The story of LOONA: ODD EYE CIRCLE

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As the final bars of LOONA ⅓’s “Sonatine” slowly faded out, the digital effects opened a new door for LOONA. On the other side of it are Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry. As a trio they are ODD EYE CIRCLE, a name that necessitates capital letters thanks to the moon-evoking imagery of the word “odd.” These three represent the next chapter of the LOONA story.

Writing the previous entry to this series on LOONA was a much easier task than this addition. With the added benefit of hindsight, I knew what had come after the first five girls of LOONA so could more easily chart their progression and what that meant in contrast to the three girls who would become ODD EYE CIRCLE. When the three of them did finally come together though, there was a whole new clarity to the ideas behind LOONA. Whereas the first five girls’ were moving towards a group identity as a whole, ODD EYE CIRCLE traces individuals.

The musical timeline of this trio’s solo singles are sort of backwards. You could probably look at them in forwards or backwards chronological order but for me going from Choerry to Kim Lip makes the most narrative sense. Choerry’s solo single, “Love Cherry Motion” acts as a bridge between ODD EYE CIRCLE and the previous girls. She moves away from the physical sound to something a bit more modern but with such a classic pop sound that it isn’t immediately obvious. The bubbly synths are helped by drum samples and wonderful slap bass straight from Girls’ Generation’s “Party.” Of course, it becomes quickly obvious that LOONA are moving in a new direction when the post-chorus breaks hits. The first break comes with no notice and overflows with heavy bassy electro. It’s the darkest moment of LOONA’s entire discography without going too deep into seriousness.

By itself the sudden genre change isn’t exactly a shock in K-pop anymore. As the song progresses, the break changes though. Middle Eastern sounding synths are added to the second chorus, galvanizing the second half of the song into a major change. From that break it turns into a bridge in a similar style, but not quite as heavy as before. The song slowly adds the brighter elements of the beginning before finally transitioning back into the original sound. As the bridge between both groups of girls, Choerry simultaneously shows both styles in contrast and in unison. Moving from an abrupt transition to a smooth one, she starts to bring the pop and EDM sounds together in search of a synthesis.

The lyrics mirror this as they tell the story of a girl falling in love. Similar to the previous girls she’s shy and naive, “Though I don’t know from A to Z, what love really is, The tips of my ears are tingling.” LOONA 1/3 were almost fearful of the mystery of possible love but Choerry is excited, similar to Yeojin, not a surprise given she’s the second youngest. She’s the continuation of the maknae’s (youngest’s) story; the sustained excitement about the future of LOONA lies with the youngest girls. She starts off nervous but right at end sings that “Our special days start today.”

Also on KultScene: The story of LOONA: The first five girls

Jinsoul preceded chronologically Choerry with her tumultuous future bass track “Singing in the Rain,” but her song propels ODD EYE CIRCLE’s mythos. Completely shedding any memory of the first five girls, she moves into an edgy digital space. The sawtooth synths and explosive percussion of her song have a dangerous unpredictability to them. Jinsoul is experimenting in the grey area between Choerry and Kim Lip. She’s the first to rap and does so with relish, adding ad libs to pre-choruses. That pre-chorus changes for the second chorus as well. “Singing in the Rain” is what happens when a group is trying to figure itself out. It’s not as experimental as “Love Cherry Motion” but it’s still not a completely polished product.

Jinsoul is much more direct as well, “For the sin of swallowing, up the afternoon sun, I’m right here, so hot,” she coos in the chorus. It’s a forwardness unknown to the other girls. She’s a girl in love, not waiting for someone but taking the lead to the point where she sings loudly about it in the rain.

The actual first girl of ODD EYE CIRCLE to debut was Kim Lip. It was quite a jump from the emotional orchestra of LOONA ⅓’s “Sonatine” to the sci-fi R&B of “Eclipse.” Compared to “Love Cherry Motion” and “Singing in the Rain,” “Eclipse” is stunningly simple. Kim Lip rides the beat with ease, her voice restrained but with a deceptive range. It has none of the eccentricities of Choerry and Jinsoul’s tracks, but feels at home beside them. As soon as she opened the song with “This is our fantasy,” it was obvious a new era had begun. Kim Lip represented a clean break for LOONA, one of sensuality and maturity.

Despite progressing LOONA’s sound, the three girls didn’t have too much in common apart from a sense of modernity. So instead of coming up with a single style that compliments them all, ODD EYE CIRCLE mashed all three separate sounds together. Their debut single, “Girl Front” has the propulsive percussion and sawtooth synths of “Singing in the Rain,” the pop sheen and slap bass of “Love Cherry Motion,” and the vocal details and oh-so-smooth bridge of “Eclipse.” Thanks to its sheer peppiness and strong chorus, “Girl Front” doesn’t buckle under the pressure of those three tracks but instead the hyperkinetic vocals carry it to a euphoric climax.

Also on KultScene: Actor Spotlight: Park Seo Joon

“Girl Front” is miraculous not just for putting these songs together but for incorporating them so wholly. It works to highlight the trio as individuals before bringing them all into one. Each girl sings a line from her solo track and has a part of her choreography at the beginning of the the collaborative song, making it clear that their identities are not totally defined by the group that is LOONA or even ODD EYE CIRCLE. This entire project is clearly not just an extremely long teaser for a 12 member girl group but promotion for soloists and all manner of units.

As the centrepiece of ODD EYE CIRCLE, it is also the exact opposite to what the LOONA 1/3 did lyrically. It’s a song about the girl confessing first. ODD EYE CIRCLE are similar to the other girls in that the waiting is making them anxious but for completely different reasons. They are not concerned with big questions of what love might be for them, they just want to fall in love.

Naturally LOONA are attracted to moon symbols, so finishing off the ODD EYE CIRCLE era with something cyclical made perfect sense. The final single “Sweet Crazy Love” is positioned by its video as the prequel to ODD EYE CIRCLE. The music as well puts it closer to the first five girls than anything else ODD EYE CIRCLE did by incorporating some string work. The strings open the song but are immediately obvious as not real but rather digital violins and are soon joined by an electric drum beat. Its moody R&B atmosphere is closest to “Eclipse” in sound but doesn’t have the definite stamps of each girl. There are short references in the lyrics but no direct lifts like in “Girl Front.” “Sweet Crazy Love” is caught right between the first two eras, melding ideas and sounds from both while obviously steering closer to ODD EYE CIRCLE.

It brought this LOONA cycle to a definite close but left no hints for what is to come next. ODD EYE CIRCLE took LOONA into modernity with not just their sound but with their attitudes towards love. There are plenty of genres left for them to explore, but not as many broad themes for the last four girls to live in. Regardless of how they sound, the sense of finality is going to be a major idea. They are likely to cycle back around to the very beginning, creating an ultimate group in which the individuals are all connected but more than capable of standing on their own. Which means that the last four girls are the most important. Everything has been great and extremely well planned but it will be for nothing without an ending. Or, in this case, a whole new beginning.

What’s do you think of the ODD EYE CIRCLE era? What do you think is next for LOONA? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. Be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Actor Spotlight: Park Seo Joon

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park seo joon korean actor dramas k-dramas
Tall in stature and charming in mannerism, Park Seo Joon is not a new face in the Korean acting industry. However, this 28-year-old actor from Seoul, South Korea has recently been booming in popularity, especially after his leading roles in the recent dramas Hwarang and Fight For My Way.

Park made his entertainment debut in 2011 when he appeared in the music video for singer Bang Yong Guk’s single, “I Remember.” In the video, he plays the boyfriend in a turbulent relationship and is put in a dangerous situation to save the one he loves. Park portrays such raw emotion throughout, leaving a strong impression on the viewer and displaying his acting skills very early on. He is able to convey an intensity that gives him the image of a violent partner, while also conveying the tenderness of a lover, all in under five minutes.

He landed his first role in a drama in 2012, playing the character of Si-Woo, a member of boy band Eden, in Dream High 2. As if he weren’t talented enough, he showcases his dancing and singing abilities in addition to his acting. And let me tell you, not only can Park sing and dance, but he can actually rock the stage like a natural performer.

Also on KultScene: Hyukoh brings a piece of Hongdae to New York City

From there, Park went on to land roles in more dramas like A Word From Warm Heart and A Witch’s Love. However, 2015 proved to be his big year as he landed major roles in Kill Me, Heal Me and She Was Pretty, jumping from second male lead to leading man within a year in two very popular dramas.

Park Seo Joon’s popularity skyrocketed as drama viewers everywhere fell in love with him. And it’s easy to see why. Not only does Park have an attractive face and physique, he also possesses a kind and down-to-earth personality, which is made obvious through his interactions with costars and fans. He has a unique ability to create irresistible chemistry with any and all of his costars, making viewers fall in love with and wanting more of the on-screen couple.

His acting received such praise that he won the 2015 Excellent Actor in a Miniseries award for his roles in Kill Me, Heal Me and She Was Pretty. He also held his first ever fan meet in 2015 and it sold out in a minute!

As stated before, Park is known for his high fashion and great visuals, evidenced by his Instagram posts. So much so that he became the first Asian male to model for Tommy Hilfiger — I can’t think of a better fit for the job. With his height and his clean, polished look, Park exudes a charisma that turns heads, no matter where he goes.

#ZIOZIA @ziozia_official #지오쟈

A post shared by 박서준 (@bn_sj2013) on

Also on KultScene: K-Pop Unmuted: Talking Girls’ Generation

This year so far has also been another big year for Park, as his popularity saw yet another increase. This was largely due to his work in highly popular dramas Hwarang and most recently, Fight For My Way. In Hwarang, he played a skilled warrior seeking revenge for his friend’s death, and in Fight For My Way, he played a laid-back Taekwondo athlete trying to figure out his career as well as his love life.

His ability to deliver and sell these two contrasting roles is an amazing feat that only those who are truly skilled can accomplish, contributing to the shows’ popularity. It is what makes him such a versatile actor and demonstrates the level of artistry he has as an actor.

Park’s most recent work is his starring role in the movie Midnight Runners, an action-comedy that was released just this past August. In the film, Park stars alongside Kang Ha-neul and they play students at the Korean National Police University. The film was very well received by viewers, once again exhibiting Park’s uncanny ability to capture the attention of his audience.

And did I mention that this boy can sing? He has sung several OST’s for the dramas that he has starred in, including Witch’s Romance, Kill Me, Heal Me, She Was Pretty, and Hwarang. His soothing voice reflects his down-to-earth personality and gives fans all the feels.

Park Seo Joon is truly a man of many talents. Being Park’s fan is a job filled with excitement as he is always leaving us pleasantly surprised. With all that he’s accomplished so far, we can’t wait to see what else this beloved and charming actor has up his sleeve.

Have you watched any dramas with Park Seo Joon? Which one is your favorite? 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.

Creator of ReacttotheK talks ‘Classical Musicians React’ & K-pop trends [Interview]

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With almost 250,000 subscribers on YouTube, ReacttotheK is a K-pop reaction channel that has been gaining a lot of popularity online ever since its creation in May 2016, especially with its Classical Musicians React series. Some of the reactors, along with the creator and main producer of this channel, Umu, recently held their first panel at KCON LA. We spoke to Umu about her channel, her experiences at KCON, and her thoughts regarding the latest trends of K-pop music.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to Kultscene. To begin with, could you introduce yourself?
Hello Kultscene readers! I’m the creator of the Classical Musicians React series on my YouTube channel ReacttotheK and a Sophomore French horn performance major at the Eastman School of Music. For those who are not familiar with the CMR series, it’s basically a bunch of classical music majors who happily freak out over or criticize the musical composition of K-pop songs. We hope to open the eyes of the K-pop fandom to what makes music so cool sometimes.

What made you first decide to create your YouTube channel?
I originally created the channel for fun when I was about to graduate from high school. I was afraid that no one in a music conservatory was going to be into K-pop. I then began to film reactions with my friends as a way to stay in touch with them, and have them to fangirl with, while I was away for school.

[The] Classical Musicians React series began when I got up the courage ask some [of] my entertaining musician friends react. Hearing the music related comments they had towards the music was a blast to both my channel’s small fan base and myself. Seeing how the first few videos quickly gained a lot of attention, I decided to make it a complete series. As time went on, I began encouraging more musical comments rather than typical comments on the MV, so that my content could be centered around an aspect of K-pop not many other channels focus on.

What is the most memorable reaction video you have ever filmed?
There are many different videos that I recorded that were memorable in different ways. Often the most extreme reactions are to MVs with a interesting plot or to a song with unexpected content. K Will’s “Please Don’t,” VIXX’s “VooDoo Doll,” LYn & Leo’s duet “Blossom Tears,” and BAP’s “One Shot” had the most memorable reactions to the MV. For memorable reactions where the music surprised them, my favorite reactions are to 4Minute’s “Hate,” f(x)’s “Red Light,” EXO-CBX’s “The One,” 2NE1’s “Come Back Home,” and MAMAMOO’s “Don’t Be Happy.”

What difficulties have you faced along the way while creating new content and managing the channel?
The main thing I’ve struggled with running this channel is deciding whether to prioritize the channel or my school work/personal life. I have extreme dedication to projects I start, so I often put the channel in priority over my own health and work. This has made my life very stressful at times, so I am currently learning to balance both my time directed towards the channel and school.

Another difficult thing I’ve come across is fan’s disappointment in me when I make certain decisions with my channel. I have a vision and goal for my channel: I want fans to be super happy and proud of their favorite K-pop group when we react to a song by them. But in order to put out content where the reactors are amazed by the music, I have to be picky with what songs we react to. This has created a ton of hate towards me, and makes me look like a stuck up classical musician. I understand this is not a step I should take if I want to become a more popular channel, but it is what I have to do to put out the content channel viewers enjoy seeing (aka the musicians actually saying music theory related comments vs just talking about the MV because they have nothing to say about the music).

Also on Kultscene: Taemin’s ‘MOVE’ Song & Music Review

From what you have seen of K-pop so far, how do you think it will continue to develop musically?
Good question! I’m not the best with naming genres, but I’ll try my best to point out certain trends that i’ve been seeing a lot lately.

Boy groups groups have been delving in the EDM & hip hop genres a lot lately. I have a feeling groups will be doing a lot of those style of songs since they seem to be the most popular genres at the moment and are also the best genres to choreograph hot dances to.

I’ve heard a lot of “tropical pop” lately (WINNER’s “Island,” CHUNG HA’s “Why Don’t You Know,” KARD, etc) where groups use the same style of synth samples and stick to diatonic, catchy melodies and a constant dance-oriented beat.

Some thing that I’ve seen become more popular with girl groups ever since Red Velvet’s “Rookie,” is “speak” singing trend. Cosmic Girls, Pristin, Lovely, ELRIS, and a few other groups have continued this trend and are starting to get creative with it, which is fun to see!

Another genre of music i’ve seen a lot of with girl groups is orchestral funk. GFRIEND, LOVELYZ, WJSN, APRIL, Oh My Girl all have the pop-y string/synth/electric funky guitar instrumentation along with treble heavy mixing.

What I love about K-pop is that most songs are a mix of multiple genres. Blackpink’s “As if it’s Your Last,” Dreamcatcher’s “Fly High,” Weki Meki’s “I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend,” EXO’s “Ko Ko Bop,” MAMAMOO’s “Don’t Be Happy,” 2NE1’s “Come Back Home,” LOONA’s “Cherry Motion” and many more all have multiple genres smushed into one song. I see this trend as a gateway to many new unique songs and hope to see more of this in future K-pop releases.

Current reactors for Classical Musicians React (via Umu)

You and your reactors recently held your first panel at KCON LA, how was the experience?
It was amazing! Our following has always been numbers on a screen to me, and it didn’t occur to me how /real/ everything was until we arrived at KCON and were approached by fans every few minutes. Getting to meet our fans was a great experience, and definitely left an impact on both the reactors and me. When reflecting back on KCON, the reactors told me their going to take reacting a lot more seriously now! We are hoping to get invited many more times, and each time make our panel more fun and interesting!

Also on Kultscene: K-Pop Unmuted: Talking Girls’ Generation

Some of your initial reactors have moved on from the channel since they have graduated from the university, so what are your plans for the channel when you yourself have graduated?

All I can say now, is that I’m definitely not throwing the channel away. I don’t have exact plans for the channel after I graduate yet, but I’m slowly starting to brainstorm ideas. A few reactors have volunteered to keep reacting on their own when we’ve all parted ways, so I can say that even though we won’t all be together, you won’t be seeing the last of us!

Is there anything else you would like to say to KultScene readers and to your fans?
Thank you so much for taking your time to read (and hopefully enjoy) my answers. I am extremely honored that there are so many wonderful humans out there interested in and enjoying my channel! I hope you all get something out of it, whether it be laughter, entertainment, or learning something new (I expect y’all to know what modulations are by now if you’ve seen the majority of our videos ;)). Thank you so much for your love and support and I will continue to work hard to put out good content!

Check out ReacttotheK here!

Have you watched any of the “Classical Musicians React” videos? How do you think K-pop will continue to evolve from here? 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.

K-Pop Unmuted: Talking Girls’ Generation

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In the 24th episode of of KultScene’s K-pop Unmuted, Stephen Knight, Tamar Herman, and former K-Pop Unmuted co-host Scott Interrante discuss the departures of Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany, Seohyun, and Sooyoung from the legendary act, the girl group’s legacy, and some of our favorite hits from the Girls’.

We also talked about new music from BTOB, Loona, and Ha:tfelt. 

You can listen to this episode, and previous ones, of KultScene’s K-Pop Unmuted on Soundcloud, iTunes, Google Play Music, and Stitcher.

Let us know what you think of Girls’ Generation’s future and KultScene’s K-pop Unmuted 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.

Taemin’s ‘MOVE’ song & music video review

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One year after releasing his first full length album Press It, SHINee’s Taemin made his comeback on October 16th with the title track “MOVE” off his second full length album of the same name. MOVE as a whole takes on a mixture of pop and R&B, exploring a variety of genres. But it’s in the single where the soloist truly lets his artistic colors show themselves.

Song:

“MOVE” is a sultry pop-R&B track that showcases Taemin’s breathy and soothing vocals. In the song, Taemin croons as he expresses the beauty of a person he has fallen for. The song itself gives me a sultry and sexy feeling, and it takes a couple of listens to finally get the true nature of the song.

Also on KultScene: David Anthony on songwriting & succeeding in the K-pop market [interview]

The production is reminiscent to what The Weeknd has been releasing over the past while, offering up a very groovy and pulse-pounding sound. Unlike “Press Your Number” and “Drip Drop” from Taemin’s first album, “MOVE” is a track that is slightly reminiscent of the ’80s thanks to its heavy bass sound.

Music Video:

There were three versions of the video released for “MOVE.” The main version contains shots of Taemin walking and dancing in the rain before shifting into another scene where he is wearing a bejeweled mask. The use of the rain and cinematography during the choreography scenes was terrific and brilliant.

The second video is the solo version, which showcases Taemin’s best quality: dancing. We get to see more of the choreography, which is perfectly synchronized and fluid with the beat of the song. The third video is a duo version, which features only Taemin and choreographer Koharu Sugawara.

Also on KultScene: DAY6 explores love & friendship through recent ‘Every DAY6’ releases

It was interesting that Taemin released three versions of the video instead of one because it seems like he wanted to showcase how each one would look in a different perspective, with the first one focused on theatrics while the other two focused on choreography. It was a unique attempt for K-pop, though perhaps differentiating each of the videos a bit more would have helped make the need for three videos more obvious. Even so, there was plenty of eye-candy choreography to make the appease the most ardent dance fans.

Overview:

“MOVE” is a good comeback title track, and it’s different from what we have been hearing in K-pop this year. We’ve been getting releases that have been following the mainstream dance sounds for a while now, so it’s nice to see something for a change. Taemin has a style that makes him different from many other K-pop solo acts in that he is willing to experiment with sounds that the Korean audience isn’t used to hearing. It would be interesting to see if this style continues to make its way into the K-pop scene.

  • Taemin's "MOVE"
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What did you like, or dislike, about Taemin’s “MOVE”? Let us know 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.

Weekly Kpop Faves Oct. 9-15

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Each week, the KultScene team writes about some of the songs and performances that made an impression over the past few days of K-pop’s busy cycle. Last week, we liked new music from GOT7, SF9, and the cast of the new television show The Uni+. Take a listen now, and let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

“Teenager” by GOT7 (Released Oct. 9)

It’s been a trend on the last few GOT7 albums to contain a fun song written by the members where they just act a fool. On 7 for 7, said song is “Teenager.” A little bit more upbeat and hip-hop-lite than the rest of the album, “Teenager” embodies Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” through the male perspective, essentially telling some girl they make them feel giddy inside. I personally really liked “Teenager” because, ever since the first listen, I could picture the members going around the stage greeting fans and taking pictures with them. The feeling was only enhanced with the live performances on music shows, where they all look visibly happy and pleased with themselves (especially that darned “I can do anything if you tell me good boy” line). Like the lead track, JB wrote “Teenager,” and if anything, 7 for 7 is the first album where we actually see a bit more artistry to this JYP Entertainment boy band.

—Alexis

“O Sole Mio” by SF9 (Released Oct. 12)

People are calling “O Sole Mio” the K-pop “Despacito”, which I’m not sure it’s fair to say. I understand it’s because it has a Latin approach, but we can’t ignore the fact it has so much more than this! Even if it might be intentionally channelling the huge Luis Fonsi hit, I think it still holds more complex features. The lyrics speak in 5 languages (Korean, English, Spanish, Italian, Latin) and the instrumental blends EDM, tropical house and hip hop with a beautiful Spanish Guitar– by the way, my salute to the producer for putting the guitar instead of the now-cliché tropical house drop after the chorus. Besides, I can hear the old-school K-pop feels in the melody of the chorus. “O Sole Mio” is a mix of so many things, but they all work very well together.

—Ana Clara

“My Turn” by The Uni+ Cast (Released Oct. 13)

Perhaps not as addicting as the theme songs of either season of Produce 101, the promotional pre-release for The Uni+ is a bright batch of co-ed colorfulness put to light EDM form. AKA, exactly what the doctor ordered. The twinkling, retro-styled synth and funk elements is perhaps the most cheery form of electropop we’ve seen out of K-pop in a while, and honestly one of the most innovative sounding takes on a trend that we’ve all seen done to its depths. I wasn’t particularly interested in the show aside from a few vocalists, which I still don’t think necessarily shine in this song thanks to some flat tones, to be honest. But the melody’s production is a nice change from the trends of the moment, and feels more K-pop to me than much of what is getting put out today. Which is definitely a good thing, at least in my book.


—Tamar

What was your favorite release of the week? Let us know 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.

K-Beauty Review: Bomibox Subscription Box

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A few months ago, we had a giveaway that featured a Bomibox and the K-beauty subscription box company was so sweet to offer one to Kultscene for a review. So here we are!

For this K-Beauty Review, I tried out Bomibox’s February box and not a more recent one. Why? I wanted to actually use the products properly before I gave my review, rather than just basing my opinion on one time use, so I took my time and slowly, slowly tried things out. (Sorry, I’m slow!)

Purpletale 5 Steps To Lovely Skin Complete Facial Solution

It includes a foam cleanser, an ampoule to layer underneath a sheet mask, a face cream and a separate neck cream. Seriously, it sounds absolutely wonderful. I tried them all one recent night after waiting months for a night of R&R to try, and here were my thoughts: The cleanser was a bit harsh, which foam cleansers in general are. I prefer powder cleansers in general, but it definitely cleaned away all the dirt and makeup of the day. The ampoule, which kind of smelled like those blow-up balloons in a tube that I used to love as a kid, definitely refreshed my skin. But prior to applying the mask, it didn’t seem like my face had really recovered from the harshness of the cleanser, which made me think that if I were to ever use the cleanser and ampoule as regular products, I’d have to include a mask nightly to ensure that my skin feels as pliant as I prefer.

Speaking of the mask, it was an interesting gel mask that was as thin as a typical cotton sheet mask so I was actually quite surprised when I put it on. I struggled with laying the two separate parts together, which really shouldn’t be a struggle considering that I’ve been masking for years. But I pretty much had to choose whether I wanted to join the two masks together on my cheeks by pulling the top half down and the bottom part up, losing moisture by my eyes and chin areas. I chose not to do that, so there was a gap on both my cheeks, which was odd. The moisture was great, though, so maybe my face is just too big or something for this particular mask. The face and neck cream were great sealants, and I’d definitely suggest them because I really enjoy heavy moisturizers like these for occasional use (see below). Neither were sticky, which was nice, though I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between the pair…
Overall: Good for a one-pack travel set, but I don’t think I’ll buy it again anytime soon because I struggled with a few parts and didn’t love the intensity of the cleanser.

Skinfood Peach Sake Toner

I had seen this a few years ago and wanted to try it out but never did, so here was my chance. I decided to try it at night only while I used a tea tree toner in the morning, since I really like feeling refreshed before going to bed and the peach extract smell sounded like the perfect thing. The extract and rice sake are meant to minimize shine and the appearance of pores, and I didn’t really notice anything much aside from a pick me up of the scent and refreshing moisture. But in retrospect I also didn’t freak out about my pore size so much while using it, so I’m wondering if the one-two punch of a tea tree based toner with this one actually did minimize the appearance of my pores.
Overall: Finished the bottle and can’t wait to buy another! Even if it has no real affect on pores, it’s like a candy pick-me-up in a bottle format for my skin.

Secret Key Snow White Milky Pack

I don’t honestly understand why anyone would ever use this. I’ve used Secret Key creams before, and this one smelled and looked like caked on sunscreen. The pack didn’t really wash off once I used it, leaving white residue. Which I guess is supposed to whiten your skin? I stopped using it after one use because it just confused me…
Overall: I gave this to a friend who is into skin whitening, but it definitely wasn’t for me.

Labiotte Mini Wine Lip Tint in Rose Coral

Wine+color=love. ‘Nuf said.

Labiotte Mini Wine Lip Tint in Rose Coral

But actually. I’ve mentioned these lip tints before in KultScene articles, because they’re really great and filled with color. You need to reapply them pretty frequently, especially if you’re eating, but even if they fade away a bit they’re still really lovely.
Overall: Color is pretty and subtle with a dash of pop, but it’s a stain that doesn’t seem to last as long as some others. I’m fine with reapplying, but that’s a personal preference.

Missha Time Revolution Travel Kit

This contains travel size bottles of the fabled Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence and the Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule. I know that everyone loves the essence, and I even bought a larger bottle to really give it a chance… But I haven’t really seen any noticeable change in my skin. That said, I also haven’t diligently been using it because it feels a bit too light and I’ve been using a heavier serum to offset the weird state my skin is in due to humidity and too much AC from New York’s summer.

The Night Repair Serum is similarly nice but… Not really noticeable? I assumed it’d be more viscous. Would have to get a bigger bottle to really see if it has any effects.
Overall: I’m still using the essence and like the feel of its rather light, watery consistency, so if I notice any changes I’ll update.

Skinfood Honey Lip Treatment

So… I was really excited because I used to use a honey bomb ampoule that was amazing (the Shara Shara one, it’s since been impossible to find) but this didn’t really smell or taste like honey. It was extremely sticky, but didn’t seem to moisturize my lips as much as I wanted. Unlike a normal lip balm, it seem to just coat my lips rather than actual moisten them. It was kind of weird… I tried it out for a while but eventually threw it away…
Overall: Not the best. Doesn’t really seem to rehydrate lips as much as just sit atop of it like sticky honey.

Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Mask

I really liked the honey theme, but this one, unlike the lip treatment, actually smelled like honey. Like, ready to dip the apple in the honey. It was a pretty basic cotton sheet mask otherwise.
Overall: Pleasant scent, pretty average viscosity and moisturizing effect. If I saw it, I would probably buy it because it left my skin feeling supple.

Polotam Water Gel Extra Force Brightening Mask

Honestly, I used this and it was like every other sheet mask out there. I didn’t notice any brightening, but it was nice as a moisturizing mask.
Overall: Basic brightening sheet mask. Not much else to say.

Sample: Polotam Deep Moist Cream

I actually took this one with me overnight and it was really nice and thick. I love the smell of it and the there’s a variety of botanical extracts including oak tree sap, rosemary, lavender, and eucalyptus to help hydrate, calm, and brighten the skin. I usually use gel moisturizers, but I could see this being ideal for the middle of a frigid New York City winter.
Overall: I may invest in a full-size of this in winter, but it’s honestly simply too dense for the summer in New York City.

Overall: Definitely a fun subscription box to try out, and I really enjoyed being able to try out a few things. The Skinfood toner is now one of my faves because of this box, but there are a few things that I felt I could either do without or didn’t really notice their impact. I also would prefer to see less of the brands I’ve already heard a lot about (Skinfood, Missha) but that said I really did enjoy getting a chance to try out some products that I thought I was familiar with but haven’t really given a shot to in the past.

The sample item was provided by Bomibox, but all reviews are based on the tester’s individual opinions. Email [email protected] for more details relating to sponsoring products and posts.

Have you tried, or do you want to try, any of the products that I received in this Bomibox? Let us know 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.

Weekly Kpop Faves Sept 25- Oct. 1

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Each week, KultScene’s team rounds up some of our favorite releases or performances out of South Korea from the week before. This week, writers were fans of new music from boy bands B1A4 and DAY6.

“Call Me” by B1A4 (Released Sept. 25)

It is not unusual for me to fall in love more with album B-sides and filler tracks than the actual singles, and I encourage all K-pop fans to explore the complete works of the artists, so you can delight yourself with hidden pearls like this one. I really like the whole Rollin’ EP but “Call Me” absolutely caught my attention. It’s hard to stand out in K-pop nowadays with a song that goes for the way of synthpop, EDM or tropical house (since these are becoming so cliché); but this song does all of this and still is amazing and somehow distinctive, maybe because it goes more to the direction of sexy and alternative R&B that reminds me of Canadian singer The Weeknd. This sensual vibe works very well with the sweet provocative lyrics and the melody that explores the great vocal range of the boys. We can see their talent through the songwriting too, since this song was composed and written by members CNU and Baro, along with songwriter Choi Myung Hwan. I’m very impressed.


—Ana Clara

”Why Am I Alone” by DAY6 (Released Sept. 29)

DAY6 released their two singles for “Every Day6 October” a little earlier this time, and while I was slightly underwhelmed with their title track “When You Love Someone,” this piece blew my mind. Also known as “I Need Somebody,” the emotional song opens with Jae singing in the lowest octave he’s ever sung in (seriously, I barely could recognise his voice). It initially sounds like a quiet ballad, albeit one that is a bit more jazzy than usual, but suddenly blows up in the chorus with Young K’s explosive “Why Am I Alone.” The instrumentals build up from this point, even reaching a surprising but well-placed whistle melody, and a full-on rock chorus toward the end. With heartbreaking lyrics and unpredictable musical twists, this song was awesome and really showed how multi-talented DAY6 were as singers and musicians, making it one of my favourites of this year’s series.

—Anna

What was your favorite release of the week? Let us know 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.

DAY6 explores love & friendship through recent ‘Every DAY6’ releases

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The end of 2017 is fast approaching, and with it comes the near conclusion of DAY6’s ambitious monthly project. Titled Every DAY6, the first band from JYP Entertainment released two songs every month beginning in January, and released their first full-length album “Sunrise” at the midway point in June.They’ve kept busy, and also held monthly concerts in Korea as well as fan-meets all around the world, and will be embarking on a North America tour in October.

While the music videos for most of the songs released as part of Every DAY6 have separate storylines and concepts, with the exception of “You Were Beautiful” which was a sequel to 2015’s “Congratulations,” the band seemingly chanced upon a winning formula in August. Their school-based music video that practically featured a love rectangle received much attention online, especially as fans tried to figure out the complex relationships between the members. The quartet also started to display their acting chops and had a great chemistry with the main female lead, which fans appreciated. Pre-planned or not, this led to an entire trilogy based around this plot, spanning into the music videos for September and October as well, creating what felt entirely like a youth melodrama.

Every DAY6 August: “What Can I Do”


The story starts off in a powerful and lively manner, backed up by Young K’s striking bass riff, which characterises most of the song. This first music video introduces the characters of each DAY6 member: Young K is the badass who has zero regard for what others think of him; Jae is the nice guy who is best friends with the female lead; Dowoon is the popular but moody student who just wants to sleep; Sungjin and Wonpil are long-time best friends. The relationship between the last pair became contentious throughout the music video however, as Sungjin gradually falls in love with the female lead and Wonpil observes his friend from afar. His bystander stance and facial expressions are kept carefully ambiguous and unreadable throughout the video, leaving fans to come up with theories about whether Wonpil had a one-sided crush on Sungjin as well.

Of course, the love square gets even more complicated when the female lead starts to fall for Young K instead, with the song and music video ending off unresolved, both musically through imperfect cadence and in terms of the storyline, since three characters basically ended up with one-sided loves, thus setting the stage for the sequel to this drama.

Also on Kultscene: DAY6’s ‘I’m Serious’ Song & Music Video Review

Every DAY6 September: “I Loved You”


As if to signal the calmer nature of the plot, the song begins with bird chirping noises, which was actually live-recorded by the band. Whistle sounds also distinguish this track right off the bat, as do its verses, which are definitely the most musically interesting parts of the track since the members use unique singing styles for each verse. The story takes on a sweeter and more emotional tone in this video, beginning with Wonpil pondering over his relationship and feelings toward Sungjin. Young K and the female lead develop an adorable bickering dynamic, despite Young K still not being interested in her, while Jae gets a love interest of his own in the form of a lady working at a coffee shop. Young K and Dowoon develop the second shippable bromance of this series when Young K saves Dowoon from getting hit at an arcade and the two class loners bond together at a convenience store.

The nature of Wonpil’s affections towards Sungjin become clearer in this music video however, with the “couple” keychain that the two have being a symbol of their relationship. The forlorn expression on his face in the epilogue of the music video when he realises that Sungjin left their couple keychain on the bus in his haste to run to the female lead says it all. Sungjin on the other hand, oblivious to Wonpil’s feelings, takes a brave step towards confessing his love to the female lead. This significant decision was marked by the most beautiful and heartbreaking part of the song, Wonpil’s high pitched “Loved You” at the end of the bridge.

Once again, the music video ended on a cliffhanger, with fans left wondering how the female lead would respond to Sungjin’s confession…

Also on Kultscene: NYC Goes ‘Wild’ Over K.A.R.D in Part 2 of Their First American Tour

Every DAY6 October: “When You Love Someone”


…and this is where “When You Love Someone” picks up. Released earlier than usual on the 29th of September due to South Korea being off for the Chuseok holiday, the music video begins with where “I Loved You” ended, but does not continue the scene immediately, rewinding instead to three days prior. The video returns to the other DAY6 members in their daily lives outside of school, starting with Dowoon. While his budding relationship with Young K was not explored further in this video, his life as a rich but extremely lonely man was fleshed out, adding to the more melancholic nature of this song. Jae continues his cute crush on the coffee shop lady, while Young K and the female lead finally make progress in this video when the female lead defends him when he gets into trouble working at a convenience store. He starts to see her in a different light from then on, possibly indicating that her love would soon be reciprocated (in future videos?) Sungjin and Wonpil enjoy some couple moments, wandering around music shops (of course this would be their favourite place) and even having a “Falling Slowly” moment.

Sungjin however, spots Young K and the female lead together, and realises that she would never like him back. Once again, this occurs at the bridge of the song, which is always used effectively in DAY6 music videos (at least in the ones with storylines) to signal a transformation or an attitude change in the characters.

The video skips back to the beginning of the video, as Sungjin musters up the courage to confess to the female lead. With the new knowledge he has about who she likes however, it’s not the hopeful confession fans were expecting in “I Loved You,” rather it is a painful confession on Sungjin’s part that he made knowing that he would get rejected anyway. The way he tries to smile before walking away sadly and the way the two best friends comfort each other in quiet companionship made for a bittersweet conclusion to the video, which ties in perfectly with the sad autumn release. Sungjin getting his keychain back which symbolizes their restored relationship reduced the sadness of the video. I personally really do hope that this music video series continues, maybe up till the end of the year.

Several musical elements stand out in this track, beginning with Wonpil’s keyboard melody in the intro and verses. In particular, the harmonies, which are more predominant than usual in DAY6 songs, add a clear contrast to the melody in the pre-choruses, perhaps illustrating how we sometimes have to hide our true feelings to avoid hurting the people around us (case in point: quietly suffering Wonpil). The syncopated rhythm also creates a laid back atmosphere, which forms the base of the tune as the members show off their individual singing styles, proving why Jae professed this as “a song with many killing parts.”

In all, DAY6 has showcased a variety of musical styles throughout the year. Regardless of the continuity that this music video series has provided over the past three months in terms of directing style and storyline development, the band has continued to diversify itself with their relentless experimentation through different rhythms and instruments. With two more releases to go for the year, I’m looking forward to what the band has to show and am waiting in anticipation to see if this complicated relationship-filled story continues.

Have you been keeping up with Every DAY6? What did you think of the releases so far? 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.

NYC Goes ‘Wild’ Over K.A.R.D in Part 2 of Their First American Tour

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It seems like it was not so long ago that K.A.R.D was only just wrapping up the final leg of their Wild K.A.R.D Tour – the group’s first fanmeet tour in America – and now they are already back with a part two. This time, the global quartet is scheduled to hit five major cities, including New York City where we were able to catch them at their show on September 20th at the Playstation Theater.

Between the expected start time of 8:00PM to when the lights finally dimmed half an hour later, fans eagerly awaited inside the venue to welcome the members who were (mostly) visiting the Big Apple for the first time. An introductory video was followed by momentary, awkward suspense that evoked laughter from audience members when the co-ed group was nowhere to be seen. When the group figured they had teased everyone long enough, however, their familiar silhouettes entered on stage from the side and stood, poised and ready for the English version of “Don’t Recall.” During this “hidden version” of the trop-house single, lead rapper BM proved that there was no such thing as too early to get excited on stage when he ardently went off in his raps. The same could also be said about the ladies of K.A.R.D, Jiwoo and Somin, who mastered the twerk on the subsequent dancehall track “Oh Nana” to much fanfare. Wild(in’) K.A.R.D Tour was right.

by Katherine Villalon

Before K.A.R.D could go on with the rest of their setlist, the official MC and translator for the tour Danny Lim took the time to go through a round of fan-submitted questions and answers with the members. BM professed how he would like to be Superman since the hero is married to Wonder Woman (we will give him that one even though they’re not) while another question prompted Jiwoo to admit how she would like to have main rapper J.Seph’s sense of dark humor.

Also on Kultscene: The ‘Wild K.A.R.D. Tour’ in São Paulo was as wild & hot as expected

But aside from simply acquiring pieces of edifying trivia, this segment also enabled the members to show fans a #relatable side to themselves that would have otherwise have been absent at a traditional concert. J.Seph expressed that dark humor that Jiwoo so admired in his self-deprecatory remarks about how the others excluded him from eating Halal Guys together the day before. Then the innovator BM saved a dying trend and taught the crowd how to “mini-dab.” Even the MC had to acknowledge how the intimate arrangement of the venue allowed for the meaningful interactions between the idols and fans. According to him, it was one that rivaled that of any other fanmeet that the group has done thus far on the tour, which surely pleased the New York crowd.

by Katherine Villalon

Once the Q&A was over, K.A.R.D took the stage yet again, this time to reveal a range of covers and unit stages. Of course, considering how the act was touring with only a mini album under their belt, this was expected. Starting from their rendition of Rihanna and Eminem’s “Monster,” where Somin’s impeccable vocals and Jiwoo’s swag really propelled the song, to Jay Z and Alicia Keys’s classic East Coast anthem “Empire State of Mind,” the group obviously selected songs that would best fit the kinds of vocal colors that a co-ed group demands. Another charm of being co-ed is that they also have more opportunities to play up performances, as was the case when J.Seph and BM tag-teamed for an original, hip-hop styled number “Right Now” or when Jiwoo and Somin united in Bruno Mars’s baby-making slow jam “Versace on the Floor.” And with their dub-stepped reimagination of “I Can’t Stop,” a song originally released by DSP Entertainment’s early 90’s co-ed group ZAM, and a rendering of Ariana Grande’s “Side to Side,” the group performed an impressive six songs back to back. With a much needed rest, the group gathered for the highlight of every fanmeet – game time.

by Katherine Villalon

Four preselected fans were called onto the stage to participate in a corner called “Roll Your Wish,” a giant dice game with a simple objective. For every number that these fans rolled, the genie-like members would grant the request corresponding to it. There was nothing competitive about it, and in fact if anyone had thought that this “game” was only implemented as an excuse to conjure finger-curling fanservice, they would not be wrong. One of the fans voiced how it was her birthday, and after everyone in attendance sang her “Happy Birthday,” her fave J.Seph had the final honor in serenading her with a heart-fluttering verse from Crush’s “Crush on You.” As for the others who all happened to roll the number they wanted (thanks to the MC’s divine intervention), they too were spoiled with prizes that included Polaroid photos, selfies, and personalized wake-up calls. The revelry eventually came to a close though, with a hilarious photo session that had Jiwoo play contortionist in a variety of high fashion model poses and BM bringing back his “mini-dab.”

As the fanmeet neared its inevitable end, K.A.R.D thanked fans for coming and made sure to give their final words of appreciation before moving on to the last couple of songs left. Jiwoo pointed out how her brother was also present that evening, cueing the spotlight to cast its beam on her family hanging out in the reserved seating. After, the foursome rounded out the show with the reggaeton-influenced “Rumor” and their official debut single “Hola Hola.” It’s amazing how the entirety of summer can be sonically reified in a few tropical house beats, and it was with these good vibes that the group decided to conclude their set with.

Also on Kultscene: K.A.R.D’s ‘Hola Hola’ song & music video review

At this point, the members trivially went through the motions of departing the stage only to be reinvited by the love calls of the fans chanting encore. No surprise there. K.A.R.D would return with the Korean version of “Don’t Recall” and their special “thanks to” track “Living Good,” especially since the two were the only remaining songs left on their debut extended play. Dressed in casual tees, the members appeared the most comfortable they had been that night, delivering organic performances even if it meant performing without an in-ear (cough, J.seph, cough). The atmosphere felt magnetic, percolating with a kind of unrestrained youthful energy that you would only find at a karaoke party on a Wednesday night in with friends.

by Katherine Villalon

Ultimately, the music did wind down, and the members had to bid farewell to the many earnest faces that they just spent the past hour and a half with. Although the setlist was not much different from the first part of the tour, the dynamic between the members and fans did more than make up for it. Not many rookie groups who had just made their debut can boast of an international tour and dedicated overseas fanbase, but K.A.R.D has just that. Hopefully in a few albums time the group will be able to come back with a full concert experience, blessing New York City once again with big stages and even bigger talents.

Did you go to or will you be going to WILD K.A.R.D 2017 The First Tour in America Pt.2? Let us know 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.