Jaehyun and his Doyoung

This is Tumblr, not X, please don't bring the culture of vague posting here. I don't really understand how to answer you because I don't get what you are referencing.

When it comes to the Korean industry, idols are at the bottom of hierarchy. Not only they are enterteiners (a low class to begin with), it is widely believed they can't sing or act. When you watch producers and journalists discuss Doyoung's vocal provess they often use "for an idol". There are more and more rich kids who decide to become idols, so, with the new era of influencers and personal social media, perhaps the perception is changing? In addition, there is a social taboo on stanning idols after you enter the adult working class.

As for abroad. Locals never truly welcome foreigners out of the sense of competition and "we are the owners of the land here". As such, the local producers/showbis community sabotage foreign newcomers, protecting their own interests, their money pie, this reflects on the perception of the audience as well. The way Asian categories are added to the existing awards in the West. It's not out of racism, it's to eliminate competition. It applies to many fields, traditional art or scientific community including. It's hard to enter, there are barriers.

And as for the fans... it's the new power trip that the internet allows - to feel oneself above or like you matter through pegging down, cancelling people more talented, influencial, famous than you. There is less of due respect and more of consumerism. Idols are a product. They get boring or lose the favour of the k-pop community they are discarded. One doesn't take seriously "a toy".

When are Jae's songs not about his one and only?

But in this song in particular there is nothing even remotely specifically about idol-fans relationship. Noone takes a pen, thinks about his gratitude for his fans and starts with "we have flaws".

99 degrees

Jaehyun said "leave the one", so 4:16-1=4:15? Haha. But really, with the long intro and outro it's easy to make the length of the video any number.

Jaehyun is set on including very high notes to prove he is better than Ariana, isn't he, but he is doing it in a better manner now (not overdoing), the switch between higher and lower tones becomes his signature.

Genuinely what is this? Throwback Friday to Rookies shooting an ad for school uniform? Does it scream rebranding, new beginning and Illuminated?

At first Taeyong mentioned both Doyoung and Jungwoo, how they should be envious of other neos on a vacation. However, once Jaehyun started to tease on camera "are you watching?", Taeyong introduced it as "a video letter for Doyoung", omitting Woo (at first, he asked Yuta to make one for him instead). Jae teased both (it was said more for the show, for content), but Tae offered a change. Which made Jae chuckle. (24:48-25:12)

It's very subtle here. Taeyong also discarded recently, he could have teased his bestie himself. Jae is supposed to be equally close to both DoWoo (DJJ, JaeWoo as ex-roommates), but Tae chose Do for him. Lastly, there was no point to ask for separate messages, any member/several members could have been asked to address both at the same time.

Also of note how Johnny and Yuta stopped eating for a sec and focused on Jae, anticipating his message. Btw, Jae didn't bite, his real teasing happens on another level. Didn't really want to rub it in.

Such moments alone don't mean much (there are alternative interpretations, like Tae having Do living in his mind rent free), but when they are consistent, reoccuring, they start to matter, become another telltale sign.

Ah, Ok. I suppose the group consists of 5 people then for the joke to land.

It's a tradition for training assistants working closely together to design matching t-shirts. The shirts have ranks printed (Doyoung's shirt says "5th rank in looks (Private First Class)", he moved up one rank). It allows to demonstrate their occupation without wearing uniform (forbidden abroad, naturally).

It's not uncommon to go for a vacation abroad, but an Overseas Travel Request needs to be submitted way in advance. Assistants often get extra vacation days for good work. Such a trip normally happens during a "maintanence week" between batches of recruits to train.

Often an upper rank sergeant who is about to discharge takes with him the junior assistants who he trained. There was a "lone wolf" sergeant among the group, so, probably, such a trip is exactly what Doyoung was involved in.