Misc Kpop & NCT for Keeps

 I studied a little and listened to a whole lot of kpop today. I had to fix someone's computer and install a bunch of software on it, so I basically spun in a chair and listened to music for several hours while practicing my vocab.

New Songs

So here is a list of the songs that I added to my temporary playlist. Basically, they stood out in the playlist I was listening to... but who knows if they'll stand out with my other music.

1. SuperM - "Tiger Inside"
2. Super Junior - "B.A.D."
3. Jessi - "NUNA NANA"
4. Kard - "Gunshot"

These were the random ones that caught my attention out of maybe 20 or so songs. After that, I switched over to NCT for a while. And then, Stray Kids.

NCT

I've decided that I'm an outright fan of NCT at this point. I need to go through and learn everyone's names and check out their albums and whatnot, but they have enough good songs to warrant "fandom". Today's new surprises:

This song is dope! Like, musically, "Good Thing" is one of the better kpop songs I've heard. This one has some 80's funk vibes but also strangely reminds me of Kid Koala (an awesome DJ). Instantly hooked!

"Puzzle Pieces" was a shocker for me. It snuck up on me while I wasn't paying attention. I generally skip slow tracks and ballads. That's just not at all what I'm listening to kpop for. With ballads, I'd rather heard some straight soul/R&B/jazz... something less cutesy.

That said, I was working on something and didn't skip it. It crept into my awareness, and I figured that it sounded decent enough to leave for a while. About halfway through, I added it to my actual playlist. The words are a bit... obvious and cheesy. The singing is fine but not crazy. It has a nice vibe... very mellow. We will see if it sticks.

Any recommendations for groups with a similar sound? I'd happily check them out!

Stray Kids

I have heard some Stray Kids in passing. I knew they were rap heavy, since the recommendations I'd seen indicated as much. However, I was really there for the dancing. They're great dancers. 

Anyway, I've heard some Stray Kids, and the music was decent for sure... but I wasn't paying as much attention to the music as the dancing. Today, I was listening to audio. And, surprise surprise, they made my playlist.

"Back Door" appeared in the mixed playlist, and I added it pretty fast. "God's Menu" was the next one. Not wild about the title (atheist over here), but I like the energy. "Hellevator" was added too, but I'm sure I've heard it before.

The shocking ones:

"Sunshine"... this slow groove is one of the best Stray Kids song I've heard thus far. Man, it is going to be in heavy rotation for a while. It's a straight R&B vibe... definite late-90's feel to it. I could do without the autotune, but hey, still a good track.

The other song that was a surprise was "Another Day". Acoustic guitar? Interesting. I added it to my playlist, but I'm not sure it will stay there. We will see.

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes (Still)

Tonight, I'm going to watch the rest of The Smile Has Left Your Eyes, if I have time. I think I have 3, almost 4 episodes left. It's a tall order, since I'm getting a really late start.

The show has been good thus far, though I'm pretty sure I figured out the "twist" ages ago. Time will tell. I like that the romance is actually pretty goofy rather than faux-deep and emotional. The above scene was cheesy... the characters were laughing and playing around. It's better than the ultra-sexy scenes that come of stilted for sure.

I also am really enjoying the interesting shots and camera angles. There is always something visually interesting going on. The shots in the jail were cool, and I still love all the cityscapes.

Today

As for my Korean language practice, I've had better days and worse days. The one good thing about kpop ballads and slower tracks is that I can practice my listening skills a bit. I recognized quite a few lines while delving into those playlists

• 100+ vocabulary words revisited
• Practiced conjugating ㄷirregulars
• Practiced speaking aloud with conjugations and lots of vocab

I still need to choose a language exchange app/site and give conversation a real go. It's not that I'm uncomfortable with it... and I'm certainly NOT shy at all. But I don't want to waste time on an app that's basically "language focused" Tinder.

Tomorrow

I'm going to try to practice the other irregular conjugations a bit. Maybe start the next lesson's vocabulary list. Plus, I think I might try to finish out the lesson if I can... there are three more irregular verb types to get through. 

파이팅!