Page 95 – KultScene

The English Club In K-Pop

June 22, 2014/in Features /by Tamar Herman

Expats living abroad in the same country tend to bond with one another, and that’s definitely true about Korean idols who speak English. Whether because of similar work activities (like working at Arirang, Korea’s English language channel), or simply because they lived similar lives at one point, transitioning from Western society to becoming iconic Korean figures, English-speaking Korean idols are drawn to one another.

Even though these idols may not necessarily be the most popular ones in their group, fans from all over the world adore them and follow their SNS since English speaking idols are often more accessible than idols who only speak in Korean. With K-Pop growing popular around the globe, idols who speak English can play a real role in connecting directly with fans around the world. Imagine K-pop stars using the services of something like Effortless English Club to help improve their English! That would be so cool. There’s always that one member of K-pop groups that is fluent in English, so you see them speaking the most during interview.

And lately, many of them have been doing it in a very public way. English speaking idols have shown that they have friendships that cross company lines.

Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany and 2PM’s Nichkhun Dating

Do they speak English to each other when on dates? Not necessarily, but both idols lived in L.A. prior to becoming trainees at two of the biggest entertainment companies in Korea. Touted by their groups for their English language skills, both Tiffany and Nichkhun became some of the most popular idols abroad- they each have huge fan followings, partially due to their accessibility to international fans. At the time of their debut, a contact explained:

Since the two have known each other for a long time and are both from the States, it was natural for their friendship to go to another level.

Eric Nam, Miss A’s Min, Ailee, U-KISS’s Kevin, BTOB’s Peniel, f(x)’s Amber, and Royal Pirates’ James Played On Twitter

Eric and Kevin were celebrating Kevin and the Royal Pirates’ Moon becoming MCs of the show After School Club, and some other people felt left out. Ailee and Amber joined in and convinced Kevin and Eric to get fat. Ailee invited the Miss A dancer along too.

Min only studied in the US for a short period of time, but her inclusion in the English club makes sense. Kevin faces James a shout out, and then James started correcting peoples grammar. After that, Amber initiated on shouting out Peniel and he was initiated into the group of English speaking idols.

(Credit: Soompi)

Eric Nam, U-KISS’s Eli, and NS Yoon-G Also Tweet Together

The two solo artists and U-KISS members have shown time and time again on Twitter that they are on very good terms. Kevin and Eric work together at Arirang, and Kevin had a cameo in Eric’s Ooh Ooh, and the two have promoted one anothers songs on social media. Eric, Eli, and NS Yoon-G gained attention earlier this year for a set of tweets that revolved around the boy’s commenting on Yoon-G’s sexy concept for Yasisi. They playful thread of Tweets showed how friendly they are.

Again, is it because they all lived in English speaking countries for a time? Not definitely, but the shared language and experience definitely seems to have a role there.

Celebrating Min’s Birthday

Several of the English-speaking group came together this weekend to celebrate Min’s birthday. Eric shared the pictures on Instagram, once again proving how language has bound the group together.

There are countless other idols who have lived in English speaking countries- Solo artist and Super Junior-M member Henry Lau, Girl’s Generation’s Jessica and her sister f(x)’s Krystal, Jay Park, 2PM’s Taecyeon, Nu’Est’s JR and Aron just to name a few.

What do you think, are English speaking idols more likely to get along? Are you more likely to like them because you understand their language better (I’m assuming you are reading this because you speak English just as well as they do)? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Can History reach success with “Psycho”?

June 21, 2014/in Entertainment, OPINION /by Tara

Loen Entertainment has made a name for itself by distributing music videos of famous Korean groups and artists. Aside from assisting with the distribution of new music, the company houses a few artists as well, under their artist label, Loen Tree. Sunny Hill and IU are under Loen Tree, along with label mate History.

Initially, in 2008, IU did not have much success when she debuted. It wasn’t until her follow-up album, Growing Up, that her name became known, and she became popular. Her third full-length album, Modern Times, was a hit from release, topping several music charts and programs. Although IU did not instantly become a huge sensation, she has developed into a great singer-songwriter; people absolutely adore her! Now it’s History’s time…

Let’s be honest, how many of you knew that History’s comeback will be their 3^rd mini album? Anyone? I sincerely hope that this is the mini album that will make History popular among mainstream music. Granted, they are competing with BEAST‘s recent comeback and many other well-known artists, but people just need to give History a chance. I thought their debut song, Dreamer was a phenomenal piece, but, unfortunately, it did not receive much commercial success.

From their debut, it feels as if History is a group that was together for a while, based on how well their voices compliment each other and how mature they all sound. These boys slay all harmonies; they are just so amazing! Their voices all suit each other so well and sound so smooth together. Their sound isn’t really mainstream at the moment, but that’s part of what gives History their pop. Their music sounds familiar, yet modern and new. I can’t quite describe it, but I know that I love it.

History is back again with their upcoming 3^rd mini album Desire. It consists of five tracks and displays elements of funk, jazz, swing, and other genres that are appealing to listeners. Hopefully, this will be the album where people recognize History’s talent so that their popularity could grow

Their title track, Psycho sounds like an ’80s anthem with the synths and bass. Let me tell you: I love me some ’80s anthems. There are only two teasers out, but I can already tell that this song is going to be on repeat for a while. As I mentioned before, History’s harmonies are impeccable, as are their high notes. There’s literally only 20 seconds of singing in each of their teasers, and the majority of the it is laced with harmonies. And that ending, with the creepy smile… This is going to be good.

The second teaser gives us a little more insight into the choreography and setting of the music video. It’s clear that the boys are in an asylum, because their love has turned into an obsession. The choreography looks like it will be pretty good. There wasn’t much given away in terms of dance, but there is a lot of touching each other on the neck and head area, as well as pushing each other away. There were a lot of scenes done in black and white, which I love for its artistic value in any video. Sometimes the simplicity of black and white just adds so much more feel and emotion.

History will release their Desire album on June 23^rd, along with their title track, Psycho. Just like IU, I hope that History’s popularity will rise. There are a lot of talented artists out there, but there are some who are just under the radar. History is one of those groups. Psycho could be the catalyst that catapults them into mainstream popularity. No matter the outcome, I will always be a fan of History.Are you guys excited for History’s comeback? Do you think they’ll gain the following they need to make an impact in the mainstream Kpop scene? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Music Video Fashion: BEAST’s “Good Luck”

June 19, 2014/in Fashion, Style /by Alejandro Abarca

When it comes to BEAST‘s music video fashion, it changes for each songs’ concept. With their recent comeback with Good Luck, they nailed it with the styling. They really bring out the urban feel of the clothes and turn it completely into high-end fashion.

It’s already well known that throughout the past years BEAST reinvented themselves into fashionistas. They’re known for wearing the latest pieces by Givenchy and edgier Raf Simons, not only in real life, but also on their TV appearances and concerts.

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But let’s get to the point: When I first saw the video, I got instantly drawn to the fashion. Not only is the song good, but the styling is impeccable. We have already seen the varsity-inspired looks in other idols like EXO, SHINee, BIGBANG, B.A.P., and many more, but BEAST took it to another level.

The guys are decked out mostly in Hood By Air Spring 2014 collection. There are other designer pieces here and there, but this brand stands out the most. The band was very well coordinated and every outfit showcased each members’ personalities. There are mesh jerseys, dress shirts with the number 69, shorts paired with knee-high striped socks and amazing tennis shoes.

Talking about shoes, which is one of my favorite topics in fashion, the boys wear a variety of brands, from commercial VANS and Converse, to high-end designer shoes like Rick Owens for ADIDAS. We also see Timberland classic boots that bring back the feeling of 1990’s hip-hop acts.

Many fashion houses around the world are being inspired by the 90s fashion. That particular era was full of sportswear, hats, and oversized clothing. The mixture of music genres also appeared in fashion, mixing hip-hop clothing with flashy pop dresses and grunge while creating unique styles.

Now, lets take a look at the video:

styling, I’m really fond of the varsity style. So this one is for all of our male readers out there. If you want to recreate a look similar to BEAST in Good Luck, here are some fashion tips and, if you want to shop the look, click on the pictures below:

Find a jersey or a shirt with numbers on it, put some gym shorts on (like the ones pictured below), find a cool looking snap-back, a faux leather vest, and the ever-classic creepers to get the look.

Which one was your favorite look? Let us know if you want to see more post like this from us. Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Did SM Entertainment Treat Kris & EXO-M Unfairly?

June 19, 2014/in Features, OPINION /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

Unless you’ve been living in an underground bunker, you’ve probably been keeping up with all the drama surrounding SM Entertainment and EXO-M’s former member, Kris. Was Kris selfish, perhaps wanting to pursue a solo career in China? Did SM mistreat him, his health, and his career? Whether you’re #TeamKris or #TeamEXO, everyone seems to question what exactly made Kris leave the group and company. With recent news of Kris’ new movie deal in China, the former questions seem to arise anew.

So, did SM Entertainment really treat Kris or any of the other EXO-M members unfairly compared to their Korean counterparts? Let’s take a look…

EXO-M was destined from its inception to focus its promotions in China, while EXO-K promoted in Korea. Both groups debuted with Mama on the same day in their respective countries and had great success on various music charts. However, they promoted together as 12 members throughout 2013 with Wolf, Growl, and Miracles in December, but were mostly split again for Overdose this year.

They were derp-ishly adorable!

It is news to no one who follows K-Pop that EXO’s popularity is rarely matched. Fans loved them through the teaser videos to the pre-debut songs to Mama and beyond. Their drama, CF, music video appearances, movies, emcee, and radio and variety show gigs were distributed mostly evenly for EXO-M members in Korea. EXO-K solo member’s activities far outnumbered their Chinese members because, as I said before, they were the ones geared to promote in Korea, not EXO-M. SM Entertainment has more leverage within Korea, so it makes sense that EXO-K had better accessibility to activities.

But in order to get a better picture of how EXO-M’s appearances were distributed between the members, take a look at these infographs:

[Disclaimer: Some appearances might be missing]

… And more specifically:

As you can see, Xiumin has the lead, but let’s not forget he has an upper hand on because of his fluency in Korean, due to the fact that he is, of course, one of EXO-M’s Korean member. On the other hand, the other Korean member, Chen, had more appearances than Kris, Lay, and Tao, but fell behind Luhan, a Chinese member. So, were these assigned fairly? Yes, considering lots of these were done with other M and K members in Korea.

Since those were individual appearances, let’s now take a look at the ones they did together as EXO-M:

The news about Kris terminating his contract with SM and thus leaving EXO broke in mid-May, a month after SM announced that Luhan would be starring in a Chinese movie. Among his alleged grievances for leaving the company, there was some mention of the EXO-M rapper wanting to pursue acting in China, and this request being denied by the company. Coincidentally, news broke yesterday that Kris will be working with Chinese director Guo Jingming on a “mysterious project.” Furthermore, news about Tao starring in Zhang Li Yin’s new music video with f(x)’s Victoria also broke today.

It seems the question about who’s really to blame – Kris being selfish or SM mistreating him– seem to confuse us more than clarify the issue. Was Kris jealous of Luhan for having acting roles? Is SM giving Tao minor acting roles to appease rumors of inequality among the members? Geez, this plot is better than any K-Drama I’m watching right now…

Whether Kris is in the right and SM in the wrong, like with Super Junior’s Hangeng and JYJ, or vice versa, one thing’s for sure: SM was not treating EXO-M’s appearances unfairly. They all seem to have had around the same number of gigs. As to why they weren’t as involved in China, I do not know, but SM is definitely trying to get the EXO-M guys out there more.

What’s your take on the whole SM vs. Kris debacle; who’s in the right? Share your thoughts with me, and let’s talk about it! Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Artist Spotlight: Neon Bunny

June 17, 2014/in Artist Spotlight, Entertainment /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

If we love K-Pop for its glitz and glamour, K-Indie takes a spot in our hearts for its more genuine and mellow feel. And considering that K-Pop is not even that popular in Korea, let’s take a look at a more coffee shop friendly artist of whom I love: bedroom pop princess Kim Yu Jin, more famously known as Neon Bunny.

In an international spectrum where K-Pop idols reign supreme, Neon Bunny stands out for her electro pop sound that’s completely foreign to the genre. Her 2011 debut album, Seoulight, set her apart from the mainstream dub step pop for her danceable guitars and synthesizers reminiscent of early French band Phoenix’s work. Critics acclaimed Seoulight, and it even won her the Best Pop Album award at the 2012 Korean Music Awards, where Yu Jin beat out IU. Some of the album’s standouts include Long-D and Can’t Stop Thinking About You.

Her following EP in 2012, Happy Ending, was heavily ’80s new wave influenced and delivered stronger messages with songs like Oh My Prince. Neon Bunny’s sound became more disco and therefore club friendly with more upbeat tempos than before, such as in Bubbles. You could say Happy Ending is trendier than her earlier work.

Neon Bunny laid very low after her Happy Ending success for a while, only helping out with bands Smells on Listen to your Heart and Demicat on Singing Bird. But the hiatus ended back in March of this year when she released the single, It’s You, produced by Demicat himself. And while an album or EP is still not confirmed, It’s You sufficed for us fans.

It’s You’s sound seems like Happy Ending’s continuation, embracing the retro synth and electro elements. You can see her progression since her last EP by noticing Singing Bird’s influence on the song, but still retains her individuality and signature voice. This song leaves listeners with high expectations of what’s to come from Neon Bunny in the near future.

How do you like Neon Bunny? Let me know, let’s fan-girl about it! Don’t forget 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: First K-Pop Listens

June 15, 2014/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

For this week’s K-Pop playlist, KPOPme’s writers did some soul searching and recalled the One. The first K-Pop song that they remember listening to, the first music video they ever saw. Most are extremely popular songs, trend-songs that still are entrenched in K-Pop’s history, but some are a little bit surprising.

If you remember the craziness that was 2008 and 2009 in K-Pop, there were a lot of trendy songs with addicting dances. So Hot, Nobody, Sorry Sorry, Gee… This was their time to shine. Somehow, even though I never really looked at the site, I discovered the Wonder Girls‘ So Hot on Perez Hilton’s site.

The addicting tune was catchy, but I couldn’t figure out what the heck was up with the bizarre leopard print outfits and comical circumstances in the music video. So Hot is hilarious but at the time I was turned off. It wasn’t until I heard 2PM’s 10 Points Out Of 10 a few weeks later that I started seriously looking into K-Pop, and realized how amazing the Wonder Girls actually are.

–Tamar

Gee, I think my first encounter with K-Pop was back in middle school. Yup, it was when I was standing in line to get some lunch when I heard some faint music. I looked around, asking people if they noticed the sounds as well, before the little whispering noises turned into a thundering song over the loudspeakers. It was addictive from the beginning, and I didn’t even know how to sing along! If you haven’t guessed it already, my first K-Pop song was Girls’ Generation‘s Gee.

Maybe it was the upbeat rhythm, maybe it was the cute vocals, or maybe it was the fact that I absorb music better when I’m hungry, but I was hooked. Upon finding out the title of the song, I stormed YouTube in order to find its origins and came across the bubbly group and their other releases. I think this was a pretty great introduction, for me at least, because it’s actually pretty fun to (attempt to) sing along with and (try really hard to) dance to!

–Thuc

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SHINee’s Sherlock (Clue + Note) was the first K-Pop song I ever heard. It was the summer of 2012, and I was on a family trip to Taiwan, when my sister and I turned on the TV in our hotel room and the music video for Sherlock was just beginning. My sister and I were immediately hooked. We grew up in the era of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, so obviously we love our boy bands. Thanks to SHINee I’m a fan of K-Pop.

–Tara

Alexis was who first introduced me to K-Pop by showing me a few songs she had discovered, but the song that captured my heart, mind, and soul was SHINee‘s Lucifer. I got trapped the moment I saw Minho. Not only was the song fun but had amazing choreography. Being in love with boy and girls bands growing up, I finally found a band that could fill hole that had been gaping for some time.

—Alejandro

The first K-Pop song I heard was 2NE1‘s Can’t Nobody, English version. Since I’m very fashion conscious, the name brand dropping in CL’s opening rap captured me instantly. As I continued to watch the video and hear the song, I was instantly hooked by the music, visuals, and the fact that this girl group seemed completely badass. I’ve always loved good quality pop music and this was exactly it. 2NE1 is still one of my favorite bands to date and it’s all because of that one song that started it all.

–Alexis

What was the first K-Pop song you listened to that got you hooked? Share it with us! Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Let’s Discuss: Why Does ZE:A Get So Little Love?

June 15, 2014/in Features, Let's Discuss /by Tamar Herman

ZE:A is one of the best, most consistent idol groups out there today. The group has several amazing songs, and some duds, but since their debut in 2010, ZE:A has struggled to place in charts to reach the fans.

Even its recent song, Breathe, has gained little attention.

The group has filmed over 20 music videos since debuting, featured in countless songs. Four of the nine members: Kwanghee, Hyungsik, Siwan, and Dongjun, are pretty well known for their acting and variety skills. They’ve appeared in popular shows and movies like The Heirs, Star King, The Moon That Embraces The Sun, Real Men, We Got Married, To The Beautiful You, and A Company Man.

With individual members so popular and the group so prolific and talented, it’s always bothered me why ZE:A isn’t more well received. This past April, the group was ranked as having the 33^rd largest fanclub in South Korea; that’s no small feat when there are so many idol groups. YG’s upcoming boy group, WINNER, ranked #26.

This could be a simple matter of larger companies filling up the idol scene and promoting their members better than a smaller company like ZE:A’s, but that’s not the case. Star Empire Entertainment was founded in 2000 and produced not only ZE:A and Nine Muses, but also popular groups Jewelry and V.O.S.

The group is popular enough to rank on the idol fanclub chart (it’s harder than it seems – JYJ, Secret, and SISTAR were at the bottom of the list, despite their popularity). People know the names of some of the members. Several of their albums ranked within the top ten charts, but the group has never won an award on one of the music shows like Inkigayo. They’ve debuted in Japan pretty successfully and have unit groups, but ZE:A still struggles.

So what’s going on?

I’ve also thought about it as the group doing too much, without being exceptional in any single way.

The group’s debut song, Mazeltov, was okay. That’s me being extremely nice — I rewatched it and thought that it was a bit of a mess. But the group made up for it with the follow up track, All Day Long. Songs like Here I Am, Heart For 2, Aftereffect, Phoenix, Step By Step, and my personal favorite, The Ghost of the Wind, have proved that the group can create great, catchy songs.

But not charttoppers.

Popular, but never popular enough. That seems to be ZE:A’s “claim to fame.”

The popular members are popular, but not popular enough to bring ZE:A into the spotlight as a group. The songs are good, but never can compete to be number one. The company is a good one, but doesn’t have the ability to promote ZE:A as much as a bigger company would be able to.

The group tries extremely hard, but it’s like ZE:A is climbing a never-ending staircase. ZE:A’s almost reached the top, but when it pauses for a moment or two to catch it’s breath, another idol group comes out with something that slips ZE:A up.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be changing. Every time a new ZE:A song comes out, I, and other ZE:A fans, get excited. Ghost of the Wind really should have been “the” song for ZE:A. But it wasn’t, primarily thanks to too much competition – EXO, B.A.P, f(X), and BEAST were all promoting at the time of Ghost Of The Wind’s release.

Based on the fact that it hasn’t happened in four years, it’s unlikely that ZE:A will produce a song that gains enough attention. The songs are catchy, the vocals are good, but they seem to be missing that special thing that makes certain releases from less popular idol groups shoot to popularity.

Considering this, it’s sad that ZE:A’s debut song wasn’t all that great – some groups debut with such a great concept that fans can’t help but pay attention, like B.A.P. Groups like VIXX and INFINITE debuted with strong songs, and then gained momentum to propel them to become current front-runners of K-POP.

But ZE:A’s first song was, as I said, less than exciting, and the group has been around for so long that people know that they’re there, but just don’t really care.

It must be incredibly hard for ZE:A to work so hard day after day, knowing that there will always be more groups to compete with. ZE:A lost it’s chance for a solid debut back in 2010, and it seems that no matter how hard the group tries, it all seems futile.

Rather than saying the flooded idol market or something like lack of talent or a small company is to blame for ZE:A’s failure to gain attention, I think that apathy is ZE:A’s biggest enemy.

We know it, but we don’t love ZE:A. We listen to the songs, watch them entertain us, but there’s no real connection. Something’s missing in the relationship between ZE:A and fans, and until the group does something to change that, it will always lag behind other, newer, K-Pop acts.

Hopefully something will happen that will propel ZE:A into the spotlight that they deserve, or at least allow people to acknowledge the talented, hard-working group.

What are your thoughts on ZE:A’s lack of popularity? Subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Artist Spotlight: Lucia

June 15, 2014/in Artist Spotlight, Entertainment /by Thucydides

If you haven’t heard of Lucia, then you’re missing out on an incredibly soothing voice in K-Indie genre of the music industry. Her peaceful vocals and thoughtful music videos earned her the spotlight for this article, and the following three songs will show you why you should give this singer a try.

Sim Kyu Seon debuted in 2010, under pastelmusic, but she already had a musical, The Magicians, under her belt prior to moving onto a new career path. Even though she changed her stage name to Lucia a year or so after her debut, she is still best known for her calm, gentle tone and lovely ballads.

The first MV on my list is a collaboration between Lucia and INFINITE’s Woohyun, titled, Cactus.

While this is labeled as a duet, the first half consists of mainly Woohyun singing. I wish there were more harmonic parts to this, because the pair’s (most surprisingly, Woohyun’s) soft voices complement each other quite well, especially at the end.

The video itself may be sad, but it’s wonderfully put together. I am in love with the split screen, and both sides use water and tears to interact with one another. Not only does this represent the fluidity of emotions between people in relationships, but it also shows how, despite the break up, the two still have a special connection.

When discussing her works of art, I must include Lucia’s That Season for Korean-Japanese movie, Flower Shadow:

Right from the get-go, I knew that watching this music video would be a wonderful experience. The animation is simple but conveys so much emotion and movement reflecting that of the song and Lucia’s vocals. The use of colors (not to mention a lack of colors) and emphasis of red definitely highlight the strong sense of love and loss. The rise and fall of action in the video also synchronized perfectly with the singer’s voice.

This is probably my favorite composition from Lucia, mainly because I just can’t get enough of soft but strong ballads with an equally controlled voice.

Another project of Lucia’s that involves dance is Demian, from her latest album, Light & Shade:

This is where Lucia showcases her powerful voice and vibrato, along with some interpretive choreography on an otherwise not-so-flashy set. Due to the simplicity of the background, certain elements like the fluttering of fabric, the throwing of rope, and the scattering of smoke stand out and capture your attention.

Both Lucia and the male dancer perfectly express the feeling that Demian gives off, using a slow build of curves into a flight of muscles with a flow that parallels a stream setting into a waterfall. I think this is absolutely breathtaking, and it’s definitely the right representation for the theme of her album.

Four years into the business, and Lucia just seems to blossom even more with each release. It’s a shame that she’s not as well known as she should be, but I’m quite happy to be able to discover her talents and share them with you. Be sure to follow her on Twitter and Facebook to keep a tab on new music!

Are you a fan of Lucia, or have you never heard of her? What do you think about her work? Share your opinion 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.

Best English Covers by K-Pop Artists

June 14, 2014/in Entertainment, MUSIC /by Tara

We recently talked about K-Pop Instrumentals, now let’s look at a few of our favorite artists covering some of our favorite English songs. Occasionally, K-Pop songs have a few English words and/or lines throughout them. Unfortunately, the pronunciation and even use of the word(s) are oftentimes not correct or irrelevant. It sometimes makes you wonder whether or not these idols could hold their own with an English song. Well let me tell you, a lot of them definitely can. It takes a lot of practice and confidence to pull off a cover of an English song. Especially when there are so many fans from Western countries.

EXO: Open Arms
First is EXO singing Journey’s Open Arms. Baekhyun, D.O., Chen, and Luhan all demonstrate why they are the vocal line. These four gentlemen showcase their amazing and powerful vocal talents, as well as English pronunciation, in this wonderful song. And can I just say, those harmonies, whoa… Beautiful, absolutely beautiful! These types of performances are nice because fans really get to experience another side to their favorite idols. In a group as big as EXO, and one that is made up of many parts (singers, rappers, etc.), it’s rare to have a song of just great vocals. This is a treat, and I’m so glad fellow writer and KPOPme co-founder, Thuc, suggested it.

Eric Nam & Boa Kim: Say Something
In all honesty, this cover of Say Something, was the first time I actually heard the song (I don’t listen to the radio that often). You may consider this one slightly cheating because as we know, Eric Nam is indeed from Atlanta, Georgia, and therefore he is fluent in English. Either way, his voice is amazing, and I like to hear him sing. But, Boa Kim, a member of SPICA, holds her own and then some in this song. Her vocals perfectly match the mood, tone, and energy of this song. Her pronunciation is flawless, and I could honestly listen to this cover all day. The music video is also done quite well.

TaeTiSeo: DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love
Next is TaeTiSeo singing Usher’s DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love. TaeTiSeo is made up of Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Seohyun. Again, Tiffany can speak fluent English, but that’s not the point. The point is that Taeyeon and Seohyun sing their English lines very well with confidence, which is the key to a great cover; this is a live performance full of energy that keeps the crowd pumped up throughout the song. It also doesn’t hurt that EXO joins the trio during the rap part of the song. Let’s be honest, can one really go wrong with an Usher cover? No, no one cannot. Also the numerous cuts to the middle-aged man dancing adds to this video.

SHINee: Just Dance
We’re throwing it back to 2009 with this little gem. SHINee give Lady Gaga’s debut single, Just Dance, their own Gaga flare. With this cover, Key is the frontman, because his English is the best out of all of the members. The performance may be short, but SHINee’s Gaga-inspired outfits and their dance moves keep the audience interested from beginning to end. I would love to hear another cover by these guys today, since their pronunciation is much better now.

Changmin & Kyuhyun: Just The Way You Are
These SM artists love their English cover songs, and you’ll hear no complaints from me. On their own Changmin and Kyuhyun have amazing voices, but put them together, singing a Bruno Mars cover, it’s magical. I’d like to thank Alexis, co-founder and writer for KPOPme, for suggesting this cover. I couldn’t find a great video of the duo, but you can still feel their passion and talent. I’ll stop talking now and let Changmin and Kyunhyun do the rest.

Minzy: Halo
I have to show some love for the female power vocals in Kpop. First up is Minzy of 2NE1. She took a bold step and covered Queen B’s Halo. I think she did an amazing job. Her pronunciation and vocal range is amazing! I’ve always loved Minzy’s voice, and this cover is reason enough to love her. The song on its own is a hard one to sing, and Minzy gives it her all. She is a true talent.

Ailee: I Will Always Love You
The last cover song I want to talk about is Ailee’s rendition of Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You. We all know Ailee has a phenomenal voice. When I first heard that she covered this iconic song, I wasn’t sure if she would be able to live up to its reputation. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ailee’s voice, but I Will Always Love You has so many nuances throughout the song that need to be met in order to be a good cover. Nevertheless, Ailee owned this song; her performance was amazing! With flawless vocals, she was powerful when she needed to be and still had that finesse in her voice that complemented the song.

Although some of these idols may not be fluent in English, they could definitely fool me based on their amazing performances of English covers. This is only the beginning of a long list of great covers, what are some of your favorites? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Will WINNER Live Up to the Hype With its Debut?

June 12, 2014/in Features, OPINION /by Alejandro Abarca

YG Entertainment is gearing up for WINNER’s debut. The hype has recently started again, and fans are really excited. WINNER will be YG’s newest idol boy band after eight years of debuting BIGBANG. The members consist of leader Kang Seung Yoon, Kim Jinwoo, Lee Seung Hoon, Song Minho, and Nam Tae Hyun.

WINNER has had quite a journey. Competing as Team A, they battled Team B and won the reality competition, WIN: WHO IS NEXT?. They were scheduled to debut back in February of this year, but YG pushed back the date, to much disappointment from fans.

After the show, the band started their ten-episode YouTube series, WINNER TV. The members made different missions and opened BIGBANG’s Japan dome concerts, along with writing and producing their own songs for their debut album. They also opened concerts for 2NE1’s ALL OR NOTHING World Tour and were part of the YG Family concert.

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WINNER showcases their self-written and produced songs to Yang Hyun Suk on WINNER TV:

YG really wants to make sure that their newest boy band will be successful. They created a lot of excitement (they already even have CFs with Niikorea! and Fanta) prior to their debut. But with talented members, perhaps that wasn’t necessary. Given their popularity, the band would had been successful at any rate. They have the looks and talents that are needed to be standout in the K-Pop industry.

The group’s pre-debut popularity ultimately may or may have not inspired SM Entertainment to jump on the band wagon by creating a brand for their SM Rookies. And who could forget EXO prior to debut, releasing individual video teasers of each member, making them one of the most successful rookie bands in Korea? Creating a fan base before the debut of a group is slowly turning into a marketing strategy for more entertainment companies.

WINNER’s debut seems imminent now that YG has started teasing us. They released their first teaser video named The Visitor, an artsy piece that reminds me of a video fashion editorial. We are not sure if that’s a teaser for a song, or a compilation of different ones, but it sounds very interesting.

Being a fashion lover myself, I recognized a few terms in the video, like S/S (spring/summer). Designers release collections every two seasons, so this got me a little confused: are they releasing a fashion line or their debut album?

When their Facebook page uploaded the launching promotion photo, which was the final piece of the puzzle:

Once again, fashion seems to be taking big part in their debut album. They are making it seem like a fashion collection launch, following a Test Week, New York Week, and Winner Week and resembling the different Fashion Weeks all over the world.

But what does that mean? These may be just my personal predictions, but I think that, during Test Week, they might start promoting a song, or preview their songs for the album to garner reactions.

WINNER went to New York in May and were spotted filming something. So that would lead to New York Week, in which they might continue to release teasers, photos, or a video of their journey in New York.

Then Winner Week would follow, during which I can clearly assume that they will release their first official single and music video. At this point, fans are really excited for the group to debut after so many teasers; their hard work will finally be compensated! We are really intrigued to know what their music and visuals will be like.

Are you excited for WINNER’s release? What sound would you like WINNER to have? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

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