February 2023 Content Guide
All of my writing and podcast episodes from the past month!
The Best New Music
Check out my picks for the best of February here, and check out the corresponding podcast episode below!
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Episodes of 17 Carat K-Pop
NCT Tok(ay-)yo: Part one of this episode goes over the twists and turns in the HYBE/SM Entertainment saga since the release of the episode called “HYBEs and Lows." I then summarize what big plans SM Entertainment revealed in their "SM 3.0" video presentations. Part two is a rapid-fire roundup of miscellaneous K-pop news from throughout February!
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Guess the K-Pop Song, Vol. 2: Same game as last time, different K-pop songs to guess by the English lyrics! Give yourself half of a point every time you guess an artist's name or the song title correctly and one full point when you guess both correctly. If you play in a group, the winner is the person with the highest score at the end of the 50 rounds. No artist appears in this game more than once. Good luck!
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SO MANY New Music Recommendations!: After finishing up the “Best of January” countdown with numbers 5 - 1, I share over 70 MORE K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop recommendations!
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HYBEs and Lows: Why has there been so much confusion surrounding SM Entertainment’s leadership shake-up? Why did HYBE acquire Quality Control and become one of SM Entertainment’s largest shareholders? What do recent trends in the broader music industry, such as artists selling their catalogs, have to do with HYBE’s and SM Entertainment’s mindsets? I break down the answers to these questions and many more.
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Best New K-Pop, J-Pop, & C-Pop: Jan. 2023 and Dec. 2022!: A ranking and review of the 20 best releases of December 2022, followed by a separate ranking and review of the 20 best releases of January 2023!
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Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
Strawberry and Epik High’s Mindset: Upon closer look, the album Strawberry offers much more substance and insight than it first appears to; it is another remarkable addition to Epik High's discography. This episode covers 17 details worth reflecting on and pausing to appreciate about it, from the album cover's meaning to the most poetic lyrics!
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TXT’s Neverland: While the episode called "The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION Study Guide" breaks down the Easter eggs in TXT's teaser content and sources of literary inspiration for their latest comeback, this episode analyzes the album itself. I cover the most insightful lyrics in each song, the stories told by the album as a whole, hidden symbols in the "Sugar Rush Ride" music video, and much more!
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Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
P1Harmony Concert Review & News Roundup: After recapping the highs and lows of P1Harmony’s Chicago concert, I go over lots of K-pop headlines: are HyunA and DAWN really back together? What is and is not known about BLACKPINK’s contract statuses? What changes now that Scooter Braun is the sole CEO of HYBE America? Plus: a LOONA court case update, new TV programs to watch, Fashion Month sightings, and more!
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Articles
Rosy Talks New Music, Animated Inspiration, and Resolutions
Meet Taiwanese Fusion Band A Root!
Q the trumpet’s Expansive Approach to Music
Get Ready for KIM WOO SEOK’s Comeback!
The Best New Music: January 2023
The Best End-of-2022 K-Pop, J-Pop, and C-Pop Releases
Part Two of My TXT MV Universe “Cheat Sheets”! (paywalled)
A Guide to NewJeans (paywalled, but the corresponding episode is not!)
Inside G-DRAGON’s World (paywalled, but the corresponding episode is not!)
Sources and Further Reading
About the now-defunct platform Sessions
CJ ENM’s “New Vision for the Global Entertainment Industry”
The “Pandora Papers” and implicated celebrities
Some perspectives on the true meaning of Peter Pan
My own take on Peter Pan
Why artists seem to be selling their catalogs more than they used to
Plus: I continue to update my guides to tour announcements and upcoming release dates!
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