Reviews or features on the random things that I like - be it movies, shows, celebrities/ musicians, or anything. This is basically a place where I can fangirl and show my appreciation for things.
Seventeen feels so youthful! I keep forgetting they are actually full-blown adults. Obviously, with they’re level of talent, you’d feel they’re adults. But with the type of youthful songs they sing and just the fun they have with Going Seventeen, I just kind of imagine them as boys in their late teens! Like 17-19 years old.
They’re the opposite of BTS and Nuest who surprises me that they are actually just around my age when I think they are older because of their more mature / dark concepts. (Except for Taehyung and Jungkook, those two definitely feel like maknaes).
I became a Carat just around 1-2 months ago. It’s been a really fun ride with Seventeen. It really sucks that we can’t go to physical live concerts now because of the pandemic. I don’t really go to concerts a lot, but I thought, if there was one group I really would want to see in a live concert, it would be Seventeen. I was actually shocked that the last place they went to (in their tour) before COVID actually worsened (lockdowns happened and all) was Manila. I mean... I was in the city! But sadly I wasn’t in the concert as I didn’t know them yet.
Thankfully, I can watch some clips of the concert on Youtube.
This is really so much more fun than online concerts/recordings. The cheers of the Carats are a big factor. You really get hyped up, and it gets emotional. Even though I don’t have actual moots (who are my friends), it really felt so fun hearing the other fans chant and cheer. It felt like a community, just enjoying and loving the boys together. I was so encouraged, and I was smiling the whole time. I’m sure, for the members too, they love live concerts more. They’ve mentioned it many times how they get energy from the crowd. (Coincidentally, this Inside Seventeen where they talked about it is also on Ode To You in Manila.) It’s so different now, not actually hearing the Carats.
I was being wrecked the whole time. (I am actually not done with the concert-watching yet. I keep pausing it to breathe.) The vocals!!! Dokyeom’s vocals are insanely beautiful. I’m so wreckkkkkeddd. Seungkwan is sooo good and powerful, but so cute. My heart. Mingyu, as expected, extremely good looking and (don’t say it, don’t say it) super hot! Hoshi is so extra! He’s so fun! I love the way he interacts with the audience. Huhu! Woozi’s vocals also so legittt. And dear he was so good in dancing, I loved him in Thanks. Jun was super adorable!!! Dino and The8, so talented. Actually, the vocals in Lilly Yabay was also so awesome - Hoshi really delivers. Wonwoo’s and Vernon’s rap, and even their singing, wow! Hearing them in Chilli was so awesome. And honestly, they slayyyed Smile Flower. Joshua’s face is sooo pretty. And Jeonghan too, my ulgo shipji anha favorite. Hug and Smile Flower was soooo heartwarming. I just really had to sing along in Smile Flower! Everyone’s vocals was actually so good live! And of course DK’s crazy verse in Don’t Listen in Secret. The whole section of Akkinda, Pretty U, Oh My upto Just Do it was sooo crazy fun! They really are like theatre kids.
Gosh, I was so wrecked by DK’s live vocals and even upto the way he sang with so much emotion. And even his smooth and beautiful face. Gaaaaaah.
I loved the way Hoshi led them (because S.Coups wasn’t around huhu) and how he interacts with the fans.
I’m so grateful for these Carats who filmed almost the whole thing. Thank you to Bianca and Sel Daria who recorded the concert. :’) It really felt like I was there, both in Gen Ad to see the big picture, and in VIP to see them upclose. My heart is so full.
Gosh, I love them.
Update: I’ve secured a copy of the dvd! So I will be finishing from there.
Anyway, wow the energy is really different with Seventeen live.
To be honest, I became a Carat during Home;Run era but it wasn’t the song that made me stan. I was not a fan of the retro feel at first listen of the live showcase. But I listened more closely after a while and wow, it definitely gets to you. The mix of the background instruments is fascinating. It amazes me how Woozi and Bumzu were really able to capture the retro broadway vibe while showing a very dynamic sound. Their MAMA performance was fantastic! Very exciting! Very creative! Very festive! Amazing through and through! (I became a fan and was interested before that, but I really stanned after that night. It was so good.)
2. Do Re Mi
This song is so fun and chill! It feels like something you would play on a roadtrip. (Good decision for Dino to play it in TTT haha). As always, I love Dino’s vocals, one of the best in the 13 imo. Seungkwan, obviously, a vocal beauty. Vernon’s rap too, always comes through, especially the “Mi Re Do” part. I love the melody! Overall, this simple tune is so catchy and encouraging. I lol at the auto-tune Vernon uses, he obviously doesn’t do it because he can’t sing, I feel like he loves that twisted voice effect so much. But it’s funny how much he loves it.
3. Hey Buddy
4. Light A Flame
5. Ah! Love
Probably my least favorite in the album in terms of melody, but I love their vocals! I think this is one of the best songs that show their vocals well. I love Joshua’s voice, I love it when he sings this low (first verse). I feel like it’s his best range, he sounds so smooth and beautiful. S.Coups sang both high and low, and both sound nice, but I personally still really love his low voice the best. S.Coups really is a singer. Of course, Jeonghan’s best voice is in the high notes, I like his ending chorus the best.
6. All My Love
This song just feels like it has the most signature Woozi sound in it. I love how soft it is, but varies in beats as well. I love the sudden EDM sound after the intro. I love the drop in “Baby it’s alright.” and the “정말 미안해” parts the most! Again, Seungcheol vocals are showing.
Rank: (1) Home;Run, (2) Do Re Mi, (3) All My Love, (4) Light A Flame, (5.5) Hey Buddy, (5.5) Ah! Love
—— sorry I might not finish my comments on Light A Flame and Hey Buddy because I’m too tired, but I want to post this already lol This has been in my drafts for too long.
Kpop Idols Whose Singing Annoys Me (Without Names)
Listening to kpop music isn't all sunshine and daisys. The productions are exquisite, but there are voices you just can't edit away.
Very popular kpop idol. Part of the vocal line, a visual. Tbh, his voice is actually ok, and kinda nice and deep (I love deep voices btw). But there's something very off about how he sings. I can't pinpoint what it is exactly. It's a little too nasal, a little too throaty, and he eats his words, I don't understand the syllables. Sometimes I also feel like he's trying too hard to sound "emotional" and it ends up sounding like he's dragging his vocal cords around.
Also a very popular kpop idol, and is unfortunately the main vocalist of her group. To be fair, in terms of actual singing skills (not counting the voice quality/tone) and overall musicality, she really is the best in her group. It is kind of unfortunate, especially considering how popular they are, their fans always overhype their vocals, even though there's nothing special. Her voice sounds ok in songs, if she sings a few lines. However, when she sings a lot, her voice becomes so annoying. She always sounds like she's constipated or she's in the middle of taking a dump.
Now this one is in one of the groups I like. However, he's actually a dancer, and a really good one at that, so it's okay. Still, sometimes his vocals gets overhyped. His voice always sounds like it came from the backmost part of his throat. It's weird because he's often given some of the killing parts. I mean, he can reach the notes, but it's not really an amazing sound.
He is in a similar case as the one above - a really good dancer and also a visual, but vocals are sometimes overhyped. This one sounds better, if only he sang in lower ranges. Actually, his airy falsetto is good, especially in one of their songs. But his normal singing voice sounds like someone got a hold of his neck and his nose. Very ipit.
This idol is actually one of my favorites, but I just have to say, I hate when they give him the high notes. He sounds amazing in his normal range, and versatile in that area too (can both sound chill or powerful depending on the song). I wish they make him do falsettos more instead of belting awkwardly. His falsettos are quite nice. When he belts, he absolutely has the sound I hate from #3, getting his voice from the back of his throat.
This one is also a main vocalist, but of a boy group this time. If we're only talking about skill, then he's worthy to become a main vocalist. He can reach the high notes and he sounds strong and full. However, his tone annoys me so much. It's so sharp, so pointy, so nasal. His belting sometimes feels like a squeal. I think it ruins the song sometimes.
This is also another main vocalist of the same bg of #6. And with a similar pointy and nasal tone too, but this one is more subdued. It's still not relaxing though, it still feels like my ears are being stabbed. It's kinda off that they're in the same group as main vocals. However, this guy's vocals are really nice when he doesn't belt though. Just. don't push it up there and you'll be okay. Anyway, I really like the sound of their lead vocalist the best.
Hey, reader! Why are you here? Anyway, I'm just popping in now to have an entry. My life is in some sort of a mess right now. So I haven't been writing (though, in fact, I should write more when my mind is chaotic). My mind is not organized at all. And besides, I have stantwt to express my thoughts recently.
There are still topics I still want to talk about on my own blog though. At least here, my own thoughts and compilations don't get lost in the sea of funny RTs on my profile. With some of them, I just feel awkward in sharing in a Twitter thread. But again, recently, my mind's just been filled with Kpop. And Haikyuu. But mostly, Kpop, specifically SVT.
Things I'm thinking of writing about: (Please, most of these have been on my mind and I'm itching to talk about)
SoonHoon relationship dynamic and what I love about them as a pair
My Intro to SVT (the most impressive things about them)
History of my kpop stanning (using guide questions from twt)
My kpop stan list
Ults: Seventeen, Pentagon
Groups I support: BTOB, ONF, A.C.E
Casual listening: TXT, NCT
Groups I might stan if I knew them more: iKON
Other group opinions: GOT7, Shinee Me and GGs: Mamamoo, Lovelyz
That one InSe
My favorite GoSe episodes
Aside from this, I still have my old list... which I never touched because... I just stopped blogging
Takes that I want to express but I'm not sure if I should put out:
SVT relationship diagram
My Kpop group preferences
There are also those posts I want to edit and those I want to archive (if possible).
And then there are those threads I want to do on stantwt, and I'm using this post as my checklist:
A thread of my threads
> About Me: A thread of my covers, Continuing my "songs of the month" thread
> Threads for SVT
Woozi being acknowledged by industry professionals
Hoshi being acknowledged by industry professionals
I haven’t been posting much recently. This is because I started having a Twitter stan account this year. (Seventeen made me do this. Hahaha /j) It’s so much fun on stantwt with everyone exchanging thoughts, memes and pictures. The downside, of course, are fan wars and also that it’s a lot more sensitive there. One wrong use of a word and you get misunderstood and cancelled.
Anyway, after months of being a kpop stan and getting to know about most groups, my ults are still Seventeen and Pentagon. They’re so fun and they still amaze me up to now. They really feel like a home now. I’m glad to be a unicarat. (And I’m also often proud of my fandoms being mostly peace-loving and not arrogant.) I’m so proud I ult these two very talented groups!
First, a review. I just (finally) watched the first four episodes of Hit The Road. I had high expectations for this and it did not disappoint. Every episode really moved my heart.
Of course, with Woozi and Hoshi being my ults, their episodes were very exciting to watch. After watching their episodes, I’m left amazed again about both their talent and passion, thinking, “Wow, they were really made for this! I couldn’t imagine them in another industry. They were really made for this.” And I’m very glad to see them really enjoy what they do, and make a living out of what they’re truly passionate about.
It was also very touching to be able to watch Wonwoo’s and S.Coups’ episodes. I definitely felt like I learned more about them. With Wonwoo’s episode, I just really started to appreciate him more, his humility and his positivity. You can feel the sincerity when he said he wanted to be the person that can shine a light on other people in times of trouble because it really shows in his interaction with the members and also with the fans.
Seungcheol’s episode made me wanna cry. Hearing him be vulnerable about his anxiety and how it’s been bugging him for a long time, and seeing actual clips of him having anxiety in concert and backstage, it was both really sad and relatable (for me). I know that feeling and it is very very difficult. It’s sad to see him get to that point where he could not go on stage well anymore, but I am so glad to see him now, feeling great and looking better. It’s been almost a year since he got back from his break, and he’s still shining.
In all these episodes, seeing how much hard work and struggles they have to go through to put a good show for the fans really moved me and gave me more perspective. They go through so much behind the scenes, and it’s both mentally and (very) physically draining. It really worried me as I saw them becoming sick with different things (enteritis, dizziness, fatigue, anxiety) on tour, but it also made me respect all of them more, both as individuals and as a team.
Anyway, I went on here to share my realizations of how I relate to each member so far. The first four I watched seem to really represent different sides of me.
Woozi represents someone I would like to be creatively. He is someone I really look up to and aspire in terms of musical skill, in which I’m really trying to be good at.
Wonwoo represents someone that I want to be in terms of character. I also want to be a positive person, a person who is abe to help others, and a person who can grow out of their comfort zone and overcome shyness.
Hoshi represents the person I was and would like to be again, free spirited, excited, passionate, and confident. I used to be very crazy and free like him, I also got called a lunatic by friends. He really represents the person I was when I liked myself.
S.Coups represents the side of me that faces mental health struggles. It’s very tough and my battle is far from over. But he also represents hope, that it can be overcome, that I can get better like he did.
Following the footsteps of their self-producing idols, Carats are also showing their creativty and talent in various ways. It’s either that or we’re being forced by Seventeen to do various things ourselves as part of our training before debut.
1. Singing
When Seventeen collabed with Carats in singing their song, Smile Flower:
Here’s another song, but I’ll just put the link as I have a limitation on number of videos I can put here. (”Us, Again” by Seventeen and Carats) This is Carats’ surprise to Seventeen, singing with Seventeen.
(Btw, these songs just make me wanna cry everytime. These are the songs that are so special in the Seventeen-Carat relationship.)
2. Rapping
I’ll just leave this video here below. 2:24 is the part where we rap. (Seventeen has a knack for making it hard for their fans. Jk :)) lol)
3. Composing
The way Carats composed a song with Woozi on the spot
4. DIY Album
When Seventeen made us assemble our own albums
Bonus: Carats are the first ones to popularize customizing by putting stuff inside light sticks. See, Seventeen also made Carats a self-designing fandom.
https://www.koreaboo.com/lists/seventeen-caratbong-lightstick-weirdest-customizations/
As you can see, Seventeen has been training us to become self-produced idols teaching us to stand on our own two feet, they’ve been telling us we can do it!
Naughty Boy is such a great song with a great MV. I love the sound and the dance, but I didn’t understand what was happening in the MV and I tried understanding the lyrics but I was just left confused. Everybody in the comments were talking about how deep the lyrics are.
I found this explanation by DKDKTV (thank God for them):
I didn’t realize how well-written this actually was. Wow! Appreciating the songwriters: Dawn, Hui, Wooseok and Yuto. And Flowbow also, for the composition.
Please allow me to grieve a little. I’m just hurt and sad that Dawn was one of the biggest contributors to this wonderful song but he isn’t part of the recording nor the MV. This song is so fun and so good, I’m sad he’s not here for his song. I fomo for him.
It’s been a while. Haha! I still have not finished the drafts I started writing about Seventeen and the members. I just stopped writing. Probably because I’m now on Twitter a lot. But I still have a ton of ideas on things I want to write.
Anyway, how am I only finding out this song now? (I saw the Carats sang this in INCOMPLETE but this wasn’t on Spotify!) I haven’t seen Hit The Road and this makes me wanna watch it.
A kpop group writing a whole new song for their documentary? That’s Seventeen for you!
This is so sweet. :( Ugh. What a comforting song for Carats in the time of pandemic where we can’t see each other. <3 Thank you, Seventeen.
I know Woozi has a lot more unreleased songs in store for us.
---
Update: On Carats’ birthday (14 February 2021), Seventeen released a special birthday song. OMG. Who does that? It’s so heartwarming how they really wanted Carats to feel special on their birthday.
My gosh this is such a beautiful beautiful song, and with meaningful lyrics too.I really wanted to cry. This is actually the song Woozi composed on the spot on his birthday vlive with the comments from Carats. (VLIVE recording of composing process here, it’s so amazing to see how he does it. He’s so talented!)
So that’s on Seventeen, self-producing idols, talented Woozi, gifts us with beautiful songs for special occasions, just always showing how much they appreciate Carats.
They just have a ton of talented songwriters in here! Cube is popular for self-produced idols after all, like BtoB, another super talented group.
Hui is a composer-producer, not really a secret because he’s well-known as a genius as he also composed hit songs for other popular groups (such as Energetic by Wanna One)
Kino and Wooseok wrote a lot of songs in their albums too, including some of my favorites Spring Snow (Kino) and Nostalgia (Wooseok). Kino also wrote their special single Eternal Flame. Wooseok had a big contribution in writing my absolute favorite, Daisy (but mostly written by Hui), and honestly his songwriting talent seems to be underrated.
Jinho has also composed a few and helped write a lot. Yuto also composed songs (aside from his rap lines), one song being Camella that a lot of “unis” love. *Universe/Unis = fandom name
Both Kino and Yuto have their own soundclouds for the songs they write/produce.
Yeo One composed his own solo songs (yes, even as rookies, they were already composing), and they’re actually so good.
Also, in general, they are so creative in their songs and performances. Example: their Road To Kingdom performances, and also their super fun b-sides like Round 1 and Round 2!
My personal favorites: Obviously the genius Hui, Wooseok (I love him so much!), and Kino (such a talented person)
2. Vocal Kings
Their main vocals (Hui and Jinho) are absolutely top-tier vocalists, two of the strongest ones in the kpop world (imo).
Jinho was LITERALLY a vocal coach of kpop stars. Incredible vocal range.
Their lead vocals Hongseok (actually now a main vocal) and Yeo One are potential main vocals! And their sub-vocals, Kino (honestly surprised he was a sub-vocal cause he’s waaaay too good to be sub!), Yan An and Shinwon, are on par or better than other groups’ lead vocals, imo.
Vocal kings of harmonization. I love it so much, they sound so good! They take after their sunbaes BtoB, the OG harmonization kings. (Song references: You Are, and Shine acapella version).
Wooseok and Yuto’s rap are also so good! Honestly, I go crazy sometimes, especially with Wooseok’s delivery.
Edit, random trivia: I actually found out Wooseok auditioned in Cube as a vocalist and a model. Thank God, he discovered his talent in rapping later on, because dang, this guy is SICK. His rap touches my heart. He is proof that the basis of what a good rapper is doesn’t need to be about how fast you can say your words.
My personal favorites: Hui, Jinho, and Yeo One (what a beautiful voice, and he’s so good and stable live, halp huhu, totally underrated), Wooseok’s rap (I’m a big fan, my eyes are filled with hearts)
3. Musical ability (in general) and Dance
Being composers/producers, they have a good understanding of music theory and techniques, especially for Hui (obviously, the genius), Jinho (as a vocal coach) and Kino (I think).
Musical Instruments: Almost all of them (except for Hongseok) plays musical instruments
Piano: Hui, Jinho, Kino, Shinwon - I have to make a special note here. These guys can really play. They’re not the type to say they play the piano but only press a few chords here and there a bit and sing a song. They play their keys!
Guitar: Yuto (he is really good! he posts electric guitar covers on Twitter), Wooseok, Jinho, Hui, Yeo One, Shinwon
Erhu (Chinese traditional instrument): Yan An - studied it for 10 years. Haha! This is so unique, I’ve never seen him play it, and it’s not exactly a useful instrument to have for kpop music, but I love it!
Edit: I also found out Wooseok can play the violin. Not only that, he’s won a violin competition.. I couldn’t believe it! Violin it’s such a hard instrument. It’s not easy to be good at violin, let alone win a violin competition. Wooseok really surprises me with the musical talent he has sometimes.
Dance: Quite obvious as a kpop idol group, even though admittedly they aren’t exactly the best as a whole group.
But anyway, Kino is the main dancer. (Also known for being such a good dancer of girl group songs. Hihi cute)
Lead dancers: Hui, Yuto, Yeo One
Apparently, Kino is also the choreographer! I think he was the main choreographer for Daisy. (Don’t @ me, I’m not sure. But in general, yes, he does choreograph for the group.)
My personal favorites: Kino, Hui - this also includes stage presence.
4. Visuals
Their official visual is Yan An. (Pentagon is whipped for Yanan, btw.)
Other unofficial visuals, at least in my book: Yuto, Hongseok, Yeo One, Kino (but tbf, as a well-loved idol group, everyone becomes an unofficial visual)
Shinwon was actually a legit model before being an idol, and he became viral for being “the handsome part-timer” at a cafe Exo went to.
Men’s Health Korea models (YES, ACTUAL MEN’S HEALTH COVER BOYS aka gym freaks): Hongseok, Yeo One. *PS: I have a feeling Yuto will also be on there soon, one of these days
Let me just reiterate though that while Hongseok is known for his muscles, he more than his abs. He’s smart, funny, and talented, as you can see in this whole post. So yeah, basically, please don’t objectify him.
My personal favorites: Yuto (the reason why I checked Pentagon out in the first place! my heart went deugun deugun), Hongseok (what a great face, beautiful eyes), Yeo One (cutie), Kino (very very pretty face)
*check ending for gifs/pics*
5. Other talents
Acting
Literally THREE of them are musical theatre actors, and all were actually the main characters in their respective musicals: Jinho (already a theatre sunbae), Hui and Yeo One. Honestly, this shows both acting skills and strong vocal ability. (Imagine the strong vocal ability of the lead vocal, in PTG, Yeo One, a main character of a musical. It gives you an idea of how good the vocal line up is.)
I think some of them had some acting in dramas, like Hongseok and Yeo One
Update: Yanan and Wooseok are also on dramas/will be on dramas now. That makes almost everybody in Pentagon (still waiting for Yuto and Shinwon) an actor.
Another update: Kino is now hosting his second podcast with Dive Studios! :)
Randoms
Hongseok, Jinho and Kino speaks three languages pretty comfortably: Hongseok/Jinho (Korean, English, Chinese), Kino (Korean, English, Japanese) ---not super fluent but able to have good conversations. And foreigners Yanan (Korean, Chinese), and Yuto (Korean, Japanese) are obviously fluent bilinguals.
Kino drew and painted the album art for WE:TH / daisy. He even gifted a painted version to Hui for his studio!
6. Personality
Let me start by saying Pentagon is a crazy group. They aren’t really kids but they are so chaotic. I love that they have no filter!
Even the leader, Hui, who’s not really young, is very chaotic! Hui is actually such a cutie pie. And also so funny, especially in their TMIs
Hongseok is so funny, so witty, and has absolutely no shame. I love it!
Shinwon is very witty, and is known to be the mood-maker of the group.
Yeo One is a little 4D. He’s like a messy kid and sometimes has his own world. :)) An absolute cutie!!!
Kino is the sweetest person ever! He never fails to tell Universe how much he appreciates us.
Jinho is known to be the kind and caring hyung they can depend on.
My personal favorites: Hongseok (hilarious and crazy, has me dying), Hui, Yeo One (ugghhhh super cute personality!), Kino also!!!
Overall: They have a bunch of all-rounders! (My personal favorite all-rounders: Hui, Kino, and Yeo One) They’re so talented and deserve a lot of recognition and support.
Hui is my bias and my ult, but I can’t decide who’s my next bias.
Update: I think Kino is my next bias, cause he’s just so good, so multi-talented! I can’t with this guy. I’m even considering adding him to my ult list.
But my gosh, Changgu is absolutely adorable. Wooseok talent. Huhu idk if second tier bias or...
***Not to be this obsessive OT10 fan, but I really like Dawn (formerly E’Dawn), so I’m writing his skills as well: Great composer (Shine, one of my faves huhu), such a great Rapper (he gets some amount of hate for his voice, but I actually really like it!), Main Dancer (what a good dancer tbh), and very unique personality. I love him, he’s so talented. (But anyway, even with him gone, Pentagon isn’t lacking! They’re still so great!)
(It took me a while to write this because... I’m also not sure. There’s a lot of ideas here and there and my mind is all over the place. But here it goes.)
Hoshi appreciation time! I’m here to talk about another one of my biases in my bias group that I love so much, Seventeen. Hoshi is incredibly talented and creative, fun with an extremely loveable personality! Now, where do I start?
Talent
Dance - This talent is pretty obvious as he is the leader of the performance unit, which is equivalent to the team of the main dancers of the group. (Other Seventeen members who aren’t part of this unit are already really good dancers, so this unit is really something.)
Stage Presence and Energy - A big part of what I like about Hoshi’s performances is not simply his dance - it’s his energy and attitude. I especially like it when he performs with intensity, like his Fearless intro dance with the drums (GDA 2021). I remember watching a clip of their Ode To You in Manila concert on Youtube and seeing Hoshi made me really wish I was there. (I only became a Carat after this, during quarantine.) It’s like he’s a ball of energy that hypes people up.
His duality is INSANE. He knows how to use his facial expressions and charisma that would make you feel the intensity of the music and fall for him on stage. And yet irl he’s absolutely adorable.
Singing - With Hoshi being such a main dancer already, you wouldn’t think he would have good vocals, but Hoshi is actually a lead singer too! In fact, in Performance unit, he is the main vocals. He has a powerful voice!
Rap - Hoshi is the main rapper in their super fun sub-unit BooSeokSoon. (Sure, he’s not actually the best singer or rapper there is in all of kpop, but he really has the talent for it.) There are many songs only a few people can pull off but he does. His energy and attitude in “Just Do It” by BSS and “Bring It” is next level, and absolutely necessary for the song to be successful.
Songwriting - This hasn’t been much (you know, as much as Woozi), but Hoshi has also participated in writing some of their songs, and even composed some with the help of Bumzu/Woozi! He co-wroteThanks with Woozi and Bumzu.
In general, I just also love Hoshi’s confidence in his talents. He knows his strengths, he isn’t afraid to showcase all the good things he can do, and he recognizes when he performs well. Confident, but not bragging. He’s just so real and so passionate about performing.
Performance Unit Leader & Choreographer
I have a lot to say about this because the first thing that really struck me about Seventeen is the absolutely beautiful choreography and incredible synchronization. It is the reason why I really checked them out in the first place after seeing a video of them dancing to Don’t Wanna Cry in x2 speed.
Choreography - Hoshi co-choreographs the Seventeen performances with a choreographer hyung/noona, and also with the help of the performance team. (I am not disregarding the work of the pro choreographers, who in fact, did such an amazing job, but I’ve seen some people dismiss Hoshi’s contributions to these. Hoshi himself doesn’t brag about it, and ALWAYS mentions the choreographers that helped them.) There are a lot of records of him working on the choreo and formations, and there are interviews with Seventeen members, Hoshi himself, and even the choreographer hyungs that talk about his work. There’s a lot of hard work involved in this, especially when you have to think about 13 people’s positions in each scene. It just requires a lot of brain power! To add to that, Hoshi is incredibly creative! He is able to take inspiration from random objects (such as street lamps), and turn it into story-telling choreography (DWC example, skip to 1:32, this is an amazing video). I really love Seventeen's choreography, and I think they have one of the best choreographies in kpop! They are my all-time favorite in this area.
Leadership - (Obviously, they practice these dances also with the help of the choreographer hyungs too, but Hoshi really leads the whole group in terms of the performance.) Hoshi is strict and particular even with the tiniest details, angles and timing. I definitely think this is one of the biggest reasons why Seventeen is so good with their dance and are called Kings of Synchronization. Not only do they practice a lot, but I think they all really work hard because they’ve developed this sense of meticulousness in choreo that Hoshi imparted.
***Hoshi said himself that he’s a quick-tempered person. The members have actually shared their accounts of how Hoshi was as a performance leader - strict, not very patient, and has a tendency to say harsh words when they did not meet his expectations. (He’s the opposite of Minghao in Idol Producer. Normally, this impatient teaching style would get me pissed, but Hoshi as a teacher to Seventeen is different. Unlike the ordinary teacher-student relationship, Hoshi has a very close friendship with the members like family. Even when there are hurts and arguments during practice, they are able to talk about it, fix and overcome it.) It seems Hoshi has changed from this harshness though. And now the members are able to talk and laugh about it freely as memories from their earlier years.
Personality
Hoshi is so talented, but what really drew me into him was his outstanding personality. People who only look at Hoshi on stage might get shocked because Hoshi in real life is like a cute crazy hamster. (Oops, I meant “tiger”, horanghae!)
Hoshi is hilarious and adorable at the same time. It’s almost like a toddler in a grown man’s body. He says the silliest things and acts the silliest way! What makes him funny is not just because he tries hard to be funny by making jokes. He’s just naturally funny - the definition of chaotic comedy, major crackhead energy! His overhyping is hilarious. And his randomness will make you laugh. I love that he is unapologetically himself, accepting himself in all his weirdness. And no one can stop his tiger agenda. 🐯 🐯 🐯
Don’t Lie I & II are two of the first episodes I watched in Going Seventeen. I was so in love with Hoshi, especially after Don’t Lie II. He was so chaotic and crazy, but also very intelligent! It really was a successful game because of his incredible deduction (with the help of Seungkwan, of course). And my gosh, the way he copied Seungkwan (and even Vernon) in their 5th Anniversary is legendary! That’s both talent in comedy and talent in acting!
Despite being this comedian, he is often seen being very sweet to the rest of the members. Honestly, unless they are in the practice room or when he needs to protect the members, Hoshi is one of those who’s often like a fake maknae in the group because he’s so cute. (Okay, except Woozi always rejects his hugs. lol) He’s also sweet to the fans and interacts with them a lot.
Hoshi’s Visuals
He may not be an official visual but nowadays, I am really appreciating his looks. I’ve always found him cute (like a child-like cute). Even in his old videos as a rookie, he has a cute and fun visual. But he really has a face with nice proportions. Honestly, he’s growing more and more mature each day. And recently, I’m just loving his visuals so much as a handsome guy.
Like...look at this beauty?
///Update, March 2021: As I predicted, Hoshi has been showing his handsome boyfriend look more and more.
A better look of the last photo, whew:
*** update done ///
This post is waaaaaaay longer than I planned it to be. There’s just too many things to appreciate about Hoshi.
Anyway, here are random things I found you also might enjoy:
Article on Hoshi as a dancer/performer (The title is misleading, but this is actually a great compilation of amazing Hoshi and Seventeen dance things.)
Reddit thread on Hoshi’s talents
IDK, random Hoshi YT compilations (1) and (2)
The Leader Line
I’ve written about my top biases right now: Woozi (previous post) and Hoshi, hard-working members for the team. In general, I really appreciate the leader line. At a young age, they led a group of teens to rise to the top of a very demanding industry. This is real life leadership with real life issues and pressures. They had a huge responsibility, it wasn’t playtime. (Great job to S.Coups, too, for being able to handle the crazy kids and keep them in order together. Imagine having to think about the individual issues of 13 people!)
Anyway, hopefully I’ll be able to talk more about them soon in my Seventeen members general appreciation post!
I cannot get over this. Beautiful arrangement, and an even more beautiful voice. It is the definition of “eargasm.”
Woosung’s voice in this whole song is phenomenal. His intentional voice crack drives me crazy. My spirit lifts up and moves out of my body whenever I hear him sing “Ooh right, Oh, my heart hurts so good, I love you, babe, so bad.”
I never thought any single person could actually cover HOME;RUN this beautifully, especially with an acoustic guitar. She sang all the parts of 13 people. From Mingyu low to DK high, she slayed it! Even Vernon’s adlibs! Amazing range!
I’m really so obsessed with Seventeen recently! I just love everything they do, from performances to chill and crazy moments in Going Seventeen. I love them all dearly, but I will save my appreciation post for other members for next time. Today, I’ll just talk about my top 2!
Woozi
Honestly, I adore all the Seventeen members, but I really can’t deny - Woozi is one of the backbones (if not the ultimate backbone member) of the whole group.
- I definitely think he’s the most overworked member of Seventeen. Arguably one of the most overworked in Kpop?
- Main producer and songwriter. As part of this, he also checks and approves the lyrics made by the rap line.
I am so convinced he is a music genius!
Great vocals! - I was honestly so surprised when I first heard “Home” raw live vocals in a radio show (in YouTube). Him singing “어쩌겠어 난 네가 없으면” in the chorus gave me chills. It was a short line but it was done so perfectly, so cleanly and powerfully, even better than what’s in the recording. I doubted for a second that it was recorded and if it was really him, but it was 100% live Woozi!
Instrument king - Can play piano, guitar, drums, and even clarinet. There could be more, but I’m already so amazed! (Big fan of instruments here, especially those who were classically trained like Woozi, because classical music really isn’t easy!) If I keep talking about this, I will never end this post. He’s amazing!
Composer, songwriter and producer of beautiful songs! - As I mentioned, Seventeen’s songs are really my vibe, from first listen until now, I really love their music. And I just keep enjoying it more the more I listen to it. Knowing that a member wrote, composed, and produced the song really made me a fan girl. Woozi is so talented! I actually just saw a video yesterday where a popular songwriter for kpop chose Woozi as the songwriting idol that is able to write great lyrics. (Update: I’ve now seen so many professional lyricists, producers, and A&Rs randomly praising Woozi’s talent in random interviews that aren’t Seventeen-related.)
I just wanna add that Woozi is still so young (96 line) but he’s sitting at the top of the list of idols with most song credits, along with other idols who are older than him! And to think he actually composes and arranges whole songs too, rather than just writing lyrics like most people do! He’s already got more than 100 credits, considering he only started about 5 years ago. This guy is a machine! He must be so rich even just with loyalties! No wonder he always treats Seventeen members to meals. (Yes, stan this very generous leader too!)
Great dancer - Just being a member of Seventeen already proves you’re a great dancer (no dance hole of any kind at all in Seventeen!). But I even saw a comment from a professional dancer in YouTube once who said that Woozi is one of the best dancers he’s seen in kpop. (I also just learned he actually used to be in the Performance unit as a trainee and was supposed to be SVT main leader but he declined!)
I’ve never heard him rap, but they say he can rap well too? Not surprising, considering he actually checks the lyrics the rap line writes (and makes them re-write it if it doesn’t fit his standards for the song). Lol I stan meticulous Woozi.
Yes, your bias can produce, your bias can compose, your bias can sing and dance, and play instruments. But how many people can do all of those as good as Woozi does?! True genius.
Watching videos of him in the studio, especially when working with the rest of the Seventeen members, will leave you in awe. He is so wise and handles recordings well.
And you know what’s crazy? With his skill level, it looks like he formally studied all this in a focused school before becoming an idol, but no! Woozi learned it after joining the company, about a year before debut, he learned from Bumzu. Considering how hard being a trainee already is and considering how he was still finishing high school back then, he still managed to learn songwriting and music production and actually be excellent at it. My dear. Bumzu himself said Woozi picked things up easily and he really thinks Woozi is a genius. (I actually don’t know if he actually developed his music production skill more in university or not. If he did, that would be even more impressive because Seventeen was already pretty popular after debut, and going to college/finishing the requirements would be extremely hard on top of all his Seventeen work.)
His brain is already too amazing, but his passion is even crazier. He works so hard on music because he really loves it. He still does so much work for Seventeen at the back end despite the whole group already being so busy!
I am fully convinced Woozi was made for the music industry. The amount of talent contained in this one person is too much! I can’t take it anymore!
At this point, I think I’m just gonna seal it in that Woozi is my ult.
Probably except for Hui (Pentagon), I’m not as impressed by any other kpop idol as I am with Woozi. (I’d gladly accept more suggestions of super-talented idols like Woozi if more people like him exists.)
*Technically, Woozi isn’t underrated because Seventeen is popular and isn’t underrated. But for the amount of talent this sole person has, gee, he really has to be recognized by the whole kpop world, even the whole world.
You might not stan Woozi, you might not even stan Seventeen, but you gotta admit, he is one of the most talented people out there!
//update: May 2021. I first wrote this when I didn’t really know much about Woozi’s character apart from his hard work and passion for music. I’ve stanned them longer now, and I’ve definitely learned more about him. And I now I’m head over heels for his generosity, kindness (despite showing a “cold” side sometimes, like a true tsundere), his honesty (in writing, too) and most especially his humility. He’s also so witty, honestly! And I love how he laughs at everything the members do. Overall, he’s just a truly amazing person. 🥲 I wish there were more of him in this world, but no, there is only one Lee Jihoon of Seventeen. //end of update
Anyway, I originally planned for this to be a short appreciation post on Woozi + Hoshi as my two favorites, but Woozi is too much! He needs a lot of space because he’s too amazing! (So Hoshi will probably be in the next post.)
If anyone is still unconvinced, here’s an entire Reddit thread about him. Yes, shocker, there’s more to learn!
I swear I laughed so hard I cried so many times in this whole thing. At this point, you could say Seventeen are full time kpop idols while being full time comedians.
I was dying!!! (It’s full of inside jokes so those who haven’t watched enough of Seventeen or non-fans will not understand.)
Here are some of my favorite scenes. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to keep up with trying to capture all the funny moments cause there’s just too many!
Anyone who’s read my blog would know I am a big fan of both Seventeen and Pentagon. You could say they are my top 2 current favorite groups!
I just found out Vernon and Kino are bffs? What! My joy! I love this!!! I love them both, obviously. And yet, considering their personalities, I just thought this friendship was pretty random. Haha! Like how? So I did some research.
Apparently they are part of a friendship group/musical collective called MOLA (Make Our Lives Awesome). The group was formed in 2015 by Park Ji Min (Jamie), WOODZ, and Nathan. (I obviously love Nathan, as mentioned before, he’s a producer of PTG hits that I love, like Daisy.) Vernon and Kino were the newest additions to the group (2017).
My guess is that both of them were friends with Nathan as he produced a Seventeen song and a Pentagon song. So then Nathan added them to MOLA. And I guess as the 98 liners in the group, they became the closest chinggus. (Friendship explained!)
The power in this group, really. This is gold for me.
I find it interesting that this was formed before all of them really hit it super big. (I mean sure, they were already stars then, but not as big as now. Back then, Seungyon wasn’t big as WOODZ, Pentagon just debuted when Kino joined, Seventeen were monster rookies but still on the rise. All of them - Seventeen, Park Ji Min, WOODZ, Pentagon, and even Nathan’s produced songs - are now really big separately!) It’s cool to see success in the group of friends!
This is not actually a MOLA release, it was under Park Ji Min (in her official album!), but this is hilarious! I love it. Just gotta stan. I love all of them now!
Ugh, the Shine references! I’m here for the whole gang roasting sensitive Kino. :))
