From Fan to Creator How My Obsession with K-Pop and AI Changed Everything

Have you ever looked back on your past and thought, “What was I thinking?!”

Ha! Well, that’s me right now.

I don’t often post here, and when I say I will, I usually come back for a few days and then disappear again. I just don’t always have something to say, and honestly, I don’t always have the time to be consistently active here.

With a 3-year-old, a pre-teen, working from home, and just life in general, I stay busy. But today, I felt a bit nostalgic and decided to revisit my very first post on this platform.

My first post was 7 years ago when I joined as it started out as Steemit. I introduced myself by talking about K-pop—a topic that didn’t seem super popular here at the time. By the way, I still absolutely adore K-pop, and aside from maybe four songs on my regularly played playlist, the rest is, you guessed it, K-pop.

Looking back, I totally cringe at that first post and the attached video, but it’s authentic, so I’ll give it that. I also miss that bright teal(ish) color I used in my office (note to self: make sure the lighting is on point so I don’t look orange-y or worse). As I mentioned in my first post, I’ve been into K-pop since 2008, so that makes it 16 years of falling down the rabbit hole of this music, industry, and all that comes with it.

Little did I know that my K-pop obsession would also lead to a love of K-dramas—just the tip of an iceberg of its own, but that’s a whole other topic.

So, while I was reminiscing and deciding whether to post here again, I figured if I did, I should share that love that started it all. I’d also like to update you on some of my initial topics and how they’re progressing (if they have) and add any new insights I’ve gathered. Because, let’s face it, there’s always something new.

Forgive me for this sporadic and all-over-the-place post, but I do hope you enjoy it!

A Quick Refresher: Here are the first bunch of posts I made when I started as a writer here.

BTS is still around and has achieved worldwide stardom. All members enlisted for mandatory military service and are now finally being discharged. Their company has continued to release solo music recorded prior to their enlistment, so fans haven’t felt the sting of their absence too much. Of course, this strategy also keeps BTS top of mind and generating income for their label.

Did you know that there was a K-Pop song I was afraid to admit I loved after I hated it at first (but now I will totally admit, years later that is)?
The song? None other than Blood Sweat & Tears by BTS. I hated this song at first. I listened to it and literally said outloud "What the heck?" I didn't get it. The song was so weird and all over the place. However, as I closed my laptop that night, the hook, that darn hook, kept playing in my head. After a day or so I finally gave it and listened to it all over again. It was my favorite for a really long time, and still is a song that I can listen to at almost any time.

Don't know it? Give it a listen. Also, the music video is awesome, so feel free to watch it too.

The first "Day 1" K-pop post I made was about the girl group Mamamoo. They’re still a powerhouse vocal group, although they’re currently focused on individual activities. They’ve even leveled up their skills over the years by incorporating more intense dance routines, and they’re still one of the most charming female groups I’ve been a fan of.

While I’m on the subject of K-pop, let’s talk about a newer group and a song I can’t stop playing on repeat.
Psst… it’s in English!

Introducing XG. The song I’m absolutely obsessed with is called Woke Up.

The verses are pure fire, and I promise this isn’t a one-time listen!

Creative Journey Update:

Somewhere among all those K-pop posts, you’ll see an update about video editing. This is when I began exploring video editing and other creative skills. What started as a casual interest has since unlocked so much creativity and fulfillment for me. Over the past seven years, I’ve taught myself to edit videos with Final Cut Pro X and then transitioned to the industry standard of Adobe Premiere Pro. I’ve also become well-versed in Photoshop, Lightroom, and even dabbled in Illustrator and After Effects. I also use Logic Pro and Adobe Audition for podcast production.

Since then, I’ve created everything from promotional YouTube videos to social media shorts and long-form podcast videos, not to mention developing beautiful photos, ad banners, and even apparel with my own designs. With AI speeding up workflows, the creative journey just keeps getting better.

Since I did touch on AI, I will share that AI is probably my second huge interest behind Kpop. Why is that? Because it unlocks so much possibility. Creators are still creators, but now they can do things a little faster, a little leaner, and maybe even help fill some of the holes they have with their talents. Artists are still artists, but they can indeed find ways to help them with streamlining things and making some of the tedious aspects of getting their name out there, or even figuring out how to plan the next steps easier than doing it alone. With something as simple as the one we all know - ChatGPT, you could ask it a ton of questions. Heck, I find I use it more often than google now because I don’t have to search through the google search results for pertinent info. Of course, you always want to double check and ask for sources and whatnot when you ask questions so that you are getting the best information out there.

Creating visually is a big part of my process, and I’ve gained tons of experience with MidJourney, which I absolutely love. Take a look at some of the interesting images I have created lately (only some, as I create a ton, but each has their own purpose):

Thanks so much for reading!

I appreciate each and every one of you for stopping by and sharing in my creative journey. As a thank you, I’d like to offer a discount on my merch store! Just use code THANKS10 at checkout to get 10% off your next order at VIBRNT.xyz!