The Guardian • 23rd October 2023

‘I saw fan-made compilations. It blew my mind’: the music producer who found accidental K-pop fame

The Middle-Eastern guitar melody in Blackpink’s How You Like That. The whistle at the very beginning of S-Class by Stray Kids. The sax melodies in Money and Lalisa by Lisa. The crowd chants at the beginning of Seventeen’s Super. Each of these sounds, instantly familiar to fans of K-pop, came not from the Korean genre’s raft of super-producers but from one man, thousands of miles away.

Very few people associate Niles Hollowell-Dhar with K-pop. Currently working under the mononym Kshmr, he first

the Guardian • 5th October 2023

MS Swaminathan, ‘visionary’ father of India’s green revolution, dies at 98

The year was 2005. There had been a wave of farmer suicides in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The mainstream press paid scant attention, but MS Swaminathan rushed to the scene with a team of officials. “He was in tears listening to the families of those who had ended their own lives,” says journalist P Sainath in a tribute.

This image of the renowned scientist – well into his golden years – championing distressed farmers is one that epitomises MS Swaminathan’s life’s work.

Swaminathan, who h

17th September 2023

The Quiet Rebranding of Parkour in the UK

In front of the Goldsmiths library at New Cross, a familiar scene is brewing. A stocky young man revs up in front of the low wall. His comrades flank him from a distance, poised to shoot with a GoPro and an iPhone for backup. ‘Let’s go, Verky!’ yells one. In response, the young man starts running. He vaults over the wall with ease, circles around a neighbouring tree, ricochets off the bus stop, does a somersault in the air and sticks a graceful landing. Two passersby watch in mild fascination, n

the Guardian • 27th August 2023

How India's moon landing has boosted its self image | Hannah Abraham

“I let out an involuntary whoop when it landed,” my friend Shivansh told me. He was travelling on London Underground at the time. “Everyone on the tube was staring at me.”

Shivansh is just one of millions of Indians all over the world who are celebrating the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar exploration mission. Indians even broke YouTube’s record for livestreams, with more than 8 million people staying glued to their screens last Wednesday, as the spacecraft edged close to the luna

NME • 27th June 2023

P1Harmony on new music and self-love: “We’ve achieved perfect harmony”

It’s been a truly happening month for P1Harmony. Barely three years into the game, the group just released their sixth mini-album, titled ‘Harmony: All In’, which saw the boyband break their personal sales record and chart on the Billboard 200 for the first time. They also just signed with the prestigious Creative Artists Agency (home to the entire roster of SM Entertainment artists and soloists like Mark Tuan) to expand their global presence. On top of all that, the sextet have added Asia, Aust

whynow • 24th June 2023

Jacob Collier at Bristol Sounds review | Something magical for everyone

Musical prodigy Jacob Collier had the crowd in the palm of his multi-instrumental hands at Canons Marsh Amphitheatre, as part of the Bristol Sounds series of open-air concerts.

We are into the second hour of waiting for Jacob Collier at Canons Marsh, Bristol, and the person behind me sounds apologetic. The crowd – a fairly proportionate mix of young and old – seems fairly calm, responding to DJ Louis Cole with at least twice the energy he gives off during his set. I count at least twelve differ

whynow • 26th May 2023

When Chai Met Toast: ‘We try not to pick our favourite shows, but London was unreal’

“Please don’t ask us what our band name means,” they plead jokingly, just ahead of their performance at Birmingham’s O2 Academy3 when we speak.

I don’t need to ask. The four-member group – comprising vocalist Ashwin Gopakumar, vocalist-guitarist Achyuth Jaigopal, keyboardist Palee Francis, and drummer Pai Sailesh – has mentioned countless times that they came up with the name right before taking the stage for their first show. “Wow, we started seven years ago,” reminisces Ashwin. “We’re growing

whynow • 23rd May 2023

Xikers: ‘Xikers is ten of us or it’s nothing’

K-Pop’s hottest new rookie group speaks to whynow about who they are, who they hope to be, and their recent EP, House of Tricky.

Take one look at xikers and you understand their appeal immediately. The ten-member group oozes a talented but innocent charm, made all the more endearing when juxtaposed with their hip-hop- heavy debut EP, House of Tricky: Doorbell Ringing, released at the end of March. Debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Emerging Artists Chart, xikers have already shown they’re a for

NME • 10th May 2023

Ryu Su-jeong: “Sometimes I need to tell myself, ‘This is just a job’”

Lovelyz were never hugely popular – at least not in the way newer acts like IVE and NewJeans are dominating the airwaves nowadays – but they certainly had a solid foothold in the K-pop industry. Over seven years, the eight-member group released a slew of records, spawning hits such as ‘Ah-Choo’ and Destiny’, and built a dedicated fanbase through their vocal abilities, cheery girl-next-door concepts and generally pristine reputation.

All that came to an end in 2021, when seven of its members opt

Variety • 28th April 2023

Reports of Actor ‘Saint Von Colucci’ Dying of Cosmetic Surgeries to Resemble BTS Singer Jimin Appear to Be Elaborate Hoax That Used AI

A report circulating about a 22-year-old actor named Saint Von Colucci dying from cosmetic procedures to look like BTS singer Jimin have turned out to be an elaborate hoax likely involving the use of AI imagery.

News of the alleged death was first published on the Daily Mail website on April 24, and has now been pulled. The outlet, which does not appear to have issued any form of retraction, did not respond to Variety’s multiple requests for comment.

The alleged news was also picked up by seve

Variety • 18th April 2023

‘Depp vs Heard’ Documentary Headlines Channel 4 Spring Showcase

A documentary on the legal woes between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard headlines the new spring lineup from U.K. broadcaster Channel 4.

At the channel’s Content Showcase in London, chief content officer Ian Katz unveiled a slate of “purposeful, provocative but never predictable” programming that he hopes will get people “thinking, arguing and asking questions about the world in which we live.”

“Depp vs Heard” will be a three-part series by BAFTA-nominated series director Emma Cooper, investigatin

whynow • 17th April 2023

Kep1er: ‘When times get hectic, reading fan letters is what keeps us going’

Following the recent release of their fourth EP, we speak to nine-member K-Pop girl group Kep1er to discuss their favourite TV, dream collaborations and their special bond with their fans.

It’s 10pm in Korea, and the first thing I think when Kep1er enters the Zoom meeting is, “Good gracious, they look exhausted.”

I can only guess the number of activities they’d had to complete before hopping on the call with me. Of course, one can expect nothing less from a rising idol group on a packed comeba

Variety • 16th March 2023

1 in 4 British TV Offices Inaccessible to Disabled Talent: Industry Survey Sheds Light on ‘Abysmal’ Failings in Accessibility

A virtual panel organized by Channel 4 has shed light on the findings of the recent Access into Action Industry Access Survey. The Wednesday panel was moderated by Channel 4 journalist Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, and included well-known industry figures like screenwriter Jack Thorne and producer Bryony Arnold.

The Access into Action survey was conducted in late 2022 as a joint effort by Channel 4 and Amazon Studios U.K. as part of an ongoing effort to increase accessibility and inclusion in Britain’s

Teen Vogue • 24th February 2023

Pay Attention to XG, the Global Pop Group Making Big Moves

Indeed, each member has their own strengths. Jurin is a former model and snowboarder who is XG’s fearless leader. She is assisted by Chisa, 20, a model and actress who is the group’s main vocalist and mood-maker. Hinata, XG’s main dancer, loves K-Pop and hopes to collaborate with soloist SOLE one day. Harvey, who fittingly bears a certain resemblance to Camila Cabello, is a fan of the singer and enjoys learning and singing in Spanish. (“When we were in training I liked listening to Camila Cabell

Variety • 26th January 2023

‘We’ve Gone Backwards Over the Last 10 Years’: Channel 4 Panel Demands More Diversity in U.K. Post-Production

U.K. post-production leaders speaking as part of a panel hosted by Channel 4 have called for proactive measures to increase diversity in the industry.

The virtual session held on Wednesday was chaired by dialogue editor and dubbing mixer Emma Butt, a long-time campaigner for diversity in post-production.

A recipient of the ITV Studios Achievement of the Year prize at December’s Women in Film & TV Awards, Butt has worked on ADR for shows like “Game of Thrones,” “Doctor Who” and “EastEnders.” In

Variety • 15th December 2022

Kate Winslet, Richard E. Grant to Tell Children’s Bedtime Stories for BBC

Kate Winslet is the latest celebrity slated to appear on BBC children’s channel CBeebies’ “Bedtime Stories” over the Christmas and New Year period.

Winslet made headlines recently for her scene in the upcoming “Avatar” sequel, where she holds her breath underwater for a record breaking seven minutes and 15 seconds.

Her episode will be broadcast on Dec. 19, where she will be reading Sarah McIntyre’s “Grumpycorn,” a story about a unicorn with writer’s block, and how his underwater friends help h

News9live • 10th October 2022

Derry Girls Season 3 review: An endearingly hilarious farewell

The writing is so impeccable that it feels like the characters are competing with each other to see which of them get to deliver the funniest lines.

“Ugh, I’m so effing sick of peace! It’s all anyone ever bangs on about.”

Declared by a frustrated Michelle in the first episode of the third season, this line perfectly sums up the entirety of Derry Girls. It is a show about teenagers who, despite living in an Ireland plagued by life-threatening events every day, would rather care about more impor

News9live • 28th August 2022

‘Boys Over Flowers’ to ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’: Tracing evolution of female friendships in K-dramas

The streaming era has brought forth a slew of well-written and sensitive K-dramas than have been associated with the genre in the past, and strong female friendships are now the norm. However, there used to be a time when that was the exception, not the rule.

‘Woo to the Young to the Woo’

Admit it — your mind voice just replied with ‘Dong to the Geu to the Ra Mi’, didn’t it?

Netflix’s Extraordinary Attorney Woo has been doing fantastically on the platform, holding spots on the top ten lists i

News9live • 17th August 2022

Girls Generation: New album ‘Forever 1’ underlines towering legacy, enduring supremacy of KPop’s OG queens

Last week, the KPop group Girls Generation released their album Forever 1 in honour of their fifteenth anniversary. It is a tribute to their dedicated fans (called SONEs).

Fifteen years ago, if someone had told me that South Korean pop music would permeate the socio-cultural fabric of global pop culture so deep that over the years ‘behind the scenes’ would become the second most popular meaning of its abbreviation, I would have requested them to share their hallucinogens with me. And yet, here

TheQuint • 20th December 2021

‘Was Originally Fisherman Struck by Lightning’: Tovino & Basil on Minnal Murali

Malayalam cinema’s ‘homegrown superhero’ Minnal Murali is all set to grace our Netflix screens this Christmas Eve. Starring Tovino Thomas as the titular superhero, the film follows the journey of Murali, an ordinary tailor who receives superpowers after being struck by lightning. The initial trailer has racked up a whopping ten million views already, and anticipation for Minnal Murali is definitely crackling. Hannah Abraham sat down with lead Tovino Thomas and director Basil Joseph to chat about

Cultured Vultures • 23rd November 2021

Tick, Tick... Boom! REVIEW - Emotional & Heartfelt

The audience is quiet. An increasingly frantic piano plays in the background. ‘In eight days my youth will be over forever, and what exactly do I have to show for myself?’ worries Jonathan Larson, instantly making himself relatable a mere two minutes into the film.

Anyone who knows that a year has 525,600 minutes in it would be familiar with the iconic musical Rent (that, or they just know it as the song from Michael Scott’s farewell) . Lin-Manuel Miranda’s adaptation of Tick, Tick… Boom! is an

Cultured Vultures • 15th October 2021

INTERVIEW: Julio Macias Talks On My Block

Since its first season in 2018, Netflix’s On My Block has been acclaimed by critics for its diverse lead cast, innovative stories, and genuine performances. After the release of its final season on October 4th, I sat down with Julio Macias, who plays Oscar ‘Spooky’ Diaz on the show, to talk about his character’s arc and the need for more multiracial stories.

Julio Macias has received two Imagen Award nominations for his breakout role as Spooky, and has also featured in Selena: The Series as sin

Cultured Vultures • 21st September 2021

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 8 REVIEW - Noice But Not Very Toit

Ah, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. You would be hard pressed to find anybody who actively disliked this show – and for good reason. In the eight years that it’s been on the air, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has given us countless iconic catchphrases, nuanced depictions of pertinent issues, and a veritable bevy of lovable characters. Even though it is true that all good things must come to an end, that never means it hurts any less when it does.

The year and a half between Season 7 and Season 8 of Brooklyn Nine-Nine