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withlovefromx · 11 years ago

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Special Spot: Q & A 4

I know it's been a while since I promised to reply to this message, but I'm afraid I had some unhappy personal news and it's taken me a while to get into the "yay kpop" mood. But here I am! Let's just say this is an early Christmas present, aye anon? Anyway, I got the following question a while back: What do K-Pop companies look for (Specifically BigHit Entertainment) during auditions? And what about the Seoul School Of Performing Arts where some idols have been going to? Good question. Of course, each company is different, but I'll try my best to share my opinions using my (somewhat limited) knowledge. First, a disclaimer: I, WithlovefromX aka FinalRest, am in no way associated with the kpop industry. I am in no way affiliated with any music industry, actually. I am simply a fan, sharing my random musings about my favourite genre. So, please take my words with a grain of salt. Nothing I say is said in complete confidence; everything I say might be completely wrong, for all I know! Again, all I say is just my guesswork. If you want to share your opinions or counter what I have to say, feel free to leave comments below or message me. Okay, let's break this question into three parts. First up is the easiest for me to answer: What do Kpop Companies look for in potential trainees? Unfortunately, a realistic answer to this is: who knows? If you check out the various careers in the kpop idol spectrum, everyone has a different story. Some are good dancers, but horrible singers. Some are good singers, but aren't that attractive. Some are beautiful but can't dance to save their lives. If you're to look at all these examples and use them as an explanation for the perfect idol, it looks like the perfect idol isn't so perfect after all. With this in mind, let's break things down to a basic level. What do kpop companies want? Talent. As mentioned in my original post about auditioning (you can read that here), talent comes in many categories, such as singing, dancing, rapping, acting etc etc. The basic auditionee must excel in one of these areas. The best auditionee will excel in more than one. The perfect auditionee will excel in all of them. Let's take things up a level. What do kpop companies want? Marketability. This was something I talked extensively about in a previous ask post (you can read it here), but to sum that post up, companies want a trainee that the general public will like. The most common form of marketability comes with appearance. The sad truth is that the better looking you are, the higher the chances of advertisement deals and TV appearances. These bonus promotional opportunities are what all companies strive to obtain. More exposure = more money. Other forms of marketability include personality — whether they can pitch you as a comedy goldmine, a quirky introvert or a bad ass swagmaster doesn't matter. You just have to something — extra skills — a super smarty pants will impress the masses with a hard working intellect — and, sometimes, backstory. Because who can hate the idol who's trying to follow his dream so he can increase his singing to a level high enough to overpower the evil karaoke master that's holding his village hostage? No one, that's who. The last level of audition potential relies quite heavily on luck. What do kpop companies want? Whatever they're looking for. If a company's determined to break into the "cute-girls-dressed-as-cats" market, they'll be looking for someone who can rock a pair of kitty ears and look adorable. If Mister CEO dreams of a Harlem inspired group of hep hap clowns, they'll be looking for boys who can rap their butts off (not literally rap their butts off, because that would be weird. I mean, who would pay to see that in concert? ). This pretty much means that while you may be perfect for a company one week (kitty girl would be great when the cat-pop idol group is in the works), you might not make the cut the next (kitty girl ain't got no chance when CEO decides rapping clowns are the way to go). And yeah, I know, that sucks. How are you supposed to know what genre a company is into at the precise moment of your audition? That's the stupid flaw behind a lot of auditions. It's because of that last point that there's no definitive answer to what kpop companies want. A singer might walk in with a voice of silk and the CEO tells her she "doesn't fit his company's style". Then an identical girl with an identical voice comes in and just because her cheeks are a little chubbier, she's perfect. It may sound like a raw deal, but there are some positives. All the companies are so desperate to establish themselves as something different to the others that one person's bad auditionee might be another's dream idol. A quick google search will show you how many idols were rejected from auditions before they found their perfect company and were able to becomes stars. The bottom line is this: DO. YOUR. BEST. At the end of the day, that's all you can really do. So that brings us to the second part of anon's question: What does BigHit Entertainment look for? To be honest, I'm not that familiar with BigHit, apart from the fact that they used to work with JYP and I know their artists. A bit of googling didn't result in much tips for this specific company, so I would just follow general auditioning advice. All of my tips can be found in the two auditioning posts I linked earlier. The only specific advice I can give you would be to heavily research the artists already signed under that company. Search their audition histories or past training videos. Ask yourself "What makes this idol special enough that they were able to debut?". Eventually, you might notice patterns in the Big Hit idols, which will give you a clearer idea of how to impress. For example, I'm a YG stan, and most of their idols are known for their confidence. So if I was going to audition for YG, I would ooze as much confidence as possible. See if you can find what Big Hit likes their trainees to have. In your research, try to keep an eye out for things the CEO might desire as well. Perhaps Big Hit doesn't have any good vocalists (again, I don't really know the company, so I'm not calling anyone out here). Could you be that vocalist? Finally, if you are familiar with Big Hit trainees (such as those in their upcoming group 6ACES), that might give you an idea of what level of skill the company expects their trainees to be at. Aim to get to that level, or aim higher! Show them you're a perfect fit! The last bit of anon's question is: What about the Seoul School Of Performing Arts? I'd never heard of this place before, so I did a bit of research. From what I can tell, it just looks like any old performing arts school (I say any old as if that's a boring thing, but performing arts schools are awesome. I'd totally go to one if I was talented in anything. ). There are a bunch of performing arts schools that have churned out idols, but I wouldn't put too much weight in their pull in the kpop industry. Schools like that are made to help students excel in their talents, which of course is going to help you with an audition. If your talents are scrubbed to perfection, then you have a higher chance to impress! But just because you go to one of these schools, I don't think it magically makes you superior to other auditionees. You might get more attention because your "performance resume" looks a bit impressive, but kpop companies are as equally interested in experience as they are in finding roughly cut hidden gems. One advantage some of these schools have is that they have the odd connection to kpop companies, which can increase your chances of getting an audition. For example, Def Dance School is home to regular YG and Cube auditions and Plug In Music Academy is owned by Big Bang's Seungri, so you might be called into YG for an audition (a la Winner's Jinwoo). So I hope that all that answers your questions anon! As always, I wish all kpop auditionees the best of luck! And, of course, feel free to message me or comment with any more questions or general musings. See ya round!

#Kpop #Kpop Korner #Special Spot #Questions and Answers #Kpop Audition

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withlovefromx · 11 years ago

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What do K-Pop companies look for (Specifically BigHit Entertainment) during auditions? And what about the Seoul School Of Performing Arts where some idols have been going to?

Hi there anon!

I shall write up a post in the next day or two answering your question. Sit tight!

#asks

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withlovefromx · 11 years ago

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Update 12

So... Well, let's just cut to the chase, shall we? After almost two years of Kpop blabbering, I have decided it is time to shut Kpop Korner down. Why? Well, I think it's pretty obvious why: I just don't have the time to maintain this blog anymore. Posts take forever to write up, and I simply don't have the time or, frankly, the will to put that amount of effort in. So I will no longer be updating Kpop Korner. I apologise to those who took the time to follow me and, more importantly, I thank those who took the time to follow me. Thanks to all the wonderful people who made this blog so much fun! I enjoyed talking to all of you! Now, I won't be deleting this blog, nor will I be closing my ask box. I'll be more than happy to answer any questions people still might want to send my way and of course I'd love to talk to you about anything! So for now it is goodbye, thanks for the memories and I'll see you around Tumblr! With Love From X

#Kpop #Kpop Korner #Update

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withlovefromx · 11 years ago

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Special Spot: Top Albums of 2013

Tracklist

1. Money In the Building 2. 끄덕여줘! (Pronunciation: Kkeu-Deok-Yeo-Jweo; Translation: Nod Along) 3. Hello Goodbye (Featuring Yoon Mirae) 4. 난장판 (Pronunciation: Nan-Jang-Pan; Translation: Mess) (Featuring MFBTY) 5. M.I.B가 나.가.신다 (Pronunciation: M.I.B-Ga Na-Ga-Sin-Da; Translation: M.I.B is Coming) Released April 10th, Money in the Building shows M.I.B focused on their strengths and nothing else. The group gave their fans what they wanted (hippity hop by the bucketloads), and what more could you ask for from a group you enjoy? The album kicks off with funky (that word sounds so lame, but it’s the only one I could use to describe Money in the Building) beats, then swirls in woeful heartbreak in the title track 끄덕여줘!. Those love saddled blues are stronger again in the third track which Yoon Mirae matches with perfectly. Finally, the collaboration reigns again in 난장판 and things are wrapped up with a cocky warning from M.I.B themselves. All around each track plays off the ones before and after it, and although there's a variety of different stories in this collection, each one is intriguing in its own right. It was this album that introduced me to M.I.B and it's also this album that reminds me how much potential this group has. Why it belongs on this list: Despite being a slightly underappreciated group, M.I.B manages to stand strong throughout Money in the Building. They're building their portfolio with work that exhibits what they're good at, which I think is what makes their songs so good. Most bands like to flirt with genres outside of their repertoire and, although it's true that can result in some interesting music, most of the time that experimentation can be a little too unexpected and off-putting for fans. Although it might be good for them to try new things later on their career, I commend M.I.B for knowing what they excel in and keeping those strengths front and center. The only song I didn't like was 난장판, but the rest quickly became some of my favourite songs. I think 4/5 is more than an impressive approval rate, don't you? One of the queens of solo kpop returned this year, promising a special treat for her fans before taking a break to spend time as a newlywed woman. And what a treat she gave us! At number nine is Lee Hyori with her fifth full album Monochrome!

Tracklist

1. Holly Jolly Bus (Featuring Soonshim the Dog) 2. 미스코리아 (Pronunciation: Mi-Seu-Ko-Ri-A; Translation: Miss Korea) 3. Love Radar (Featuring Beenzino) 4. Bad Girls 5. ��가 미워요(Pronunciation: Nae-Ga Mi-Weo-Yo; Translation: I Hate Myself) 6. 사랑의 부도수표 (Pronunciation: Sa-Rang-E Bu-Do-Su-Pyo; Translation: Bounced Checks of Love) 7. Full Moon 8. Trust Me 9. Special 10. Amor Mio (Duet with Bak Jiyon) 11. 누군가 (Pronunciation: Nu-Gun-Ga; Translation: Somebody) 12. 묻지 않을게요(Pronunciation: Mun-Ji An-Eul-Ge-Yo; Translation: Wouldn't Ask You) 13. 미쳐 (Pronunciation: Mi-Chyeo; Translation: Going Crazy) 14. 쇼쇼쇼 (Pronunciation: Syo-Syo-Syo; Translation: Show Show Show) 15. Better Together 16. 노 (Pronunciation: No; Translation: Oars) Released May 21st, Lee Hyori took a sharp right from her more pop fuelled history and released a smattering of all sorts of genres, showing just how diverse her talents can be. The main feeling of the album was "retro", which showed Hyori in all sorts of flattering lights. The main driver of this album, however, was the expansive set of promotions that supported it. I saw stages for Holly Jolly Bus, Miss Korea, Bad Girls and Full Moon; each one had a different concept, accented with different costume styles and choreography. All the live stage were beautiful to watch and fun to sit through, and seeing each song acted out made me appreciate the work that had been put into the album even more. That's not even mentioning the four different MVs that were released from this CD alone (ones for Miss Korea, Bad Girls, Amor Mio and then 미쳐)! Why it belongs on this list: Monochrome was an unexpected twist on a well-known idol's career, with a promotional effort that most companies should be jealous of. Not only did this album produce two of my favourite songs from the year (쇼쇼쇼and Miss Korea) and one of my favourite MVs (we'll get to that one later ), but it gave Miss Hyori a fantastic send off and fond memories that will keep fans eagerly anticipating her return. I love Big Bang. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love Big Bang. They're actually the only male group I can even name all the members of! I follow all their activities and the VIP fandom is the one of only two fandoms I identify with (the other being 2NE1's Blackjacks). However, there is ONE act that rivals my love for Big Bang. ONE man who makes my heart swoon, as much as it embarrasses me to admit. If you've been following me for a while then you should know who this person is.... it's K.Will with his fourth mini album Will in FALL!

Tracklist

1. Fall in Fall 2. 촌스럽게 왜 이래 (Pronunciation: Chon-Seu-Reop-Ge Wae I-Rae; Translation: You Don't Know Love) 3. 니가 아닌 것 같아 (Pronunciation: Ni-Ga A-Nin Geot Ga-Ta; Translation: It's Not You) 4. 첫 사랑은 죽었다 (Pronunciation: Cheot Sa-Rang-Eun Juk-Eot-Da; Translation: First Love End) 5. Bubble 6. 말실수 (Pronunciation: Mal-Sil-Su; Translation: A Slip of the Tongue) Released October 18, Will in FALL was the SECOND, count em, SECOND comeback from K.Will in 2013. Oh how he spoils us. As the title suggests, the album was chock full of beautiful melodies perfect for the fall season... I think. I'm not sure what time fall happens in my country, so there's no way I know when it happens in Korea. I'm just assuming it was fall when this album came out. Or, at the very least, it had to be fall somewhere in the world, right? Anyway, K.Will delivered once again with all his signature moves; romance, charm, emotion and a dash of fun beats. Each song presents a different side of love; it starts with loving praise from Fall in Fall, ends with regret in 말실수 and stuffed in between is sadness, anger and confusion. Each tale is represented by K.Will's wonderfully emotive voice and this was an album that gave me all that I was hoping for and more. Why it belongs on this list: Because K.Will. Okay, if I must give a reason, it's because I loved the thick slathering of passion that all these songs came coated in. All of them had so much story behind them, and I could understand everything each song had to say even though I can't understand the lyrics. Add that to catchy choruses and enticing tunes and we have a winner! Like Lee Hyori, another reigning kpop princess made her return last year, also with hopes of taking a stroll on the opposite side of her musical history and giving her fans a much different sound. Wearing her best dancing heels is IU with her third full length album Modern Times!

Tracklist

1. 을의 연애 (Pronunciation: Eul-Ye Yeon-Ae; Translation: Love of B) (Featuring Bak Juwon) 2. 누구나 비밀은 있다 (Pronunciation: Nu-Gu-Na Bi-Mi-Reun It-Da; Translation: Everybody Has Secrets) (Featuring GaIn) 3. 입술 사이 (Pronunciation: Ip-Sul Sa-I; Translation: Between the Lips (50cm)) 4. 분홍신 (Pronunciation: Bun-Hong-Sin; Translation: The Red Shoes) 5. Modern Times 6. 싫은 날 (Pronunciation: Si-Reun Nal; Translation: Bad Day) 7. Obliviate 8. 아이야, 나랑 걷자 (Pronunciation: A-I-Ya, Na-Rang Geot-Ja; Translation: Walk with Me, Girl) (Featuring Choi Baekho) 9. Havana 10. 우울시계 (Pronunciation: U-Ul-Si-Gye; Translation: A Gloomy Clock) (Featuring Jonghyun) 11. 한낮의 꿈 (Pronunciation: Han-Na-Jwi Kkum; Translation: Daydream) (Featuring Yang HeeEun) 12. 기다려 (Pronunciation: Gi-Da-Ryeo; Translation: Waiting) 13. Voice Mail (Korean Version) Released October 8th, Modern Times was IU's chance to sex herself up a bit. Since her debut as a young teen the sweet singer has held the title "Nation's Little Sister", owing to her high range voice and innocent song topics. However, in 2012 IU's reputation was brought under question because of a scandal (aka something completely blown out of proportion, as per the usual) and a big question mark hung over her career. So, with people labelling her as dirty anyway, what was IU to lose if she decided to come back with a more mature concept? Cue Modern Times, an album heavily influenced by jazz and all the hip swinging, sultry whispering uproar that comes with it. I've always liked the look of IU, but found her songs too sweet for my tastes. I was finally given a reason to call myself her fan as I listened to all the addicting love tunes presented in this album. I have a real love for old school style updated for the current music trends, so it was hard for me not to fall head over heels for the latin feel of the first song, the brassy swing of the lead title Red Shoes or the incredibly seductive melancholy in 입술 사이. Things took an even bolder turn when IU made a full blown showcase of her comeback stages, with velvet everywhere and more tap dancing than one fangirl can handle. Why it belongs on this list: Like Monochrome, Modern Times is an amazing evolution of one artist's creativity. IU took her rough past year in her stride, turning it into a maturing in story, look and sound. The interesting feature singers (like veteran singer Choi Baekho, who was my favourite guest) also worked perfectly, despite their varying backgrounds. Modern Times has a definitive vision and it ties every song together. If you like one song you like them all, as each fits perfectly next to the others. It makes the full album extremely cohesive, and a pleasant listen for any hour of the day. Despite portraying a side to herself she hasn't shown much before, IU brought her A game, and it clearly paid off. This'll be a short section cause I've already talked about this album in detail before. Coming in at the end of the first half of the list is EXO with their first full length album XOXO (Kiss Version)!

Tracklist

1. 늑대와 미녀 (Pronunciation: Neuk-Dae-Wa Mi-Nyeo; Translation: The Wolf and the Beauty; English Title: Wolf) 2. 인어의 눈물 (Pronunciation: I-Neo-E Nun-Mul; Translation: A Mermaid's Tears; English Title: Baby, Don't Cry) 3. Black Pearl 4. 나비소녀 (Pronunciation: Na-Bi-So-Nyeo; Translation: Butterfly Girl; English Title: Don't Go) 5. Let Out the Beast 6. 3.6.5 7. Heart Attack 8. ��터팬 (Pronunciation: Pi-Teo-Paen; Translation: Peter Pan) 9. Baby 10. My Lady 11. 늑대와 미녀 (EXO-K Version) 12. 狼与美女 (Wolf Mandarin Version) Released June 3rd, EXO's long awaited return to music was finally unleashed in two forms: Hug (Mandarin, centred around EXO-M) and Kiss (Korean, centred around EXO-K). Now, I'm not saying that K is better than M, I'm just listing the Kiss version cause it's the one I listen to. Anyway, I could talk a bit about the album here, but what could I add to what I went over when I reviewed the album earlier in the year? Check out my full review here. Why it belongs on this list: I wasn't expecting much from the album, to be honest. As I've mentioned before, I find EXO a tad overrated, so I was expecting a quick single or two that would skate by on how good the members looked. Luckily this was not the case, and EXO showed that they are more than a one hit wonder. Although the album is a bit mismatched in direction, it's hard to argue that it is not made for the fans; all the genres present are ones that Exotics everywhere were hoping to see. In other words, there's something for everyone! I enjoyed most of the songs in XOXO, which is why it sits higher than some of the other entries on the list. Mostly, though, I was surprised by how well the album exceeded my expectations. The hype around the album was strong and EXO was able to live up to it, which I think is something that deserves a lot of commendation. We're halfway up the list, and sitting at the midway point is (understandably) an album I have mixed feelings about. Let's look at G-Dragon with his second full length album Coup d'Etat!

Tracklist

1. 쿠데타 (Pronunciation: Ku-De-Ta; Translation: Coup d'Etat) (Featuring Diplo and Baauer) 2. 늴리리야 (Pronunciation: Ni-Ri-Ri-Ya) (Featuring Missy Elliott) 3. R.O.D. (Featuring Lydia Paek) 4. Black (Featuring Jennie Kim) 5. 니가 뭔데 (Pronunciation: Ni-Ga Mweon-De; Translation: Who You?) 6. 세상을 흔들어 (Pronunciation: Se-Sang-Eul Heun-Deu-Reo; Translation: Shake the World) 7. 미치Go (Pronunciation: Mi-Chi Go; Translation: Go Crazy) 8. 삐딱하게 (Pronunciation: Bbi-Ddak-Ha-Ge; Translation: Crooked) 9. 늴리리야 (G-Dragon Version) 10. Runaway 11. 너무 좋아 (Pronunciation: Neo-Mu Joh-A; Translation: I Love It) (Featuring Zion.T and Boys Noize) 12. You Do (Outro) 13. Window 14. Black (Featuring Sky Ferreira) Released September 13th, Coup d'Etat was swarmed in the usual YG promises of grandeur. The album was so grand, in fact, that we mere mortals would be unable to handle all the songs at once. Thus songs 1-7 were released digitally on the 2nd, 7-12 came on the 5th and the last two are only available with the physical release. But all that doesn't matter, cause who am I to turn my nose up at a marketing strategy? It's actually the tracks that made me feel so lacklustre about Coup d'Etat. Partly, One of A Kind, GD's previous EP which I LOVED was to blame. That was one of my favourite albums of 2012, so my expectations of the follow up were high. The first taste we got was from Niririya, which I LOVED. Missy Elliot KILLED IT. That track was murdered. Slaughtered. Death had become it. Then, when the lead track (the titular 쿠데타) for the first half came out, I was bummed. It was like the song had no idea what it was doing, and what little it did do was boring. I can't stand songs where all that performer does is talk slow then call it rap, and this is what that song was. I later found out GD was given the instrumental by Diplo and then made the rest of it; I think it's this disjointed collaboration (GD having to work around what was already formed) that made the song so uninspiring. But all was not bad, as I adored both R.O.D and Black, while 니가 뭔데 and세상을 흔들어 I came to enjoy. 미치Go was an old release which I thought was utter crap when it was first released. My opinion on it did not change. Then (man, this section is turning into an essay!) the second part came. The title track for take two (삐딱하게) was a bigger bust. It sounded like something I'd heard before, which meant I also found it boring, despite it having a great MV. The rest of the album was no better. He took Missy Elliot's sass out from Niririya to make a less exciting solo version, ruined Black with an unnecessary flash of a "cool foreign friend" (sorry for fans of Sky, but I thought she sounded horrid) and somehow made a collaboration with Zion Freaking T lame. What's a fangirl to do? Why it belongs on this list: Basically, Coup d'Etat suffers from the same problems I have with most of YG's recent works: disappointment. I think this constant let down is caused by the big mouth of YG himself; for some reason the man likes to talk as if everything his artists do is gifted from the angels of heaven themselves. Each time my anticipation builds and builds... only to be crushed when the final product is actually revealed (I talked a bit about this in my Things I Learnt About Kpop in 2013 post). The same thing happened with this album; when it was released, I was rife with disappointment and anger because so many promises of perfection had been made. But once all the hype had died down I am able to judge the songs with an open mind. Once I was able to do this, I really enjoyed the album. Coup d'Etat, while still not great, was a nice listen, and for some reason (don't ask why, cause I don't know the answer) I came to love 미치Go. Meanwhile Niririya, Black and R.O.D became my new favourite songs and a couple of the other songs started to grow on me. And thus concludes the story of why Coup d'Etat is smack bam in the middle of this list! I hated it, then tolerated, then loved it, making it an overall emotionally exhausting good experience. As we get closer to the summit of this countdown we are met by a group of rookies. It's my favourite gang of troublemakers B.A.P with their second mini album One Shot!

Tracklist

1. Punch 2. One Shot 3. 빗소리 (Pronunciation: Bit-So-Ri; Translation: Rain Sound) 4. Coma 5. 0 (Zero) Released February 12, One Shot kicked off yet another year of never-ending Bap appearances. The album was preluded by a totally enthralling MV, which I reviewed when it was released. The MV gave snippets of the rest of the album and (as mentioned in my review) I didn't appreciate them then, but once I heard the full album those snippets grew on me like some sort of weird growth. The good kind of growth, if that is a thing. Um... it grew on me like a small button that grants me a wish whenever I press it. There, that works. Despite being only a few tracks long, One Shot is a very strong album. Kicking off with the blood pumping Punch, One Shot surely packs a... well, a punch, okay? Sorry, it could not be avoided. The titular One Shot is just as epic, and once you've mentally paired it with the MV there is no going back. 빗소리 is heartache, Coma is anger and Zero is fighting words; each song is different, but each is perfect. This is the album that shifts B.A.P from concept to talent. Instead of being known for in your face chest thumping and beast rapping, it's thanks to One Shot that B.A.P is now known as a group with great direction. Why it belongs on this list: I think I mentioned before that every time B.A.P made a comeback I liked them a little less. Their music shifted, the lyrics lost more meaning, and I was reaching my limit. Then One Shot came along. It became clear to me that B.A.P had decided the type of group they wanted to be, and they were going to go with that whether we liked it or not. The passion that fuelled this album is easily recognised and since I like every single song on this mini I felt it was worthy of a comfier spot in this top 10. Now we're entering the list's realm of perfection, and B.A.P has definitely earned it's spot here! Up next is an album that I know surprised a lot of people! It's f(x) with their second full length album Pink Tape!

Tracklist

1. 첫 사랑니 (Pronunciation: Cheot Sa-Rang-Ni; English Title: Rum Pum Pum Pum) 2. 미행 (Pronunciation: Mi-Haeng; Translation: Tailing; English Title: Shadow) 3. Pretty Girl 4. Kick 5.시그널 (Pronunciation: Si-Geu-Neol; Translation: Signal) 6. Step 7. Goodbye Summer (Sung by Amber, Luna and Krystal featuring D.O.) 8. Airplane 9. Toy 10. 여우 같은 내 친구 (Pronunciation: Yeo-U Ga-Teun Nae Chin-Gu; Translation: Foxy Friends; English Title: No More) 11. Snapshot 12. Ending Page Released July 29th, Pink Tape was something I don't think many people saw coming. Poor f(x) sure seems to be one of the most neglected groups to come out of the Big Three's SM, and often they return with plain concepts and familiar, pop infused tracks. I enjoy the odd song from f(x), but wouldn't call myself a big supporter, as I'm not really one that can handle a purely pop song for too long. Almost out of nowhere, f(x) dropped the teaser for this album, featuring the girls in a fantasy-like photo shoot accompanied by new song미행. I was BLOWN AWAY. The song was so enchanting and like nothing I'd heard from any SM artist before. The title track of the album was not as good as its introducer, but the album was packed full of similar gems. My favourites are the cocky Snapshot, which gives me visions of a teasing burlesque house, and the fierce beats of Kick. These songs might be a new style of f(x), but it's an approach that I hope the group will slip into again in the future. Why it belongs on this list: Like with Monochrome, Pink Tape features a range of different songs that somehow manage to work together perfectly. f(x) is a group that often struggles against the more recognisable brands of their other label mates, but with Pink Tape they proved that they are not a group to be underestimated. Despite having poor promotion choices hindering Pink Tape's release (why Rum Pum Pum Pum was chosen as the title track I'll never know), the album is a hidden treasure of great performance. Pink Tape sits so far up on this list because I can't hide how much I enjoyed the unexpected surprises Pink Tape presented for the kpop world. Just missing out on the top spot is a member of one of my favourite boy bands! It's time for Yong Junhyung with his first solo album Flower!

Tracklist

1. Nothing is Forever 2. Flower 3. Anything (Featuring G.Na) 4. Slow 5. 카페인(Pronunciation: Ca-Pe-In; Translation: Caffeine) (Piano Version featuring Yang Yoseob) Released December 17th, Junhyung's first solo effort was surrounded by a lot of nervous anticipation from my side of things. As a fan of both Beast and Big Bang, it's near impossible for me to miss the constant accusations that Junhyung is desperately trying to copy G-Dragon. As the release of Flower neared, I wished more than anything that the mini would be free of those accusations. I wanted Junhyung to be able to shine without those baseless comments! But Junhyung is a rapper with a unique sense of style and a strong sense of musical vision; wasn't it inevitable that his work be similar to GDs in genre, style or theme? When Flower was released I breathed a sigh of relief. Flower was nothing like G-Dragon's work.... and that amazed me. Not because I think Junhyung is a copycat, but because, like I said, their styles are similar, so I thought the title track would be just as lovely to me as I found GD's That XX over a year ago. Instead, Flower was something I'd never expected to hear from an idol rapper's solo album; it was sweet, emotional and had a sort of blues undertone. It was a song I had not expected, but a song I fell in love with nonetheless. As I flicked through the rest of the album, each track had something special. Poignant lyrics in Nothing is Forever; a fitting guest spot from G.Na in Anything; beautiful sentiment in Slow; a wonderful remix of a song I already adore to round things up. Flower was a truly perfect album, and one I think Junhyung should be more than proud of creating. Why it belongs on this list: Despite being an album in which I truly enjoyed each and every song, Flower also gets so much praise from me because Junhyung did something I never knew he had in him. I feel like he knew exactly what sides of his music he wanted to show, and his determination has created a wonderfully complementary collection. Junhyung took his time working towards a solo career and I think the wait was completely worth it! And this is it; the end of the countdown. My favourite album of 2013 was another one that exceeded my expectations. Let's talk about Seungri and his second mini album Let's Talk About Love!

Tracklist

1. Let's Talk About Love (Featuring G-Dragon and Taeyang) 2. 할말있어요 (Pronunciation: Hal-Ma-Ri-Sseo-Yo; Translation: Gotta Talk to You) 3. 지지베 (Pronunciation: Ji-Ji-Be; Translation: GG Be) (Featuring Jennie Kim) 4. 그 딴 거 없어 (Pronunciation: Keu Ddan Geo Eob-Seo; Translation: Come to My) 5. You Hoooo!!! 6. Love Box 7. 할말있어요 (Hard Remix Version) Released August 19th, Let's Talk About Love was a release I hadn't thought much about. In Big Bang I adore T.O.P, GD had produced most of my favourite songs and Taeyang's discography is consistently good. Daesung hasn't released enough of his own work for me to be able to judge his tastes, and that brings us to Seungri. Although I have enjoyed a couple of his early solo work, Seungri's songs aren't really my cup of tea. While GD has creativity on his side and Taeyang has emotion, I haven't been able to find that one quality that makes Seungri's music something I want to indulge in. Therefore I looked forward to supporting Seungri's sudden return to the charts, but I wasn't expecting to see anything exciting. Once again I was proved wrong, as Big Bang's maknae knocked my socks off. During a time when everyone was anticipating Taeyang's (still not released) new album, Seungri snuck out of nowhere and shone brighter than a wave of VIP light sticks! Even more shocking was the fact that Seungri himself had created every single track on the CD! Kicking off the show was Let's Talk About Love, featuring GDYB. The tantalising track features sensual crooning from Seungri, witty rapping from his hyungs and overall the trio bounces off one another fantastically. The second track is the title song 할말있어요, which is a blend of mellow affection and pumping electronic pop. A fantastic choice of a lead single, 할말있어요 really sets the album alight and shows a mature, serious side of Seungri that surely threw me for a loop. The album continues with 지지베, a song about a bad bad girl. I enjoy this song most because of how it speaks of the Seungri fans know and love; the music is energetic, the lyrics full of cheek. The album cools down a bit for 그 딴 거 없어, a pop ballad (is that a thing?) that reminds me of Justin Timberlake, in a good way of course. You Hoooo!!! Gets things up and pumping again, Love Box is an emotional, slow song that I think works best on a rainy day, and then a great remix of the title song brings everything full circle! Basically, I have no complaints about LTAL, so that's why it comes in first! Why it belongs on this list: When an album comes out I usually love a couple songs, the rest I can enjoy once in a while, and a couple I dislike. Let's Talk About Love is that rare breed where I love every single song on the tracklist. The album features powerful stories, like those found in Will in FALL. It has strong direction, as does One Shot. It produced some of my favourite songs, as did Money in the Building and Coup d'Etat. It puts an interesting new spin on Seungri's persona, much like Monochrome did for Lee Hyori and Modern Times did for IU. Most importantly, it exceeded my expectations just like Flower, XOXO and Pink Tape did. All these reasons are why Let's Talk About Love is my favourite album of 2013, a decision that didn't take me long to come up with. And there you have it! To close off this post, as always, let's hear the discussion question: Answer below or in my inbox! I hope you enjoyed my list; feel free to agree or disagree with me if you want! I'll be returning soon with another addition to my 2013 Roundup, so I'll see you then! TTYL!

#Kpop #Kpop Korner #Special Spot #Top 10 #Top Albums #B.A.P #EXO #f(x)#G-Dragon #IU #K.Will #Lee Hyori #M.I.B #Seungri #Yong Junhyung #2013 Roundup

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withlovefromx · 11 years ago

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Special Spot: Q & A 3

So I was gonna answer this mail the simple way, but the coding got messed up and then I accidentally deleted the original question.... so now it gets a whole post all to itself! Anywho, a lovely person called digitalfremzter sent me a message that explained the following... You probably didn't know that One of the members of CrayobPop came up with the helmet concept. Without it the company probably died by now. BarBarBar was their company's last hope before shutting down. CP love wearing those silly helmets and it meant deeply for them. All their concepts are dedicated to their fans. They are famous now for a reason. Now tell me, that they didn't shame theirselves for fans. First, thanks for letting me know about this! I really appreciate being educated more. If anyone doesn't know what digitalfremzter is referring to, check out the Everyone Deserves a Little Love! Section of my Things I Learnt About Kpop in 2013 post. So I have conflicted feelings about finding out about this. On one hand I'm glad I came to realise that all groups work really hard to get as far as they can. I'm also over my dislike of Crayon Pop, and have gone back to wishing them the best... although I hope they do so with a style that will make people take them more seriously. On the other hand, this almost makes me backtrack over the reason why I came to tolerate Crayon Pop in the end. I originally disliked them because I felt like they were getting attention not from talent, but a gimmick; I then came to like them because I thought that they were only doing what they were being told. But if they came up with the concept themselves, then that means my distaste wasn't misdirected after all. I also understand what you are saying about the girls being proud of their accomplishment, and I think that's very sweet. If they see the helmets as a symbol of them overcoming a hard audience, then good for them! However, I personally don't think it's anything great because they weren't able to get the same attention because of their personal strengths. It doesn't mean I think they aren't deserving of their recognition (I guess they were willing to do whatever it takes to stay floating, which isn't something to be embarrassed about) but it just means I won't be giving them my support... unless I see something more from them in the future, of course. I think I'm reminded of when I first saw Crayon Pop and I wanted them to do well. I got the sense they were trying really hard to be liked, and I suppose that's what you're touching on when you tell me about the fact that the girls came up with concept themselves to try and keep their company from going under. It's because of this that I can't knock them, cause I suppose they had to do whatever they could to keep their dream in an attainable place. I suppose I'm just disappointed they couldn't really do it in a more respectable way, if that makes sense. I hope this explains my thoughts on Crayon Pop a little better. Thanks for sharing! Here's some Crayon Pop spam for all of you that have managed to sit through this entirely gif-less post!

#Kpop #Kpop Korner #Special Spot #Questions and Answers #Crayon Pop

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withlovefromx · 11 years ago

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Kpop 101: Things I Learnt About Kpop in 2013

You're right, CL is obnoxious. Yep, Lee Hi sure is boring. Ooo, that's a good point! Everyone is SM probably has had surgery!

It was all good... until I realised that I didn't actually share any of these ideas! I'd just had them shoved into my face so often that I'd started to believe them. CL is my bias! I adore Lee Hi! Everyone in SM is gorgeous; I don't know if it's natural, but I don't care either! Then it dawned on me that I had assumed that I was safe among the kpop masses. I'm a Blackjack, and I'm used to hearing complaints about 2NE1. So you know what I do? I stay away from the people that don’t like 2NE1 and just stick with other Blackjack forums. Same goes for all the other groups I like; to share my love of them, I go to other people that love them as well. I had thought that because I was on a blog just for blackjacks, or VIPs or Hi Heels, or whatever, I would be enjoying the same type of love that I have for those groups. But, as the title of this lesson suggests, haters aren't the only ones who hate; fans complain just as much! So that was an interesting pill to swallow. I unfollowed most confession blogs and stuck to the ones that were the most evenly balanced on the love/hate scale and now my dashboard is a much more relaxing place! Now, I'm not saying fans need to stop complaining; I never think fans should be afraid to speak their minds! The lesson I learnt in 2013 is that all fans have different opinions and you should be wary of that. Remember your own ideas and stick to that! And, of course, if you haven't got anything nice to say, try not to say it at all cause you might be bringing someone else's mood down! I does not take long for a newbie to the Kpop scene to pick up the word "concept". Every company under the book uses it to sum up what look, theme or genre of music their group will be promoting with. Previously, the concept has been something I've found exciting. What sort of clothes will my favourite idol be wearing? What can I expect for their return to the stage? This year, however, it got on my nerves. In 2013 it seemed like every song was preceded by article after article about its concept. This is the feeling the person will be singing with! This is the type of dance they will do! This is the meal they will eat three days before their debut stage! It was ridiculous. With all this increasingly annoying media play I realised something; I don't give a flying fig about a song's concept. How about you just tell me what the song is going to sound like, and then I'll tell you if I'm anticipating it. On numerous occasions last year I was sucked in by a concept only to be so badly disappointed when the release was all concept, no substance. The first thing that comes to mind as an example of this was 2NE1's Falling in Love (no hate, cause you know these are my girls). Falling in Love was credited as a reggae song that would fit perfectly for the summer. I was intrigued. Then came the boasts about the choreography; 2NE1 was having sleepless nights to perfect a dance some famous foreigners had made for them. 2NE1 doesn't usually stand out for their dance skills, so I was eagerly looking forward to how they would perform to an upbeat reggae song! Then they were shown in some summery clothes (or, at least that's how YG described it. I don’t think pants and boots are that summery, but whatever) and then some random Egyptian Goddess stuff was chucked in near the end. By this point I was confused, but, seeing as I like 2NE1 for doing the unexpected, I knew all of it would come together to form something beautiful. Then the song dropped. By reggae, they meant some guy screaming at the beginning of the song and Dara pretending to be Jamaican for a verse. By dancing they meant shuffling around pretending to be a robot and throwing your hands in the air a lot. By summer, they meant a cheap backdrop and then some temple/mansion place for some reason. It's these types of occurrences that make concepts annoying. If 2NE1 had announced they were coming back with a new, upbeat song about love, I would've been fine. Instead they promised so many things that by the time the song actually dropped I was expecting anything but what it actually was. Even worse were the multiple occasions when the music was sacrificed for the sake of a concept. Everyone was talking about the debut of girl group Wassup whose company decided the right way to go was with a twerking concept.... The sad thing was that their debut song wasn't even bad! Sure, it wasn't a song I'd jam to when on my own, but I've heard much worse. Unfortunately for them, the song was ruined because you couldn't listen to the song without having to stomach the horrendous "twerking", lame outfits and stereotyping of hip hop/ghettos/black people in general. And don't even get me started on Crayon Pop and their let's-act-like-we're-on-a-show-for-five-years-olds concept. Basically, concepts are stupid. It doesn't matter how a song looks, cause the youtube videos and music programs don't cost money to watch. It's the albums you want fans to buy, and those only come with audio, so, no matter how much the aesthetics stick out, if the song can't stand on its own then you're wasting your time. 2013 taught me that at the end of the day, it's only the music that matters. Like with concepts, the misuse of the word Scandal in kpop is something I'm used to. While netizens may slap the S word on almost anything an idol does that isn't perfect, it's easy to roll your eyes and move on. 2013, however, took the scandal insanity to a whole new level. Of course, the year was not free of its own true blue scandals. There were out of the blue weddings, deaths, secret lovers, incriminating pictures and more. There were those, though, that weren't even deserving of a puff piece. My favourites from the Vault of Stupid Kpop Scandals are:

SECRET's Hyosung accidentally uses the word "democratization" on a radio show in the wrong way. Because the word is used on a rude internet community often, the public decides she is a secret member there.... oh, and she's also incredibly stupid now.

During filming on Running Man, f(x)'s Sulli is joking around with the other members of the cast and says a Chinese swear which is an insult to someone's mother. Of course, the part with the joking is edited out. Sulli is deemed a disrespectful punk. No joking with friends is ever allowed, guys!

Miss A's Jia uploads a video to Instagram of herself riding on an airport trolley for a few seconds... something which pretty much everyone does once, right? Scandal commences.

Idol 1 is seen hanging out with Idol 2. Dating is certain. Shocking because every kpop idol is supposed to be a virgin with no interest in the other sex.

It was just a mess. If I had a dollar for every time I heard the word scandal last year, I would be spending my time buying out the Korean section of yesasia.com. So, in 2014, I will take every piece of news with a grain of salt. I now understand that what a news title might state is scandalous or controversial probably isn't. Kpop idols are actually a lot less exciting than the media likes to make them out to be! Most (if not all) kpop fans dream of the day when people outside of our fandom will agree that kpop freaking rocks. We hope for radio airplay and merchandise freely available outside of Korean stores. We want to see our bias's on world stages, climbing up the charts alongside well known western singers. 2012 was the year we almost saw that happen. I don't think anyone can argue that it wasn't because of Psy that Kpop suddenly had everyone paying attention. Gangnam Style was a hit and it turned the Hallyu Wave into a full blown tsunami. Suddenly respected newspapers were reviewing kpop concerts, MVs were being nominated for western awards and every celebrity under the sun suddenly felt like revealing they were fans of kpop. In 2013 I realised that the sudden interest in my favourite genre might not be as exciting as I'd first hoped. My first hint was the steady stream of kpop articles Billboard started releasing. At first I'd been so happy that such a big website was paying attention to kpop. Even better was that they were making editorials about my favourite idols! But, as the articles became more and more regular, the excitement died down. And when I went to read some of those articles, my elation was wiped away. Every article was praise. Every review was positive. While I'd first thought the genre was getting some much needed attention, I quickly realised this was another ploy to suck web views from the kpop fandom. There was no real insight into fandom; just repeated coddling that appeals to the lowest denominator. The same went for other sites I looked at. I'd believed kpop was spreading, but it turns out the new attention was just from the kpop fans in different parts of the world. I felt even worse when I noticed certain artists were getting a crazed amount of attention from certain sites, hinting at sponsorship deals. At the same time artists were gaining confidence from this "new" attention and were venturing out into the west in search of paparazzi sightings and collaborations. Sadly, most of these collaborations were ridiculous and did more harm than good (T-ara + Chris Brown and 2NE1 + The Bachelor etc). I felt like the community I like so much was being turned into a novelty. International businesses can use kpop as a way to look like they're expanding their horizons, when really they don't give a damn about it and barely know what it actually is or how it really works. So (rant over) what did I learn from these observations? I learnt I don't want kpop to expand... at least not yet. How did Psy become so big in the first place? He did him and people took notice. They liked it and got other people to like it. I want kpop to do the same thing. Kpop is great already, and the misled ways they are trying to expand is going to do more harm than good. After all, I didn't get into kpop because I saw a video in English; I stumbled upon a video in full blown Korean and fell in love because it was like nothing I'd seen before. If I think about it, if I'd seen an article praising how great it was, I probably would've seen my first kpop video and thought "this isn't that great" and moved on. Where would we be if that had happened? And now I know that not all expansion is good, especially when it comes to art. Art speaks for itself; it doesn't need journalists to speak for it. And we'll end with one of the more positive things I learnt about kpop this year! As I have said before, I listen to every single kpop song I come across whether I like the group, dislike the group or don't know the group. I've found many of my favourite songs hidden amongst the track list of a kpop group I've never listened to before. For instance, I'm listening to Ladies' Code's Hate You right now. I don't like any of their other releases, but this song I listen to at least once a day. I try to give all groups a fair chance. Despite this, there are plenty of groups I have looked at and scoffed at, thinking they have no idea what they are doing. And, judging from what I read during my confessions blog era, a lot of other kpop fans do the same. I've never hated a group, but there are a couple I felt their company wasted money on. Of course, I wish them the best, but I don't expect their careers will last long. In 2013 this thinking was eradicated because of twos things; my newfound hatred of "concepts" and Crayon Pop. If you haven't heard of Crayon Pop, they are a 5 membered girl group that rocketed to popularity with the release of their semi-viral song 빠빠빠 (Pronunciation: Bba-Bba-Bba; English Title: Bar Bar Bar). They are also the group I ripped on a few sections earlier in this post. When Crayon Pop debuted in 2012 with sugary sweet single Bing Bing, I liked them. I didn't like their music and found their concept incredibly played out, but there was something about them that made me want to see them succeed. They just looked so loveable and like they really wanted to do well, which is something I always find endearing. A couple songs and a year later, they released 빠빠빠. I didn't like it and I moved on. But as the song became more and more popular it became harder to ignore. And when the girls started winning wards, I got annoyed. I was angry that a really remedial song was being giving an award. It's not even a song because they shout, not sing. The outfits were ugly and the constant parodies started to grate. I suddenly realised that, for the first time, I truly disliked a group. This continued until one event: the 2013 MAMA awards. I watched the Red Carpet event and saw a bunch of different stars from all walks of entertainment pose for pictures in flattering dresses or elegant suits. Then I saw Crayon Pop walk down the aisle.... they were wearing their helmet costumes. If you don't know what those are, they're the stage costumes for 빠빠빠 and they look like this: Next to all the beautiful stars, the girls looked like fools. I knew that those girls would not have chosen those outfits to wear to that event. Embarrassed, I realised that I'd been giving hate to these girls over something that they hadn't chosen for themselves. When Crayon Pop kept their helmets on during the MV for their Christmas single, it became apparent that their company was determined to milk the concept for as much as it was worth. From this (and from watching a bunch of other rookies try to get noticed over the past 12+ months) I've learnt that the only thing you should get mad at an idol about is their attitude or their talent. The girls of Crayon Pop worked their butts off just to get the chance to debut, just like all the other new groups floating around the kpop scene. I learnt that kpop isn't a mess of lame groups; it's abundant with talent, but also with crappy management decisions. So give every group a try, because they really do deserve your attention! There's really not anything to review for here, but I've included some of the songs I talked about in this post. Enjoy!

2NE1- Falling in Love Crayon Pop- 빠빠빠 Wassup- Wa$$up

Next I have a discussion question for you: If you want to comment on anything I learnt, feel free to do so below or in my ask! Kpop develops all the time, so I'm exciting to see what things I can learn about it in 2014! These were the Things I Learnt About Kpop in 2013 and I'll see you later!

#Kpop #Kpop Korner #Kpop 101 #2013 Roundup #Lessons Learnt #2NE1 #Crayon Pop #Wassup

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withlovefromx · 11 years ago

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Special Spot: Q & A 2

First proper post of the year, woo hoo! And hello there anon! I want to apologise for not responding to you earlier. Tumblr only notifies me of some messages, so I only found your ask a couple days ago... You might already have the answer to your question by now, but I'll answer anyway in case anyone else is wondering the same thing. So what shall I be answering today? Well, this sweet anon asked: hi there I have a question about auditioning ^^ for singers, what do they mean when they say to prepare song with MR? thank you!~~ This'll be a short post cause the answer is super simple! MR stands for Music Removed. I could stop there, but I'll explain a little more... You might have seen some videos around YouTube with MR in the title, like the one below.

Users who make these types of videos use editing software to isolate the vocals of a performance and remove the backing track. The idea is to show how good the idols really are at singing. So, if a company says you must audition with MR, that means they want you to sing acapella, aka with no music accompanying you. The idea is to do the same as the above MR video; they want to see how good your voice is when it's got nothing to support it. And that's all there is to it! If anyone has any more questions about MR, don't be afraid to leave me a message! I hope this answers your question fully, anon. If you end up auditioning please let me know how it goes! I wish you the best of luck!

#Kpop #Kpop Korner #Special Spot #Questions and Answers #Kpop Audition

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withlovefromx · 11 years ago

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Update 11

Hello from 2014! It's a new year, yay! And of course New Year's come with new resolutions, and this year I've decided I want to share more of my opinions via Kpop Korner. So look out for some opinion pieces on whatever crazy things Kpop decides to send us this year. But of course my ultimate goal is to keep updating here regularly, because I'm terrible at keeping on top of things. Running a blog is hard people! But anyway, let's focus on the now, shall we? After some deliberation, I've decided to try my hand at some Best Of lists. Because there's no better time to sum up a year than two months after it ends! So over the next couple weeks I'll be posting a bunch of different lists, like the standard Fav MVs and whatever else I come up with. First, though, I have an ask I'm going to write a response to and then we'll be up up and away! So that's just a little update on the status of Kpop Korner, and that's all from me for now! I hope everyone's 2014 has been great so far, and I wish nothing but the best for the rest of your year! See you again soon!

#Kpop #Kpop Korner #Update

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withlovefromx · 12 years ago

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Special Spot: Playlist 3

First up is one of my favourite bands, Beast with their fan focused single I'm Sorry. What I find kind of weird about this song first off is that Beast has another song called I'm Sorry. I mean, that's kind of confusing, right? Anyway, this song reminds me a lot of Beast's lead singer Yang YoSeob's solo single Caffeine, which I love. It's got the same guitar-ness about it that makes it a really interesting listen. The tempo changes all the time, which sounds awesome and the rapping and singing blends together perfectly. It's a super awesome song!

Next up is my fav solo singer K.Will, with his super smexxi song Lay Back. Lay back was released with his second-to-latest album The Third Album Part 2: Love Blossom, and was preformed alongside his lead single Love Blossom during his comeback performances. It was during these performances that I first heard Lay Back in full, and fell in love with it. I highly recommend checking the live stage of Lay Back out if you have the time! I feel like with this album K.Will has learnt how truly charming he is and is putting that knowledge to full use. It's pretty much impossible to listen to this song and not have your heart melt a little, and it's even harder to stop your brain being completely overridden by his heavenly voice. I swear he's try to conquer the world one fangirl at a time. Cover your ears while you still have your free will!!!

It's the Queen of Kpop (there's really no point in trying to deny that statement, trust me) BoA, with 천국과 지옥사이 (Pronunciation: Cheon-Guk-Gwa Ji-Ok-Sa-I; Translation: Between Heaven and Hell). This song was written for the drama Shark, and features on the Shark OST, which is why the video features a bit of storyline that might be a little confusing if you don't know the drama. I've always loved songs that have a floaty, eerie quality to them, which is what this song has. It's like this song could perfectly illustrate a fairy tale, or play in a circus, which is really beautiful in my eyes. This song also showcases BoA's voice in a way I've never heard before, which has really given me a new layer of respect for her. Then, to top it all off, the video tells a slightly morbid, slightly sweet love story that compliments the song in so many ways. It's an all-around wonderful song with a great atmosphere, so check it out!

Switching to a more bubbly sound, we have Girl's Day and their latest single 여자 대통령 (Pronunciation: Yeo-Ja Dae-Tong-Ryeong; Translation: Female President), which comes from thier repackage album Female President. Okay, let's get this out of the way: the video is... let's just say, uncomfortable. I'm all for sexy, strong concepts, but this is... trashy, to be blunt. Plus the song is called Female President, so you would assume a girl power anthem, but it's still about pining after a boy. It's a super missed opportunity. If you take away the video and the lyrics, though, you are left with a super catchy, fun song. I do think this is Girl's Day's strongest song yet, because it's not sickeningly sweet (as in Hug Me Once) nor too familiar (like with Expectation) and is instead a great mix of fun and interesting. I hope that in the future Girl's Day becomes more comfortable with their music and are able to support it with some stronger, sultrier concepts. When that happens, I think Girl's Day will have a great shot at rising to the top.

It's time for a splash of rookie! Have a listen to BTS and No More Dream. This is BTS's debut song, which comes from their first mini album 2 Cool 4 Skool. Yes, that is actually what they decided to call their album. Okay, I was super interested in this group's debut. I followed all their teasers diligently, tried (and failed) to learn all the names, and all just because I could feel the talent from the moment they were announced. But, when they debuted, something unexpected happened... Everyone began calling them Batang Boys. I'm sorry, I thought their name was Bulletproof Boy Scouts!!!! I liked that name!! Why does no one call them that! I wasn't even sure it was the same band because everyone was calling them BTS. Who the hell are BTS? I want Boy Scouts!!! Yeah, I know I'm being stupid. Anyway, the song is great, the group has a lot of potential, and I think you should keep an eye on them! P.S. Stop with all the B.A.P comparisons. The only similarity I see between these two groups is the rate at which fangirls have rushed to thier sides. The fanwars are getting annoying. Actually, they're not getting annoying, they are annoying.

We started this list with a song for the fans, so why not end with one for the fans as well? It's rookie trio/quartet (depends on the time of the year) D-Unit with their special song Thank You. I don't usually like slower/ballady/lovey-dovey songs, but for some reason I'm in LOVE with this song! It might have something to do with the super catchy and cute chorus. Yano, the

Thank you Thank you thank you Thank you Thank you thank you Thank you Thank you thank you Lu-lu-lu la-la-la

Adorable! The only strange thing about this song is that it features only three of the current members of D-Unit, but the fourth still performs the live stage. If you're unfamiliar with D-Unit's history, they are a 3 member girl group in origin. However, for their third single (I think it was their third) they welcomed new member JNY (It's the name Janey, but with letters missing. I don't know which letters are supposed to be missing, so I probably spelt that wrong) to the group. Janey originally hails from girl group GP Basic who made headlines a few years back for being the second youngest girl group in kpop. Janey was just 12 at the time, and although she was an impressive rapper, she was prevented from performing because of child labour laws, or something. Anyway, she came back with D-Unit, but I'm not sure if she's an official part of the group or not. I've heard her in interviews say that she is only a guest performer for D-Unit and GP Basic hasn't broken up, which is confusing because it isn't D-Unit ft JNY (or however you spell it), but she's written as one of the members now. So what's going on The point is, I have a feeling this song was recorded pre-Janey, which is why she doesn't have any lines. But, now that Janey is here, instead of adding in her lines, they just make her a fancy back up dancer, who doubles as backup singer during the chorus. It's all very weird to me. Apart from all that junk, the song is cool, sweet and catchy, so give it a go! And that's all I've got for today! If you have a song you're into at the moment, share it in the comments or fling it into my ask box! I shall leave you with a super cool, but completely irrelevant picture of Andamiro's eye from her Waiting MV, because I had it left over and I don't know when else I'll be able to use it. I'll see you all soon!

#Kpop #Kpop Korner #Special Spot #Playlist #Beast #BoA #BTS #D Unit #Girl's Day #K.Will

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withlovefromx · 12 years ago

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Special Spot: Supreme Team

It's time for a Special Spot Segment! It's been such a long time since my first ever Special Spot, and since then I've done a bunch of different segments on different things. However, for today I'd like to remember my first ever week... with another Spotlight On! There are so many top tier kpop idol groups floating around, but today I want to pay tribute to a smaller, slightly under the radar group. And by smaller, I mean the smallest possible number allowed for a group... two people. For today's special spot we have... Er, in case you were wondering, this has nothing to do with the American gang of the same name... With no relation to an 80's crime ring, Supreme Team is one of the most respected hip hop duos in kpop, and is probably one of my favourite groups. They've had a slightly rocky road to stardom, but their mix of fun filled and emotional music shines through to this day! So, let's take some time out of our day to learn a little bit more about the awesomeness that is Supreme Team! Before I lay down some basic info, I'm gonna start with 5 reasons why I am so crazy about Supreme Team:

They're fierce

They keep their music lightweight

They are intellectual

They have humble dreams...

...and they're super attractive

Wait, I can do better than that one...

Damn it. That isn't helping!!! The point is Supreme Team is multi-talented. But, when push comes to shove (What does that saying even mean??) what I like the most about this group is that they're rappers that rap because they want to. Yeah, not because they couldn't sing as well as all the other trainees so they were stuck with the rap job. They chose to become rappers, then worked hard to establish themselves. And after establishing themselves they've continued to bring laughter, romance, anger, big egos, sadness and so many more faces to the world of kpop. Korean Name: 슈프림팀 (Pronunciation: Syu-Peu-Rim-Tim) Other Names: None that I know of... Formed In: 2009. Or at least that was their official debut. Label: Amoeba Culture Members: Simon D and E-Sens Sub Groups: Um, Simon D and E-Sens. There's not a lot of room for movement in that... Fan Club Name: Hooligans (which is a totally awesome fanclub name) or Night Riders for fans of Simon D's solo work. Supreme Team also don't have an official colour for their fans, which isn't really a big loss, right? Remember earlier when I said Supreme Team was slightly under the radar? Well, you know what that means, right? Yep, it's harder to find info on them because their fans are a chill bunch. I have just enough info to make you a Supreme Team fan on Level 1, but to get to level Screaming Fangirl you might have to do some digging around yourself. Because I have so few resources to scavenge it's also harder for me to cross check info, so please be kind and let me know if I give wrong information! On the same note, if you have anything you want me to add about Supreme Team, please tell me about it and I'll work it in! Now let's get to the interesting bits...

Formation, Debut, and a Bunch of Trophies

After performing separately in the rap underground for some time, Simon D and E-Sens met, became friends and decided to join forces. And thus Supreme Team was formed! The team's composition was a note of excitement amongst fans of their solo work, and when they were signed to hip hop palace Amoeba Culture, the duo gained anticipation as the successors to label mates Dynamic Duo. Rookies Supreme Team wasted no time and released their first mini album Supreme Team Guide To Excellent Adventure in 2009, marking their debut as a group with their first MV for song Supermagic.

The album was met with high praise right across the board, and only a few months later they were awarded Mnet's Rookie of the Year Award. They were the first hip hop group to win this prestigious title. The next year Supreme Team showed no sign of slowing down, as they released their first full length album Supremier and began appearing on variety shows regularly. Simon D appeared in the public eye more than his partner, solidifying his place as a crowd favourite. June brought the repackaged version of Supremier, Spin Off, followed by a single Ames Room in October. December was Supreme Team's time to shine, especially when it came to award season. The group featured in the theme song for that year's MAMA awards, and although they didn't win anything at that show, Hooligans had no reason to worry. At Mnet's 20's Choice Awards Supreme Team were dubbed one of the Most Influential Stars, at the Golden Disk Awards they won for Best Rap/Hip Hop and they received the same title at the 2010 Melon Music Awards. To top it all off, Simon D was honoured at the MBC Broadcasting Entertainment Awards for his Popularity in Variety performances. Since their debut Supreme Team had slowly been rising to the top, and it looked like the only way was up.

Supreme Court?

2011 was a steady year for Supreme Team, marked with a few collaborations between the group and their label mates. In April record mogul Quincy Jones visited Korea, and to commemorate his visit Supreme Team wrote a song called Hommage to Quincy Jones featuring Dynamic Duo member Gaeko. The song was well received, and even Quincy Jones himself commented that he enjoyed it! But, just as things were looking up, a familiar set of events began to unfold. Why is it familiar, you ask? Well, I am a V.I.P, right? Then, drug scandals are no strangers to me. That's right, in November 2011 member E-Sens was accused of smoking marijuana, much like G-Dragon was that same year. However, unlike G-Dragon, E-Sens admitted to smoking the drug on and off for over a year, which resulted in an immediate trip in front of a judge. It took some time, but in April 2012 E-Sens' sentence was finally revealed. E-Sens was given a suspended 1 year and 2 months sentence with a probation period of 2 years. This means that if E-Sens is able to stay clean for two years he will not have to serve jail time. On the contrary, if he repeats his offences he will be locked up for a year and two months. On top of that, E-Sens was given a compulsory 160 hours of community service, was ordered to attend 40 hours of drug rehabilitation and lectures, and was forced to pay a fine of $1900. Pretty serious stuff, right? To show regret for his actions, E-Sens announced a hiatus from promoting. This marks a big difference in how the Korean public relate to his and G-Dragon's scandals. While E-Sens was eventually convicted of a crime, he sought a period of reflection, which is something that is expected by the Korean public. Meanwhile, G-Dragon, although not charged with any wrongdoing by the law, did not reflect or show regret, which earns him disfavour from the public. Hence E-Sens is treated with a little more respect when it comes to his drug scandal (it's still mentioned by netizens whenever he comes up, mind you), despite having a more serious case. Interesting, right? Anyway, the year wasn't a complete bust for Supreme Team, as E-Sens' break gave Simon D more time to work on a solo career. Not only did he release an album Simon Dominic Presents 'SNL LEAGUE BEGINS' in 2011, but he also made his acting debut in April 2012 as the character Ssam D in Standby. Simon D became more active on varieties, thus keeping the Supreme Team brand in the spotlight. After around a year of reflection, E-Sens made an appearance on label mate Primary's debut album Primary and the Messenger LP, alongside bandmate Simon D in the song 요지경 (Pronunciation: Yo-Ji-Gyeong; Translation: Zoo) . This was the first time E-Sens had promoted since his scandal broke back in 2011. It wasn't until March 2013 that the group reunited for their own performance, though. At the Amoebahood Concert 2013 Supreme Team came together once more, performing two new songs and announcing a digital single called Thanks 4 the Wait, which featured the title track 그대로 있어도 돼 (Pronunciation: Keu-Dae-Ro I-Sseo-Do Dwae; Translation: Stay Still). A very sweet title, if you ask me!

Although they've had their fair share of lows, Supreme Team has also had their fair share of highs and I can't wait to see what innovation they show everyone in the future. This group has really lived up to its name!

The Update

When I first prepared this post forever and a day ago, I hoped that Supreme Team wouldn't do too many cool things before I posted it so I wouldn't have to add another section. Never in a million years did I imagine they would BREAK UP. That's right; in July 2013 the talented duo announced they would be going their separate ways. Simon D informed fans that he would remain under the Amoeba Culture label as a solo artist, but E-Sens decided to terminate his contract and move on. The pair insist they still have a good friendship and it is only their working relationship that is over. I. Was. Gutted. But, since the two are sure to keep releasing impressive work, how about you take the time to learn about both boys so you can follow their future careers? You have no idea how glad I am that I only have two members to research! I'll try my best to find as much as I can about Simon D and E-Sens, but info is scarce, especially when it comes to E-Sens. Let's see what we can find though! Otherwise known as: Blanky Munn (the name he went by predebut. I have no idea what it means either.), 강민호 (Pronunciation: Kang Min-Ho), 이센스 (Pronunciation: I-Sen-Seu) Age: 27 yrs Korean age, 26 in Western age (Born 9 February 1987) Group Position: Lead Rapper Speaks: Korean and limited English Pre-Debut: Like Simon D, E-Sens had a flourishing career in the underground, under the name Blanky Munn. He also worked with Jiggy Fellaz (a bit more on them later) previously. In 2004 he released Planet Black & E-sens - UNCUT, pure !!, followed by Blanky Munn’s Unknown Verses: Mixtape Vol. 1 in 2007 and New Blood Rapper: Mixtape Vol. 2 in 2008. Apart from that he has a whole host of predebut tracks and features to his name... so many, in fact, that I don't really have the time or will to write them all down. Talents: Rapping, writing lyrics, producing. He can probably sing as well, but I haven't personally heard him do so, so this is unconfirmed. Solo Work: Featuring on their first album was Where To Go?, the first solo song by E-Sens amongst the Supreme Team catalogue. Not including his predebut work, E-Sens also has an impressive list of collaborative work. He has recently worked with label mate BumKey, as well as aforementioned label mates Dynamic Duo and Primary. Outside of the company he has worked with Verbal Jint, Epik High and much more. E-Sens has mentioned working on a solo album like Simon D was, but he was then swept up in his scandal and there has been no word since. We'll just have to wait and see! Identified by: He's the one that's got a higher voice. He is not the one that is Simon D. Anecdotes: E-Sens' name was given to him by his fellow rappers in his predebut days. It is a shortened version of Essayistic Sense, which he was called because his rap style was essay-istic, see? Because we're gonna talk about Simon D's romantic life, why not mention E-Sens'? In the past E-Sens has been repeatedly linked to T-ara's Soyeon. The two both vehemently denied the relationship, but netizens remained sceptical. At the very least, the two admitted they were good friends. Is anyone else having a hard time picturing bubble group T-ara and fierce rappers Supreme Team in the same friendship circles? Last year E-Sens got into a bit more trouble after posting a tweet that said

Why is it that when [comedians] have no ideas or have nothing to do, they always try and imitate hip hop musicians with "music" that aren’t even funny? Truthfully speaking, I am f*cking tired of seeing this

Things got worse when a couple days later comedian rap group Brave Guys announced they were retiring. Netizens obviously turned to E-Sens for blame, but Brave Guys denied any relation to the tweet. For the most part, a lot of people understood where E-Sens was coming from, the comedians responded kindly and took no offence, and the whole thing blew over quickly. Otherwise known as: Simon Dominic, 정기석 (Pronunciation: Jeong Gi-Seok), 사이먼디 (Pronunciation: Sa-I-Meon-Di), Ssam D, 쌈디 (Pronunciation: Ssam-Di), K-OUTA (the name he went by during his predebut underground years) Age: 30 yrs Korean age, 29 in Western age (Born 9 March 1984) Group Position: Lead Rapper, Lead Singer Speaks: Korean and limited English Pre-Debut: Simon D began work under the name K-OUTA, where he performed regularly, sometimes with the rap crew he was a member of, Jiggy Fellaz. He even released a full mixtape in 2008 called I Just Wanna Rhyme Vol.1! His music rap sheet is just as long as E-Sens', which also means I don't have the time to write them all down. Talents: Rapping, singing, (seriously, he is CRAZY good at singing), writing lyrics, acting, occasional modelling, and producing. Solo Work: Like E-Sens, Simon D also had a solo song on Supremier, Where U At?. Apart from all his predebut music, Simon D has released a full solo album Simon Dominic Presents 'SNL LEAGUE BEGINS' as well. He has also featured on a bunch of different songs, working with artists including Dynamic Duo, Primary, Ailee, K.Will, Lady Jane (we'll get to her later) and so much more. On the side, he is also the leader of rap crew Illest Konfusion, a group which partner E-Sens is also a part of. Identified by: He's the one that's got a deep voice. He is not the one that is E-Sens. Anecdotes: The name Simon Dominic comes from two different sources. First, the name Simon is taken from the villain in Wesley Snipe's film Demolition Man. Second, the name Dominic is taken from Saint Dominic, who Simon D may or may not have been christened for... the details are hazy on that one. Simon D has also stated that he fell in love with the name Simon after seeing a few villains in movies with that name. Hoping to become a trickster in the rap industry, he took the name Simon for that reason. Simon D was dating soulful singer Lady Jane for six years. The two released a duet in April of 2012 called 여섯시 반 (Pronunciation: Yeo-Seot-Si Ban; Translation: Half Past Six), which is actually the song that introduced me to Supreme Team. Sadly, the two parted ways only a few months ago. Simon D's hair has been in the news quite a bit... and not for necessarily good reasons. Simon D has recurrently been accused of balding by netizens, and it one point it got so bad he had to release an official statement explaining that his hair has always been thin. How to boost a guy's confidence, right? We're almost at the end of today's post! For your homework, just like with my Big Bang post, I've included my favourite Supreme Team songs, performances and collaborations. Listen and enjoy!

Simon D[1]- Gangnam Clique (SBS 가요대전 2012 Performance) Supreme Team- Supermagic and 땡땡땡[2] (20th Seoul Music Awards Performance) Simon D- 짠해[3]

Primary ft E-Sens- 독[4] (Primary Showcase Performance) Simon D- Where U At? Lady Jane and Simon D- 여섯시 반

BumKey ft E-Sens- 미친 연애[5] Simon D- 너를 보내고[6] (Mnet MUST Performance) Supreme Team- Respect My Money (Dirty Version)

Primary ft Supreme Team[7]- 요지경 Supreme Team- 왜[8] Supreme Team- 시노비[9]

Lesson Notes

[1] This song also features Dynamic Duo and Epik High, I just couldn't fit all that in that small box.

[2] (Pronunciation: Ddaeng Ddaeng Ddaeng; Translation: Then Then Then)

[3] (Pronunciation: Jjan-Hae; Translation: Cheerz)

[4] (Pronunciation: Dok; Translation: Poison)

[5] (Pronunciation: Mi-Chin Yeon-Ae; Translation: Bad Girl)

[6] (Pronunciation: Na-Reul Bo-Nae-Go; Translation: You Send). This song original belongs to 윤도현 (Pronunciation: Yun Do-Hyeon). Also... I TOLD YOU HE COULD SING!!!

[7] This song also features Yankie and Mellow.

[8] (Pronunciation: Wae; Translation: Why)

[9] (Pronunciation: Si-No-Bi; Translation: Shinobi) . This song features Tablo and DJ Pumpkin.

To close off this post, as always, let's hear the discussion question: I hope you had fun learning all about Supreme Team! Keep an eye on these guys because I know they've got big things in the works! As always, I'll see you next time with whatever post I whip up. For now, I must sleep! Ta-ta!!!

#Kpop #Kpop Korner #Special Spot #Spotlight On #Supreme Team #Simon D #E Sens

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