There and Back

There I was wandering the isle at the grocery store on new years eve 2025. It’s the busiest I’ve ever seen it. But I’m surprised by the agility and manoeuvrability of the people there, no bumping no banging into each other no frustration that I saw. Dare I say I had a stupid smile on my face. But the smile wasn’t from seeing my fellow human not lose their mind because they’re frustrated and tired of the holiday bullshit, no. I had a smile because I was humming the 2025 banger titled GOLDEN by KPop Demon Hunters that was playing over the store speakers. And it reminded me. My wife and I have bonded over her love of everything Korean/Asian (even her love for the Asian ladies but we don’t talk about that). T&T grocery store , Kpop, Manga, Manhwa, Anime, etc. I haven’t gone full Manga or Manhwa. For Christmas I bought my wife one of her favourite Manga/Manhwa (not sure which one it is) about two gay guys that are gay. She was excited, I’m not the target audience. But Kpop. I gotta be honest many of the songs she has shown me over the last eight years have been a blast. I obviously don’t know what the lyrics are or what they are saying unless they throw in the odd English word. But man Kpop producers churn out these bands and artists so often they have this down to a science. Here is a list of my current 2026 Spotify playlist: Way Back Home by SHAUN, 무제 (Untitled, 2014) by G-DRAGON, 200% by AKMU, Psycho by Red Velvet, BBIBBI by IU, COME BACK HOME by 2NE1, and Eyes, Nose, Lips by TAEYANG.

This past year we saw a band called CN blue. It was actually really good. I might have been one of seven white guys there. That’s cool with me.