Kpop music thread. Stan talent, Stan-all.

Since the Momoland concert for July was canceled, and they've been announced as a participating group in this year's KCON in LA, I've decided to see about attending KCON. I've already booked a place, and concert tickets go on sale Friday. I really hope I can get tickets. I just wish I could afford the higher end ones... backstage events, extra hi-touch events, or a private meet & greet. All for only $1,000 or $1,800!

Of course, once you buy in to all the highest of the lower tiers and all the extras, it's already over $600, and $1k doesn't seem that much more... {cough} {cough}

But some really good groups announced:

Momoland
Everglow
fromis_9
IZ*ONE
Mamamoo
Seventeen
Stray Kids
+others

And the real reason I came to post is to pass along to Tscott-- LOONA has just been announced for KCON as well! Not sure where you live or if an LA convention would even be possible for you, but I thought I'd pass it along. If nothing else, I'll try and get some good pictures or some merch I can pass along to you. Provided I get tickets. Dunno what the demand will be like.

Yeah, I saw it on Twitter. Both ReacttotheK and FormofTherapy were talking about it. Unfortunately, LA seems just about as far away from me as South Korea financially. I'd love to go but there's no way. If you make it and see them I'll be glad to view any photos you manage to take.

Ah well. Dang.

I think I read Everglow had to cancel out of kcon as they couldn't get Visas to get into U.S.

JeremyK wrote:

I think I read Everglow had to cancel out of kcon as they couldn't get Visas to get into U.S.

They were slated for KCON NY and canceled because of the VISA issues. They're now slated for KCON LA, and hopefully that'll give them enough time to sort out whatever the issues were.

Antichulius wrote:
JeremyK wrote:

I think I read Everglow had to cancel out of kcon as they couldn't get Visas to get into U.S.

They were slated for KCON NY and canceled because of the VISA issues. They're now slated for KCON LA, and hopefully that'll give them enough time to sort out whatever the issues were.

According to this they tried but failed so had to cancel LA as well.

https://www.reddit.com/r/kpop/commen...

Dang. That sucks. I hadn't heard that update yet.

So, apparently, falling down the rabbit hole of this thread has led me to some interesting news. It seems that Mina from TWICE is off the tour due to extreme anxiety to performing on stage. They seem to be getting her help and letting her rest, so it's cool that JYP is taking a mental health issue seriously.

Not that I'm a ONCE fan or anything!

Bit of a ramble, but tl;dr *I'm going to KCON*

So, KCON tickets just went up. I'm only coming here now because I finished getting mine. It was basically a ridiculous affair to get tickets. First off, there was a different waiting queue *for every tier of tickets.* So if you wanted Diamond, you had to wait for Diamond only and couldn't also try for Platinum or even regular tier tickets. Even more ridiculous because as far as I've been able to read, other years there were like 15 total Diamond tickets (compared to the 50,000+ attendees).

I wasn't trying for Diamond, but I did decide I wanted Platinum as it wasn't THAT much more than the top normal tier I would have gotten otherwise and everything I read described things that would make the experience more enjoyable for my particular temperament. I'm not all that in to crowds, and the Plat/Diam section is less crowded while still being right up close.

Then, after getting in, I had to CAPTCHA for every "no tickets available" refresh. Finally, one of my devices got in to where I could just click search over and over, with no results over and over. Finally, though, I got a ticket to pop up and snagged it. After getting and letting a regular tier time out on another device. In the end, very pricey, and all a bit stressful, but this should give me the best shot at the extras for Momoland and hopefully LOONA.

Turns out you can't pick which artists you want to see for Hi-touch, etc. You get a random assignment that you can then sell, swap, or buy to get the one(s) you want. I understand given the crowd sizes and limited numbers, but it was again a reason that I opted for Platinum as I'll have double the chance to get what I want or have ones good enough to sell/swap for what I want.

I'm a bit dumbfounded that I'm spending so much on this. Honestly, I don't think I would have, had I not mentally spent like $800 total on the canceled trip to see Momoland. That put me in a different mental space where spending a few hundred more than that on tickets alone wasn't all that far-fetched. In the end, this will be the most expensive thing I've ever done for myself, like, ever.

Maybe I really am going through a mid-life crisis and this is my new sportscar.

Congrats on getting a ticket Antichulius. I hope you have a blast!

Grenn wrote:

So, apparently, falling down the rabbit hole of this thread has led me to some interesting news. It seems that Mina from TWICE is off the tour due to extreme anxiety to performing on stage. They seem to be getting her help and letting her rest, so it's cool that JYP is taking a mental health issue seriously.

Not that I'm a ONCE fan or anything!

I can the point of view that the industry as a whole may not be the healthiest, but I got to believe that things are getting better and companies are treating their idols more and more like people, and not commodities. Glad that Mina's getting the help she needs and the company is willing to work with her. I think that the popularity of Kpop has something to do with it- as fans adore and want what's best for their favorites. If Kpop fans get the feeling that their idols are being mistreated, they're going to let the companies know it.

This is also why I love seeing Mamamoo perform songs in onesies or Loona members just goofing off on Loona TV. It shows they're able to blow off some steam and not take things too seriously from time to time.

I’m really glad to hear they’re giving Mina some time off and some help. So much of the industry side of Kpop seems like a grinder, but a ray of hope like this is great.

For all the criticism and flak that MLD gets on their handling of Momoland, one thing they’ve done is made it very clear that they value the idols health. At least half of the members have missed various promotions or concerts at one time or another for health reasons. I can only hope they also take mental health as seriously as JYP is with Mina.

I know it’s cultural more than anything, but it always hits me when I hear an idol say they will work harder for their fans. Like, I imagine these are some of the hardest-worked people and their response is so often, I will do more.

I did just finish a book called The Birth of Korean Cool that’s a good read. It’s a broad view, only half of a chapter focuses on Kpop, but it gives a good perspective on Korean culture, history, and their sudden rise the past 20-ish years. If nothing else, it put the Korean work-ethic into a frame that I get it now. It still pains me to see idols work so hard and then promise to work harder, but I get it a little bit better now.

Also, I could use some help. Before KCON, I want to get more familiar with the groups I’ve never heard or have ignored/overlooked. So if anyone has a favorite song(s) I should start with, I want to have a small primer for each group before I go.

Artist list

KCON wrote:

AB6ix
Ateez
IZ*One
LOONA
Nu’est
Oneus
SF9

Chung Ha
Fromis_9
Itzy
Mamamoo
N.Flying
Seventeen
Stray Kids
VeriVery

Antichulius wrote:

Also, I could use some help. Before KCON, I want to get more familiar with the groups I’ve never heard or have ignored/overlooked. So if anyone has a favorite song(s) I should start with, I want to have a small primer for each group before I go.

Here's my quick opinions on those I know about

IZ*One - They're new. They debuted with La Vie en Rose, and have a comeback Violetta. They haven't clicked with me- but they're very popular and seem like they could be up your alley.
LOONA - you know my answer to this one -everything
Oneus - They're new this year. Boy group. They debuted with Valkarie which was a song I really liked. Their comeback, Twilight, hasn't stuck with me however.

Chung Ha- great solo artist. Roller Coaster, Gotta Go, and Snapping are the ones to check out.
Fromis_9- really like them. I think I posted Love Bomb and their latest FUN! in this thread. I'm not too familiar with them beyond those.
Itzy - They debuted this year with Dalla Dalla and are very popular- (they're with JYP - same company as Twice). Good song. They'll also have their first comeback at the end of this month. I'm looking forward to it.
Mamamoo - Oh boy. I honestly think Mamamoo are empirically the best, most talented, group out there. Enjoy them. Currently they just completed a 4 mini-album series of the 4 seasons (4 colors)- and Starry Night, Egotistic, Wind Flower and Gogobebe are the main tracks from those.
Seventeen - Boy group. I really like their song Home. I don't know much else about them.

I just got into Mamamoo recently with Gogobebe. I was really missing out.

YUKIKA - Cherries Jubiles

Here's a lovely new song that needs attention. Music is by Monotree who do a lot of songs for LOONA and this definitely has that sort of vibe of one of the LOONA solo songs. The video combines the acoustic version and the normal version of the song so that's why it changes in the middle.

Thanks for the breakdown, Tscott. I started with IZ*ONE. I really like them. Straight up my alley is right. Also Fromis_9 is good, I've been listening to FUN after you posted and branched out since. They have some good songs, and they've now made it onto my regular rotation. Mamamoo and ITZY are next on my list.

Posting for reference for the next time I'm browsing itunes:

Nature - Some (You'll Be Mine)

(Note: they're singing "Some & Love", and not "summer love")

Pink Fantasy - Iriwa

Wut?

New GWSN (aka Girls in the Park): Red Sun

And surprise, new Mamamoo: Gleam

Fromis_9 recently presented choreography for their song Love RUMPUMPUM. I'd say there's a good chance they'll perform this song at Kcon

Here's another song I've been enjoying: Sori - I Am Not Alone

She was originally part of a duo, but is solo now. I enjoyed her song Touch last year which was a fun but sexy and mature concept. This new song is several steps up in quality.

And finally until K/DA Pop/Stars has a comeback here's HYO- Badster to hold everyone over

English version also available. This is her follow up to Punk Right Now which was discussed a few pages back.

Itzy - Icy

Really strong for their first comeback.

I'm feeling like I'm talking to myself, but...

The new Seventeen song... er... "hits" hard- and doesn't stop.

Day6 is an actual kpop band- i.e., they play their own instruments. I hadn't given them a listen before now, but I'm enjoying their newest song, Time of Our Life.

Finally, a few posts back I posted Iriwa by PinkFantasy. It featured one of the members in a rabbit suit. An untrue rumor that's going around is that they will only reveal that member's face after they have a #1 song. It probably started as a joke but as far as I know, no one's seen that member's face yet.

They came back today with a new song that's very reminiscent of Dreamcatcher. They don't bring much new to that style, but I don't dislike it, it's a lot of fun.

My Kpop playlist is up to 347 songs. I just looked back through this thread and realized how many albums I found from here, and how many I found later but were actually posted here previously.

But here's a few I'm quite enjoying that didn't show up earlier in the thread:

Taeyon's Four Seasons B-side

Dreamcatcher B-side

From a drama soundtrack

Momoland's Ahin got a solo track for a drama soundtrack

I didn't anticipate how much of a fan I'd become with Itzy's new comeback. I've declared a bias- Yeji. She's the one with the ponytail braids or two buns in her hair. And so of course, she's the only member I didn't get a random photocard from my physical CD purchases.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/4Uqxc8e.jpg)

Still, great packaging though. 2 photocards in each version, plus the pre-order bonus is a booklet that's basically what the Dalla Dalla single might have looked like if it had been a physical release complete with lots of photos from that era. Each version also came with a set of 5 postcard sized photos of each of the members,

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/eaGTZC3.jpg)

I also picked up GWSN Park in the Night Part 3. I got two photocards of Anne- which is awesome, a note from So So, a transparent fan (just add a handle) of Lena, and an envelope with a cutout of a leaf (okay?). Oh, and some temporary tatoos that will never be used.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/XcAM43M.jpg)

Icy is a great summer bop!

A few tidbits of info for upcoming releases:

Everglow have their first comeback, Hush, on Aug 19th. Really excited for this.

Sunmi will have a comeback on 27th. I don't think a title has been announced yet, but the image released with the announcement was of a butterfly (so let the Loonaverse speculation begin).

There's a show that will be airing at the end of August in South Korea called Queendom. On it, Mamamoo, (G)I-dle, Oh My Girl, Lovelyz, AOA and Park Bom all release new songs on the same day and compete in some reality show fashion to see who's #1. I'm really excited for all the new music, but a little concerned about the competition part of the show. I'm hoping it turns out to be a positive experience for all and not a show that pits fandoms against each other.

EDIT:
Red Velvet have announced the next single The ReVe Festival Day Two will be out soon- like in 8 days. No title has been given for the title track, but they're promising a "popping sparkly summer song" according to a translation of the tweet I saw on twitter.

Tscott wrote:

Red Velvet have announced the next single The ReVe Festival Day Two will be out soon- like in 8 days. No title has been given for the title track, but they're promising a "popping sparkly summer song" according to a translation of the tweet I saw on twitter.

Oooh, that sounds awesome. I didn't expect another drop from them so soon.

Antichulius wrote:

Oooh, that sounds awesome. I didn't expect another drop from them so soon.

This will be a three part project so I expect that Day 3 will be released in a similar time frame after Day 2 is released.

Oh and Red Velvet announced the name of the title track for this release. I have a feeling that it won't sit well with those who hated "Zimzalabim". The song will be called "Umpah Umpah"! As for me, I'm excited. Give more Red Velvet weirdness.

Welp, I made it to LA. All day driving today. 700+ miles, but made it. KCON, here we go!

Staying in my first Airbnb, and boy does it feel strange to enter someone’s home at 10:00 at night.

Awesome! Have fun. Be safe. Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Tell Loona hi for me if you have the chance.

Have fun, Antichulius

I had a very busy last month, so of course I feel completely out of the loop since this scene moves at such a crazy pace. I'll be using Tscott's thread spam to help me catch up. Thanks for the assist