You get two songs this week because one song made me think of another. It’s been years since I watched this movie – I want to change that, see if it holds up. The song certainly does!
And what reminded me of it was Day6’s Jae! I saw some clip somewhere from his time on survival show Kpop Star. And wouldn’t you know it – he was singing That Thing You Do!
This isn’t his best performance (starts 1:50) – he clearly was nervous, and needed more training at the time. But it’s fun because you can tell just how good a performer he is and his potential, which has definitely been realized! (Also enjoy 19? 20? year-old Jae. So cute.)
Jae, I hope you feel better soon. I don’t care if you don’t promote for a month or a year or ten years – please just rest and take care of yourself so you feel better, and can do the things you want. Please be holy, happy, and healthy.
I don’t expect to be posting about racism much more any time soon. But not posting about racism currently doesn’t mean I’m not doing anything, either. Right now is my time to listen and educate myself, so that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve bought some books by black authors, fiction and non-fiction; and found some articles and blog posts to read and digest. That’s where I’m going to start.
We bought a new TV – it’s a drastic but delightful change. I don’t have to sit halfway between the sofa and TV to play games anymore. For context: we went from an 18 or 24-inch to 40-inch (that’s 4K!). Both C’s TV and mine were at least 5 years, and boy has technology changed a lot in that time.
It also makes reading KHIII’s impossibly tiny font so much easier to read as well.
Is it just me or does anyone else ever get so overwhelmed by an emotion that you have to physically wiggle it out?
Literally while brushing my teeth this morning I thought of the second DAY6 hi-touch (the one on my birthday, and how both Dowoon and Sungjin at least seemed to react happily to my speaking Korean) and I felt that strange mix of elation and embarrassment. I feel it now just writing about it! But at that moment it was so overwhelming I had to physically scrunch inward and then wiggle back and forth and then sort of stretch out my arms to let go of the feeling.
I guess some days emotions just get me more than others.
Speaking of DAY6, it’s apparently Sungjin hours over here. He’s always been my DAY6 bias but I think he may be my ultimate bias as well. I always thought Suga would remain my ultimate bias, but can’t say I’m totally surprised.
What sparked these Sungjin hours? DAY6’s comeback and Sungjin and Jae taking some time off. He’s written two messages addressed to fans within the past month, and both have just seemed very straight-forward, responsible, and sensitive, and gentle, which is the image he’s always projected.
That doesn’t mean I always believe/agree with everything he says – there’s always the truth that this is their job, they’re literally paid to entertain and appease fans, so it sometimes his job to say nice things. But I choose to believe that he actually means his words, at least to an extent, because he’s so far given no indication that he doesn’t.
At the very least (and my most cynical) I say at least that the image he’s crafted for himself is one I appreciate.
And speaking of BTS: Ever since 2017 it’s been a slippery, downhill slope of me feeling more distant from BTS, their music, and their message. They were the group that got me involved in k-pop fandom proper, and interested enough to really enjoy k-pop with other people, and it makes me sad.
I don’t hate them, and I’m not an anti. But I’m not ARMY any more.
The Jim Jones’ sample debacle became the last straw. All idols and companies make mistakes, but no other groups have built their brand on being authentic, “special,” and socially aware. The apology came quickly, sure, but it admitted to complete and total laziness and tried to shunt the guilt on to some other producer. Suga didn’t directly apologize, and on top of that BTS members have never (or rarely, countably on one hand) individually apologized for their mistakes.
Add to that the their meteoric rise and the sudden increase in fans, BigHit leaning into BTS’ “woke” image and fans gobbling it up to the point of online Twitter fans treating them like gods who do no wrong; and the now-complete change in musical style* to almost complete EDM-pop and increasing self-referentiality of their music, and you get a disappointed, disillusioned fan.
If their music has helped people to properly value and love themselves, I’m glad of it. But unlike with Sungjin and DAY6, I can’t give BTS the benefit of the doubt any longer because they have acted in ways that belie their words.
*I don’t mean a simple change in musical style, I mean a lack of signature sound. Other groups have defined signature sounds and trends that point to that group, whatever styles they move through. BTS’ apparently wasn’t strong enough to overcome the sudden influx of popular U.S. musicians on recent albums.
This is already long. Wow. Well, have a great weekend!
The Drama Llama 