There's no way...

Quote from: WorldForgot on May 03, 2025, 03:21:51 PMI see...

The other reason is I think that maybe people are more likely to click on a thread with a band name without the stigma of Kpop.

I see...

Quote from: WorldForgot on May 03, 2025, 09:09:00 AMHahaha how come you didn't just make a 'K-Pop' thread?

Cause I thought no group can possibly top LSF, then I thought no group can possibly top aespa...

Hahaha how come you didn't just make a 'K-Pop' thread?

If Le Sserafim are the down-to-earth, lovable comedians of Kpop, Aespa are something like the opposite. They're basically aliens with their otherwordly vibe and comic-book-y cyberpunk aesthetic.

In fact, they have a whole storyline in which the members have specific superpowers, communicate with their alternate-universe AI doppelgangers, all while fighting the villain Black Mamba (some of which is conveyed in the MV above). Honestly I need to find an explainer video.

LSF puts an emphasis on dance and tackles extremely difficult choreography, and they have two lead singers. Aespa, again, is somewhat the opposite. Their choreo is much simpler and less athletic. In exchange, every member could qualify as lead singer and rapper. Aespa really seems to be a vocal-centric group.

Karina is the most magnetic member for me. She has that main character energy. Her rapping and vocal inflections and her tone are all extremely addictive. I really like Giselle's rapping as well. I could listen to the two of them go back and forth all day. Ningning is a very skilled and showy crooner, but I have to say Winter is the member who delivers the most satisfying vocal fireworks. Her eye-popping high-pitch runs are smooth as butter. Just for one example, her highlight in Next Level (2:17 in the MV) is absolutely transcendent.



This BTS video is pretty remarkable and insightful. Interesting how they determined that Winter's parts needed to be laid down first. And I love how Karina came in determined to nail the first verse specifically, knowing how important it was to the song. Also appreciate her lack of false modesty here; it's like you have to be in a more objective frame of mind in the recording booth.

Besides showing how talented everyone is, it gives an interesting glimpse into the recording industry. There's a huge emphasis on getting the tone and delivery exactly how they want it, while being exactly on-pitch is a non-issue. In fact, pitch is not mentioned a single time, even when one of them (Giselle, I think) does get a little pitchy. I guess it's just understood that pitch correction is going to be applied. Software can adjust pitch with ease and precision; what's more valuable is having a unique tone and inflection and interesting vocal delivery right out of the box. Software can't simulate that, at least not without sounding terribly fake.

I really have mixed feelings about this, because I there's a level of deception to pitch correction that makes me uneasy (moreso in live performance I guess), but at the same time isn't perfect pitch something of a parlor trick compared to all the other things a singer can do with their voice?

Alief Snaps Up Worldwide Rights to 'Luna Rosa,' Debuts Teaser Ahead of SXSW London Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)


New film by Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. Looks like his best yet.

"A meld of sci-fi and dystopian genres, 'Luna Rosa' is set in Borinquen, the Indigenous Taíno name for Puerto Rico. It follows Zur'na (played by Flora Sylvestre), who ventures into enemy territories controlled by American colonial forces in search of her missing brother. Through her journey, Rodríguez-López critiques the enduring effects of American imperialism, drawing on influences from classic Latin American cinema and cult B-movies. The result is a pulsating world filled with intricate rituals, mind control and menacing holograms."

A strong contender.

I became familiar with Le Sserafim from their first Overwatch collab, which I thought was pretty good, but it didn't hook me. Then, about a month ago, they did a second collab to promote their new EP. This time, largely because the album is a legit masterpiece, I became somewhat obsessed.

Regardless of your feelings or impressions of Kpop, I am very serious when I say that Le Sserafim is extraordinarily special, and anyone who loves music (and dance) should do themselves a favor and give them a try.

First, as they say, let me tell you 'bout LE SSERAFIM.

I'm an outsider to Kpop, but from what I understand, Le Sserafim is a departure from the mainstream or cutesy aesthetics, instead going for something more edgy and weird.

What do I mean by edgy? Well, for example, one of their new songs was banned from the Korean Broadcasting System because its evocative lyrics about the ecstatic experience of burning to death (like a phoenix, to be clear) were considered too disturbing and problematic. (More on "Ash" later.)

What do I mean by weird? The "Fearless" music video has a piece of choreography where they're all face-down on the floor, doing a synchronized mock temper tantrum, pounding their fists to the beat (at 2:09). If that weren't already strange enough, they're also, well... gyrating... not quite off-frame. This is some truly inspired and bonkers choreography.


But it might be topped by the iconic moment in Crazy when Sakura duck-walks into view. Which gives me an excuse to include that as well. This is probably their most well-known song currently:


In general, Le Sserafim comes off as completely un-self-conscious, which gives them the freedom to try a lot of different things and seemingly have more fun than most other humans on the planet.

The group was conceived with the concept of self-empowerment and fearlessness (Le Sserafim is an anagram of "I'm Fearless"), so you'll find most of their music circling similar themes, mostly eschewing love songs (until very recently).

Visuals-wise, they default to a sort of high-fashion aesthetic. Personally I love the cinematic sensibility of their songs and videos. While the group's initial concept was already packed with creativity and ingenuity, the most interesting development in their ethos came much later...

One year ago, at Coachella 2024, Le Sserafim put on a concert with some very shaky vocals. By Kpop standards, it was considered disastrous. Most people might rationally conclude that there were some technical issues and they probably couldn't hear themselves very well (which seems clear to me), but Kpop nerds can be ruthless, and Le Sserafim became a favorite target of criticism, which became bullying, for months to come.

"Antifragile," the group's popular early single, had now become painfully ironic, as they were devastated by the backlash and weren't even sure what their future looked like.

Coachella was traumatic enough that it sort of created a new origin story for the group, like an inciting incident that would generate a new mythos. This is where Le Sserafim's pre-packaged concept gave way to an organic new identity.

One of the members, Yunjin (the Korean-American member, already a singer-songwriter-producer), took on an increased creative role in their next EP, grappling with the trauma of Coachella head-on, framing it as not only an inflection point, but a phoenix-like rebirth.

Remember the "controversial" lyrics I mentioned before? This is how they describe this formative moment :

(From the English translation, I'll sort of re-organize it into a poem...)

QuoteIn the wave of pain, I'm turning into ashes
Live again like oh, oh, oh
The more it hurts, the more alive I am
A newborn in ashes
Nothing lasts forever, baby
I'm about to bloom again, pour oil all over my body
Light thе flame like oh, oh, oh, I don't wanna stop

"Don't be afraid"
Angеls whisper to me
This darkness creates you
Feel the feelings you never felt
Even I burn again, I burn it more
Can't get enough

So beautiful, new life
The renewal of new skin on my body after peeling the old one
After midnight, a new life will begin
Spread my wings to a new day
The more it hurts, the more alive I am
A new born from ashes
Nothing lasts forever, baby
Burn it up, make it bluer
My footsteps will remain in the flames

This, in my view, is also Le Sserafim's best song. It was released a month ago on their new EP, which I became obsessed with and really sold me on the group for real.

(More posts to come. They probably won't be essays.)

Hello

I have noticed an increasing trend where even low-budget and indie filmmakers rely heavily on pre-visualization tools storyboard software; 3D shot planners, AI camera simulators, etc.—before ever stepping on set.    While these tools definitely help streamline production and align team vision; I've started to wonder: is this level of pre-planning possibly killing the magic of creative spontaneity, especially for directors who thrive on improvisation?

Some of the most iconic indie scenes—like Cassavetes' free-flowing dialogue or early Linklater blocking—came from instinct in the moment. With tech-driven pre-vis becoming the norm, are we unintentionally building a "safety net" that discourages on-set innovation? Or worse, are we training new directors to trust the software more than the human instinct? Checked https://xixax.com/index.php?board=15.0CISSP Course guide related to this and found it quite informative.

Would love to hear how others are balancing the need for planning with the desire to leave room for creative discovery. Do you use pre-vis religiously or only when needed? Any tools that do help encourage spontaneity rather than restrict it?






Thank you !!