You can find all of our “Bias Duality” articles in one place by clicking here! This week’s “Bias Duality” article is dedicated to one of the pioneers of the generation that took K-Pop to a whole new level. Coming in hot, we have MONSTA X’s JooHoney for your consideration! With 43.9% of the total votes cast by Kpopmap readers on the poll in our previous “Bias Duality” article, JooHoney was chosen by a vast majority of fans to appear on this series!
To participate in choosing the artist who will be featured in our next “Bias Duality” article, you can vote for your favourite idol/actor below! If you would like to see a different idol/actor (one who is not mentioned in the poll) featured in the series, please leave their name in the comments section, and we will add them to the vote lineup next time! Now onto our bias!
JooHoney One Hunnit
An idol who is irretrievably in love with his fans, one who is an artistic perfectionist, a strict mentor, a formidable performer, and an incredibly lovely human being, MONSTA X’s JooHoney is truly one of a kind. Besides being one of the greatest rappers the K-Pop industry has to offer, the idol is also a singer-songwriter and producer with an immensely successful solo career.
His extensive discography features a duality that is not only rare but also venerable. As of June 2022, JooHoney has a total of 149 KOMCA credits to his name as a lyricist, composer, and producer, making him the 8th most-credited K-Pop idol on the board. So, when JooHoney comes in, guns ablaze with his rapper tag, “JooHoney One Hunnit”, he lives up to every syllable of it.
When it comes to JooHoney’s personality, his name is as clear an indicator as it gets. Dripping with honey, JooHoney brings sweetness and love to his surroundings just by virtue of his presence. He inspires millions of young people who look up to him and encourages them to chase their dreams.
The way he is so kind, patient, and understanding with his members, staff as well as complete strangers, makes one want to be a better person! No wonder he is so good with children! From the time he was L.A.W, an underground rapper to the present, where he is a global superstar, JooHoney has been driven by gratitude and compassion, which manifests itself in his music.
He is affectionate with his members and doesn’t hesitate to show it, whether that be through skinship or his own lyrics. From his goodnight hugs to constantly tending to their unsaid needs, feeding them, protecting them, and making sure they know how amazing they are, JooHoney leaves no stone unturned in expressing his love. Being someone who is motivated by compliments, words of affirmation is his way of showing adoration too. As such, JooHoney never leaves an opportunity to boast about his MONBEBE to anyone who is willing to listen. As a matter of fact, no one is more proud of MONSTA X and MONBEBE than JooHoney and it shows.
While this considerate, tender, and doting side of JooHoney is a fan favourite, his intense, focused side is equally beloved. After all, who can forget his determination to guide the “Produce X 101” trainees in the right direction during his time as a rap mentor, which admittedly changed some of their lives! He was unrelenting yet never intimidating, which is what brought out the hidden confidence in the trainees. His iconic lesson on “Baksu” has gone viral time and time again for its hilarity but the change it brought in CRAVITY’s WonJin was undeniably powerful. At the same time, the way he comforted Park SunHo (a contestant who trained with JooHoney in the past) and gave him strength, was also admirable. JooHoney is someone who puts his heart and soul into what he does so it is not surprising that he is also such an impactful teacher.
If this duality wasn’t enough, we also have yet another image of JooHoney that is just as popular, if not more, than the first two. He is the reigning King of aegyo in K-Pop! JooHoney might have started his aegyo legacy to do away with his fierce stage image but all MONBEBE know that he enjoys it too because, in reality, he is very much the innocent baby he looks to be. This goes hand in hand with his chaotic avatar, where he brings out his unique sense of humour. His knack for nunchi makes him an expert at variety shows but when he unleashes his inner comedian, there’s no looking back.
The Voice Of Conviction - JooHoney’s Vocal Duality
Two of the predominant defining qualities of JooHoney’s music are versatility and conviction. JooHoney imbues his music with raw authenticity, identity, and meaning but what makes it truly evocative is the belief he has in his message. JooHoney raps with honesty and sings from the heart. He uses his platform as a stage for revolution, for hitting back at a system of oppression, whether that be in the entertainment industry or in life. He takes pride in being an idol rapper and even more so, in being the best in the game.
He shines the spotlight on all the hard work that has brought him immeasurable success and also on all the criticism that tried to break him down, albeit in vain. JooHoney knows his own unbreakable mettle and flaunts it with the most irresistible smugness. At the same time, his artistic canvas is also painted with devotion for his fans, members, and loved ones. Some of MONSTA X’s most poignant songs are those dedicated to MONBEBE and some of JooHoney’s most hard-hitting raps are powered by his past. As a composer, JooHoney has a penchant for creating music that appears to be starkly in contrast. For instance, in “Shape of Love”, MONSTA X’s 11th mini-album, JooHoney co-wrote, co-composed, and co-arranged ‘Love’, a fun and dynamic pop-rap track with jazz-funk influences and on the diametrically opposed end of the spectrum, he also co-wrote and co-composed ‘Wildfire’, an emphatic, anguished and addictive EDM masterpiece. Such duality shows up on almost all of MONSTA X’s works, which is what makes it all the more impressive. In terms of JooHoney’s vocal capabilities as a rapper and a singer, the duality is simply too striking. When experienced live, it is amplified to an unimaginable degree that simply leaves one speechless. Just within his realm of rap, JooHoney embodies duality in pacing, pitch, genres, subject matter, and more. Again, in his singing, he utilizes his versatile vocal registers, mastering both high notes and low baritones. He can make you overjoyed and pumped with his singing but you could also be crying in the club for the same reason! The emotion in his voice is just that strong.
Two songs that perfectly illustrate JooHoney’s duality in rap are ‘DIA’ and ‘Manito’. While ‘DIA’ is a fast-paced declaration of JooHoney’s bragging rights in the industry, ‘Manito’ is a slower, old-school hip-hop track recounting JooHoney’s unstoppable passion for music despite the adversities he faced on his journey. Evidently, JooHoney has a talent for matching his message to his composition, which only results in creative genius. Another solo song from JooHoney, titled ‘Red Carpet’ from his mixtape “DWTD”, incorporates singing rap in an alt/indie-pop track, bringing to light his bright and colourful energy. The song itself is an immaculate presentation of his duality as it transitions into a darker, more alluring sound in the second half. In contrast, we have ‘Smoky’ from the mixtape ‘PSYCHE’, which also fuses rap and singing but in a completely different way. Positing his own experience with mental health struggles, ‘Smoky’ is a confessional oozing vulnerability where JooHoney gives voice to an inherently private conversation with his own self. JooHoney raps in a relaxed flow but his vocals are robust. The genre is alt-rock/R&B but when the acoustic guitar chimes in, you cannot help but feel the tinge of hope and clarity. A stunning stage that will make you rethink JooHoney’s position as the main rapper is his performance of ‘벌써 일년’ (originally by Brown Eyes) on “King Of Masked Singer”. JooHoney’s voice is soft yet assertive, gentle yet expressive, and full of love. Some other stages that we highly recommend for exploring his duality are MONSTA X’s cover of Bruno Mars’ ‘Versace On The Floor’ and JooHoney’s collaboration stage with KiHyun and Kim YoungOk for the performance of ‘Grandmother Bird’. While one is as seductive as it gets, the other will bring out the waterworks. Needless to say, JooHoney’s position as an all-rounder is cemented in the global music industry.
Guns & Roses - JooHoney’s Stage Duality
Given the fact that JooHoney is already a talented rapper, singer, producer, and more, it really comes as no surprise that he is also an extraordinary dancer. His stage presence is magnanimous, both in a group setting and solo and his command over movement is simply exceptional. When JooHoney gets on stage, he embodies the spirit of a lion. He is the King of the jungle and he owns the place. His voice is lofty and resonant and his gestures are simply immaculate. There’s virtually nothing he cannot do and with perfection, that too! From JooHoney playing the drums while rapping at the 2019 SBS Music Awards to making us surrender our sanity to him in ‘Rush Hour’, JooHoney is fully aware of his duality. It even appears in his own lyrics: “what’s hidden backstage is duality”! We could rest our case here but we’re definitely not done gushing over him.
In one moment, JooHoney is the cutest baby bear, appealing for your attention and in the next, his gaze alone can set the stage on fire. The way he switches from one to the other is a vision you do not want to miss. ‘Love’ era JooHoney has our hearts but ‘Alligator’ era JooHeon has our lives. Mentally, we’re still stuck on JooHoney from ‘Beautiful’ (Acoustic Version). Two fancams that wonderfully bring out JooHoney’s duality are ‘Gambler’ and ‘Love Killa’. Not only does JooHoney ace the vocals in ‘Gambler’ (besides, of course, his flawless rap verse), but also, his elegant charm just keeps getting more and more captivating by the second. Knowing the power he holds on MONBEBE, he doesn’t shy away from a little playful teasing and the effect it has is simply sensational. The subtle temptation of ‘Gambler’ becomes charismatic machismo in ‘Love Killa’. Decked in red, JooHoney is out to steal our hearts. There is a power in his movements, a persuasion that is hard to deny, and a magnetic confidence that is hypnotizing, to say the least. The smirks he sprinkles throughout the performance, alternating with the most compelling facial expressions, is duality at its finest. He may be performing the most zealous choreography but as soon as those dimples appear, it’s game over.
JooHeon Or Baby Honey Rice Cakes - JooHoney’s Aesthetic Duality
Finally, we couldn’t just conclude without giving JooHoney’s aesthetic duality the appreciation it deserves. JooHoney is a man of many names and “model” just happens to be one of them. No matter the mood, the objective, the memo, JooHoney will deliver effortlessly. He has a natural talent for modeling, especially with how quickly he can get in and out of character. One second, he’s piercing through the camera with his eyes and in the next, he’s doing a little happy dance to celebrate.
From street style to high fashion, JooHoney can pull off any aesthetic with ease. He looks just as handsome in a bejeweled leather jacket as he does in a simple t-shirt. Whether it be on the cover of a magazine or just a stroll down the street, JooHoney is always serving looks left and right. That’s not all! JooHoney has an expert eye for fashion and his personal sense of style is proof of the fact. His Instagram account (@joohoneywalker) is a gala of his style statements that all of us could take some notes from. From casual clothes for cozy days to exquisite stage fits, suits to dungarees, oversized puffer jackets, hoodies, and more, JooHoney’s wardrobe is enviable. As a matter of fact, fashion is just another extension of his artistic expression and we love to see it. At the end of the day, JooHoney is an ace in the truest sense of the word who keeps on evolving and digging deeper into the creative recesses of his genius mind to bring us the best of the best. Music is his love language and this love is reciprocated manifold by MONBEBE all over the world who are blessed to have someone as incredible as him to look up to and lean on. We cannot wait to see what JooHoney has in store for us next! What is your favourite part about JooHoney’s duality? Tell us in the comments section down below! If you’re looking for more content about MONSTA X on Kpopmap, here are some articles you might enjoy!
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