4 K-Dramas That Need To Be On Your ‘To Watch’ List Right Now

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4 Dramas That Should Be On Your 'To Watch' List

This is definitely the season for new Korean dramas, with three new dramas from different channels premiering on the same day last week. With the annual drama awards coming up soon, the competition between the dramas in their respective timeslots is heating up. Out of the many dramas airing at the moment, here are four exceptional dramas that need to be on your ‘to watch’ list right now.

1. “Twenty Again”

If you are looking for a new drama to encourage you and brighten up your day, this is the right one for you.

This drama is reaching the end of its airing, but for people who have yet to catch it, it is a must-watch for several reasons. For starters, if you are a person who enjoys watching romantic comedy, this drama is a perfect fit for you because of the adorable chemistry between the two main characters No-ra (Choi Ji-Woo) and Hyun-seok (Lee Sangyoon). What makes this couple a winning pair, however, isn’t just the actors who play them but rather the fact thattheir characters feel well-fleshed out and developed, which makes their relationship all the more believable. The strength of this drama’s scriptwriter (So Hyun Kyung) is that she is able to come up with an admittedly basic plot but turn it into an engaging and lively story, with well-thought out plot lines and character interactions.

This drama isn’t just about romance however. More importantly, it is an empowering story about how a middle-aged housewife, No-ra, can return to college and continue to pursue her dreams. It is heartwarming to see the transformation in her character as the series goes along, especially as she regains her spirit and confidence of her youth. Choi Ji-Woo fits this role to a tee, with her never-ageing beauty and her cheerful personality. Lee Sangyoon finally has a chance to smile in this drama, after serious dramas like “Liar Game,” and it is definitely great to be able to see his amazing dimples so often this time around.

2. “She Was Pretty”

If you are looking for body gags and a lot of laughs, this is the drama for you.

If you were a fan of Oh Ri-Jin and Oh Ri-On’s relationship in the drama “Kill Me Heal Me,” you cannot miss this show. This drama is centered around a magazine company with Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum) and Sung-Joon (Park Seo Joon) working in the same office. Not just that, they used to know each other when they were younger, and Hye Jin was Sung-Joon’s first love. As the title suggests, Hye Jin, who used to be a pretty girl, grew up to look very different. The conflict of this drama is born out of Hye Jin’s hesitance to show herself to Sung-Joon, creating lots of comedy and melodrama along the way.

The storyline does get frustrating sometimes when Hye Jin constantly hides her identity from Sung-Joon, but the characters are endearing enough to make this drama a fan favourite. A highlight of the drama would be the character of Shin Hyuk (Choi Siwon of Super Junior). He’s eccentric, handsome, and super caring. Although he is playing the second lead of the drama, Choi has been drawing a lot of attention for his realistic acting and at times has even stolen the spotlight of the other actors in the drama. His character may be too awesome to exist in real life, but it is well-written and developed. He also enjoys great chemistry with his fellow co-stars, especially with Hwang Jung Eum and Go Joon Hee, who rounds out the rest of this love square. With great performances put out by the cast and a fun storyline, this drama is well worth a shot.

Also on Kultscene: What K-Drama Cliche Is Your Life? [QUIZ]

3. “The Village: Achiara’s Secret”

If you are looking for something to scare you at night, this is the drama for you.

Personally, I’m more attracted to dramas filled with suspense rather than predictable romantic ones, and ever since the promotions for this drama came out, I was super excited to begin watching it. Currently only two episodes have aired so far, but it shows a lot of promise and lives up to the high expectations created by the posters and teasers. So we have a mysterious village called Achiara (a fake Korean village) filled with even more mysterious characters, and the drama follows Han So-Yoon’s (Moon Geun Young) arrival in the village as a new English teacher. She encounters a lot of weird and creepy things in her first few days, such as being followed by a scary guy in the pouring rain, living in the house of a “missing” person, and finding a skeleton. All of these suspenseful and horrifying moments are played out very well with Moon Geun Young’s acting and the accompanying music, which just serves to hype up the tension.

What I’m loving the most about the drama so far are the supporting characters, the other people living in the village. Whether they are artists, pharmacists or school teachers, they all have complex characters and are all painted in a shade of grey;none of them seem to be completely good or completely evil. Of these characters, Yoon Ji-Sook (Shin Eun Kyung) is slowly becoming my favourite, for the sole reason that she has so many layers to her character. It confuses me but it keeps me guessing as well. There is an exception, however, with Park Woo-Jae(BTOB’s Sungjae), who plays a cheerful police officer in the village. He’s literally the only bright spot around, and Sungjae’s acting is definitely on point here. He’s an extremely promising idol actor and I hope his skills will improve over the course of this drama.

Also on Kultscene: 5 Tear-Inducing K-Drama OSTs Pt. 2

4. “D-Day”

If you like to watch “Gray’s Anatomy”, this is the drama for you.

The only reason why I was initially attracted to this drama was because of INFINITE’s Sungyeol, who is starring in this drama as a medical intern. When I started to learn more about the drama however, its storyline drew me in right away. Dramas or movies about natural disasters are not new. In fact, a setting of a natural disaster often makes for a good story and production. What is different about this drama, apart from the fact that it is almost entirely pre-produced rather than shot live like most Korean dramas, is that it doesn’t focus as much on the disaster as much as it does on how people from different professions and lifestyles deal with its aftermath. Although “D-Day” is essentially a medical drama, it isn’t just about doctors or the medical profession. t also glorifies the efforts of other heroes such as firefighters and the random kindhearted strangers. In spite of all the tragedy and cruelty depicted in this drama, there are also several heart-warming moments which, to put it dramatically, allows viewers to restore their faith in humanity. (Trust me, it’s not easy when you watch hospitals prioritize VIP patients at the expense of others.)

Another aspect I am enjoying of the drama would be how realistic it is. Don’t get me wrong, I know how unrealistic the portrayal of the earthquake and its aftermath (destruction of buildings etc) is, and I definitely can see how it is rather impossible for a band of doctors and patients to escape death narrowly so many times in a single episode. To me, it is realistic in the way it presents the moral dilemmas and hardships the characters face every single episode. In the case of Hye-Sung (Kim Young Kwang), he constantly has to choose which patients to treat and which to abandon, for the devastating reason that the hospital no longer has supplies. In their own way, almost every character in the drama has to face their own moral battles, but it is precisely through these instances that the characters grow and change. For a drama with so many characters, it is amazing the way the characters have continual development (so far, at least) and I hope it continues. The drama may be more serious than all the other dramas listed above but it has an important message and is definitely a drama that you need to watch right now.

Which K-drama are you watching now? Are there any K-dramas that you want to put on your ‘To Watch’ list? Share your throughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

What K-Drama Cliche Is Your Life? [QUIZ]

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heirs

You’ve seen the Korean dramas with memory loss, with somebody disappearing for months, with… Well, you know all of the tropes. You can probably list off the cliches without even thinking about it: Love triangles, evil mothers, rich guy-poor girl… The list goes on and on. You may even have your favorite, cliche-filled drama that you watch clips from just to make yourself laugh sometimes. You love K-drama cliches. We all do!

There has probably been a time in the life of every K-drama fan where we’ve wanted to live in a K-drama. A bit difficult to achieve, but we have the next best thing for you. This KultScene quiz will help you figure out which K-drama cliche your life is, so take a few minutes and then let us know your results in the comment section!

Also on Kultscene: Which Korean Entertainment Company Is For You? [Quiz]

Do you like this quiz? Make sure to tell us what other quizzes and content you’d like to see from KultScene in the future. 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.

Pungdeng-E’s ‘Ppi Ppi Ppa Ppa’ Music Video & Song Review + Autographed Album Giveaway

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pungdeng-e ppi ppi ppa ppa song music video mv review

Perfectly timed to coincide with their appearance at the 42nd Los Angeles Korean Festival, Doma Entertainment’s Pungdeng-E released “Ppi Ppi Ppa Ppa” on October 1. This comedic, three-piece girl group, whose name translates in English to “beetle,” debuted in December 2013 with the unique concept of performing in different Korean regional dialects. Pungdeng-E’s over-the-top musical style has frequently been described as “aegyo hip hop,” but the term doesn’t even begin to describe the girls’ unabashed eccentricity. Frankly, no other Korean girl group is as willing to look so totally ridiculous, as demonstrated amply in “Ppi Ppi Ppa Ppa.”

Song

In the same vein as Pungdeng-E’s previous songs, “Ppi Ppi Ppa Ppa” is a highly unusual composition which, against all the odds, manages to successfully combine such varied elements as traditional German brass band music, with circus overtones and a Latin interlude. For good measure, there is even a catchy saxophone solo towards the song’s conclusion. Blue and Red, known as the rappers of the group, feature prominently, yet blend perfectly with Yellow’s sweet and understated vocals. “Ppi Ppi Ppa Ppa” has a chorus which is impossible not to sing along to and will remain in your head long after the track has finished – in other words, an indisputable earworm.

Also on KultScene: Flash Music Video Reviews: Taeyeon, 24K, Oh My Girl, MFBTY, Ailee, Melody Day, iKon, AA

Videography

ppi ppi ppa ppa pundeng-e gif

via thegifmill @ Tumblr

This highly inventive music video opens with a rural setting shown on a retro TV, to the loud accompaniment of a cockerel crowing twice. The camera pans down to reveal the members of Pungdeng-E living in a dilapidated shack, which appears to be somewhere in Europe. The girls wake up from sleeping on the floor and merrily go about their daily routine, marching everywhere with boundless energy. The video is full of hilarious moments, most notably the members messily eating a celebratory cake with their hands and toasting each other with wine glasses full of milk.

“Ppi Ppi Ppa Ppa” takes an even more bizarre turn when Pungdeng-E watch themselves on TV, displaying incredible super powers and dancing to their own song. We see Yellow lifting cattle in the air, Blue zipping around like Road Runner, and Red flying past jumbo jets, having been launched into space. There is an obvious movie reference to “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” when the girls take off in a flying car, followed by another to “ET” at the end of the video, when the same car is silhouetted against the moon.

pundenge ppi ppi ppa ppa gif

via thegifmill @ Tumblr

Styling

In keeping with the song’s European rustic concept, the girls are styled in peasant ensembles, with Yellow wearing dungarees and Blue and Red in dresses. All the members have their hair in plaits or bunches and these are maintained throughout the video. In stark contrast to the muted and earthy colours of their previous outfits, Pungdeng-E are seen in ‘90s style hip hop gear for the dance breakdown and wear colourful baseball caps, hot pants, and pedal pushers, covered in glitter. Of particular note is Red’s short sleeved basketball jersey, which bears the phrase “Norway 22.” Several YouTube users have mentioned this in the comments section and stated that they hope the group will subsequently gain more attention from European fans.

Also on KultScene: 8 Jessi Songs To Get You Ready For Her Los Angeles Show

Overall Thoughts

Pungdeng-E’s collective sense of humour and totally unpretentious style are a breath of fresh air in a sea of Korean girl groups, who are marketed largely on conventional concepts of sex appeal. At present the girls have a relatively small fan base, but thoroughly deserve more recognition for their efforts to be highly individual. Following on from the equally innovative “Al-Tang” and “Baechu Bossam,” “Ppi Ppi Ppa Ppa” is another fine addition to Pungdeng-E’s fledgling discography.

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Playlist Sunday: Coffee

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kpop playlist coffee song

For every person in Seoul, it seems there are three coffee shops. To go along with the caffeine addiction that has affected much of South Korea, many Korean artists have sung about coffee or being caffeinated. Kick-off this week not only with an actual shot of caffeine but an auditory pick-me-up as well. Coffee seems to be a staple in practically everyone’s lives, now that there are multiple options from organic coffee (https://www.ampersand-coffee.com/organic-coffee) to over-the-top flavorings, there is something for everybody to have a cup of. So sit back with your favorite drink and pair it with some tunes.

UL, also known as “Infinite Challenge” producer-collaborator Yoo Jae Hwan and Towgeworl’s Lim Kim (Kim Ye Rim) released “Coffee” only a few days ago, and it’s one of my favorite caffeine-addled Korean songs to date (and there are a lot of them!) UL’s first song as a singer rather than a producer was produced by “Infinity Challenge” star Park Myung Soo, and it’s a heart-wrenching uptempo ballad about lovers questioning the end of their relationship. Many interpersonal relationships, and particularly dating culture, in South Korea revolves around coffee dates and “Coffee” takes this to a new level by comparing the coffee’s bitterness to the level of interest in the relationship. Even though the song is sad, the voices of UL and Lim Kim meld together well with the eerie music, creating a beautiful song while perfectly expressing the melancholy.

— Tamar

Also on KultScene: Taeyeon’s ‘I’ Music Video & Song Review

The love for coffee gives way to many songs with coffee metaphors, such as BEAST’s Yoseob‘s “Caffeine.” In his solo track, the singer compares his love interest with caffeine, which keeps him up all night, gets his heart rate up, and, well, is innately bad for him. Because while coffee is a cup-full of yummyness, it can be bad for you, just like some relationships are. Moreover, Yoseob’s warm vocals soothe over any broken heart, even with a break-up song. Not no mention fellow BEAST member’s Junhyung’s laid back and mellow rap.

— Alexis

Coffee to me is purely a way to survive a long and tiring day because it fills me up with much needed energy, and this song by CNBLUE’s Yonghwa expresses it well. Granted, “Energy” is directed more at the idea of a woman being the energy source of a guy in love but when you take the lyrics out of context, they literally describe me and coffee. “I’m out of energy I’m breaking down” and “I need your energy I can’t move.” Of course, the song itself is totally amazing as it adopts a laid-back but catchy feel and it is made better by Verbal Jint’s chill rapping.

— Anna

Also on KultScene: Blink & You’ll Miss These ‘Doctor Who’ References In K-Pop Music Videos

Coffee makes a great analogy for relationships it seems, and well, BTS‘s “Coffee” is no different. Like the transitive nature of coffee, this mellow song compares a first date that was once so sweet like caramel macchiato to the bitter aftertaste left in one’s mouth after a breakup. And after any breakup, little things such as the minty coffee she or he used to like can instantly transport a nostalgic lover back to those dates in that one cafe. The caffeine in the brewed beverage is a little addictive, and so is returning to those memories. With many rhetorical devices and references to different types of coffee, “Coffee” is an easy listen perfect for anyone who may be experiencing similar post-relationship symptoms.

— Shelley

What’s your favorite coffee inspired K-pop song? Let us know in the comments 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.

Los Angeles Korean Festival Celebrated Korean Culture With Great Food & Performances

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la korean festival los angeles lakf 2015 vasco

by Yasamine Entesari

The 42nd Annual Los Angeles Korean Festival was jam-packed full of fun! Imagine a bustling night market mixed with a food packed street fair, top it all off with an amazing lineup on stage the entire four days, and you have the LA Korean Festival (LAKF).

The event started Thursday October 1st with a full day of live music ranging from traditional Hwarang Korean Drumming to the Koreana Jazz Band. The opening ceremony was held that evening and head lined by Pungdeng-E, who used the LAKF as their comeback stage.

Also on KultScene: 8 Jessi Songs To Get You Ready For Her Los Angeles Show

Friday was full of amazing dancers, such as the Unos Dance Party and the B-Boy Dance Battle. As the evening progressed, the crowd was entertained by the K-pop singing and dancing competition. It offered a wide range of different performances ranging from hip hop style dancing to ballad singing, which had Carissa Dizon, who sang “Heaven” by Ailee, and Eddie Valencia, who did a dance routine to a compilation of various K-pop tracks, as the winners.

by Yasamine Entesari

by Yasamine Entesari

At around 9 p.m., the hip hop show started with an array of rappers and emcees. including classic LA heavy hitter Sean Rhee and R&B vocalist Justin. But the height of the performance was when Korean rap star and “Show Me the Money 3” runner up Vasco took the stage all the to drop a few tracks live to a packed crowd of screaming fans. Once he stepped on stage, the dance party began as Geragida, the EDM DJ duo straight from South Korea, spun a mix so hardcore they blew the power out.

by Yasamine Entesari

by Yasamine Entesari

Saturday was all about tradition with the annual Korean parade, pungmul and dance, and the Hessed Global Dance Company. Beauty filled the view as everyone in traditional performance garb showed the best in traditional South Korean entertainment. The night was filled with the sounds of vocalist Esna and K-pop girl group Mamamoo singing their hits.

Also on KultScene: 6 Bands To Check Out At Zandari Festa 2015

Sunday, for its part, was filled with music and more dance, all traditional and classic. Hanboks could be spotted throughout the crowd as well as on stage as the day continued on into the evening with a star studded closing ceremony. Comedian and emcee Sam Hammington closed out the night with performances from Hangki Yoon, Sook Hyun, Hyung Kuk Kim, Jinwoo Sung, Jeokwoo and Jiwoni.

by Yasamine Entesari

by Yasamine Entesari

All in all, after being filled with good food, good music, and being surrounded by amazing people for four days straight, we can’t wait for next year’s Los Angeles Korean Festival!

Check out the rest of the pictures from the festival here:

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Did you attend the festival? What was your favorite performer? Let us know in the comments 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.

Flash Music Video Reviews: Taeyeon, 24K, Oh My Girl, MFBTY, Ailee, Melody Day, iKon, AA

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iKONI tried my hand at flash music video reviews earlier this year and I’m back for more. This week, I reviewed music videos released by Korean artists including Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon, AA (Aoora & Hoik,) MFBTY, Oh My Girl, 24K, Ailee, Melody Day, and iKon. Each mini review doesn’t offer up in depth critiques of the music or music videos, but instead represent this writer’s first impressions.

Taeyeon “I”

First off, this music video has four million views already, so I know it’s going to be good. Taeyeon is a very talented singer and looks mad adorable as a waitress. The earthy elements and cinematic videography is really lovely. This soft rock thing that seems to be going on is new for Taeyeon, but it’s a nice change and it suits Verbal Jint’s featured rap. Those sheep are adorable, and I want Taeyeon’s outfits to laze around my house in.

I’m not sure if this is a complaint, but it took over a minute to get to a main stanza of the song and hear its sound other than its chorus. I’m a big fan of this sound. The lyrics are inspirational and shows of Taeyeon’s powerful vocals in a great way, while offering a really nicely made music video (obviously filmed in Portland.) With fuzzy sheep and a pretty butterfly, there’s really nothing I can fault.

The song isn’t typical K-pop, which is really great to see SM Entertainment attempting as its artists mature. Also, did she just steal her boss’s key after quitting? It doesn’t matter, this is a beautiful song and a beautifully shot music video. SM Entertainment really knows what it is doing with these solo debuts and taking time to make sure that everything is stellar.

24K “Super Fly”

This music video got a lot of attention because it was erroneously reported that a member was caught fighting in a club. But oh, they’re not in a club but instead being school delinquents. We’re going the really strong and powerful, hip hop oriented route that’s been so popular in K-pop lately. Am I watching Monsta X? What happened to my adorable “U R So Cute,” 24K?

This rap at the beginning is pretty powerful and the visuals are great. I’m a fan of this singing part that bridges into the chorus, but the whistling and thumping sirens could be brought down a few notches. This is a pretty high quality video, which is really nice to see from a group that I’ve been keeping an eye on for a while, but it seems like they took out all the big guns to just go with what has been trending lately and try to get popular. (Is taking out hip hop tropes K-pop male groups the same as wearing scanty clothes is for K-pop girl groups?)

This is a love song, but it seems like the powerful images and sounds would be better put to singing against the establishment. 24K hold their own in this music video, and this is really a step up in their game.

Also on KultScene: Flash K-Pop Music Video Reviews: Jonghyun, Jung Yonghwa, Mad Clown, From The Airport, Eddy Kim, GFriend

Oh My Girl “Closer”

“Cupid” was probably my favorite rookie girl group debut of the year, so hopefully “Closer” will live up to that, both plot-wise and musically.

Nope, we’re getting away from the adorable cupids to a really beautiful setting and lovely outfits. Nice dance moves, but I feel like we’re moving away from what made Oh My Girl stand out and moving stylistically more towards the trends. Oh wait, I take that back. These vocals are on par with what I expected from this group. The fairytale elements are really nice, and you can tell that WM spent a lot on this (that company never really disappoints).

I’m two minutes in and I’ve already decided that Oh My Girl should probably be Red Velvet’s real competition for the next generation of K-pop queens (okay, maybe that’s too much but they really deserve to be acknowledge). This song has really clear vocals that I feel like aren’t what most girl groups are putting out today and the members each have distinct images to the point where I don’t feel like I’m looking at plastic surgery monsters. Side point, the dance at the beginning and end are really good.

MFBTY ”6am”

“WondaLand” is easily one of the best Korean albums of the year, so now that MFBTY is out with a music video for “6am,” I hardly need to review this. So this plot is pretty simple, but this is kind of fun to see Bizzy act lovelorn. Oh, and angry. Wow, he’s really angry now. This back lighting is a bit irritating and I’d like it for a few seconds, but I feel like it doesn’t really feel like “6am” but more likely gives the sleezy bar at 1am feel.

This love story is really nicely done, although I definitely need to watch this again to figure out what is going on at what point in the relationship. This is definitely one of MFBTY’s most basic music videos to date, but that’s not really such a bad thing. Keep it simple sometimes.

I have to confess that “6am” is probably my least song from “WondaLand,” and since I’ve already confessed my love for this album, I don’t have much to say about the music except that I wish MFBTY used less autotune on this song.

Ailee “Insane”

Watching a girl while she sleeps isn’t exactly alright and this room is pretty creepy. Oh nevermind, maybe. Work it girl, do rhythmic modern dance moves while some creeper is watching you sleep. Obviously you don’t realize he’s there. Oh! He’s her dream guy, that’s kind of cute for a plot of a music video with a really simple setting.

Straight off the bat, this isn’t my favorite Ailee song, but she’s rocking this dance and I’m very happy that she is getting to sing some R&B, since that’s definitely her strength. These lyrics are really pretty and I love this back up chorus. This song definitely reminds me of Mariah Carey, which isn’t a bad thing. I see why Ailee is promoting “Mind Your Own Business” more, but this song is a really stellar addition to her repertoire.

Also on KultScene: Taeyeon’s ‘I’ Music Video & Song Review

Melody Day “Speed Up”

Melody Day is well known for their vocals, but I saw a screen cap that showed this is a dance song, so let’s see how this goes. Because right now, all I see is GOT7’s JR. I’m not complaining. Oh wow, this is really a spin.

They look good and not showing too much skin, but they’re definitely going the sexy dance song route instead of keeping to their typical ballads. I’m really not in love with this song, it seems very typical and Melody Day has much more talent than this song or video showcases. Maybe if this was three years ago, I’d love the styling and video, but this is just basic K-pop at this point. The outfits are pretty great and they’re showcasing a lot of different looks, but it seems just like a really busy music video.

The breaks in the song to tone things down are really cute, but I can’t tell where this song is supposed to be going and the music isn’t ideal for showcasing their talent. There’s a lot of potential, but it feels like every time I expect Melody Day to show off what they have, the song disappoints by taking a vocal group and giving them a KARA or Girl’s Day Concept.

Aoora & Hoik of AA “Afternoon Morning Evening” feat. Taeyeon of she’z

The fact that something happened and AA never had a proper comeback after a member left was really disappointing to me, because their previous songs were really great. But now they’re back, to some degree, with this. Aoora’s had a few solo releases (most of which I was shocked by), but Hoik’s voice was the the thing that really caught my attention when AA debuted and this song is starting off soft and gentle, giving him the perfect way to showcase his voice.

This song is really just perfection, it’s like AA’s “Rollin’ Rollin’” all grown up. The video looks like it has a pretty low production value, but it’s simple and adorable. The song gets a bit quieter towards the end? I can’t tell if that’s my audio or something, but regardless, the combination of the pair’s voices with Taeyeon’s of she’z go really well together.

iKon “Rhythm Ta”

Let’s see, YG, bring your game. Oh, I don’t love basketball jerseys as outfits in K-pop just because it kind of seems a bit lazy. I get that their comeback is basketball themed, but this comes off as a bit too 90’s to me. Definitely not my type of song, but it’s nice to see YG trying to get back to its early hip hop routes.

Compared to Winner’s debut music video, I feel like this looks pretty cool, but I’m a little bored. Oh, hey, there’s a dog! The members look good, but wow there are a lot of dogs in this: I’ll take it. This song is groove-able, but definitely not one of my favorite debut songs of 2015, which is a little bit disappointing considering how much YG Entertainment has hyped up iKON. The groups look good, but the repetitive nature of this song doesn’t seem like something that we should be waiting for. I’d love to hear more of the vocals from this group, because these few moments where the vocalists sing is really great. Side note, why are only the vocalists blonde? This group has a lot of promise and I see why people like them, but I’m going to wait a bit to see if I like iKON’s other songs.

What’s your favorite recent song out of Korea? Are there any upcoming songs you’d like to see a quick review of? Let us know in the comments 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.

Taeyeon’s ‘I’ Music Video & Song Review

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Taeyeon music review

I am not a Sone (official fanclub name for Girls Generation) but I have always enjoyed Taeyeon’s solo releases, especially popular OSTs such as “Missing You Like Crazy” and “And One”. That was why I got excited when I heard about Taeyeon’s solo album, and even more so when I heard that her title track “I” achieved an all-kill on local and international music charts. With well-known rapper Verbal Jint featuring on this track, I knew that it would be something special. Without further ado, here’s my review of “I”.

Song

The track opens right away with the addictive chorus but is immediately followed by Verbal Jint’s short rap. The first time I heard it I found the transition a bit abrupt, especially since the chorus is repeated again after his rap. Taeyeon’s style of singing the chorus, or mainly the word “I,” reminds me of country music and Taylor Swift (in her first few releases). While it is nice to listen to, initially, I got quite tired of it by the time the song was over. The song picks up considerably during the other verses and the bridge though, both in terms of melody and the emotions in Taeyeon’s voice. I especially love how Taeyeon’s voice grows stronger and more free in the bridge as the song comes to a climax, as it clearly empathizes the meaningful and inspirational lyrics of the song.

Flower petals wilt
I had difficult times, but followed a small light
Distant day, let it go far, faraway
I fly splendidly
Sky that pours light
Renewed eyes (Renewed eyes)
Fly far away (Fly high, fly high)
Beauty that belongs only to me

The instrumentals were pretty amazing from start to finish as it started out softly but gradually built up and really enhanced the track; it honestly blew my breath away towards the end of the song. I would probably have enjoyed the song more if Verbal Jint’s presence was more prominent because he definitely added a level of intensity and depth to this otherwise catchy but musically shallow track. That’s not to say that it was bad, because Taeyeon exceeded my expectations entirely with this release.

Also on Kultscene: Girls’ Generation’s “Lion Heart” and “You Think” Song Review

Videography

The music video for this song is simply gorgeous, mostly because of the natural scenery featured frequently in it. The music video was shot in New Zealand, a country famous for its physical beauty, and the videography certainly did justice to it.

taeyeon review 3

I love the fact that this music video has an engaging storyline and an empowering message. Featuring Taeyeon as the protagonist, she plays a waitress who hates her dreary life in a cafe and is constantly dreaming about frollicking freely in nature. She eventually quits her job at the cafe (in a totally bad-ass way) and gets to live out her dream.

Don’t be afraid to follow your heart and fulfill your dreams is the beautiful and inspirational message that Taeyeon is conveying through this video. As can be seen by the comments left on her video on Youtube, this message is encouraging and relatable to many viewers who feel stuck in their tiring daily lives. It is rare to see K-pop music videos these days that have such meaning and it is certainly refreshing.

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Styling

Taeyeon wore a few outfits throughout this video and definitely looks gorgeous in her waitress uniform even though I think she had too much jewellry on. However, her styling when she was in the fields leaves much to be desired.

During scenes when Taeyeon is surrounded by nature, she sports a country-style white dress and a cute braided hairstyle, but the make-up splattered on her face does not suit her attire at all. The choice of the feather earring for these scenes was also a bit unfortunate because it kept flying up her face due to the strong winds.

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I love this look on Taeyeon though, she pulls off the girl-next-door vibe very well. It looks comfortable but still extremely glamorous on her with her flawless beauty.

Overall Thoughts

This was a good solo debut for Taeyeon and she certainly deserves the success she is getting from it right now. The song and video were not perfect but they undoubtedly brought out the right tone and message befitting the lyrics. She has set a high bar for her future releases and I cannot wait for her next comeback.

  • Taeyeon 'I'
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Have you heard ‘I’? What do you think about it? 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.

8 Jessi Songs To Get You Ready For Her Los Angeles Show

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2015 has definitely been Jessi’s year. Not only did she win runner up on “Unpretty Rapstar” but her popularity surged because of it and her now famous “this is a competition” diss,, which everyone in and outside of Korea made a meme out of. Jessi made appearances on other shows and collaborated (not competed!) with other artists, and now she’s gearing up for her very first show in Los Angeles. With more than 10 years in the business, Jessi has built up a sizable repertoire of songs, so let’s check some of them out to get us ready for the upcoming show.

1. “Can You Hear Me”

After a five year hiatus, Jessi came back as part of the trio Lucky J as their power female vocal and released “Can You Hear Me.” Even though she’s now famous for her husky spit, Jessi has the same tone when singing, which is equally amazing. The girl not only can drop fierce bars but her vocals are just as powerful.

2. “Get Up”

As mentioned before, Jessi made her debut back in 2005 as Jessica H.O. with “Get Up,” a pop song embellished with the R&B sounds that were on trend back then. Not to put her on blast with this throwback, “Get Up” shows how much she has evolved as an artist and a woman.

3. “Unpretty Dreams”

Fast forward to the present, as it was the hit show “Unpretty Rapstar” that made Jessi a star. Sure, she stirred up some trouble in the show, but she always keep it real and showed us that she had the chops. And even if she lost the competition only to Cheetah, her semi final song “Unpretty Dreams” was her manifesto that this time around, she was here to stay.

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4. “My Type”

As advertised on every episode, “Unpretty Rapstar” is Korea’s only female rap competition show where the contestants strive to win features on songs on the show’s compilation album. Sadly, Jessi never got her own track but shared her win with the other queen of the show, Cheetah. This, of course, is not a bad thing given that Cheetah is a superb rapper and lyricist (she did win the show, after all!), and together they released one of the most fun songs on the album, “My Type.” And, oh yeah, Kangnam of M.I.B sang the chorus.

5. “Who’s Your Momma?”

After “Unpretty Rapstar,” Jessi became a coveted rap feature, and one of the lucky artists who got to collaborate with this queen was Korea’s king of soul, J.Y. Park. Jessi’s rap on “Who’s Your Momma?” may be brief, but it’s full of sass and she gets to showcase her amazing body.

6. “Just Like U”

Another feature that she did was on Primary’s “Just Like U” off of his superb album “2,” which contains a myriad of wondrous songs. Along with rapper Yankie, Jessi not only rapped but sang a bit on the chorus and together they created an interesting contrast with a sweet-sounding love song while saying things like “I just like you, but I don’t love you” and “I really like this kid, I do, but fxxk, he calls me late at night like I’m some kind of booty call.”

7. “I Want to be Me”

As mentioned before, Jessi is also a talented singer and has the vocal range to make power ballad singers in the industry take several seats. Not only is her voice husky, making her tone unique in the genre, but the listener can sense genuine pain behind her voice. And the song that perfectly encapsulates this and showcases her as a versatile artist is “I Want to be Me.” Jessi needs no features on her songs to help her out; she can rap and sing and slay the whole performance.

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8. “SSEUNNI”

To wrap this up, we couldn’t forget her latest release “SSEUNNI.” On this track, Jessi stayed true to her brand — bad and fierce chick — and made it hella fun at the same time. This girl can put on a show and “SSEUNNI” is just the jam to turn up to.

Jessi’s show will be at the Belasco Theater on October 16 at 8 p.m. Moreover, the opening act will be none other than hip hop duo Mighty Mouth. Tickets went on sale on September 11, but you can still cop them through TicketGate. The cost ranges from $35 for general admission to $156 for the meet and greet package. And if you’re not over 21, worry not for the show is all ages!

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Check out this video greeting from Jessi about the show!

What’s your favorite Jessi song? Let us know in the comments 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.

Blink & You’ll Miss These ‘Doctor Who’ References In K-Pop Music Videos

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Doctor Who Meets K-PopK-pop and British pop culture has little direct influence on one another, but some K-pop music video directors are definitely fans of the iconic British television series, “Doctor Who.” Although they’re few and far apart, there are some K-pop music videos that directly take influences from “Doctor Who.”

In honor of the new season of “Doctor Who” being well under way, I took a look into three K-pop music videos that get their inspiration from “Doctor Who.” Even if you’re not a fan of the British show, you know these K-pop music videos and may be surprised.

Big Bang’s “Bang Bang Bang”

Long before Buzzfeed’s Try Guys noticed a connection between the British television series “Doctor Who” and one of this year’s most watched K-pop music videos on YouTube, I noticed a seemingly impossible reference to the iconic sixth season premiere, “The Impossible Astronaut.” In the music video, wearing a cowboy hat and a leather jacket, Big Bang’s rapper T.O.P appears to be no other than the stand in for the show’s leading man, The Doctor.

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Yes, T.O.P is The Eleventh Doctor. And River Song. Or, at least, he’s wearing a cowboy hat while hanging out with an astronaut, who also appears to be T.O.P. To my knowledge, YG Entertainment hasn’t explained if T.O.P kills himself and ruins the history of time forever or is married to himself, but it’s a pretty humorous few moments in the music video.

Think the cowboy and astronaut are just coincidences and accidentally appear to be referencing “Doctor Who?” Think again, because here are definitely alien-like specimens in jars on the sill and that white room looks a bit like the room from the episode “The Girl Who Waited.”

ZE:A’s “Breathe”

The Big Bang music video is actually just the most recent addition to this list of K-pop music videos that take aspects from “Doctor Who.” The 2014 music video for ZE:A’s song has a bit of a depressing tone to it, like the whole world being destructed and ZE:A dancing in a spaceship, but then we get our space elements that take us to “Doctor Who” and everything seems like it is much better.

In this case, we don’t get a blatant reference to The Doctor or any other character from the show, but we do get a TARDIS. Yes, a TARDIS, but not The Doctor’s TARDIS. This is more like ZE:A’s COE.

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Also on Kultscene: 5 Most Social Media Savvy K-pop Idols

For K-pop fans who don’t know, The Doctor’s TARDIS is his spaceship that travels through time and space, and it looks like a 1960’s police call box from England. Its name is an acronym for “Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.” So, going with that, ZE:A’s blue box has the group’s name it in English, which is Children of Empire so… I decided that ZE:A’s spaceship is called a COE, and it doesn’t really travel through space and time as much as it makes a handsome K-pop group.

ZE:A’s music video has a lot of out of this world elements, but I can’t help but wonder whether their blue stage outfits came before or after someone suggested throwing in one of the most iconic images of British pop culture, the TARDIS from “Doctor Who”.

IU’s “You & I”

Last but definitely not least, we have a K-pop singer emulating The Doctor.This 2011 music video from IU takes us to England, or somewhere that looks like it, with a clock tower that can’t quite compare to Big Ben and a cozy little house with black and white pictures and a random goose walking around IU’s home as she counts down to D-Day.

Do you remember how I explained that the TARDIS is a spaceship that travels through time and space? Well, IU’s waiting for some handsome guy to wake up and there’s a magical mystery device that says “time” and “space” on it.

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And then it gets better!

Not every season of “Doctor Who” has clockwork in the beginning of each episode as part of the opening theme, but clockwork played a role in the intro of the eighth season of “Doctor Who,” and what is IU dancing in front of during the intro of the song? Nothing more than tons of clockwork gears.

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Okay, that may be a bit of a stretch, but here is the best use of any “Doctor Who” reference in K-pop to date- IU uses the TARDIS. Or something that looks like it and works the same way.

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Yes, Korea’s pop princess IU takes a ride on a train called the Fantasy Express and then gets into a time machine that looks oddly like a TARDIS from the outside. “You & I” foregoes the delightful bright blue color for something a bit more sedate, but there’s the same twirling and cosmic ambiance of IU’s box of time and space.

Do you know any other references to “Doctor Who” in K-pop? Let us know in the comments and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

5 Most Social Media Savvy K-pop Idols

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The use of social media is steadily increasing along with the development of smartphones in our world and K-pop idols are no exception. Social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram aren’t just platforms for idols to update their fans about their activities, they also help to break the physical barrier separating us from them, allowing fans to directly interact with the idol. These platforms have helped them grow instagram followers, as well as twitter followers. At times, the idols even reply or acknowledge the comments or tweets of their fans through fan talks, which is a great method to make a fan’s day. By showing more of their true selves through social media, idols can garner more support and love from their fans, which is as good a business strategy as any other. Here are five idols who are particularly social media savvy and are consistently appearing on fans’ feeds.

1. Jae (Day6)

This guitarist from freshly-debuted band Day6 has been grabbing attention recently not just because of his group or his amazing voice but also because of his hilarious tweets and Instagram posts. Known fondly by fans all over the world as the “hashtag king”, he literally hashtags everything ranging from “#NoseBloatedLikeSquidward” to “#EveryVillainGottaHaveAFurCoat”. If you ever need to find new hashtags for your posts, you might want to use his hashtags as inspiration as they’re so original. Popular news website Soompi also noticed that, as can be seen by their humorous interaction on Twitter with JYP Entertainment’s Twitter account regarding Jae and his love for hashtags.

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Jae seems to be online for a good majority of the day because he is constantly replying or retweeting fans’ tweets to him, most of the time with funny comeback lines or pictures. He also made use of his internet prowess. He even went and changed his group’s “Wikipedia” page when they first debuted.

It is rare to find K-pop artists with so much freedom, especially because most artists allegedly have to check with their managing companies before they can update their social media. The other members of Day6 also seem to enjoy this social media freedom, even though they are not as enthusiastic about hashtags as Jae. Whatever it is that JYP’s doing right with this group now, I hope they continue doing it.

2. Jackson (GOT7)

GOT7 recently made a comeback with their latest album “Mad,” and Jackson announced its release proudly on his Instagram account in three languages (Korean, English, Chinese). Two days before, he also took to his Instagram account to wish his fans a “Happy ??” (“Happy Chuseok”) or “???” in four languages (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese). He doesn’t just use social media to practice the languages that he has been learning (such as Japanese), he also uses it to talk to more fans from around the world. For non-native and non-Korean speaking K-pop fans like myself, nothing touches my heart more than when my idol takes the effort to write a caption on social media in a language that I actually understand. It makes me feel like the distance between us just got shortened (delusional, I know) but it is an effective way for Jackson to reach out to his international fans, of which GOT7 has many. He also shows his fans that he is preserving his roots as a Hong Kong-born boy and that he is multi-linguistic, along with the various other skills this multi-talented artist possesses.

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3. Tiffany (Girls Generation)

Out of all her fellow members of Girls Generation, Tiffany uses her Instagram account the most frequently and in the best ways. She shows various sides of herself through her posts. There’s the professional side, where she shares her group promotion pictures and advertisements; there’s the cute side, where she shares lovely selfies of herself, with her group of mates, or pictures about her dog. More importantly, she also has a goofy and playful side, a side which fans especially adore. For the Chuseok holiday, she posted a cute cartoon picture wishing her fans a happy celebration and she also posted a video of Yoona, Yuri and herself on a lunch date. Tiffany uses Instagram to share her current favourite things, be it a singer or even packs of “Despicable Me” minion-shaped twinkies. It is social media users like Tiffany who remind fans that K-pop idols are humans just like the rest of us, and it definitely allows fans to relate more to these idols and feel closer to them. It’s no wonder that she’s got so many more followers than the majority of Instagram users; even those that use websites like socialfollow to build their own Instagram fanbase.

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4. Dara (2NE1)

Dara is already well-known in the K-pop world for her quirky and adorable personality, along with her flawless beauty and fashion sense. Her Instagram account further shows off her unique character as she constantly posts cute selcas of herself, hilarious pictures of herself when she is filming, and her amazing clothes whenever she attends an event. She also seems to go overseas a lot, be it for a relaxing holiday or to catch up with friends and family in the Philippines, and whenever she does, tons of photos are bound to posted along with it. Through her Instagram posts, fans are allowed to see more of Dara’s personal life and to fall further in love with her truly cute and cheerful personality. The best part is, this idol knows it and utilizes social media as a tool to portray herself more endearingly. She also uses her account to show support to her friends and labelmates, cheering them on whenever they have a comeback, further empathizing the YG family friendship and close bonds.

5. Seungri (Big Bang)

YG labelmate Seungri is an active participant on a different social media platform, one that has recently become popular among K-pop idols. The “V App” was launched earlier this year, reintroducing the idea of live-streaming and adding an interactive comment section for fans. Although “Naver” used this in the past with apps like “Starcast”, the older apps were significantly less accessible and more difficult to use because the apps were all in Korean. Comparatively, the “V App” allows global fans to watch the live streams as well because there are instructions in English and even a subtitle function for some of the live streams. It is extremely convenient for the idols to use as well because they just need to install the app on their smartphones and do not need a fixed time to have a broadcast. Seungri utilizes this app very well as a tool to interact with his fans and to show them more aspects of his personal life. A notable example would be when he broadcasted his volunteer work at an animal hospital. As he helped to clean up the hospital, Seungri also conducted fanservice according to the requests of the viewers commenting on his livestream, such as spoon-feeding a fan who was at the scene. Through livestreams like this, Seungri shows off his caring nature while also showing fans that he is willing to listen to them and read their comments. If this isn’t the best way to keep his fans happy, I don’t know what could be better.

Do you follow these idols on social media? How do you think idols can interact with their fans better?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.