“EPIKASE” (Epik High’s YouTube)
Yoon Haein: Who could look Tablo, a musician of 23 years, straight in the face and ask, “So, you like pretending to be a solo musician?” The answer: fellow Epik High member Tukutz. In a video titled “TABLO X RM INTERVIEW (but no RM, just chaos),” Tablo promotes his emotional new single by interviewing his group. True to the onscreen caption—“POV: U ask your besties for a serious interview”—the interview is rife with riffs and roasts that only the best of friends can make. Mithra and Tukutz go on and on about BTS member RM, who collaborated on Tablo’s latest single, yet when it comes time to sum up their groupmate’s career, they simply label him “Haru’s dad, RM’s close hyung.” When Tablo tries to get serious about his music, the other two quickly lose focus or mock their friend’s insights. At one point, Tablo resigns himself and says, “Out of all the disses I’ve received, I think this one’s the harshest.” It’s sidesplitting spectacles like this that you’ll only find on Epik High’s channel.
Epik High has been rolling out their YouTube series “EPIKASE” since December under the moniker “Epik High 3.0.” From an anime character tier list to their idol photocard World Cup and relationship advice, the trio tackles long-standing YouTube trends but puts their own unique spin on them. For example, they rank the “biggest a-holes in anime” using Tukutz as a benchmark for the true “biggest a-hole,” and run a tournament bracket featuring photocards so quirky or ridiculous that they make for meme material. In response to a viewer’s dilemma about the ambiguous “guy best friend” question, the three musicians and fathers go into full-on dad mode, shouting, “Even if dirt gets in my eyes, no!” The topics and approach change with every video, and the trio shows little interest in adhering to typical YouTuber formats or norms. Instead, they ramble on chaotically, trade wry, off-the-cuff remarks, and seize every opportunity to act out impromptu skits. The result is unrefined, unfettered fun that captures the true essence of what makes YouTube great, powered by the group’s long history, great dynamic, and nonstop chatter. Their two-decade relationship as much more than simply people who work together makes even their unfiltered comments pure comic gems. They’ve also got a pair of videos where a fortune-teller foresees good luck for them in the new year if they hike up Mount Gwanaksan, and the follow-up where they do just that. Add in the spot-on captions and editing, and the series amplifies Epik High’s trademark charm even further. Tablo even says that “uploading something serious now feels kind of awkward” and that the channel might make you forget what the group’s actual main gig is—like how the video they posted after performing at Waterbomb Manila was about them comparing popular fried chicken brands in the Philippines. Moments like that go to show that Epik High 3.0, which started out as a joke, is starting to feel more like reality. “Creators. Artists. Minstrels. Beatmasters. Artists,” Tablo said in concert. “Epik High 3.0, we’re dropping all those labels. And becoming creators.”
“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”
Bae Dongmi (“CINE21” reporter): “An actor entering through the door, you’ve got nothing. But if he enters through the window, you’ve got a situation.” So said director Billy Wilder, a luminary of Hollywood’s golden age. Characters in film must make memorable entrances, he said. They should step outside the rhythm of everyday life into unexpected acts—but in a way that’s irresistibly captivating. And one actor in particular has embodied this principle throughout his entire career. In the “Mission: Impossible” series, Tom Cruise has smashed through the windows of the megatall Burj Khalifa’s, climbed the cliffs of Dead Horse Point barehanded, and clung to a plane on takeoff. Now, the actor’s back in the eighth installment, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”
Unlike previous entries in the series, which threw their protagonist, Ethan Hunt (Cruise), into death-defying action sequences, “The Final Reckoning” hits slower, heavier notes as it follows the secret agent. In a world where the villains are no longer human, an artificial intelligence called the Entity infects digital systems across the globe, creating a doomsday cult through which society is controlled by its new digital master.
Bent on human extinction, this intangible foe hacks the world’s nuclear facilities while its supporters infiltrate government agencies, undermining every coordinated response. And amidst it all, holding the key to taking down the Entity, Ethan takes on the impossible mission of destroying this ghost-like adversary.
The nebulous foe Ethan Hunt finds himself up against may be different from the human bad guys he’s tackled before, but his battle with this new threat still gives the audience plenty of action to drool over. One particularly high-stakes scene takes place in a flooding submarine deep underwater, where the spy believes he can uncover the means to take the Entity down. He stands inside the darkened sub as the lone human survivor, fighting both the rising water and the crushing pressure that threatens to suffocate him. The film uses a wealth of extreme long shots to highlight Ethan’s vulnerability as a figure overwhelmed by the sheer force of the nature around him. Having started way back in 1996, Cruise arrives at this point in his cinematic journey a character dense with meaning. While the narrative threaded between the action sequences feels slack at times, the sheer kinetic power onscreen will leave audiences’ hearts racing. Loyal viewers of the saga will also appreciate the emotional depth to this entry as director Christopher McQuarrie organically works in characters and other references from previous movies in the franchise. My thanks to this series for all the memories it’s made for audiences including me.
“Completeness” (Ave Mujica)
Hwang Sunup (music critic): With animes about bands becoming something of a cultural trend in Japan, could any album better highlight the interplay between the fields of music, voice acting, and animation in the country? “Completeness” is the first album by Ave Mujica, the pop/metal band featured in the latest season of the anime in the “BanG Dream!” franchise. The album demonstrates just how far the industry has come in leveraging such media franchises. It has a life of its own that surpasses merely being an anime soundtrack—a fact that the band makes no attempt to hide through their album’s title.
Even divorced from the anime’s popularity, the album’s tracks brim with musical persuasion—from the J-rock-coded gothic metal “KiLLKiSS,” to the unusual rhythm of the danceable “Octagram Dance,” to the eerily beautiful classical piano intro and overall modern sound of “Georgette Me, Georgette You.” The producer, Diggy-MO’, formerly part of the hip hop group SOUL’d OUT, draws on his solid musical foundation—meticulously honed through the piano—while stepping into new territory to craft innovative, standout songs that instantly place this animated band on equal footing with groups that have been at it far longer.
Compared to Roselia from earlier in the franchise, Ave Mujica’s darker, heavier sound demonstrates that no rules govern underground music anymore. The cast itself features diversely talented individuals like Kanon Takao, an internationally recognized junior piano competition winner, Sasaki Rico, who first gained attention in musical theater, and Akane Yonezawa, who’s always been a drummer—and who portray Oblivionis, Doloris, and Amoris, respectively. Together, they exemplify the shift in Japanese voice acting towards a focus on specialization among multitalented entertainers.
In many ways, “BanG Dream!” took its boldest turn to date with this band—an evolution made possible thanks to the long legacy it’s built up. Shifting away from cheery idol rock bands full of hope, it tells a story of struggle through Ave Mujica—one where people who are ultimately incomplete can still make art that borders on completeness, however paradoxical that may sound. A compelling piece, through and through.