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What to Expect from ‘Go! B1A4 2.0 – Road Trip’

November 2, 2014/in Entertainment /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

B1A4 recently visited four U.S. cities with their Road Trip Tour, and Mnet America documented it all in Go! B1A4 2.0 – Road Trip. The four episode show will showcase B1A4’s adventures in New York City, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco, where they explored the cities and mingled with fans.

To people acquainted with the boy group, their playful and high spirited manners are no surprise, but for those of you who are not, you’re in for a treat as well. B1A4 showed their charms in previous Youtube series and more, but Go! B1A4 2.0 – Road Trip will follow them as they made their way through the country in their first ever American tour. And even though the guys were pretty active on SNS and fans flooded different social media sites with their accounts on their interactions with the group, there’s still a lot unknown from their travels.

So whether you’re familiar with them or not, B1A4 is a group that will have you smiling ear to ear with their antics and their overall fun nature. But taking all this plus the several teasers uploaded to Youtube, what does Go! B1A4 2.0 – Road Trip have in store for viewers? Let’s explore the possibilities.

Interactions with American Fans

From past shows, fans know that B1A4 is very dedicated to their fans. For example, on B1A4 ‘Road Trip’ Ready? Behind Clip, Gongchan says he monitors fans through SNS to see what they say about him and amongst themselves. Moreover, clips of them greeting fans at different events are also common, so having the boys on this side of the world means that they will now cater to American fans.

What to Expect from ‘Go! B1A4 2.0 – Road Trip’ gif

via 6xc @ Tumblr

From the several teasers of the show, we can see the boys roaming the cities while always being followed by fans. Instead of leaving the site or having someone make them stop recording them, they acknowledge and/or approach the fans and even take pictures with them. Right from the get-go we know their interactions with fans won’t be limited to the high touch events at concerts. Instead, viewers will see more direct interactions on Go! B1A4 2.0 – Road Trip.

via koreanpants @ Tumblr

Also on KultScene: Album Review: Far East Movement ‘KTown Riot’ EP

Baro’s Sexy American Accent

Out of all the boys, Baro is probably the member who speaks the better English. As seen on their various Danny from L.A. appearances, he can easily make himself understood. Since the show will follow them through four U.S. cities, we can assume we’ll see B1A4 speaking English at times, but no one will be as good as Baro. And while some people may find K-Pop idols’ attempts at speaking English cute, others (like this writer!) finds them hot.

Maybe it’s because he’s the rapper of the group or because he carries himself in a very cool demeanor, but when Baro speaks English, he owns that ish. Even if he struggles, Baro will bluff it through and the outcome will be flawless.

Fun Adventures

As mentioned several times before, Go! B1A4 2.0 – Road Trip will feature the boys’ antics through Dallas, San Francisco, New York City, and Chicago, and not just focus on the actual concerts. While not preparing for their shows, the guys visited a few tourist attractions such as when they were in Chicago, B1A4 visited the Navy Pier and Willis Tower, which is the eighth tallest freestanding structure in the world. Moreover, headlines plagued different sites about fans doing a flash mob in San Francisco to welcome them and show their appreciation for the group. And while we’ve seen fan cams and a short clip in the teasers, we’ll finally see the full length version in the show.

via orange-sandeul @ Tumblr

Members Tease Each Other a Lot (Especially Sandeul)

Having five guys around or of the same age who live and work together filmed is bound to reveal something very close to their true natures. In past shows, we’ve seen the members tease and borderline bully each other –especially the main vocalist. Who can forget that mean joke where they made Sandeul believe a cute, blonde girl was asking him out during the Danny from L.A. taping? However, they all get their fair share — remember CNU, Sandeul, and Jinyoung making fun of Baro’s Esquire editorial in B1A4 ‘Road Trip’ Ready? Behind Clip? It goes around, and this show won’t be any different.

Just by the teasers, viewers already see a few instances of how playful the guys are amongst each other. Whether they’re teasing Sandeul for eating a lot of deep dish pizza or mocking Baro for being afraid of heights or filming CNU while sleeping, viewers will get lots of moments to laugh with and at B1A4. To say the least, we can expect it to be funny and lots of fun.

via orange-sandeul @ Tumblr

Also on KultScene: 5 Reasons To Watch ‘Abnormal Summit’

Acoustic Versions of their Songs

B1A4 made their mark in K-Pop for not sounding like any other idols in the industry. The guy’s concept is a lot quirkier than most boy groups since they don’t have flower boy or beast idol images, and their songs reflect that as well.

The group has lots of slow tempo songs, but their singles are mostly always upbeat and have lots of production behind the melodies. However, through the show’s features we see various instances where the boys unplug for acoustic sessions or just jam it out for fun. In Washington Square park, they sing Lonely and, in San Francisco, Because of You. Plus, Jinyoung plays his newly bought guitar in the Chicago hotel room while Sandeul delivers a powerful rendition of Baby Goodnight. Needless to say, viewers are in for reinterpreted versions of their favorite songs.

Since each episode will follow a reality show format, fans and viewers (aka future fans) can expect to see the boys let loose, have fun, and enjoy their new journey through a new country and meeting new fans. Go! B1A4 2.0 – Road Trip premieres on November 5^th through Mnet America.

Are you planning on watching Go! B1A4 2.0 – Road Trip? Let us know and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Day of the Dead Edition

November 2, 2014/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Following the holiday theme for our Playlist Sunday, this week’s focus sets on The Day of the Dead. Although it may sound macabre, November 2^nd is a day dedicated to remembering and honoring deceased loved ones. And while it’s very unlikely that K-Pop groups would have songs about the Day of the Dead, we’re interpreting it in our own way by choosing songs with similar festive makeup, about lost love, and saying good bye.

Even though it’s not a real Catrín (dapper male skeleton), Jay Park donned skull-like makeup for the music video of his album’s intro New Breed. The track was not a single, but Jay Park decided to release a video for his album’s intro by the same name with the eye catching makeup to further enhance his message of him being different to other artists in the game. The look was inspired by Rick Genest, aka Zombie Boy, rather than the Day of the Dead, but the similarities and loose connection to the Catrín are there. This song is full of curse words, so listeners wary and click play at your own discretion.

–Alexis

Also on KultScene: Why Hyomin’s ‘Nice Body’ Is Offensive To Women

My pick for this week’s theme is not related in any way to the Mexican holiday. Instead, I am playing off of the name “Day of the Dead” for my pick. Primary’s Poison featuring E-Sens talks about an array of feelings and emotions that make the narrator feel half dead and wanting to be more free. The lyrics show the pain the narrator experienced through a period of time. He went through a lot of dark and rough times and it took awhile for him to realize that he is in control of his happiness. He was in such a dark place that he didn’t realize all of the things he was losing. The end of the song brings some clarity in the form of these lyrics:

If I rush to follow along, I keep forgetting which one is me
If I rush to follow along, I keep forgetting which one is me
If you need to stop, then stop now
We lose too many important things in life
If I rush to follow along, I keep forgetting which one is me

— Tara

Nell’s The Day Before may not be exactly what The Day of The Dead is about, but the song’s video remind me of the feelings that someone has towards the passing of a loved one. The lyrics are seemingly about a couple that’s broken up, but Nell’s music video shows that the band wrote it with the thought of death in mind.

It was difficult at first
More than I will admit
It was burdensome
But after accepting it,
it makes me too sorrowful.

Losing a loved one is difficult, but even after you accept that you will never see them, that pain never goes away. It’s hard and burdensome to love and lose someone, but as humans it is what we do.

–Tamar

Also on KultScene: 5 Reasons To Love Kim So Eun & Song Jae Rim On ‘We Got Married’

Day Of The Dead is a holiday to remember the loved ones that passed away. In HA:TFELT’s song Nothing Lasts Forever, she talks about losing someone you love and not being able to say goodbye to them. This song is very dear to my heart because I wasn’t able to say goodbye to my grandmother before she died, and listening to this song, it gives me a lot of peace. In her voice you can hear a very fragile tone and how regretful she is of not saying that last goodbye. She knows that even if she didn’t have the chance to say what she wanted to say, at least she has that last memory of her loved one. That’s what Day of the Dead is all about, knowing that your loved ones who have passed away are at peace and in a better place, even if it’s hard at first to accept it; you will always remember them.

–Alejandro

What’s your favorite Day of the dead-like K-Pop song? Leave your pick in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

5 Super Easy Last-Minute K-Pop Halloween Costumes

October 30, 2014/in Fans /by Tamar Herman

October 31 is a day for costumes and candy, but sometimes people are too busy to put together extraordinary costumes that need tons of planning. If you’re one of those people and you’re looking for some last minute inspiration, or heading to an exclusive K-Pop themed Halloween party, then you’ll need a great costume that’s simple, and that you can make from what you have in your closet.

An oldie but a goodie, Gee.

For many people, Girls’ Generation’s Gee was the song of 2009, and is still one of the most iconic songs in K-Pop. But the outfits that the nine members of Girls’ wear are so simple, just about every girl has something to work with inside her own closet. You have two options here- You can go the minimal look that Girls’ Generation dances in by wearing a white long sleeved shirt with a solid color pair of shorts and white shoes. Blow dry your hair straight, or throw in some soft waves.

SM Entertainment

Or, you can go the skinny-jeans look. All you need is a graphic t-shirt, preferably with cap sleeves or no sleeves at all, and a a colored pair of skinny jeans. Throw on one iconic accessory, – a long necklace, a costume pilot’s hat, a fedora, a sequined hoodie etc- add a pair of killer heels and you’re all done. Britney Spears outfits in music videos can also be used as an inspiration to create an outfit and might make you look like a bombshell!

Costume ease level – 5/5
Costume recognizability to non K-Pop fans- 1/5

Crayon Pop’s helmet look from Bar Bar Bar.

For this one, you need a polo shirt, a short skirt, a pair of leggings that are the same color of your shoes and preferably the skirt (try all black if white is not an option,) and throw on a bike helmet. Add some white gloves from your winter closet, or else run to a local pharmacy and buy a pack of medical gloves. Put multiple ponytails into pigtails to get Soyou’s look. Finishing touch? Put your name on your chest and on your back with some name tag labels or use a safety-pin to clip paper to your shirt.

Chrome Entertainment

Costume ease level – 4/5, helmets aren’t always easily accessible
Costume recognizability to non K-Pop fans- 3/5, but people may theink you’re Yony and Zony, the two twins who appeared on Ellen rather than Crayon Pop.

Also on KultScene: K-Pop’s Love Letter To Hood By Air

No More Dream-era of BTS

While Hood By Air clothing that BTS wears may be a bit hard to get last-minute, but you can definitely pull off the look. Anything black and white that you own, layered with gold jewelry and/or bandanas, the more athletic-looking the better. If you have a varsity jacket or athletic jersey, you just owned this outfit. For your feet, black-and-white tube socks pulled up rather than rolled down with black and white sneakers complete the outfit. Surround your eyes with thick black eyeliner, and, if you want, add a baseball cap or bandana. If you’re trying to be Rap Monster, sunglasses are a must, but if you don’t have his intense-visor type, just wear a black headband over your eyes.

Big Hit Entertainment

Don’t forget to walk with swag! (But do so carefully if you’re wearing a headband over your face!)

Costume ease level – 4/5, it sounds easy but putting the outfit together and layering properly can be difficult.
Costume recognizability to non K-Pop fans- 1/5, people may think you’re just trying to be a random rapper, which is also cool.

Orange Caramel’s My Copycat

Again, two options here. Take a solid color dress, or tight shirt and shorts/jeans combination in the same color, and put large graphic stickers on them. Ideally, iron on stamps would be great, but then you’d ruin your clothes. Add white sneakers, cream eyeshadow with coral lipstick, a faux pearl necklace, bracelets, and big earrings– you’re ready to imitate the copycats. If you want to really rock it, match your nails to the color of your outfit.

Pledis Entertainment

Alternatively, put on a short jean skirt and a horizontal red-and-white striped shirt for the look from the end of the video. If you have overalls or a jean romper, that’s even better. Add a striped bow headband, and you’re all set. Don’t have one? Use paper and draw stripes, then attach it to your headband. Not ideal, but it works! Don’t forget the dark red lipstick!

Costume ease level – 2/5, the decals are a bit annoying
Costume recognizability to non K-Pop fans- 2/5, people might think you’re Where’s Waldo.

Also on KultScene: Let’s Discuss: Jessica’s Departure & Girls’ Generation’s Future

BIGBANG’s G-Dragon in Fantastic Baby

Fantastic Baby has an intense concept, and you’re going to have to tone it down a bit. The first thing about G-Dragon’s outfit is the hair, which may seem like a problem, but it can actually be pretty easy. You may have to run to a drugstore for some hair extensions or, if you have long hair, red hair spray. You may need both, let’s be honest. Unless you have a black-and-white pinstriped suit, you’re not going to be able to do G-Dragon’s most iconic outfit. But there’s another one that will definitely do! Pull on a black beanie or winter hat, with a red jacket, a white/beige t-shirt, gray pants, and gym shoes. Red and white shoes would be best, but hey, there’s not much you can do last minute so just go with it!

YG Entertainment

As for accessories, bedazzle (or put gold stickers/tape) on an umbrella, and put on some intense bracelets and necklaces.Add a smoky eye, with eyeliner on the lower lid, and the rest of the face pretty clean of makeup, and you’re going to be a great GD!

Costume ease level – 5/5, other than the umbrella, the costume’s pretty simple.
Costume recognizability to non K-Pop fans- 4/5

Are you dressing up as K-Pop stars for Halloween? Send us pictures! Leave your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

5 Reasons To Love Kim So Eun & Song Jae Rim On ‘We Got Married’

October 29, 2014/in Entertainment /by Tamar Herman

Even before the couple’s first episode aired, those of us at Kultscene thought that We Got Married‘s latest couple was worth watching. Kim So Eun and Song Jae Rim are both actors who are talented on their own, but together they make up one of the best couples We Got Married has seen in a long time. The two come together to form a realistic couple, with their similarities and their differences, and are truly enjoyable to watch. The two actors are completely different, incompatible, but somehow they make the audience forget that everything is just for the sake of the show. It’s impossible not to watch this couple without grinning at their interactions, and getting squeamish when it comes down to their over-the-top moments.

[Disclosure: This contains content from the latest episode, so mind the spoilers.]

1. A Perfect Match

Couples need to be different, but they also need to have similarities, and that’s the case here. Both Song Jae Rim and Kim So Eun are actors with impressive careers but not superstars, so they have a hard-working determination that makes them perfect for one another.

Song Jae Rim Kim So Eun WGM Selca

Some couples on We Got Married are unevenly matched in their careers, but Jae Rim and So Eun are in similar places and really connect over that. Their personalities also match, and, even when bickering, the two find similarities and things that they can bond over– taking selfies, loving cats, living alone, saying “my style,” and countless other things.

Song Jae Rim Kim So Eun Sunglasses Selca ‘We Got Married’

2. Realistic Couple

The two make you forget that We Got Married is just a faux-marriage program. Instead, Song Jae Rim tries multiple times each episode to get closer to Kim So Eun, whether it’s putting his arm sneakily around her or when he tries to kiss her neck in romantic gesture. He constantly teases So Eun about intimate relations and going to bed together that it’s hard to imagine that there are cameramen following them around.

Song Jae Rim Kim So Eun Skinship ‘We Got Married’

Even though Kim So Eun thinks Jae Rim’s cheesiness and attempts at skinship are over the top, she can’t resist his charm. The two became close early on and even felt comfortable watching a mature movie together. They tease each other like normal couples do, but even when they annoy each other, Jae Rim and So Eun find the other charming.

Kim So Eun Hitting Song Jae Rim ‘We Got Married’

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

3. Song Jae Rim Is Cute and Sexy All At Once

Known for his powerful roles in The Moon Embraces The Sun, Inspiring Generation, and Two Weeks, as well as for being eye candy in The Idle Mermaid, Song Jae Rim has completely ruined his image on We Got Married.

Song Jae Rim Sexy Bed Picture ‘We Got Married’

He’s gained the nickname “Obligation Song,” due to how he does everything that So Eun asks him to do. Kim So Eun and the in-studio audience cannot handle his over-the-top compliments sometimes, although in the latest episodes, So Eun’s started to be just as ridiculous as Jae Rim. He’s so, so, so cheesy that even the MC’s can’t handle it.

: MBC via Tumblr

: MBC via Tumblr

4. Kim So Eun Shows Her Tough Attitude and Soft Side

The leading lady doesn’t take anything from her man, even when he tries to tease her by not wearing boxers under his hospital gown. Jae Rim pushes, and So Eun pushes right back. But she also makes him dinner, visits him when he’s ill, and puts up with his over exaggerated attempts at flattery. She’s a bit more innocent than Song Jae Rim, and admits that she hasn’t been in a relationship in a while, but even though she gets flustered when he teases her, she is ready to match him head to head rather than letting him take control of the situation. So Eun’s able to take as much as Jae Rim gives and it’s simply fantastic to watch them try to go head-to-head with one another. (Plus, she’s great on Liar Game!)

: MBC via Tumblr

: MBC via Tumblr

: MBC via Tumblr

: MBC via Tumblr

: MBC via Tumblr

: MBC via Tumblr

But, at the end of the day, Kim So Eun is independent, and whenever Song Jae Rim teases her, she finds something to tease him about. JaeRim couple may as well be called “bickering couple” based on how they go at it sometimes, and it’s absolutely amazing.

5. Kuni Omma & Olla Appa

We Got Married couples usually have names for each other, often “darling” or “honey,” but this couple became parents early on in their marriage. Both Song Jae Rim and Kim So Eun are cat lovers, and instead of dropping their cats off somewhere else during filming, they both brought their cats, Kim Seo Eun’s Kuni and Song Jae Rim’s Olla, to their We Got Married home. Of course, they also needed to carry all the necessary supplies with them, like catnip, a Range of CBD products for cats, treats, and more, to make sure that their beloved cats are well taken care of.

: MBC via Tumblr

: MBC via Tumblr

The cats make a common appearance, and the two have bonded over their common love by decorating their house and clothes with cat decals. They let the cats sleep on the bed, which didn’t leave room for the couple. Kuni Omma and Olla Appa’s response? Build a cat tower from scratch and forcibly lift the cats to it after sprinkling catnip on it.

Song Jae Rim Kim So Eun ‘WGM’

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

Bonus: Eric Nam Is The Best Commentator

Eric Nam is an unwitting star due to his hilarious reactions at Jae Rim and So Eun’s interactions.

How much do you live this We Got Married? Who do you think will come out on top, Song Jae Rim or Kim So Eun? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

[All images are taken from MBC via Tumblr]

Album Review: Far East Movement ‘KTown Riot’ EP

October 28, 2014/in Entertainment, MUSIC /by Tara

[Disclaimer: This review talks about adult content and uses profane language.]

Far East Movement pay homage to their hometown with their new EP KTown Riot. The quartet collaborated with many artists and producers to create this EP that gives back to their community. The whole EP focuses on the group’s experiences growing up and living in K-Town in Los Angeles, California. From an official statement on their Facebook page, Far East Movement stated:

…we named this mini album KTOWN RIOT to show love to the city that’s had our back since day one and the word RIOT mean growth from chaos, and we’re proud to see how the community has grown And inspire us to grow as artists and people.

Far East Movement doesn’t stray from their well-known sound or style, which adds familiarity to the songs. But with their Far East Movement flair, each song on the KTown Riot EP keeps fans and listeners entertained throughout, whether the sound is familiar or not.

1.The Illest ft. Schoolboy Q

The Illest starts out completely different than where it ends up. But listeners can tell from the subdued, and slightly muffled, music that the beat will eventually build upon itself and escalate into a club song. The beginning of the intro already adds a layer to the original beat and music. Halfway through, the beat builds, then briefly stops and introduces a new beat used for the first verse and bridge. As the hook comes back into play, we hear the marimba-inspired music from the beginning of the song. The lyrics show listeners how the guys party. And when they party, they party hard.

Got a v-mail from my K-Town chick that wanna hook up and blaze

The use of “my K-Town chick” tells the listener that this EP is about K-Town and all its vices. Partying hard, getting into trouble, hooking up with each other, smoking, and heavy drinking are all present and doable in K-Town. It’s what makes living there (and visiting) an experience.

No motherfuckers can out-drink us

The Illest is your basic hip hop party song, but with Far East Movement personality throughout it. They’ve cut down some of the verses from the original and just stuck with Schoolboy Q’s rap verse. Rapping about drinking Tanqueray all night, smoking cannabis, and entering the club alone, but not leaving alone. To close out the song, Prohgress tells listeners explicitly why they are the Illest:

“I” is for the way these beezies love how I bang
And “double L” is for the way I blow that smoke in ya face
We roll on “E’s” and we be easy rollin that bank
And “ST” is for the Illest shit we rep every day

2.Bang It To The Curb ft. Sidney Samson

If The Illest was about partying and hip hop nightlife, then Bang It To The Curb is about driving around recklessly with the music bumping and the stash in the dash ready to go:

Hit the stash in the dash, better puff puff pass
Flyin faster than the 5-0, bang it to the curb!

Bang It To The Curb shows what it’s like driving around in K-Town. Bang It To The Curb starts out similarly to The Illest in that the listeners are eased into the song and not thrown into the club right from the beginning. A female vocalist starts the song off with the hook, and then we get some hardcore house music fit for the club. Musically, there aren’t as many layers as in The Illest, but that suits this song much better. The beat is hard-hitting and the quick, high-pitched house music fits the tempo and feel of the song.

R-Reppin 213, California lotto

Using one’s area code in a hip hop song is the way to represent your city and hometown. A subtle way to show love to where one is from and still calls home. The use of 213, the area code for downtown Los Angeles, is actually a very small area that is completely surrounded by another area code. Using 213 shows that K-Town is very exclusive and tight-knit. They may be surrounded by a different area code, but the only thing that matters is what’s happening in the 213.

3.Grimey Thirsty ft. Rell the Soundbender & YG

Grimey Thirsty is all about the instrumental. The song showcases producer Rell The Soundbender’s ability to fuse hip hop and dance music. Grimey Thirsty is a song that the DJ would play toward the end of the night in the club; it gives off energetic club vibes needed as the night comes to a close. Always leave on a high note, and dance to Grimey Thirsty, the ultimate club song.

The first rap verse is essentially about rolling up to the club, drinking in the club, meeting a girl in the club, and hooking up with that same girl girl. Rapper YG has a verse about halfway through the song where he raps about being pulled over by the police and searched for an hour because the police want to find something to pin on him. The song title really says it all: Grimey Thirsty. That’s what the club scene is like: the guys, the girls, the venue. They’re all grimy and everyone in the club is thirsty, which leads to large amounts of alcohol and a lustful thirst.

In regards to YG’s rap verse, the term Grimey Thirsty correlates to his view of the police that pull him over because of his race. The cops are grimy human beings, and they thirst at the slightest reason to find something on him.

Police pull me over
Driving while black
Search the car for an hour
Trying to find the strap

4.Level (Palm Trees) ft. La’Reda & Sha Sha Jones

The second half of the KTown Riot EP gives off a laid-back, more subdued tone compared to the club-heavy tracks in the first half of the EP. Electro duo La’Reda gives a breath of fresh air to this EP in Level (Palm Trees). The previous tracks are more similar to Far East Movement’s usual musical style and genre, but La’Reda adds their mixed beats and sounds of EDM and melodic tunes to create a laid-back vibe that perfectly depicts the sunny days in LA. Sha Sha Jones’ vocals also perfectly embody the feeling of this song, a feeling of finally making it to the top.

Level with these palm trees

The sounds and lyrics of the song portray the feeling of dreaming of bigger and better things. The rapping perfectly fits into the song and doesn’t feel forced. The pace matches the beat and music beautifully. The final third of the song sees a change in music and pace, with more of an EDM feel, but then we are back to the laid-back, chill vibe.

”One day we’ll be level with the palm trees”

The lyrics are a perfect metaphor for wanting to reach success that puts one at the top of the top. Experiencing all the lows throughout life only adds to the process of reaching that pinnacle moment in life and will make it so much sweeter.

5.Melody ft. Play-N-Skillz & Fingazz

At the beginning of Melody, it seems like a sweet serenade, and then it changes within the first few lines of lyrics…

I can tell you want to fuck with me

The song is still a sweet serenade, just Far East Movement-style. There’s no beating around the bush with this song. They clearly say what’s on their mind to the girl and expect her response to mirror their thoughts and actions. The sweet vocals pair nicely with the funk-inspired music and beat. The whole song is about throwing away all their inhibitions to have a melodic love-making session, or two. The lyrics may be explicit and to some, crass, but they get the point across:

…get you singing melodies you never sung before
Cause you can (get it, get it)
Yeah you can (get it get it)
Go ahead and hit that D sharp you know that’s my chord, oh lord (get it, get it)
Yeah you can (get it get it)
Screamin higher than Mariah back in ’94…

Obviously this song is not about a simple hookup. There is more involved, there are deep feelings. He wants to experience a melodic love session with this woman:

I suppose you and mean could just drift away
and leave behind our former selves

6.Up To No Good ft. Adrian Delgado

Up To No Good has a slight R&B feel to it fused with hip hop. Adrian Delgado’s vocals add to the R&B feel, especially his falsetto. Up To No Good is a great song to round out the KTown Riot EP. It’s an anthem that states:

K-Town always up to no good

It’s about living life to the fullest even if it means getting in trouble. Be adventurous and don’t regret anything and K-Town is the place to do that. In the KTown Riot mini documentary K-Town Riot Part 1, OG Chino states

the things that go on in Koreatown probably don’t go on anywhere else in America.

Koreatown is the place to go to break the rules.

Keeping to the overall theme of the EP, Up To No Good talks about the various rebellious acts one can do:

Cause I’ll be the reason you’re up to no good

They’re seeking trouble and the song is paying homage to the fact K-Town is its own entity where one can have a lot of fun, and get into a lot of trouble.

Overall Thoughts:

I am pleasantly surprised with Far East Movement’s KTown Riot EP. I expected the usual EDM, club hits, but the second half of the EP showed a softer side to them, musically. The first half is definitely for getting ready to go out and for at the club, the second half adds more emotion to the mix. They stick to the theme of showing listeners what it’s like for them living in K-Town.

Overall the EP flows well from hard-hitting, club hits to softer, more laid-back songs. Somehow they manage to make all the songs work well with each other. The layout has a lot to do with that. Rapping about all the lavishness of partying in K-Town and then rapping and singing with more focus on doing things with just one girl.

Far East Movement 'KTown Riot'

What is your favorite track off of Far East Movement’s KTown Riot EP? 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.

4 Male K-Pop Idols Who Defy Gender Roles

October 28, 2014/in Features /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

Despite K-Pop being a mainstream genre within a somewhat conservative culture, there are some idols who push boundaries with their lyrics, clothes, music videos, looks, etc. So it comes expectant that even in a country that has Confucian dogma you can find some black sheep in the bunch defying other aspects of society that ultimately end up damaging individuals, like gender roles.

What are gender roles, you ask? It’s the set of behavioral norms one “must” follow depending on whether you’re male or female. You know, blue and toy trucks for boys, pink and dolls for girls –that type of thing. But the problem with binding gender roles goes far beyond pants and dresses. Trouble arises when society limits people to these set rules and don’t allow or look down on the ones who choose to flourish outside of them.

This list is exactly about that; those male idols who choose to push and bend society’s notions on gender and are successful at it.

1. FT Island’s Hongki

Hongki, the charismatic lead singer of the Korean pop rock band FT Island, embodies what we regularly associate with the word “rockstar.” Onstage and through his TV appearances, Hongki always displays his I-don’t-give-a-damn persona, whether he’s being snarky with his remarks or challenging FNC Entertainment’s CEO publicly. Hongki takes his strong personality everywhere he goes and doesn’t only do it for show.

But the thing that’s most “punk rock” about the singer is probably his love for nail art. Hongki wouldn’t be the first rockstar to don nail polish to compliment his style, but he definitely is unique in that he released a book completely dedicated to nail art called Lee Hong Gi Nail Book. The 144-page long book includes the singer’s stories and insight on nail art and is a best seller in Korea, Japan, and China.

Over the years, men have pushed through the taboos and social awkwardness of getting manicures and pedicures, and it’s no longer a rarity to see a man at a salon getting these procedures. But to rock full-on designs and flashy colors? That’s not what many heterosexual men would willingly do. Nail polish has always been marketed for women, and with that, branded as a feminine product. The fact that Hongki got past his and other people’s prejudices to the level of rocking and spending $45,000 a year on nail art is commendable.

Nail art doesn’t take away anything from Hongki’s personality or look, it merely enhances it. After all, it’s just paint and design on nails.

2. G-Dragon

Rappers and fashion have come hand-in-hand since the ‘90s, when artist began flexin’ their designer clothes and jewelry in music videos and lyrics. However, no rapper has ever reached fashion icon status and respect from the fashion world like G-Dragon has. A man liking clothes and shoes and accessories has been periodically accepted over the years, but a love and fascination for it is almost exclusive to women and gay men.

This is where G-Dragon makes his mark. He’s a rapper, a producer, and a lyricist, and is respected as an artist in the entertainment business. The fact that his artistry translates over to his amazing range in his fashion styling does not detract from his musical talents or his “manhood.” With his fashion, the BIGBANG leader is a chameleon; he goes from avant garde to streetwear in a second and kills it every time. His style is always changing and evolving with time and trends, and he has never shied away from pushing gender boundaries with his fashion. A good example of this is last year’s Vogue Korea editorial, where he posed with model Soo Joo, both of them styled identically to look like twins.

Androgyny is not a look that has been on the mainstream and widely accepted, it is mostly reserved for the arts. But G-Dragon, with his small built and extraordinary fashion, has been making a case for bending gender since his debut. Can anyone logically make a good argument against a man wearing a skirt? Well, G-Dragon can make a good one for it.

3. NU’EST’s Ren

Even before debut, Ren made headlines for his appearance. Not because he had ulzzang status or beast idol features, but because he was pretty. No, not handsome, pretty. You know, that term society uses to describe girls exclusively and is somehow demeaning to tag boys with that…

NU’EST’s maknae personifies the group’s concept: being different and unique and not being afraid to show it. Ren contrasts his pretty boy image and charms with powerful performances. With this, he challenges society’s notions of masculinity and femininity by living somewhere in between them under his own terms; he even calls himself pretty.

Just like androgyny, a man having feminine traits does not make him any less of a man. Ren promotes a healthy lifestyle that works well for him. And if anyone thinks that someone’s “manliness” is challenged by a guy listening to Lady Gaga or knowing all of the girl groups’ choreography and can deliver them spot on, is only unsure of their own identity.

4. 2AM’s Jo Kwon

2AM’s Jo Kwon has made a name for himself for various reasons, but most of it comes from his innate talent. The singer prides himself in having been a JYP Entertainment trainee for seven years before debuting and is a member of that agency’s ballad male group. Standing on stage wearing a suit and serenading the audience with his powerful vocals, Jo Kwon is a completely different person than what he showcases on TV: the male diva.

Viewers witness Jo Kwon’s flamboyant personality when he fiercely dances girl group choreographies on variety shows or when he wore Jeffrey Campbell’s heel-less hoof shoes during his solo promotions. Furthermore, he recently took part in the Korean adaptation of the musical Priscilla, playing the dual roles of Adam and Felicia.

Because of this, the singer gets called gay left and right. Everyone has an unsolicited opinion on his sexuality, but the reality lies in that Jo Kwon has repeatedly denied those allegations. That being said, the public must respect his stance. And, of course, the reality we live in is not that simple. The singer garnered lots of criticism and hate over his participation in Priscilla, leading him defend himself on Instagram, when he obviously didn’t need to do so.

The fact that a straight man undertakes what society perceives as effeminate traits and behaviours and displays them for the mainstream audience shows how forward thinking some youth are. What Jo Kwon does is good entertainment and is well-received by the public; his sexuality is irrelevant. Even if he’s not gay himself, he’s paving the way for future queer celebrities to be accepted.

Who’s your favorite male idol who defies gender roles? We’d love for you to share your picks with us, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, so you can keep up with all our posts.

[Renders: michiru92, dyoomma]

Playlist Sunday: Halloween Edition

October 26, 2014/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

From the out-of-this-world fashion and costumes to the dark and creepy concepts artists undertake, K-Pop gives great choices for Halloween costumes and soundtracks. And since the holiday is rapidly approaching, KultScene decided that this week’s Playlist Sunday should revolve around things we associate with All Hallows Eve: creepiness, mysteriousness, and darkness… And yet, a lot of fun.

A mix of dreams and eeriness, Sunny Hill’s Midnight Circus is one of my favorite music videos. There’s a whole story going on here, and each member of the idol group has a role, whether it’s as the stars of the show or the ringmaster controlling each act. There’s one interpretation that the music video and song are about the hardworking life of Korean idols, who are controlled almost entirely by their entertainment agencies. Even if the song doesn’t have a deeper meaning, the song’s creepy accompaniment and the fantastical sets make Midnight Circus absolutely wonderful. The variety of sounds within one song and the imagery gained Sunny Hill a lot of attention, and Midnight Circus is still definitely one of the best K-Pop music videos ever produced. Bonus– Beast’s Kikwang makes a cameo as a weak “strongman.”

—Tamar

Also on KultScene: 4 Female K-Pop Idols With Unique Beauty

Snakes, blood, brains, sewing together skin, voodoo dolls, what more do you need for a creepy music video? VIXX‘s concepts are always different than the mainstream K-Pop music. They tend to stick to their alien/other worlds concept and do a great job with it. Voodoo Doll is no exception. When the music video was released, it was a new concept and an extremely catchy song. There’s even stabbing in the choreography that VIXX had to alter for their live stages. The fact that the members are tortured by a girl via voodoo dolls makes the concept creepy and, for some people, cringeworthy, but worth watching. The guys do a great job acting out being tortured throughout the music video and their vocals and choreography are reason enough to watch.

— Tara

K-Pop music videos are known for their colorfulness and vividness. Well, mostly anyway. But then BEAST comes into the picture and give the antithesis to that notion with last year’s Shadow. For starters, the video is film noir and relies on the mysterious, eerie, and haunting to best represent the sorrowful lyrics of the song. From the actual plot to the props used to the wardrobe, Shadow’s dark concept make it the perfect Halloween jam.

–Alexis

Also on KultScene: Music Video Fashion: BEAST’s “Good Luck”

SHINee’s album Chapter 2: Why So Serious?- The Misconceptions Of Me has a lot of tracks that have themes of paranormality, zombies, and vampires. In their track Nightmare, the listeners learn of a story of a man who falls in love with a beautiful vampire. The song is full of synths and sound effects that make you picture a very cold and eerie setting. The music really conveys the feeling of the song of being trapped in a nightmare, not being able to distinguish between the dream and reality.

–Alejandro

What’s your favorite K-Pop Halloween song? We’d love for you to share your picks with us, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, so you can keep up with all our posts.

Album Review: BEAST “TIME”

October 25, 2014/in Entertainment, MUSIC /by Alejandro Abarca

After having a formidable comeback with their sixth mini album Good Luck this past August, BEAST found a way to make a great comeback with their newest mini album TIME. This highly successful K-Pop group takes the listener, hence the name, back in time with their sounds and through a rollercoaster of emotions. If you pay close attention to how the group arranged their tracklist, you can really appreciate how they build a story with this album: The nostalgic journey of a man longing for his lover.

12:30

The first track of the album is the lead single, 12:30. The ballad starts out with a beautiful and soothing piano. As the drums kick in, they lead the way for Yoseob to open the song. Then, every member gets their own part and demonstrates their beautiful vocals. The tone in their vocals seems very melancholic and gives a feeling of sorrow that pairs well with the meaning of the song.

As time goes by, the hands of the clock start separating, and they are used throughout the song as a metaphor of a relationship that has grown apart and become distant, thus leading to the inevitable breakup. Even if the song is a ballad, the chorus gets very subtle yet powerful electronic beats and dubstep sounds that reference the chaotic relationship described in the lyrics. And so the story begins…

Drive

After the inevitable breakup on 12:30, the next chapter for this story is Drive. BEAST buries us into a man’s feelings after breaking up with his lover. The guitar riffs give a sense of masculinity along with Junhyung’s rap, which is predominant in this song, and his voice really lets us know of the frustration and anger inside this man. The riffs continue throughout the song, but they range from powerful to very soft riffs, which let us know about his unstable emotions. The trumpet and drums in the chorus give off a jazz feel, taking the listener on a trip to when this genre was at the height of its popularity.

The jazz in the chorus allows for an exaggerated nostalgic feeling of the driver. What he really wants to do is just drive and forget about everything, but even driving doesn’t let him have a time to reflect on himself and forget about his lost relationship. From his GPS with his lover’s house as a favorite location to that time he put on her seat belt to protect his love, a drive that was supposed to make him forget has become a very nostalgic trip down memory lane.

It’s All Good (좋은 일이야)

The previous song really took the listener on a journey where a man was having trouble dealing with his recent breakup. It’s All Good (좋은 일이야) places him in a reflective and accepting stage when dealing with his emotions and breakup. The guitar at the beginning of the song creates a very cool acoustic vibe. Right after the first “It’s all good,” drums and synths come into the song. The music arrangement really states how this man really believes that everything is good and how determined he is now of accepting the breakup. It allows the listener to paint a picture of the story where this man is alone in his room reflecting on his past relationship. He understands now what the problems were in the relationship and how they are better apart than together. He wants to let his lover know that it’s all good now.

The harmony in the chorus is perfect; it even seems that there is only one member singing it. This perfect harmony reinstates one more time how this man’s believes after his reflective time.

Close My Eyes (눈을 감아도)

This track fast forwards the storyline to a few months after the previous song. This man thought he was ready to move on, he had accepted not having his lover in his life anymore, but he was wrong. He saw his ex-lover with her new relationship and all his feelings came back. The different range of vocals, instruments, and sound effects create a confusing feeling. There are a few trova and R&B rhythms on the song that create a state of confusion, but they enhance this man’s confused feelings and frustrations.

He is angry and confused. He thought that he had moved on but his feelings came back after looking at his lover. He doesn’t know what to do and starts pondering on those questions that everyone asks themselves after a breakup. Do they think about me even if they are with someone else? Do they still feel the same way I do? Did their feelings come back again?

Stay

TIME’s last chapter comes with Stay. It’s been a few months or maybe years now, and this man hasn’t had any contact with his ex-lover. He still thinks about her and wonders where they would be if they had stayed together. He states that even if he knows that his lover doesn’t have any feelings for him anymore, he really wants to be with her again, stay by her side, and wishes for his lover to not forget him as time passes. He wants his lover to reflect on what he had that her new lovers would not give her. He just really wants her back.

The track takes the listeners back to the ‘90s and continues with the nostalgic theme of the album. The song starts out with an intro that is very similar to the chorus of the song. The placement of every part of Stay (the chorus, the bridge, and the climax) is what really makes this song reminiscent of the great classic ‘90s songs. Back in those days, most songs started with a few words from the chorus and then the bridge, the chorus, and then lead into the climax at the end, ending the song with the chorus (i.e. Britney Spears’ Baby One More Time).

Stay sticks to this formula and gives a very fresh and modern twist to it. Its flow conveys the overall feeling of the album. This is the only song on the album that is very upbeat, but it sums up the emotional rollercoaster of the man of the story that BEAST created with TIME.

So Hot (Physical Album Bonus Track)

This bonus song talks about a man and woman having a one-night-stand. So Hot has a very sexy feeling in the music and BEAST’s vocals. It still continues to have a nostalgic feeling that makes the listeners think that this song is the beginning of this man’s story. If we think about this song as the beginning of this man’s relationship with his longing ex-lover, we can finally know how this couple met. We get to picture his flirtatious ways and everything he does to attract the woman that he felt attracted to. There is something about her that makes him lust and desire this woman, and he wants her to enjoy and get rid of her inhibitions.

After hooking up his lust turns into a more intense attraction that makes him want to turn this one-night-stand into a relationship. This ultimately leads us to the title track, 12:30, the inevitable breakup that started this man’s emotional journey.

Concluding Thoughts

I have always been attracted to albums that tell a story and have a very clear concept to it. With TIME, BEAST really went back to creating an album that flows very well and has a story that can be very relatable to the listeners. The album is produced impeccably and the use of the ‘90s formulas for music gave a fresh yet known feel to it. This album really showcased the group’s maturity with more up-tempo ballads and having their classic “BEAST moments” with songs like Stay and 12:30. TIME is the perfect companion when dealing with a break-up. The emotional rollercoaster that the music and lyrics take you through could really help any listener that’s going through the same as the man depicted in the album.

BEAST's "TIME"

4.8

Did you love BEAST’s new mini album TIME? We’d love to hear your thoughts and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, so you can keep up with all our posts.

Glen Check & More at 2014 Seoulsonic in New York

October 24, 2014/in Events /by Tamar Herman

The 2014 Seoulsonic show on October 22^nd in New York, was a feast of light and music when From The Airport, Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio, and Glen Check took the stage.

The groups, brought to New York City by the CMJ Music Marathon 2014, played in the Soho-based venue SOBs to an enthusiastic audience that was enthralled by the variety of sounds produced by the three indie groups from South Korea. Despite coming from thousands of miles away, the audience and the musicians had no problem understanding one another– this may have also been aided by the fact that only Rock’N’Roll Radio’s songs were in Korean, while the other two groups sung in English.

After starting roughly twenty minutes late, From The Airport kicked off the Seoulsonic show. The electro-synth duo brought a rock vibe to their set, with one member on stage in full-dj mode while the other switched off between his guitar and synthesizers. Even though From The Airport had a heavy emphasis on synthesizer, to the degree where one member’s singing sounded entirely mechanized, a few songs had guitar riffs, providing a synth-rock feel.

The duo, made up of Milo and Zee, gave off a laidback concept as they stood on stage wearing T-shirts and glasses, while they performed their six song set. But From The Airport’s production anything but laid back, and every moment that the two were on stage, it was clear that they had put their heart and soul into the music. Zee in particular couldn’t seem to stand still as he delved into the music, nodding his head to every single beat other than when he had to sing into the mic.

Also on KultScene: Review: B1A4’S Road Trip Tour In San Francisco

Even though the words were partially drowned out by the music, the meaning of each song was clear thanks to the presentation. The surreal sound of the songs matched the light show throughout the set. A screen behind From The Airport created a backdrop of vibrant flashes of color that enhanced the music rather than distracted from it, as if the lights and the synth-beats were combined.

The following act, Rock‘N’Roll Radio, was a completely different sort of indie group, forgoing technology and taking the audience back to the time when the only type of concert was one with a full five-member rock band. Rock ‘N’ Roll Radio was the relative newbie in the night’s roster, but the band had a great response from the audience, despite the fact that their lyrics are in Korean.

After From The Airport’s modern, electro-synth sound, an old school-style band like Rock‘N’Roll Radio was able to get the crowd moving. Every song that the quintet performed had a beat that was easy to move to, and several songs had simple lines of “oooh ooh ooh” or “yea yea yea” that made it simple for the audience to get into. Dance-rock songs like One Week and Shut Up and Dance were full-body experiences, and it was easy to see why Rock’N’Roll Radio received the 2014 Korean Music Awards New Artist of the Year award.

As if the audience wasn’t enthralled by the modern take on traditional bands, which are rare in the current Korean music scene, the lead singer kept the audience entertained in between songs by trying his hand at English. He had everyone in stitches with a random reference to a hit HBO show when he was discussing what it was like being in New York.

New York is cold. Winter is coming… I love Game of Thrones.

Glen Check rounded out the evening, and were definitely the most popular act in the room. The group is one of Korea’s best electronic acts, and recently had their song 60’s Cardin featured in the OST of both seasons of SBS’s Roommate. Like From The Airport, Glen Check sang in English.

The three on stage, the two members wearing matching white Glen Check sweatshirts and an additional guitarist, began performing to a loud round of applause. The set featured electro-dance songs with heavy synth, and Glen Check, like From The Airport, used the backdrop to create a light show with images and lyrics that matched their songs. The synth music that Glen Check meshed with the guitar and drums on stage created a funky sound that was both infectious and new; a style that was retro and new all at once. Numerous times throughout the set, Glen Check urged the crowd to clap along.

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

The group ended the set and then performed an encore song, with one of the members taking up a drumstick and hitting the cymbal numerous times. The indie-pop-dance music had everyone in SOBs moving, and brought the entire night to a perfect full circle.

Stay tuned for more pictures and video from the event coming soon!

Do you like the bands featured on 2014 Seoulsonic? Be sure to tell us which is your favorite and don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ to keep up with all of our posts.

Epik High’s ‘Born Hater’ Music Video & Song Review

October 23, 2014/in Entertainment, MUSIC VIDEOS /by Tara

[Disclaimer: This review contains adult content and uses profane language.]

Talk about a comeback. Epik High‘s Born Hater easily reached over 1 million views within its first 24 hours of being released on YouTube. Beenzino, Verbal Jint, Mino, Bobby, and B.I are all featured on the track and all appear in the video. Each rapper has his own verse, where he addresses the haters in themed bathroom stalls (more about that below). In short, the song and the video are brilliant.

Setting

The setting of the music video is a male public bathroom with numerous stalls. The video starts with a stall door holding all of the information for the song and DJ Tukutz’s gear is seen beneath the stall door. He starts out the video in one of these stalls as he mixes his beats.

Why bathroom stalls, one may ask? Well, I’m not quite sure but I can speculate. The song is titled Born Hater, which instantly tells the listener that the song will address the haters out there. Maybe the bathroom was chosen for the link to shit. Because haters talk shit, Epik High and guests are basically telling them to eat shit because they don’t know what they’re talking about.

Or maybe it’s to show that even though Epik High is well-known in the industry and have been around for over 10 years, they want to show that they are still human who still use the same porcelain toilets as the rest of us. Again, these are speculations, but make sense given the facts in the video.

There are times throughout the video that the scene changes from the original stall of each rapper to a stark, white, non-furnished bathroom. This bathroom is much deeper than the original stalls and has no color, except for the few props that are scattered toward to front of the stall. To me, this bathroom represents the person’s attitude toward the haters right now: nothingness. It’s like their own little asylum where no one can bother them. They are void of all the hate and clutter while in that room. It is their safe haven where they can release all their anger and emotions.

Videography

The music video, right from the beginning, is a vertical screen. This could be for many reasons. The music video takes place in bathroom stalls, which are narrow and private. The screen helps to portray that feeling. It also could be an ode to Epik High’s album title, Shoebox, in that the screen imitates the shape and depth of the inside of a shoebox.

The transitions throughout the video solidify the fact that this takes place in a public bathroom with many stalls. The camera quickly slides over to the next stall for the next verse. There are moments of a pan to the left/right in correspondence with the lyrics, which again add to the feeling of being in a bathroom.

The zoom never goes in extremely close to each person. However, there is the initial view of the overall stall, and then the zoom in to focus more on the person of interest at that time in the video. The zoom is not abrupt or rough, it flows smoothly and works well with the transitions and the style of the video.

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

Theme

Each member of Epik High, as well as the featured rappers, has his own bathroom stall that is decorated to correlate to their verses. Each stall and person within it is also a representation of the Seven Deadly Sins:

via scontent-b @instagram

Meaning

DJ Tukutz’s stall is filled with DJ equipment as he mixes the beat to start the song and throughout it. His bathroom stall is quite literal in that he always makes the beats for Epik High, and this song is no different. Tukutz sits quietly in his stall, minding his own business producing his beats. No one else is in the stall with him and he rarely, if ever, looks at the camera. His hunched position as he sits and his sunglasses imply that he doesn’t want to be seen or that no one ever really notices him. Tukutz represents Envy in that he’s always in the background of Epik High and never really in the spotlight.

via namhyun @tumblr

Tablo is surrounded by paintings of well-known artists (Dali, Van, Picasso- also a reference to Beenzino’s single) with huge red X’s over most of them, which alludes to Tablo’s Pride that he’s the best. To add to the painter motif he wears a beret. Along with the paintings, there are cockroaches scurrying all over the floor, walls, and Tablo. Throughout his verse, he’s constantly stepping on them, squishing them, and spraying them with pesticide. The cockroaches are all of the haters that keep coming at Tablo even when he continues to shut them down.

namhyun @tumblr

Beenzino is said to be Sloth. Sloth can be described as not utilizing one’s gifts and talents. This makes sense in that his haters think he gained his success through other means, like his looks, rather than his talent.

I can’t believe they say my success comes from my looks.

The Nike shoe boxes pose a bit of confusion to me. Maybe it’s a sign of his success and wealth. Let’s be honest, a lot of hip hop moguls show off their new kicks on SNS and the amount of Jordans one has in their closet seems to correlate to the amount of wealth one has, which also goes along with Beenzino’s lyrics that he is everywhere (meaning his music).

[Writer’s Edit: One of my fellow kultscene writers mentioned that the Nike shoeboxes represent Beezino’s song Nike Shoes and the girls that appear correspond to a line from that song:

Nikes on her feet make my love complete.

Hence the piles of Nike shoeboxes and the three girls who appear sitting among the boxes.]

namhyun @tumblr

B.I first appears during Beenzino’s scene as he’s trying to sweep the stall dressed in all white. He is the uncontaminated one trying to clear the mess in each stall. The all white implies purity, and since B.I has yet to debut, he is fresh and doesn’t have the amount of haters that his predecessors do. He isn’t tarnished by criticisms or harsh critiques.

Verbal Jint’s stall at a quick, first glance is full of books and posters. But as the video progresses, it’s clear that he’s looking at porn due to the blurred out magazine covers and the photos of bikini-clad women on the walls behind him. The fact that he’s looking at pornographic content similar to porn-hd.xxx and not hiding it connects with his lyrics:

Some of y’all are born haters
Male, female, old, young, distributed across all levels of society
Whatever I do, they respond with their innate shallowness

Even if Verbal Jint does something that everyone else is also doing, he still receives hate because he’s in the spotlight. People respond to his actions without knowing the full story.

namhyun @tumblr

Verbal Jint represents Lust, hence all of the porn magazines and posters on the walls. B.I also appears in Verbal Jint’s stall and becomes distracted from his cleaning by the erotic books in front of him. He would likely become distracted if an escort hamburg has about would be in front of him whilst cleaning too, so it seems fair. Although B.I is the uncontaminated one throughout the music video, he’s still human and has some vices of his own.

tabloworld @tumblr

Speaking of B.I, he is in charge of vocals throughout the song. He sings about being a rookie in the business and how one has to have the drive and ambition to succeed in the entertainment world. The closing words of his verse explain it all:

it’s motherfuckin do or die.

His scene shows him in Tukutz’s stall cleaning around his equipment and in his own stall that is sparkling clean with nothing on the walls or floors. Because he hasn’t officially debuted, his stall is clean and clear from all the haters’ comments.

captivatinglia @tumblr

captivatinglia @tumblr

Mithra embodies Gluttony with a loose fitting shorts-jumpsuit and boxes of pizza, containers of french fries, bags of chips, etc. in his stall. Gluttony can also be connected to selfishness. Mithra, at this point in his career, doesn’t care about anyone else in the game. He’s heard it all and only does what he wants to do.

namhyun @tumblr

Mino’s rap is a different beat than the others. Up until this point in the song, everyone’s rhymes and verses are on beat with the music. But Mino adds a little bit of asymmetry, which makes the listener tune in even more because the flow is slightly interrupted, in a good way.

He represents Wrath in many ways. The baseball bat he uses to smash the camera lense, the wine bottles behind him in the stall, which allude to self-destruction, and his overall destructive behavior. Mino’s lyrics for his verse are basically proving that he got to this position with his own talent, not because of his company. And he basically says if you don’t like him, then don’t pay attention to him, as simple as that.

namhyun @tumblr

Bobby is clearly the personification of Greed, with the gold chains, gold mirror, the money strewn all over the floor, the gold theater ropes, and the gold champions belt hanging on the wall. Also, the stacks of cash he nonchalantly throws around the room and gives to B.I. His lyrics state how people have noticed that he’s changed and he agrees. He wants the fame and fortune, but obviously has the talent and drive for it.

iamhunchul @tumblr

B.I closes out Born Hater with the chorus as he continues to clean the stalls. He also adds his own rap. In his rap, he explains that he’s different from the cookie-cutter singers and rappers you see on TV. And the fact that he’s on TV while his haters sit at home and watch and complain about him, proves that he’s doing something right. During his scene, he’s in a stall with Tukutz, Mithra, Tablo, and a few girls. Meanwhile, B.I is in the middle of the stall and everyone else is bobbing their head to the beat and looking at him as if in agreeance with what he raps.

dohdoro @tumblr

At the end of B.I’s verse, Tukutz starts DJing and B.I tries to get in on it, but Tukutz pushes his hand away and continues to look at him as if to say, even though you are talented, you’re still young and have to respect your hyungs. After that interaction, B.I has a look of obedience on his face.

kuopyo @tumblr

Also on KultScene: Artist Spotlight: Crucial Star

Overall Thoughts

The video overall has a lot of symbolism within each stall and each rapper’s verse (which is impossible to touch on in a basic review). Some comments on the video stated that they wish Epik High was in the video more, but I like this song and video. Yes, it is an Epik High song, which implies that they are the main attraction of the song and video. But the fact that they have veteran, new, and upcoming rappers on the track shows their inclusion and understanding of where hip hop was when they started and how it’s evolved over the years and will continue to do so.

The song has an amazing beat, great rapping, and is definitely one of my favorites of 2014. The colors, style of the music video, and the beat —especially the beat– of Born Hater remind me of a Beastie Boys song and music video, which, to me, is a really good thing.

Epik High's 'Born Hater'

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