My Top K-pop Songs so far in 2025

 Hey Subbies,

I've been I was trying to wait for Google to fix the upload for photos because who ever wrote the new code made it hard to upload gifs so I had had to write the code manually. However, now my favorite platform Giphy isn't allowing youtube links to make gifs which actually is how I inadvertently get them more views especially in the this current economic climate so I had to find an another platform that take gifs and then upload the final product to Giphy. But it looks like it was finally addressed it because y'all know I live for my gifs and I created them myself. Also so many K-pop concert announcements my wallet and mental can't really keep up. I mean I've seen Aespa again 3x again last time this happened was the year they did Coachella with HITC 88rising. I think my next concert is Le Sserafim I'll be attending which is September and I'm trying to focus on just seeing artist on my Tri-annual list because these K-pop tickets need loan at this point to go even KCONLA. Can ya'll also space out the concert like give people at least 3 month heads ups. Also I've been more active on my instagram account which I pretty much my k-pop account and I've been trying to figure out what to do with my old account which more forward facing than my new one. If I hear someone say "Remember when K-pop wasn't Western" clearly doesn't know the what the are talking because some western songs were literally ripped off for some k-pop songs and with a whole english feature also MOTOWN to SMTOWN... yall really thought photocards and deluxe albums started with K-pop...like do better ppl.

I did a Wordpress deep dive on the Blackpink members solos and updates to their group personas. You can usually find out the direction of group based on their pre-debut evaluation videos and BPs muse was Bad Gal Riri, Beyoncé, Tinashe plus Miley Cyrus (Jennie & Lisa), Kendrick (Jennie), Ariana Grande (Jisoo). Another example is aespa parent are Taemin & BoA and the grand-parents are Michael and Janet Jackson; NMIXX mother's are Destiny Child; ILLIT was supposed to have strong/sexy concept but I think Katseye was already in production so TWICE; their mother is Ariana/Gaga/Beyonce; and IVE; Wongyoung was their overall muse; became ILLIT's muses and probably why Youngseo left). Yes, Blackpink actually has lore it's not widely explored because of YGs track record, the perception of them online and those who call themselves fans but are toxic when they act like hive mind manic terrorizing other fandoms. Yes, every fandom have bad apples and that's probably due to a lack of self awareness which breeds narcissistic behavior and the lack of critical thinking these days. We keep telling them to go get job but they have a job and need to go hug tree and touch grass.  Anyways, I really enjoyed Jennie's album overall, she put in the work and I saw her set at Coachella and my suggestion is a need to focus on physical stamina/ endurance (that why people keep saying "she's lazy" but it really comes down to how much time training and adapting preparation as you get older in the business especially) but commend her for expanding her vocal range for the album. People think performer aren't athletes but really they are because your body is instrument. Even though I didn't go to the tour all of them vocally upgraded. Next, Lisa was second most listened to but the execution of her concept was a bit carelessly put together based on her interviews she kind of winged it and just see her performance online and offline. I'm a Designer so I pay close attention to brand recognition and execution. My mom watched her in the White Lotus so she was a bit surprised to see her in the flesh.

Now Speed Run: Le sserafim's come over is probably my most listened to track and we love retro throwback. TEN is a Stunner, he kind of giving Justin Timberlake production and he is that performer you can be proud of and he has a JP ep out now. People were saying they hate the use of curse words in this song but it rock leaning song and unexpected from SM but giving it to Seulgi was on brand. Yeji's Air was giving me Air and styling was reminding Locá so she's definitely channeling Ari, the Black hair was giving Britney Spear Toxic era, and 2000s Madonna. NMIXX has been mixing up but I really need to sit down and process their hero's journey because it like waking into world the 3000 leagues Interstellar Odyssey, C.S. Lewis and Lewis Carol. Now G-dragon album and tour name only received side eyes while others got the smoke ;this reaffirming that sexism and double standards are still thriving in the k-pop community but go off sis trying hold the top of the class accountable when it was the School Principal orchestrated the situation all a long so clock that tea; the album should have been called Home Sweet Home or POWER since that is a song on the album but I digress. Chungha's album should have been living because it's R&B gold and no skips but I think she needs some more features maybe with IOI/Produce 10/label mates Somi /Zion T or Sejeong, Soyeon/Chowon, pH-1/Sik-k/Gray to grow here audience and possibly some latin collaboration like KAROLG, Bad Bunny, Ozuna, JBalvin, or Maluma.  However I would like a album with more Drum&Snyth Track, Sultry track, Jazz-Trap Track, more Break up Rock track, 2000s R&B track, String-Synthpop track, Dancehall track, Piano & Violin A cappella ballad. Saw 2NE1 without Park Bom and IFYKYK then your day 1 fan like myself but they look'd good and they teased about new music which hopefully come out after all touring but CL got the alpha visual sauce but if they remember their YT channel password to promote their performance that will help with exposure but I can settle for social media updates.

MY TOP 10 ARTIST SO FAR Q1-Q2

1. Jennie (Coachella)

2. LE  SSERAFIM (TOUR)

3. TEN (SMTown)

4. SEUGLI (SMTown)

5. LISA (Coachella)

6. YEJI

7. NMIXX (KCON)

8. G-Dragon (HITC)

9. Chung Ha

10. 2NE1 (HITC)

HONORABLE MENTIONS: ONEUS, ONEW, KiiKii, YVES, GFRIEND, M.O.N.T, IVE

MY TOP SONG MVS

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2023 Skincare and Makeup Empties

  Hey Subbies,

It took me a while to do this post because I was waiting for the Lunar New Year which is usually the week of my Birthday and Super Bowl. I have more empties than usual and some decluttering to include because of the panorama. lol. Don't worry it's mostly minis because of those trips I had last year and some things took me longer to get through because of the density/texture of the products I had. I tried to put all the products in their own categories to make it easier but some of the single product shots because I had some empties around my room. Most of these came from Marshall's, the KCON convention, my South Korea trip, or from online orders ( I will recommend Stylevana for skincare enthusiasts doing 14-28-day reviews because they have options for minis.)

Cleansers

First, I really enjoyed the Nivea body wash but the bottle typography did confuse me when I first bought it because I thought it was body cream. I'm currently on my second bottle but white bottle version. It was a great alternative to the Olay body which was really drying and overly fragrant. The Banana Facewash was a 2 set but this one is a declutter because the smell and performance were telling me it was going bad. Sirois gel cleanser was okay but I think I talked about the weird smell last year so it will not be a rebuy. Hemish vs E.L.F. cleansing balm and E.L.F. won this battle in texture, hydration, and spread/density. Heimish caused me to break out so I had to use an electronic face brush to make sure I didn't leave behind any residue but it became tedious to the point I just wanted out of my routine ASAP. I almost forgot about Innisfree Apple Wash which is really great for beginners and this I think was the second bottle I went through.

Toner

Next, Abib Heartleaf toner has to be my favorite out of all four of these. If you have sensitivity/inflammation then pick this up. It calmed my skin and even helped with hydration levels in my skin when I used it as a quick mask. The Roundlab Dokdo 1025 toner I got in Korea before it became viral and I would recommend it for the Spring/Summer if you have a sensitive combo skin type like me. I really enjoyed using the Abib and Roundlab toner last year in the summer going into fall. I want to talk about Cosrx AHA toner for Whiteheads because it's very comparable to The Ordinary's Glycolic acid toner but if you want a simple formulation go with Corsx. The Pacifica Rose Flower Mist was hit or miss for me I just bought thinking it would help with dehydration.

Essences

I LOVE Missha The Revolution and I know it's not SK-II but my skin does amazing with it that my mom even notices a difference instantly. Definitely recommend this to intermediate skincare users looking to add fermented ingredients to their skincare regime. Okay, Elf Skin Pure Skin was really hydrating oat milk/aloe juice and will with texture but I think I need to pick up the full size. Holy hydration is basically the same but you'll smell the witch hazel which may be a bit harsh for some people's skin. I need to buy the Neogen in full size because I finished it so fast and they need bigger minis lol. Medicube Deep Vita C is what I received when I bought the skincare devices set for my mom and me. I personally think it works better with the Booster-H devices or the original formula of the Collagen Glow Bubble Serum. When it comes to vitamin C treatments I found 15-20 min masks or creams better penetrate my skin than the serum that requires daily use. Also, ingredients really help with inflammation and have protective properties.

Ampoules

We talk about the high percentage of Activities when the studies show you only need .25% - 5%...these companies really want to be regulated like what the EU is doing right now. Again Missha is that girl lol, and this is also a dupe for Estee Lauder's advanced night repair and this also a staple that is my backup just like the ELF Antioxidant booster which isn't available anymore online. The Rovectin LHA blemish Ampoule was a nice addition to my skincare regime I think is what helped with the hyperpigmentation I was struggling with since it has Glutathione and wasn't irritating. ELF Skin Superrefine with 10% Niannamide thankfully has that B5 with a buffer from irritation but I would not recommend it. The Skinmiso Pore Vitamin-C Serum is similar in consistency to Medicube vita-C which has 100,000 ppm more. However, I found that the Skinmiso worked faster possibly due to the first key ingredient isn't water, it's Sea buckthorn which is then followed up with moisture-soothing extracts to reduce scars, wrinkles, and treat acne with other antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory extracts but it does contain fragrance. The last two are oils I use for my whole body. I love the smell of Sweet Almond oil and really helps me keep my skin from dehydration which usually causes irritation. This Tamunu oil is really thick so I would add it to my soap, lotion, and baths which helps with fading blemishes.

Mask

I really enjoyed this mask and it does help to brighten the skin.

Moisturizer 

I used the Holika Holika aloe over the summer to help with overheating and inflammation. I liked adding the aloe to lotions after a bath or shower. The d'Alba multi balm has a lot of fruit extracts but it did help with dry patches or helped fade some scarring/blemishes. The belief aqua gel paired nicely with the Isntree hyaluronic SPF because for a while I could not use either one cause they did pair well with other products. I suggest getting aloe, belief, and Isntree SPF with a water-based foundation to avoid peeling. ELF BRING BACK THE CICA SUPERMASK!!! I currently using the Laniege Cica sleeping mask and it is very comparable but the ELF Mask requires you to wash off after 15 mins because it has a higher percentage of Cica.

Body

I bought the Sol De Janeiro 62 set during the spring sale last year and I'm hooked and got the bigger size bottle but I used this when I would go to the gym. Usually, I don't have time to test out the other fragrances but I went to Sephora on my birthday to test them out; 40 which I have mixed thoughts about it because of the jasmine/musk, and the newest 59 which fits with my birthday month (Plum, Violet, Orchid, and wood) but vetiver hits me in the face so it might work better for people born in Spring and or Autumn; however I think the body butter is forgiving. Also, it might be because something I noticed that Sephora had to water down some of their testers because of the issue with preteens/teens messing up the testers. I also bought the full size of the Quai body and hair scrub but the sandalwood is really overpowering to the point I think it smells like tobacco to me but don't worry I finally bought a new body brush.

Protection

The first item is a Korean ointment I was prescribed when I had CO2 treatment for moles and wurts removal. Next to the ointment Differin gel which I highly recommend for beginners. I used it mainly as a spot treatment for acne flare-ups and texture. I went on to try out The Inkey list's Retional which is a cream type. Like I said before the Isntree watery Sun gel works best with other gel types or it will peel. I really enjoyed using Heimish Artless glow balm SPF which I think formulation had mica which helps tone up your skin. Bringgreen Tea Tree CICA Tone Up Sun Cushion made for a really good base especially if you have redness and suffer with ance. Next to it is an EM cosmetics Daydream cushion that I had to declutter because it's past its best-buy date. I'm so happy Ms. Pham added backups but I bought two packs because I thought I might have to buy another one in the future.

Lips

Most of these are old formulations of ELF's lipsticks, glosses, and balms that aren't sold anymore. I wish ELF would bring back the Alissa Ashley formula because it bit more pigmented and could be a dupe for the Rare Beauty lip oils or any of these oil higher-pigmented hybrids.  I don't think I like lip plumpers right not because I feel it burning my lips. I enjoyed using the moisture lipsticks but I had to get rid of them because they are going bad. The last two are NYX and that I can't pull off.

Misc 1

I loved using the ELF liquid eyeshows and are very universal because I use them as a base with an SPF or lotion or highlight or contour. The ELF precision pencils are literally pencils and I went through them really fast and might be more comparable to the new Benefit Precisely, My Brow Detailer. I literally go through ELF products but the fibers remind me of Japanese waterproof lengthening mascara that has me hooked.

Face

The bronzer is an old ELF one which was very beautiful but I think it exploded when I opened it so I had to use the alcohol trick because that's what I found in how to fix broken shadows. Thankfully it didn't change the performance or quality. Next, the Dr. Gio cushion was the best skincare foundation cushion compact I have tried but there haven't been any updates from the founder/company. I was supposed to get a replacement but never received one and I contacted the company so who knows what happened but upset because I really wanted to get another one. The elf bake highlighter and blush is just really old and it's hard to get any pigment now. One of the Black ELF compacts is a cream foundation but it's way past its best buy date and the other was a precursor to the current primers pots but closest to it is the Perfect Finish HD Powder.

Misc 2

These just need to be decluttered because again one is an ELF conceal stick and the other is LABIOTTE Chateau Wine Lip Tint that used to be really popular and was heavily duped. 

Blush

The first I think is a finishing powder but I hit pan on it and the one below is what the  brow kits I used to like. The blushes on the right are really old oranges/peaches that don't fit my deep/ winter color palette which is also this year's color of the year. 

Mousse

I love these two and they smell great. I usually use them to revive my hair when it's feeling dry or I use them to refresh my protective hairstyles.

Dry Shampoo

This is my favorite dry shampoo brand but Marshall's sometimes overpriced them so I haven't been able to get my hands on more. I just found out last year that you should use a blow dryer to get the formula to absorb faster.  I used this manly to help with the oily scalp and bacteria from going to the gym, especially in the summer.

Supplements

I was watching Andrew Huberman's podcast and the expert said Rhodiola Rosea helps with Brain Fog in women and I had been struggling with brain fog probably since the first year of college but this definitely helped. Also, I tried AG1 right before getting this supplement but I noticed that it also had this supplement. If you struggle with insomnia get Lemon Balm, my coworker literally told me to get some coffee which would just make my insomnia worse. I think PMS symptoms are starting to really affect my sleep and anxiety when in the past I could easily just knock out. The Green tea was to helps me walk up and help with oxidative stress. SECRET OF BEAUTY Skin Master collagen chewable is a product I got from KCON and contains collagen, vitamins and minerals to help with skin concerns.

SPF SunStick

Why is this so hard to get your hands on!? I found a seller based in Korea on Amazon because other websites it was sold out. I know a lot of brands don't want to get into trouble with the FDA but I still wish Korean brands would sell their formulation as an option because as an American I hate our sunscreen because they are oily and our government could care less about our FDA's funding in R&D. Anyways, It's really hydrating however when it got to summer this made me look really oily and cause my foundation to smudge during the hot summer heatwaves we had. 

Washcloth

This is my old Japanese body towel but it's in the new Daiso packaging aka both scrub cloth. The new one I have is not as exfoliating as this old one here so look for the COURSE version and you can also find some Daiso products on Amazon. 

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My K-pop Predictions for 2023

 Hey Subbies,

I didn't think I would have time to do this post, but since it is going to be 2023 in a couple of hours, I feel motivated enough. Plus, I see faved K-commentary channels doing this as well soi feel extramotivated. I usually like to research for these so bear with me. And like last year I'm going continue to do "Q1, Q2..." because that made everything easier, and my short look into the past will hopefully shape the future. But let me mention this I predicted last year that I got a lot right so I will make adjustments for the new year...

• Western and SEASIA markets focus (into 2023)
• Multi-talented Soloist push (please get them a better stylist tho) which also implies the disbandment or hiatus of a lot of groups which I wasn't surprised about. (into 2023)
• Dreamcatcher gets their first win
• Survival shows groups will stay flopping

Currently, Hip hop/R&B, Pop, and Alt music are comparable to 2002 and I will add 2013 stats where Rock, R&B, and Alt were topping the charts for more variety I hope to see in 2023. I think this year we will get more get-up-and-dance music and lyrically deep alt music and in 2003 there were a lot of coed collab ballad raps. I'm going to call it but Le Sserafim will be one of the leaders of the pack out of the big five. People keep pushing the Yeodongsaeng as being revolutionary but it's Y2K that I live thru so I'm going to need more than just the style...mini rant: the stunt Ador pulled is causing me to react with "North Remembers" and if know you know.

So let's start off with who I'm looking forward to seeing next year. For some groups or soloists, I didn't include them because they need something that will make them stand out and I don't know if their company can give them what they need (Also want to keep them in the theme for the new year so I just listed 23).

1. SM: More Solo or Subunit and listen to your artist: Taeyeon | Hyo | NCT | Shinee | Red Velvet 
2. LE SSERAFIM
3. Purple Kiss
4. ATEEZ
5. Billie 
6. LUMINOUS 
7. Lapillus
8. JYP artist ( Stray Kids; TWICE SUBUNITS!!; And please fix ITZY identity crisis /concept | NMIXX: Into The Looking Glass trilogy) 
9. Seventeen
10. P1Harmony 
11. OneUs
12. TXT (TomorrowByTogether)
13. MIRAE 
14. TEMPEST
15. TREASURE (Two comebacks please)
16. VICTON 
17. OneUs
18. Black Label: Jeon Somi; Blackpink (Jisoo Solo, possibly a group single and one collab)
19. CRAVITY 
20. StayC 
21. Dreamcatcher 
22. Everglow
23. KARD (1st WIN for my sanity please)

Wishful thinking here but I hope Hybe or preferably SM subsidiaries take LOONA after the injunctions and find away to get Viví anda Hyunjin.

I'm actually kind of excited for 2Gen comebacks like what we got with KARA and SNSD, I mean VIXX is having a comeback. Also, new groups are debuting and YG will be pushing their new girl group finally since BP might moved to the Black Label. And according to k-websites, these companies will be announcing some new debuts: 

• Shinwha Entertainment New Girl Group
• PocketDol Studio New Boy Group
• Cube Entertainment New Boy Group
• Swing Entertainment & nCH Entertainment New Group
• IOK Company New Boy Group
• YG'S NEW GIRL GROUP
• BK Planet New Boy Group
• Starcom Entertainment New Boy Group
• Pledis Entertainment New Groups
• MNH’s New Boy Group 

*SHOUT OUT to NUGU Promoter on Twitter they do an amazing job covering Nugu groups.

So here is my Quaterly Comeback predictions 

Q1

1. VIXX
2. MOONBIN & SANHA (ASTRO)
3. ILY:1
4. H1-KEY
5. MONSTA X
6. SF9 
7. GOT the beat
8. TXT
9. NCT127
10. LIMELIGHT 
11. BLANK2Y 
12. DreamNote
13. ATEEZ 
14. Chungha (She will resign to a better company with international management deal and/or release a mainstream single for fans to keep her in limelight.)
15. Pentagon 
16. TXT
17. AESPA
18. Stray Kids
19. Purple Kiss
20. Lapillus
21. JEON SOMI
22. Everglow
23. KARD

Q2

1. (G)-Idle
2. Blackpink's Jisoo
3. STAYC
4. TWICE's Trio/ Ji Hyo solo debut (possibly in Q3)
5. Seventeen
6. fromis_9
7. IVE
8. Kep1er
9. Yena
10. Viviz [ Mighty Mouth Slam Dunk Feat. EUNHA] &Xiumin [EXO] & Eunha [VIVIZ] 
11. Dreamcatcher
12. LE SSERAFIM (Anniversary)
13. Highlight
14. Kim Wooseok
15. BtoB
16. ENHYPEN 
17. Astro (hiatus)
18. BiIllie (hiatus)
19. LUMINOUS 
20. MIRAE 
21. TEMPEST
22. VICTON [Han Seungwoo]
23. Red Velvet 

Q3:

1. NMIXX
2. CRAVITY 
3. BlackPink
4. NCT127
5. Jo Yuri
6. ITZY
7. Kang Daniel
8. TXT
9. Purple Kiss [SWAN - Twenty]
10. Lapillus
11. P1Harmony 
12. OneUS
13. JEON SOMI
14. Everglow
15. KARD
16. OH MY GIRL
17. Twice - Jihyo solo debut 
18. Chungha
19. KCON Comeback Predictions: SHOWNU X HYUNGWON (from MONSTA X), Rain, TAEMIN, THE BOYZ, WayV, JO1

Q4

1. Seventeen
2. ATEEZ
3. IVE
4. (G)-Idle
5. MONSTA X
6. LE SSERAFIM
7. STAYC
8. AESPA
9. Dreamcatcher 
10. Stray Kids
11. Viviz
12. ENHYPEN 
13. Kep1er
14. Astro
15. LUMINOUS
16. MIRAE 
17. TEMPEST
18. Red Velvet 
19. CRAVITY 

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Best of J-beauty Skincare 2021

 Hey Subbies,

I hope everyone had a Happy Holiday and Christmas. I was thinking about making an update to the Best of J-beauty post I did over two years ago. And it has hit me on the head to really tackle it once again since I was watching a couple of Japanese magazines like Vivi, Biteki, and JJ (they even have Japanese voice-over actors doing skincare skits) on Youtube since I was surprised they were covering the best of Cosme 2021 aka J-beauty and there are no direct subs for us, international peasants, lol. But one skincare youtube I finally got around to watching her best of beauty said "J beauty should be the next big thing" and me being like "That is the 21st time hearing that and won't be the last." Personally, I think it has been a lot easier to get J-beauty now because the explosion of K-beauty has allowed more brands from the Asian region to catch a ride-along in the e-commerce rat race. 

My main issues with J-Beauty are the use of alcohol /fragrance in Japanese skincare, the interesting popularity of the western luxury brand, and the lack of tutorials/demonstrations on how to use products. But the other issue is with Japan is the "beauty" export politics, shipping cost, and the high cost of goods in general. I remember looking at Japanese goods and being like I'm better off saving for a luxury brand when I was getting into Japanese subcultures back then. I think K-beauty as many brands that there has a lot growing still believe it or not. There are brands for almost every skin condition and the international market wants active ingredients like vitamin a and extracts (which used to be pushed to mature skin but Skinfood, Neogen, I'm from, Sulwhasoo, Beauty of Joseon, Cosrx, etc. has you covered). I just finish an exfoliator spray from a lesser know k-beauty brand called Ladykin. And I just found out I can buy The Pure Lotus another K-brand I have tried and has lotus extract on Peach and Lily. 

Anyways let's get on with the Best of J-Skincare...

Cleanser

• Shu Uemura Ultime8∞ Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil 4.8
• Kanebo Suisai Beauty Clear Powder Wash 4.6
• Kanebo Suisai Beauty Clear Black Powder Wash 5.0

Exfoliate

• Sabon Face Polisher Refreshing 5
• KAO ines gentle scrub cleanse 5
• Benefique Reset Clear N

Lotion = Toner 

• Hadalabo Gokujyun Alpha Ultimate Anti-Aging Toner 4.7
• IPSA The Time R Aqua 4.5

Serum | Essence

• DECORTÉ Liploid Advanced Repair Serum
• Dr.Ci:Labo VC100 Essence Lotion EX 4.6

Emulsion = Moisturizers 

• ETVOS Ultimate Lotion 4.1
• Ihada Medicinal clear balm 5

Mist

• Comfort Day Mist Balancing Moisture - Decorté 4.2

Eye & Lip

• DHC Lip Cream 4.6

Skin Treatment

• SHISEIDO vital perfection Wrinkle Lift Deep Retino White 5
• Shiseido Elixir Enriched Wrinkle Cream 4.5
• ONE BY KOSÉ The Wrinkless 5

Sunscreen

• Orbis Wrinkle White UV Protector SPF50+ PA++++ 4.4
• Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence 4.7

Mask

• Kanebo Smile Performer Sheet Mask 4.4
• pdc / Wafood Maid Lees Pack

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