Page 78 – KultScene

Beenzino’s ‘Up All Night’ Party in Los Angeles

December 10, 2014/in Events /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

Korean rapper Beenzino brought the house down with his Up All Night party in Los Angeles on December 6^th at 333 Live. The crowd fully embraced Zino, as everyone sang and rapped as loud as his mic to all 14 of the songs performed throughout the night.

After making his rounds in Korea and New York with his Up All Night parties, the rapper brought his show to the city of Angels. This marked his second performance of the year in the city, the previous being the Asian Music Festival back in May. But rather than coming as part of a roster of rappers, Beenzino was the headliner and only artist at the full-house event.

The venue, being large and club-like, gave off a House of Blues concert vibe, as the dance floor was spacious and allowed for over a thousand people to stand, being the perfect setting for the Up All Night party. And even though doors opened at 10:30 p.m. and the DJ played a variety of hip hop and EDM music, the crowd did not turn up until around midnight when Zino finally came out.

Also on KultScene: Best K-Pop Music Video Fashion: November Releases

As soon as the lights went out and the DJ played the beat of I Don’t Have to Work, the crowd ignited. Beenzino, behind the scenes, teased the audience to make some noise. But with a quick, “What’s up L.A,” he jumped into Jackson Pollock D*ck decked out in a blue Adidas track jacket, tight, skinny black jeans, and black wayfarers, which he threw out to the audience.

As mentioned before, the crowd was crazy receptive of the rapper. Since the audience was mostly comprised of Korean speakers who rapped every word, Zino only addressed them in Korean and used no English. Some of the tracks that pumped up the crowd the most included How Do I Look?, I’m Ill, and YGGR. But the one that got everyone turnt up the most was definitely Boogie On and On, with a fan even throwing her bra on stage, which he laughed off and gave to a roadie.

Beenzino performed with such high energy and boss attitude that you wouldn’t have imagined he held the same show in NYC a day prior. He jumped and danced all over the stage, jamming to Profile, Mitch As F*ck, and Nike Shoes, swooning all the female attendees. The men in the audience (which was sizeable compared to a K-Pop show) for their part bobbed their heads and sang along to the punchlines.

But not everything was all play and no emotion. Zino slowed it down with Dali, Van, Picasso, Up All Night, and Aqua Man, which the fans sang in unison waving their hands side to side. The set, however short, didn’t disappoint attendees one bit. And even though he killed track after track, he took some breaks to talk to the audience and thanked them for coming out.

At around 1 a.m, the rapper sang his last song for the night Always Awake. Having taken off his jacket and pullover before to perform in a white T-shirt, Zino took off his black beanie as he finished, thanked everyone, threw it out to the crowd, and disappeared to the back stage.

Having now properly been pumped up by Beenzino, some of the attendees stuck around to continue drinking and dancing to the hip hop mix the DJ played. However, Zino hung out for a bit in the smokers’ lounge before meeting a mob of fans wanting to take pictures with him and was then moved to a VIP area where he chilled with a few people.

Beenzino surpassed expectations and then some. It was amazing how he made the crowd go from zero to one hundred (queue Drake) with a beat and a “what’s up.” Everyone was lit the whole time he was onstage and definitely went home with the adrenaline still pumping.

Also on KultScene: Artist Spotlight: Yoon Mirae

Check out more pictures from the Up All Night party:

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KultScene recorded great footage from the show, take a look below!

What’s your favorite Beenzino song? Share your picks in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Artist Spotlight: Yoon Mirae

December 9, 2014/in Artist Spotlight, Entertainment /by Tamar Herman

When it comes to talented women in South Korea, Yoon Mirae is on, if not at the top, of the list. Singer, rapper, dancer, mc, mother, wife, activist—there’s hardly a title that Yoon Mirae hasn’t held since the 1990’s when she entered the Korean music scene. As one of the first rap and R&B singers in Korea, Yoon Mirae set, and continues to influence, the tone for the future of Korean music.

Born in the United States to a Korean mother and an African American father, Natasha Reid debuted in Korea under the name T, sometimes Tasha, as part of the original line up Uptown. Since then, along with being a talented solo artist, Yoon Mirae has been associated with various hip-hop crews in South Korea, including The Movement, Drunken Tiger, and MFBTY (short for My Fans Are Better Than Yours.) Each of these crews includes both Tasha and her husband, Tiger JK of the group Drunken Tiger.

Also on KultScene: Artist Spotlight: Beenzino

Yoon Mirae appears to thrive on collaborating with others, and her solo songs are nothing to scoff at. Nowadays, she’s been gaining a lot of attention for her soulful songs for the soundtracks of dramas like The Master’s Sun and It’s Okay, That’s Love. Such a prolific artist is hard to summarize in a few songs, but here are several songs that paint a picture of Yoon Mirae’s talent and her typical style.

Memories (Smiling Tears) came out in 2002, and is an early song that highlights Yoon Mirae’s rapid-fire rap skills and her R&B style that is reminiscent of some famous singers, particularly Lauryn Hill. Yoon Mirae’s songs are almost always inspiring, and Memories is one of her iconic songs with lyrics like “all the hopes and the dreams will survive.” It also has an example of numbers, which appear in several of Yoon Mirae’s songs.

Next up is Black Happiness, from Yoon Mirae’s 2007 album T3 – Yoon Mi Rae. This is one of Yoon Mirae’s most iconic songs about her heritage as a biracial artist in Korea who was met with racism since a young age, but turned to music to find refuge. Even though her father’s skin color was the “problem,” Yoon Mirae sings that her connection to music is thanks to him, and that music has gotten her through everything. Her aggressive rap complements her inspirational lyrics, depicting the struggle that Yoon Mirae went through while growing up.

They told me to wear a mask
They said my mom’s race was okay
But not my dad’s

I felt like I was in jail
And I leaned on myself
I spent endless, painful days
I ignored their warnings
And because I missed music
I tried to escape

Also on KultScene: K-Pop Idols And The Formidable American Debut

Get It In was the start of a new sound for Yoon Mirae. Mixing her traditional hip-hop sound with electronic music. Get It In, featuring Tiger JK and solo singer Jung In, has a club feel to it and ends with a pounding beat that Yoon Mirae rarely utilized in her earlier iconic songs. Released in 2011, the song is about someone searching for their own place in the world– continuing Yoon Mirae’s philosophical style. Personally, I interpreted the battle scene in the music video as the singer’s fight with the world around her to continuously improve.

2013 brought a new, more popular version of Yoon Mirae with the song Touch Love from The Master’s Sun soundtrack. Without her usual rap, the song doesn’t really feel like it’s Yoon Mirae’s style, but Touch Love just shows another side to Yoon Mirae’s talent, where she goes the typical Korean ballad route rather than sticking to a more Western-influenced style. The song won multiple awards, and Yoon Mirae also sang I Love You for It’s Okay, That’s Love OST.

And, finally, Yoon Mirae’s latest song Angel. Not only does she look fantastic in the music video, but Yoon Mirae’s powerful singing appears in a mature, heartfelt way. The song isn’t about a lover in specific, but the people who support you when you’re having a hard time. Yoon Mirae released the song after a year where she lost her father-in law (This article had previously said her father), was betrayed by someone she trusted, and started a new company, but even so she has people around her who help her keep faith during hard times. Angel’s meaning led it to reaching the number one spot of multiple Korean music charts shortly after being released this month.

Do you like Yoon Mirae’s style? What’s your favorite song. 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.

Hello Venus and Sexism in K-Pop

December 8, 2014/in Features, OPINION /by Joe Palmer

The release of Sticky Sticky has completely transformed what kind of a group Hello Venus is. This is not a new type of change either; it is one which we have seen more and more in the past two years. The sexy concept has become a staple of the K-Pop industry to the point where if a girl group is not doing so well, they immediately revert to it. I think this comes from Sistar‘s success with Alone, which may not seem too sexy right now but it was at the time. After Alone, Sistar gradually became one of the most popular girl groups in Korea. So naturally other girl groups would follow but at what price?

Hello Venus had been one of the more popular girl groups who debuted in the busy year of 2012. Their quirky, cute sound stood out in a crowd of groups who offered nothing new to being cute. What Are You Doing Today? was one of the songs of 2012 and Would You Like Some Tea? got to number six on the Gaon music chart. These songs were also interesting enough to foreshadow Hello Venus becoming big. I imagined them growing gradually and maturing in a similar way to Girls’ Generation who had started slowly and became megastars, with the multi-talented Lime becoming their star of Hello Venus. This was not to be though, as a big change occurred that caused Hello Venus to change.

Pledis decided to pull out of the deal with Fantagio to co-produce the group and took the Pledis members, Yoo Ara and Yoonjo, with them. Fantagio kept the other four members and the Hello Venus name, so added two more members and decided to continue with their promotions. It also gave Fantagio a chance to alter Hello Venus’ style quickly in order to pander to current trends. As I said, they went the sexy route and went for it in a big way.

Also on KultScene: Sexualization In K-Pop: The Bare Truth

As this trend grows, it becomes more of a problem. There was a time when sexy concepts were used to differentiate from the regular and shock an audience. Even at this time it is a tenuous subject as there is always a problem of objectification and fetishization of the body. As sexy songs continue to sell, women’s bodies will continually be used as objects to help these sales. This activity reinforces a sexist agenda in society and punishes women who do not conform. It even punishes those who act on sexuality, even though they are taught this is what woman should be like. Especially in a conservative country such as South Korea, girls cannot be seen to be sexually active even if being sexy is the hot topic of the time.

If this type of performance is allowed to become normal, the sexism of the K-Pop industry will never stop. Girl groups will forever have to strip in order to succeed. Female idols will forever be seen as sex objects to sell records. Their bodies will forever be fetishized into whatever their company decides. There is already criticism of these things in the K-Pop industry to some degree, and girl groups becoming sexier to sell their music will just make the criticism even worse.

The reason I’m singling out Hello Venus for now is because they are the most recent group to go this way, and also because of the increased effort they are putting into grabbing attention with their “sexiness.” Hot off the viral success of a fan cam of EXID’s Hani, Fantagio obviously saw an opportunity to drum up some publicity for Hello Venus with their own viral hit. The recent release of a dance practice video to Jason Derulo’s song Wiggle Wiggle, in which the Hello Venus girls danced along to the song, was their attempt at creating a sensation. I am not condemning the girls themselves here but those who led them to this. I fully believe people can do whatever they want with their own bodies but this video does not show us a group of girls who are just dancing for fun. This is blatant pandering to a male audience to stare at young girls gyrating their bodies, a cheap way of drumming up attention by essentially exploiting these girls.

This is not specific to Hello Venus though. We have seen recently Girls’ Day move from their cute comedic songs like Twinkle Twinkle to sexy songs like Something, Expectation and Female President. This change also brought Girls’ Day new success to the point where they are winning weekly music shows. AOA had a similar change of fortune when they adopted the sexy concept. Miniskirt boosted their sales in a big way and only grew with subsequent singles Short Hair and Like A Cat. It is clearly a trend which is in full flow but all trends eventually die, whether it’s a few weeks or a few years. So do we wait and let it pass over?

Also on KultScene: 5 Reasons To Watch ‘Korea’s Next Top Model’

I think we should not. Another trend will take its place immediately after and the issue will be forgotten. Allowing this to pass over means the patriarchal reign on K-Pop will always remain whether through sexy concepts or something else. I don’t think sexy performances should be completely eradicated but I think the decision making has to be changed to allow female idols to speak up if they do not agree. At this moment in time female idols are not at an equal level to their male counterparts. We as fans must speak up against this; we must not allow this to continue. It’s time for there to be a level playing field for genders in K-Pop.

What do you think about Hello Venus’ comeback and of the sexy concept? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Winter Edition

December 7, 2014/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Even though winter began last month, it wasn’t until recently that the season was fully experienced by all of us at KultScene. That’s why this week’s Playlist Sunday is fully dedicated to all things winter, including and especially the cold that comes with it. Our picks include songs that talk about snow, the weather, and how love is experience during this chilly season.

Living in Ireland means that when I think of winter, I think of the cold. So I decided to think outside the box and go for It’s Cold by Epik High and Lee Hi. Lee Hi was the perfect YG Entertainment artist to pick for this song as her vocals can have a cold, unemotional feeling to them in the best possible way. It mirrors the frosty nature of the song with its slow piano melody and lyrics about cold hearts. It makes winter feel like a never ending season, one of regret and hurt. This sometimes feels painfully true as I wear five layers of clothing every day.

–Joe

Winter in Korea is pretty frigid, but Girls’ Generation Snowy Wish is heartwarming and will make any snowstorm romantic. Even though the snow is falling, Girls’ Generation’s voices and lyrics make the frigidity something endearing, just another memory to make a relationship even better. The sweet-sounding tune is filled with hope and longing for a successful, warm relationship, and Girls’ Generation really makes listeners feel loved during live performances of the song.

–Tamar

Jonghyun and Juniel’s Love Falls gets us in the winter spirit for many reasons. One being that the song actually uses bells in the instrumentals that creates the picture of soft snow falling onto an already snow covered ground. The second reason it gets us into the spirit of winter, is the love story involved. Juniel and Jonghyun’s sweet vocals perfectly compliment each other and give off the feeling of warmth and love for the season. Even with the slight hiccup in their seemingly perfect relationship, the two are brought back together in the beautiful nighttime snow fall, so romantic.

— Tara

In SoCal, there’s no such thing as snow in winter, unless you travel to a mountain town. Despite this, snow is one of the default things one associates with winter, and that’s why I picked Super Junior’s First Snow. At first, the piano and bell sounds create a Christmas jingle feeling, but as the song progresses, we hear a signature Super Junior chorus in the likes of Miracle or Dancing Out, with its cheerful and cheesy sounds. Not that that’s a bad thing! The cheesiness and uplifting feeling of the song is what makes this a warm and cute song about young love.

–Alexis

Yes, we all have heard thousands of covers of the movie Frozen’s famous song Let It Go. But in YG Entertainment’s Mix & Match survival program, a new and fresh version was showcased. B.I, Donghyuk, Hongseok, and Lee Hi adapted the Oscar winning song into a new genre. B.I. made the song into trap, and it just makes you want to go up and dance. The song gives you a very fun and exciting new perspective of the song. Their version makes the song perfect for a winter party or a kick back.

–Alejandro

Sunny Hill’s ‘Here I Am’ Music Video & Song Review

December 7, 2014/in MUSIC VIDEOS /by Tamar Herman

Sunny Hill’s latest single Here I Am is underratedly one of the best Korean songs released in November. Even when it looks like Sunny Hill is just singing a seemingly banal song about grief and neglect following a break up, the talented group doesn’t disappoint and instead presents a well-rounded, musical experience.

Here I Am is Sunny Hill’s 7th anniversary commemorative song, and it doesn’t let Hillers (Sunny Hill’s fans) down. The quartet’s come a long way, beginning as a co-ed vocal group and then gaining a lot of attention for powerful, meaningful songs and music videos. Even though they’ve seen some lineup changes (Seungah and Jubi are the only original two left in the group) and are no longer co-ed, Sunny Hill continually releases great songs. Here I Am shows the maturity of the group, taking the styles that the group has explored over the years while still keeping some of Sunny Hill’s original elements. The singing is phenomenal, and the plot, visuals, and acting in the music video are near perfection. Member Misung wrote the lyrics for the song, adding a personal touch and raw emotion to the track.

via Tumblr

Song

Many K-Pop songs make use of multiple genres, but Sunny Hill is one of the few groups that could pull off a song like Here I Am and express the full meaning solely through the emotional range of their voices. Even though the song is beautiful in its own right, the music video for Here I Am adds further depth and expresses Sunny Hill’s growth as artists.

With ballad, acoustic, and electronic influences, Here I Am is both soft and strong in the face of heartbreak. Even though a slow soft ballad would seemingly be perfect for the depressing lyrics, Here I Am crescendos multiple times as the narrator tries to figure out how to get over heartbreak and move forward like her ex.

via Tumblr

Even though the singing is a bit unevenly distributed, with Jubi and Kota singing a majority of the lyrics, the four voices are impeccably juxtaposed with one another and come together to perfectly depict the rawness of the song’s emotions. Jubi’s belting voice and Kota’s rough lines interplay with Misung and Seungah’s sweeter and rawer voices.

Can you hear me? Here I am
Tonight I think of your scent
I lean on time, saying that pain will be gone eventually

Here I Am starts slow, with acoustic music and rapidly gains a faster beat, before reaching the zenith of the song, with Sunny Hill declaring that heartbreak will eventually end.

Also on KultScene: Epik High’s ‘Born Hater’ Music Video & Song Review

When you are in love, being broken up with is extremely difficult, and Jubi was absolutely devastated by her lover’s actions. Everybody who has ever had his or her heart broken probably has wished that they could just wipe their mind clean, and Here I Am hints to the fact that even if you forget, some small part of you will always remember love.

via Tumblr

Here I Am ends when the narrator/singer is still in pain over the breakup, it is implied that this pain will eventually pass. The music video recognizes this, but also recognizes how painful breaking up is, and has Jubi erase her own memory to get over the heartbreak.

Music Video

The video exhibited how good Sunny Hill has become at creating complex, unique storylines for their songs, to add further depth to their already meaningful songs. The music video has winter-inspired elements and an intriguing plot, which seems like something out of the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

via Tumblr

Sunny Hill’s acting in the video was great; Jubi’s emotion is always clear through her actions and expressions, the other three members shine as the fairy godmothers of memory loss. HISTORY’s Sihyung has a cameo as the man who breaks Jubi’s heart, and his various expressions of love in the flashbacks and disdain in the present are simply heartbreaking.

During the scene at the end, when Jubi returns to the café, Sunny Hill’s expertise at portraying emotions visually really shows. Seungah’s protests against showing Jubi the picture and telling her about what she wants to forget, Misung’s acceptance of erasing heartbreak, and Kota’s empathy towards Jubi’s desire to forget, reveals how not only do Sunny Hill’s members know how to express emotion clearly through their voices but also through their actions.

The settings are beautiful, with a soft glow of sunset pervading through most of the scenes as if to hint to the fading emotions and end of a relationship. Even though it’s not obviously winter, there is a chilly factor to the overall video that hints to both the coldness of the weather and the coldness of the man’s (Sihyung’s) feelings towards his ex.

Also on KultScene: Has Wa$$Up Found Its Musical Niche?

Instead of going for daring outfits, like Sunny Hill’s done in past songs such as The Grasshopper Song or Is The White Horse Coming?, the girls wear everyday, fashionable outfits that can be seen around every street corner in Korea. Yet outfits have meaning in the video.

via Tumblr

Here I Am is a song for everybody, and the member’s elegant yet simple black and white outfits seem to emphasize the message, “this is a black-and-white story about heartbreak and loss that we all have to deal with sometime.”

Jubi outfit is clean cut and refreshing blue and white, expressing how her mind is free of excessive pain (following the cleansing.) In the flashback of Jubi crying, she’s seen wearing a confining white shirt, symbolizing the grasping, restriction of her feelings. At the end of the video, when Jubi seeks Kota, Misung, and Seungah out for help, and instead of their earlier white and gray (clean and fresh) outfits, they’re wearing complex, dark, black and red witch-like outfits to show their power over memories.

Overall Thoughts

I really thought that Here I Am is a beautifully made song, musically, lyrically, and visually expressing its message perfectly. I started to like Sunny Hill because of their unique style in Midnight Circus and following intriguing concepts, but even when doing a seemingly simple song like Here I Am, the group brings in complexity and mystery. I think that the different sounds in Here I Am could make a great dance, but Sunny Hill has yet to perform the song on any music shows so I’m still looking forward to a live performance.

Sunny Hill's 'Here I Am'

What did you think of Here I Am? 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 Colors Of K-Pop: Orange

December 5, 2014/in MUSIC /by Tamar Herman

Next up in our Colors of K-Pop line-up, the color orange!

Even though orange is the next in the rainbow’s acronym Roy G. Biv, it is not a color that is extremely popular in South Korean music. Only a few songs had the song title,

Seo Taiji Orange

Korea’s King of Culture Seo Taiji recently made headlines for his 2014 comeback and appearance at MAMA 2014, but its song Orange that we’re highlighting today. From Seo Taiji’s 2000 album Ultramania, the song features Seo Taiji’s typical metal-synthpop style. Orange is not one of Seo Taiji’s most well-known songs, but it’s definitely worthy of listening to.

Orange Caramel Playlist

The number one search term in South Korean music and the word “orange” was, unsurprisingly, Orange Caramel! If you haven’t listened to Orange Caramel’s zany songs yet, here’s a playlist for your listening pleasure. The playlist includes top hits by Orange Caramel, including Lipstick, Aing, and more.

Kwon Sohyun Orange

4Minute’s youngest member Sohyun may look a little different to you now, but when she debuted as a member of the young girl group Orange, she still had a lot of her charge. The group’s debut music video is absolutely sweet and adorable. Unfortunately, Orange disbanded due to numerous anti-fan cafes, but Sohyun ended up debuting with popular girl group 4Minute.

Coming soon to KultScene’s The Colors of K-Pop? Yellow!

Did we list all your favorite “orange” songs? Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

K-Pop Idols Who Need to Release Holiday Songs

December 4, 2014/in Entertainment /by Tara

This Holiday season we all need some music to fit the mood. It’s about time that some K-Pop idols release a Holiday song or even a Holiday CD. The idols listed below are known for being able to sing in both Korean and English, which is beneficial for this particular concept considering there are a lot of Holiday songs originally sung in English. English or Korean, or another language, it would be great to see these songs happen this year.

Eric Nam

via jjigaehouse @Tumblr

Eric Nam is well known for being the main host of After School Club. His quirky and fun personality keeps fans engaged and entertained throughout ASC and the After Show. Not only does Eric have the personality, and looks, but his voice is spectacular. Winter Wonderland, The First Noel, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) and others would all be great choices for Eric Nam and he would be do justice to all of them.

Also on KultScene: Best English Covers By K-Pop Artists

Ailee

by kpopcorngifs

Ailee could ace any Holiday song coming her way. Her voice is so powerful and regal that any song would sound great. But a few that would sound amazing are Silent Night, O Holy Night, and the Holiday classic All I Want For Christmas Is You. She has actually already sang the latter song choice, but I wouldn’t mind a solo performance where fans can really feel her power.

miss A

via TAEMON

miss A is a group that doesn’t have many comebacks and are extremely talented. Instead of a full on comeback before the Holidays, we’ll settle with a song or two for the season. Carol of the Bells would really show off their abilities vocally and would sound great with a girl group at the helm. It would be hard to pull off, but miss A can definitely sing Carol of the Bells beautifully. For a more fun route, they could take on Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree as well. The fun and upbeat Holiday tune would be much more fun with miss A singing it.

CNBLUE

via cnbjonghyun @ Tumblr

CNBLUE would be a great group to add a rock vibe to the Holiday classics. They really could pick any Holiday song and pull it off. They have the looks, the sound, the talent, and the vocals to make any Holiday song a smash hit. Little St. Nick, Feliz Navidad, and Jingle Bell Rock are a few classics they could rock on a small stage or a huge arena.

Also on KultScene: The Colors Of K-Pop: Red

Mamamoo

via @lovelyhari99

The all female rookie group would bring Holiday classics to a whole new level. Their sultry and soulful voices would only enhance current classics, such as White Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, and more. Mamamoo would have the best stage for a Holiday classic. I can see it now, they would be in a red dresses with white faux fur trim and their makeup and hair would be spot on (as usual).

The ultimate Holiday gift would be if all of these artists got together to create a Holiday CD and collaborate on a few songs with each other. If only, if only.

What Holiday songs do you want to hear from the K-Pop world, and who do you want to sing them? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

5 Reasons to Attend Beenzino’s “Up All Night” Party in LA

December 3, 2014/in Events /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

After tearing it up at the Asian Music Festival in May, Beenzino is back in LA for his Up All Night album release party. The rapper has been making his rounds in Korean clubs promoting his latest record by the same name and now he’ll bring the party to U.S. soil.

Beenzino is one of the hottest rappers in the game right now, even collaborating with big names in K-Pop like Epik High and HA:TFELT. And since Korean rap is on the rise and might be the next big thing from Korea, it’s understandable that he’s performing in major U.S. cities like NYC and LA.

But if you’re not so well acquainted with Beenzino or are not really sure if you should attend the show, here’s a quick persuading list that might sway you into going. Truth is, there are many more reasons why the Up All Night party will be dope, but these are the highlights.

1. Music

Beenzino has made his mark in the Korean hip hop scene by professing his love for art and fashion through his lyrics. He raps about his art influences, fashion preferences, and, of course, girls and relationships. Because of this, his music has been well-received and seen as relatable by fans. All of this is embodied on his track Dali, Van, Picasso, his manifesto as an artist.

2. He Puts On a Hell of a Party

K-Pop shows are fun. You dance around, you wave your lightstick, you somewhat sing, but it’s still a concert. The Up All Night Release Party is, well, a party. The venue is a club where Beenzino will perform some of his songs from his latest album Up All Night. This will be a night to party, and dance, and sing, and grind, and drink, and have some adult fun. Here’s a video from the same party held in Busan on October so you can see what you’re in for.

via jazzyfact @ Tumblr

Also on KultScene: Artist Spotlight: Beenzino

3. No Kids

Speaking of adult fun, the event is 18+ to party, 21+ to drink. Sorry kiddos, this is not the place for you. If you’ve ever been to a K-Pop show being over 18 yourself, you will have noticed the herds of teenagers, thus making you feel a little odd being there. This show however will have none of that. You’ll be able to turn up without someone complaining they can’t see their oppa. Or at least we hope so…

via drunkenanimal @ Tumblr

4. Small Venue

The fact that the event will be held at a club means that you’ll get the chance to see Beenzino in a small, more intimate and dynamic setting. It will feel as if you’re seeing an emerging artist or a regular hip hop show rather than an established artist who’s already famous. Furthermore, because of the size of the event and venue, hopeful attendees who purchase the different VIP tickets will get a chance to meet and greet Beenzino and even attend the sound check prior to the show.

via xlinahx @ Tumblr

5. He’s Hot

Not to objectify him and say that him being crazy attractive is the reason to go watch his show, but it’s definitely a contributing factor. The way he carries himself onstage with full confidence and that little smug smirk give him a strong stage presence which make his performances great. Moreover, there’s just something very hot about a guy being fashion conscious and dressing stylish, which Beenzino has down, obviously. Check out the promo video for his LA and NYC shows looking hot and fly as hell:

Also on KultScene: Playlist Sunday: Korean Rap Edition

Beenzino’s Up All Night party presented by KTOWN Night Market in L.A. will be held at 333 Live on December 6^th. Tickets start at $40 for general admission. The New York City show will he held a day prior at Stage48 (this event is 21+). For more info, go here.

via thetakeone @ Tumblr

Are you going to Beenzino’s show? Because we’re going! Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

[Picture by Cheonbong Ko for Freshness]

Has Wa$$up Found its Musical Niche?

December 2, 2014/in Features /by Joe Palmer

Wa$$up made a splash in 2013 with their self titled debut Wa$$up, but failed to find a place in the K-Pop world as anything other than controversial rookies, who gained attention for being the first K-Pop girl group to “twerk.” With their new release Shut Up U, Wa$$up are taking a trend from 2013 and using it to find their own style. This 2013 trend was the use of abnormal structure in songs, and was led by SM Entertainment with songs like I Got A Boy, Wolf, and Mama. These were songs that required and rewarded repeat listens. They played with the idea of what a pop song could be and saw something so much more than just another cookie cutter song. These genre-defying songs sometimes had no obvious chorus and never brought the listener to where they expected. They are songs that ask the listener to really think about production and the meaning behind it.

This trend, however, was quickly thwarted by the old ways as Brave Brothers and other production teams stuck to their templates of easy, instantly satisfying songs. Will Simms was the leader of this abnormal song trend as he was the writer of the previously mentioned songs and more. Even though he has been writing a lot for SM and their biggest groups, his style has not caught on elsewhere. As he continues writing for K-Pop, this style can live on and with his latest song he might have found the perfect group.

Wa$$up have been near enough to this style of song for a while but more in the sense that their songs were a mess rather than the calculated structure bending that Simms creates. Songs like Nom Nom Nom tried it by mixing Nada’s rapping in the verses to cute singing in the chorus but this was jarring and not thought out. With the release of Shut Up U Wa$$up and Simms have come together for the first time and prove to be the ideal marriage.

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Even with someone with an original style like Simms’ will reuse some of their old methods so Shut Up U sounds like a mix between Girls’ Generation’s I Got A Boy and f(x)’s Rainbow, which were also written by Simms. Shut Up U has a sound and look so suited to Wa$$up that it’s hard to imagine Simms writing for anyone else from here on out. This image is inherently messy due to both parties not playing by the typical K-Pop rules, be it through song production or more western ideas of pop. What happens when they come together, however, is far from messy.

Each part of the song contrasts and compliments its corresponding part perfectly. The Diplo-esque dancehall and hip hop beats continue throughout the whole song acting as a through line for all the competing vocal elements. The “yeah hey boy chants” start the song off with a clear hip hop tone. This quickly moves into auto-tuned verse which is a good way of connecting to the chorus, which is more clear and light. The transition from auto-tune to clear voices also works well at a lyrical level; in the verse Wa$$up are questioning the qualities of a boy but in the chorus they are clear about not wanting to know him any longer.

Parts are reused seemingly at random but are always used to connect all the parts of the song. The “work for me baby” part is always used before the chorus so it becomes a signifier rather than a random element. The chants at the start are also repeated to usher in Nada’s rap as they have similar tones. Clarifying the group’s image has also allowed Wa$$up to stop relying on Nada, who has been the most iconic member of the group to this point. Even though she is fierce at an unparalleled level, a group has to assign lines to help keep a song fresh and Shut Up U finally shows Wa$$up’s vocal range.

Wa$$up’s image helps this as well. They debuted with the nickname of ‘twerk-dols’ as they were to be the first idols that did something close to twerking. The girls were sexy, confident and trashy enough to pull it off. A certain amount of trashiness was required to pull-off a concept like their debut. Although they didn’t have the songs to really make a mark as anything more than provocative rookies. Coupled with a similarly calculated trashy type of song which Simms is the master of creates the perfect storm. The look is in no way trashy just confident and enthusiastic. The song is tight and interesting not all over the place.

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This all culminates in the performance which, given their nickname of twerk-dols, should be a focus for them. They are confident, exciting, and most of all, fun. The focus on trying to be sexy has been toned down, and the girls are all the more sexy for it. There is a small bit of twerking but it actually fits considering the influences on the song and it wouldn’t be a Wa$$up performance without it.

The combination of Wa$$up and Will Simms could provide the group a way of bringing their niche to the forefront and gaining success. They have always garnered lots of attention in the press but this has not equalled any sort of big success for them. With their strongest song and most complete performance to date this could change. Simms’ songs have been big but not consistent sellers, EXO for example had a boost of one million in sales after dropping him for Growl. There is something about the combo with Wa$$up that makes me more hopeful that it could go well. The products of this team could prove to be interesting and the future for both will be one to watch if they remain together.

Do you think this collaboration could help Wa$$up? 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.

Best K-Pop Music Video Fashion: November Releases

December 1, 2014/in Fashion /by Alejandro Abarca

November saw many releases, but in the K-Pop world there are a lot of styles and fashion that are often recycled. This month’s list is short but it features an array of different concepts, such as Cross Gene’s more mature look, to the playful and futuristic styling of Got7, and the simple yet vulnerable look for Kyhyun’s solo debut. Here are the best fashion seen in this month’s music videos releases.

Kyuhyun – At Gwanghwamun

Photos via SM Entertainment

Super Junior’s Kyuhyun finally had his well deserved solo debut album. His first single At Gwanghwamun features the singer looking handsome in three simple outfits. The stylist was able to enhance the sadness of the song with the styling by dressing him in a color pallette that evoked nostalgia. The nude sweater paired with the white trousers creates a sense of vulnerability that goes well with the theme of the song and with the storyline of longing for his lost lover. While the styling is very simple, everything is paired with the beautiful photography and creativity of the video, making the simple fashion stand out. And can we take a moment and appreciate how handsome he looks?

CROSS GENE – I’m Not a Boy Not Yet a Man

Photos via Amuse Korea Entertainment

CROSS GENE released their music video for I’m Not a Boy Not Yet a Man on the second week of November. The boys came back with a styling that enhanced the members’ maturity and blended very well with the song’s concept. For the two different group shots, the boys were styled in white suits with black window panels and black suits with a print that features gold embellished crosses. In their individual shots, every member was styled according to their character on the music video and their personalities.

HI SUHYUN – I’m Different (feat. Bobby)

Photos via YG Entertainment

Lee Hi previously stated that she felt weird performing alone and that she would love to have someone to perform with. While Suhyun from Akdong Musician is no stranger to be in a duo, these two YG Entertainment vocalists, the company that loves to be different, came together on an amazing unit. The title of their debut single is I’m Different and features the amazing rapper and boy wonder Bobby from the upcoming rookie group iKON. The music video has the two ladies falling hard for the handsome Bobby to the point where they even stalk him everywhere almost becoming sasaeng fans of the boy. The girls are styled in girl next door outfits and cute uniforms. However, Bobby’s styling is completely different than what have seen him before, with the varsity outfits. Both the girls and Bobby look beautiful, but Bobby takes the credit for best dressed. He made us swoon here at KultScene when we first saw his solo part on the music video; that all black suit and tennis shoes make him look very sexy.

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GD X TAEYANG – Good Boy

Photos via YG Entertainment

YG debuted its first hip-hop project in their new sub-unit by G-Dragon and Taeyang. GD X TAEYANG is their sub-unit name and they delivered a video full of neon, accompanied by the boys’ amazing fashion and their amazing party jam. The pair proves us once again why they are the fashion kings of Korea. G-Dragon and Teayang are not afraid of having fun with fashion. Their unique fashion choices by their stylists have turned these guys into true fashionistos. The music video is full of amazing British punk reminiscent looks, ‘90s hip-hop fashion, and high-end pieces that make every fashion aficionado burst with envy.

Got7 – Stop Stop It

Got7 took us to the future with their comeback song Stop Stop It, out of their first album, Identify. The styling is full of interesting pieces, starting with JB’s outfit at the beginning. The asymmetrical striped shirt with one sleeve and zipper paired with the baggy drop crotch overalls. As each member starts to have their own camera time, the viewers can appreciate how much attention to detail went into each look. Their haircuts and pieces they wear give a feeling of a distant future. The stylist played with different silhouettes and proportions that created a very unique look for the Got7 members. There are no favorite looks on this video, all of them are similar, but they all look unique in their own way.

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Which one was your favorite fashion of the music video releases in K-Pop for the month of November? Did we miss your favorite? We’d love to hear you thoughts and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,