There are K-Pop fans across the globe who share the same passion. But on online platforms, it is hard to know about each other’ stories and K-Pop life. Even if we are in the same fandom, it is hard to get to know each other. So at Kpopmap, we started the Kpopmap Fan Interview Project to get to know more about K-Pop fans from different countries: more about their K-Pop life and tastes and to give them the opportunity to share with our readers about their favorite group(s) and bias. Lily from the US is the next fan to answer our questions. They are a fan of The Rose, and particularly of DoJoon. Check out how they entered the fandom, the songs and content they advise to new fans, and much more! Can you introduce yourself? Where are you from? Hello hello! I’m Lily, I’m 23 and use they/them pronouns. I am a very proud non-binary Black Rose all the way from Texas! I am also the owner of dojoonthinker, yeehaw~ How and when did you enter the fandom? I became a Black Rose on August 1st, 2018, a couple days before their first anniversary! I had actually just gotten into K-Pop that very year and discovered that K-Pop was more than just pop music, there were actually kbands as well! I hadn’t heard of The Rose prior to my discovery, I had only known DAY6 at the time. Someone DMed me a tweet with a clip from their music video for ‘BABY’ and I fell in love with them immediately. I then watched every single live and interview of them out there on the internet. They only had a few songs out at the time, but I still listened to them every single day. What are the reasons why you love your favorite group? Oh man, it’s always hard to answer this question. There are like, a million things I love about The Rose. There’s something about them that’s special. They don’t have a single bad song in their discography, even their unreleased music is amazing. But I have to say the bond they have with both each other and us Black Roses is something I really admire. Even during their hiatus, they always popped onto their socials checking up on us and saying how they missed us. They’re always there for you after a long, tiring day. Who caught your attention at first and why? Definitely WooSung. He has such a unique voice. When I first heard it, I was literally in awe. Not to mention how good he looks in white hair LOL. Who is your bias, and why? Despite WooSung catching my eye when I first discovered them, my bias is actually DoJoon! DoJoon has been my bias since day one. He has the voice of an angel, literally. I just love his stage presence as well. Anytime you watch him perform, you can tell he loves what he does. He always has so much love in his eyes when he’s looking at Black Roses. Can you recommend a title track and a B-side track for new fans? Hmm, for a title track, I definitely recommend ‘She’s In The Rain’! I know it’s pretty popular, but I think it’s a good song to start with. It’s a very heavy yet heartwarming song about loneliness, it’s comforting and will definitely make you cry. Definitely a go to song for a hard day. As for a B-side, it’s hard to pick. I would definitely go with ‘Take Me Down’. Not only is it my favorite song by them but it’s also incredible live. You can hear the emotion in their voices as well. It’s just an amazing song overall. Can you recommend a fancam, V Live, cover video, cover dance, or individual content video of your bias to our readers? Honestly, any DoJoon content is good content. I recommend checking out any episodes of “King of The Idol” on Music Access just to get a good idea of his personality. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rewatched him there. I would also recommend checking out his own little radio thing he used to host on VLive called “Happy Radio”!
Can you also do the same type of recommendation for the group? Definitely check out the video they did with “Form of Therapy”. It’s one of my favorite interviews of theirs. You can get to know their personalities better and why they do what they do. If you need a good laugh, the whisper challenge video they did with Fei has brought me to tears several times hahahaha it never gets old. Can you share with us one of your favorite lyrics? “You wanna hurt yourself, I’ll stay with you.” from ‘She’s In The Rain’. That line has stuck with me since the song was first released and has been a constant reminder that things may be difficult but The Rose will always be on my side. What is your favorite group/bias’ influence on your daily life? I am always finding different ways to help get more people to discover The Rose. I think because of that, they’ve not only made a positive impact on my mental health but they’ve also helped me find myself creatively. I now run a massive guide with lots of information on The Rose for those who want to stan, created two fan-made online concerts during the pandemic, started a K-Pop journal because of them, and now run a Twitter account dedicated to loving both The Rose and DoJoon! What is your favorite side of fangirling/fanboying? Meeting new people. I can’t tell you how many amazing people I have met because of The Rose. It’s always so nice being able to bond and share the same interests with other people. I’ve had amazing experiences in the fandom and have so many good memories. What is your biggest dream for your favorite group/bias aside from being Happy and Healthy? I would love to see them perform at the Grammys one day! or even at the Billboard awards. Of course I’d even love to see them get number one on Billboard one day. What is a random fact that you think people don’t know about them? Before The Rose had their debut, DoJoon was a trainee in DSP Media while HaJoon and JaeHyeong were busking. When DoJoon left DSP Media, he joined HaJoon and JaeHyeong and became Windfall! Windfall is now the name of The Rose’s new company! I think it’s very sweet that they went back to their pre-debut days <3. What do you think is the most underrated song by your favourite idol group/soloist? Definitely DoJoon’s OST, ‘Burn’, which was released earlier this year! It was his first solo release as well. His voice is so soft and sweet, I’m obsessed with it!! What is your 2022 prediction for your favourite idol? I predict The Rose world domination by the end of the year for sure. Our first comeback since 2019 and even a world tour? I am way too excited! The Rose are definitely going to get the recognition they deserve after all these years of waiting. Do you feel there are any misunderstandings, things that are not well known, or any prejudices about your favorite group from other fans(non-fans)? I think many non Black Roses assume that they’ve disbanded due to their contract issue back in 2020. There was never any mention of disbandment. They announced a hiatus so the members could serve in the military. I hope in the future, non-fans will do their research before spreading false information ^^ now The Rose are back as four and have performed together for the first time in two years. Please look forward to their comeback!! Lily’s message to The Rose: To The Rose, I love and appreciate all four of you so much. The wait was definitely worth it. I’m so proud of how far you’ve come even after all the obstacles you faced. I will always be on your side <3 I rose you! Thank you for answering our questions, Lily. If you are interested in joining Kpopmap Fan Interview Project, please get in touch with us at [email protected] Everyone is welcome to participate.
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