What Happens When A Fandom Becomes A Force

One minute we’re losing our minds over Stray Kids dropping Tasy, the official character for STAY, and the next we’re sitting in our feelings because KARD announces their final album and world tour as a group. That’s the vibe today: joyful K-pop cuteness, real industry turning points, and the very relatable problem of how anyone is supposed to afford all this merch.

We walk through the headlines shaping summer music news, including KiiiKiii’s confirmed August comeback and the growing buzz around rising stars brand reputation rankings. We also talk Red Velvet’s “Velvet Summer” schedule rollout and why long-awaited releases hit differently when a group has been quiet. Then we pivot into something fans keep begging labels to take seriously: SM Entertainment’s legal action against malicious online posts and why deleting a post doesn’t magically erase accountability.

On the J-pop side, we get excited about MIYAVI’s SAMURAI45 Japan tour and birthday show, dig into Number_i’s new single “BUGS LIFE,” and even pause to learn what phonk is and why those Memphis-rooted sounds keep resurfacing in modern pop production. We also cover DOMOTO stepping into independent group management and recommend Travis Japan’s Disney+ road trip documentary for anyone who loves behind-the-scenes travel content.

Hit play for the full Music Elixir ramble, then subscribe, share the show with a fellow fan, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. What headline do you want us to go deeper on next?

Transcript

Welcome And Quick Agenda

SPEAKER_00 0:20

Thank you everybody for joining us here at Music Elixir. I am Sara She, and with me is Mr.

SPEAKER_01 0:27

Japanic. Welcome everybody. Or welcome you. For a single person, welcome you. If it's a group of people, welcome everybody. It depends. And for those in the Indie Japanese, it's a kaya. Hi. It's awesome. So, anyways. Today's a Razor Rambling. We have not listened to music. Well, we are we have been, but not dedicated uh deep dive uh since our start glow. Yeah. But actually, I'll I'll make some comments while we uh talk about some articles that uh we want to chat about. Usually we start with K-Pop. And um I have a few that just I find it that I wanted to talk about because one of one group is this banding, and you know, then the other there's another group that they made an announcement that is a very cute announcement. Of course, uh want to talk about some rising stars that are currently happening for the K-pop industry, and then a comeback, and then a surprising or Nora Well-deserved Billboard announcement. Anyways, let's start with the news.

Stray Kids Tacey And Comeback Talk

SPEAKER_01 1:43

All right. So straight kids introduced Tacey, the official character for Stay. Oh my god, was that cute? Did you see the video? Did you see the video? Yes, yes, it was so cute, and oh my god, let me tell you, lately I have been just enjoying all of their plushies. Wow, all the pros are so cute. This is I mean, these K-pop groups are gonna if I'm not bankrupt yet, they they will because they are just so cute. I know. And then you want to get them everybody, every all of them are cute.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

Yeah, and you need the whole collection.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

Exactly. It's terrible. So for those who have like a bias and you're only buying from just your bias, I I don't know, maybe you will be in the same bankrupt because you just wanna wanna have everything from your bias. I just want everything like OT7 and OT5 and OT8, whatever.

SPEAKER_00 2:36

OT, yeah, whatever they are.

SPEAKER_01 2:37

Exactly. So I'm reading this from Sumpy. So on July 10th at midnight, of course, Korean Standard Time, Straight Kids released an adorable video introducing a brand new character to represent Stay. They're uh their official fandoms, they are awesome. The whimsical new video features Tacey meet the eight kazoos characters that represent each of the stray kids members, and they are so adorable. And I love the colors on this video, the pastels, and all the like fluffiness, you love fluffiness, and it's just the interaction is so cute, and I do like that Tacey has a little like yellow star. Oh my god, oh my god, any of them yellow? Yeah, my boy, Felix, yeah. That's I was like, my cheeky D. My boy, yeah, with a deep voice. That's the you know, it will be I don't know if they have, but like have people listen to his voice and then try it, never met him, but listen to his voice and just picture the person. You're just like, oh yeah, if you hear this voice, how do you proceed? You know, give give details of how this person looks, you know. And then when they see their faces like, what that didn't come out from him.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

I know exactly. No, you definitely you look at Felix and you're like, uh that voice does not I don't believe you.

SPEAKER_01 4:14

That voice did not come out from that boy. It's just a boy. Oh my goodness. Wow, but you know, he all these K-pop artists, they look so young. Yeah, they definitely, you know, so you just don't know. So, of course, you know, I'm gonna try and get Tacey. Sarah and I were going to a another Cassoo event. I don't know if Stacey's gonna be there. I mean, Tacey is gonna be there.

SPEAKER_00 4:42

Stacy. Stay Tacey.

SPEAKER_01 4:43

Yeah, I'm Stacey. But um I guess we'll talk to the owner. She was she's very nice. So we're going, yeah, I guess another event event. Spending more money. I need to save for this BTS merch. I know. Girl. I'm like always looking at my phone. What weavers, what happened? Weavers.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

I know, yeah. I got a notification. I was like, oh, it's just JK Live.

SPEAKER_01 5:08

Oh, wait a minute. I'm like, JK, I love you, but I'm waiting for your merch. I'll I'll wait till they translate what you said. You know, I'll look at you now for a little bit and then I'll wait till they translate it.

SPEAKER_00 5:22

Translate it. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

Oh my god. Anyways, but he wasn't drinking at that time. No. Maybe so, maybe his ear got pulled. You can't do that anymore. You gotta break the internet again.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

Well, he still always just does his own thing.

SPEAKER_01 5:38

He's like, I was bored and drunk, and I was all by myself. Everybody went to sleep. V has poor V, sleep deprived.

SPEAKER_00 5:47

Um well, because he flew off to Paris and then back and yeah, you know, back and forth. And I liked the the recent picture, Jin with the big old mug of beer in Munich. That's yes. I saw that. He doesn't look old enough to drink. No, it's just they look so young. It is like, what are you? You're not even. Who served that kid? Exactly. Exactly. But yeah, no, Casey, very cute. And I was gonna say, and that's on the heels of their announcing the highly anticipated comeback album This and That is due out on August 7th.

SPEAKER_01 6:27

So everybody get ready. Girl, that week is is jam-packed for us. I know. That that week, the first week of August is I'm like, I can't. Um I'll be listening, yes, when I'm not doing whatever I need to do. Well, we can oh wait.

SPEAKER_00 6:42

If it's one day, yeah, but is it 1 p.m. Korean time? So we'll all re yeah. We'll be recovering, but we can, you know.

SPEAKER_01 6:52

Yeah. We could we could give it a listener. See if it's you know, they if it drops at a time that we can listen. Yes. Okay. I wonder if it's gonna be at midnight on each country, because that's what happens.

SPEAKER_00 7:05

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:05

So yeah, it'll be midnight by the time we're driving home or yeah. Yeah, yeah. We'll probably will be able to listen. Um, I'm still thinking, I don't know if I'm gonna have a if I'm gonna have a show that week because of what's going on. I know, yeah, yeah. I'm thinking about it. I still have some time. I'll let everybody know about it. Anyways.

SPEAKER_00 7:30

So yes, so yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:32

We are going to if of course there's gonna be a tour date for this comeback. We're gonna try. Yes, we are. We're going to try. Um try our hardest. I'm just hoping that it will be for next year so I can recover from BTS.

SPEAKER_00 7:49

I know, right? Yeah, I think well, you're yeah, it probably will be. I yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_01 7:55

But the thing is, listen, we also have straight uh ATs.

SPEAKER_00 7:59

I know. Straight ATs.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

My wallet is gonna be like, yo, you you need I don't know. Need to do get some extra hustle. You need to get a hustle on the side to pay stuff.

SPEAKER_00 8:13

I bought a lottery ticket. Me too. Me too. The odds are one and like a billion, but you know. I'm trying.

SPEAKER_01 8:24

This ticket, I was in my head, I'm like, I need to get I need to get a ticket today, I need to get a ticket today. And then a family came in, they're like, here. And I'm like, oh my god, telepathically. I'm like, see? The witchy poo here. And I'm like, I was just thinking on this. Yes, thank you. This means that yes, this is the I have the winning number, girl.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

I have oh, I don't know, because that's it was the same way with me. I was like, I gotta buy a ticket. My sister actually bought it, I didn't buy it, but my sister came home, same thing. She's like, I got a slottery. I was like, All right, well, there you go. Because I was gonna run down the street from our our lucky little store down the street.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

I'm saying those are winning numbers.

SPEAKER_00 9:04

Those are maybe we have the same numbers and we'll both win and split the pot. Hey, that's yeah, weird odds. There was just something about that. Really? Did you read that somewhere? That um well, it wasn't that two people had the same numbers in one, it was somewhere, it was somewhere in Europe, like one of their lotteries. Yeah, two weeks in a row, the same exact number came up. Yeah, no, and they got investigated because like people were like, that can't be that's fraudulent, it can't happen. But it was real. I don't know if it was recent, but it's like it's happened. Wow, so stuff like that can happen. There are times people all have the same numbers.

SPEAKER_01 9:42

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 9:43

But I I was reading that and I was like, oh, so maybe there is something to playing the same numbers that have won before. But I thought I it was so weird. I came across that article at work yesterday when I should have been working on girl.

SPEAKER_01 10:00

Manifestation station, yo. What about if it's just hints from the universe that that is going to happen? That is happening. Yeah, yeah. It is happening because it's the present. It's it's it's happening. Oh my god. Okay.

unknown 10:16

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:18

I'm already little tangent. All right. Moving

KARD Final Album And Farewell Tour

SPEAKER_01 10:22

on to the next news.

SPEAKER_00 10:23

Which one are we on card? Card, okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:27

Which we saw.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

Um, we you had mentioned it a couple of weeks ago. So they said like a pre-announcement before, but right now they've got the official there's the official, you know, announcement from DSP Media.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

So I'm reading this from Sunpi. Card announces plan for this bandman. Uh, this was reporting on July 6th. DSMP Media says, there's an actual letter from there saying, first and foremost, we would like to sincerely thank Hidden Card for your unwavering love and support to Card throughout the years. Card will release their first album, which I am surprised because I know I'm not so I should know. It's always been EPs and whatnot and singles. Um, but the first album, where the We're to Now, part two, now here, on July 28th, followed by a world tour. Wait, isn't it nowhere?

SPEAKER_00 11:25

Nowhere or now here. I see it as one. I see it as one word.

SPEAKER_01 11:30

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:31

My article shows it as one word, nowhere.

SPEAKER_01 11:34

No, you're right. Nowhere. But I'm saying now here. Where to now now here. Oh, nowhere.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

Well, if they're disbanding, it's nowhere. No, they're all going single.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

See, that's why my my brain is like, no, they're not going anywhere. They're now here. Because I'm I'm sad. They've been together so long, you know.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

Well, so luckily we saw them already.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

I know. I was like, we gotta go see them. So, anyways, as a careful and thoughtful discussion with all four members, we have mutually agreed that this album and tour will mark the conclusion of Card's journey as a group. We will like to announce again, express our heartfelt gratitude to Hidden Card for standing by Card every step of the way. Also, we also hope you will continue to support and encourage each member as they begin to the next chapter of their individual journeys. We already seen BM uh acted on Beef second season. Please check that out if you have Netflix. And of course, each individual member are have their solo uh careers as well. The girls are doing their singing thing. Also, Joseph, I think he's working on also a solo. Yes, as well. So the members have poured their heart into preparing this album and tour, and we sincerely hope these final activities will become cherished memories for Hidden Card. We kindly ask for your continued love and support until the very end as Card shares one final chapter with you in the way only they can. Thank you. And oh my god. So Card has been it's a four-member group. Coec group, I think the best co-group that I have experienced since following K-pop, JCF, BM, Summon, and Jiwoo. They debuted in 2017. Which is the year I started OK Asia. I'm like, so you know that's why I'm like, no. So they have released hits like Don't Recall, Hola Hola, and then of course Bomb Bomb. And more. Because they were, I believe they were like the best like party group there was definitely for the K-pop industry. And of course, thinking of Don't Recall, just recently, cards Don't Recall becomes their first music video to hit 100 million views. It took nine years, but hey, I think it's just because the fans are like, no, you know? Yeah. Like this can't this can't happen, you know.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

It is it's just well, so are they planning like another whole tour? That's what it took like. Because I've seen things like you know, European dates and Asian dates for certain. I'm like, is that still the end of drift? Or is that this new thing ending? And are they gonna come back? I think they ended drift, and now this is for a new world tour. Okay, so we might be able to see them one more time because they were so much fun. They were just the energy was amazing, the crowd was amazing, their performances were amazing.

SPEAKER_01 14:56

No, and they're great.

SPEAKER_00 14:57

They are.

SPEAKER_01 14:58

I mean I like their banters with each other, it's so cool, and you know, BM just being BM and the girls just you know throwing jabs at him, and he's just like whatever. It's just awesome. So yeah. Um, I mean, congratulations to Card for you know that. I don't know. I feel emotional because wow, 2017, since 2017. And I was just like, yes, 2017. I think and I believe I play card on that first year that I started. I played them because it's just they're amazing. They're amazing. Next news.

KiiiKiii Comeback And Rising Stars

SPEAKER_01 15:39

Which one you wanna? Kiki? Yeah, let's talk about Kiki. Kiki.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

This is from Soomy. They've confirmed plans for August comeback. Yeah, everybody, what's with August?

SPEAKER_01 15:51

Yeah, I'm like, y'all can't do that. But I'm just it's just my thought.

SPEAKER_00 15:56

Yeah, go ahead. So it's official. Kiki is preparing for an August return. Starship Entertainment confirmed Kiki is preparing for a comeback, aiming to release the new album mid-August. The release will mark their first comeback in approximately seven months following the success of their latest mini album, The Lulu Pack, and the title track 404 New Era, which we talked about. And I told you JK played it on one of his lives. He did, he did. I was like, I was watching it, of course, and I'm like, oh my god, I hear Kiki. He must have listened to us and been like, yeah, let's check it out. Talk about the Lulu pack, right? Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 16:36

Yes, JK listens to Music Elixir.

SPEAKER_00 16:41

So, anyways, they say just stay tuned for updates on Kiki's return.

SPEAKER_02 16:46

Yay!

SPEAKER_00 16:47

So, for those who don't know, they are a five-member girl group out of South Korea. Yes, keep an eye on them because it that was such a good tune.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

That was a really good tune. But of course, who created that tune? 404?

SPEAKER_00 17:01

Why am I blanking out on that? We had to have talked about it in the episode, right? Tablo. Oh, that's right. Oh, yeah, because I was saying in Tablo. Oh my god, because then I had talked about Tablo had done that his podcast where he was talking about how tough it is in the new era for people to meet and like so that's what the song is about. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember now. I remember. Jeez. Well, my you know, there's a lot of information in my head. You need some omega-3 fishies, which thinking of, I need to buy more. Maybe you're right. I probably do.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

Well, we can't we can't eat much fish, so at least omega 3 uh tablets can help us. If anybody wants to sponsor us with omega-3 multivitamins, give us our brain power exactly. Please hit us up, anyways. Oh my god. So yeah, we can't wait for Kiki. Yeah, this is our now current loving girl group right now. That please, please. I hope there's no issues. Please stay full. I know, Bray. Please stay stay low. Stay low, girl, please. No, no drama, please. Because as for some reason, I'm loving. I started loving a girl group, and something happens. I'm like, no. We have XG, of course. We have idol, also uh freaking new jeans, which I'm like, oh yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:27

Oh come on. They're in trouble right now. I saw quickly a an article there. Something with copyright stuff, they're getting in trouble for something. I've I didn't read the whole article because I was like, these put like it's nothing but bad news for them. So I was like, I don't want to keep it.

SPEAKER_01 18:43

I am I was like, I'm done. I can I can deal.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

I had to do it. Because they were so promising, and then so everything just sort of went.

SPEAKER_01 18:53

Yeah. I'm like, oh man, why I okay, anyways.

SPEAKER_00 18:58

Maybe once whatever's going on, because it wasn't a big article, it was just like so. I'm like, I don't wanna get too into it till we know what the resolution, you know what I mean? Right, where it's all going, because they've already had so many setbacks.

SPEAKER_01 19:13

Anyways, moving on to better news. Uh Sunpi have actually made a ranking for rising stars. Brand reputation rankings announced this was on July 7th. So the Korean Business Research Institute has published this month's brand reputation rankings for rising stars. So the rankings were determined through an analysis of various rising stars, media coverage, consumer participation, interactions, and community awareness index. So, in other words, all the fan data that they had collected. Well, we did the June rankings too. Right. We talked about that. Right. So this is for this month. July. Yes. So actually, data collected from May 30 to June 30. Oh, okay. So we have a number one, Hyeonam Jun, shot top this month, and then we have on number two, we have Recine. On number three, Jing Ki Ju. Let's see. A number four is Pak Ji Hyun. And then on number five, Byeung Wu So. And then below we have more. If you want to know for the top ten, we have number six, we have Curtis. Which, by the way, did you see they made an announcement on their lipstick? Yeah, we can talk about that because everybody was just like, okay, so on number seven, we have Kim Mu Yul. On number eight, Kim Young bin. Number nine, straight kids, and on number ten, we have Jan Han Bio. So those are the I'm gonna call the top ten. There's more, there's 30, but I'm only doing top 10. So if you can check it out, you can uh Some people let you know. Ah, also on this list I see day six at number 25.

SPEAKER_00 21:01

Oh, that's weird because Young K is doing his own thing right now.

SPEAKER_01 21:05

Yeah, that's weird.

SPEAKER_00 21:06

Yeah, anyone who follows day six, yes, Young K is coming out with a solo album, just so you know.

SPEAKER_01 21:14

So yeah, I was so happy to see them live. I think it was so much fun. It was it was so much fun. All right, you have another K-pop muse, Miss Thema?

SPEAKER_00 21:24

There's a few things.

Red Velvet Schedule And SM Lawsuits

SPEAKER_00 21:26

We talk while we talked about Red Velvet Comeback, they've released their official schedule poster. This is on Soomy. Velvet Summer Comeback. And it's so cute. Have you seen it?

SPEAKER_01 21:37

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

It's like little, I don't know, glazed tiles with the dates and what's happening and all the events, but they're just saying the wait is nearly over. I know. Red Velvet officially announced the date and details for their long awaited comeback next month. Group will be returning with new summer mini album, Velvet Summer, on August third. 6 p.m. Korean Standard Time.

SPEAKER_01 22:02

So finally, another girl group that was also in some hot water as well. But then they turned out to be fake news, I think. Don't quote me on it. That was a while ago. And then for some reason they went quiet.

SPEAKER_00 22:15

Yeah, and they sort of a couple of them did individual things.

SPEAKER_01 22:19

Like, yeah. So I was like, what's going on?

SPEAKER_00 22:21

And they're with separate companies, but they're coming together to do this. Yeah. We did when we talked about it. That's that was the news we have, but now they've officially announced it. August 3rd, new mini album.

SPEAKER_01 22:32

Yeah. Can't wait.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:34

That's exciting. Anything else in the K pop new?

SPEAKER_00 22:37

Well, did you want the Cordice? Well, did you see also SM Entertainment just released a list of the people that already have facing legal action over malicious posts?

SPEAKER_01 22:47

Yay. Go for it. I saw that. I'm like, should I go for this? We always talking about malicious action.

SPEAKER_00 22:52

Well, this is also on Sumpy. SM Entertainment has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its artists through strong legal action against malicious online activity. On July 10th, they released an update on its ongoing legal efforts against individuals who violated the rights of the artists. The agency stressed that attempts to evade legal responsibility by deleting posts, deactivating accounts, or making them private will not prevent offenders from being held accountable. Adding that it has already secured sufficient evidence and will continue pursuing strict legal action without exception. So they did write a letter, it's a little on the long side, but they have listed, I would say, a good fifty accounts from between X, something called DC inside, and YouTube, the coup. I mean, they've they're like not playing around here. They've got these people's usernames, everything, and they're hunting them down. So this legal action is also being pursued against users on Navar, Dom Cafes, including women's generation, Jukbang Cafe, Soul Dresser, Yosinun Isajang, and Li Jung Q Tugi. Okay. I can't eat that is a long word. It's like German. No offense, Germany, but some of your words are ridiculously long.

SPEAKER_01 24:26

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 24:27

Anyway, Nate Pan Instis MLB Park FM Korea, Instagram Threads, and other platforms. So yeah. They are Wow. They want to thank the fans who continue to support even a radio station. I saw FM. Yeah, yeah. Korea FM. They want to thank the fans who continue to report illeg illegal activities out of love and support for our artists. They ask if you come across anything to report them through Kwang Ya 119. So wow. They are if you're a lawyer, I love that. If you think you're gonna delete it, post, delete your account, inactivate it, make it private, doesn't matter. It's too late. They already got you. Exactly. So you know, nice people.

SPEAKER_01 25:19

Come on. It's come on. It was Steve Wong. I there I saw a blur somewhere on his Instagram. See um Choi C Wong from he's he's like my Opa from like you know, Super Junior. I think it was almost everybody's opaque. Come on, the man still's fine. And uh EO, he also said the same thing, you know. Uh you insult me, you do any you are going to. I'm gonna take you to court. You're gonna, I'm like, wow, yeah, no, go for it. Go for it. Absolutely. Nice, nice, nice, nice.

SPEAKER_00 25:52

So, what was it about Cortis's lightstick that you okay because on Super they talk about it?

SPEAKER_01 25:57

Yes,

The Candle Holder Lightstick Debate

SPEAKER_01 25:58

I know.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

Unveiled the official light stick.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

So Cortes came out with their new lightstick. I was like, why does that look like a candlestick with like the base with the, you know?

SPEAKER_00 26:12

Yeah, it looks like uh old-fashioned, you know, pre-electric. Yeah, it's just a candle holder. Yeah, it's got the little loop in the tray that would collect the wax that dripped off the candle. And even yeah, I it's definitely I looked at it and was like, that's an interesting concept for a lightstick.

SPEAKER_01 26:34

Yeah. So now I'm thinking, how do you use it to wave it? Because most of the time your lights stick, that's what you use to like go with the beat.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

Well, I guess you could instead of you know, the traditional way of holding it like a teacup, instead of that, you could just hold the whole base and wave it, I guess. You know, hook your finger through the loop so you're secure and then just wave away. I have to look and see it.

SPEAKER_01 26:59

I mean, I see how do you hold it?

SPEAKER_00 27:02

How big it is, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:04

Because it looks awkward to hold, right? So unless you're just holding it like a candle and like, hey. Hey, you know, I I'm I I who designed it.

SPEAKER_00 27:17

I don't know. The article doesn't say who designed it, right? No, it's just the unveiled teaser showcasing the official light stick, which features a sleek, earthy design with a clear center prominently displaying the group's name. Okay. I mean, I guess because the it says it's came out because Cordis is currently gearing up for their first ever tour, put your phone down. So maybe they're like, have no phones and hold a candle. You know what I mean? Like, I don't know. Go back to the good old days with a candle. I have no idea. I the basic concept of it, like the tube with the clear and the chordus showing up is cool. Yeah. It's the base that I'm like, yeah, how do you hold this for the concert? Because you can't do much with the angle you would need to hold it like you were holding a candlestick. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. So you'd have to you just have to sort of play with it and figure out a different way to hold it.

SPEAKER_01 28:16

Fans will hold it on with the base up and just I don't know. It's it's it's very awkward. I know.

SPEAKER_00 28:24

That's what I'm Well, that's why I was saying you could hold the base and just holding the stick up like if it was a candle. Yeah, that's your other option. So but it's it's interesting. Like I said, the the sort of basic middle design to it looks neat. It's that whole how you hold it.

SPEAKER_01 28:42

If I was to buy it, I will buy it just like an extra lamp.

SPEAKER_00 28:47

A night light in your room, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:49

Yeah. I don't think I would take that for concert. I would just use it as my lamp. And everybody's hands is different. So, like, how are you gonna hold that? You know, some people's hands are bigger than others. I don't know how how large the the the holder is, that little circle.

SPEAKER_00 29:05

No, that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

You certainly see the members holding it to see how to use it because it's just we're just seeing now the teaser of their lipstick. Of course, if you go to Instagram, people are making reels of this. Oh really? Oh my god, they're making there's fans out there making fun of the oh no, yes. No, I'm not making I'm not making reels of it, but fans, I mean, even family, I'm like, it's like, have you seen Curtis's lightstick? I'm like, what? No, it's it's a joke. I don't know, no like okay. Interesting. It is a light stick.

SPEAKER_00 29:45

I mean, literally a light stick. Well, when I first really just quickly looked at it, yeah, I didn't see the base, and I was like, what is it like a like a stick of dynamite kind of look? Right. And I was like, oh wait, what's that on the bottom? Oh, okay. Interesting.

SPEAKER_01 30:02

I yeah, I was a little confused, but like you know, hey, I like that when okay, I just saw something um I like that when people say interesting, it's just not good.

SPEAKER_00 30:13

Is that what I was saying? You did say interesting. Oh, interesting. It's unique, how's that? Because I'm not saying it's bad, it's just it looks awkward to actually use. Yeah. As a light stick.

SPEAKER_01 30:28

So hopefully we'll see a video of the group whole, you know, on how to hold this lightstick for concerts. Because they do, you know, the chant the fan chants, they have, you know, the group is there with their lightstick and they're like, oh yeah, we we chant on this. So I would like to see an instructional video of the fan chant and how to use their lipstick at the concerts. So we'll wait and see how that's gonna happen. So to be continued, yes. Some fans were saying, no matter what it is, if you're a fan, you'll buy it. And I'm like, you know what? Buy it because if they tend to change their mind, this will be like a collector's hire and be like, remember Curtis's first night? Yeah, because that's gonna be that's that's gonna be like you like you said before, interesting. I'm here for it because you know that's yeah, anyways, moving on. Uh J

Miyavi Tour News And Fan Power

SPEAKER_01 31:34

pop news. Sure. Alrighty. So one of our favorite guitarists from Japan announced actually, Miyavi announced samurai 45, Japan tour, and birthday concert. Oh my god, this is awesome! Woo-hoo! Of course. Um, we'll see if he'll remember when he canceled his tour for the North America.

SPEAKER_00 31:59

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:00

So we're hoping that uh he'll come over here. So let's see. This article is actually from Tokyo Hybe, uh, where it says Miyavi has announced his nationwide Miyavi Japan Live Circuit 2026 Samurai 45. Back to basics tour, which will kick off on November 12th at Diamond Hall in Aichi, of course, Japan. Uh, the Four City Tour will run through December 24, including with a Christmas Eve performance at Shibuya Loves in Tokyo. Oh my god, nice. So ahead of the tour, Miyavi will celebrate his 45th birthday. Wow. Right? Wow. So Ono still older than him? Mm-hmm. And um, with a special live event at Zepp Diver City in Tokyo on September 14th. The event will be held in two parts, with the first show open exclusively to fan club members, and the second open to both fan club members and the general public. Uh, ticket information for both the tour and birthday concert is available through Miyavi's official website and social media channels. Yay! Yeah. Oh my god, so yeah, it's gonna be only in Japan. Uh it's gonna go through, I guess it's gonna be a fall, like last summer, fall event, almost winter one concert. Because all the uh the dates are either November, December, actually, of course, being in Shibuya, but it's gonna be uh he will be at Osaka, Aichi first, Osaka, Miyagi, and Tokyo. Nice. So no, he's not coming over. That it's okay. That is fine. You know, um it's been kind of uncertain for a lot of groups to come over to the US. Yeah, it has. Remember that time that everybody was canceling, and we're like, oh my god, do not cancel this, please. Um, I just wonder if people are just like, we're just waiting for BTS to be over and then we can do tours because everybody's just going to like all the BTS tours. Oh my god, like Chile, you see that? Oh yeah, yeah. Oh my god, this week. Okay, everybody, we're recording on 7-11. Not this tour, but the date 7-Eleven. Uh, this week when um Chilean um sports government were saying that they were gonna cancel the BTS tour because of the venue, because of the grass, and it wasn't gonna net and the stage, and all the army went on to the streets and went out there and be like, oh, hell's to the no. We want BTS to be here. We were waiting for this. People have paid money, yeah. People are traveling, things were getting set up already.

SPEAKER_00 34:50

I mean, it was like to the last minute. Last minute. No, we don't want to let that venue be used for that.

SPEAKER_01 34:55

My God, every every every army in Chile has gone and rally up and saying to the government, you better make this happen. No cancellation. BS, you better give us our BTS concert. And you know what? They won.

SPEAKER_00 35:13

Yeah, they won.

SPEAKER_01 35:15

I am so happy about that. I'm so happy. See what happens when you rally up, things do change. Hello, America. Hello, America. Oh, by the way, okay. This is not music related, but you know, it's dear to my heart because I work with the nurse. When I work with nurses right now, going on in Massachusetts, especially in Boston. Don't if you're sick in Boston, do not go to Boston. Bring it, especially if you are under a Brigham hospital. Okay, now I'm getting political. All the nurses are actually being rallying up because, of course, they're not getting paid properly, they're not compensating by them properly. And now that um they want to go back to work and the actual hospitals are like, nope, we have temporary nurses taking care of your patients, and they're like, Oh, hell so no. Yeah, so they're rallying up for that. So that's currently going on in Massachusetts, especially in the Boston area. So, anyways, moving on to music. So, but you know, uh I'm sure these nurses will get what they what what they need, what they want, and we'll see about that. But so see, Chilean fans army, yay! Congratulations. Woo! All right, anyways, moving on for the next news.

SPEAKER_00 36:28

I went from from like Miyavi's birthday to like rallying up to Well, because you went no, you went from Miyavi's birthday to BTS in Chile to the nurses.

SPEAKER_01 36:39

To the nurses, it's because right now that's what's in my head, because I'm sure my nurses are like backing those nurses up. All right, moving on. Oh, want to talk about this one? Number I. I'm gonna give you that. Go for it. Oh, wait, wait.

SPEAKER_00 36:53

No, I don't think I have it open anymore. What? Number I? Yeah, I because I try to not keep too many things going at once. I might have accidentally gotten rid of it. Oh, okay. But uh

Number_i Bugs Life And Phonk

SPEAKER_00 37:04

yeah, they've got a new I haven't.

SPEAKER_01 37:07

I know it's uh Yuta Jing Number I can release new single Bugs Life produced by Yuta Jinguji. Gucci, Guji. Guji. Yes. Alright. It's been a while since we have heard anything new from our trio. So no just again from Tokyo Hype. Number I has announced that their new single, digital single, Bugs Life, produced by Yuta Jinguji, will be released on July 13th. So pretty soon. Yay! I just found it again. Okay. So the song explores the idea that expect moments like a bug in a digital system can lead to something special, including that bond between number eye and their fans. Rooted in funk gender or genre. Funk genre. Funk genre. That's a new one for funk. Yeah. P-H-O-N-K? Yeah. Or is that a new genre that we don't know? I have no idea. Right? Wanna look that up? I am. So Box Nights feature a slower B PM than is typical for this style. Okay. Allowing the group's choreography to take center stage. The track also incorporates African and Latin rhythms with unexpected beats switched throughout. Are they trying to get the Latinas just like a tease? Anyways, I'm alongside. I'm sorry. I'm alongside the announcement number. I unveils an A S C I I Arts teaser, video and new artist visual inspired by the song Digital Thing Concept.

SPEAKER_00 38:56

Go ahead. Alright, so I looked up Funk. And it is a subgenre of hip-hop and electric dance music that originated in the 90s Memphis rap scene. Oh. Defined by chopped and screwed vocals, heavy bass, nostalgic lo-fi aesthetic. Evolved from underground southern rap and became a massive global internet phenomenon.

SPEAKER_01 39:23

And who made this an international phenomenon? Any names that we recognize?

SPEAKER_00 39:29

Um well they don't it hasn't actually given like uh no artists names. They say it was pioneered in the early 2010s by Florida-based producer Space Goat Ghost Perp.

SPEAKER_01 39:44

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 39:46

But still based on something that had been out in the 90s in Memphis.

SPEAKER_01 39:52

Okay, so probably some type of underground local Memphis like hip-hop genre.

SPEAKER_00 39:59

So that's the original raw, lo-fi production, have a sampling from 90s hip-hop, jazz, and soul, pitched down, chopped and screwed vocals from artists like oh, here we go. 36 Mafia and DJ Paul.

SPEAKER_01 40:13

Hey!

SPEAKER_00 40:14

Then there's also Drift Funk.

SPEAKER_01 40:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 40:18

That came out through Russian and European like DJs and producers. See, they had a lot of uh rolling TR808 cowbell and central melodic elements. You know, I love my cowbell, so definitely so you probably will like this if they put some cowbell in it. And key artists in this space were Cordell and Pharmacist. Okay, and then there's Brazilian funk. Okay, and that's more recent splinter genre.

SPEAKER_01 40:49

Ah, okay. All right, but wow, check those out.

SPEAKER_00 40:53

Learn something new musically today.

SPEAKER_01 40:55

Hey, so the so Utah has been uh Jinguji has been actually looking into some wow schooling himself. Love definitely. Yeah, yeah, I like that reviving some of the old goodies. So we'll see that.

SPEAKER_00 41:12

Awesome, yeah. Can't wait. Yeah, that'll be that'll be a wild ride, I think. I know digital single. It's coming out when again?

SPEAKER_01 41:20

And I just closed that July 13th.

SPEAKER_00 41:22

All right, I see it. Yes, got it pretty soon. Couple days for us. Pretty soon.

SPEAKER_01 41:27

Yeah, okay. So what else we got? Do you have one? Because I was gonna talk about Domoto. Or do you have Domoto? I had Domoto, I closed.

SPEAKER_00 41:38

I accidentally closed the whole Tokyo Hive. The whole time, no, I've been doing some talking too. I can get it back.

Domoto Goes Independent After Starto

SPEAKER_00 41:49

Domoto? Come on, to manage group activities independently after Starto contract ends. And again, so out of Tokyo Hive. Duo, formerly known as Kinky Kids, before changing their name to Domoto in 2025, has been working under an agent contract with Starto Entertainment since April 2024. Now, prior to that, yeah, they'd been there forever with the company. And they went to Domoto, for anyone who doesn't know, both both members, Yoshi and Koichi, their last name's Domoto, so that's why they went with that. And they're not related.

SPEAKER_01 42:27

I know, I thought they were brothers. The first time I came across them, I'm like, they're brothers?

SPEAKER_00 42:32

Nope. No relation. It's like Duran Duran, three tailors, none of them related.

SPEAKER_01 42:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 42:38

So, anyways, in a joint statement, Koichi Domoto and Syoshi Domoto announced that they will begin managing the group's activities themselves following their contract expiration. Meanwhile, Koichi will continue his individual agent contract with Starto Entertainment. So he's their act is leaving the company, but he's staying under their management. Right. So Domoto will now manage our group activities ourselves, they said. While our environment will change significantly, the values we've always cherished will remain the same. We will continue to treasure the bond between the two of us as we move forward together with smiles, creating a world that is uniquely ours. So they are scheduled to hold Domoto Concert 2026, Stay With Me at Tokyo De Dome on July 15th and 16th, followed by performances at Kayacera Dome Osaka on July 22nd and 23rd. So those are coming up soon. Yeah. Okay. But yeah. Awesome.

SPEAKER_01 43:42

I mean, you know, like you said, the member the company Forever.

SPEAKER_00 43:47

I think 1995. 95. Maybe.

SPEAKER_01 43:52

I'm trying to remember when they Well, they were the only senpis, right?

SPEAKER_00 43:56

For well, no, no. But they I'm trying to remember. when they debuted.

SPEAKER_01 44:01

So let's see Snap was was disbanded, then who was next? Man to and they disbanded. And then it was them, right?

SPEAKER_00 44:11

Yeah. I mean I as far as like longest standing senpes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 44:16

Yeah. That's what I was talking across. Okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:19

So they they maintained a little longer than a lot of the other groups. Okay. And they've sort of, you know, I mean they've done so many individual things themselves anyways, you know, and Dretchery and um the endless shock.

SPEAKER_01 44:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:33

You know, they both had their own things going on on the sides. But they're always they always come back to each other to to do more work and that's awesome. I love that about them. So but yeah they've been everybody looks up to them and they pick up the hat for so many other things too you know like other artists who've stepped away but had iconic things that like they always did you know they've been sort of carrying that on for them. So that's cool. But I wish them luck yeah doing their own thing so there we

Travis Japan Disney Plus Road Trip

SPEAKER_00 45:07

go.

SPEAKER_01 45:07

I know last but not least now we talked about this group we got to see this group in New York um and they were lovingly you know say thank you for featuring them on our podcast and talk about Travis Japan. Now Travis Japan's summer vacation is now on Disney you can find this news on Starto Archive news uh which is currently newest thing going on for Starto for international fans and then you can join for free and then you can uh you know follow your favorite there or all everybody because I love the I've been following everybody just to see what's going on so this is just my summary of that article. So Travis Japan is back in the US uh the place where they first caught international attention on America's got talent their new Disney Plus documentary Travis Japan Summer Vacation in the USA followed the group on a 10 day road trip through the American Southwest as they reconnect with their pre-debute routes and make unforgettable memories together member Noelle my favorite um who holds a travel management license I didn't even know that that was pretty cool planned the entire adventure the group split into two teams one explores the natural beauty of Utah Utah Salt Lake City yeah oh my god in Arizona while living in a camper van and the other experienced the culture and history of New Mexico before everyone reunites in Sedona Arizona more than just a travel series the documentary highlights the members' close friendship teamwork and the bond they have built over the years if you're a travel Japan fan or just love travel and behind the scenes stories I think this one is worth adding to your watch list. So if you have Disney Plus go for it I don't have Disney Plus do you have Disney Plus no I do not okay so if you have Disney Plus it's a reason to get it exactly if you're stuck in that if you don't like the heat and you want to live proc vicariously somebody enjoying the heat watch Travis Japan's summer vacation that will be awesome.

BTS Merch Plans And Listener Requests

SPEAKER_01 47:36

You know I've noticed they always go to the Southwest everybody from there there because there's loads of little you know juniors things pre-debu of several groups about like R she was out there in Grand Canyon or no Vegas they were in Vegas that's right I told you I saw a tour bus full of what I thought were juniors when I was in the Grand Canyon so they like the heat I guess dang it maybe because it's dry heat I don't know because Japan is this like humid heat like humid yeah so anyways any more news my friend no I don't think so I think we're good okay so I've just a little covered a lot we did cover a lot just uh Sarah and I and everybody else who we have round up as army for the Foxboro concert we can't wait for weavers to say hey start picking up start your shop start picking your your pickup you know just I'm like oh my god everybody's like I'm like oh my god please let me have what I want um you know what I am gonna have I'm gonna get all I want I am I'm gonna go in there and click click click click click me too shop cart yay I have everything all the things that I want I do gonna look back and see what merch because I'm like yeah I may need to take some items out and then wait and then if I go to the console and I want them then I'll pick those up yeah if they're available of course so I'm just gonna go with the primary things an army bomb because everybody has an army well not everybody because my friend does not have an army bomb either oh really so yeah so an army bomb definitely the little carriage thingy that you put it in I don't know if I want the little charms that says army or BTS I didn't get those I've got the when they became available again I did get myself the holder right and I because for a while they were unavailable. I want the keychain the army bomb keychain army bomb yeah yes I want that I want the little plushy thingy I want both of those for my car army bomb and the big one because there's two there's one for your car and one for yourself for your bag I'm gonna get the I want the towel I'm not gonna get the car thing license plate it it doesn't seem to be selling very well because every time I look at other places they're like it's still like available so like well the oh oh I see the other okay the one with the army bomb sitting on a swing. Exactly okay for your car I want one of those as well uh what else the t-shirts I mean I'd want all of them like I I'm hoarding t-shirts and I should stop so I need to really make really pick the ones that I really really want and then if when we go to the concert if I still want them then I'll just pick you know uh the hoodies of course because we're in New England hoodies is like we're we're dying of to wear our hoodies the summer doesn't do anything for me because I want my hoodies I want to wear my hoodies.

SPEAKER_00 50:49

No me too I'm like I miss it was cold enough the other day I actually got to wear a hoodie you know family was wearing one and I'm like are you sick? Why are you wearing hoodie you know anyways but see it's New England we love our hoodies we we always have a hoodie available yes we do um and even if they're all tattered we still wear them because it's like it's our favorite it's all breaking in broken into I like it soft you know it has my shape but um yeah I'm looking it's still on I I just went in and it's still only they got New Jersey up East Rutherford is pickup but a lot of stuff is sold out.

SPEAKER_01 51:29

Oh see like basically all the shirts except one which one it's a gray the big dipper gray one and Ari Rung actually wraps around the side oh those aren't yeah I like that one apparently East Rutherford does not really but the the the half gray half black one that says it across the front is sold out the red one sold out both the zip up hoodies are sold out okay the regular sweatshirt is sold out the tank top I want a tank top um I saw the tank top which is new I'm like what yeah I know right it's the it's the same as the gray shirt that has not sold out yet only it's sleeveless instead of so I don't know I guess everybody wanted the sleeveless because it's hot they were like yeah it's somewhere it's somewhere I get you but the towel sold out the wind jacket the hat the hat is sold out yes if you want pickup in East Ridleyford you can still get the plush key ring the car hanging bomb the license plate holder the gray t-shirt the two piece hoodie set the stamp and the albums the vinyl and the CDs so so if you're missing any of those want them get in there fast because everything else for pickup is sold by the time with this airs probably gone but that's uh yeah we're looking at it oh my god well and they might they might reopen the the pre-sale pickup thing again because like Munich right now they have it it restock a resto yeah restock for pickups I saw that so yeah that will be a cool get as much as you can on the first one and then wait for the restock or when you go to the concert but yeah so um yeah girl I'm over here like I'm I want everything I know I have me too I want everything I want everything anyways okay so thank you everybody for listening to the shenanigans um yes we'll prepare some music and of course go to the show notes there's a link a Google form tell us what would you like us to hear or actually tell us who you would you like us to deep dive on yes star was on top of that form and we're like guess what I'm like Sarah we have one we have I demand we need to talk about Stargo and thank you fans for actually making that episode like number one currently it's number one currently yeah they like reboosted it it's been a few weeks since we released that one so I know I was like wait a minute I'm like Sarah they're talking about it again oh my god this is so awesome yeah no I saw it I

FIFA Tangent And Final Goodbye

SPEAKER_01 54:20

was like oh they're everybody's like yay listen to this I know it's awesome so they're doing their share share sharing they are doing their share share share and I see that today on 7 Eleven there's six new downloads for Japan's rising idol group star glow please check that episode out thank you star for being amazing uh of course Japan is number one listening to this Japan's number one we got number two still the US number number three is uh Singapore number four Canada I love you and uh still on number five Hong Kong wow so those are our top five uh listen countries for that episode and of course we have also Indonesia Brazil Germany Belgium Azerbin Azerbaijan I don't know Azerbaijan yeah I'm like I saw that and I'm like who is this place wow I get to learn cities I never heard of that's awesome well that's like every time I'm like oh a new country like I don't even know where that is I know we get to learn because I'm like I gotta Google this what is this some of some of them I am I'm like I gotta look that up I'm not sure where it is all I have to do is say the name to my mom and she's like oh that's a little island out in the middle I'm like how do you know this I mean she's got like every country in the world little terror anything it's in her head and she's awesome I was like that when I was a kid now I'm just like what we what happened here I know yeah me too because so many other things took their place in my brain yeah yeah this is not music related but there is a soccer player out there that he is a beast because I'm I'm following FIFA uh today's Argentina with Switzerland uh but it's gonna be I don't think I'll be able to watch it but anyways I'm saying Messi Messi win please but how Haban al Halal I forgot the name of the Norwegian soccer player yeah yeah he's a beast have you seen them have you seen him yes he towers everybody I know the way he plays I'm like what is that legal what in the world who unleashed this thing because I don't think he's human I'm like wow he's yeah no he's definitely you found him I was like and I'm like Messi oh my god messy be careful I know right because he's actually on the short side of everything Messi's not that tall he's not that tall he he even yeah no even some of his teammates overtower him until so when this happened if these two countries get together it's for me it's gonna be David and Goliath let's see when I mean in the story we know who wins but I mean I'm like wow okay that's just a tangent on a little bit on FIFA I am um I know I feel sad that um Japan didn't make it or Korea but I mean they did the best and yeah but the Japan was doing really good this year. Really good. I was really happy so all right so thank you everybody for listening so until next time bye bye bye bye Johnny