Author Archives: katherinemoly

K-Pop Starter Kit: Reading Hangul With K-Pop Group Names

Once you’re familiar with the basics of Hangul, you’ll start to notice a fair amount of Korean words are actually taken from English. It’s the same in K-pop, where many groups’ names have English origins. So since we’re moving from learning letters to making words, this post will show you how to read Hangul byContinue reading “K-Pop Starter Kit: Reading Hangul With K-Pop Group Names”

K-Pop Starter Kit: A Crash Course in Hangul Vowels

Personally, I find Korean vowels slightly easier than consonants in terms of speaking because they’re a *little* more straightforward. In English, the pronunciation of each vowel varies wildly depending on the word and there’s not always a logical answer. Korean vowels, on the other hand, tend to have one specific sound (with a few exceptions).Continue reading “K-Pop Starter Kit: A Crash Course in Hangul Vowels”

K-Pop Starter Kit: A Crash Course in Hangul Consonants

I mentioned this in my last column post, but I’ll say it again: Hangul is an incredibly essential part of the Korean language. It was created by King Sejeong during the Joseon Dynasty as a way for all Koreans to be able to read and write, and it’s one of the reasons why he’s suchContinue reading “K-Pop Starter Kit: A Crash Course in Hangul Consonants”

Knee Jerk Reaction: “Permission to Dance” by BTS

BTS sure knows how to strike while the iron is hot: “Butter” is still going strong with no signs of slowing down, but now they’ve added “Permission to Dance” to the mix. Their third English single is a happy tune specifically meant to spread hope and cheer in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, andContinue reading “Knee Jerk Reaction: “Permission to Dance” by BTS”

Knee Jerk Reaction: “Weekend” by Taeyeon

I don’t really follow K-pop soloists as closely as I do K-pop groups, but I always love listening to Taeyeon. And one of the major reasons why is because her discography is so diverse and interesting. Though she certainly has her own unique artistic color and flair, her voice is also versatile enough to suitContinue reading “Knee Jerk Reaction: “Weekend” by Taeyeon”

Knee Jerk Reaction: “Beam Beam” by Jeon Soyeon

(G)I-DLE’s leader and resident composer Jeon Soyeon is the latest female idol to make her solo debut. Well, she’s dropped a few digital singles before… but this is the first time she’s had an official fully-promoted solo release with a mini-album and everything. Plus she’s the first (G)I-DLE member to get one, so it’s allContinue reading “Knee Jerk Reaction: “Beam Beam” by Jeon Soyeon”

Knee Jerk Reaction: “Tear Drop” by SF9

Now that I’m officially on summer break, I can FINALLY start checking out July comebacks. (After promotions are already over… SIGH) First up is SF9, a group that’s quite near and dear to my heart these days. I’ve been following them since their debut, and I even went to a fan meeting they had inContinue reading “Knee Jerk Reaction: “Tear Drop” by SF9″

K-Pop Starter Kit: 5 Beginner Tips for Learning Korean

Though I’m including an introduction to Korean as part of my K-pop Starter Kit, I don’t believe knowing or speaking it is necessary in order to be a K-pop fan. I’m nowhere near fluent, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying myself for over five years now. That being said, the reason I made it a monthlyContinue reading “K-Pop Starter Kit: 5 Beginner Tips for Learning Korean”