October 2023 Directory
October 2023 Directory
Links to all of the podcast episodes and articles released since the start of October!
Episodes of 17 Carat K-Pop
The Star Seekers: The Ultimate Guide: My comprehensive guide to TXT’s Webtoon’s characters, plots, themes, and connections to their music video universe!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
The Name Chapter: FREEFALL and What’s Next for TXT: I share my first impressions of The Name Chapter: FREEFALL, list the Easter eggs in the “Chasing That Feeling” music video, and summarize how the “FREEFALL” chapter fits into the context of TXT’s previous eras!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
DPR IAN’s Cinematic Universe: Sometimes goofy and sometimes gruesome, but always rich with symbolism and mysterious twists, the DPR IAN Music Video Universe is unlike any other. In this episode, I celebrate its bizarre, chock-full narrative with a comprehensive story overview and guide to IAN’s alter egos!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
ENHYPEN “FATE” World Tour & Webtoon Recaps: This episode is part concert review and part Webtoon recap, during which I summarize everything worth remembering about DARK MOON: THE BLOOD ALTAR as ENHYPEN’s next era begins!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN (Seventeen Talk, Vol. 15): My guide to SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN: the music video Easter eggs, the most interesting song lyrics, and much more!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
QueenKARD: I cover a MASSIVE amount of K-pop and J-pop headlines and reveal who you all voted for in my “Song of the Summer” and “Show of the Summer” polls!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
Fact Check (NCT Talk, Vol. 20): My recaps of the “Fact Checkmate” two-part special, NCT 127’s Fact Check, the “Deities of Seoul” video, and everything else related to this era!
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: September 2023: My ranking and review of the best new Korean and Japanese releases of September!
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
The Newest Episode of Enthusiasts
Pras Michel, AI, and an Unusual Trial: As strange as Fugees member Pras Michel’s corruption trial was, featuring everything from a fugitive accomplice to Leonardo DiCaprio’s testimony, the news that came out after the verdict was even stranger: Pras Michel’s lawyer used artificial intelligence to draft his closing argument. In addition to this, Pras’s motion for a retrial includes damning descriptions of his former lawyer’s behavior that range from a preoccupation with legal troubles of his own to showing extreme ignorance towards basic legal statutes. Pras further argues that his defense was weak enough that he deserves a new trial because his lawyer has a financial interest in the AI company whose program he used, a clear conflict of interest. In this episode, I dig into the contents of both Pras’s superseding indictment and motion for a retrial. Together, they tell two surprising stories, one about a years-long illegal lobbying effort spanning multiple presidential administrations and one about a lawyer who was in over his head, took ideas from AI, and raised questions about whether AI can or should be relied on at all in the legal realm.
Stream this episode on Spotify here!
Stream this episode on Apple Podcasts here!
Stream this episode on Anchor or another streaming service here!
My Writing & Interviews
KIMSEJEONG’s and TXT’s Related Life Lessons
The Deeper Meaning Behind ENHYPEN’s Setlist
ENHYPEN’s “FATE” World Tour in Chicago Review: Seven Highlights and One Lowlight
tripleS EVOLution on Superpowers, Resilience, and Standing Out
Where DPR IAN’s Story Goes from Here
withus Discuss Their “DOKKEBI” Concept and What’s Next
Kai Takahashi is Keeping LUCKY TAPES Alive
Kisnue on Believing in Himself and Holding onto “Wonder”
Mong Tong’s Vast Array of Influences
“I have already done my job, which is to express myself”: How POPO J Found Contentment
Best New Music: September 2023
Decoding “Chasing That Feeling” and The Name Chapter: FREEFALL (partially paywalled)
A Summary of My DPR IAN MV Theories (paywalled)
Best New Music of September: Honorable Mentions (paywalled)
The Star Seekers: An Overview (Part Three) (paywalled)
Sources and Further Reading
The mythology references in The Star Seekers: Pandora’s Box, Daedalus, and Icarus
The Rain real estate fraud accusation
Bang Si-Hyuk’s Bloomberg video interview
Jennie Kim on WWD’s “50 Women in Power” list for 2023
Details about LE SSERAFIM’s historic partnership with Overwatch 2
Johnny & Associates’ announcement about splitting into two companies