July 2023 Directory
All the articles and podcast episodes released last month!
On 17 Carat K-Pop
BTS Book Recap: Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS is so jam-packed with interesting anecdotes about BTS and big-picture insights into the world of K-pop overall that it deserves a two-part recap! In this first part, I cover Big Hit Entertainment’s humble beginnings, BTS’s early-career rap feuds, an uncharacteristic outburst from “Mr. Bang,” the context behind some make-or-break live performances, and other pivotal moments in the timeline of BTS.
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
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BTS Book Recap (Part 2): In this second part, I share the backstories for specific BTS songs, touching moments when the members showed their true brotherhood, what went through members’ minds as they debated contract renewals, and much more.
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Best K-Pop Videos of 2023 So Far: My picks for the 50 greatest K-pop music videos of the year so far, revealed in the form of a guessing game!
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Best Albums of 2023 So Far: My picks for the best K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop albums of the year so far!
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Best New Music: June 2023: My ranking and review of the twenty best new K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and T-pop releases!
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The ODD EYE CIRCLEs in Your Favor: I recap TWICE’s Chicago concert, break down FIFTY FIFTY’s agency problems, preview upcoming movies and TV shows that K-pop fans should know about, and cover many more of the latest headlines!
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On Enthusiasts
Maureen Ryan on TV’s Evolution, The Writers Strike, and “A Call for Change in Hollywood”: My conversation with Maureen “Mo” Ryan, author of Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood. Mo describes what it has been like to watch streaming change everything about TV show creation, to witness multiple writers strikes over the years, to see Hollywood enable concerning behaviors and attitudes, and to envision what a better culture could look like after real systemic change.
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
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The Wizard of Oz: How did an FBI sting operation lead to retrieving Dorothy’s stolen ruby slippers? How did Oz fan clubs go from the homes of teenagers to massive, globally-attended festivities? Overall, what has led both thieves and hardcore The Wizard of Oz fans to deem the story valuable, in every meaning of the word? Since earnest fans have kept fan clubs, newsletters, and conventions going to this day, and a money-motivated memorabilia market also remains alive and well, both types of people interested in The Wizard of Oz play a role in cementing the story’s legacy. In this episode, I explain how and why that happened.
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Catch up on past episodes of Enthusiasts here!
My Writing
The Best Albums of 2023 So Far, Part 4 (the top 25)
The Best Albums of 2023 So Far, Part 3 (numbers 50-26)
The Best Albums of 2023 So Far, Part 2 (numbers 74-51)
The Best Albums of 2023 So Far, Part 1 (numbers 100-75)
Ashatree on Their Name, Cover Art, and Interests Besides Music
A Guide to DARK MOON : THE BLOOD ALTAR (paywalled)
A Guide to DARK MOON : THE BLOOD ALTAR (Part Two) (paywalled)
The SEVENTEEN Files, Ch. 8 (paywalled)
Sources and Further Reading
Burn It Down: Power, Complicity, and a Call for Change in Hollywood by Maureen Ryan
Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS by Myeongseok Kang
A behind-the-scenes interview about the making of BTS’s book
A study that named The Wizard of Oz the most influential film of all time
About those stolen ruby slippers and the missing Dorothy dress
The legacy of the ruby slippers
One of the priciest auctions of Oz memorabilia
Oconomowoc’s connection to The Wizard of Oz
About the Wizard of Oz Museum, conventions, and other places, online and off, where fans gather
About a fan-run Oz newsletter with a decades-long run
One of the world’s most prolific Oz merchandise collectors
Overall explanations for why The Wizard of Oz became and remains so beloved
The first Garland Estate-approved production about Judy Garland’s life
The popularity of Korean-language content on Netflix
Plans for a “K-pop high school” to open in Busan