E6: Mariah’s Christmas Reign, Wonho Is Back, & Magic In The Kitchen

It’s a jam-packed episode of BibimPOP with Sean!  First, we celebrate Mariah Carey’s festive reign as "All I Want for Christmas Is You" continues to dominate the charts.  Then, let Sean introduce you to Wonho! The K-Pop idol is back from military service with new music and performances that prove he’s still got it. Sean dives into Wonho’s newest track, “What Would You Do,” and why you should be paying attention.

Also on the docket: The Critics Choice Awards nominations—who’s leading, who’s surprising, and who might take home the trophies! Plus, Sean shares his thoughts on the magical cake and confection world of “Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking”. Finally, a look at Timothée Chalamet’s stylish homage to Bob Dylan at “A Complete Unknown” premieres and a debate over whether the actor should take his singing talents to the next level.

You don’t want to miss this episode, which highlights the latest in pop culture!

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Episode 6
• 3:01 What Bender Am I?
• 8:21 Mariah Carey Christmas Queen
• 12:37 Wenee Nation Unite - Wonho Is Back
• 16:58 Critics Choice Awards Upon Us
• 19:53 New Harry Potter Content...Kind Of
• 26:33 We Need Timothee Pop Album
• 28:02 More Pop Culture Bits
• 29:35 Subscribe, Follow, Like, & Share

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode six of BibimPOP with Sean. Where pop culture ate. All right. If you're listening to this episode right when it dropped, that means Christmas just ended. How was everyone's holiday? I hope that you experienced the warmth and the joy of being with loved ones. I am actually just recording this episode just before Christmas, and I wanted to share a fun holiday memory that comes to my mind every year.

I call it Elaine Versus the Waffle. My older sister Elaine has autism, and I remember when I was probably around 12 years old and she was around 17 years old, we were celebrating Christmas and my mom made waffles on Christmas morning and she was feeding Elaine. And Elaine is very temperamental. You just never know when she's going to get upset or angry, or when she's going to be extremely overly happy and excited.

And on Christmas morning, she's eating her waffles. She gets maybe like a bite or two in and then she decides, I don't want this anymore. So she grabs the waffle and she chucks it like she just launches it at our Christmas tree and it lands. I kid you not, right at the very top of the Christmas tree, exactly where the star and like the pinnacle ornament should be, and we just let the waffles stay there.

We thought it was hilarious and the waffle actually hardened, and we ended up keeping the waffle every year. And that waffle was placed on the top of our Christmas tree every year since that moment. I think at this point we've lost it or it got tossed away. I don't know what happened to it, but at least for a few years, that waffle was on the Christmas tree.

So anyway, I think Elaine won this battle of Elaine versus the waffle. I love this memory and I know that you all have some fun, amazing holiday memories. Please share them. I would love to hear what your holiday and Christmas memories are. I hope that you were able to create some new Christmas memories this season. I also have to give a shout out to Rachel, who just won Survivor Season 47.

It's crazy to think that my season that I was on is now two seasons old. I feel like it just happened. And yet I also feel like it was a lifetime ago. Congratulations to Rachel! Rachel played an amazing and an incredible game. She was social when she needed to be. She had the physical acumen when she needed it and she just played so well.

I am thrilled that Rachel won. Congratulations! Season 47. If you haven't seen it, you need to turn it on right now. It was so good. The castaways were so dynamic and interesting. I mean really, the casting department nailed it on season 47. So I talked about this not too long ago in an episode previously. I recently returned from that holiday getaway that I went on with my husband and some family and friends just for the weekend, and while we were eating breakfast on our last day, we were having a conversation about avatar like Avatar The Last Airbender and just like, what type of bender each of us would be depending on our personalities.

And I've never watched the anime cartoon series, but I did watch the live action TV show that premiered on Netflix recently, and I was so captured by the amazing magical world and Ang's character. His mission, his purpose, we're all so interesting. And sidenote my husband said, make sure to say ang and not long. So I'm saying ang and I just loved the adventure of it all.

It was so fun. We went around the table at breakfast and guess what type of bender we would all be? I think Matt, my husband is definitely a water bender. Very calm and caring vibes. My sister Krista, definitely an earth bender because she's got like that determination and that independence. And I feel like if I were thinking about myself, I feel like I would be an airbender because I generally have a high energy.

Although I have to say that really depends. A lot of times I come home from work and I sit on the couch and I turn on my heater and I put on my throw, and my healing clothes is what I call them. And then I just watch Netflix. And so, you know, definitely not high energy in those moments.

But for the most part, I definitely have high energy. And I feel like I'm also very open minded, like an Airbender would be. But I thought it would be fun. At the start of this episode to just do a little in-depth personality test to determine my bender type, and what better an assessment than a BuzzFeed quiz. So I'm going to take this BuzzFeed quiz.

It's really quick, and we're going to find out what Bender I would be based on my answers. Okay, I found my quiz and I just glanced at it, and it's going to be really hard for me because I don't know too much about, like, avatar lore. And so a lot of these references, I have absolutely no idea what they mean, but I think that actually makes it even more interesting.

I'm just going to use my aura to determine my fate. So the first question here is pick a place Kyoshi Island, Air Nomad, Temple Bar, Sing Say and spirit World. I don't know, I think Kyoshi Island sounds fun and you know me, I love a good island adventure lol. Favorite Avatar the Last Airbender quote that's rough buddy. My cabbages.

There is no war in bossy. You can say I don't need any calming tea. You know, I think I'm going to have to go with I don't need any calming tea because my mom has tea every night. Well, I don't know about every night, but she has tea many nights, and I'm just not a tea person. I don't.

I talked about this in a previous episode. I don't like hot drinks and so tea just isn't really my thing, so I'm definitely selecting. I don't need any calming tea. Choose a creature. Ooh, I like this lion turtle, flying bison, winged lemur, and elephant koi. And there's little pictures here. I do love the flying bison in the show.

What's its name? I don't know, I can't remember. It's so upper up a I remember it's upper upper is so cute. And I love oppa, but I also I love turtles. Turtles are my favorite animal. So I think I'm going to have to go with the lion. Turtle. All right, pick a past avatar. Kyoshi, Roku, Couric, and Yang Chen.

Wow. Well, I don't know, but the pictures are interesting. And Kyoshi looks fierce. And so I'm going with her. Choose an item. Suckers. Boomerang. I I I r o I o I r o h is jasmine tea, which obviously I'm not choosing that one. I don't like tea. Ng's staff and Katara necklace. Well, I love a little bit of drip every now and then.

So let's go with Katara necklace. Finally choose an uncle. I r I r o h. Oh my goodness. And there's pictures here. There's one of him sitting and smiling. There's one of him blowing fire. There's one of him playing a get like a game, a card game. And there's another one of him, like holding a token. I don't know, I think the fire breathing one is fun, but I don't know if that resonates with me, I don't care.

Oh, you know what? I know which one I'm choosing. I'm choosing the one of him playing a game. I love playing games. That's the don't. Oh. I got my result. I am based on BuzzFeed, which BuzzFeed is never wrong. I am none other than a water bender, which feels so appropriate. I'm actually sitting here wearing, like, this blue and white sweater, giving water vibes, honestly.

So water bender, that's me. The description says you are smart, gentle, and adept and tend to go with the flow. In the world of Avatar, you would be gifted with water bending abilities. That is so awesome. I would love to bend water. I think that's so cool. I also don't think I am go with the flow. That's hilarious.

If you ask anyone who knows me, I'm very particular. My mom calls me bossy. I just think I'm specific. Anyway, that was so fun to get us started into our episode for today. For today's episode, we're actually just going to dive into some recent news in the pop culture world. Here we go.

Oh, all right, my pop tarts. Even though Christmas is over, we have to talk about the elephant in the room, Mariah Carey. And she might be divisive and that you either like her or you just don't. Maybe because she literally is diva mentality. Think New Year's Eve a couple years ago when she was performing for the ROC in New Year's Eve or whatever that was, and the ball is literally I.

It's like dropping the new year is imminent. It is falling upon us. And Mariah Carey is ushering in the new year. And her microphone or her earbud, something wasn't working, and she just stood there on stage in front of thousands of people in person and millions of people who are watching on TV. And she's like, I'm waiting, I'm waiting.

Well, girl, you made us all wait. As we were like, go into the New year. Anyway, I just thought that's just an iconic moment for me. And it's so classic Mariah Carey diva mentality, right? I'm also amazed she is 55 years old. Can you believe that? For being 55 years old, Mariah Carey has got it. She still looks amazing.

I actually really like Mariah Carey. I had an experience a few years ago with my really good friend Adele, who lives in New York City, and Adele got me tickets to see her in concert with her, and we had a blast. It was so much fun going to a Mariah Carey Christmas concert. It was an absolute party. Brought in all the holiday vibes.

If you haven't been to Mariah Carey's Christmas concert, you need to set aside some time in 2025 so a year from now and go to her concert. It is so fun. Side note her kids, they were so little at the time. They were actually sitting right next to us. They were with their nannies and they were so cute.

They were pointing at their mom during the concert and they were like, that's mommy. And I was like, literally in tears, like the waterworks were. It was it was a thing. But anyway, it was so fun. Sadly, she actually recently had to cancel a couple of her Christmas shows due to illness. Hopefully she's feeling better. I think she is because she's wrapped up.

Obviously Christmas is over. She's wrapped up her concerts for Christmas this year and I believe her last show. She definitely did perform at. Okay, so what we need to talk about her Christmas hit, all I want for Christmas Is You. It recently hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the fifth 10th week in a row.

And actually, by the time I'm making this podcast, it might have been the 16th week in a row. And by the time you're listening to this podcast, maybe it had hit the 17th week in a row, and this same song has hit number one every year since 2019. So five years and still going strong. Mind you, this song came out in 1994.

That's amazing that this song has held timeless for so many years. I also feel like Justin Bieber brought it back into the spotlight when he did a duet of this song with Mariah Carey, and obviously it's still a thing because I was an assistant principal at a high school a few years ago, and at every holiday dance the DJ would always play.

All I want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey, and these high schoolers would literally scream, sing every single lyric they knew, every single lyric as they're dancing and jumping up and down and sweating all over the place and having so much fun. And so the fact that today's high school students love and know this song, every single word is a testament to Mariah Carey is Queen.

She is Christmas queen. Fun fact it's also the 20th year that Mariah has landed a song at number one on the same chart Think We Belong Together and Touch My Body. Those were bops. They were so good. They also hit number one and not many artists can say that they've had 20 years where they've landed a song at number one.

So congratulations to Mariah Carey. Remember, if you are enjoying this content, if you like this conversation and the discussion that we are having, then please subscribe, follow, like and share BibimPOP with Sean.

Right. All right, let's talk some K-pop news. Wonho is back. One ho, if you don't know, is a Korean K-pop singer who started as a member in a popular boy band group, Monsta X. He started his venture into a solo career in 2020 and I love his music. He's got very like sultry vibes with a solid beat and he's got really great choreography that's very meticulous while also being very soft and fluid.

And male K-pop singers, often referred to as idols, have a complicated career path because they often train and debut when they are young, sometimes still as teenagers, and then in their 20s. They're expected to do a two year mandatory military service, taking a break in their career often when they are at the height of popularity and physical ability, then, upon return from their two year military service, they work hard to integrate back into the spotlight without missing a step, which can be really difficult because fans have moved on to other idols in that time.

So Wonho went to do his military service in December of 2022 and he just returned, he must have just like literally just gotten back because he has already recorded some new music, released music along with the music video, and in this month performed at multiple Jingle Ball concerts across the US. Side note: I love the Jingle Ball concerts.

They started in New York City with Z 100, the popular radio station in New York City, and they've now really expanded across the entire country, having Jingle Ball concerts in Boston, Chicago, LA, still, New York, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta. I believe they're all over the place. And when I was maybe 16 years old, I went to a Jingle Ball concert.

It was my first one, and I went to it in New York City. And I was so lucky. I honestly, for the life of me, can't even remember how I got this opportunity. But I was able to get meet and greet passes to meet my idol at the time and the love of my life, Hilary Duff. And I remember I brought with me a magazine.

I can't, I think I was Teen People, Teen People magazine, an issue that featured her, where she was on the cover, and I had her sign it for me, and I was so excited and I was like, I love you, Hilary Duff. And she was so nice. She was so sweet and so nice. Anyway, that's a core memory for me.

I will never forget that. All right, let's go back to K-pop. Let's go back to Wonho. I am so glad that Wonho is back. I am definitely a fan. Which can we talk about? How his fan base are called weenies? I'm a weenie. What's up weenie? Weenie nation unite. Let's go weenies I know, it's just so funny to me.

Anyway, if you're a fan of Wonho, what you will be after you listen to his music, please now refer to yourself as a weenie. His single is called What Would You Do? He describes the vibe of this song in a press release interview, saying, quote, I am on a journey from the very beginning to continuously find a music style that fits me more and more so as I continue to show new songs, I think my mindset has become a little bit more relaxed than before, because before I felt a certain burden to show a certain image and really show off a very glam and glitzy kind of image.

But I think now I'm finding that more simple things are better. Close quote. And that's exactly what this song feels like. It's not forced or in your face. It's very chill and intimate, but it definitely still sends a message. I really like these lyrics from the song. Quote. What would you say? Oh my gosh, I'm already. I'm already singing it.

I need to not sing these lyrics. Nobody wants to hear me sing. So let's try that again. Quote. What would you say if I treated you this way? If I just. If I just ruined your life in a second. Hurt me like you. You you did. What would you do? Close quote I love this song. Please check it out.

It's so good. It's got such a good rhythm and. Definitely on my playlist I love it. Go listen to it right now.

Doesn't every season feel like awards season. Well another nomination list just dropped. And it's for the 2025 Critics Choice Awards which will once again be hosted by Chelsea Handler and air on January 12th overall. Wicked and conclave have the most nominations with 11 nods each, and Cynthia is nominated for Best Actress, and her partner in crime, Ariana Grande, is nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Big surprise. Not really. Many of these nominations will sound familiar because they mirror the Golden Globe nominations so closely, so I'm not going to make commentary much here, but I did want to let all you Pop-Tarts know what the nominations are in each of the big categories for Best Picture, we have a complete unknown a Nora, the brutalist or Brutalist.

Wow. I don't even know how to say it. I haven't seen it. Sorry. Conclave Dune part two Amelia Perez. Nicole. Boys sing, sing the substance and wicked for best actor, we have Adrien Brody in the brutalist Timothy Salomé, a complete unknown Daniel Craig queer Colman Domingo sing sing Ralph Finn, Finneas for I don't know Ralph Ralph, I'm sorry to you, I don't know you, Ralph in conclave, which I'm going to watch.

I'm going to watch conclave. I think it actually sounds really interesting, and I think my sister actually saw it, so I need to talk to her about it, because I was talking on the phone with my mom today, and she mentioned that Christa had seen conclave. Christa, if you're listening, why didn't you take me to see this with you and Hugh Grant for heretic, which you know how I feel about heretic love for best actress.

We have Cynthia Erivo for wicked, Carlos, Sophia Gascon for Emilia Perez, Marianne, Jean Baptiste de Hard Truth, Angelina Jolie, Maria Mikey Madison, a Nora, Demi Moore, the substance, best supporting actor you're the Borissov and Nora Kieran Culkin a real pain Clarence Macklin, Sing sing Edward Norton a complete unknown guy Pearce, the brutalist. That's really hard to say. Guy Pearce, the brutalist Denzel Washington, Gladiator two and last best supporting actress Danielle Deadwyler The Piano Lesson, which Danielle Deadwyler.

I think that's the actress who is in that new movie that I talked about in the last episode, Carry On, which is on Netflix. The holiday thriller, which is actually a thriller set during the holidays. And Danielle Deadwyler played the detective in that movie. I really like her, so I'll have to check out this movie as well. Ellis Taylor, Nicole voice Ariana Grande, Wicked Margaret Qualley, The substance, Isabella Rossellini, conclave and Zoe Saldana, Amelia Perez and there you have it, the Critics Choice Award nominations.

Who do you think is going to win in each category?

All right, I want to talk for a moment about what's playing on our TV right now. Well, we've already talked about black doves with Keira Knightley. I just finished the first season, and I can officially confirm if you have not seen it, you need to turn it on tonight. Start watching episode one. You're not going to want to stop.

The show's plot is so good from start to finish. I can't wait for season two. If there's a season two, there better be a season two. Netflix. If you're listening, you better make me a season two of this show, and I'll have to curb my excitement for now, because I'm sure it will require me forgetting all about black doves before another season premieres.

Months and months and months and months from now. So what else is on our TV? One thing about Matt and I is that we love a good cooking competition show chopped Beat, Bobby Flay, Top Chef they're all so good. I love cooking competition shows. I actually think that after I retire someday, I want to go to culinary school and learn to be a chef.

I don't know, that's a dream that's high in the sky. That sounds like I'm going to have to have energy later in my life, which I probably won't because I'm using up all of my energy now. Okay, so what's on our TV? Oh, and I saw that. I'm sorry I'm getting so sidetracked right now because I'm just all over the place.

I saw a meme the other day that described my personality too. T it said, quote, me watching Bake Off, you fool. You can't dip the walnut swirl in the tempered chocolate. You have to drizzle over the top to achieve that characteristic wobble of the coffee ganache. Parisian cafe style me baking at home. I forgot to put the apples in the apple pie.

Close quote. Are you are you cracking up? I think this is hilarious. That is so me. That is my personality. 1,000% to a T when I'm watching a cooking show, I'm like, what are you? Do you need to slice that protein thinner? It's not going to cook in 20 minutes in time. What are you doing? You're so stupid.

Anyway, I'm always like, I could do this better than them. And then, you know, I step into my kitchen and I'm like, what should I make today? I think I'll just have a yogurt and put some granola on top. Yeah. That's cooking. Thanks. Okay. Anyway, with that in mind, Matt and I have also been tuning into Food Network's newest competition show, which we are watching on HBO Max.

Harry Potter, Wizards of Baking. Harry Potter is back. Kind of. Not really. This show brings in so many Easter eggs of the beloved Harry Potter series by showing different clips of Harry Potter throughout this show. It's filmed at London's Warner Brothers studio tour for the making of Harry Potter. Challenges are unique to the set that they are baking for, so, for example, when they go to have a competition at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the contestants who are put in pairs have to bake a cake and a confection that are inspired by the magical bank.

Partners are assigned to take notes from different areas like the Grand Hall, the vault carts, and more. The show is hosted by Oliver and James Phelps, which is so fun. They are known as none other than the Weasley twins. And side note they are definitely getting older now. Like they look mature. It just feels like Harry Potter is just such a timeless movie, and we watch it quite often just in the background.

And you know, they're all kids, they're all teenagers when we're watching them. And so then, like juxtapose the actual Harry Potter against this new Harry Potter Wizards of Baking show. It's just so interesting because it feels like they've grown up overnight. They are definitely older now, and it's fun to see them again now in a different capacity. So let me just share with you a little comments on the show.

There are definitely things I love about the show, things that I like. And then there are also things that I actually just don't like. It's worth the watch. I'm enjoying it for sure, but there are just aspects that I just don't agree with or don't like. So let's start with those. I don't like how they selected the partners that would compete.

So they started with all these partners in this big room, and they staggered their start times for determining who would be in the longer competition. So for example, they started their baking competition to see if they would make it on the longer competition. It was like, immediate elimination, like, who's going to make it onto the show? Who's not, even though, like, obviously they're on the show as they're going through this experience.

Anyway, it was weird because obviously the producers have in mind, okay, we need seven pairs or eight pairs or however many it was for the show to be complete, but they would cut pairs before other pairs even started their cooking, and they would accept pairs before other pairs got to share their cooking with the judges. And so it was just odd because it felt like they were eliminating people who actually were really good.

And then by the time it came to the last few pairs, it was like they had eliminated so many people that now they had to accept the remaining pairs by default. I also don't like the advantages that are given to the winning partners in each competition. Spoiler alert one of the advantages is that you get to have someone help you for ten minutes, and it was a judge who comes out and helps, and they had him do some frosting because they just needed someone to help them with getting frosting on this huge cake that they were making, and they were totally roasted over it.

Like, why would you take a judge and then just have them do frosting? Well, obviously the judge doesn't know, like the context of like exactly the flavors and the complexity of what they're going for. And in ten minutes, how much can a judge really contribute to something that's like incredibly meaningful? It's not possible. And so I just thought the advantages were dumb.

And I hated how one of the pairs were roasted over having the judge do the frosting. That's what I would have done. Anyway, let's move on to things that I do like. I love the magic of it all. This show does a really good job of capturing the nostalgia of Harry Potter and the magical vibe when they have guest judges come who are actually actors and actresses from the show.

I'm not going to tell you who appears, because that would be a major spoiler, but it's so fun to see actors from the original show come back for this experience. Overall, it's just fun, it's whimsical, and I'm certainly going to keep watching. I actually think the next episode I'm watching is the finale, and one thing I really like about this show is that I just like to watch shows where I don't have to think, I don't have to think.

I can just enjoy so if that's your type of show, definitely check this show out. Harry Potter Wizards of Baking.

Are right. All right. Also in pop news, a complete unknown movie had their New York City premiere recently, and Timothee Chalamet mirrored a Bob Dylan look from 21 years ago. This tribute to Bob Dylan's fashion included a black leather jacket by Celine, with a black undershirt, a red, blue and white button up peeking up out of the jacket, and a gray scarf, Bieber esque caramel swept hair under a blue beanie.

And yes, Timothee committed to the part, as he always does, and he died his hair. He also paid tribute to Bob at the LA movie premiere on December 10th, wearing pins on a leather blazer that had phrases and photos of Bob. Do you remember when Wonka came out last year? Timothee did absolutely amazing in that movie and his singing was definitely up to snuff.

He sounded amazing and I am excited to see him sing again in this movie at this point. I mean, could you imagine if Timothee released a full length pop album and then had music videos with choreography and then went on tour and had meet and greets? Are you kidding me? That would be literally my dream come true. Maybe that'll happen.

Well, sadly, probably not, he said at the LA premiere that he was not interested in making music in that way. Tears, crying. I'm so sad. However, I'm still holding out hope we can't give up. We cannot give up.

All right. And to round out our episode today, I just want to share a few more pop culture bits. I just learned that Sonic the Hedgehog three is in theaters now. What? There's a third movie. Is this like the new Land Before Time? Is this a Land Before Time situation? How is there a Sonic the Hedgehog three? I didn't even know there was a Sonic the Hedgehog two.

Anyway, I'm sure my students will be seeing it and I'm sure I will hear all about it. The popular Netflix show you season five is on the horizon. I personally cannot wait to see Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley, return to my screen. I hear that Joe is returning to New York to live out his happily ever after.

That is, until his choices and his ghosts catch up with him. It sounds spooky, I love it. It's coming in 2025. No exact release date yet. Don't worry, I'll definitely keep you updated. The TV show Doom Prophecy has just been renewed for season two. I still haven't seen any of season one yet, but I'm definitely going to be watching.

Have any of you seen it? Is it good? Let me know. And bringing us full circle back to Harry Potter, Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom, just landed his next big project, starring in a murder mystery show called Murder Before Evensong. I will have to learn more about this. It sounds like a cozy thriller I'm in. Completely signed me up.

I can't wait.

Okay, pop tarts, that's a wrap on episode six. Thank you so much for listening. What's coming now for episode seven? We're going into the New Year pop culture updates, and we'll be talking about a controversial K-pop competition show. And who knows, maybe Matt, my husband, will have to join me for some commentary. Remember to subscribe, follow, like and share BibimPOP with Sean.

Follow me on social media for updates @bibimpopwithsean on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok and @bibimpopsean on X, formerly Twitter, and go to my podcast website for updates as well bibimpopwithsean.buzzsprout.com. Thanks for listening to BibimPOP with Sean where pop culture ate.