melissa johnson
@mjohnso.bsky.social
⭐ k-pop writer
⭐ writing at http://blog.mjohnso.com
⭐ writing at http://blog.mjohnso.com
Curious about the lack of fanfare in k-pop spaces around the Kohaku Uta Gassen participant announcement, especially in comparison to previous years
November 16, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Curious about the lack of fanfare in k-pop spaces around the Kohaku Uta Gassen participant announcement, especially in comparison to previous years
🥳🥳
An "Idol Union" is reportedly set to launch in South Korea by next year.
November 6, 2025 at 5:31 PM
🥳🥳
These two images have the same energy
November 5, 2025 at 12:13 AM
These two images have the same energy
Attended two halloween parades and so far based purely on what HUNTR/X costumes I’ve seen I would rank character popularity thusly: 1. Mira 2. Zoey 3. Rumi
October 31, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Attended two halloween parades and so far based purely on what HUNTR/X costumes I’ve seen I would rank character popularity thusly: 1. Mira 2. Zoey 3. Rumi
The law firm representing NewJeans has already announced its intention to appeal the court's ruling, so this is far from the end
Court rules NewJeans must stay with Ador, upholding exclusive contract
The Seoul Central District Court ruled Thursday that Ador’s dismissal of its former CEO Min Hee-jin does not constitute a violation of its exclusive contract wi
www.koreaherald.com
October 30, 2025 at 2:31 AM
The law firm representing NewJeans has already announced its intention to appeal the court's ruling, so this is far from the end
Nightmare ending fairy (i love it)
h2h's Ian's ability: 56 Eyeblinks in 10 seconds.
October 19, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Nightmare ending fairy (i love it)
Reposted by melissa johnson
‘I survived at 40kg’: K-pop idols speak out about extreme dieting and health struggles
www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainmen...
www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainmen...
‘I survived at 40kg’: K-pop idols speak out about extreme dieting and health struggles - The Korea Times
A growing number of K-pop idols are opening up about the physical toll of extreme dieting, sparking concern among fans over the industry’s long-sta...
www.koreatimes.co.kr
October 12, 2025 at 11:54 PM
‘I survived at 40kg’: K-pop idols speak out about extreme dieting and health struggles
www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainmen...
www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainmen...
10/10. No notes. youtu.be/a8P2ghF_JRA?...
이정현 - 와 [불후의 명곡2 전설을 노래하다/Immortal Songs 2] | KBS 251004 방송
YouTube video by KBS 레전드 케이팝
youtu.be
October 9, 2025 at 1:27 AM
10/10. No notes. youtu.be/a8P2ghF_JRA?...
Have been kicking around thoughts about Japanese pop culture/visual styles making their way into k-pop only for nugu rookie group Tomatomat to drop these teasers
September 30, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Have been kicking around thoughts about Japanese pop culture/visual styles making their way into k-pop only for nugu rookie group Tomatomat to drop these teasers
I know Lee Soo Man wants to make zalpha pop his next big thing but it just reminds me of the last time someone tried to make ‘z-pop’ happen
[MV] Z-Girls 'Streets of Gold'
YouTube video by Z-POP Dream
youtu.be
September 22, 2025 at 11:16 AM
I know Lee Soo Man wants to make zalpha pop his next big thing but it just reminds me of the last time someone tried to make ‘z-pop’ happen
Wrote about the "trainee experiences" and what they are really all about: blog.mjohnso.com/post/7949673...
So you want to be a trainee
I am too old to qualify for most entertainment agencies' auditions, but I do not feel this is a loss. Not only have I never harbored dreams of debuting as an idol or stardom, even if I had I would by....
blog.mjohnso.com
September 17, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Wrote about the "trainee experiences" and what they are really all about: blog.mjohnso.com/post/7949673...
Miss those days when we came by our nonsensical signage in k-pop music videos honestly
September 15, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Miss those days when we came by our nonsensical signage in k-pop music videos honestly
continue to be flummoxed by the weird marriage between AI music videos and city pop
이현도 (D.O) - 곁에만 있어줘 (Stay With Me) (Feat. Ailee) MV
YouTube video by Stone Music Entertainment
youtu.be
September 14, 2025 at 11:28 PM
continue to be flummoxed by the weird marriage between AI music videos and city pop
Reposted by melissa johnson
On This Day:
Red Velvet released "Dumb Dumb"
Red Velvet released "Dumb Dumb"
September 8, 2025 at 9:25 PM
On This Day:
Red Velvet released "Dumb Dumb"
Red Velvet released "Dumb Dumb"
Reposted by melissa johnson
After a couple of months on vacation, we're back with a new This Side of Japan issue! What's inside:
👻 on Perfume's "Megu-loop" and Chihayafuru: Meguri
👻 new Emma Aibara album
👻 singles by Barren Path, cyber milk chan, e5
👻 GLAY's "HOWEVER"
thissidejapan.substack.com/p/issue-96-u...
👻 on Perfume's "Megu-loop" and Chihayafuru: Meguri
👻 new Emma Aibara album
👻 singles by Barren Path, cyber milk chan, e5
👻 GLAY's "HOWEVER"
thissidejapan.substack.com/p/issue-96-u...
Issue #96: u:phobia
This Side of Japan is back to discuss the new Emma Aibara album, GLAY's "HOWEVER" and Perfume's new single for the latest Chihayafuru spin-off
thissidejapan.substack.com
September 5, 2025 at 4:52 PM
After a couple of months on vacation, we're back with a new This Side of Japan issue! What's inside:
👻 on Perfume's "Megu-loop" and Chihayafuru: Meguri
👻 new Emma Aibara album
👻 singles by Barren Path, cyber milk chan, e5
👻 GLAY's "HOWEVER"
thissidejapan.substack.com/p/issue-96-u...
👻 on Perfume's "Megu-loop" and Chihayafuru: Meguri
👻 new Emma Aibara album
👻 singles by Barren Path, cyber milk chan, e5
👻 GLAY's "HOWEVER"
thissidejapan.substack.com/p/issue-96-u...
Even though I cannot stop comparing it to the original song any time I listen to it, for the record, I am 100% on board for second-generation groups doing this, by which I mean capitalizing on the brand power they themselves accrued but did not profit from
[MV] FIESTAR(피에스타) - Vista (2025)
YouTube video by SUPER SOUND Bugs!
youtu.be
September 3, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Even though I cannot stop comparing it to the original song any time I listen to it, for the record, I am 100% on board for second-generation groups doing this, by which I mean capitalizing on the brand power they themselves accrued but did not profit from
Wrote about the summer music video in k-pop (but mostly wanted to invent an excuse to write about the MV for Yukika's "Cherries Jubiles":
Ode to Summer (Music Videos) Pt. 2
The summer music video is a great equalizer.
It blurs distinctions between popular and nugu groups as their summer music videos, regardless of whether they were filmed abroad in a tropical locale or....
blog.mjohnso.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Wrote about the summer music video in k-pop (but mostly wanted to invent an excuse to write about the MV for Yukika's "Cherries Jubiles":
First, Blingone released a cover of "Mister," and now DIVA-X released a cover of After School's "Diva" (complete with some of the original choreography)
DIVA-X DIVA M/V
YouTube video by DANAH ENTERTAINMENT
www.youtube.com
August 13, 2025 at 1:17 AM
First, Blingone released a cover of "Mister," and now DIVA-X released a cover of After School's "Diva" (complete with some of the original choreography)
FC ENM Entertainment holding auditions for members for a group they plan to debut this year, just further proves my point that the way we think of how groups are formed ( audition, train for years & agencies select from their trainee pool when making a group) is wrong, or at the very least dated
August 10, 2025 at 11:50 PM
FC ENM Entertainment holding auditions for members for a group they plan to debut this year, just further proves my point that the way we think of how groups are formed ( audition, train for years & agencies select from their trainee pool when making a group) is wrong, or at the very least dated
This perfectly articulates something I have been thinking about regarding this equivalency of the success of K-pop Demon Hunters with K-pop on the whole (or I’ve been encountering a lot of people who love that OST but have no interest in the rest of k-pop)
K-pop in 2025 is kind of frustrating as companies prioritize tours over high quality releases, but investors seem to enjoy it. notesonkpop.com/2025-k-pop-h...
2025 K-pop H1 in Review Big 4 Company Scorecard
According to The Washington Post, the sound of summer 2025 is K-pop. With K-Pop Demon Hunters winning us all over, the return of BTS confirmed now that all the members have returned to civilian life, ...
notesonkpop.com
August 4, 2025 at 11:39 PM
This perfectly articulates something I have been thinking about regarding this equivalency of the success of K-pop Demon Hunters with K-pop on the whole (or I’ve been encountering a lot of people who love that OST but have no interest in the rest of k-pop)
Reposted by melissa johnson
On This Day:
KARA released their hit track "Mr."
KARA released their hit track "Mr."
July 30, 2025 at 7:45 AM
On This Day:
KARA released their hit track "Mr."
KARA released their hit track "Mr."
Big week for k-pop x anime
July 23, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Big week for k-pop x anime
begging the tomato rookie group to really lean into this tomato thing more
[MV] 토마토맛 (Tomatomat) - 토마노바 (Tomma Nova) / Official Music Video
YouTube video by POCLANOS
youtu.be
July 17, 2025 at 1:08 AM
begging the tomato rookie group to really lean into this tomato thing more
Reposted by melissa johnson
Happy PONPONPON Day! Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's Harajuku-powered hit song from #Japan first debuted on YouTube on 7-16-2012. youtu.be/yzC4hFK5P3g?...
きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ - PONPONPON , Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - PONPONPON
YouTube video by Warner Music Japan
youtu.be
July 16, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Happy PONPONPON Day! Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's Harajuku-powered hit song from #Japan first debuted on YouTube on 7-16-2012. youtu.be/yzC4hFK5P3g?...
Mid-year rookie group checkpoint time:
Periodic Rookie Groups Report No. 25
Periodic Rookie Group Reports are a series of biannual reports that seek to put a number to how many rookie groups debut and make comebacks in a given year. For Report No. 25, I covered the activity.....
blog.mjohnso.com
July 16, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Mid-year rookie group checkpoint time: