Have you heard? Taeil from Block B is set to finally release his first solo digital single on March 27th
titled Shaking. On Block B’s Blockbuster album, Taeil had the chance to showcase his talent in a solo track titled Where Are You but that clearly wasn’t enough and now he’s back with a treat for all BBCs.
The singer is following the path of other successful idol group members turned solo artists, including Super Junior’s Kyuhyun, SHINee’s Jonghyun, Teen Top’s Niel, BTS’s Rap Monster, and Block B’s very own Zico. Read more
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Screen-Shot-2015-03-25-at-7.15.43-PM.png426651Tam Huynhhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-03-25 16:20:202015-04-22 11:07:03Block B’s Taeil Is Next Up As An Idol Group Member Gone Solo
After a whirlwind 2014, EXO will be reborn in 2015 on March 30th.
EXO is one of K-pop’s most popular acts internationally with an intense fanbase made up of EXO-L’s, the group’s official fanclub name. But all of the fans in the world can’t help the fact that EXO went through some rough times in 2014, with members leaving. But, from first impressions, the group’s upcoming album, Exodus, is exactly what can save EXO from falling apart at the seams, giving the group a second chance. Read more
I’m going to start this review off with saying that I have watched none of Unpretty Rapstar, so I may not be in the best position to really speculate on the outcome of the show. But after watching a couple of the raps, I felt compelled to listen to them all. What followed were four blistering tracks showing a great range in emotion and tone but all were personal for better or worse. I’m trying to look at these in a purely musical way ignoring the troubling mechanics of the show in order to get a better grasp of these girls as rappers. If we do that, then the show can turn out to be a force for good in giving some of these smaller female rappers a stage to shine on.
The semi final was split up into two rap battles, one between Cheetah and Jimin, the other between Jessi and Jolly V. These were less rap battles and more match ups, as they just performed one after the other.
Every English-speaking K-pop fan had a relief moment when they realized they could sing along to their favorite songs because they had lyrics they could understand. These, however, did not always make sense. More than being coherent sentences, they were more like words in English that sounded good or rhymed. We have come to call this Engrish and K-pop is plagued with it. But instead of it being a ridiculous thing, fans have come to cherish this practice in songs. That’s why this week’s playlist is about exactly that.
I’m sure we all have our favorite Engrish phrases from Korean songs; some in which will make you question whether or not if what you were hearing was indeed an actual part of the song, while other times the phrases just makes you chuckle every time you hear it. BEAST’s (also known as B2ST) Shock makes me do both. This song is full of silly Engrish phrases from beginning to end, with lines such as everyday I just can’t control, every night the loneliness my love (so beast in the cube), to it’s signature line everyday I shock, every night I shock, and my favorite part, which is the closing line to the song, this song is not over, get shock. Until this very day, I’m still not quite sure how relevant the word shock is to the actual meaning behind this song, but due to the fact that I enjoy listening to it and it’s humorous lyrics, I’ve decided that none of that really mattered!
EXO’s debut song MAMA has an opening chant full of Engrish that we are all familiar with and love to chant along. “Careless, careless. Shoot anonymous. Anonymous, heartless, mindless, no one who care about me.” But what are they really trying to say? It’s really funny to actually watch the video. And why you may ask? The video opens with a narrator with perfect English explaining the legend of The Tree Of Life. Then the song starts and the funny Engrish chant comes along. Even if it’s grammatically incorrect, it still makes a little sense. If you really think of EXO as aliens from EXOPLANET, then you can make a story that they barely speak English and they are trying to communicate to Earth as much as they can. Either way, we still dig the track and just laugh when that now iconic part comes on in the song.
–Alejandro
SHINee’s Ring Ding Dong is an extremely catchy and fairly easy song to sing along. But with that there are some English words that don’t quite fit. Aside from the chorus of ring ding dong representing the sound of their heart (intersting noise), the fantastic and elastic parts of the song are obviously there because they rhyme, but the meanings of them don’t fit with the song. You can make a case for fantastic, but what are they referring to that’s elastic? Also the line we wanna go rocka rocka rocka…. Again, one can speculate what they mean there, but rocka isn’t actually an English word. In all honesty, it doesn’t really matter that these words don’t work in the song. Ring Ding Dong is a great song, Engrish and all.
— Tara
SM Entertainment does not have the best track record for Engrish, sadly. While other companies have their own noteworthy, cringeworthy Engrish (U-KISS may win overall with “Don’t deny our r²π), TVXQ’s Purple Line is my particular favorite for its total over-the-top ridiculousness. It’s less the grammatical part of the Engrish, and more how cringe-worthy TVXQ was back in the day with Yoochun’s infamous and seemingly out of place, line, “Really wanna touch myself.” And Yunho’s “I’ll show you what’s in between.”
For syntax purposes, Donghae’s line on Super Junior-M’s Super Girl makes sense and has almost perfect grammar — “he’s not Superman, he must be mama boy.” However, it’s the combination of words together what makes the English sentence funny and, therefore, Engrish. Of course Super Junior has many worser Engrish lyrics (Sexy, Free, and Single or Mr. Simple, anyone?), but it’s that line on that song which makes me giggle every time I listen to it –which is a lot because it’s awesome.
— Alexis
What are your favorite K-pop songs with Engrish ? 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.
Singers usually promote one or two songs from their mini or full-length album. And in many cases some of the songs are left without a music video or the love they deserve. Every artist has at least one song that fans think should have a music video. People’s choices will most definitely differ, but here are a few we think would make great music videos if not just for the extra promotion of the song, as long as the videos don’t look like they could feature on fulltube.xxx because music isn’t just about being sexualized, we have to grow out of that still after years.
Jay Park I Love You
Jay Park music videos can be extremely sexy and steamy, cute and sweet, or fun and having a good time. I Love You could be one of his sexy ones, or a video that goes the really sexy route, or one that plays with the chance of romance and steaminess. Jay actually did do a video that shows off a killer dance routine for the R&B-inspired song. And based on the dance, the whole music video can just focus on the dance in different settings with different outfits; keep it crisp and simple. The beat and music make I Love You the perfect song to showcase a sensual yet hard hitting dance routine. Sometimes all we need is a great dance music video to give us life.
Any f(x) song would have an equally awesome music video. They somehow manage to make most, if not all, of their songs stick with fans. Spit It Out is a fun, upbeat song that offers many different directions for a music video. An avant garde concept might work best based on the beat, use of ‘80s synths, and the video game sounds that are prevalent throughout. The heavily processed sounds would match a quirky styled music video and the ladies of f(x) can pull off any concept. Out-of-the-box hairstyles, clothing, accessories, and almost cartoon-like settings would create an unrealistic world that corresponds to the lyrics and the reaction of the narrator of the song.
SHINee One Minute Back
In all honesty, SHINee could make a video for any of their songs and it would be well received (in most cases). But One Minute Back has a different sound and musical pattern compared to their other singles. The guys’ vocals sound wonderful together and the chorus is inviting and somehow manages to make everyone sound like a great singer when they sing along. A One Minute Back music video would benefit with close-ups of each member as they’re singing and looking into the camera. A dance routine that utilizes a prop, possibly a chair, would have to be a stop-and-go type dance to match the music and the beat, but the perfect prop can create a memorable dance (similar to Dream Girl with the mic stands) and showcase different performers than what we may be used to.
VIXX B.O.D.Y
VIXX have intense concepts for their songs. They’re mainly dark, futuristic, and creepy in an artsy way. But B.O.D.Y is an upbeat song that’s not too cutesy or sugary. The video would definitely have a lighter theme than some of their most recent ones, but it would showcase the boys’ fun sides without being over-the-top bubble gum pop. For B.O.D.Y, a dance that has one or two moves as basically the whole dance might work best. The song itself isn’t groundbreaking in any way and an intricate dance wouldn’t fit the tone and neither would a super cute one. The guys don’t even have to dance in the video, just having a fun and upbeat VIXX song with a video would be a nice addition to their other singles.
Seungri did end up performing Let’s Talk About Love, but he never released a music video. In this music video, a concept that uses black, white, and red as the main colors for wardrobe and setting would create a classy atmosphere. Some silhouettes when Seungri sings the chorus and when G-Dragon and Taeyang appear in the song would create a sense of mystery and take the focus away from their facial features. Also close ups of GD and Taeyang as they’re singing/rapping with minimal lighting would emphasize their facial features and play with the shadows and angles on their faces; a sexy yet classy concept for Let’s Talk About Love.
What songs would you love to see have their own music video? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/seungri.png7681024Tarahttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTara2015-03-20 19:25:112015-12-07 15:44:15K-Pop Songs That Should Have Music Videos
Let us just start by saying, what’s not to love about Kim Woo Bin? But because that’s absolutely no fun at all, let us elaborate. Kim Woo Bin is one of the most popular young actors in Korea, and thanks to Hallyu, one of the most internationally beloved Korean actors. That’s why an ode to his greatness is completely called for.
Flawless Acting Skills
Models-turned-actors aren’t a rare species or an endangered one; it seems like this is a shortcut to fame. With that said, these breed of men are not necessarily the best actors, but Kim Woo Bin is the exception. However small his roles were in A Gentleman’s Dignity or To The Beautiful You, it was clear he had a knack for it.
via tumblr
And while it may take TV actors a while before starring on films, Woo Bin cemented his place in the game with popular movies like Friend: The Great Legacy and The Technicians. Sure he’s handsome, but if he weren’t actually good at his craft, he wouldn’t have so much applauded work. Moreover, he has range, for he can successfully play both dramatic and comedic roles.
via Soompi
Bad Boy Image
via woobinizm @ Tumblr
We know, we know, he might not actually be a bad boy in real life, but he plays one on screen damn well. You can’t deny you weren’t torn between him and Lee Minho on The Heirs, secretly leaning towards the misunderstood Choi Young Do. Curse you second male-lead syndrome!
The boy has a niche, and being the bad boy is it. Whether he was the bully on The Heirs, a rebel on A Gentleman’s Dignity, or a crook on The Technicians, Woo Bin has the anti hero character down to a T.
We might ship different idols together, but few are more popular among actors than the Lee Jong Suk-Kim Woo Bin bromance. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to where it all started: School 2013. This drama might have dealt with hardcore issues like bullying and suicide among high school students, but that didn’t stop the producers from showing a love-hate relationship between the two actors. The love interests were never the emphasis of the show’s relationships. Instead, it was all about Go Nam Soon and Park Heung Soo’s relationship and all of their bonding times.
via Tumblr
Being friends in real life successfully sold us the idea of them as friends, and we just loved watching every second of it. School 2013, because of Jong Suk and Woo Bin, proved that viewers don’t necessarily need a love triangle for a drama to work.
via Tumblr
via pixshark
Greek God-Like Good Looks
Now that we’ve established how talented this man is, we can get to the other main reason hundreds of girls around the globe drool over Kim Woo Bin: his handsome looks, of course. This guy used to be a runway model, for god’s sake! And like a pro, he still models in all of his dramas and movies.
via kimwoobinseyebrows@ Tumblr
I mean, can we all just agree that he’s too damned handsome for his own good? He’s as tall as a tree, has a sexy, chiseled body as if carved by Michelangelo himself, and his strong almost lizard like facial features give him a hot edge to his attractiveness. I’m just saying that even if we didn’t have something as wondrous as DramaFever, I’d watch his dramas and movies without subtitles just to watch him being his magnificent, talented, stallion self. But I’ll stop there before the thirst gets any realer…
via DramaFever
Because Eyebrows
As mentioned before, Kim Woo Bin has benefit for his atypical looks; he’s so strange looking that he’s absolutely handsome. However, it seems that his signature feature are his eyebrows. Who can forget that one scene on The Heirs where his character was asked to put his eyebrows away? Simply epic.
via DramaFever
They might be manly, big, and bushy, but the boy’s eyebrows are on fleek; actresses wish they had such game (which is totally on trend right now, mind you). Aside from making him look good, they are also part of the package as to why his facial expressions are awesome. A simple rise of an eyebrow can go from indifferent to mischievous, or even yet, seductive. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is sheer talent; whose eyebrows can have such duality and a personality of its own?
DramaFever recently released Kim Woo Bin’s latest film The Technicians. And if that’s not enough, the site will also host a Google Hangout live-chat Q&A session with the actor on March 24th. Unfortunately, only premium members will be able to have their questions considered. However, DramaFever is offering a discount for those interested in a premium account. Submissions will be accepted until the 22nd at 12:01 a.m. EST. To join, click here.
via Tumblr
What are your reasons to love Kim Woo Bin? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Untitled-design-11.png7681024Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelumhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngAlexis Hodoyan-Gastelum2015-03-19 19:48:002015-03-21 17:03:00Why We Love Kim Woo Bin [& Don’t Miss Out On A Chance To Meet Him]
MADTOWN debuted in October of 2014 with YOLO and it was an unexpected direction taken by J. Tune Camp, which took a lot of people by surprise. However, it was a risk worth taking because the music video and song itself ended up being well-received by the audiences. Now these guys are back and they’re telling you to deuru wa (which means ‘come in’ in Korean) with another dance track New World off their 2nd mini album Welcome To Madtown.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/278.jpeg382675Tam Huynhhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTam Huynh2015-03-18 17:47:122015-03-18 17:59:25MADTOWN ‘New World’ Music Video & Song Review
Take every genre of music that you love, a few that you can’t stand, over-the-top theater productions, and half of what you’ll find in every post-modern art exhibit, and you may stumble upon South Korean performance-musician duo EE. EE, comprised of married couple Lee Hyun Joon (Big E) and Lee Yun Joung (Little E,) recently featured on MFBTY’s comeback song Buckubucku alongside BTS’s Rap Monster, and are getting ready for their shows at 2015 SXSW.
Little E took a few moments to tell KultScene about the duo’s plans for the future.
Can you please introduce yourselves to KultScene’s readers?
“We’re EE from Korea! We call ourselves a “total art performance group.” It sounds really big and fancy, but it just means that we like to mix many different things together like art, music, visuals, and fashion to make really cool and unique performances.
What does “EE” mean?
Lee is our family name, the letter “E” is easy to say, and it can also be used in lots of different words. That’s why we chose the name EE.
What’s your creative process like?
Big E and I are married. So we have many conversations every day about our lives and contemporary issues. We talk about these things, scribble and draw about them, and write about them. Then we take our ideas and make them into sounds, videos, art exhibitions, and performances.
What music, style, artists, etc. influences your performances?
We’re mainly influenced by older artists like Joy Division, David Bowie, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and others. Sometimes I’m influenced by art exhibitions and sometimes by my baby too.
The two of you are married. Does that ever make it difficult to work together?
Sometimes it makes things extremely difficult! But we’ve learned how to separate things. At home, we’re family. At work, we’re co-workers. That mindset helps us keep things a bit more balanced.
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What was your reaction when you found out you’ll be performing at SXSW?
We jumped in the air and chest bumped each other! We were obviously very happy about the news.
EE previously performed in the US at Coachella in 2011, becoming the only Korean band to ever play at the festival. What was it like performing for an overseas crowd that maybe wasn’t so familiar with your style?
Coachella was a really cool experience. We played early in the day, and as you said not many people were familiar with our music. But when we began our set, people started literally running over to watch us. I saw them from the stage and I was thrilled by their actions.
What do you expect from the audience at SXSW?
We always do whatever we want and never think about how people will react to things. But we’re hoping the crowd at SXSW will come in with an open mind and will want to play and have fun with us. We want to get crazy together with everyone!
You just released “Wiggy Dawn.” Can you tell us a little bit about the song?
“Wiggy Dawn” is about Korean working moms’ escape into the dawn of the modern world. Korean moms often feel “locked up” by Confucian ideology, their duties as mothers, and stress from work. A mom has to be Superwoman. This is my story too. “Wiggy Dawn” is from our new EP, “Dear Door.” I think doors always represent the ability to go to another place or to escape.
“Dear Door” came out on March 13 and we released the music video for “Wiggy Dawn” that same day. Please check the EP and music video out!
Can you suggest a few songs for new fans of EE to listen to?
“Curiosity Kills,” “Gaweebaweevo,” “Banging Till I Die,” and “High Collar.”
What are EE’s plans for 2015 and the future?
Big E is going to have an exhibition at the Venice Biennale. I’m working with my first band, Pippi Band, again to make something for our 20th anniversary. Also we have plans for more overseas gigs for EE. And since we have a new EP out, we’re thinking about maybe doing some performances in a museum in Korea.
Is there anything else you’d like to let fans know about EE?
Many things in the world fit nicely inside in a box. But EE exists outside of that box. If you want to experience something that’s different, weird, and fun come find us! You’ll be happy you did.”
EE will be playing two shows at 2015 SXSW. If you’re in the area, make sure to stop by and see what this couple’s performances are like! :
March 18 Austin, Texas (11 pm) @ 405 Club
March 19 Austin, Texas (10:30 pm) @ Elysium (K-Pop Night Out)
Check out the music video for “Wiggy Dawn,” and then watch it again while you try to figure out what is going on.
What do you think of EE? Do you like this performance style art? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/EE-12.jpg6801020Tamar Hermanhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2015-03-17 15:39:302015-04-23 07:13:37EE Are South Korean Performance Artists Fitting Outside The Box [Interview]
South By Southwest (SXSW) is bringing a lot of international acts to Austin, Texas, including several South Korean musicians. Several shows are dedicated to Korean bands, and one member of South Korean metal band Victim Mentality spoke to KultScene about the band, its unique style, its upcoming album, and what to expect next from Victim Mentality.
Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Can you please introduce yourself to KultScene’s readers?
“Hi, I’m Kyungho! I’m the guitarist in Victim Mentality. We’re a glam metal band from South Korea. Our group also includes Scorpion on bass, Tarantula on drums, and Krocodile handles vocals. We’re going to release our Heavy Metal Is Back full-length debut [album] at the end of March. And we’ll be showcasing music from the album this week in Austin, Texas at the SXSW Music Festival!
How did you four come together to create a band?
Krocodile and I have been into heavy metal since we were kids. We met in 2005 and quickly became friends. In 2009 we decided to start a band together. We wanted to play classic heavy metal like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. But then we decided to change our style and become a glam metal band instead. We recorded a CD single together called Magic Finger, and after it was finished we found Scorpion. We knew him from an online metal community and knew he played bass well, so we suggested he become a part of Victim Mentality. That happened in 2013. The three of us started playing gigs together that year. We didn’t have a drummer yet, so we just used a drum machine for performances. Then we did a show and really liked the drummer that was playing with another band on the bill. So we asked him if he wanted to play with Victim Mentality. That was Tarantula and he officially joined our band in February 2014.
How did you guys decide to go glam? Have people reacted well to it?
We really like ‘80s music. We started off playing classic heavy metal music but we wanted to do something that was fancier and sexier. Glam metal seemed like the most natural fit. So we changed our sound and started wearing costumes similar to those that ‘80s glam metal bands wore.
A lot of people in Korea don’t understand why we’re dressed the way we do when we perform. Only people who are familiar with ‘80s metal understand it. But that’s okay! Because people who don’t know about ‘80s heavy metal get really excited when they do see one of our shows because we’re doing something different from what most modern rock and metal bands are doing.
What music influences your sound? Who are some of your favorite metal icons?
Motley Crue is a big influence on Victim Mentality. The first song we wrote as Victim Mentality actually came from copying one of Motely Crue’s riffs. We also listen to hair metal bands like Styper and W.A.S.P. But I think musically we’re most influenced by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest still. If you mix their classic metal sound with Poison and Twisted Sister, you get Victim Mentality.
What’s the rock and metal music scene like in South Koreanowadays?
There are a lot of bands in South Korea, but the majority of them play modern rock or acoustic music. Compared to other styles of music, the metal scene is small and there are probably only 50 or so bands playing heavy metal in Korea. And those 50 bands are all playing different kinds of metal. That’s why we want to expose more people to heavy metal. We know glam metal is different from a lot of the more contemporary styles of metal, but our music is really fun and easy for people to get into. So I think Victim Mentality is a good band to introduce more people in South Korea to heavy metal.
How did you feel when you found out you would be performing at SXSW? Are you nervous about the festival?
We were really excited! And we’re still very excited now. It’s a world-renowned event and features lots of different kinds of music from all around the globe so it’s going to be a lot of fun to play in Austin during the festival. We’re looking forward to sharing our music with new audiences and to meeting lots of music fans and musicians from other countries.
I’ve heard that sometimes you guys use props on stage,such as Krocodile using a bullwhip, combining music with performance art. How did that get started?
Heavy metal has always used props like leather jackets, leather pants, motorcycles, and other things. As for the bullwhip, Rob Halford from Judas Priest used a bull whip on stage. So to us, that’s also a great heavy metal prop which is why Krocodile uses one too!
Three of you have stage names, except your guitarist, Sohn Kyungho. Is there a reason for that?
In addition to Victim Mentality, I also play in another band called Dark Mirror ov Tragedy. With that band, I use the stage name “Senyt.” Since I’ve used stage names since I was 20, when we started Victim Mentality I thought it would be fun to use my real name. But sometimes when I see myself all dressed up in tight leopard print and wearing lots of makeup I question that decision!
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What’s your music creating process like? I noticed that you have songs in both Korean and English. Why is that?
I usually make the main riffs and melodies, and Krocodile makes the lyrics. On our Magic Finger CD single, there are Korean and English versions of the songs I’m Not Your Friend and Don’t Spit On Me. Originally we had made the songs only in English, but when we recorded them our producer suggested making Korean versions too. It seemed like a good idea to better connect with Korean audiences.
KultScene has a lot of readers who are fans of Korean idols, but don’t know a lot about other sorts of Korean music. Who are your favorite Korean musicians that you think people should know?
We only know about heavy metal bands, so that’s all we can tell people about. If you like bands that play glam metal like Victim Mentality, give The Hysterics a listen. If people are into thrash metal, Crash and Method are both great bands. And if you’re a fan of metalcore, I recommend Remnants of the Fallen.
What are your favorite Victim Mentality songs for new fans to listen to?
Every song we have is awesome! So people should definitely listen to all of them. But if I have to pick a few, I’ll say American Junk Boy,Heavy Metal Is Back, and Pubic Lice. All three of the tracks can be found on our new Heavy Metal Is Back album. Give them a chance! I’m sure you’ll love them all.
What are Victim Mentality’s plans for 2015?
We’re going to be playing lots and lots of gigs in support of Heavy Metal Is Back SXSW will be our first time performing overseas. Hopefully we’ll have more chances soon to play abroad again.
Is there anything else you’d like to let fans know about Victim Mentality?
It doesn’t matter where it is in the world, if people want to see us play we’ll go there and will wow everyone with our fantastic music and stage show! Heavy metal is back!
Thanks so much to KultScene for speaking with us, and to everyone reading this for taking the time to learn about Victim Mentality.”
Victim Mentality will be playing three shows at 2015 SXSW. Check them out:
March 18 Austin, Texas (3:20 pm) @ Club Metropolis (Heavy Metal PoolParty)
March 18 Austin, Texas (9 pm) @ Karma Lounge
March 20 Austin, Texas (12 am) @ The Majestic (Korea NightII: Seoulsonic)
Check out Victim Mentality’s latest music video, and the teaser for the soon-to-be-released I Still Love You.
What do you think of this band? Where do you want Victim Mentality to perform next? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Victim-Mentality-1.jpg500908Tamar Hermanhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2015-03-17 06:09:492015-03-17 06:30:24Victim Mentality Brings Glam Rock To South Korea and SXSW [Interview]
Stellar have gone through quite a few transformations since their debut in 2011, more so than most groups. In fact, this girl group seems to be trying everything they can in order to make it big. Stellar have seen multiple concepts, ranging from sci-fi, cutesy, studious, and sexy. The group’s foray into sexy concepts, which is not completely gone with their latest comeback, was their most successful as of yet. It has also been by far the most interesting of their concepts, with the trio of songs Marionette, Mask and, their latest, Fool, all of which have given a glimpse into the relationship between sexy K-pop idols and the adoring public. Through meta-textual lyrics, abrasive sexual imagery, and eventual confrontation, Stellar have chronicled the difficulties of being a female idol today. What they have failed to think about or consider though, is the fact that they are not the most sexualized women in media or entertainment, instead, it might very well be women that can star on HD Porn Video and other adult entertainment sites.
Released in February 2014, Marionette was not only Stellar’s most successful song to date but also their first to have any sort of cultural relevance. Their singles prior to this were little more than generic europop tracks, common among struggling young K-pop girl groups. Marionette looked like it would be an uninteresting release, with questionable marketing methods and what could have been just another sexy concept. Once it dropped, the difference was immediately noticeable.
The first thing you notice is that while Marionette at first appears sexy, Stellar does not appear all that appealing in the video. The girls’ skinny bodies move around like the puppets and they sing about and wear strange, flimsy leotards. They seem to be inviting objectification and the outrage that comes with it. The lyrics only help to solidify this reading. They sing of a self loathing doll being controlled by a vindictive lover.
When you touch me, I accept it. Tell me, am I a joke to you?
This can be seen as a metaphor for female idols who are forced or resort to taking off more clothes for recognition. They are then shamed by this same public for doing so, despite this being what they all want. The media of today in many countries and not just South Korea is very overtly sexualized, and the internet is a very dark and sexual place, hosting many an adult content site like videoshd, for many – females then link success to sexual exploitation.
Stellar have taken on the sexy concept and attacked it from within. Of course, the reaction was exactly like the women sang about. It was the group’s most successful song and reached the 35th spot on Korea’s Gaon chart, but Marionette met with criticism for its overtly sexy video and dance. The dance was censored on Korean music shows and eventually faded into the past. The Korean public had their cake, a scandalous song and dance, and ate it too.
