BTS Shun the Grammys
In my latest for Rolling Stone, I report on BTS removing themselves from Grammy contention in 2027, and what all of this means.
Month: July 2026
Kim Theory: Meet the L.A. Teen Punk Band That’s Playing Lollapalooza
Named after a trio of awesome alt-rock Kims, Kim Theory is making lots of noise before graduating high school. My latest exclusive for Rolling Stone magazine.
Go Away With … Aisha Bowe
“Space makes Earth better,” said astronaut Aisha Bowe. “Every new place still fills me with even more curiosity. What changed after space is how I see Earth. When you look down at this planet from 100 kilometers up, every destination looks impossibly precious. If anything, space made me want to explore more of this world, not less.”
Go Away With … Ava Dash
For New York City-based activist and model Ava Dash, traveling is less about an itinerary than it is about embracing the moments she never planned for, like “watching the sun set over the ocean with close friends, discovering a tiny restaurant you found by accident, or getting completely lost in a city and ending up somewhere even better than where you intended to go.”
Kevin Jin Kwan Kim’s “Goodbye, From Afar” is a Beautiful 1-Minute Film About Love, Death, and Immigration
Would we have done well if we had stayed in Korea? Probably, because my parents were resilient. But would I choose to move to Korea permanently at this stage of my life? No, for the same reason that my father wanted to be buried here rather than in our family plot in Seoul. His family is here, he said, and he wanted to be near us even in death.
Go Away with … Oli Higginson
“We are always in a beautiful part of England for ‘Bridgerton,’” Oli Higginson said. “I’ve filmed wonderful scenes at the Bridgerton house in Greenwich and at Hampton Court Palace near Richmond. We used to film a lot in the English city of Bath, but now they have built this incredible backlot set out at Shepperton Studios, which is truly a feat of artistic engineering. It is stunning. And given that, it does indeed always feel like the locations are another character. They totally inform how we carry ourselves and how the scenes play out.”
Jimin Han’s “Dreamt I Found You” Retells a Famous Korean Folklore
The Korean American author offers a fresh, modern take on “Chunhyangjeon.”
The 7 Best K-dramas of 2026 So Far
Some people mistakenly describe K-dramas (even the best K-dramas) as soap operas. While daytime shows certainly exist in Korea—typically airing Monday through Friday for about 50 to 200+ episodes—the K-drama umbrella covers a multitude of genres. Read more in my latest article for Teen Vogue.
The 100 Best BTS Songs
Rolling Stone magazine asked me to help update their 2022 ranking of BTS’ best songs. I obliged and added input about the septet’s latest album, “Arirang.”
Go Away With … Travis Yee
“Travel has taught me that people are more similar than different,” said country singer Travis Yee. “Whether I’m in Tennessee, California, South Carolina or somewhere else entirely, people experience the same things – love, heartbreak, self-doubt, family struggles and perseverance. Those shared experiences often find their way into my songs.”