Jeonju IFF 2025 -KCruch Interview with “Toe Tapping Tunes”, Filmmaker Lee Jung-hyun

During the 25th annual Jeonju International Film Festival, award-winning South Korean actress and singer, Lee Jung-hyun made her directorial debut with the dramatic short Toe-Tapping Tunes, alternatively titled Going to See the Flowers, in which Jung-hyun plays, Su-mi, a woman suspended in overwhelming grief and anonymity by a society and system that fails the most vulnerable.

In Toe-Tapping Tunes, the determined Su-mi walks brusquely into a local hospital, upon entering the patient ward, she begins screaming for her mother at the top of her lungs. In the ward she confronts the doctors and nurses on their wards asking why they won’t release her mother who’s well enough to eat three meals a day so is well enough to be discharged. Despite the medical staff insisting that her mother isn’t well enough to be released, they do so in order to appease the argumentative daughter.

Once home, Su-mi does her best to get her mother to eat the light broths she prepares for her, but to no avail.

Unemployed and with no source of income to care for her mother, Su-mi tries to sell their home, but is told by the realtor that the market is bad, even worse than during the IMF crisis of the late 1990s. Nothing she seems to do is working. Her attempts to apply for social assistance as their family home being worth more than the prerequisite amount set by the government, makes them ineligible for welfare. The same home that they’re not making any from either as rental property or sale. Unfair life can be when we’re at our lowest. Seeking to grasp onto any ray of hope that things can be better, Su-mi sees a poster for a bus tour to see the cherry blossoms on Mt. Seoraksan, and determines that if she can get her mother well enough to attend the trip, then everything will get better. That there’s a light at the end of the long exhausting tunnel her life has become.

Having to deal with her mother’s cancer has worn Su-mi down mentally, but having to deal with her own chronic illness on top of it all creates a sense of weariness that hangs off of Su-mi’s body that’s almost visible to the eye.

Since her debut acting role in director Jang Sung-woo’s critically acclaimed A Petal (1996), Lee Jung-hyun has made a name for herself as a consummate performer who devotes herself to every role she takes on, including her stage career as AVA, her multi-facated charismatic persona which she made her singing debut in 1999.

Now after a very successful premiere at Jeonju International Film Festival—during which Jung-hyun also served as the festival’s 5th special Programmer of the Year—she’s making a name for herself as a screenwriter, director, and producer with the 28 minute short film. With her portrayal as Su-mi, Jung-hyun shows how adept she is at taking up these numerous roles behind and in front of the camera.

As Su-mi, Jung-hyun gives a great layered performance as a woman slowly unraveling no matter how tightly she tries to hold herself together, and no one seems to be able to see or hear her what she’s really saying. It’s like the more she insists that things are fine, the more obvious it is that nothing is ok. And unfortunately that’s the reality of too many people in today’s society.

In my interview with Jung-hyun, she spoke about her adaptability as a performer and director, the challenges of making an independent short film on a very small budget, and using her own personal experiences and real cases of social neglect as inspiration for the film.

Note: This interview was conducted via translated email correspondence and has been edited for clarity and length.

Throughout your career you’ve played a variety of characters who’ve lived in different time periods throughout Korean history, even the dystopian future, worked various jobs, existed in different strata or status of society, and were all in different places emotionally. Is there anything specific about each of them that you as their performer found to be similar?

In my debut film Flower Petal in 1996, as well as in the short films Turbulent, Myeongnyang, Alice in the Land of Sincerity, and Battleship Island, I played strong-willed characters, and I think all of the characters in these films are similar to my own usual strong-willed personality. I was the youngest of five daughters, and my father was a police officer, and coinciding with my debut, my father retired, so I effectively became the head of the household.

Fortunately, my debut in the film Flower Petal at the age of 15 allowed me to work as a child actor and model from a young age, which enabled all my sisters to complete their education and marry well. The maternal love in the movie Peninsula feels similar to the maternal love I have for my two children now.

Would you say this similarity between the characters and yourself, a similarity, is what drew you to playing them?

I think the first step is important. If that image was successful, then similar characters kept coming in. The movie Flower Petal was a really difficult character, but after playing the role of a possessed girl there, almost all of my roles since then have been tough characters, and I think audiences like it better when I play tough characters. In fact, it led to the movie’s success at the box office.

I dreamed of becoming a singer since I was a child, but I ended up debuting as an actor after passing an audition by chance. I’ve loved singing and dancing so much since I was a child that I did Michael Jackson’s moonwalk and sang Madonna’s songs at kindergarten. I feel happiest when I get to play new characters and express myself through acting, whether on stage or on screen. Seeing the audience enjoy my performance makes me even happier and grateful. 

As a singer and performer on stage known for playing multiple characters with each of your songs, I think it would be easy to say that the theatrics of performing came natural to you as you’re an actress, but I think the opposite could be true?

It wasn’t particularly difficult… It was just always fun. When acting, I don’t usually try to act, but rather I just let it come naturally, thinking of the character as my usual self and acting based on my awareness of the surrounding circumstances.

To me, the way you developed different on stage personas as Ava, may have been complex as you performed multiple characters, sometimes within one concert, live in front of different audiences each time for different events. 

I say this because I think taking on the role of writer, director, and actress for your first independent film project, gave you the ability to switch modes during the pre production, and filming stage for this short film.

Thank you so much for recognizing my village. It was really tough. Above all, we had to shoot more than ten scenes a day with a small budget of 5 million won, and we had to move locations and finish within three days, so it was hell.

As the director, I couldn’t let my spirits falter, and since all the staff were volunteering their talents, I had to take on all the junior staff’s tasks while considering everyone’s feelings during filming. Then, when the camera rolled, I had to fully immerse myself in my character. It was mentally and physically exhausting, but when the camera rolled, I focused all my energy on acting. Standing on the cliff edge made my concentration even sharper, so fortunately, the transition to acting went smoothly.

Was it always your intention to play Su-mi or did you decide to do so after you completed the screenplay?

Since we had to start filming within two weeks of completing the script, there was no time to cast actors, and since we didn’t have the production budget, we couldn’t offer guarantees, so I had no choice but to do it myself. Additionally, I didn’t feel confident that I could convey the character in such a short time. However, since I wrote the script myself, I knew the character well, so I thought there wouldn’t be any problems with the transition and just went ahead with it.

Next time, if I have a better environment, I want to shoot leisurely and sit in front of the monitor and focus only on directing. 

Why did you have to begin production so quickly after completing the script? Two weeks is a very narrow window to begin the process arranging filming locations, obtaining permits, and finding cast and crew.

The staff who were supposed to help me were working on other projects, so I didn’t have time to coordinate their schedules. Fortunately, I was able to quickly find the location using the internet and Google Maps.

There was no need to scout large venues, so it wasn’t difficult to get permission right away.

The film begins very suddenly with the increasing rhythmic beat of a drum that instead of leading a natural crescendo changes to lighter, happier music that in a way causes the audience to assume that the film will be light hearted and comedic, when in truth it really isn’t.

Yes, the script was based on the 2022 Changshin-dong incident in Korea, and the circumstances were quite dark, so rather than making the film equally dark, I wanted to make it bright and fun to convey the message. When it was screened in Jeonju this time, I was secretly happy to see that the audience thought it was a lighthearted movie but ended up crying at the end, which meant that the message was well conveyed.

Can you speak to your reasoning for beginning the film in such an upbeat way and if it was in your original script or perhaps conceived during the production process?

I had the idea for the script from the beginning. I completed the story while thinking of my late mother as I went cherry blossom viewing with pop music playing in the background. My mother passed away from cancer, but she refused treatment until the very end and wanted to go cherry blossom viewing, so we fought a lot. On the one hand, I felt regret. I wish I had taken her on one last cherry blossom viewing trip, but I couldn’t. So, I decided to approach it with joy and hope, and that’s how I completed the script.

My condolences on the passing of your mother. 

Thank you.

I think the Changshin-dong incident is a very unfortunate and sad occurrence that highlights the ways legal red tape and governmental administrative policies can cause the most vulnerable people in society to fall through the cracks. Your film does a great job of addressing this and how the epidemic of loneliness in modern society creates situations where people like Su-mi are left to struggle with their own mental health issues in isolation.

What was your creative process in developing Su-mi’s fragile psychological state in the script and your performance?

I used religion, though I’m not actually religious, but everyone around me is. While some are truly passionate believers, I’ve also seen others who go because their parents or family insisted. Others go to church for Christmas to receive church gifts, and then to Buddha’s Birthday to get bibimbap (temples often serve free food, and since they’re vegetarian, bibimbap is often served).

I found it fascinating that there were such conflicting religions, and I was also impressed by the fervent believers’ fervent prayers and reliance on God. So, I set up Su-mi as someone who, with no one to turn to, relies on religion, and she endured mentally until she collapsed.

The reason I chose Catholicism over other religions is because it has “holy water,” a physical tool to defeat the devil. Holy water is like a shield, a bodyguard.

Because a hospital is a place where quiet is valued and required for the peaceful recovery of patients, Su-mi’s introduction as someone unafraid to bring attention to herself immediately causes the audience perhaps rather unfairly, to question her motives and if she truly cares for her mother.

When Su-mi forced her mother to leave the hospital after causing a disturbance and returned home, there were demand letters from various university hospitals on the shelf. When Su-mi first caused a disturbance at the hospital, a message briefly appeared on the nurse’s computer monitor stating that she had not paid her hospital bills and had been hospitalized for a long period of time. Su-mi has continued to keep her mother hospitalized for several years without paying the hospital bills.

She does this because she has no money and cannot find a job due to her chronic illness. She intentionally causes disturbances to confuse hospital staff and force her mother’s discharge in order to avoid paying hospital bills.

Apparently, there are people who actually get discharged this way. I checked with different university hospitals and they confirmed that  one or two people a month avoid paying hospital bills and flee, and most of them are people in difficult circumstances. Fortunately, the hospital only sends demand letters and takes no further action. 

Additionally, Su-mi has a congenital illness, so she cannot find employment and only works part-time at home. The house is related to one of South Korea’s real estate issues. The Changsin-dong mother-child incident was a case where people who should have received protection from the state were denied it simply because they lived in a shack, and they died alone at home.

Once Su-mi is home with her mother it becomes quite clear that she’s not equipped financially and physically to look after someone in need of around the clock medical care, but still, Su-mi does her best to stay positive that her mother will get better.  

As you mentioned, she prays often and fervently and sprinkles holy water on her mother often, and I noticed Su-mi has multiple figurines related to Christianity, but also references to her mother being a Buddhist. Can you talk about Su-mi’s faith and the depiction of religion in the film?

I thought it would be interesting to portray her as someone obsessed with religion. I actually saw someone sprinkling holy water while walking down the street, and I thought it was really funny. So I incorporated that into the character of Su-mi. 

For her parents, I thought it would be interesting for them to have different religions. How much must the sick mother have hated her daughter Su-mi to sprinkle holy water on her? It was also interesting to imagine how they would have clashed under their different religions when the mother was healthy.

Despite being a devout Christian, and taking time to visit a church, Su-mi, never actually seeks counsel and help for herself. The scene where she enters the confessional but doesn’t speak to the Priest on the other side is heart breaking.  

She’s clearly under enormous stress and feels isolated with the strain of caring for her mother. I saw this as not just Su-mi’s fear of losing her mother but also herself under the weight of everything she’s carrying on her own.

Yes, Su-mi, who had always lived a hard life because of her mother, couldn’t show her struggles to anyone. Not even to the priest, whom she always wanted to impress. I thought that just going somewhere where no one was around and crying would be a little comforting to Su-mi, who found it difficult to cry.

For many people asking for help means surrendering control to someone else. That they’ve failed, and when her request for help is rejected, she falls into despair. But when she finds a poster for a cherry blossom viewing tour, she vaguely thinks that her mother will recover and be able to go on the tour. 

Is this theme of isolation, loneliness and fear of being seen as a failure in caring for an ailing parent the main theme you wanted to address with TOE-TAPPING TUNES; the isolation that only children experience when caring for a terminally ill parent?

It just came from my own experience. As I mentioned earlier, I felt bad that I couldn’t take my mother, who was battling cancer, on a cherry blossom viewing trip. Su-mi must have been exhausted from caring for her for so long and was not in her right mind, so she saw a kind of illusion or fantasy. In reality, my mother passed away as soon as she came home and couldn’t even go to the bathroom.

Another theme that I noticed in the film is food. The importance of meals being eaten. I know this may seem like an odd comparison and question, but in the variety show Stars Top Recipe at FunStaurant on which you’re a regular cast member, you pay very close attention to the details in preparing meals for your family.

For anyone who’s seen the show, which I have, it’s obvious food is one of your love languages. Was this also an inspiration for you?

The reason why I chose muk (mukul, a type of black bean paste) is because when my mother was undergoing cancer treatment she vomited a lot, so the only food she could eat was soft and sour muk dishes. That’s why I included the setting where Su-mi’s mother also chooses muk.

As someone who was taking care of her mother, I wanted to feed her something, and muk was the only food I could find among all the other foods. And the fact that the muk on the table is always there means that my mother has already passed away.

In your portrayal of Su-mi I noticed that the way you move your body is mostly in contained, and tense movement. Almost jerkily as though she’s someone being very conscious of every move they make, but when she walks it’s either with the hurried pace of someone trying to get places by a specific time, or she’s walking slowly like someone completely discouraged. 

Talk about the physical challenges of playing a character with two very distinct ways of being physically and how they reveal her true mental and emotional state when she’s incapable of speaking them.

Yes, Su-mi is always being chased. She’s running away. She doesn’t have time, so she has to feed her mother quickly and save her, so I expressed that with hurried movements.

Could you tell us about your technical approach to filmmaking, including the cinematography and costumes? You made some interesting choices in how the audience views Su-mi. Early on, the camera often looks up at her from a low angle, while in other scenes, such as the church sequence, the camera is positioned high up, making her appear small and fragile.

Thank you for your insight. When I was working on the storyboard, I chose a lot of dramatic angles to express Soo-mi’s presence. Her lines are strong, but she’s actually weak, so I used a lot of angles looking up from below.

To me this film acts as a cautionary tale for us to pay attention to the people in our lives, and look at the big and small things they do. What they say and don’t say. There are many people struggling, in need of help but are afraid to ask for it because they’re afraid of being judged and told they’re not doing enough.

Above all, there are many welfare blind spots in South Korea. There are cases where citizens who should be protected are not, and where the country’s welfare system is being abused. I completed the script with the intention of raising awareness of this fact and ensuring that the “Changshindong Mother and Child Incident,” which was the talk of the media two years ago, is not forgotten.

For many who do reach out for help, they’re rejected because they don’t meet specific social and financial criteria, so they’re left to fend for themselves until they slowly fade away beyond a point they can be seen and reached.

I really enjoyed your performance and direction of TOE-TAPPING TUNES, so I’m definitely looking forward to the next project. Filming your second movie a month after your directorial debut is quite impressive. What would you say has been your biggest lesson throughout the process of creating and premiering the film that you’ll take into this new project?

The biggest lesson is… with a small production budget, try to avoid taking on all the work of production, acting, directing, and staff members all by yourself. It was really hard, but when I collapsed, everyone collapsed, so I filmed while laughing and encouraging everyone.

Every day, I cleaned up the set, came in at 11 PM, prepared for the next shoot until 2 AM, and woke up again at 5 AM to go to the set. I started crying for two days straight.

I hope others can work happily with a more generous budget. Otherwise, it’s best to write a script that doesn’t require a large budget. I’m filming my graduation project in June, and it’s also about the socially disadvantaged. I’ve saved up a little more money to film it on a more generous budget than my previous projects.

Humans always grow and learn new things about themselves through new challenges and experiences. As an actor, and now as a writer and director, what new insights have you gained about yourself?

“If you persevere and work hard until the end despite wanting to give up, you will be rewarded.”

It’s truly rewarding to be invited to film festivals and interviewed by such wonderful people like you. I wanted to give up, but… I think I persevered and worked harder, and these great results followed.

Carolyn Hinds
Freelance Film Critic, Journalist, Podcaster & YouTuber
African American Film Critics Association Member, Tomatometer-Approved Critic
Host & Producer Carolyn Talks…, and So Here’s What Happened! Podcast
Bylines at Authory.com/CarolynHinds
Twitter & Instagram: @CarrieCnh12

 

#JeonjuIFF2025 #kcrushinterviewwithToeTappingTunesfilmmakerLeeJunghyun #kcrush #filmmaker #LeeJunghyun #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #filmfestival #SouthKoreanActressLeeJunghyun #koreanfilm #koreanfilmmaker #ToeTappingTunes #25thAnnualJeonjuInternationalFilmFestival #directorialdebut

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Photo Credit: THEBLACKLABEL

THEBLACKLABEL’s flagship artist JEON SOMI unveils her powerful new single and music video for the title track ‘CLOSER,’ from her brand-new EP Chaotic & Confused, out today. Watch HERE and listen HERE.

‘CLOSER’ reimagines the classic ‘Beautiful Girls‘ through the lens of Stutter House, blending a sensual mood with bursts of intensity and rising tension that pull the listener in. With its grand, polished production, the track becomes a true celebration of beauty. Visually striking and explosively dynamic, the music video mirrors this intensity, portraying JEON SOMI in scenes that shift between raw chaos and goddess-like elegance.

JEON SOMI’s 2nd EP Album [Chaotic & Confused] marks a pivotal moment in her artistic journey, capturing her growth through bold musical experimentation, transformative soundscapes, and heartfelt storytelling.

From the title track “CLOSER,” which experiments with a new genre called Stutter House, to “Escapade,” a stylish reinterpretation of post-punk, each song on the album offers something fresh and vibrant. The pre-release single “EXTRA” blends new disco and R&B, while “Chaotic & Confused” is a hybrid pop track marked by unpredictable transitions true to its name. Rounding out the EP is “DELU,” an emotional R&B number. Together, these tracks form a cohesive narrative of artistic self-discovery, told entirely through her own voice.

The various chaotic situations surrounding her—including the pressures of being an artist and the struggle with inner conflict—serve as central themes throughout the album. Lyrics like “My voice goes hoarse as I battle myself” are symbolic, capturing her journey of self-discovery through her internal struggles and the beauty that emerges from them. The album stands as both an honest confession and a reflection of a young, contemporary artist’s creative journey toward artistic evolution.

JEON SOMI, who contributed not only to songwriting and composition but also to the album’s visuals and performance direction, challenges herself creatively at every level. She showcases her multifaceted artistry, affirming her growth and transformation into a truly one-of-a-kind artist.

The album also credits TEDDY, Vince, Dominsuk, Jesse Bluu, Zikai, Johan Carlsson, Elvira Anderfjärd, Shae Jacobs, B.I, and Mudd the student as some of the Songwriters and Producers who contributed to this project.

Photo Credit: THEBLACKLABEL

 

Follow JEON SOMI:

INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

About JEON SOMI

Born as Ennik Somi Douma in 2001 in Ontario, Canada, JEON SOMI grew up in Seoul, South Korea. After several commercial ventures, JEON SOMI ultimately became known after winning Produce 101, a South Korean TV singing competition, and subsequently became part of the project girl group I.O.I. After winning first place on Korean reality singing competition Produce 101, the young musician joined THEBLACKLABEL and began her musical partnership with producer TEDDY. 

JEON SOMI released her first full-length album “XOXO” with the single “Dumb Dumb” achieving 20M views in just 2 days and breaking into the Billboard 200. Her second single, also titled “XOXO” has surpassed 100M views in less than a month and cemented JEON SOMI as one of the top solo female artists of this generation. In Summer 2023, she released her brand-new EP entitled “GAME PLAN” along with the music video for “Fast Forward” which has amassed over 80M views and was the #1 Trending Music Videos Worldwide for 3 days.

Currently just 24 years young, JEON SOMI has garnered the attention of major global brands such as Prada, Louis Vuitton, L’OReal, The North Face & Lacoste while also producing her own line of makeup products called, ‘GLYF‘.

 

#JEONSOMI #THEBLACKLABEL #ChaoticandConfused #kcrush #newalbum #EnnikSomiDouma #Canada #kpop #CLOSER #Escapade #EXTRA #DELU #TEDDY #Vince #JesseBluu #Dominsuk #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #kpopidol #kidol #koreankpop #koreanfashion #newEP #storytelling #selfdiscovery #JEONSOMINewEP

Once reigning as one of K-pop’s first global girl groups, Wonder Girls captured hearts with their catchy hits like “Nobody”, “Tell Me”, and “So Hot.” This iconic five-member girl group under JYP Entertainment, left a lasting legacy as K-pop pioneers who broke into the US market and defined the 2000s K-pop girl group era. From their debut in 2007 to their disbandment in 2017, the members have each followed unique paths in music, acting, and beyond. But where are they now, almost a decade after their disbandment? Here’s a look at each member’s journey since the Wonder Girls era.

1. Sunye (Min Sun Ye)

Former leader and main vocalist of Wonder Girls, Sunye, left the group in 2013 to focus on her family and faith. Sunye is a proud mother of 3 girls. Despite having opted out of the limelight, Sunye has still remained active in the industry including participating in “Mama The Idol” (2021) reality show. She released the “Genuine” solo debut album in 2022 and has performed in several musicals including “Dream High” (2025).

2. Yenny (Park Ye Eun)

Yenny was known for her unique voice and songwriting skills. After Wonder Girls disbanded in 2017, she pursued a solo music career with the “Through the Sky” and “Cross Country” soundtrack singles for ‘Cross Country’ (2017) travel series. Yenny continues to write and produce music as a solo artist, releasing singles like “Summertime” (2021) ad albums like “Left” (2022). Yenny is appreciated by fans for her authentic artistry and strong creative identity.

3. Sunmi (Lee Sun Mi)

Sunmi is arguably the most high-profile member post-Wonder Girls. After leaving the group in 2010 and returning in 2015 for their final years, she launched a very successful solo career. Sunmi is a top solo artist in K-pop, known for hits like “Gashina” (2017), “Heroine” (2018), and “Gotta Go” (2020). She is celebrated for her charismatic stage presence and experimental concepts. Sunmi has had successful collaborations, including with J.Y. Park, and has performed globally, including the “2022 Sunmi Tour” held across Europe and America.

4. Hyerim (Woo Hye Rim)

Hyerim joined Wonder Girls in 2010, replacing Sunmi during her hiatus. After the group disbanded, she stayed in the entertainment industry but moved away from the idol spotlight. Hyerim is now a mother of 2. Hyerim also ventured into acting and appeared on dramas like “Hello Stranger” (2018) and participated in “King of Mask Singer” (2020) music show.

5. Yubin (Kim Yu Bin)

Yubin joined Wonder Girls as Hyuna’s replacement and quickly became known for her rapping skills and strong stage presence. Since Wonder Girls ended activities, she has pursued a solo career with the “City Woman” (2018) mini-album followed by the viral “Thank You My Love” (2018) track. Yubin has also worked with JYP artists and other rappers and featured on various soundtracks. Yubin founded her music label, RRR Entertainment in February 2020, which also signed fellow former Winder Girls member Hyerim for a season. Yubin also competed on King of Mask Singer 2021 music show and in various television shows including “Last Survivor” (2022) and “Dating is Straight” (2022).

6. Sohee (Ahn So Hee)

Though Sohee left Wonder Girls in 2013 to pursue acting, she was a beloved member known for her visuals and charm. Sohee is now a successful actress starring in various Korean dramas such as “Train to Busan” (2016), “The Daechi Scandal” (2024), and “Thirty-Nine” (2022). She has steadily built a reputation as a talented actress beyond her idol roots and continues to expand her career in acting.

Though officially disbanded since 2017, Wonder Girls left an indelible mark on K-pop’s history. Their pioneering efforts paved the way for Korean acts in the US and globally. Fans continue to cherish their music and eagerly follow their individual journeys. Whether on stage, in the studio, or on screen, the Wonder Girls members keep shining—each in their own unique way.

 

—-Karen Mwenda

 

#WONDERGIRLS #kpophistory #WonderGirlsMembers #WonderGirlsWhereAreTheyNow #kcrush #kpop #kidol #koreanactress #kpopactress #kcrushmagazine #kcrushamerica #Nobody #TellMe #MinSunYe #Sunye #SoHot #ParkYeEun #Yenny #MamaTheIdol #KingofMaskSinger #DreamHighthemusical #LeeSunMi #Sunmi #Gashina #GottaGo #WooHyeRim #Hyerim #KimYuBin #Yubin #RRREntertainment #AhnSoHee #Sohee #kpoppioneers #kpopfans #hallyu #WonderGirls

See TrailerPSY and Megan Thee Stallion star in this cross-cultural musical celebration featuring K-pop idols and iconic Western artists

“KPOPPED” premieres globally on August 29, 2025 on Apple TV+.

Apple TV+ debuted the trailer for the highly anticipated eight-part song battle series “KPOPPED,” starring PSY, the international chart-topper who helped bring K-pop to the world with his global sensation “Gangnam Style,” and three-time Grammy Award-winning superstar and executive producer Megan Thee Stallion. From executive producers Lionel Richie and Miky Lee, the show brings together some of the biggest names in Western music and top K-pop idols for unexpected, high-energy reinterpretations of iconic hits. All episodes of “KPOPPED” are set to debut globally on Friday, August 29 on Apple TV+.

Hosted by actor and comedian Soojeong Son (“Servant,” “Search Party”), each episode finds Western chart-toppers teaming up with celebrated K-pop groups to reimagine one of their biggest songs, culminating in bold, collaborative stage performances. With just a short window to rehearse, these genre-bending partners deliver electrifying renditions for a live audience in Seoul, who vote for the standout “K-popped” performance of the night. After the song battle winner is determined, the K-pop idols close out the episode with an exciting performance.

Featured artists include:

K-pop acts: Billlie, ITZY, Kep1er, JO1, ATEEZ, STAYC, Kiss of Life and BLACKSWAN

Western artists: Megan Thee Stallion, Patti LaBelle, Spice Girls’ Mel B and Emma Bunton, Vanilla Ice, Taylor Dayne, Kesha, Eve, J Balvin, Kylie Minogue, TLC, Boy George, Jess Glynne, Ava Max and Boyz II Men

These legendary and rising artists trade stages and styles across eight episodes, offering a fresh spin on hit tracks including “Savage,” “Wannabe,” “Ice Ice Baby,” “Lady Marmalade,” “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” “Motownphilly,” “Waterfalls” and more.

Some Episode highlights include:

Western Artists	K-pop Artists	Notable Tracks	Episode
Megan Thee Stallion, Patti LaBelle	Billlie “flipp!ng a coin”	“Savage,” “Lady Marmalade”	1
Mel B, Emma Bunton (Spice Girls)	ITZY “Gold”	“Wannabe,” “Say You’ll Be There”	2

The series is executive produced by Moira Ross, Lionel Richie, Miky Lee, Megan Thee Stallion and Greg Foster, alongside Harry H.K. Shin and Jake Hong, with producer Ki-woong Kim for CJ ENM Co., Ltd., with its unparalleled expertise in music variety shows and content production. Chris Culvenor, Paul Franklin, Wes Dening and David Tibballs executive produce for Eureka Productions (a Fremantle company), alongside Bruce Eskowitz.

Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have earned 580 wins and 2,787 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy “Ted Lasso” and historic Oscar Best Picture winner “CODA.”

About Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions, on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Mac, popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL and others, Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.*

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*Special offer is good for three months after the first activation of the eligible device. One offer per Family Sharing group. Plans automatically renew until cancelled. Other restrictions and terms apply; visit apple.com/promo for more information.

When describing sound or music that evokes feelings of being uneasy, overwhelmed, confused, or scared we call it noise. Noise connotes something that’s undefined in a way that music and sound aren’t, and in his award winning feature Noise, South Korean writer and director Kim Soo-jin perfectly depicts noise as a distressing symbol for the darkness within humans and the ways in which losing a sense of community pushes people to social and emotional isolation.

Noise opens with a young woman, Ju-hee (Han Soo-a) staring with widened terror filled eyes at the ceiling above her. Her breathing is erratic and her movements distressed. She screams to her neighbors above her to stop making so much noise, begging them for silence and peace. Ju-hee is overcome with panic as the eerie distorted sounds emanating from the walls seem to close in on her, and the screen fades to black.

(Photo courtesy of Finecut Co., Ltd.)

Next we’re introduced to another, slightly older young woman working on the processing line of a busy factory. She’s tapped on the shoulder by her supervisor who gestures that she has a phone call waiting. As she nods her head in acknowledgement and walks off the factory floor, she places a small device in her ear, and as the audio is filled with the racketing cacophony of dozens of machines working in tandem, you realise that she’s the only person not wearing noise canceling headphones.

The young woman, Joo-young (Lee Sun-bin) is told that her sister, Ju-hee hasn’t been seen by her sister’s boyfriend Ki-hoon (Kim Min-suk) for days and he’s worried. When Joo-young enters the apartment she bought with Ju-hee, but strangely doesn’t seem to spend much time in, the room is dark and you even get the sense there’s a musky, decaying odor permeating in the air (which kudos to the production team for translating that so well). On the ceiling and walls dozens of black soundproofing mats have been stuck, and a fine layer of dust covers various surfaces.

As Joo-young searches through the rooms she finds signs of disarray, as through Ju-hee tossed things around in frustration. On the dining table sits a cake with spots of green mold and frosting wishing Joo-young happy birthday, and a container of congealed japchae. Each new revelation of a piece of Ju-hee’s life indicates that something is drastically wrong, and it starts to become evident that the sisters may not have been as close as they once were.

Joo-young finds her sister’s phone on which are dozens of audio recordings of Ju-hee screaming at night terrors that only she’s able to see and hear. Also on the table is another hearing aid, but this one belongs to Ju-hee. Out of curiosity and perhaps hope that it could provide an answer to what happened, Joo-young places the device in her ear and is met with screeching distorted screams and weird sounds that raise the hair on your arms. Sounds, noises that the audience isn’t hearing when Joo-young isn’t wearing it.

There’s many scenes and sequences like this throughout the film where director Kim Soo-jin places the audiences in the position of Joo-young, and at times Ju-hee. We hear what they’re able to hear with and without the devices, providing a perspective of deaf and hard of hearing characters not often done in film. Other films where this is done excellently is the 2019 Oscar winning film The Sound of Metal by Darius Marder, and more recently the 2025 coming of age feature The Way We Talk by Hong Kong filmmaker Adam Wong.

(Photo curtesy of Finecut Co., Ltd.)

Desperate to find her sister, Joo-young goes to the apartment building’s management office to inquire about her missing sister, but there she’s met with apathy and even annoyance tinged with aggression from the supervisor and security guard. She’s told that her sister isn’t a priority because they’re more interested in the new development deal being made.

At the police station, the officers treat Joo-young more with suspicion about her own movements than interest and concern for the missing young woman’s wellbeing. When speaking with Ju-hee neighbours no one seems to know anything about her and express their ire at being inconvenienced having to answer questions from a stranger and what negative effects a police investigation could have for the development deal. This selfishness is a repeated theme in Noise, a horror film set in an apartment building where every little sound made is a reminder that we’re not living alone.

It’s interesting that Soo-jin uses noise not only as a method of torment for our two female lead characters, but also as a narrative device to address the increasing culture of individualism in South Korea, and I think by extension the world. He makes it a point to show how times have changed from neighbours congregating to talk with each other about the random happenings in their homes, communities, and society, to aimlessly moving around each other, moving through life like ghosts who have no interest in the lives of the people they’re sharing so much of their space and time with.

The noises being made outside the apartment building don’t come from children playing or old people gossiping and having fun playing their own traditional games. The noises come from traffic, the constant sound of construction, and the distorted feedback of a microphone being spoken into at a meeting to discuss the tenants holding out on agreeing to having their homes torn down.

Another way that Soo-jin references the growing distance between people is the use of apartment numbers to identify each other. Ju-hee is referred to by her unit number, 604, in her recordings she speaks about being disturbed by the never ending noise from 704, and Joo-young has her own terrifying encounters with the downstairs neighbour, 504. No one seems to know anyone’s name or cares to use them anymore.

What makes Noise work as a true horror film isn’t just the truly unnerving sound design by Park Young, ki, the creepy production design Ko Seung-hyo, it’s the terrific performances by Lee Sun-bin (Sumbisori), Han Soo-a (Penthouse), and Ryu Kyung-soo (Broker) as increasingly obsessed tenant 504 with whom both sisters have terrifying encounters that no one else seems to hear, see, or care about.

Following up her performance in Sumbisori with Noise, Lee shows her acting chops and flexibility by playing characters of completely disparate experiences and personalities. The journey she and Soo-bin take Joo-young on is impressive and in some ways heart breaking with an end that deserves not to be spoiled because the film offers one of my favourite plot twists– and use of a cellphone app–of the year

Noise had its North American premiere at the 2025 Fantasia International Film Festival in the Selection 2025 program. It was an Official Selection at the SITGES – International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia 2024, KOSMORAMA Trondheim International Film Festival 2025, and Florence Korea Film Festival 2025.

(Photo courtesy of Finecut Co., Ltd.)

In my interview with Soo-jin during Fantasia, he spoke about carefully selecting his lead actresses for their ability to convey all of the intense emotions their characters experienced, making Ju-hee and Joo-young’s disability and integral part of the narrative, and working with cinematographer Jun Hong-kyu, composer Heo Jun-hyeok, and sound designer Park Young-ki to create the film’s visually and auditorially oppressive atmosphere.

 

Carolyn Hinds
Freelance Film Critic, Journalist, Podcaster & YouTuber
African American Film Critics Association Member, Tomatometer-Approved Critic
Host & Producer Carolyn Talks…, and So Here’s What Happened! Podcast
Bylines at Authory.com/CarolynHinds
Twitter & Instagram: @CarrieCnh12

 

#NOISE #FantasiaIFF2025KCrushInterviewwithKimSoojin #filmmaker #kcrush #filmscreening #filmcoverage #filmreview #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #KimSoojin #JunHongkyu #cinematographer #composerHeoJunhyeok #ParkYoungkisounddesigner #horrorfilm #eardevice #hearingsounds #hardofhearing #neighborsdisconnection #nolongerknowingneighbors #knownbyapartmentnumbers #KoreanhorrorfilmatFantasiaIFF2025 #noiseinourhomes

Looking for the perfect k-dramas to binge on this August? Whether you are craving heart-fluttering moments, rime-travel, riveting fantasy, or a unique twist of royalty, these 5 k-dramas will keep you hooked.

1. My Lovely Journey

Launching in August 2, 2025, ‘My Lovely Journey’ k-drama follows Kang Yeo Reum, a former idol turned travel reporter who hides quiet anxiety beneath her cheerful image. While producing a travel segment, she meets Lee Yeon Seok, a former engineer chasing his dream of becoming a filmmaker. As they collaborate on requested trips, both begin to rediscover their purpose. Through strangers’ stories and faraway places, Yeo Reum learns that true success isn’t fame—but finding joy, healing, and meaning in the unexpected roads we take.

2. Love, Take Two

Premiering on August 4, 2025, ‘Love, Take Two’ drama revolves around Lee Ji An, a tough, no-nonsense construction manager and proud single mom. Her world shifts when her once-studious medical‑student daughter begins acting out—just as Ji An’s old flame, Ryu Jeon Seok, reappears. Now a single dad with a flower-farming son, Ryu Jeon Seok’s peaceful life is turned upside down when both women crash into it—literally. What follows is a heartwarming, cross-generational story of rekindled love, family tension, and second chances that bloom where least expected.

3. Our Golden Days

‘Our Golden Days’ k-drama will be premiering on August 9, 2025. Lee Ji Hyeok seems to have it all—success, confidence, and charm—but a sudden personal setback forces him to reevaluate his life and priorities. Ji Eun Oh, a passionate café manager and interior designer, once had unrequited feelings for him and remains his emotional anchor. Meanwhile, Park Sung Jae, a wealthy friend torn between loyalty and hidden longing, complicates their connection. As the lives of three generations converge, they navigate love, regret, and healing together.

4. Twelve

Debuting on August 23, 2025, ‘Twelve’ is a high-stakes fantasy-action drama that follows 12 celestial angels, each tied to a Chinese zodiac animal and live disguised among humans to protect Korea. Ages ago, they sacrificed to seal destructive evil. When Oh Gwi, a crow-embodied demon who failed to become an angel, reawakens, the weary leader Tae San must rally his remaining comrades—clever strategists, fierce healers, and agile fighters—for a final, mythic battle to save humanity.

5. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty

Launching on August 23 2025, ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty’ k-drama revolves around Yeon Ji Yeong, a French-trained chef at the peak of her career, who suddenly finds herself transported back 500 years to Joseon dynasty. She is thrust into the royal kitchen of King Lee Heon, a fearsome tyrant with an extraordinary palate. Tasked with creating fusion dishes that satisfy his exacting tastes, Ji Yeong’s cooking begins to soften the king’s icy heart. But court intrigue intensifies with ambitious concubine Kang Mok Ju and politically opportunistic Prince Je Seon watching her every move.

 

—-Karen Mwenda

 

#August2025Kdramastowatch #5kdramastowatchthisAugust2025 #kcrush #kdrama #BonAppetitYourMajesty #Joseondynasty #Twelve #OurGoldenDays #LoveTakeTwo #MyLovelyJourney #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #koreanculture #koreanhistory #kculture #koreanfashion #newkdrama #upcomingkdrama2025 #koreandrama

The rise of plus-size fashion in Korea isn’t just a fashion moment—it’s a cultural shift. While there’s still progress to be made in representation, 2025 shows potential for significant visibility to curvier bodies in a society long dominated by narrow beauty ideals—with style, with pride, and with softness that doesn’t need to shout to be heard. A new wave of inclusive designers, body-positive influencers, and fashion-forward brands are reshaping the image of Korean fashion—and it’s bigger, bolder, and more beautiful than ever. Here are some plus-size Korean fashion styles that aren’t just following the mainstream, but setting the tone.

1. The Rise of the Beige Aesthetic

2025 is the year of subtlety. Korean fashion has turned to earthy, neutral tones like beige, oat, soft camel, and cream. On plus-size bodies, these hues are more than flattering—they’re empowering. Layered beige looks, oversized knitwear, wide-leg trousers, and minimal accessories create a sophisticated palette that feels effortlessly Korean. Think timeless cuts in linen or cotton blends, monochrome outfits with textured depth, and longline jackets over flowy pants.

2. Layering as a Statement

Korean layering has always been artful, but 2025’s plus-size scene is elevating it to new heights. Instead of hiding the body, layering now highlights it—with intentional volume, proportion, and movement. From cropped jackets over flowy midi dresses to structured button-downs layered under knit vests, plus-size styling is now about shape—not size. Even oversized button shirts paired with bike shorts or A-line skirts add a dynamic blend of comfort and style. Layering isn’t just practical—it’s political. It says, “My body deserves fashion that moves with me and speaks for me.”

3. Soft Edge Street Feminine

The 2020s E-girl aesthetic has evolved to a softer, more wearable version has taken hold. The look blends streetwear staples with ultra-feminine pieces for an edgy-yet-soft visual statement. For plus-size fashionistas, this means pairing graphic oversized tees with pleated skirts, adding lace sleeves to bomber jackets, or throwing a chunky cardigan over a crop top. It’s a mix of K-hip-hop grit and soft 2000’s era nostalgia—and it’s just as bold on a 2XL frame as it is on an XS one. An example look would be wide-leg denim with corset-inspired tops, satin midi skirts with thick-soled sneakers, and soft blush or pastel hair tints.

4. Modern Hanbok Influences

One of the most elegant developments in 2025 Korean fashion is the integration of traditional hanbok silhouettes into everyday plus-size wear. Korean designers are embracing cultural identity through wrap tops, bell sleeves, high-waisted skirts, and flowy fabrics that celebrate form and history. The modern hanbok-inspired look is ideal for plus-size bodies, offering breathable comfort and striking silhouettes. Wrap dresses and tie blouses help define the waist without constriction, while A-line skirts float with movement rather than cling. Most people are going for soft pastel palettes, natural materials, and simple embroidery accents.

Voices Leading the Way & Where to Shop

In Korea and beyond, plus-size fashion influencers are taking control of the narrative. These voices are helping redefine beauty standards and showing that Korean fashion has no size limit. One of the influencers to watch in 2025 include @ssunbiki – a model and influencer breaking barriers in body positivity. There are various Korean and Korean-inspired brands offering extended sizing or specifically cater to plus-size bodies. 09Women is Korea’s pioneering plus-size fashion brand. JStyle is a modern basics and office wear. Romi Story is a soft feminine styles and wide range of seasonal items. 66girls is a budget-friendly oversized fits. YESSTYLE is an international shipping and access to Korean-style plus options.

 

—-Karen Mwenda

 

#2025PlusSizeKoreanFashion #plussize #JStyle #kcrush #kfashion #koreanFashion #YesStyle #ssunbiki #09Women #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #RomiStory #66girls #wraptops #bellsleeves #highwaist #widelegdenim #alineskirts #cardiancroptop #bodypositive #layeredbeigelook #koreanculture #selfempower #confidence #koreaninfluencer #oversizedknitwear #khiphopgrit #SamSam #plusfashion #kplusfashion #plustrend

JAPAN 1ST DIGITAL SINGLE SELECTED AS THE THEME SONG FOR KAO’S LATEST PRODUCT LAUNCH–WITH MEOVV AS OFFICIAL BRAND AMBASSADORS
LISTEN HERE WATCH HERE

MEOVV unveiled their highly anticipated EP MY EYES OPEN VVIDE last May, delivering an intimate yet versatile collection that resonated with fans worldwide, peaking at #4 on Billboard’s World Albums Chart. The single “HANDS UP” has surpassed 50 million views on YouTube, while dance challenge videos set to the group’s music have gone viral on Japanese social media, drawing widespread attention. They have now returned with their 1st Japanese digital single, “ME ME ME,” marking their official debut in Japan. Listen HERE. Watch HERE.

The vibrant, infectious, and irresistibly danceable track is an instant summer anthem that opens with dramatic strings before bursting into a fast-paced, upbeat rhythm. “ME ME ME” has also been selected as the theme song for Kao’snew hair care brand, MEMEME, with MEOVV serving as the brand’s official ambassadors. This exciting foray into the Japanese market is sure to make waves this summer.

Watch CM video of Kao “MEMEME”: http://youtube.com/watch?v=fpTJoFGe1aA

Photo Credit: (c) 2025 UNIVERSAL MUSIC LLC

FOLLOW MEOVV

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About MEOVV:
Fierce, feverishly buzzing, and fabulously chic, MEOVV are clawing their way to the top of K-Pop’s new generation. Pronounced “meow,” the multinational quintet — SOOIN, GAWON, ANNA, NARIN, and ELLA — is the debut girl group from THEBLACKLABEL, creatively led by label founder/mega-producer Teddy “TEDDY” Park (BIGBANG, G–Dragon, 2NE1, BLACKPINK).

MEOVV have lived up to that lineage from their first single, “MEOW,” a bilingual pop anthem that earned 5.1M global streams on week one, roared onto Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart (No. 10), and whose video logged over 10 million YouTube views in 48 hours. Then came “BODY” — a warning to rivals complete with signature cat-claw choreo — and the R&B-infused “TOXIC,” revealing the group’s emotional side and incredible vocal range. Just three months after their debut, MEOVV displayed stage presence beyond their years at 2024’s MAMA Awards in Osaka, and took home the award for “Favorite Rising Artist.”

Standing for “My Eyes Open Wide,” MEOVV embodies the dynamism and authenticity of young stars in control of their artistry. The group’s members (who are already racking up writing credits) hail from South Korea, the US, and Japan, and possess both unique identities and an indestructible bond. Together they present a duality that’s at times razor sharp, at others effortlessly smooth, while they break down barriers and actualize their dreams. Armed with sweetly savage charms, MEOVV is pointedly yet softly piercing through hearts.

About THEBLACKLABEL:

THEBLACKLABEL is a South Korean entertainment company, record label, and creative agency founded by TEDDY in 2016 and home to acts such as TAEYANG, JEON SOMI, ROSÉ, Vince and ALLDAY PROJECT.

 

#MEOVV #THEBLACKLABEL #TEDDY #kcrush #MEMEME #Japanesesingle #newmusic #kpop #koreanpop #MEVVMEMEME #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #SOOIN #GAWON #ANNA #NARIN #ELLA #newgen #kidol #multinationalquintet #fabulouslychic #TeddyPark #newgenerationofkpop #koreanentertainment #MAMAAwards2024 #MyEYESOPENWIDE

The year 2025 has been marked by an overwhelming sense of grief in the Korean entertainment world. The sorrow began early with the heartbreaking deaths of veteran actor Lee Yoon Hee, beloved singer Song Dae Kwan, and actress Kim Sae Ron, whose passing at just 24 years old left fans stunned. Tragedy deepened in March when the nation mourned the loss of Wheesung, a revered R&B vocalist whose smooth voice and emotional depth had touched generations. Yet even after March, the industry continued to say goodbye to cherished talents, from rising stars to legendary figures. In this article, we honor the lives and legacies of those we lost after March, reflecting on the artistry, impact, and memories they leave behind.

Choi Jung Woo

Actor Choi Jung Woo passed away on May 27, 2025 at the age of 68. A beloved face in the world of Korean dramas, Choi Jung-woo brought depth and warmth to every supporting role he played. With notable appearances in Quiz of God, Dr. Frost, and Standby, he embodied the kind of seasoned grace that anchors a production. His calm delivery and fatherly screen presence made him a go-to actor for roles requiring gravitas. Choi Jung Woo left behind decades of performances that helped define the golden age of K-drama. In the tributes, a fellow actor tributed Jung Woo as a true professional, a pillar of stability on every set.

Lee Seo Yi

Actress Lee Seo Yi passed away on June 20, 2025 at the age of 43. Known for her roles in Cheongdam-dong Scandal and The Divorce Insurance, Lee Seo Yi (born Song Soo Yeon) passed away suddenly in late June, leaving fans and colleagues in shock. She was praised for her emotional range and ability to portray complex women on screen. Though the cause of death was not publicly disclosed, her final social media posts revealed a soul grappling with pain — now immortalized in heartfelt fan tributes. Lee Seo Yi’s memorial wall was filled with heartwarming tributes including one that said, “She made the ordinary feel powerful. She made us feel seen.”

Shim Jaehyun

Former F.ABLE member Jaehyun passed away on June 29, 2025 at the age of 23. Shim Jaehyun, once a rising star as part of the boy group F.ABLE, passed away following a long, private battle with leukemia. His death was announced on July 2, shaking fans who had no idea of his condition. Jaehyun was known for his gentle demeanor, powerful vocals, and radiant smile. His bravery in facing illness away from the spotlight is now seen as a quiet act of strength and humility. Among millions of fan tributes was one that said, “He was always smiling — even when he had every reason not to”.

Kang Seo Ha

Actress Kang Seo Ha passed away on July 13, 2025 at the age of 31. Kang Seo Ha’s career was just beginning to blossom, with recent performances in In the Net and Mangnaein earning critical praise. Sadly, she passed away due to stomach cancer, a battle she fought privately. Her death sparked conversations on the pressures young actors face and the toll it takes on health. Known for her soft-spoken charm and emotional intelligence on screen, Kang’s absence is deeply felt among rising stars. An industry columnist tributed the late actress asserting that her presence lingered long after the credits rolled.

As we look back on the immense talent we have lost, we’re reminded that the people behind the music, dramas, and performances are more than entertainers — they are storytellers, dreamers, and voices that shaped lives across continents. Whether through a song that comforted a lonely heart or a scene that made someone believe in hope again, each of these artists gave us a piece of themselves. While their time with us was cut far too short, their light lives on in the hearts of fans.

 

—-Karen Mwenda

 

#GoneButNotForgotten #KpopKDramaStarsLostInEarly2025 #kcrush #koreanactor #koreanactress #kdrama #kpop #passedaway #condolences #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #KangSeoHa #ShimJaehyun #FABLE #LeeSeoYi #ChoiJungWoo #koreanentertainer #korean #koreanculture #sympathy #honoringstarslost #whopassedawayin2025 #love #knews

The lights go down. The auditorium hushes with a palpable low hum of anticipation. As the sound of “숨 Breath”—the opening instrumental track on WRLD, the latest album from South Korean indie rock band The Rose begins to play— plays through the giant speakers hanging overhead, images of stars and whorls of fancy drift across the black backdrop above the stage, and a woman’s voice begins narrating a story about a boy making wishes to the endless sky and the stars hanging high up above glow like a memory.

He pictures a train in the clouds, and as the wind steals his breath, in a single leap, the boy boards this train of wishes, dreams, and hope, and so begins The Rose’s fantastic performance for the Toronto leg of their 2025 ‘Once Upon a World’ Tour.

I think when it comes to choosing a name for a band, things can get pretty tricky. Either members lean into the absurd and tongue-in-cheek, or they become earnest and think about what their name means and the image it evokes for their fans. And after seeing The Rose perform live for the first time (finally!) on July 10th, at the Great Canadian Casino Resort, in Etobicoke, Canada, I can say that I don’t think they could’ve done better with a simple, singular, perfectly imperfect rose.

Woosung

Not to wax poetic, but the reason I think a rose suits this group of four uber talented men. Depending on the variety, roses can be tricky to grow because they require the right soil conditions, the correct amount of sunlight, water, and nutrients. And while they can be finicky to figure out at first, once they’ve become firmly rooted, and the correct conditions for growth are achieved, boy is it all worth it, thorns and all. They come in all sorts of vibrant colours, sizes, scents, and varieties that you can’t help but take a minute to stop and appreciate them. The phrase “Stop and smell the roses.” exists for a reason.

I think this perfectly encapsulates the band; Woosung, Hajoon, Dojoon, and Jaeyeong, who began busking in front of shifting crowds on the narrow bustling streets of Hongdae in Seoul, came together to officially debut in 2017 and grew into a band that’s weathered all sorts of uncertain times and difficult situations, forming Winfall (in homage of the original band comprising of Jaehyeong, Dojoon, and Hajoon) their own record label in 2022, that firmly knows who they are, their sound, and what message they want their music to convey. With each album, they experiment with new genres and eras ranging from Blues, jazz, and alt rock and pop from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, combining traditional rock music, with lyrics that demonstrate how their outlook on life evolves over time.

As the opening narration of the story about a boy who wished upon a star ends, the band entered the stage, and after a brief hiccup that caused laughter to ripple across the audience, they open with acoustic chords to “Ticket to the Sky”, and Woosung’s smooth voice with its unique hint of rasp and lilt fills the theatre. The lights go up to just the four sitting on tall chairs, creating an unexpectedly intimate atmosphere. He takes turns with Dojoon singing the verses and choruses, with an ease that both relaxes and builds anticipation. This sets the tone for the entire two-hour concert.

From “Ticket to the Sky” they continue with acoustic renditions of “Childhood”, the third track from their 2022 album ‘Heal’, the achingly soulful “Definition of Ugly is”, “She’s in the Rain”, one of my personal favourites, and “Tomorrow”. Here they take a brief break for the stage to be reset with the addition of Hajoon’s drum kit, and Dojoon’s brightly painted piano.

As the setting changed, Woosung took the time to introduce each individual member and make lighthearted jokes to lighten the mood, shifting the atmosphere for the next chapter in their performance. His way of speaking to the audience and ensuring each member gets their own moment shows how adept he’s grown at keeping the energy up and making sure everyone stays engaged.

Jaehyung

Once the lights were back on, the change in the songs to those with faster tempos was immediately noticeable with the first intro notes of “Nebula”, the first full track on the tour’s namesake WRLD album. There’s a quality to this section of the concert that feels very nostalgic of early 2000s alt-rock, and it becomes clear that the band is being very intentional with the song order.

The bass of Jaehyung’s playing and Hajoon’s drums drive the tempo steadily through “Lifeline”, “You’re Beautiful” their 2023 hit single, the smooth Jazz & Blues inspired “Shift” and “Slowly”, and the mid-tempo bop “Nauseaous” reminiscent of mid-2000s poprock, with “Yes” closing out the second set.

Hajoon

After another break where the stage goes through a major redesign, transforming it into a bedroom decorated with bookshelves filled with knick-knacks, comfortable chairs, a giant bed smack dab in the middle and a virtual ‘window’ above it where the audience’s eye is directed towards projections of various designs relating to the themes of the song lyrics.

This setting is interesting because it directly refers to the themes of the songs, and also to the privacy of the rooms where the group comes together to write, as Hajoon and Jaehyung mention in their mid-set interaction. The way each member, except for Hajoon who stays seated at his drums, moves across the stage and settles into various locations like the edge of the bed to sing and play their respective instruments (Woosung periodically switched between his acoustic and electric guitars, and Dojoon moved between the piano, playing acoustic guitar, and singing at the standing mic) and interacting with the crowd was very interesting and smart stage direction. It felt like watching a live stage musical instead of a *regular concert.

Dojoon

Before beginning their final and longest set with eleven songs (whew!), they spoke of the different ways they met each other, their time busking in front of shifting crowds on the narrow streets of Hongdae building their repertoire, and finding music to be a form of therapy to aid with healing from the different traumas they experienced and coming to understand that while all traumas can’t be healed 100%, as individuals and a group they can grow and keep moving forward with their music.

The story of a boy growing into a man, falling in love, stumbling through relationships, heartbreak, and disappointment in himself and the people in his life, finding his way to acceptance and determination to be a better person with each successive song, is beautifully executed.

The set begins with the high-energy crowd pleasers “Back To Me” and “Alive,” which gives strong 80s electronica vibes, “RED”, “Sorry”, the first song the band wrote together, followed by their long-awaited post-enlistment rock ballad single “Beauty and the Beast”.

Here the tone mellows out a bit with the contemplative and dare I say socially conscious selections of “Nevermind” which had crown interaction with the lyrics displayed on the stage screen, ‘Wonder”, “Sour”, “Cosmo”, and the concert closed out with “O” a song that asks us to see our differences, accept them and each other for a better world, and to be completely honest, as Woosung lead the audience to sing the final chorus acapella the energy in the auditorium shifted completely.

I don’t know if it was just me, but this entire section had me close to tears because I couldn’t help but think of the genocides and other atrocities happening within our world and as a Black disabled woman, and watching the harm being done to the world by the few with too much power while the many struggle to make it through each day, while all we need to do is “see and accept our differences.”

But still we persevere like a rose bush finding a way to survive in the most unlikely of places and we’re inspired to keep wishing and hoping for better days ahead with the open mindedness of a child. This is the story of The Rose and our world.

Photography by Teresa Valenton

 

Carolyn Hinds
Freelance Film Critic, Journalist, Podcaster & YouTuber
African American Film Critics Association Member, Tomatometer-Approved Critic
Host & Producer Carolyn Talks…, and So Here’s What Happened! Podcast
Bylines at Authory.com/CarolynHinds
Twitter & Instagram: @CarrieCnh12

 

#THEROSE #TheRoseOnceUponaWRLDTOUR #kcrush #THEROSEWORLDTOUR #kpop #kidols #kpopindustry #kpopconcert2025 #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #CanadaTour #Woosung #Dojoon #Hajoon #Jaehyung #TheRoseInCanada2025 #BackToMe #Alive #RED #Sorry #BeautyandtheBeast #krock #kband #Koreanrockband #Nevermind #Wonder #Sour #Cosmos #O #finalchorusacapella #highenergy #electronica

Free gelato pop-ups in collaboration with local shops across Los Angeles, New York, Houston, and Chicago Happening on Friday, August 1st!

Listen to “Gelato (Remixes)” Here

Following the viral success of their 2024 release “Just Like Dat feat. JP THE WAVY” and their first U.S. tour, PSYCHIC FEVER FIRST U.S. TOUR 2025, PSYCHIC FEVER continues to elevate their global presence through non-stop releases and international performances.

Recently, the group successfully wrapped up their Japanese 5-city tour, PSYCHIC FEVER LIVE TOUR 2025 “EVOLVE”, and released their original 3rd EP “PSYCHIC FILE III”, marking a new era of evolution for the group. They are currently on their 1st U.S. fan meeting tour “ForEVER CONNECT PCF U.S. FANMEET 2025”.

The international sensation, PSYCHIC FEVER, is back with the remix collection of “Gelato”, a track from “PSYCHIC FILE III”. Each remix corresponds to a ‘flavor’ inspired by the song title, reimagined in a variety of genres by remixers Iimori Masayoshi, A.G.O, audiot909, and ALENOISE. Each of the four remixers delivers a distinct take on the track, resulting in a diverse and flavorful collection.

To celebrate the release of “Gelato (Remixes)”, exclusive fan experiences are activating across four major cities including Los Angeles, New York, Houston, and Chicago with free gelato pop-ups in collaboration with local shops. This special one-day activation will see a limited “remix-flavored” gelatos distributed to lucky fans who make their way to the shops.

Fans can win a free scoop of gelato by using one of the remix sounds on either TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts, or share the song on Instagram Story as an alternative. The activation will run on Friday, August 1st, from 4pm until 6pm local time. Fans are encouraged to arrive early as quantities are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Cool off this summer with these refreshing, genre-hopping flavors of “Gelato (Remixes)”!

POP-UP DETAILS

Time: Aug 1 (Fri) 4-6PM (Local Time)

Locations:

• Los Angeles @ Fatamorgana Gelato, Beverly Hills
  162 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
  https://fmgelato.com/
• New York City @ il laboratorio del gelato
  188 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002
  https://www.laboratoriodelgelato.com/
• Chicago @ FRÍO Gelato
  1301 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60201
  https://www.friogelato.com/
• Houston @SweetCup Gelato & Sorbet Originale

3939 Montrose Boulevard, Suite L Houston, TX 77006

https://www.sweetcupgelato.com/

RELEASE INFORMATION

Release Date: Friday, July 25, 2025

Title: “Gelato (Remixes)”

Streaming & Download: https://psychicfever.lnk.to/GelatoRemixes

TRACKLIST

M1. Gelato (Blueberry Remix)

M2. Gelato (Orange Remix)

M3. Gelato (Matcha Remix)

M4. Gelato (Mango Remix)

M5. Gelato

TRACK DESCRIPTIONS

M1. Blueberry Remix (Latin)

A bold fusion of upbeat rhythms and passionate Latin vibes. Remixed by ALENOISE, this version adds a vibrant spark that instantly transports you to a sunny beach getaway.

M2. Orange Remix (Afrobeats)

A groovy, energetic take by audiot909 that highlights the irresistible bounce of Afrobeats. As refreshing and bright as a juicy orange, this remix bursts with feel-good rhythms.

M3. Matcha Remix (Lofi Hip-Hop)

A chill, warm interpretation by A.G.O that brings out the mellow, introspective side of “Gelato.” With soft textures and subtle layers, it unfolds like a serene cup of matcha. Mixed by Keisuke Mukai.

M4. Mango Remix (Tropical House)

Remixed by Masayoshi Iimori (TREKKIE TRAX), this version blends sweet and breezy Tropical House vibes into a sound that feels like a relaxing resort escape — the perfect summer soundtrack.

REMIXERS

Blueberry Remix: Remix by ALENOISE

Orange Remix: Remix by audiot909

Matcha Remix: Remix by A.G.O / Mixed by Keisuke Mukai

Mango Remix: Remix by Masayoshi Iimori (TREKKIE TRAX)

PREVIOUSLY RELEASED

Release Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Title: “PSYCHIC FILE III”

Streaming & Download: https://psychicfever.lnk.to/PSYCHICFILE3

ABOUT PSYCHIC FEVER

PSYCHIC FEVER is a seven-member boy group consisting of KOKORO, WEESA, TSURUGI, RYOGA, REN, JIMMY, and RYUSHIN. They debuted in July 2022 as the seventh group from “EXILE TRIBE,” an unparalleled Japanese artist collective under LDH JAPAN. The group’s name, PSYCHIC FEVER, was chosen to reflect the unique individual personalities of its seven members, whose performances—featuring dance, vocals, and rap—create a powerful chemistry. Their fanbase is called “ForEVER.” With the purpose of “IGNITE OUR DREAMS,” PSYCHIC FEVER aims to inspire courage in those who watch them, set their hearts ablaze with passion. Since their debut in 2022, they have been actively performing in Japan and throughout Asia, aiming for global success. Their song “Just Like Dat feat. JP THE WAVY,” released in January 2024, gained significant attention both domestically and internationally, surpassing 270 million views on TikTok. It also entered the Viral Top 50 charts on Spotify in nine Asian countries and regions, including Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea, while also becoming a viral hit in the United States. In February 2025, PSYCHIC FEVER successfully held their first U.S. tour, “PSYCHIC FEVER FIRST U.S. TOUR,” in six cities across the United States. That same month, they announced a global contract with Warner Music Group and their transfer to the music label “10K Projects.” In March, they expanded their reach by performing at SXSW 2025, one of the world’s largest music festivals in the U.S. Their global journey is accelerating, and they are expected to make even greater strides in the future.

CONNECT WITH PSYCHIC FEVER:   FACEBOOK | X | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

 

#PSYCHICFEVER #KOKORO #WEESA #TSURUGI #RYOGA #REN #JIMMY #RYSHIN #kcrush #LDHJAPAN #ForEVERfanbase #Jpop #GelatoPop #ForEVERCONNECTPCFUSFANMEET2025 #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #USTour2025 #1stWorldTour #EXILETRIBE #debutedJuly2022 #JustLikeDat #JPTHEWAVY #SXSW2025 #Japaneseartist #PSYCHICFEVERRemixers

THE K-POP ICON DELIVERS A RAW, EMOTIVE TAKE ON THE TIMELESS MULTIPLATINUM HIT

LISTEN TO LOVE IS GONE (WITH JOSHUA OF SEVENTEEN) HERE

WATCH THE LYRIC VIDEO HERE

Following GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum electronic music icons SLANDER‘s massive release “Broken Hearted” with San Holo and Julia Church, they are here to release another viral sensation. SLANDER’s “Love Is Gone” with Joshua of iconic K-Pop supergroup SEVENTEEN marks a new chapter for one of dance music’s most iconic tracks and is available on all streaming platforms HERE.

“We are super excited to share the SEVENTEEN version of ‘Love Is Gone.’ This was such a special collaboration and opportunity to work with a group of incredibly talented artists to create a brand new world for this record. The SEVENTEEN version stays true to the emotional core, but breathes new life with fresh vocal melodies and overtones. We hope everyone who has heard the original gets a chance to hear this brand new version!” – SLANDER

First released in 2019 with Dylan Matthew and then as an acoustic version in 2021, both became global hits, with the acoustic now one of Spotify’s most streamed acoustic songs at over 600 million streams, and 1 billion streams across all platforms. The song’s emotional vocals have resonated deeply with millions around the world, making it a defining moment in SLANDER’s discography and a viral anthem. Now, SLANDER reimagines this global hit with K-Pop powerhouse SEVENTEEN. With an emphasis on delicate piano chords, Joshua’s warm vocals add fresh intimacy while keeping the acoustic soul that made the original timeless. This simple arrangement gives the lyrics more weight, coupled with the melancholy melody, makes every line feel personal and heart-wrenchly intimate. His delivery breathes new life into the song, making it feel nostalgic and new.

This collaboration connects SLANDER’s following with SEVENTEEN’s massive international audience, proving the universal appeal of Love Is Gone, and an opportunity for fans of dance, K-pop, and acoustic ballads to experience the song’s emotional depth through a new voice. Joshua’s presence brings the song to millions more and shows the power of cross-genre collaboration. With SEVENTEEN’s global star power and the original’s legacy, this version is set to reach new listeners. More than a remake, this release honors what fans loved about the song and shows how timeless songwriting connects us no matter where we are in the world.

As the founders of Heaven Sent, SLANDER continues to pioneer melodic bass music on a global scale. The Grammy-nominated, platinum-certified duo’s notable release “Wish I Could Forget” with blackbear & Bring Me The Horizon amassed over 17.6 million streams and counting. The mighty duo recently announced their newly conceptualized ‘Voyager’ Tour, showcasing an entirely new audiovisual experience, and will include special guest appearances from Blanke, Eptic, NGHTMRE, Zomboy and William Black. The tour arrives in September after a string of high-profile shows including their own Code Red at Red Rocks, as well as festival plays at Beyond Wonderland at the Gorge, Lost In Dreams (Originals Only Set), Dancefestopia, Shambhala, Breakaway, and more. SLANDER remains at the forefront of electronic music’s elite.

Joshua Hons, known mononymously as Joshua, is a Korean-American vocalist and member of the self-producing K-pop group SEVENTEEN, which debuted in 2015 and has become one of the most globally recognized acts in the genre. As part of the group’s Vocal Unit, Joshua is known for his smooth, emotive tone and calm stage presence. SEVENTEEN has achieved major milestones including multiple No. 1 albums in South Korea, Billboard 200 entries, and record-breaking sales with albums like FML, which sold 6.4 million copies worldwide in 2023. Outside of group activities, Joshua has collaborated with international artists and appeared in Apple Music sessions. Fluent in both English and Korea, he often bridges global audiences with ease, solidifying his role as a standout member of the group.

About SLANDER

SLANDER is a Grammy-nominated American electronic music duo consisting of Derek Andersen and Scott Land based in Los Angeles, CA who are best known for their unique, emotional, melodic bass music sound. Going from being Icon Collective graduates to selling out massive hard ticket venues including Red Rocks, and performing at global festivals such as EDC, Lollapalooza, Tomorrowland, and Ultra. SLANDER has become one of the hottest acts in dance music with one Platinum and one Gold RIAA Certifications to their name. 

Connect with SLANDER: Instagram | X | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Spotify| SoundCloud

About Joshua

Joshua Hons, known mononymously as Joshua, is a Korean-American vocalist and member of the self-producing K-pop group SEVENTEEN, which debuted in 2015 and has become one of the most globally recognized acts in the genre. As part of the group’s Vocal Unit, Joshua is known for his smooth, emotive tone and calm stage presence. SEVENTEEN has achieved major milestones including multiple No. 1 albums in South Korea, Billboard 200 entries, and record-breaking sales with albums like FML, which sold 6.4 million copies worldwide in 2023. Outside of group activities, Joshua has collaborated with international artists and appeared in Apple Music sessions. Fluent in both English and Korea, he often bridges global audiences with ease, solidifying his role as a standout member of the group.

Connect With Joshua: Instagram

Connect With Seventeen: Instagram | X | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Spotify

 

#Joshua #SEVENTEEN #kpopcollaboration #SLANDER #Grammynominated #Americanelectronicmusic #kidol #kcrush #EDC #Ultra #SLANDERatLollapalooza #JoshuaofSEVENTEEN #collaboration #LoceIsGone #retake #danceanthem #kcrushamerica #FML #ahit #multiplatinum #kcrushmagazine #Hallyu #electronicmusicduoSLANDER

LISTEN HERE | WATCH THE MV HERE

Credit: EGO GROUP

Acclaimed Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, and producer PENOMECO returns with RNSSNC TAPE, out now via EGO GROUP and Kakao Entertainment — listen HERE and watch the music video HERE. The powerful 8-track EP marks his first release in over a year and signals a creative rebirth, reasserting his status as one of Korea’s most versatile and boundary-pushing artists.

Driven by conceptual depth and bold soundscapes, RNSSNC TAPE derives its title from the word “Renaissance,” referring not only to a cultural rebirth, but also PENOMECO’s personal transformation after a decade-long career that’s seen him rise as a songwriter for global K-pop acts and an artist in his own right. From the explosive opener “RNSSNC” to the satirical yet addictive title track “EGGE (Feat. YDG),” the EP traverses a rich palette of sounds — from hip-hop and R&B to Afro Fusion and electronic — layered with introspective, witty, and emotionally raw lyricism.

The album opens with “RNSSNC,” a blistering declaration of intent that sets the thematic and sonic tone for the entire EP — a personal rebirth forged through grit, reflection, and ambition. The title track “EGGE (Feat. YDG)” reunites PENOMECO with veteran artist and actor YDG (Squid Game 3) after their viral success with 2023’s “BOLO,” which topped Spotify’s Viral charts in France, Germany, and Hungary. “EGGE” playfully flips the Korean expression “애걔” (a dismissive scoff) into a rhythmic, Latin Pop-inspired track that underscores PENOMECO’s confidence and lyrical edge.

Elsewhere on the EP, listeners are invited into cinematic sonic vignettes: the emotionally drained “Dance With Me” and “Leave Without You (Feat. Moon Sujin)” capture the melancholic unraveling of a relationship; “My Chick (Feat. Lil Cherry)” delivers Afro Pluggnb chaos and romance; “Fine By me” offers a chilling breakup; and “KK” finds PENOMECO at his most playful, with warped vocals, syncopated beats, and a smile-through-the-burn kind of swagger. Closing out the project is a summer-ready remix of his 2018 fan-favorite “COCO BOTTLE,” reworked by DJ/producer APRO into a euphoric electronic finale.

With PENOMECO’s pen behind hits for IU, Crush, JESSI, NCT, ITZY, EXO, Red Velvet, and more, RNSSNC TAPE is not just a return, it’s a reintroduction. With his sharp musical instincts, wit, and genre-defying confidence, PENOMECO’s renaissance is not coming — it’s already here.

Credit: EGO GROUP

“PENOMECO EP Album – RNSSNC TAPE” Tracklisting:

1. RNSSNC
2. EGGE (Feat. YDG) *focus track
3. Dance With Me
4. Leave Without You (Feat. Moon Sujin)
5. My Chick (Feat. Lil Cherry)
6. Fine By Me
7. KK
8. COCO BOTTLE APRO REMIX

About PENOMECO

PENOMECO is a Seoul-based rapper, singer-songwriter, and producer known for his genre-fluid artistry and as a founding member of the alternative hip-hop collective FANXY CHILD (with ZICO, DEAN, Crush, Millic, and Stay Tuned). Over the past decade, he’s penned hit records for top-tier K-pop artists including EXO (“Tempo”), NCT (“Make a Wish”), ITZY (“ICY”), IU (“Empty Cup”), JESSI (“NUNU NANA”), HWASA (“Na”), and Crush (“Satisfied”), to name a few. His solo releases have garnered international acclaim, with songs like “BOLO” hitting #1 on Spotify’s Viral charts in France, Germany, and Hungary, and “My Chick” featured on playlists such as Spotify All new K-pop and RADAR Korea. With RNSSNC TAPE, PENOMECO embarks on a bold new chapter that redefines his place in Korea’s ever-evolving music scene.

Connect with PENOMECO

Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

 

#PENOMECO #genrefluid #hiphop FANXYCHILD #kcrush #kpop #kidol #khiphop #Koreanmusicscene #RNSSNC #newEP #PENOMECOnewEP #EGOGROUP #Kakao Entertainment #EGGE #YDG #bold #new #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #R&B #AfroFusion #electronic #singer-songwriter #rapper #ZICO #DEAN #Crush #Millic #StayTuned #SpotifyKPopandRADARKorea

LISTEN HERE | WATCH THE MV HERE

Credit: High Up Entertainment

Breakout K-pop girl group STAYC makes a sizzling return with their Special Single Album I WANT IT, out now on all major streaming platforms via High Up Entertainment and Kakao Entertainment — listen HERE and watch the music video HERE. Known for their signature blend of vibrant visuals and genre-defying pop, STAYC’s latest release captures both their youthful charm and growing artistic maturity.

Tapping into a theme of carefree confidence, I WANT IT delivers bold summer energy with a sleek, refined edge. The title track “I WANT IT” is a high-impact electronic dance-pop anthem, built on infectious synth riffs and a propulsive rhythmic hook. Anchored by the lyric, “Good things we ok,” the track reaffirms STAYC’s trademark message of self-belief and unshakable cool — a statement for anyone navigating an unpredictable world.

The album features two additional tracks that further showcase the group’s sonic range. “Honestly” captures the sting of being sidelined in love, pairing witty lyrics with a slick bass groove and retro wood synths for a polished urban feel. Meanwhile, “BOY” leans into dreamy synths and 808 bass for a laid-back, emotionally resonant mood — a soundtrack to the spark of new emotions.

I WANT IT is a confident evolution of STAYC’s musical identity, perfect for summer playlists, but built to last beyond the season. The single album embraces both joy and reflection, encouraging fans to celebrate every messy, magical, unforgettable moment with boldness and heart.

Credit: High Up Entertainment

“STAYC SPECIAL SINGLE ALBUM – I WANT IT” Tracklisting:

1. I WANT IT *focus track
2. Honestly
3. BOY

About STAYC

STAYC (short for “Star To A Young Culture”) is a six-member K-pop girl group (including members SUMIN, SIEUN, ISA, SEEUN, YOON, and J) under High Up Entertainment, known for combining strong vocal performances with dynamic pop production. Since debuting in November 2020 with Star to a Young Culture and the hit “SO BAD”, STAYC has rapidly become one of the most prominent fourth-generation girl groups. With viral hits like “ASAP” and “STEREOTYPE,” they’ve charted on the Billboard K-pop 100 and earned multiple rookie awards, including the Best New Female Artist at the 2021 Melon Music Awards and Rookie of the Year at the Golden Disc Awards. Their rise continued with “RUN2U” (2022) and Teddy Bear (2023), along with their Japanese debut and first world tour, “TEENFRESH” (2023–2024). In April 2024, they released their first full-length album, Metamorphic, marking a significant milestone in their career, and last released their 5th single album S  this March. Their previous releases have surpassed 100 million streams globally, and their dedicated fanbase continues to grow across North America, Asia, and Europe. From trendsetting fashion to high-energy stages, STAYC has carved out a unique lane with a cool, empowering message — and I WANT IT marks the next bold step in their artistic journey.

Connect with STAYC

Instagram | TikTok | X | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify

 

#STAYC #IWantIt #KPOPGirlGroup #kcrush #kpop #kpopidol #StarToANewCulture #SUMIN #SIEUN #ISA #SEEUN #YOON, #J #specialsinglealbum #newalbum #SOBAD #ASAP #RUN2YOU #Metamorphic #self-belief #HighUpEntertainment #KakaoEntertainment #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #summerfun #STAYCNewAlbum #HONESTY #BOY #newmusic #STAYCReturns

Canadian city pop artist and singer-songwriter CECILIA returns with a bittersweet city pop tune “Sweetest Luxury”, to be available on July 23, 2025 at 00:00 ET (Eastern Time).

Following her previous city pop releases “Merry-Go-Round”, “Don’t Go Dancing” and “Technicolor You”, this track marks her 4th city pop single since her debut in 2024.

“Sweetest Luxury”, co-written by CECILIA and producer seyertam (Matt Reyes), is CECILIA’s first single recorded in two languages – Korean and Japanese. The Japanese lyrics were written by singer-songwriter / producer / pianist Cecili, adapted from the original Korean lyrics written by CECILIA. The song reminisces about a past love that sadly ended, but remembers it as the “Sweetest Luxury” that shone brightly while it lasted, as it was a true love that was meant to happen. CECILIA hopes to reach city pop listeners across the world with this exciting new multi-language release.

TIKTOK | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE

CECILIA is an independent artist based in Toronto, Canada, who describes her music as “dramatic sad girl citypop”. Her music career began in 2017 at an open mic night in a Hong Kong jazz bar, where she had an epiphany that music could be more than just a hobby. She entered and became a finalist at the 2018 Those Days These Song singing contest on Fairchild TV, and also won second place runner up at the 2021 Canadian Chinese Songwriters Quest hosted by Fairchild Radio as a vocalist and a topliner. Continuing her momentum, she joined the all-Asian girl punk rock band FETTISH as the bassist, songwriter and second vocalist before its disbandment in 2020 due to COVID-19. Currently, she regularly performs with the Toronto-based city pop band Next Perfect Day, playing Japanese and

Korean city pop tunes from the 80s. Her love for city pop comes from the nostalgic vibe and the unique musical and cultural history of the genre, combining Eastern sentiments with Western musical influences. With the revival of the genre in the 2020s, she wants to reinterpret city pop for a new generation of global audience.

Photo credits: Hanmin Yun

 

#CECILA #SweetestLuxury #CityPop #seyertam #kcrush #Matt Reyes #pop #MerryGoRound #DontStopDancing #Technicoloryou #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #newsingle #releasenewsingle #JapaneseCityPop

For her debut feature length documentary Colorless, Odorless, which screened as an official selection at the 2025 Jeonju International Film Festival, experimental visual artist and filmmaker Lee Eunhee investigates the toxic and deadly nature of the invisible and odorless components used in semiconductor plants.

In nature the most brightly colored creatures like amphibians and plants are known to be the most poisonous. The ones that animals and humans instinctively understand to pose a threat to our lives. And inversely in the human world of man made creations, what we can’t see or smell tends to be the most dangerous. 

First, what is a semiconductor? As defined by Britannica.com:“a semiconductor is “any of a class of crystalline solids intermediate in electrical conductivity between a conductor and an insulator. Semiconductors are employed in the manufacture of various kinds of electronic devices, including diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits.” The technological marvels are derived from specific chemical processes that transform naturally occurring substances silicone crystals such as ingot or sand into pressed almost microscopically thin wafers or discs. It’s in the “clean rooms’ of semiconductor plants that these discs are turned into the microchips that are given their distinctive characteristics that make them usable for a multitude of electronic devices such as cellphones, radios, laptops, TVs, laser printers.

And it’s in these “clean rooms” where strict protocols are adhered to to prevent the contamination of the precious semiconductors, that the very chemical substances used to make these devices such an important part of our technologically driven lives, that the workers, the women who make them are exposed to invisible dangers. Dangers they not only can’t see but in many cases are unable to smell, but have very real, physically debilitating, and even deadly effects.

In 2007, at the age of 27, a young South Korean woman named Hwang Yu-mi died of leukemia, and amongst her personal possessions she left behind a carefully and almost perfectly preserved journal. This journal known as a “clean note” detailed her daily schedule, activities, and performance logs of the factory where she worked, a semiconductor plant owned by the tech giant Samsung.

Yumi wasn’t the only worker at Samsung’s semiconductor plant to become ill as a result of the colorless and odorless killers permeating the air and flowing through the waters of these factories. For decades women and men working in numerous semiconductor plants in South Korea, Taiwan, and all across Asia have been made sick due to the hazardous substances and materials they worked with to make the components required to operate the millions of electronic and digital devices that we have become so dependent on.

Without being provided proper education about the extremely toxic nature of the components and the lack of adequately effective Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), the health and well being of thousands of women were and continue to be in danger. These women weren’t warned that upon entering the so-called “clean rooms” their lives were being put at risk, that the likelihood of developing cancer, debilitating chronic illnesses that affect their cognitive abilities, hormonal imbalances, and even infertility would rise significantly the moment they stepped through those hermetically sealed doors.

In Colorless, Odorless, Lee Eunhee dives into years of archival footage beginning with promotional news videos extolling the virtuousness of Samsung being a leader in hiring women in a developing industry. She investigates the contradiction of a company and industry being praised for advancing South Korea’s place on the world stage economically and technologically, but the wellbeing of the very women who made the company the success it became were completely and intentionally ignored.

Through multiple discussions with former workers, their family members who campaign for accountability of their deceased loved ones, activists groups such as the  researchers and academics studying the environmental and social impact of the chemical waste from the factories, Eunhee creates a very clear picture of how capitalism and social expectations create an environment of pressure where victims are forced to keep silent through a sense of guilt in order for the company and by extension their respective countries to save face.

In candid discussions with her, the women spoke candidly of the pain they suffer from illnesses and multiple surgeries, and feeling conflicted about the social cost of breaking their silence. In Taiwan, she interviewed activists from the Taiwan International Workers Union, who are working tirelessly to bring awareness to just how dangerous these clean rooms are, and the steep price workers are being made to pay for the advancement of technology and people’s obsession with convenience and consumption.

Think of it. Just the consistent trend of companies like Samsung and Apple releasing new cell phone models proactively every year—or bi-annually in Apple’s case the pressure for workers in the semiconductor plants increases to a level to meet unreasonable demands we outside of those rooms can’t comprehend. And that’s what the documentary does. It asks the audience to take some time to think of just what is being required of the women and men working in these factories and the toll they and their families are being expected to suffer through and pay.

In my interview with Eunhee and the film’s producer Kim Shinjae, we spoke about Eunhee’s interest in connecting disability with technology, how her unique approach to filmmaking lead her research for Colorless, Odorless, and how her perception of technology and the way humans interact with it has changed as a result. 

Note: This interview was conducted via video, and has been edited for clarity and length. 

In looking at your biography and your work Eunhee, you have, I think, you have a very particular interest in studying the human body and technology, and how we as humans have integrated into our society and cultures, and even our bodies, and you study the ways we move our bodies and how those are related. So, I want to ask you, when did your interest between the human body and technology begin and how did you hone in on such a specific field of observation as a filmmaker?

Eunhee: The interest in technology and the phenomenon that is related to technology has already started since I first began making art. For me, technology is actually a very easy way to understand how society functions, because it is ultimately a human creation. It’s not something from out in space. But it is a product of our cultural or economic systems.

When I encounter something problematic or revealing within the tech-industry, or within technological culture more broadly, I feel like it gives insight into how people interact, how we perceive the human body.

I started to make work related to this when I began studying at the art university in 2012, and it just has been a very long continuation of that subject till now.

Also, I must mention my experience of working at a metal manufacturing factory for four years starting in 2018. The factory was dealing with the material used in the production of technological devices and machines. There, I realized how all these digital products come from very physical materials. All these virtual things from the digital world…these intangible things are made of, you know, the materials extracted from the Earth.

Then I started to trace the full life cycle of technological objects, how they are made, consumed, or how they’re disposed of. It ended up with me making Colorless, Odorless, which is about the human cost of producing state-of-the-art technology.

Yes. I watched some of the short films that you have on the website, and a few of them stuck out to me, like, for instance, The Flat Blue Sky (2016), AHANDINACAP (2020), and Mechanics of Stress (2023), which deals with the stress test that engineers use to test things like steel beams, and concrete, to see how much pressure they can sustain before they break and fall apart and shatter becoming useless or a danger us. And in AHANDINACAP, you dealt with how disabled people use technology to help with their disability, but the way you look at it is very interesting, as you talk about people wanting to fix disability, not necessarily for the benefit of the disabled, but for the benefit of society.  

Society advocates for fixing disabled people so they can work and therefore be seen as productive and useful to society, as though people are only useful as disabled people if we can be profitable and beneficial, and I kind of saw this throughline in all of your films.  

So, I want to ask you just about that, about looking at disability, because it does tie into Colorless, Odorless, because it’s talking technology, working with technology itself disables the workers. It disables these women. But before you get to how technology disables us, a lot of your films are about how we use technology to “stop being disabled.” So just talk to me about that particular aspect of your previous work.

Eunhee: I think by the time I got to learn about disability studies, it completely changed the perspective of how I looked at society. What disability studies suggest is that impairments are not defined by physical deficiencies, but rather by how society labels and interprets them. In this way, disability studies challenge and subvert the traditional understanding of disability and its relationship with society. It also made me reconsider the idea of “defect”. Perhaps what defines something as a defect might be the result of social norms and perspectives, rather than the condition itself.

It was a perspective shift for me, and I wanted to carry it over into how I think about technology. You know, technology can also be broken or dysfunctional, and at some point it should be repaired, or it should be disposed of. Who’s gonna repair that? Today, we often imagine technology as something that will fix us, something that is evolving beyond us. But technology also relies on human labor to function. When it breaks down, it is human – often invisible workers – who fix and maintain it.

This also made me reconsider what “work” means. The act of working is not just an economic pursuit. The people that I met during the film production, who had worked over 20 years in semiconductor factories, they didn’t just work for money or survival. They took pride in their work, devoting their youth to it.

Their stories and the environments they worked it, reveal so much about human experience. That is where the connection lies for me, in asking what labor is, what its value is, how it is entangled with technology and machines. This interaction is not just linear or one directional, they are interconnected.

Shinjae: To add some additional context, she was always interested in the underlying aspects of cutting-edge technology. But at the same time, actually, she started from books she read related to her personal experience.

Eunhee: It doesn’t come from something I directly experienced. I’ve been more of a caregiver. One of my family members has been very sick, and we have gone through many treatments and rounds of rehabilitation. As a caregiver, I got to encounter a range of new medical technologies and treatments in hospital.

Some of them feel almost like simulations. Like VR-based therapy or large mechanical frames that suspend patients like marionettes to make them walk. It gave me the feeling of doubts: Does that really help? It seems that technology must advance and constantly invent something new. But I feel like this non-stop innovation and creation are driven more by the economic demand than human necessity.

Shinjae: So for me, it was interesting because Eunhee was connecting her interest to labor in a way that was more obvious than her previous works. She was connecting sick bodies and defects of the machinery and defects in the industry and also our society as well. So, I think working with her, I could also follow the underlying connected layers in everything you know. All the digital devices and so on.

Carolyn: Is that what made you interested in working with Eunhee? Because, in looking at the write-ups of some of the film projects, I noticed that your first write-up is around 2022, and that was for Machines Don’t Die. So was that when the two of you began collaborating together?

Eunhee: We already had a good understanding of each other’s interest since I participated in a group exhibition curated by Shinjae, before we actually started making Machines Don’t Die (2022) together as the artist and the producer. The collaboration was suggested by Shinjae, commissioned by the Seoul Museum of Art.

Even though the settings and factories in the film are in South Korea and it’s dealing with situations that specifically affect South Korean people, it can be applied globally because we all use technology. We use Samsung products. My phone is a Samsung.

Shinjae: Yes, you’re right.

Eunhee: And there’s iPhones.

For you, Shinjae, as a curator, when you began working with Eunhee, you mentioned that you saw certain throughlines in the stories, and because of the type of work that Eunhee does is very experimental and she’s dealing with very specific ideas of humanity and technology and our place in culture and society in relation to technology, as a producer, how do you support and facilitate an artist like Eunhee when there might be people who don’t quite understand what she’s going for thematically and artistically?  

I imagine that in order to facilitate her you have to have a deep understanding of her art and what she’s thinking to in a sense interpret her work for others.

Shinjae: You mentioned the word facilitator, and actually, I think that my role is not like a typical film producer, but more of a mediator or translator.

If I can mention a bit about my background, my undergraduate was actually in art studies, but I studied creative writing for the MFA. So, I don’t feel like a museum person. I’m more interested in production, and, you know, producing something, rather than reading or distancing myself from the work. So I started my career as an intern from KOFIC, and there, my role was collecting screeners back then, and DVDs and CDs for the programmers at Cannes and Venice and… people who were going to take a look at all the Korean films there at the viewing room. KOFIC provides support to the filmmakers and festivals in that aspect.

Back then as an intern, I was visiting Venice Film Festival for the Korean Film Night, and I remember that I thought “Oh, I have to be here with something, rather than just supporting or organizing a party.” there. I think that was kind of the seed for me. Afterwards, I started working at the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, but my interest was very specific, because my interest started with non fiction films produced by filmmakers who have visual art backgrounds. Afterwards, I felt maybe artist films and lens-based works by visual artists can be something I worked on in the future, and maybe I could be the mediator for that. So afterwards, I worked at an international sales and distribution company for boutique Asian arts documentaries.

But it was very short, seven or eight months, and then…I don’t know, just my life brought me to the arts scene and I served as a contracted curatorial assistant for Sharjah Art Foundation and the Asian Art Center Theatre, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Arts, Korea in the film and video department, and Seoul Mediacity Biennale later. There, I worked with several art producers who worked with visual artists outside of Korea, but here in Korea, especially in the visual arts scene, normally you get a maximum of $8,000 for the visual artist to make a moving image.

Carolyn: That’s not a lot of money.

Shinjae: No, that’s not a lot at all. So, you know, it’s not possible for the artist, for the project, the film producers can be involved, you know, they cannot even pay for that sometimes. But I thought, oh, we need film producers here. That’s why I started my research about moving image production and I visited European countries first, because there was a kind of moving image production and distribution initiative called On & For Production and Distribution, organized by four artists and a producer collective in Brussels.

I also visited Paris and met an independent curator and film producer from Guadeloupe now based in France who organized screenings in his space called Espace Khiasma, and who also works with artists and filmmakers such as Eric Baudelaire and Mati Diop. Then I went to Bangkok to look into their artist film scene. I was following my own interests to understand how the ecosystem worked because I couldn’t have a role model here in Korea, because I didn’t want to be a typical producer in the film industry who makes documentary feature films or a performance producer.

I also drew references from dance performances and non-traditional performance productions. It took me several years to fully recognize and embrace artist film production as part of my curatorial practice.

Eunhee, something that I talk about a lot on social media is how as humans, we create technology, we create things, and we turn around and worship them, and in a sense I see that related to what you said earlier about humans thinking that technology will fix us, and that’s happening since the advent of the internet, the worldwide web.

But I would say, more recently, within the last 20 years, with regards to our cell phones and TV, and now AI are almost seen as our gods. We’re never without our cell phones. We walk around with them in our hands even when not using them like they’re permanently attached to us. But, more recently, there’s something that I’m very worried about, and it’s AI.  

There’s a movement within the AI tech space by people whom I call neotech-colonialists, who are trying to position AI, generativeAI as a type of  newGod to humans. They’re saying things like ‘we’ve created this technology and it’s amazing. So amazing that it’s better than us human beings. ‘So now, I’d like to ask you to talk about that concept of worshiping technology, even though we’re the ones who built it and also need to fix it, because how can something that we consider a God need repairing by the same people who created it?  

Talk a bit about that, because that does tie in a lot to Colorless, Orderless, and to these companies and the technology that these women and men in the semiconductor plants in South Korea and all across Asia are working with and manufacturing with their own hands and at the cost of their health are being looked at as being above them, above us by technocrats, men particularly wealthy white men in North America like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, which in itself is an irony.

Eunhee: That’s a difficult question.

Carolyn: I know.

Eunhee: People often ask me after seeing my work, “So, do you want to say that technology is bad? in a dystopian way, it is going to harm us?” and I cannot really say I agree with that. I don’t want to define technology into one single justification. Technology is not one simple thing, it’s a complex entanglement of many elements of human society.

I don’t think we worship technology itself. What we’ve worshiped is probably money. Tech industries are fueled by the stock market speculation. Companies like Samsung and TSMC are not just corporations, they are deeply tied to global capital. Their growth is a shared desire, not just of CEOs, but of shareholders, governments and the public who associate these companies with national development.

This kind of collective pressure builds up all these problems sometimes. When problems arise, instead of addressing them, companies often try to cover them up, with the fear of damaging their market value and reputation.

One example is the health risks affecting the female factory workers that were hidden for a long time. The semiconductor industry in South Korea is supported by the whole nation, as the chance of economical leap. A lot of the media back then framed women workers as symbols of national development, praising their “nimble fingers” and their natural suitability for delicate tasks. But the health issue has never been focused on. People wanted to believe that these advancements were purely good, that they would make us rich and improve our lives.

So, worship of technology is not the main point. It’s more about how our collective desires are projected onto it. Our desire for wealth, control, speed, and flawlessness. For example, I think surveillance technology reflects a human desire to know everything, to see without deeper investigation, to simplify complex realities into simple data.

Carolyn: Yeah. It’s about simplification and instant gratification using technology.

Shinjae:  I think you already know, but historically, big companies like Samsung have been supported by the government and politicians and they work closely with Samsung. There was even a situation when the vice president of Samsung was jailed for offering bribes in response to the president’s request for support.

So, actually, I’m living close to the Samsung semiconductor factory complex in which one of the interviewees in the film worked. Along the roads, I saw banners celebrating the selection of our region as the site for the semiconductor industry cluster under the previous administration.

Carolyn: The interview subject in the film you referred to is the lady who worked on the processing line and got sick with ear infections and had to have a hysterectomy, correct?

Shinjae: That’s right.

So we’re really getting into the meat of the film now. You’ve both mentioned how Samsung the company itself is seen as the pride of South Korea because it’s known the world over by everyone and we’ve spoken of how Samsung devices are used the world over, so now I want to talk about the women themselves. 

The film begins with the story of Hwang Yumi, who died at 22 years old of acute leukaemia in 2007. She worked for Samsung on the semiconductor processing production line. Eunhee, I read online that there had been another company from which Samsung had bought out the rights to operate their semiconductor plants and basically took control of the whole industry in South Korea around 1974. And as you mentioned Eunhee, in their marketing they spoke of women being suited to those jobs of building the delicate parts because of their strength and nimble fingers and as seen in some of the archival footage used in the film. 

I found it particularly interesting the company used women working in the plant as a way to position it as being feminist. As the company was being supportive of women and women’s rights, and their right to work in tech spaces. This was different because at this point in time tech and sciences were very male dominated fields. And initially this seemed like a good thing, but as Samsung was using the message of equality, women were (and still are) the predominant victims of the company’s negligence. They were becoming sick due to the lack of care for their health. They didn’t have proper PPEs, or proper training on how to work with the components and all of the toxic chemicals used in the process of making them. 

There wasn’t proper ventilation or sanitary conditions. In watching the film these images really stood out to me through the discussions with all of the South Korean and Taiwanese workers and activists whom you spoke to. The conditions of those labs and the perceptions people have of them are what prompted the title of the film. 

Inside these factories are the famed “clean rooms”, places where all the considerations of cleanliness are for the products being made, but not for the humans making them. To track their production tasks, workers keep what are known as a “clean note”, and Hwang Yu-mi has one and because of the treatment it received to keep it free of contaminants, her book has outlasted her. And that really shook me. It struck me that the reason we have a record of how she felt sick is because the company has stricter protocols of how she had to care for it than the company had for her life.

Eunhee: The image of the “clean note” and the issues of health risks faced by semiconductor factory workers were already exposed in several documentaries and media around 2014, which was 10 years ago.

So, many Koreans were aware of these incidents then. But they don’t know that even 10 years later, the same things are still happening. Not only in Samsung but across many other companies, including outsourcing firms and factories in other countries. The same pattern keeps repeating where the female workers are being silenced, especially because a lot of the diseases and sicknesses that they get were so private.

For example, the risks to their reproductive health. A lot of women working in the semiconductor factories experience of miscarriage. Because those issues are seen as “women’s problems”, they were discouraged from speaking out. These silencing strategies are very effective for the company, especially because the causes of illness are invisible—there’s no obvious substance to blame, no clear proof to point to.

The women workers were not able to share their experience to the public, not just because of shame, but also because of the pride they once had in being employed by a prestigious company.

The people I met; they often said “Can I even talk about this? I was proud to work there. I don’t want people to think I’m just complaining.” and I think it happens very strategically in this semiconductor or electronic industry, not only in Korea, and that’s why I thought we must talk about this issue in the film.

Although that earlier documentary raised public awareness, these issues were never truly resolved in 2014. Many people think “Oh, we thought it was actually finished. We thought the government was dealing with it. We thought the environment in the factories got better.” But it is not. A lot of the testimony of the female South Korean workers and the migrant workers are still saying exactly the same thing as was said 10 years ago.

In this film, we didn’t just focus on Samsung, but also on its outsourcing companies. Tighter regulations have led major corporations to offload dangerous or toxic work to subcontractors, both locally and overseas. This isn’t unique to Samsung—it’s also happening in places like Taiwan, where the economic strategy similarly relies on electronic manufacturing.

Workers in Taiwan who produce iPhones or ASUS laptops shared similar stories. Female workers are suffering from breast cancer and other cancers, but with almost no media coverage. So, yeah, I think I wanted to update the story that have not been resolved yet.

The other thing that really stood out to me with the film’s title Colorless, Odorless not only because it relates the invisibility of the vaporised chemicals in the atmosphere of the clean rooms, some of them also don’t have odors. And with the colorless, and odorlessness, the film really made me think about how they also come with silence. So like, those three things can kind of go hand in hand, colorless, odorless, and silence, with regards to the women not being able to speak out. They’ve been essentially silenced by the job itself, even if the company doesn’t have to necessarily exert pressure on them directly.  

They’re also silenced by the expectations society placed on them for having these jobs by saying “You’re a woman working this field, so you should be grateful. You can provide for your family, you can buy food, you can buy clothing.”, so as you were saying it creates this idea that these women I don’t have the right to speak up because they are grateful for what this job has provided for them. Even as it’s killing them. 

Close to the end of the film, the same former Samsung employee you spoke of earlier does say that that’s what makes her feel very conflicted which she revealed when she said ” I don’t work there anymore, but I’m still living with the effects of this.” 

There always comes a time when we have to ask if the silence is worth it? Is the silence worth the consequences, you know? And, and I think that’s something really important the film made me think about and it’s not just about what happens inside the factories. It’s about what happens outside of them, because what happens there doesn’t stay there. It spreads out, and not just with regards to the toxic chemicals leaching into the water and into the environment, but it affects their lives, their families and I think the society as well because even though people might not think about it like but as is highlighted in the film  thousands of people have died from this, and that has an effect on society, that affects the population.  

So I was wondering if I was thinking too much about this, but as I pay attention to South Korean politics and culture there’s a situation that’s become quite a significant worry for the country right now is the drastic drop in the human birth rate. And I was thinking, if you have from just one company, Samsung in this case, a situation that for thousands of women has caused their deaths, chronic illnesses that lead to the inability to have children, and for those who do have children they’re born with physical and cognitive disabilities, which means they also can’t go on to have children.  

I just kept thinking this one ‘situation’ alone could have a dramatic effect on the birth rate, because these are people that can’t, in a way, contribute to the population numbers. So I was wondering,  am I thinking about this too much, but I…don’t think I am.

Shinjae: It’s the same for me, I’ve been interested in the aftermath of the East Japan earthquake (2011) from the perspective of [it being a] slow disaster because of the radioactive contamination there, and the contaminated water coming from Japan. But in the process of my research on this, I’ve realized that this is also a slow disaster happening in our bodies.

I want us to talk a bit now about the activists whom you spoke to in Taiwan, because in my research, I saw that while South Korea is one of the largest manufacturers of the chips for semiconductors, TTaiwan actually has the most semiconductor plants, and next to South Korea, Taiwan is the largest producers and manufacturers of electronics like laptops, PCs, printers, and cell phone components. 

Tell me about going to Taiwan and speaking to the members of various activist organizations like the Taiwan International Workers Union. You spoke to them about their work in the lamination labs, clean rooms, and the occupational injuries suffered in places like Tao Yan. 

Is there anything you were surprised to learn about specific instances that happened in Taiwan, that you perhaps may not have observed with South Korea?

Eunhee: I found more similarities than differences between the cases in Taiwan and Korea. The history of the RCA factory’s arrival in Taiwan, how this American factory came to Taiwan and the entire nation rallied around electronics production as a pathway to economic growth. Also, the mass number of women employed to RCA is very similar to cases in South Korea.

It was the same pattern the women workers were not informed about the dangers of the chemicals they were handling. They were not given proper masks or bodysuits to protect themselves. There was also the social pressure of working in a good company, being silenced.

But the thing is, this problem surfaced a bit earlier in Taiwan. As a result, NGOs, independent media, and civil rights groups there have a longer and somewhat stronger history of activism around these issues. But they also have a much higher number of deaths from cancers and other illnesses linked to toxic exposures in the factories.

When I reached out to visit, they welcomed me right away. They had a goal. Not just compensation—they’re now trying to build a memorial park where the RCA factory used to stand. Since the factory has been shut down, they want that place to remind people of the risks involved in this kind of work. I was honestly very moved by how clear and motivated they were about their vision for the future.

We also tried to go to Vietnam, but the NGO that we contacted said they were under surveillance by the government, so the visit was postponed. The Vietnamese government seems to be ignoring the issue—because companies like Samsung making factories in their country are so important for the economy.

It’s just like when the American company RCA came to Taiwan, it was great for their economy, so they close their eyes to other dangerous risks, and now in Vietnam women are getting sick.

To close out the interview, something that you said in the film that I found very poignant is that the only evidence they women have are the testimonies of their bodies because there’s no written evidence. All they have are their memories of the smells and experiences, and it made me think of the Radium Girls who died of radiation poisoning from working in watch factories. 

The evidence they had of what happened to them was their bodies becoming sick after working in those factories, and how they glowed in their graves. 

So, I’d like you to talk about the body being the testimony of an invisible force harming these women.

Eunhee: But the sad thing is, even though there’s medical evidence—like documents, test results, MRIs—that show harm to the body, it often doesn’t help in court. The factories always deny responsibility, even when the data is there.

So in my work, I don’t try to scientifically prove that “this specific illness was caused by this specific chemical”, because that’s not my role. I don’t want people seeing this work to have doubts like “Are they really sure that they got sick in the semiconductor factory? Maybe they want something else.”

What I try to do is make the audience feel connected, to these women workers, to the interviewees. For example, one of the women I interviewed had undergone ear surgery, and she shared her MRI scans with me. And I put a lot of effort into using certain sound and visual effects so that people can receive or feel some emotion towards them.

I used their words, their stories, and their actual bodily images, so that the audience can imagine themselves in those situations. To think, “Maybe this isn’t just some distant woman’s story. Maybe it’s connected to me too.” Or people would also begin to reflect on the devices they use every day—the phones in their hands, the laptops they type on—and realize that these things were made by people like her.

 

Carolyn Hinds
Freelance Film Critic, Journalist, Podcaster & YouTuber
African American Film Critics Association Member, Tomatometer-Approved Critic
Host & Producer Carolyn Talks…, and So Here’s What Happened! Podcast
Bylines at Authory.com/CarolynHinds
Twitter & Instagram: @CarrieCnh12

 

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Credit: Sony Music Entertainment Korea

WATCH “BabyDon’tCry=BreakingTheLove” HERE

LISTEN TO “BabyDon’tCry=BreakingTheLove” HERE

Ethereal up-and-coming girl group, cosmosy, returns with their second official single, “BabyDon’tCry=BreakingTheLove,” a delicate blend of classical and electronic roots, an emotionally stirring melody intertwined with an intense rhythm to create a deeply immersive experience. Following their official debut single, “Lucky=One,” which has amassed over 13 million streams across YouTube and Spotify, the song features lyrics in Korean, Japanese, and English, reflecting the group’s sincerity in breaking down barriers with global fans and sharing their heartfelt message with a wide audience.

“BabyDon’tCry=BreakingTheLove” is a track that captures the resolute determination of young women to break free from love tainted by hypocrisy and lies, and to protect their true feelings and one another. The song delivers an immersive experience through a masterful blend of classical and electronic elements, where emotive melodies intertwine with intense rhythms. A heavy bass synth grounds the track, while the gradually building energy of the drums meticulously amplifies its emotional intensity. By boldly breaking away from the conventional verse-chorus structure, the song intensifies its sense of tension and immersion as it builds toward the climax, with emotions and energy rising distinctly in the latter half.

cosmosy is a four-member ensemble under the label, Sony Music Entertainment Korea and management company NTT docomo Studio&Live. The group initially pre-debuted on December 31, 2024, and has now expanded their reach globally with this release. Their unique blend of J-pop and K-pop elements positions them as a fresh and innovative presence in the international music scene as a global pop group. The quartet comprises Japanese members himesha, de_hana, kamión, and a’mei, each bringing unique talents and charisma. Their group name symbolizes the “Possibilities of Youth” and the “Infinity of the Cosmos”, reflecting their mission to explore limitless potential and growth.

As cosmosy continues producing future projects, they aim to inspire young fans worldwide by embracing cultural diversity, self-expression, and boundless creativity. With their unique sound, striking visuals, and undeniable charisma, the collective is set to leave a lasting impact on the global pop scene.

(Photo Credit: Sony Music Entertainment Korea)

About cosmosy

‘cosmosy’ is a Japanese four-member girl group consisting of himesha, de_hana, kamión, and a’mei. The group’s name symbolizes “the possibilities of youth,” “the infinite universe,” and “growth and conflict,” carrying the meaning of COSMOS of Youth. Their official debut is with BLACKPINK’s Creative Director SINXITY’s lead along with creative teams that have worked on numerous K-Pop artists such as aespa, IVE, LE SSERAFIM, TXT, IU, and Red Velvet, and more.

Connect with cosmosy: Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | TikTok

 

#cosmosy #electricsound #JPop #Japanesesingers #kcrush #SINXITY #newsingle #BabyDontCryBreakingTheLove #cosmosygirlgroup #kcrushmagazine #kcrushamerica #pop #SonyMusicEntertainmetKorea #Japan #global #NTTdocomoStudioandLive #himesha #dehana #kamión #a’mei #fourmembergroup #LuckyOne

From idol to entrepreneur! 💼✨ These K-Pop stars didn’t just dominate the stage—they’ve also made bold moves into the business world. Whether it’s launching fashion brands, running restaurants, or founding entertainment companies, these idols are building legacies beyond music.

💡 Featuring:

G-Dragon (BIGBANG), Jessica Jung (Former SNSD), Sandara Park (2NE1), Baekhyun (EXO), Leeteuk (Super Junior), Sooyoung (SNSD), Jaejoong (JYJ), Zico (Block B), Jay Park (Former 2PM), and Rain.

Explore how they turned their star power into CEO status!

📌 For more K-Pop news & deep dives, visit: kcrush.com

#KpopIdols #KpopBusiness #KpopEntrepreneurs #GDragon #JessicaJung #SandaraPark #Baekhyun #Leeteuk #Sooyoung #Jaejoong #Zico #JayPark #Rain #Kpop2025 #KpopNews #kcrush

Trigger Warning: Article discusses suicide and depression. Please scroll to the bottom of the article for links and numbers to helpful sources. You are not alone.

 

 

On December 18, 2017, many heard the news that SHINee’s Kim Jonghyun passed away. The  27-years-old was more than just the leader of one of the world’s biggest K-Pop groups, he was also someone’s role model, a brother, a friend, a son, and a human being whose job was to entertain people. The latter is something many lose sight of as we put pop stars and other celebrities on a pedestal and treat them like royalty. However, they are just people who train for years— often giving up their childhoods— to do a job that many of us dream about growing up.

Early reports indicate that Jonghyun committed suicide based on text messages he sent and evidence at the scene. As of the evening of December 18, there is a translation of a note making the rounds on social and news media circuits. As a warning, it is difficult to read and provides insight into Jonghyun’s thoughts and the despair he felt prior to taking his own life.

The news of his death is particularly shocking because Jonghyun was a vibrant soul who wasn’t just known for his music: He was also well-known for his support of the LGBTQ+ community and for reaching out to those in need. As with any death of someone well-known and loved, the news is sudden, shocking, and hard to absorb.

Sadly, he joins a sad and not-so-lonely club of celebrities who’ve died tragically due to suicide. Many of us fail to see the signs of the dark monster of depression that often consumes them. For those of us who stand in the crowds engaged in fan chants and applause, we see the glamour and the sparkling façade of dreams achieved, but we fail to see the shadows tucked away in the deepest corners of the stage. As celebrities, they are expected to put their best faces forward despite what they feel on the inside. For fans, especially young fans, the happiness and charisma celebrities exude on-stage and during fan interactions are what many think is a 24/7-personality. However, we don’t see what it’s like on the inside—what the head and heart truly feel—on days when they’re home away from the cheers, media, and the hot glow of stage lights.

 

 

Here, this is where fans fail. Many fans cannot differentiate between the person and the star. Celebrity is nothing more than glorified cosplay. Fans celebrate the perfectly crafted personalities and images agencies create to keep fans happy and buying merchandise emblazoned with their biases’ faces. Fans feel they know the person personally and know everything about him or her while feeling as if they own the air a celebrity breathes. This often turns into abusive behavior and hateful comments vomited online by people who hide behind computer screens. This can be viewed as manipulative and controlling behavior to get a star to act and do exactly as fans dictate, but at the root of it, it’s venom that poisons a world that should bring people together and unite people in joy. Instead, it’s a bitter, stressful environment that not only wears on different fandoms, but on the stars people claim they love. No one stops to think about the person wearing the celebrity mask.

We do not see people. We only see what we want to see.

This is where society fails. People gravitate to the feel-good portions of life and shun the darkness. People fail to see human suffering because it’s not fun or pretty. People who struggle with mental illness know this all too well.

Sometimes, we’re forgotten or shunned because we’re an enigma; sometimes even our own friends walk away from us because our mental and emotional storms are too much to handle. For many, we’re not even human, so we put up a front to be loved, accepted, and humanized in a world that is cold to the struggles of others. The world made up of billions of people becomes a lonely place. A quote from the TV show Person of Interest (2011-2016) becomes a stark reality: “In the end we’re alone, and no one’s coming to save you.” We become the shadows people fear.

For those who dare to walk into our shadows, you are the light even if you do not realize it.

Today, it seems like the world is a dark and hopeless place. There is so much hate. Anymore, compassion is hard to find. As a society, we need to make more of a concentrated effort to be kind and to help others because we truly do not know what lies beneath in someone’s life. You hear the clichéd stories like, “that homeless man you see on the street that people harass? He may be suffering from PTSD following his third tour in Iraq. That girl you bully on the bus? She struggles with depression because her mother is dying of cancer…” Unfortunately, these are the realities millions of people face every day.

Those of us with mental illness are trying our best and working on surviving every day.

 

 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 300 million people worldwide suffer from some form of depression or mental illness. That’s close to five percent of the world’s population. According to WHO’s 2017 fact sheet, 800,000 people commit suicide a year; it is the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 29. WHO also shares that fewer than 10 percent of this population receives adequate mental health care. This needs to change. It needs to change now. It needs to change fast.

Jonghyun’s passing, as expected, is hitting the K-Pop community hard, not just Shawols. While it’s okay to mourn the loss of his music, the loss of a leader, and the loss of a role model, it’s important to keep in mind that depression and suicide are much bigger than K-Pop. It is a global issue. It’s like tossing a stone into water. First, the ripples start small and grow to where the whole pond is disturbed. Eventually, the ripple reaches shore and affects those near it as well.

Sadly, Jonghyun’s death adds another layer to the mental illness discussion and the questions friends, family, and colleagues will inevitably ask: Were there signs? Did we miss something when we were with him? Did we not pick up on something the last time we talked? Did we love him enough? What if I checked my phone sooner? The what ifs will weigh just as heavily as the action. Fans and people closest to Jonghyun may scrutinize over every social media post, every performance, and his actions leading up to December 18 trying to find that one clue that lead to what occurred. Perhaps there may be something. Perhaps there is nothing at all.

Unfortunately, when a celebrity like Jonghyun passes, there is the fear of copycats from fans and those who suffer from depression and suicidal tendencies. Some of these fears stem from the news reporting the story, unhealthy idolization of the celebrity or friend, and a perceived deep connection to the deceased. For Shawols and K-Pop fans alike, it’s important to talk and reach out to someone if you are feeling sad or affected by the news. There’s no shame in talking to a parent, a teacher, a guidance counselor, or calling a helpline in a time of need. It’s important to keep in mind that even in the darkest of days, there is never any shame in reaching out for help.

Despite some fanwars that occur in the K-Pop fandom, the overall fandom is a tight-knit community that needs to weather this storm as everyone tries to grasp the suddenness of Jonghyun’s passing. This is a time to come together to help those hurting and those who are most volatile, especially with many K-Pop fans falling into the pre-teen/teen category. Now is the time to discuss mental health and to push for stronger awareness and care. Now is time to help eliminate the stigma.

As a society, people need to show more compassion. No one’s stories are the same: Everyone has a battle. Reach out to your fellow person and don’t be afraid to genuinely ask how that person is doing. Listen. Listen to their fears, their sadness, their hearts… don’t shun them or turn them away because you find them difficult or draining. Do your best to be there. Don’t assume that a smile means everything is okay.

Be kind.

While it’s not a cure-all for mental illness and depression, it’s a step in the right direction.

 

A post shared by SM Entertainment Group (@smtown) on Dec 18, 2017 at 4:57pm PST

 

If you or someone you love is struggling with depression, there is help.

United States

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Crisis Text Line: A 24/7 nationwide text-messaging hotline. Text 741741 to talk to a trained counselor.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 1-800-273-8255- Available 24 hours every day.

The Trevor Project: Call 1-866-488-7386. Crisis and suicide prevention services available to the LGBTQ+ community.

Trans Lifeline: Call (877) 565-8860.  Crisis and suicide prevention services for trans and non-binary individuals.

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 for help. Text 838255 for text-based services. This service aids veterans.

Canada

Kids Help Phone: Call 1-800-668-6868. A 24-hour service for youths 20 and under.

The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention:  Assistance is available in French and English. However, they are not a crisis center, but they do have links to crisis centers in each Canadian province.

Trans Lifeline: Call (877) 330-6366

Youthspace: This service helps people aged 30 and under. Text them at 778-783-0177. The service is available from 6pm to midnight PST.

 

For a complete list of suicide and crisis lifelines available in many countries, please visit Wikipedia’s list of resources.

 

—-Joelle Halon

https://www.mixcloud.com/KpopClubNight/super-fresh-kpop-mix-july-2025-by-dj-yuka-k/

Get your to-do list done in no time by blasting this brand-new mix from Yuka recorded last night! It’s got all the new songs of the summer that YOU NEED to know!  Click here to listen now on mixcloud (you don’t need the app or a log-in to play it).

ARE YOU TURNING UP? IT’S GOING DOWN!

K-pop Club Night Upcoming Dates July 2025

Date	City	Venue	Age	DJ(s)	Tickets	Discount Code
July 18	Chicago	Stereo	21+	DJ Chen	Tickets	BLINK
July 19	Ottawa	Sky	19+	DJ Yuka	Tickets	BLINK
July 19	Salt Lake City	Soundwell	18+	DJ Chen	Tickets
July 25	Philadelphia	Fringe Bar	21+	DJ Chen	Tickets
July 25	Edmonton	The Rec Room	18+	DJ Yuka	Tickets	BLINK
July 26	Boston	Royale Boston	18+	DJ Chen	Tickets	BLINK
July 26	Calgary	The Rec Room	18+	DJ Yuka	Tickets	BLINK
Aug 2	Myrtle Beach	House Of Blues	18+	DJ Chen	Tickets
Aug 8	Atlanta	The Masquerade	18+	DJ Chen	Tickets
Aug 9	New York	Irving Plaza	18+	DJ Chen + DJ Angie	Tickets
Aug 16	Toronto	The Rec Room	19+	DJ Yuka	Tickets	BLINK
Aug 22	Houston	NOTO	18+	DJ Chen	Tickets	BLINK
Aug 23	Austin	Parish	18+	DJ Chen	Tickets
Sept 5	Los Angeles	TBA	18+	DJ Chen	Coming soon
Sept 6	Seattle	Ora	21+	DJ Chen	Tickets
Sept 13	Nashville	Vinyl Lounge	18+	DJ Chen	Tickets
Sept 19	Dallas	Art Co	18+	DJ Chen	Tickets
Sept 19	New Orleans	Arora	18+	DJ Angie	Tickets
Sept 20	Detroit	The Loving Touch	18+	DJ Angie	Tickets
Sept 20	Las Vegas	Fremont Country Club	21+	DJ Chen	Tickets
Sept 20	London	The Rec Room	19+	DJ Yuka	Tickets
Sept 27	Washington DC	The Howard	18+	DJ Chen & DJ Angie	Coming soon
Oct 11	Winnipeg	The Rec Room	18+	DJ Yuka	Tickets
Oct 18	Minneapolis	TBA	18+	TBA	Coming soon
Oct 25	Montreal	Ausgang Plaza	18+	DJ Yuka	Tickets
Nov 29	Columbus	Skully’s	18+	DJ Chen	Coming soon

See you on the dance-floor!

FOLLOW AND TAG

Make sure to follow and tag us in your posts and stories!

Kpop Club Night http://instagram.com/kpopclubnight

Make requests a week before the show at http://tiktok.com/@kpopclubnight

For complete, accurate and up-to-date schedules check http://kpopclubnight.co 

‘Doctor X’ – Japan’s Longest-Running Medical Drama

In the world of Japanese dramas, few series have carved a legacy as bold and enduring as ‘Doctor‑X’. Since its debut in 2012, this medical drama has captivated viewers with its fierce protagonist, gripping surgical scenes, and unapologetic critique of hospital bureaucracy. While Japanese dramas often go unnoticed in global conversations dominated by K-dramas, ‘Doctor‑X’ has consistently delivered top-tier ratings, iconic catchphrases, and a loyal fanbase that stretches across continents.

The Unstoppable Dr. Daimon

At the heart of ‘Doctor‑X’ is Michiko Daimon, portrayed by the acclaimed actress Ryōko Yonekura. Daimon isn’t your typical white-coated heroine. She’s a freelance surgeon who floats from one university hospital to another, armed with unmatched surgical skills. She is known for her sharp tongue and the “I never fail.” signature line. What sets her apart isn’t just her talent—it’s her refusal to conform. She scoffs at authority, rolls her eyes at pompous hospital directors, and walks away from political games without a second thought. In a world where hierarchy is everything, Daimon dares to be different.

A Legacy of Excellence

‘Doctor‑X’ first aired in October 2012 on TV Asahi. Over the course of seven seasons and multiple specials, it consistently dominated prime-time slots, peaking at over 23% average viewership in Season 2—an impressive feat in Japan’s competitive TV landscape. Each season brings a new hospital, a fresh batch of enemies, and even more impossible surgeries. The formula is familiar, yet somehow never gets stale—thanks to Daimon’s larger-than-life persona and the biting satire that threads through each episode. Despite its episodic format, the show manages to touch on serious issues: medical ethics, corruption, and the rigid structures of Japan’s healthcare system. But it does so with flair, humor, and a touch of rebellion.

Where Can You Watch It?

Finding ‘Doctor‑X’ with English subtitles can be tricky, but not impossible. Seasons 1–4 are available with English subtitles in select regions on Amazon Prime Video. You can watch it on Netflix Japan using reliable VPNs. For later seasons, season 5 to 7, fans often turn to unofficial sites like kissasian.

Why It’s Still Worth Watching in 2025

Even though the latest season aired in 2021, ‘Doctor‑X’ feels timeless. Its themes—standing up against corruption, protecting life at all costs, and owning your power—still resonate deeply. And Ryōko Yonekura’s magnetic performance keeps the series fresh, even a decade after its debut. In an era where medical dramas often revolve around romantic subplots or tragic deaths, ‘Doctor‑X’ dares to be different. There’s little to no romance. No tragic backstory to make us pity the lead. Just a brilliant woman, doing what she does best—saving lives and defying expectations.

Final Thoughts

‘Doctor‑X’ is more than a medical drama—it’s a cultural phenomenon. With its strong feminist lead, satirical edge, and consistent quality, it’s no surprise it remains one of Japan’s most successful TV exports. For J-drama fans or curious newcomers looking to try something bold, smart, and a little bit rebellious, ‘Doctor‑X’ is a must-watch.

 

—-Karen Mwenda

 

#DoctorX #RyokoYonekura #Jdrama #Japanesedrama #kcrush #mustwatch #strongfemaledoctor #kcrushamerica #kissasian