K-Pop and Quarantine Life – pt. 6

More Quarantine K-Pop Posts

It’s been almost a month since I last posted. To be honest, the day-in and day-out life of the pandemic is now starting to take its toll on me. Boredom. I’ve started to feel a lack of motivation so I’ve been spending the past week or so quietly reflecting on what I can do improve my quality of life in a minimal way.

Currently, a specific goal I’m honing in on, which is something I’ve been working on in stages since last December, is bring my awareness to the present moment. Through the pandemic, I’ve found now more than ever, it’s incredibly important to exercise the awareness of where my mind drifts and where I need it to exist. If I think too far ahead into the future, I tend to create worse-case scenarios (which are cases most likely will never happen). It then robs me of the time I need to spend in the present moment – it takes away my concentration which also means it takes away the peace which resides in me.

Meditation and yoga has been a large part of my training. Not only do I practice meditation during yoga but while doing other things such as our hikes, a walk in the park, while taking a bath or even when cutting fruits or vegetables. The process is to just dive into what I am doing rather than worrying what I need to get down during any given task. The silver lining is taking the most mundane activity into a peaceful and relaxing state of well being.

The next step is to be able to break down negative feedback and criticism – realize what it is, what it means to me and either take action or file away as being unimportant. The main goal is to not allow criticism to turn into a self-defeating mantra, which it often has for me. I start thinking, I’m not good enough for this task, I’m stupid, I’m worthless to the team, etc.

My journey to my self-discovery, therefore continues…

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I know I said the last time, ATEEZ was up next. Sadly, however, and to my daughter’s disappointment, I have allowed myself to be distracted with more k-pop from other groups! And it appears to be another round of female groups/artists again! What can I say? Girl-power has been hitting hard for me these past two months. Which is a huge deal. When I started my journey into k-pop, I had such a hard time finding an all-female group or solo artist I could stan (that hadn’t already been disbanded).

I will be the first to admit I know nothing about the artist, HYO. I will also admit the song drew my attention because it features Soyeon, lead of (G)I-DLE and my female k-pop bias. All I can say is that it didn’t take more then the first two lines and I knew I really liked this song. I’m glad to have given it a try!

I’ve been loving this IU song from the beginning. I hadn’t realized she was going to be the voice of the theme song to BigHit’s k-pop audition show, I-LAND. I haven’t watched this elimination-type talent series though I know BigHit had been holding auditions for awhile to land the group of trainee applicants to air within what I can only see as this crazy-ass building situated somewhere in ‘no-where’ land and well, it all just screams money! I might watch it – for international fans, you can watch it on VIKI for free. I’m a bit cautious of these types of shows. While I normally trust BigHit, I find regardless of the intent, the show still ends up exploiting the applicants to some degree.

I’ve been watching GFRIEND from afar ever since BigHit acquired them through last year’s mergers. My preference in music does not fall within the styles of GFRIEND, however, I was curious to see how their marketing might accelerate under BigHit. I wasn’t at all disappointed and quite pleased with a much higher level of marketing from their first comeback under the BigHit label. Now, with their second comeback for their mini-EP Songs of the Sirens, I found myself downloading their entire album.

GFRIEND’s title track, APPLE, is a refreshing and renewed sound for the group. I don’t know the full story behind this release – were they allowed more creativity and say of their voice and artistry? Did BigHit see a need to put more edge into their music? Regardless of what the back-end strategy is, I see it as a huge plus for GFRIEND and am very happy to have rediscovered them in a grander light!

Not-So Daily Kpop Challenge 2019 – Part IX.ii (continued into 2020)

[30 Day K-Pop Challenge 2019]

So…. I know it’s 2020 but I started this in 2019. It was supposed to be completed in 2019 but… I ran out of time! I’m not sure what to do with the title now but oh well!

Question #20: Favorite picture of your guy k-pop bias

From BTS’ Speak Yourself Tour.

Well – the thing with J-Hope, the photos do NOT do the man justice. Trust me. Trust all who stan this man. The above, however, is what I would say to be one of the most beautiful photos I have ever seen of the one and only Jung Ho-seok.

What makes him my bias, though? The man is a genius. I feel this way for the entire BTS rapper line, though. In fact, each members have their own unique talents to add to the whole BTS assemble. J-Hope, for me, is a powerhouse. The man can rap, sing, compose, write lyrics and DANCE! My full respects go to Mr. Jung.

Bonus photo from their Cypher 4 performance. It’s Cypher 4. And J-Hope. It’s J-Hope performing Cypher 4. Need I say more?

Question #21: Favorite picture of your girl k-pop bias

Soyeon from (G)I-dle’s LION photoshoot

Yeah. On the same line of artistic geniuses, here’s another one!

Known as the leader or (G)I-dle, Jeon So-Yeon is also the main rapper, center, singer and main dancer. That’s not all, though. She also writes most (if not all?) of (G)I-dles’ music. Her well-rounded talents and skills is making her the talk of the industry. I certainly feel she deserves the praise. In fact, I hope she continues down this path of recognition.

She is definitely not the first female idol to have such fierce talents but I think she’s breaking a lot of barriers here. For the future of other female kpop idols, she could possibly be paving the way!

[Here’s my original answers from the first time I did this challenge]

Not-So Daily Kpop Challenge 2019 – Part II

[30 Day K-Pop Challenge 2019]

Question #4: Who’s your ultimate k-pop girl bias?

Woohoo! Another one where my answer has changed drastically and multiple times.

First time answering this was LE from EXID because I wasn’t very familiar with many k-pop girl groups, or many other k-pop groups period.

Soyeon, leader of (G)I-dle

Since then, I’ve changed to Lisa from Blackpink, to Jennie from Blackpink, to Sunmi and finally, at the moment at least, Soyeon from (G)I-dle. Though I still love Sunmi. How can one not love Sunmi?

But Soyeon is a hard one to deny. I’ve gushed over her before and I’ll gush over her again – this young lady has skills! She writes a lot of their music, carries the responsibility as leader of their group, is a killer dancer, and I encourage people to watch her facial expressions in both their music videos and live performances. Soyeon knows how to look at the camera and give her iconic snarl expression right at the right moment!

Question #5: A favorite k-pop song from your favorite guy group

As before, this one is extremely hard to answers! I broke it down to the following categories last time:

All-Time Fave: FIRE
2017 Song of the Year: MIC Drop Remix
Current Fave: Sea

To stay with the same categories, here’s my updated list:

• All-Time Fave: Dionysus
• 2018 Song of the Year: Truth Untold
• Current Fave: So What

Once again, this was not an easy question to answer. All-time favorites will change time and time again. How does one even pick an all-time favorite when new things come out all time with k-pop and one’s tastes or mood changes frequently?

I think any of BTS’ classics will remain my all-time favorites, such as FIRE, Blood Sweat and Tears and MIC Drop Remix. Dionysus, however, has earned it’s way to the top for sure!

[Here’s my original answers from the first time I did this challenge.]

Not-So Daily Kpop Challenge 2019 – Part I

[30 Day K-Pop Challenge 2019]

Okay! So this is start of my 2019’s 30 Questions K-pop Challenge. As with before, this is going to be random so lets just hope I finish it by the end of 2019!

I mentioned the last time, I would compare how my answers have changed since i did this almost two years ago. Let’s see!

Question #1 – Your favorite k-pop boy group

BTS Season’s Greetings 2020 Photoshoot

Ah, well, this one hasn’t changed at all. While I’ve picked up on many favorite boy bands since I started getting into k-pop, my favorite has not changed. Of course, BTS is still my favorite then and now. It’s been quite an amazing journey they’ve taken us on as well. When I first discovered BTS, they were not known outside of Asia and the ARMY fandom. Now, everyone and their grandparents have at least heard of them!

Where as back then I would have gotten a, what’s a BTS type response, now, three years later, they’ve won American music awards, did a speech at the UN, toured stadium (including 2 nights, sold out at Wembley), appeared on so many late night talk shows (and 2 daytime ones on Ellen), reached #1 on the Billboards multiple times, and well, the list is so long I’ve completely lost track! I’m extremely happy for all achievements by BTS as a whole and the individual members.

Question #1 – Your favorite k-pop girl group

This one is an interesting question to answer because when I first did this 30-day challenge, my knowledge of k-pop was of true amateur status. I didn’t know many groups, let alone girl groups. I was frustrated with the obvious, double-standard sexism between boy and girl groups within the k-pop industry. There were not as many bad-ass girl groups with equally bad-ass music and choreography to really grab my attention.

(G)I-dle LION music video

My first semi-favorite girl group was EXID and my first serious favorite girl group was (and to some extent, still is) Blackpink. At the moment, though, I would have to say (G)I-dle is by far my favorite.

For me, not only does (G)I-dle show their talents on many level, but I see them breaking the rules a bit. I noticed them in Latata and have been steadily following them while being impressed with each of their comebacks.

Their sound tends to show variety from comeback after comeback and song after song. Something I haven’t found as much in many groups aside from BTS. They really can dance, especially the leader, Soyeon. I watched their dance practice for Uh-Oh and was floored with how strong of a dancer Soyeon is. I have no doubt in my mind these ladies would kill any choreography given to them if, and I put an emphasis on ‘if’, given the opportunity. K-pop still has some ways to go before we see an all-female group dance circles around their male counterparts.

They are, however, under CUBE Entertainment. And we all know how CUBE managed ( or mismanaged) 4MINUTE and then the whole Hyuna and E’Dawn from Pentagon dating scandal. My hopes is they have smartened up with (G)I-dle. They’ve got themselves a really amazing group of talented women. For God’s sake, CUBE management! Wake up! Don’t f*ck up this one!

Day 3: Who’s your ultimate k-pop guy bias?

Left to Right: J-Hope, Jimin and Jungkook

LOL! This one definitely has changed drastically! I used to say Park Jimin from BTS but now, after seeing BTS live twice, it’s none other than Jung Hoseok!

Yes ’tis true, I am the category of ‘wait until you see him live’ – the J-Hope effect hit me strong after watching BTS perform the first night I went to see them. The unbelievable stage skills and strong persona emitted by J-Hope is hard to ignore. Plus the man is so talented on many levels, it’s difficult to not gravitate towards him! Well, the J-Hope stans get my point.

I think Jimin is a sweetie and still one of my favorite k-pop male dancers. But he’s almost too cute – if that makes any sense.

[Here’s my original answers from the first time I did this challenge.]