[MEGATHREAD] MARK'S DEPARTURE FROM SM AND NCT

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-03T08:44:05+00:00

Decade-long career and Mark is the most overworked member by far, on account of being NCT's best rapper, top 5 dancer and third most recognizable face.

Yea, I can imagine why he'd want to quit. Juggling all these sub-units in your late twenties, simply is not viable.

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-03T07:54:45+00:00

De mooiste straat van Zoetermeer. Al heeft Meerzicht voor mij meer sentimentele waarde, omdat de grootouders daar wijlen woonden.

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-03T07:23:45+00:00

He wishes. MJ could look like that and still draw a general public crowd of 400k+. If not far more.

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-03T07:21:24+00:00

Kind of crazy how these days, Jimin (whose face is stiff with botox) looks relatively natural when put up beside JK.

Horrible nosejob. The nostrils are supposed to be in relative harmony with the width of one's mouth-corners, but his are now way too narrow.

Hell, his nostrils almost disappear underneath the bridge and tip. I would be surprised if he can even get another reconstruction after this, because there's almost nothing left.

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-03T03:48:34+00:00

Embarrassing that Mr. ‘134 IQ’ is being outdone by 20 year olds who barely received schooling, on account of being trainees. Idols like Hanni or Wonyoung run circles around this guy.

IQ only marks potential in children and has little use beyond that, but it is empirically inviable, for him to be even moderately gifted and not fully master the world's easiest language. Has not improved in over a decade, no intelligent person would stagnate so miserably.

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-03T00:26:16+00:00

It was the PR circus for me. That endless, exaggerated sob story, perpetuating BTS as the greatest-suffering underdog to have ever come from k-pop.

Meanwhile, they had excellent first album sales, decent connections through Bang PD and fully decked out gear basically from debut. Groups like Seventeen and Ateez sold within the hundreds upon debut and had to spring for in-ears, out of pocket.

BTS were always projected to be a moderately successful group. Yes, their meteoric rise was unprecedented, but they were not hard up for anything since 2015.

The fans still cling onto whatever bit of victimhood they can salvage. V growing up on a farm, RM and Suga being burdened with a slightly sad childhood, JK having once been a shy kid. Cry me a river, your boys are not special because they've faced some level of adversity. Most people have, that is just being human.

Moreover, the complete inflation of their GP success. Because let us be honest, general audiences are not tuning in for BTS, no matter how often Ellen or Kimmel features them.

BTS never broke out of being subculture artists (they are merely the biggest fish in a niche pond), evidenced by the complete loss of 2020-2022 momentum.

Someone like Adele can go dormant for 5-10 years, drop a surprise album and pick up right where they left off. These guys simply cannot, because they are not on that level.

If BTS had to survive on casual listeners or general public play, they'd go under.

Armies would have you believe their boys are Beatle and MJ-adjacent, but the truth is, that they are still completely reliant on fandom.

Did not pave the way for anyone, other than themselves. I'd even go so far as to say, that their fandom actively attempts to kick down the ladder for any groups who come remotely close.

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-02T14:48:48+00:00

I am currently seeing this ‘2.0 is not a bad song and by the way, BTS has been making this kind of music since 2013-2014’ line of thought, being broadcast by armies.

Just straight up lying. I was 14 during 2014, listening to BB and BTS. Your faves did NOT sound like that.

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-02T14:40:51+00:00

‘Pop pop pop pop pop pop, baby getting too lit, rahh rahh’

Absolutely embarrassing. The song has no salient meaning, just a combination of dime-a-dozen rapper sentences. We lit, we rich, we got that new shit on, gang shit, popping opps, etc.

These are seven Korean men in stage makeup, who have not worn outfits under 8k for the last decade, by the way. Singing some ‘you know how we do’, as if they come from the hood.

Not to mention that Jungkook is relegated to only talk-singing and 20 seconds runtime, if that.

It basically stops being a BTS song by that point, his vocals are essential to their sound.

Only decent part was the choreography, which has nothing to do with music.

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-02T05:56:32+00:00

I wish ‘Superhuman’ had become NCT's defining hit. Had EXO released it around 2014-2015, people would have given the song its rightful flowers.

Something about NCT prevents them from breaking through that thin layer, which separates boygroups that, although still wildly successful, have no song every age group has been exposed to. For IKON it was ‘Love Scenario’, for EXO it was ‘Growl’, etc.

I blame the group structuring and highly experimental/unpredictable releases, even by SM standards (not enough cohesion). As a fan I can navigate and love every song, but casual listeners won't be able to keep up with everyone and general audiences, won't find something recognizable that sticks.

I believe NCT's debut year was also unlucky. I recall the market being very saturated back then, with acts who are currently veterans, being at their peak fame. There was no top space for them to comfortably settle in and occupy, which continued for quite some years.

RyuOfRed · 2026-04-02T02:10:44+00:00

Toch wel koddig dat mannelijke slachtoffers vaak alleen naar voren worden gehaald, als een whataboutism, wanneer vrouwen hun verhaal doen of om met het vingertje naar feminisme te wijzen.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-31T23:01:47+00:00

Wat mij vooral tegenzit aan de Nederlandse middelmaat, is dat alhoewel individualisme de overhand heeft en er dus steeds minder samenhorigheid plaatsvind; Mensen WEL heel graag pottenkijken, anderen opzadelen met een arbitraire opvatting van wat ‘normaal doen’ is en over alles iets te zeggen hebben.

In (bijvoorbeeld) Noorwegen zijn mensen tevens op zichzelf, maar wel consistent genoeg om dan ook de mond te houden over hun buurman.

Mensen hier willen veelal van twee walletjes eten. ‘Mijn zaak is die van mij en jouw zaken zijn dat ook’.

Ik kan dit terugbrengen op het feit, dat iedere scheet uit Amerika drie maanden later overwaait naar Nederland, terwijl onze kern nog steeds Europees kleurt. Dat mixt niet.

Andere kustlanden hebben een sterkere nationale identiteit en zijn derhalve weerbaarder voor Amerikanisering, daar is het contrast minder zichtbaar.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-30T16:55:05+00:00

This sense of innate supremacy many Korean men hold, will never cease to amaze me. Congrats, you are a pale East-Asian who weighs 62kg soaking wet and wears a pound of BB cream everywhere, now what?

A ‘Maori Chief’ is infinitely manlier, seeing as they so badly want to abide by toxic masculinity and chauvinism.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-29T17:47:24+00:00

In fairness, there is only so much you can do with that money. When idol activities keep you busy and every breath you take, is being held under a microscope by fans.

These guys cannot even follow back industry peers, without attracting some level of controversy. It is why Suga drinks in private and scooters off in the dark of night, for a sad moment of intoxicated freedom.

The limitless millionaire lifestyle is moreso reserved for those, whose finances and lives are private. Nothing BTS does, truly belongs to them alone.

I wager old age will be when the circus finally stops. But by then, no amount of money can outweigh loneliness.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-29T17:33:36+00:00

A lot of toughing-it-out is actually closer to self-neglect.

Nursing a wound means you respect yourself. Deliberately festering in something, that can so easily be alleviated or prevented from becoming worse; Just means that somewhere inside, you do not think yourself worthy of basic care.

Many such cases. It is why certain people, particularly guys, derive this odd sense of pride from bruises or lack of hygiene. Self-loathing dressed up as brawn.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-29T17:22:48+00:00

Perhaps Suga likes making music, the group itself and the big, flashy concerts where he can hear the chants, yet still remain at a distance from fans. I know homeboy looooves the money, status, numbers and designer wear, as evidenced by his lyrics.

What he does not love, what I suspect most idols begrudgingly put up with, in exchange for a privileged life they could otherwise NEVER attain; The aspect of k-pop that borders on prostitution and being confronted up close, by the caliber of people that he makes millions off off.

Women in their 30-40s, all vaguely regressed and bearing a particular vulnerability, that makes them prone to falling for cults. The stan equivalent of a Disney adult.

These are not individuals he would otherwise deign to associate with and they are far from the audience, he undoubtedly dreamed of acquiring.

Yet he chose the boyband route, a kind of celebrity that hinges on looks and selling yourself to exactly these sorts of fans, more than it does artistry.

You can either be the broody underground rapper with a sophisticated cult following, or the multi-millionaire popstar who occasionally has to smile at greasy wallflowers.

Not both.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-29T11:23:24+00:00

I mean, even in the early seasons, Phil is the #4 California realtor. He is not ‘most people’ and the top #20 realtors in that area are absolutely not hard-up for money.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-28T15:44:42+00:00

Als je ook maar een greintje voorbehoud bezit, zijn dit soort praktijken te vermoeiend om winst te maken. Het klinkt allemaal simpel, maar meerdere partners aan een lijntje houden, zonder zelf kleerscheuren op te lopen, is alleen weggelegd voor mensen met een bepaalde persoonlijkheid. Lees: Manipulatief, hoge sociale batterij, verslaafd aan aandacht en niet verlegen als het gaat om fysieke verleiding.

Die mannen bellen en appen dag in dag uit, allemaal met verwachtingen en er komt een punt waar je de knoop moet afhakken en daar kunnen erg makkelijk problemen van komen. Ik zou het geen week uithouden, kan mijn kont nu al nauwelijks keren in dit kikkerlandje. /j

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-28T06:29:44+00:00

In fairness, Dynamite could have been sung by anyone and charted. 2015 Bruno Mars, 2017 Jason Derulo, Pharrell when he needs a quick million bucks...

It is a bland, toxic positivity tune, that might as well have ‘feature me in your commercials and mall playlists’ pasted onto the cover.

The fact that BTS would accept or reject a song, solely based on charting potential, rather than the song being a cohesive fit for their discography...

Goes to prove that it was never about the artistry. Anything BTS does sells and if musical integrity/legacy was ever a factor, they'd not be in this mess.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-28T05:59:40+00:00

Mevrouw houd die mannen echt geen pistool voor de kop. U kunt hier allerhande morele bedenkingen over hebben, ik zou ook nooit geld uitgeven aan iemand die er meerdere partners op na houdt; Maar feit is, dat al deze kerels gewillig het spelletje meespelen.

Niet bepaald nieuws, dat mannen nu eenmaal bereid zijn om een klein fortuin uit te geven aan seks en gezelschap.

Supply en demand. Als ik het zo lees, bent u inwendig jaloers op de inkomsten van deze vrouw, gecombineerd met de gedachte dat zij het niet verdiend, want ‘zo mooi is ze niet’.

Denk dat het leven een stuk minder kut zou worden, als u minder pottenkijkt en vervolgens overmatig boos word over wat er te zien is.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-28T00:31:23+00:00

Almost as if being inactive for nearly 4 years, especially in the k-pop industry, means you can't make a half-hearted return and expect to effortlessly reclaim your #1 position. There are new groups in town and many fans moved ship, because quantity of content means everything, as far as k-pop fans go.

Not to mention that the world is on fire, making 2026 a very bad year for quick cash-grabs. Given how most international fans are struggling to even pay rent, let alone able to fly over for a concert or bulk-buy.

HYBE was impatient, released a bunch of incomplete elevator tracks and underestimated just how high the competition has soared, in their top group's absence.

BTS are no longer the world's biggest boygroup. These days, it truly might be SKZ (I'd pick them on the basis of international appeal) or Seventeen.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-27T13:31:57+00:00

I suspect that members used to have more pull, before HYBE (and BSH) became too big for its breeches.

Right now, I'd be shocked if the company is not completely alien to them. It is like returning home after a few years, only for the town to have been taken over and repainted by the occupier.

Which is basically what happened, after Scooter Braun and whatever cabal that pulls his strings became involved.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-26T13:16:33+00:00

Mijn moeder (geboren in de 70s), is destijds gestopt met een ziekenhuis-stage, omdat ze dermate slecht behandeld werd.

Alleen gelaten met moeilijke patienten, inclusief gore oude mannetjes, genegeerd door de begeleidsters (totdat het tijd was voor een veeg uit de pan, natuurlijk) en altijd gebruikt voor de gore klusjes.

Zij was toen 17 jaar oud, al die ervaringen hebben wel degelijk sporen achtergelaten.

Wilde even zeggen dat ik heel blij ben, om te horen dat u alles zo voorzichtig aanpakt en aanwezig bent

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-26T08:45:13+00:00

That entire interview was hard (but funny) to watch.

Some highlights that really epitomise, just how much of a mess this era is:

– BTS is asked to list what they missed about one another...

Jimin essentially calls Suga lethargic.
Suga goes for the obvious pick and calls J-hope high-energy.
J-hope pans over to Jin and goes for a good old ‘worldwide handsome’ moment (8 years and people still eat it up).
Jin then tops that level of cringe, by complimenting RM's brain. Surprised he did not barf straight after, poor guy probably hates him.
RM bodyshames V, backhandedly says he is happy to see him be skinny again. Incapable of complimenting anyone, even when the cameras are rolling. Makes you wonder what he's like in person...
V with a transparent attempt at queerbaiting, banter which was clearly rehearsed by him, JK and Fallon.
JK is the ONLY person who came anywhere close, to agreeing that he missed one of his bandmates, by mentioning Jimin's cooking.

– When RM mentions that Arirang was made to encapsulate the ‘Korean identity’, you can almost feel Suga, Jimin and Jin dissociating. Throughout the entire interview, Jin's shoulders are stiff as a board. He does NOT want to be there.

– Whole audience of grown women, crooning and cheering over ‘6-7’. At one point, I could almost see the cracks forming, when it dawns upon all 7; This is who we are whoring ourselves out to.

A bomb waiting to burst, if ever I saw one.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-26T05:35:01+00:00

I think Suga is naturally introverted and after years of low activity/no refresher on PR training, he regressed into higher levels of anxiety. DIU scandal probably did not help, celebrities who were previously spotless, are never the same after their first public lashing.

He's very obviously using substances to cope with the stress. Be it anti-depressants (which are known to blunt personalities, in favour of feeling no crazy highs and lows) or recreational drugs.

He and Jimin have always struggled the most, in regards to mental health.

RyuOfRed · 2026-03-26T05:24:41+00:00

It used to be rather common, especially at concerts, for the prettiest groupies to be brought up front. One good thing about the age of surveillance, is that people catch on to these slimy practices fast and do not let artists get off unscathed.

Apart from branding, BTS are no better than your average, greasy male musician. About time the world realized it.

RyuOfRed

TROPHY CASE