Seven years after the release of the critically acclaimed Village Rockstars (2017), filmmaker Rima Das revisits the vivid terrain of Kalardiya to continue the subtle narrative of Dhunu (Bhanita Das). Now on the cusp of adulthood, 17-year-old Dhunu confronts the complex realities of life in her small Assamese village, a world shaped by cyclical floods,…
Category: General
75th Berlin International Film Festival: “Hysteria” Review
A study in humanity might be one good way of summarising Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s 2025 film Hysteria. Where is the line between a righteous act and a performative spectacle? Büyükatalay attempts to answer the question when a dishonourable burning of a Quran for a shoot sparks conflict between parties, and Hysteria becomes a meta film…
EVNNE on Exploring Their Cheeky Side in “HOT MESS”
There’s been a renaissance emerging. The bad boys of K-Pop have had their time and then some; now the leather garb and chanted choruses are being whittled out in favour of happier vibes. EVNNE are one of the few who have recently shed their “cool” image for a sunnier one. We find the anthemic fervour…
SMTOWN LIVE 2025 in London: First Wave of Performers Announced!
SM Entertainment has been shaping K-pop industry since its establishment in 1995 by Lee Soo-man. Its strategic vision and strict idol training system have been instrumental in exporting Korean pop culture worldwide, driving the “Hallyu Wave” through the success of first-generation icons like H.O.T., S.E.S., and BoA. Over the decades, SM has expanded its global…
Nosun’s Honest Story: Music, Struggle, and Personal Growth – Exclusive Interview
For as long as I can remember, I have been a huge fan of hip-hop, particularly the golden age, where the music was raw, unfiltered, and revolutionary. Bars were razor-sharp, beats were built on soul, funk, and jazz samples, and the culture was shifting the world. Of course, every region had its own flavour; New…
j-Hope Returns to the Stage and Takes Paris by Storm at the Le Gala Des Pièces Jaunes
It’s a bold statement to say someone is a natural-born star who was simply destined to be a performer, knowing from an early age that dancing and rapping were their true calling. Many can only dream of achieving what j-Hope has created for himself if they do. Starting as a dancer and eventually joining the…
XLOV: Breaking Norms, Building Dreams – Exclusive Interview
The four new pillars of avant-garde in K-Pop strutted out in pearls and elegance. Above them, the jumbotron in the figurative stadium of current K-Pop social media buzz illuminated their names in shimmering lights: Wumuti, Rui, Hyun, and Haru. One or two of those might sound familiar to you, and if Boys Planet sounds even…
P1Harmony Rock London with Unstoppable Talent – Concert Review
Looking back at K-pop and boy groups a few years ago, BTS was the undisputed global phenomenon, and they remain so. While we’re not delving into the first or second generation of K-pop, which continues to wield power whether those groups are performing or not, it’s clear that the 4th generation is rapidly rising again….
“By the Stream” Review
There is no easy entry point to the work of Hong Sang-soo. Even though his style remains consistent, his Eric Rohmer-inspired narratives frequently built around off-the-cuff drunken conversations and meandering walks around Seoul, there’s a density to the storytelling not always immediately apparent. His earlier work could often be in conversation with itself, with metatextual…
MARK and Lee Young-ji Deliver Fire with “Fraktsiya”
NCT’s MARK heats up the cold winter season with his new hip-hop track Fraktsiya, featuring Lee Young-ji. Released on December 16th via SM Entertainment, the song mixes UK drill-inspired beats, house-infused chords, and thunderous 808 basslines. MARK’s razor-sharp verses and Lee Young-ji’s unstoppable bars converge in a song that feels like a victory lap for…
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