Music Elixir
Eavesdrop on a conversation between two friends about their favorite Asian artists and music and how music is their tonic of life.
Music Elixir
Music Elixir: Rants, Ramblings, and Random Music News
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Something strange is happening in the Music Elixir universe. Sarah shares a peculiar dream where she was Jin's girlfriend during wartime and Taehyung got a nosebleed after falling from a Segway—only for Taehyung to post about getting an actual nosebleed just days later. When the psychic portal opens between these Pisces hosts, the coincidences start flowing!
We dive deep into a Rolling Stone controversial ranking of BTS solo songs, where RM's "seoul" claims the #1 spot. Surprisingly, many tracks we gushed about during our Jin concert road trip made the top 10, including Jin's "The Astronaut" at #9 and SUGA's "Snooze" featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto and WOOSUNG of The Rose at #8. But where was V's "Love Me Again"? Some rankings left us scratching our heads.
Frustration boils over when discussing ARASHI's comeback strategy—why announce a return to the spotlight only to release content exclusively through their fan club that's closed to new members? Meanwhile, KAT-TUN plans a surprise one-night reunion concert despite having officially disbanded in March, and SUPER EIGHT secures their first-ever performance at the prestigious Nippon Budokan.
The conversation shifts to KCON LA's organizational disaster: eliminated panels, no three-day passes, endless lines, and a convention floor dominated by beauty products with barely any artist merchandise. What happened to the KCON we loved? On a brighter note, MONSTA X officially announces their new album "The X" dropping September 1st, and we reminisce about our canceled 2020 concert tickets, hoping they'll return to Boston soon.
As we approach our 250th episode milestone with listeners in 166 countries, we're proud to have defied the podcast odds. Most shows don't make it past 80 episodes, yet here we are nearly five years later, still chatting about our music obsessions. What special things might next year bring? Subscribe and find out!
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OK ASIA
Welcome to Music Elixir
Speaker 1Welcome everybody to another episode of Music Elites. Oh, la, la, la, what. I don't know what I was trying to say. So, music Elixir, we are Music Elixir. I'm Sarah Shee and with me is Miss DJ Panic. It was like my brain shut down for a second. I don't know what happened. I was like what am I trying to say? Music elixir, there you go. It's a little tongue twist. What do you call those things? Tongue twister? Too many sounds in it or something.
Speaker 2Okay, anyway, Because you went from Sarah to Sarah. She.
Speaker 1Yeah, but I said that after the music elixir part.
Speaker 2Now you changed your name to Sarashi.
Speaker 1Well, ever since Roshan gave me the name, you know, I'm like, hey, all right, I'll take it. Anyway, here we are, we're going to do a rants and ramblings, and I wanted to tell you, though, about a dream.
Speaker 2I know I'm intrigued. You're like, I have this dream. Should we wait for the podcast? I'm like, if you think it's good for I don't know, go with weight.
Speaker 1Well, I'm not sure if it's good for, but it's got some very bizarre, like weird coincidental things, okay, um. So, as people may know, we just recently got off a whole like touring with gin thing that we did, that's what I said to family.
Speaker 2I was like just to let you know what we just did. It was like a mini pre, you know, like tour, because we we have in mind of touring. I guess we're going to call it a tour, so this will be like a. What do we need to do to prep for like a tour of Music Elixir? Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1Okay, go ahead. So maybe it was just because gin was on my mind, obviously, of course. But so what was weird was I the week I've been holding on to this because we hadn't actually gotten together for a little while to record. So I'm a little hazy, but I still remember sort of the the bulk of details. So I dreamt that it it was like sort of like 40s era okay, look about everything. Okay, was it very dated? Looks to things. I was sister to namjoon taeyang and jungkook oh, wow, and I know this because they were going to be going off to war. Oh, and I was most concerned. I was like holding Jungkook and being like he can't go, he's too young, he can't go. In comes Jin, who's apparently my boyfriend, also going off to war. Oh, my God. And Namjoon is not happy about me dating Jin for some reason.
Speaker 1Oh, okay, he looked very angry but glad that they were all going together, because then I wouldn't be alone with Jin oh, and then J-Hope, Suga and Jimin were just like friends of theirs also.
Speaker 1So like you know, in World War II, like large groups of people would get shipped out together, so, this is sort of how this whole thing was coming together and I remember watching them all leave on a bus. But again, my big concern was for Jungkook. For some reason I was just like he's a baby, he can't go, he's too little, right. So obviously I feel a certain way towards Jungkook, like no, he's too precious, too tiny, he can't go. Old-fashioned looking buses and I get on a train and the train is up on a wall that goes around the city and it's very weird because inside, where the city is, it's sort of clean and bright looking and then on the other side of the train, looking off the other side of the wall, it's just all dirt, brown and gray.
Speaker 1Very weird right, Okay yeah, and then I skip forward. I don't know how I got there, but like they were all home from the war, okay, and jen wouldn't talk to me anymore. Oh, and tay was for some reason in. It was like a segue, you know those stand-up rolling things, yeah, so he was in a segue because I guess he couldn't walk anymore. Oh, and I was very concerned about him traveling around the city on it. And the dream ended when he was coming towards me and the Segway thing fell over and he scraped his nose and got a nosebleed. Oh, ok, now where this gets sort of strange is like, like I said, this was back after we'd just gotten back from seeing jin. Like two days after this dream, taeyang posted himself he was traveling on a plane and he got a nosebleed. Oh yeah, he did it live. I had already had this dream about him tumbling over, scraping his nose and getting a nosebleed. So how weird is that Right?
Speaker 2Oh my.
Speaker 1God. But like he was the only one I saw, saw after they got back, right, like it was just I knew Jin was avoiding me, right, and like was maybe not my boyfriend, but it was very weird. Like it was just also weird, yeah, anymore, but it was very weird. Like it was just all so weird. Yeah, because I'm like, why is it like the 40s and why are these? You know, why is namjoon pissed off that I'm dating jin and why, like, and how weird was the being on the train? Like it was like a wall around the city that the train went on. So I don't, I wasn't going anywhere in particular, I was just going around the top of the city on the train, looking at either side. Right, weird, yeah, bizarre. So maybe Jin's tour is over, so he's not my boyfriend anymore. I don't know.
Speaker 2There you go.
Speaker 1You're going to see him again.
Speaker 2It's done.
Rolling Stone's Solo BTS Rankings
Speaker 1But I'll have to because they're going on tour and we're going to try and go see it. Oh yeah, but I'll have to because they're going on tour and we're going to try and go see it, oh yeah. So, anyways, just the other day, your boy, baby Opa RM, had posted a thing about an article Rolling Stone magazine, I guess, ranked all of their singles I mean not singles all of their solo stuff, okay, and they were like the criteria is it has to be something they did not, something they're featured on or produced in, so it had to be like their song. So, anyways, they were ranking the top 100 and some people were like angry, they're like why is he doing this? The rage bait? Because of course, everyone has their own idea of what their favorite solos are, and I don't know, you know, was this just one person at Rolling Stone? Did they actually do like a survey thing?
Speaker 2Because I don't remember Was this an article, because there should be on the top who wrote the article.
Speaker 1I sort of, you know, ignored that, like I didn't pay attention so much to that. I sort of skimmed through and saw like they were saying so, like sugar producing and featured on side right isn't included, right, but the uh tableau and rm, because it wasn't featuring rm. They wrote it together. So that did count, okay. But people were like. They were like why would now do you do this? The the rage bait, because you know background, like your favorite jinn song, yeah, I think, is up in the it's number 96 or something. And people are like, why is that so? You know, yeah, and others, so why is this so?
Speaker 1So I was like I, I went through the whole list, right. I was like, okay, holding out hope for certain things because they hadn't shown up yet. Right, I've got the top 20, or I can do just the top 10. What do you think? Uh, this is the top 20, all right. So, and this is again, I'm like what's their criteria? Because some of them I'm like, oh well, I liked this song better than that song, right. So I'm like many of the fans who are like what's going on? And they weren't actually angry at RM, they were just like he knew this would piss us off, like our favorite Jimin song is not in the top 20 or whatever.
Speaker 2Exactly. Oh, and, by the way, the article was by Jae Ha Kim.
Speaker 1Ah, okay, so it was was some kim, it was another kim kim, rating some kims but, like I said, I don't know, was that like just, is that just their opinion, or did they do some sort of poll and research?
Speaker 2uh, let's see, uh, every Every BTS solo song ranked Together, they're a pop music force of nature, as solo artists, rm, jin Suga, j-hope, jimin V and Jungkook have created an equally amazing catalog. Okay, so again the article like you said, rolling Stone, and this is written by Jay hakim.
Speaker 2let's see yeah, like I said, it mostly sort of explained how they determined what they were gonna count or not I'm I'm scanning through real quick to see he just giving um, of course, a recap of how bts came along, and you know, yeah that's why I say I was sort of like I'm more interested in what their ranking was, because there were certain ones that I was like this has got to be in the top 10 well, in one in this sentence right here, they're saying we are only counting songs, so I guess it's just rolling stones doing their own, the ranking.
Speaker 1Right, but like just within their editorial group, I don't know how they you know.
Speaker 2Or it's just only this guy, but the fans, yeah, the fans, or only this kid, I don't know if the guy or girl. I'm sorry, that's what I was saying, this person.
Speaker 1So our top 10, I mean top 20. Yes, top 20. Starting with number 20 was J-Hope with Arson Okay, which is definitely that's a good one, that's a strong song. Yes, I was like, but again, you know, like I've seen the rest of the list so I know some things I'm like, ah, but there was this one, whatever. So number 19, v with Winter Bear Okay, very good song. 18, jimin okay, very good song. 18, jimin, face off. Number 17 sugar featuring j-hope huh, okay, I can see I, I. I was like, all right, I'll, I'll give them that one, yes, yes. Because as I was getting closer, I was like, oh, come on. 16, jungkook, with standing next to you, oh, yes, that's a good one. Well, I was gonna say, yeah, you kind of can't deny that was like a force oh yeah for sure.
Speaker 1Number 15 rm featuring moses somne around the world in a day. Okay, number 14, j-hope again with baseline yes, yeah, that's a good one number 13 v with christmas tree, I would agree that yeah, definitely is a top in the top 20. Number 12 uh jungkook featuring fahad al-khabisi the dreamers from the world cup yeah, that's a good one too that is yeah, and actually you hear that like mainstream. Oh yeah, big breakthrough. Number 11 jimin, be mine, okay.
Speaker 2Number 10 rm with groin that's a really good song, yes yes, so this is, this is where it's important. I was like, okay, thank god, number nine, jin the astronaut I was like that's definitely, definitely has to be in the top 10.
Speaker 1Yes, because that song is just like everything about that song is perfect. Right number eight. You're gonna like this one and all right, I'll finish the list and then, I'll shiga featuring ryuichi sakamoto and wu song snooze oh yes right. Yes, as we go down this list, you might notice something. Maybe you won't. Where am I? Number seven, jimin, and I'm going to say this name wrong. Ha Sung Woon, with you, Okay. Number six, jungkook, my you Okay. Number five, v with slow dancing.
Speaker 2Oh.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah. Number four Jin, I'll be there. Okay, I'll be there for you. Number three J-Hope More. I was like thank God, that one's up there. Okay, I love, I do love that song. So I was like all right, because I'd been waiting for that one. I'm like where is it? Number two Suga Hagum. Oh yeah.
Speaker 2Yep, two sugar hagem. Oh yeah, yep, and number one rm soul the one, a lot of people are like, oh, why is he blah, blah, blah, blah?
Speaker 1well, do you remember when we were driving down to seajin? Yeah, those top 10 songs were all songs we were talking about, and soul was the one. I was like I love that song. Yeah, because there's so much about it, right? Yeah, so I, when I was looking at this list, I was like that's so bizarre, because those top 10 like aren't necessarily songs we'd say are in our top 10 of all of them. Right, but these are songs of note that we talked about. We talked about the astronaut, we talked about soul. We talked about the Astronaut. We talked about Soul. We talked about Snooze. Yeah, I would have put Love Me Again a little higher up. That one was also like background, it was way, way off, and I do like slow dancing, but there's something about Love Me Again. I sort of like a little better.
Speaker 2No, no, love Me Again has this like it's a blackout song. Right, because it has this like it's a blackout song. Right, because it's like at one point has that just like music background, but in the but you can also hear his voice and it's like, wow, it transports you to like something, right? I don't know exactly.
Speaker 1so that's why I was like so I was like I do like slow dancing. But yeah, if it were me I'd have probably switched them and put love me again in the top 10. Yes, but I was like huh, so it's interesting because sugar, gin and rm I'm happy this have multiples in the top 10 yeah, yeah well, because that was one of the songs we were talking because like woosung's voice with sugars is like, oh, it's beautiful.
Speaker 1They, they complement each other so well. And they even in interviews talked about how, like right always started wanting to work with him but never had the time, never knew how to get in touch and whatever. And finally they did it and, of course, working with sakamoto like like a genius musician himself, right, but I was like I, just when I reached the top 10 and it was all these songs that I was like we were talking about all of these on our drive down to see Jin. So I was like, how weird is that, right, another one of those sort of. We had so many sort of serendipitous, coincidental, strange things happen, right, which we always do, because when we're together and our weird Pisces-ness happens, the psychic portal opens and things happen.
Speaker 2The psychic portal opens, that's for sure.
Speaker 1Absolutely and things happen.
Speaker 2You know we're putting out there in the universe.
Speaker 1So, like I said, said between the actual concert events, me having that weird dream that had a coincidental thing happen, and then this list coming out, yeah, I was like we have to at least talk about all of this weird bts energy going on around us right now so, but another group that we really love, who they dropped a bomb on us, a couple of what like was it last month? You do you remember who I'm talking about?
Speaker 2you know our other well. No, no, no no, because yeah well, that's another one too.
Arashi's Mysterious Comeback Plans
Speaker 1Yeah, no, that's all right, three bands, because I can't wait for this comeback, geez I know. But Arashi, yes, we have been getting so few crumbs from them, but they just had that little move they did for their fan club that nobody can get into anymore. Ok, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2I have something to say about Arashi. I need to tell something to Arashi. I have something to say about Arashi. I need to tell something to Arashi. Okay, go ahead.
Speaker 1Well, it's just. There were little teasers, right? Of course, also after all of this BTS Monsta X that we've been talking about Exactly, it was like Arashi was like do not forget about us, you ladies. Yeah, go ahead. So they did. They had a little like movie thing. It looks like it probably was from Nino's birthday. They all got together, they're chatting. We don't get to see the whole video because we're not fan club members.
Speaker 1So we don't know what's going on and of course June has been working on a TV drama, so he's been busy with that. So they tell us, like a month or two ago, that they're planning a sort of little one last hurrah. They're gonna do a little tour, they're getting together, work things out, and since then they haven't given us a damn thing. No, except for this movie, and we can't see it because we're not in the fan club no, there's this movie thingy that they're doing and and I'm like, okay, so is this only for a fan club?
Speaker 1Because well, like I don't know if it's actually they're doing a movie or if they just meant, like this is a little mini movie we got together, like this is what I mean. They're not giving us anything, no, it's just like Okay.
Speaker 2But that was their way of slapping us to get our attention again if arashi wants to get our attention, you need to cut the shit with the fan club and make it worldwide. Oh, I'll, yeah, give it to the fan club first, but second to the ones that I cannot be are not fan club members. I understand you pay some money, you have been a fan club first. But second to the ones that I cannot be are not fan club members. I understand you pay some money, you have been a fan club member for many, many years. And yes, you need to get the free stuff first. The stuff not free, but the stuff first, previews, whatever. Yeah, I understand that. But why come out, put everything out pre-pandemic, during pandemic, to like, yeah, we're out for the world now and then you're still just doing stuff for the fan club? Hello.
Speaker 1The rest of the world's still waiting.
Speaker 2It's still like why, why, even why, why, arashi, why come out and then just still doing the same thing Hide?
Speaker 1it yeah.
Speaker 2June, like what the hell, Mr Matsum, hell, mr, you know matsumoto, you know, son, what the hell mj, what the hell I know, I'm, I'm, I'm a little ticked off you're salty and bitter?
Speaker 1yes, I am, because it's not fair.
Speaker 2You know we it's. There's other groups that have not, are not doing that. Yes, they're might do stuff for the fan club first and then the rest. You know they'll later on release it for the world or for the international fans. Could you please do that now?
Speaker 1yeah, just throw a few more crumbs out there for us. So that we at least know. You know there's other people besides the fan club.
Speaker 2So the instagram and their ex twitter, they bring out this little short of like hey, we're doing it, I'm like, oh, okay.
Speaker 1Well, that's why I'm saying it looked like nino's birthday or something I know.
Speaker 2I said happy birthday and it was yellow, so yeah, you know, it happened during nino's, I guess that was. There was a live on nino's birthday.
Speaker 2They were all there chit-chatting and whatever, and so, oh, no, smile, so that was good yeah, at one point I saw on the reel that it was like he was on his little space cadet and then nino says something to him because he was like what he gave that face of like what, what? What's going on? Let's see if I can see it again, because I saved it. Oh yeah, no, because I saved it. Let's see Arashi movie. Okay, so there it is the happy birthday it's all in yellow.
Speaker 1And then I see Ono like sitting there. I think he's still going. Do I really want to do this? Why do I agree to this?
Speaker 2Yeah, he's like I was fishing. Look at me, my glorious tan, you know.
Speaker 1Yeah, he's like, I like hanging out with you guys, but do I have to do it in front of the world?
Speaker 2Exactly, so like Arashi movie. What is this? Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 1That's what I'm saying, is it only?
Speaker 2going to be in Japan.
Speaker 1Give us a little something. Is it going to?
Speaker 2be released around the world. Is it going to be like what's going to happen? You know, mj, I don't know.
Speaker 1He's probably trying to keep it all under wraps because it's going to be something big, but I don't know, I don't know. So it's going to be something big, but I don't know, I don't know.
Speaker 2So, anyway, just throw things here and there, please. Next year is coming, and why do I have a feeling that it's all going to be in Japan and they ain't going to leave? Yeah, it's very possible. They're not going to go. They're not going to do it in LA, they're not going to. No, I just have the gut feeling that that's going to happen, that it's going to be all in Japan. They're going to tour the whole country.
Speaker 1You're being a negative, nancy, because I don't know that's what I've been seeing, I mean feeling.
Speaker 2That's what I've been feeling. You know, my gut feeling says that MJ is not going to do anything outside of Japan Because, you know, it's MJ.
Speaker 1I mean, I don't see Before he was planning things outside Japan.
Speaker 2Yeah, he wanted to come to the US and the pandemic warned him that was his plan.
Speaker 1So maybe he'll revisit that idea. I don't know Got to remain hopeful.
Speaker 2That's how I feel about it?
Speaker 1I don't know. We'll just keep waiting, hoping for some more RRShe tidbits and news.
Speaker 2I hope so, For right now we just got to, Like I said that was just a teaser, because they were like you guys, we're still here.
KAT-TUN's Surprise Reunion Show
Speaker 2Oh man, I don't know, I'm feeling a certain way about rsh lately, just because, no, because my bts boys are doing stuff that I'm like, yay, more, and it's out there around the world. I don't know, I don't know. And right now I just saw that my beautiful soul is going to see Hyde. Really, yeah, oh, I'll share the reel. He got his makeup done, his hair done to go see Hyde. Wow, these kids love Hyde.
Speaker 1I'm like that's interesting, Very interesting these kids love Hyde.
Speaker 2Oh, okay, I got to stop looking at Instagram.
Speaker 1I just saw something really nice.
Speaker 2Okay, no, bye, bye, bye, I can't, and it's Monster X.
Speaker 1Oh well, we can get to them. I was going to say, while we're still in Arashi mode and Starto mode, the interesting thing the other day Tetsuya had this post and it just said that's why I went on Instagram Break the cartoon and I was like what is that?
Speaker 2I saw that too and I'm like cartoon, cartoon is done. What are you doing to me?
Speaker 1Well, apparently according to Tokyo Hive.
Speaker 2Oh yay, Tokyo Hive, we missed you. What's going on, dude? Yeah, they finally got some new news, I know right.
Speaker 1So, anyways, katoon to reunite, with a concert in November at Zozo Marine Stadium. Okay, so, katoon, who officially disbanded on March 31st of this year, katoon, who officially disbanded on March 31st of this year, will be reuniting for a one-night-only concert titled Break the Katoon on November 8th at Zozo Marine Stadium in Chiba Prefecture. The group surprised fans on February 12th when they announced their decision to disband at the end of March. At the time, their agency, starto Entertainment, had commented. At the members' request, we are currently making preparations to create an opportunity for them to meet their fans in the near future.
Speaker 1So even though they were disbanding. I guess they had this plan to at least do something, because it was just sort of like all right, we're done, you know what I mean. And ended so. I guess this was because that's all there is to this article, just saying they're going to do this one night, only thing. Get back together one shot, they're done, and then they will be officially disbanded. But I was just. I was like what is tetsuya talking about? Break the cartoon what's he doing?
Speaker 1it doing. It's because of this, this announcement, so there may be more to it later. I don't know, but it's a picture of all three of them, so I am assuming that it is in fact going to be them for a final hurrah. Yeah, but just weird, right? Yeah, because I mean why, right?
Speaker 2kazoo just got some new music coming out oh my god, kazoo, yeah, drop some pictures on instagram that I was like and coming ash too. Coming ash is doing something, some um I thought I said him didn't.
Speaker 1Did I say kazoo, yeah, or did I say that, say Tetsuya. I don't know what I said? My brain, I meant Kamanesh right has new music, because Tetsuya Ueda has been doing theater stuff, yeah, yeah, that he's looking really good, but Kazuya Kamanesh right is putting out some music. Yes, Solo stuff.
Speaker 2Yes.
Speaker 1He's been working out, but his photos. Yeah, did hello well and he's.
Speaker 2It's weird I was like what is working out, unless he just did it for the photo shoot. But I was like, whoa well, I don't remember that bod like, wow, it was a spicy photo shoot that's what I mean I'm like so what is nice?
Speaker 1what is this?
Speaker 2he was showing gun show yeah, yeah, he was doing this, I don't know. Wow, that I'm like, oh no, danger boy. Yep, danger, danger. He's one that I'm like, oh no I cannot be near you no same thing with tattoo. Yeah, run away. I'm scared of you, see. That's why I like nakamaru. But then you know anymore, turn out to be alive yeah, well, that's.
Speaker 1I was like I'm I wonder how that's going to play out, because fans seem sort of split on that whole thing. You know oh yeah as they always are. I know how you and one of our friends feel about it, but we'll see what happens with this, I know it's very interesting unless this is just like we didn't want to leave you high and dry.
Speaker 2I thought they did like a live after they break up.
Speaker 1I thought they did on that month Leading up to they were doing something, but I don't know, maybe they thought it was just a little too rushed, abrupt, because you know, I mean they made the announcement and they were like, yeah, it's going to be over in a month, so let's just who knows, who knows? Or maybe they're trying to help salvage someone's reputation.
Speaker 2Not with me, not with me.
Speaker 1Everybody knows who I'm talking about.
Speaker 2Yeah, no, that's been ruined oh.
Super 8 Coming to Budokan
Speaker 1Super 8's going to perform at the Budokan. Oh yay, First time ever. Yeah, Really. I mean, the Budokan was huge, huge for a long time and then it sort of became not so. It's more like an iconic idea, but not so much usable for large events.
Speaker 2You know what I mean.
Speaker 1Like it's sort of like Madison Square Garden has this Right Image about it. This, it's this iconic place, but when, I think about it, it's kind of tiny. Yeah, it's small. That's why, like Harry Styles, had to do three weeks there, because you know a 10,000 capacity place is not enough for the audience that wanted to see him.
Speaker 1So that's sort of how I believe Budokan is Okay, it's iconic, but it's not someplace that people always play. But they will take the stage at the iconic Nippon Budokan for the first time with a special three-day concert titled Super 8 2025. Scheduled for November 26th, 26, 27th and 28th. So this, oh, it was just announced two days ago august 8th. So okay, oh, august 8th celebrated as eight day. Okay for super eight. Further details, including ticket information, will be released at a later date but that's cool.
Speaker 2It would have been awesome if they had the show on the eighth day. Eight day, you know, august 8th, yeah yeah, that would have been and it was a sad, it was a friday, so it would have been a great kickoff.
Speaker 1Well, they announced it on, okay, you know. But I mean that's cool because they they are the perfect kind of act for that, because they do play instruments. They're sort of, you know, like a stage they are a band, you know yeah I do like them because of that and that's that.
Speaker 1I've, you know, never been to the budokan personally, so I don't know, but it seems sort of more like a place that it's less for the theatrical and showman thing and more about the, just the presence of a band performing. That's cool, though, though that's cool.
Speaker 2I put it out there, but I'm looking for Star Trek 4 to have another band, not a boy group, but like a band band. Which I was hoping that a group was a band, but no, it has the band plus the other shenanigans.
Speaker 1Well, they might, though, because Super 8 started out as the boy band yeah, kind of thing, Okay and they've transitioned more into well. They're also on the sort of older side of idols being 30 or whatever. Well, actually they're older, 38.
Speaker 2No, they're older yeah.
Speaker 1Yeah, well, see, this is I get stuck in time, I get stuck in. Yeah, well, see this is I get stuck in time, I get stuck in time. Well, look at Cato, and they're pushing 40. I know, no, I know, I forget that Ono is 45 now.
Speaker 2Or will be 45 this year.
KCON LA Disaster Reports
Speaker 1Yeah so, yeah. So, like June and everybody, they're all in their 40s, so these guys are probably right. Yeah, 39 to 42 also yes that being said again, as the older side of the idol world, they're probably transitioning more into being the band, as opposed to the boy group. Yep, they're like you know, we're old men, we want to just sit down and jam together, exactly so this is cool. I like that for them. I like that a lot. Awesome, okay so now we.
Speaker 1You want to get back to your monster x well, monster x was at the la k-con.
Speaker 2Yay, you know something that k-con is not going to come to the east coast anymore. I believe, we, we think yeah, or I think you know, because they even haven't gone to texas.
Speaker 1Okay, sarah, just letting me know that it's 333 I was just like whoa well, because my phone, you know, popped on 333 okay angel 333 angel 333.
Speaker 2What's going on was angel 8. Okay, because we're gonna look that up.
Speaker 1Yes, well, while you're doing that, before we get into the KCON part of what Monsta X is doing, they have actually officially announced that their new album, the X, is coming out on September 1st.
Speaker 2Yes.
Speaker 1So we are very excited about them teasing it. Well, we've got an album coming out sometime in september. Yeah, yeah, tell us when september 1st it's official. I think they announced that at k-con too, so all right, angel.
Speaker 2333 signifies or 333 uh, encouragement, growth and alignment with divine energy. Interesting encouragement growth and divine energy and alignment with divine energy.
Speaker 2Okay well, that sounds like all positive and good things oh yeah I'll take it would this mean that if we release this and mj does listen to my rant on arashi, that he will do something about arashi to the world? Maybe not just only the fan club, not just only exclusive? I know I get it exclusive whatever fan club, I get it. Like I said, there's been people there behind them for like 20 plus years.
Speaker 2But come on, you know why. All right, I can keep going on that, but I'm not All right. So I found an article. This is from the Bias List and the Bias List his name. Oh, I just got his name, his name is. Nick. So this person went to the KCON LA 2025 and he's giving his recap and review. He's going to give us the good, the bad and kind of ugly. Uh-oh, yes, I mean, remember that tweet that we talked about, that.
Speaker 1We're already fans camping outside the venue yeah, weeks, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2Weeks Before the event, already fenced, camping outside the venue weeks yeah, yeah, weeks before.
Speaker 1Yeah, three weeks, right, three weeks, and like two or three, but I mean, come on even one week.
Speaker 2It's like, uh, get a life. Why do you need to be there that early? Like camping there that early anyways. So the good the artist stage he was raving about, you know the uh zero base one was there and also uh muvi never heard of them and wasa uh-huh also the um the group gravity. He proceeded to say that these stages are 30 to 40 minutes and about five to six songs. So that's good you know, especially for that.
Speaker 2And then some chit chat. Well, of course that's. We always have seen that they need to have that chit chat, just so they can catch their breath, you know, get some energy back, so they can, you know, go ahead and do these songs. So so that's part of the good. And then he proceeded to put some uh, his clips on youtube on the um group's performance okay and then number two, the showcase, and busking stage.
Speaker 2Bus, yeah, busking stages, okay, okay. So this is for for the good. This is the second good okay uh, one of my. He says one of my favorite things k-con has done over the past few years is start inviting rookie indie artists to perform on a variety showcase which we have seen on that new york one, yeah, one of them being uh, embalming tiger.
Speaker 2They were awesome, they're indie. And also, what was the other one? I forgot the other one, but, uh, bold mean tiger was one that I, I loved. And then, uh, he proceeded to say, uh, this year there were many rookie artists, but he was interested in the. Uh, it was still cool to learn about them close and personal. Through these stages, I have newfound appreciation for IFI or I-Fi. Oh, isn't that I-Fi, it's I-F-I-I-F-E-Y-E.
Speaker 1Yeah, I think, i-fi, i-fi, If I, if I Okay.
Speaker 2All right.
Speaker 1And 82 major. Hmm, 82 major.
Speaker 2All right, and 82 Major. Hmm, 82 Major.
Speaker 1Have not heard of that. That's another one.
Speaker 2Okay, but it was the guys of Way Better from 20 and Hello Gloom that continue to have my attention. Okay, some people waiting to check out, yeah, to have my attention. Okay. Well, some people wanted to check out, yeah. And then he said after meeting them last year, it was so fun to watch multiple stages this weekend and see how far they have come and they rock the mainstream during saturday's pre-show. Okay, so that's cool, main stage concert. So he's going by. You know all the the tears, I guess. So this is three on the good, while I wasn't as thrilled with the artist lineup this year and have issues with the main stage concert see below.
Speaker 2Oh, yeah k costell puts on a high quality show with a little something for everyone, okay, okay. So that was really short for the main stage. The bad General disorganization Number one. We have seen this even before he posted this article, where all the tweets even reels on instagram x, twitter, reddit. They're loaded, loaded with uh, just bad. How disorganized is kcon? So he proceeds. It's one step forward, three steps back when it comes to kCON's logistics. They got things so right last year, only to retreat to their old ways this year. Oh man, lines were super long and check-in took forever. They really didn't have enough check-in booth.
Speaker 1Wow, that's sort of the same type of thing we're always talking about, though, with if you wait until an hour before something to start letting people go in, you're not going to get everybody in there. So he proceeded to say and check in like with cake. Yeah, that's even more, that's even crazier.
Speaker 2Different because people have bought different tiers and different, yeah, staff were generally rude and sometimes outright hostile, and clear signage was definitely lacking. They removed the options for a three-day pass this year. What, oh, wow, uh? Which means lining up for at least an hour each morning before even entering the convention. Wow, and this is la. It's hot, it's hot that.
Speaker 1You know what, though, that lack of the different tier might explain the camping out, because, yeah, if you're gonna have a three-day festival, have a three-day pass, exactly like.
Speaker 2So it's just common sense. And if you wanted to get close to artist stage or meet and greets, you need to queue for hours and, in some cases, fight off over salacious fans looking to cut cheat their way to the front of the line. We have seen that plenty of times and he ended that paragraph with it's all pretty exhausting.
Speaker 1Yeah, it is yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2I am very glad that Connect had, or did, the whole. You know numbers.
Speaker 1Number thing yeah.
Speaker 2Because that made it easy, you know, for people who are like trying to cut in, you know Like yeah, your number 40, you got to go back to the line You're not to cut in. You know like, yeah, yeah, your number of 40, you gotta go back to the line. You're not number 29, you know we asked for one through 10.
Speaker 1You aren't it. We're still in the bed. Yeah, number two the convention itself he proceeds.
Speaker 2Uh, like I said earlier, the actual convention isn't my favorite part of the weekend, but even so, it's really a shell of a former itself. K-con. Eliminated panels this year, oh, no panels, and the convention floor was 95 k-beauty products which I had no interest on. This person had no interest on that. There was nowhere to buy artist albums or merch, which makes no sense.
Speaker 1Yeah, and they move most of the marketplace booth outside, where it was very hot food, of course, mainly incredibly expensive, yo well I mean the food thing, like it always is expensive at stuff like that, any venue you go to, anything like that, so that I can excuse, but no panels and no albums and merch available.
Speaker 2That was one of the coolest thing about kcon is having the panels. Remember all the panels we went to.
Speaker 1They were amazing, yeah, it was awesome hearing, yeah, insider information, and you know well, not like but like just hearing what it's like from their, yeah, their perspective of how things happen and how things work, I mean there were definitely. K-beauty booths, but there was lots of places with albums, merch like T-shirts.
Speaker 2Yeah, remember, we got pins, we got T-shirts, we got tote bags.
Speaker 1Like little you know, the plush, toys and stuff. I mean there was a variety of things. Like I said, there was definitely a lot of K-beauty.
Speaker 2I just want to say to everybody when Sarah and I were talking about KCON, it was our experience with New York.
Speaker 1Back in 2019. 2019 or 18? 2019.
Speaker 2Was it 19?.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, it was. It was the year I got my tattoo. Oh, okay, I'm going with that. I remember.
Speaker 2Okay, we're going with that. That's something they should remember. When you get that tattoo, they're pretty painful.
Speaker 1Yes, very memorable.
Speaker 2So like what.
Speaker 1Yeah, wow, that's weird.
Speaker 2That is weird Huh.
Speaker 1Okay, so number three on the bag An overstuffed lineup. Okay, so number three on the bag An overstuffed lineup.
Speaker 2While I appreciate them individually, as many artists are as possible each year, I'm not sure they all need to be performing on the main stage. The main concert felt a bit overstuffed with so many acts that some were simply overshadowed, and the concert approached a whooping three hours each evening After a long day at the convention which the convention, I mean, by the way. He's talking about lack of yeah, 95% K-Beauty.
Speaker 1Just go sit on a bench and wait for the show there.
Speaker 2It's hard to keep your energy up over the course of these long shows. I don't mind the long shows Okay.
Speaker 1Yeah, I was going to say I'm not worried about, Then he goes.
Speaker 2I would much prefer multiple stages throughout the day where you could choose who you want to see and when you know, like a real music festival.
Speaker 1But it's KCON, it's not a music festival per se. It's a convention. I mean, I understand, yeah, you want to see certain, like you do. You like some artists more than others. So sitting through it three hours because your favorites are like the first and the last is kind of like uh.
Speaker 2But you know. If you know when a fave is coming, yeah, you can just walk around the convention, Just go to your seat and you know enjoy the show. But if you want to be there from, I will be there from the start to the end.
Speaker 1Oh yeah, I mean, I pay for it. Yeah, exactly. And sometimes some of these rookie groups, you might see the video, but then when you see them in person, you know performing, you're like, oh wow, they're really good. You know, yeah, no, a live performance can completely change your point of view on an artist or a band. You know, like exactly, they'll hook you if they're good. That's when you're hooked is when you see them live.
Speaker 2Yes, definitely a live is that's when you really see.
Speaker 1Oh, oh, yes, this is like oh yeah, these are good performers, yeah.
Speaker 2Still in the bad Number four Meet and greets. Unless you pay the overpriced fee for a high wave, these meet and greets are kind of pointless. You can't really see anything from the back of the whole thing. It's so scripted and predictable. Making matters worse, you had to pay extra to attend this year, even at $25, I felt like this was a waste of money, especially compared to the artist stage. This was a waste of money, especially compared to the artist stage. Last year, meet and greet stage was much better because even if you were far away, you could still see very well and it was included in the price of the convention ticket. Oh really, so this was extra, like he was saying.
Speaker 1He paid $25 just for the extra for the meet and greet. See, I don't remember how it was at kcon new york because I won the ticket to go to the g idol one right.
Speaker 2So I don't know, those were like different showcases, right, but the meet and greet I remember family went with their friend and it was just like you wait in line, so it was included in the ticket price. Okay, so you had to do was just like hi. You know, you just did like a high.
Speaker 1Oh, I think what I was, what I did?
Speaker 2we were at a panel no, no, no, no.
Speaker 1Remember I won a ticket, yeah, for g idol, and I was the only one who went in right because it was a specialty thing that was extra, but it was, that was.
Speaker 2That wasn't a meet and greet, that was like a mini show for. Yeah, because it was a specialty thing, that was extra, but it was, that was.
Speaker 1That wasn't a meet and greet, that was like a mini show for yeah, because it was a high touch thing, like people went through and, okay, like did a little high five or whatever, so so I don't know, maybe it was different there too, I guess.
Speaker 1So yeah anyway, but yeah, well, I mean, the more people you want to see and do that type of thing with. Yeah, 25 bucks a shot adds up, and if it used to be free that's definitely a big jump. But obviously there was someone he wanted to see and do that with because he paid the 25 bucks, right, yeah, that's crazy, but, um, he said that, um the good, I should say the the highlights zero base one.
Speaker 2Uh, that said that the weekend felt almost like an extended zero base one concert it brought, let's see, with performance from the guys all three nights. Oh wow, oh, really, yeah, cool. So, uh, members also hosted the show and they did both the artist stage and meet and greet.
Speaker 1Okay, wow, yeah, they're like we're gonna get out there sure they were everywhere.
Speaker 2He said my favorite moment, as mentioned before, was the artist stage. After hours of queuing, we were super close, like touching distance. Close, wow okay, zero base one uh, way better, it's, I guess, another group. Having seen from 20 and hello gloom so much last year, I wasn't anticipating them to be a highlight of this year as well. However, the guys were all over the convention charming audience and performing their excellent strings of singles.
Speaker 2Never heard of that group no Gravity in the lead up of KCON. I'm gone from being a casual Gravity listener to a full-blown fan, so it was really fun seeing them perform, now that I know the members a bit more. Wasa, she really killed the main stage, of course. Yeah, she is amazing, including a medley of Mamamoo hits. But her artist stage was most exciting since we were front row. She's got so much charisma. Yes, yes, she does oh my god, when we saw her in boston she was awesome my girl crush.
Speaker 2I love her. She's so awesome. Definitely remember when she was doing the thing about going around boston yeah, especially harvard I went to har when she was doing the thing about going around.
Speaker 2Boston, yeah, especially Harvard. I went to Harvard. She was so cute. On number five you put Rise. What's the group I was most excited to see, though it was a shame they never did a more intimate artist stage. Still, I love seeing them kill their main stage performance. Cool, we have seen Rise. Did we saw Rise? I don't remember. No, I love seeing them kill their main stage performance. Cool, we have seen Rise. Did we saw Rise? I don't remember?
Monsta X's New Album News
Speaker 1No, I don't. I don't think we saw Rise, but we've talked about them. We did singles, yes, with them Also Ivy.
Speaker 2They're never going to perform After, like at one of these shows, are they? I guess that's one of his favorite songs, so their music is made for stadiums and really like. Their set, plus their reaction to dropping their hand mic made some very funny and charming memes. They dropped their hand mics, okay, I guess now. Okay, I never heard of he goes, thought they didn't get a ton of time to shine. There are three songs on Friday, including Stray Kids cover. We're so energetic and strong. I really like this group.
Speaker 1Okay, oh well, okay, they were formerly known as Nowadays. Oh, I was like. I was like now, wouldn't that be nowadays? Is it like a shortening, a nickname? It's because that nowadays has changed their name to nows.
Speaker 2I see, okay, so they're 2023.
Speaker 1They start. I guess they changed their name last year. Okay, that's it.
Speaker 2So he proceeded to give some more information on other groups, which I'm not going to talk about. But if you would like to look at this article, uh, it's the bias. So he gives more information on other groups, but I'm not gonna mention this, but anyway, I thought though um, well, didn't you?
Speaker 1you have something, though you were gonna talk about monster x. Was it from kcon or something else?
Speaker 2yeah. No, he didn't have anything on monster x, which I'm surprised. I didn't have anything on Monsta X, which I'm surprised. No, I didn't mean him.
Speaker 1You oh me, because you mentioned you were talking about Monsta X earlier.
Speaker 2Oh no, no, oh, okay, I just wanted. No, that Monsta X was at KCON too. You were?
Speaker 1just thinking of it, because you of this article and you knew that. Oh okay, yeah, yeah, no, we knew they were it. Apparently, shonu and Hyungwon did a unit thing that blew the roof off the place, oh so, we'll have to try and find it. Well, you know.
Speaker 2Shonu needs another pair because he used to do it with Wano.
Speaker 1Look at me.
Speaker 2He used to dance with Wano Yep I was.
Speaker 1But it was interesting because I was. That's exactly what I thought of when they were like shono and hyungwoo. I was like really well, I guess you know you have to have a new unit because wano is not there, but yeah, but people were like the few things I saw were like it was like mind blowing. So I'm like okay.
Speaker 2I can't wait. They're going on tour and we're going to see them.
Speaker 1I know they owe us for 2020. Yes, they better be in Boston, can we?
Speaker 2use those, oh my god, our old tickets. Oh my god, yeah, because I told you I found it I should.
Speaker 1I show you the picture. I'll post the picture actually of the tickets.
Speaker 2Yeah, seat number seven girl, we I telling you we have some the primo seats.
Speaker 1I was so happy to get these seats so I'm like, yeah, it was row a row a yes, so it was the front section.
Speaker 2We had nobody in front of us. I'm telling you, I bought the primo seats, I know, I know. That's why I'm so mad and sad and angry and everything Well.
Speaker 1so Monsta X yeah, they have to come to Boston because they owe us Exactly. I know it wasn't your fault that you couldn't come. I love my boy. I am.
Speaker 2I am came to Boston because he felt that he's like I need to pay respects. I need to, you know, to my family in Boston. I got to go.
Speaker 1Yep, exactly, so I am.
Speaker 2come on, you got to bring the boys over here. Pull the strings.
Speaker 1Well, you were going to do it before, so just sort of you know, recreate that same tar path and come to Boston, please, please. I'll add, please. I shall not make demands, that's rude. So I'm asking you Please Come to.
Speaker 2Boston. Oh my God, yes, please, yes, boy, come on Anyway, so yes, that's it All right, all right, my friend let's anyways.
Speaker 1So, yes, that's all right. All right, my friend, let's go. And my voice is like, yeah, me too, and I'm, I'm done, me too. I think it's the bad air, all the, all the wildfires that have been happening, canada, all that crap is coming down here.
Speaker 2I was been living here for 20 plus years, and two years in a row canadian wildfire that never happened and I know.
Speaker 1No, it's been a problem all across, like all across north america our wildfires everywhere.
Speaker 2I was like take care of our planet. And I'm like I know, I'm trying, but I don't know, I don't know what else to do. You know, as an individual, and well, you do.
Speaker 1You do what you can. You make sure you don't have things that are flammable that you're just tossing away. You know, I mean this is people being careless. With cigarettes, with fireworks, with disposing of like when you have a campfire, if you don't take care of the ashes and the charcoals from your fire, all it takes is one little spark from a campfire and you've got a forest fire happening. So a lot of this is just people being careless, not following the rules of things. Yeah, everybody remember smoky the bear. They need to bring it back. Only you can prevent forest fires. So, exactly, remember that. And and what's his hoodie? The hood? I'll give a hoot. Don't pollute. Yes, we'll include that, because you know we're also killing the planet in many other ways, pollution being one of them so girl yeah okay, but anyway.
Speaker 1So yes, I'm thinking the smoke like the wildfire stuff is, yeah, affecting our air quality. So on top of allergies, now we've got bad air in general Wait till the fall allergy season starts.
Speaker 2Oh God, we just finished the spring slash summer allergy season. Now here it comes. I love my fall.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, I love the fall, but the mold and stuff from it.
Speaker 2The dead leaves and all.
Speaker 1But you know, Everybody Like we always have to complain about these things the weather and allergies. We always complain about the weather and our allergies because it's awful, it's awful oh girls talking about weather, apparently tokyo had been having record-breaking heat waves.
Speaker 2Oh, yeah. Like whoa Ooh and Hokkaido with the tsunami.
Speaker 1Yeah, from the earthquake in Russia. Oh God, that's crazy.
Speaker 2Everybody. Please stay safe. We're trying to stay safe as well.
Speaker 1Yep.
Farewell and Podcast Milestones
Speaker 2All right. So thank you everybody for listening to this awesome episode A little crazy episode. Please rate review and share, share, share. Could you please give us five stars, because we love our constellations, and also please become a subscriber so we can maintain and archive this episode and all our previous episodes for your continued listening enjoyment oh, yes, if you have.
Speaker 2If you are a ex-twitter follower, you have been saying that we posting, hey, top three for this week are, so that's kind of cool. And uh, our old johnny's west, I know, still getting people listen.
Speaker 1Well, I mean, that's how old it is when we did it they were johnny's west, yeah wow, yeah wow, and I'll also you know what?
Speaker 2I want to give each other ourselves a pat on the back because since pandemic we are still, we have survived. I've been, you know, part of the podcast community and I've been seeing you know what's going on and rankings and whatever.
Speaker 1Yep.
Speaker 2And you know people are saying there's podcasts, they don't last no more than 80 episodes and we're like already like how many episodes now? We're way over. We've been around for now going to five years in december.
Speaker 1Yeah, and we we've been doing like generally one a week for five years, right? So that's like 260 episodes maybe look at that yeah, that's like basically, and there were times where we actually put out two in a week and then other times where we missed a week because you know stuff happens but right, but on average yeah no, we've been around.
Speaker 1It's gonna be wow I know it'll be five years, yep and uh like I said, padding you know, somewhere, somewhere in our, our platform statistics, they say how many episodes we have and how many total downloads and listens and all that stuff. Well, we got our 165, I believe it is countries.
Speaker 2Right, so let's see Episodes published 248.
Speaker 1Oh, okay. Well, I was averaging because I was like it hasn't quite been five years, but based on that, 248, girl, so almost 250. Yeah, we're getting there. We're going to hit a milestone then soon.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1I think 250. They'll give us a little badge, yes, and congratulations and stuff, yes which is pretty soon, wow, all right.
Speaker 2Yes, and congratulations and stuff, yes, which is pretty, pretty soon, wow, all right. So please, everybody keep sharing, supporting yep, um, yeah, because you know, next year something, something's gonna happen yep.
Speaker 1Well, there's some, some big things looming in the future and we want to be a part of them, so we're going to, oh yeah, work towards that. Yes, ok, so.
Speaker 2Till next time.
Speaker 1It was me saying till next time, till next time, bye, bye, johnny.