17 Carat K-Pop

The best music videos released by Korean artists this year, a list revealed in the form of a guessing game! Stay tuned for the final ranking of these picks by subscribing to the show’s free newsletter! https://17caratkpop.substack.com/

A ranking and review of the best new releases from K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop artists!

Hope covers a WIDE range of news stories related to the music industry, starting with recent (separate) lawsuits involving Genius and the team behind Internet Archive. Around the 17-minute mark is a brief guide to the past, present, and future of music streaming. Spotify’s heated departure from Uruguay is discussed starting around the 23-minute mark, followed by an explainer about recent Harry Sty...

HYBE and MBC’s olive-branch moment, BLACKPINK’s visit to Buckingham Palace, interesting data about how English language in K-pop songs has changed, FIFTY FIFTY updates, SEVENTEEN’s UNESCO Youth Forum speeches, and even more of the latest K-pop news! The interview with Nahee, a special artist gone too soon, mentioned in the episode: https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/get-to-know-nahee?r=4ajn9&u...

Artist-to-watch Gyubin addresses her “super rookie” label, shares why she admires IU, explains why she’s content with not clearly defining her musical style, and more! Check out her single with Gaeko, “Start To Shine,” here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8nfIXJJsZA   Check out her single with Wonstein, “Scribble,” here! https://youtu.be/7QXTqaoWeHM?si=VI_GUXeon2-Pr4kn   Keep up with her on YouT...

Hope decodes all of ENHYPEN’s ORANGE BLOOD pre-release material: the concept trailer and other video teasers, the pictures, and even the tracklist! From the context behind some key words to the details from ENHYPEN’s live shows that reappear in the teaser videos, this is an in-depth look at how ENHYPEN’s newest era is picking up where the last one left off - and adding intriguing new plot twists!...

Thoughts and theories about everything related to Stray Kids’ new album and corresponding videos: what the clown characters represent, how different parts of the multiverse influence each other, what to make of the “SKZFLIX” and “LALALALA” video endings, how new Stray Kids songs relate to older ones, and so much more!

A ranking and review of the best new releases from K-pop, J-pop, T-pop, and C-pop artists!

As strange as Fugees member Pras Michel’s corruption trial was, featuring everything from a fugitive accomplice to Leonardo DiCaprio’s testimony, the news that came out after the verdict was even stranger: Pras Michel’s lawyer used artificial intelligence to draft his closing argument. In addition to this, Pras’s motion for a retrial includes damning descriptions of his former lawyer’s behavior th...

A comprehensive overview of TXT’s Webtoon: a guide to the characters and themes, an episode-by-episode summary, and a look at the many nods to TXT’s music videos that are present throughout the series!

After summarizing each chapter and the core themes of ENHYPEN’s Webtoon, DARK MOON: THE BLOOD ALTAR (in the first twenty minutes of this episode), Hope reviews the “FATE” World Tour and points out all of the references the group’s live show made to both their Webtoon and music video world!

A track-by-track guide to SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN , a rundown of all the Easter eggs in the “God of Music” video, and a summary of how SEVENTEEN’s new album is an excellent tribute to their past, present, and future! Check out previous reflections on SEVENTEEN’s discography here! https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/gearing-up-for-seventeens-comeback?sd=pf

This episode covers an ENORMOUS amount of K-pop and J-pop news in under an hour: Song and Show of the Summer poll results, a monumental day in J-pop history, DPR LIVE’s rebranding, celebrity lawsuits (involving accusations of everything from real estate fraud to illegal ambulance usage), Jennie’s official recognition as a fashion icon, FIFTY FIFTY agency-dispute-related updates, the most interesti...

Why the NCT Cinematic Universe is like an asterisk, how the characters NCT 127 play in the “Fact Checkmate” murder mystery special have more in common with their music video characters than it first seems, all the hidden references in the “Deities of Seoul” video, and so much more! This is the ultimate deep dive for theorizing about NCT 127’s Fact Check album and its corresponding videos!

Hope shares her first impressions of TXT’s new album, The Name Chapter: FREEFALL , points out all the “Chasing That Feeling” music video details worth flagging, and explains how the “FREEFALL Era” seamlessly picks up where The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION   left off!  Around the 1-minute mark: a TXT Music Video Universe storyline refresher. Around the 18-19-minute mark: reacting to and reviewing the n...

Sometimes goofy and sometimes gruesome, but always rich with symbolism and mysterious twists, the DPR IAN Music Video Universe is unlike any other. This episode celebrates this bizarre, mesmerizing, chock-full narrative in its entirety! Hope offers a full guide to the storyline, shares her theories about the plots and symbols, and recalls what led to her own descent down the DPR rabbit hole!

A ranking and review of the best new music from Korean and Japanese artists!

Through both song lyrics and the “Sensitive” music video, this episode recaps the many ways Loossemble keep the symbolism of the "LOONAverse" relevant, the music video storyline ongoing, and the overall spirit of LOONA alive and well!

Naomi Klein has an excellent new book out called Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World . It’s about the existential angst that comes with being constantly mistaken for an “Other Naomi,” who says and does things to which Klein is vehemently opposed. Klein’s writing explores much more than the emotional effects of getting a reputation for what someone else says and does, though. She questions h...

The past, present, and possible future of K-pop light sticks, photo cards, cup sleeves, and more! This episode is both a guide to K-pop merchandise and some thoughts on the best and most creative K-pop album packaging and light sticks ever!

How do SEVENTEEN manage to incorporate nods to ALL of their previous musical eras into one new music video?! How does “Ima” both continue their music video story and offer hints about its future? And how do their characters live like crosses between Don Quixote and Truman Burbank?! Hope answers these questions by breaking down the lyrics of SEVENTEEN’s new songs and symbolic moments throughout the...

After a ranking and review of the twenty best new releases of the past month, Hope shares a TON of honorable mentions! Get ready to take notes and get updated on all the must-hear new K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and beyond!

After sharing the highlights and lowlights of aespa’s Chicago tour stop, Hope covers new twists in the FIFTY FIFTY agency drama, a disappointing fandom name announcement, interesting details about 2024 from HYBE’s latest press conference, a peek behind the curtain into JUN’s creative process, and more K-pop updates!

Although this year’s World Scout Jamboree was filled with problems (including criminal charges, dangerous weather, accusations of poor planning, a blame game, and tension with sports superfans), there were also moments when South Korean businesses and places of worship stepped up and tried to still give scouts special memories. This episode covers both the highs and lows of this year’s Jamboree an...

After reviewing each song on the NCT 2023 album Golden Age , Hope brings up TONS of theories about hidden messages in the “Golden Age” music video and in the album’s teasers! She also shares some interesting anecdotes about the famous Beethoven piece that inspired the song “Golden Age”!