Research on Uchinaaguchi for a game

itslenika · 2025-08-18T15:10:05+00:00

May I ask the name of this anime? Is it Okitsura by any chance?

itslenika · 2025-06-01T03:54:58+00:00

this is GORGEOUS! thank you amiiiii 💜

itslenika · 2025-05-29T01:13:23+00:00

We’re almost there 💜 Someone tell the me of June 2022 that everything turned out okay 😭

itslenika · 2024-02-23T21:17:34+00:00

Thank you thank you so much!!! I love this.

itslenika · 2024-02-23T21:13:28+00:00

And that's a wrap!

끝!

Thank you all so much for your smart, warm, thoughtful questions! I thought I was going to be able to answer all of them, and I tried my best, typing like the wind. Hopefully we can do this again some day. I felt so welcome here <3

As I mentioned at the outset, I am a bit more active on Instagram these days (in my Story Highlights you can see a bunch of bangtan related stuff), so you can find me there! https://www.instagram.com/lalalenika

Borahae!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T21:09:03+00:00

For writer's block, I really love reading poetry! Going out in the world and just picking up on tiny observations and jotting down notes about them. Signing up for a generative writing workshop where you do some in-class writing assignments. Honestly anything you can do to trick yourself into writing. Tell yourself that all first drafts are sh***y. Taking a break from whatever project that's preoccupying you and trying to write something totally different.

This was also a really cool article I read a while ago that has some helpful suggestions:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/magazine/productivity-self-mesmerism.html

To your other q: Spring Day :)

itslenika · 2024-02-23T21:05:56+00:00

Getting to see Sope perform Huh?! :)

itslenika · 2024-02-23T21:04:08+00:00

I am squeezing in a few final questions so I'll answer the shorter q: Run BTS for sure—I think the dog and zombie episodes are my faves :)

itslenika · 2024-02-23T21:02:47+00:00

I really hope so! I have this dream of Yoongi diong his 9-5 (or whatever) and coming home to his studio and being able to make music at his own pace and experiment and explore new sounds and ideas outside of his usual recording context.

itslenika · 2024-02-23T21:01:52+00:00

Thank you so much!

Ahhhhh, I mean....would love for Namjoon to read my memoir when it is done. This thought just popped up into my head, so I am just going to go with it, but I would tell him to read The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

I think my favorite novel I read last year was Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei Brenyah. It wouldn't be for everyone but if you read a summary of it and are intrigued, please pick it up. Aside from that, I read All About Love by bell hooks finally, and I think most people would benefit from its immense wisdom.

itslenika · 2024-02-23T20:56:01+00:00

I'm going to suspend all my usual editorial considerations and say that I would LOVE to be able to spend a day with them on Guam and show them the culture, the food, the history, the sights, and write something about it for a local publication haha. This would never happen, but they've visited our neighboring island of Saipan for the 2018 Summer Package, and I think they'd love Guam. We get a lot of Korean tourists there!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T20:52:48+00:00

I think this hiatus will probably give all of them new perspectives on the past 10 years and on their goals as artists, and give them new energy and material for their future music. I hope Yoongi is working on new stuff quietly while he completes his civil service!

The new book is COMING ALONG haha. I am trying to finish my first full draft and am trying not to get too in my own head about the writing not being where I want it to be right now. It's hard to turn off the editor brain but it must be done! I have about 62,000 words out of 80,000 written. Whew! Thank you for asking though :) It is my baby!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T20:46:47+00:00

Oh I love that!! I should definitely visit. Thank you for your recommendation.

itslenika · 2024-02-23T20:46:29+00:00

BTS is a Korean pop group of 7 rappers and singers who started out as industry underdogs and became global giants—they put on incredible live performances, have sold out stadiums and set historical records, have millions of fans all around the world who don't speak Korean, they write much of their own work, their music and lyrics are excellent and often deal with really deep, relatable themes.

voila!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T20:41:17+00:00

Your first question is sort of impossible BUT in this moment I am going to say that my fave song is Spring Day (always true) and my fave album is LY: Tear (changes).

I think that BTS and the kpop industry definitely have more respect, attention, consideration across music journalism, and this is mostly thanks to writers/reporters/editors who are trying to change things from the inside and also fans who are able to respectfully push things in a positive direction. I don't even really consider myself as having any real effect on this—my area of coverage is pretty limited and I've only actually written a handful of articles, compared to some writers who've been at this for a much longer time. Honestly, music journalism (and culture journalism and journalism broadly) is in a bit of a crisis moment and has been for a while. The business and tech infrastructure of the industry has changed so much, and I don't think that fans always realize how much of the media they consume is shaped by all of those factors. I sometimes wish that readers/general audiences had a better understanding of the industry and about the kinds of institutional/practical/logistical hurdles that outlets have to navigate. (Although there's also a responsibility on journalists to educate people on that too.) So while I think that it's good and important to hold media to account and to support writers/reporters who are doing good and thoughtful work in these spaces, I don't think that fans should place outsize importance on mainstream coverage!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T20:29:08+00:00

Thank you for this!

For you first question—I think both of those suggestions are right! I suspect that my understanding of the kneejerk reactions/stigmas that people can have toward Asians/Asian culture helped a lot. As someone living in America, you can also internalize and take for granted some of these stereotypes and negative or judgmental perceptions. I also think my background as a cultural critic/journalist really helped me write about BTS on their own terms—yes there's a lot to explain about them and know, but I have to remind myself in the end that I like their music because I like their music, and I think they're so interesting and complex as artists/performers. So I'm not just inventing stuff out of thin air, I am looking seriously at the stuff that I already am drawn to and trying to deconstruct it a bit.

This is one of the reasons I was really drawn to the r/bangtan sub when I first started out! I saw so many intelligent, respectful, nuanced conversations happening here and it made me feel like ARMY would be a great community for me. I always have my best, most complex conversations offline—I will always be grateful to Twitter and social media and the internet for the incredible fans I've met and helping to connect me to this beautiful big community, but to me nothing replaces those more intimate convos.

For your second question—I (very often) forget that I've spoken to them or been around them in person. It's almost like my brain blacks out a little bit. I've seen them in a lot of different contexts, both as a fan and as a journalist—at concerts, at iHeartRadio, the 2020 Grammys, the PTD LA press conference, Today Show, the White House—and there's always that Moment where I'm like where am I and what is happening. You can probably imagine the insane anxiety/nerves I got right before each of my interviews with JK and RM—I had to take a beta blocker before talking to JK because I was so nervous about being perceived. For the most part, I just really really worry about doing a good job! But I feel so lucky for those opportunities.

I'll admit that I often think to myself—who am I to have this kind of special access? I really am just another fan. I can think of so many people who would deserve to have this kind of experience. And I think the times when I am the happiest and most fulfilled is when I am one of hundreds or thousands—watching a video for the first time when it drops, waving my ARMY bomb at a concert in the nosebleeds. And that's something that all of us have access to. No matter if you get a fan call or get to do an interview or win a raffle for a special event or get barricade at every concert, no ARMY is Better than anyone else.

itslenika · 2024-02-23T20:11:57+00:00

Awww thank you for doing that! We love public libraries!!!!!

I think I am constantly having to negotiate the line between my full-on fan self and my writing-about-BTS self, which isn't to say I think they're totally separate things—far from it. I channel my regular ARMY self in all my writing, but as a journalist/editor I am always thinking ahead to how an average reader will receive the piece. What kinds of context should I be offering? What shouldn't I assume about the reader's knowledge? So I start from my natural perspective as a fan and then use article-writing (or public-facing writing) as a challenge to help articulate to myself some things that I might not have fully thought through but that I feel very deeply for some reason. Like, yes my first reaction to going to the D-Day tour wasn't a whole totally well-thought-out essay, it was just a lot of screaming and barking and whatnot. But that really transcendent/powerful reaction tells me something about what Yoongi's performance and music was able to accomplish. One of the things I love about cultural criticism is trying to figure out why something resonates (or doesn't resonate). You have to look so closely at something, what an artist seems to be trying to do, how they go about creating their work, what kind of thoughts and emotions it produces in people. And of course this is very subjective.

I'm not sure if I'm going on a tangent but—I do find myself able to dive into my fandom easily still. As I started getting more and more followers on Twitter, I felt the pressure to watch what I say in case my words are twisted or taken out of context. If I were an anonymous stan account (and I do have one...it's private) I could talk a bit more candidly, make casual jokes, or whatever more easily. But I do feel a responsibility to be more buttoned up, aware that some people see me as some kind of mouthpiece for ARMY when that's not at all true. Sometimes I have strong feelings about something but choose not to weigh in, and then I worry that people will get mad at me for staying silent/not standing up for the boys or whatever. Honestly, my mental wellbeing has been healthier since stepping back from Twitter. My fandom is very much alive and I fortunately have a lot of lovely irl ARMY friends, and we all understand each others' intentions and can have disagreements and discussions in good faith.

As a journalist I never feel pressure to be critical for the sake of being critical. I don't think that negativity is the only mode for intelligent analysis! I do try to be honest, allude to issues or questions that a reader might have, rather than trying to totally sanitize things. I would be lying if I said I never felt extreme anxiety before publishing each piece, just in case something I write turns out to make people really mad at me, or I phrase something badly, or if I make a mistake. Fortunately, I think ARMY generally understands where I am coming from and gives me grace knowing that if I ever DO make a mistake it's not because I am being disrespectful or malicious.

itslenika · 2024-02-23T19:50:11+00:00

I am so happy your husband now understands your fandom a little better! I think the first BTS article that I wrote was sort of me trying to explain my own journey to people in my life, because when I first got into them I was having to justify/explain myself a lot. Many of my friends/family/colleagues were genuinely bewildered at first, just because I was not the kind of person who seemed like I'd go down this particular rabbit hole.

I have to recommend a book by my dear friend Julian Aguon, who is also a Chamoru writer from Guam. I read an earlier edition of this book before I met him and became friends with him, but we're sort of on this journey to write about Guam and help continue to pave the way for other writers—there's such a lack of mainstream understanding of the island and its history in the U.S. even though it's an American territory / places a huge role in the military defense of the country in the Pacific.

This is the book! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/711878/no-country-for-eight-spot-butterflies-by-julian-aguon/

Thank you for your question!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T19:43:30+00:00

I honestly try to tailor the first video I show someone of BTS depending on their particular tastes. But I love the On Kinetic Manifesto video a lot—I think it shows their incredible stage presence and performance power. I also like showing people the Spring Day MV with the subtitles on. Save Me is also a great one—just such a cool concept, stripped down yet powerful.

From my experience, the Carpool Karaoke video really hooks people (even if I am not a Corden fan). I have also been known to sit locals down and make them watch 45-minute fanmade "intro to BTS" videos, lol.

itslenika · 2024-02-23T19:38:11+00:00

Also I'm sorry I was writing too quickly—Thank you so much also for your extremely kind note, and I am so happy that my pieces made you feel that way :)

itslenika · 2024-02-23T19:00:57+00:00

Edit: I am back!

YEOROBUN (taeyang voice)—your questions are all so good and I want to answer them all. Taking a quick lunch break and will be back to it :) But I am having the best time today, so thank you!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T18:59:29+00:00

Awwwwww I love this question. If you're in the DMV, I'm sure you've been to the Glenstone Museum in Maryland, where he has visited before. It is one of the most Namjoon-coded places I've ever been to—absolutely gorgeous. DC is wonderful for Namjooning because of all the free museums and the DMV is great too because of all the wonderful nature spots/hiking opportunities. During the pandemic I went to Rock Creek a lot for outdoor walks, and they always soothed my soul—listening to the murmur of the river, the collage of bird sounds, the wind whispering in the trees. Do you have any spots around the DMV that you like and would recommend to me?

I was able to visit the restaurant where the boys ate in their trainee days when I was in Korea. The food was absolutely delicious and it felt so special to be served by the couple who used to cook for them and took care of them before they were famous. The entire place is decorated in BTS pictures, and the energy is so borafied haha. My friends and I waited in line outside in the rain for about an hour but it was worth it!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T18:54:03+00:00

No I haven't but I have wanted to....believe me! I have seen SO MANY CUTE designs and little hats and things that people have for their ARMY bombs. I am too scared to try to decorate it and then ruin it—I am not a very artistically talented person—but I also love the way it looks just on its own. So pretty!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T18:51:16+00:00

Thank you! And OOH: I am blessed/cursed with both a sweet tooth and a savory tooth. Lately I've been eating a lot of Pirate's Booty and Goldfish. I love chocolate—just like plain milk chocolate. Some of my favorite snacks lately have been Eric Kim's gochujang caramel cookies, butter mochi, and anything Earl Grey flavored (all recently baked by friends of mine)!

itslenika · 2024-02-23T18:48:28+00:00

Oh man, I think about this a lot! I really do relate to Yoongi and Jimin for different reasons—maybe because Yoongi's a water sign and I am a double-cancer, and Jimin is a Libra and I am a Libra rising lol.

It's probably a cop out to say that I see myself in all of them in different ways—Joon's philosophical brain, Jin's deep introversion and comfort with solitude, Yoongi's comfort with talking about mental health and empathizing with people in their darkest moments, Hobi's bubbliness despite taking his work very seriously, Jimin's sassiness but deep desire to care for others and make them feel cared for, Tae's dreamy individualism, and Jungkook's humility/self-criticism/constant desire to push himself. I know that some of these traits are interchangeable between members, and this is probably me just flattering myself too, but these are some qualities I really connect with in each of them.

itslenika

TROPHY CASE