The cozy comfort of a much-awaited Saturday morning was settling in when I tuned in to the Coachella Week 2 "Sahara" stage live broadcast. Having witnessed the absolute grandeur of ATEEZ's Week 1 performance at Coachella, I was mostly expecting a reiteration of the same iconic level for Week 2. However, what we got was something out of this world.

One phrase kept going round and round in my mind as I watched this ATEEZ set at Coachella week 2. This is a ritual of love. Love for music, love for performance, and very distinctly, love for each other. ATEEZ's Coachella week 2 performance was not just one of the best performances at Coachella this year, but it was a glorious invocation of the muses. Having studied literature and art for all my life, I cannot possibly think of a better way to describe the breathless brilliance of this performance.

Coachella on X

Getting the obvious out of the way, of course, ATEEZ's confidence, panache, showmanship, vocals, rap, dance, and all other technicalities were much more polished than in week 1. The boys were now more aware of the stage, and having had one go at it, they were definitely more relaxed. In Korean, this state of mind where one recognizes scope or room to expand is called "yeoyu" (여유).

Yeoyu is something you see in a seasoned warrior, and when our Captain walked onto the stage that night with his members, ATEEZ looked nothing short of warrior princes coming for the throne. Every single member stood out in their own unique way, with their versatile talents on full display. The visuals were top-tier, as always, the styling - en pointe, and the vibes - immaculate. The rap came across power-packed and smooth, the vocals were resounding yet delicate when need be, and energy was at an all-time high. These men knew what they were doing, even with the slightest gaze they held out to the audience, and the effortlessness of it all elevated the performance to a whole new level.

Coachella on X

This time, it was as if ATEEZ was putting their lives on the line and thankfully, the camera work delivered in picking up the detailed nuances of this performance. Even as I write this, I'm taken back to SeongHwa, sword in hand, screaming into the sky to call forth the last ounce of strength he needed to pour his all into his art. When SeongHwa roared, like lightning sent back to the heavens, the lump in my throat threatened to escape, only to be held back by the realization that I was looking at a spitting image of Sung JinWoo from "Solo Leveling". Now, I need that live-action to happen, and I need SeongHwa to play humanity's greatest hunter.

Embed from Getty Images

The very next thing I remember is a singular black tear running down his cheek as he stared right down at the camera. This moment has gone viral and for good reason, too, as artists flock to SeongHwa, having found their new muse.

However, it wasn't just the aesthetics of it all that left an impression. To me, as an ATINY and a Hallyu Journalist, this tear represented how far ATEEZ had come. The unstilted passion, diligence, hard work, and endless struggle they endured culminated in this one defining moment when they were on top of the world. ATEEZ, who started from nothing, created something, and won everything, were declaring to the world that they were just getting started.

The respect ATEEZ had for the Coachella stage, for the audience, and for everyone who supported them, especially ATINY, is what that tear symbolized to my eye, but like all art, this, too, is up to your interpretation.

Do you ever just miss home food? When you've had enough of eating out, and you're longing for the comfort of a homecooked meal, especially by a loved one? Homecooked meals are very special, both for the ones doing the cooking and those who enjoy the cooking. So, let's learn the Korean word for homecooked meals - Jip Bap.

Jip Bap (집밥) means "homecooked meal" or "homemade food." However, in addition to using this word to mean exactly homecooked meals, Koreans also use it to describe food that tastes like home. So, if you're at a restaurant in Korea and your Korean friend says that the food tastes like "jip bap", they're saying that the food tastes great and authentic, just like a homemade meal. It is a compliment.

Accordingly, there are also restaurants that specialize in jip bap. So, even if you are technically eating outside, you could be eating jip bap!

In Red Velvet member SeulGi's latest YouTube video titled, "Seulgi's Home Cooking Diary 🍴Tailored Recipes for Workers and Those living alone", SeulGi shows her fans a ton of fun and delicious jip bap recipes. You can watch the video below!

You can use 'jip bap' in a sentence as follows:

매일 집밥을 먹으면 건강에 좋아요.

Maeil jipbapeul meogeumyeon geongang-e johayo.

Eating homemade meals every day is good for your health.

To learn more Korean words and phrases, stay tuned to Your Korea Tutor - Kpopmap!

K-Pop culture has many facets, making it multi-layered and become much more than idols performing on stage. There's everything from fanchants to iconic dance challenges that contribute to the hype. Then there's also the special goods that fans receive with a purchased album that become special keepsakes and collectibles. Among these items are photocards which the K-Pop community has also learned how to create and produce. For photocard collectors, they look far and wide for their favorite idol's precious photocard. And if you wish to look on Korean forums, they have a special shortened slang word for it.

포카

Poca

Photocard

This stems from the word 포토카드, which takes the first letters of 포토 (photo) and 카드 (card). So the next time you're looking for photocards of your bias, try adding the word 포카 into your search and see what treasures you might find!