K-pop

K-pop is currently holding five out of ten Twitter trending topics. If you guys want to be hip with the world wide web kids you better get on this train now, bros.

The 'Applegirl' (김여희) who went viral a few months back with Gaga and Beyonce covers performed on four ipods has just released a 3-track single with her self-penned material, and it's great!

'My Music', a simple song which heads straight for a climax of melody and intensity:
http://www.youtube.com/v/PF42AM1v-mg&fs=1&hl=en

Here's her doing 'Slow Motion' by Karina
http://www.youtube.com/v/0VTOwtL6RE0&fs=1&hl=en

― abcfsk, Monday, May 31, 2010 5:48 AM (2 months ago) Bookmark

yo abcfsk has she done anything since? I downloaded the three track single and all three of them are such jams, they are among my most played songs of the year

No I don't think so. She got to perform twice on prime time music tv, but I don't know how much she sold. I'm sure the label didn't expect too much, it was a low-key deal, so I hope an album is in the works. She did a short English version of 'My Song' on youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=JLBNf79oB8k -

BoA performs one my favorite ballads off her new album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkTlbRnWcyc

TIME: "Korean Pop, with Online Help, Goes Global" http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2013227,00.html?xid=rss-world-huffpo#ixzz0xiGGmrlS

Not much new, talks a little about 2NE1's American venture, and some new quotes from Taeyang -- who's just released the international version of his very, very good RNB album. It's doing quite well on the itunes RNB charts around the world. For dyao it mentions that Kim Yeo Hee will release a new single in September.

is there a full-on subgenre of christian kpop, or is it isolated to the odd song here and there?

What particular songs are you thinking of? Or are you just asking in general?

21-08-2009 Brown Eyed Girls - Abracadabra (1 week on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=OIUk0vzhOdw

Here's the tune where relative veterans B.E.G re-invented themselves as edgy and won a lot of new fans. "You'll change me into something bad" they say, but they're pretty bad already here. Irresistible verses trump the chorus. 8/10

28-08-2009 G-Dragon - Heartbreaker (5 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=LOXEVd-Z7NE

Big Bang's bad boy goes solo. Attitude and pizzazz, but too much autotune. 6/10

02-10-2009 Kim Tae-Woo - Love Rain (3 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=kBP2blvEWtY

Soft, big boy with a ballad that's uplifting and pointed towards the sky. Better pompous and fairly catchy than subtle and boring in this case. 6/10

23-10-2009 Leessang - The Girl Who Can't Break Up, The Boy Who Can't Leave (1 week on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=4oCLl4f21N4

Soul-sampling hip-hop number, sounds a little like 00's American soul-sampling hip-hop, maybe like Kanye-produced Common. It's catchy, the guy attacks every line with a sympathetic aggression. 7/10. Lee Hyori stars in the video.

30-10-2009 Shinee - Ring Ding Dong (2 weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=roughtzsCDI

First step down the road to Autotune madness for Shinee. It works here, at least. I think a pop world cup commenter compared it to Crazy Frog. It's got some of that potentially headache-inducing repetitiveness, but there's an actual construction on top of the beat here, a real song, at times powerful. 7/10

13-11-2009 SS501 - Love Like This (2 weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=UMD5QXM47aI

Sped-up and slowed-down synth rnb number. The record buying public probably found it to be a nice easy listening contrast to Shinee's aural attack. Pleasant. 6/10

27-11-2009 2PM - Heartbeat (4 weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=bKtvDv7eykg

Opens promisingly with spoken-word intensiveness and restraint.. and then becomes a little too predictable and pretty. Strong 6/10. Impressive dance stunts in performances.

I just googled christian k-pop, and the only thing that seemed to come up were references to specific songs that were devotional,
and groups that i suspect are stateside inventions, but there doesn't seem to be a secular/christian divide in k-pop proper.

I've been reading this book on the weird world of bizarro christian culture and it seems the only genre of music that doesn't have
a christian counterpart is country, presumably because it is already ideologically consonant with christian culture so it'd be
redundant to cultivate a mirror one.

i suppose the question to ask is if there are any outspokenly atheist k-pop groups?

I doubt anyone have come out as officially atheist as part of their group image. Other than that there are openly Christian group members of course (many pop idols go to the same bible study), but nothing of that seeps through to lyrics or image. I'm sure there are some christian bands on a grassroot level I don't know, though. In SNSD several members are outspokenly religious while one (Taeyeon, the leader) is a self-proclaimed (from a q&a) atheist.

If there are 'christian k-pop' groups they don't show up on the charts.

"(Taeyeon, the leader) is a self-proclaimed (from a q&a) atheist."
this is interesting! how would a question like this come up?

I don't remember exactly the context, it was in their debut days, a question and answer deal. I think it came up because Tiffany is very open about being a devout Christian so others were asked about religion as well.

Two older youtubes I really like.

SNSD doing 90s K-rock ballad standard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2etcTYbmQKw

Minzy & CL of 2NE1 doing their crazy hip hop banger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdmX-g2SGk8

Thanks for all your work in this thread abcfsk. This place is a real pleasure.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

^Thanks. I like doing it for selfish reasons as well, puts things in context, makes me re-evaluate songs and discover new ones.

01-01-2010 T-ara - Bo Peep Bo Peep (2 weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=9403-9CptH8

May be my least favourite T-Ara single, but if the nagging chorus does get under your skin it can stay there for a while. Take a look at the video, the cutesy-sounding song curiously soundtracking a seedy late night tale of sex and supernatural mischief. 6/10

15-01-2010 Ga-In & Jo-Kwon - We Fell In Love (2 consec weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=_9Asvi99NOc

Context: Ga-In & Jo-Kwon participate in a show called 'We Got Married', a sort of celeb reality show where two stars are paired and go through a 'fake marriage' -- that is, getting a house or apartment, going on trips, and doing flirty things that really have very little to do with an actual marriage. It's a bizarre concept, but you can see why it's popular. The audience gets a romance that feels half way between make-believe and reality, where you're not really sure what's what, some couples getting closer to eachother than others and at least one previous actor couple ending up as real-life lovers afterwards. Many of the participants are pop idols who really can't openly date in their everyday life, and some speculate that this is an excuse to do so - it was recently revealed that they can set up a wish list to the producers of people they want to be coupled with. Personally I think it's pretty entertaining because it's so incredibly awkward. These two are currently the longest-running couple still on the show, and they recorded a duet together. It definitely wouldn't have done as well without the public loving their on-screen struggles. 4/10

29-01-2010 CN BLue - I'm A Loner (1 week on top) youtube.com/watch?v=qrXFPmQPTkk

Indie rock! Using the British definition of the term, "jangly guitar music band with a magazine-friendly image". Funnily enough the lead singer is currently seen on the aforementioned 'We Got Married'. It's fairly boring and lifeless stuff. 4/10
Here's a Korean 'indie' tune I quite like: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcc58d_mv-hey-gravity-yyyy_music

05-02-2010 SNSD (Girls' Generation) - Oh! (5 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=TGbwL8kSpEk

Initially a disappointment, as I felt it went too directly for the simple sweetness, it has now grown to become one of my favorite singles of the year. I'm not sure I can pinpoint why, except that I haven't tired of the repeated "ah-ah-ah-ah"s and "oh-oh-oh-oh"s or the honest charm of the melody. The lyrics are on the dumb side, "o-o-o-oppa (brother/older guy) I love you", all passive love and adoration. But take a peek at the end of the music video to see how they're actively playing up the contrast between this and their next single. 8/10

12-03-2010 KARA - Lupin (3 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=YpQWfyOOZqA

Normally KARA serve as the cuter, less edgy version of SNSD, but this time they bring in the tribal drums and black suits to prove a point. It worked! Although it sounded a bit aimless to me at first, I found myself returning to it again and again. It's got a coolness to it, I like the odd "hallo, hallo" (or 'hella, hella') shouts, the sense of urgency, and the horror screams. 8/10

02-04-2010 SNSD (Girls' Generation) - Run Devil Run (2 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=iYaLI1iFt-4

Back in black! It's fascinating how carefully the one-two knockout of Oh! and this were planned, with one video linking to the other, and the male fantasy female portrayed in the first discovering girl power and a 'we fuck you' attitude. After the passive lover role the girls played in Oh, they realize they're too good to just let the 'oppa' do what he wants with them. "I told you to make the most of my love" is a wonderfully arrogant line. I love the fact that when SNSD go electro they stay away from the kitchen-sink production and tuneless autotune mess and instead find a tune as sophisticated as this. 8/10

How many have heard the late 80s rock hit SNSD were named after?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaeokzJqHDk

Of course the cover version of it was released as their second single.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iiZvsOmF6A

16-04-2010 Rain - Love Song (3 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=kx5COTBjcNc

He's just cruising on his fame at this point, isn't he? Not taking any risks or doing anything interesting to those of us who aren't members of his fan club. 2/10

07-05-2010 2PM - Without U(2 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=pB4920B2l5g

I appreciate the effort to push the song beyond what the fairly standard chorus would suggest, and there are interesting production tricks here. Ultimately, though, it ends in disappointment where the climax should be. 6/10

21-05-2010 Super Junior - Bonamana (3 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=tSOSxwEWFA4

The songwriter behind "Sorry Sorry" really fell in love with autotune and sharp sounds at some point, penning the previously reviewed "Ring Ding Dong" and the forthcoming "Lucifer", both from Shinee, plus this. I think he's gone too far. At the same time, he's got SOMETHING. The chorus is lacking in melody, but something tells me I should hum it for hours afterwards. Opinions would be appreciated. 6/10

11-06-2010 SS505 - Love Ya (2 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=VprGHf3-144

Comically grand tune from boyband veterans. Pleasing chorus. 6/10

02-07-2010 IU & Seulong - Nagging (1 week on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=lC4dyX-BssI

IU is the sweetest, most charming and sympathetic new character in k-pop. A huge voice and wiz on the guitar with a knack for knocking out fantastic cover versions of every new k-pop hit, but without the perfect song of her own. My suggestion: Let her write it herself and perform it w/ guitar. Guaranteed smash. Anyway, this duet is probably a tad too simple, but for me it's the right kind of simple. 7/10

09-07-2010 Super Junior - No Other (1 week on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=LICj7J0lQME

This is how I dig my SJ, to be honest, sweeter and less hectic. Too pretty? Maybe, but I'd argue that the word-packed chorus freshens up the song enough to avoid sugar shock. 7/10

Finishing this up in the next post.

16-07-2010 Taeyang - I Need A Girl (1 week on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=nWq4evFjYrU

Seductive rnb which follows in the wake of other 'soft men' rnb singers who are not so much demanding that girls come to them, as pleading that they give them a chance, promising the earth and the stars. He wants "a girl who's good at eating the kimchi fried rice I make" instead of one who's making it for him. And he's making a potent distinction in saying, "even though we've got different interests, we share the same taste". Lovely stuff. Dara from 2NE1 plays the arrogant, dangerously beautiful 'girl' in the video. 9/10

23-07-2010 miss A - Bad Girl Good Girl (1 week on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=o7f3lx9fNfE

Rookie girl group. I didn't like the song at firs, found it anonymous-sounding, but then I didn't really listen to it. The sound is nothing too original, sure, but there's a conviction to the delivery and a power behind the words. And twas the lyrics which made me want to give the song a second chance -- they're taking names and calling out hypocrisy and I find myself thinking of these girls as the real deal. 8/10

06-08-2010 SHINee - Lucifer (1 week on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=Dww9UjJ4Dt8

The third installment in our autotune trilogy and a real hot mess. There's not a trace of melody here, and I can't think of many songs as extreme as this charting anywhere. But this time it's too hectic, too inaccessible, too unfriendly. The fans must see it differently. 5/10

13-07-2010 BoA - Hurricane Venus (3 consecutive weeks on top) -- youtube.com/watch?v=vz7Gstx5ogk

How sweet to end this round-up with BoA, and to see her successful in Korea again after five years in Japan (with a short American stay). I prefer her in RnB mode, but Hurricane Venus flaunts a huge chorus, and BoA sells it. The live performances have been stunning and worth the entry price no matter the song-- her stage presence and dance moves are second to none in the world of pop. 7/10

-------
And those are the Music Bank winners. Disappointingly some of my favorite hits hadn't actually won, but that was that.

great work! after all that, the ones that I ended up getting:

big bang - sunset glow
SNSD - gee
IU & Seulong - nagging
taeyang - I need a girl

think I need to come back to this and go through the songs more thoroughly. but for the moment, I am k-pooped.

Will wait for abcfsk to weigh in on the 2NE1 three-in-one-day onslaught before trying to form my own opinion, but just want to link the tag for the K-pop discussions we've been having on my lj, if anyone wants to join in.

For reference, the three singles and music videos they released in one day are:

Go Away - youtube.com/watch?v=3yW13T2sfKg
Clap Your Hands - youtube.com/watch?v=ZTw-UM5Jy4E
Can't Nobody - youtube.com/watch?v=Ihi_kJJj_8A

I listened to the album a few times before I watched the videos so I've had some time with the songs. At first I had to accept that they're not really the pure hip-hop/rnb group of 'I Don't Care', but a uniquely Korean urban brand of their own. "A sound that's not quite anything I've ever heard" as Frank says. 'Go Away's bittersweet and catchy melody makes it the most straightforward of the three songs, so it's no wonder it gets a story MV. 'Clap Your Hands' is, I think, my favorite, and it stands among their best songs. The fluid way it morphs from the snake-like autotune verses to the chorus and the rap parts. I might form more rational thoughts after a while, but for now I guess it's just got a certain "I don't know what" that makes me play it on repeat.

That one and 'Can't Nobody' would fall spectacularly flat, I feel, if they were performed by less aggressive artists. You have to fight hard to stand out as personalities among all the production tricks and vocal effects. But these girls do, and they are, and as a result I think they're one of the most constantly stimulating groups in k-pop (or pop in general) so far in their short career. I've been excited to see the reception these songs get, cause they're potentially very marmite-y tunes aren't they?

Promoting three title tracks at once seems like a mental idea to me, but so far the sales have been huge. All three performed live today: http://www.allkpop.com/2010/09/2ne1-returns-with-triple-hit-stages-on-inkigayo

'go away' is pretty massive, does she say 'han solo' and 'beyonce' in her verses?? could do without the scenes of domestic violence in the MV though

my facebook feed is blowing up with people sharing these 2ne1 videos, btw - feels like a huge event

"Fiance? Beyonce - I'm walking out on destiny." is what I hear. The video is quite violent isn't it, and the debate has been raging about who dies at the end of it. First it seems only her car blows up, but then both are engulfed in flames--- but THEN, as the girls walk away, supposedly only his car is burning in the background, and CL's participation was a fantasy.. because she let his sorry as go and doesn't care anymore. Who knows.

If you haven't checked out the album you might also be interested in the English version of 'Can't Nobody' youtube.com/watch?v=8A5Kz3n5C1k

was there ever a mecha-hiphop subgenre that ever took off other than that Taekwon-V single?

^ Same label as 2NE1. I don't think so, that would be most welcome. Spiritually I guess you could say that yes, many artists today sound like half robot hiphoppers.

Also
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLcZlDMKCqk

don't know what's gonna come out of this. Nervous, cautiously optimistic.

i guess they're referencing irreplaceable then?

Beyonce leaving Destiny's Child is the pun, surely.

Here's a slice of meta-k-pop, one of the first I've come across. San E is slightly reminiscent of early Eminem in delivery and humour, including some jabs at girl groups (but featuring a member of one). The English subtitles are from the official channel, albeit clearly written down in a hurry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jx3qP9LiqI

You have to launch it in its own tab/window to see the subtitles, it seems.

If you're interested in a quick overview of what's selling in Korea right now, this youtube channel does a nice job of presenting the combined digital single sales, weekly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5keJyNlw8w

New BoA single

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJwIMW7jTIA

No matter the song there's no one I'd rather see on stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTnwjlDhAY4

released today, apparently. percussion reminds me of swizz beatz. a little, at least.

That's a catchy tune, I think this group is finding their place and aren't sounding like all the others at the moment. Probably the strongest 2010 girl group debut. I see their label JYP now subs all the new video releases in English on their official channel. Recall that 2NE1's label YG is now going to upload their TV show "2NE1 TV" on youtube with subs, as well. Performance show 'Music Bank' has recently started reading international twitter requests (in English) to the artists, in an effort to reach out to the global audience. In the past year they've really become aware of the power of the international fanbase, doing things like this and releasing stuff on Itunes internationally by default.

And on that note, ANOTHER new girl group tries out a different strategy, debuting in Korea and America at the same time:

http://www.allkpop.com/2010/09/upcoming-girl-group-rania-to-debut-in-both-america-and-korea

I feel Hyunah's "Change" live routine is Electrik Red's "We Fuck You" as interprative dance. Either way it's one of the best live performances of the year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0w5Vdl02lo

Video makes it even more... direct.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCMlVS-66hw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhNqdRectqM

K-pop history: In 1992 "Seo Taiji Boys" debuted and changed the industry in every conceivable way. In this clip they perform on a talent show and are promptly given two thumbs down by a stern jury:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC7yS0kpHWM

... but this is the template, the blueprint, through which k-pop as a sound and identity was created. You hear it today, not only in hip hop groups, not only in male groups, but from more or less all artists on the chart. Taiji is to many The icon or the founding father of Korean pop. (One of the other three members is Yang Hyun Suk, the current chief of YG Entertainment where Big Bang, Se7en and 2NE1 are signed.)

The group's explosive popularity upended censorship laws and norms both on and off scene. Their blend of dance pop and hip hop is why even most cutesy girl groups today have a dedicated rapper. Even stately ballads have rap parts! Electro-club-hip-hop still dominates among both girl and boy groups.

any speculation on why their use of metal didn't carry over to the rest of the genre?

also does anyone have more info on the anti-beef imports DBSK beef? (I saw it mentioned in businessweek of all places)

I don't know why, exactly, but plenty of other 'noisy' elements seem to have replaced it.

The beef details escape me, but you should know that DBSK's fan club ('Cassies') is the craziest and most zealous fan club among countless crazy and zealous k-pop fan clubs. Those girls are dangerous, and to get what they want they organize and demand it. The group members themselves had nothing to do with, it was a case of angry forum discussion among the club members leading to organized protests. And Koreans are very defensive about their beef.

the only reference i saw online had some group member being poisoned with krazy glue slipped into their drink.

Oh yes, an anti-fan of DBSK's Yunho, a schoolgirl, gave him a glue-poisoned drink. He ended up in hospital, it was bad. He decided to not press charges because she was the same age as his sister. The fans were less forgiving--- "yunho oppa, i will poison and kill that fucking ugly girl that poisoned you. she must rot and die in hell" reads one Youtube comment. It's probably the most severe case of k-pop antis acting out on their fucked up ideas, although sending a blood-stained letter to SNSD's Yoona doescome close.

this was all over a beef protest the group had nothing to do with? what happens when a group does get politically active?

No, that had nothing to do with the beef thing. The beef thing did not create any backlash against the group. This is the note the homicidal hater delivered along with the poison:

To, Jung Yunho

You watch your mouth!! Ever since the debut you were so stuck up. You won't last after a couple years... You would be forever seen as some teen idol, not a real singer. Do you know your limit? Only little kids like you!... I really want to kill you.

PSY signs with YG and gets a bigger sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmHdefsaL6I

SNSD "Hoot"

Catchy, autotune-free, interesting chorus. Music video tomorrow.
----

Will.I.Am must've gotten inspired working with 2NE1. His new video with Nicki Minaj is Koreanified up the wazoo. http://community.livejournal.com/omonatheydidnt/4907406.html

Maybe Korean is the new Japanese in terms of pop culture adaptation ala Gwen Stefani's "let's put some japanese girls up in here".

On today's charts SNSD is #1 in Japan with Gee and #1 in Korea with Hoot. Historical feat in many ways!

SNSD 'Hoot' video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4-SxcCO5d0

nm, these are older tracks! sorry for confusing matters.