2025 First Quarter Review

The Best STAYC B-Side is...

On today’s episode, show host Ellis Tan selects the best STAYC (스테이씨) B-Side through a tournament style bracket. Ten Years Ago Today, Kim Soo-hyun (김수현) is set to return to the big screen, J.Y. Park (박진영) sweeps the charts, Katie Kim wins K-Pop Star 4, and Im Na-yeon (임나연) becomes the first candidate announced for the survival program, Sixteen. Play the Bracket [https://selective-hearing.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Diaries-of-an-MZA-Generation-Ep-14-STAYC-Bracket.jpg] Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:06:43) Introduction to STAYC (00:08:56) Battle of the B-Sides : STAYC (00:36:37) Ten Years Ago Today (00:42:39) Final Thoughts & Outro The Diaries of an MZ Generation podcast explores a range of topics related to South Korean culture, music, and entertainment. This podcast is a part of the Selective Hearing [http://selective-hearing.com] network of podcasts.

2025 First Quarter Review

On today’s episode, our host, Ellis Tan, reviews a multitude of Korean Music Releases from the First Quarter of 2025. Ten Years Ago Today, Starship Entertainment would form a partnership with Yuehua Entertainment, and Kim So-hyun (김소현) is selected as the face of Pocari Sweat in Korea. Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:05:48) Finger on the Korean Pulse (00:23:16) Ellis’s Standout Tracks (00:29:43) Honorable Mentions (00:36:59) Ten Years Ago Today (00:40:18) Final Thoughts & Outro The Diaries of an MZ Generation podcast discusses a range of topics centering around South Korean culture, music, and entertainment. This podcast is a part of the Selective Hearing [http://selective-hearing.com] network of podcasts.

A Generational Fumble

On today’s episode, on the heels of Weeekly’s official disbandment and the announcement of TR Entertainment’s Bankruptcy, show hosts Ellis Tan and Justin Le analyze the missed opportunities of both girl groups, Weeekly (위클리) and TRI.BE (트라이비). Diamonds Left Rough studies the success and failures of the groups LABOUM (라붐) and PRISTIN (프리스틴). Ten Years Ago Today sees the comeback of the girl groups Red Velvet (레드벨벳), Crayon Pop (크레용팝), and Miss A (미쓰에이). 2AM (투에이엠) disbands and Block B’s Taeil (블락비 태일) makes his solo debut. EXO (엑소) makes their comeback with the title track “Call Me Baby." Justin Le departs the show. Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:04:47) Weeekly (00:20:59) TRI.BE (00:34:45) Diamonds Left Rough I (00:55:37) Prospect Patch (01:01:42) Ten Years Ago Today (01:25:08) Final Thoughts & Outro The Diaries of an MZ Generation podcast discusses a range of topics centering around South Korean culture, music, and entertainment. This podcast is a part of the Selective Hearing [http://selective-hearing.com] network of podcasts.

Seoul Mulgogi

On today’s episode, show hosts Ellis Tan and Justin Le recap their adventures gallivanting around the city of Seoul and unlocking core memories on Justin’s first trip to Korea. They cover the lessons they learned, and make recommendations based on their experiences. Ten years ago today, the CUBE Entertainment girl group, CLC (씨엘씨), debuts. Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:03:59) The Reason to Visit (00:10:02) Unlocking Core Memories (01:03:03) Food, Korea, Korean Food (01:21:39) Experiencing K-Culture (01:44:22) Precious KPOP Moments (01:53:28) Ten Years Ago Today (01:57:33) Final Thoughts & Outro The Diaries of an MZ Generation podcast discusses a range of topics centering around South Korean culture, music, and entertainment. This podcast is a part of the Selective Hearing [http://selective-hearing.com] network of podcasts.

A Recursive Cycle of Negativity

On today’s episode, with the sudden passing of legendary Korean R&B singer Wheesung (휘성), show hosts Ellis Tan and Justin Le briefly discuss the career of the artist known as Realslow and converse about the effects that toxicity and negative comments have on the mental health of public figures in the Korean Entertainment industry. Ten Years Ago Today looks back at the solo comeback of Brown Eyed Girls's Son Ga-in (손가인) and her EP, “Hawwah.” B.A.P. (비에이피) holds their first court trial against TS Entertainment. Bang Min-ah (방민아) of the girl group Girl's Day makes her solo debut. Chapters (00:00:00) Intro (00:12:00) They call him Realslow (00:20:35) Cyberbullying in the Korean Entertainment Industry (00:34:24) Ten Years Ago Today (00:47:56) Final Thoughts & Outro The Diaries of an MZ Generation podcast discusses a range of topics centering around South Korean culture, music, and entertainment. This podcast is a part of the Selective Hearing [http://selective-hearing.com] network of podcasts.