KBS Gayo Daechukje 2018: A Lineup of Missed Opportunities
KBS aired their annual Gayo Daechukje on the 28th with a large roster and special stages planned out for “one big K-pop party.” The event was host…
Tag: BTS
BT21: A Stroke of Marketing Genius?
The past few weeks have seen a hive of activity from BTS’s BT21 brand. Launched in October 2017, BT21 is a collaboration with South Korea’s Line F…
For Your Viewing Pleasure: Awards Season
Welcome back to another installment of For Your Viewing Pleasure, where we take time out of the week to curate a set of photos from the K-pop landsc…
Music & Lyrics: The Intricate Lyricism of Kim Namjoon
BTS’ RM is known for many things — being a talented rapper-songwriter, a charismatic leader, a multilingual genius, and for having an introspectiv…
The SB Mixtape, 12/7/18: Forgotten Goodies
The month of December is usually a frantic one. People are busy preparing for various holidays, making plans for travel, or studying for end of year e…
BTS, Iz One and How Tensions Between Korea and Japan Play Out in K-pop
Idols' scandals rarely make headlines outside of Korea and the K-pop fandom. But when a Japanese television appearance by BTS was canceled in earl…
The Submerged Meanings of Bathtubs in K-pop MVs
You might have noticed a common, albeit peculiar, trope in many K-pop MVs: the presence of a bathtub. They come in various sizes, shapes, and fill…
Mamamoo’s Fans Boycott: a Warranted Response to Idols Being Overworked
On 10th November, Mamamoo’s fans, known as Moomoo, announced that they were going to boycott the girl group’s “2018 4 Seasons F/W” concerts at…
The Extra-curricular Activities of a K-pop Idol
BtoB Peniel's second photography exhibition is currently open to the public in Seoul. The exhibition, entitled “Second Penography”, will have phot…
RM’s “Mono”: An Introspective Balance of Idealism and Realism
BTS’ leader, RM, barely gave his fans two days of notice before dropping his second mixtape Mono, along with three consecutive music videos. Referring …