes. her hand found its way to your hair, stroking it gently as the other girl prayed that yizhou was spending the night with aeri.

"jimin?"

she hummed once more. "yeah?"

"why didn't you kiss me?"

jimin stopped her movements, her body going stiff. "huh?"

you sat up, facing the girl as her mouth hung open.

"i know you're in love with me." you whispered, smiling playfully at her. "yeji accidentally told me two weeks ago when we went out to that barbecue place."

it took everything in yu jimin's body not to scream.

"oh."

"why didn't you tell me?" you muttered, your head resting on her shoulder. "i'm over yunjin."

"you are?"

"yeah." you nodded, glancing at the non-idol. "seeing her just hurts. fresh wounds, y'know?"

jimin nodded, too flustered to speak.

"did you not tell me because you thought i wouldn't like you back?"

jimin's eyes widened, her cheeks turning red. "you like me back?"

you pulled back, staring at her in awe.

how could someone be so beautiful, yet be so dense?

"i've been dropping hints for over a month now." you chuckled in disbelief. "i even dedicated a song to you during that concert we did last month."

jimin scratched her cheek. "i thought it was platoni–"

"only by leehi?" you looked at her, eyebrow raised.

"you said you dedicated it to someone special in the crowd!" jimin reasoned out.

"yeah, you!" you countered, shaking your head. "i know you're always watching."

jimin felt herself blushing once more. she hoped you haven't figured out about her spending habits with ITZY (you had already scolded her before for spending too much on girl's generation). "how?"

"because i'm always looking for you." you said softly, meaning every word of it.

"oh."

you stared at her, waiting for her to say something else.

you chuckled, shaking your head. "so are you gonna kiss me now?"

"you're drunk." she muttered. "what if–"

"i'll remember." you interrupted, smiling just for her. "i promise."

jimin nodded, leaning in hesitantly.

despite jimin's extrovert nature, she was always terrified of messing up. but jimin could never mess up in your eyes. everything she did, you loved.

you loved yu jimin.

you rolled your eyes, pulling her in for a kiss.

your lips met hers, just like jimin had wished for since she was twelve years old after you had written her a goodbye letter (you were upset that she had chosen someone else to be her partner in PE). she could taste the faint hint of blueberry flavored soju, mixing in with your expensive peach lip balm.

you held her face lightly as you smiled into the kiss.

everything just felt like you.

you pulled away, jimin groaning in annoyance as you moved to sit on top of her, continuing where you left off. she wrapped her hands around your waist, your arms finding their way around her neck.

if jimin didn't believe you before, she believed you now.

she kissed you harder, almost desperately. you could feel her gripping the back of your shirt, the thought of you driving her wild. she felt like her body was on fire, and jimin couldn't help but feel alive.

you were a spotlight, and she was basking in it.

she pulled back, leaving a trail of kisses down your throat before joining her mouth with yours.

you groaned, pulling away as you looked into her eyes.

"i'm tired."

jimin laughed, watching you hop off her, positioning yourself under her covers. she did the same, your eyes on her the entire time.

"go to sleep." she smiled, her eyes looking at your now bruised lips. she gave you a peck. "i'll be beside you."

you smiled. "i know."

yu jimin was the only spotlight you ever cared about.

> main masterlist.

[wintersera]

same brain omfg,, reader getting passed around like a blunt (yea i do not have a better analogy for that) and being used by THEE hottest girls in the current kpop scene 😩😩 NEED,,,

cw: none lmao

EXACTLY LIKE???? one day in the mubank practice rooms yujin is cornering you bc she’s violently sexually frustrated and she knew you were the ‘slut’ of this gen. ends up with you covering your mouth bc she’s fingering you with three fingers in your cunt while her managers are looking for her LMAO

and then the next day idk, lets say the sunbaes knew about the whole passing around thingy, MISS HIRAI MOMO SUNBAE COMES UP TO YOU??? not thinking much about it bc you’re always with 4th gen idols and she was your sunbae who possibly didn’t know about your title 😭 but then it finally clicks and all of a sudden you’re invited to her apartment??? your face planted into her bedsheets while she’s fucking you from behind??? yeah i’m gna have to write something abt this fr,,,

��

included yujin for you pookie bc i know you love her like the way i love winter <33

[vlance]

♪Heart to Heart♪

(Prologue)

-summary- Y/N is the 5th member of Aespa and is going to be collaborating with Le Sserafim’s Yunjin and Chaewon for a special stage. She is excited to be able to perform with two people she's been looking forward to meeting but also has the worst case of gay panic ever so when she's around two pretty women she can't help but develop a little crush on both of them.

-warnings- swearing, kms and kys jokes, inappropriate jokes, mentions of sex

Hearing the rushed footsteps of someone approaching mine and Ningning’s room wasn’t the first thing I was expecting when I woke up on my day off today. The door to the room burst open and there is our leader herself standing there. “Karina” I lifted my head up and look at the said girl standing in the doorway. “Have you read the group chat” she looks at me with the biggest grin on her face.

“With the way you are smiling at me I don’t know if I wanna look” I gave her a look of skepticism. “It’s not that bad you’re gonna like it I think” she just keeps giving me the biggest grin I have ever seen in my life. “Okay I’ll look but stop giving me that face you look like that one meme of Dreamcatcher Sua sunbaenim as pennywise” her smiles drops and she gives me an offended look as I can hear Giselle laughing from the other room.

She rolled her eyes and left the room as I picked up my phone from the nightstand. I opened it to see thirty unread messages and a missed call from our manager. I called my manager back because I was too lazy and tired to read it the messages in the chat.

“Hello Y/N”

“Yeah hi what is Jimin unnie telling me I should call you back on” I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

“Oh yeah right…we were just talking about a special stage you’re gonna be having at music bank”

“Not again I literally embarrassed myself so fucking hard last time” I groan and sit on the edge of my bed.

“You looked so cute though with your puppy eyes staring at Taeyeon” She gave a small laugh.

“Can you blame me…I had the biggest case of gay face ever I forgot to sing my line and mumbled pretty into my mic for the whole studio to hear” She proceeds to laugh and me while I sit there listening to her.

“Who is it with anyway”

“Le Sserafim’s Chaewon and Yunjin” I hear the names of the two girls I’ll be doing a special stage with and pause.

“Y/N…..Y/N” She calls out my name but I’m too much in shock to even respond. I looked over to the signed album I practically got on my knees and begged for when Jimin unnie and Ningning went on Euncahe’s Star Diary. I remembered watching produce 48 and being the biggest fan of Chaewon and Yunjin.

I got so sad when Yunjin was eliminated. I have a bunch of old IZ*ONE albums and photocards that Giselle always jokes that the only reason I became a kpop idol was to one day meet them.

“Y/N” she practically yells in my ear.

“H-huh…yeah?” I blink out of the daze I was in.

“God you’re so gay…as I was saying you’re gonna be going to hybe next week to meet and figure out what songs to preform and other things like that okay”

“Yup…hear you loud and clear” I’m practically already sweating from nerves.

“Okay” She hangs up the phone and I slowly bring the phone down to my lap. I sat there for a second then grabbed my pillow and proceeded to scream into it. I stopped screaming after a bit and had the biggest shit eating grin of my and face started jumping around.

“Ha Minjeong owes me 10 bucks” Giselle said while scrolling on her phone. “Why” Ningning looks up from her phone to look at Giselle and Jimin on the opposite couch. “Because I bet that Y/N would scream into her pillow and start jumping around and Minjeong said that Y/N would start crying” I looked over at Ningning and she start laughing cause she can hear Y/N yelling.

“It’s not my fault I thought she would cry because remember that one time she started crying when she met Irene Sunbae and thought she was so pretty and called her mommy straight to her face without thinking” Minjeong stated and Ningning started dying on the floor from laughter and I could hear Jimin unnie next to me laughing.

“Y/N is such a homosexual I swear” I laughed to myself and went back on my phone.

-Note- well the first thing that will officially post I’m excited and nervous cause this fic seems like it’s gonna be boring by just the prologue idk if I’m satisfied but yeah let’s see how this goes.

[mingkist]

perhaps love masterlist

SM’s new girl group centers around the concepts of Mythology and Astronomy. What would happen when the girls befriend half of the KPOP industry? That we will soon find out.

a combination of platonic!kpop idols x fem!reader with ateez yunho x reader is a romance subplot

started: 14, september, 2022

completed: 20, november, 2022

send me an ask to be added onto the taglist!

i. the beginning

1. profiles

2. cobb salad

3. first comeback

4. naiads (mini update).

5. cole slaw's kidnapping.

6. just how off limits

7. dinner with the sunbaes

8. christmas live 2018

9. the san jumpscare

10. don't leave san out

11. custody battles one | two

12. doc, she's out again

13. ice cream

14. andromeda

15. flowers

16. ateez's first win

17. miau

18. cassioteez: ep one

19. clown behaviour

20. cassioteez: ep two

ii. the good bit

21. kirby one I two

22. cafes

23. cassioteez: ep three

24. it waves

25. 12.7$

26. cassioteez: ep four

27. cassioteez special live

28. 2019 MAMA

29. in shambles

30. back home

iii. the end

31. question MARK

32. violence on main

33. free bingsu or a robbery.

34. today has been a day

35. FROY0000

36. is this who we are??

37. ground beef

38. i will strike again

39. yunhoing one I two

40. the lyrics are lyricing

☆ epilogue

+ bonuses

2023 special

yunho’s birthday

[monsta-x-news]

Shownu x Hyungwon will be releasing a Spotify Single to celebrate Spotify Kpop On's 10th Anniversary. The song will be a cover of a sunbae's song.

Enhypen and Stayc will also be releasing covers.

[kpopsunbaes]

 Yeoboseyo? In this episode, we're talking about songs involving phone calls. Listen in to find out which songs are on our list.

NOTE: JR misspeaks and calls J-Entercom something else at one point.  

S1E15: Concept Changes We Have Feelings About

K-Pop's Callin' Playlist

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Check out our website!

kpopsunbaes.com

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Our Script

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Attributions

Cover Art - Elyse Shewan (Instagram: @es.graphic.design)

Music by Joystock -https://www.joystock.org

[onlinekitsune]

hii! i saw your requests were open but please ignore if they aren’t :)

this would be for zen!

my brain is braining abt an mc that’s a kpop idol, and she’s kind of similar to wonyoung from ive? like she’s a really popular idol who’s known for being really elegant and pretty? But like behind the scenes she’s like super laid back to kind of cope with always having to be so graceful and perfect for cameras? how would zen do with an mc like that?

hiii!! so so sorry for getting to this late! i'm a bit rusty with writing but this is such a cute concept!! i really hope i did it justice.. thank you for entrusting me with it and i hope you enjoy! inspo taken by fallin' flower by seventeen (not proofread, sorry!!)

FALLIN' FLOWER

"I was living in a moment, but I met you and I realized that everything has a reason."

You let out a soft sigh, letting it drift away along with the breeze. You had your fair share of kdrama's here and there. You knew how filming could be, especially while putting up a persona. You leaned your body against the railing, looking at the lake in front of you. At least the universe was on your side, with your co-star requesting an abundance of breaks today. "Hey..." a soft voice approached beside you. Speaking of your co-star, here he was. Zen Hyun. Debuting at a small local theater as a musical actor to now becoming one of the most upcoming actors. And for a good reason too, he wasn't only handsome but incredibly talented for being self taught. "I hope I'm not intruding... I just wanted to check up on you."

You snapped back to reality, quickly turning towards him. You did a curtsy bow before flashing a small smile. "O-Oh! Yes! Please don't allow me to worry you, Sunbae. I hope you're doing okay as well!" you replied, fixing your posture. You clasped your hands in front of you, taken off guard. Zen tilited his head slightly and let out a small chuckle. You felt your heart race a bit, and the feeling of embarrasment rose to your cheeks.

"You can just call me Zen. You don't have to be so formal, we're co-stars now!" He smiled, before leaning against the railing. His gaze slid to the lake. You grabbed the railing, a bit unsure of how to proceed. "I hope you don't take this rudely but, you seem a bit... off today. Are you sure you're alright?"

You hesitated. You know the professional thing was to just suck it up and gracefully deny any negative feelings. Your agent had prepared you for this. But... there was just something about him. A warmth that not many people had. Especially in an industry like this. Despite all your training and better judgement, you let yourself go. You leaned yourself against the railing besides him, taking a deep breath, allowing the fresh air to fill your body.

"It's nothing too serious so don't worry too much." You began, still unsure why you're opening up to him. "You're an actor.. I- I'm sure you know how the spotlight is. You're expected to act a certain way because that's what you're told to do. I used to think nothing of it, really. But... lately it's been exhausting."

Your gaze met his, seeing him nod and listen to every word with care. You could tell with just a glance that he was digesting all your words, truly taking the time to listen and understand. Your heart fluttered. You weren't used to this level of empathy and it made you a bit nervous.

"Don't get me wrong, I-I'm like not a rude person or anything like that! You know... I just would like to be myself. But, what am I complaining about! I'm an idol. I'm appearing in a kdrama. I'm sorry.." You started to ramble, letting your nerves get to you. You turned your gaze away from Zen. Now truly embarrassed for saying your feelings. "I shouldn't have said.. all this. We only met recently. I apologize. i should-"

"Hey... Hey. It's okay" Zen interrupted, placing a hand on yours. "As easy as it sounds, the spotlight can be exhausting. Especially with putting up a persona like you have." Your eyes met his once again, now taking in how gorgeous he was. He really wasn't like the usual actor or any talent you've met before. "If it helps, I can get more breaks between filming."

"You don't have to do that for me, Zen.."

"It's nothing, don't worry." He added, moving his hand from yours. He gently tossed your hair, leaning back on the railing again. "I'd rather have you be comfortable. It makes everything easier and makes the show play out better."

"You're so different from the other actors, you know." You stated, leaning beside him on the railing.

"I-Is that a good thing?" he chuckled, glancing over to you.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way. It's just... you seem to care more about your... co-stars and staff. It's... refreshing. Sweet."

"I could say the same to you. You know how some idols can be behind the scenes. I'm glad we got paired together."

Your heart fluttered once again. He was just too good at making you feel comfortable to let your guard down.

"I hope you don't find this... too forward but.. I'd like to spend more time with you. I feel like it'd help our chemistry on stage and... it might help you feel more... yourself?" Zen suggest, turning more towards you. Despite his confident aura, you felt the slight bit of anxiety from him.

"Are you asking me on a date now?" You joked, letting a small smirk shift onto your lips. Zen's eyes widen, slightly panicking. He began to start saying something before you added more. "I'm joking! I would like that. It'd be nice to have more... genuine friends you know?"

You slighly nudged into him, as a warmth filled you. You were content. Happy even. Funny how a simple conversation could affect someone so easily. Before you were able to get too comfortable, the director called everyone back.

"Here," You said, handing him your phone. "I can text you my schedual when we're done filming and we can plan something?" He nodded and quickly typed in his number. As he handed your phone back, you gave him another grateful smile. "Thank you... again. For listening to me."

[ahgasegotarmy116]

L0v3 Us | Choi Yeonjun

Summary: He finally tells the boys about you and their reaction is... Pairing: Reader x Idol Yeonjun Word Count: 2.1k~ Warnings: No real warnings just fluff a/n: I am so so so sorry to those of you who have been waiting for this! I hope you like how it all came together in the end <3 Read part 1 L0v3 Me and Part 2 L0v3 y0u for more context <3

🟢 Yejun is active 

🟢 y/n is active 

Yejun: Got any other guesses for me today?

y/n: Are you Yugyeom from Got7?

Yejun: Nope, guess again.

y/n: Hmmm...

y/n: This is so difficult :(

y/n: Why are there so many kpop idols :'(

Yejun: Do you want another hint?

y/n: Yes please hehe

Yejun: I work for a really large Kpop label.

y/n: JYP?

Yejun: Nope

y/n: SM?

Yejun: Try again

y/n: Hybe?

Yejun: Yep

y/n: Really! Please don't tell me you're in BTS 

Yejun: Why? Don't you like BTS? :(

y/n: Yes I love BTS!

y/n: But I don't think I could handle it if I found out that you were one of the members.

Yejun: Who is your bias?

y/n: Guess hehe

Yejun: Jimin?

y/n: Nope, although he is my bias wrecker so you were close.

Yejun: Hmmm

Yejun: It's V isn't it

y/n: Nope it's Jungkook

Yejun: Damn, it's hard for me to compete with someone like Jungkook hyung :(

y/n: Hey don't be so hard on yourself. Wait, you never told me if you're in BTS.

y/n: You aren't...right?

Yejun: No I'm not in BTS

y/n: Oh thank God

y/n: I was about to have a heart attack.

Yejun: Okay okay enough about my sunbaes :(

y/n: Alright, back to guessing.

y/n: Are you in Seventeen? 

Yejun: Nope guess again

y/n: Please don't tell me you're lying to me about your age too

Yejun: Wait! Why would you say that?

y/n: Because what if you're in Enhypen or something?!?!

y/n: I'm not against dating younger guys but they're cutting it a little close

Yejun: No I'm not lying about my age and no I'm not in Enhypen

y/n: Okayyyy I was just checking

y/n: Hmm

y/n: TXT?

I take a deep breath before responding to you, knowing that this really is the make or break moment.

Yejun: Yes

y/n: Wait really?

Yejun: Why? Is that a bad thing?

y/n: No no no, nothing like that

y/n: It's just...

y/n: Well...

My heart rate starts to pick up a bit as I watch the bubbles go up and down, showing me that you're still typing.

y/n: You guys are like...really hot...

Yejun: Ya! 

y/n: Don't you 'Ya!' me 

y/n: It's not my fault that you're in a team full of Adonises 

Yejun: :(

y/n: Hey don't pout, I'm just telling the truth.

y/n: But don't worry

y/n: You're the most handsome out of all of them because you're mine <3

My heart can't help but flutter at that message. Even though it's so simple, I never knew that I would love being able to be somebody's someone.

Yejun: Who is your bias?

y/n: Beomgyu :)

y/n: Is that you?

Yejun: Beomgyu? 

Yejun: Are you kidding me? 

Yejun: Out of all of them it had to be Beomgyu?

y/n: Jealous?

Yejun: No...

y/n: Yeonjun, you're my boyfriend. I only have eyes for you now <3

Yejun: How did you know it was me?

I quickly change my screen name to Yeonjun since she finally figured it out.

y/n: Yejun really? You thought that I wouldn't know as soon as you told me you were in TXT?

y/n: Plus from your reaction alone I could tell that it for sure was you

Yeonjun: What's that supposed to mean?

y/n: You two are always teasing each other and play fighting and he is constantly making fun of how you sound when you rap

y/n: Which is hilarious by the way 

Yeonjun: No it's not :(

y/n: Awww cute

Yeonjun: What's cute?

y/n: Now that I really know who you are I can imagine you sulking over there with your pouty lips hehe

Yeonjun: Whatever :/

y/n: Baby come on

y/n: Don't be mad at me :(

Yeonjun: Remind me to never introduce you to Beomgyu

y/n: You really are jealous

Yeonjun: No I'm not jealous

Yeonjun: I just do not want to deal with both of you ganging up on me

y/n: Aww come on! That would be so fun though!

Yeonjun: I'll think about it...

y/n: How do you feel?

y/n: Now that I know who you are

Yeonjun: I feel relieved, relaxed almost

Yeonjun: I hated lying to you :(

y/n: You're lucky I love you

I smile down at my phone at your last message and as soon as I go to respond I end up locking my phone and throwing it on my bed just as Beomgyu walks in.

"Who's got you smiling like that?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest, watching me with a devious smile. "It's that girl isn't it?!?!" he says, clearly waiting for more details. "She's not just that girl okay, she's my girlfriend" I say, finally feeling comfortable telling someone else about us.

"YEONJUN'S GOT A GIRLFRIEND" Beomgyu chants down the hallway getting everyone's attention. By now all of the guys know about you but I never put a clear label on us so it's nice to finally do so since you finally know who I am. I would've preferred to tell the guys differently but oh well. What could I expect when I decided that it would be a good idea telling him first?

"What? No fair! I want a girlfriend too!" Kai says, happy but also pouting. "Have you talked to the company about this?" Taehyun says, coming out with a no nonsense approach. "Yes I told the company about it. We're doing long distance so there isn't really that high of a chance of getting caught in a scandal so they were fine with it. I've of course just gotta keep it on the low and that won't be an issue for me. Now when it comes to you guys though, I really really need you guys on my side so if you're going to talk about my girlfriend then we really can only do it while we're home. I would prefer we don't talk about it at all but-"

"What's her name?" Soobin asks, taking a softer approach. "Y/n" I say while looking down at the floor trying to hide my smile. "Damn you're whipped" Beomgyu teases and I reach my arm out to wack him but he hides behind Kai leaving him out of reach. "You sure you can trust her?" Taehyun says, still wanting to eer on the side of caution. "More than anything" I say firmly, knowing in my heart that you'll stay faithful and keep us a secret. "Well if you trust her then I trust her" Soobin says, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks" I say giving him a soft smile. 

"Can we see a picture of her?" Kai asks, all the guys getting closer to me as I pull out my phone and show them a few pictures of you. "She's so pretty!" Kai says, clearly the one who is the most excited for us out of the four. "And you're sure a girl like that wants to be with a guy like you? She's totally out of your league dude" Beomgyu says with a smirk, never letting a chance at teasing me go to waste. I bring my hand up, fully ready to hit him again but Soobin places a hand on my shoulder making me stop. 

"He's going to keep on teasing you if you keep on giving him reactions like that" giving me a logical explanation as to why I should just ignore him. "Fine" I mumble and go back to showing the other guys a few more pictures when they ask for more. "Where is she from?" Kai the ever curious one asks after I've put my phone away. "She's from somewhere in Europe but she's going to college in the states right now" I say walking toward the living room. 

"Does she live near one of the stops on our tour? Maybe she can come?" Beomgyu says, excited at the though of finally meeting this mystery girl he's had to keep secret for all this time. "She does and she actually already bought tickets before she even knew who I was" I say smiling again at the coincidence. "She's a MOA? That's adorable" Kai gushes. "I like her already" Taehyun chimes in, now warming up to the idea. 

"It's probably not the best idea to see her" Soobin says calling me off to the side while the other three talk amongst themselves. "I know" I pause trying to game plan a bit so I can hopefully convince him in the slightest bit. "We could probably bring her backstage at some point right? Even if it were just for a second" I stop again, taking a deep breath and make sure I sound as sincere as possible, "I just really want to see her". 

I watch as he then takes a second to think about it as well before saying the words that I was hoping he would say. "I'll go talk to the company tomorrow and see if we can work something out". "Thanks man" I say softly and give him a pat on the back in thanks. "Can you take care of them for me?" I say nodding towards the three younger members still talking about you. "Sure, hey" he says making me turn back around as I had started to make my way back to my room. "Just, be careful" he says in earnest and I give him a shallow nod, showing that I'll make sure to keep everyone safe.

Walking into my room I look down at my phone and see that there's a notification from you.

🟡 Yeonjun is busy → 🟢 Yeonjun is active

🟢 y/n is active

y/n: So how was your day? 

Yeonjun: It was alright, work wasn't too hectic so that was a nice change.

y/n: I'm glad! You've all been preparing for the comeback and the tour and everything so I could only imagine how swamped you've been!

Yeonjun: Yeah, but anyways I want to talk about you

Yeonjun: How was your day?

y/n: It was pretty chill 

y/n: It looks like the universe wanted to take it easy on us

Yeonjun: I guess so...

Yeonjun: I told the guys about us

y/n: Really? How'd it go?

Yeonjun: Surprisingly well

Yeonjun: Some of them were a bit concerned right off the bat but after we started to talk about things a little more they got a bit more excited and they said that you're really pretty after I showed them a few photos

y/n: Aw yay! I'm glad that they aren't giving you too much of a hard time. 

y/n: I'm definitely not as pretty as those idols you guys are with but I'll take the compliment nonetheless :)

Yeonjun: Hey I thought we talked about this

Yeonjun: Just because I work in the idol industry doesn't mean you get to compare yourself to them.

Yeonjun: Remember what you just told me?

y/n: ...

Yeonjun: Y/n, you're my girlfriend. I only have eyes for you now <3

y/n: Don't use my words against me!

Yeonjun: Oh is that because what you said wasn't true?

y/n: No! I really do mean it!

Yeonjun: Well then I really do mean it too :)

Yeonjun: You wanna know something else that happened today?

y/n: Hmm?

Yeonjun: I convinced Soobin to talk to the company with me about seeing you at the show you're coming too

y/n: Wait really?!?!?

Yeonjun: Really really

y/n: Yeonjun that's amazing!

y/n: I really hope they say yes XD

Yeonjun: Me too :)

y/n: Anyways I should probably let you go to bed

y/n: But please please please tell me what they say as soon as you find out

Yeonjun: You'll be the first one I call

Yeonjun: And if you don't answer I just keep calling over 

Yeonjun: and over

Yeonjun: and over 

Yeonjun : and over

y/n: Okay okay I get it lol

Yeonjun: and over again 

Yeonjun: sorry... that one took too long to send hehe

y/n: You're such a weirdo

Yeonjun: But you love me anyways

y/n: Goodnight Weirdo

Yeonjun: But I wanted to talk to youuuu :(

y/n: Bed

y/n: Now

Yeonjun: I love it when you get all dominant with me ;)

y/n: Keep on running your mouth Yeonjun

Yeonjun: Okay okay

Yeonjun: I'm sorry I'll go to bed :(

Yeonjun: Goodnight love x

y/n: Goodnight

y/n: Weirdo

I close out our chat and get ready to finally settle in for the night and I can't seem to wipe the smile off my face, being a reoccurring theme when it comes to you. "Who's got you smiling like that?" Beomgyu teases again. "Get out of my room" I yell while throwing a pillow at his face. "Okay okay I'm going" he laughs. 

"Goodnight lover boy" he says before walking away leaving my door open, leaving me having to get up and close the door behind him. "When am I ever gonna catch a break from this guy" I mumble to myself. "Probably never" he says poking his head out of his room. I groan and shut my door behind me but I hear how he continues to laugh at my reaction even when it finally closes. 

I take a deep breath hoping to slow the onslaught of a headache and lay down, finally getting some rest. "See you soon" I whisper to myself, knowing that no matter what, I'll do everything I my power to finally meet you. Who knew that that simple 'Hey' I sent you would be the thing that would help me change for the better, leading out hearts to intertwine. 

Although our love is digital, I know I'll love you just the same when we meet in the physical. 

a/n: This will be the last part :) I'll leave the rest of their story up to your imaginations. Feel free to comment or send asks with the ending that you imagine! I would love to know what you think <3

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[itzynabi]

230728 evie_oops insta update

visual: soyou is on the left and eve is on the right

an: the episode can be found here

evie_oops Aloha Evie, Evie, Evie

Comments on this post

princessevie they used to be trainer and trainee but now theyre sunbae and hoobae🥺

chaosduosdaughter those hips better WORK

ryubiluvr at this point eve is just have her friends on the show and i love that for her

yejisnabi soyou has a hit on her hands i fear

yuliasprincess summer kpop oh how i love you

©️ kim nabi

[blossombunbun]

⋆｡°✩ New Jean’s Reach Astrology Analysis. ⋆｡°✩

Note: Evidently this is merely an astrology analysis of New Jeans as a group, given that it is merely for entertainment purposes this analysis is not meant to reflect any of the hard work that they put into it as artists nor does this reading reflect at all anything about the members as people (see: most members are still underage and all of them are under 21 years old so I will refrain from making personal content about them, please respect said boundaries). This reading merely reflects the possible outcomes of their international reach given their debut date and how astrology works within said aspects that are to be analysed.

New Jeans as a group has a 9th House Capricorn, which right off the bat tells me that they’ve got that retro/ back to basics kind of vibe, not only is it present within their concept but also in the way that they promote as a group. With them, we might be seeing a lot of ‘old school' ways of kpop see: back to doing covers of sunbaes, variety shows, centred in Korea to the world rather than aiming straight for international success. 

Their management and aiming in marketing terms is very cost-effective. They aren’t a group that will take a lot of money for their company to promote them. Not because they don’t deserve it but rather because they can work miracles with whatever budget is assigned to them. 

They’re always! Doing! Something! Single after single after presentation after appearances, their reach alone can be understood due to the fact that they’re pretty active. 

After a few years active though, comes the rough part of it. They might struggle for a bit as a group, probably due to some inconsistencies with knowing what to aim for next and which path to follow since their start was pretty settled on going back to basics but there isn’t exactly a manual on what to do after you’ve exceeded the past’s achievements. 

Funny enough, they don’t have a planet in their 9th House which can’t really direct us towards any major possibility however another group in their sister label also hasn’t got a planet in their 9th House and they’ve gone beyond expectations so I wonder if the cards are played right, we could be able to see just that with New Jeans.

[lee-aveyourmark]

glad to know the kpop idol world was united last night by the big sunbae that is Bruno Mars

[halfseoulco]

Industry Babies: They’re not who you think they are

Published Saturday, April 8th, 2023 — When it comes to almost any industry, nepotism is something that the general public tends to look down upon. Whether it’s real estate, politics, or entertainment, there are the types of families in which children follow in their parents’ footsteps; and while that should in no way demean an individual person’s efforts, there is no denying that people who have a little help in the form of generational wealth and connections usually can go a little further than the average person.

Introduction: What is an industry baby?

Nepotism is defined by the Oxford dictionary as “the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives, friends, or associates, especially by giving them jobs”. It is still a common practice today but while the term “nepotism baby” exists, it’s not nearly as prevalent as the term “industry baby”.

So what is an industry baby?

An industry baby is, quite literally, a product of the industry, particularly the music industry. Any artist today who has parents with successful careers is considered an industry baby—and you would probably recognize most or all of them. Miley Cyrus. Blue Ivy Carter. Enrique Iglesias. Nancy Sinatra. Ziggy Marley. Lily Allen.

The list goes on and on for miles—but these are all relevant to the Western music industry. The question that this particular essay will strive to answer is whether or not the KPOP industry, which is different from the Western music industry in various ways, has these so-called industry babies.

KPOP, “The Big 3″, & Reputation: Pros vs. Cons

Candidly speaking, you’d be hard-pressed to find an industry baby in KPOP today but as is the case with nepotism, being a group debuting under a successful company has its advantages. Otherwise known as “The Big 3″, JYP Entertainment, SM Entertainment, and YG Entertainment are three of the biggest Korean music entertainment companies in the business.* Any group debuting under these three companies has a leg up when it comes to promotions thanks to industry connections, financial power, and general status and influence—let alone the public knowledge that certain companies have a history of paying for positive press, chart manipulation, and award rigging.

However, new groups debuting into the industry under those companies also have something else to contend with—and I use the term “contend” because what I’m about to discuss can be either a good thing or a bad thing—and that is the success of an older, more established group.

On the one hand, as mentioned previously, coming from a large company with a roster of already-successful artists has its perks. New groups that debut have the benefit of name recognition and the general public’s willingness to give them a chance based on the company and artists’ reputations alone—and this is not the case for only The Big 3. Other smaller yet still well-known companies also capitalize on this advantage. However, the downside is that people can and have discredited groups’ achievements as being due to the company or other artists’ popularity rather than their own talents; and downplayed the role that the groups themselves have played in their own success.

Korean culture revolves around a social hierarchy based on age and experience, which is where the terms sunbae/seonbae (선배) and hoobae/hubae (후배) come from. the former meaning “senior” and the latter meaning “junior”. Juniors go through their trainee days and every day of their careers thereafter looking up to and respecting their seniors and often cover their songs as a sign of their admiration. Companies sometimes also assign covers as challenges for trainees, who more likely than not go into their training periods already big fans of many well-established KPOP artists and should therefore be familiar with the lyrics and choreography. Why bring this up at all? The reason is that the current ongoing narrative is usually in favor of the seniors and the emerging trend of slandering juniors for who their seniors are has created a discourse that unfairly affects their abilities to build a genuine fanbase.

This, of course, disproportionately affects certain groups from certain companies more than others; and those being incorrectly labeled as “industry babies” are really anything but, which brings us to our next topic: Big Hit Music (formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment) and KQ Entertainment.

BTS & ATEEZ: A Tale of Two Companies

One cannot really discuss the misnamed industry babies without discussing their predecessors—so let’s talk about BTS and ATEEZ.

By now, everyone knows the story of how HYBE Corporation came to be. When now chairman Bang Si-hyuk founded Big Hit Entertainment in 2005, the small company had one three-member group called 8Eight; and when Kim Namjoon/RM was signed in 2010, a contract had just been signed with JYP Entertainment to jointly manage the boy group 2AM. BTS then debuted in 2013; and following a string of projects that didn’t quite pan out and financial struggle, Big Hit Entertainment began to experience immense success thanks to the septet. Together with CJ E&M (now known as CJ ENM Entertainment), they later founded the agency known as BELIFT LAB and debuted ENHYPEN in 2020 as a result of the survival show I-LAND. From there, Big Hit Entertainment began a series of acquisitions, including Source Music in 2019 and Pledis Entertainment and KOZ Entertainment in 2020; as well as a partnership with Universal Music Group’s flagship label Geffen Records in 2021. On March 31st, 2021, Big Hit Entertainment became HYBE Corporation, with Big Hit Music becoming its own label that functions independently and—most importantly—privately. All seven members of BTS were given significantly large shares in the company—millions of U.S. dollars’ worth, in fact; and HYBE itself has a long list of subsidiaries and joint projects running under its umbrella, including the label ADOR, which manages the girl group NEWJEANS.

Rags to riches story aside, BTS is widely credited for making all of this possible. It’s no secret that Big Hit Entertainment was previously on the brink of bankruptcy and while 8Eight enjoyed some success, BTS’s long and difficult road to fame is what propelled the company to such great heights. Without the influence of a Big 3 company to back them, the group was cut from broadcasts, insulted by variety show hosts, played free concerts, and shared one dorm room. These types of hardships have made ARMYs fiercely protective of the group; and to this day, the fanbase is still wary of anyone who may try to take advantage of their impact for their own gain.

In the meantime, while BTS was gaining traction, a new company emerged. KQ Entertainment, founded in 2016 by Kim Kyu Wook, was initially best known for the boy group Block B under their subsidiary Seven Seasons. The small company also has its own team of in-house producers, some of whom are also solo artists under its other subsidiary KQ Produce.

KQ Entertainment quickly proved to be extremely unique, starting with its training program. Trainees begin their time at the company in a pre-debut group called KQ Fellaz and then graduate from the program when they debut under a new name. The first group of trainees started in 2016 and debuted as ATEEZ in 2018. In what proved to be an extremely smart move on the company’s part, KQ Fellaz released a series of performance videos (I, II, and III) showcasing the group’s dance abilities as well as a solo performance video for Yunho, who has been well-established as ATEEZ’s main dancer, and a cover of EXO’s “으르렁(Growl)”. The group also had a reality show chronicling their time spent training in the United States, during which they had a ninth member who ended up not debuting with the rest of them; and they also released a music video for their song “From”, which they made for the show.

While most KPOP groups move from concept to concept throughout their career, ATEEZ debuted with an original ongoing concept that was introduced in their debut singles “Pirate King” and “Treasure”; and a complex storyline that, according to the members themselves, still has much left to be revealed, and involves multiple timelines.

ATEEZ have admitted that they are aware that they are more popular outside of Korea than they are within their home country. This, coupled with the fact that KQ Entertainment is still a relatively small player in the game, means that the group has been snubbed by the rest of the KPOP industry in many ways, especially at award shows, despite the quality of their performances and content and their high album sales. In fact, their EP TREASURE EPILOGUE : Action To Answer (2020) was the number one album on Gaon Chart until IZ*ONE’s Bloom*Iz and then BTS’s MAP OF THE SOUL : 7 were released not long after.

Despite their popularity overseas, KQ Entertainment still is not anywhere near The Big 3 or HYBE in terms of its financial resources. ATEEZ fans, called ATINYs, have complained about the number of fan sign/fan call events hosted by various stores and online distributors—and, by extension, the number of pre-order benefits—making it more difficult and more expensive for those who collect the group’s merchandise, particularly photocards. It’s not difficult to assume that the reasoning behind this is that the company needs the money from the sales. Prior to March 30th of this year, ATEEZ was KQ Entertainment’s only group, as Block B is no longer active. (Interestingly enough, though, member ZICO is currently enjoying his solo career under KOZ Entertainment, which was, as revealed earlier, acquired by HYBE.) However, there has been a noticeable increase in the production quality of ATEEZ’s most recent content. From having people visible in the background of their debut music videos to practically making movies with “Guerrilla” and “HALAZIA”, it’s clear that the money is being put to good use rather than being spent frivolously.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about all of this is that BTS and ATEEZ have traveled similar paths throughout their careers—born from small companies, dismissed by the rest of the industry, unique music and concepts, hugely responsible for putting their companies on the map—and yet ARMYs and ATINYs find themselves engaged in fan wars constantly. People who are fans of both groups are also shunned by both fanbases, which has led to many unwilling to publicly claim their love for one group or the other for fear of being ostracized. ATEEZ themselves are big fans of BTS and have great respect for them, especially Wooyoung, who was once upset about being unable to attend one of BTS’s concerts in Seoul because of his own group’s obligations; and BTS in turn have responded favorably to ATEEZ, particularly during their cover of “피 땀 눈물(Blood Sweat & Tears)” at the 2019 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA). Additionally, Wooyoung and Yeosang were trainees at Big Hit Music with the members of TXT before moving to KQ Entertainment and Wooyoung still maintains a close friendship with fellow 99 liner Yeonjun.

The Tale of TOMORROW X TOGETHER

On March 4th, 2019, Big Hit Music debuted their second [boy] group, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, also known by the acronym TXT. Their debut track, “어느 날 머리에서 뿔이 자랐다 (CROWN)”, was generally well-received and the five boys were praised as “monster rookies”. However, there was—and still is—a significant portion of the overarching KPOP fandom that sees TXT as a group who rose to fame on the coattails of their world-famous sunbaes, BTS.

It’s difficult to escape the shadow of someone as big as BTS; and while TXT has great love and respect for their seniors, it’s hard to not feel the pressure of such an enormous reputation. In fact, it wasn’t even known that the two groups shared such a close relationship until earlier this year when TXT started sharing that they had visited some of the BTS members’ homes. RM has even worked on TXT’s “0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)" and the members revealed that he was very influential while working on the title track.

As the five young men enter their fifth year as a group, looking back at “어느 날 머리에서 뿔이 자랐다 (CROWN)”, it’s easy to see that it was extremely well-polished and high-quality for a debut, not just in terms of the music video’s production but the complexity of the choreography and the refreshing nature of the concept. “어느 날 머리에서 뿔이 자랐다 (CROWN)” is, truthfully, less of a debut song and more of a second or third comeback song but people just easily accepted it as the group’s starting point—because they were expected to be that good from the beginning.

In an interview with Variety in 2019, Bang Si-hyuk said, “People may think that TXT got really lucky and have an easy path, but they have the burden of meeting expectations that have been set. Rookies have a chance to grow and shine when they are still rookies, but TXT started on a higher level so it’s harder to showcase growth.”

TXT have put out a dynamic and versatile discography over the past four years, experimenting with a wide variety of genres and styles to push the boundaries of music and showcase new sides of themselves and their abilities as artists. At Bang Si-hyuk’s encouragement, they also started participating more in songwriting; and objectively speaking, the quality of their performances have always and continue to set them apart from other groups who debuted around the same time, something that fans of other fourth generation groups are loathe to admit. In spite of the way that others have downplayed their achievements, TXT is currently enjoying their second world tour, ACT : SWEET MIRAGE following a short showcase tour in the U.S. in 2019 and their first world tour, ACT : LOVE SICK in 2022.

It’s clear to anyone with a discerning eye and ear that BTS and TXT are two distinct groups; and while TXT has paid homage to their seniors in the past with perfectly executed covers—including this epic rendition of “불타오르네 (Burning Up (Fire))” at the 2021 KBS Song Festival with ENHYPEN—the type of music that they make is unique to them.

So why slander TXT at all?

There are a few possible reasons. One, a lot of people—other entertainment agencies, fans of other groups—resent BTS and HYBE’s success and are counting down the days until BTS is no longer active. Everyone is desperately looking for “the next BTS” in order to replicate their global impact; and while the purpose of TXT is definitely not to fill that spot once their fellow artists eventually depart the scene, no one wants to believe that Big Hit Music is capable of producing more than one successful group, especially one with the same kind of universal appeal.

Two, the market for KPOP groups is severely over capacity. There was a time when no one wanted to schedule a comeback during the same time as BTS for fear of failing to grasp the public’s attention; and now with TXT really coming into their own, it is likely that other companies will take their comebacks into consideration when planning their own. New groups are debuting on a regular basis throughout the year, which means that too many artists are fighting for the public’s attention at any given time. Timing a debut or comeback incorrectly can cause major setbacks for groups trying to get their names out there; and many older groups are still recovering from years of BTS sweeping charts and award shows, let alone preparing for the possibility of a repeat with TXT.

Three, although BTS have taken a step back from making music together due to upcoming military enlistments and their own individual projects, TXT is starting to hit numbers that are making other companies nervous. Their most recent album, The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION, landed atop seven different Billboard Charts, becoming their first album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It also took the No. 1 spot on the Top Album Sales, Top Current Album Sales, and the World Albums charts; entered the Tastemaker Albums chart at No. 3; and had all its songs place in the top 15 of both the World Digital Song Sales and Hot Trending Songs charts. It also sent them back onto the Artist 100 at No. 1, making them the sixth KPOP act to ever top the chart.

Four, it is a goal for most, if not all, KPOP groups to break into the U.S. market. While PSY gained popularity abroad for “강남스타일 (Gangnam Style)” in 2012, BTS is largely credited with opening the doors for KPOP in the states, with more groups touring all over the country—and some returning to larger and larger venues every time. Now, on their second world tour in less than a year, TXT are making big moves that some older, more established groups can only dream of. Aside from racking up achievements at Korean award shows, the quintet has spent quite some time in the U.S., having performed “0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)” and “Good Boy Gone Bad” at Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve earlier this year. They were also invited back to The Late Late Show with James Corden to perform “Sugar Rush Ride” at the end of February after performing “Magic” in 2021; and now, after playing at Lollapalooza last summer along with labelmate j-hope, they are the first KPOP group ever to headline the festival.

At this point, I think it’s safe to say that TXT are not relying on BTS’s image for anything, having fully taken ownership of their own artistry and their own identities as leaders of fourth generation KPOP. Many of the same people who complained about the favoritism shown towards Big 3 artists are now complaining about the favoritism shown towards HYBE artists—which, in its own way, is completely unfounded. HYBE Corporation may be the biggest KPOP company in the industry but the fact of the matter is that they don’t sit at the same table as The Big 3 and never will, not because they don’t deserve to but because in spite of all they have achieved, The Big 3 will always see them as outsiders. BTS have never been able to shed that image either, so what advantages do TXT really even have that others don’t? Sure, money helps but in this case, it’s not being used to put TXT at a dishonest advantage. As Jin said at MAMA 2019, “There are methods of cheating but wouldn’t it be better to make music with more honest ways? I hope the time will come when everyone makes good music and listens to good music.”

Prior to heading off on their first world tour, TXT released their EP minisode 2: Thursday’s Child consisting of five songs, including “Trust Fund Baby”. The overall soundscape of the song is on the melancholy side and while the lyrics open themselves to be interpreted in more than one way, “Trust Fund Baby” smooths over pointed remarks directed at those who would accuse them of having been born with silver spoons in their mouths and hides them in plain sight under the disguise of a song about heartbreak. Moreover, trust fund babies are usually seen as children born to rich parents who have never had to work for anything they have but we already know that TXT has worked harder than anyone else to prove themselves. Truthfully, it’s hard to hear lyrics such as “The shining spoon to me is someone else's story” and “Yeah, I know, I know I'm not like them/It doesn't work even if you add and multiply” and not understand them as plainly as they are said: TXT will never be trust fund—or industry—babies.

xikers: A New Generation of KQ Fellaz

On March 30th, 2023, KQ Entertainment debuted their second [boy] group called xikers. Formerly known as KQ Fellaz 2, the ten trainees went through much of the same process as their sunbaes ATEEZ did before them. They released one performance video prior to debut, called “Iffy”, as well as a music video for “Geek”, which the group made for their reality show documenting their time training in the U.S. The video begins with the words “RESPECT TO ‘ATEEZ - FROM’” right underneath the title of the song as a sign of their admiration for their seniors and the acknowledgement of their having walked the same path before them.

KQ Entertainment, having learned from ATEEZ’s debut journey, did make some changes this time around; and took the opportunity of having an older, more experienced group to try something new. During their time as KQ Fellaz 2, the ten members also went out busking and accompanied ATEEZ on their most recent world tour, The Fellowship Tour: Break the Wall, where they opened for their sunbaes and gained some live concert performance experience. They also were invited as performers for KCON Japan and Thailand; and starred on The Player: KPOP Quest, a show on SBS Entertainment’s KPOP platform Inkigayo, where they competed against each other on missions as well as together in front of a panel of judges who provided feedback on their performances. Songs covered during the show included The Wonder Girls’ “Like this”, Kara’s “루팡 (Lupin)”, NCT DREAM’s “맛 (Hot Sauce)”, THE BOYZ’s “THRILL RIDE”, and ATEEZ’s “멋 (The Real)”, as well as their pre-debut single “도깨비집 (TRICKY HOUSE)” and a dance cover of Lil Nas X’s song with Jack Harlow, “Industry Baby”.

Now, the dance cover of “Industry Baby” is quite possibly the most interesting little tidbit about xikers’ pre-debut and debut. The song makes plenty of pointed references aimed at the Western music industry with lyrics like “You was never really rootin' for me anyway”, “Funny how you said it was the end, yeah”, and “They couldn't wait to just bash me”. Featured on Lil Nas X’s album, MONTERO (2021), “Industry Baby” was nominated for a large collection of awards, of which it won several. It is likely that xikers chose this particular song to cover not only for its popularity but as a way to indicate that they are aware of what people are saying about them and to respond by using irony—because they are maybe the furthest from being industry babies as one could possibly get. However, they’ve decided that if that’s what people are going to think of them, they might as well lean into it because there’s little they can do to change people’s minds. All they can do is continue to show their best efforts.

What this also goes to show is that people have been prepared to hate xikers before they’d even debuted, if for no other reason than the fact that they are their own unique kind of group, just like ATEEZ. They don’t follow the traditional models for KPOP, they don’t keep up with the trends, they’re making the music that they want to make and blurring the lines between genres along the way—and that kind of artistic freedom is something that makes others envious.

xikers debuted with their EP HOUSE OF TRICKY : Doorbell Ringing, which consists of seven tracks. KQ’s usual producing team worked their magic but it was a very pleasant surprise to see that after having a hand in his own group’s music, ATEEZ’s Hongjoong also participated in writing and producing all seven tracks. Their debut showcase was hosted and initially distributed by SBS Entertainment’s channel, THE K-POP, which also streams the show for which ATEEZ’s Yeosang has been an MC these past two years, THE SHOW and THE SHOW CHOICE! KQ Entertainment uploaded the showcase themselves two days later. Some people might misinterpret this possible use of industry connections as a way to further argue that xikers are taking advantage of a way in that others don’t have but if you look at well-established groups from larger companies, you’ll see that they don’t stream their showcases via Korean mainstream broadcasting channels. TXT and SEVENTEEN, for example, streamed their most recent comeback showcases via their own official YouTube channels and the HYBE LABELS YouTube channel; and SM Entertainment is known for hosting their annual SMTOWN events such as KWANGYA on their own channel. With the UNIVERSE platform having officially closed in February, which is where ATEEZ previously held their showcases prior to streaming them via Mnet’s digital studio channel, M2, xikers needed the viewership of SBS Entertainment’s channel to increase their chances of building a fanbase among the general public who may have no previous knowledge of them in connection to ATEEZ or KQ Entertainment.

xikers have officially been a group for just over a week. It’s a little early to really gauge how they are being received within the industry and amongst fans but they have been promoting pretty heavily, focusing on “도깨비집 (TRICKY HOUSE)” and “XIKEY” during their circuit of the various music shows as well as giving cute performances via 1theK’s GAP CRUSH, M2′s RELAY DANCE, and blip’s Harry Potter version of “도깨비집 (TRICKY HOUSE)”. They have also released a couple of videos via hello82′s channel, which has produced and continues to produce content with ATEEZ, including one where they interact with children and one where they try to make tortillas. Promotional period aside, the group is also making the rounds of the same distribution channels as ATEEZ for fan sign and fan call events, which means that KQ Entertainment is still counting on dedicated fans and collectors to participate for the pre-order benefits and for the chance to speak to their favorite idols.

Conclusion

In the history of KPOP as an industry, there is much to cover. From the first generation to the current generation, trends have evolved, concepts have changed, and companies are learning and trying new things with their groups all the time. However, in my opinion, the biggest takeaway from all of this information that I have compiled for the purposes of this essay is that big companies have a way of manipulating public perception and a tendency to abuse that ability. Redirecting attention towards a potential distraction is one way to keep fans invested in the things they want you to focus on; and if they can make their enemy your enemy, then that leaves very little work for them in terms of filtering out competition. Those companies are counting on fans to continue to ostracize TXT and xikers—and, by extension, BTS and ATEEZ—because the foundation for it is already in place. And while I said at the beginning of this essay that there really are no industry babies in KPOP, there is indeed a thing called privilege; and the ones who have it want you to not notice that they do.

The truth is that no one likes outsiders—not really—and regardless of how far HYBE Corporation and KQ Entertainment and their artists go with their achievements and their ability to break boundaries and set records, they will always be treated as though they don’t belong. Nevertheless, these four groups have so much to be proud of and it is expected that they will continue to live outside the limitations of the industry for years to come. Whether their fan bases can learn to get along is another thing entirely but that is a story for a different time.

Notes:

*Personally, I don’t believe in “The Big 4″ (HYBE/JYP/SM/YG). HYBE is in a category of their own.