haitangkitty

I was at a music festival this Saturday and had lot of fun. Artists i saw: yullola, murrettumeri, pearly drops, grande mahogany, lust for youth and erika de casier<3 i'm super sad that i missed seda bodega because i felt really ill and had to left early. I've been having weird health issues again...

New releases:

- PinkPantheress new mixtape: love it! It's more upbeat than her previous music but i like it as much. Unfortunately the whole thing is only 20mins... fave song: illegal

- Erika de Casier new suprise album: really like it! She performed some new songs at the concert too!

- Lately into: kero kero bonito, halcali, serani poji, poison girlfriend, dream dolphin

- New ggs: i started to like kiiikiii, checked rescene and say my name

Today's releases:

- TripleS new album: <ASSEMBLE25>
I really liked the whole album. The title track "Are you alive" is really good. I'm only a casual listener but want to get into them more.

- MEOVV debut album: "EYES OPEN VVIDE"
This album only had 2 unreleased tracks. I liked them both and was suprised to find out the members(Gawon and Narin) were in the writing credits. I really like this album. I already did one gym session listening to it. The vibe is so cool and fresh, it's a lifestyle.

Next month lot of comebacks. Looking most forward to Seulrene and Enhypen(amazing concept cinema! Vampires and desire...)

Also f5ve makes me really wanna get into jpop. Back in my middle school weeb era i actually only listened to Ai Otsuka and Ayumi Hamasaki. I've been listening to AKB48 again(i think upcoming summer inspires me). Also been listening to E-girls and Happiness.

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: Kiiikiii - BTG

New music releases today i'm excited about!

Watch on YouTube

Enhypen released a new English single! It's groovy and flirtatious, i love the high notes!

I also watched EN-DRAMA, a literal y/n high school drama. It's so silly but i liked it. Enhypen is really the y/n group. I'm used to groups having more m/m fanfiction but Enhypen seems to be very girlfriend ship fandom, i'm not against that it's just different.

I've been getting into their vampire lore. The concept videos for the albums are so beautiful. I was excited to hear they have multiple manwhas, i'm gonna check them out.

I've been reading this vampire jazz bar 50's fic where all the members want Sunoo lmao but it's well written! I love the concept because it reminds me of the tv series Interview with the Vampire, which i absolutely love.
Next i really wanna read a jakehoon vampire fic i just have to find the right one.
Some day i'm gonna write my own fics for the fandom but first i want to finish my hyunlix fic.
I also yesterday wrote a Jinx(manwha) fic! The title is from 2hollis who i recently discovered and i'm obsessed(he's a vampire to me too because he looks like young Lestat). He also he released a new album "star" today.

And now my babygirl, my pookie: PinkPantheress<3

Watch on YouTube

Another artist who hasn't released a single bad song. i love this. the mv has really bridgeton vibes. i found her during covid on tiktok and i have to say even though her songs have gone viral multiple times she is still kinda underrated. she's also a kpop stan and has a really nice vibe.

I'm going to a j-core/hyperpop club tonight! I'm excited because i haven't been gone clubbing in a while.

This month especially listened to a lot of different artists. I feel so much more inspired.
alt-pop, electropop, hyperpop, shoegaze, ambient, experimental...

Namasenda - Unlimited Ammo
Hannah Diamond - Perfect Picture, Reflections
Yeule - softscars, Glitchprincess + new singles (refound them when they did soundtrack for “I Saw the TV Glow”, absolutely love their music, theyre dropping a new album next month, cyber horror landscape right up my alley, lyrics really do resonate with me)
Ichiko Aoba - Luminecent creatures (nighttime album! i cant belive im seeing her live)
Marie Davidson - City of Clowns
Blurred City Lights - Utopia, Dystopia, tenshi no inai machide
Seda Bodega - Romeo, Dennis
Erika de Casier - Essentials, Still (i love it, i also found out she composed and wrote Super Shy!!)
Pearly Drops - Call for Help
Japanese Breakfast - For Melancholy Brunettes (&sad women)
Lust for youth - All Worlds
Machine Girl - Wlfgrl (why did i only now found it im obsessed)
Yves Tumor - Safe in the Hands of Love
Japanese ambient: Hiroshi Yoshimura, Susumu Yokota (nighttime albums as well)
Eartheater ft. Shygirl - Dolphin, Shark Brain
Jackson Wang - GBAD

Lot on repeat: Gaga’s Mayhem, David Bowie, txt and enhypen discographies, hot by le sserafim, britpop and new oklou

new skz mixtape: i was suprised that there was a new release so sudden… there wasnt enough hype to build around the songs, i gotta say escape and cinema were the only ones i liked, but i do hope that hop solos stay in the europe tour bc i like all of those solos… but escape mv will live with me for a long time it was so homoerotic i obviously loved it

honestly i feel so much like myself now that i listen to more than just pop music, its been a way to distract me, someone said online that when theyre having a breakdown they dont listen to sad music but some horrible hit song over and over again and thats basically me the last 10 years (okay i do genuinely enjoy pop music but i gotta say nct127 got me through covid thats one of the reasons i cant listen to them anymore that much...reminds of my long covid mental breakdown walks when i used to replay the same songs)
Talking about nct127 i listened to Ten’s new album “Stunner”. He was my nct127 bias i remember i used to listen to his first single “Dream in a dream”. i love the new album! very fresh!
Also talking about covid i finally watched the Charli XCX covid era documentary “Charli XCX: Alone Together”. Found her during Vroom Vroom from tumblr gays around 2016. Throwback to covid times, still think about it even though it was 5 years ago because it changed my life permanently for the worse (i became a neet). The doc follows her creative process how she makes an album in 5 weeks. I'm also working on a few creative projects right now so it's inspiring.

I missed TXT Europe tour bc im too broke :( but i watched the Berlin concert live on tiktok lmao it was fun. Beomguy’s solo “Panic” is very beautiful. I'm thinking about buying a ticket for SMTOWN London i have enough time to save money! Would probably be my only chance seeing Red Velvet(partly) and WayV live!

Probably my favorite playlist atm somehow encapsulates my music taste rn (hyperop-kpop-j-core-experimental):

Current Mood: curious
Current Music: Ten - Sweet As Sin

Le sserafim - HOT

Lot of great new pop releases lately! They're saying recession pop is back. When the times get worse the music gets better?
These are the albums I've listened this week(not in a particular order):

Seulgi - Accidentally on Purpose
The visuals are great although it's not a dark concept like her first album "28 reasons", which is one of my favorite albums ever. Unfortunately I had higher hopes for "Baby not Baby". The rest of the album is classical Red Velvet style rnb which I of course love. Favorite song: Whatever

Le sserafim - HOT
Loved this album! It's both groovy and emotional. Completely new vibe but their core message about inner strenght is the same.
Ash is a masterpiece, it made me cry. All the songs stand out strongly on their own. It's crazy how they're about the same things I've been writing about: transformation, self-destruction, loving something so much it burns, desire that is destructive, rebirth. Album really resonated with me and I feel like it was made for me.

Jennie - Ruby
It girl music truly. A very confident, cool, and coherent album. "Like Jennie" and "ExtraL" are on constant repeat. I understand why it's popular but I feel like i'm not the target audience.

Lisa - Alter Ego
I really liked the pre-releases New Woman ft. Rosalia and Born Again ft. Raye and Doja Cat. The album does match Lisa's vibe really well: energetic, international, confident, sexy. I was excited for the Megan thee Stallion collab("Rapunzel") but i just couldn't get into a song about flexing how much money they have. And the album has that sort of vibe overall. It's unfortunate because I was excited for this album.

Rebecca Black - Salvation
She is already an internet legend for "Friday". Niche group of gays have been telling she makes great music and that she's a great DJ. So I decided to check her new album and really liked it. It's a very citrusy album. I've been into hyperpop lately so it's a perfect album for me. "Sugar Water Cyanide" is a bop!

Olly Alexander - Polari
I've listened to the band he was part of(Years&Years) before. His performance in the series "It's A Sin" was amazing, so I got intrested in his solo career. The title "Polari" refers to a secret gay slang that was used in the UK. The album is really groovy, it has that 80's vibe, which I love!

Lady Gaga - Mayhem
I can't believe the old Gaga is back. Although I really liked Art Pop and Chromatica but they're unfortunately underrated. I'm not a super fan but I've always liked her music. Abracadabra is so catchy it's one of the best pop songs i've heard in a while. This album lives up to the hype. It's simply a great pop album. Killah might be my favorite it reminds me of a David Bowie song

Singles (i love both of these artists very much:)
f5ve - Magic Clock (perfect spring song! their album drops 5.5.25 and i pre-ordered the vinyl and some merch<3)
The Deep - Make Up (super cute gyaru themed MV!)

Current Mood: energetic
Current Music: Lady Gaga - Abracadabra

I saw Taemin live yesterday.... wow what an experience.
I had a vip pit ticket but I had been sick for few days so I kind of regretted it because I didn't have much energy to stand. The previous days I had also been doomscrolling and thinking about politics and fascism and all that. But luckily the concert ended up being so amazing I completely forgot about my discomfort.

Taemin is truly an amazing artist. He got emotional several times during the concert and so did I.

I still can't believe I saw him close with my own eyes! It felt so unreal that I'm still processing the concert. I actually couldn't sleep after the concert because I was so overwhelmed.

I listened to Taemin and SHINee a lot during covid when I was really sad and isolated.
I've talked earlier on my blog about combatting depression and the feelings of indifference and meaningless that comes with it. Having an emotional experiece always feels so groundbreaking to me. I feel so grateful. I can't believe I'm alive.

Current Mood: awake
Current Music: SHINee - Y Si Fuera Ella

Favorite albums this month: Voice Actor,Squu - Lust1, Oklou - choke enough, Hyukoh, Sunset Boulevard - AAA, Eartheater - Powders

By new music I don't only mean new releases but exploring artists new to me. I've been looking into what's popular with the gays on xhs and going through playlists on Spotify. I really like all genres but I guess I've been more into experimental pop lately.

Some new artist I've mostly listened this month: Hyukoh, Sunset boulevard, the Marias, Eartheater, Seda Bodega, Oklou, Voice Actor, Nala Sinephro

I started doing the 20 albums that have influenced me challenge on Bluesky. I've been going through my old favorites. I've been listening lot of dreampop and shoegaze again. I realized that I can't listen to Tame Impala or the Arctic Monkeys anymore, they remind me too much of my teenage angst.

This month's theme for me is nostalgia.
I've been thinking and writing a lot about my teenage years. Lot of those albums have been very inspirational and emotional experiences. I had a more diverse music taste back then. What have I listened to in my 20's? Pop mostly, and Lana Del Rey and Mitski... I do love their music but I have listened to the same songs a thousand times. Listening to A.G.Cook has really scratched my brain in the right way so I 've been listening to artists from his label PC Music.

These past few months I've gotten into the habit of listening to Wave to Earth before going to sleep. I've listened to their discography so many times I thought I need to find new music so I don't get bored of them. They are also touring in Europe in few months and I'd love to go but I'm not sure If I can afford it, the tickets are cheap but flight tickets are nowadays so expensive.

Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre were also on my top 20 albums, so I searched for more ambient/cinematic/synth/classical electro artists. I have a new playlist perfect for sleeping and writing my scifi story.

Kpop: I said I won't tune in with any new groups since there are members born in 2010 and I can't process that. But ofc I had to check out their debut songs:

KiiiKiii: marketing/visuals/graphic design right up my alley, they do stand out, but their two released songs didn’t live up to the hype of the visuals

hearts2hearts: i found out FLO produced their debut song “The Chase”, so i had to check it out, it wasn't the strongest debut song but i did like it. SM girl groups are elite so i'm sure i will end up listening to them when they drop more music.

I doubt I will become a fan of either one but it’s exciting to check out new concepts. MEOVV is the only new 5th gen girl group I’m invested in.

I liked Jennie's collab song with Doechii, they unexceptedly matched each other really well on their song "ExtraL".
My kpop prediction for 2025 came true: Tyla is collabing with a kpop artist: Lisa! (Megan thee Stallion also!). My 13yo cousin is a big BP fan so it's fun to watch her being excited about their success.

But my most listened artists this month were actually TXT and &team, i feel like the same with Enhypen and Newjeans their songs are really chill and replayable. Hybe knows what they're doing.

I'm seeing Taemin live next week! I'm super excited especially because I got a VIP ticket! I'm going there alone but the day before I'm meeting with some shawols for kbbq so I'm excited to get to know other fans as well :) I remember seeing Taemin's Drip Drop MV when it dropped in... 2016(that was 9 years ago and not 5 years ago?) and being super impressed by him. I obviously had listened to SHINee before but I wasn't a fan like I was with EXO. I actually started dance lessons again because i really got into Taemin and SHINee (but then dance classes were cancelled bc of covid ;_; but i recently started again!)

Current Mood: curious
Current Music: oklou, bladee - take me by the hand

This week I hardly used tiktok and instead focused on my own projects. I've been doing a lot of writing and researching. I feel like I'm getting my creative groove back slowly.

I also started watching a few series:

Call Me by No Name (GL)
Japanese, 7+ episodes (airing), Gagaoolala

I've liked every Japanese GL I've watched. Overall j-dramas usually have that delicate and angsty slice-of-life vibe I really like. So this was obviously my first on the watchlist when I heard there was a new Japanese GL. The relationship in this drama has the tropes of first love and moving in together immediately. It's obsessive, weird, mysterious. I really like it. I think I will post a full review once the season is finished.

XO, Kitty
American, 2 seasons, Netflix

Perfect series for a kpop fan. I didn't know this was part of the To All The Boys I've Loved Before - world.
I haven't watched an American teen show for a long time(I think Never have I ever is the last one), but nowadays they're more diverse and have more interesting concepts I can relive my teenage years while watching them :D I watch so much serious and dark stuff I had been looking for something fun to watch for a long time and this was a perfect series for it. I felt like a teengirl watching this series it's so cute. This was the first series I've bingewatched for a long time.

Ofc I have thousand other series on my watchlist. There's so many new Thai GLs, I haven't even checked the new Freenbecky series and film yet... or Petrichor. I think next I'm gonna finish the BL the Heart Killers since I've already watched half of it and it's really entertaining.

From Thai GL's i'm definitely gonna tune into the mafia(The Dragon House) and prison(Clairbell) ones. They are my favorite BL genres as well, and I loved Orange is the new black and mafia films. They are such masculine genres I'm really excited that there are women-centric versions as well.

Next I'm gonna start watching S2 of Fragrance of the First Flower (Taiwanese GL). I really liked the first season.

'
I also started watching another survival show: &AUDITION where &TEAM was formed. I'm so glad some people who were eliminated on i-land were able to debut on this team. The survival show is not as brutal and the style of it is a bit different, more like a documentary, I think it's primarly made for a Japanese audience. I've been listening to &team discography for the past few weeks and really enjoy their music. I still don't have a bias but at the moment I'm most drawn to Harua because he is so cute.

On Kpop news, I'm really excited for Le sserafim's and Seulgi's combacks next month!

The trailer for Le sserafim's HOT is amazing I got emotional watching it:

Watch on YouTube

I'm so obsessed with Chaewon's outfit she looks so cool and sexy😳

Hyunjin was live on ig yesterday and showed his very aesthetic room.
This is the vibe I want in my life:

I only recently found out about Fandom Trumps Hate. I'm not participating as a writer (i can barely write my own fics), but there are many kpop ships i'm thinking about bidding on. The money goes to charities and i feel like this is something really important that is needed now.

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: TXT - Anti-Romantic

Favorite new album of the month: Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay

Inspired by last year's Spotify wrapped I've decided to find more new music to listen to. I posted earlier this month about some of the new music I've been into lately.

This month I've listened to a lot of Charli-adjacent music (brat is still on repeat every week): Magdalena Bay, Japanese House, Caroline Polacheck, A.G cook.
Thanks to tiktok I found Lexie Liu!
Rap: Tyler the creator, Megan thee stallion, and Doechii new albums. All really good
New genres: Detroit House and Korean RnB
I finally got Irene’s debut album i ordered few months ago. The visuals are one of the best I’ve seen(like with Red Velvet always). It’s a comfort album about growth and personal discovery and self-love. I’m very much aligned with the album. I’ve been also listening more to Red Velvet again and remembered why they’re my number one girl group forever. I’m excited for Red Velvet 10th anniversary concert film next month and also for Seulgi’s 2nd solo album!
I also listened to Ethel Cain's and FKA twigs' new albums and reviewed them

I really liked No Doubt MV! I feel like I've seen more office themed mvs lately(Eusexua and Viola) but I really like it and actually office romance is one of my favorite genres :D

I really got into ENHYPEN this month.Although I absolutely cannot afford to have other groups to stan so I try to stay a casual fan. But I ended up watching their survival show I-land (i will post about it later). I really like the romantic vampire concept and the members seem really sweet.
I also recently found(ahem tiktok) new j-pop group &team which is also under HYBE and many of the contestants were in i-land.

Honorable new song mentions:
Kim Wan-Sun & Seulgi - Lucky
Min Jiwoon - Sentimental Love
IVE - Rebel Hearts

Another MV I really liked:

Watch on YouTube

It's a simple MV but I really love the found footage + online aesthetics. A.G. Cook produced this song! I played UFO a lot during last October when it dropped. I watched a lot of horror films and so the song reminds me of those and that's why I feel like the horror theme of the remix mv is perfect. I've been obsessed with f5ve since last summer when Underground dropped. I feel like I'm their perfect target audience because I like kpop,jpop and hyperpop (+ I'm gay and chronically online like their very active social media manager on twitter who divides opinions). I really look forward to them releasing an album and hopefully touring in Europe.

Current Music: Lexie Liu - dance dance

Few new songs dropped yesterday I was waiting for and neither of them dissapointed me:

Watch on YouTube

This song is such a bop! It has been on repeat. I really like it i just wished there would have been a music video. I've been getting more into ENHYPEN and their romantic vampire concept and I feel like even though this is a feature the song fits them well.

Watch on YouTube

A very calm and comforting existential song. I really liked it. Yunjin is so talented and I'm happy we are able to see her own personal creativity as well.

Le sserafim's CRAZY is still trending! I lived in a kpop bubble i hadn't realized it had gone viral outside kpop fans as well. My brother found out about the song because it was going viral with some gamer boys :D He also got into Bigbang because he really liked Squid Game S2 (I still haven't watched it, first season was stressful enought). I've been watching the K-drama Mr. Plankton and I've really enjoyed it so far. I will post a review when I've finished it.

My two different personalities

Spotify wrapped is here! In total I listened music to 40k minutes this year.

My top artists were:
1. NewJeans (suprise!)
2. Charli XCX (I thought she was gonna be number 1)
3. LE SSERAFIM ( i knew they were gonna be in my top5, my new favorite group)
4. PinkPantheress (also a suprise! i think the features in Le sserafim's Crazy and Troye Sivan's Rush might explain because I listened to them a lot)
5. Unloved (big suprise, this is basically one album from the Killing Eve soundstrack and has been on my top artist list for years)

I was also 0,5% most active listener of NewJeans! I was suprised. I love them but I had no idea I had listened to them so much. I feel like both NewJeans and PinkPantheress make a type of chill music that is just very pleasing to my ears and i can replay their songs thousands of times without getting bored. Supernatural might be my favorite song of the year. Now that it's confirmed that NewJeans leaves HYBE, I hope they find safety and success in a new better company.

Around last spring I started listening music much more and I have said it here before but during summer I got into kpop again in a way I've never been into. I also found jpop(Morning Musume was my number 1 on soundcloud wrapped). One part of me wishes I had listened more other genres than kpop. Indie and dreampop used to be my most listened genres, but I feel like I've needed pop music these past months when I've been feeling down(although Slowdive and Cocteau Twins did make to my most listened songs list). Even though "brat" has been a viral tiktok album and the album of the year, I've been a listener of Charli since Vroom Vroom. I've changed a lot these past months and I feel like "brat" truly captures the energy I've had going on. I'm getting older but I'm more than ever excited about clubbing and concerts. I also went to my very first techno raves this year.

Most of my favorite kpop songs were by girl groups. I really got into IVE, LE SSERAFIM and XG this year. Only these past months I've been listening to my old SHINee, EXO, and NCT127 favorites. I also got into Stray Kids and I'm obsessing over them to the point that I bought a ticket to their concert! They make the perfect music for gym which I started recently. I'm also seeing Taemin and Charli XCX next year, which I'm really excited about.

There are a lot of popular new boy groups but I haven't had that much interest in them. Zerobaseone is the only I've listened to and I do like their music and the group seems super funny(and gay). From new girl groups I'm most excited about MEOVV although they only have 3 songs out they're super talented and beautiful. I feel like I see in them what lot of people see in Blackpink and Babymonster (an it girl/girl crush concept), except in their case I actually like their music.

All in all, music has been very important to me this year. I found a lot of new artists this year. For the first time in my life I've also allowed myself to be a full on fangirl and less shameful about my kpop interest. I watched both MAMA and MMA and I will be watching the Christmas concert SBS Gayo Daejeon.

Anyway, I'm excited for Twice's comeback tomorrow and Stray Kids comeback next week!

Yesterday Irene released her debut album "Like A Flower".
I've listened to the album several times already and I absolutely love it!
It's a very calming, comforting, and happy album. It also feels like it's perfectly made for me right now that I feel more like myself, focusing on my growth, and feeling happy. I ordered the album as well although I almost never buy kpop albums unless it's Red Velvet. The visuals are so stunning always and it's the case with this album as well.

Watch on YouTube

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Irene - Like A Flower

Some new music I've really enjoyed this week:

Watch on YouTube

I loved Yves' debut album "LOOP" and her second album "I Did" was just as amazing! I can see non kpop fans enjoy her music and I hope success for her!

Watch on YouTube

New music from LE SSERAFIM's upcoming Japanese album. I really loved this song and I love how it plays with astrology!

Watch on YouTube

I've only heard a couple of BIBI songs before but her new music made me more interested in her. "Derre" mv is full of sapphic vibes and BIBI's crush is played by my own girl crush Jeon Jong-Seo! I loved it so much.

I also listened to Stray Kids' new Japanese album "GIANT" and I'm waiting until I get better from my flu so I can stream it at the gym!

I'm super excited for Irene's upcoming solo in few weeks! I preordered the album and the concept photos have been incredible!

There's been lot of hatred towards LE SSERAFIM which eventually got me more interested in them. I had been a casual listener but after CRAZY I became a fearnot. Aespa used to be my favorite kpop group after Red Velvet and I had been more invested in them for years. Today I listened their 5th minialbum "Whiplash" which I enjoyed more than Armageddon(which was a dissapointmen). It was a more cohesive album but I had to admit to myself that Aespa isn't going to produce more sounds they had on their first minialbum Savage. It's hard to let go because the cyberpunk concept is one of my favorites ever and their concept photos, styling, and MVs are imo best in kpop. But i have to be honest to myself when I'm not completely on board with the music. Even though SM is not the best company I have to admit they have made my favorite kpop groups and have had the best singers.

I've had LE SSERAFIM's whole discography on repeat for a few months now. After their documentary I really got interested in them. I don't know if this is somehow parasocial for me but I feel like they are more approachable than Aespa. Especially Sakura and Yunjin are very inspiring to me. Yunjin (like Irene) got cancelled by Korean incels for reading feminist literature which i appreciate :D

I'm excited that Wendy is collabing with Jin! I've seen some armies listening and supporting her. Wendy is one of the best kpop singers but she is kinda of underrated so I'm glad she's able to have a bigger platform.

The Newjeans situation has been a mess. I'm proud of the girls doing the livestream and adressing their treatment and also for Hanni to testify on court about workplace harrassment. The girls are so young but very brave. Some people got really paranoid over the drama and thought they are going to disband which I knew won't happen because they are too successful. I really need to watch some video to know more about the conflict because I'm still a bit confused about it.

The Taeil situation was very gross especially when it came just after a second nth room case in SK was revealed. I was a big NCT fan around 2020 and I was a little bit shocked. I really have no other words than I hope that the victim gets justice and healing. I follow some South Korean feminists on twitter and they're very brave for their work which is dangerous for them because incel culture is very strong in SK.

Overall it is weird to be a kpop fan when greedy companies and misogyny are also part of it. I've never participated in fanwars because they are dumb and take energy from the real issues in the industry.

Few weeks ago I saw ARTMS live! I had so much fun and the concert went by so fast. Obviously I wished they would have been able to play more LOONA songs but just hearing Hi High at encore was enough to satisfy me. For Halloween I'm going to a kpop club night which I'm really excited about! Last time I went there it was March and since then there has been many good releases I can dance to. This time they also play songs by boy groups and I haven't listened to any new kpop boy groups (other than a few Stray Kids songs). I happily take any recommendations!

Current Music: ARTMS - Virtual Angel

LE SSERAFIM just released a new mini-album. The promo pictures were insane and I was really excited for this album and I have to say I was not dissapointed. I love voguing and the party girl -vibes this album has. The MV for the song CRAZY was really cool and I liked how they featured an actual black voguing house. I really love the concept of this album and I'm sure it will be on repeat.

My favorite part of the promos was Sakura's hair:

I've been a casual listener of LE SSERAFIM and I really like their songs even though they aren't my ult group. Lately they've been getting a lot of hate for their vocals in their Coachella performance. MJH was also on the news saying she wouldn't have debuted them so early. HYBE just released a new 5-part documentary "Make it Look Easy" on Youtube. The documentary goes backstage and shows what the idols are going through outside the performances.

Kpop has changed a lot since it went mainstream around 2016. It's so much more competetive now. There are lot more fans now but unfortunately that means there are many haters as well.

As someone who went to drama high school I've always been thinking a lot about passion, discipline, talent, criticism, competition etc. The idol industry can be very brutal but I was happy to see that the girls have each other for comfort. The members get very honest about the pressure and happiness. My own time at drama school was also very intense and emotional.

What the documentary obviously doesn't go into is what kind of pressure their company is putting them trough. HYBE is going through a scandal right now and they are debuting new groups in a fast schedule so one can imagine how much it's all about bussiness and how it affects the idols. But that is the case with all kpop companies which are all in competition against each other. This documentary could also work as crisis communication/marketing against all the hate they got after Coachella. The documentary did a good job portraying the idols as people and not as this perfect machines but not in an exploitative manner.

It was a very motivational documentary in the end. It also highlighted how the idols and fans motivate each other. Kpop for me is also a source of joy and I try to stay out of the toxic parts of fandoms like fanwars and criticizing someone's looks and talent (female idols get crazy comments about their looks unfortunately). I really hope the LE SSERAFIM hatetrain gets left behind and the girls will become even more stronger.

For the past few weeks I've been obsessed with a new 7-member girl group called XG (Xtraordinary Girls). I originally thought they were a k-pop group by YG and I don't like most of their music so I didn't look into it. But turns out XG is a japanese based group and all the members are japanese but sing in English and live/practise in South-Korea. The members all speak English, Korean, and Japanese. They are all amazing singers and rappers. I'm amazed how talented they are. They also seem to have an amazing group dynamic. I was suprised how I liked all of their songs from rap to rnb. I'm usually not into either Western or Kpop rap, it's just not my genre but I really like XG's rapping skills combined with their girl gang theme. They've been active for two years and still haven't released an album but I'm really looking forward to it and it would be amazing to see them live some day!

Cocona who has gone viral a few times and the reason I found the band:

Red Velvet just released a new mini-album! The MV for Cosmic love was amazing, it was inspired by Midsommar and it continued the cultish aesthetic Red Velvet has.

The album is very upbeat overall, more than the previous album Chill Kill, but not in a j-pop way but in the very distinct Red Velvet way.

It's the perfect album for the summer!

Debut album of ARTMS, by former LOONA members Choerry, Heejin, Kim Lip, HaSeul and JinSoul.

First of all I absolutely love the visuals of this album and the title MV "Virtual Angel". The visuals remind me of Petra Collins' photography.

The songs don't remind too much of the old LOONA sound it's more of an updated radio-friendly music. I would say it kind of goes into the same category of NewJeans and ILLIT with the chill vibe of the songs. Perfect for vlogs and cafe background.
The album has a very coherent sound and the only con is that lot of the songs don't stand out (except for Birth). There were no party bops but on the other hand it isn't the concept.

Overall, a chill good feel album.

Favorite songs: Virtual Angel, The Hitchhiker's guide to Galaxy, Air, Distress

8/10

I also just found out that they're coming to my city during a tour next autumn so I will definetely go see them live!

Supernova
Love the scifi/videogame vibe with this song, it's quite heavy and that's why i don't really listen to it on repeat, it's a bit experimental to me

Armageddon
Similar concept to Supernova but I like it better. It's catchier and sounds a bit like a better version of a Blackpink song

Set The Tone
Getting girlboss vibes from this, just like Supernova and Armageddon it has a strong feeling

Mine
Not particulary impressed, also a heavy song

Licorice
This and Armageddon are my favorite songs on the album. the MV is my favorite. Reminds me of Salty and Sweet. More upbeat than previous songs

BAHAMA
Nice summer song, definetely stands out as a song from this album

Long Chat
Also a happy upbeat song, okayish song

Prologue
Not many feelings about this song, not remarkable to me

Live My Life
Love how this sounds like an anime opening

Melody
Not a fan of ballads, this sounds like from a kdrama romance montage.

Overall review:First 4 songs of the album are heavier with the original aespa scifi concept that reminds of their first hits like Black Mamba, Next Level, and Girls. The rest of the 6 songs on the album are a completely different tone. The album doesn't have one coherent concept/sound, and not all albums have to be, but it's just what I prefer. There were a few filler songs that didn't impress me. I definetely prefer Aespa's previous mjni albums Savage and Girls as whole concepts but this album had great hits like Armageddon, Licorice and Bahama.

8/10

Watch on YouTube

Aespa is my absolute favorite kpop band besides Red Velvet. It has the best concept, best visuals, song, talent overall. Last month I went to see Aespa World Tour Concert in the cinemas and it was so much fun. I doubt that I'll have enough money to go to their concerts anytime soon so it was nice to see the girls on the big screen. In the film they hinted that they were going to go back to the original scifi concept (after the hits Spicy, Better Things and Drama) and I'm so excited for the new album Armageddon. Supernova is a great song! It's catchy and original .

My favorite parts of the MV:
This Diesel dress

This style was also used in Supernova promos:

Pyromancer Ningning

Overall I'm proud of the girls! I love that Aespa has actual talent and their own distinct style that don't follow trends.

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BL and GL stuff

Entries tagged with kpop

I been that girl

I do this all because you're my superstar

New Music March

Album reviews: Pop Extravaganza

I'll show you heaven

February in New Music

Weekly update

New Music January

New Music

My Year in Music

Irene's debut!

New music

Kpop thoughts

Album review: CRAZY by LE SSERAFIM

LE SSERAFIM documentary

New obsession: XG

Album review: Cosmic by Red Velvet

Album review: Dall by ARTMS

Album review: Aespa - Armageddon

aespa - Supernova

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