Meet the in-store Team at Sokollab!
If you’ve been a regular at Sokollab, you may have noticed something new in our London store over the past month…. and we don’t mean our life-size BTS cut outs!
That’s right! Our new members of Staff.
Sokollab has had three new additions join the hard-working duo, so we thought what better way to breathe life back into our blog, than with a get-to-know us!
When you come to visit us in our lovely store on Soho Square, you’ll be helped by at least one (if not all) of the members working that day, while browsing our wide range of Kpop albums, merchandise and Kbeauty products.
To find out who’s in charge of the music playing while you browse, our tastes in Kpop, or to hear which albums we also have our eye on, read on!
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Gea
Pronouns: She/Her
Hello Gea! Tell us a little bit about you :)
Hi! I’m Gea, I’m Italian and about to start uni, where I’ll be studying film & tv production.
Tell us, how did you get into kpop?
I got into k-pop in the middle of 2020, I had Dynamite stuck in my head for about a month before I decided to look into it. After that it was one thing after the other, I just couldn’t stop. Especially when I found Stray Kids. They kept me sane for ages during the pandemic and still continue to make me happy everyday. My other top group is Tomorrow x Together, those boys also kept me going. Yeonjun was the reason I decided to chop off all of my hair… but let’s not talk about that.
Do you have biases?
My ult biases have to be Lee Know from Stray Kids and Yeonjun from TXT but I have to say Taehyung is also up there.
What are some of your favourite Kpop songs of all time!
I would say my favourite Kpop songs of all time are hard to choose but one song that’s been on my mind lately is Closed Ending by SHAUN.
What can you typically be seen doing outside of work?
Outside of work you’ll probably catch me going to dance classes or hanging out with my new friends. I’ve been meeting a lot of people this summer so I’ve been super busy, but other than that, I tend to stay at home. I like to write and watch k-dramas… I’m very much constantly looking for new stories.
How would you describe your overall musical taste?
Other than Kpop, I really like indie-rock and pop-rock type of songs. I am much more into chill guitar songs than I am into hype ones but there are groups that can do both and that’s where you’ll usually find me. My music taste is kind of all over the place, when I’m not listening to hits from the 70s, I’m probably listening to some obscure song that was released in 2011 and no ones heard of.
Hey! If it’s good it’s good.
Which recently released album have you been obsessed with?
Listen, I can’t answer this question without promoting my best boys. The two albums I’ve had on repeat these days are, of course, NOEASY by Stray Kids—my favourite tracks have to be Gone Away and The View, but all of them are amazing—and The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape. I’m loyal to my groups. Dubadoo Wari Wari is the bop of the century, thank you TXT.
And finally, are there any albums in store you’d love to get your hands on?
God, I’d like to own half the store… hmmmm, at the moment, the album in store I want most is The Dream Chapter: Magic. It’s the only TXT album I don’t own yet.
Iris
Hi Iris! Please introduce yourself :D
Hi I'm Iris! And I'm the social media manager for SOKOLLAB.
How did you get into Kpop?
I got into KPOP through Shinee’s Lucifer being recommended on my youtube recommendations back in 2011.
What Kpop groups do you Stan?
I currently stan BlackPink, Twice, Aespa, LOONA, EXO and NCT.
And who are your biases in those groups?
I ult Jisoo and Jennie (BP), Karina (Aespa).
Tell us your top Kpop songs!
Neon by Yukika,
4 Walls By Fx,
stylish by loona,
lovesick girls by Blackpink,
Be Natural by Red Velvet
Do you have a favourite Kpop album?
Enhypen border carnival & Cix chapter 1 Hello Stranger.
What can you be seen doing outside of work?
I can be seen collecting manga at forbidden planet 🤣
When you’re not listening to Kpop, what are you jamming out to?
When I'm not listening to Kpop i listen to rnb and alternative music.
What Kpop songs are you listening to these days?
Light by Taemin, Helicopter by CLC
Mina
Pronouns: They/Them
So, Mina, when did you get into Kpop and who do you Stan now?
I got into Kpop around 7 ish years ago - starting with BigBang and Shinee! They were my first ult groups and I found them through YouTube recommended and anime FMV’s funnily enough haha.
But I would describe myself now more as ARMY, as I’ve been into BTS since 2015 because of a best friend who introduced them to me (and have been an ARMY since!). I generally say my bias is Jimin, but I am OT7 and I love all members equally (they’re all so lovely and talented ;-;)
Talk us through your 3 Favourite Kpop albums and why?
My tops albums are:
- Wings (I will take this album to the grave if I have to)
- HYYH pt.2 (every song on here is just 100/10)
- Love Yourself: Tear (chefs kiss)
Do you have a favourite comeback?
My fave comeback is definitely the Wings era! I remember it like it was yesterday and I still hold a lot of emotions from that time.
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
My life goal is to be a tattoo artist and musician. Outside of work, I am working on tattooing myself and making a portfolio as well as performing in an Afrobeat/reggae band named Youthsayers. I often am playing lots of Kpop songs on piano and other genres of music I like. (Soundcloud: minahdofpvp)
What can you be seen doing outside of work?
If I am not working, I am playing Genshin impact, working on BTS zines and doing my own art.
When you’re not listening to Kpop, what are you jamming out to?
I am actually a huge nu-metal head: some of my fave artists are slipknot, korn, disturbed and evanescence. But I honestly listen to all music, I do love some Doja Cat, Meg and Hatsune Miku… you just won’t find me listening to country music.
What Kpop songs are you listening to these days?
Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of NCT (hot sauce, raise the roof, kick it and make a wish) their harmonies and vocal movement just scratch my brain in the best way. I also have been listening to Aespa’s Next level and black mamba on repeat!!
And are there any albums in store you’d love to collect?
I really want to finish my BTS collection - as I don’t have all their albums. So if you see me buying them - pretend you don’t ;)
Whitney
* usually in charge of our great in-store music *
Pronouns: She/her
How did you get into Kpop, Whitney?
I first heard of Kpop when i was 11, with big bang and 2ne1's song lollipop being the first song i ever listened to.
Who are your favourite Korean artists?
I used to stan NCT and f(x) but i now listen to more Korean indie artists and K rnb. Some of my favourite artists now are DPR Live, HYUKOH, surl and youra.
Tell me your 3 favourite Kpop songs of all time!
wi ing wi ing by Hyukoh,
missed call by Jiselle
and come in by GXXD ft Moon and Sik K
What do you usually do outside of work?
Outside of work you can find me either reading or gaming
And lastly, are there any Kpop songs you’ve been listening to recently?
I’ve recently been listening to a lot of Enhypen!
Rose
* sometimes in charge of store music *
Pronouns: she/her
Hi! Tell us a little bit about you :)
Hello! My name’s Rose, and i’m a recent Creative Writing graduate. While i was at university i co-founded our Kpop society so I’m used to talking to other enthusiastic fans and planning related events! I’m also the person writing this post…
How did you get into Kpop?
I really got into Kpop around 5 years ago, in 2016. The only Kpop MV’s I’d seen before then was psy’s gangnam style and EXO’s overdose (both of which felt more like an experience than the music videos i was used to). I’m naturally a very creative person and just fell in love with the mix of choreography, catchy lyrics, the storytelling and stunning visuals in Kpop.
BTS were the group that first caught my eye through their Baepsae dance practise. My first ever comeback was BS&T and I haven’t looked back since!
What Kpop groups do you Stan, and who are your biases?
Yeonjun (TXT), Jay (Enhypen), Taehyung & Yoongi (BTS), Wooyoung (Ateez)
And I’ve been slowly getting sucked into Stray kids since I watched Kingdom…
What are your favourite Kpop songs or albums of all time!
Songs wise, my absolute favourites are Sea (BTS) & Fairy of shampoo (TXT)
Border: Carnival (Enhypen), Wings (BTS) & The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape (TXT) have been my favourite complete albums- but special shoutout to Mono by RM for being a masterpiece!
Do you have a favourite comeback or era?
Of course! It’s hands down TXT’s we lost the summer! The stage concepts, the outfits, Yeonjun serving looks in the MV and his stage presence for this song were just *chefs kiss*
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
If I’m not watching K-dramas (recs to come soon!) or Anime, i’m usually surrounded by books. They are my other passion in life! I have a bookstagram account, and I’m currently writing my first novel inspired by greek mythology.
How would you describe your overall musical taste?
Honestly? Before I was into Kpop, i really enjoyed rock music (bands). But these days i mostly listen to Krnb, low-fi or indie music: The civil wars, the xx, the neighbourhood & Daughter are some of my faves. I also live for Dark academia playlists of BTS <3
And is there anything you’ve been wanting to get your hands on in store?
Until recently, I’d been waiting excitedly for Sokollab to stock TXT’s repackage! So as soon as it came into store with weverse benefits, I dropped everything to get a fight version of the album. Now I’m in the middle of eyeing up the OST for True Beauty and waiting for the Nevertheless OST to arrive!
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And that’s a wrap! I hope you got to know each of us a little better. Who has the most similar music taste to you? Does anybody share an interest or hobby? We’d love to know…
A lot has changed since we were a pop-up on Greek Street — more room for Kpop albums for one — but one thing that hasn’t changed is the passion we have for Korean music and we hope we can talk about it with you soon when you come to visit us!