enko20
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2 hours ago, pearlysheylla said:
Eric is coming to New York and Atlanta!! Anybody here that's from those cities? I am glad Eric will be having a concert in his hometown.
Eric's releasing a new song on Saturday!! It's a collaboration with an artist called ARTY. The title is "Idea of You". I am so excited!!
Yes I live in Atlanta!
I'm so glad that Eric is coming back here to his hometown, and I'm already SO HYPED to finally be able to watch him live. Hope he will also come to wherever everyone else is living in too. Oh btw guys thanks for keeping the thread flowing. I promised myself that I would try to be more active here but personal life keep getting in the way
. Anyhow, I think it's about time we get busy again now that Eric and Mamamoo's musics are coming. D-4 until "Idea of You" is released. Leggo~
On 5/12/2017 at 0:18 AM, Unchartedthoughts said:Annyeong yeobundeul!
A newbie here. This is my first forum ever. Love all the writings here. I am planning on writing a ff here about uri ddongie soon. I hope you would love it.
I can't wait to read your fic, and welcome to the thread. Glad you like our stuffs in here
Oh and talk about fic, one of our resident writers @cinnaminskieshas been writing a lot of Ddongie fics recently, I'm not sure if you guys have read them yet. She just recently released a new one here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/10957047/chapters/24388617. Enjoy!
P/S: Last thing before I forget. ARTY has a teaser for "Idea of You" on his IG Story (@artymusic) so make sure you follow him to get a snippet of what I assume will be an EDM single.
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On 4/25/2017 at 8:59 AM, pearlysheylla said:
Eric Nam and Mamamoo performed at the same place/event today
Yep they were, and I was so surprised. It's been a long time since they got to perform at the same event like that. Needless to say I'm extremely happy seeing this. I'm very curious about their interaction backstage though. Just the thought of Eric and Solar running into each other again makes me happy
Btw, since we now know Mamamoo is coming back toward the end of June, I also hope that Eric's comeback will be at the same time or at least as close as possible, so we get to see more of them performing on the same music stages like this one
. Please let this happen!!
4 hours ago, Ira Ajja said:Read the news about wgm this season will end....I feel bad for the latest cp....how much ep they have? I don't follow wgm again this few month....I really don't understand with the pd if they will wrap up wgm they should not add new cp and keep bomi and tae joon till the end
I haven't really kept up with WGM either since Ddongi ended, so what's going on with the show doesn't interest me as much as before. I have to say though, the newer couples are getting shorter run and worse treatment than the older ones, and that is not a good sign. My personal opinion as to why they cut this off short (which may not be valid at all with my little knowledge) is because the recent couples/concept is a fail and doesn't attract viewership as much as they hoped for, so MBC decides to shuffle it yet again, and forces the current couples onto the short end of the stick. I said before that they made a big mistake trying to oust the couples from Ddongi era (because according to the PD, they were too similar LOL WHAT??), and tbh I feel vindicated by this news. Still, I'm truly sad for the current couples, especially the newest one. They barely began, and already got shafted.
SpoilerSpeaking of them, have you guys read the news about Hyesung dating B1A4 Gongchan? This is why you always have to take caution when it comes to actor/actress couples. I did watched her and Gong Myung a little bit, and I have to say she sold it pretty well. Anyway, I want to point it out just to remind us of how lucky we are that Ddongie doesn't suffer from the WGM curse that others have - not contacting each other, found to be dating other ppl during/after the show - and I sincerely hope it remains that way.
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@Magilou @coolbrattyro Recently both Eric and MMM do not have a lot of musical activities so I think the pace would naturally move much slower. I usually try to keep updates coming in but I've been too busy with school/work to visit regularly T_T I will still be around here from time to time though
@trowabarton99 Thank you for clearing things up for me. I know you are probably very busy with your own life too, so I'm still patiently waiting for the other parts whenever you have some free time. I admit this thread does need some content right now that there's not much else going on, so having anything to talk about at all would be great
I think we might not have to wait that long until Eric and MMM have their comeback. The other day Hwasa was spotted recording some music on Esna's Snapchat. I really hope it is part of MMM's upcoming album.
As for Eric, there's no definite timeline for his album yet, but he said that it's coming up "in the next few months". It's from his KCON Mexico interview which you can watch here: http://www.kcon.tv/media/H1MT1gG2x
EDIT: Oh that's right. Talk about KCON Mexico, here are some Eric's videos at the event
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@pearlysheylla I was going to translate it roughly but the content was too cheesy so I couldn't do it. If you really want to know what it's about please let me know and I will (try to) do it
Eric's song is charting insanely well across the board, and at one point I checked it was like top 10 on every single chart, wow!
And even winning by a landslide on charts like Genie
Speaking of charts, I think MMM members are checking charts and stuffs because of Wheein recent song "Anymore", judging by Moonbyul's memo. Solar probably saw this as well, Hope she is also streaming and supporting him
I'm really shocked by how well Eric is doing despite the song not being a ballad like Wheein's, but I'm incredibly happy for him. In his recent interview, he said that ranking has been a problem for his music because they are not made to chart well. Because "You,Who" was written by Eric himself along with his producer, I hope this goes to show his agency and everyone that his music is good enough to compete on charts, so they should really trust Eric and let him do his thing, please.
Oh, and in the Mnet showcase earlier, Eric also said that out of all the major agencies he has done collab work with (SM, YG, JYP), he thinks JYP is the best match for him as well -http://www.allkpop.com/article/2017/03/eric-nam-chooses-jyp-as-the-label-that-fits-him-the-most-out-of-the-big-3-performs-you-who-with-jeon-so-mi. If he's moving to another agency at the end of his current contract, perhaps JYP is a very plausible choice?
Here is the BTS vid for "You,Who?"
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Solar's solo performance of Moosical Day 1:
There were more talk about Dubai on Day 2 and 3. Especially on Day 3, the members even mentioned that they watched WGM.
The article about Eric Nam on Marie Claire was translated. You can read it here: Eric Nam explains why he prefers releasing music outside K-Pop.
More updates for his upcoming collaboration single. Eric's partner has been revealed to be ex-I.O.I member Jeon Somi,
And you could see on the teaser pic that Eric and Somi have a Red String of Fate tied together which is very interesting, because it represents fate/destiny. I can't wait to see how this come into play in the song.
I don't know why, but watching that promotion vid made me really uncomfortable. I just felt like this is as stereotypical of a "Nation's Boyfriend" image as you can get. What's with the dating simulator vibe?
Other articles about the song here: http://www.mnet.com/special/10386# | http://post.naver.com/viewer/postView.nhn?volumeNo=6621319&memberNo=33784967
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14 hours ago, Ira Ajja said:
Read the news about taebom ending their wgm yesterday, it's shocked me....they will replace by comedian and actor cp
Yes I saw that too. They are about to end even earlier than 33 couple, and possibly even without a honeymoon too? And btw, the comedian that replace them is none other than Jang Do Yeon, the female MC on Eric's show Shin Yang Namja
SpoilerMore MOOSICAL Day 1 updates
Solar talked about Dubai at the beginning (and the crowd didn't seem to react well, as expected)
Also, like @Ira Ajja said she wore the Black Abaya outfit for her solo song "I Will Always Love You". Was it a tribute/suggestion to her time with Eric perhaps?
And her other solo performance was Sexyback just like last time
Other Solar's Moosical updates
SpoilerKeeping up with Eric activities as well. Here is Eric's interview with Marie Claire magazine: http://www.marieclairekorea.com/2017/03/celebrity/dont-touch-me/.
Eric explained about his frustration with the agency recently plus other things. There's articles about it going around but I don't think they capture his emotions in here very well (I mean the article is called "Don't Touch Me" after all, that's basically how he's feeling). My Korean knowledge is very basic, but here's some important parts I picked out if you guys are curious (or you can Google Translate and still get most of it tbh):
Spoiler- He's experienced a lot of stress and anxiety recently because of his life in Korea, so his trip to Mexico was basically a way to de-stress himself.
- Eric and his agency are still facing with a lot of disagreements in regard to his music activities, His agency places emphasis on music that appeal to the Korean audience and do well on music charts. Meanwhile, Eric is focusing on experimenting with new genres and making "good music" only, which is good enough for him.
- Another factor that lead to Eric feeling stressful is because of his image/TV appearance. He has to constantly think about how to display himself, which takes a toll on him. He's thankful, but not really that thankful if you read between the lines.
- Eric's comeback is around the corner. His singles and mini album will be release throughout this month (Finally!!).
- Nowadays, he prefers to have some peace of mind, just having some time by himself, reading books or listening to podcasts.
He came on Music High radio again earlier, but this one apparently wasn't aired. There were some fancams though:
Spoiler-
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Eric will be on John Park's Music High Radio on 2/28
The guests alongside him are: Seulong, Ali and Baek Yerin. Baek Yerin caught my attention in particular because it was just revealed not long ago that she is dating someone else:
http://www.koreaboo.com/news/baek-yerin-revealed-dating-producer-cloud/
I don't know if this is just pure coincidence or me reading too much, but do you guys notice how Eric has been involved with people with dating rumors/officially dating? Basically, if you watch Life Bar, almost every episode is about that, and now this... idk lol I just think it's funny in a way.
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Okay, @trowabarton99, I've gathered some of my thoughts about what you translated. I want to know what you and others think about it as well
Please feel free to join in the discussion everyone.
QuoteFrom my point of view, Solar is the standard type of Korean Idol, beautiful, great voice, looks optimistic and loves to smile/laugh, just a bit foolish sometimes. (Typical Yeba). Almost all moments in front of the camera she sees it as “work”, and dropping her idol disguise in front of the camera is nearly impossible, it’s part of her training. This is typical Korean Idol training. We also have these kind of artists in China as well. If you don’t really know them, they are mostly easygoing, easy to be around with and near perfect. But if you really get to know them, they are scarishly strong (mentally). It struck me to know they are able to separate all emotions on camera, happy or sad, from real life. They are really sensitive, lonely, often hide in their shell, and reject care and harms from others. But if they receive real care, like from the bottom of the other’s heart, they would be touched for a long time.
From the program making point of view, Solar is more of a “One Time” variety type artists. Hot on the outside and cold inside, suitable for shows like “Happy Together”. On short term appearances in variety, she is outgoing, shows no restrain and an exceptional girl. However, on long term variety, you will find she’s shy with strangers and sensitive, which I consider a risk for WGM to have her on the show.
SpoilerI'm not really sure what an "One Time" artist is, but I can kind of infer based on how she described Solar. Anyway, I don't quite agree with the statement she wrote there which I highlighted. I don't think short-term and long-term are the correct categories to differentiate between how Solar displays herself on variety shows. While it is true that she did show her more reserved side on WGM, which is a long-term show, it actually wasn't the only place she's done so. Here is a counter-example to the author's remark to prove my point: Sugar Man - a short-term-show - where Solar clearly showed her shyness in the dance battle against her seniors Amber and Dara.
Whereas with that exact same dance and song, Solar went all-out on YamanTV when she's with her group.
Rather, I think Solar's appearance varies based on the level of freedom from the show and also on the people Solar has around her. I think this interview from Mamamoo describes best how she and other members feel about variety shows in general. They prefer to go in pairs or groups to support each other rather than individually, because they excel in the presence of people they're familiar with. I think Solar with Eric during the Chuseok event is the best example of what they talked about there. Whether Solar can drop her "idol mask"/reservation and be herself or not depend on that. Eric became close to Solar over time and gave her the freedom to have fun, so eventually she bypassed the rigidity of WGM and became the way she normally is with her members in his presence too.
QuoteAs for Eric, he is another type of artist in the industry. He’s own life experience outshines the typical artist training, rather than what considers to be the ultimate factors in artists, “appearances”, “warm outgoing personality” and “sense”. He can be as close to whom he actually is in real life even in front of cameras. Going out making friends and without being afraid to be harmed, because people like Eric whose been harmed many times knows how much to give, they know exactly what they want. Therefore he isn’t afraid to let his emotions show on camera because he can handle it just fine. If he senses he’s being harmed he will retract his emotions without hesitation.
From the program making point of view, Eric is easily love by PDs and Writers. He’s diverse, has lots of “labels”, hot outside and inside, best of all he knows the routine of the show business, especially variety show routines.
Conclusion, from my point of view, Eric can easily give 7 pts (out of 10 pts) on sincerity in variety shows, and can adjust the numbers regarding other influences during filming. Solar on the other hand cannot. She can’t adjust her feelings like Eric, but whenever she puts 1 extra pt into this relationship, she means it and she’s not taking it back.Spoilerft@trowabarton99 can you explain to me what she meant by "people like Eric whose been harmed many times"?
I think a 7 out of 10 sincerity is rather low for someone like Eric who, despite the fact that he's well-versed with variety shows, has always been known for his devotion.He said that he only does one variety show at a time because he wants to give his heart and effort into each one of them. I think the pool's wish and the album as a final gift were best examples of how sincere he is not only to Solar but to WGM. Also, the fact that WGM serves as the best gateway to display his real personality is a huge factor in determining how serious he took it (like I've argued about so many times before).
In my personal opinion, Solar actually started off WGM with quite a lot of adjustments on her own part, and eventually reverted back into her normal self. She is very straightforward and honest, but Solar held back quite a bit in the beginning before she became certain that she could become closer to Eric after the 2nd date. I think the author did mention that with the "psychological reconstruction" part. Also, I actually think that she made adjustments for her image/fan/company, not because of her familiarity with variety shows nor lack of sincerity. Watching her in the early episodes, we could see she mixed in her natural moments (like making innuendos and doing beagle stuffs) with her planned ones very often.
QuoteAs for the staff, Room Escape basically failed.
SpoilerI agree and disagree here. I think that the staffs did fail to take into account many things that could happen because of the setup. The biggest failure, I think, was the fact that Solar already figured out it was Eric before he even got into the room, which ruined all of their efforts to build up the anticipation between them two.
However, the Room Escape actually produced some perhaps unintended results for us the so it wasn't a total failure. Here are what it produced:
1) We learned that Solar isn't exactly the most patient girl in the world. Sure, they confined her in a room with bad ventilation for hours while making her wear a mask, and honestly anyone would be uncomfortable by that. But the situation the staffs put Solar in highlighted one of the most important traits about her that Eric himself and all of us should be aware of.
2) This was an indication early on about how calm and level-headed Eric is. The Room Escape itself was the same situation he ran into later on when Solar decided to test him with the candid camera prank. Eric had to use his brain to figure out how to solve a problem while not forgetting about a frustrated Solar herself who'd been put into a bad condition by other people (in this case, the staffs, and during the prank, Eun Ah). Say, if Eric was impatient himself and started lashing out on Solar for complaining, that would be very telling to her about what kind of guy he is, since Solar is very observant.
QuoteLater on they traded resumes, which is part of the script, and you can see there’s an edit mark here,
SpoilerWhat edit mark is she talking about?
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Hi everyone. As I promised, here is the article about what Solar said on Haru Hana. This is going to be a bit heavy to read, so mianhae~
But if you know me, I don't really like sugarcoating anything in my writing. I promise it will get better toward the end though. Enjoy! ~~~~~
The Popularity Dilemma
Being too good of a person is both a blessing and a curse sometimes
Before we begin, let me re-quote the answer from Solar one more time using not only the original translation, but other versions from our resident translators as well (a big thanks to @trowabarton99 and @papaxmoo). Although the differences are minor between each version, I feel like it’s best to lay them all out here to make sure that we get the most out of Solar’s statement in order to have a proper discussion ahead.
QuoteQ. What is your ideal type like? What kind of person will you become when you are in love?
Hwasa: I am the type who is dedicated too. No tactics, but just expressing everything in my head. When I was little, I longed for a romantic love, and I liked men who carry a slight aura of danger. But now I prefer someone who is bright and humorous.
Solar: Me too! Someone like Yoo Jae Suk sunbaenim and Jung Hyung Don sunbaenim.
Q. What about Eric Nam, whom you partnered with on “We Got Married”?
Ver. 1 - @mmmtrashTGC’s original trans His personality is really good and he is very gentle. He has good manners and is a very nice person. But because he is a heartthrob, if I had to date him for real, I don’t think I could tolerate it. (laughs)
Ver. 2 - @trowabarton99's Chinese trans.: He has great personality, very gentle, has great manners, a very nice guy. But because he's a "heartthrob", if we were in a relationship, I would feel sad and unbearable. (laughs)
Ver. 3 - @papaxmoo's Thai trans.: He’s got good manners, is down to Earth and is also courteous/considerate/polite which makes him just the best. But because he is a heartthrob/sweetheart/someone is loved by everyone, if we really dated I think I’d be exhausted and it’d be unbearable. (laughs)
Here is the definition of heartthrob according to Merriam-Webster dictionary:
Quote“a usually renowned man (as an entertainer) noted for his sex appeal.”
Now, the literal meaning of the term “heartthrob”, is not quite the best description for a person like Eric, but it is the closest English term that captures how much he is beloved by other people. While Eric certainly is considered attractive as a man, his appeal really lies in his impeccable manners toward other women. We’ve all heard these titles before -“Nation’s Boyfriend”, “One House, One Eric Nam” - titles that have become a part of his identity as an idol in Korea.
In the past, I had argued here and there that these very titles he owns are actually a double-edge knife. They have allowed him to become a household name in the industry, and garnered him a massive amount of fangirls, but at the same time, they have put his dating life in a shackle, which I speculated was a reason for him to seek WGM in the first place.
Quote[From my own article - Beyond the Image of a Perfect Gentleman]
“One point also worth mentioning is that, the very own “Nation’s Boyfriend” image that make him could one day ironically break him as well should he choose to change it to ‘Person X’s Boyfriend’...”
Since we are now at a point where this issue is more relevant than ever before, I will use the opportunity to dig into the downsides of being the “Nation’s Boyfriend” for Eric. In this article, I will also discuss how exactly is the concept of “heartthrob” problematic for Solar, and what does that bode for her future together with Eric. Without further ado, leggo~
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The Popular Guy
Eric Nam and Nation’s Boyfriend
Yeah, you can tell me anything
I’ll listen to everything
Cause I’m good for you
Whenever there are talks about Eric, his manner is always going to be one of the focal points of discussion. This is especially even more true in Korea, where his brand is built almost strictly upon that. Recently, he was selected as one of the “Men of New Generation” by Ize Magazine among with other candidates who are considered as classy gentlemen with righteous ideals. Over the years, Eric has gained a lot of recognition for the one thing he probably shouldn’t be this well-known for in the first place.
To kick off the discussion about Eric Nam and the “Nation’s Boyfriend” title, I would like to use these two examples to illustrate why he is so popular in Korea.
Quote[From Happy Together]
Q. Eric Nam is so hot right now. Ladies want you to be their boyfriend. Tell us Eric, how did it happen?
Eric: I really don’t know what the reason is. I’ve actually been asking around: “Why am I popular?”
Hyeongyeong: He knows exactly what women want. From his manners to what women want to hear, he knows exactly what to do.
Q. Can you give us an example?Hyeongyeong: He wouldn’t let the lady lifts a single finger at the restaurant. Whenever she needed anything from utensils to water, he said ‘I'll do it. I got it.’
(This was exactly what he did at the tteokbokki restaurant on his first date with Solar)
Quote[From Yu Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook]
Q. Why do you think people adore you so much?
Eric: I’ve been asked this question a lot these days. So I asked back what they liked about me, and many of them said that I’m gallant. I don’t necessary agree but I’m going with it. Do I have good manners?
Q. Many want someone like Eric as their boyfriend. All the ladies think that you’ll even embrace their flaws.
Eric: I don’t know what to say to that.
Eric’s popularity in Korea is no joke. Many people adore him because he always know the right thing to do or say. It definitely is a blessing to be well-received by the public. However, I think this is where the saying “everything in moderation” applies. His manners has gone from a blessing to a curse because he is now too well-received, to the point of obsession, and really, we all know exactly how unhealthy the obsessive/possessive culture truly is. Eric has gone from one of the better guys in the industry to a guy that everyone wants to duplicate and put in their houses.
His agency isn’t exactly helping with this either. They are capitalizing upon his image to the maximum, akin to the way RBW capitalizing on the sensation of Moonsun (which, if you are not familiar with, I would suggest to read this article from @cinnaminskies - Moon and Sunrise). Through many of his TV appearances in Korea, you could tell that they are tailored to highlight his manners and to further sell the idea that he’s a flawless gentleman to the audience. I will give you some examples here:
Best Man Ep.3 (and here is the reaction to it - Consideration Class)
Even in his music, the theme is very similar. Pretty much all of his Korean releases have been the typical love ballad that appeal to women’ impressions about him (with the exception of Ooh Ooh).I would say Good For You is a prime example of his image in a nutshell - a man who would love all girls, listen to all our troubles and is more than willing to be good for us - when in reality, Eric’s just a human with flaws and struggles of his own.
That’s not to say that it is all in his image and that he’s putting on a show for the crowd. He is genuinely well-mannered and kind, which was already proven over the years. But his good intention, applies to the culture of Korea, cause things to really blow out of proportion (for intricate reasons that I might possibly do a separate article for after more research) and makes him popular to a degree Eric himself probably couldn’t imagine
While it’s certainly a good thing that Eric has been able to make a successful career out of it, the pressure to keep up with his good image has affected him quite a lot. On Happy Together, Eric mentioned that he is very concerned about making mistakes (such as saying wrong things, like 시발점 which sounds similar to a curse word) that could ruin him. He’s living with a burden on his shoulders to be a role model wherever he appears. That is the case for every idol/public figure, but in the role that Eric has, this reality is further amplified.
If the heavy baggages that come with being the “Nation’s Boyfriend” only affect Eric, then maybe they could be a bit bearable. Unfortunately, this extreme popularity of his doesn’t go very well with Solar, and that is where the trouble arises.
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Out Of My League
Solar and her dislike of popular guys
If he knows women well, I don’t like it
He’s not good good good for me
On every single interview Mamamoo have done in the past until now, whenever Solar is asked about ideal types, she would consistently stick to these two ideals: a humorous guy and a guy who is straightforward in relationship. However, there is another tidbit about her ideal type that I only found out recently, which is that her ideal guy can’t be too popular with girls. I first learned about this through one of Mamamoo’s songs, Gentleman. Let’s take a look at what Wheein has to say about this song:
QuoteI recommend Gentleman. You should listen to it when you’re with your friends, because it’s about a group of girls meeting at a cafe and talking about their ideal types like “I like this type of guy”, “I like that type of guy”.
What stands out to me the most in the song is this one part sung by Solar, which goes “If he knows women well, I don’t like it / He’s not good good good for me”. Solar clearly expresses that her ideal guy is not someone who has his way with women. To explain in details what that means, I will refer us to YongKongByulKong Q&A 2 (4:35) in which Solar addressed this subject directly with her own words:
QuoteQ. If you two (Solar and Moonbyul) were the opposite gender, would you have dated?
Solar: *makes an X sign for no* The reason why I said no, it’s because Miss Byul, if you were a guy, you would’ve been too popular and out of my league.
Now we begin to have a clearer picture of why a popular guy is problematic for Solar. Solar’s best friend, Moonbyul, is considered the “Girl Crush” of Mamamoo - a girl who has made many women jokingly say that they have to question their sexuality sometimes. The “Girl Crush” image is a perfect counterpart to Eric’s “Nation’s Boyfriend”. Both of them are the kind of image that attracts an insane amount of obsession from fangirls, to the point where I have to say it’s too unhealthy for my liking.
So what Solar said here was essentially that, if Moonbyul was hypothetically a guy, she would be a “heartthrob” like Eric with the way she makes fangirls’ hearts fluttered, and that would make her too much for Solar. Personally, I have learned that the “out of my league” mentality is very wrong and no girl should believe in that, with a certain exception where I think it does apply: someone like us vs an idol like Eric, which those obsessive fangirls of his will forever be in denial about. However, knowing who Solar is, it is very understandable why this is a big deal for her, so I don’t really blame Solar for it.
A girl that believes in the “out of my league” idea most likely has some level of self-esteem issue, which I suspected as much about Solar (The Enigmatic Yeba). For her, she needs a relationship where she can feel proud and confident, and being next to a popular guy is not going to help. Imagine how terrible she would feel being constantly judged and told that she’s “not good enough for him” by countless amount of other jealous girls. Solar is simply not assertive enough of herself to outright ignore that, and ultimately she would suffer more often than not in the long run in this kind of relationship.
Not to mention, the idea of a popular guy itself is a major red flag too. Why? Because not every guy who’s popular with girls are like that for a good reason. In fact, you could attribute some of them to the player/womanizer type - guys who flirt around with lots of girls and make themselves look like a sweetheart but are not willing to be honest with his feelings or make a commitment to any girl. So if he’s popular, there is a possibility he belongs in that class of guy that Solar already experienced once, and probably would never want to experience it again.
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What Separates Us
Looking at an age-old dating issue from Ddongie’s perspective
My breaking heart and I agree
That you and I could never be
So with my best, my very best, I set you free
With that in mind, let’s go back to this whole idea of Eric as a “heartthrob” and identify where the issue lies. One glance should tell us right away that the former idea definitely applies in this case. Eric is way too popular with women, or to borrow Solar’s lyrics, “he knows women too well”. In fact, he’s so popular that getting him to be a cast on WGM alone was already an issue for the PD. It is no secret that the K-Nampyeons were and still are vehemently against Eric being coupled up with another girl. Even one of them who is Solar’s distant friend called her during the early days of WGM and make sure she knew they do not entertain that fact:
On Solar’s side, there are also Moomoos (or to be specific, Moonsuns) who are so vocal about their dislike that Solar had to take it into consideration during her Best Couple award acceptance speech - “Some Moomoos liked us as a couple but some didn’t" (6:30). However, judging by her statement, it’s clear that she is more concerned about his fans than hers. They are the one who makes her suffer the most, and as long as Eric remains the way he is, Solar simply can’t date him even if she wants to.
Now, I want to take us on a trip down the memory lane, back to the 1st of September of last year. A whole lot happened on that day, but the most memorable thing was Eric’s wish for Solar at the inflatable pool:
Quote“I want us to stay like this forever. I don’t want us to change.”
I would like to give a big shout out to @cinnaminskies for helping me understand Eric’s newest song Cave Me In, and for that fantastic analysis on the whole song altogether. I want to use the analysis now to hone in on these two specific lines that capture perfectly what it felt like for Eric at that moment next to Solar:
Entropy multiplies
Clock’s ticking and I’m mortified
Before this point, Eric and Solar had grown into close friends and they were moving along happily on that track, which I know for a fact because Eric had gone on record multiple times to say that he wishes to befriend Solar in real life post-WGM. However, that wish he made later on in the inflatable pool turned everything they had agreed upon before upside down, making everything chaotic, or “entropy”, if you will. I was not very certain then what Eric meant, but now I can interpret that statement with confidence, knowing that he considered his time on WGM with Solar more like dating than marriage:
Quote“I don’t want us to just be friends anymore.I want us to keep on dating afterwards like what we’re doing now.”
Eric clearly already planned to confess to her on that day. He even brought the “Why I Love You” book to fill out with her. The book was like a reminder for them when they no longer film WGM together to not forget the feelings they had developed for each other. That, coupled with his wish, was sort of a desperation move Eric made when he came to a realization that the clock had begun ticking toward the end of WGM. To add on to that, he even made another wish for her to initiate skinship (which he really meant for her to make the first move in their relationship), because if she does, it’s a sign that the feelings between him and Solar are mutual, and he would only pursue further once he’s certain about that.
A fun, off-topic comparison about the “Why I Love You” book (Spoiler alert to those of you who haven’t watched Goblin!!)
SpoilerThat book reminded me of the notes that Eun Tak desperately jotted down on her notebook about Kim Shin after his sword was taken out so she wouldn’t forget about how she was in love with him. It’s nowhere near that dramatic, but the intention was kind of similar. Eric wanted Solar to write her feelings down so she and he wouldn’t forget each other during the time spent apart.
Anyhow, the problem we’re talking about now all started there. Solar was already aware of his popularity and the negative impact it had on their WGM stint, but it would all go away once they’re no longer “married” and go back to being friends. If they were like other WGM couples and just enjoyed the ride with no emotional attachment whatsoever, Eric and Solar would eventually part ways merrily. Except, Eric wasn’t happy with just that, and it got her into a roller coaster of emotions, which then prompted Solar to give this response after spending at least a month thinking it through: I Wish You Love: A Lyrical Analysis. Her answer, with a broken heart, was: “never lovers, ever friends”.
Solar’s concern about dating Eric is very justified. However, none of it has anything to do with what she thinks of Eric as a person. We can see in her statement that Solar has only great things to say about him. He is a genuinely a good guy who has given her so much to be happy about. He is kind, humorous, well-mannered and is definitely not a player. Above all, Eric is the one who has helped Solar overcome her low self-esteem issue, which I bet she will never forget about. The problem here is that he is too good for his own...good, to the point that his goodness has inadvertently made it hard for any girl, including her, to be in a relationship with him peacefully.
Spoilerhttp://www.koreaboo.com/buzz/iu-reveals-reason-boyfriend-important/
I came across this article of Jang Ki Ha and IU and I think it’s a perfect, real-life illustration of what Eric means to a girl like Solar. Unfortunately, Jang Ki Ha and IU were reported to have broken up not too long ago, to the delight of IU’s fans, tragically. I’m not here to criticize any of her shippers, but the fact that they ruthlessly celebrated her breakup with a guy that changes her life reminds me so much of when Nampyeons/Moomoos celebrated Ddongie’s ending on WGM. No one cares about the fact that IU was probably heartbroken, but only about their own selfish shipping desire (and I hope our ship won’t stoop down to this level when it is Eric/Solar’s turn). That is the kind of reality we would be looking at if Eric and Solar decide to enter a public relationship at their current state.
We can’t forget about the fact that their careers matter as well. Both Eric and Solar are in a unique situation where they debut rather late and find themselves still in the early part of their careers. With Eric turning 30 and Solar 27 this year (in Korean age), they are definitely at the right age to begin thinking about commitment, but with how career-driven they still are, it’s not a conversation to be have at this point in time, especially not Eric who’s still holding on to his ultimate dream of crossing over to the States and becoming a relevant Western artist. Like Eric himself said, he really doesn’t know where his life and career will take him, so it’s tough for him to be sure that he can be “in sync” with any girl right now, including Solar. For Solar herself, even if her confidence has improved enough to stand against all the hate, she still has her own group/agency to be concerned about. Her career that she worked for with her own blood, sweat and tears (yes, that was intentional) matters to Solar as much as Eric’s, and it’s not wise to risk throwing that all away just to be with him.
So what does that mean then? Is this the end of the road for their romantic adventure? Are they going to give up because nothing seems to work in their favor? I beg to differ on that!
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The Test of Time
Eric and Solar are no strangers to the endurance game
‘Cause you and me live like birds on a powerline
Hands slipping and our fingers fried
God bless those Northern Lights
And our own devices, babe
Remember this?
When Solar gave those shoes to Eric, she said: “It means...even if we’re not together, don’t change your mind”. What did she mean by that? Why did Solar feel compelled to say such a thing?
Listen to her words carefully one more time: ”Even if we’re not together, don’t change your mind”. That statement has double meanings - they won’t be together for filming, and they won’t be together as a couple anymore for possibly a very long time. The situation they find themselves in right now make it nigh on impossible for them to date. But even so, Solar wants Eric to not turn away from those earnest feelings he expressed to her back then at the pool.
Both Eric and her are well-aware of the reality. Like Solar said, when they began, they knew there would be an end. Not an end to their friendship, since Solar said they for sure would keep in touch, but an end to their dream-like life as husband and wife, as boyfriend and girlfriend. WGM was their way to bypass the harsh reality of being an idol, but it was never a permanent solution. Sooner or later, they would have to face reality, and the reality is that they can’t just get together on a romantic date casually like they once did in the name of filming a variety show.
I would argue though, that if Solar truly has given up on any possibility of her and Eric taking it beyond friendship because of those difficulties, she wouldn’t even bother telling him those words or write everything that was on those shoes. Why would it matter whether Eric’s feelings change or not if they are just going to be friends, right? But instead, Solar gave him a sign there by telling him to not give up, because if he won’t, then she won’t either.
There was another important part about the shoe that I feel like I should bring to our attention. On there, she wrote a very commonly used Korean idiom nowadays: “꽃길만 걸어”, which means “Let’s walk on flower paths”. This was Solar’s message to Eric, wishing that they can walk together happily in the future, and that is not going to happen if they just recklessly dive into a public relationship. Countless of other idol couples have been broken apart before either because they couldn’t handle the fans’ malice, or they failed to take into account the “likes, dreams and aspirations” of the other person. She doesn’t want Eric and her to fall into that same trap, and if that means they have to be extra cautious and calculating, then so be it.
So in short, what I took from her statement, with regards to everything else Solar has said and done, is this: her answer has changed from “no” to “not now”, and it makes perfect sense. Realistically speaking, if she and Eric were to ever become an item, it’s not going to happen for a foreseeable future because of the popularity reason I mentioned in the previous sections. They can’t just date each other without resolving the problems that exist, otherwise it would be outright suicidal. In order for them to be together when the right opportunity comes though, their feelings for each other will have to withstand the test of time. It’s a question of commitment. Would Eric remain faithful to her until the day she can be next to him again, or will he move on to someone else? Would Solar be able to promise him the same?
I have two good news for us all, however. Here’s the first one: both Eric and Solar are no strangers to a long-lasting relationship. Solar has been dying for a guy who values commitment, and in Eric, she has found him. Once Eric decides that a girl is worth pursuing, it’s going to take a lot for him to change his mind. Throughout twenty-nine years of his life, he’s only been in a relationship twice for that reason. What about Solar? Well, she hasn’t really given us a number, but from everything I have learned about her, I am fairly certain that she’s only done it once. That is just to give you an idea of how devoted to their partner they could be.
The second piece of good news is this: they had already set themselves up for this situation beforehand. I have mentioned this in some of my previous articles, that they did quite a lot of things that would allow them to keep each other in memories. Eric said that his way of making him memorable to Solar was through letting her do many things she dreamed about with him. Just to jog our memories a little bit, here are two examples:
Spoiler1) Eric fulfilled her wish of being a radio DJ (which was something she'd dreamed about since Piano Man era) with their appearance on Hope Song at Noon. Later on she came back on the radio and said that she reminisced about that moment fondly.
2) The Dubai trip was part of her wish list written on the resume, and was possibly her first ever vacation with someone else (because her trip to Danang, Vietnam later on was actually the first time she went on vacation with Moonbyul [1:30]). The days in Dubai was so unforgettable for Solar that she still went around doing the “Assalamualaikum” greeting with Mamamoo/Moomoos after WGM ended and recently mentioned on FM Yokohama radio that she really enjoyed the trip with Eric.
That’s not to mention the countless pictures, mementos, videos they took/made with each other. Those are things that they already planned for ahead of time, knowing that the moment their WGM ending came, they would have something everlasting to cherish . Remember what Solar said in Dubai? “We should take more pictures. Pictures are the only thing that last”. They knew that months, even years from now, the only way for them to keep the fire burning bright is to have something they can look back on and remember how special they were to each other. That initiative they took give me hope that Eric and Solar already had thoughts about their long-term prospect together.
However, even if everything ideally goes right and their feelings remain the same, we’re still left with the main issue. What about Eric’s popularity? How are we going to solve this dilemma? The answer to that depends a lot on Eric himself and his future. Right now, what I can say is this: Eric is already making the right moves to alleviate the insane craze about him as the Nation’s Boyfriend. He already said a long time ago that variety show is a great medium for him to express the more casual sides of himself. The more exposure his Korean fans have to his true self, the lesser the craze will be. He’s very willing to take gambles on doing controversial shows like WGM and Life Bar because he knows these are the opportunities for him to escape the never-ending culture of idol possession ingrained deep in the society of Korea. Although, it’s still going to be a balancing act between the kind of candid thing he’s doing on Life Bar versus what he has to do in order to upkeep his image, because that is the only way for him to remain relevant in the industry at this point in time.
And that brings us to the ultimate solution which lies in his ultimate dream - a successful crossover to the U.S. We’ve already seen a glimpse of how supportive the international fans could be when it comes to relationship through his IG post with Solar, because the concept of Nation’s Boyfriend doesn’t exist on this side of the ocean. By becoming a full-blown Western artist, the benefits Eric receive will be two-fold. First, there’s going be a demographic shift in Eric’s fanbase great enough that his popularity would no longer affect his love life negatively. Also, by the time the transition is completed, Eric’s career would probably become stable enough where he can begin thinking about settling down. Hopefully by then, the name Solar would still be floating around in that conversation of his.
Of course, no one can really tell how long that would take, or if Eric can achieve it at all. As an Asian, an Eric stan, and a Ddongi shipper, I am rooting for his success in the West harder than probably anything else for a whole lot of reasons. Solar has given Eric a clear indication to the one last hurdle that remains in their path to a happy ending. Now it’s up to Eric and her to figure out how to overcome this together. All we could do now is patiently wait and wish that their path toward the future will indeed be a path of flowers and sunshine.
With that, I will leave you guys with one last thing - a bonus, if you will, to finish this up on a positive note.
SpoilerQuoteQ. What is your ideal type like? What kind of person will you become when you are in love?
Solar: Me too! Someone like Yoo Jae Suk sunbaenim and Jung Hyung Don sunbaenim.
To my knowledge, this is the first time ever where Solar has mentioned Yoo Jae Suk as her ideal type. It sparks a lot of interest in me, considering the conversation about how her ideal type has changed because of Eric. I’m going to let Han Heejun from Happy Together explain what I’m talking about.QuoteHeejun: Among overseas Korean celebrities, Eric is like Yoo Jae Suk. He’s idolized. He’s a role model, with English names always say we should follow him as an example.
His statement brought me back to an article I read a long time ago - Is Eric Nam the next Yoo Jae Suk? - which I think is a very legitimate comparison. Eric shares many similar traits with Yoo Jae Suk - he’s a hardworking man and a guy with charisma who can be entertaining and friendly to virtually anyone. Not to mention, Eric is also on the path of becoming a beloved MC like Jae Suk as well. One of Eric’s dreams is to MC’ing a show of his own in the future, and he’s working his way toward it by training with veterans like Yang Se Hyung on ShinYangNamja.
Also, if you guys didn’t know, Eric really impressed Jae Suk himself back when he made an appearance on Infinite Challenge in 2015
And want to take a guess where Solar could possibly become a Jae Suk fangirl? Yes, from her favorite variety show, Infinite Challenge.
However, the biggest similarity to me is the fact that both Eric and Jae Suk share the same burden as a role model for other people. They are so popular and fervently adored that the pressure to maintain a flawless image affect their daily lives. This article here is a good read about the hardship that Jae Suk goes through, and from there, we can relate back to Eric and the burden he himself is carrying on his shoulders everyday.
The main point that I’m trying to get across is that I think Solar really admire men who are hard-working and suffer a lot while still putting on a smile for other people (because that’s basically her). So, in a way, by mentioning Jae Suk, Solar just indirectly said that Eric is now her ideal man.
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@trowabarton99 If it's not too much to ask, could you help us translate the other parts from that Ddongi China poster as well?
I think she brought up a lot of things I like to discuss about, and I think there should be more in the other parts too (I will write them all down and post it here soon).
@pearlysheylla Wow! It's good to see a fellow Eric stan in here. Welcome to the thread. Oh, and I LOVE 4AM TOO OMG!
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@Riri Thanks for the Gallant article
. Don't know why it was deleted tbh.
Wow it's really been quiet around here huh? Understandable though, as there's not much going on in this month, yet. However, I'm here to drop some important news:
http://osen.mt.co.kr/article/G1110581699
Yang Nam Show has added a third MC - Super Junior's Shindong - to the line-up for the upcoming Season 2, which will begin to broadcast from the 23rd this month. The show from now on will be known as "Shin Yang Namja Show" (신양남자쇼). To those who do not know, Shindong is a big radio personality. He's a former host of radio ShimShimTaPa and was recently discharged from military duty. I personally think this change will really propel the show forward and hopefully will attract more big-name idol groups to come (like Mamamoo hint hint).
The first guest for Season 2 will be BTS
Eric is also currently on "Life Bar" for two episodes already. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any sub since I don't think the show is popular enough for it? Hopefully some kind souls out there will do this. Meanwhile, here's some articles about his appearances:
Eric Nam Reveals He’s Kissed Someone Within The Last Week (OMG WHAT?!! WHO?!!)
Yang Yoseob Explains Why There’s No Point Asking Idols About Their Dating Status
Since Solar's birthday is coming up on the 21st of this month, some of her fan sites have begun posting Solar's ads on metro stations' walls:
The owner of the fansite @RecAlice even announced that they will have an electronic bulletin board of Solar on display! (img from KKTalk thread)
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Other updates
Eric
SpoilerEric with the Nam bros in Mexico:
SpoilerHe had a photoshoot on the 8th
Solar
SpoilerShortly before Eric's trip, Solar went to Vietnam with Moonbyul and finally posted some photos on fan cafe along with her other memos:
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Mamamoo's interview from FM Yokohama 84.7 Radio HITS. Solar was asked about whether she prefers Dubai to Kyushu-Yufuin. Plus she also talked about what WGM meant to her
There are a few bits about Solar from the original source that was left out which I will include here (highlighted in yellow)
SpoilerQuoteSolar:
My original dream was to be a CA (T/N: CA = Cabin Attendant i.e. stewardess). One time by chance at a singing contest, I was scouted by an executive who was watching me sing.Solar, who appeared on the variety show "We Got Married" - a show about a virtual marriage with Eric Nam, displayed her honest charms. In reality, she is 25 years old and is the eldest member of the group.
QuoteWhich one do you prefer (Dubai or Kyushu-Yufuin)? When asked, she [Solar] answered in Japanese: "This is very difficult, because I really enjoyed traveling to Dubai with Eric Nam."
Latest YongKongByulKong in Danang,Vietnam: http://www.vlive.tv/video/22166
Some important parts talked about are here in these tweets:
And some other points:
SpoilerI've also heard words that Eric is invited to the 59th Grammy Awards this year along with Tablo and Gallant (who is nominated for a Grammy award himself btw). Here is the article:
However, I need to verify the legitimacy of this news, since I haven't seen any Billboard reports about this yet. Stay tuned guys! (I would be REALLY happy for Eric if this is true though)
EDIT: Oh, and I'm still working on the article guys. Stay tuned for that one too!
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On 1/27/2017 at 2:14 PM, Cedric Ong said:
Mmm....to readers, it seems open up some different interpretations....and not sure if he said it seriously or half-jokingly...and if he further elaborated on that comment or not?
But then in Soompi article, that comment is abit different....he said later....not disappeared....or both doesn't contradict?
"While it was being discussed how many people had seen Tablo playing claw machine games with his family, the rapper suddenly asked, “Eric Nam, when do you plan on getting married?” Taken by surprise, the singer said, “Why are you asking me this out of the blue? Well, I’ve experienced a married life through ‘We Got Married’ recently, so I’m thinking of getting married later on in life.” "
https://www.soompi.com/2017/01/27/eric-nam-tablo-discuss-marriage-whether-actually-look-similar/
The Soompi translation is correct and is exactly what Eric said if you read the Korean source (http://news.nate.com/view/20170127n08518). AKP misconstrued his statement in a negative way to incite controversy yet again. What Eric simply meant was that he doesn't plan to get married early, because
1) He is still focusing on his career right now, and plan to get married later down the line (See his Fuse TV interview for more details)
2) WGM already gave him the feelings he wanted to taste (dating/marriage) so he's no longer in a rush to seek for it
People can interpret his statement anyway they want to. For me, this makes the most sense in consideration of his previous words. Also, nobody who has seen Eric and Solar together on WGM would think that WGM gave him a negative view about marriage. It was a great experience for him and Solar who both are still way too early into their career to actually date or get married in real life.
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Updates for Eric X Tablo X Gallant "Cave Me In"
Billboard article
There's also an article where Eric said Gallant got drunk and lost in HK during MV filming and they had to go find him (LOL) but I can't find it anywhere.
Some support messages/promotions from other artists for Cave Me In
SpoilerTweets about KCON Mexico in March on the 17th-18th
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Hi everyone,
I am going to post a mini article about what Solar said on the Haru Hana magazine posted by @gureentea, and translated by @trowabarton99 (no timeline yet, will let you guys know soon). I feel like it's relevant to some of the things I had written about before. The post will be about what her statement means and what ramification will it have for her and Eric's future together.
@gureentea Can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.
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12 hours ago, ventj said:
when eric nam release a new song?
Here's the answerEric and Tablo will be on Cultwo show on the 27th at 1 PM KST after the song release (img cr. to @gureentea)
Also confirmed on his latest schedule:
SpoilerQuoteJanuary Schedule (170123 ver.)
- Jan 5th - [Other] 6PM Hongdae Gentle Monster Shop V-App Event
- Jan 10th - [Other] Private Event (2017 SM Town Meeting)
- Jan 13th - [Other] Sooyoung 'FanBook X Beaming Effect' Charity Concert
- Jan 17th - [Other] CF Shooting
- Jan 27th - [Radio] 2PM SBS Cultwo Show
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MAMAMOO at K-Rookies Final Concert on the 21st
V-League All-Star Game on the 22nd
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Lyrics trans for Honey Bee
Beside the fact that Solar had me dying multiple times throughout the song with her sexiness (that I can seriously make like 59872895 gifs for) plus those mildang lyrics, I just want to point out something fun:
SpoilerThe seductive pose she made at the end of the song is the same as the "Would you like some coffee?" pose she made during the DIY episode on WGM with Eric
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Updates updates!
Eric Nam
Since his FB news page is not updating the schedules, I have to temporary pull them from the official fancafe instead. Will update as soon as a newer version is released
SpoilerQuoteJanuary Schedule (170113 ver.)
- Jan 5th - [Other] 6PM Hongdae Gentle Monster Shop V-App Event
- Jan 10th - [Other] Private Event (2017 SM Town Meeting)
- Jan 13th - [Other] Sooyoung 'FanBook X Beaming Effect' Charity Concert
- Jan 17th - [Other] CF Shooting
Eric at a CF Shooting on the 17th
He was on Melon Star DJ with Tablo from the 16th to the 18th
He just took up an MC role for a new show called "Life Bar"
Other IG Updates
SpoilerMamamoo
Schedule
Solar fancafe memos
Spoiler-
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Hello ft. Eric Nam
SpoilerLyrics translation here: https://sonexstella.com/2017/01/16/lyric-translation-seohyun-hello/
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Congratulations to Mamamoo for winning Bonsang at GDA
Here's their performances and acceptance speech:
SpoilerIn other news, Eric Nam is working with Chancellor, maybe for one of his songs in the upcoming album?
SpoilerEric will collab with SNSD's Seohyun in her upcoming solo album. The song is called Hello and will be released on the 18th
SpoilerSome updates for the SNSD Sooyoung's Beaming Effect concert that Eric attended:
Spoiler-
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20 hours ago, cnsdlover49 said:
to be honest, i do noticed eric expression but forget to point it out..hahaha..btw typical yeba, she cover the camera with the flower..
..really curious about what she say while placing the flower on the table until she pout like that..one more thing, isn't there any video that show solar arival? I'm really want to see how she greet eric..is she just going straight to sit beside eric or what..hahaha..to much think..sorry..
I don't think there's any as far as I know, but I'm sure there's more than Solar just sitting down haha. She came around the break between part 1 and 2 of the award so there's some decent time for her and Eric to meet and talk with each other. I also heard from our Kakao group that Eric had a backstage interview where he said Solar is like "a beautiful princess" but I can't find that anywhere?
Just want to share this because it's hilarious:
Forever a Yeba...
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On 1/7/2017 at 10:24 AM, cnsdlover49 said:
watching the raw..eric must had feel so happy when solar did come because if i'm not mistaken he mention that solar will not attend..other than that i think they discuss something like mission to do for the couple who won the best couple awards..when ask to eric, he said something like i don't have, i can't do it anyways (might refer to because solar is not there)..then when they won, eric seem to ignore gook ju (kiss sign) while giving the speech..hahahaha..
ps: this is just based on my understanding, i could be wrong..
I watched the subbed ep again and you are not wrong. Eric said he doesn't have to make any couple kiss pledge because Solar won't be there anyway. However, look carefully at his facial expression when he said it:
SpoilerI don't know about you guys, but his face was pretty...funnily suspicious. It seems to me that Eric already knew she was coming but was just playing dumb. Why? So that he could dodge the mission lol. That's why when Gukju told them to kiss he had a legit excuse to ignore it because "I didn't know she would be here
"
Bonus: Yeba's reaction to the award from an alternative camera angle
SpoilerPay attention to Eric. He looked at Solar first before looking up at the screen. He was checking for her adorable reaction right away
. Also, is it just me or did he seem not as surprised as her about the announcement?
One more thing I want to talk about, after Eric and Solar received the award, they actually spent quite some time in the backstage before returning
SpoilerI check the timer from the actual MBC Ent. Awards video again, and this moment when they put the flowers on the table was about 6 mins after Eric finished his acceptance speech (*I matched it with the audio and what's shown on the TV screen). During that time, the camera kept panning to their seats about 2-3 times and they both weren't there. Six mins in the backstage is actually quite long, so I think @gureentea was right about Solar cleaning Eric's hair in the backstage and you know... doing other things that are left to our delulu minds' imagination
*The moment shown on that screencap is ~16:16 in this video. Their acceptance speech ended at 10:10.
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Catching up on Eric's activities. First off, a reminder that Cave Me In will be released on the 20th this month. Anyone pumped for more Eric music this year? Cause I definitely am!
He had a showcase on the 5th at Gentle Monster in
GangnamHongdae (woops my bad), which was recorded on his V-live.
SpoilerSpoilerEric was also at Google Korea HQ, although I'm not quite sure what he was doing there.
This was taken from Ravi's REAL1ZE concert. Apparently Eric attended his concert (the 6th) and sent flowers to him:
SpoilerIf you guys don't know/remember who Ravi is, he's the VIXX member that accidentally photobombed Solar back in November during Decalcomanie promotion:
Also this is kind of old and unrelated, but here is a little known fact: Ravi's sister had/has a crush on Eric
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1 hour ago, ventj said:
where i can watch yang and nam show with eng sub? and best man (eric nam is MC(?) in this tv show) ? anyone know where i can watch it?
I can't find Eng Sub for Best Man, but Yang and Nam Show, to my knowledge, is fully subbed up to Ep.4 at this point. Since Eric doesn't have a trans team, we're relying on the idol groups' respective teams instead so it might take a while to get sub, and some eps might not even be subbed at all.
SpoilerEp.1 - I.O.I
Ep.2 - Twice
SpoilerEp.3 - SHINee
SpoilerEp.4 - Red Velvet
Spoiler
Ep.7 - Seventeen (partial sub)Spoiler- - - - - - -
A few more updates. Mamamoo was on Idol Party not long ago, and they revealed a lot of important things:
Spoiler
Solar Fancafe Memos:Spoiler-
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@cinnaminskies Thank you for the video. It's amazing to me that you put it together so quickly and yet it's still so good. I like it a lot.
So just earlier, Solar did YKBK and she talked A LOT about the Best Couple Award and WGM. She was very excited about it and she discussed everything in a very open and honest manner along with Moonbyul. While waiting for the entire vid to be subbed, here are some highlights:
SpoilerSince this wasn't posted before, I want to add this as well. Some time before Solar's MBC schedule was updated, Moonbyul posted a memo about Moomoos but with an unreleased picture of Solar in Dubai instead. Perhaps it was a hint? (Also, who took this picture for her ??)
Also, Solar wrote a memo earlier with a picture of her in the dress she wore for MBC Ent. Award, but later on she edited her memo, erasing everything she wrote before and changed it to 민망스
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Wow everyone. Words just can't describe how happy I am right now. Today has been a special day for me, and all of us Ddongie fans. I still can't believe that they actually did it.
First off when the news came in at the last moment that Solar was going to attend MBC Entertainment Awards, I was truly shocked.
Then, when they announced Ddongie as the winner for Best Couple of the Year, I couldn't stop screaming from excitement. Look at Eric and Solar during this sequence:
(You can view more MBC photos here)
I'm so glad that they are still the same Ddongie that we came to know and love. Solar was so nervous and tired, but she still managed to give a good acceptance speech, and Eric gave his as well. Here is the full cut for those who haven't watched:
Eric and Solar, you both truly deserve this award for being the awesome couple that you are! Enjoy this moment together, and hope we will see you two together like this again many more times in the future as well.
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Merry (belated) Christmas everyone!
I hope you all are having a great Winter season right now. It’s been a while since I came out with part 2 of the series, but the final part is finally here. I wanted to get it out a lot earlier than this, but my own personal life didn’t allow me to do so. I said I was going to release this on the 23rd, but that didn’t go as planned either, so I apologize for that
. Consider this my Christmas gift to everyone, since you all along with Ddongie couple has made 2016 a memorable one for me. Thank you and enjoy!
If you have yet to read the first two parts, please take a moment to do so before continuing on:
Quote- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To begin with, I have a little confession to make: I am an extremely picky girl when it comes to shipping. I’ve always erred on the side of caution in this regard due to the fact that I’m by nature very analytical and perhaps even cynical. Shipping is very fun and addicting, I have to admit. It’s the reason why I was drawn to a show that produces ships like WGM in the first place. However, for almost every couple on WGM that I had encountered before (even my previous ship SoLim), I had always had a certain level of what we call “suspension of disbelief”, which has put a damper on the ability to enjoy my experience to the fullest extent.
At one point, I was very adamant about the fact that a show like WGM could never bypass this side of me. Despite how addicted I am to WGM, I still consider it to be the last place in this world that would be capable of producing an OTP that meets my expectation, and perhaps even surpasses it. An ideal ship on WGM (or anywhere else for that matter) for me needs to be more than just being cute or entertaining. They need a relationship, a storyline so genuine and heartfelt that I can look at and say “I can feel what they’re feeling, I can relate to them, and I can understand why is it that they have a relationship like so”.
Now you could tell me that what I just said was very subjective, or perhaps that I have a high standard, and I wouldn’t disagree with you. Each one of us have our own personal preference after all. For me personally, what I am looking for is not just whether a couple have connection/chemistry with each other or not, but also why and how they have such connection. To explain what I mean more clearly, I would like to compare it to fictional relationships depicted in novels. Anyone could create a make-believe romantic story on a whim, but the difference between a casual boy-meet-girl tale and classical works like Wuthering Heights or Pride and Prejudice is the powerful narrative behind it that gives the love relationship existed in these stories a level of richness and authenticity rather than something that feels shallow and contrived.
For that reason, I oftentimes feel like I’m being way too idealistic in carrying the same expectations into WGM. In a TV show with many limitations and clichés, in a place where there is a certain status quo to be kept, it is nearly impossible for any sort of special relationship to arise and finally breaks that mold. Each couple has their own unique charms, and many of them have made me squeal and scream countless times before, but at the end of the day, none of them have given a storyline that truly inspire me.
All of this was turned upside down when Eric Nam and Solar arrived back in April this year. As a casual Nampyeon back in the day and a hardcore one in recent times, I personally had hope that Eric could finally be the one. Of course, my skeptic side still held some reservations against it. It is still WGM, and plus, who the heck is Solar anyway? Yet, thirty-three episodes later, and I found myself here sharing this writing while asking the question: “How did I get here?”. What is so special about them that I now have an exciting tale to tell?
The answer to that question only comes clear to me now as I re-examine their story in retrospect. It is because, in less than a single year, against all odds and expectations, Eric and Solar have managed to write a beautiful tale together – a tale of fate/destiny, a tale of what happens when soulmates from two sides of the world finally cross paths.
Finale: Ddongie Couple – A Match Made in Heaven
by enko20
“You were like my missing piece.”
- Eric Nam, WGM Episode 33
Driven by Desire? Or by Destiny?
Eric Nam
In August 2014, when Eric Nam was invited to KCON in Los Angeles for the first time (though as an interviewer and not a singer), he had a chance to be interviewed himself by none other than our own Soompi. One of the questions asked in this interview was about which couple on WGM is his favorite, and who would he like to be partnered with if he was to become a cast of the show. Eric’s answer was JjongAh couple, because he likes Yura as a funny and energetic girl. For him personally, he would be okay with anyone, or in his words, “just get me a wife and I will go on that show” [1]. But that wasn’t his true answer. He actually shed light on his ideal partner later on and made clear why Yura was his favorite girl. When he was in Malaysia two months after KCON, he finally revealed a specific name: APink’s Eunji – a girl that, despite not knowing her well, he still believes that she is a good fit for him because of how bright and bubbly she is. [2]
As discussed in part 1, there is one chief reason for Eric’s desire to appear on variety shows. It is because he wants his American personality to reach his Korean audience, something that he has had trouble expressing because of his limitation with the Korean language and the difference in people’s perceptions of him due to the disparity between the two cultures.
“I think on an international basis, they’ve been able to see a lot of my real personality, just being carefree and a little humorous and crazy, but the Korean audience doesn’t get to really see that and that’s regretful.” [3]
Driven by this desire, Eric first became the host for After School Club - an international variety show that gave him a powerful platform to feel comfortable in his own skin, displaying his antics and humors to his heart’s content while being surrounded by his Korean-American peers. And initially, this was also the motivation for him to join WGM. A reason why he always prefers a cheerful girl is because it enables him to be himself, to be more easy-going and have fun rather than his usual calm and reserved Nation’s Boyfriend image that has become an identity given to him by his Korean fans. Because of this, when Solar asked why he chose her as his partner, he gave an answer that seemed confusing at the time, but made complete sense in hindsight:
However, as both him and I would soon figure out, the reason that he gave out here, along with his decision to pick Solar, was driven by a rather greater force than what I’ve learned here.
Solar
Coming from a girl group well known for their beagle-ness, Solar herself was and still is mostly known by the world of entertainment as an energetic, easy-going and funny girl. She has her own identity of Solar the happy ball of sunshine, the girl with a powerful vocal and stage presence that blows everyone away.
However, as detailed in part 2 of the series, her story goes much deeper than that. As Solar herself said, before she met Eric, only her members knew her true personality and feelings. Her Yongsun self, like Eric’s American personality, is relatively unknown to the mass, and she was in need of a platform to showcase that other side of her.
“There's a part of Solar which hasn't been verified in other entertainment, it felt like a challenge for me.”
- Choi Yoon-Jeong, WGM PD
(Disclaimer: All quotes taken from WGM PD interviews are credited to @Farfalle's translation work, not my own; translated articles can be found on the front page of the thread)
When Solar was asked on the resume what she was looking for in her partner, her answer was:
Her motive was somewhat similar to Eric in a sense that both of them needed a person that can allow their true selves to flourish and be displayed without any reserve. Solar’s perceived image and her real personality is the reverse of Eric. While Eric is much crazier and energetic than his gentleman side, Solar is much more shy and reserved than her image suggests. That, in my opinion, was also one of the personal motivations for RBW and Solar to come to an agreement for her to join WGM.
Against the Tide
However, the choice of doing WGM came with many potential risks and consequences. The first and most obvious one was the opposition coming from their own fans. Many people were confounded by the news of Eric joining WGM. In fact, the uproar was big enough that it shook both Eric and the PD:
"… When Eric Nam's appearance speculation articles got out, I was surprised that female fans' interest at online sites appeared badly. There has been talk about Eric Nam's appearance in 'WGM' several times, Eric Nam himself also told me that his fans would be discouraged by the episodes, because of that he hesitated. Eric Nam's popularity is beyond imagination, so I was really shocked."
Moomoos also expressed concerns about Solar appearing on the show, due to the fact that she was still an unproven variety commodity and that she had many shortcomings (such as shyness) that could easily lead to her downfall in the hand of a show that is known for screwing people’s reputation over. For both Eric and Solar though, there was a potential reward in all this they could see, but it came at such a high stake. Best case scenario, they came out with what they expected to give and receive. Worst case scenario, their reputation and career might be tarnished greatly.
But they both had been here before. When Eric received the letter from MBC inviting him for an adventure to Korea to pursue his dream, or when Solar went through many failed auditions over and over again, they made those conscious choices against the naysayers, including their own parents, telling them that they were making a big mistake. Back then, the driving force that pushed them toward their goals was an inner ambition and passion for success. It felt like they were destined for greater heights, even though they were arguably already on a path of stability for their own – Eric as a consultant, and Solar as a flight attendant.
This finally beg a question that we’ve been holding onto since the previous section: What then was the true driving force behind their determination to see this choice of doing WGM through? I do not have a surefire answer for that question, but I can offer a logical reason instead. And to do that, I would like to take us on a journey back through time – to the days of youth, the place where the tale of Ddongie couple truly began.
Turn Back Time
Do you know what’s one of the most common comments among Ddongie fans watching Eric and Solar? “They are like two little kids”. While I definitely have a lot of fun watching them being childish, at one point I stopped and asked myself: Why are they like that? And from there, everything fell into place one piece at a time like a domino effect for me. Now, I would like to pose to you these similar questions I asked myself for you to ponder upon. Don’t worry if you can’t figure out the answer for them, because our journey to their past will reveal everything to us all.
Have you ever wondered…
Quote1) Why Eric likes a bubbly and bright girl?
2) Why he often dances around so weirdly and crazily that even Henry has to call him out?
3) Why Solar likes a guy with good sense of humor so much?
4) Why is she such a bubbly and childish girl despite her age?
If you have made some sort of connection on your own, then great! If not, then hopefully it will all makes sense very soon.
A Lost Childhood
Eric Nam
Before Eric blossomed into the gentleman and artist that we came to know of today, he actually went through many bad things. The biggest, and most known one was racial discrimination. During his middle school days, Eric recounted the story of being the only Asian kid in his school, and for that he was mocked, abused, and he also said the worst thing that happened was being spat on [4]. This was one of the challenging situations that he talked about in the snippets of his album Interview above, which I briefly went over in Part 1.
What I didn’t discuss about before was the mental toll that was taken upon him because of this. For Eric, being the eldest child in the family meant that he felt like it was up to him to bear the burdens and responsibilities of a man. Because of that, he often kept his troubles and emotions to himself for the most part to avoid putting “any additional stress or pressure on my parents”. The upside to this was that it forced him to become very independent and self-sufficient like his own words, but the downside was that along the way, he slowly lost the capability to express himself and the will to share his burden with others (which later on, would translate to his inability to express himself in love).
In a sense, he grew up becoming desensitized, not to other people’s emotions, but his own. Eric came to accept that this situation was his fate, and the only way to overcome it was to become stronger and more mature/competent, even at the cost of his own happiness. During his years at Boston College, Eric still seemed to carry this mentality with him. One of his roommates in college described his view on Eric as a person then:
“Those who know Eric best understand that all that Eric inflicts upon himself great physical and mental strain…Indeed, this characteristic of Eric marks all he does in the sense that many of his ambitious undertakings are ultimately dedicated to bettering society in some way, often at the expense of his own personal well-being.” [5]
- Andrew Miller
While he was busy fighting for his hopes and dreams, his childhood passed by him just like that. Unlike many other children who had the opportunity to experience the innocence and joy of childhood, Eric was forced to left most of it behind in order to seek for the light at the end of the tunnel – a better place for his family and himself in the future.
Solar
“Solar was picky and unsociable, she kept her distance from others…”
- Eun Ah, WGM Episode 32
SpoilerQuoteSolar’s Emotions Part 1 – Lived Like a Fool
One day, at the sound of leaves falling
I saw my empty mind
Felt the fleeting times
That flew by
Like the falling leaves
Have I lived my life
We once again revisit the little-known childhood of a girl named Kim Yong Sun. As I previously discussed, Solar grew up as very lonely girl who didn’t get to experience many things that other kids at her age did. Solar would, according to her sister, spent her time alone singing when she was young [1], and in her school days, she never experienced having a birthday party surrounded by friends [2].
The reason for that was explained by one of her few childhood friends Eun Ah and by her own members during trainee days [3]. Because of Solar’s shy nature, she wasn’t very social, and she would do things on her own away from other kids. That made it very difficult for her to open herself up and making friends. Looking at how bubbly Solar is today, it’s pretty difficult to grasp this side of her, but we still see glimpses of her past self when she is around other people in the industry she’s not close to. She becomes very quiet, awkward and almost reclusive, like the way she grew up as a kid.
Similar to the visual images expressed in part 1 of Solar’s Emotion, Solar described her once “dark” life as the falling leaves that were gone with the wind (not a reference to Margaret Mitchell’s novel). Her lonely and sad childhood flew aimlessly through time, going wherever life took it toward. Eun Ah also described this about Solar somewhat when she told Eric that a lot of times Solar’s mind is emptied of thoughts. Her past felt so fleeting because she went through it without many memories to be cherished. Just like him, she also once lived wishing to pass the days, and dreamed of a brighter and happier future ahead.
Rekindle the Fire of Youth
Now, when they stand on that musical stage, occupied by the spotlights and the busy lives as idols in the entertainment world, they could no longer get to relive the childhood that was taken away from both of them by Father Time.
QuoteIs it lost?
Is it too late?
To return the times that have passed
Wouldn’t it be great?
This fact is reflected in the images that Eric and Solar carry with them today. They both want to have the feeling of being a child once again. If only they could go back to the time when the world was innocent and beautiful. If only they could go back to the time when they could have fun and play games like two children without being isolated or discriminated by kids around them, or worrying/disappointing those they care about. Even if it’s only for a short moment in time, they just want to experience this joy, and to forget about the pain of this world.
It is the reason why Eric likes a bright and competent girl. She’s someone who can be his source of energy when he feels drained, someone who can lift off the weight on his shoulders and take care of he who has frequently neglected himself to be the leader, to be good for people around him. Looking back, it was the price Eric paid to become who he is today, and although it’s a sacrifice he’s more than willing to make, a part of him still wishes he could have a girl, a life partner that could make him feel young and relaxed once again.
“I could do everything on my own when I was in the U.S. But here in Korea, there are not many things I can do by myself. I always need help, and there are a lot of things I can’t understand. So when others say, ‘I can do it for you’, I feel really grateful.”
- Eric Nam, WGM Episode 5
For Solar, what she yearns for the most is someone who she can truly call friend. Until the day she met her Mamamoo members, not many people were willing to become close to Solar or to embrace who she is as a girl. What you see today in Solar around her members is the Yongsun that’s unleashed after many years spent during childhood suppressing herself. The girl who once locked herself inside her bedroom as a kid, or sat in a corner doing yoga away from other trainees came out of her shell and blossomed because she’s met people who understand and love her despite her quirks.
“…But with the birth of the name and the group Mamamoo, good things happened. Things have changed, I have changed too, and I like it.” [4]
From here, we could begin to grasp the idea of why humor is so important to her. It’s the easiest gateway for Solar to feel comfortable in the presence of someone else (which is why Solar really appreciates him playing around with her right on their first date), and it works the same way for me and many of us as well, I’m sure. But it’s not the main reason. The truth is that many jokers are also secretly sympathetic and understanding, and that is the key to becoming close with someone like her on a friendship, and perhaps even romantic level.
Mamamoo Sidenote 1:
SpoilerMoonbyul recently posted a memo about her birthday which helped explain everything I’ve written and will write about. Solar’s narrative is very similar to her, and that’s one of the reasons why they understand each other very well.
However, similar to Eric, she also carries her own burden as the leader of Mamamoo. Even though her members are her friends, Solar is still considered the mother of the group [5] – a woman who is oftentimes a source of strength for them and the fans, but rarely the recipient of it. To give you an example, consider the story of Solar and Hwasa during Christmas 2012, where she chose to accompany Hyejin out of her caring heart, despite the fact that we all know Solar was also desperate for a beautiful Christmas memory of her own (though the days she spent with Hwasa also were as memorable) . That’s not to say she can’t rely on her members or fans to be there for her, but rather, it’s because of her status as the eldest member that makes her feel like she has to be strong and dependable for them. Although Solar has many worries and pain of her own, she often opts to keep everything to herself instead to not put pressure and worry on people she cares about.
So, even though both Eric and Solar are in a better place now compared to the past, there’s still a key element that’s missing, and that is the presence of someone who can be a shoulder for them to lean on when things get tough. But this person has to be someone other than their own parents and best friends, people who they specifically do not want to share all their burden with. Only when they meet such a person could they finally let go of those weights and become carefree children once more.
That deepest desire come calling for them to go out and find someone to satisfy this specific need, and this, in my opinion, was the true driving force behind their motivation to go on a show that allow them a fresh start with someone new. Although, in a place like WGM where the final choice of their partner lies in the hand of the PD, there has to be some sort of divine intervention for such an unlikely thing to happen. Yet, as if it was already written in the stars, them two, out of endless possibilities of couples, came together to make not only this wish, but many, many more than what they could’ve ever hoped for a reality for them.
“Thank you for marrying me… I could’ve had anyone as my wife, but we became the couple. It’s us who are making this work.”
- Eric Nam, WGM Episode 30
Meaningless Ideals – Want vs Need
Each one of us has a lot of things in life we want, but not everything we want is everything we truly need. To me, ideal type is one such thing. Before we meet that person, all of us dream about what our ideal guy/girl should be like in love. Sometimes, we tend to hold on to those hypothetical ideals too much that we might have unknowingly passed by many people who are actually a good fit for us instead.
During their first meeting, Eric was somewhat disheartened to find out that he wasn’t the ideal partner Solar was looking for. We all could already tell that Solar was Eric’s ideal girl, but it was such a one-sided thing that I wasn’t sure where they would go from there. Now, I would like to use this opportunity to expand on the conversation about ideal type to give us a better idea of what exactly they were looking for, and why Solar was not very excited about the idea of Eric as her partner at first.
Eric Nam
The three most basic characteristics Eric look for in a girl are: bright, passionate and competent. The reason for a cheerful and competent person was already explained. As for what being a passionate girl means, Martina from Simon and Martina offered an explanation back when they had an interview with Eric about ideal girl type.
SpoilerQuote“And then that means you can’t be fake, because you have to honestly be passionate about something you love…”
From there, we could infer that sincerity is definitely a trait that resonates with Eric because he himself is a man who pursues everything with all his heart. Eric, from his observation of Solar, believed that she fulfills the first two requirements from him, which made her fit right into his ideal type.
When Solar and Mamamoo came on After School Club back in July last year, Eric was captivated by everything they did. In particular, Solar was the most memorable one to him because of all the flirty moments happening between them. He quickly became a fanboy after their meeting that day, and this was probably around the same time that the thought of Solar as his other half on WGM began to cross his mind.
There are other ideal types Eric has mentioned beside the basic ones above, but they are mostly related to appearance, which you can read in his interview with KpopStarz and Star1. Funnily enough, his ideal girl’s height is taller than 160 cm, and Solar just barely passes that (at 160.5 cm).
Solar
When Solar and Mamamoo came on The Qmentary two months before WGM, they were asked to explain what kind of guy they would be attracted to [6]. Ironically, despite her dislike of Math, Solar expressed her ideal guy using a Math formula. This is Solar’s Formula of Love:
Quote웃상 1000 + 유머 5000 X 10000000000 - 허세 1조 = ♥
In English, that formula means:
QuoteBeautiful smile (1000) + Humor (5000 X 10000000000) – Bluff (1 billion) = ♥
WGM Sidenote 9:
SpoilerI find it funny that Solar drew a 2D face to describe her “beautiful smile” ideal type, and then Brian jokingly said that she drew an emoji for her ideal guy. When Eric first met Solar, he also drew a funny 2D face on his profile picture:
Later on, Solar drew his emoji-like smile as Eric’s expression she likes the most.
I guess you could say Eric passed her beautiful emoji smile ideal with flying colors.
Knowing this, I will delve more into the humor and bluff trait that she emphasized to explain her conflicting opinions about Eric as a guy. First off, Solar’s dislike for bluff is rooted deep in her cynical attitude as a girl, which I explained in the Paranoia section in part 2. In an interview during Mr. Ambiguous era, Solar revealed that she once experienced a guy who gave her mixed signals in a relationship, and it left her frustrated to no end [7]. For Solar, she prefers to be straightforward when feelings and emotions are involved. Don’t let her mildang side fool you. She is very serious in relationship, and she wants the guy to be honest and come to her as who he is rather than someone he’s pretending to be. The one thing she hates the most is someone who play games with her heart, and because it already happened to her before, Solar finds it easy to assume the worst in someone else until proven wrong.
The good thing is that according to Solar, Eric passed this test. The bad thing? He didn’t pass her humor ideal. Truth be told, when Solar revealed that she once thought of Eric as a serious person, I used to have a difficult time understanding why. In WGM Sidenote 5 of the previous part, I speculated a few possible reasons for it, but I couldn’t come to one single definitive answer then. Eventually, I found the true answer to be a lot simpler than I thought, and it’s been there all along if I had read between the lines more carefully.
The reason why Eric gave her this preconceived notion is the exact same reason why he came to this show in the first place. It’s easier to understand this by viewing it from Eric’s perspective as an American crossing over to Korea. For Eric, one of his biggest weaknesses is his lack of confidence in expressing Korean wits and humors because his proficiency with the language is not quite there yet (which Solar pointed out in the resume she wrote for him in the final episode).
“Also, I’ve found that because my Korean isn’t native, I often end up frustrated that I can’t completely, perfectly express who I am, particularly things such as humor.” [6]
Even though he is arguably just as quirky and hilarious as Solar by nature, that side of him doesn’t necessarily translate over from English to Korean. On many Korean variety shows and even behind the scenes, he’s actually a lot more reserved than the outgoing American personality he’s known for by international fans. When he first met Hoya and Jackson, he was very nervous and polite, and it’s possible that he was also like this when he met Mamamoo on the set of ASC, which could give her the impression that he’s too well-mannered, perhaps even boring.
It’s safe to say Solar was absolutely shocked, but very happy when she found out how wrong she was:
Before they know it, their ideals have become more and more meaningless the more time they spend with each other, because they slowly come to a realization that it doesn’t matter if the other person is who they want or not. What matter is that the other person has become someone they need.
Mirror Image
In You, I See Myself
Have you ever met a person so similar to you it’s scary?
It’s here where the idea of soulmate began to cross my mind. Before I even found out why they are a good fit for each other, I already realized the many common things they share. Their resemblance began all the way back in their upbringing, when they were still residing on two different ends of the world, but it didn’t end there. I will give you a few examples I’ve known of thus far for you to see why they are basically a reflection of each other almost through and through:
Tteokbokki
For those of you that do not know, Eric loves tteokbokki. A lot.
He even put it on top of his list of Korean foods recommendation as well. So, Eric was pleasantly surprised when he found out that Solar loves it as much as he does. She likes it so much that she even said on Showtime it’s a health food she eats three times a week.
Elephant
Solar, for some reason, has an extreme fascination for elephants. She even went to Thailand just so she could see them for herself. Little did she know, she would soon run into another elephant enthusiast on WGM:
Not only that, Eric is an elephant himself. Eric’s nickname is Dumbo the elephant, due to the resemblance he had as a child with his big ears [7]. The Dumbo plushy that was given to Solar as a memento represents one of the many common threads that bind them together as one, and I bet it will be pretty difficult for her to forget about the fact that instead of raising an elephant, she found herself married to one.
Dancing
Eric considers himself a bad dancer. Back when he auditioned for SM in high school, he refused to dance out of embarrassment, and was subsequently disqualified [8]. It’s to a point where during the choreography practice for one of his songs Ooh ooh, his dance instructor told him “You might need to just stand on stage and people will dance around you” [9].
But for him, it’s all about the effort. While he might not be the greatest dancer in the world, he hopes that people can see and appreciate how hard he tries. For me, his awkward yet entertaining dancing has certainly become a part of why I like him so much.
Now, I would like to introduce to you a certain Ms.춤신춤왕 (Dance God, Dance King) who is probably an equal match to Eric when it comes to dancing:
SpoilerWho would have thought Solar herself would be one to struggle greatly with dancing? Here is her answer when asked about what she struggles with the most in preparation for the Melting album:
And here is what she has to say about her dancing skill:
SpoilerSound familiar? That’s right, both of them have a “fake it until you make it” attitude when it comes to dancing. They are two of the most amazing singers in the industry. Dancing though… not so much. But that’s exactly why they are a perfect match for each other.
Compassion
I feel like I’m being unjust in condensing this part into one small section, since this merits an article of its own. At the same time, I can’t just go through this section without talking about the one thing that make Eric and Solar stand out, and that is their kind-hearted nature. Eric, in particular, received a lot of compliments from the PD for how considerate he was of Solar and toward the WGM staffs.
“The good attitude to start WGM is indeed sincerity. He also minds to take care of the staff and he even takes care of Solar's gift although nowadays he's so busy going abroad back and forth. This word isn't used often, there's authenticity.”
Just as I mentioned before, Eric is by nature an extremely selfless person, and both his college and entertainment peers can attest to that fact. In him, Solar has found someone similar to her. The giving attitude toward people around him is the same way she takes care of her members and fans who often come seeking for help. Because they both grew up in a situation where they got to experience many misfortunes first-handed, they have naturally become sympathetic to the world around them, and eventually, this translated into them showing love and care for each other.
In You, I Find Myself
“I think I discovered my new side.”
- Solar, WGM Episode 16
One of the most beautiful moments in life is when you meet a person that let you see things in yourself you’ve never seen before. A relationship that brings out things hidden deep inside us is a relationship that’s truly worth keeping.
For Solar, being around Eric and doing things with him has revealed to her many hidden talents she has. From fishing, to decorating, to hosting a radio show, Solar has found many new sides to her that she couldn’t realize on her own, simply because before she met Eric, she never had some who made her dare to try and believe in what she’s truly capable of.
Eric, in his own words, has learned many things just by looking at Solar. What is it that he has seen in her? I can think of one thing, that is, the ultimate value that matters the most to him.
When Eric was with his father in Czech Republic on Episode 3 of Daddy and I, he asked Eric to choose between competent vs good as the person he would like to be. Eric said that before, he would’ve chosen competent, but now being a good person matters more to him. If there’s one thing that Solar shows, it is definitely this. For her, it’s all about effort and sincerity. Despite her shortcomings, or what she deemed incompetence, she still put 100% into every work she cares about. Eric has spent most of his life striving for competency in order to overcome his circumstance, but perhaps, when he looks at Solar and see the way she cutely try to do her best for him, Eric’s reminded of the fact that ultimately, it’s the heart that move and change people rather than the brain.
The Greatest Gift
Mutual Trust and Respect
In every relationship, trust is the key foundation for success. Especially for Solar, the term trust itself has a huge meaning to her. Without trust, an introverted girl who has had relationship issues like her could never open herself up to anyone. At the beginning of their stint, this was probably the biggest hurdle that Eric had to overcome. He already had her respect, perhaps too much even, but it’s respect out of intimidation for his image, not for who he truly is. Her trust, on the other hand, was something he had to fight for his life to earn, because she had a lot of reasons, whether correct or not, to doubt him.
This was where Eric’s chivalrous personality prevailed. What better way is there to earn a girl’s trust than showing that you truly care and respect her? Even though Eric didn’t say it, I believe he could already infer a few episodes into their stint that Solar was very bad and shy about skinship. While many dissenters began to voice out the lack of skinship, all Eric concerned about was whether Solar was uncomfortable with him, and it prompted him to make a decision that gained her trust at the cost of viewer’s satisfaction.
Being with Eric truly was a blessing for Solar. Not many people would be willing to put her need and wish above WGM staffs’ desire, but because he treasured the relationship they have, Eric made the necessary sacrifice so that the trust and between him and her could grow to the point where she could find comfort in being intimate with him.
“The people in the studio wanted us to get closer quicker, but that doesn’t match with our concept… I want to maintain my friendship with her, calling each other whenever a good or bad thing happens. I realized that my personality matches well with hers after getting to know each other… I really meant it when I said that I wanted to speak informally with her. That’s the only way we would become close.” [10]
For Eric, the way a girl earns his trust and respect is through passion and honesty, as described in his ideal type. Fortunately, those are definitely things Solar doesn’t lack. The way she devotes herself to her career, and still give time and effort into doing WGM with him, is definitely a big reason why Solar’s truly an early Christmas gift Eric wished for this year.
A Pillar of Strength
The next time you re-watch their stint on WGM, I suggest you to make a counter for how many times Solar mentioned how dependable/reliable Eric is to her. You will be surprised to find out that it happened very often. In fact, she repeated it so much that I felt like I was watching WGM on an infinite loop.
I guess by now, you probably already understand why this is so important to her. It’s not every day when she run into someone that makes her feel like she can toss all her worries and troubles aside. Eric just happens to be that person, and she’s eternally grateful for it. Whenever she’s with him, she knows that Eric will take care of things that normally she has to do on her own. Consider the trip to Dubai for example, Eric planned out almost everything, and she got to fully enjoy the experience without having to worry about that aspect of the trip. Before they went to bed, Solar confessed that being with him made her feel safe and confident, and that was all because she believes she can rely on him when things get rough.
Solar has also proven to be a great source of support for Eric. Beside the fact that she takes care of him physically, like having a good meal before his performance, or preparing travel needs, Solar also prepared many gifts and events for him to show that she could take the lead in relationship as well. Personally, I find her final message to Eric as the ultimate proof that she’s indeed the girl Eric needs. Every advice she gave to Eric there – reducing his workload, be mindful of his caffeine addiction, and stop skipping his breakfasts – were the kind of care and attention that Eric usually doesn’t express a need for, but secretly hope that the girl would notice in him. They both have made a good case for how dependable they are to each other in good and bad times, and that fulfill one of the greatest needs they both have since childhood.
Your Worst Enemy Is Yourself
“It’s when you said ‘You’re good at everything’.”
- Solar, WGM Episode 26
Such a simple sentence, but it makes all the difference in this world.
What is the greatest gift Eric and Solar have given to each other during their time together on WGM? Is it the roses, the letters, the souvenirs, or the love words? The answer is none of that, but something much more vital and worth cherishing than anything else: confidence.
Solar has a serious, deep-rooted issue that no one has seemingly been able to solve before. It is called inferiority complex, and it stems from her low self-esteem (again, refer back to Part 2 for more details). She has all the curiosity in this world, but at the same time, she is afraid of being criticized or teased for her failures, and that fear holds her back from doing things she’s never done before in her life. To give you an idea of how deep it runs in her veins, Solar once even admitted that being bullied by her members easily makes her feel bad. [8]
We saw signs of this many times during WGM. The moment Eric circled the competent trait on the paper, Solar’s mind spiraled into a train of negative thoughts. “Why competent? That’s… not me” was basically what went through her mind. When he asked her to go fishing with him, she immediately showed an unpleasant reaction to it. Her line of logic went something like this: I’m impatient -> I’m bad at fishing -> I will look stupid and annoying if I go fishing -> I hate fishing (or rather, I hate shaming myself in front of him).
But eventually, Solar grew to have trust not only in Eric, but in herself as well. Her fear and shame of failure suddenly became a thing of past, and her confidence level increased with every little encouragement Eric gave her. The floodgate only truly opened though when he told her that being good at everything is her strong point. Solar’s reaction to what he told her is all you need to know how much it truly meant for her to hear those words:
SpoilerMamamoo Sidenote 2:
SpoilerWe’ve already seen the result of Solar being inspired with confidence on WGM. From “The Wife’s Help”, to becoming a Radio DJ on KSY’s Hope Song at Noon, to making a surprise event for their 200th day anniversary, those are just a few examples of what she could do once she let go of her doubts.
But that actually translate beyond WGM as well. Remember her newfound hobby in decoration? Since that day, she’s spent time doing decoration work on her own:
Making a miniature pet house
Decorating for Christmas
She used to dislike decoration as much as fishing, because they are not supposed to be activities for impatient people like her. But now that Solar’s figured out that her weakness won’t prevent her from making good decorations, and that she likes it a lot, good luck stopping her.
What about Eric then? What kind of confidence could Solar possibly given to someone like him?
Believe it or not, it’s the ability to express himself. I would like to go back to the idea of him being cautious within the Korean culture to make a case for this. Eric usually is very carefree and humorous, but he still somewhat reserves himself in order to properly measure what he can or can’t do in a country that’s attuned to a different sense of humor. But in Solar, he’s found a girl that is quite… unorthodox in that aspect. She’s probably only one of few Korean people who would crack up and play along with Eric’s quirks, like his robot dance in the middle of the night, or his “~in Dubai” joke. Her oddity is exactly what Eric needs to be as crazy as he wants without fear that it would backfire on him.
Because Solar’s wish for him to acquire a Korean sense of humor could come off as her not liking him this way, she quickly dispelled the misunderstanding by saying that it’s only because she wishes to see it more often. It’s her way of encourage him to keep on going, because he is funny to her, and he can get better. It’s very similar to the way Eric supported her confidence to trust that’s she competent enough to do whatever she sets her mind on, and she can even get better at it (like her cooking skill for example).
Missing Piece
Let me ask you this question: Do you believe that opposites attract?
Personally, I prefer to say “opposites complement, similar attract”. While it is true that people who offset our characteristics often gravitate us toward them, in the end, it’s those who share similar beliefs and values with us that we find easier to be attached to, or as they say, “birds of a feather flock together”. What being opposite does instead, in my opinion, is to make up for our shortcomings and make us whole.
To me, one of the most amazing things in watching Eric and Solar together is that not only are they one and the same in many ways, but they also have the necessary differences to balance out each other strengths and weaknesses. They are like two distinct pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly, and it provides a perfect balancing act that constantly propel their relationship forward day-by-day instead of holding them back.
I would argue the first person who came to this realization (about the missing piece) was actually Solar, not Eric. I would like to borrow @Le_Sanguinea's concept of Chemistry vs Compatibility from his article (which you should read to have a better understanding – Part 2: Asking the Important Questions) to support my argument here. What Eric did at first was having something called “physiognomy” – a gut feeling about who Solar is based on her facial expressions and body languages – that he mentioned during their first meeting. What he figured out there was actually chemistry, in a sense that he believes in the idea of being able to connect with her based on the fact that she’s bright and passionate. That only lasted for the first few episodes before other problems in their relationship arose, or as we often call it, “the wall”.
Eventually, as they spent more time together, they were able to solve these problems because of how compatible they are. When they decorated the terrace in Episode 16, Solar was the first one to figure out that Eric offsets her impatient side, something that wasn’t evident at first (remember how he panicked and messed up the pasta during the wedding proposal because she kept disturbing him?). She realized then that Eric is a good fit for her, and by Episode 22, their compatibility had become a lot more obvious to them:
The Chuseok event definitely was the climax, with their chemistry and compatibility being put through a real test against others. For both Eric and Solar, it became a turning point in their relationship because that was when they were forced to constantly put each half of the puzzle pieces together, and they suddenly realized the pieces fit each other down to millimeters from beginning to end. I wrote another article about it here:
[Stage 2: The Concept of Friendship]
Eric became absolutely affirmed with the fact that Solar is his missing piece after their vacation trip to Dubai. Even during travel, they still had the time of their lives just by the virtue of being together instead of running into conflicts. That was probably the greatest check for compatibility if they ever needed one.
Personally, I believe that is what being soulmates is all about. It’s not about whether it’s love or not. It’s about meeting someone so similar yet different that there is a mysterious gravitation that draw us together, almost like two kindred spirits. This experience allows us to find strengths in ourselves and in each other, to constantly learn and be changed by the other person, to have a constantly growing connection so special that it’s tough to find in anyone else. Once you find this person, you know that it’s a relationship worth keeping for a lifetime, be it friendship or love.
Regardless of whether you actually believe in that concept or not, the most important point I want to get across is that Eric and Solar has managed to portray it in real life. A guy and a girl from two different sides of the world find their way to each other, going through constant waves of struggles against the world, defying all expectations to find companionship and love quite simply because, since the day of youth, they were already meant to be together. If I take off all the names and brands and give this idea to a capable writer, it could be turned into a fictional novel of its own, and that’s why it makes for such an incredible fairy tale to be told in such an unlikely place like WGM.
A New Season, A New Self
SpoilerQuote♥Autumn Letter♥
I will write a letter in autumn
Please be the one to receive it
The day when the fallen leaves are piling
The lonely woman is beautiful
I will write a letter in autumn
Please be the one to receive it
The day when the fallen leaves scatter
The woman has wandered and is beautiful
I will write a letter in autumn
I have wandered about everything and send you my heart
The day when the fallen leaves disappear,
the woman does not know she is beautiful
She is beautifulAs the Autumn season approached, Eric and Solar found out that their fleeting yet memorable time together was coming to an end. Despite the fact that they would soon part way, they both had given each other so many treasures to carry away with that it made everything they had done here more than worthwhile.
I like the song Autumn Letter that Solar sang to Eric because it carries such a contrasting meaning to her Lived Like a Fool. Unlike the falling leaves that used to give her tragic memories in the past, once the leaves are done piling up, the lonely girl has now found the inner beauty she didn’t know she has. A girl who once had scars in her heart is now healed by the love and caring gestures given to her through the past seasons. Everything could’ve gone so wrong, and yet it worked out for her perfectly. It felt like fortune really smiled upon Solar because of the life she’s lead up to this point. She can now walk toward the future with her head held high, knowing that she truly can do anything well if she believes. This newfound confidence will go a long way in helping many aspects of her career, and also for herself in the daily life.
For Eric, his time together with Solar was everything he could ever dreamed of, and some. Not only was he matched up with a partner he desired for, she turned out to be even greater than he expected. If I’m him, I would probably feel pretty vindicated by the choice to do WGM looking back in hindsight. There is nothing to regret, just like what he said when he made the choice to forfeit a kiss in favor of this relationship with Solar back then. In her, not only has he found someone that has allowed his personality to flourish and displayed to the public, but also a girl he can genuinely have a friendship or love relationship with down the line.
It just so happened to be Eric’s birthday around this time of the year, and it served as a perfect opportunity for Solar to write one final personal, heartfelt letter that she wanted only Eric to read. It’s almost as if even the songs were tailored to fit into this storyline in the most immaculate way, and it should be, since they both certainly have written this tale together not only through words, but letters and songs as well.
Though we might not ever know what the content of that secret letter contains, it still represents a very powerful and touching ending to this chapter of them on WGM. I say chapter and not story because the letter and that episode in its entirety felt more like a cliffhanger rather than a conclusion. The positive vibe toward the end gave us a reason to have hope, a reason to believe that one day, this unfinished tale will be picked up where it left off. It has been so far a fantastic tale to read, because it’s written by two authors who genuinely put their heart into it, and when the tale resumes, I believe that it will still be as great and fascinating as the first time I read it.
For now, I could only say thank you to both Eric and Solar for making everything happened in the first place. 2016 has been a memorable year for me because of them, and I wish they both to have a happy Christmas and future ahead that they deserve. One day, we hopefully will be reunited once again, with even more exciting tales to tell than ever before. I certainly will be looking forward to it!
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Eric Nam
[1] Eric Nam Answers Fan Question in Candid #AskEricNam Interview at KCON 2014 (SoompiTV)
[2] Eric Nam Shares an Intimate Coffee Date with KpopStarz in Malaysia (KpopStarz)
[3] Eric Nam on Turning Down Job Offers from YG and Pursuing Music (Mwave)
[4] Eric Nam Reveals That He Was Once a Victim of Racial Discrimination (Koreaboo)
[5] The Heights, Volume XCII, Number 25, 5 May 2011 (Boston College Magazine)
[6] Interview with Eric Nam: The Unexpected K-Pop Artist (Soompi)
[7] A Day in the Life of National Boyfriend Eric Nam (Channel Madi)
[8] Eric Nam Talks Auditioning for SM and Struggling to Adjust to Korea (Soompi)
[9] A Day with Eric Nam – Part 2 (K-Popped)
[10] Eric Nam Talks About MAMAMOO’s Solar and How He Pictures His Future Married Life (Soompi)
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Solar
[1] Melon Star DJ Episode.1 (Melon Radio)
[2] Yongddonie was Born on 2/21 (Mamamoo V App)
[3] How MAMAMOO First Met (Power Stage THE LIVE)
[4] Interview with MAMAMOO – December, 2014 - (MRJKPOP)
[5] Who Are ‘Mamamoo’? (UnitedKPop)
[6] The Qmentary: Mamamoo (The Qmentary)
[7] MAMAMOO Spills on CN Blue’s Lee Jong Hyun, Ideal Types and Ambiguous Men (Mwave)
[8] Interview with Moncast (Moncast)
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The End
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I'm so glad that Eric is coming back here to his hometown, and I'm already SO HYPED to finally be able to watch him live. Hope he will also come to wherever everyone else is living in too. 
. Anyhow, I think it's about time we get busy again now that Eric and Mamamoo's musics are coming. D-4 until "Idea of You" is released. Leggo~
"
[OFFICIAL THREAD] DDONGI COUPLE ~ (Eric Nam ❤ MAMAMOO Solar) LEGGO~!
in shippers' paradise
Posted
You have to make your ID searchable on KK. To do that, I think you go to where you name your ID and there should be an option for that. If you need help, feel free to PM my inbox
And no, I couldn't get a VIP ticket
. I'm trying to save up my money, plus those tickets sold out super fast. I'm just happy to be able to hear him live. That's good enough for me.
Hi there, can you pm me or @coolbrattyro your ID and make sure it's searchable as well?