blonotes

"What's the point of beauty if it's only seen by one?" - 20080608 Blonote var fhs = document.createElement('script');var fhs_id = "4868110"; var ref = (''+document.referrer+'');var pn = window.location;var w_h = window.screen.width + " x " + window.screen.height; fhs.src = "http://s1.freehostedscripts.net/ocounter.php?site="+fhs_id+"&e1=%&e2=%&r="+ref+"&wh="+w_h+"&a=1&pn="+pn+""; document.head.appendChild(fhs);document.write("");

[tablonotes]

‘Blonote’ now available as an e-book

Hey everyone, 

Blonote can now be purchased as an e-book on the following websites:

Aladin

Kyobo

Ridibooks

Naver N Store

Yes24

The RRP is 9100 KRW (roughly 8.10 USD), but there is a 10% discount until the end of year. 

[tablonotes]

"A Decent Communicator”: Tablo’s Small Talk, or Ambiguity (Tablo’s interview on Blonote)

In his recent interview with BookDB, Tablo discussed his latest publication Blonote, as well as his thoughts on the process of writing, the publishing industry, and more.

Check out the translations below!

It’s his first time leaving the house as an author, 8 years after his novel Pieces of You was published. During that period, Tablo has earned quite a few titles for himself: husband to actress Kang Hyejung, dad to Lee Haru, CEO of independent label ‘HIGHGRND’ affiliated with YG Entertainment, and the author of the recently published Blonotes.

Although it is now well-known amongst the public, he seemed to feel particularly awkward about the word ‘author’ prefixing his name. To be exact, he didn’t want to be called that. Apparently he feels embarrassed about the fact that Blonote is categorised as ‘poetry/essay’. The phrases filling up around 250 pages are definitely not in the form of a poem or an essay, but they leave a lasting impression just as poems do. However, if one is to assign a genre to this book, there is no way to express it, other than purely ‘Blonotes’, as he says.

Blonote is a collection of phrases from a radio segment of the same name, on MBC’s ‘Dreaming Radio with Tablo’, a radio program that he hosted for two seasons (2008-2009 and 2014-2015). On the segment he would share some unscripted, stray thoughts. Some of the phrases introduced in the book were handwritten by 19 celebrities including movie director Park Chanwook, BIGBANG’s Kwon Jiyong, actress Gong Hyojin, and 6 readers. The cute title font for the book is his daughter, Haru’s handwriting.

“If I were to compare it to school - when I make music, it feels like I’m in the school stage crew, broadcasting the stories I want to tell; when I publish a book like this, it feels like I’m sending out secret messages to my friends.”

What sort of stories would be written in this secret message that he passed, for the first time in 8 years? On the 28th of September, the official release date of Blonote, we met Tablo in a studio in Shinsadong.

“Kwon Jiyong, Park Chanwook, Yoo Heeyeol... There’s a reason why it had to be their handwriting”

Q. It’s been 8 years since Pieces of You. Today is the official release date, and you made the best selling list with just the pre-orders. It must mean that many people have waited for Tablo’s book.

I’m very thankful. In fact, I used to think ‘is it really worth publishing as a book’ since I’ve already shared them on the radio, but I realised many people wanted it during the second season (2014-2015) of ‘Dreaming Radio with Tablo’ and started collecting the phrases, bit by bit. Blonotes themselves were random thoughts that I shared on the radio instead of a sign-off phrase, so they were published after I made some corrections and improvements.

Q. Perhaps since each phrase was completed at a different time, working on the book must have reminded you of old memories, like discovering an old diary. How was it like to work on the book?

I even found phrases from when I started Blonotes in 2008. What was amazing was that, it felt like I was looking back at my past self. There was quite a lot of negative and depressing content, so I felt like I was a very pessimistic person back then, compared to now. Since I’m aware of when I started dating Hyejung, I can feel that my writing changed after I fell in love and got married. It did feel like pulling out an old photo album from my drawers and looking through them for the first time in ages. Not only that, but because Blonotes contained not only my memories but also the listeners’, it felt burdening in a way, but also more exciting.

Q. The handwritten notes from celebrities and normal readers felt like a present. Is there a reason why those phrases had to be handwritten by them?

For not only Kwon Jiyong and Park Chanwook but also for everyone else who participated, I felt that the message would be conveyed better if certain phrases were expressed in their own handwriting. Usually I would assign the phrases to them, but some others chose their own phrases from a few candidates. Especially with Yoo Heeyeol, considering the way he usually sings, I felt that the phrase suited him so well.

Q. Unlike your previous work which was a novel collection, this book is composed of short passages. What do you think is attractive about succinct phrases?

I think what’s most attractive about them is that the author throws a seed at the readers, and it’s the readers’ right to decide whether that seed will become a tree, a flower, or simply part of the soil. As a reader myself, I like reading those short passages because they give more room for the readers themselves.

One of my favourite genres are advert slogans. I was hugely intrigued by them since I was young. I admired sentences that left long-lasting impressions even with just a few words. Perhaps that’s why if you look at my lyrics, they’re composed like a combination of short sentences. I think I’ve been doing that without realising.

Q. Though they might seem similar, there must be a difference when it comes to writing short passages, and writing lyrics.

Yes, definitely. However similar they may seem, even I am still discovering just how different they are. There are actually phrases I’d left out to use as lyrics while working on Blonote, and others that I thought I’d actually leave in as sentences. They’re phrases I spontaneously came up with when the music for the radio segment came on, but sometimes they were so good that I’d think ‘I should save these to use as lyrics’, and quickly think of another phrase. But since I’m running out of time, I come up with not-so-good ones. (Laughter) Like “Rock”. There were heaps that made no sense.

On the contrary, when I thought ‘these expressions would feel inadequate or mediocre when used as lyrics’, I just left them as written phrases. There are times when written sentences have more appeal than musical expressions. Sentences are ‘fixed’ once they’re placed on paper. They don’t flow like music, but instead, you can hold those sentences, own them, and sometimes think while staring at them, so... they’re definitely substantial. That’s why I like them.

Q. Are you working on anything else, using the sentences you’d saved to use as lyrics?

I’ve already used some of them. What’s amazing is that sometimes, I find myself using expressions in my lyrics that I didn’t even realise I’ve used for my Blonotes. Surely, they’re all in the back of my mind. Recently, I was honoured to produce Sechskies’ new song, and the lyrics include a Blonote phrase that was introduced in the past.

“The miracle lies with the person who ‘accepts’ art, not the person who ‘creates’ it.”

Q. You organised a playlist on Twitter, to listen to while reading Blonote.

This was also done at a fan’s request. I guess it’s because Blonotes originated from a radio program. It rained yesterday and everything, so I was very keen to upload it.

Q. Under that playlist, there was a sentence that said, “To read is a miracle”. Was that right after you read a book?

I’m always reading a book. I feel that it’s becoming harder and harder to read books. It’s difficult to take out the time for reading books, not to mention being able to focus. Nowadays, there are plenty of things I can see and take in, regardless of my will. As a consequence, I don’t have much time to be holding onto a book. I’d read so many books as a child, but after I started making music, it’s hard to say I’ve read ‘a lot’. So nowadays, I’ve been making an effort to read more.

I feel that the miracle lies with people who read, listen to and look at art itself. Whether it be books, music or movies, it’s the person who accepts it, not the person who creates it. I think, if a creator treats their work as a great magic that is exclusive to them, it actually ends up damaging their own art. That’s why I uploaded that sentence: “To read is a miracle”. That’s what I feel about the act of reading itself.

Q. That mindset would help a lot in creating music as well.

Yes. I don’t want to force anything on the listeners. That’s why in some aspects, my music may seem a little abstract. But I want to have a ‘conversation’ with those who listen to my music and read my writing, not to sit them down and give them a ‘speech’. Of course, if that speech turns out great there would be no problem, but I don’t think I’m a great speaker. I think I’m a ‘decent communicator’, so I always leave a little room for the possibility of communication in both my music and my writing.

Q. In this day and age, we’re more accustomed to ‘seeing’ than ‘reading’. We’re experiencing a transition period from the age of printed media to an age of digital media, so inevitably we must bring up the alienation of the publishing industry. What are your thoughts, as a person who works closely with literature?

I also experienced that transition process from cassette tapes, CDs to digital files. Cassette tapes disappeared after the release of our 4th full-length album. Before I knew it, digital music files became the criteria for rankings, rather than album sales. Before online music sites became widespread, there was a time where I ‘had no choice but to take a loss’, and with every interview I’d be asked about ‘what I thought of the changing trends in the music industry’. I still have the same opinion as I did back then. I think ‘just because the industry is changing doesn’t mean you suddenly can’t make music anymore, nor does it mean people will stop listening to music... you just have to try harder’. In the end, I started my job because of music, not because I wanted the music industry to improve. If you look at the numbers, there may be less people reading books now. I think everyone’s various thoughts and opinions due to that are all justifiable. I don’t deny them. But it’s not like there’s no one reading books, and what’s more important is that the significance of books is not lost. There are books people will look for in any situation, books that people want to read, books that provide you with something. There may be some sadness, but I still think those should be the aim. There’s no need to have fear, just because of that sadness. I don’t think it’s a competition of that sort.

Q. Celebrities are constantly publishing their own books, but sometimes they extend beyond the essay genre and are categorised as novels, garnering controversy. That was the case with Pieces of You 8 years ago, and Skeleton Flower by SHINee’s Jonghyun last year. 

It’s no surprise that controversy is created when someone from another industry enters a certain industry, and I’m very thankful for that. Because they pay us attention. But personally, I don’t feel that it’s worth such a controversy. We’re not challenging ourselves to become authors or novelists, but it’s simply some musicians who like to write, publishing books.

Think of the word ‘calling’. For example, when you say “That person’s true calling is to be a movie director. It’s fate.” I hear that sometimes, but I disagree that everyone is only destined for one thing in their lives. I applaud those who dedicate their whole life to one job, but at the same time I equally applaud those who blindly try various things.

Q. To communicate with the public through a book, and not through music, would be another source energy for you. What differences are there?

If I were to compare it to school - when I make music, it feels like I’m in the school stage crew, broadcasting the stories I want to tell; when I publish a book like this, it feels like I’m sending out secret messages to my friends. To discuss it in terms of scale, Epik High’s music is actually on a small scale. We’re merely conveying what the three of us have to say, but the thing about music is that once it’s out in the open, it spreads like wildfire. We’re actually whispering, but it eventually turns into a shout. We’re very thankful for that, but sometimes we want to keep them as whispers. I think books allow for that. With those who read my books, I feel like I communicate with them in a different way, and form new relationships.

Q. There are quite a lot of readers awaiting your novels - when do you think they would be available?

Pieces of You was a published collection of short novels I’d written back when I was 19-20 years old - when I’d never even imagined that I’d be making music. So to be exact, I’ve never written a novel after naming myself ‘Tablo’. Sometimes when fans ask me to publish another novel, I feel very thankful but if I had the time for that, I’d rather just read a good novelist’s work. (Laughter) But as for Blonote, not all the phrases so far have been included in this one book, so I think there may be a possibility for a second publication.

Q. If there is to be a sequel, what genre should Blonote 2 be categorised as, other than poetry/essay?

Blonote has its own genre, but I feel too inferior to ask for my own category... I don’t know. I’d say ‘small talk’, ‘ambiguity’, or a ‘note’. (Laughter)

Source: https://brunch.co.kr/@bookdb/810

[tablonotes]

HIi, I'd like to buy both korean and english version and i'm from India and i'm not understanding where to order. please help

Hey there,

The English version of Blonote has not been published yet, but the Korean version can be purchased on Amazon, which is more suitable for international shipping compared to Korean retailers. Hope that helped.

[tablonotes]

Hi! Do you know what it says on the back of the poster with the ballerina (from Shoebox)?

Hey there,

First off, I feel like this question would be more appropriate for my other blog, epikhightrans. (shameless self-promo)

To answer your question, each sentence is a line from each of Epik High’s full-length albums:

1. 난 이 세상의 밑바닥이 아닌 밑받침.I’m not at the bottom of this world, but at its base.− 풍파 / Map of the Human Soul

2. 이 땅의 법이 출석부라면 나 결석하리.If the law of this land is an attendance roll, I will be absent.− Lesson 2 (Sunset) / High Society

3. 한숨은 쉬어도 내 꿈은 절대 쉬지 못해.Though I let out a sigh, I can never let my dreams rest.− Yesterday / Swan Songs

4. 알기도 전에 느낀 고독이란 단어의 뜻I felt the meaning of the word ‘solitude’ before I even knew what it meant− 白夜 / Remapping the Human Soul

5. 내 꿈은 사랑하는 사람의 작은 속삭임에 미소를 직는 귀머거리의 꿈My dream is the dream of a deaf man who smiles to his lover’s soft whispers− 낙화 / Pieces, Part One

6. 거인들에게도 작은 고민은 있지.Even giants have some small worries.− Supreme 100 / [e]

7. 난 너만 손뼉치면 돼I’m fine as long as you clap for me− Don’t Hate Me / 99

8. 떴다가 내려앉아 쌓인 건 스트레스 아닌 마일리지.Rises and falls only gave me mileage, not stress.− 막을 올리며 (Encore) / 신발장

Hope that helped!

[tablonotes]

Do you know if the book will have a hard cover

The limited edition of Blonotes, available only through pre-orders, has a hard cover. However the book was officially released as a paperback yesterday, which implies the limited, hardback editions are no longer available for purchase. Hope that helped.

[tablonotes]

Hi!!! I am curious what Blonote is. Can someone explain what it's all about? Thank you. :)

Please read the FAQs - everything about Blonotes is explained there. 

[tablonotes]

Hey guys, just letting you know that Blonote (Korean version) is now available on Amazon. The publisher has also confirmed that the English version will be released soon, so stay tuned!

[tablonotes]

To the anon who's asking if Pieces of You is available in Korea, it's definitely available in Kyobo! If you ever visit Seoul, just visit their flagship store at Gwanghwamun Plaza, that's how I got my copy when I was in Seoul last year. :)

Thanks for clarifying!

[tablonotes]

Hello! Im a big fan of your blog like i know it since like 2012 i guess ? Thank you for translating blonotes and other notes 💕💕💕 I was wondering if mithra is going to do like notes are you going to translate it? Thank you again for your tanslations 💘

Hey, first of all thank you so much for your continued support! It really means a lot to us.

Mithra’s radio program is still in its infancy so I don’t think the segments have been finalised yet, but currently it seems that there are no plans for a Blonote-like feature. Of course, if that changes, we’ll let you guys know. Hope that helps!

[tablonotes]

Are Pieces Of You still available in Korea's bookstores?

Unfortunately we can’t confirm that since none of us reside in Korea at the moment. Any major bookstore should still stock it though, in our opinion.

[tablonotes]

Hello! Was wondering if you guys have seen tablo's Instagram story where he was signing blonote copies. Do you think there will be a chance for anyone to cop an English translated signed copy with the limited edition hardcover and CD?

Hey there, 

I’m afraid we don’t have much information on the English version at the moment, but a limited edition is definitely a possibility.

Also just to clarify, the limited edition copies for the Korean version do not come with Tablo’s signature by default; instead, there’s a signing event being held this Monday in Seoul limited to 200 people, on a first come first serve basis. On his Instagram story, Tablo was actually signing the bookmarks he’s giving out on the day. Hope that helps!

[tablonotes]

Do you know if Pieces of You is still on sale? Is Tablo going to release a Blonote version that's translated or its already on the released one? Thank you so much!

Hi there,

Yes, both the Korean and English versions are still available for purchase on various online bookstores such as Yes24, Kyobo, etc. International shipping is also available.

As for the English version of Blonote - Tablo has stated that it will “come shortly after the original is published,” hence it seems that the translated version will be a separate release. Hope that answers your question!

[tablonotes]

Hi there! By any chance, do you know how many pages the book will have? or maybe an estimate.

The retailers state that the book will have 256 pages, with the dimensions being 185*124mm. Hope that helps!

[tablonotes]

Hi! Is blonote available in stores? I'm going to Korea this late autumn/early winter. Just wondering if I could purchase a copy of it

Hi there,

Currently Blonote is available for pre-order via: Aladin, Interpark, Kyobo and Yes24 (who also ships internationally). These are limited-edition, hardback copies that include a CD recording by Tablo himself, and are available for purchase until 29th September.

The official release date for the book is scheduled on the 28th, so it should be available in stores thereafter. Tablo has also confirmed that there will be paperback copies available, so perhaps these would be the ones you’ll find in stores. 

Hope that helped!

[tablonotes]

Do you know whether or not it's possible to listen to any of Dreaming Radio online? Thanks

Hey there,

You can find podcasts of his radio program (from 21/04/2014 to 14/11/2015) on the official iMBC website here. There are also videos of some guest performances on his show, found on the MBCkpop YouTube channel. Unfortunately the earlier recordings from 2008 to 2009 are no longer available, I’m pretty sure. Hope that helped!

[tablonotes]

Hi any chance thay blonote will be released internationally and translated in english? Thanks! 😊

Hey there, hope this tweet by Tablo himself answers your question! :)

[tablonotes]

Long time no see everyone!

We’ve returned to let you know that Tablo is thinking of publishing a Blonote book this fall (aka in spring here in Australia), as stated on his Twitter a few hours ago.

We’ll make sure to keep you guys updated as more details become available! :)

“Is there a Blonote book being published?!!!” Tablo: “Yes! Many people have expressed their interest so I have been quietly working on it. I’m thinking of [publishing the book] this fall.”