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Playlist Sunday: Ultimate Bias

May 17, 2015/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Do you remember who your first ultimate Korean idol bias was? Is it still the same person? No? Yes? Well, at KultScene, we understand it might be hard trying to narrow it down to a single favorite artist, especially with new groups debutting each day. However, we all have that one that triumphs over the rest of them. So for this week’s playlist we’re choosing songs from our ultimate K-pop biases because we can’t contain all our feels.

Let’s throw it back to 2002 when I first laid eyes on my first Korean idol and forever-ultimate bias, Eric Mun, from SHINHWA. Eric’s found a nice balance between leading the longest running Korean idol group, to showing off his charismatic acting skills. Not only is he the alluring leader of SHINHWA, he’s also a skilled actor and quite the prankster wherever he goes. Aside from his silly antics, there’s something about those sad puppy eyes, deep husky voice and manly built of his that continuously draws me in. Eric’s been talking about marriage for several years now, but nothing’s really come of it yet, which I’m fine with because I don’t think my heart is ready to let this 13-year-old love go. But when the time comes, I’ll let him go with an open heart. With this said, I have to go with Alright because he gave a great performance.

–Tam

Also on KultScene: BoA ‘Kiss My Lips’ Music Video & Song Review

The first time I saw Jang Wooyoung (on TV that is) was in 2011, when he acted as Jason in Dream High. Back then, I took a special interest in him, especially as I started to find out about his group, 2PM, and listen to their songs. It was only after I heard This is Love, however, that Wooyoung became my ultimate bias. It may not be a very well-known song, especially compared to the rest of his solo releases, but to me, this jazzy and relaxing song filled with his silky vocals is a masterpiece that showcases Wooyoung’s growth both as a singer and as a composer. It makes me look forward to his future works, and I’ll definitely be supporting him all the way.

–Anna

He might have not been my first K-pop bias or even my favorite in Super Junior, but Kyuhyun is definitely bae now. And with his solo debut last year, this week’s playlist theme is the perfect opportunity to brag on my baby’s talent. Of course At Gwanghwamun is stellar, but it was his contribution to the recent drama Fool’s Love that gets my pick this time. ’Till I Reach Your Star is the main reason why I decided to watch the drama in the first place, and it being played at every other scene was the icing on the cake. The song is everything Kyuhyun is the best at: emotional, heart-tugging ballads. And even though he tones his greatness down, he still delivered a powerful performance.

— Alexis

If you ask me who my favorite K-pop star is, I may have a different answer every day, but there are two people I always go back to, and the first was Super Junior’s leader Leeteuk (The other is INFINITE’s Sungyeol, by the way). As a singer, Leeteuk is typically overlooked as a mediocre vocalist in Super Junior, but he’s the heart and soul of the group. His version of Huh Gak’s Hello from Super Show 6 gave him a chance to shine as a vocalist in a way rarely previously seen from him, showing a great deal of growth and improvement from a singer who had typically shied away from vocally strenuous performances.

–Tamar

Also on KultScene: South Korean Patients Dream, and Curse, in A Hybrid Punk World [Interview]

When I think of ultimate biases I always think of the idol that I most want to succeed and I have no doubt that that is Rainbow’s Kim Jaekyung. She is one of the only idols that so completely outshines the rest of her group that I feel sorry for her. Jaekyung excels at singing, dancing, and on variety shows. She is one of the most beautiful female idols working now and is multi-talented (check out her instagram to see the many things she draws and makes). If given the chance to go solo, she would nail every aspect and perform better than nearly all female soloists working right now. I always get the feeling that she genuinely enjoys what she does, and for me, that is most endearing. Unfortunately, Jaekyung has not had the chance to do any solo work that I know of, so I’m picking Rainbow’s To Me for my song. She particularly excels in the chorus wailing her lines to perfection.

–Joe

Who was your first K-pop bias? Share your picks 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.

Playlist Sunday: Mother’s Day

May 10, 2015/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

With much of America (and KultScene’s writers) celebrating Mother’s Day today, we thought it would be appreciated for all of us to take a moment and call our mothers and tell them how much we love them. Then we looked at our playlists and picked our favorite mommy-related songs.

INFINITE’s ballad Omma (Mom) is a heartfelt confession by sons toward their mothers, apologizing for being difficult over the years and not always showing their affection and thanks properly. The keyboard and strings-based song describes the desire to say “I love you” more often, expressing the idea that this is something that many children don’t say outright to their parents but instead hope that they know. “Something that’s so common, but I was never able to say it before,” sings INFINITE. The song is made more beautiful during the group’s concert performances, when pictures of the seven singers and their mothers appear in the background.

–Tamar

Also on KultScene: #CallMeBabyXWin: Korean Music Shows & The Songs That Win Awards

G.O.D’s To My Mother does a great job tugging on my heartstrings. It’s almost impossible to watch this video without shedding a tear here and there. The song talks about the hardships and obstacles the leading ladies in their lives endure and go through, while raising them on their own. Although the song is a bit on the more sorrowful side, it delivers a strong and meaningful message and reminds us to never forget to say our I love you’s to those who we hold near and dear to our hearts.

–Tam

Lee Sul Ah from K-Pop Star 4 made everyone cry, including the judges, with her original song Life As A Mother. The song talks about a mom staying up late to see his son come back home after a night. The song expresses every worry that a mom has and how at the end of the day they are always there for us. The song is beautiful and so simple but makes a big impact on everyone’s hearts.

–Alejandro

Since it’s not Mother’s Day where I am (Ireland), I’ve decided to go with something that has nothing to do mothers but has MAMA in the title. LC9 debuted at a bad time in 2013, right after many other boy groups with a similar powerful concept (B.A.P, Block B, etc.) had already reached popularity. LC9 were not promoted well enough though to follow in the success. It’s a shame as their debut album Skirmish and single MaMa Beat were excellent. MaMa Beat is a heavy slice of EDM hip-hop that features the musical equivalent of a circle (listen and you’ll get it). The vocal talent on display was impressive too, in singing and rapping. It even featured a pretty interesting video inspired by Street Fighter that actually showed some violence where so many others are afraid to. The violence is cartoonish but it’s still there.

–Joe

Also on KultScene: April’s Best K-Pop B-Sides

Even though it wasn’t among my favorites, I can’t deny the lyrics to Kisum’s song for the Unpretty Rapstar semi-final To. MOM was the sweetest ode to mothers everywhere. Even though the song isn’t much musically (or at least to me, anyway), the lyrics are super relatable to anyone who thinks their mom is the best. Of course the footage of Kisum’s mom actually being there and the legendary Insooni featuring on the track made it that more special, but the rapper’s sincere feelings shone through and could’ve also stood on its own.

— Alexis

What’s your favorite K-pop song dedicated to mothers? 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.

27 Thoughts About Hyunseung’s New Music Video ‘You’re the First’

May 7, 2015/in Fans /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

After much build up with flawless teaser images and a glorious dance teaser video, BEAST’s Hyunseung finally made his solo debut today with You’re the First. The video, song, and choreography is everything fans wanted and then some. I mean, the boy has the whole package: he can sing beautifully, he has all the right moves, and he’s easy on the eyes. And not only is the music video an explosion of color, the song is awesome. You might want to watch it more than once. That’s why I compiled a few thoughts, just for fun, that ran through my mind.

1. Ladies and gentlemen, the gun show just began
2. Subtle Chanel swag, ok, I’m with it
3. This opening scene has a Justin Timberlake chasing-the-girl-as-I-dance thing that I dig

Hyunseung’s New Music Video ‘You’re the First’ gif

via @ Tumblr

4. Girl, you’re hot, but the leopard bustier has to go
5. Doesn’t she look a little bit like Hyuna, though?
6. Yes Hyunseung, cop a feel, you’re old enough

via beastloren@ Tumblr

Also on KultScene: April’s Best K-Pop B-Sides

7. … but then you have to take it, also
8. How does he make the choreography look so effortless, like it’s all part of his expressions and mannerisms?
9. The chorus might be just a single sentence, but I’m already singing it
10. I fxxk with this beat
11. How the hell does this guy pull off a smokey eye better than most girls?!? Ughhhh

Hyunseung’s New Music Video ‘You’re the First’

via b2st-nes@ Tumblr

12. Hyunseung seems all quiet and shy and out of it on his variety show appearances, but he’s definitely very present now

via b2st-nes @ Tumblr

13. You’re a freak. You know it, I know it, we all know it

via b2st-nes @ Tumblr

14. … But the girl is fine, so who can blame him?
15. Cube Entertainment did him wrong with BEAST’s last comeback, but this blond look is everything!

via b2st-nes @ Tumblr

16. The all white ensemble suits him well, too

via b2st-nes @ Tumblr

17. The song is so funky, even with all the EDM/trap beats and synth
18. That Dsquared2 parka tho

via beastloren @ Tumblr

19. No! Take that hat off!
20. Ayyyeee Giriboy rocking dark roots and eyebrows with blond hair looking fly as hell

Hyunseung’s New Music Video ‘You’re the First’ giriboy gif

via hyunseuncj @ Tumblr

21. Yoseob’s boxing classes came in handy

via b2st-nes @ Tumblr

Also on KultScene: 10 Epik High Songs To Get You Ready For Their North American Tour [UPDATED]

22. That elevator scene… 4D my a**

by mykpassion

23. DAAANCE BREAAAAK
24. SLAAAAAAYYY

via jiwwon @ Tumblr

25. The video girl’s grinding skills are weak
26. WE SAW THAT!

via beastloren @ Tumblr

27. Boyfriend shirt? We all know what that means! That was no dream.

But if you want to put our commentary into context, here’s the music video for you to enjoy yourself:

Playlist Sunday: BIGBANG

May 3, 2015/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

BIGBANG is probably the group that truly makes a comeback every time they release new music. After three years on focusing on their solo work, the guys are back with their latest releases, making fans all over the world rejoice, for, let’s be real here, we were all thirsty. So in order to celebrate this grand event, we’re picking our favorite songs from “the nation’s boy band.”

T.O.P’s duet with Taeyang Friend for the 2009 drama Friend, Our Legend is a bit old school, but one of my favorite Big Bang songs. The song is about friendship and extremely heartfelt, and T.O.P and Taeyang’s own friendship makes the duet believable; these two men are singing about friendship (and love). With powerful beats, melodious raps and choruses, the song screams old-school Big Bang and is definitely not something you want to overlook.

–Tamar

Also on KultScene: MR.MR “Out” Music Video & Song Review

After three years of not having a new song, BIGBANG are finally back. Their new track Loser talks about not being confident with yourself and feeling alone, trying to be someone you are not and feeling like a complete loser, especially to the one that you love. The song is melodically similar to Monster and Bad Boy, and an uptempo ballad that goes very well with the lyrics. Taeyang’s vocals are at its best, and hearing the quintet’s voices together again is amazing. The video is beautifully shot and depicts the band members showing different types of losers. It’s a track worth for a comeback!

— Alejandro

In recent years, BIGBANG’s music videos have been bold, loud, and much more colorful than when they first debuted. With so many different concepts and styles, a song that I wish had a music video is Café. All the what if’s of a music video that will never be filmed makes me wonder whether the members would’ve been affectionate or distant towards their lover(s), if there was indeed a love interest, and where they would’ve filmed it. But since there is no sign of this happening anytime soon, I guess I’ll just have to re-watch all the live performances and put my imagination to the test!

–Tam

One of the things I like most about Big Bang is their perfect generic mid-tempo songs. They became known for their hip-hop stylings but, for me, they at their best in these more subdued moments. After the huge success of Lies they reused the piano melody against a traditional hip-hop beat for their song Haru Haru. Haru Haru is immediately striking for its similarity to Lies, but it tops it on all accounts to create a perfect pop moment. GD and TOP’s dual rapping at the start is so good it saddens me they don’t do it more often. Right at the climax the song moves on to a beautiful vocal melody of the other members. These transitions have an incredible natural flow to them. Musically and vocally the song weaves in and out of different styles, tempos and keys without a hint of difficulty. Each moment is great, together they are beautiful.

–Joe

Also on KultScene: You’re Missing Out If You’re Not Watching The Cohabiting K-drama ‘The Lover’

Even though it’s a tough pick, my most likely favorite BIGBANG song ever is Gara Gara Go!!. I can’t exactly pinpoint why, but it definitely has to do with the fact that this song screams “boy band,” which I love. When they released this song, the guys still had full choreographies, and perfectly divided up parts, but still came together to sing in unison for the chorus. It’s a fun, funky jam that drives your mood up and makes you dance. What’s not to like?

— Alexis

What’s your favorite BIGBANG song? How did you like their comeback songs? 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.

Playlist Sunday: CF Jingles

April 26, 2015/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Unless the commercials are about makeup, a majority of South Korean commercials, better known as CFs, tend to land on the corner of cheesy and can occasionally be overly exaggerated. However, we could say the same for some K-pop acts and K-Dramas, and, well, we all love them for it! So that’s why at KultScene, we’ve put together a list of our favorite CF jingles performed by K-pop artists, ranging from the hysterically corny to the overtly sweet ones.

This Fanta commercial titled Fanta Idol had potential of being a rather studious one, considering how it’s centered around students, played by singer and YG Entertainment artist Kang Seungyoon and actress Baek Jinhee. But it’d be a bit boring if you just had people singing about a sugary carbonated drink, right? So who better to cast to heighten and take the commercial to a whole another level of entertainment other than funny man Lee Kwangsoo? I’m glad the director and his team realized that aside from pleasing the music loving fan girls’ hearts, that they had to add a comedic concept to the video in order to reach a wider range of audiences and to promote sales. Although it’s a lengthy and cringe worthy commercial, it was an entertaining three minutes and forty-nine seconds well spent.

–Tam

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You’re My First isn’t one of INFINITE’s best songs, but as a funky dance song with a smattering of the group’s signature synchronized dance moves, the Samsung Galaxy Player ad works. Each of the seven members had individual, shorter ads for general commercial use, but the group’s short music video for the song features all of the members, while highlighting L’s dancing while watching videos on his new phone. INFINITE looks good and makes the product look good, so there’s not much more to ask for.

–Tamar

2NE1‘s CF for Fiore for the Yamaha motorcycle not only gave us a good commercial with great styling back then, but also a music video for their song Don’t Stop The Music. The only difference in the song from the original is that every now and then we hear them saying “Fio, Fio, Fiore.” It’s really funny when I listen to the original song and I catch myself singing the CF version. The girls managed to stay true to themselves and even if the CF is a bit cheesy, they look and act fierce.

— Alejandro

SNSD and 2PM‘s Cabi Song music video for Caribbean Bay will get you excited for the Summer months ahead. They manage to create a mini love story based on the training of the Caribbean Bay lifeguards, SNSD members Seohyun, Yuri, and Yoona and 2PM’s Taecyeon, Chansung, and Nichkhun. The song showcases the vocal talents of both groups and creates the perfect background music for the plot of the music video. Aside from the love story theme, the MV shows off the beautifully toned bodies of the idols.

— Tara

When I look back at Super Junior eras, A-cha is probably one of my favorites style-wise, so of course I’ll choose a CF from that time. Being one of Asia’s biggest (fame and size wise) groups, it comes to no surprise that Lotte Duty Free loves to feature them on their ads. With So I’m Loving You, the guys delivered a signature Super Junior song, complete with the right doses of cheesiness and upbeat dance music. I don’t know if dancing mid-twenty year old men makes women run to the shop, but maybe them being plastered all over the store is incentive enough.

–Alexis

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Nothing says “buy a phone!” like nine beautiful girls dancing in perfect unison and singing about love as addictive as chocolate. If you disagree with this statement then you don’t understand how advertising works and you’re missing out on what is actually a great song amongst Girls’ Generation’s perfect discography. Chocolate Love sounds like a simplified test run for SNSD’s later single Run Devil Run. It has an almost identical beat, which actually plays by itself for long runs of this song, lending the song a stripped back, more mature sound. To contrast this the song contains teetering synths and horns to hold back what could have been a serious song. Vocally, it also has some interesting things for a SNSD song. The chorus is a satisfyingly fun mesh of the different voices of the group with Jessica’s sickly sweet vocal as the major one. As always, SNSD go above and beyond what is expected to produce a commercial song that stands alone as a part of their career.

–Joe

What’s your favorite CF? Share your picks 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.

What’s Up With Rome & C-Clown?

April 24, 2015/in Fans /by Tara

Earlier this week fans of C-Clown‘s leader, Rome, were shocked when he tweeted a message to fans and drastically altered his Instagram account. Nothing has been officially released from Rome, C-Clown, or Yedang Entertainment, but his recent social media behavior left us to speculate about a few things.

Rome is the charismatic, Korean-Australian leader of C-Clown. He is known as one of the rappers of the group and is notorious for his superb dancing and b-boy skills. In fact, followers of Rome’s Instagram account will remember seeing video clips of his freestyle dancing and killer b-boy moves. There were days where Rome would post several video clips of himself and his members on Instagram, updating the fans on his and C-Clown’s whereabouts; he even made a public Facebook page in which he used as a universal platform to socialize with the Crowns (C-Clown’s fanclub) and SALTs, (Rome’s personal fanclub’s name from his b boy days back in Australia).

C-Clown last released a single in the summer of 2014. Let’s Love showed off more of the boys’ singing, rapping, and dancing talents. It was a good step in the right direction for more commercial success for C-Clown, and it allowed them to take another step towards stardom. But there was no follow-up, unfortunately. Since July, there hasn’t been any big events involving C-Clown. Even Rome, who was usually quite active on Instagram, was quiet and not sharing as much with his fans (SALTS).

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The hiatus definitely left room for speculation, seeing how it was a bit odd for someone who was as active as Rome on social media to die off and leave the fans hanging. He stopped filming and posting his CTC (Crown The Clown) series on C-Clown’s official YouTube Channel, although he had stated that he was going to air a new season, and when he would post on social media, the messages were vague.

C-Clown shares a brotherly bond; a majority of the time, if Rome isn’t featuring one of his members in his videos or photos, then one of the members would be sharing photos that they took with their leader on their social media platforms. But with the passing months, that no longer seems to occur.

It wasn’t until April 21 (KST) that Rome reappeared on Instagram, but with a different name, Christian Yu. Not only was his name different, but all of his previous posts were deleted. As of today, there still are no posts. Moreover, his Twitter handle was changed to @neva4get_urself with Christian Yu as his name. With the changes on Twitter and Instagram, it came as no surprise that Rome then tweeted the following:

I apologize to the fans , I really do! But I tried..I really did! It’s jus too hard now ! Dw y’all

— Christian Yu (@neva4get_urself) April 21, 2015

Also on KultScene: Top 5 English Covers By Korean Male Singers

Did something happen to their bond? Did Yedang abandon C-Clown? Clearly something happened that may have resulted in the leaving of Rome from C-Clown or the disbandment of the group as a whole. Even if C-Clown is not in his future anymore, Rome, or Christian, has his start up production company, DPR (Dream Perfect Regime), which includes artists such as V. Hawk, Taehyun, and Roscoe, who all three used to be apart of now disbanded boy group Wonder Boyz and Dabs also known as LIVE.

Hopefully everything will work out for everyone in the end, whether Rome continues with C-Clown or decides to go a different route and focus on DPR. Either way we wish nothing but the best for both Rome, Ray, Siwoo, Kangjun, T.K, and Maru.

What’s your take on this whole situation? 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.

5 English Covers by Korean Male Singers

April 22, 2015/in Fans /by Tam Huynh

It’s one thing when an artist does a cover of a song, but it’s another thing when that artist is able to move you and convey an even stronger message than the original singer. And it’s even more astonishing when the language of the song isn’t even the singer’s first language.

If you’re a YouTube junkie, then you might’ve seen these covers floating around before, and if not, you’re in for a treat! Here are my top five English covers by Korean male singers.

5. 2BiC I’m Not the Only One

Playlist Sunday: Korean Idols We Want to Be BFFs With

April 19, 2015/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Do you ever sit there and think about what your life would be like if you were best friends with a Korean idol, past or present? It’ll probably be tough to narrow down since there’s such a large pool of interesting people in the industry. Here at Kultscene, we thought it’d be cool to put a list together of idols we’d want to share our secrets and be best friends with.

Fly to the Sky was one of the first Korean artists that I listened to when I first got into K-Pop in 2003. Not only was I drawn to their powerful ballads, but I also thought it was especially cool that one of the members, Brian Joo, was actually from the States. It didn’t occur to me, at the time, that Brian would turn out to be the clown that he is. Whenever Brian’s on stage, he’s a serious performer, granted, FTTS sings a lot of sorrowful love songs, but when he’s off stage, whether he’s doing interviews, on variety shows, or hanging out with friends, he’s a total prankster. He’s full of jokes and isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and he has major sass, which comes out full throttle whenever he’s speaking in English. As a best friend, I think his maturity and experiences would be of great guidance for me, due to the age gap between the two of us. I have yet to meet Brian Joo, but when I do, I’ll take it as the golden opportunity to ask if he’ll want to be my bestie!

–Tam

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I may be in my mid-twenties, but that doesn’t mean I act mature all of the time. GOT7‘s Jackson would be an amazing best friend for many reasons. One, he can speak English fluently so we can quickly and easily communicate between our broken Korean. Two, Jackson is an extremely outgoing person who thrives of sarcasm and fun. And I’m all about sarcasm and fun. Three, he can introduce me to his members and all of the other JYP acts (2PM & miss A, I’m looking at you) and we can all be one big group of friends. In general, Jackson seems like a person you want around to help lighten the mood and create hilarious memories. I don’t have any problems treating him like a little brother either. Having Jackson as a K-pop BFF would keep me on my toes and enjoying everything we do together. One of GOT7’s songs that shows all of their goofy personalities, and especially Jackson’s, is in the last episode of Real GOT7 where they create their own music video for Follow Me. The actual music video doesn’t start until the end of the episode (22:55), but the whole episode is worth watching.

— Tara

2NE1 was the first group that got me into liking K-pop because of all the awesome, flashy clothes. As I got into the fandom, I quickly learned that CL was the ultimate fashionista within the group, K-pop, and the world. So, of course I would love being best friends with the Baddest Female, and that’s why I chose a song penned by her, Baby I Miss You. On this soulful track, CL left the confidence aside to let her vulnerability show, resulting in a sad ballad about a past relationship with a younger guy. We don’t really know if CL actually wrote this song out of experience, but it certainly spoke to me. Besides her high profile, I think CL and I would connect over our love for fashion, female MCs, and showing the world a hard exterior while actually being kind of soft inside.

— Alexis

As someone who doesn’t really have such a great sense of humor, someone immature would never be a really good friend to me. Someone who knows how to create laughter while still showing off seriousness would be an ideal friend for me, so I pick JYJ’s XIA Junsu as the K-pop idol I’d like to be friends with. Sweet, funny, with a good amount of severity in his personality, Junsu’s flamboyant and fun when he wants to be and serious when he should be. XIA’s Set Me Free featuring MFBTY’s Bizzy (check out our interview!) is about a man trying to forget his relationship, but feels like it could also be a message to me to let loose and let go of things a bit more easily than I tend to do.

–Tamar

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When SNSD’s Catch Me If You Can was released, everyone came out of the rafters claiming delight that Hyoyeon was their favourite and they were so happy that she got more lines. I don’t believe you chancers for those chancers for once. I’m sure they’re all Yoona stans who just want to look alt for a moment. Hyoyeon was the first ever K-pop idol I was ever biased towards. I knew straight away she wouldn’t be the most popular member due to her lack of singing ability and being the ugly duckling of the group. I quickly started rooting for the plucky underdog which turned out to be not so hard at all. Her quick wit and dorky attitude are so immediately endearing and charming that I knew the Korean were so fickle not to worship her over the Yoona’s of this world. So Hyoyeon is most definitely my idol BFF and bonus it means I get to hang out with Min, Amber and all her other K-pop mates. I’m picking The Great Escape as my song because Catch Me If You Can is too generic and I’m not fully ready to accept a Jessica-less Girls’ Generation.

–Joe

Who would be your K-pop BFF and what’s your favorite song by them? Share your picks 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.

Playlist Sunday: Korean Competition Show Songs

April 12, 2015/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Big K-pop groups from big agencies get all the attention abroad most of the times. But in Korea, the songs performed by contestants participating in competition shows chart regularly alongside established idols and artists and are immensely popular. That’s why we’re dedicating this week’s playlist to the songs that came out of our favorite shows.

A lot of contestants go on these shows to sing and sometimes most of them do just strictly that, which is understandable since it is a singing competition and they’ll want to showcase their voices and any other potential talent that they may (sometimes, may not) have. But every now and then there’ll be a contestant who’ll not only blow the judges mind away with their heart rending voices, but they’ll also leave not only the judges but the audience as well, feeling touched, with tears in their eyes. Jung Seunghwan proved to be that person. Whether you keep up with Korean singing competition shows or not, I’m sure you’ve heard about or read articles surrounding K-Pop Star 4 contestant Jung Seunghwan. He became a hot item back in December for his rendition of I Want to Fall in Love originally sung by Kim Johan. It was my first time hearing this song and I had no idea what the song was even about, but Seunghwan delivered it with so much warm and raw emotion that it truly felt as though he wrote that song from his own personal experiences; he owned that stage. With so much artistry in his voice and presence, I know K-Pop Star won’t be the last time we see of him.

— Tam

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This year K-Pop Star 4 brought us incredible talent. The Top 10 was filled with completely different singers, but one of my favorites since the beginning of this season has been Lee Jin Ah. Not only are her piano skills wonderful but she has such an unique voice that moves people and make the judges go crazy every time she performs. Her original songs have witty lyrics that make you feel nostalgic about past lovers, friends, and childhood memories. For a special stage during the competition, Lee Jin Ah had a duet with Kwon Jin Ah from K-Pop Star 3, who is currently signed with Antenna Music. Both singers gave a rendition of two of the most celebrated tracks from Lee Jin Ah and they made an incredible performance. Both of their voices fit perfectly with each other and the crowd went crazy when Lee Jin Ah hit the melody for Slow Down Time, the first song she auditioned with and made the top spots in the Korean music charts.

— Alejandro

Bobby’s performance of L4L (Lookin’ For Luv) with Dok2 and The Quiett on Show Me the Money 3 was what made him an actual contender and threat in the competition. Because up until that point, the YG Entertainment trainee had skated his way through based on his idol popularity, but with this performance, he surely turned skeptics into believers. Following a series of losses, Team Illionaire, Bobby and his mentors Dok2 and The Quiett, decided they were going to go big or go home. That’s why they basically went all out with this performance. From the girls in tight clothes and dancing sexily to the catchy EDM beat to the exuberance of swag and, of course, the featuring of the mentors, they brought the house down. L4L (Lookin’ For Luv) earned twice as much money as his opponent, Olltii, Tablo, and Masta Wu of Team YG. This track is not only a winner because it eliminated team YG, but because it’s quite a jam.

— Alexis

Kihyun of upcoming Starship Entertainment group Monsta X is a vocalist who literally leaves his competition out of breath while trying to keep up with him. After less than satisfactory ranking in the beginning of No.Mercy, Kihyun proved his worth throughout the show and made the final cut to debut as a member of Monsta X, but to be honest it didn’t even seem like a question after his first debut mission performance of SHINee Jonghyun’s solo song Hyeya. During the performance, not only did Kihyun get to show the softness of his vocals prior to building up to a massive crescendo, but the emotion of his voice brought expressions of awe to the faces of the judges and the other trainees alike, even as those very same trainees knew that he was nearly impossible to compete with.

— Tamar

I don’t watch much singing competitions so I’m drawing from a small pool of songs here. I doubt, however, there would be much that could compete with my choice, Cheetah’s semi-final Unpretty Rapstar song Coma 07. The track is a raucous but straightforward enough piece of EDM to give the lyrics centre stage. It includes a beeping line throughout which acts as a heart monitor constantly following Cheetah’s every move. This parallels the lyrics of the song which are about a coma Cheetah was in. It’s at the same time a vulnerable outpouring of emotion and a defiant statement of her character.

— Joe

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Like Joe, I don’t watch any singing competitions. I would love to, but unfortunately my work life does not provide an ample amount of time for me to become invested in competitions and other shows. With that, I’m going to go back a few years to K-Pop Star’s inaugural season in 2012. Park Jimin was the shows first winner and she clearly has done quite well for herself. She is one half of the successful duo 15&, she has co-hosted After School Club, and she just recently released her solo debut album. Jimin’s charisma and pure talent are what brought her to the final of K-Pop Star and it’s no wonder she won the show. Her vocals are absolutely stunning and her English skills are impeccable, and her personality is friendly and goofy. She has it all! her performance of Adele’s Rolling In The Deep is the perfect evidence of the talent Jimin had in 2012. Now that she’s with JYP Entertainment and her voice has matured, she sounds even better. I can’t wait to see what else this talented young woman has to offer.

— Tara

What’s your favorite song out of a competition show? Share your picks 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.

Bang Yongguk Wants You To Know That Everything’s Going To Be All Right

April 8, 2015/in Fans /by Tam Huynh

Bang Yongguk of B.A.P teased fans with a 15 second clip on Instagram on March 26^th, 2015 of what was to eventually become a music video titled AM 4:44, which was later released on April 3^rd. This sudden announcement had a lot of fans in a sudden state of shock and excitement.

For those who may not be aware, B.A.P filed a lawsuit back in November of 2014 against their label TS Entertainment to nullify their contract due to unfair conditions and profit distribution. It’s been an on going battle between the two parties; TS Entertainment refuting the claims made, stating that “there have been neither such maltreatments to the artists nor unfair clauses in the contract,” basically brushing off any claims of them creating slave contracts for the members.

via krnmusick @ tumblr

There have always been talks behind closed doors of Korean companies creating “slave contracts” for their trainees, a contract which basically locks them into long exclusive deals, with no wiggle room or control of musical creativity, and little financial reward. It was only in 2014 that a number of members from various K-pop groups, Kris and Luhan from EXO-M and Moon Junyoung of ZE:A started to come forward to attest these claims. B.A.P shortly followed.

There were rumors and a lot of speculation going around weeks before B.A.P filed their lawsuit that something was terribly wrong; fans were convinced that it wasn’t a problem within the group and that whatever it was that was going on was hugely based on the fact that TS was strenuously overworking the members. In the weeks prior to TS cancelling B.A.P’s South American leg of their Live on Earth Tour, there were photos of the members looking weary and clearly worn out from their nonstop schedules. There were reports of members fainting and being rushed to the hospital, but only to be pulled back out by TS staff, so that they could go on to perform. Their health was quickly declining and there were multiple visits to the clinics with documentation to prove of their deteriorating health, and some of the member’s parents even made their way to TS Entertainment’s office to try and resolve these recurring issues.

Even with all that at hand, TS was not going to let health issues be an excuse as to why they’d have to lose out on money just because their income earners weren’t feeling well. Clearly, as entertainers, you’re not allowed to be sick and feel unwell, because once you sign that contract, you’re no longer considered a human being. With tickets sold, venues set, and thousands of fans awaiting B.A.P’s stops in Latin and South America, you can only imagine how the disappointment when they found out the bad news. TS tried to explain that the cancellation of the tour was all due to their concern over B.A.P’s health, and how the artist condition is the top priority. Did TS already sense that something was brewing and was about to erupt from B.A.P? Were they trying to walk away from the situation as heroes because they cancelled the tour before B.A.P’s health worsened?

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You’d question where and how one would store all these feelings, fury, rage and resentment; but after the lawsuit, this was probably the best opportunity for Yongguk to put it all into a song and present it to world.

As the fearless yet soft spoken leader of B.A.P, Yongguk is notorious for his deep and insightful way of thinking. AM 4:44 is a prime example of him trying to convey an unspoken message. The music video starts off by showing a hand watch. A watch can symbolize many things; a clear and simple meaning would be time doesn’t stop; no matter what you’re going through, you’ve got to keep fighting your way through those obstacles to make it out onto the other side. In Yongguk’s case, he’s fighting with his inner thoughts and emotions along with all the negativity that’s been building up inside him.

Nobody would know how scary the mask I wear is.

via mybutterflyfact @ tumblr

To be in this kind of industry, it’s like the three wise monkeys: you see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. No matter how many crazy things you see and encounter, as an artist under an agency, you just have to bite your tongue and act like nothing ever happened. It’s a never-ending cycle, at least not until you’re completely free from the company. And even then, there’ll still be things that come around that’ll try and haunt you. No one’s going to protect you; you have to fend for yourself. To continue with the theme, Yongguk’s face is never fully shown in the music video, rather we were just given his silhouette and quick glimpses of his profile. It’s almost as if he’s shielding himself with whatever it is that he has left to protect himself with.

via its-happycherry @ tumblr

He goes back and forth a lot throughout the song and he questions a few things here and there; how could it be that something that started off as a passion all of a sudden turn into a spiraling dark hole? for what am I insisting on trying so hard for to keep on running? Rather than this being considered a rap, it’s more like story telling. Yongguk is laying it all out there in the open for the world to hear and as for the audience; you can interpret it however you want.

The a**holes who ruined this are living with their bellies full
Just as they don’t pay attention to the victim mentality they have left behind.

To say that this is just true is a complete understatement. Not only does this apply to the industry in Korea, but it also happens in the music industry across the board in any given country and any franchise, big or small. There’ll always be the big guys who will forever step all over the little guys, until they get to not just the top but the very tip top of the chain. It doesn’t matter how they do it or how long it takes them to do so because it’ll just be a matter of time before they’re able to push their way up to where they think they belong, to live a lavish life and what not, while you’re stuck doing the dirty work. Yongguk didn’t hold back in AM 4:44 and I’m more than positive that he could’ve said so much more but that’ll probably be for another track.

When you’re feeling the loneliest and having a hard time from this world,
I will pat your shoulder you can lean into me then.

One of the worst feelings one can experience in life is loneliness; the feeling of emptiness and abandonment. There are those who can be in a room filled with people, whether it’s friends or family, but rather yet, feel like they’re surrounded by strangers, and feel like they’re the only ones who exist, or there are those who literally have no one, those with absolutely no shoulder to turn to and cry on. Even though Yongguk is filled with anger, his arms are still wide open. He’s thinking about those around him; those people who have stuck around, whether it’s his B.A.P members, his family, the fans, or just people who care enough, in general. Yongguk wants to break this cycle; he’s dealt with a few bad apples in his life and if possible he’d like to help someone else who’s been dealt a bad deck of cards if he can.

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I for one am a BABY and I’ve followed B.A.P since the beginning. And as BABY and as appreciative as I am of all their constant comebacks, World Tour’s, and all the hard work, time and labor that these guys put it, much like many other groups out there, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t expect for all of this to happen one day. It’s unfortunate that it happened, but I’m glad the members decided to file the lawsuit as a group. I guess you can say that AM 4:44 was a sudden treat to the BABYZ, but it’s also a song that is jammed back with extremely powerful messages.

I am just doing my thing, everything is going to be alright.

What are your thoughts on Bang Yongguk’s AM 4:44? Do you think everything’s going to be all right? 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.