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Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Bringing Bay Area swagger to K-pop: Inside the journey of SM's former hitmaker
From working as an English teacher to founding his own K-pop label, Paul Thompson opens up about his journey, struggles and dreams for his new girl group, VVS Before Paul Thompson became one of K-pop's most prolific songwriters, penning hits such as Exo's 'Love Shot,' NCT U's 'The 7th Sense' and Taeyeon's 'Fine,' his musical roots were planted far from Seoul — in the backseat of his parents' car in the Bay Area, where Motown was the soundtrack of his youth. 'When I was really young, I loved Motown because my parents loved Motown. But eventually, as I got older, hip-hop,' Thompson said in an interview with The Korea Herald, May 15. 'I loved Dr. Dre, I loved The Game, Tupac, all that stuff. I was also from the Bay Area. There's a specific genre of music from the Bay Area called Hyphy music. It's like the most unique style of hip-hop. It influenced all of the southern hip-hop and, like a lot of the slang that you hear to this day, comes from the San Francisco Bay Area,' he added. The spark — K-pop through SAT tutoring Thompson first encountered K-pop while teaching a Korean family in the US that had recently moved from Busan, Korea's second-largest city, for a couple of summers between 2007 and 2008 in his hometown of Stockton. 'Every time they would have a break time, students would watch K-pop and then they would show me what it was. I remember JYP, I remember they showed me 'Nobody' by Wonder Girls,' Thompson recalled. 'But up until that point, I hadn't known anything about K-pop.' His impression of 'Nobody' was that it was a clear homage to American R&B groups like The Supremes and the Temptations — and that curiosity stuck with him. Years later, when he came to Korea to teach English in 2013, because his music career in LA didn't work out and he needed to pay off student loans, he remembered JYP Entertainment and decided to send the agency his demos, just to see if there was still a shot at a music career. Reigniting his passion in Seoul After just eight months of teaching, Thompson realized he couldn't let go of music. He bought a keyboard at Nagwon Sangga, a mall with the largest collection of music-related stores in Korea and began playing in his room. "I got passion again,' Thompson said. He looked up K-pop and started applying to local music labels. His previous experience as a headhunter at a Silicon Valley tech company helped him navigate the industry. 'When I was applying to K-pop agencies, I remembered JYP. I contacted, like, all the top people from JYP on LinkedIn,' Thompson said. One of the JYP songwriters asked for a few tracks. Thompson submitted a demo he had written back in LA, and that track would later be released as 'Once More' on singer-songwriter GSoul's debut EP in 2015. 'This was within a week of me signing (with) JYP,' Thompson said. Frustrations and rejections at JYP Despite the promising start, Thompson's two-year stint at JYP Entertainment proved difficult. Though originally contracted for three years, the company let him go early. 'When they originally signed me, I think they were excited because I had that one song (Once More) that ended up getting placed very quickly. But after that, I got nothing else for two years,' Thompson said. He didn't know much about K-pop at the time — let alone the JYP house style. He submitted many songs for 2PM, Got7 and Miss A, but none made it to the albums. 'They told me, like, 'Paul, why don't you listen to what's on the charts and tell us what you think you can make?' I remember specifically listening to Red Velvet's 'Happiness,' Exo's 'Overdose' and Taeyeon's 'I.' I started to realize 'oh, I can make this stuff,'' Thompson said. He told JYP, but the company said those were songs in SM Entertainment's (SM) style. A few years later, Thompson would get his chance there. Hit after hit — but with compromise At the end of 2015, Thompson joined SM through a deal with its sister publishing company Ekko Music Rights. There, he found a more fitting creative home. Back then, SM's sound was heavily influenced by early '90s R&B, according to Thompson. 'I remember what really sparked my interest was when I discovered SM was working with huge R&B legends and pop writing legends from America such as Teddy Riley and Harvey Mason Jr. — ones that I looked up to,' Thompson said. His first placement at SM was 'Until Today,' a B-side on Taemin's debut solo studio album, 'Press It,' in 2016. That same album included 'Drip Drop,' another track he worked on. 'I started to learn it, specifically SM style. They had a very fusion style (of music) because, at that time, they were the only K-pop company working with Koreans and foreign writers together,' he said. 'I picked that up pretty quickly and then developed that sound with them.' Thompson went on to write some of K-pop's most iconic songs: 'Ko Ko Bop,' 'Tempo' and 'Love Shot' for EXO; 'Fine' for Taeyeon; and tracks for Girls' Generation, Red Velvet, Super Junior and TVXQ. He also helped shape NCT U's debut with 'The 7th Sense,' one of his personal favorites. But not all of his favorites made the cut. 'As a creative person, sometimes your favorite stuff is not what the company wants,' he said. 'Especially when you're working for a company — you've got to give them what they ask for, or what they need.' Launching MZMC and VVS In January 2019, Thompson left Ekko Music Rights to launch MZMC, an independent label and production team with six international songwriters. One of the label's first major projects is VVS, a multinational girl group formed through a global audition in 2020 with members from Korea, Japan and the US. The group officially debuted this month with its first EP, 'D.I.M.M.' 'The reason why I wanted to do my own artist is because I wanted to make stuff I wanted to make. I wanted to make music that I want to hear and like,' Thompson said. He had always wanted to produce a hip-hop, R&B girl group — a concept he believes hasn't been central in K-pop girl groups. He also wanted to do something different with VVS. The group's debut rollout began on April 7 with the '5 C's Debut Trailer,' a 10-part cinematic teaser series introducing the concept and members. The videos featured stylized animations and action-driven visuals, with choreography by Koji Kawamoto, best known for 'John Wick: Chapter 4.' 'I've always loved film and television and I'm an English literature major, so I'm into storytelling. I felt like one thing that used to be a part of K-pop a little bit more was storytelling in idol music.' On the state of K-pop today During his 13 years in Korea, Thompson has witnessed a dramatic evolution of K-pop. He wonders if today's K-pop is chasing global relevance at the cost of its identity. 'I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing,' he said. 'But I don't see a massive group in this new generation yet. When K-pop was just exclusively more Korean, you had legendary groups like BTS, Exo, Blackpink, Twice and Girls' Generation. 'Now, what are the legendary groups that everybody knows their songs? I can think of groups that are big and they sell out arenas and they have strong fandom, but the general public can't name their songs,' Thompson said. 'I think that's what NewJeans brought back ... you could have a fandom, but also the general public knew all the songs and everybody can sing along.' Thompson also worries that in chasing the goal of becoming next BTS or Blackpink, new groups may be losing the very soul that once made K-pop resonate. 'I am interested to see this next generation. Are they catering too much to trying to be the next Blackpink or BTS -- like the western big hit? And are we losing the idea of what K-pop used to be, which I think made bigger artists back in the day,' he said. 'There are more groups. It's more spread out and it's not concentrated, maybe. But where are the iconic groups of the new generation? 'Maybe it has to do with people trying too much to cater to the West or maybe it's just a lull and some of these newer groups are going to end up taking off,' he added. 'I don't know.' jaaykim@
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Bringing Bay Area swagger to K-pop: Inside the journey of SM's former hitmaker
From working as an English teacher to founding his own K-pop label, Paul Thompson opens up about his journey, struggles and dreams for his new girl group, VVS Before Paul Thompson became one of K-pop's most prolific songwriters, penning hits such as Exo's 'Love Shot,' NCT U's 'The 7th Sense' and Taeyeon's 'Fine,' his musical roots were planted far from Seoul — in the backseat of his parents' car in the Bay Area, where Motown was the soundtrack of his youth. 'When I was really young, I loved Motown because my parents loved Motown. But eventually, as I got older, hip-hop,' Thompson said in an interview with The Korea Herald, May 15. 'I loved Dr. Dre, I loved The Game, Tupac, all that stuff. I was also from the Bay Area. There's a specific genre of music from the Bay Area called Hyphy music. It's like the most unique style of hip-hop. It influenced all of the southern hip-hop and, like a lot of the slang that you hear to this day, comes from the San Francisco Bay Area,' he added. The spark — K-pop through SAT tutoring Thompson first encountered K-pop while teaching a Korean family in the US that had recently moved from Busan, Korea's second-largest city, for a couple of summers between 2007 and 2008 in his hometown of Stockton. 'Every time they would have a break time, students would watch K-pop and then they would show me what it was. I remember JYP, I remember they showed me 'Nobody' by Wonder Girls,' Thompson recalled. 'But up until that point, I hadn't known anything about K-pop.' His impression of 'Nobody' was that it was a clear homage to American R&B groups like The Supremes and the Temptations — and that curiosity stuck with him. Years later, when he came to Korea to teach English in 2013, because his music career in LA didn't work out and he needed to pay off student loans, he remembered JYP Entertainment and decided to send the agency his demos, just to see if there was still a shot at a music career. Reigniting his passion in Seoul After just eight months of teaching, Thompson realized he couldn't let go of music. He bought a keyboard at Nagwon Sangga, a mall with the largest collection of music-related stores in Korea and began playing in his room. "I got passion again,' Thompson said. He looked up K-pop and started applying to local music labels. His previous experience as a headhunter at a Silicon Valley tech company helped him navigate the industry. 'When I was applying to K-pop agencies, I remembered JYP. I contacted, like, all the top people from JYP on LinkedIn,' Thompson said. One of the JYP songwriters asked for a few tracks. Thompson submitted a demo he had written back in LA, and that track would later be released as 'Once More' on singer-songwriter GSoul's debut EP in 2015. 'This was within a week of me signing (with) JYP,' Thompson said. Frustrations and rejections at JYP Despite the promising start, Thompson's two-year stint at JYP Entertainment proved difficult. Though originally contracted for three years, the company let him go early. 'When they originally signed me, I think they were excited because I had that one song (Once More) that ended up getting placed very quickly. But after that, I got nothing else for two years,' Thompson said. He didn't know much about K-pop at the time — let alone the JYP house style. He submitted many songs for 2PM, Got7 and Miss A, but none made it to the albums. 'They told me, like, 'Paul, why don't you listen to what's on the charts and tell us what you think you can make?' I remember specifically listening to Red Velvet's 'Happiness,' Exo's 'Overdose' and Taeyeon's 'I.' I started to realize 'oh, I can make this stuff,'' Thompson said. He told JYP, but the company said those were songs in SM Entertainment's (SM) style. A few years later, Thompson would get his chance there. Hit after hit — but with compromise At the end of 2015, Thompson joined SM through a deal with its sister publishing company Ekko Music Rights. There, he found a more fitting creative home. Back then, SM's sound was heavily influenced by early '90s R&B, according to Thompson. 'I remember what really sparked my interest was when I discovered SM was working with huge R&B legends and pop writing legends from America such as Teddy Riley and Harvey Mason Jr. — ones that I looked up to,' Thompson said. His first placement at SM was 'Until Today,' a B-side on Taemin's debut solo studio album, 'Press It,' in 2016. That same album included 'Drip Drop,' another track he worked on. 'I started to learn it, specifically SM style. They had a very fusion style (of music) because, at that time, they were the only K-pop company working with Koreans and foreign writers together,' he said. 'I picked that up pretty quickly and then developed that sound with them.' Thompson went on to write some of K-pop's most iconic songs: 'Ko Ko Bop,' 'Tempo' and 'Love Shot' for EXO; 'Fine' for Taeyeon; and tracks for Girls' Generation, Red Velvet, Super Junior and TVXQ. He also helped shape NCT U's debut with 'The 7th Sense,' one of his personal favorites. But not all of his favorites made the cut. 'As a creative person, sometimes your favorite stuff is not what the company wants,' he said. 'Especially when you're working for a company — you've got to give them what they ask for, or what they need.' Launching MZMC and VVS In January 2019, Thompson left Ekko Music Rights to launch MZMC, an independent label and production team with six international songwriters. One of the label's first major projects is VVS, a multinational girl group formed through a global audition in 2020 with members from Korea, Japan and the US. The group officially debuted this month with its first EP, 'D.I.M.M.' 'The reason why I wanted to do my own artist is because I wanted to make stuff I wanted to make. I wanted to make music that I want to hear and like,' Thompson said. He had always wanted to produce a hip-hop, R&B girl group — a concept he believes hasn't been central in K-pop girl groups. He also wanted to do something different with VVS. The group's debut rollout began on April 7 with the '5 C's Debut Trailer,' a 10-part cinematic teaser series introducing the concept and members. The videos featured stylized animations and action-driven visuals, with choreography by Koji Kawamoto, best known for 'John Wick: Chapter 4.' 'I've always loved film and television and I'm an English literature major, so I'm into storytelling. I felt like one thing that used to be a part of K-pop a little bit more was storytelling in idol music.' On the state of K-pop today During his 13 years in Korea, Thompson has witnessed a dramatic evolution of K-pop. He wonders if today's K-pop is chasing global relevance at the cost of its identity. 'I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing,' he said. 'But I don't see a massive group in this new generation yet. When K-pop was just exclusively more Korean, you had legendary groups like BTS, Exo, Blackpink, Twice and Girls' Generation. 'Now, what are the legendary groups that everybody knows their songs? I can think of groups that are big and they sell out arenas and they have strong fandom, but the general public can't name their songs,' Thompson said. 'I think that's what NewJeans brought back ... you could have a fandom, but also the general public knew all the songs and everybody can sing along.' Thompson also worries that in chasing the goal of becoming next BTS or Blackpink, new groups may be losing the very soul that once made K-pop resonate. 'I am interested to see this next generation. Are they catering too much to trying to be the next Blackpink or BTS -- like the western big hit? And are we losing the idea of what K-pop used to be, which I think made bigger artists back in the day,' he said. 'There are more groups. It's more spread out and it's not concentrated, maybe. But where are the iconic groups of the new generation? 'Maybe it has to do with people trying too much to cater to the West or maybe it's just a lull and some of these newer groups are going to end up taking off,' he added. 'I don't know.'
Graziadaily
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
This Unexpected '90s Fashion Trend Is Back - And Better Than Ever
When it comes to fashion trends, it's no secret that what goes around comes around – and there's no better proof of that than the nineties and late noughties, home to some of the most coveted sartorial resurgences we're seeing today. From gingham and plaid skirts à la Rachel Green and Clueless , to the return of low-rise jeans, there's no shortage of vintage-style staples that blend nostalgia with contemporary style. One of the most romantic and playful resurgences? The babydoll dress. Once strictly reserved for nightwear, this loose-fitting silhouette has been endorsed by the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, as well as high fashion labels such as Emilia Wickstead, Chloé, and Loewe – the latter even showcasing mini babydoll dresses at the Spring/Summer 2025 runway shows. But we're not here to talk frocks – we're here to talk about the cropped, modern version: the babydoll top. And there's one in particular leading the charge on the high street: the Abercrombie & Fitch Sheer Babydoll Cami. 1. Abercrombie & Fitch, Sheer Babydoll Cami - Snake Print Shop the popular A&F cami that perfectly encapsulates the '90s. Much like any babydoll top (which typically features a peplum or shift hemline) the Abercrombie top has quickly become a fashion insider favourite, thanks to its on-trend silhouette and breezy wearability for the warmer months. Available in a range of designs and colour ways, including classic black and white, it's the snake print version that's truly flying off both the virtual and in-store shelves. Not only does it embrace the babydoll resurgence, but it also taps into another kitschy yet chic Y2K revival – snake print. While the see-through material of the babydoll top might suggest it's best suited for more glittering occasions, its versatility means it can easily be adapted for more casual off-duty styling. For daytime, consider layering a thin black cami underneath for extra coverage (although you might want to skip the layers altogether during the warmer months) and pair it with your favourite pair of jeans for a relaxed look. When it comes to the evening, simply ditch the cami and let the top shine on its own, styling it with the same trusted denim and elevating the outfit with a pair of kitten heels, perfect for date nights. Of course, with any trending staple, the high street offering seldom disappoints. While Abercrombie's selection has quickly gained traction among those looking to tap into the babydoll revival, there's no shortage of other gems to be found, from H&M to Nobody's Child to name a few. Shop the rest below - including the other Abercrombie & Fitch versions. 2. Abercrombie & Fitch, Babydoll Top - Black Lace Alternatively, opt for the chic black lace iteration for nights out. 3. Abercrombie & Fitch, Babydoll Top - White Lace Choose the white version for summer days out. 4. Nobody's Child, Blue Camille Cami Top From the Poppy Delevingne X Nobody's Child collection, shop a light blue babydoll top with lace detailing. 5. Second Female, Babydoll Top Price: £93 Available to shop from Anthropologie, this babydoll top will keep you cool during even the hottest days. 6. Damson Madder, Amaya Blouse Damson madder knows a thing or two about a viral blouse - and the Amaya is no exception. Image credit: @vivianeaudi and @viviannn_v Emma Richardson is a fashion commerce writer for Grazia. She covers shopping, lifestyle, celebs and anything trending .
Pink Villa
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Buzz: Is Prithviraj Sukumaran set to direct Hrithik Roshan's next with Hombale Films?
Hrithik Roshan recently took the internet by storm after his collaboration with Salaar makers Hombale Films was announced. Now, rumors suggest that Prithviraj Sukumaran might be helming the project. According to ongoing buzz, including a report by BFilmy Official, the Lucifer director is said to be handling the project, tentatively titled HrithikXHombale. However, as of now, it remains a rumor, and an official confirmation is still pending. Talking about the project, the announcement of HrithikXHombale came as a major surprise to many, as the top Bollywood star is teaming up with a powerhouse production house. While more details about the film are yet to be revealed, the official statement from the makers read: 'They call him the Greek God. He's ruled hearts, shattered limits, and we see the phenomenon he truly is! We are proud to welcome Hrithik Roshan to the Hombale Films family for a collaboration years in the making. A tale of grit, grandeur, and glory is set to unfold, where intensity meets imagination, the Big Bang begins. #HRITHIKxHOMBALE' In response to the announcement, Hrithik Roshan wrote on social media, 'Looking forward to this.' Talking about Prithviraj Sukumaran as a director, he recently made a big impact with the Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan. The film is the sequel to 2019's Lucifer and the second installment in a planned trilogy. Mohanlal reprised his role as Stephen Nedumpally aka Khureshi Ab'raam, with the story continuing from the events of the first film. Alongside the superstar, the movie featured an ensemble cast including Prithviraj Sukumaran, Abhimanyu Singh, Tovino Thomas, Manju Warrier, Indrajith Sukumaran, Jerome Flynn, and others in key roles. Additionally, L2: Empuraan included cameo appearances by Rick Yune and Pranav Mohanlal. On the acting front, Prithviraj is set to play the lead in the upcoming film Vilayath Buddha. He is also part of Nobody and is involved in Mahesh Babu's next project with director SS Rajamouli, tentatively titled SSMB29. Meanwhile, Hrithik Roshan is gearing up for his much-anticipated film War 2, co-starring Jr NTR, which is scheduled to release on August 14, 2025.
Buzz Feed
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
49 Wildly Annoying TV And Movie Mistakes
My personal favorite? This scene from Twilight is where teenagers are clearly supposed to be playing Hackey-Sack, but are missing the Hackey-Sack. In fact, I love to watch the background actors in movies and TV shows, because oftentimes some nonsense is going on. Like this guy who forgot to play dead in Nobody. In the show American Primeval, you can spot a background character drop his spear and on. You can also spot other mistakes by looking in the background or off to the side. For example, in the most recent episode of The Last of Us, you can literally see a crew member hiding in the trees. It's always funny to spot crew members in movies and TV shows. In Saw 3D, you can see a crew member flicking blood on a character. You can also see a crew member in this scene in the Oscar-winning Return of the King. In this episode of Gunsmoke, you can see a crew member's modern shoe in the upper left corner. In the background of John Wick 3, you can see a person in one of the barn stalls to the left controlling the horse. In Stargate, you can see the whole crew in Kurt Russell's glasses. Sometimes you can see the actual camera in movies and TV scenes. You can see a camera rig on the right side in this scene from The Naked Gun. And you can see a camera reflection in this scene from The King of Comedy. You can actually see the camera in this scene from Troy. Some mistakes are just hilariously obvious. This is how a character disables a bomb in Unthinkable. And in this shot from X-Men, you can see the screws in Wolverine's claws. Some of the jurors in Daredevil: Born Again are completely replaced. In this scene from Resident Evil, the character is using the notepad app to video call. This is less obvious, but it feels like a big oversight given that in Wicked, Elphaba very dramatically breaks the patio window. However, a few scenes later, just before Fiyero arrives, the glass isn't cracked. A lot of other errors have to do with continuity. In this scene from The Four Seasons, the table goes from empty to covered in drinks to having a single tray on it between shots. Maddie's sweater completely changes between shots in this scene from Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The bullet holes in the Terminator's jacket disappear within seconds in this scene from Terminator 2: Judgement Day. The bullet wound is clearly in the center of Tye's forehead in The Bricklayer — but later on, it's above her eyebrow. This one from Two is even more obvious. Check out the mirror between shots and the very different cracks. It keeps flashing between them, too, making it even more obvious. The keys change color multiple times between shots in Friday Night Dinner. In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, this woman's tongs change into a spatula, then back to tongs. In The King of Queens, Carrie goes from scooping mashed potatoes to picking up chicken with a fork between shots. The towel John is using to dry a glass changes colors between shots in Jurassic Park. In Avengers: Endgame, when Tony returns Cap's shield, it's obvious they shot at different times of day, considering the shadows. In Daredevil: Born Again, Matt puts his pants on backwards, but soon after, they're the right way forward. Speaking of Daredevil: Born Again, there are no flowers in the center of the table as Kingpin and Vanessa eat. Then at the end of the scene, there's a huge bouquet. The shape of the glass on Yon Rogg's ship changes between shots in Captain Marvel. You can spot it better here. This one might take a more eagle-eyed viewer, but in this scene from Fatal Attraction, you can see the headphone cord switch the side it's on. Credits mistakes also take an eagle-eyed viewer, but some are pretty egregious. They literally spelled Keira Knightley's name wrong in The Phantom Menace. Sinners is pretty much a perfect film, but it does misspell San Rafael in the credits. It always takes me out of a film when you realize something is straight-up fake. Like this scene from Predator, where this woman's hands clearly are not actually bound. This guy's breathing tube isn't even connected in this scene from Elementary, though in a different shot, it is. Alex's hair clearly isn't actually stuck in this scene from Modern Family. It easily falls away as her head moves. You can see Bruce Willis' flesh-colored socks in this scene from Die Hard. Factual errors are always annoying because they feel so easy to get wrong. In Mr. and Mrs. Smith, there's a notification from the Bronx Zoo about Fiona the actually lives at the Cincinnati zoo. Showing the Dow Jones dropping by 500% in G20 is laughable. Cars having no headrests in movies (usually so they can fit cameras to shoot from the back) always annoy me. You can see this mistake in action in Sicario: Day of the Soldado — where the headrests actually appear again. Sometimes, it's just SO obvious something is shot in the LA area. In this shot from Prison Break, which is supposed to take place in Wyoming, you can see palm trees, the ocean, and a pier. There's no way to avoid shooting period pieces in modern locations, but it definitely takes you out of it to see modern things on-camera. In the background of this shot from The Last of the Mohicans, you can literally see buses. Modern cars in period pieces are fairly common, actually. This is from The Highwaymen, which is set in the '30s. You can also see modern cars in this scene from Dexter: Original Sin, set in 1991. The background in the train windows changes instantaneously in this scene from France. The shot doesn't even change; just the background does. You can see it better here. In Rudy, during the Notre Dame/Georgia Tech match, you can see someone holding up a Boston College flag. Blade appears to disappear between shots in Deadpool & Wolverine. And both Wolverine and Blade appear to kill the same woman. And finally, in Passenger FBI agent who gets shot has blood on his face before he even gets shot. What's an obvious mistake in a movie or TV show that always bugs you? Let us know in the comments or via this anonymous form! H/T: r/MovieMistakes
