Published inFan Gran·Mar 19Member-onlyAppreciation or Appropriation? A K-Pop ConundrumA Black novice stan’s take — This recent Stevie Wonder tribute is one of the reasons I love K-Pop: It features iconic riffs from many of Wonder’s most beloved songs and a haunting harmonica solo that reminded me of seeing “Little” Stevie Wonder at the Regal Theater in Chicago, where he and all the best…K Pop Industry5 min readK Pop Industry5 min read
Published inFan Gran·Feb 17Member-onlyThe Irresistibly Immersive World of K-pop FandomWorld domination is at hand… — It starts like this: You saw the meltdown begin at about minute 1:48 or so. Yep, that was a Black man full grown fanboying over my favorite K-pop crew NCT 127. He now reviews everything they do. And has become one of my favorite NCT 127 “reactors.” (See the…K Pop Industry4 min readK Pop Industry4 min read
Published inFan Gran·Feb 7Member-onlyIs NCT 127's “Ay-Yo” One Of K-pop’s Most Perfect, Powerful Performances, ever?Oh, HELL yeah… — I listen to a lot of K-pop. But I’m not a fan. Not the kind you’re probably thinking of, anyway. Let me explain. You see, I spent most of my 20s and early 30s as a features reporter/rock critic for a “major metropolitan daily” so I’m admittedly more than a…Kpop4 min readKpop4 min read
Published inFan Gran·Feb 3Member-onlyThe Almost Unbearable Beauty of “My Mister”Prepare to be challenged and changed — I know a little bit about script writing. One of my dearest friends and mentors was Blake “Save the Cat” Snyder, who was revered — and reviled by some— for inventing the film writing “formula” that many Hollywood producers still use to rate and repair screenplays. …Netflix4 min readNetflix4 min read
Published inFan Gran·Jan 13Member-onlyAnother One Gone — RIP Jeff BeckThe rock gods’ rock god — I read the news today…oh boy… If you’re too young to know what song that line is from, you probably didn’t flinch when you saw that Jeff Beck had died yesterday. I cried. And then I listened to him for hours. So now that I’ve recovered a little bit, let…Jeff Beck3 min readJeff Beck3 min read
Published inFan Gran·Jan 9Member-onlyA K-Wave Newbie’s Guide to Learning KoreanFree, fun resources that made it make sense — It started when I barked “Hajima,” at a car that cut in front of me. That means “Don’t do it,” or “Stop it,” in Korean. …Korean Language4 min readKorean Language4 min read
Published inFan Gran·Jan 2Member-onlySingles Inferno: A Kinder, Gentler and Somehow Sexier “slow burn”Why viewers are hopelessly hooked… — What you’re about to see won’t scorch your shorts, unless you know what came before Kim Jim-Young reached across that pool all smooth… Wait, let me flip that script: it’s what they haven’t done that makes it so hot. What doesn’t happen is the secret “sauce” that has so…Singles Inferno5 min readSingles Inferno5 min read
Published inFan Gran·Dec 26, 2022Member-onlyInto Each Life a Little RAIN Should FallMake my funk the K-funk — Though I discovered K-pop and J-pop a few years ago, I’ve never taken a deep dive because I had trouble finding my “niche.” I need a little more funk than most younger fans require. I mean, I’m old enough to remember when the term and the sound were first “invented.” …Kpop3 min readKpop3 min read
Published inFan Gran·Dec 19, 2022Member-onlyNonstop Louis Cole Music Because I Couldn’t Explain Him If I TriedMerry Christmas! — This video wound up in my Twitter feed the other day: And it reminded me why I absolutely, unconditionally love Louis Cole. He’s funky, funny…all kinds of “f-words,” including that “bad” one he uses a lot in his concert videos and even on his t-shirts. I was contemplating a…Music2 min readMusic2 min read
Published inFan Gran·Dec 12, 2022Member-onlySeoul to soul — Korean Soul, That IsTake me to church — I don’t watch network TV anymore. So, I didn’t know Korean Soul had been on “America’s Got Talent” a few years ago when YouTube dropped them into a playlist a few days ago. So I was not ready for this: And once I’d heard them, I spent the rest…K Culture5 min readK Culture5 min read
