This one entry is dedicated to Simon Bacon and Eva Gledhill, two world-renowned British researchers with a penchant for vampires, monsters and all things gothic. I met Simon and Eva at the third "Celebrity: Exploring Critical Issues" at Mansfield College, Oxford, UK, in July 2014.
Below are a selection of K-pop videos from 2000-2015 that have a dark theme. In the videos, the dark theme is used in a myriad of ways, from a mere cliche (as in Taeyang's "I'll Be There"), a symbol of lost innocence (in Park Jiyoon's "Adult Ceremony") to a take on Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde."
So without further ado...
"Adult Ceremony" by Park Jiyoon (2000)
At the time of the song's release, Jiyoon was only 18 years old (international age.) I have already mentioned in a previous entry that while in most parts of the world she was considered legal at 18, in South Korea she was still pretty much a minor, as the age of consent there was 20 (international age) and it wasn't until 2013 that age of consent was lowered to 19. This should come as no surprise as Jiyoon was under JYP at that time, which is (in)famous for sexualizing minors in a variety of dark themes, which would be seen many years later in Suzy Bae (real name Bae Sooji) of Miss A.
"I'll Be There" by Taeyang (2010)
This mega hit by Big Bang's Taeyang (real name Dong Youngbae) is also available in Japanese and English, but his English pronunciation isn't that clear in the song and I'm not a fan of K-pop songs in Japanese, hence this original Korean version. Find Taeyang's tribute to that iconic scene from "Nosferatu" at 02:01.
"Pray" by Sunny Hill (2011)
A main fixture on the lists of K-pop videos to watch for Halloween, "Pray" was released when Sunny Hill was a co-ed group (it remains the only co-ed group in K-pop history) in 2011. In 2014, Sunny Hill's only male member Kim Janghyun left the group after completing compulsory military service to focus as a producer for the group.
"Touch" by Miss A (2012)
The opening scene still kinda gives me nightmares, more than four years on. Oh, and by the way the album version has a rap break by one of the group's Chinese members, Meng Jia.
"Hyde" by Vixx (2013)
Vixx stands out from the rest of K-pop boy groups for its consistency in the exploration of dark themes. If blood and gore are more your cup of tea, check out "Voodoo." For more loose adaptations of famous gothic literary pieces by the six-piece band, take a look at "Error", which is their take on "Frankenstein."
"V" by Lee Junghyun (2013)
Directed by Park Chanwook, dubbed the Korean Tim Burton, "V" by Lee Junghyun reminds me of "House", a 1977 Japanese slapstick horror movie. I totally dig the vampire brides, and my favourite scene is one starting at 03:38.
"Bad" by Infinite (2015)
What makes this one special is that "Bad" was actually released during summer time, a time when K-pop is bombarded by videos around the theme of beach and pool and skin-revealing outfits (hahah here's looking at you Sistar)! I love how the "Bad" video plays with the mirror theme as much as I love Sunny Hill plays around with the crucifixes in their "Pray" video.
Fellow K-poppers, am I missing anything? Which one do you like best?
Showing posts with label Infinite. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Infinite. Show all posts
Tuesday, 12 April 2016
Sunday, 29 November 2015
Nine Muses in the analogy of Infinite
I've been playing that song for five days straight, since its release on November 24 2015.
"Ticket", the second Nine Muses song that got me hooked on the band after "Figaro", which I've already put on this blog twice. If you happen to be Indonesian and remember the '90s Indonesia, don't you think it sounds a little bit like the disco dangdut genre that was popular at that time?
If you're a Nine Muses fan (henceforth a "Mine") who also happens to be an Inspirit, you should notice by now that Park Minha is like the Lee Sungyeol of Nine Muses. Both are considered the "dead weight" of their respective groups, not as talented as the rest of the group in terms of singing and dancing. While some fans argue that Minha is the visual member of Nine Muses just like some Inspirits consider Sungyeol Infinite's visual member, there's no denying that Park Kyungri is the most famous member of the eight-member girl group. In other words, whether or not Kyungri was meant from the start to be the visual member just like Kim Myungsoo was set to be so for Infinite, she attracts people into Nine Muses just like Myungsoo lures girls to become Inspirits. And let's not forget the fact that both Kyungri and Myungsoo are pretty decent vocalists with more lines than Sungyeol and Minha combined.
And after the departure of Ryu Sera, who is herself a legit all-rounder (a super gorgeous multi-instrumentalist who writes songs, danced well (though not as well as Park Eunji, also a former Muse) and served as one of the main vocalists), a lot of Mines have stated that they stay because of Moon Hyuna. Hyuna is another main vocalist who's turning 29 in January 2016 (international age) and one of those bonafide 'vampire idols' alongside 2NE1's Sandara Park and Super Junior's Choi Siwon. In short, she's the Kim Sunggyu of Nine Muses.
A 'dead weight' member is totally nothing new in K-pop bands. Almost each band in the genre has one such member, another example is Juliane Alfieri of the now-defunct girlband Chocolat. As with the history of all girlbands and boybands anywhere in the world, K-pop bands are formed mostly, if not entirely, for commercial purposes. Visual members are there to attract people to their bands, a duty they share to varying degrees with the main dancers, while main vocalists are usually those that make fans stay. All in all, each member has their own reasons to shine and each has more or less equal amount of chance to become favourites among fans. But what about the dead weight members? Do they serve other purposes besides backing vocalists? Are they there to...make young teenage fans with low self esteem feel as if they have someone to relate to? You tell me.
Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Infinite Effect: press conference and concert
Yeorobun annyeong haseyo! Oh, and hello Inspirits in particular!
As Indonesian Inspirits are well aware, Infinite had their second solo concert in Jakarta on November 15 2015. The day before that, I was very lucky to win an entry to a private press conference with Infinite, which was held as a joint venture by Mecima Pro and AMI Live, the promotors of Infinite Effect. I got the e-mail just a day before the press conference, and all the winners (about 35 Inspirits) were sworn to secrecy about the venue, so I guess even though the event is over now I still have to keep it a secret...(hint: a hotel somewhere in Central Jakarta.)
Once arrived at the venue, we were stripped off our bags, phones and cameras and so we walked into the press conference carrying nothing. We were also not allowed to ask the boys anything, so we made the most out of cheering for them (we weren't even allowed to scream!) and standing within our booth and holding out our hands to high five with the boys as they came in and walked out of the room.
I was particularly struck by Lee Sungjong, the maknae who first got me into Infinite. As with many Korean namjas, the boys had good facial skin but Jongie's was excellent. It was smooth and shiny like it was made of porcelain, making him look rather unnatural. And when he was asked to describe himself, our maknae said, "Lemon satang!" in reference to a comedy skit on anime channel Tooniverse that he did in 2011 in which he offered a little girl a lemon candy. He has since been known as "the lemon satang boy" by Inspirits worldwide, but nowadays many feel that he's outgrown that persona.
I was also struck by how dorky Kim Myungsoo, the visual member and second maknae, was. When asked by Sharon, a Korean who has lived in Indonesia for 14 years who was serving as co-host and interpreter, to say something to Indonesian Inspirits in attendance, he was silent for a second. Then he said something that sounded like gibberish, which Sharon later understood as his attempt to say, "Cinta kamu!" After that he took another second of silence before he laughed his famous dorky "haha!", which made him look even more adorable.
Now on to the concert!
If you haven't heard already, Infinite's rapper and main dancer Lee 'Hoya' Howon suffered from ligament damage and cartilage inflammation while filming KBS' variety show "Yoo Heeyeol's Sketchbook" last year and to date his legs haven't really healed. There were talks about him taking full rest, meaning he wouldn't be joining the rest of Infinite in Infinite Effect, but Hoya insisted on taking part in the concert. So far, most of the time he sat on a stool and performed his rap and singing bits from there, although when it came to songs that required light dancing he did dance. And that was exactly what he did at the Jakarta leg of Infinite Effect. There were moments where he seemed on be on the verge of tears, as projected on the two screens at either side of the stage, because his leg injury prevented him from dancing iconic moves such as the scorpion dance, which Hoya choreographed for "Before The Dawn."
However, Hoya made up for that by actually speaking VERY GOOD BAHASA INDONESIA! He was the one speaking Bahasa Indonesia the most and with THE CLEAREST PRONUNCIATION, and his memorable Bahasa Indonesia bits included....
"Saya minta maaf karena kaki saya sakit..."
(I apologize for my injured legs)
"Apakah kalian sedang menikmati pertunjukkan?"
(Are you enjoying the show?)
"Lantai satu, scream! Lantai dua, scream!"
(First floor, scream! Second floor, scream!)
"Kalian jaga kesehatan sampai kita bertemu lagi!"
(Please take care of your health until we meet again!)
Unlike the Jakarta leg of One Great Step two years ago during which Infinite spoke Indonesian without any help of an interpreter, this time again Sharon served as an interpreter, since most of the time the boys felt more comfortable speaking Korean. But this didn't mean Hoya was the only one with memorable Indonesian bits. Some memorable bits from the rest of the boys...
Kim Myungsoo: Halo, saya pacar kalian, L! (Hi, I'm your boyfriend, L!) - for those uninitiated, L is Myungsoo's stage name
Kim Sunggyu: "Pulangnya hati-hati ya!" (Have a safe trip home!)
Nam Woohyun: "Kalian jadian sama aku aja!" (slang for "let me be your boyfriend!")
All in all, it was a daebak concert. The fact that it was only two hours and 20 minutes long, much shorter than OGS' three plus hours, was indeed a good thing.
As Indonesian Inspirits are well aware, Infinite had their second solo concert in Jakarta on November 15 2015. The day before that, I was very lucky to win an entry to a private press conference with Infinite, which was held as a joint venture by Mecima Pro and AMI Live, the promotors of Infinite Effect. I got the e-mail just a day before the press conference, and all the winners (about 35 Inspirits) were sworn to secrecy about the venue, so I guess even though the event is over now I still have to keep it a secret...(hint: a hotel somewhere in Central Jakarta.)
Once arrived at the venue, we were stripped off our bags, phones and cameras and so we walked into the press conference carrying nothing. We were also not allowed to ask the boys anything, so we made the most out of cheering for them (we weren't even allowed to scream!) and standing within our booth and holding out our hands to high five with the boys as they came in and walked out of the room.
I was particularly struck by Lee Sungjong, the maknae who first got me into Infinite. As with many Korean namjas, the boys had good facial skin but Jongie's was excellent. It was smooth and shiny like it was made of porcelain, making him look rather unnatural. And when he was asked to describe himself, our maknae said, "Lemon satang!" in reference to a comedy skit on anime channel Tooniverse that he did in 2011 in which he offered a little girl a lemon candy. He has since been known as "the lemon satang boy" by Inspirits worldwide, but nowadays many feel that he's outgrown that persona.
I was also struck by how dorky Kim Myungsoo, the visual member and second maknae, was. When asked by Sharon, a Korean who has lived in Indonesia for 14 years who was serving as co-host and interpreter, to say something to Indonesian Inspirits in attendance, he was silent for a second. Then he said something that sounded like gibberish, which Sharon later understood as his attempt to say, "Cinta kamu!" After that he took another second of silence before he laughed his famous dorky "haha!", which made him look even more adorable.
Now on to the concert!
If you haven't heard already, Infinite's rapper and main dancer Lee 'Hoya' Howon suffered from ligament damage and cartilage inflammation while filming KBS' variety show "Yoo Heeyeol's Sketchbook" last year and to date his legs haven't really healed. There were talks about him taking full rest, meaning he wouldn't be joining the rest of Infinite in Infinite Effect, but Hoya insisted on taking part in the concert. So far, most of the time he sat on a stool and performed his rap and singing bits from there, although when it came to songs that required light dancing he did dance. And that was exactly what he did at the Jakarta leg of Infinite Effect. There were moments where he seemed on be on the verge of tears, as projected on the two screens at either side of the stage, because his leg injury prevented him from dancing iconic moves such as the scorpion dance, which Hoya choreographed for "Before The Dawn."
However, Hoya made up for that by actually speaking VERY GOOD BAHASA INDONESIA! He was the one speaking Bahasa Indonesia the most and with THE CLEAREST PRONUNCIATION, and his memorable Bahasa Indonesia bits included....
"Saya minta maaf karena kaki saya sakit..."
(I apologize for my injured legs)
"Apakah kalian sedang menikmati pertunjukkan?"
(Are you enjoying the show?)
"Lantai satu, scream! Lantai dua, scream!"
(First floor, scream! Second floor, scream!)
"Kalian jaga kesehatan sampai kita bertemu lagi!"
(Please take care of your health until we meet again!)
Unlike the Jakarta leg of One Great Step two years ago during which Infinite spoke Indonesian without any help of an interpreter, this time again Sharon served as an interpreter, since most of the time the boys felt more comfortable speaking Korean. But this didn't mean Hoya was the only one with memorable Indonesian bits. Some memorable bits from the rest of the boys...
Kim Myungsoo: Halo, saya pacar kalian, L! (Hi, I'm your boyfriend, L!) - for those uninitiated, L is Myungsoo's stage name
Kim Sunggyu: "Pulangnya hati-hati ya!" (Have a safe trip home!)
Nam Woohyun: "Kalian jadian sama aku aja!" (slang for "let me be your boyfriend!")
All in all, it was a daebak concert. The fact that it was only two hours and 20 minutes long, much shorter than OGS' three plus hours, was indeed a good thing.
Saturday, 8 August 2015
Reflections...
While answering a question on the best year (or in my case, years) on Ask.fm, I felt compelled to include 2013. Ever since I hit rock bottom disguised as a severe quarter life crisis upon returning from NZ, I felt that adulthood was nothing but bitterness - to the point that I stopped caring whether said bitterness would ever end. However, 2013 - the year I hit big 3-0 - did more than show that adulthood wasn't something that's automatically granted to anyone finishing university. Adulthood is indeed earned. To recap, in 2013...
- After a lot of job-hopping and a postgraduate degree which I partially funded myself, I embarked on a short vacation to Singapore. It was the first time I went out of the country in 4.5 years since leaving NZ. Nothing feels better than a much deserved holiday.
- I turned 30, as already said...with no fear. Congratulations and good luck to all those who hit that milestone this year and beyond! You can kiss those turbulent 20s goodbye as 30s are much more stable...unless you make no effort whatsoever to grow up.
- I got a wonderful belated 30th birthday present in terms of career, but I wish not to discuss that in detail.
- My long comatose boyband phase was revived - yes I'm talking about Infinite - which led to my first ever K-pop concert which was held on August 31 2013.
- I had my first taste of speaking at a conference, and this first conference of mine was held at Andalas University in Padang. Later after the conference I got to admire the beauty of my maternal ancestral home of Bukittinggi, also for the first time.
- I started making friends with Starbucks baristas again since coming home from NZ. Back in Auckland, I had a knack for befriending Starbucks baristas to the point of knowing at least one barista at each of the five Starbucks stores in Auckland CBD. I'm in touch with the majority of them.
The year 2013 actually had a slightly bitter end, but it didn't affect my 30s so far. Here's to better times ahead!
- After a lot of job-hopping and a postgraduate degree which I partially funded myself, I embarked on a short vacation to Singapore. It was the first time I went out of the country in 4.5 years since leaving NZ. Nothing feels better than a much deserved holiday.
- I turned 30, as already said...with no fear. Congratulations and good luck to all those who hit that milestone this year and beyond! You can kiss those turbulent 20s goodbye as 30s are much more stable...unless you make no effort whatsoever to grow up.
- I got a wonderful belated 30th birthday present in terms of career, but I wish not to discuss that in detail.
- My long comatose boyband phase was revived - yes I'm talking about Infinite - which led to my first ever K-pop concert which was held on August 31 2013.
- I had my first taste of speaking at a conference, and this first conference of mine was held at Andalas University in Padang. Later after the conference I got to admire the beauty of my maternal ancestral home of Bukittinggi, also for the first time.
- I started making friends with Starbucks baristas again since coming home from NZ. Back in Auckland, I had a knack for befriending Starbucks baristas to the point of knowing at least one barista at each of the five Starbucks stores in Auckland CBD. I'm in touch with the majority of them.
The year 2013 actually had a slightly bitter end, but it didn't affect my 30s so far. Here's to better times ahead!
Thursday, 23 April 2015
What I foresaw and foresee
Kim Doyeon, who shook the K-pop realm in late 2013 after her relationship with Infinite's Kim Myungsoo was revealed, will soon debut as an actress under NCP Company.
I was right all along (if you're impatient, click here for a shorter version.)
If you're a Woollim stan just like me, I'm sure you're aware by now that the singer Joo (real name Jung Minjoo) has just moved to Woollim from JYP. I'm looking forward to her re-debut under Woollim...and any possible 'scandal' that will follow.
I always thought that Infinite's debut in June 2010 was free of any scandal, but boy was I wrong. Around the same that Infinite debuted, rapper Tablo (real name Daniel Armand Lee) from Epik High was entangled in a high-profile scandal that raised serious doubts about whether or not Tablo was a Stanford University graduate (later the Stanford Alumni website issued an article that defended him.) It's important to note that in 2009, before Infinite's debut and said Stanford scandal broke, Tablo was a regular on "You Are My Oppa", a reality show about Infinite's journey leading to their debut. Tablo appeared on the show alongside bandmate Mithra Jin (real name Choi Jin) as mentors to the Infinite boys. It goes without saying that Epik High was under Woollim from 2008 to 2010.
The latest scandal that surrounds Woollim right now is one regarding Seo Jisoo, a member of the label's girl group Lovelyz. Long story short, Jisoo has been accused of sexually and mentally abusing her ex girlfriends (yes she's an alleged lesbian - which brings this scandal to a whole new level especially in South Korea!) The scandal broke as soon as Lovelyz debuted in November 2014 (and faced some serious competition with Red Velvet from SM who debuted a month earlier.) So far, it's said that some possible suspects have been interrogated and Jisoo herself was reportedly severely depressed because of this scandal and had to be hospitalised, and as a result she had to miss out on Lovelyz's comeback earlier this year. There have been rumours that Jisoo has actually been kicked out, but I say this is merely part of the game to keep the hype around Lovelyz afloat...
I was right all along (if you're impatient, click here for a shorter version.)
If you're a Woollim stan just like me, I'm sure you're aware by now that the singer Joo (real name Jung Minjoo) has just moved to Woollim from JYP. I'm looking forward to her re-debut under Woollim...and any possible 'scandal' that will follow.
I always thought that Infinite's debut in June 2010 was free of any scandal, but boy was I wrong. Around the same that Infinite debuted, rapper Tablo (real name Daniel Armand Lee) from Epik High was entangled in a high-profile scandal that raised serious doubts about whether or not Tablo was a Stanford University graduate (later the Stanford Alumni website issued an article that defended him.) It's important to note that in 2009, before Infinite's debut and said Stanford scandal broke, Tablo was a regular on "You Are My Oppa", a reality show about Infinite's journey leading to their debut. Tablo appeared on the show alongside bandmate Mithra Jin (real name Choi Jin) as mentors to the Infinite boys. It goes without saying that Epik High was under Woollim from 2008 to 2010.
The latest scandal that surrounds Woollim right now is one regarding Seo Jisoo, a member of the label's girl group Lovelyz. Long story short, Jisoo has been accused of sexually and mentally abusing her ex girlfriends (yes she's an alleged lesbian - which brings this scandal to a whole new level especially in South Korea!) The scandal broke as soon as Lovelyz debuted in November 2014 (and faced some serious competition with Red Velvet from SM who debuted a month earlier.) So far, it's said that some possible suspects have been interrogated and Jisoo herself was reportedly severely depressed because of this scandal and had to be hospitalised, and as a result she had to miss out on Lovelyz's comeback earlier this year. There have been rumours that Jisoo has actually been kicked out, but I say this is merely part of the game to keep the hype around Lovelyz afloat...
Monday, 10 November 2014
Someone's got what he wanted...
Woollim Entertainment has finally debuted their much anticipated girlband Lovelyz today. The group consists of eight girls aged 16 to 22 (international), three of whom (Jiae, Baby Soul (real name Lee Soojung) and Jin (real name Park Myungeun)) have previously debuted as soloists. In 2012, Yoo Jiae and Baby Soul released "She's A Flirt" featuring Infinite's Jang Dongwoo.
And this is Lovelyz's first single, "Goodbye Like Yesterday."
They're good but in all honesty I don't really like it that Jiae, Jin and Baby Soul, who have already shined as soloists, have to share spotlight with five other girls. Also you should have a look at their teaser images, in which the girls are dressed in what looks like school uniforms. I mean, Jiae and Baby Soul are 21 and 22 respectively! I wonder how those girls feel...
EDIT: It was awesome that they debuted with a ballad instead of a dance number. At least in the past two years most girlbands (if not all of them) debuted with a dance song. "Good Night Like Yesterday" draws people's attention to the girls' voices and it gives a good first impression that they really are singers...instead of dancers who sing to accompany their dance moves.
And the model that graces the video is, of course, none other than Infinite's leader Kim Sunggyu! If you're a long-time Sunggyu fan like me, you sure remember what happened on M-Net's "Jjang" when he was interviewed in light of his solo album "Another Me"...
Sunggyu complains that Kim Myungsoo, Infinite's visual member, got to star in his first solo single "60 Seconds." He's hoping that one day he'll star in his music video, and if you fast forward to 6:50 you'll see him hoping he'll get to showcase his acting ability one day. Sunggyu has since branched out to acting, playing the title role in a musical play called "Vampire", which was based by a play written by Czech composer Karel Svoboda. The play was performed in Tokyo on August 21-27 2014.
Last but not least, what's up with his red hair? Is it to celebrate the second anniversary of "Another Me", which was released on November 19 2012?
And this is Lovelyz's first single, "Goodbye Like Yesterday."
They're good but in all honesty I don't really like it that Jiae, Jin and Baby Soul, who have already shined as soloists, have to share spotlight with five other girls. Also you should have a look at their teaser images, in which the girls are dressed in what looks like school uniforms. I mean, Jiae and Baby Soul are 21 and 22 respectively! I wonder how those girls feel...
EDIT: It was awesome that they debuted with a ballad instead of a dance number. At least in the past two years most girlbands (if not all of them) debuted with a dance song. "Good Night Like Yesterday" draws people's attention to the girls' voices and it gives a good first impression that they really are singers...instead of dancers who sing to accompany their dance moves.
And the model that graces the video is, of course, none other than Infinite's leader Kim Sunggyu! If you're a long-time Sunggyu fan like me, you sure remember what happened on M-Net's "Jjang" when he was interviewed in light of his solo album "Another Me"...
Sunggyu complains that Kim Myungsoo, Infinite's visual member, got to star in his first solo single "60 Seconds." He's hoping that one day he'll star in his music video, and if you fast forward to 6:50 you'll see him hoping he'll get to showcase his acting ability one day. Sunggyu has since branched out to acting, playing the title role in a musical play called "Vampire", which was based by a play written by Czech composer Karel Svoboda. The play was performed in Tokyo on August 21-27 2014.
Last but not least, what's up with his red hair? Is it to celebrate the second anniversary of "Another Me", which was released on November 19 2012?
Monday, 2 June 2014
NKOTB, Infinite and anniversaries
Two years ago, precisely on June 1 2012, I watched New Kids On The Block (and Backstreet Boys, but who cares) in concert. It was their first concert in Jakarta in twenty years. As an eight-year-old, I came to the NKOTB concert at Istora Senayan on February 11 1992.
Their comeback was one of the best things that have ever happened in the realm of Blockheads. After they disbanded in 1995 following the departure of Jonathan Knight, there was little if any hope at all that they would reunite. But reunite they did in 2008, and unlike other old bands that cashed in on the "reuniting season" that was the late 2000s only for the sake of reuniting (here's looking at you, Spice Girls), the Kids proved that this second time around they were here to stay. Beginning with "The Block" in 2008, the Kids had solo projects between themselves (Jordan Knight and Donny Wahlberg notably had a duet in the single "Stingy"), before releasing a new album as a whole in April 2013 called "10" (it's their 10th album since debuting in 1986.)
MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE. Out of all my NKOTB faves. Not only does this song boast the musical maturity of the Kids, the video is also something out of the typical NKOTB videos that feature hot young girls (yes, even the MV of "Stingy" (which was out in 2011) features a girl that could pass for their young niece.)
Oh, and while we're at it...Jordan has also teamed with Nick Carter from Backstreet Boys and whipped out this single. I've never really liked BSB, but this one is worth checking out.
By the way, I found my way to NKOTB in 1990. I don't remember the exact date.
Exactly a year ago, June 2 2013, I discovered Infinite. You only need to check my previous Infinite entries to find out what attracted me to the seven Korean namjas. Infinite marks a new phase in my life that's groundbreaking on many levels. It revived my boyband phase, long dead since 1994. Infinite was also my first ever K-pop concert, and it wasn't like me to attend an artist's concert only about two months about discovering the artist. This June 9 will see the boys' fourth anniversary in the show business.
The spectacular "Last Romeo", the first single out of their latest full-length album "Season Two." This video is first Infinite video to achieve one million hits only within TWO DAYS after being released on May 21.
NKOTB and Infinite, two sets of boybands from different countries and eras - yet both hold a special place in my heart. These seemingly coincidental anniversaries (NKOTB's last concert in Jakarta, my discovery of Infinite and Infinite's debut anniversary) are not coincidences. To keep a long story short, it's God's way to show that He's planned to put them in my life, probably long before I came into existence.
Other NKOTB and Infinite coincidences related to me...
- NKOTB's maknae, Joey McIntyre, is exactly ten years and 4.5 months my senior. Infinite's maknae, Lee Sungjong, is exactly ten years and 3.5 months my junior.
- Both NKOTB and Infinite each has a Taurean member who's the main vocalist (Jordan Knight and Kim Sunggyu.) And I'm a Taurean myself.
- NKOTB's three-day concert in Jakarta ended on February 13 1992, exactly a month before my second favourite in Infinite, Kim Myungsoo, was born.
- The year I became a Blockhead was also the year Infinite's rapper, Jang Dongwoo, was born.
- This is not a coincidence but...no matter how old I am, I'll always be a kiddy Blockhead. Likewise, no matter how old Infinite boys will be, I'll always be a noona Inspirit <3
Yah Yeol-ah, I'm not the cheating type...Ask your NKOTB sunbaes!
Their comeback was one of the best things that have ever happened in the realm of Blockheads. After they disbanded in 1995 following the departure of Jonathan Knight, there was little if any hope at all that they would reunite. But reunite they did in 2008, and unlike other old bands that cashed in on the "reuniting season" that was the late 2000s only for the sake of reuniting (here's looking at you, Spice Girls), the Kids proved that this second time around they were here to stay. Beginning with "The Block" in 2008, the Kids had solo projects between themselves (Jordan Knight and Donny Wahlberg notably had a duet in the single "Stingy"), before releasing a new album as a whole in April 2013 called "10" (it's their 10th album since debuting in 1986.)
MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE. Out of all my NKOTB faves. Not only does this song boast the musical maturity of the Kids, the video is also something out of the typical NKOTB videos that feature hot young girls (yes, even the MV of "Stingy" (which was out in 2011) features a girl that could pass for their young niece.)
Oh, and while we're at it...Jordan has also teamed with Nick Carter from Backstreet Boys and whipped out this single. I've never really liked BSB, but this one is worth checking out.
By the way, I found my way to NKOTB in 1990. I don't remember the exact date.
Exactly a year ago, June 2 2013, I discovered Infinite. You only need to check my previous Infinite entries to find out what attracted me to the seven Korean namjas. Infinite marks a new phase in my life that's groundbreaking on many levels. It revived my boyband phase, long dead since 1994. Infinite was also my first ever K-pop concert, and it wasn't like me to attend an artist's concert only about two months about discovering the artist. This June 9 will see the boys' fourth anniversary in the show business.
The spectacular "Last Romeo", the first single out of their latest full-length album "Season Two." This video is first Infinite video to achieve one million hits only within TWO DAYS after being released on May 21.
NKOTB and Infinite, two sets of boybands from different countries and eras - yet both hold a special place in my heart. These seemingly coincidental anniversaries (NKOTB's last concert in Jakarta, my discovery of Infinite and Infinite's debut anniversary) are not coincidences. To keep a long story short, it's God's way to show that He's planned to put them in my life, probably long before I came into existence.
Other NKOTB and Infinite coincidences related to me...
- NKOTB's maknae, Joey McIntyre, is exactly ten years and 4.5 months my senior. Infinite's maknae, Lee Sungjong, is exactly ten years and 3.5 months my junior.
- Both NKOTB and Infinite each has a Taurean member who's the main vocalist (Jordan Knight and Kim Sunggyu.) And I'm a Taurean myself.
- NKOTB's three-day concert in Jakarta ended on February 13 1992, exactly a month before my second favourite in Infinite, Kim Myungsoo, was born.
- The year I became a Blockhead was also the year Infinite's rapper, Jang Dongwoo, was born.
- This is not a coincidence but...no matter how old I am, I'll always be a kiddy Blockhead. Likewise, no matter how old Infinite boys will be, I'll always be a noona Inspirit <3
Yah Yeol-ah, I'm not the cheating type...Ask your NKOTB sunbaes!
Sunday, 5 January 2014
Birthday greetings...
Happy belated birthday to the CEO of Woollim Entertainment, Lee Jungyeop, who turned a year older on January 4!
Sangeil chukkae hamnida Lee Jungyeop sajangnim!
I haven't learned how to say "happy belated birthday" in Korean :p
A whole-hearted thank you from Inspirits and Twings for debuting Infinite, Tasty, Nell and Yoo Jiae, although some probably still can't forgive you for what you did to Tablo and about the Kim Myungsoo and Kim Doyeon dating "scandal."
Also a very special thank you for not forbidding Lee Sungjong to do girlband dances, otherwise I wouldn't have found his "Adult Ceremony" performance and eventually my way to Infinite!
Sincere wishes for good health, more success for Woollim and its artists - and since I hear that you're still single, I hope you'll soon find a better half!
I do hope that in the future you'll let your artists speak for themselves regarding dating rumors and the like. Let them announce their relationships or publicly apologize if they're proven to be in possession of drugs. I'm sure you know by now that real fans will support their idols no matter what (or in some cases, wonder if it's all just a set-up.) Ignore the sasaengs and those who would just leave the idols once they're revealed to be mere humans.
Isn't it appropriate that my first entry for 2014 is one dedicated to the man behind Infinite, a group that made 2013 brighter for me :)
Sangeil chukkae hamnida Lee Jungyeop sajangnim!
I haven't learned how to say "happy belated birthday" in Korean :p
A whole-hearted thank you from Inspirits and Twings for debuting Infinite, Tasty, Nell and Yoo Jiae, although some probably still can't forgive you for what you did to Tablo and about the Kim Myungsoo and Kim Doyeon dating "scandal."
Also a very special thank you for not forbidding Lee Sungjong to do girlband dances, otherwise I wouldn't have found his "Adult Ceremony" performance and eventually my way to Infinite!
Sincere wishes for good health, more success for Woollim and its artists - and since I hear that you're still single, I hope you'll soon find a better half!
I do hope that in the future you'll let your artists speak for themselves regarding dating rumors and the like. Let them announce their relationships or publicly apologize if they're proven to be in possession of drugs. I'm sure you know by now that real fans will support their idols no matter what (or in some cases, wonder if it's all just a set-up.) Ignore the sasaengs and those who would just leave the idols once they're revealed to be mere humans.
Isn't it appropriate that my first entry for 2014 is one dedicated to the man behind Infinite, a group that made 2013 brighter for me :)
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Infinite and possible publicity stunts
Twitter is currently ablaze with Woollim's confirmation that Infinite's second maknae Kim Myungsoo (also known as L, but I'll refer to him as Myungsoo here) did indeed date an ulzzang (an "ulzzang" is like minor celebrity, a guy or girl who gains popularity online by posting selcas) called Kim Doyeon. The agency even implied that the two might still be together, only estranged due to Infinite's "One Great Step" world tour.
Back in September, Doyeon topped Twitter trending topics for her tweets which insinuated that she was dating Myungsoo and posting pictures allegedly of her and Myungsoo together. Then Woollim released a statement saying that Myungsoo and Doyeon were just friends, triggering Inspirits to accuse the poor girl of being an attention seeker.
Woollim eventually came clean about Myungsoo and Doyeon dating after the girl tweeted that Inspirits (or should I say those who are half Inspirit and half sasaeng) stole petrol from her car, threw garbage at her office and even threw bottles at her. She threatened to bring this to court.
You might want to think well Myungsoo is 21 (22 in Korean age) and Doyeon works and drives, so she's at least Myungsoo's age, why not let them date. And let's applaud Myungsoo for being able to squeeze a bit of personal life into his crazy gruelling schedule.
Except...is that really the case? Was Woollim's confirmation that the Infinite visual was dating really an act of coming clean?
When Inspirits first became aware of Kim Doyeon in late September, Infinite was in the midst of the OGS' Asian leg. Also, on the very same date that Doyeon topped trending topics for the first time (September 26), Infinite released "Request", a single for their Samsung promotion campaigns. And let's look at other things surrounding the revelation of the two Kims' relationship. Last week, Woollim released two teasers of "Day and Night", a comeback single of their duo Tasty. Also last week, Infinite won "Worldwide Performer" and "Best Male Group" (beating Shinee and EXO from K-pop industry titan SM) at the 2013 M-Net Asian Music Awards (MAMA 2013) in Hong Kong, and the boyband has just kickstarted the European part of OGS, with a concert in London being held tonight (yes a Wednesday.)
Aaand let's not forget that sometime in their US tour which has just wrapped, member Jang Dongwoo revealed that Infinite would release a new single just before the end of the year.
You don't have to be a Communications Science expert to have every right to suspect the whole Kim Doyeon brouhaha is nothing but a publicity stunt. What I don't understand is with all the new level of popularity brought by OGS world tour, endorsements (Infinite are brand ambassadors of Samsung and Natuur Pop, and this year they added Pepsi to the list), award wins, comeback albums and singles, why would Woollim create this "Myungsoo dating Doyeon" stunt to bring attention to any new Infinite release - or Tasty for that matter? Sure, Tasty is nowhere near as famous as their labelmate Infinite yet, having debuted just last year, but "Day and Night" is Tasty's second comeback of the year, which means the duo's popularity is rising. Can't they just "rise from the ashes" the way Infinite did when they debuted back in 2010, without the help of any scandal?
Or is it some kind of a warning that we shouldn't be shocked when Doyeon is revealed to be a K-pop trainee of any agency (not necessarily Woollim)?
If it is indeed a publicity stunt, then the biggest blame most likely lies on the cutthroat Korean music industry, in which new girlbands, boybands and solo artists emerge everyday. So much so that when a new singer or group appears, they should consider themselves lucky if they live to see their comeback mini album, which typically consists of four songs and only one of those songs is promoted.
"Keep them talking, that's the game," says PR expert JJ French in "St. Trinian's", but at least in this case with Infinite and Kim Doyeon, perhaps I'm the only one who doesn't get the drift.
Back in September, Doyeon topped Twitter trending topics for her tweets which insinuated that she was dating Myungsoo and posting pictures allegedly of her and Myungsoo together. Then Woollim released a statement saying that Myungsoo and Doyeon were just friends, triggering Inspirits to accuse the poor girl of being an attention seeker.
Woollim eventually came clean about Myungsoo and Doyeon dating after the girl tweeted that Inspirits (or should I say those who are half Inspirit and half sasaeng) stole petrol from her car, threw garbage at her office and even threw bottles at her. She threatened to bring this to court.
You might want to think well Myungsoo is 21 (22 in Korean age) and Doyeon works and drives, so she's at least Myungsoo's age, why not let them date. And let's applaud Myungsoo for being able to squeeze a bit of personal life into his crazy gruelling schedule.
Except...is that really the case? Was Woollim's confirmation that the Infinite visual was dating really an act of coming clean?
When Inspirits first became aware of Kim Doyeon in late September, Infinite was in the midst of the OGS' Asian leg. Also, on the very same date that Doyeon topped trending topics for the first time (September 26), Infinite released "Request", a single for their Samsung promotion campaigns. And let's look at other things surrounding the revelation of the two Kims' relationship. Last week, Woollim released two teasers of "Day and Night", a comeback single of their duo Tasty. Also last week, Infinite won "Worldwide Performer" and "Best Male Group" (beating Shinee and EXO from K-pop industry titan SM) at the 2013 M-Net Asian Music Awards (MAMA 2013) in Hong Kong, and the boyband has just kickstarted the European part of OGS, with a concert in London being held tonight (yes a Wednesday.)
Aaand let's not forget that sometime in their US tour which has just wrapped, member Jang Dongwoo revealed that Infinite would release a new single just before the end of the year.
You don't have to be a Communications Science expert to have every right to suspect the whole Kim Doyeon brouhaha is nothing but a publicity stunt. What I don't understand is with all the new level of popularity brought by OGS world tour, endorsements (Infinite are brand ambassadors of Samsung and Natuur Pop, and this year they added Pepsi to the list), award wins, comeback albums and singles, why would Woollim create this "Myungsoo dating Doyeon" stunt to bring attention to any new Infinite release - or Tasty for that matter? Sure, Tasty is nowhere near as famous as their labelmate Infinite yet, having debuted just last year, but "Day and Night" is Tasty's second comeback of the year, which means the duo's popularity is rising. Can't they just "rise from the ashes" the way Infinite did when they debuted back in 2010, without the help of any scandal?
Or is it some kind of a warning that we shouldn't be shocked when Doyeon is revealed to be a K-pop trainee of any agency (not necessarily Woollim)?
If it is indeed a publicity stunt, then the biggest blame most likely lies on the cutthroat Korean music industry, in which new girlbands, boybands and solo artists emerge everyday. So much so that when a new singer or group appears, they should consider themselves lucky if they live to see their comeback mini album, which typically consists of four songs and only one of those songs is promoted.
"Keep them talking, that's the game," says PR expert JJ French in "St. Trinian's", but at least in this case with Infinite and Kim Doyeon, perhaps I'm the only one who doesn't get the drift.
Sunday, 15 September 2013
Infinite OGS Jakarta short report
So here's my own account of Infinite's One Great Step (OGS) concert in Jakarta, which was held on August 31.
I'm gonna keep it short and focused on the things that grabbed my attention and have staying power.
Before the concert started, I was worried that I wouldn't understand a single thing except the English lyrics of Infinite's songs. OGS was my first K-pop concert and I'd always wanted to go to a K-pop concert (I actually considered going to see Miss A and SM Town when they came to Jakarta), but I never went to one because I was worried I wouldn't be able to sing along. It turned out that Infinite boys spoke to the audience in English and their English was FAR BETTER than expected, although if it was obvious that they practiced their English conversation before the performance. Hoya, the band's frequent "English announcer", particularly impressed me when he said towards the end of the concert, "We have sad news to break to you guys - our concert is coming to an end." For a guy who was often made fun of for his, "We're concept [sic] is unique," and "We're first travel [sic]," this was HELLA IMPRESSIVE.
After which the boys did the "sangat sedih" aegyo. "Sangat sedih" in Indonesian means "very sad."
Did I mention that the boys did more than saying the standard fares "terima kasih", "selamat malam" and "lebih keras"? Get this - they actually managed to talk to each other in Bahasa Indonesia. I don't remember most of their Indonesian conversation (because I was so filled with "fangirl feels"), but I clearly remember Sunggyu saying, "Tadi malam saya tidak bisa tiduru [sic]."
And if you're wondering, yes they did sing "Pelangi." Now that's a standard fare for international musicians having concerts in Indonesia. Needless to say, this was the only song I could sing along to.
And yes, Sungyeol and Sungjong's birthdays were celebrated on stage with a tiered cake that said "Happy birthday Sungyeol & Jong." Hahahahah. How hard was it to add "Sung" before "Jong"?
All this in addition to the performances (or "stages" as the seven princes called it), one word to sum it up: daebak.
Wait, that's an understatement...
I'm gonna keep it short and focused on the things that grabbed my attention and have staying power.
Before the concert started, I was worried that I wouldn't understand a single thing except the English lyrics of Infinite's songs. OGS was my first K-pop concert and I'd always wanted to go to a K-pop concert (I actually considered going to see Miss A and SM Town when they came to Jakarta), but I never went to one because I was worried I wouldn't be able to sing along. It turned out that Infinite boys spoke to the audience in English and their English was FAR BETTER than expected, although if it was obvious that they practiced their English conversation before the performance. Hoya, the band's frequent "English announcer", particularly impressed me when he said towards the end of the concert, "We have sad news to break to you guys - our concert is coming to an end." For a guy who was often made fun of for his, "We're concept [sic] is unique," and "We're first travel [sic]," this was HELLA IMPRESSIVE.
After which the boys did the "sangat sedih" aegyo. "Sangat sedih" in Indonesian means "very sad."
Did I mention that the boys did more than saying the standard fares "terima kasih", "selamat malam" and "lebih keras"? Get this - they actually managed to talk to each other in Bahasa Indonesia. I don't remember most of their Indonesian conversation (because I was so filled with "fangirl feels"), but I clearly remember Sunggyu saying, "Tadi malam saya tidak bisa tiduru [sic]."
And if you're wondering, yes they did sing "Pelangi." Now that's a standard fare for international musicians having concerts in Indonesia. Needless to say, this was the only song I could sing along to.
And yes, Sungyeol and Sungjong's birthdays were celebrated on stage with a tiered cake that said "Happy birthday Sungyeol & Jong." Hahahahah. How hard was it to add "Sung" before "Jong"?
All this in addition to the performances (or "stages" as the seven princes called it), one word to sum it up: daebak.
Wait, that's an understatement...
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
Our maknae is officially not a baby anymore! Or will he forever be?
Today is the 20th birthday of Infinite's maknae Lee Sungjong. Even though he's 21 in Korean age, to me his real age is the international one. So yeah, congratulations Jongie on officially becoming a 20-something!
Here's a slew of videos highlighting my favourite Jjong moments!
Predebut Sungjong dancing to Wonder Girls' "Tell Me." He's in right there in the middle, dancing very comfortably in a mini skirt.
Jongie was only 16 when he performed this and Infinite had just debuted, but he's all smiles and confident. Boy was born to be a performer.
Yes, this performance again. A fancam this time. Gotta credit Sungjong for awakening my long-comatose boyband phase!
Oh by the way I DID go to see The Jakarta OGS on August 31. Fan account coming soon!
Here's a slew of videos highlighting my favourite Jjong moments!
Predebut Sungjong dancing to Wonder Girls' "Tell Me." He's in right there in the middle, dancing very comfortably in a mini skirt.
Jongie was only 16 when he performed this and Infinite had just debuted, but he's all smiles and confident. Boy was born to be a performer.
Yes, this performance again. A fancam this time. Gotta credit Sungjong for awakening my long-comatose boyband phase!
Oh by the way I DID go to see The Jakarta OGS on August 31. Fan account coming soon!
Friday, 19 July 2013
Infinite - the third instalment
Happy big 2-0 Lee Sohee! I wish we could have time to hang out. I would love to listen to your coming-of-age day story and how you had to spend it overseas. How did it feel?
I'm not Hoya-biased but Sohee is, and to honour the birthday girl treat yourself to an entry about Infinite's resident dancing machine and rapper, Lee Howon a.k.a Hoya a.k.a Hogod ("Hogod" is a nickname given to him by his fangirls.)
For those uninitiated, Hoya is the only member of Infinite who didn't finish high school. He dropped out of high school when he was 17 to pursue his dream of being a singer. His sacrifice was paid off when he debuted with Infinite under Woolim Entertainment in June 2010, aged 19. Thus far he's branched out to acting, playing a gay character called Kang Joonhee in the TV series "Reply 1997" and he earned critical acclaims for the role - not bad for a first-time actor. With fellow Infinite rapper Jang Dongwoo, Hoya also debuted under the sub-unit Infinite H last January. What makes Infinite H distinct from Infinite is its Hip-hop and R & B sound and "more laid back dancing" (as Dongwoo put it) as opposed to the synchronised dancing that Infinite is famous for.
For someone without a high school diploma, Hoya seems to be the most determined out of the seven Infinite guys. Despite his lack of English skills, he wouldn't mind being the band's English announcer (which leaves everyone wonder why Dongwoo won't take the position since he once lived in Vancouver!) Not to mention the fact that his first performance as an actor was critically acclaimed and his position as main dancer proves that his dancing skills are above everyone else's. A slew of interviews also show that he's able to come up with smart banters (which probably come across as harsh to some.) Perhaps this has something to do with his starsign being Aries?
Aries people are known for being determined and impatient (they won't hesitate to tell people off if things don't go their way.) They're eager to win every argument there is and their stubbornness can only be rivalled by Taureans. But whereas Arieses won't hesitate to give people a piece of their mind if things don't go to plan, Taureans tend to harbour their anger until it bursts out of their control five years from now. I know a lot of Taureans who secretly resent their Aries friends to a certain point. Heck, I'm one of said Taureans...while I appreciate my close Aries friends who have taken care of me at certain stages in my life, I still have a hard time dealing with their brashness.
Which makes me wonder...how do Hoya and Sunggyu connect to each other off camera?
My secret wish for Hoya is that he would get a high school diploma, like a Korean GED or something. It's not too late, he's only 22. I mean, didn't Natasha Reid/Tasha/Baby T/Yoon Mirae/whatever moniker she goes by finish high school online in 2006, at age 25? Also, I wouldn't mind teaching him English. I'd be with him every step of the way until he really masters the language. Omo, do I sound like a Hoya die-hard fan now? Sohee, you're partially to blame for this...But I've always liked the seven members anyway, so showing a non-favourite a little more love than usual is not a problem.
I'm not Hoya-biased but Sohee is, and to honour the birthday girl treat yourself to an entry about Infinite's resident dancing machine and rapper, Lee Howon a.k.a Hoya a.k.a Hogod ("Hogod" is a nickname given to him by his fangirls.)
For those uninitiated, Hoya is the only member of Infinite who didn't finish high school. He dropped out of high school when he was 17 to pursue his dream of being a singer. His sacrifice was paid off when he debuted with Infinite under Woolim Entertainment in June 2010, aged 19. Thus far he's branched out to acting, playing a gay character called Kang Joonhee in the TV series "Reply 1997" and he earned critical acclaims for the role - not bad for a first-time actor. With fellow Infinite rapper Jang Dongwoo, Hoya also debuted under the sub-unit Infinite H last January. What makes Infinite H distinct from Infinite is its Hip-hop and R & B sound and "more laid back dancing" (as Dongwoo put it) as opposed to the synchronised dancing that Infinite is famous for.
For someone without a high school diploma, Hoya seems to be the most determined out of the seven Infinite guys. Despite his lack of English skills, he wouldn't mind being the band's English announcer (which leaves everyone wonder why Dongwoo won't take the position since he once lived in Vancouver!) Not to mention the fact that his first performance as an actor was critically acclaimed and his position as main dancer proves that his dancing skills are above everyone else's. A slew of interviews also show that he's able to come up with smart banters (which probably come across as harsh to some.) Perhaps this has something to do with his starsign being Aries?
Aries people are known for being determined and impatient (they won't hesitate to tell people off if things don't go their way.) They're eager to win every argument there is and their stubbornness can only be rivalled by Taureans. But whereas Arieses won't hesitate to give people a piece of their mind if things don't go to plan, Taureans tend to harbour their anger until it bursts out of their control five years from now. I know a lot of Taureans who secretly resent their Aries friends to a certain point. Heck, I'm one of said Taureans...while I appreciate my close Aries friends who have taken care of me at certain stages in my life, I still have a hard time dealing with their brashness.
Which makes me wonder...how do Hoya and Sunggyu connect to each other off camera?
My secret wish for Hoya is that he would get a high school diploma, like a Korean GED or something. It's not too late, he's only 22. I mean, didn't Natasha Reid/Tasha/Baby T/Yoon Mirae/whatever moniker she goes by finish high school online in 2006, at age 25? Also, I wouldn't mind teaching him English. I'd be with him every step of the way until he really masters the language. Omo, do I sound like a Hoya die-hard fan now? Sohee, you're partially to blame for this...But I've always liked the seven members anyway, so showing a non-favourite a little more love than usual is not a problem.
Thursday, 18 July 2013
The baby maknae and all those pairings...
This is the video that first got me into Infinite. I fell in love with Lee Sungjong almost right away (despite the fact that he's ten years younger than me and yes, I'm waiting for him to jump out of the closet), but I was reluctant to get to know Infinite. I watched his clips from an array of variety shows such as Sesame Player, and until I felt I was ready to introduce myself to Infinite. I browsed Infinite reviews, stumbled on one about "The Chaser" and the rest is history...
I find it unique that K-pop fans readily accept the PDA's between Sungjong and Infinite second maknae Kim Myungsoo, better known as L. L and Sungjong publicly hug each other from the back, caress each other's hair on stage and fans seem to like that. They nickname the pair "Myungjong" (Korean fans name them "LSung") and create Facebook and Tumblr fanpages for them. I really would like to learn why fans' approval of MyungJong flourishes while it is still hard for South Korea to accept homosexuality. Meanwhile L and SungJong continue with their PDA's, and it turns out that fans now are pairing Kim Sunggyu and Nam Woohyun, also from Infinite, since Sunggyu appeared solo on an episode of Mnet's Jjang where he mentioned Woohyun every five minutes...
Oh, in case you're wondering what song Sungjong is singing in the video, it's a cover of "Adult Ceremony" by Park Jiyoon, which was released in 2000. Funny that such a raunchy song was released when Jiyoon was only 18, and while the whole world might think she was legal already, she wasn't. The legal age in South Korea at the time was 20, and only this year it's been lowered to 19.
I find it unique that K-pop fans readily accept the PDA's between Sungjong and Infinite second maknae Kim Myungsoo, better known as L. L and Sungjong publicly hug each other from the back, caress each other's hair on stage and fans seem to like that. They nickname the pair "Myungjong" (Korean fans name them "LSung") and create Facebook and Tumblr fanpages for them. I really would like to learn why fans' approval of MyungJong flourishes while it is still hard for South Korea to accept homosexuality. Meanwhile L and SungJong continue with their PDA's, and it turns out that fans now are pairing Kim Sunggyu and Nam Woohyun, also from Infinite, since Sunggyu appeared solo on an episode of Mnet's Jjang where he mentioned Woohyun every five minutes...
Oh, in case you're wondering what song Sungjong is singing in the video, it's a cover of "Adult Ceremony" by Park Jiyoon, which was released in 2000. Funny that such a raunchy song was released when Jiyoon was only 18, and while the whole world might think she was legal already, she wasn't. The legal age in South Korea at the time was 20, and only this year it's been lowered to 19.
Monday, 15 July 2013
Raving on Infinite - part 1
Hi everyone!
A lot has happened since I last blogged. I've added another hat in addition to teaching, that of the President University International Collaborations Office staff member. Right now we're working on a student exchange program MOU with Webster University, USA. Hopefully this goes swimmingly.
It's so hard to squeeze in time to blog lately!
I'm sooo in love with Korean boyband Infinite at the moment. Yes, I'm a new Inspirit, converted about a month ago. My favourites are the leader, Kim Sunggyu, and the maknae Lee Sungjong, but basically I like all seven members. I'm also in love with Kim Sunggyu's mini solo album "Another Me", which is deemed by many as a failure because it's only sold roughly 100,000 copies since its release in late 2012.
The fact that Sunggyu is a fellow Taurean wins him a soft spot in my heart. He's nicknamed Grandpa Gyu because he nags his dongsaengs a lot, disciplines them military style, gets sick easily (his skin is allergic to metal and he travels with a bagful of vitamins and medicine) and wears cardigans a lot. People make fun of this, the size of his eyes and the low sale of his solo album. Sunggyu always defends "Another Me" as a classic, since he poured his heart into it and worked with his long-time inspiration, Korean rock band Nell, for the album. And indeed it's a classic since all the songs show a more mature side of Gyu, with a bit of a rock touch which sees the 24-year-old going back to his rock roots (Gyu fronted to a rock band called "Beat" back in high school, and yes there's actually a video of the band performing, shot in 2008!)
I don't think Gyu cares about people making fun of him and the things he does, which is very typically Taurean. He might not be the best looking in Infinite (Kim Myungsoo, nicknamed "L", is the group's visual), the best dancer (Lee Howon, nicknamed "Hoya", holds that title), but his voice is without a doubt the best (Gyu fanatics don't call him "honey-voiced leader" for nothing.) It's that honey voice and his awesome piano skills (showcased in the solo album's opening track) that are the main selling points. Taureans rely on their talent and don't need other people's approval to keep going.
By the way, this is just the first part of my Infinite-spazzing...I'm awkward about the term "spazzing" - is it the word kids use nowadays to describe raving about their idols? Whatever it is, there will be more Infinite entries coming soon - a treat to fellow Inspirits!
A lot has happened since I last blogged. I've added another hat in addition to teaching, that of the President University International Collaborations Office staff member. Right now we're working on a student exchange program MOU with Webster University, USA. Hopefully this goes swimmingly.
It's so hard to squeeze in time to blog lately!
I'm sooo in love with Korean boyband Infinite at the moment. Yes, I'm a new Inspirit, converted about a month ago. My favourites are the leader, Kim Sunggyu, and the maknae Lee Sungjong, but basically I like all seven members. I'm also in love with Kim Sunggyu's mini solo album "Another Me", which is deemed by many as a failure because it's only sold roughly 100,000 copies since its release in late 2012.
The fact that Sunggyu is a fellow Taurean wins him a soft spot in my heart. He's nicknamed Grandpa Gyu because he nags his dongsaengs a lot, disciplines them military style, gets sick easily (his skin is allergic to metal and he travels with a bagful of vitamins and medicine) and wears cardigans a lot. People make fun of this, the size of his eyes and the low sale of his solo album. Sunggyu always defends "Another Me" as a classic, since he poured his heart into it and worked with his long-time inspiration, Korean rock band Nell, for the album. And indeed it's a classic since all the songs show a more mature side of Gyu, with a bit of a rock touch which sees the 24-year-old going back to his rock roots (Gyu fronted to a rock band called "Beat" back in high school, and yes there's actually a video of the band performing, shot in 2008!)
I don't think Gyu cares about people making fun of him and the things he does, which is very typically Taurean. He might not be the best looking in Infinite (Kim Myungsoo, nicknamed "L", is the group's visual), the best dancer (Lee Howon, nicknamed "Hoya", holds that title), but his voice is without a doubt the best (Gyu fanatics don't call him "honey-voiced leader" for nothing.) It's that honey voice and his awesome piano skills (showcased in the solo album's opening track) that are the main selling points. Taureans rely on their talent and don't need other people's approval to keep going.
By the way, this is just the first part of my Infinite-spazzing...I'm awkward about the term "spazzing" - is it the word kids use nowadays to describe raving about their idols? Whatever it is, there will be more Infinite entries coming soon - a treat to fellow Inspirits!
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