Ooh la la, we have a new song to jam out to from our beloved Lalisa! LISA recently dropped the dreamy ‘Moonlit Floor’ after performing the track at her Global Citizen Festival performance, and we’re absolutely mesmerized. It spins on Sixpence None The Richer’s ‘Kiss Me’ with a fresh take as LISA reflects on a special love that shines as bright as the Eiffel Tower at night! Contrasting the fierce songs we’ve heard from her so far, ‘Moonlit Floor’ is a dazzling, cinematic moment that will make you believe in love again.
We promise you’ll be just as smitten as we are once you check out ‘Moonlit Floor’ and the performance video below:
Let’s celebrate ‘Moonlit Floor’ and LISA’s new era with a little look at our moon signs! In astrology, your moon sign is linked to where the moon was when you were born and can symbolize your emotions, wishes, and feelings. Calculate yours and meet us back here to find out which LISA lyric describes you based on your moon!
Aries Moon: “Give me what the hell I want…”
As an Aries Moon, there’s a good chance you’re passionate and won’t let anything stand in your way! This lyric from ‘MONEY’ matches that ambition well, so sing it in your head when you need a little extra motivation to reach your goals.
Taurus Moon: “Pain has come and gone again, walked through that fire, I rediscover…”
Taureans loveeee stability, but that’s pretty impossible to find nowadays. We think this lyric from ‘New Woman’ will remind you to be your own stability! You’ve made it through every fire you’ve ever faced. Give yourself a little pat on the back and put some energy into your hobbies and growth.
Gemini Moon: “I shake up the world…”
Hey, Gemini! You probably love to shake it up and try different things in life, so let this ‘LALISA’ line be your ultimate motto. Don’t be scared to step outside of your comfort zone, because you don’t know what kinds of sweet things you’ll find.
Cancer Moon: “I’ma need to hear you say it out loud, ‘cause I love it when my name slips out your mouth…”
If you’re a Cancer moon, you most likely value a deeper relationship and want something genuine… like the love LISA describes on ‘Moonlit Floor!’ You also might value communication and support, so it makes sense to us that a line about speaking to each other would resonate with you. Are we right or are we right?
Leo Moon: “Kiss me under the Paris twilight, kiss me out on the moonlit floor…”
One of the defining traits for Leo moons is their focus on showing their loved ones how much they care and receiving that energy back. Naturally, this lyric from ‘Moonlit Floor’ is the perfect match! Keep being a hopeful romantic until you find the one that’ll sweep you off your feet in the City of Love.
Virgo Moon: “Focus on my mind, taking my time…”
Our lovely Virgo moons tend to be perfectionists and might even overthink certain situations, so this line from ‘New Woman’ is an important reminder to put your mental health first! It’s okay to take a step back from something that’s taking up too much room in your mind and focus on self-care for a little while.
Libra Moon: “I empty my head completely and burn the loud emotions…”
If you’re a Libra moon, you probably want peace and to avoid any possible conflict! We think this line from ‘LALISA’ totally matches that quality. Sometimes you have to put any loud, frustrating emotions on the back burner to preserve your well-being, and that’s completely fine. Protect your peace, Libras!
Scorpio Moon: “I’m incomparable, you gon’ still love me nonetheless…”
Scorpios tend to have a little mystique and might even cut people off if they betray their trust. It’s so important to protect your mental space and know your worth! This ‘LALISA’ lyric will help you boost your confidence and remember how amazing you are even if someone disappoints you. Their karma will be watching you shine from afar!
Sagittarius Moon: “It’s a fast life, it’s an attitude…”
If you have a Sagittarius moon, you’re probably adventurous and big on excitement. A true ‘Rockstar,’ if you ask us! Take on the world and go have fun, whether you move fast or a little slowly to get comfortable first.
Capricorn Moon: “Never down, baby, check my stats…”
Capricorn moons are full of ambition and drive, and might even put feelings aside while they pursue their dreams! This success-focused lyric from ‘Moonlit Floor’ was a no-brainer for us since it talks about LISA finding success before stepping into the magical relationship she describes in the song.
Aquarius Moon: “Been on a mission, boy, they call me catch-and-kill…”
Aquarius moons will often look at the bigger picture in any situation, so we think this ‘Rockstar’ lyric matches that goal-driven outlook! You’re so ready to kill any goal you’ve been working towards, especially if you have LISA’s music as the soundtrack. Just remember your power and how much you’ve pushed yourself to get there.
Pisces Moon: “I am standing above the sky…”
Finally, we reach our Pisces moon honeybees! With Pisces in your chart, you probably have a big imagination and a lot of empathy. We think your limitless mind and ability to sense others’ feelings, almost like you’re watching them from above, means you’d relate to this powerful ‘LALISA’ lyric.
Which lyric did you get, and do you relate to it? What do you think of LISA’s ‘Moonlit Floor?’ Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Springfield Shopper is the local paper that The Simpson family subscribes to. Writers of the show have had a field day coming up with clever headlines and visual gags.
With the show entering its thirty-sixth season this year, we weren’t able to get all of the headline gags in one post. If we missed your favourite one, be sure to share it in the comments below. CLICK HERE for part one.
August will always be one of the busiest months of the year for us. And the same goes for K-Pop groups! When we say everybody was in the studio this month, we mean everybody. But we’ll let you be the judge of that in our newest K-POP HOTSPOT!
We have SO many August K-Pop comebacks to cover, so let’s go over everything you may have missed!
THIS MONTH’S NEWS
You thought we would bombard you with music already, didn’t you? Before we get into the best part of the roundup though let us tell you some other exciting news! Do you miss BTS as much as we do? Then fear not Jungkook’s solo documentary JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL is hitting theatres on September 18th worldwide and you can find more ticket info right here. We are so excited to spend more time with our favorite maknae!
Speaking of fun things to watch did you know EPEX just released their new and fun YouTube reality series The EPEX3? If you need some laughter and sunshine don’t be shy and follow this link. We are ready to binge this one at the beach with a cool drink to be honest.
Well, we are almost done but we just wanted to let you know some news about our favorite boys from Omega X! Musically it has been a more quiet when it comes to the group but that doesn’t mean they aren’t booked and busy! Jaehan has put out an amazing OST, Yechan is booked and busy in not just one drama (Your Honor) but also a movie (Mad Dance Office) and our boy Hangyeom has been thriving with his fellow Jazz For You cast members during fan meetings. We are obsessed with seeing these boys thrive in their different career paths and can’t wait for more group activities either.
With that being said let’s get into the music now shall we?
RED VELVET
We’re kicking off our August hotspot with a special single we’ll always hold in our hearts! Red Velvet celebrate their 10th anniversary (yes, 10th!) with ‘Sweet Dreams.’ Their special video compiles behind-the-scenes clips of Red Velvet recording the track, along with a collage of music video shots. It’s crazy to see just how far they’ve come in the last 10 years, and we’re emotional knowing we got to grow up with them.
Next up, we’re highlighting ONF‘s instrumental album, Infuse! While there aren’t any new songs in this comeback, we also wanted to celebrate their seventh anniversary with them. This 51-minute-long album features 15 instrumental versions of all their hits from 2017 to now. Our favorites are ‘Your Song,’ ‘Fly Me To The Moon,’ and ‘New World!’ It’s truly a masterpiece, and we hope to see this with more groups when they do compilations or best-of albums!
If your summer playlist did not have JEON SOMI‘s ‘Ice Cream,’ was it even a summer playlist? “I’m like ice cream, Ah yeah, Ah yeah” has been ringing in our heads all month. Randomly singing and dancing? That was definitely us. Many of us have been melting over the summer from the heat, but this song cooled us down with its addictive tunes and lyrics.
Any time we get a release from our favorite INFINITE, be it group, unit, or solo, we’re there to hype it up. Member L dropped a solo album, one we’ve been needing for a while. Really, ‘What’s Not To Love’ about this release? The sweet, distinctive vocals carry us on a musical trip, from fun to emotional, and we are going along. If you ask us about our current favorite B-side pick, we’ll tell you it’s ‘Blue Summer.’ Maybe it’s because it matches the season with its fun atmosphere. Still, we definitely recommend you take a listen to the whole 24/7 tracklist.
DOYOUNG of NCT really knows how to set off our nostalgia because his new single ’17’ made us feel all the feels. DOYOUNG sings about the simpler times when we were 17 years old, and they really were so good. We’re also in love with the instrumental version, and it’s a song we can play sitting outside and basking in the sun. If you need a feel-good song to clear all your troubles, ’17’ is it!
UNIS has just released their first-ever comeback since their debut in March! Their new single, Curious, features three songs we added to our playlists on the first listen. The title track, ‘Curious,’ is a pop rock banger about getting out of your comfort zone to be the best version of yourself. The electric guitar instrumentals are so satisfying. And the two B-side tracks are just as incredible, from the empowering ‘Datin’ Myself’ to the catchy ‘Poppin!’
Another new K-Pop single we’ve been replaying nonstop is MIRAE‘s Son Dong Pyo’s ‘Wave (2024)’ and his remake of the 2001 track. Truly the perfect song to bid summer goodbye, ‘Wave’ is an addictive track that sounds refreshing with Dong Pyo’s vocals and beautiful instrumentals. Plus, the music video visuals are everything! He killed all the high notes, and we can’t wait to hear more songs from him.
LIGHTSUM is back again, and we have our eyes on them. The girls keep visiting our playlists with new songs, and, of course, we have already added ‘POSE!’ as well. Warning: This song is so fun; it will get you falling for them, and their sound will be even better if you haven’t already. Hear us out: new karaoke fave, perhaps? It is the perfect choice to sing and jump along with your besties.
Okay, we are absolutely jaw-dropped, mind-blown with BamBam‘s ‘LAST PARADE.’ That’s it; that’s our review. Just kidding, but really, are words enough to describe this banger? BamBam is tapping into a new, unexpected concept, and we’re eating it up. Our new location: 𝘉𝘈𝘔𝘌𝘚𝘐𝘚. Favorite side stops: ‘Mi Último Deseo’ and ‘Ball Like That’ having that tight grip on us.
In case you didn’t know, we at THP have been fans of CATCH THE YOUNG since their debut! They’re back with their first single album, Dream It, and it’s been on repeat for weeks. The two tracks, ‘Dream It’ and ‘Wanna Be With You,’ make us feel like we can handle anything life throws at us. From the electric guitar and bass to drums, everyone gets a solo in ‘Dream It.’ And it’s so healing. Catch The Young slayed this comeback, and what more can we say?
ICYMI, WayV has made their Japanese debut this month with The Highest, a six-track mini-album with no skips in sight! They’re proving even more that they sound good in any language. Honestly, we respect the hustle. WayV showed us a more edgy side with ‘Go Higher’ and ‘Tempo.’ But the vibey ‘Deep Ocean’ and anime soundtrack-esque ‘Bandage’ stole our hearts at first listen. Any day is a good day with The Highest playing in the background!
Mother is back to save the summer! Queen HYOLYN is back with an iconic summer single called ‘Wait.’ We’ve been obsessing over the groovy island vibes of this track. The choreography is killer, but we already knew Hyolyn would eat it up. What’s even more iconic about this song is that Hyolyn filmed it in the Philippines, which has officially moved up our bucket list! Have y’all seen the visuals?!
Next on our August K-Pop hotspot is fromis_9‘s third single album, Supersonic! If you’ve been sleeping on them, then this is your chance to stan! The title track, ‘Supersonic,’ is one of our favorite summer songs by far. Catch us singing the chorus at random times throughout the day. ‘Beat The Heat’ and ‘Take A Chance’ are such high-quality B-side tracks, too! These girls have really come into their own sound with this comeback, and we didn’t skip a single song.
Did someone say collab of the summer? Because HUI and Kwon Eunbi‘s new song, ‘Easy Dance,’ is here to steal the show! We weren’t expecting such an iconic pairing, but their voices make so much sense together. As the title suggests, it’s an incredibly easy song for us to dance to and vibe along with. Their Waterbomb performance is one for the record books, and we can only imagine how hyped it would’ve been to see this song live!
While we’re on the topic of iconic, KARD has returned after more than a year since their last comeback! Only weeks after celebrating their seventh anniversary, KARD starts a new era with their seventh mini-album, Where To Now? (Part.1 : Yellow Light). We’re SO here for it! ‘Tell My Momma’ as their title track is a brilliant move, and it’s a refreshing and romantic song about falling in love with someone so quickly and wanting to tell your mom about them. Our favorite B-sides are ‘Waste My Time’ and ‘SHIMMY SHIMMY,’ but the whole EP is worth a listen. Or 1092923838 listens. It’s up to you.
LUN8 also whipped up some good tunes for us this August with 𝘈𝘞𝘈𝘒𝘌𝘕𝘐𝘕𝘎. You know we love the boys in this house. How would we skip on ushering you to check out their new album and the title track ‘WHIP.’ You need one listen to be hooked, test it out, and tell us if we’re right. Listening to the title makes us take a step back and feel free from our daily worries. And if a title isn’t enough and you don’t know where to start with the B-sides, we highly recommend you check out ‘DELULU.’
We love it when K-POP meets Latin Pop, and we’ve been truly blessed with ‘New Woman!’ K-POP queen Lisa and Latin Pop princess Rosalía truly soundtracked the end of our summer with this iconic collab. Intertwining electropop and EDM topped with metallic sounds, the song is super captivating. Rosalía’s verse truly brings in that twist that keeps us on our toes, yet it just works. We love it!
Our talented flowers, MIMIIROSE, dropped new music, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s the nudge you need. We live for the vocals in that chorus of ‘The flowers swayed.’ A refreshing song about the worries we all experience at one point in life and the uplifting, encouraging message that everything will be alright because no flower blooms without being swayed a little bit. So, if you need that push to keep going and not give up, this is the release for you.
We’re getting fed all of August with these K-Pop comebacks! SF9‘s 14th mini-album, Fantasy, blew our every expectation out of the water. The title track, ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy,’ has taken over our brains with its addictive chorus and positive message. Don’t miss out on their B-side tracks, like ‘Just’ and ‘Melodrama.’ We really can’t stop listening to this EP.
The ultimate weekend anthem: DRIPPIN‘s ‘Weekend.’ We feel energized listening to this release. It’s giving us the bright, contagious DRIPPIN vibe and is perfect for that downtime we get after a busy week. Or even to prepare us for it. This comeback may be a single album of only three songs, but it has our hearts locked. We’re grooving to ‘Fly High’ any chance we get and are particularly obsessed with ‘TIME.’
Can you smell this too? Yeah, that’s ‘Sexy In The Air’ You read that right; no other than our favorite boy, Taemin, graced us with his groovy and recognizable music this past month. We knew from the moment Eternal was announced that this one would be one for the books. Taemin proved yet again how he knows what suits him best, and even under a new company, he kept his signature sound. Songs you should check out from the album are definitely ‘Deja Vu’ and ‘Horizon!’
August is for the girl groups! We said what we said. ILY:1 delivers another stellar comeback with their third mini-album, illang:Firework! These girls are so underrated, and we’d love nothing more than to put everyone we know onto ILY:1. ‘illang (Firework)’ is a summer bop at its core, and their vocals never disappoint. ‘Ocean View’ and ‘I MY ME MINE’ are our favorite B-side tracks, and we’re blessed to get the instrumental versions for all four new songs.
Y’all don’t know Gyeongree’s new single album, Eternal Bloom, like we do. We’ve been waiting for 9MUSES’ Gyeongree to comeback for years, and she’s finally here! ‘Cherry’ is everything we’ve been missing in K-Pop, and it’s such a sweet and infectious song. The music video is absolutely adorable (and relatable). Gyeongree’s dreamy vocals also shine through in the B-side’ Butterflies,’ and we could listen to Eternal Bloom all day.
YOUNG POSSE has proven time after time just how they’re bringing the fun and silliness back to K-Pop! With a GTA-inspired concept for their third mini-album, ATE THAT, we get four new songs that all hooked us during our first listen. The title track, ‘ATE THAT,’ and its music video had us crying laughing. And yes, they definitely ‘ATE THAT.’ We want to be in the room where they come up with ideas because everything is genius. YOUNG POSSE absolutely slayed their B-sides, but we expected nothing less from these girls.
Moonbyul has blessed us with another comeback after a successful FULL album in February and a concert tour this year! But we aren’t complaining! Starlit of Twinkle : Repackage has three brand new songs and the English version of ‘TOUCHIN&MOVIN.’ Her title track, ‘Is This Love?’ is a cute song about her “friend’s friend” who may be in love with a guy. And this song is not about Moonbyul, as she’s already made that clear. (*wink wink*) She’s such a meme, and we love her for it.
Next on our K-Pop Hotspot is Ryu Sujeong‘s new English single, ‘White Dress!’ We can never get tired of Sujeong’s angelic voice; it’s just so soothing. In the music video for ‘White Dress,’ we see her strutting around the city in a wedding dress, shadowboxing, and playing guitar in the park. We now fully believe she’s an angel, and we’re expeditiously adding ‘White Dress’ to our wedding playlist.
This next K-Pop comeback may be a little different from what you’re used to hearing, but we love it! Super Junior’s Sungmin is back with a solo release: a trot song called ‘YO.YO.YO.’ And we definitely enjoyed it more than we expected. Sungmin’s voice is so well-suited for trot, and we were brought back to the early 2000s with this song! He contrasts the upbeat title track with the beautiful ballad, ‘Brilliant Days,’ and we’re beyond obsessed.
VIXX‘s Ken, you never fail to bring us to tears with your voice. His gift mini-album, Consolation & Love, hits us right in the feels. The title track, ‘너에게,’ shows us why Ken is the reigning king of ballads. He hits high notes so effortlessly, and we’re truly honored that we can keep listening to his music. The simple music video for ‘너에게’ showcasing his live vocals speaks for itself. Ken even gave us a music video for his B-side, ‘Love Day,’ which was much more than we could ask of him.
How is ‘Rains in Heaven’ NCT DREAM‘s first English single? Because we need more of these heartfelt songs! This healing track is a huge comfort to us, and we’re officially making it the highlight of our summer soundtrack. As long as the sun’s still out, we’ll play this song on our drives to nowhere with all the windows down. And we’re so jealous of everyone who’ll get to hear this song live on their tour.
A Jun.K solo single wasn’t on our 2024 bingo, but we are here for it! ‘Paint This Love’ is a groovy R&B track about how love can ease your past troubles and create something beautiful from something painful. Jun.K sings as if our hearts and souls are canvases. His song is literally a work of art, and we’re so excited to hear his voice again. Now we’re off to find more metaphors for how at home ‘Paint This Love’ makes us feel.
Just over a year after their last comeback, OH MY GIRL, AKA our summer queens, are back with their 10th mini-album, Dreamy Resonance! First off, the album art is absolutely magical. And second, the title track, ‘Classified,’ is exactly the type of dreamy fairy concept we’ve been missing. But the best part of this EP is the subunit B-sides. These duets are as lovely as can be, and we can’t pick our favorites even if we want to!
Guess who’s finally made their official solo debut? The one and only Jaehyun of NCT with his new album, J! And if his pre-release songs ‘Dandelions’ and ‘Roses’ were any indication, they’d tell us how high-quality and versatile this album is from start to finish. The music video for his title track, ‘Smoke,’ looks like it came straight from a movie. It warms our hearts to see Jaehyun going all out for this release, especially since it’s been such a long time.
Our August hotspot has been a month for so many single albums, and we can’t stop listening! NOWADAYS has just released their second single, NOWHERE, and it’s banger after banger. The title track, ‘Why Not?’ is an upbeat dance track about how having a massive crush on someone feels. The music video has the best kind of energy, and we’re impressed by their charisma.
Everyone say, “Thank you, Woosung” for making us cry! His new single, ‘Day That I Died,’ is a hauntingly beautiful song about losing the most important person in your life. And all you can do is replay the last moments you two had together. We want to know how Woosung captures so much raw emotion in his vocals. He sings with his soul, and we’ll keep this song in our heartbreak playlist forever.
Our solo queen CHUNG HA is back with a brand new single! Who else is as hyped as us? ‘Algorithm’ reminds us so much of her ‘Roller Coaster’ era, IYKYK. The iconic cameos in the music video are everything, from Uhm Junghwa to Gabee! The chorus and choreography are too addictive. We need every club around us to blast this song immediately, and we’ll be throwing our own dance party with ‘Algorithm’ on repeat!
DOHANSE shows us a new color of his music in his second solo EP, BLUESSOM. We already knew how versatile he is as an artist, but this mini-album only cements it. His signature punk rock sound still shines through. And the double title tracks, ‘Blue Night’ and ‘Milky Way,’ contrast each other incredibly. ‘Blue Night’ feels like a breezy summer night, while ‘Milky Way’ belongs in a morning motivation playlist.
Our 2024 is now complete with Bang Yedam‘s comeback! He’s back with his second mini-album, GOOD ViBES, and we’ve already broken our replay button for this release. Not only did he write lyrics for all six songs, but he also contributed to composing and arranging each B-side track. His rapping in ‘We Good’ had our jaws on the floor because how can one man be so talented at everything? There’s nothing but good vibes in the EP!
It feels like the summer isn’t over with WEi’s ‘LOVE2YOU.’ This lovely single, filled with refreshing tunes and a music video with cool summery vibes, is the perfect end for the hot August days. But while it has a rather bright vibe, the song is about the feeling of missing someone special. The intense longing delivered by the boys makes this our new favorite single, no doubt. Just like summer, despite it sometimes being a bit too much with its scorching hot days, we will surely miss it once it’s gone. While it may not be the same feeling, ‘LOVE2YOU’ will give us some sentimental emotions over the warm season, as well.
AleXa continues her journey through 2000s pop-punk nostalgia with her latest single, ‘Joy Of Missing Out,’ and this time, she’s preaching to introverts. In this edgy-sounding song, AleXa sings about the preference of skipping out on big events and busy crowds and why having a party for one is more fun. And honestly? It’s a complete mood!
Yves is back with a new digital single only a few months after her solo debut! ‘Tik Tok’ is a chill, lowkey song about taking your time. The music video looks like a travel vlog, and we love seeing Yves having fun and enjoying her time as a tourist. (Yves travel channel next?) Yves’ voice is so comforting, and we already can’t wait for her next comeback!
There is no better way to end our August hotspot than this. We couldn’t believe we got a FIESTAR reunion and comeback in 2024! We’re getting emotional listening to the 2024 version of their hit ‘You’re Pitiful.’ It hits even harder knowing the lengths Cao Lu went through to buy the copyrights of this song so they could remake it in time for their 12th anniversary. ‘You’re Pitiful’ is truly a timeless song!
August K-Pop comebacks never fail to amaze us! And we sure had a stacked month for this K-POP HOTSPOT!
What was your favorite August comeback? Which ones are you most excited about for next month? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
The solo career of Blackpink‘s Lisa, who has long been widely pegged for success outside the group, will get a bigger look in the U.S. when she plays a set in September at the Global Citizen Festival, becoming the fifth official headliner at that annual philanthropic concert event in Central Park.
Festival organizers are touting it as Lisa’s first solo performance at a music festival. But that’s only one of the qualifications by which it counts as a rarity, to date. She’s only made a handful of solo appearances, period, so far, the most recent of which was a three-song set in Paris in January. No touring plans have yet been announced, so her presence on the bill guarantees a big global streaming tune-in for the performance.
The announcement Tuesday morning about Lisa fills in the mystery that was left after a fifth headlining TBA slot was left publicly unfilled when Global Citizen announced the initial four headliners — Post Malone, Doja Cat, Jelly Roll and Rauw Alejandro.
Hosted by Hugh Jackman, the concert takes place Sept. 28. Tickets are free, albeit earned by “taking action” to further Global Citizen’s goals — which include “defeating poverty, defending the planet and demanding equity” for marginalized communities — on either the org’s app or at globalcitizenfestival.com.
“We are thrilled to join forces with Lisa for what will be her first ever solo performance at a music festival,” said Katie Hill, who serves as Global Citizen’s SVP and head of music, entertainment and artist relations, in a statement. “Lisa is not only an incredible performer, but also a powerful advocate, leveraging her voice and platform to drive action on some of the most urgent challenges our world is facing. We look forward to welcoming Lisa, and of course Lilies and Blinks, to Central Park in September.” Hill further implored fans to “join us by taking action on the Global Citizen app, and together we can make a huge impact to end extreme poverty.”
Lisa, the Thai rapper, singer and dancer who has emerged as a favorite among many of the South Korean girl group’s fans, has been having a good week with the successful international rollout of “Rockstar,” the first single released under the partnership between RCA Records and her management company, Lloud Co.
Billboard announced Monday that “Rockstar” debuted at the top of its Global Excl. U.S. chart. She became the third Blackpink member to have a No. 1 hit on that chart. On Billboard’s Global 200, which measures success in the U.S. alongside all other world territories, “Rockstar” bowed at No. 4.
In the seven days following the song’s June 28 release, Billboard says, “Rockstar” racked up 94.2 million streams in the territories that contribute to the Global Excl. U.S. chart.
Global Citizen has not yet unveiled full streaming details for music fans who want to tune in in September, but the org previously listed iHeartMedia as the concert’s exclusive U.S. audio partner. Live Nation is the production partner, with Done and Dusted and Diversified Production Services serving as the event’s producers.
Will the Fallout TV Series Radiate the Tone of the Video Games?
Variety, Deadline, and the Hollywood Reporter all shared the news, with THR including this statement from Amazon MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke: “Jonah [Nolan, co-producer], Lisa [Joy, co-producer], Geneva [Robertson-Dworet, co-showrunner and writer], and Graham [Wagner, co-showrunner and writer] have captivated the world with this ground-breaking, wild ride of a show. The bar was high for lovers of this iconic video game and so far we seem to have exceeded their expectations, while bringing in millions of new fans to the franchise … We are thrilled to announce season two after only one week out and take viewers even farther into the surreal world of Fallout.”
The renewal confirmation comes on the heels of reports in Variety and elsewhere that season two will film in California to take advantage of $25 million in tax credits—a shift that will definitely add fuel to speculation that the show could continue its adventures in New Vegas, as seen in the games.
THR also has a quote from Nolan and Joy, whose previous sci-fi projects include the prematurely cancelled Westworld: “Praise be to our insanely brilliant showrunners, Geneva and Graham, to our kick-ass cast, to Todd and James and all the legends at Bethesda, and to Jen, Vernon, and the amazing team at Amazon for their incredible support of this show. We can’t wait to blow up the world all over again.”
The members of Blackpink suddenly seem like they’re almost angling for the title of Queens of Christmas, as the holiday season has seen a flurry of three big announcements or releases — including Lisa choosing Christmas Eve to drop her cover of a Britney Spears holiday perennial, “My Only Wish (This Year).”
The group has big plans for the day after Christmas, too, with a virtual-reality concert showcase, “Blackpink: A VR Encore,” set to stream on Dec. 26.
The third piece of Blackpink news came earlier on Christmas Eve when the group member Jennie announced directly to fans that she would be launching her own label and company, OA, in the new year
While fans who want in on Jennie’s product line will experience a bit of delayed gratification, Lisa’s Britney cover was something they could unwrap immediately. (Watch it below.)
Lisa is best known as Blackpink’s primary rapper and dancer, so her cover of Spears’ lone holiday song marked a vocal departure from her usual rapping persona.
“Christmas present for my Blinks… Have a wonderful holiday,” wrote Lisa on her Instagram account before dropping her Spears cover onto her YouTube channel, accompanied by a holiday-themed, romantic cinematic escapade shot in Paris.
The surprise cover revives a Spears song originally found on Jive Records’ 2000 all-label holiday album, “Platinum Christmas,” which additionally featured then-top label artists such as NSYNC, Santana, Christina Aguilera, Backstreet Boys and R. Kelly.
“My Only Wish (This Year)” is Lisa’s first solo work since 2021’s “Lalisa” album and that year’s non-LP single, “SG” with DJ Snake, Ozuna and Megan Thee Stallion. Earlier this year, Lisa was a featured guest on “Shoong!” from South Korean singer-songwriter and dancer Taeyang.
For fans wanting to see the full group in action, “Blackpink: A VR Encore” is set to air Dec. 26 at 5 p.m. PT on Meta Horizon Worlds and features the final show from Blackpink’s global 2023 tour in support of “Born Pink.”
The K-girl group dropped a trailer earlier this week for the VR special, which will viewable by owners of the special headsets, teased with the legend “Take a front row seat as Blackpink performs some of their biggest hits and unlock a limited-edition K-pop inspired emote! To get rewarded, set off a confetti balloon on the dance floor in Music Valley.”
Singer-actress Jennie’s is apparently looking to start 2024 off with new product, not fresh recordings. After acting in the Weeknd’s much-maligned HBO series, “The Idol,” she dropped her own new song in October with “You & Me.” But at the moment, she appears to be focused on product lines apart from music.
“OA, which stands for Odd Atelier, is a space that aims to create new things that attract attention in a different way from what is usual or expected,” she wrote. before showing off several OA-branded hoodies.
It remains to be seen whether Jisoo and Rosé will make their own power moves in the near future.
Along with headlining Coachella earlier in 2023, Blackpink (only the third K-pop ensemble to top the Billboard 200 album chart, with 2022’s “Born Pink”) renewed exclusive contracts as a quartet and as soloists with YG Entertainment, the South Korean talent agency, record label, production company, concert group and music publishing house.
After a cheating scandal in their 10th season left viewers reeling, the cast members of reality show Vanderpump Rules reunited this week to air grievances, defend their decisions, and hopefully provide some sort of conclusion for their fans. Many longtime viewers have made up their minds and taken sides, and there are some things you might want to avoid saying to one of them.
I hollered while I was watching the Genshin Impact update stream. Aside from giving players free stuff (arguably the least exciting part of being a Genshin enjoyer) during China’s biggest holiday, the developers teased something that I suspected all along: The hyper-secretive Alhaitham could be the most interesting character of the current Sumeru storyline. To everyone who believed the lore that said Alhaitham was just some dude: Did you also believe that the immortal Zhongli was just some dude? Come on, now.
First, a bit of context. Within the current storyline, Genshin players have occasionally encountered Alhaitham, an unassuming scribe who presents himself as an ordinary, boring government employee. Here’s how the update stream amusingly blew the lid off of that idea: One of Genshin’s writers was introducing Alhaitham as a secretary who had helped players save an imperiled goddess from his own government. HoYoverse’s CEO Da Wei asked: “This is the ‘feeble scholar’ Alhaitham?” playfully referencing the way the bureaucrat had described himself in front of the protagonist. The writer started laughing on the spot.
A significant portion of the Genshin fandom believed that Alhaitham was truly just some guy trying to live his life, hence the origin of the feeble scholar joke. Psych. Although he rejected the highest government position in the country, his own peers will force him to become their leader in the near future. So we’ll be seeing a lot more of this feeble scholar trying to pull his country together during the next major story patch.
Some fans are devastated at the possibility that Alhaitham might be important. It’s okay. You’ll get through this somehow. Personally, I think HoYoverse already gave us plenty of hints. When he talked about the plight of scholars who were “disappeared” for developing mental illnesses, he was clearly hiding exactly how much he knew about their plight. I’m starting to suspect that he’s keeping a low profile because of something that happened in his past.
My Alhaitham thirst aside, here are the other highlights from the stream:
A new desert area
The Desert of Hadramaveth will continue the lore-heavy storyline of the mercenary Jeht and her mechanical companion. The academics of Sumeru believed that the ancient king of the Eremites (a marginalized racial group) was an awful tyrant. This narrative has been used as justification to marginalize the Eremites. Previous quests have suggested that the truth is more complicated, and players will be able to find out more in the near future. Since Genshin has a tendency to lock areas behind certain quests, you should finish “Golden Slumber” and the new “The Dirge of Bilqis” before trying to explore Hadramaveth.
The Lantern Rite festival
Genshin has a Chinese New Year-inspired event every year, and it’s coming in the next patch, bringing with it new minigames that you can play. Completing them will award you premium currency and other useful items. If you finish enough minigames, you’ll also be able to redeem one free 4-star character. Last year, I wrote up a useful guide on which character to pick. The new healer Yaoyao is included in 2023’s lineup.
The wind god Venti will be visiting the China-inspired region for the festival, which has sent shippers into a frenzy about their favorites meeting onscreen for the first time. Congratulations, Xiaoven shippers. Your time has finally come after almost three years of waiting.
New characters
MY BOY ALHAITHAM IS FINALLY HERE. I know that there’s a high chance that you’ve seen the leaks. But HoYoverse still has a couple of weeks to tweak his kit, so remember that he might not be as powerful or weak as leaks may suggest. That’s not accounting for the possibility of mistranslations (Raiden Shogun) or changes (Zhongli, Yae Miko). YouTubers are already panicking over leaks about an alleged Alhaitham nerf that would hurt his damage potential.
But those are invisible damage multipliers. It’s much harder for the developers to change things that they’ve already revealed in the livestream. So far, it seems like Alhaitham is intended to be either a DPS or a sub-DPS character. His ability allows him to gain Dendro application, and Dendro is a reaction element. So his kit facilitates keeping him on-field while being supported by off-field characters such as Raiden Shogun or Kokomi.
Yaoyao is a support character who should be easier to obtain due to her lower gacha rarity. She will be our first ever Dendro healer, which gives her a niche that no other character has at present. But before you dump all your primogems into her banner, I’d suggest you wait. You can get a free copy of her by playing the Lantern Rite event. So if you want her, I suggest grinding for her instead of going all-in on the gacha.
Alhaitham and Yaoyao will be available during the first half of the patch. Xiao will also have his rerun during this period. You’ll be able to pull for Hu Tao and Yelan during the second half. So be sure to plan carefully, or you might find yourself spending more than you intended.
Ayaka and Lisa are getting new skins
Okay, don’t get too excited. Though I think it’s interesting that they’ve used a European design for Ayaka’s skin, I don’t feel like it’s an improvement over her default outfit. Her original clothes balanced her light-colored design with deep blue hues. This spring-hued dress seems blinding in comparison.
Lisa’s outfit is based on her academy days, and it’s… fine, I guess? Lisa is one of the most underwhelming characters in the game, and I gave up on raising her levels long ago. This plain school uniform doesn’t compel me to use her any more often. I feel like this one was a miss. Stop trying to make Lisa happen, HoYoverse. She’s not going to happen without a significant buff.
Genshin Impact’s update will be available starting from January 18.
2022 was the year that Genshin Impact’s developer rebranded to HoYoverse to convey its ambitions for expanding its offerings to global audiences. It was also the year when players left the Japan-inspired region behind in order to explore Sumeru—a nation based on Southwest Asia, South Asia, and North Africa (SWANA).
Not all changes were warmly received. The Sumeru leaks received significant backlash for colorism, orientalism, and fetishization, but mechanical changes to exploration and resource gathering were welcome. And the new Dendro element made the combat feel exciting and new again. Which makes it an even bigger shame that not everyone can enjoy playing Genshin without reservations. I know that light-skinned folks from the SWANA region exist, but it even feels awkward to me that every city-dwelling NPC with an Arabic name is light-skinned. For a game that sells the idea of an immersive world, Sumeru kept taking me out of it.
It also sucks that we’re not getting a new endgame mode. But I find the new card game so much fun that I don’t really care. I can’t wait for more people to learn the rules so that I can squash them in Genius Invokation matches.
Here are the fun additions to the game, the grievances both new and old, and controversies that tore its community apart.
The Good
Screenshot: HoYoverse / Kotaku
Sumeru transforms open world exploration
After months of burnout, the addition of a new North Africa/Southwest Asia/South Asia inspired region helped Genshin feel like a fresh open world game. I absolutely adored zipping around the forest canopies and waterfalls, which allowed me to explore more of the map than I otherwise would have. I just wish that the designers kept it up for the more recently introduced desert area, which still demands that I leg boringly plain distances.
The Dendro element revives disfavored characters
Remember how bummed the community would get whenever it was revealed that a cool new character would have thunder powers? Electro was once widely considered the worst element, and for good reason. Its reactions with other elements weren’t as powerful unless a character was built as a rare physical attacker. Its main role was to provide energy particles—but there are other ways to gain energy. Using an electro character was almost considered a waste of a party slot.
Sumeru Preview Teaser 01: The Fascinating Dendro Element | Genshin Impact
Not anymore. The new “quicken” reaction allows Electro characters to cause additional damage that scales with their “Elemental Mastery” stat. This means that Fischl is now one of the most valuable characters in the game (Yes, yes, I know about taser comp), Yae Miko becomes an absolute DPS monster, and Lisa becomes viable for the first time since Genshin launched.
I’ve always hated how certain gacha characters are more “meta” than others, and that rarely changed without some kind of numbers buff. Genshin is constantly reinventing its meta by adding new ways that powers can interact with each other, and I’m absolutely living for it.
The Japan-inspired region finally earns its tragic gravitas
Last year, I wrote that the Inazuma storyline was kinda mid, and the best stories were found in the mundane sidequests. The writing felt weak, and I worried that the developers couldn’t sustain the previous narrative quality while releasing live service updates for a new region. My concerns were quickly dispelled with the new year.
HoYoverse released an underwater sub-region with some of the creepiest lore in the game so far. The quests of Enkanomiya are full-throated about how the current rulers of Teyvat are genocidal conquerors from another world. This was heavily implied if you bothered to read the 139,847,934 tomes of in-game lore. Most people (understandably) didn’t. This subregion is technically “optional,” but I don’t think it should be.
Version 2.4 “Fleeting Colors in Flight” Trailer | Genshin Impact
None of the Enkanomiya quests are mandatory. But Genshin trusts a significant portion of its players to care about these injustices, and the rewards for following the breadcrumb trails are sublime. When I ran a dozen fetch quests for faceless NPCs, I wasn’t thinking about the premium currency that I could earn. I was thinking of the Sunchildren, ancient puppet rulers who were burned alive before adulthood. How did their story end? For all the jokes that the Genshin community is primarily motivated by primogems, we’re even more obsessive about good stories.
For those who don’t have the patience to explore all of Enkanomiya, the second part of Raiden Shogun’s storyline is much easier to digest. I liked that this arc relied more heavily on emotional beats and well-paced writing rather than flashy animations. Earlier quests had fancy special effects, but they couldn’t save the main scenario from feeling rushed and poorly constructed.
The storytelling becomes more mature
2022 is when Genshin started making NPCs more important to its central storyline than ever before. We met compelling side characters in Inazuma last year, but some of the rawest lines I’ve ever heard were from random soldiers and explorers in the spring Chasm update. And the sickly heiress we meet in the main quest scenario was the real star who outshone our overpowered heroes. Genshin isn’t the first video game to say that ordinary people are the protagonists of their own lives, but HoYoverse is committed to actually showing it.
I also wanted to give a quick shoutout to the animated cutscenes, which have been improving drastically over the past year. I’m not talking about the technical improvements, but how Genshin uses more varied camera shots to create scenes that feel like movies (rather than talking heads).
Genius Invokation TCG
Genshin’s take on Gwent has become my new favorite reason to log into the game. I love this card minigame because it never feels like I’m truly backed into a corner. The mechanics are forgiving, and the rules allow me to convert useless resources into more helpful ones. So if one of my characters falls, it feels like I actually earned that L.
Best of all, there’s no gacha component in Genius Invokation. I was worried that I would have to grind matches endlessly for booster packs, but I just have to buy individual cards straight from the shop. It’s such a welcome reprieve from yelling at my screen because I flubbed my artifact rolls again.
Genshin is getting an anime
HoYoverse is partnering with the anime studio Ufotable to produce an animated series, which is the best news to come out all fall. Ufotable has produced crowd pleaser hits such as Demon Slayer and Fate, and hey also produce animation for video games such as the Tales series. Their work is sheer wizardry, and now they’ll be animating the biggest weeb game in the world.
The Genshin fandom rarely agrees on anything. So it’s nice that we can get such a massive collective W like this.
The Chinese opera revival
Chinese opera is widely considered to be a dying art, yet HoYoverse chose to include it in the main quest scenario that happened around Chinese New Year. The character Yun Jun is an opera singer, her design is based on the performers’ outfits, and she has a real opera singer as her second voice actress. After the update was released, millions of people got to experience a cultural artform that they had never seen before.
Story Teaser: The Divine Damsel of Devastation | Genshin Impact
This wasn’t just an important moment for the Chinese diaspora who have had less palatable aspects of their culture maligned. It was meaningful to all the YouTube and Twitter commenters who never knew that Chinese opera could convey such profound emotion. Yun Jin’s performance didn’t just move her own audience, but people of different nationalities around the world.
The Bad
Image: HoYoverse / Kotaku
Farming mats in Sumeru is awful
Everything is spaced so far apart, and the only multi-node resources are cooking ingredients. And good luck if you need any scarabs—the little bastards are almost impossible to see in the desert sand unless they’re scurrying away as you approach. Worst of all, none of the useful flowers can be grown in the housing system right now. So good luck—especially if you don’t have the premium 5 star Nahida to help you gather flowers from the cliffsides.
The conflicting quest backlog situation is getting ridiculous
It used to be that new players couldn’t access newer content until they finished enough of the main quest. Now older players are being hit by the unwieldy quest log too. If you accept certain sidequests too early, then you can be locked out of the main quest scenario.
I’d understand if there was some kind of chronology requirement, but the game is doing this solely to prevent an NPC from being in two places at once. This is incredibly silly, and I hope that the developers will get rid of it soon.
Game delays due to the coronavirus lockdowns
While other gaming companies had to push their release dates because of the pandemic, HoYoverse seemed to be the only studio that seemed delay-proof. That ended when Shanghai underwent severe lockdowns and food crises. Genshin experienced its first delay since its 2020 release at the end of April. The housing system was locked in maintenance mode, and Ayaka Kamisato had the longest gacha banner in the game’s history… but only by a period of two weeks. It seems that not even coronavirus lockdowns can stop HoYoverse’s developers for long.
HoYoverse announces that Genshin will not have endgame content
Oh boy. There’s never been any doubt that Genshin is a game catered towards casual players. But the combat is so well-designed that many meta-centric players latched on early, so they felt like they were being slapped in the face when the developers confirmed that the Spiral Abyss would be the only endgame for the foreseeable future.
The Spiral Abyss is a challenge dungeon in which players can clear four new levels every six weeks. It’s a DPS check where players try to kill all the enemies within a certain amount of time. Every time the Spiral Abyss refreshes, the fights also come with new conditions. But it’s still stuff that you can clear in a single evening, rather than an endless endgame mode.
Here’s why this is such a big deal: Some of the most competitive players have been spending large amounts of money to get extra abilities and weapons from the gacha. So there’s the feeling that HoYoverse owes them more challenge modes in which they can test their gameplay prowess. Right now, most of the studio’s development muscle has been focused on story-centric events and challenges that are catered towards players who don’t have a lot of characters. HoYoverse understands that appeasing the casual players is what gives F2P games their longevity. But it still sucks to see that a passionate section of the community is being thoroughly neglected.
The Ugly
Image: HoYoverse / Kotaku
Sumeru is too white
As usual, Genshin’s upcoming gacha characters leaked far ahead of their official announcements. Many people were disappointed that the Chinese RPG continued its tradition of populating the world with mostly light-skinned characters. Previous nations were based on Germany, China, and Japan, so fans expected more melanin variation from a fictional country based on North Africa, Southwest Asia, and South Asia. People also pointed out that Liyue and Inazuma were based on specific East Asian countries. It sucked that Sumeru seems to be a hodgepodge of multiple cultures and nations.
While there are dark-skinned NPCs with sympathetic backstories, the gacha characters are the “protagonists” of the game. The majority of those originating from Sumeru are light-skinned, and no canonically Black characters currently exist in the game at all. Gacha is a video game genre that sells personal attachment and sex appeal. Whether or not HoYoverse includes darker characters isn’t a matter of “wokeness” as some delightful commenters say—it’s a question of whether or not HoYoverse considers melanated skin to be desirable. So far, the answer seems to be “Sometimes, but not past a certain point.”
We knew this was coming. HoYoverse did not have a good reputation with how they portrayed darker-skinned characters even before Sumeru had been released. But a lot of players had hoped that the studio would be listening to feedback and taking the community’s feelings into account. There’s still time to fill the roster with more diverse characters, but the period of goodwill seems to have passed.
HoYoverse accused of bribing fans for votes at The Game Awards
Seasoned gacha players know that they’ll give out premium currency for almost anything. Anniversary? Here’s some gacha money. Maintenance went on too long? We have apology money. HoYoverse usually distributes some currency every time that Genshin wins an award, and the internet wasn’t happy about it. Specifically, the Sonic Frontiers fandom started to accuse HoYoverse of buying votes with in-game currency. Some even suspected the fandom of using bots to cheat in a popularity contest.
There were several reasons for this. First, Sonic Frontiers was neck-and-neck with Genshin in the polls, but it’s a single-player game that can’t use premium currency for marketing. Second, there’s the perception that the studio had already cheated by entering a game from 2020 into the running. Thirdly, it’s a common perception that most Genshin players are gambling addicts. It wasn’t just the unsubstantiated botting accusations that were ugly, but the casual ableism that gamers threw out in order to justify their hatred of Genshin. There are valid reasons to criticize companies, it’s what we do here all the time. But something has gone horribly wrong when gamers will use mental health as ammunition against a community that they know little about.
Genshin did go on to win the Player’s Vote award, and every player received enough currency for five rolls—or around $12.
A high schooler is accused of “satanism” for painting a Genshin character
Satanic panic in 2022? You read that correctly. Michigan parents bullied a teenager at a school board meeting after she painted a queer-positive mural as part of an official school contest. One of the contested images was the mask worn by the Genshin character Xiao. He’s an evil spirit hunter, so it’s more accurate to say that Xiao is the anti-Satan.
I’m not invested in defending his honor to some Republican parents, but I do think homophobia and xenophobia is shitty. Maybe worry a little more about how your kids will feel while living in a bigoted community rather than if a video game character’s mask is promoting Satanism.
Looking to the future of Genshin Impact
Sumeru’s story arc hasn’t concluded, andthere are still so many remaining questions about capital Genshin nouns such as the Scarlet King, Irminsul, and the Descenders, or where Istaroth went after saving Enkanomiya from the Dragonheirs. Every year of lore updates seems to bring up far more questions than answers, so I’ll likely be trapped in this gacha hell with the rest of the community for the entire ride.
HoYoverse usually releases a major nation every year, and our next destination is the France-based region of Fontaine. This is where the god of justice resides, but I find this a little ironic. It says in the lore that she’s not willing to challenge the divine—the rulers in Celestia who have colonized this world and caused multiple genocides against its inhabitants. How could she be just if she won’t challenge the rulers who demand the world’s fealty by force? By now, I know that HoYoverse has a good answer planned. We just need to wait an entire year to find out what it is.
BTS Jungkook at FIFA World Cup 2022: Golden Maknae has a priceless interaction with a little girl who says, ‘I know who are you but I don’t know your name’
It’s very easy to look back on the last 25 years of The Simpsons and write it off as being rubbish because, well, for the most part it has been exactly that. But sometimes, like the sun shining through for an hour between passing storms, it can still get its shit together, and the upcoming tribute to Death Note looks like one of those rare occasions.
It’s part of the show’s next Treehouse of Horror Halloween compilation, and will give The Simpsons a full anime makeover for one of the episode’s instalments. You can see it in action in this short video below, which introduces Lisa as the recipient of the Death Note (or, as it’s called here, the Death Tome):
Some screenshots have also been released, giving us a good look at anime Homer and Marge as well:
Smart light it up Can display up to 57 colors at one time, have an incredible range of combinations, can react to your music, be shaped as you like using the segments, and work with most voice assistants.
Image: The Simpsons
Image: The Simpsons
If your first thought was “wow, that looks a lot better than I was expecting”, you are not alone! But there’s a very good reason this looks so authentic to the source material: this segment has been animated by Korean studio DR Movie, who have a long history of helping out behind the scenes on various American and Japanese properties, ranging from The Animatrix to Justice League to, most importantly in this case, the Death Note anime series itself.
The episode will air on October 30, and will be the second of three segments. The other two will be a Babadook homage starring Marge and a Westworld parody. Which is weird, given The Simpsons has already done a Westworld thing, one that lasted an entire episode and is one of the series’ all-time greats, but I guess 1994 was long enough ago (and the modern HBO series so different) that they feel like they can do it all over again and newer viewers won’t even notice.
