무대 아래든 아님 조명 아래든

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts

06/03/20 : Map Of The Soul : 7 - BTS


I can't say I'm a huge fan of the cheeky K-poppets, but whatever I have heard I've found very anodyne and hence I've been mystified as to its global popularity.  So I was intrigued by what this intriguingly titled album would offer up (not intrigued enough to have listened to it under any other circumstances, obviously).

And well, it was less bland than I was expecting but I’m still somewhat mystified as to why people like it so much.   I can imagine the whole live experience being absolutely interminable with them each taking their turn (like a Korean Westlife) and the screaming that results.  The mix of languages just did my head in as well (yes, that's entirely something I need to deal with) and at an hour it went on fffffaaaarrrrrr too long.

We're at #3 in the charts this week - down from #1 last week and it managed another ten weeks before disappearing.  New entries in the top ten are Lil Baby (#6) and Five Finger Death Punch (#7 - charming lads, I'm sure.  Intriguingly, just outside at #11 we have James Taylor with his take on the American standards - that will either be great or absolutely dreadful (and I have no intention of finding out which).

I was expecting Wikipedia to have a reasonable amount on the album, but nothing like the 580 milliPeppers it did.  And no, of course I didn't read it all, but I was somewhat surprised to hear that "thematically based on the analytic psychological theories of Carl Jung – persona, shadow and ego".  I must admit this fact somewhat passed me by.  The critics liked it though, it made quite a few "best of 2020" lists and it got to #1 in a gazillion countries, including the US.  It was the best selling album of the year in two countries, South Korea and - admit it, you'd never have guessed Portugal, would you?

"Customers also listened to" various Korean things that I've never heard of, except for (unfortunately) Psy.  Overall, this was more interesting than I was expecting, but not necessarily in a good way.  I picked the blog title completely at random (my Korean being slightly rusty), but was somewhat pleased to see it translates as "Whether under the stage or under the lights" which seems nicely poetic.

28/02/20 - Somewhat of a surprise
13/03/20 - Perfectly fine

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