June 2022 Episode Guide
On 17 Carat K-Pop
AB6IX Concert Review & More News: After reacting to and reviewing AB6IX’s Chicago show, I run through the latest K-pop headlines: new tour announcements, the introduction of Namjoon into the Rick Riordan universe, the surprise KCON 2022 guest, the problem with some recent comments made about BTS’s hiatus, and more.
Best Songs of 2022 So Far: The 100 best K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and T-pop songs of 2022 so far, in no particular order!
LOONAverse Talk, Ep. 6: I break down seventeen noteworthy details about LOONA's new album, Summer Special [Flip That], from potential hints about the future of the LOONAverse to the ways the new album and music video nod back to LOONA's previous eras!
Best Music Videos of 2022 So Far: A ranking of the top fifty best K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and T-pop music videos of the year so far, described in the form of a guessing game!
Thursday’s Child Has Far To Go Go: A rapid-fire rundown of all the major headlines from the past few weeks in the world of K-pop: BTS announcing a break to focus on solo pursuits, Jisoo’s candid confession, big changes to the company behind LOONA’s world tour, Grammy Award changes, and much more.
An Early BTS Anniversary Special!: In honor of their comeback and anniversary, I make the case for the ten most definitive BTS songs of all time, share my favorite quotes from BTS members, and much more!
Best New Music: May 2022: A ranking and review of the twenty best K-pop, J-pop, and T-pop releases of last month!
Luvabstract Interview: A quick Q&A with Luvabstract about his new music, his stage name, music video concepts, and more!
On How to Stan
Celebrity Trials: Those who closely follow celebrity trials fall into two main categories: diehard fans of the person on trial and opportunists who seek to make social media posts and/or merchandise using content from the proceedings. This episode looks at examples of how both types of spectators have made a scene outside of courtrooms, gained money and/or fame from their public support of stars on trial, and have overall shaped public narratives more than many realize. A wide variety of celebrity cases (and the superfans and grifters involved in them) are covered, including those of Elizabeth Holmes, Anna Delvey, Lori Loughlin, and TikTok star Cameron Herrin. Later on, particular attention is paid to the immense amount of social media content made in response to the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial, the reasons why the trial was livestreamed in the first place, and future implications of both the verdict and the social media activity surrounding the story.
My Writing
EXCLUSIVE MONSTA X Tour Content!
AB6IX Chicago Concert Coverage
The Best Music Videos of 2022 So Far (Part 1)
The Best Music Videos of 2022 So Far (Part 2)
JUNNY’s Past, Present, and Future
bugAboo’s Exciting Storytelling
Lil Bemo on His New Album and Life Since High School Rapper 4
NEWS: MCND to Make a Comeback in July!
NEWS: BEAUTYBOX Set to Make a Comeback!
NEWS: R&B Artist Jenny Lyric to Take the Stage at KTOWN Night Market
NEWS: Korean R&B songstress Nody Cika set to release a summer single, “DON’T LOSE”
The MONSTA X Music Video Universe (Part One) (Paywall REMOVED!)
The MONSTA X Music Video Universe (Part Two) (Paywalled)
Sources and Further Reading
Some breakdowns of “what it means to be TXT-esque”
TXT’s latest solo interview series:
About TXT’s ways of using fashion to tell a story
The in-depth interview with Kang Daniel I mentioned on the show
Interviews with SEVENTEEN about Face the Sun
The context behind the term “Thursday’s child”
Information about the Rick Riordan Literary Universe character named after Namjoon!
Some reading on literal killers and their legions of admirers
The Ted Bundy fan who actually married him
Women Who Love Men Who Kill by Sheila Isenberg
The Hidden Psychology of Social Networks by Joe Federer
The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule
A celebrity trial with interesting parallels to the Depp-Heard fervor
Why the O.J Simpson trial captivated so many
A description of the scene outside the courtroom when a verdict was reached against Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray
The “Holmies” who showed support during Elizabeth Holmes’s trial