Jaefriends (uhmg)

Kim Chaeyoon: You’re meeting a friend … but you don’t know who they are. Unlike other talk shows, where the host introduces their guests, on Jaefriends, KIMJAEJOONG reads the “friend introduction” and attempts to guess who’s about to come out (the friend does come out even if he fails). Even though the two have never met, KIMJAEJOONG makes fast friends with his guests, thanks in part to the show’s rules, which dictate they must speak with each other using the kind of Korean grammar that’s normally reserved for conversations between close friends. Even without this rule, KIMJAEJOONG comes off as very approachable—an expert empath who listens as intensively as he speaks openly. It also helps that he brings a healthy dose of relatable conversation fodder to the table, like his early days after debuting, his love for his fans, trendy poses and hand gestures, sneak peeks at his alter ego, life with his older sister, and more. You can also tell when he has one of his real friends on, like Tablo or FTISLAND, since the conversation flows so naturally and with an undeniable playfulness. Despite the plethora of delivery and meal kit options out there nowadays, KIMJAEJOONG makes all his food, from broths to sauces, from scratch. With all the love and care he puts into both cooking and conversation, it’s no wonder his guests grow as close to him as they do. Even when the camera crew occasionally sends out an “SOS” to “wrap up,” KIMJAEJOONG tries to keep the cameras rolling as long as possible—that’s how dedicated he is to the conversation. He also asks his “friends” to contribute to his 20th-anniversary album and promises to do something for them in return, proving that, for KIMJAEJOONG, making friends is more than just a gimmick for the sake of the show.

The guests sometimes reveal that they went into the show thinking KIMJAEJOONG would have “cold demeanor” of a star celebrity, but by the time they’re through talking, they realize he’s an “easy-going, honest,” person who “sincerely relates” with them. Lyricist Kim Eana features on episode 15 of Jaefriends, and her feelings toward the host likely reflect what most viewers end up feeling, too: “I didn’t think you’d be so down-to-earth.”

TOMSSON - MOVIE THEORY 

Kang Ilkwon (Music Critic): Rapper TOMSSON holds a unique position in the world of Korean hip hop. Although he’s not all that well known to the general public, he’s the only person in Korea to have established themselves as a “local rapper,” which was previously considered impossible here. Born, raised, and still based in the city of Daegu, he infuses his raps with both the local color and dialect. And whether it’s an EP or a full studio album, he’s always putting out new material that’s fully polished. His new EP, MOVIE THEORY, comes just six months after his album KOREAN CHEF II. It’s a fascinating release for a number of reasons. TOMSSON, also a film buff, made all eight tracks (including the intermission-like “Skit”) as homages to horror movies. The album is horrorcore hip hop through and through. The rapper kicks things off by rapping as Freddy Krueger of the Nightmare on Elm Street series, moving from song to song as he portrays such legendary villains of the horror screen as Jason from Friday the 13th, Patrick Bateman from American Psycho, and Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The highlight of the album comes on the track “Ch Ch Ch Ha Ha” when he breaks out into his trademark Daegu- dialect rap. It’s a fun change of pace to see things not from the perspective of Chucky (Child’s Play) but the kid’s in “Andy’s Diary,” recalling the boy’s poor relationship with the doll (although this could just as easily be Chucky’s point of view). But the rapper goes beyond simply capturing the world of these movies and the characters that inhabit them. He uses metaphor throughout the album to express his beliefs around being a local rapper and underground artist, as well as his overall views on the scene and the wider world. The production value, orchestrated by the venerated JA, props up TOMSSON’s ambitious vision perfectly. Horrorcore originated in the US city of Memphis, and this updated take on the genre, along with TOMSSON’s emotionally straightforward rapping, come together to create a truly spooky atmosphere. It’s always fun to listen to a concept album like MOVIE THEORY where the idea is so clearly executed. If you’re hungry for diversity in your Korean hip hop, look no further.

This Is the Way the World Changes  by Danyo

Kim Gyeoul (Writer): How good are we—and how bad are we? If you take a tumbler with you to the cafe but also regularly travel the world, or if you wear fast fashion made by exploited laborers but raise your voice for workers’ rights, do your actions balance each other out? Is it possible to express human morality in numbers? In This Is the Way the World Changes, yes. In this version of the world as created by author Danyo, everyone has a wheel floating above their head: a pie chart showing the ratio of their good deeds to bad. The split changes depending on your actions, but no one can say for sure exactly what kind of mechanism it’s all based on. What is sure, however, is that it represents a person’s chances of going to Heaven or Hell: more blue means better odds of being carried up by angels; more red, and you’re more likely to be dragged downward when you die. People look at person’s blue–red justice divide when they die and watch to see what fate the roll of the dice has in store for them. And in this world, people judge each other based on their wheels. There are services claiming to help you manage your wheel, an idol whose true colors are exposed, and those who push forward for a totally red circle. What are people to do in Danyo’s constructed world? And would you want people to have a wheel? What would your wheel end up looking like? The book is impossible to put down, but very difficult to read while sitting still.