Is Park Jinyoung (founder and CEO of JYP Entertainment) prepping Got7 into becoming the next 2PM? The probability is high considering the guys of Got7 are stepping away from their cute and somersaulting high kicks concepts into a more mature and sexier phase in their careers with their latest music video and song “If You Do”. Let’s see if Got7 is successful at channeling this new profound sexy concept!
Song
“If You Do” is considerably the most “low energy” and closest to a ballad that Got7 has promoted as a title track. But there’s certainly nothing wrong with that! If anything, this is probably their best song to date. It starts off slow as Jr. slowly reels you in with his lustful voice, to a distressed JB in the chorus, an aggressive rap shared between Mark and Jackson, then to a sorrowful Youngjae who’s afraid of getting close to love. It doesn’t matter whether or not the members of Got7 have encountered the problematic situations with relationships like the lyrics are stating because you can feel the raw emotions and genuine feelings in their voices.
With so many great vocalists in Got7, the distribution of lines tends to get a bit teetered, going usually to JB, Jr., and Youngjae. So it was great hearing Got7’s maknae (youngest member) Yugyeom getting more than the one whimsical line that he usually gets. If you know Got7, then you know that Yugyeom is a dance maniac — their energetic dance machine — but he also gets cheated of lines, especially with their last track “Just Right.” Surprisingly enough though for someone who is as hyperactive as this 17-year-old is, he has a notably tender voice, which was quite pleasant to listen to. Read more
https://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/GOt7.png?time=16712280407681024Tam Huynhhttps://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-09-29 06:22:442015-09-29 12:50:35GOT7’s ‘If You Do’ Music Video & Song Review
YG-stans rejoice! Yup, we’re not joking here. Each week, DramaFever will bring audiences a new K-pop concert that K-pop fans from around the world can enjoy. October is all about YG Entertainment, so fans can watch “Big Bang: Tour II” on Oct. 7, “YG Family Tour” on Oct. 14, “2NE1 Concert” on Oct. 21, and “G-Dragon One of a Kind” on Oct. 28.
This drama, starring Park So Dam, Choi Minho of SHINee, and Kim Min Jae is the first ever drama series to air on the Korean channel, OnStyle. It’s a cute, lighthearted comedy about six friends and their stories. Each episode is only fifteen minutes long, and everything about the show looks so adorable, there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t watch it.
This is more than just a movie for fans of INFINITE (like myself,) because it’s a documentary about their world tour and what it’s like being a K-pop star traveling the globe and performing. K-pop is well-known for its intensity, both from entertainers and fans alike, and “GROW” gives real insight into the lives of these seven K-pop idols.
Lee Dong Wook and Jung Ryeo Won play a doctor and radio show producer respectively, just living their lives and seeking contentment. This slice of life drama takes place around a hospital and a radio station, as the characters of the drama sort out their individual problems to become happier. There will surely be a few serious moments, but this stellar cast will not disappoint.
I am so excited for this throwback show that I cannot express it. “Answer Me 1997” and “Answer Me 1994” were really great dramas from tvN, with casts that really outstanded and surpassed expectations (I’m looking at you, Eunji and Hoya.) Even if you weren’t alive in the late 1980’s, the latest in the “Answer Me” series will make you wish you were. Lee Hyeri (of Girl’s Day) and Go Kyung Pyo will be the showrunners, but the rest of the ensemble will surely also surprise us.
Lee Min Ki and Son Ye Jin, that should be enough for most people. Take it a step farther, and combine those two amazing Korean actors with a comedic horror film, and throw in some romance and magic? There’s really nothing more that a person could ask for. The 2011 film was one of the most popular romantic comedies in Korea, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be everyone’s new favorite. Lee plays a street magician who spots Son’s character, and the two become business partners. The character-who-can-see-ghosts plot isn’t entirely dissimilar from the 2013 drama, “The Master’s Sun,” but this is one movie that everybody should definitely check out.
Which of these DramaFever specials are you excited to watch in October? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/null-1.png?time=16712280407681024Tamar Hermanhttps://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2015-09-28 10:26:232015-09-28 10:26:236 K-Things To Watch This October: Big Bang, ‘Answer Me,’ INFINITE, Lee Min Ki & More
The final episode of “The Genius: Grand Final” aired on the 12th of September and a new “king” was crowned. As it is produced by cable network tvN, “The Genius” is not as well-known among K-pop fans as other shows such as “Running Man” and “Superman is Back”, but over the past four seasons the show has garnered quite a large fan base both locally and internationally. “The Genius” is a variety show where 13 contestants of different backgrounds and age groups are gathered for a battle of wits that lasts throughout a season of 12 episodes where a contestant is eliminated each episode through a death match. The final winner, or the king, is given a cash prize based on the number of garnets earned by the players throughout the season. How then, you might wonder, did this intellectual show, in particular its fourth season, manage to attract so many fans? Here are five of the reasons why.
1. Complicated but viewer-friendly games
It is an intellectual competition after all, and the games that are played every episode are certainly of a high standard. Each episode is broken up into two parts, a “Main Match”, where the winners are granted tokens of life and the loser is sent into the “Death Match” along with another contestant of his choice.
Main matches take up the majority of the episode, and they range from auctions to horror races and even card games. The rules of the games are very extensive, but they are all necessary in order for the participants to gain victory. So if you’re someone who finds the thrill in exploring newly discovered casinos and you get an adrenaline rush every time the cards are dealt, you should definitely check this show out!
The show always ensures that viewers know what is going on, however, by using an animated video at the beginning of the game to explain the rules. The possible scenarios for winning or losing the game are also spelled out clearly so that both the participants and the viewers will be able to understand how the game works.
When a participant makes a game-changing move (this usually happens at least once per episode,) the show will insert a special commentary of the person’s move and how his or her move would affect the game. This is a genius move on the part of the producers because it would help viewers understand what the participants are thinking and in a way, add more personality to the participants. Once viewers are able to become invested in the games they will experience a greater thrill and excitement while watching, which is one of the greatest strengths of this show.
2. It is a real-life version of “Liar Game”
If you’re a fan of the Korean drama “Liar Game,” you’ll definitely be a fan of this show as well. Seeing as how both shows are produced by the same company (tvN), this was something quite expected in terms of the format of the show and the games that were played. In fact, when the first season of “The Genius” aired, it was criticized for being too similar to the original Japanese version of the drama. Apart from the format however, what I found the most similar was the way cast member Kim Kyungran played the games in “The Genius”. She was a runner-up in season one and returned in this fourth season, She reminded me of Nam Da Jung (the protagonist in the Korean version of “Liar Game” played by Kim So Eun) in the way she constantly advocated for mutual cooperation and trust. Kim Kyungran embodied her beliefs in her actions as well, because she never failed to keep her promises and help her teammates, all of which led to this amazing moment in episode five where five participants (including Kyungran) achieved a joint victory together. Anyone else having “Liar Game” flashbacks yet?
The unique part about this fourth season is the fact that all the participants are people who have been in previous seasons of “The Genius”. This does not just heighten the tension surrounding the various matches and eliminations, it also ensures that viewers get to enjoy the familiar banters between the participants.
The cast is made up participants from various backgrounds and occupations including Jang Dongmin (comedian), Kim Kyunghoon (graduate student), Yoo Junghyun (politician) and so on, but they get along very well together. No matter how tough the competition is, the participants are always able to find humor and joy from each other (but this definitely does not mean that they go easy on each other!), which is very heartwarming to observe. Take the last episode for example, when the finals were concluded the whole cast gathered back in the main hall and held hands. It was a sign of unity, but more than that it was also about forgiveness.
There were many betrayals that took place throughout the show but at the end of the day the friendships that they had forged with each other were more valuable than any prize money they could have won. It’s an important lesson, and one that the show brings out actively.
In addition, tvN releases “behind the scene” footage of every episode, which gives viewers an insight about how the episodes are filmed. Most of it is hilarious and fun, and these videos once again show how close the cast have gotten as they spent long hours filming this program together.
via tumblr
4. The editing is always on point
No matter how interesting a cast or a game is, it is definitely difficult for an intellectual show like “The Genius” to be humorous and enjoyable for mainstream viewers. But that’s where the production side comes in.
Everything from the captions that are used to the background music that is thoughtfully selected for every scene contributes to the delightful program that is “The Genius”. Suspense levels are kept very high with the numerous twists and turns in every episode. The best example of this would arguably be in episode four, when the tables were completely turned contestant Oh Hyunmin, who was portrayed as the most likely victor throughout the whole game, when a secret alliance was revealed at the end and Hyunmin was in last place. It was such a surprise, both for the participants and for the viewers alike, and it is surprises such as these that keep viewers engaged and excited.
The background music that has consistently been used for this program since the first season is mainly provided by a band called Idiotape. Their music is highly electronic in nature and is very climactic with a clever use of the drums, which suits the nature of “The Genius” to a tee. Idiotape’s music has become an icon of the show, much like other aspects, such as the socalled “Bandage Man” and the main dealer, Hong Jiyeon.
And finally, arguably the star of season four, is Jang Dongmin. Don’t get me wrong, this is not my personal bias speaking, but I had started out this show with a very low expectation of this comedian and my impression of him has completely changed. I had watched him in “Crime Scene Season Two” previously, but apart from being impressed at his amazing memory, I did not think that he was an exceptional participant. I certainly did not expect that he would be such a loyal yet cunning player, with good social and leadership skills.
As mentioned several times during the season by his fellow participants, Jang Dongmin has the perfect skill set and ability for this show. He may not be the best mathematician or the boldest gambler, but he knows when to show off and when to play safe. He is also very driven and determined, as can be seen by his face-off with Oh Hyunmin in a deathmatch game of Tactical Yutnori, a new take on a traditional Korean game. In season three of “The Genius,” this was the only game that Dongmin had ever lost, and it was also against Hyunmin, one of this season’s forerunners. Dongmin saw this chance as an opportunity to prove himself and show his improvement, and boy, did he succeed. Apart from proving his own abilities, Jang also desired to show that comedians were not a group of people to be looked down on, but that they are intelligent and valuable people who deserve to be respected.
The show highlights the fact that Dongmin grew up poor and less privileged than some of his fellow contestants, so it becomes a triumph even for the viewers when he succeeds in matches and challenges. By being on this show, Dongmin disproved a lot of common stereotypes and thus gained a lot of respect for it. No matter who the fans supported, they never begrudged Dongmin of his success, to which I must say kudos to both Dongmin and the show for portraying him in such a manner.
As a bonus, Dongmin’s interactions with “The Genius” constant, Dealer Hong Jiyeon are both adorable and hilarious. It’s amazing to see the normally cold-hearted dealer turn into a smiling and flustered woman in front of this charming comedian, and tvN certainly realized it, judging by the number of times she ended up featuring in their “behind the scene” videos this season.
“The Genius: Grand Final” is a show packed with humor, heart and thrill. I’m definitely looking forward to the next season of it!
Are you watching “The Genius”? What do you think about the evolving variety scene in Korea? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1443094128847.jpg?time=167122804020482048Anna Cheanghttps://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngAnna Cheang2015-09-25 05:20:592015-09-27 15:50:065 Reasons Why You Should Watch “The Genius: Grand Final”
What makes you love a group? How do you choose a bias? Or is it in the opposite order? Do you unexpectedly stumble upon a member and then find yourself falling in utter and complete love, to later on being converted into that person’s’ actual band? Sometimes, that’s the best way to do it. Discovering Kevin Kim and seeing him singing on ”K-Pop: The Ultimate Survival” and thinking to myself, “Is this real life? Is that really him singing?” was a pivotal moment in my K-pop life, a definite game changer. Read more
https://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Kevin.jpg?time=1671228040467700Tam Huynhhttps://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-09-23 18:51:352015-09-25 05:18:37Artist Spotlight: Kevin Kim (ZE:A)
If you ask me what makes a good K-drama, rather than a star-studded cast or a fresh storyline, my answer would be a good soundtrack. OSTs (original soundtracks) are instrumental to dramas because they create the appropriate mood for the various scenes which play out, thus adding a lot of vibrance and emotion to the drama. When used correctly, OSTs also have the ability to grip the hearts of viewers and carry them throughout the drama. A few years ago, that is what a special OST did to me. For the first time, I cried along with the main characters because of the anguish that I felt as I listened to the song, and since then, the tears have never stopped flowing. I started to have a great appreciation for emotional OSTs and would listen to them over and over again.
Over the years, I’ve gathered quite a collection of my favourite OSTs, but the following five that are listed have a special place in my heart and still linger fondly in my memories today. (Warning: Some drama spoilers ahead!)
5. Gavy N.J – “Rewind” (“My Lovely Girl”)
“My Lovely Girl” (2014) is one of the more recent dramas that I’ve watched and what it lacks in plot it certainly makes up for in its soundtrack. As a drama centred around an entertainment company run by Lee Hyun-wook (Rain), I expected that there would be many amazing soundtracks being used in the show. Indeed there were great songs, such as Krystal’s (f(x)) “All of a Sudden” which I enjoyed. But the first song to really touch my heart was Gavy N.J’s “Rewind.” In the drama, this song is used as a recurring reference to Sena’s (Krystal) deceased sister, which on its own is a tragic enough plot point, but the gorgeous voices and harmonies of Gavy N.J brought tears to my eyes, and caused me to care a lot more about the show than I would have originally. The song is not flashy in any way, but sometimes it’s the softest and simplest melodies which are the most poignant.
Do you dream of landing a role in your favorite drama? So does Viki.
Many fans of Korean dramas know what makes them so loveable. The hand grabs, the open-eyed kisses, the manipulation by family members, the out of this world action, the romance, the friendship, the history, the magic, the drama, the laughter, the tears… There’s a little bit of everything for everyone. And now Viki, the website that brings you so many subbed dramas and Korean television shows, is ready to launch its first original web series, Viki’s very own “love letter” to drama fans.
“Dramaworld” is about a 20-year-old college student who is obsessed with Korean dramas and watches every drama featuring her favorite leading magic. Through some magic, she finds herself sucked into favorite drama.
“Dramaworld” stars Sean Dulake(“Jejungwon” and “Athena: Goddess Of War”,) Liv Hewson, and Justin Chon (Twilight.) Korean drama stars, including Super Junior’s Choi Siwon and Han Ji Min, will make cameos throughout the 10-episode web-series.
We interviewed Tammy H. Nam, the CEO of Viki, about the drama.
Can you please tell our readers a bit about “Dramaworld”? The Dramaworld press release has a lot of background, but essentially, we decided to produce/invest in this production because we really wanted to create a show specifically for global fans of Asian dramas. Most of the shows we have on the site are produced for the local market, whether that’s Korea, Japan, China, U.S or whatever. Increasingly, viewers’ tastes are skewing global and the typical formats, storylines, even languages are being thrown out the window. Dramaworld is a perfect example of that.
It sounds like “Dramaworld” is based on every K-drama fan’s fantasies. Were any other plots discussed? The director/writer Chris Martin, who we’ve worked with in the past, came to us with the script. We pretty much didn’t have any recommended changes because our visions are aligned – he knows the audience very well. Even though he’s American, he’s traveled and worked extensively in Asia and knows specifically the Korean film industry and global fan base very well. His Korean is much better than mine!
There’s a reason why international joint ventures rarely work out. Business cultures are extremely different from country to country. We had some initial bumps as well, mainly due to misunderstanding between parties, but it’s all good now. It’s certainly not easy, but we’re well positioned to make it successful – all the parties are bringing different strengths to the table and there’s mutual respect, especially since this is such a passion project for everyone involved.
Many Korean stars are being featured in cameos. Was there a lot of interest in Korea to see what could come out of a Korean-American drama? Yes, there’s been an incredible amount of interest. We’re really excited to “reveal” who the new cameos are closer to the show. I think there’s a lot of curiosity about this format, the storyline, the platform. Everyone is very open to experimenting and also getting to know their international fan base better.
Web dramas have started to gain popularity in Korea, with many K-pop idols taking up roles. Was the popularity of web dramas taken into account when deciding to produce “Dramaworld”? It’s easier to film for web because there’s so much more flexibility – you can do any timeframe, take more risks. That being said, the production team is awesome – they’re truly making this a TV broadcast-worthy show. While the intent was to make this a web series, if there’s interest from a TV broadcaster, we’d definitely be open to that.
How did you personally get involved in Viki and drama production? I joined Viki in November 2011, a year after the company launched. While the company itself looks incredibly different now than it did then, the vision has never changes. We’ve always been “global TV powered by fans” and from a business model perspective, have been very much a global version of a Hulu, albeit with an amazing crowdsourced subtitling community. The drama production part is probably more a reflection of how this industry has changed – the lowered cost of production, many distribution options, more competition and need for differentiation. I hope this is one of many more interesting co-productions to come.
You described “Dramaworld” as a “love letter to drama fans.” Will “Dramaworld” feature many of the tropes that make dramas so enjoyable, such as love triangles, hand grabs, etc.? Oh my gosh. That’s the fun part. You’ll have to watch to see how fun they are – if you’re a true K-Drama fan, you’ll recognize them immediately!
There have been other attempts at creating Korean-American dramas, such as the American remake of “Boys Over Flowers” and filming much of “The Heirs” in the United States. Do you see Korean dramas growing even larger in the American market? Yes, but what I see happening is that companies like Viki will be taking the lead along with content partners and distributors, not Hollywood. It’s an industry that’s still a bit old fashioned in its thinking. It’s a brave new world. We want to help introduce many more millions of fans to Asian dramas in super fun ways.
How big of a market does Viki think there is to grow into of these type of hybrid Asia meets West dramas? It’s hard to tell because I’ve never seen it done before. However, it will be done in a way that’s super approachable. My hope is that it introduces this new genre to many millions of new viewers who didn’t know what they were missing!
From the three main actors, only Sean Dulake has acted in Korean dramas. How will that affect “Dramaworld”? Much of the cast is local, and the whole idea is a global mashup anyway. The tropes as you mentioned are written into the show itself, so the “Kdrama-ness” is the underlying theme.
Liv Hewson is the star of the show, and playing the role of essentially every K-drama fangirl ever. What can we expect from her? The casting director was very excited about Liv. She believes she’s a huge up-and-coming talent. I hope she becomes very successful and maybe we’ll have a part in helping make this happen.
Filming begins in late September, so how is the cast and crew preparing in the meantime? I’m sure there’s a million things to do in preparation, but the filming is the fun part. I know the production team is on the ground with stage, rehearsals and everything else. They promised to share part of that process with the fans as well. Look forward to some fun videos from the cast and crew!
What is the most exciting thing about “Dramaworld,” that makes it different from every other Korean, or non-Korean, web series out there? It’s a truly global mash-up, which I think reflects the international viewership of Viki and perhaps the future of viewers in general — no borders, either culture, language, country, ideas. We love that.
What can we look forward to seeing from Viki in the future? Are more original series down the road? I hope so!
What are you looking forward to the most about “Dramaworld”? What’s your dream drama plot to get sucked into? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear you thoughts and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.
https://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Dramaworld-on-Viki.png?time=16712280407171200Tamar Hermanhttps://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2015-09-18 05:53:432016-02-18 04:38:19‘Dramaworld’ Will Be A Love Letter To K-Drama Fans, Says Viki’s CEO [Interview]
Having Korean artists collaborate with your favorite non K-pop artists is something that K-pop fans dream about. We imagine our fantasy collaborations in our heads and even become producers in our dreams for them, imagining what sound they could create together.
Some collaborations have started to happen and one can dare to dream that anything on our list could actually come to fruition. In the last list we had for you, we talked about G-Dragon collaborating with Grimes. That hasn’t happened yet, but we did see G-Dragon cameo in her music video for “REALiTi.” And his labelmate, CL, has been seen working with Grimes and her close friend Blood Diamonds in preperation of her American debut. Without further ado, let’s explore more of our fantasy collaborations between K-pop and non Korean artists.
5. SHINee’s Jonghyun & Years & Years
Years & Years’ vocalist, Olly Alexander, shares a similar style of vocals to SHINee’s vocalist Jonghyun. They both love to show off their incredible high pitches and it will truly be a match made in heaven. Just imagining Jonghyun singing this track with Years & Years gives us goosebumps. The chorus is perfect for Jonghyun to join them on the track and have a solo towards the climax of the song and even, perhaps, a dance solo at the end.
4. Red Velvet, Ariana Grande, Jessie J, & Nicki Minaj
The ladies of Red Velvet just came back with their first mini-album “The Red.” Their new brassy experimental pop song “Dumb Dumb” has gained attention online due to similarities to another popular track out there. The song in question is Jessie J’s collaboration with Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj. Yes, there are some similarities between the two tracks, but it’s clearly not plagiarism. Instead on focusing on that, what if instead we imagined the parties in question doing a collaboration track? It could be part two of “Bang Bang” and it could be a mass hit. Many fans out there have been already showing support and have created mashups of the two songs giving us a clear idea of what a collaboration between these eight powerful ladies would sound like.
Day6 has everyone in the K-pop fandom falling in love with their music and their looks. And that’s what exactly Nick Jonas did when he released his first solo album. Day6 has great vocals and Nick Jonas isn’t a stranger for boy bands. Just imagine Nick featuring in an English remix of “Congratulations,” adding his vocals to the song. His part could come after the rap and would not only be a great addition to the track, but would make the song very sexy. The song could have a repetitive synth and bass like Nick Jonas’ “Jealous,” making Day6’s debut track into more of a R&B style song while still maintaining the feeling of the original score. We can only dare to dream but having these boys together would be incredible.
2. Jessi and Azealia Banks
Both Jessi and Azealia Banks are known for being explosive rappers; they’re not afraid to say what’s on their minds and create incredible good music because of it. Jessi just released her single “SSENUNNI,” which could easily be re-released as a remix format featuring Azealia Banks. The collaboration would be an intense mix between the two artists and will surely make everyone talk about their track. And maybe after they collaborate, Azealia will go on a rant about Jessi and their “friendship” will end. Nevertheless, it’s a fantasy collaboration we would love to see happen.
G-Dragon and Taeyang are known for being sentimental artists, and one who is no stranger to that either is rapper Drake. The three men could collaborate on a completely new track that will need a powerful female to feature with them, and the perfect candidate for that is CL. The collaboration track could be a mixture to Drake’s “Hold On We’re Going Home” and Taeyang’s “Eyes, Nose, Lips.” The song would start with Drake’s sweet vocals and seductive rap followed by G-Dragon’s. For the chorus, Taeyang’s emotional chords would fit perfectly with the collaboration, and finalizing it with CL joining them in the climax of the song.
Did you like any of our fantasy collaborations? Which one was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear you thoughts and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.
https://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/5-Fantasy-Collaborations-with-Non-K-Pop-Artists-2-feat.jpg?time=16712280407681024Alejandro Abarcahttps://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngAlejandro Abarca2015-09-16 12:01:582015-09-16 13:08:245 Fantasy Collaborations with Non K-Pop Artists Pt.2
On September 14th, the ballad princes better known as Fly to the Sky released their mini album titled “Love & Hate” with “It Happens to be That Way” as one of their two title tracks. Why one of two title tracks you may ask? Brian and Hwanhee explained that they were rather troubled with the task of choosing one title track and the thought of having two just seemed to make sense. They further went on to explain that although both title tracks are ballads, with both have similar and different feelings, these songs will cause a wet autumn, filled with emotional rain. Let’s see if it’ll be literal rain or tears as we review “It Happens to be That Way”.
Meaning
I talk about our goodbye like it’s no big deal But my heart is still filled with you.
In the aftermath of a bitter break up, sometimes the most natural reaction that one can make is by shrugging it off like it’s really no big deal. The last thing you want is for those around you to continuously pester you with a million and one questions as to why the two of you broke up, how it all came about and whose at fault. The best way to avoid these questions and without getting too in-depth when answering is by ending the conversation as quickly as possible in order to make it seem as though you’re actually doing okay. But what happens when you know that you’re not okay?
It’s rare for one to walk away from a relationship and not feel any sense of remorse, sadness or heartbreak; that space in your heart won’t be vacant until it’s fully repaired and ready to move on. So what do you do in the meantime? What happens when denying reality no longer works? Should you continue shrugging it off and act like you’re not pained by the situation or do you let your emotions take over, that way you can let your heart heal? Whichever decision you opt for, just remember that things will eventually work themselves out, so it’s okay to be angry, sad, and bitter. Don’t let your heart be consumed with all these feelings on it’s own. Express it and let it all out.
Song
As if ballads don’t get a rep for being emotional enough on it’s own, you know a song will be pulling at your heartstrings when it starts off with an orchestra of string instruments. There’s something about those violins in the beginning of “It Happens to be That Way” that quickly engulfs you in an ocean of emotions. Brian and Hwanhee are both extraordinary vocalists, they each have their own distinctive and unique techniques that blend extremely well together, hence how they’ve managed to perform and work as well as they have for the last 15 years. With Brian’s impassioned tone and Hwanhee’s commanding notes transcending throughout the song, these guys will for sure take you on a whirlwind rollercoaster of untamed emotions. Read more
https://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/tumblr_nug07uOUIz1qg0asqo9_1280.jpg?time=16712280407201280Tam Huynhhttps://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-09-14 07:39:382015-09-14 07:39:38Fly to the Sky’s ‘It Happens To Be That Way’ Music Video & Song Review
Rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well when it comes to Dead Buttons, the Seoul-based duo classic rock band comprised of guitarist Hong Ji Hyun and drummer Lee Kang Hee. Mixing genres, Dead Buttons is a bit of classic rock meets punk meets blues and one of the best rock bands in Seoul today.
I had the chance to sit down with Dead Buttons earlier this summer to discuss their music, what they’ve been up to, their influences, and why they’re drunk on stage but not in the recording studio.
It’s so nice to meet you. Can you please introduce Dead Buttons to KultScene’s audience. We play rock ‘n’ roll, and we’re from South Korea. Yea. We’re just a two piece band. We started playing together in 2012. First we were a three piece band. We had two bassists, but one quit, and then the other quit again. We’ve been two pieces for eleven month.
How did you pick the name? HJH: I liked dead Kennedy and dead weather so I put the word dead, and the word button doesn’t mean anything.
How do you feel your music has grown since you don’t have a bassist anymore? We can try more styles, new kinds, [without a bassist] because we were like a punk band but now we’re changing; psychedelic, rock ‘n’roll, now we can do everything, we’re not limited. I think that the instrument and player doesn’t matter. We don’t have a bassist, but we have bass. We care about the person who play music, but I think there’s a better chance at working together if we’re just two, face to face. We’re able to work better.
What type of rock ‘n’ roll music are you doing nowadays? Classic rock, punk rock, pop rock, We don’t define our genres because we want to do all the things we like. We do all kinds of rock. Right now we’re making a kind of reggae tune. We don’t mind [different] genres.
What kind of music do you two like when you’re looking for inspiration? Too much. Even classical music, yea.
When you two want to make a new song, what do you do. Jamming, mostly.
What was going to England twice like? Cool -laughs-
How was it going to England to play, in comparison to Seoul? It’s very similar within the UK and Korea. Because in UK, there is indie music too like there is in Korea, and it’s also not pretty popular. You have to do something, like if you want to be a popular band you need some media promotion. But we don’t do it like this. We need much experience, so we go to the UK and we hope to have our first tour in Korea, and also go to maybe Japan and Europe. We need much experience to be popular and to be a good band.
Actually, we love traveling so that’s part of it.
How often do you perform in Korea? How is it different playing in Korea versus overseas? We play in Seoul once or twice a week. Actually, when we played in the U.K, K-pop fans came. I don’t know why they like us, but actually they start liking “K-pop” but they just like “Korean.” They like us because we’re Korean. K-pop, like “Gangnam Style” or the idol music, it’s popular because they have money. We’re not popular because we don’t have money.
We don’t want people to care where we come from, because we are musicians. Nobody cares about that. So, as Koreans, K-pop scene is really different to us.
So you guys want to transcend being Korean musicians and just be musicians? We’re Korean but we’re musicians in the world.
How do you think the international audience sees you? When we were on stage the first time, the audience is curious about us to see what kind of music we’ll play. But we don’t play K-pop, so they’re interested to see what else Korea has to offer. Most foreign people don’t have an idea about Korean band music. Even Korea [doesn’t have an idea about Korean band music.] So like it’s a fresh thing to the audience.
What’s the audience like here? Usually, half the audience knows us already and half is new to us.
You’ve been playing together for two years and you’ve been abroad a lot. What’s the reaction to that here? Like, is that normal for indie bands here to go abroad or are you up and coming? It’s pretty common. The Korean audience, after we go abroad, they get curious, they want to see what the international audience is looking. When they come to look at us afterwards, we have to grab their attention. We have this chance and do many gigs to attract the curious audience.
What makes Dead Buttons unique? I don’t know, we’re fat? -laughter- We’re free? We’re not really the same or different from anyone else, we just have to play our music because we like listening to our music. Other bands, they’re doing some really tight music because they have to make this music to make money so all of their practices and gigs, they do tightly in order to make music. We’re more relaxed, we perform every time drunk.
Does any of your music get made sober? When you record, are you drunk or sober? Actually, I think we were drunk when we recorded our EP. Oh wait, no, I ate chocolate instead. I was really tired. I was really fucked up because of a lot caffeine, I just drank Monster [energy drink] after Monster. We recorded five hours in one day because we don’t have money, so we had to focus a lot. We weren’t drunk because of that. But very high on caffeine. Our album music is so fast because we were so high. We sing slower in person than our album version of our songs.
I know that you guys are working with Baltic? How did that happen? First, two years ago at Zandari Festa 2013, a Baltic Records rep came to Korea and saw our gig. So they invited us to the UK, and then again last year at ZF, we were asked to release the album in the UK. So we released it two months ago, and we were in the UK for that.
[Dead Buttons will also be performing at this year’s Zandari Festa.]
What was that like releasing an album in the UK? It’s just digital, we don’t have a CD. It’s funny because it’s on iTunes, but Korea doesn’t have iTunes service so I couldn’t listen. There’s a big difference between being on iTunes or not being on iTunes in Korea, though.
How did you two meet? A friend introduced us, who was looking for a drummer. We were drunk, and blacked out, and the next day we woke up to text messages “Hey, we made a band! Let’s practice.” We had drunk like ten bottles of soju on a rainy day, so we can’t remember. We don’t remember forming the band.
You said you were working on reggae tunes, what else? We’re working close to root music, more bluesy and more energetic punk rock, like Detroit Garage style. It’s more relaxed music. We’re playing to enjoy.
When you’re on stage performing, how much of it is improvisation? We don’t speak when we’re on stage, we just play and play. Actually, we’re not really good at speaking. When we’re drinking, we speak a lot, but when we’re playing, it’s so different. We really love drinking, and traveling, and being with a lot of friends.
What city would you want to play in? Cuba and Jamaica.
So you guys like the Caribbean? In the summer, we want to play in Alaska, and in the winter we want to play in East Asia, the hottest place. In the Korea, summer is too humid and Korea is so cold.
How often do you play in other cities, or do you stay in Hongdae? Just 4, 5 times a year. 90% of Korean bands are in Hongdae. We like touring, so we plan to go to other cities and see the local scenes but Korea doesn’t have the local scenes. This isn’t even really a local scene. In Daejeon, there is just one band, Burning Hepburn. They’re really cool.
In Jeonju, there used to be the hardcore scene with the MF Crew. Do you know 13 Steps? A lot of the bands from Jeonju though came to Seoul and just disappeared. There’s no audience.
What do you think is your audience for rock ‘n roll? I think that in the world, rock ‘n roll is the most popular music in the world. Everyone listens to rock, but in Korea rock ‘n roll bands aren’t so popular.
What do you want people to think when they listen to Dead Buttons? “[It’s] Noisy, what is this, what the f**k, this is so loud, what are they saying?” Korean people don’t really have an idea about rock music. Because popular music is K-pop style. Maybe they call us death metal or hardcore, without really knowing what that is. But we’re retro rock.
Do you guys have any favorite classic rock bands? HJH: I grew up up with Eagle FM, the US army radio station, so Pink Floyd, Muse, Rolling Stones, Nirvana. Too many. LKH: I grew up in Paragauy and grew up with Argentina and Brazil’s MTV, so I knew music. I grew up with Green Day, Linkin Park. I moved in 2007.
Do you guys want to go overseas more? We hope to go to the US but we don’t have a chance yet. We have to have a chance to go to SXSW. Everyone says that it’s hard for indie bands in Korea because it’s Korea, but it’s like that for rock ‘n’ roll bands all over the world. Pop and R&B are big nowadays, and rock is less popular.
What are you guys working on now? We’re preparing to release a full album this year, we’re recording in August or September. Our producer is the Crying Nut keyboardist, and we’re recording in their studio.
Do you like Dead Buttons’ sound and style? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Dead-Buttons.jpg?time=1671228040641960Tamar Hermanhttps://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2015-09-08 13:45:162015-09-08 13:56:31Dead Buttons Brings Classic Rock ‘N’ Roll Sounds To Seoul [INTERVIEW]
After a six year hiatus from his solo activities, Shinhwa’s, Jun Jin, popped back onto the music scene with his newest song and music video titled “Wow Wow Wow,” which also features fellow member Eric. Due to the lengthy wait, fans all over rejoiced in excitement at the announcement of his comeback. Many hoped to see how much Jun Jin had matured musically since the release of his first solo debut single back in 2006, dating to his last solo project in 2009 before he left for his military enlistment. With the wait finally over, let’s dive right in with this KultScene writer as she reviews the long awaited Jun Jin comeback.
Song
Hearts stopped beating and quickly came back to life from the moment Jun Jin started the song with the “looking at looking at looking at you” along with the overlapping of Eric’s sexy whispers of “I’m looking at, I’m looking at you”. When was it ever okay (but in fact it really is okay) for an artist to start a song in such a seductive manner as Jun Jin and Eric did in “Wow Wow Wow”? Read more
https://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Jun-Jin-Wow-Wow-Wow.jpg?time=1671228040550550Tam Huynhhttps://fmb8e9.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-09-07 05:58:452015-09-07 05:58:45Jun Jin’s ‘Wow Wow Wow’ Music Video & Song Review
