hachibe

[hachibe]

Chungking Express 重慶森林 (1994) dir. Wong Kar Wai

#yes #chungking express

[hachibe]

My Top 5 Albums of 2023

↳ "Circle - The 1st Album" ONEW Favorite song: "Anywhere"

#jinki

[hachibe]

Partly for the prolific volume of projects artists release each year and partly for the fluid definition of an album (running anywhere from three to 13 tracks), an annual ranking of K-pop albums is never easy. As South Korea continues to extend its global musical influence, certain projects transcend hit-song compilations, presenting larger visions and conceptual narratives.

In 2023, stars like V, WOODZ and ONEW used their latest solo projects to share the music that inspires them at their core as artists and let listeners settle into sonic worlds they’ve developed.

[...]

First Place: Onew, Circle The First Album

While it’s somewhat criminal to think that 15 years after ONEW’s debut with SHINee in 2008 we only just received his first full Korean album, the singer-songwriter himself would say that now was the perfect time for Circle. A musical journey unlike anything released this year, ONEW shared that he had attempted to record the album’s title track before dropping his Dice EP in early 2022, but felt it wasn’t at the level of perfection it deserved and held onto the song. ONEW then involved himself in every aspect of Circle‘s production process, from meticulous mixing and mastering to tuning, beats, recording and mastering, attesting to the singer-songwriter’s dedication to artistic expression.

The single “O (Circle)” opens the album with an intriguing blend of electronica and strings, while its gospel-tinged chorus emphasizes lyrics about the circular nature of life and how memories, feelings and dreams are all fleeting. The 10 tracks on Circle develop unique transformations from start to finish: the breezy melodies in “Cough” are paired with loneliness-themed lyrics and a melancholy instrumental breakdown, while “Rain on Me” starts with aggressive acoustic guitar strumming before transitioning into an atmospheric, percussive ballad. Sweet surprises abound, too: ONEW scats on the jazz-rap hybrid “Caramel” and gives a glimpse into his indie-rock side on “Parachute.”

The album’s effortless flow is anchored by ONEW’s famously solid yet understated vocals. As Circle concludes with the tender piano ballad “Always” which addresses themes of loyalty and resilience, the listener wonders if it’s an allegory for ONEW’s public journey through health challenges, including vocal cord surgery. Even without any writing credits on Circle, ONEW’s presence is undeniably felt in this seamless collection that boasts an emotional depth brought on by 15 years in the game. That’s the kind of introspection you can’t rush or doctor through A&R but need to cycle through and arrive at when the moment is right. From scheduling this album’s release to the messages on the final track, time is definitely on ONEW’s side to deliver such a project. — J.B.

source

#I'm surprised by this #not because i think the album is undeserving #but because i didnt think a publication like that would care for a work like this #but im so happy it got first place #this album is amazing #and very healing #i hope this way more people listens yo it #jinki #onew #shinee

[hachibe]

[hachibe]

DOYOUNG for Arena Homme+ Korea (November 2023)

© do0liking

#doyoung #nct

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Truly, for some men nothing is written unless they write it.

OMAR SHARIF as SHERIF ALI IBN EL KHARISH

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) | dir. David Lean

#lawrence of arabia

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GUILTY MV — taemin.

#taemin #taemin guilty

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not Taemin giving me Björk vibes in The Rizzness

#there goes two artists i would never put together but now have to #taemin #bjork #shinee #taemin guilty

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DOYOUNG for ARENA (behind) #1

#nct #kim doyoung #again. it's the velvet outfit

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DOYOUNG — DOLCE & GABBANA X ARENA BEHIND

#this outfit!!!! #nct #kim doyoung #is the velvet #and the bad rich rockstar vibes for me #no. its the beret. that's it! its the beret

[hachibe]

oh and you know they loved laika. the technicians? they called her laika globally but in the training facility they called her little bug and curly and little lemon and when they put her into the capsule, right before they closed the hatch, they kissed her nose and wished her bon voyage. they knew that she was not coming back and had already lived a hard life and yet the night before launch one of the scientists took her home to play with his children. "I wanted to do something nice for her: She had so little time left to live."

#i don't even know if this makes me more sad or not

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But the hands that built the tower of Babel knew nothing of the dream of the brain that had conceived it. One man's hymns of praise became other men's curses.

METROPOLIS (1927) | DIR. FRITZ LANG

#metropolis #why are movies not like this anymore?

[hachibe]

x

#taemin #taemin guilty

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perhaps one of my hotter takes as a queer person but i’m never coming out again. you can figure it out or live in pure ignorance but either way it’s not my problem. the worst thing society ever tried to teach us was that coming out is an obligation. it’s not. it’s a privilege for you to know the depths of who i am, my sexuality included.

#yes

[hachibe]

‘Chill Kill’ Mood Samplers

#these are killing me #red velvet

[hachibe]

norman bates was 27 years old running the bates motel. she should’ve been at the club