*sigh...I don't even know where to begin.

Of course, like all Blackjacks, I was hopeful for a comeback. I was hoping CL would finish her solo tours and other activities and return to Korea to debut their trio; I was hoping Dara would get her fill of acting and traveling and panelling shows to be a part of a group again; and I was hoping beyond all belief that Bom would reunite with her bandmates and sing a new song, in all aspects of that phrase. I was so grateful for their sudden performance at MAMA last year and I thought it was a sign of more to come. That was not the case. Minzy left the group. While I was saddened, I waited for 2NE1 to continue. And now this.

I guess it's bittersweet. 2NE1, as many of you know, was the group that got me into kpop because they broke the barrier of "Korean pop." I don't like that they're separated but I also hope the very best for their futures. I don't like we're probably not going to be able to see them as three (or four) for a really long time but I hope they flourish in their individual personal and professional lives.
I *really* want to see an album from Park Bom, because I love her voice and need to hear more of it, and I truly believe she deserves all the happiness in the world. After the 2014 drug "scandal," I thought she'd leave the entertainment industry for good with her "time of reflection." Since the end of 2015 and now-ish, she's been more active on her social media accounts and I'm optimistic. I hope nothing scares her away this time.

Recently, I saw a tweet about how fans of 2NE1 are griping about how no other groups will be like them when there in fact are a lot, which is true and not true. Yes, there are a lot of groups who have ventured into the grittier world of hip hop and R&B (or other genres) in their music instead of staying with the cutesy vibe they started with. There are new YG groups that have emerged who also fit the vibe of 2NE1 (namely Blackpink, and the group this Twitter person actually mentioned). However, I would like to think they were the first female group to do so and on an international scale. I'm also very biased towards them because they were my initiation into Korean music so I could be blinded by other factors.

Anyway, I thought I'd say something for myself. I've read a lot of other people's opinions in the last few days, and I understand all of it. Some frustration, some tears, some thankfulness, some passive agressiveness...It's a bag of mixed emotions that we'll get through. 2016 was a rough year in many ways. Let's hope 2017 is better.

PS. Yeeah Nam Taehyun news too...
PPS. 4minute disbanded too, and Hyunseung did leave Beast...but I didn't write a post about them. For 4minute, as much as I liked them as a group and as individuals, I was not an ultimate fan of theirs: they were not my ultimate kpop group. I wasn't invested in their music as I was with 2NE1's. For Beast, I only recently started liking them, like the beginning of this year after watching their showtime. This comparison probably isn't going to do it justice, but I became a fan of EXO after Kris and right before Luhan and Tao left, so with Beast, it was weird timing. I really liked Hyunseung during Showtime and I even considered him my second bias after Yoseob. (I forgot where I was going with this spiel) It's business and we as fans shouldn't be taking it personally but we are. We shouldn't forget that these singers and dancers and actors and entrepreneurs and spokespeople and MCs and so on are people too, and they need to think about what's best for them. Yes, they're letting people down in the process, but if it's what's best for their peace of mind or health or whatever their reasoning is, the fans support them no matter what. You understand because people make mistakes or want to find a new adventure, etc.

OKAY I think that's enough. Did any of that even make sense? XD I just hope I didn't come off as put-off-ish. <3