Samey, But Listenable: NCT DREAM’s “Beat It Up” Review

What do you get after having a nice bowl of soup at a restaurant? Another soup of the same variety? Likely not. Perhaps a main course, or some focaccia – but you’ve had your fill of one thing, and now you’re ready for another.  NCT DREAM’s latest comeback and titular song “Beat It Up” is…

Onew Brings 100% Heart and Harmony to London – Show Review

Certain voices don’t just fill a room; they lift it. Onew’s voice has always done that. From the moment he stepped on stage at the Indigo at The O2 for his ONEW THE LIVE: Percent % World Tour, I knew this wouldn’t be just another typical concert. The evening was satisfyingly filled with warmth and…

Gareth.T Enchants London Crowd – Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire

A concert can amuse, even impress, but only rarely does it transform the air itself, where melody becomes emotion and sound turns into feeling. Gareth.T’s Prince of Sadness Tour at Shepherd’s Bush Empire belonged firmly to the latter category. The evening began in almost complete darkness; then came Gareth.T, stepping into the dark blue lights…

Kang Yuchan of A.C.E Debuts with “REBEL” – EP Review

Kang Yuchan is not the first of his brothers to try a solo run. It’s always seemed like K-pop boy group A.C.E are a tight-knit team; when one or two dabbled in acting, the others followed. Closely following vocal powerhouse JUNHEE’s successful solo debut, Yuchan decided it’s his time to see what he’s capable of…

2025 ALULA Film Festival: “As the Water Flows” Review

One wonders what the title As the Water Flows truly means – at least until the film’s final moments, when its philosophy finally surfaces. Water moves forward, never looking back, yet somehow it reflects everything it passes. Life, Bian Zhuo seems to say, is much the same: a continuous current defined by the memories we…

Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2025: “When the Trees Sway, the Heart Stirs” and “Rokkoku Kitchen” Review

Directed by Lee Jiyoon, When the Trees Sway, the Heart Stirs centres on the story of residents in Seoul’s Jeongneung Valley, who have begun relocating amid plans for regional redevelopment. The director turns her lens to the mundane, everyday moments of life, walking alongside both current and former residents to capture their experiences. The film lays bare…