August 2023 Directory
Links to all of the articles and podcast episodes I released last month!
The Best New Music
The Top 100 Albums of 2023 So Far
Part One: Numbers 100-75
Part Two: Numbers 74-51
Part Three: Numbers 50-26
Part Four: Numbers 25-1
Honorable Mentions (paywalled)
The Top 150 Songs of 2023 So Far
Honorable Mentions (paywalled)
The Top 50 K-Pop Music Videos of 2023 So Far
Part One: Numbers 50-26
Part Two: Numbers 25-1
Honorable Mentions (paywalled)
Listeners’/Readers’ Choices!
Voting is now open for K-Pop Song of the Summer and Show of the Summer!
Here are my top twenty picks for the best new releases of July 2023!
Stream the episode on Spotify here!
Stream the episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream the episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
Here are my top twenty picks for the best new releases of August 2023!
Stream the episode on Spotify here!
Stream the episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream the episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
On 17 Carat K-Pop
aespa’s “SYNK : HYPER LINE” Concert Review & Misc. Headlines: After sharing the highlights and lowlights of aespa’s Chicago tour stop, I covered new twists in the FIFTY FIFTY agency drama, a disappointing fandom name announcement, interesting details about 2024 from HYBE’s latest press conference, a peek behind the curtain into JUN’s creative process, and more K-pop updates!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
Best New Music: Girl Group Special!: I reviewed many girl groups’ great new releases: NewJeans, ITZY, NiziU, ODD EYE CIRCLE, MISAMO, and KISS OF LIFE!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
Golden Age (NCT Talk, Vol. 19): After reviewing each song on the NCT 2023 album Golden Age, I shared TONS of theories about hidden messages in the “Golden Age” music video and in the album’s teasers! I also shared interesting anecdotes about the famous Beethoven piece that inspired the song “Golden Age”!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
ISTJ (NCT Talk, Vol. 18): I decoded the “7 DREAM Production : Stranger Seven” short film, connected NCT DREAM’s latest video story developments to the larger “SMCU” storyline, and reviewed ISTJ track by track!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
Jam Jam(boree): Although this year’s World Scout Jamboree was filled with problems, there were also moments when South Korean businesses and places of worship stepped up and tried to still give scouts special memories. In this episode, I covered both the highs and lows of this year’s Jamboree and its K-pop concert finale. Then, I covered some other recent news stories: suppression of a documentary, some SEVENTEEN updates, and more.
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
ASAPpeal: I covered some twists in different legal sagas, a fake HYBE employee’s sentencing, new K-pop concert movies, a big moment in J-pop fan-meeting history, BLACKPINK updates, NewJeans’ latest feats, and more of the latest headlines from the worlds of K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
On Enthusiasts
Astroworld: The Investigation: A grand jury recently decided not to pursue criminal charges against anyone affiliated with the 2021 Astroworld Tragedy. Since then, over 1,200 pages from the crowd-crush investigation have been made public: 911 calls, interviews, emails, text exchanges, and more. The documents form a timeline that starts months before the Travis-Scott-hosted event, goes through the minute details of what unfolded that tragic night, and describes the varied reactions afterwards from the companies and people fearing legal consequences. I poured over these documents (yes, all of them!), and I shared the most revealing excerpts: insights into who should have stopped the show the second the first medical emergency started, why it took so long to stop the concert, what red flags were raised during the festival construction process, what theories the investigators ruled out, and so much more.
Stream part one on Spotify here
Stream part one on Apple Podcasts here
Stream part one on Anchor or another streaming service here
Stream part two on Spotify here
Stream part two on Apple Podcasts here
Stream part two on Anchor or another streaming service here
My Writing
n.SSign: “We want to become a group that grows and continuously develops with our fans”
Making Sense of NewJeans’s New Videos
aespa Concert Review: Surprising, Spectacular Sights
IT’S Makes Music on Her Own Terms
“It's like a video game that breaks through levels and logs into the world of Gen Z!”: 77Ke on His New Album
The Week in Review: August 12, 2023 (PAYWALL REMOVED!)
More Pictures from aespa’s “SYNK : HYPER LINE” Tour! (paywalled)
Sources and Further Reading
Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS
Interesting facts about some of the locations featured in NCT’s teaser pictures
An analysis of Beethoven’s Sonata Pathétique
The interesting relationship between Beethoven, Prince Lichnowsky, and Mozart
Coverage of 2023’s World Scout Jamboree and the people who still had a blast during it!
The op-ed I mentioned in the episode about the Jamboree and the reactions to the event’s alleged mismanagement
L'Amour et Psyché by François-Édouard Picot
Where to read about Cupid and Psyche
Background information about Luminate’s surveying of K-pop listeners
Updates on Steve Yoo’s visa case
The candidate pledging to bring BTS to Mexico
“Man Sentenced To Prison For Pretending To Be A BTS Member To Steal Unreleased Music”
An open-secret scandal getting renewed attention