Jin — Echo Jacket Shoot Sketch

"We're going for more of a fierce concept. I'm not sure if I portrayed the fierceness well because I have kind of a nice guy face… but I tried my best to do so. I might not look fierce but I hope you find it cute at least."

"It's a rockstar concept, but why do rockstars dress so uncomfortably? The clothes are tight, the pants are tight, it's hard to sit down and get up. I don't think I could be a rockstar."

Yes, Jin, you are cheerful with a nice guy face, but you're still a rockstar in my eyes. 8 more days until Echo is released!

Run Jin: Episode 33 - Jin Wick (+ Clock-Out Mission Trailer)

Coincidentally, I watched the first two John Wick movies on Netflix about a month ago, and I have a whole new level of respect for Keanu Reeves because my body hurts just from watching this (and Reeves was already 50 when the first John Wick was released!). Anyway, Jin should totally look into acting. I mean, aside from being what he majored in, he's already got the visuals, and being in K-pop means he already has the stamina... plus, he looks pretty badass, doesn't he?

Dining Out: Smoked Salmon Benedict and Golden Sous-Vide Apple French Toast at Cafe Bon Bon

It's been a hot minute since I've gone out on for a weekend brunch (I am generally a hermit on weekends and usually sleep in until noon so I rarely make it for brunch), but Minji and Daniel are finally able to take their baby out so we had planned a little reunion brunch/baby introduction meeting at Cafe Bon Bon.

Smoked Salmon Benedict

Because it was brunch, I thought it was most appropriate to get the Smoked Salmon Benedict, which is served on a croissant, topped with parmesan and bacon bits, and served with a nice avocado garden salad on the side. It was delicious and exactly as I imagined (and the top of the croissant was perfect to dip into the delectably runny yolks with), but I did think the portion was a little on the smaller side (at least, for me)… Which just meant that I had to — oh, no! — order dessert. 

Golden Sous-Vide Apple French Toast

So I got the Golden Sous-Vide Apple French Toast, which features a pan-fried log croissant as its base (!!!) and sous-vide cooked apple slices, topped with vanilla ice cream and buttery crumble — an absolutely delightfully delicious treat. It is worth noting, however, that the portion for the dessert was also on the small side and I could easily have eaten another one. (But I didn't, because as we all know, I am the queen of self-control.) I did also get an iced latte with oat milk, but I didn't think this was worth $9, especially for the size (it was about 16 oz., but a significant portion of it was ice). 

Service was okay — pleasant enough, but quite inattentive (in fact, the servers seemed to go out of their way not to look at our raised hands and did not check in on us even once, even for water refills) — though I will give them the benefit of the doubt because it was incredibly busy. I would come back because the rest of the menu does sound incredible (Minji's soft shell crab carbonara pasta was amazing), but maybe just not on a weekend day. (And if you do want to check this place out on a weekend, especially for brunch, I would highly recommend making a reservation.)

Cafe Bon Bon

Times Square Richmond Hill

550 Highway 7, Unit 89 - 90

Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3Z4

(905) 597-3166

Cooking at Home: A Low-Key Birthday Dinner with Seafood Linguine and Carrot Cake

It was my friend Braden's 36th birthday and he just wanted a really low-key dinner, so he and Chelsea invited me over to their house for a quiet home-cooked meal:

Seafood linguine

His mom made one of his favourite dishes: linguine in a spiced tomato sauce with scallops, shrimp, asparagus, and basil — a light, delicious, aromatic pasta that, frankly, I could've eaten three portions of. It was paired with Caesar salad (with homemade dressing and croutons!) and slices of crusty baguette on the side. 

Carrot cake with cinnamon icing and pecans

For his birthday cake, Chelsea baked his favourite carrot cake with cinnamon icing (she had to make it gluten-free with egg replacement because she has a lot of allergies, but it was actually surprisingly tasty — denser than regular carrot cake, but still moist and flavourful). The three of us spent the rest of the night taking a long walk around their neighbourhood with their dog, just talking, joking, and sharing new music (which turned into a whole nostalgic conversation about our teenage years that ended up with us getting tickets to see Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria in August). Sometimes the best celebrations are spent quietly and, indeed, Braden seemed to be very happy.

Take Out: Key Lime Pie Ice Cream at Kawartha Dairy

The weather is finally warming up, so what's the perfect way to celebrate actual spring weather? Ice cream. (Obviously.) With my new favourite flavour, too: Key Lime Pie at Kawartha Dairy. It tastes exactly like its namesake. It's the perfect mix of sweet and tart; it's creamy but citrusy without veering into sorbet territory, and there's bits of graham cracker in there to give it a nice chew. And if you actually go to a Kawartha Dairy store, the "baby" size is like a large at Baskin Robbins so it's a pretty incredible value for $6. (No, really, this cup is huge. It can feed two people. Or one ice cream fiend, a.k.a. me.) Yes, I know that I can go to my local supermarket and get a tub of Kawartha Dairy ice cream to eat at home, but it's never the same as going out for ice cream, is it?

Kawartha Dairy

5 Alexander Rd.

Newmarket, ON L3Y 3J2

(905) 953-2881

Tablo x RM — "Stop the Rain" Official MV

Hello, rainy day

TABLO

RM

[Tablo]

I'm all in with a losing hand

Teachers called me rebel

Parents called me lost

Pastors called me devil

Had me kneelin' at the cross

Since I was a young'un, I was called names and bossed around

Back to the wall so long, call me pain's poster child

Religious home, times were different

They told me I was gifted

But to unwrap my mind was wicked

I was raised by guilt, raised by shame, raised by the rod

(Bloody calves sacrificed in the name of their God)

They claimed it was love, felt like heartbreak to me

Later they'd say, "Baby, all your scars are to teach and remind you, you can soar higher"

What good's a bird's eye view when you're in a hunter's crossfire?

Sometimes I wished I got crushed in the womb

Turned to dust in the womb

My scent of youth, an ungodly perfume

No wonder I've always hated the adults in the room

[RM]

The rain, the rain will fall

And tomorrow may not come

But maybe the tears will fall to wash the pain away

I'm tryna stop the rain

(I know what it feel like)

[Tablo & RM]

Can't run away from the pain

I feel like I'm goin' insane

Bad thoughts fillin' up my brain

Demons swimmin' inside my veins

Two seconds from fallin' into nothing

Can't run away from the pain

I'm tryna stop the rain

[RM]

When I was a kid

I was convinced that I was destined for the 27 Club

I'm 29, sinkin' in the bathtub, sippin' gin, lookin' for another club

All the lost was a lust, dust into dust

Stray after stable, one trap after another

And every night, I put my shadows on

But you know how much I hate my status quo

("Be positive") 

I know, but you gotta know my life is out of love

[Tablo] 

All the lessons learned already, comin' out of trust

Keep my mind steady but it's hard to readjust

Nothing stops time but the clock will turn to rust

[Tablo & RM] 

Pain and rain, they still stay the same

Got me lookin' for the exit just to entertain

Pain and rain, think I'm goin' insane

Gotta turn off my phone tonight

[Tablo & RM]

Can't run away from the pain

I feel like I'm goin' insane

Bad thoughts fillin' up my brain

Demons swimmin' inside my veins

Two seconds from fallin' into nothing

Can't run away from the pain

I'm tryna stop the rain

[RM]

I'm tryna stop the rain

I'm tryna stop the rain

This is perhaps the most vulnerable song I've ever heard from both RM or Tablo — and there is no shortage of painful, emotional songs from either artist. There's no hiding under superfluous metaphors or innuendos — these lyrics are raw, real, and dark. I'm glad that they were able to collaborate on this and share these stories with us, and I genuinely, desperately hope it was cathartic for them.

Run Jin: Episode 32 — Game Master Showdown 2

Sigh. I, too, would be full of distrust playing any game with Jin. 

J-Hope on Apple Music with Zane Lowe: Interview

"... When BTS reunite and perform again, I feel that the response will be tremendous… I think it's important to respect each other's point of view, and it's really about the fact that we all want this. When each of us wants those things, that synergy will naturally come out. I think that energy is really important. So now it's time to respect each other, and I think we'll find common ground in what each of us wants. And that'll be the music that we'll make as BTS. We definitely want to see that since it's something we truly want. And because it's something we want to do, I think many people will feel the same and enjoy it, and I hope that our genuine intentions come through. The seven of us care about the same things in making this choice."

There is truly no interviewer like Zane Lowe. He asks in-depth questions that really get the artist thinking and responding with careful consideration about important topics. His interviews are for true fans of the artist, not just casual listeners, and this one is no different. It's why serious artists are willing to give Zane so much of their time. It's why J-Hope went out of his way to tell him, with the utmost sincerity, "You always give great interviews. And I really appreciate the great questions. You gave something to think about. About me and the team. About the music I can do. I really enjoy being interviewed by you, Zane."

Another truly outstanding interview.

Jin — RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR in Newark

Okay, I was legitimately scared for this ticketing run because both of the Amsterdam shows sold out in 10 minutes, but not only did I manage to get FLOOR TICKETS, I also got SOUNDCHECK PACKAGES!!! (And at regular pricing, too, not bullshit Ticketmaster Platinum pricing!!!) Jin, we're coming to see you!!!

Unboxing: BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures

So, um, I pre-ordered these last August and they shipped out in December to my Korean forwarding address... and I kinda forgot about them until my BTS Island figures arrived. So I realize this unboxing is exceptionally late, but they're all still available for purchase so this post isn't completely redundant yet!

BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures — Outer Boxes

To be honest, I'm not like, a die-hard Despicable Me fan, so I didn't even know a fourth movie was coming out until this collaboration was announced. And even then, I wasn't really sure how BTS was related to this movie franchise. (I looked it up: there's a new character in DM4 named Poppy Prescott who loves BTS. Which is fair. She has a BTS phone case and a "Butter" poster on her wall, and they also play "Dynamite" in one of the scenes.) But I've always loved the Minions, so when I saw that they were releasing figures that featured BTS as Minions in the "Permission to Dance" MV outfits, I had to get my hands on them. Resistance was futile.

BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures — RM, Jin, and Suga
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures — J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook

All the figures come packaged in yellow (Minion yellow, if you will) with clear cellophane windows in the front. Each member has his own distinct box with his name and his Minion character illustration on the front. Each figure comes with a white foot stand. The figures measure 6.6cm to 7.8cm tall, and are made of PVC and ABS plastics. Each figure retails for ₩32,000 or $25.18 USD on Weverse Shop Global (and, as mentioned, they are shockingly all still available for purchase!).

BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — RM
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — Jin
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — Suga
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — J-Hope
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — Jimin
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — V
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figure — Jungkook
BTS x Despicable Me 4 Figures(Top row, left to right: RM, Jin, and SugaBottom row, left to right: J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook)

Now, granted, unless you're very familiar with BTS' "Permission to Dance" MV, you probably won't be able to tell which BTS member is which in their Minion form. But I will say that the designers really got down the hair and outfits to a T so any ARMY will be able to recognize these fellas as BTS, and that is what counts. (Also, these are just cute AF. Funko also released BTS x Despicable Me 4 figures, but they actually look kinda creepy so I'm still debating whether I will get them or not. We shall see. The BTS figure collector in me might cave.)

Jin — Echo Concept Photos III

(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
Okay, I know Jin is World Wide Handsome and he's good-looking all the time, but there is just something about him in an all-black suit with this particular hair style that is really doing it for me…

Jin — Echo Concept Photos II

(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
Okay, I'm obsessed with rock 'n' roll Jin.

Run Jin: Episode 31 — Game Master Showdown 1

Okay, I love the chemistry of the HYBE boys, but Yeonjun is unexpectedly hilarious. 

Jin — Echo Concept Photos I

(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
(Photo source: BTS Weverse)
I don't know if it's the shaggy hair, ripped denim, vintage car, or just the mere showing of upper arms, but this concept is DOING IT FOR ME.

Unboxing: BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2

So, I finally got around to unboxing Version 2 of the BTS Island: In the SEOM BTS Island Figures. I pre-ordered them last October (yes, six months ago) and they were officially released this February, but I got them shipped to my Korean forwarding address and didn't end up shipping them out until a couple weeks ago, so here we are.

BTS Island: In the SEOM is BTS' match-3 mobile game that was released in June 2022, and the characters — which are based on the 7 members of BTS, obviously — are sickeningly adorable, so it was only a matter of time before merchandise for it was released. If you're a BTS figure collector, then you'll know that the first version of the BTS Island: In the SEOM figures came as a set which could be displayed separately or together on an "island base." This second version features the 7 member characters on separate bases, like the TinyTAN figures.

BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Outer Boxes

All the figures come packaged in purple boxes with clear cellophane windows in the front. Each member has his own distinct box with his name and his character illustration on the front. Each figure comes with a matching stand with the name of the respective member on the base and a sticker background each to decorate the stand. The figures measure 5.5cm to 7.7cm tall, and are made of PVC and ABS plastics. Each figure retails for ₩27,000 or $21.24 USD on Weverse Shop Global (and, as of this post, the majority of them are shockingly still available for purchase!).

BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — RM in "Wild Flower," Jin in "The Astronaut," and Suga in "Haegeum"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — J-Hope in "On the Street," Jimin in "Like Crazy," V in "Slow Dancing," and Jungkook in "Seven"

So, instead of one cohesive theme, Version 2 of the BTS Island Figures actually features each member with their solo work. More specifically, each member's title track music video from a solo project:

• RM in "Wild Flower" (Indigo)
• Jin in "The Astronaut" (The Astronaut)
• Suga in "Haegeum" (D-DAY)
• J-Hope in "On the Street" (Hope on the Street)
• Jimin in "Like Crazy" (FACE)
• V in "Slow Dancing" (Layover)
• Jungkook in "Seven" (Golden)

BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — RM in "Wild Flower"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Jin in "The Astronaut"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Suga in "Haegeum"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — J-Hope in "On the Street"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Jimin in "Like Crazy"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — V in "Slow Dancing"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Jungkook in "Seven"
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2(Top row, left to right: RM in "Wild Flower," Jin in "The Astronaut," and Suga in "Haegeum"Bottom row, left to right: J-Hope in "On the Street," Jimin in "Like Crazy," and Jungkook in "Seven")
BTS Island: In the SEOM — BTS Island Figures V2 — Coupon Code Photocards(Top row, left to right: RM in "Wild Flower," Jin in "The Astronaut," and Suga in "Haegeum"Bottom row, left to right: J-Hope in "On the Street," Jimin in "Like Crazy," and Jungkook in "Seven")

As usual, the attention to detail in their individual hairstyles, outfits, and even background stickers is impeccable. I'm glad that HYBE decided to create figures with a totally different theme than their other figure collections (e.g. TinyTAN, Funko, Banpresto, etc.), which have a lot of overlap (for example, they've done "Dynamite" and "Butter" across all toy brands). These particular figures for BTS Island: In the SEOM actually mark the first series of figures that feature BTS' solo work — a cute acknowledgement of this second chapter of BTS while they're in the military. Can't wait to see what they come up with for Version 3!