This Blog Is Intended To Be A Gathering Point For Kpop Fans Anywhere On The Ace-aro Spectrum And Anyone

This blog is intended to be a gathering point for kpop fans anywhere on the ace-aro spectrum and anyone interested in listening to and/or learning from our perspective.

The ace-aro spectrum is VAST with huge variance between individuals and experiences.

FANDOMS: please remember to be respectful of the other fandoms. Malicious content will not be tolerated.

I will endeavor not to share my personal views from this blog. Please help call my attention to it if you feel I have.

Run BTS: 007 | Silmido part 1 Survival

Original Air Date: 16 NOV 2015 Episode Length: 12:24 Total Parts: 4 YouTube English Subtitles: Yes Title Song: Dope

Synopsis: The guys are at an outdoor park, divided into 2 teams for a paintball session.

Production: They did a great job setting the stage for the location and then I get lost. As someone who spent their teenage years surrounded by paintball enthusiasts, I absolutely do not understand their explanation of how they're running this. It's very dificult to tell who is who as well.

Endearment: There's just something about seeing the guys outside in the fresh air having fun. Maybe it's because I was raised in a rural area, but I totally vibe with the setting.

Winner/Loser: see final part

Best Cheater: Apparently, RM and Tae, but we only vaguely hear about it. I need the details of the shenanigans!

Member Moments:

RM: Loving the battle plan and strategizing, use those leadership skills for evil!

JN: I think we only see Jin once during the game getting a painful shot

YG: Absolute champ taking so many hits

JH: Possibly the least fierce assailant in paintball history!

JM: 'Do you need any treatment? It's for your safety!'

V: He had a ~sensitive~ hit but didn't want to let Jimin help him with it. Apparently there's somethings not even fit for the soulmate! 😉

JK: Highest quality CGI of JK as a cheetah! As is his due.

Bonus Content: see final part

CQ Rank: 2.5

(CQ Eval Date: 11 SEPT 2023)

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

Previous Episode: 006-2

Next Episode: 008

Uh... I stand by what I said earlier with one ammendment. It doesn't sound like n'sync...just Justin Timberlake....which isn't really a good thing in my opinion. Definitely missing something. Maaaaybe it'll grow on me but right now...not my fave sound-wise and absolutely nothing to write home about lyric-wise (which absolutely not the point of the song, it's generic pop which doesn't have to be a lyrical phenomenon to be good pop music.) I guess this time I disliked the rap for only the lyrics rather than lyrics and musicality like in Seven...so there's a plus???

Overall, I give it a solid two stars. Not the worst thing I've ever heard and I can tolerate it but don't think I'll be adding it to my brain files unless I drastically change my opinion with repeated listens (which has happened before so I'll keep somewhat of an open mind).

LAST CALL: Which Jimin Dance Time was your favorite?

Run BTS: 006-1 | Confession Part 1

Original Air Date: 3 OCT 2015 Episode Length: 8:00 Total Parts: 2 YouTube English Subtitles: Yes Title Song: Dope

Synopsis: Skit about confessional conversations with a 'priest'. Jimin is the priest in this episode listening to Tae, JK, and Hobi

Production: The guys were left to hang on their own here. They could have used a little more direction.

Endearment: I think these are my absolute least favorite episodes. I'm endeared only because I feel sorry for them.

Winner/Loser: none

Best Cheater: none

Member Moments:

RM: Not in pt 1.

JN: Not in pt 1.

YG: Not in pt 1.

JH: Definitely the best actor of this episode! ...but those are some of the worst pushups I've ever seen!

JM: 'Being naked is beyond my jurisdiction'

V: ...what is with the snot makeup??

JK: Classic JK claiming to be the eldest and Jin the maknae.

Bonus Content: none

CQ Rank: 1

(CQ Eval Date: 11 SEPT 2023)

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

Previous Episode: 005

Next Episode: 006-2

QUICK COMBO: WHERE YOU FROM | OUTRO: HER | TOO MUCH

My thoughts on this QC:

Something that kept sticking with me as I listened to Too Much was the clear perspective in the lyrics. Many pieces of artistic work are delivered through first-person language but still encompass other parties' view points. That is not the feeling that I get when listening to Too Much. It's very much telling the story of this relationship by how the speaker is effected and not necessarily the other person.

Now Where You From and Outro: Her may not be so strongly from this perspective in Korean but the English translations definitely leave me with that impression as well. Listening to these three together tells a story of benign interest in Where You From, a shaky relationship in Outro: Her and inevitable implosion in Too Much.

(side note: normally I would have cropped out the photographer from the Outro: Her gif but I felt it leans into this story line of perception)

Listening Links:

Run BTS: 009 | Silmido part 3 Bungee

Original Air Date: 22 DEC 2015 Episode Length: 15:57 Total Parts: 4 YouTube English Subtitles: Yes Title Song: Dope

Synopsis: Still at the outdoor park, about to do a bungee jump but they have a team-based game.

Production: Straightforward concept but it's unfortunate they did it so late in the day and lost the sunlight. I wonder if there were unforeseen delays or just not enough time allocated in the first place.

Endearment: So endeared! rooting for all of them!

Winner/Loser: see final part

Best Cheater: none

Member Moments:

RM: If you hesitate, you can't jump

JN: Eat Jin!

YG: My head is empty because I'm sleepy

JH: Definitely the one we were all waiting for. So proud of you Hobi!

JM: When I was at the peak of my fear, I saw our member's faces before me.

V: Butterfly! Butter ugh!

JK: It wasn't as thrilling as I thought

Bonus Content: see final part

CQ Rank: 3

(CQ Eval Date: 11 SEPT 2023)

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

Previous Episode: 008

Next Episode: 010