On 17 Carat K-Pop
The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION Study Guide: The original story about “making a deal with the devil,” the adventures of a boy who could never grow up, and TXT’s music video storyline have MUCH more in common than it sounds! From specific symbols to abstract themes, these three stories share surprisingly similar messages about temptation, maturity, the messy process of finding oneself, struggling to see in shades of gray, and so much more. When all three stories combine, as they do for TXT’s “Name Chapter” era, the narrative power and resonance know no bounds! This deep dive not only clarifies what TXT’s musical world is really all about, but the profound reasons for incorporating folklore about the devil and Peter Pan into it.
Part one: a guide to Faust, Mephistopheles, and the variations in the tellings of the “selling one’s soul” story. Part two: a breakdown of the (unexpectedly dark) origin story of Peter Pan’s adventures and an explanation of Neverland’s true symbolism. Part three: an explainer as to how these stories relate to both each other and TXT’s music video universe.
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Also try “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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Best of 2022: Listeners’ Choice!: In the first half of this episode, I reveal the survey results from the show’s newsletter about the best in K-pop in 2022! In the second half, I share 27 predictions about the K-pop industry in 2023 - and throw in some “manifesting into existence,” less-likely predictions too!
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All Things NewJeans: I break down the ten reasons why K-pop girl group NewJeans has become such a massive success already, predict how they will inspire new K-pop trends, and share my theories about the meaning of their music videos!
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NCT 127’s “The Link” in Chicago Recap (NCT Talk, Vol. 16): After sharing the highs and lows of NCT 127's Chicago concert, I open up about the unique ways I process music as an autistic listener, how NCT 127's music affects me on a deeply personal level, and what it felt like to finally see this meaningful discography to me come to life!
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SMTOWN 2023 Concert Review: After going over seventeen buzz-worthy aspects of the SM Entertainment New Year's Eve concert, I compare and contrast the show to those of previous years and read between the lines regarding what message the company sends with this show every year.
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My Writing
P1Harmony’s “P1ONEER” Chicago Concert Review
Jaurim Celebrate 25 Years Together
12 Things to Know About P1Harmony’s “P1ustage H : P1ONEER” Tour!
NCT 127’s “The Link” Chicago Concert Review
The 10 Best Things About SMTOWN’s 2023 NYE Concert
Honorable Mentions: Best K-Pop Music Videos of 2022 (partially paywalled)
Honorable Mentions: Best Songs of 2022 (paywalled)
How I Made My “Best of 2022” Lists (paywalled)
REVEALED: The Most Popular Episodes of 2022 (paywalled)
A “Cheat Sheet” for My Latest TXT-Themed Episode! (paywalled)
Sources and Further Reading
Some more digging into what happened with Pollen and its events (which I talked about here!)
Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to be involved in the Hallyu wave
An interview with IVE’s manager that shines a light on what makes them so successful
Interesting history about South Korea’s historic reforestation efforts
The books about sustainability mentioned during SM Entertainment’s pre-livestream forum: The Creation and The Man Who Planted Trees
Some articles about what makes NewJeans stand out
Some perspectives on the true meaning of Peter Pan
The myth of Faust and Mephistopheles
Another analysis of Faust