17 Carat K-Pop
By Hope Jacobson
17 Carat K-PopApr 08, 2024
(Part 4) Tony Hsieh and the Quest for Happiness (Enthusiasts, Ep. 69)
While this five-part series is about one extraordinary man who deserves as much name recognition as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, it’s also about the many overlapping contexts that explain his successes, his tragic downward spiral, and his evergreen comments on how to be happy. Tony Hsieh spent his life studying and trying to create and spread happiness, implementing elements of rave culture, the Silicon Valley lifestyle, Howard-Hughes-level renovation ideas, and outside-the-box theories. The results: a shoe company where meetings were more like pep rallies, Tony’s llama obsession was apparent, and decor and toys abounded; a Vegas project set on creating the happiest city on Earth in just five years; a “Happiness Tour” that spread fun and games nationwide; and even more pursuits. However, Tony’s ambitious projects also brought chaos, misery, loneliness, and confusion to many - including, unbeknownst to some, himself.
Each episode in this mini-series covers both Tony Hsieh’s life story and seemingly unrelated stories that took place simultaneously. At the end, the different puzzle pieces will form a clear picture, one that shows what happiness is, was, and could be.
This is part four: Tony’s loss of interest in the “DTP,” replaced with a feverish urge to replicate the project in Park City, Utah; a serendipitous meeting with the singer Jewel; a new interest in “biohacking;” and eyebrow-raising reactions to increasingly scathing reviews of Tony’s past projects.
If you enjoy this episode, check out past episodes of Enthusiasts below!
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/enthusiasts.html
Revisit part one here:
Revisit part two here:
Revisit part three here:
(Part 3) Tony Hsieh and the Quest for Happiness (Enthusiasts, Ep. 68)
While this five-part series is about one extraordinary man who deserves as much name recognition as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, it’s also about the many overlapping contexts that explain his successes, his tragic downward spiral, and his evergreen comments on how to be happy. Tony Hsieh spent his life studying and trying to create and spread happiness, implementing elements of rave culture, the Silicon Valley lifestyle, Howard-Hughes-level renovation ideas, and outside-the-box theories. The results: a shoe company where meetings were more like pep rallies, Tony’s llama obsession was apparent, and decor and toys abounded; a Vegas project set on creating the happiest city on Earth in just five years; a “Happiness Tour” that spread fun and games nationwide; and even more pursuits. However, Tony’s ambitious projects also brought chaos, misery, loneliness, and confusion to many - including, unbeknownst to some, himself.
Each episode in this mini-series covers both Tony Hsieh’s life story and seemingly unrelated stories that took place simultaneously. At the end, the different puzzle pieces will form a clear picture, one that shows what happiness is, was, and could be.
This is part three: All about The Downtown Project, which gave downtown Vegas a makeover, gave entrepreneurs dream-come-true funding and opportunities, and created an atmosphere that was a party until it suddenly wasn’t. Plus: the sales of a recluse; a growing but stumbling “Happiness Industry;” and increased attention towards “Holacracy,” a system billing itself as bureaucracy’s antidote.
If you enjoy this episode, check out past episodes of Enthusiasts below!
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/enthusiasts.html
Revisit part one here:
Revisit part two here:
Best New Music: March 2024
A ranking and review of the best new releases from K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, P-pop, and T-pop artists!
(Part 2) Tony Hsieh and the Quest for Happiness (Enthusiasts, Ep. 67)
While this five-part series is about one extraordinary man who deserves as much name recognition as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, it’s also about the many overlapping contexts that explain his successes, his tragic downward spiral, and his evergreen comments on how to be happy. Tony Hsieh spent his life studying and trying to create and spread happiness, implementing elements of rave culture, the Silicon Valley lifestyle, Howard-Hughes-level renovation ideas, and outside-the-box theories. The results: a shoe company where meetings were more like pep rallies, Tony’s llama obsession was apparent, and decor and toys abounded; a Vegas project set on creating the happiest city on Earth in just five years; a “Happiness Tour” that spread fun and games nationwide; and even more pursuits. However, Tony’s ambitious projects also brought chaos, misery, loneliness, and confusion to many - including, unbeknownst to some, himself.
Each episode in this mini-series covers both Tony Hsieh’s life story and seemingly unrelated stories that took place simultaneously. At the end, the different puzzle pieces will form a clear picture, one that shows what happiness is, was, and could be.
This is part two: Tony Hsieh’s years at the helm of Zappos, a company that made its mark by taking a “The customer is always right” approach to the extreme; a bus tour featuring happy hours, animal-themed music, and games galore; major meetings with Jeff Bezos; and the answer to this question: What happens when places as zany as Zappos and Vegas collide?
If you enjoy this episode, check out past episodes of Enthusiasts below!
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/enthusiasts.html
Revisit part one here:
minisode 3: TOMORROW Explainer
Throughout this in-depth guide to The Little Prince, Hope draws attention to the parallels TXT make to it in their new songs, short film, “Deja Vu” music video, and even teaser images. Simultaneously unpacking minisode 3: TOMORROW and The Little Prince reveals how complementary the stories are and how TXT’s world-building has actually been covering the same life lessons as The Little Prince for years now!
Read Hope’s essay about TXT’s take on The Little Prince below, and scroll to the bottom of the essay to find links to lots of previous TXT-themed articles and podcast episodes!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/txts-take-on-the-little-prince
DREAM()SCAPE Theory Time! (NCT Talk, Vol. 21)
Everything to know about NCT DREAM’s DREAM()SCAPE-era videos and images, from the overall plot to the specific nods to EXO’s story!
Check out more NCT theories here!
Tony Hsieh and the Quest for Happiness (Enthusiasts Ep. 66)
While this five-part series is about one extraordinary man who deserves as much name recognition as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, it’s also about the many overlapping contexts that explain his successes, his tragic downward spiral, and his evergreen comments on how to be happy. Tony Hsieh spent his life studying and trying to create and spread happiness, implementing elements of rave culture, the Silicon Valley lifestyle, Howard-Hughes-level renovation ideas, and outside-the-box theories. The results: a shoe company where meetings were more like pep rallies, Tony’s llama obsession was apparent, and decor and toys abounded; a Vegas project set on creating the happiest city on Earth in just five years; a “Happiness Tour” that spread fun and games nationwide; and even more pursuits. However, Tony’s ambitious projects also brought chaos, misery, loneliness, and confusion to many - including, unbeknownst to some, himself.
Each episode in this mini-series covers both Tony Hsieh’s life story and seemingly unrelated stories that took place simultaneously. At the end, the different puzzle pieces will form a clear picture, one that shows what happiness is, was, and could be.
This is part one: Tony Hsieh’s early years, during which he pulled off one clever and amusing marketing gimmick after another and tried everything from selling buttons to running a restaurant; the comeback of a “ghost town;” two bizarre characters’ published ramblings from when they were high on laughing gas; turn-of-the-century, over-the-top bashes that kept outdoing each other; and a new idea for a workplace overhaul.
If you enjoy this episode, check out past episodes of Enthusiasts below!
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/enthusiasts.html
Best New Music: February 2024
A ranking and review of the best new releases from K-pop, J-pop, and T-pop artists!
For more information about these picks:
Episode about TAEYONG’s TAP:
https://anchor.fm/hope-jacobson/episodes/TY-for-TY-Tracks-e2gdndo
Episode about LE SSERAFIM’s EASY:
https://anchor.fm/hope-jacobson/episodes/LE-SSERAFIMs-New-Era-e2g3nrg
P1Harmony album review:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/p1harmony-keep-killin-it
Information about some February projects’ pre-release singles:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/the-best-new-music-january-2024
TY for TY Tracks
The ultimate guide to TAEYONG’s TAP Era: the best lyrics, the thematic parallels to the SHALALA Era, theories about the “TAP” music video, the hidden meanings in the teaser images and videos, and so much more!
For more thoughts on TAEYONG’s music:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/taeyongs-purposeful-playfulness
For more discography analyses:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/sorted-by-artist.html
LE SSERAFIM's New Era
Hope uses the movie Black Swan as a starting point for understanding the messages in LE SSERAFIM’s new mini-album, EASY; assesses the ways the group’s new songs build on the foundation of their older ones; describes how the poem “Good Bones” is uniquely incorporated into the group’s story; and overall shows why LE SSERAFIM’s discography remains as praiseworthy, resonant, and thoughtful as ever!
Episodes with related themes to check out next:
“LE SSERAFIM 101”
https://anchor.fm/hope-jacobson/episodes/LE-SSERAFIM-101-e25p3qh
“BTStudy Guide #3: Black Swan”
https://anchor.fm/hope-jacobson/episodes/BTStudy-Guide-3-Black-Swan-et7r28/a-a48vq74
“ORANGE BLOOD Album Guide”
https://anchor.fm/hope-jacobson/episodes/ORANGE-BLOOD-Album-Guide-e2c03om
Related reading:
“The Best New Music: May 2023”
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/the-best-new-music-may-2023?sd=pf
“DARK BLOOD and ENHYPEN’s Humbling Journey”
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/dark-blood-and-enhypens-humbling?sd=pf
Still Monster (Energy)
A short overview of times the makers of Monster Energy (aka Monster Beverage Corporation) sued entities who used the word “Monster” in branding, the latest example being K-pop rookie girl group BABYMONSTER. Other news covered in this episode: TikTok’s feud with Universal Music Group, all the things that went wrong at end-of-year awards shows, a crusade against lip-synching, publication of a shocking video, big updates for BLACKPINK as solo artists, and much more!
Support the show by…
Streaming the best episodes!
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/directory.html
Streaming episodes of Hope’s other show, Enthusiasts!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/the-best-of-enthusiasts?r=4ajn9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Reading the best articles from the show’s website/newsletter!
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/article-directory.html
Subscribing to the FREE newsletter - although paying subscribers get bonus perks!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/
Donating:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hope-jacobson/support
Getting in touch regarding ad partnerships, potential Substack collaborations, etc.:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/get-in-touch.html
Best New Music: January 2024
A ranking and review of the best new releases from K-pop, J-pop, and T-pop artists!
Support the show by…
Streaming the best episodes!
Streaming episodes of Hope’s other show, Enthusiasts!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/the-best-of-enthusiasts?r=4ajn9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Reading the best articles from the show’s website/newsletter!
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/article-directory.html
Subscribing to the FREE newsletter - although paying subscribers get bonus perks!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/
Donating:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hope-jacobson/support
Getting in touch regarding ad partnerships, potential Substack collaborations, etc.:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/get-in-touch.html
Hi, It'z Me Again
After explaining the reason for this show’s hiatus and what the future of 17 Carat K-Pop looks like, Hope makes seventeen predictions for 2024 (mostly K-pop-related, but some more general ones too)!
Support the show by…
Streaming the best episodes!
Streaming episodes of Hope’s other show, Enthusiasts!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/the-best-of-enthusiasts?r=4ajn9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Reading the best articles from the show’s website/newsletter!
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/article-directory.html
Subscribing to the FREE newsletter - although paying subscribers get bonus perks!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/
Donating:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hope-jacobson/support
Getting in touch regarding ad partnerships, potential Substack collaborations, etc.:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/get-in-touch.html
BONUS: Best K-Pop x J-Pop of 2023
A ranking and review of last year’s seventeen best Japanese releases from K-pop artists!
While 17 Carat K-Pop and Enthusiasts are on a hiatus, catch up on past episodes with these directories!
The best of 17 Carat K-Pop:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/directory.html
The best of Enthusiasts:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/enthusiasts.html
Episodes and articles sorted by artist:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/content-sorted-by-artist?sd=pf
Episodes sorted by release date:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/sorted-by-release-date.html
Article directory:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/article-directory.html
Be the first to know when the hiatus is over by signing up for the show’s free newsletter!:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/
More ways to support the show:
17 Carat K-Pop full back catalog:
Enthusiasts full back catalog:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/enthusiasts-podcast-guide-new-and?sd=pf
BONUS: Enthusiasts 2023 Recap
A quick overview of each episode of Enthusiasts that was released in 2023, along with some story updates!
While 17 Carat K-Pop and Enthusiasts are on a hiatus, catch up on past episodes with these directories!
The best of 17 Carat K-Pop:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/directory.html
The best of Enthusiasts:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/enthusiasts.html
Episodes and articles sorted by artist:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/content-sorted-by-artist?sd=pf
Episodes sorted by release date:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/sorted-by-release-date.html
Article directory:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/article-directory.html
Be the first to know when the hiatus is over by signing up for the show’s free newsletter!:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/
More ways to support the show:
17 Carat K-Pop full back catalog:
Enthusiasts full back catalog:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/enthusiasts-podcast-guide-new-and?sd=pf
BONUS: More of the Best K-Pop of 2023!
From unique highlight medley videos to pre-album-release short films, this mini-sode celebrates the coolest, most creative, and overall best teasers for K-pop comebacks of 2023!
While 17 Carat K-Pop and Enthusiasts are on a hiatus, catch up on past episodes with these directories!
The best of 17 Carat K-Pop:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/directory.html
The best of Enthusiasts:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/enthusiasts.html
Episodes and articles sorted by artist:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/content-sorted-by-artist?sd=pf
Episodes sorted by release date:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/sorted-by-release-date.html
Article directory:
https://17caratkpop.weebly.com/article-directory.html
Be the first to know when the hiatus is over by signing up for the show’s free newsletter!:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/
More ways to support the show:
17 Carat K-Pop full back catalog:
Enthusiasts full back catalog:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/enthusiasts-podcast-guide-new-and?sd=pf
K-Pop Year in Review
After revisiting her 2023 predictions, Hope recaps both the year in K-pop headlines and in episodes of this podcast, while adding new commentary and story updates!
First: revisiting 2023 predictions!
Starting around the 23-minute mark: a summary of 2023’s 17 Carat K-Pop episodes!
Starting around the 36-minute mark: a fast-paced recap of all the major headlines in the world of K-pop this year!
Best Non-K-Pop Releases of 2023
Fifty different artists from the worlds of J-pop, C-pop, T-pop, and P-pop who released the most interesting, creative, and/or overall excellent music in 2023!
Best Songs of 2023
A guide to the best songs of the year from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Thai artists!
See the final ranking of these picks the second it’s official by subscribing to the show’s free newsletter!
Best Albums of 2023
A fast-paced guide to over 100 of 2023’s best albums released by Korean, Japanese, and Chinese artists!
The albums are discussed in a random order. Subscribe to the show’s newsletter to see the official ranking as soon as it’s revealed!
Best K-Pop Music Videos of 2023
The best music videos released by Korean artists this year, a list revealed in the form of a guessing game!
Stay tuned for the final ranking of these picks by subscribing to the show’s free newsletter!
Best New Music: November 2023
A ranking and review of the best new releases from K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop artists!
“STAY Tuned,” Ep. 17
Hope covers a WIDE range of news stories related to the music industry, starting with recent (separate) lawsuits involving Genius and the team behind Internet Archive. Around the 17-minute mark is a brief guide to the past, present, and future of music streaming. Spotify’s heated departure from Uruguay is discussed starting around the 23-minute mark, followed by an explainer about recent Harry Styles demo “leaks” and the scramble to buy them. Lastly, around the 33-minute mark is a lightning round of other music-related news, with stories about everything from Grimes to gum!
Check out past episodes of “STAY Tuned” here:
Phantom of the BOPera
HYBE and MBC’s olive-branch moment, BLACKPINK’s visit to Buckingham Palace, interesting data about how English language in K-pop songs has changed, FIFTY FIFTY updates, SEVENTEEN’s UNESCO Youth Forum speeches, and even more of the latest K-pop news!
The interview with Nahee, a special artist gone too soon, mentioned in the episode:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/get-to-know-nahee?r=4ajn9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Gyubin Interview
Artist-to-watch Gyubin addresses her “super rookie” label, shares why she admires IU, explains why she’s content with not clearly defining her musical style, and more!
Check out her single with Gaeko, “Start To Shine,” here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8nfIXJJsZA
Check out her single with Wonstein, “Scribble,” here!
https://youtu.be/7QXTqaoWeHM?si=VI_GUXeon2-Pr4kn
Keep up with her on YouTube here…
https://youtube.com/@Gyubin?si=EW5cx1lJdf3z0xVG
… and on Instagram here!
https://www.instagram.com/baggyubin73/
More exclusive 17 Carat K-Pop interviews here…
ORANGE BLOOD Album Guide
Hope decodes all of ENHYPEN’s ORANGE BLOOD pre-release material: the concept trailer and other video teasers, the pictures, and even the tracklist! From the context behind some key words to the details from ENHYPEN’s live shows that reappear in the teaser videos, this is an in-depth look at how ENHYPEN’s newest era is picking up where the last one left off - and adding intriguing new plot twists!
Learn more about the detailed stories that make up ENHYPEN’s music video world in this essay!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/dark-blood-and-enhypens-humbling?sd=pf
ROCK-STAR Celebration!
Thoughts and theories about everything related to Stray Kids’ new album and corresponding videos: what the clown characters represent, how different parts of the multiverse influence each other, what to make of the “SKZFLIX” and “LALALALA” video endings, how new Stray Kids songs relate to older ones, and so much more!
Best New Music: October 2023
A ranking and review of the best new releases from K-pop, J-pop, T-pop, and C-pop artists!
Pras Michel, AI, and an Unusual Trial (Enthusiasts, Ep. 65)
As strange as Fugees member Pras Michel’s corruption trial was, featuring everything from a fugitive accomplice to Leonardo DiCaprio’s testimony, the news that came out after the verdict was even stranger: Pras Michel’s lawyer used artificial intelligence to draft his closing argument. In addition to this, Pras’s motion for a retrial includes damning descriptions of his former lawyer’s behavior that range from a preoccupation with legal troubles of his own to showing extreme ignorance towards basic legal statutes. Pras further argues that his defense was weak enough that he deserves a new trial because his lawyer has a financial interest in the AI company whose program he used, a clear conflict of interest. This episode digs into the contents of both Pras’s superseding indictment and motion for a retrial. Together, they tell two surprising stories, one about a years-long illegal lobbying effort spanning multiple presidential administrations and one about a lawyer who was in over his head, took ideas from AI, and raised questions about whether AI can or should be relied on at all in the legal realm.
The Star Seekers: The Ultimate Guide
A comprehensive overview of TXT’s Webtoon: a guide to the characters and themes, an episode-by-episode summary, and a look at the many nods to TXT’s music videos that are present throughout the series!
ENHYPEN “FATE” World Tour & Webtoon Recaps
After summarizing each chapter and the core themes of ENHYPEN’s Webtoon, DARK MOON: THE BLOOD ALTAR (in the first twenty minutes of this episode), Hope reviews the “FATE” World Tour and points out all of the references the group’s live show made to both their Webtoon and music video world!
SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN (Seventeen Talk, Vol. 15)
A track-by-track guide to SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN, a rundown of all the Easter eggs in the “God of Music” video, and a summary of how SEVENTEEN’s new album is an excellent tribute to their past, present, and future!
Check out previous reflections on SEVENTEEN’s discography here!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/gearing-up-for-seventeens-comeback?sd=pf
QueenKARD
This episode covers an ENORMOUS amount of K-pop and J-pop news in under an hour: Song and Show of the Summer poll results, a monumental day in J-pop history, DPR LIVE’s rebranding, celebrity lawsuits (involving accusations of everything from real estate fraud to illegal ambulance usage), Jennie’s official recognition as a fashion icon, FIFTY FIFTY agency-dispute-related updates, the most interesting anecdotes from Mr. Bang’s recent Bloomberg interview, and even more!
Fact Check (NCT Talk, Vol. 20)
Why the NCT Cinematic Universe is like an asterisk, how the characters NCT 127 play in the “Fact Checkmate” murder mystery special have more in common with their music video characters than it first seems, all the hidden references in the “Deities of Seoul” video, and so much more! This is the ultimate deep dive for theorizing about NCT 127’s Fact Check album and its corresponding videos!
The Name Chapter: FREEFALL and What's Next for TXT
Hope shares her first impressions of TXT’s new album, The Name Chapter: FREEFALL, points out all the “Chasing That Feeling” music video details worth flagging, and explains how the “FREEFALL Era” seamlessly picks up where The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION left off!
Around the 1-minute mark: a TXT Music Video Universe storyline refresher. Around the 18-19-minute mark: reacting to and reviewing the new album and video. Around the 33-minute mark: a character refresher that highlights the similarities between TXT’s music video characters and Webtoon ones, further proven through “Chasing That Feeling”!
DPR IAN's Cinematic Universe
Sometimes goofy and sometimes gruesome, but always rich with symbolism and mysterious twists, the DPR IAN Music Video Universe is unlike any other. This episode celebrates this bizarre, mesmerizing, chock-full narrative in its entirety! Hope offers a full guide to the storyline, shares her theories about the plots and symbols, and recalls what led to her own descent down the DPR rabbit hole!
Best New Music: September 2023
A ranking and review of the best new music from Korean and Japanese artists!
Loossemble (LOONAverse Talk, Ep. 9)
Through both song lyrics and the “Sensitive” music video, this episode recaps the many ways Loossemble keep the symbolism of the "LOONAverse" relevant, the music video storyline ongoing, and the overall spirit of LOONA alive and well!
Naomi Klein, "NEXUS," and New Worlds
Naomi Klein has an excellent new book out called Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World. It’s about the existential angst that comes with being constantly mistaken for an “Other Naomi,” who says and does things to which Klein is vehemently opposed. Klein’s writing explores much more than the emotional effects of getting a reputation for what someone else says and does, though. She questions how solid her own identity is if people can easily mistake her for someone with only surface-level commonalities, and she takes readers with her down a research rabbit hole into the ways a “Double” has appeared throughout book and movie plots. Hope explores these references through a new lens: the “SMCU”! aespa’s digital alter egos, U-KNOW’s dimension-hopping “NEXUS” short film, TAEMIN’s and KAI’s multiple selves… the SM Entertainment Cinematic Universe is filled with examples of clones! Part book review, part pop-culture-history-meets-psychology-meets-philosophy course, and part "SMCU" theorizing, this unique episode explains why uncanny resemblances are unnerving, what one’s “shadow self” symbolizes, and how pop culture can be a tool for better understanding both one’s self and one’s anti-self!
K-Pop Merch History
The past, present, and possible future of K-pop light sticks, photo cards, cup sleeves, and more! This episode is both a guide to K-pop merchandise and some thoughts on the best and most creative K-pop album packaging and light sticks ever!
ALWAYS YOURS (Seventeen Talk, Vol. 14)
How do SEVENTEEN manage to incorporate nods to ALL of their previous musical eras into one new music video?! How does “Ima” both continue their music video story and offer hints about its future? And how do their characters live like crosses between Don Quixote and Truman Burbank?! Hope answers these questions by breaking down the lyrics of SEVENTEEN’s new songs and symbolic moments throughout the “Ima” music video! But before assessing the fictional narrative, Hope spends a few minutes reflecting on the story’s very real components and what about SEVENTEEN’s musical storytelling resonates so deeply for her, specifically as an autistic person.
Read the essays mentioned in the episode below!
“SEVENTEEN and The Truman Show”:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/seventeen-and-the-truman-show?sd=pf
“My Autism Acceptance Month Speech”:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/my-autism-acceptance-month-speech?sd=pf
More SEVENTEEN-related essays:
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/content-sorted-by-artist?sd=pf
Best New Music: August 2023
After a ranking and review of the twenty best new releases of the past month, Hope shares a TON of honorable mentions! Get ready to take notes and get updated on all the must-hear new K-pop, J-pop, C-pop, and beyond!
aespa’s “SYNK : HYPER LINE” Concert Review & Misc. Headlines
After sharing the highlights and lowlights of aespa’s Chicago tour stop, Hope covers new twists in the FIFTY FIFTY agency drama, a disappointing fandom name announcement, interesting details about 2024 from HYBE’s latest press conference, a peek behind the curtain into JUN’s creative process, and more K-pop updates!
Jam Jam(boree)
Although this year’s World Scout Jamboree was filled with problems (including criminal charges, dangerous weather, accusations of poor planning, a blame game, and tension with sports superfans), there were also moments when South Korean businesses and places of worship stepped up and tried to still give scouts special memories. This episode covers both the highs and lows of this year’s Jamboree and its K-pop concert finale. Then, this episode tackles some other recent news stories: the latest in FIFTY FIFTY’s legal battle, suppression of a documentary, some SEVENTEEN updates, and more.
Golden Age (NCT Talk, Vol. 19)
After reviewing each song on the NCT 2023 album Golden Age, Hope brings up TONS of theories about hidden messages in the “Golden Age” music video and in the album’s teasers! She also shares some interesting anecdotes about the famous Beethoven piece that inspired the song “Golden Age”!
Astroworld: The Investigation (Part 2) (Enthusiasts, Ep. 64)
Earlier this summer, a grand jury decided not to pursue criminal charges against anyone affiliated with the 2021 Astroworld Tragedy. Since then, over 1,200 pages from the crowd-crush investigation have been made public: 911 calls, interviews, emails, text exchanges, and more. The documents form a timeline that starts months before the Travis-Scott-hosted event, goes through the minute details of what unfolded that tragic night, and describes the varied reactions afterwards from the companies and people fearing legal consequences. Hope poured over these documents, and in this episode, she shares the most revealing excerpts from them: insights into who should have stopped the show the second the first medical emergency started, why it took so long to stop the concert, what red flags were raised during the festival construction process, what theories the investigators ruled out, and so much more.
Catch up with part one below:
Stream on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6YmQlF1zwr1cbOf7vyG6O9?si=c5W0nS7UQp6v7oWe64Ch-A
Stream on Apple Podcasts here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/17-carat-k-pop/id1610029656?i=1000625481787
Get redirected to a different streaming platform here:
https://anchor.fm/hope-jacobson/episodes/Astroworld-The-Investigation-Enthusiasts--Ep--63-e28eq12
Astroworld: The Investigation (Enthusiasts, Ep. 63)
Earlier this summer, a grand jury decided not to pursue criminal charges against anyone affiliated with the 2021 Astroworld Tragedy. Since then, over 1,200 pages from the crowd-crush investigation have been made public: 911 calls, interviews, emails, text exchanges, and more. The documents form a timeline that starts months before the Travis-Scott-hosted event, goes through the minute details of what unfolded that tragic night, and describes the varied reactions afterwards from the companies and people fearing legal consequences. Hope poured over these documents, and in this episode, she shares the most revealing excerpts from them: insights into who should have stopped the show the second the first medical emergency started, why it took so long to stop the concert, what red flags were raised during the festival construction process, what theories the investigators ruled out, and so much more.
ISTJ (NCT Talk, Vol. 18)
Hope decodes the “7 DREAM Production : Stranger Seven” short film, connects NCT DREAM’s latest video story developments to the larger “SMCU” storyline, and reviews ISTJ track by track!
Catch up on past artist-specific episodes of the show below!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/content-sorted-by-artist?sd=pf
And view a full episode directory here!
https://17caratkpop.substack.com/p/the-complete-17-carat-k-pop-episode?r=4ajn9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=
Best New Music: Girl Group Special!
Catch up on part one below!
Anchor link:
anchor.fm/hope-jacobson/episodes/Best-New-Music-July-2023-e27rls3
Spotify link:
open.spotify.com/episode/492yw5JaUyG2MrEDqeG3sg?si=KdLdXPTCSUyOHf0bZZ54rA
Apple Podcasts link:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/17-carat-k-pop/id1610029656?i=1000623726834
Best New Music: July 2023
A ranking and review of the best new K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop releases!