Studied some but nothing too strenuous today. Went over the last 3 lessons for maybe 20 mins. Got it. I'll be able to study at work the next two days since they're holidays.
Who the Hell Is TOO?
Okay, so I just finished watching the first round of Road to Kingdom. As mentioned previously (The Boyz & R2K), I started watching the show for The Boyz with a bit of Verivery on the side. I didn't know Pentagon was on the show until I started it, but they were the only group already in my playlist.
So... I expected these groups to kill it. Color me shocked when TOO, the (at the time of air) brand new rookies, blew everyone else out of the water with their cover of "Rising Sun".
Their choreo was complicated, and they nailed it. But they also had more personality on stage than most of the other groups. Strangely, the other groups often seemed that they were trying way too hard. You'd think rookies would be the ones trying too hard, no?
Anyway, I'm super impressed. Of course, this wasn't their song, and I have no idea if their other songs are worth listening to... but man, they really can dance incredibly well.
WTF Pentagon?
As mentioned, I was semi-familiar with Pentagon already. I have one or two songs in my playlist that I caught on Spotify. I had never watched them perform, and to be honest, I wasn't in love with the songs in my playlist... just decent background tracks.
Still though, the introduction dance on R2K was decent. And they were together for quite some time by this point, having lost an integral member or not. So I was totally shocked that their stage just seemed... goofy? The facial expressions seemed so over-acted that it was a little cringe to be honest. The choreo seemed sloppy too.
Gimmicky as The Boyz performance was, at least it was nicely done. The difficulty level was high, but the effectiveness was not crazy impressive. Verivery's was a bit dull compared to everyone else too... but they had a clean choreo. Over all though, I was way more impressed by TOO.
My Ranking
1. TOO - This was amazing in every way. Period.
2. Golden Child - Beautifully done. The fans didn't feel gimmicky.
3. The Boyz - Super gimmicky but technically competent.
4. ONEUS - Good message, good acting, nice choreo with the desks.
5. ONF - The new arrangement was nice & it kept me entertained.
6. Verivery - Just a bit boring. Slick dancing... but just a bit dull.
7. Pentagon - Sort of embarrassing I thought. Trying way too hard.
So, my ranking is pretty different from the official results. I feel like some of it is that popularity contest syndrome. If the better known groups didn't rank high, people would think it's rigged.
But objectively, since I don't care much about any of the groups, this is where they fall for me. Verivery/Pentagon are really tied for last for opposite reasons. Verivery was boring, and Pentagon was so extra that it was foolish. Both are clearly competent performing groups but just didn't nail it.
I did really enjoy watching Hui work on the arrangement for Pentagon's cover. That was more enjoyable than the stage itself. I don't think my expectations were too high either.
I didn't study at all today because I was super hungover. I don't feel too bad though, since I studied so much yesterday. I'll do better tomorrow.
The Boyz & Road to Kingdom
A friend on Twitter (@KadieNala) recommended that I watch Road to Kingdom. It is a reality show that came out this past year. I had read about it briefly but had no reason to watch it at the time. Now though, I am interested in both The Boyz and Verivery (hella good dancers, both).
So, I started watching. But the more groups hopped into the show, the harder it was to tell everyone apart. I've got the Hangul names for all the groups down, but sometimes the subtitles are OVER the group/member names.
I decided to pause and watch a guide to The Boyz. I am going to finish the first episode today, at least. But I thought it was a good idea to get to know the members. Tomorrow, I might do the same with Verivery.
I haven't seen any of the performances from Road to Kingdom yet, but I'm pretty stoked to see some! Hopefully, they will be good. Kadie mentioned The Boyz covering Taemin. I mean, how could that NOT be awesome? Right?
The Boyz Members
I tried a few guides that were junk. Really, the memes with a bunch of other members mean nothing to non-fans or not-yet fans. I ended up using this one (which was much more helpful than most):
I've found that watching American interviews are helpful for cementing their names in my head and matching names with faces. The American interviews/shows are more likely to include their names every time a member speaks.
So after the guide, I watched a few misc things... and now I've got it. I know them all on sight and think that I know who does what. I feel like I'm getting faster and faster at learning who members are in each group not that I've figured out what works for me.
Bias not yet confirmed, though I have to say that I'm still drawn to Q... when he is dancing anyway. He seems like a goofy, nice kid. But the dancing? I caught the Mario dance in the guide and watched that too. It's slick af.
I studied quite a bit today. I'd guess that I spent about 2 hours going over some content that I feel should be cemented in my brain by now but isn't... including irregular verbs/adjectives and the more common future tense. I got used to 겠어 and just cannot make the more common way stick.
SKZ & SVT
For the past two days, I've been more invested in music than kdramas. I listened to a whole lot of Stray Kids and watched a bunch of dances. No change in biases at this point... still hung between Changbin and Felix.
I also sent my mother-in-law a short list of k-music to check out, since she had some questions about it last time we spoke. She called it a "revelation", so I believe that I chose well. I included impressive dance performances. The first on the list:
I've watched this performance many times. There is something incredibly satisfying about watching Seventeen as an entire group, but this choreo was stunning. I love it.
I still don't know any members of Seventeen, in part because I don't love any of their music yet. I haven't found any songs that I really love... don't really care. Here for the dancing for sure.
The Boyz
Also in the past two days, I've been checking out dance performances from The Boyz. I had only seen them once before (below) and was impressed by many members' dance skills. Surprisingly, I'd heard 3 songs of theirs before... though I have no idea where. They are bangers and made the play list.
I also learned a few members. Q is the first one who grabbed my attention. The combination of dance skill and charm is impressive, I suppose. But man, can these boys (boyz?) dance! I'll be checking out more for sure.
Studied a little bit at work today... but not much. I went over the three most recent lessons. I feel like I've got them down pretty well. I'll try to study more tomorrow.
NCT 2020 MAMA - From Home
Okay, so I do like the song "From Home" by NCT U. The studio version is a nicely done 90's R&B song, basically. They show off their skills, and it has a nice old school vibe.
I put off watching the award show performances because I didn't have much time. Not just NCT but all of the groups. And not just MAMA but all of the award ceremonies.
Anyway, I just got around to this performance tonight, and man... it's so good. Doyoung and Taeil in particular murdered this track. Not shocking, since they are the "main" vocalists in 127.
I know people are obsessed with Haechan and all, but honestly, Doyoung has such a pure voice and beautiful tone. His runs are amazing. And Taeil hits those high notes like a champ. Doyoung is my favorite NCT vocalist by a fair margin though. You just can't beat a gorgeous vocal tone.
This was a super enjoyable performance. I mostly stan NCT for the dancing and slick raps with vocal breaks that show real singing skill. But honestly, I think NCT vocals are only rivaled by Exo from what I've heard. Like, they're singer singers.
Jeno from NCT Dream
I've clearly been into NCT for quite a long while now, and they are easily one of my top 3 favorites. But I only really listen to NCT 127 and NCT U. Dream is... a bit cutesy? I think "Ridin'" made my playlist and not much else.
So... I hadn't really bothered to learn all their names. I know some of the names but not the face to go with it... that type of thing. Anyway, I was watching the K-Choreo 8k performance of NCT 2020 "Resonance" tonight. And there was obviously lots going on that was super fun to watch.
But what struck me the most? This blue-haired dude's dancing and attitude. Even from the super wide shot of this part of the performance! So, I had to figure out who he was:
So I caught the lines and skipped through one of those color-coded videos until I found Jeno. Once I saw his face, I was like... "Oh, that's the center from Dream, right?" He had never impressed me much before, but then... I've never been that impressed by Dream's videos in general. I'm into dance practices.
Long story short... I might have to watch some of their dance practices a bit more closely and figure out who they all are. Some snippets of their choreo... awesome. But really, this is the first time I got really caught by one of the dreamies (that wasn't Mark).
Today, I went over my last lesson and started a new one. This one was a bit more complicated, but I think I've got it down. We will see tomorrow. I picked up a tiny bit of vocab but still haven't really studied vocab in a while.
Mad Dog & Super Bromance
I've been watching this drama for a while (post: Lonely with People vs Lonely Without. I took a break to watch something a bit lighter (He Is Psychometric: posts 1 & 2), but tonight, after watching a whole lot of Got7 videos to get my fill of Park Jinyoung, I felt like getting into something a bit heavier.
Loving the turn the bromance has taken. The two are starting to understand each other more and clearly care about each other.
I think the two have also silently acknowledged how lonely the other is. They seem to be almost ready to be outright "family".
Currently (ep 10), they are living together for the time being. Sharing meals, learning about each other. It's sweet.
In its way, it's also much more satisfying than the average hetero romance we see over and over. They're becoming brothers. Plus, I legitimately love watching Woo Do-Hwan, and his character is such a vulnerable tough guy that it's impossible not to love him.
F*ck Insurance Companies
Today, what has struck me most is that this drama is hella anti-insurance companies. Like, people are getting scammed left and right. It's also a bit "down with shady big business" via the airline industry. But mostly, it's a big middle finger to insurance companies.
Not only did the company pay out a huge sum for a fake suicide, but they refused payment on tiny policies under similar circumstances. They're getting people killed. In one particularly repugnant twist, they blackmail a father by withholding a kidney transplant from a young girl. I mean... it's pretty over the top.
So, every time they stick it to the insurance company, it is enjoyable. Getting the company bad press, causing them to lose money, and just generally annoying the managers and directors... all super fun. Looking forward to seeing them crash and burn (no pun intended with the plane crash and all).
I studied some today. I went over my last lesson (from the night before last) and checked out a few new Korean Language Learning sites/systems... went through a few of their lessons. I didn't get to study yesterday because I wasn't feeling well.
Interesting Interaction in Psychometric
From my understanding, South Korea is not entirely accepting of the LGBTQ community. I mean, we aren't in the States either, but it isn't a hush-hush embarrassment either. South Korea is conservative even about simple PDA (public displays of affection), so gay PDA would be even more frowned on, yes?
The Situation
In an earlier episode of He Is Psychometric, the MC (Lee Ahn played by Park Jinyoung of Got7) is hugging his brother when a couple from their building walks up. The couple looks at them and laughs in, what I assumed to be, a displeased way. It is understood that they think the two are a gay couple.
In the current episode (ep 6), the woman from the couple sees another interaction. This time, the MC's best friend loans him a nice car. The MC jumps up, hugs his friend, and says "I love you" or something to that effect.
Later, when the MC wants to check out some books, the woman refuses. The MC asks if she has a social prejudice against him for being gay and tries to explain the misunderstanding (i.e. that they were his brother and friend).
I thought this was about to go entirely wrong at this point. It didn't bode well.
She replies that it's not a "social prejudice but a social convention" and proceeds to tell him that "two timers are unacceptable".
Surprise Acceptance of LGBTQ
I'm always surprised when a kdrama is "woke" in this way. So often, the only mentions of being gay are included with a distinct negative connotation. Here, he expects the negative connotation but doesn't get it. In a way, you could say that the stranger is actually defending and/or protecting two gay men from a cheater. This is always a welcome surprise. 🌈
Today, I studied Korean a little bit. I went over some vocab, since it had been a while since I did that. Not much otherwise though. Still too busy at work.
He Is Psychometric
This is one of the dramas I'm watching right now. I tend to like supernatural plot lines if there is something unique about the supernatural elements. Someone who can see people's worst moments in life... teamed up with someone who has terrible life moments. It is interesting.
It has been on my watchlist since the very first day that I decided to check out kdramas. To be honest, I was a bit turned off by the fact that it was an "idol drama". Usually, I feel like singers here who try to act tend to be trash at it.
Jinyoung
What bumped it to the top of the list was mostly... Jinyoung. As mentioned before, I got into Got7 during my hiatus. I like a couple songs (though not as much as Jackson Wang's solo tracks), but more than anything else... I just think they are fun and charismatic idols. My favorite pretty quickly became Jinyoung.
First, he is an interesting mix of unimpressed/quiet and excitable/cute/outgoing. Second, his vocal tone is beautiful. He has sort of a dopey look to him that is endearing as well.
I knew he was an actor. When I checked to see what he was in, I realized Psychometric was one of them. Sweet. Bumped to the near top of my list!
Emotional Depth
Another reason for finally diving into the drama: I've seen some idols appearing in other dramas. For the most part, they bring energy, comedic elements, and charm... but they have also been shockingly good at acting.
Thus far though, I feel like Jinyoung is the best I've seen. The range of feeling is pretty impressive. He can go from the goofy, quirky kid to the wounded, lonely kid in a matter of seconds.
For instance, in the above scene, he dreamt the female lead wanted to kiss him to test his powers and woke up falling out of bed. It was a funny little scene that made the impact much greater when she told him not to touch her and pushed him away after he caught her on the bus two scenes later.
The look on his face was really pitiful, to be honest. He was worried she would think he was a monster, and this action appeared to confirm that she did, in fact, think so. It seems to be a look of sadness mixed with regret.
I felt bad for the character and wanted to protect him, so clearly Jinyoung brought some vulnerability to the scene. It also brought up a common thread in shows, movies, and literature with themes of loneliness:
It is easier to remain lonely than it is to lose newfound hope of no longer being lonely.
I did study a little bit today at work. I didn't get to learn new things but practiced again the stuff I had learned. Going over it helps. No vocab either. Ugh.
Listening to Stray Kids
So, I've been listening to Stray Kids for a long time now. Like, I'm into rap, R&B, dancing, and slick tracks with lots of movement. They're not big on the R&B part... nice vocals but not the focus. Needless to say, I'm into the songs.
"Easy" somehow became my favorite. It has an amazing groove to it and is a bit more consistent with less jarring transitions than many of their other songs. It is just polished with sick rapping from Changbin. Felix also got more shine than on many tracks, so that's a win in my book.
Anyway, their songs are in heavy rotation. I dig them. I'd also seen many of the MVs. I had seen lots of dance practices before I much cared about the music. I've been watching kpop dance practices for years without listening to the songs really. I just love dancing.
Stray Kids Members
All that said, tonight, I finally buckled down and learned who all the members are and a bit more about them. I know. It's pitiful to know so many of their songs, many bits of choreo, etc... and have no idea who most of the members are. This is what I knew:
Bang Chan: Super recognizable for some reason. Leader.
Felix: Deep voice. Prettiest face by a long shot. Super good dancer.
Changbin: Sickest rapper. Amazing tone and grit in his voice.
Han: Solid rapper for sure. Super recognizable.
Hyunjin: Rapper. Visual similar to others, but the rap/dance set him apart.
Basically, I knew the main rappers... and the leader. I also tended to recognize Seungmin (unique features) but didn't know his name. To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure about most members during, say, an interview. If they weren't rapping, I didn't know who was who as much. The first three on the list. That was all I knew 100%.
Now, I easily recognize on-sight all of the members EXCEPT Lee Know. Every single time I'm like... wtf, who is that one?... it is always Lee Know. So basically, he is "the other one". I get that he is supposed to be a visual by Korean beauty standards, but there's just nothing memorable about his face for me as yet.
I also recognize Woojin and pretty much always have. He has a nice voice, and I found him quite... odd looking? Like, you know how an old person looks without their false teeth in their mouth? He has that sort of look somehow. I know, I know... don't crucify me Stay! I'm just being honest.
I think it's too early to have a bias. Felix and Changbin are definitely the most obvious contenders though. Hmmm... and Han too. But... I'm gonna say it will be Felix or Changbin. Final answer.
I practiced speaking Korean in the shower and went over yesterday's notes. I think I'm pretty good with almost everything I've been learning so far, speak-wise. So I'm ready to move to the next thing tomorrow. Maybe some vocab too.
Monsta X
So, the next group that I've enjoyed during my blog hiatus is Monsta X. I had one of their songs in my playlist, but I wasn't obsessed with the song enough to dive in. And then one day, I was watching some kpop funny moments compilation or something like that.
In the video, they had some guys on a swinging ship, as kpop groups are known to do. Some were freaking out and acting overly scared. Some were enjoying it. As expected. What wasn't expected was the most bored, unimpressed face I've ever seen.
I didn't know the context. I didn't really care about the context, but I found it amusing that he looked like he just wasn't about to play along with their cutesy fake bullshit. I mean, really... grown ass men being terrified of a ride that I thought was boring when I was 12 years old? Please.
I.M (Chang-Kyun)
Anyway, I found it refreshing. Later that day, I was still watching trash compilations and whatnot, and I saw the same unimpressed face. It was on Weekly Idol, I believe. And he didn't seem to want to have anything to do with whatever they were doing.
Basically, I.M has resting I-don't-give-a-fuck face. Am I right? When I saw him the second time, I knew for sure it was the same dude. So I read all the Korean text on the screen and translated until I hit on two names and could come up with the group name. Surprise! Monsta X.
So I looked up Monsta X on Weekly Idol to see what he was so annoyed about. I didn't watch that episode, but I found this gem:
Not only was this clearly the same dude... but he didn't look like he gave a single fuck while falling over and over either. Like, just expressionless most of the time. I decided that I 100% love this dude.
I watched some other videos and, on a whim, decided to watch No Mercy, the show that created the group. I was stoked that I.M turned out to be a deep-voiced rapper. I assumed he would be my bias for sure.
But Shownu Though...
Through the show, I got to know the member personalities and skill levels a bit. Then went back to exploring their music and assorted other videos. The member that impressed me most on the show was definitely Shownu. His voice was nice, but I'm a sucker for a good dancer.
I also have to admit that I found it interesting for the main dancer to not be a tiny little 110 lb (50kg) dude. Some of the best kpop dancers are very small, agile, and slim. Shownu is a beast. Super manly. He barely has to try and a dance move looks strong because he is clearly a strong guy.
But then, it became super clear that he is sort of a gentle giant? Like, he seems sort of awkward and easily surprised or confused. And as a leader, he seems to be a natural. Somewhere along the line, he became my bias for Monsta X.
Not surprising... me and dancers. Whatcha gonna do?
The Music Though...
I don't know why, but Monsta X's music hasn't grabbed me as much as the personalities of the members. I have a bunch of their songs in my playlist. The rapping is good. The singing is good. The production is good. And yet... when they come on, I don't think, "Oh man... I LOVE this song!" It's weird.
Mad Dog is a kdrama with an interesting blend. It has a few thrills and comedic elements. It has sad moments too... not gonna lie, I cried a little at the flashbacks to the wife and son dying. This little boy almost got me too... so cute and such a good little actor:
But what I'm enjoying most is the comradery that Choi Kang-Woo (played by Yoo Ji-Tae) has with his crew, especially in contrast to Woo Do-Hwan's character... who is alone in the world and has no support at all.
For instance, in the above picture, two of Kang-Woo's team are covering him up with a blanket. Super cute. A few minutes earlier, in the same episode, Do-Hwan's character was totally alone, even after trying to connect with one of the team members... who was in the same room.
I do like subtleties in shows, and while this theme is obvious, they are mirroring it in subtle ways. Both have lost everything, but one is surrounded by people who care about him. The other has been alone his whole life and has no one but himself... therefore, he has become self-reliant, resourceful, and clever. None of those help you create a new family.
It will be awesome watching him become one of the team. And Woo Do-Hwan is doing a great job with the character. Arrogant, cutesy, sexy, vulnerable... he rolls through attitudes very quickly and easily. It is impressive.
I practiced Korean today. I picked up a few useful words I didn't know before also. Mostly, I'm still practicing with my conversational Korean right now. I feel like it's going well...
...but I may have to ask one of my boys on KakaoTalk to check my pronunciation. I feel like it's pretty good..?
Mad Dog
I'm watching three kdramas right now. This one is mostly for Woo Do-Hwan, since he was good in Sweet Stranger and Me, and he kept coming up in image searches for Seo Kang Joon... I knew who he was before I saw him at all.
He was pretty frosty and stoic in Sweet Stranger and Me (top image). Quite fierce, really. Color me surprised when he popped up in Mad Dog for the first time all dorky and cutesy (bottom image). I mean, really:
He was incredibly intimidating in Sweet Stranger and Me, which the deep voice and expressionless, cold face. And look at this dude. To be fair, it seems to be a sweet ACT rather than reality. But still, he is killing it. Like a night and day difference.
Dance Practices
Today, I found two dance practice videos that were 1. by groups I've never heard before, 2. were crazy good, and 3. were to good songs as well.
The first is "Lupin" by DONGKIZ. I had never heard of them or even seen their name before. They aren't new either. They debuted two years ago.
Not only is the footwork crazy and the subtle movement in sync to a high degree, but they do literal magic in the dance. I watched that part at normal speed and slowed down a bunch... didn't help. The mirror also has been edited to have no reflection, so that wasn't helpful. They had me totally shocked.
The second is "Thunder" by VERIVERY. Now, I have seen their name around. I didn't look up the group, but I think they're fairly new and got the vibe that they were with a smaller label. To be honest, some of the most talented dance groups seem to be with small labels.
At any rate, they are in sync. Like... mind-blowing level of in sync on some really difficult choreo. I mean Seventeen-esque in sync. It is wild. The song is also sick... it made the playlist. I'm going to have to check out some more.
***Unshared post--unrevised. The beginnings of me being a FIX.
I've decided to type up a few blog posts. Actually, I have been thinking about this quite a bit, and I've decided to type up mini blog posts about whatever strikes my fancy. A song... an appreciation post for an actor/dancer/singer/talented person... an interesting thing I've noticed in multiple dramas. Whatever.
This might help me get posts done more regularly. [Clearly did not work--12/15] I initially wanted to just update what I'm learning in the Korean language, but it has since become somewhere to keep track of what I'm watching and listening to... because... why not?
CIX & How I Became a FIX*
Before I got sick, I discovered CIX through a dance compilation video and wrote about just how impressed I was. The dance practices were unique and impressive. I was particularly amazed with the dance practice to "Numb".
I instantly was like... Bae Jin Young is a good dancer. He's in the middle a whole lot. He also has a pretty smooth, deep voice. But what really sucked me into this group, dance-wise, was Yoon Hyun-Suk. The first real hook on "Numb" in the "Oh, na na na" / "Oh, my, my, my".
Yoon sings it, so he is in the middle. The dance move is super basic and easy... but it looks crazy with those long legs. You can see how much better his looks even in this little gif.
So basically, my eyes tend to go to Hyun-Suk because he's tall. Long legs make dance steps look crazy. And of course, he's a good dancer in general. Quite expressive. He was particularly good in the "Blackout" dance practice as well. But that one part of the "Numb" video kept me watching over and over and over.
*Note: I am not interested in kpop fandoms. At all. They are too toxic for me. I just like the music and dancing.
Where I'm at with Them Now
I have heard all of their songs hundreds of times. I have watched a few episodes of Hello (their first, debut-type variety show). I have watched a bunch of appearances on various shows. I watched all of their first virtual fan meet performances (which just happened like, last week). I've heard their covers.
I have watched all of the MVs at least a few times. I have watched all of the dance practice videos multiple times. I also have a playlist containing only CIX and NCT songs in every version (Korean, English, Japanese, etc).
There are some songs that didn't make the playlist... mostly the real pop-ballad types like "Revival". Pretty much everything else is in heavy rotation. I'm listening to "Bystanders" right now, in fact.
Favorite Songs
"Numb" is still the song that, every time it comes on, I'm like... "Aaaw... I love this song". It's just got it all. The other favorite by a huge margin is "Imagine". I do not at all understand why that song isn't hugely popular. Where's the dance video and MV and live performances? There's like... nothing.
That song is so good. It's like some really well-produced nod to 80's and 90's funk music. The ending is particularly awesome with the duel hooks: "Just imagine that. Give me a feeling I can't explain, wo-oah". That's just so damn good. So really, I love it because it's just a well-crafted pop funk song, and that is a genre I adore (Confunkshun, Gap Band, Cameo, etc).
Favorite Dance
There are several really unique dances. "Blackout" has some incredibly unique choreography, including several parts performed on the floor. There is a fair bit of group interaction as well, which isn't super common for the kpop dances I've seen (but is super common in dance teams).
My favorite choreo though has to be "Rewind". Again, there is a whole lot of interaction between members and a high level of team work. It also illustrates what is happening in the lyrics and flows with the music beautifully.
I was impressed with, not only the performance, but whoever choreographed it was at the top of their game. It's beautiful. The song is also one of my favorites... it's such a smooth R&B track.
Bias (for Now?)
Easiest choice ever. Yoon Hyun-Suk. What a crazy talented kid. It is no wonder that this maknae made it into the group. It would have been easy to hold him back to groom him more, but he didn't really need it.
He is an excellent dancer. He is a singer with a really decent voice. He raps reasonably well. He also just seems like a nice kid... upbeat, talkative, and easy-going. Given, kpop idols are supposed to seem good and nice and controversy-free. But he really seems to just be a nice, goofy type of kid who isn't self-obsessed (a rarity for idols, I feel like).
So if he is just a decent singer and reasonably good rapper, why do I think he is "crazy talented"? He will get better as he grows up. All of them are young, but he seems much much younger than the others somehow. It will be interesting to see what he does in the future.
I will say that Bae Jin-Young is also quite impressive for his age. It will be interesting to see how he continues to develop as well. He is also a nice singer and excellent dancer. I have yet to hear his solo work. Maybe I will bump that up the list.
Regardless, I'm an actual fan of CIX. The problem with big groups is that everyone will struggle with something or other... and I feel like that is usually the dancing. With so few members, anyone would stand out if they were terrible. They aren't. It's impressive... and I'm going to be watching for new material.
Blogging here was getting too time consuming. So I'm gonna go back to just short and quick entries if I can manage it. I need to blog.
Why? For the same reason I started it: Motivation. I haven't been studying Korean very well the past month or so. I've been busy at work and busy with holidays at home as well.
If I pressure myself, it helps. Knowing I need to blog helps.
Tonight, I will study at least a little.
This also takes the pressure off trying to document everything I'm discovering for kdramas, kpop, etc. I have a huge collection of images, gifs, and so forth from things I've been getting into. But I don't feel the need to document every single little thing anymore. That will be less burden for me.
Updates
I've switched from studying Korean grammar and vocab to more conversational language, since I couldn't speak the language at all. It is going... so-so.
I have watched a bazillion kdramas. Some were excellent (Psychopath Diary, My Love from the Stars). I've also decided to not force myself to finish boring dramas. I've been watching multiple dramas at once now too... to suit my mood.
I've become a huge fan of CIX. I'd say... I'm probably a FIX by now. I'll post an old legacy blog entry from back in October soon... it was the intro to my obsession.
I have also become a fan of EXO's music. And a fan of Got7 and Monsta X as people more than their music. And NCT 127 is still in super heavy rotation as well.
Some New Faves
Jung Hae-In is adorable and super charismatic. Also obsessed with Yoon Shi-Yoon now for sure.
Shownu & IM from Monsta X
Kai from EXO
Hyunsuk from CIX
If it isn't super evident that I love dancing... I love dancing. I'm about to go out for a while, so I will try to post later... after I have studied something!
