I'm Going To Faint...

I'm going to faint...

Run BTS: 062 | BTS part 2

Original Air Date: 05 FEB 2019 Episode Length: 25:06 Total Parts: 2 YouTube English Subtitles: No Title Song: Idol

Synopsis: Conclusion of the previous episode

Production: I really wonder if the crew expects the members to be so bad at these games. it didn't seem like it... And I still don't understand everything that was going on with the relay race but it was entertaining to watch!

Endearment: Yes! this episode is peak endearment. We seem them struggle and triumph together, flout the snack rules, and get super competitive with eachother all in one episode!

Winner: RM, JH, V, JK

Loser: JN, YG, JM

Best Cheater: Tae, stealing so much of the winner's snacks!

Member Moments:

RM: What is RM doing with the squirt bottle while his team is trying to fill the tube??

JN: The moment when the other team switches to RM, Jin looks back at his team and decides he shouldn't switch. literally laughed out loud.

YG: I love Yoongi's rants about fairness and the good of society...only when he may be facing negative consequences in a Run game of course!

JH: They really called Hobi black Hope in the subs for how sad he was! A run BTS game will never dim our sunshine!

JM: I love Jimin's suggestion to have them say something nice as the winners splash the losers. how lovely

V: Tae's absolutely iconic moment of having RM hold the watermelon so that he could have a bite.

JK: JK being so concerned about Jimin in the sauna and then as soon as everyone is done, he just chills in there by himself.

Bonus Content: SO.MUCH.WATERMELON.EATING. and some of the best camera director JK footage. highly recommend watching this one!

CQ Rank: 4.5

(CQ Eval Date: 05 APR 2024)

Check out this post for my Masterlist of all episodes and descriptions of how I'm evaluating these.

Previous Episode: 061

Next Episode: 063

For any of you looking to stream Closer Than This in preparation for MUSE, here's a combo.

QUICK COMBO: HOME | FOR YOU | CLOSER THAN THIS

My thoughts and Listening Links below the cut:

I have always adored Home. It's the absolute definition of the word cozy in musical form. I believe JK once said that Jimin carried this song in the development process and I completely believe it. This performance on Jimmy Fallon was absolutely wonderful too. Charming and technically impressive at the same time, exactly the qualities that sets BTS apart from the rest.

For You is another track I don't listen to very often but when it does come up, I never skip it. (Side note, is this mv supposed to be part of the BU? There's a lot of the elemental subtext for each of the members there...)

Closer Than This is exactly what I personally needed at this time of year. Jimin has given me the perfect christmas gift and the video was an excellent choice and execution as well. I may do a longer post just on it later but for now this is what I've got.

Listening Links:

Run BTS: 063 | BTS School Returns part 1

Original Air Date: 12 FEB 2019 Episode Length: 28:13 Total Parts: 3 YouTube English Subtitles: No Title Song: Idol

Synopsis: The guys are divided into teams to play various school-related games with Suga acting as the Teacher/MC. This part includes division of teams, filling out the punishment roulette wheel, class president elections, and the start of the handbell section

Production: I think this is a great production for a Run ep. For this section, good ideas for the games, they're executed well and the set/props/costumes are perfect. The pacing in this section is just a little slow as it's mostly just setup for the rest of the parts

Endearment: Now THIS is the kind of improv that the members excell at. They have enough of their own experience to draw upon and expertly make it entertaining.

Winner/Loser: see final part

Best Cheater: JM. literally told not to vote for himself but he still did.

Member Moments:

RM: Right after the guys describe how kids these days don't know about chalkboards, RM'S iconic moment of attempting to write on it with a marker.

JN: Jin, trying to use his gaming skills as leverage in the election

YG: Teacher Min suffering from the ringing in his ears...i wonder why...

JH: Hobi was so THERE for the dance to the school bell

JM: JM's savage comment that RM must've been class president only by being homeschooled.

V: V accidentally throwing the handstick right at Hobi

JK: JKs little laugh during Hobi's dance

Bonus Content: The bonus bits are so great. more shenanigans and extra moments to some that made it into the episode. and we get to see how that chalk gets broken! lol

CQ Rank: 3.5

(CQ Eval Date: 14 APR 2024)

Check out this post for my Masterlist of all episodes and descriptions of how I'm evaluating these.

Previous Episode: 062

Next Episode: 064

I think we all moved on from this content way too quickly. So glad I stumbled across this today. Huge thanks to @seoul-bros for compiling it into one post!

Imagine Your Korea - Yoonmin Retro Chic

Jimin and Yoongi have spent the last month wrecking us with their stunning visuals in a series of videos for the Korean Tourist Organization. Ostensibly designed to introduce us to three cities and the island of Jeju they also gave us an insight into the history of popular music in South Korea.

The whole atmosphere of these ads is retro chic, and I can't imagine any other BTS member pulling it off quite like these two perhaps with the exception of Tae.

The teaser (released 14/10) sets the scene. When was the last time you saw a Walkman? Many people probably never even owned one. A whole section of Tumblr oblivious to the joy of painstakingly crafting a mix tape for your crush or the devastating disappointment of a well-loved cassette being lost forever in a knotted mess of tape.

We have two dudes listening to some rad tunes in an apartment that is floating in time somewhere between the early seventies and middle nineties.

An on a side note, one thing is certain, nobody's parting Jimin from that necklace this year. Work or play it's become a permanent fixture.

Busan Blues

On 20/10 the Busan Blues ad came out and made a big impression. How many times did you watch Yoongi and Jimin stroll nonchalantly into the bar that day. Me? Well let's say a few more times than was strictly necessary.

The loose open shirt and white vest, the cravat like tie and the waistcoat. That right there is a great look for Jimin.

Who wouldn't want to share a whisky with these guys?

The classic tune “Come Back to Busan Harbor” by Cho Yong Pil was released in 1972. It was Cho Yong Pil's first solo hit after working in bands. Today his career spans more than fifty years and he is said to be one of the most influential figures in South Korean pop music.

Daejeon Rock n Roll

The Daejeon Rock n Roll video was released on 20/10. A classic 1980s rock theme was used, and big glasses and cool jackets were the order of the day.

The song used is “A Chance Encounter” by Songolmae who were active from the late seventies to the beginning of the nineties. This particular rock classic was released in 1981.

Nothing like seeing Yoonmin grooving to 1980s vinyl.

Pohang Hip Hop

The Pohang ad came out on 27/10 and to celebrate the Iron City of Korea producers delved into the back catalogue of SK Hip Hop.

The background track is "Do you know Hip Hop?" by Drunken Tiger which was released in 1999. These guys rejected many of the traditional kpop rules e.g. they didn't do choreography. They had their share of controversies but are credited with helping bring hip hop into the mainstream in South Korea.

RM has collaborated with Drunken Tiger in the past including a very powerful performance in Buckubucku in 2015 (see RM solo from 2.36 m onwards) and Timeless in 2018. Look out for the Bangtan Bomb of him performing with them live at the Seoul Music Awards in January 2016. There is also a video of the rest of BTS getting in on his camera action which is hilarious. They were boisterous and happy. BTS was really riding a wave back in 2016.

Jeju Jazz

Finally on 8/11 we got the Jeju Jazz ad. The island features in so many kdramas and reality shows that by now I have started to think I know my way around.

They are both breathtaking in this ad. There has been a lot of talk recently on Yoongi's long hair and to be honest I am not usually a fan. I have realised that to me he looks better with glasses and in full professor mode like the recent photofolio behind and reaction videos.

But in this case I can definitely make an exception.

The song is "The Wind is Blowing" by Park Sung Yeon. She is known as the 'Godmother of Jazz' in Korea and dedicated more than 40 years of her life promoting Jazz music in the country. She died in 2020 a year after recording the song with Park Hyo Shin.

This is Tae's mate who has posted with him a number of times in the past year including in January on Tae's Instagram and July on his own Instagram when V went to see his show, The Man who Laughs.

Wow what started as a summary post for the Yoonmin ad series has turned into a wide-ranging voyage through the South Korean music scene. If you have made it to here, thanks for reading.

All I have left to do now is get to Picadilly Circus to see Jimin and Yoongi on the big screen before the ad rotation ends.

Source: @KTOLondon

Post Date: 18/11/2022

Run BTS: 067 | BTS in a Manga Cafe part 2

Original Air Date: 12 MAR 2019 Episode Length: 29:32 Total Parts: 2 YouTube English Subtitles: No Title Song: Idol

Synopsis: Continuing the previous episode with more minigames at the manga cafe

Production: These games were more enjoyable for me. i always love seeing the guys guess eachothers drawings, and this was nice having them collaborate. The hidden book game was neat, but they really need to stop trying to incorporate lie detectors in these kinds of shows. It just causes more confusion cuz the tech doesn't actually exist.

Endearment: The guys are all perked up now that they're getting some snacks. JK stands out particularly to me this episode.

Winner: BTS

Loser: Staff

Best Cheater: Hobi, writing words in the drawing game. then Jimin calls him out as the one that clarified that point when the rules were explained, nice edit. Then he does it again! 😆

Member Moments:

RM: Poor RMs absent minded-ness picking up the book when the drinks come.

JN: Jin, the master of a well-placed question mark

YG: Yoongi definitely went on far more than he would have if he wasn't 'it' during the hidden book game.

JH: Hobi not giving into JK's trolling and succedding at the ramen game!

JM: JM having a laugh attack during the ramen game.

V: V was a great choice for the first round of the hidden book game. when everyone's figuring out how to game the game, he just gets away with it.

JK: I looove how frustrated JK gets when the members mess up his drawing.

Bonus Content: There was so much content after they finished the episode! it's adorable, and i love it but I'm so confused why they were still filming...?

CQ Rank: 4

(CQ Eval Date: 12 MAY 2024)

Check out this post for my Masterlist of all episodes and descriptions of how I'm evaluating these.

Previous Episode: 066

Next Episode: 068