Page 30 – KultScene

KCON 2016 LA’s M! Countdown Day 1 Concert Recap

August 4, 2016/in Events /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

Courtesy of CJ E&M

To say the concert portion of KCON 2016 LA Presented by Toyota was bigger than ever is an understatement. Because not only was M! Countdown held in the Staples Center for the second year, but the July 30 show was sold out and featured some of the hottest names in Hallyu right now. For day one, the line up was a diverse mix of pop and R&B with I.O.I, Dean, GFriend, f(x)’s Amber, Block B, Turbo, and headliners SHINee.

Kicking off the pre-show, Korean hip-hop duo Eluphant got things going by performing a three song set including “B There” from their latest album “Man on the Moon.” Despite rappers Minos and Kebee being largely unknown by the crowd, their performances set the pace for an upbeat evening. Thereafter, the legendary Quincy Jones granted a scholarship to a Berklee College of Music student and even gave past alumni, such as 2NE1’s Park Bom and PSY, a shoutout.

Courtesy of CJ E&M

But the Staples Center didn’t actually erupt in screams and squeals until none other than the king of Hallyu himself Lee Minho came onstage to officially commence the main event. While he wanted to remain collected throughout his speech –which was aired live through KCON.TV, by the way — he couldn’t help to crack in smiles and laughter after the audience began chanting his name. It may have been brief, but his appearance was a definite highlight of the night for many in attendance across age groups and gender.

Courtesy of CJ E&M

Also on KultScene: Fei’s “Fantasy” Music Video & Song Review

The first act of the night was none other than the girl group I.O.I. They got the Staples Center thumping with their earworm “Pick Me” and a couple more songs as they danced in signature K-pop unison. Through their English-speaking members Somi and Chungha, I.O.I expressed their excitement to be there and promoted their upcoming work as a sub-unit. Next up was this year’s breakout star; the R&B singer/songwriter Dean. KCON marked the “Bonnie and Clyde” singer’s third LA show this year — a huge growth in five short months since the first that warranted his spot on the lineup. And for a few minutes, what seemed like the whole arena sang along to “I’m Not Sorry” before Dean’s set was up and the next girl group emerged, proving the singer’s fans had shown up to support him.

Courtesy of CJ E&M

Another group that has shot into stardom in the short few months since their debut last year is GFriend. The lovely ladies decked in athletic wear didn’t disappoint with the knife-like choreography they’re known for as they performed “Me Gustas Tu,” “Rough,” and their latest “Navillera.” For the first time in KCON’s five years of existence, GFriend and I.O.I managed to bring out the boys to the concerts, for their presence was even more visible and audible than last year.

Courtesy of CJ E&M

After GFriend, fans were surprised by a special stage with Block B’s Zico performing his solo “Boys and Girls” with the help of fellow member U-Kwon. The chemistry between the fellow members was undeniable and treat for everyone, as they danced to the choreography together and bounced verses off each other. Immediately after, from the other smaller stage, Dean ascended crooning “Pour Up,” which Zico joined in with his stellar rap verse. Both songs were unexpected yet greatly appreciated once in a lifetime performances for US fans who never expected to see the collabs live.

: Courtesy of CJ E&M

: Courtesy of CJ E&M

Next up was LA native Amber, who came out on a skateboard accompanied by more skaters and did a fun performance of “Shake That Brass,” with the help of I.O.I’s Chungha for Taeyeon’s part. But it all turned too real for the singer when she expressed her gratitude of performing in her hometown as a soloist and being received so warmly. It was the perfect preface for her performance of “Borders,” which the audience witnessed the first ever performance of the song.

Courtesy of CJ E&M

For newer K-pop fans, Turbo’s set was not a high point in the night. For older fans, however, it was one of the rare moments where they stood up and cheered along like the teenagers and 20-somethings around them. Fronted by Running Man’s Kim Jong Kook, Turbo dusted off their hits “Lovable” and “Reminiscence,” their 2015 single “Again,” and even brought Astro and GFriend as their backup dancers for “Twist King.” By the end of their set, they had made everyone in the crowd dance along with them, even if they didn’t know the songs for their performance was just that contagious.

Courtesy of CJ E&M

Also on KultScene: Yoo Seung-Ho Shines in Comedic Caper “Seondal: The Man Who Sells the River”

After Turbo bowed out, Block B turned brought the pace down with “Toy” and “A Few Years Later,” then turned it back way up with “Her” and “Very Good.” Fans squealed through P.O.’s verse on “A Few Years Later” and rocked out to “Very Good,” making it apparent that despite the ordeal they went through a couple of years back, fans are still here for Block B and they’re not extinguishing any time soon. Unfortunately, Kyung missed out on the performance, but the rest of Block B — with all their dabs and Zico’s use of AAVE — more than made up for it and delivered a great stage for the second year in a row at KCON.

Courtesy of CJ E&M

But the peak for KCON’s first concert night was indisputably headliner SHINee and the potential for a mini SHINee World (their signature concert) like fans got last year with Super Junior and SHINHWA. It seemed attendees were in for the same deal when the group opened their set with “Into the SHINee World,” which features a few verses from “Replay,” sending fans into a frenzy. The madness continued as the quintet dived into “View” and the fan favorites “An Encore” and “Beautiful.” Unfortunately, with such a large lineup, fans didn’t get more songs or medleys from them like last year’s headliners. And yet, to wrap up, SHINee still delivered an amazing performance of “Everybody” to close out the concert. The crowd might not have witnessed more of their hits, but their performances were still stellar and worthy of the headlining spot.

Courtesy of CJ E&M

And with that, KCON’s first night of concerts ended. This concert showed how Hallyu encompasses not only traditional K-pop groups, but is already opening up to R&B and hip-hop and following the trends of ‘90s nostalgia. Also, the night showed that there is a place for male fans and they can be just as passionate as women. The second night further reinforced these notions, plus so much more — but more on that later.

kcon 2016 m countdown f(x) amber key shinee

Courtesy of CJ E&M

What do you think of the KCON 2016 performances? 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.

The Big Three: K-Pop Record Label Mid-Year Review

August 3, 2016/in Entertainment /by Kushal Dev

Whether you’re an Inspirit, Pink Panda, Blackjack, S<3NE, B2UTY, or anything in between, you probably know the names of some of K-pop’s biggest record labels. From SM to YG to JYP to Cube to others, each label plays a huge role in the present and future of K-pop’s stars and the industry as a whole. And every year, some labels grow in power while others get closer and closer to obscurity.

Halfway through this year, some labels have tons to work on, while others are definitely killing it. Let’s take a look at some of K-pop’s biggest record labels and talk about their strengths and weaknesses from throughout the year. The evaluation will be based on the following five categories: Artist Management, Artist Popularity, Music Quality, Music Popularity, and Overall Success. For the first part, I’ll be discussing SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment, affectionately known as the Big Three labels. With the biggest overall success, popularity, market share in some areas, these companies are on a separate level than other labels, and therefore deserve an article of their own.

Also on KultScene: Unicorn’s “Unicorn Plus: The Brand New Label” Album Review

SM Entertainment

The worldwide leader of K-pop entertainment is still thriving. With major artists like EXO, Taeyeon, Red Velvet, and more leading the first half of the year, SM has clearly spared no expense in maintaining its seat on the throne for K-pop kings and queens. It seems like every week or two brings a new album release out of SM, along with actual weekly song releases through SM’s ambitious STATION music project. Collectively, the frequency and efficiency with which SM releases are things other labels can only dream of emulating.

And with that, there’s an emphasis on solos and subunits. So far, we have seen solo releases from Taeyeon, Tiffany, Jonghyun, Taemin, Yesung, Ryeowook, Luna, Amber, to name a few, with rumored solos in the works for Seohyun, Yuri, and Onew. The amount of fanbase power that each artist, whether in solo, subunit or full-group releases, ensures SM’s continued relevance and money-making abilities. Each mini-album sells a few ten-thousand albums and brings the label more profit. Artists are also receiving more creative freedom, with SHINee members Taemin and Jonghyun having extensive control over their own solo releases. With Taemin, NCT’s Ten, and Hyoyeon all participating on Mnet’s “Hit the Stage” in addition to tons of schedules for non-enlisted Super Junior members, Girls’ Generation members, and f(x) members, it seems SM is also doing a good job of keeping its artists within the spotlight.

SM’s only major weakness this year, however, is completely self-inflicted (and also very noticeable). With minimal promotion for some solo releases and a seemingly compulsive desire to dive into alternative and electronic genres, SM is losing the Korean crowd on digital charts. EXO’s “Call Me Baby” made #2 on 2015’s First Half-Year Gaon Chart, proving that “Call Me Baby” was a strong and popular release throughout and beyond its promotion cycle. On 2016’s Half-Year Chart, the highest-charting SM song is “Everytime” by Chen and Punch at #11. This song wasn’t even part of SM’s promotions, as it was part of the “Descendants of the Sun” OST. Aside from a few STATION releases that went without promotion on music shows and 2015’s “I” by Taeyeon, the only SM song in the Top 100 that was actually promoted this year is EXO’s “Monster,” which sits at #100. Clearly, SM is taking horrible losses in the digital market.

It seems, however, that SM knows their songs aren’t demolishing the charts, and seems to value the quality and quantity over digital success and public popularity. While it might be frustrating seeing our faves so low on the charts, SM seems to have an agenda — even with new group NCT, which is aiming for world domination. We’ll just have to wait to see more of what SM is planning. The only other weakness is scandals, which have hurt artists like Krystal, Kai, Victoria, Lay, and Zhoumi. Since we have yet to see the full effect of these scandals in the context of a musical release (except for Zhoumi, but there aren’t many negative effects since he was never super popular in Korea to begin with), these scandals are still only minor losses for SM.

For the first half of 2016, they get a solid 8.5/10 from me.

YG Entertainment

Angry fans everywhere can tell you that YG is slacking. The once-great label was home to domestic and international chart-topping groups, with huge fanbase power in tow. Now, it’s another story, and YG is entirely to blame for its mistakes. As expected of a group with ten years under its belt, BIGBANG is slowing down with releases, especially considering the fact that none of the five members have enlisted in the military yet. As a result, we are left with the remains of 2NE1, which continues on a downward spiral of mismanagement, and newer artists like WINNER, iKON, Lee Hi, AKMU, and, originally “by the end of July” now August 8th, Black Pink. These artists are by no means bad, but YG fails to give them the proper management to make them succeed. They still don’t make many TV appearances, and have huge hiatuses between comebacks. Lee Hi lost a lot of traction and momentum once YG delayed her comeback for over three years — WINNER had a similar situation, waiting over a year for a comeback as well.

This isn’t to say that YG doesn’t have some successes this year — while many say that WINNER’s comeback was a failure, this isn’t entirely true, as their one mini-album yielded three top ten singles this year. Lee Hi shot the same number of songs to the top ten with her album “Seoulite,” and Akdong Musician achieved a number-one hit with the catchy “Re-Bye.” Even iKON got into the top three without any promotion with “#WYD.” Not everything is in shambles for YG, as their newer artists are clearly decently popular, but there’s definitely a lot to criticize.

Let’s look at the current situation — 2NE1’s three-member summer comeback is nowhere in sight, WINNER’s E.X.I.T. series, which was supposed to yield four albums throughout the year, has only seen one album release with the year’s seventh month having come to a close. iKON’s July comeback never happened (aside from a few random singles), BIGBANG’s MADE album from last year is still lost in the void, and only the next week will be able to show us whether YG actually puts out Black Pink on August 8th like the company is saying. It seems the only good things about YG this year are the quality of the music (even though it takes an eternity to be released) and sub-label recruitments from HIGHGRND and The Black Label. On the whole, YG gets a 4/10 from me. Burn.

JYP Entertainment

Arguably the most successful label of the year, JYP has made quite a comeback of its own. I love a good underdog, and seeing JYP rise from the ashes of its pre-2015 decline has been quite exciting. With the explosive success that is TWICE, the label is definitely raking in the dough this year. Based on further analysis of the Gaon Chart, it’s evident that TWICE’s second mini album “Page Two” has already sold more than any previous Wonder Girls or Miss A album, and TWICE’s two mini albums have, in less than a year, collectively outsold the entirety of Miss A’s discography. With tons of CFs and variety appearances in tow, TWICE has clearly given JYP new life.

But TWICE isn’t JYP’s only success this year. With successful releases from Baek Ah Yeon, Baek Yerin, and Wonder Girls, the label is a huge success in terms of musical and artist popularity this year. Wonder Girls is an especially large win, considering that the group was in danger of becoming irrelevant after last year’s “I Feel You.” Through “Why So Lonely”’s breakthrough success (the song still tops charts almost a month after release), Wonder Girls have proved the resilience of both their group and their label. JYP teaches us all that a label is truly successful when both its older and newer groups can make waves in the K-pop world.

Along with profits piling in from TWICE, GOT7, and a successful Japanese release from 2PM, JYP is killing it in all aspects of success. It’s also definitely notable that its artists are being promoted well — many are given creative freedom, constant releases, and stable promotion. Each TWICE member has made upwards of seven or eight variety appearances since debut. While Tzuyu and Sana are currently the most popular members, JYP is taking the time to bring Jihyo and Momo some attention as well, given their recent appearances on shows like “King of Mask Singer” and “Hit the Stage,” respectively.

Keeping all of this success in mind, JYP has taken a few hits this year, specifically in GOT7’s scandal and Fei’s recent solo release. While GOT7’s controversial actions definitely hurt their reputation in Korea and possibly abroad, the group still has a lot of room for upward advancement, given their increasing sales and ability to tour worldwide. Fei was never incredibly popular, and her recent support of China in the South China Sea dispute has really hurt her Korean reputation as well. The result was catastrophic — the single fell off of most charts within a day of release. Recognizing these minor losses as nothing more than, well, minor losses, JYP gets a stellar 9.5/10 from me.

Also on KultScene: An Ode to SHINee on the Eve of KCON LA 2016

And that wraps up the Mid-Year Review of the Big Three. For the first time in years, it seems like JYP has become the overall best label of the year so far. We can only hope that their success continues, while praying that SM can get themselves a hit or two before the year’s end and that YG lives up to at least a fourth of its promises.

The ranking is as such:

JYP Entertainment — 9.5/10
SM Entertainment — 8.5/10
YG Entertainment — 4/10

What do you think of the Big Three so far this year? 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.

Unicorn’s “Unicorn Plus: The Brand New Label” Album Review

August 2, 2016/in Entertainment, MUSIC /by Joe Palmer

The life of a fan of obscure K-pop girl groups is a dangerous one. The fear that they may never come back or in case they do, it’s with members you don’t recognize (either thanks to plastic surgery or new members) is constant. Then again, there is nothing like the feeling of finding a snippet of new music after months of trawling through forums, google translated fan cafes, and defunct instagram pages. The latest of my flop faves Unicorn recently brought me that sweet relief. They, like many before them, lost member Winnie due to bad health, and have switched companies (from Show Brothers to Cartoon Blue). Whatever the music turns out to be like, that company switch has at least given us an iconic album title, “Unicorn Plus: The Brand New Label.”

Also on KultScene: An Ode to SHINee on the Eve of KCON LA 2016

“Unicorn Plus: The Brand New Label” starts like many other K-pop albums with one of my favourite motifs: album intros. These usually work well in not only being a primer for the whole album, but as abstract musical pieces by themselves. Unicorn’s here does well to move them away from their edgy cuteness to a more chaotic sound. Fidgety electronics beep and crash among beautifully affected vocals. May not be as inspired as other intro classics, but is effective as it is.

It also transitions perfectly into lead single “Blink Blink.” The song is a type of production that suits Unicorn really well. It’s taken directly from SM’s school of weird bubblegum pop where f(x) and Red Velvet studied so well. It combines marching band trap beats with sporadic horns and unwieldy synths in the chorus. It’s something that time and again should not work but just does in “Blink Blink” thanks to expert work in structure. Expertly simple, really, since anything other than the standard pop formula would have distracted extraneously. The highlight is the pre-chorus with its double barrel vocal style. Both vocals are sweet and rousing in a way that sets up the at once twinkly but banging chorus.

Even at that, however, it is lacking overall compared to SM’s girl groups. That’s what girl groups like this are for sometimes, showing us how lucky we are for all girl groups. Unicorn still did a great job, and the best part is maybe the video, which is appropriately seizure inducing and kaleidoscopic.

The following track — again — could also be seen as generic of the current pop climate. “Sun Shower” opens with verse of synths that sound exactly like a less tropical “Work From Home” and not as a way of distancing, but only because they were probably too cheap to recreate them well. These big EDM tracks are all about the chorus though, and that’s where Unicorn soar. The song drops into a sea of floating synths that have a scuzzy edge Crystal Castles would be proud of. The girls shout rather than sing in a moment of great sincerity. EDM tracks like this work best when those feelings of joy burst out.

Also on KultScene: The Other Top 10 Korean Songs of 2015

You know an album is good when groups replace the mandatory ballad album filler with an upbeat groove. Unicorn’s is “I Need You Tonight,” a smooth jam mixing guitars and synths for a late night opine. The verses combine breathy vocals and incisive raps to great effect, giving us a two sides to this song, the desperate and the forceful.

It’s great to have Unicorn back, especially with good work like this. It repurposes a bunch of popular sounds to fit their sort of cute kind of manic style. None of it is particularly original, but it each song works and is a lot of fun. Vocally, the girls are at their best, with each chorus showing a different side to them. Of course, the best thing about it is that it exists in the first place. My hunger has been satiated for a moment, but it won’t last long. Now where is that new D.Holic video?

What do you think of the new Unicorn album? 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.

An Ode to SHINee on the Eve of KCON LA 2016

July 27, 2016/in Fans /by Tamar Herman

On Saturday, SHINee will take the stage at the Staples Center at the Los Angeles leg of KCON USA presented by Toyota. For the second time this year, SHINee’s coming to Los Angeles to wow audiences and I’ll be sitting in the crowd cheering them on, enthralled by their performance. A big change from the last time I saw SHINee perform in the US.

Walking into Madison Square Garden on October 23, 2011, I was ridiculing my friend who was a SHINee fan (Shawol). “Look, they’re all short!” I said, pointing out how the fans with their pearl aqua green paraphernalia. “They’re all young. They don’t know what it’s been like stanning these groups for years!” As a longterm Super Junior fan who spent much of 2009 heartbroken over a variety of departures from Super Junior and TVXQ, SHINee had no place in my heart. But then the quintet got on stage and I had to accept something I had been denying since I discovered K-pop a few years before:

SHINee is the best K-pop group of our generation.

And that’s something I will go on the record declaring, despite people trying to counter this claim pointing to sales records. Not that other groups aren’t iconic (Super Junior and INFINITE will forever be extremely talented groups in my eyes, and nobody can deny the insane response BIGBANG and EXO have received from audiences both in and out of South Korea). I’m not writing this to upset anyone. I’m writing this because I was on a very hot subway, listening to “Symptoms” (thanks Alexis for rectifying that emptiness in my life a month ago) and I had an epiphany about SHINee’s career as a whole.

Also on KultScene: SHY SHY SHY: Why Girls’ Generation-SHY Needs to Happen

“Symptoms” isn’t a single, although it was promoted alongside “Everybody” back in 2013. It shouldn’t be a mind-blowing song. But it is, because it exhibits some of SHINee’s best vocal performances, like Key’s glorious, unexpected vocal trill. But it doesn’t matter. Single or otherwise, SHINee’s songs are always a step beyond the rest. Both because of the performers themselves and the production team that one day sat in a room and decided that SHINee wouldn’t ever follow the trend: this is a group of trendsetters and they have been since day one.

When they debuted, SHINee made a splash for their song and style and then they became known for their insane dance skills and fashion. (Thank SHINee for all the colorful skinny jeans on male idols).

Now, SHINee is primarily known for their experimental styles– but I’m going to go further than that and say that their singing is what makes SHINee such a long-standing group. Good production isn’t alone when it comes to K-pop, where every song is manhandled by production teams. SHINee is a top-tier group because they’re produced by SM Entertainment, but it’s their talent that the whole thing relies on.

When things come down to it, idol groups that release better music have far more of an impact even when they’re not necessarily the strongest fandom: This quintet can take a simple b-side and make it an aural experience that any listener can enjoy. And that’s why they’re able to hold multiple shows in the United States this year even without any new material. Unlike much of K-pop, there’s no need to be an innate fan of SHINee to like their albums. It’s becoming more and more common; Red Velvet and BTS have released exceptional albums lately and Seventeen will likely join their ranks soon thanks to their production creds — but only SHINee does it in a way to appeal to even the most casual listeners.

(Sorry to literally every other idol group out there. I still love and appreciate the majority of you, but SHINee does it better than the majority.)

Also on KultScene: Fei’s “Fantasy” Music Video & Song Review

The combination of raw talent and precise production make SHINee the most accessible K-pop group of the past 10 years. Listening to their songs, SHINee’s members have surpassed one another consistently to become a group that lacks little, if anything, sonically. Gone are the days when Jonghyun and Onew were clearly the main vocalists of the group; dancer Taemin has a solo album and Key surpassed expectations with his unique baritone tones, becoming a mainstay of their songs. Even rapper Minho has surpassed the dibidibidi days of yesteryear. Their performances of “View” last year were some of the most evenly distributed lines in K-pop in the past three years (the group’s size clearly affects this). Aside from Minho, who smiles as he delivers his sweet but clearly less impressive vocal performance, the other four divide the song nearly evenly with each member given a chance to express his own vocal color.

It’s been said before, but the only time SM Entertainment has seen such strong, unified vocals was from TVXQ back in the day when they were still a quintet. (TV5Q may have been better technically, considering that the group’s harmony enable them to continuously impress with strong a capella performances.) But SHINee is so consistent that it’s impossible to deny that we’re really living in a SHINee World. Here’s to their upcoming performances in the United States in California and Texas and their soon-to-be-released album.

Needless to say, I’m hyped to see a group I very much once loathed this weekend.

What do you like/dislike about SHINee? What’s your favorite song? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear you thoughts and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Weekly K-Pop Faves: July 18-24

July 24, 2016/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Summer’s well underway and K-pop took a bit of a vacation over the past week. While we’ve recently received an onslaught of new releases, the middle of July lagged a tiny bit. Our writers highlighting songs by the likes of Hello Venus, Amoeba Culture artists, Stellar, and f(x) in our weekly column. Look at all those girl groups!

Take a listen and comment at the bottom of this page to let us know what song you like the most from the past week!

“Paradise” by Hello Venus (Released July 18)

To few people’s attention, the girls of Hello Venus released the song of the summer this week. Produced by team Devine Channel, “Paradise” is a tropical doo-wop track made for days on the beach. Its music is lowkey with sporadic guitar licks and bursts of brass. “Paradise” really beckons with its vocals however. There’s a great range and assurance of voice on display. New girls Yeoreum and Seoyoung open brilliantly with a cheeky rap and an enticing vocal respectively. The rest of the girls go on to show their own takes on similar styles all while adding a new hook of their own. Throughout the day I could get any part of this song stuck in my head and be more than happy. It’s a perfectly pitched summer track made for only a digital release.

— Joe

“highfiVe” by Dynamic Duo, Primary, Boi B, Crush (Released July 21)

After a string of disappointing songs released this summer, Amoeba Culture artists came to the rescue. Dynamic Duo, Primary, Boi B, and Crush teamed up and put their amazing chemistry to good use to come out with “highfiVe”. It makes you want to grab a drink and dance the night away in an outdoor bar or club — and not only because it’s an ad for the Korean beer Cass. Seriously, how can you go wrong with Crush’s buttery vocals, Dynamic Duo and Boi B’s fiery verses, and Primary’s hyped up beats? It might not be anything groundbreaking, but it’s a fun track. And given the spot for summer anthem has yet to be grabbed, I’ll take it.

— Alexis

“All Mine” by f(x) (Released July 22)

f(x) is back! Well, kind of. This past week, f(x) unleashed this single as the next installment of SM Entertainment’s weekly STATION project. The EDM banger is produced by LDN NOISE, some of K-pop’s more well-known EDM producers. With a memorable melody, the song is matched with an equally cute music video, which shows the four members singing along to the song at various parts of an SMTOWN concert venue. And while they aren’t promoting it on music shows, the song is actually doing amazingly well on the charts (unlike most other SM STATION releases this year). It’s nice to see f(x) together releasing a song, especially considering that the group has been under a lot of speculation in regards to disbandment. Whether the members renew their contracts or not (and it’s likely that they will), it’s great to have this song to get us through the remainder of the summer.

— Kushal

”Crying” by Stellar (Released July 18)

While I’ll let Joe and Kushal be called our resident girl group experts, I was intrigued by Stellar’s latest release for the sole reason that it was giving me major 2010 K-pop feels. While an extremely different song, producer Brave Brothers utilized similar synth chords and autotuning on both “Crying” and NS Yoon-G’s “Just Dance” of that year. Since I’m obsessed with NS Yoon-G and think she’s been robbed of her career, I played “Crying” and “Just Dance” alongside one another for about a half hour before I realized it was the mellow dance pop sound of both songs that really drew me in as a listener. This is clearly a 2016 take on what Brave Brothers has done best for much of his career, but I felt like it wasn’t a far enough step to give Stellar the leap they need to propel themselves to the height of popularity. Sweet and soft is fine, but please bring back Stellar’s biting unique sound and style for their next release!

— Tamar

Share your picks and thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us onFacebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Fei’s “Fantasy” Music Video & Song Review

July 22, 2016/in Entertainment, MUSIC /by Joe Palmer

Many Chinese K-pop stars have been hitting the headlines lately for their public statements in protest of rulings made against China’s claim to large parts of the South China Sea. The ins and outs of this don’t interest me too much but it’s interesting to see the effect that it’s having on miss A’s Fei and her solo debut. It’s likely these idols (f(x)’s Victoria, Fiestar’s Cao Lu, and Super Junior-M’s Zhoumi along with Fei) were just hoping it would help their chances of expanding into the Chinese market and avoiding a Tzuyu-sized scandal. Korean fans however, have not reacted well and Fei’s debut single “Fantasy” is charting terribly likely because of it.

Letting politics get in the way of an actually important topic like pop music is only hurting the fans themselves however. “Fantasy” is the most sensual release of the year and has a video bursting with sexuality like we have maybe never seen in K-pop before. You’d be a fool to ignore it.

Song

Written and produced by Park Jin Young with help from the brilliant Marcan Entertainment team of producers, Denzil “IDR” Remedios and Ryan S. Jhun, “Fantasy” is a subdued mix of glittering synth pop and lush R&B. Dreamy crystal synths reverberate throughout over a beat that can barely even be called a beat: it’s a variety of 808s that tumble in and out without drawing too much attention to themselves. They create the languid atmosphere that pervades “Fantasy.” It shimmers slowly across your mind, implanting different feelings with every listen.

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The structure does nothing to alter this atmosphere. “Fantasy” moves from verse to chorus with little caution, maintaining the sexual energy rather than bringing things up a level. This lack of movement does not hamper the song in anyway. The second verse and bridge add serumbal sounds to keep things interesting. Fei is taking her time to seduce you. Her breathy vocals ls iin verse turn to sensual opines in the chorus and finaly, a climatic moan in the bridrige-a perfect slow burning progression of sexual possibilities.

The lyrics play up the sexual elements as Fei is a woman ready to fulfill the fantasies of her lover. “I’m your girl now, You can tell me your hidden fantasies” she whispers in the verse. It’s hard to see where “Fantasy” falls in terms of being a positive or negative song for female sexuality. Lyrics like “I’m your girl now” and “I made up my mind” suggest a submissiveness that she is almost being coerced into this by the man. Yet she also takes quite an active role, telling him not to hesitate and to tell her all his fantasies. Even in these more active parts however, it is always in service of the man, “I wanna do everything for you tonight.”

Music Video

As a male I can’t really say whether or not it is ultimately offensive to women. What I will say is that it is an interesting new angle when considered alongside the video. It takes the fantasy to literal levels as Fei plays a digital sex worker, specifically a Virtual Reality sex worker. As a male, I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been on sites similar to https://ehocams.com/ to watch some cam girls and I know that they are getting increasingly popular these days. And now with VR, there are even more options for people. Considering the sexual nature of the music, it doesn’t surprise me that the video goes down this route.

A man sits down in a dingy neon lit backroom as a woman puts VR goggles over his eyes. As soon as they are on him he sees an underwear clad Fei with her hula-hoop. Whether the hula-hoop is merely a prop for her dancing or a particularly female symbol for her openness to any of his fantasies is unclear.

What’s really interesting is how the camera depicts this sexual digital world. I don’t know if it’s just me but there seems to be a lot less close ups in this video than most K-pop videos that feature the artists. It isn’t until around the one minute mark do we get a good look at Fei’s face and even then we might be slightly distracted by her new Day-Glo orange hair. Most of how we see Fei is in wide or medium shots where her body (always in some sort of underwear) is emphasized. For the VR viewer, this disconnects the person who owns this body from herself. He can watch and take peasure without thinking about an actual person as she has become an object, a fantasy. It’s clear a lot of people enjoy VR porn and it’s allowing people of all ages to explltSce: miss A “Only You” Music Video & Song Reviewc

Aesthetically this is enhanced by a weird digital sheen. The quality seems to have been deliberately made worse for the parts when Fei is dancing in her synthetic realm. It gives the viewer a feeling of discomfort, that maybe we are not supposed to be watching this let alone taking pleasure out of it. Reality is being distorted just enough for us to see the falsity yet not enough for us to stop. In a rare clear shot Fei, lit by a single light, lounges on a bed looking directly into the camera. It is the most brazenly pornographic image in the video. It’s almost like something you’d see on somewhere like twinkpornvideos.xxx, that’s how extreme we’re talking. Its clarity is disturbing in comparison to the previous shots and the POV element brings the viewer right into the action, making us complicit.

The final part of the video uses similar techniques to deliver the conceit. The man takes off his goggles seemingly finished with his viewing but Fei then buffers into his view in real life. She continues her dance as he watches mesmerized and then starts to walk towards him, takes off her top and leans in to kiss him. It then cuts to directly to a red title screen with the name of the song, “Fantasy.” It seems like Fei is coming to life in order to be with this man, a conclusion that would be disappointing normally. The camera tells a different story though. As she dances Fei is shot in the same style as before. Wide shots that offer no intimacy. More telling is how these were (I think) shot with a lower frame rate which is what makes it look like it’s skipping a bit. Our view is of the real world but the Fei that is dancing before us is definitely not real. This is the danger of porn and virtual sex. For the viewer, the person he watches on screen becomes indistinguishable from real life people. Either he can only find pleasure in the virtual or he starts to expect real people to act like his virtual loves. He expects them to fulfill everyone of his fantasies without hesitation.

Overall

2016 has been a bumper year for female soloists with Taeyeon, Luna, Hyomin, Hyosung, and more. They have released a large variety of great tracks all showing a great maturity in their individuality. Like most of them however (except Taeyeon), Fei is proving to be less than popular with the public. This is a great shame considering “Fantasy” biting thesis on modern sexuality, as well as being a beautiful slow jam. Its charms don’t end there also as the choreography makes use of hula-hoops and backing dancers in really interesting ways. Slip into Fei’s “Fantasy” for the future of sex.

What did you think of Fei’s “Fantasy”? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear you thoughts and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

5 Songs to Get You Ready for Dok2 & The Quiett’s NO RE$T US Tour

July 21, 2016/in Events /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

If you’ve ever scrolled past Dok2’s Instagram, you know that, together with The Quiett, the Illionaire Records CEOs are no strangers to the US — especially if we’re talking about partying. But this time around, the “YGGR” rappers are not only dropping stacks in Las Vegas or displaying their #blessed lifestyle in Hawaii. Dok2 and The Quiett are finally embarking on their first US tour, NO RE$T, stopping in four major cities to unload their trap masterpieces upon K-rap fans.

The NO RE$T Tour kicked off in Chicago on July 21 at the Concord Music Hall, then heads to New York on the 22 at Terminal 5, Atlanta on the 23 at Center Stage, and lastly Los Angeles at The Wiltern on the 29. Tickets are still available here and general admission prices vary depending on the city and range between $65 and $80.

Saying you can’t miss the NO RE$T Tour is an understatement, given we can’t even begin to describe how lit it will get. So let’s start getting in the mood with 5 Illionaire songs to get you ready and turnt.

1. “2 Chainz & Rollies”

Let’s start off this list with a classic. The rappers released “2 Chainz & Rollies” back in 2013 and it has quickly become an Illionaire staple given that it epitomizes their whole concept and aesthetic. With a music video that follows them through the Vegas strip and their hotel, the track is only meant to make you turn up rather than focus on meaningful lyrics. You know turnin’ up is a universal language.

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2. “Beverly 1lls Remix”

Released just this week, viewers got an early taste of “Beverly 1lls” when Dok2 lent the track to their “Show Me the Money 5” team members Superbee and myunDo. And while that version was alright, they had nothing on Illionaire’s CEOs. The official version with is a bop, with its haunting bells, subtle piano, and signature trap snares. Also, good luck getting that chorus out of your head after listening to it.

3. “Profile”

While “Profile” is label mate Beenzino’s song originally, the verses Dok2 and The Quiett dropped on it as featured artists are so fiery that they deserve to be performed even without the main attraction. Beenzino is better known for his artsy rap rather than signature Illionaire turn up trap and self-promoting narrative, so it makes sense that the CEOs have taken this song on tour given it suits their style better.

4. “Don”

Another song that the Illionaire heads took on the road from another artist is “Don.” The track was originally released by rapper Vasco to mimic their sound and entire concept, so Dok2 and The Quiett took it, dropped their own verses, and released a music video just to show off their newest rides. If that doesn’t scream “Illionaire” to you, I don’t know what does.

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5. “Rockin with the Best”

Circling back to songs that epitomize the Illionaire sound and concept, “Rocking with the Best” essentially embodies what Dok2 and The Quiett are all about: making money, being at the top of the game, and trap beats that will make people jump and dance. We can already picture both rappers bouncing all over the stage throwing water at the audience. We can’t wait.

What’s your favorite Dok2 and The Quiett song? Llet us know your picks in the comments 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.

“Let’s Fight Ghost” Diverges From Previous Ghost Dramas

July 21, 2016/in Entertainment, Television /by Joan Vos MacDonald

During the first few frames of “Let’s Fight Ghost,” starring 2PM’s Ok Taecyeon and Kim So Hyun, it seemed as if the drama might be haunted by the past of other recent tvN spectral dramas, like “The Master’s Sun,” Oh My Ghostess,”and “Who Are You.” The dramas set the bar for spooky tVN shows as they featured plenty of gloomy ghosts and star-crossed supernatural pairings. But “Let’s Fight Ghost” takes a different horror rom-com angle; a lighter, leave-you-grinning take on the veil between life and death.

Taecyeon plays the part of a college student well, but then it’s the right kind of role for him. The 2PM rapper has a boyish, wide-eyed charm that makes him a likable if not nuanced actor. He always seems slightly embarrassed that anyone has asked him to act, but his earnestness and charismatic smile are seductive. He’s appealing enough as a character who’s hired to take out ghosts — a sort of supernatural fixer or gangster ghostbuster. As an actor, Taecyeon knows his way around ghosts. It’s not his first drama dealing with them firsthand: he played a supernaturally challenged detective in “Who Are You?”

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Here Taecyeon plays a main character who sees ghosts just like Gong Hyo Jin’s character in “The Master’s Sun.” But in this ghost story, the person who sees spirits is a man with his fists up rather than a tormented woman trying to avoid the apparitions. Rather than trying to run from the specters, only to eventually be scared into carrying out their mission, Taecyeon’s ghost visionary both seeks out and literally knocks ghosts out into submission. And, unlike So Ji Sub’s ghost-repellant character, Taecyeon’s love interest does not make ghosts disappear. Instead, she’s a ghost in her own right.

That’s where the star-crossed lover part comes in…

It doesn’t get more star-crossed than falling in love with a person who is not alive. It rarely works out well, even in K-dramas. Yes, Park Bon Pal, Taecyeon’s character, can see and talk to Kim Hyun Ji, the spectre played by Kim So Hyun, but the relationship is likely doomed by her lifeless state. Kim Hyun Ji’s lack of physical substance will definitely make it hard for Park Bon Pal to introduce her to his friends and family. Admitting that he was dating a ghost might qualify him for some extensive therapy.

And as for the relationship, Taecyeon and Kim So Hyun seem well matched in energy. He’s actually a decade older than the child actress, but she qualifies as his acting senior, since she debuted 10 years ago while he’s only been acting for six. The drama explains their age disparity by saying she’s been dead for a while so that she is actually older… Dead years apparently count…

Actress Kim So Hyun is always appealing in fresh wholesome way, but this time, she plays a sassy student ghost eager to be kissed. Kim’s Kim Hyun Ji can’t remember her former life and is somehow convinced that kissing Taecyeon’s character will help restore lost memories. One of the actress’ last roles was playing twin students in “Who Are You: School 2015?” What this role lacks in complexity, compared to her character in “Who Are You: School 2015,” it makes up for with sheer sassiness. And Kim seems worlds older. At 17, this actress is no longer a child but becoming a beautiful and flirtatious leading lady.

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Ghost dramas don’t always do well, although “Oh My Ghostess” and “The Master’s Sun” were both successful, ratings-wise. “Let’s Fight Ghost” is more like “Oh My Ghostess,” as the romantic parameters of the plot were well established early on. It’s not as comically tortured nor funnily foreboding as “The Master’s Sun.” The “Let’s Fight” ghosts are frightening, but can be physically vanquished. So far, they don’t expect emotionally wrenching missions to be carried out, no grieving family members to contact, no secrets to reveal.

Kim So Hyun’s ghost is not as quirky as Kim Seul Gi’s virgin ghost in “Oh My Ghostess.” Nor is she as tragic as Ji Hyun’s heartbreaking ghost in SBS’s 2011 drama, “49 Days.” But like both of those ghosts, she has a mission of her own: she needs to revive her memories. And to do so, she only needs to get closer to Taecyeon’s lips. Her past and future depend on the kind of kiss that woke Sleeping Beauty.

So far, “Let’s Fight Ghost” is as fluffy as a dandelion puff and as PG as an after school special, but it’s entertainingly light and silly. The cinematography is quick paced, with a graphic novel feel, and the actors look like they’re having fun. Contributing to the fun are performances by Kim Sang Ho as a has-been exorcist, Lee Do Yeon as a love-obsessed ghost, and Kang Ki Young and David Lee as intrepid ghost hunters and videographers. The tone may change in subsequent episodes, but it’s worth a watch if you are in the mood for an uplifting romcom.

Are you watching this drama? What do you think? Please let us know in the comments 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.

SHY SHY SHY: Why Girls’ Generation-SHY Needs to Happen

July 19, 2016/in Features, OPINION /by Kushal Dev

Back in 2012, SM Entertainment announced that the Nation’s Girl Group, none other than Girls’ Generation themselves, would be putting out its first subunit group, known as TTS. As we all know, the subunit went on to (arguably) become K-pop’s most successful subunit. Composed of main vocals Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun, this small microcosm of GG has sold over 300,000 albums, 3.5 million downloads, and four top ten singles in South Korea alone. Clearly, TTS is a formidable force in the world of subunits (or even girl groups on the whole — the subunit ranks among the best-selling girl groups even without GG behind them). Ever since their debut, TTS has remained relevant in the K-pop scene as a standalone group.

But there was one teensy, tiny, little detail of SM’s original 2012 announcement that was particularly notable — TTS was originally planned as a rotational subunit. This meant that different subunits would be created with different members of the group. At first, this excited fans, because they would be able to see their favorite members in various duos and trios as the years progressed. However, while TTS became a staple of SONE culture, these rotated subunits never happened. Instead, TTS received comeback after comeback. And while they’ve released consistently good music, fans have been waiting for SM to live up to its now four year-old promise. Most commonly, it seems the craving for a new GG subunit has manifested in the form of SHY.

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Girls’ Generation-SHY is a hypothetical unit of Girls’ Generation, consisting of members Sooyoung, Hyoyeon, and Yuri. And while TaeTiSeo focused on jazzpop and vocal pop, SooHyoYul would put its energy into hip-hop and dance music. While TTS spent more time on vocals, SHY would display killer choreography. This is only expected from the group’s dance line, which, when on their own, gives off a very different charm than the rest of GG. While they have gone to darker concepts (re: “RunDevilRun,” “Bad Girl,” and more), SHY is edgy and badass, while regular SNSD is loveable and girly. SONES who have been waiting for something darker and more hard-hitting from the group crave a SHY debut for this reason. SM should definitely cash in on this appeal, as it further diversifies the SNSD sound and gives the girls even more versatility and longevity, especially going into their tenth year as a group.

SHY would also be an incredible and worthwhile fanservice to SONES who have followed the group for years but haven’t gotten to see Hyoyeon, Yuri and Sooyoung really shine on their own. While Yuri has been recently getting more lines (it seems her role as a dancer and visual is colliding with that of a vocal lately), none of the three have really had a chance to shine on stage as all-around performers. Sooyoung, who previously debuted in Japan as part of a duo, has also been underutilized. “Catch Me If You Can” saw the three fan an increased role in Girls’ Generation, but this trend completely reversed with the release of their following albums. “Party” and “Lion Heart” gave them minimal lines as usual, leaving fans to hope that “You Think” would give them a well-deserved share of line distribution. Given the more hardcore, dance-centric vibe that “You Think” seemed to exude from the teasers, many fans thought SHY would finally shine. However, the exact opposite happened — vocals led the entire song and saw Yuri take a few random lines here and there, with Sooyoung and Hyoyeon taking the tiny, anticlimactic rap section before the bridge. Once again, SHY fans were frustrated at their faves’ lack of spotlight. It seems that, after more than a decade of hard work, these girls deserve some attention of their own on stage.

And what better time to debut SHY than right now?! One of the biggest trends of K-pop in 2016 is SM’s hard work — we’ve seen unit and solo promotions across the board from members of Girls’ Generation (both of whom are TTS members, unsurprisingly), f(x), Super Junior, SHINee and more. Many of these releases don’t follow musical trends in Korea, because they instead incorporate more unique and diverse genres into what is becoming one of SM’s most musically eclectic years yet. It seems that SM has gone above and beyond caring about the public popularity of its music, opting for music quality and global potential instead, and using EDM and other similar “more global” genres to match these attributes.

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So considering how EDM literally stands for Electronic Dance Music (emphasis on “Dance”), why isn’t SHY debuting with some badass EDM/rap song? In fact, Hyoyeon already handled such a concept very well in the music video for “MAXSTEP” by Younique Unit, a temporary promotional group SM assembled using its best dancers a few years ago. An EDM/rap-oriented SHY song might not chart too well, but neither did half of SM’s releases this year, and SM doesn’t seem to care about chart positions as it is. So what’s stopping them? If anything, a SHY debut will add to SM’s goals of globalization — Hyoyeon is known for being by far the most famous member of the group in France and has a very sizable fanbase in North America as well. The same goes for Sooyoung, whose charms seem to be recognized in both Japan and the Western Hemisphere. A SHY debut aligns perfectly with every single one of SM’s goals right now, so it seems simply absurd why this long-awaited release hasn’t happened already.

The truth is, there are some reasons why SHY isn’t happening just yet. There are rumors of solos from both Seohyun and Yuri. It would make sense for SM to want to finish the TTS trio of solos before moving onto other SNSD-related projects, and once that’s out of the way, a Yuri solo would definitely throw a wrench in SHY debut plans as well (but still cause at least a substantial fraction of the buzz that a SHY debut would create). Not to mention, Hyoyeon is also busy with “Hit the Stage,” an Mnet competition show for some of K-pop’s most famous idol dancers as contestants. However, none of these activities mean, by any stretch of the imagination, mean that SHY can’t happen. It seems that we are closer than ever to something of that sort happening. Maybe we just need to wait a few more months, a year or two, or whatever it takes. But in due time, even SONES will be singing along with TWICE’s Sana, in a future fanchant that is yet to be created, for a future debut that is yet to happen.

Do you think SHY should be debuting anytime soon? 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.

Weekly K-Pop Faves July 11-17

July 18, 2016/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Every weekend, KultScene’s team of writers put our heads together to highlight some of our favorite releases from the past week. This Weekly K-pop Faves playlist has a lot of variant styles and features recently released singles by Heize and Dean, M&D (aka Heechul of Super Junior and Jungmo of Trax), and GFRIEND.

“Ulsanbawi” by Kim Heechul & Kim Jungmo (M&D) (Released July 12)

A few days after I casually told someone that I felt it was a pity K-pop hadn’t spread more of Korea’s homegrown sounds, SM Entertainment’s resident (loveable) fools released a brand new trot song. “Ulsanbawi” is actually a trot-rock hybrid created by Super Junior’s Heechul and Trax’s Kim Jungmo (mostly Jungmo). It’s not a song I’ll listen to every day but its release is definitely something that K-pop fans should be aware of thanks to Korea’s long history with trot (the title is also innately Korean- it references a mountain range.) Heechul, who is also a member of of the Super Junior-T trot subunit, shines on the song with his overwrought vocals paired by Jungmo’s electric rifts. It’s not SM Entertainment’s usual MO but I’m definitely a fan. (I.O.I/DIA member Jung Chaeyeon stars in the music video, so there’s also that fun bonus of seeing Heechul act like a vagrant bum.)

— Tamar

“And July (feat. Dean, DJ Friz)” by Heize (Released July 17)

I wasn’t here for “Shut Up & Groove,” but Heize and Dean’s newest collaboration “And July” is a step up. On this new release, Heize’s vocals aren’t as piercing as the first song and the synergy between her singing and rapping are balanced better. Dean, as usual, kills his verses and I’m here for anything that includes his “Ooh’s,” which is a standout in the song, to be honest. The lyrics, I assume, probably talk about a romantic relationship, but the interactions in the music video between the two artists looks more like a petty war between siblings. It’s cute, but if the lyrics are romantic, then it’s a bit weird. Nevertheless, it’s an easy, mellow listen and I’m glad Heize is slowly finding herself as an artist.

— Alexis

“Navillera” by GFriend (Released July 11)

They’ve done it again! GFriend has brought out another catchy bop to continue the summer K-pop rush. While I wish it stood out a little more compared to their other releases, I’m pretty satisfied with the way it came out — as always, GFriend is powerful and strong, but catchy and innocent at the same time. It’s good to see them bringing out their charms in a song that can easily be left on repeat for days on end. “Navillera” tells the K-pop world that GFriend has their own trademark style among girl groups. While other groups have been trying to ride the “GFriend reign,” none of them compare to these girls. GFriend is here to stay, in both their K-pop relevance and their musical style.

— Kushal

Share your picks and thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us onFacebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.