Waiting For Donghun ~ Day 6

A.C.E came into my K-pop fangirl realm in the fall of 2019 when I saw they were going to tour the US and Chicago was on the list. In fact, Chicago was the first US city on the tour. I had no idea who A.C.E were and, at the time I saw information regarding the tour, I had never even heard a single song. Yet, because I am impulsive and relatively adventurous, I decided to buy a ticket. Oh, and not just a get-you-in-the-door ticket. No, I went full VIP which included a hi touch and photo card packet. So like any procrastinating student, I had to cram to get to know them and their music before stepping into the venue on what turned out to be an amazing, albeit chilly, wet and snowy December night. I wish I would have been more cognizant because when the group arrived a day or two before show night, there were out about in the city, often times blocks away from my office.😳

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Waiting for Donghun ~ Day 5

Not sure if you are aware, but Mr. Lee opened up a personal Instagram account prior to heading off to the military. In fact, both he and Wow both did. Since both are going to serve as public servants during their military duty, creating those accounts was a fantastic idea as they will have some leniency in using social media as they serve, but in a very limited capacity. This little sub-series will pop up over the course of the countdown if and when Donghun updates his IG account. Before he left, he did christened the newly minted account with two updates.

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Waiting For Donghun ~ Day 4

I have only been a Choice (A.C.E fan) for a little over two years. I am not quite a baby Choice, but I am still relatively new seeing how the group debuted in 2017. Sigh . . . I am always late to the party. Anyway, I learned very quickly that it was easy to be visually captured by this talented quintet, and I don’t mean this in a shallow way. From the get go, I found A.C.E to have an incredibly powerful stage presence. They are very dynamic dancers and early on, I took in many of their power title tracks to get to know them. When I really began to peel back the layers of all of their fantastic and artistic attributes, specifically by listening to their mellower B-sides and covers, that is when I discovered how truly adept they were as singers. They all sing well. But there is something a little extra special (to my ear anyway) in Donghun’s voice. I describe it as an added depth of emotion which can be heard in many of his solo cover pieces like SWJA’s beautiful ballad, 도망가자 (Run With Me).

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Waiting For Donghun ~ Day 3

The good thing about having completed a countdown series in the past is that it provides a bit of a road map for future endeavors. I like the One Shots because they are quick posts with the simple purpose of sharing a favorite picture or playful gif of our featured military man, Donghun. And, because I was teetering as to whether I should attempt another countdown series, I am a little behind on my planning and a short quick post will keep me on schedule. Today, a One Shot in picture form.

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Waiting For Donghun ~ Day 2

I decided the first post of substance for this countdown should start with a sub-series I am simply calling Hunnie Cam. I will scour the interwebs for glorious fan cams of Mr. Lee in full performance mode. I think I picked a good one to get the party started by choosing A.C.E’s performance of Do It Like Me from the 200th episode special of SBS MTV’s music show program, The Show.

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On My Playlist ~ Changer [A.C.E]

As I sit and contemplate the reality of 2/5 of A.C.E heading off to the military this month (Wow went in on the 10th, and Donghun will go on the 23rd), I also find myself perplexed over how this talented lot is not more of a global sensation. Then I pause and realize that I must be part of an extremely exclusive club of impeccable taste and sensibility. Ha! I know there are many of you out there who feel similarly about your respective groups that fall on the lesser known and under appreciated spectrum. And it is perfectly okay. In fact, I don’t know about you, but I rather love being part of a small fandom. I feel as if I am in on a secret. And being a Choice, well that just feels like family. Especially when the guys repeatedly include songs that uplift and comfort. A.C.E has found this incredible balance in their title tracks over years: sometimes explosive, sometimes refreshing and light. In the title track, Changer, from their latest repackaged release, Changer : Dear Eris, we get refreshing, light AND comforting which is EXACTLY what we need as we send Wow and Donghun off to the military.

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On My Screen ~ Dolphin (OnlyOneOf]

So yeah, I have kind of been on a hiatus of sorts I guess. Taking care of family medical situations, navigating the slow return to an upcoming ‘office centric work environment’ and of course, the ever-annoying (mental and spiritual) journey through what seems to be an endless pandemic. Also, been struggling to find my writing mojo. It happens. Amid and in spite of all of that, I have managed to vacation a bit in the after hours vortex of OnlyOneOf. Mind you, this is not an illicit place. No, not at all. It is more of a mature place for mature tastes. And while I can easily choose any one of the incredible tracks that has a corresponding MV from OnlyOneOf’s fantastic discography to share, promote, and essentially gush over, I am opting to go for one that is not even their own. But, that does not mean they don’t own it. Come check out the group’s erogenous cover of Oh My Girl’s Dolphin and have a taste of OnlyOneOf’s special flavor.

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On My Playlist ~ IYAH [Kang Seung Yoon]

After what seems to have been an eternity (because basically, it was), Winner’s leader Kang Seung Yoon released his first full solo album, Page and with it the nostalgic and heartfelt title track, IYAH. I am reeling in the wonder of it all. Thrilled, proud and excited, I am also incredibly moved by the thoughtful and honest way in which Yoon sings about his journey as an artist not only through the title track, but with every song (all written by him) on this long-awaited opus. Both his solo release and my thoughts about it are long overdue.

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Playlist Roulette ~ Fairy of Shampoo [Tomorrow x Together]

Is there anyone else out there who enjoys interesting backstories to songs or do I ride alone with my quirks? I have to believe there are a few out there and if so, you might enjoy the backstory to this week’s Playlist Roulette pull, Tomorrow X Together’s Fairy of Shampoo from the group’s second EP, The Dream Chapter: Eternity.

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[News] SHINee’s Taemin Announces Military Enlistment Date

It was after all, a matter of time. But somehow it hit a little harder than I expected. Maybe it because I feel as if I have only just begun learning about and appreciating him and now, SHINee’s indelible, cheeky and ever so talented maknae Lee Taemin will soon be heading off on an 18 month military hiatus. In a 45 minute VLive broadcast Monday, April 19, an emotional and tearful Taemin announced that he would be heading to military training camp on May 31. 😢ㅠㅠㅠ…

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