My Kpop Journey Part I
Who was the first KPop group you ever listened to?
WONDER GIRLS
Which KPop artist do you think deserves more global recognition and why?
DBSK/TVXQ!
- DBSK ... TVXQ! as five dropped from the music scene right when they were at their peak ... When the KPop scene was starting to become global. Ever since JYJ was blacklisted by their previous company, preventing them from appearing on TV shows and Radio stations for the past 12 years, everyone who wasn't around when they were together, would never know who they were. As five, they were vocal powerhouses. No one could match their live vocal abilities. And I feel frustrated as a huge fan of them that the KPop fans of this generation will never get to see that.
Have you ever changed your ULT Bias Group/Artist? If so, what prompted the change?
- I don't think I'll have any other ULT Bias Group other than the group in my previous answer. For the past 16 years since I've gotten into KPop, I have yet to find a group/artist that surpassed them in terms of talent.
Which KPop group's debut impressed you the most and why?
- I can't recall being impressed by a group's debut in terms of music video. But there are a few debut songs that I still listen to, to this day.
Click to viewIs there a solo artist from a KPop group that you particularly admire?
KIM JAEJOONG
- He's been my ULT Bias for the longest time and while I've accumulated a couple more Ult Biases after, he's still number one for me in terms of talent. A close second would have to be JayB from GOT7.
JAYB
Which KPop group/artist's music video do you think are the most visually stunning?
- Lately, I haven't really watched any new group's music videos other than the handful of groups that I personally follow. So, I can't answer without being biased.
How do you discover new KPop groups or artists?
- When I was first introduced to KPop, I would listen to all of the artists under that one company and not listen to any other company's music. After a big event that shattered my world, I decided to only dedicate myself to one group and for a while that limited my exposure to new music. After another huge event, that happened to the one group that I was currently listening to, I decided to find another group to heal my broken heart. Which, for a while I only listened to that one group too until something happened to them also and so I decided that KPop should be about music and not just the people behind it. Therefore, I decided at the beginning of 2022, that I would expand my view and listen to other group's music, especially those that I had a negative biased opinion on just to verify whether or not my opinion of them was because it was my own choice or if I was influenced by other people's opinion on them and while my negative opinions of certain groups were justified (that I knew their music wasn't my taste), others I found myself enjoying their music. Since then, I've been keeping track of new debuts and comebacks in order to listen to new music.
What makes your favorite KPop group stand out from others?
- How sincere their bond for each other is and how much their music resonates with me.
Do you follow more male or female KPop groups and why?
- I find myself stanning more male KPop groups than girl groups in terms of watching their variety shows and other forms of content, while I find myself enjoying more female KPop group's music.
Which KPop artist or group would you recommend to someone new to KPop?
DAY6
- I feel like most people would enjoy DAY6's music as most Americans grew up listening to Rock/Band music aside from Pop and R&B music.
Have you ever tried to learn a dance routine from your favorite KPop group?
- Yes, to Super Junior's Wonder Boy. (I can't put the music video here because it's copyrighted)
What's your favorite collaboration between KPop artists/groups?
Which KPop group/artist do you wish would make a comeback?
GOT7
How do you keep up with news and updates about your favorite KPop groups/artists?
- It used to be Twitter, but then it got too toxic with all the hate so I stopped going on there. Now, YouTube is where I get my news.
Which KPop artist's live performance exceeded your expectations the most?
- After I saw this live performance or their concerts in general, nobody has come close to them. They've become my standard for singing live and they're to blame.
What's your favorite KPop song of all time and why?
- There are too many to name.
Is there a KPop song that you feel emotionally connected to? Can you share the story behind it?
- What these three songs have in common is that they're songs dedicated to their fans with the promise that they got each other's back.
What's the most played KPop song in your playlist right now?
Do you prefer KPop songs with powerful beats or ballads with emotional lyrics?
- Both.
Which KPop song has the most meaningful lyrics to you?
Have you ever learned Korean to understand KPop songs better?
- No, but I've watched too many Korean Dramas and Variety shows that I can generally guess what they mean when there's no subtitles.
What's your favorite KPop song to sing at karaoke?
- I don't go karaoke.
Which KPop song do you think has the best choreography?
- I don't check many dance practices to decide what is the best.
Is there a KPop song that has motivated or inspired you in a significant way?
- This song exposed the behind the scenes to the entertainment world that idols have to deal with which opened a lot of people's eyes to the truth.
What was the first KPop song that made you fall in love with the genre?
- This is one of the first Korean Dramas that I remembered watching and what makes this song most memorable is that during this time, I didn't realize this was a Korean song because I first heard this on a night bus on my way to my mother's hometown from Hong Kong. (And the fact that before this, I only watched Japanese dramas and thought this was a Japanese drama too.)
Do you have a favorite KPop song that's not in Korean?
Which KPop b-side track do you think deserves more recognition?
- "Face" by GOT7 rather than "Teenager" from the same album and "FNF" by Stray Kids rather than "Item" from the same album.
Who is your favorite KPop songwriter or producer and why?
Distract
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- He helps produce most of GOT7's Jinyoung's written songs which happens to be one of my favorites.
Have you ever attended a music show or fanmeet for a KPop artist?
- Sadly, no.
Which KPop song's music video concept blew your mind?