Music, music, music
I’ll be updating this page periodically to include music that’s piquing my interest at the moment. Song of the day: “Pretty Baby” by Blondie.
Tag: BTS
Interviews (Celebrity Index)
David Bowie, Keanu Reeves, Britney Spears, PSY, Idris Elba, BTS, Matt Damon, Justin Timberlake, Venus Williams… Just a few of the notable folks I’ve interviewed. Click on the photo or the title to read my profiles. Enjoy!
How The Korean Folk Song “Arirang” Ties In With BTS’ March Comeback
On March 20, BTS will make their long-awaited comeback with an album called “Arirang.” Since it was announced, fans and media have been speculating about the cultural significance of the title, the album cover possibly being an homage to a group of 19th century Korean students studying in the U.S., and whether the title hints at what kind of music listeners can expect on the upcoming record.
Why Isn’t More Being Done to Stop the Stalking of Jung Kook?
While it’s easy to blame the K-pop system for encouraging parasocial relationships between fans and idols, experts told me that the modern “celebrity machine” in general emboldens stalkers.
10 Moments That Defined K-pop’s Huge Year
“Kpop Demon Hunters” ruled the world, Blackpink kept getting bigger, and new artists broke rules. My latest for Rolling Stone magazine.
Go Away With … Vitamin String Quartet
“My maternal grandfather took me to Germany the summer between junior and senior year of high school,” Vitamin String Quartet cellist Derek Stein saids. “It was my first time out of the [United] States and an amazing experience. We went there specifically to look for a cello that he would purchase for me. We went all around the German countryside visiting different string shops and looking at the instruments that they had for sale. I was able to sit in on a couple rehearsals for a little community orchestra in one of the villages that we stayed in for a couple of days.”
Every BTS Solo Song Ranked
Together BTS is a pop music force of nature. As solo artists RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook have created an equally amazing catalog. My latest for Rolling Stone magazine.
“Home Alone” (나 혼자 산다)
j-hope’s appearance on HOME ALONE gave insight into his role as a worldwide pop star. But it was the tender moments with his sister that were the most precious to me. They gave viewers an understanding of who he is: a man whose career is secondary to his family.
What We Can Learn About Ourselves from ‘Worldwide Handsome’
Referring to himself as Worldwide Handsome isn’t about Jin’s ego. It’s the affirmation that we all need.
The Making of Jin’s Sweeping “Another Level”
Jin’s vocals on “Another Level” (from his debut EP “Happy”) blew away co-songwriter Ben Samama.
Big Ocean: Meet the Deaf K-Pop Group That’s Breaking Barriers
Big Ocean’s Hyunjin, Chanyeon, and Jiseok talk about their remarkable journey and what they want to do next. My latest exclusive for Rolling Stone.
Go Away With … Kim Suhyun
Kim Suhyun’s bestselling book “I Decided to Live as Me” (Penguin Life) reminds readers about the importance of self-care and self-love. The Seoul-based writer said that reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations piqued reader interest. And she also credits BTS member, Jungkook, for spiking interest in her book after the pop star was spotted reading it.
Suga’s ‘Perp Walk’ Wasn’t Necessary
Suga’s ‘perp walk’ wasn’t necessary: Due Process vs. Freedom of the Press
Has the Korean Press Learned Nothing After Lee Sun-kyun?
Suga isn’t stupid. He knows he’s one of the most famous men in South Korea, and that the news media and the public would literally love to catch him in a scandal. And since he hasn’t been caught in a dating scandal or a bankruptcy scandal or a family scandal, the news is making do with what they have: scooter-gate.
IU’s Evocative “Love Wins All” Music Video (featuring V) is Thought-Provoking
It’s not easy for two well-known celebrities to immerse themselves in their roles so well that we don’t see them, but rather their characters. But watching IU’s music video for “Love Wins All,” I didn’t see pop stars IU and V, but rather a pair of anguished characters who were trying desperately to survive in this post-apocalyptic inferno.
They Call Us K-Culture
I was the first guest of 2024 on Phil Yu and Jeff Yang’s podcast, “They Call Us Bruce.” We discussed K-dramas, BTS, Lee Sun-kyun’s tragic death and how annoying it is when non-Asian members of the media co-opt our stories.
“BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star”
“BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star” isn’t always easy to watch. Very real issues are discussed, including severe depression that hints at suicidal ideation. But what comes through is that it’s the group’s hope, friendship, humor and love that binds them together.
Part 2: That Podcast & BTS’ Relevance to Korean Diaspora
A reminder that it’s really gross to tell people that their identity is determined by what language they speak — or what language they choose to sing in. Part 2 of my coverage of that problematic NYT K-pop podcast.
NYT’s Podcast Questioned Whether K-pop Should Only Be Sung in Korean
The thesis of the New York Times’ podcast questions whether K-pop is still K-pop if sung in English. It also questions whether Korean artists should even be singing in English, since there are so many Western artists who already sing in, you know, English…
The 100 Greatest Songs in the History of Korean Pop Music
What follows is not only the story of Korean popular music, and how it birthed the K-pop business, but also how a small peninsula nation learned how to make art in the face of colonialism and political change, culled sonics from all corners of the globe, and keeps striving to find new ways of distilling the purest, most thrilling aspects of the human experience into four-minute packages of pop revelation. For Rolling Stone.