In light of the massive protests going on in the USA at the time of releasing this episode, we open this episode with a message of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Stan Ontology supports the efforts of Black and indigenous activists in America and across the world, fighting for justice against a state that has long treated Black and brown lives with cruelty and indifference for too long. We applaud this and other similar movements fighting against police brutality.

Criticism and analysis of all culture is impoverished if it doesn't reckon with pervasive anti-black racism. We also want to critically engage with the ways in which race and racism shapes K-pop as a cultural phenomenon and industry. We remain committed to highlighting the work of Black artists in K-pop, as well as the debts that K-pop owes to Black musical traditions.

It's not widely publicized, but one of Monster's songwriters is Chikk, and she has a video about the songwriting process, featuring her demo vocals.

You should know that the music video and the Mandarin music video both contain (abstract and aesthetified/"prettied-up") scenes of police violence against the group members. You can also choose from the performance music video, the dance practice video, or the song release live stage performance. Off to the bullet points:

As always, remember to follow @StanOntology on Twitter for the latest episode updates. Stay safe everyone.