K-pop Themed Café in Guwahati, India: Kalita Café

Eshani Bora, Guwahati, Assam When we think of going to a café to have a full-on K-pop experience in Guwahati, most people think of Kalita Café, located on the ground floor of Shoolin Grand Hotel in Rukmini Gaon, Guwahati, Assam. From walls dedicated to “Cherry Bomb” neon wall lights to pictures of many popular K-pop…

K-Interview: Songwriter & Topliner Jessica Pierpoint

Kaamaakshi Bhat, Zirakpur, Punjab Jessica Pierpoint is a Platinum Selling K-pop songwriter, topliner, and vocalist from Liverpool, UK who has worked with artists such as ITZY, FIFTY FIFTY, and PURPLE KISS. She is 24 years old and currently based in Seoul, South Korea where she works with her team and new publishing company, INHOUSE Music…

Queen Heo Hwang-ok: The Connection Between India and Korea

Haarini Balasubramaniam,  Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu Queen Heo Hwang-ok was the first queen of Geumgwan Gaya, present-day Gimhae in Southeastern Korea. She was born in 33 A.D. in India and is the legendary queen mentioned in Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) in the 13th Century. In Korea, she is known to be a native…

K-pop Idols Breaking Stereotypes

Isha Singh, New Delhi K-pop or Korean popular music has gained great popularity over the years and has been playing a crucial part in the growing Hallyu wave. But when someone hears the word K-pop, some deep-rooted perceptions engulf their minds. With the increasing popularity of Korean artists, the stereotypes associated with them are moderately…

K-Song Review: Breathe by Lee Hi

Isha Singh, New Delhi “It’s alright if you run out of breath, No one will blame you. It’s okay to make mistakes sometimes, Because anyone can do so.” Breathe is a Korean Ballad song that defines comfort and has been like a medicine to many listeners for years, especially during the pandemic. Kim Jonghyun, the…

My Travel K-pop Playlist That Keeps My Anxieties At Bay

Ashley Kumar, New Delhi Music is the best companion. Especially when you have to commute all alone to college, work, gatherings, have a flight to catch, etc. I listen to music too during my commute to work via the Delhi Metro and it takes me 50 minutes to reach there. So naturally, I have a…

K-Drama Review Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth

Chhavi. P. Sharma, Surat, Gujarat Aired on December 19th, 2016, ‘Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth’ is a drama based on the Kingdom of Silla (57 BC- 935 AD) where a group of young men formed ‘Hwarang.’ Starring Park Seo-joon, Go Ara, and Park Hyung-Sik, this series was aired every Monday and Tuesday at 22:00 (KST) till February 21, 2017. Main Cast Hwarang is a Romantic/Historical…

Superior B-Sides That Should Be On Your Playlist

Diya Nair, Kochi, Kerala Cinematic music videos, explosive choreographies, and fashion inspos for days; this is what hooks us onto the title tracks but in the midst of all this; B-sides get overshadowed by their counterparts. Here are 10 B-sides from K-Pop boy groups that you shouldn’t miss! DAY6’s Afraid Extending from the general theme…

K-DRAMA REVIEW: TO THE BEAUTIFUL YOU

Nandhini Lakshmi. M, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu “If there is such a thing as a ‘miracle’, that would be another name for ‘hard work’.” ‘To the Beautiful You’ is a rom-com school drama aired in the second half of 2012 with star-studded casts. It is the adaptation of a Japanese manga where the story revolves around…

The Second Generation of K-Pop: The Golden Age

Ashley Kumar, New Delhi: “The Golden Age” or “The Golden Era” of K-Pop debatably went from 2005 to 2012. It’s also known as the 2nd generation of K-pop. It’s called the Golden Era because second-generation groups like TVXQ!, Super Junior, Wonder Girls, BIGBANG, Miss A, Girls’ Generation, SHINee, Apink, f(x), Sistar, Infinite, Teen Top, 2PM, KARA, 2NE1, and many more, popularized K-pop and made it a trend overseas showcasing the Korean vibe in their music. This was the time when everyone knew the lyrics to songs like ‘Bonamana’, ‘Mirotic’, ‘Be Mine’, ‘Gee’, ‘Nobody’, ‘I’m The Best, ‘Mister’, ‘Ring Ding Dong’, ‘My My’, ‘Heartbeat’, and many more.