I spent this weekend in New Orleans with some friends that I’ve known for many, many years. We literally circumnavigated the world together on a steamship in our very early twenties as part of a study abroad program. In four short months, we met, bonded intensely, fell in love, and became a part of the fabric of each other’s very different lives. We’ve danced around each other ever since – being a part of the big moments, but never really all occupying the same space at the same time. We made a point of rectifying that for four days that just so happen to fall very close to my birthday in a city built for just separating ourselves from reality and focusing on us.
Everyone has long since grown accustomed to my odd musical proclivities and was more than happy to embrace my music when we were chillin’ in the hotel. However, I’ve spent so much time in recent years surrounding myself with people who don’t just get the #Klife, but are an integral part of it for me that it was almost hard to shift gears and know just how to talk to people about anything other than work or cute idols and lyrics my friends didn’t understand. They get it intellectually, but they just weren’t…invested. Having those moments where I could continue the routine of sharing music and chatting at length with my KBestie Alix and my future bride, KpopontheDL, and touching base on writing and important, earth-shattering gifs with Stephanie in the early mornings before we were all up and eating beignet was extremely grounding. This experience once again proved to me just how important this little community is. Having people that get you, even if it’s virtual, can help to remind you of your current ‘youness’ and maybe stop the backslide into old dramas and worries.
Being with people I’ve worshipped for the last seventeen years was so beautiful I could cry, but one of the most touching parts of it was how it served to validate some of my newer relationships as equally important.
This post, like the last four days, is very self-indulgent. Please forgive me. Now for the good stuff. One of those early morning conversations with KpopontheDL was kicked off with a charming video of Jeong Sewoon singing his newest song on a stage I cannot name at this time. It took me several minutes to realize that not only did I know this person, I actually love some of his stuff hard…I sing it to myself when I’m alone…but I’d never taken the time to learn him. I fell down a Youtube shaped rabbit hole in my hotel room and decided that I may be a huge fangirl for this guy. It was a very productive thirty-five minutes.
Jeong Sewoon was first seen as a contestant on Kpop Star in 2013 and after being eliminated, signed with Starship Entertainment. He represented his label on season 2 of Produce 101 where he ranked twelve overall. Not a bad showing. He began preparing for his solo debut right after the show and released The 1st Mini Album, Ever in 2017. The Second part, called The 1st Mini Album, Pt 2, After, came out very recently and is just as good as the first. Several of the tracks on both minis are his original compositions. The main track for this second mini album is called Baby It’s U and starts as one of those ballads with a slow beat and more words than space available to fill. I love that…when the words have to be contorted to fit into a specific timing. At about 47” the song picks up to more of the EDM type style that’s so big in Kpop right now. I approve. I really do. The entire mini is good…both are. Please, please, please look him up and throw some support to this darling new talented musician. He is soft, charming, and not just a little bit magical to watch.
Jeong Sewoon, Baby It’s U
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