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Playlist Sunday: Provocative Tunes

July 6, 2014/in Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Some K-Pop songs are cute, some K-Pop songs are sexy. And there are a few that stand out for their sexy, provocative messages. The KPOPme staff sat down and picked of their favorite provocative tracks ,and this is the playlist we came up with.

When I first saw the teasers for Red Light, I was very surprised. The girls of f(x) were looking very strong and very sexy. Then I read the tittle of their comeback song, Red Light, and I instantly thought, ” Wow, this is gonna be provocative”. Giving that there is a Red Light District in Amsterdam, I thought the song was going to be about prostitution.

But then the song was released and after watching and reading the English translation of the song, I realized that I had been deceived. Nevertheless, I love this song and I love the different sounds in it. And for me, this is a very refreshing track (specially the parts with trap) . I always love how f(x) always miles real instruments with electronic beats. And I can’t take the, “Ay ay is a red light” out of my head. I love this song and I can’t stop listening to it.

–Alejandro

One of the first K-Pop music videos I ever saw was TVXQ‘s Mirotic. And, wow. If The Wonder Girls hadn’t done it for me, those five handsome men would have. TVXQ’s last Korean music video as a quintet was banned because of the suggestive dance and seductive lyrics. “I’ve got you, under my skin,” is still one of the most famous K-Pop lyrics nowadays for its desirous meaning.

Not only was the song provocative with it’s alluring video and lyrics, but the song actually provoked quite a response from the Korean Commission of Youth Protection, which determined that Mirotic was dangerous to the youth of Korea. SM Entertainment had to change the lyrics to TVXQ’s song. And that’s why we love it so much.

–Tamar

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I can’t really remember when I first heard Trouble Maker‘s Trouble Maker, but I can surely remember I was in shock. I was new to K-Pop, and while the music video would be standard protocol for Western artists, I had learned that outright sensuousness had little presence in the genre, so this music video caught me off guard.

Performed flawlessly by Cube Entertainment’s staple sexy duo, Hyuna and Hyunseung, Trouble Maker is a song about lusting over someone and not wanting to repress said feeling. A provocative choreography accompanies the equally provocative music video and song, which, of course, the media had a field day criticizing it. Despite this, Trouble Maker succeeded in the market and was highly parodied by other artists on variety shows.

–Alexis

Brown Eyed Girls‘ Sixth Sense comes to mind when we talk about provocative; from the sexy outfits and choreography to the deeper conflicts between North and South Korea, this music video brings forth many emotions. Ga-In starts off the first verse, sitting on a throne and crooning words like touch, bitch, and guilty. Combine Ga-In with scantily clad Narsha, close-to-drowning JeA, and rebel leader Miryo, and what do we have? The perfect combination of provocative!

I could feel the anger and the tension coming from these ladies as they faced their opponents, and their powerful vocals further added to these strong emotions. That high note not only was breathtaking, but it also seemed to represent an inner cry for war! This group never fails to impress me.

–Thuc

I first heard After School‘s Dressing Room a few months ago, even though the song is over a year old. The beat of the song got me hooked right from the beginning. Naturally, I looked up the lyrics and discovered the song is about a secret love taking place in the dressing room… scandalous!

It was probably a smart choice not to choose Dressing Room as a promotion song because it’s a safe bet to say that their lyrics would have to be altered for being too provocative. Especially this part:

Take me, come to me, feel me closer
Wherever your hand touches, make me so hot.

One can only imagine what the choreography would be if this song had a video and that would most likely also have to be changed for censorship purposes. Although After School didn’t promote this song, it’s still one of my favorites on their First Love EP.

–Tara

What’s your faveorite provocative song? Share your opinion with us! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Let’s Discuss: Is Henry The Most Successful Chinese K-Pop Idol?

July 6, 2014/in Let's Discuss /by Tamar Herman

Yes. The answer, despite the fact that he may not be as popular as EXO-M or Han Geng, is a “yes.” Success and fame are completely different things. With Henry‘s upcoming comeback with Fantastic, it’s worth taking a moment to realize how successful he has become.

Canadian-born Henry Lau, who debuted in 2008 as a member of Super Junior-M, has become more and more popular throughout Korea throughout the past few years. Despite some rough times, when Super Junior fans resisted Henry and fellow SuJu-M member Zhou Mi (regardless of how Super Junior’s other members felt), Henry ended up coming out on top of just about every other artist of Chinese descent to pass through SM Entertainment’s doors.

Let’s look at where Henry is now:

Last year, he debuted as a solo artist, making him SM Entertainment’s first male solo artist in thirteen years. Since then, he promoted his first album Trap successfully, and ended up becoming a variety favorite by appearing on the military-variety show, Real Men. Even though he’s not Korean and doesn’t have to serve in the military, Henry’s shown Korean audiences that not only does he value their country’s military service, but he can learn from it. And do it with a smile on his face.

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When Henry joined Super Junior to promote as a Super Junior-M member with fellow Chinese singer Zhou Mi, Korean Super Junior fans protested. Super Junior was thirteen members, they claimed. Since then, Super Junior’s had a whole slew of changes to its line up, but fans still won’t accept Henry and Zhou Mi. Which, personally, I think is ridiculous. Not only is Henry talented, but the other Super Junior members have begged fans to accept Zhou Mi and Henry just like fans have accepted every other member.

But Super Junior’s fanclub, ELF (Everlasting Friends) claims that Henry and Zhou Mi are Super Junior, but only if they have M to their name. One would think that this would be an end of a career for the two of the idols, and for a long time, it seemed like both Zhou Mi and Henry would merely promote as members of Super Junior-M.

But Henry’s plunge into becoming a solo singer showed the K-Pop world that being a member of a subgroup isn’t a death sentence. While Zhou Mi’s pursued an acting career in China and is one of Super Junior’s resident composers, Henry’s done everything he can to make Korean and international fans recognize him as what he is, an extremely talented musician—he’s, in fact, an excellent musician, regardless of his training from SM Entertainment.

So he’s done well. Zhou Mi has also. Why do I say that Henry is the most successful of SM’s Chinese artists?

First, let’s look at other Chinese artists at SM. There are the three remaining Chinese members of EXO (EXO-M): Luhan, Lay, and Tao. They’re popular, because EXO is popular, and are each getting recognition, but as members of EXO rather than individuals. Kris, who has since left EXO, is trying to make a name for himself in China, but many fans think of him as a traitor and no longer favor him.

Then, in f(x), there’s Victoria and Amber. Again, popular, and they each have many, many fans, but because they’re members of f(x) and have done promotions representing not only themselves, but also the group. But Henry is generally just Henry, except when he’s Super Junior-M’s Henry.

Okay, so Zhou Mi. Zhou Mi is popular. But he hasn’t been able to gain the solo fame to compete with Henry, who is able to appear on Korean television and be recognized immediately.

Zhang Liyin was extremely popular in the late 2000’s, but her popularity waned due to a large period of inactivity- her last single was released in 2009, and her last album was released in 2008. She is a member of SM The Ballad and is rumored to be making a comeback soon, but it’s almost impossible for her to compete with younger idols like Henry.

And then there’s Han Geng. He is probably the most famous Chinese person to ever walk through the doors of SM Entertainment. He’s an icon in China, having been picked out of hundreds of other Chinese auditions to be the first Chinese trainee at SM Entertainment, and then when he left Super Junior, he became a star in China, both as a singer and as an actor.

Unlike Kris, who has evoked fans’ fury by immediately starting a career in China, Han Geng obviously was unable to work due to his contract with SM Entertainment. He’s now considered to be a world star, and recently appeared in the latest Transformers movie.

Okay, so he’s famous. And popular. But is that successful? Many would say yes. But is he as successful as Henry who, despite the hardships he faced for being an unwanted member of Super Junior, still waited patiently for his day to shine? Personally, as someone who values patience and loyalty, I don’t really think so.

Just to make this clear: I don’t think Han Geng should have stayed at SM. The company had no idea what they were doing with a Chinese idol. But, as awful as it sounds, Han Geng cleared the way for Henry, Zhou Mi, and all other of SM’s Chinese trainees.

Henry was a hated member of one of the most popular K-Pop groups ever. To this day, fans of Super Junior don’t accept Henry as a “true” member of the group, whatever that means. But rather than accept his place, Henry has overcome the rejection and started slowly. He accepted his own personal fans, known as Strings thanks to his violin skills, and never really spoke up about how much it must have hurt for ELF to reject him and Zhou Mi.

He worked hard, appeared on variety shows, promoted as a Super Junior-M member, and practically forced the world to recognize him as a hardworking, talented performer. Only then was he able to promote alone as a solo artist, Henry.

While SM Entertainment has struggled with Chinese members, Henry is the most successful one because he’s done the impossible- he’s practically convinced the Korean audience that he’s a Korean idol. Everyone knows that he’s not, and in fact that’s part of his charm. It’s because of this, the fact that Henry has been able to endure until he reached acceptance from the very audience that originally rejected him, why I think that Henry’s the most successful.

His name is 헨리 (Henry), and he appears on a show that emulates Korean army service and people accept it, he speaks Korean fluently. He is a Korean idol not only as a member of a group but in his own right.

He may not be the most popular, and he may not be the wealthiest, but he is the most accepted Chinese K-Pop idol. And because of that, Henry Lau is the most successful Chinese person in K-Pop today.

What do you think? Are other Chinese idols more successful? Share your opinion with us! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Breaking Down “Burning The Beast”

July 5, 2014/in Entertainment /by Tara

For those of you who follow Showtime, you are aware that for the first season, SM Entertainment’s EXO was the focus. It was announced earlier in 2014 that Beast, of Cube Entertainment, would take over for the second season. I was excited for Beast to have their own reality show, although after watching EXO’s Showtime, I wasn’t sure how it would match up.

After watching the first nine episodes of Showtime Burning The Beast, I can’t help but become completely enthralled with it. I don’t think there were any intentions of comparing EXO’s Showtime to Beast’s, and I don’t intend to do that in this article. I want to focus on the overall feel of the show and occasionally add in how I feel it differs from EXO’s Showtime.

To begin with, let’s discuss the title of the second season: Showtime Burning the Beast. Is that ‘burning’ as in embarrassing the members throughout the show, is that ‘burning’ as in a rebirth of Beast’s variety presence, or is that ‘burning’ because it’s a fun English word and it’s decent alliteration? I’m not sure, but to be honest it could be all three based on the episodes aired so far. In each episode, at least one member is momentarily embarrassed, mostly due to the fact that the other members make fun of them or dwell on a mistake they made.

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The best friends episode (episode 7) saw Kikwang and his friend fail the mission and therefore complete the punishment, which was to go to the center of Myungdung and do a Gosa for Beast’s new album. Then in episode 8, Beast could have had an embarrassing outcome for their telepathy missions, but they managed to squeak by with a minor punishment, but not before picking out what style of underwear Yoseob would most likely buy. Obviously these embarrassing punishments make for good television and ratings.

Looking at ‘Burning the Beast’ in a rebirth sense is also plausible. During the first episode, the members voiced how this was a chance for them to show their improved variety skills and show a different side of Beast to their fans, the human side. Considering their last reality show was years before, clearly the members have changed in looks, confidence, and personality. From episode 1, it is clear that the members just want to be themselves and have a good time.

And let’s be honest, Burning the Beast does have a nice ring to it. Whereas the first season was called EXO’s Showtime, which was simple and to the point. Burning the Beast, at least to me, is more elaborate than Beast’s Showtime, and also makes the second season theirs as opposed to constant comparisons to the first season with EXO. Maybe that’s why the show isn’t always going to be titled [insert band name here]’s Showtime.

The content of the show is based around Q&A provided by fans and relayed to the members by the PD, which makes me wonder how much shows like this are scripted. However, in this instance, I don’t think the show is fully scripted. Or it’s just my blind love for Beast that’s clouding my judgement?

After each episode I watch, the member’s emotions, actions, and conversations feel genuine (although I’ve never met any of the members and therefore have no previous interactions to use as a basis). But it’s the light-hearted joking and poking fun at each other that you can’t script.

All of the members are active in their own ways throughout each episode. Hyunseung further solidifies his 4D image, Junhyung isn’t afraid to show his love for the camera, Dongwoon is just Dongwoon, Doojoon acts as the leader/MC and is competitive, Kikwang shows his variety show experience, and Yoseob is constantly smiling and making smart remarks. Frankly, they all make smart remarks and their camaraderie and banter with each other just seems like something so organic that it cannot be scripted.

That’s one thing I enjoy more about season 2 of Showtime in comparison to season 1, that I, as a viewer, feel that there is more of a brotherhood among the Beast members as opposed to the members of EXO. I’m not saying EXO doesn’t have brother-like bonds, but it’s easier to show the true personalities of six guys as opposed to twelve and Beast has been in the industry since 2009 and are more comfortable with themselves, each other and in front of a camera and crew. They’re more natural and tend to ignore the cameras. And they definitely don’t mind if they make fools of themselves.

The way the show is shot, and due in large part to the members’ closeness with each other, at times, it really seems like we are witnessing a group of friends just hanging out and having a good time. That is really all that Burning the Beast is about. It shows the camaraderie and fun the members have with each other and allows fans to get a glimpse of their envious relationship with each other once a week.

Are you guys enjoying the second season of Showtime or do you prefer the first season with EXO? Be sure to share your thoughts and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

f(x)’s “Red Light” Music Video & Song Review

July 4, 2014/in Entertainment, MUSIC VIDEOS /by Thucydides

When SM Entertainment dropped a teaser for f(x)‘s comeback, it hinted at a change in the group’s style and image for Red Light. With such captivating stares and haunting makeup, the ladies kept their fans on edge in anticipation for the release of the music video. When it was released, swarms of people rushed over to the YouTube channel. It appeared to follow the same theme and feeling, but… Did it live up to their expectations?

Music Video

I’m definitely in love with this video for many reasons. For one thing, I’m happy that the entertainment company hasn’t done another “dance in a box” video that has garnered much criticism. For a while, I thought that they were focusing too much on special effects for groups like EXO instead of giving some attention towards f(x). Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

Atmosphere

Right from the beginning of the teasers, I was looking forward to a darker, intense, and brooding f(x). The concept of having two faces, but only letting people see one, lends itself to a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde sort of situation, and I couldn’t wait to see how they would represent it in the music video.

Did I get what I was looking for? Definitely! The ringing telephone, the burning book, and the black cat with heterochromatic eyes pulled me in from the get-go. There was a forbidden, eery feeling in this intro, and it was further emphasized by the powerful contrasts in color.

Red lights are definitely prominent, but it’s impossible to overlook the pops of blue that showcase how people have two different sides to themselves.

Set in an abandoned warehouse in an urban dysphobia, this gave off a rebellious, “we’re going to create an uprising” atmosphere. The incorporation of marked mannequins watching a broadcast of a commanding presence and explosions also contribute to this atmosphere. They’re in a war setting, but are they also fighting with themselves?

Fashion and Makeup

Looking at their outfits, captivating eye makeup, and strong hair colors, you could say that they might just be facing more than one battle. Their camo shorts and ammo-accessorized military-style shirts are a stark contrast from their business attire, symbolizing their struggle with society’s molds.

Their smoky eye makeup only focus on one of a pair, with their hair covering the bare eye at multiple points in the video. Even eye-patches are used, but, given some of the after-war imagery, I’d like to think it represents some of their losses after battle. Think of it this way: both eyes represent the complexity of each person.

The less adorned eye symbolizes their innocence, a state in which they didn’t yet realize that they could fight back. The other eye is shown more often as they begin to retaliate and try to escape from their imprisonment.

Did you also notice how, after leaving, they have less jewelry? This white, peaceful aftermath lends to the idea that they cast away some of the hindering distractions that prevented them from reaching their goal.

Also, I just have to mention that I am in LOVE with their hair:

Their fashion and makeup aren’t the only things that play an important role, however.

Choreography

The marching and strong poses reflect the mitilitarian theme, while the angular, crisp movements during the chorus give a mime stuck in a box sort of image. They aren’t always stuck in the confines of authority, because they incorporate feline paws and “challenging their oppressor” hand gestures while they break out of their prisons.

This choreography focuses on the upper body, and mainly the arms and hands, along with connecting the members in one movement at important intervals, especially at the climax of the video.

Song

Do I feel as strongly for the song as I do for the video? To be honest, no. It was mainly because it was very strange, as if SM tried another I Got A Boy, but with f(x) instead. But I’m not one to completely give up on songs after one listen, so I tried over and over again. Is this really electronic house music as SM describes it as? I’m not really feeling it.

Instrumental

Like I said before, this change in tempo was pretty strange for me. I did get used to it after repeatedly listening to the song, so it slowly stopped being weird. Instead of plain old electronic house music, it sounds like this composition combines electronic house with trap and dubstep in a very interesting soup of music.

Does this represent the feelings of someone fighting with an outside force while struggling with two different faces? Actually, it kind of does! It just takes a while to figure it out.

Lyrics

Even before I read kashigasa’s English translation of the lyrics, I knew that there was something very obvious going on between the contrasting cool and warm color scheme, along with the war imagery. The words fit with the video and the overall feeling of the song, so I really do like the following lyrics.

Hey wait a minute
Under the rule of the jungle
The weak get eaten

Just get pushed ahead,
Yeah pushed ahead
Oops, I get stepped on

Ay ay it’s a red light light
I don’t even know what’s wrong
With the current situation

Ay ay it’s a red light light
Listen carefully to the whoever is trying to warn us
Red light

Try to breathe for a moment
Try breathing, try breathing
Eh eh oh
This isn’t a war

Open your eyes wide
Stop the collision from happening
(You’re going to be a witness to change)
In front of that caterpillar that got pushed around
(When everything sinks)

It’s turned on, red light
The vivid, red light
It gets bigger by itself
That red light

Boy
Your best excuse
Is just filled with doubt to me

Maybe it’s love
A very slow wave
A very slow wave

Ay ay it’s a red light light
Let’s find it for each other using light
That special emergency exit

Ay ay think about it
Why something made us stop
Red light

Turn around again, eh oh
Try to fnd what’s important

Open your eyes wide
Stop the collision from happening
(You’re going to be a witness to change)
In front of that caterpillar that got pushed around
(When everything sinks)

It’s turned on, red light
The vivid, red light
It gets bigger by itself
That red light

It’s taken too long for this miracle to come
But we wait for the blue light, we want it

Stop the flood (This is reality, listen to my voice)
Open your eyes wide (Look at the world in front of you)
The one who’s only been pushed (A bright light pushed you)
Caterpillar
That’s madness

It’s turned on, red light
The vivid, red light
It gets bigger by itself
That red light

So there’s a mish-mosh of lyrics that can get kind of confusing, but there’s just enough clarity to see that this is a metamorphosis, both physical in fighting back and aiming for the blue light, and emotional, in dealing with their dual personalities. Once you get past the puzzling instrumentals and understand the lyrics, it makes a lot of sense!

Style & Vocals

There’s been a little bit of a conflict in the f(x) fandom (not very affectionate) in regards to the group not “fitting” with their usual style. Is this different than what they’ve been producing? Of course! But it doesn’t mean that it’s bad. These ladies have already established a standpoint on style, because, as their namesake goes, they’re able to grow and change, adapting any style.

I still do get an f(x) feel from the song in general, mainly because of the bridge, in which they all sing together in this hypnotizing harmony that strikes me as “hey, that’s f(x)!” However, there are other new horizons that they touched upon, and I think that’s pretty gutsy and cool.

In terms of vocals, I was surprised that there wasn’t a rapping sequence, and I was even more surprised that Amber actually had a couple of strong singing parts. It really sounds like they’ve grown in terms of vocals, as they hit high notes and maintain their control. I’m proud of them for that!

Overall Ratings

Did I enjoy this comeback? It didn’t agree with me at first, but I’m liking this new edge that f(x) is going with! Here’s my final ratings on this matter:

MV: 8/10
Song: 5/10
Both: 7/10

Did you agree with my verdict? Did you think I missed some important points? Be sure to share your thoughts and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Why Hyomin’s ‘Nice Body’ is Offensive to Women

July 3, 2014/in Features, OPINION /by Alexis Hodoyan-Gastelum

For the past few weeks, Core Contents Media hyped up T-ara member Hyomin’s solo debut with Nice Body like it would be the song of the summer. They said the music video would be rated 15+, while the dance version would be 19+, making fans and the general public’s anticipation grow. Articles on different news sites revealed teaser pictures of Hyomin in a fat suit with prosthetics on her face to look the part. With this, and the song’s title, the first red flag glared. However, everything was still pretty hush hush, so criticism couldn’t surface without knowing the music video’s plot and the song’s lyrics.

But then the video for Nice Body came out last Sunday, raising more red flags than anything else seen in K-Pop in a while. Realistically speaking, the only reason why Nice Body should be rated for people over 19, with its distasteful plot line to its objectifying costume and its absurd lyrics, is because no impressionable youngster should be sold such an offensive message towards women.

I know what you, as a fan, are thinking: You’re wrong, Hyomin unnie is singing about her nice body and not trying to impose hers as ideal. There’s nothing wrong with loving your body and being comfortable in it, as many can be seen doing so on adult content sites such as youngsexer.com. If it were a man singing about his body, this wouldn’t be a problem… No, Hyomin singing about her body being ideal nor being comfortable in her skin nor with her sexuality are not the issues in question.

The problem starts with the lyrics. While I may not know Korean, I know how to use Google, and Google found for me this English translation of Hyomin’s Nice Body. But where do I even start? The beginning seems to be the best choice:

All girls want to show some skin
All girls go on a diet at least once
All girls want to be loved
A prince of my dreams will appear for sure

Ok, ok. This is true. It’s because of the beauty standards and gender roles set by the patriarchal society we live in, but ok, it’s reality.

(Not eating what I want to)
I will be strong
(I will endure through the pain)
I will become pretty
I will fall in love, I will show everyone
I will change
You do deserve it
My body is a nice nice body
Long legs, sexy waist
(Give me love, give me love, give me love)

Obesity is a real problem — I get that. There’s nothing wrong with wanting and trying to be healthy. What’s wrong is when you bring beauty into the equation and say that if you’re skinny, you’ll be pretty and thus, deserving of love. Yes, because gender roles have long established that women’s sole purpose in life is to appeal to men, get married, and have babies. To make matters worse, people glorify these notions by making it news out of what Hyomin ate or didn’t in order to have that nice body.

While I may be getting ahead of myself with this one, it’s important to spot even the littlest references to these sexist gender roles to understand the larger picture. It’s never just about saying skinny is pretty or just about whichever example is the ideal body type, it’s about reinforcing destructive ideas that “put women in their place.”

All guys want a girl like this
All guys like pretty girls
All guys think dirty thoughts at least once
I want that to be me, I want that…
It was so hard for me
You have no idea how much I worked for you
Good style, feel good, smile
I am confident now

As previously stated, women’s purpose in life is not to serve men. It’s 2014, people! We work, and not just as teachers or secretaries; we go to school, where we pursue different sciences. We raise children, sometimes on our own. We lead countries like Argentina, Germany, and, yes, South Korea, for crying out loud! Women should not conform to be a certain way based on what men want.

And while women and men alike are shallow; again, that is only the surface of the problem. The deeper, more embedded issue is when you put it into context, which, up until now, is: “I need to be skinny so guys like me and that way I’ll be worth something.” Do I really need to go into detail about how a woman’s worth is measured? It’s certainly not over how many men fancy you or how small your waistline is.

Speaking of waistlines, let’s address Hyomin’s leotard with different numbers on it. These numbers (34 at the bust, 24 at the waist, and 36 at the hips) are actually inches representing her measurements. Furthermore, at the chorus, she uses a measuring tape as a prop for her little dance. Again, look at the bigger picture; this does not represent Hyomin being comfortable in her body and being proud about it. As if packaging women and selling them in the name of pop wasn’t enough, Hyomin is now reduced to three numbers –to an object — perpetuating the notion that women are sub-human and thus not equal to men.

But things get worse with the music video. Hyomin has a nice body, we know that; she makes it very clear. What’s not so clear is her fat suit costume whose sole purpose is to body-shame. Girl, you can have the best, hottest body, have all the guys at your feet telling you you’re beautiful, but how will body-shaming and ridiculing someone who doesn’t look like you serve you?

The scenes were packaged as a joke, something cute and funny, imagine if Hyomin, who has a great body because her only job is to look hot all the time, were to look fat? Omo! That would be funny because she’s not really fat, and fat is funny… I feel like I’m reiterating myself over and over again, but here goes: Look at the bigger picture. A girl whose body meets the beauty standards set by society in a fat-suit singing about a woman’s worth depending on how good she looks like is offensive, to women and men alike.

And then we have this little gem. Does the girl in the top picture seem familiar to you? That’s because she starred in the music video for the rape culture appreciation anthem known as Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke. I would say this little tribute is the cherry on top of the sundae, one blatantly offensive music video and song to another.

In a world where idols are ostracized over who they date, how sexy their concept is, or if they left their company and bandmates hanging, it’s really fascinating how a song, music video, and concept that offends women and their struggle against sexism goes unnoticed. If netizens have proved something time and time again, it’s that they have the power of taking an idol down; even though I am not calling for this fate for Hyomin, I do wonder where the outcry is for something that actually matters.

Lastly, to take that sour taste out of your mouth, here’s a song by Sunny Hill with a message completely opposite to Hyomin’s. Please enjoy and pick better K-Pop songs.

What did you think about Hyomin’s Nice Body? Share your opinion with us! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Summer Fashion Trends: K-Pop Idols In Magazines

July 2, 2014/in Fashion, Style /by Alejandro Abarca

Korean fashion magazines love featuring K-Pop idols in their pages and showcase the latest trends on them. Fashion plays an important part on K-Pop idols’ lives; whether these be through their stage outfits, press events, magazines, or airport fashion. Korea sets trends that are later adopted on a global scale by big fashion houses. And […]

Let’s Discuss: f(x), Liked But Not Loved?

July 1, 2014/in Features, Let's Discuss /by Tamar Herman

With f(x) about to release Red Light, I couldn’t help but think about the group. Just about every fan of K-Pop fan knows at least one of their songs, or at least knows the names of Krystal or Amber.

But, are you actually in love with f(x)?

Many K-Pop fans are devoted in their fan worship, often directing their love at the hottest idol group. More often than not, this means that male idol groups get a lot of love. But Girls’ Generation, 2NE1, Miss A, A Pink, After School… They all have a lot of fans, and yet f(x) seems to have people who enjoy its songs, and people who like individual members, but nobody really seems to be a fan of the group as a whole. f(x) doesn’t even have an official fanclub name. Although, to be fair, neither does EXO.

But let’s be honest. Did you pay attention to f(x) other than the fact that Amber is cool because of her tomboyish attitude, and the fact that she speaks both Mandarin and English? Were you a fan of Krystal before she was in The Heirs? How about f(x)’s debut song? (It’s LA chA Ta, by the way).

Many fans will answer, “Yes, I do know those things.” But many, many people don’t.

They don’t know that Victoria is a classical Chinese dancer, or the fact that Luna not only is a singer but also acts. Sulli, once considered the most popular member, is hardly making headlines other the fact that she is probably dating Dynamic Duo’s Choiza.

Does that mean that f(x) isn’t popular? Not really. Many fans are looking forward to Red Light, because SM Entertainment has built up an exciting set of teaser images preceding the release of the album and music video.

Because f(x) is a good group, but it’s not ever really endeared itself to the fans in a long-lasting way. The group gains popularity with each comeback, with each variety show, etc. Compared to other idols, especially SM Entertainment idol groups, f(x) is a bit lacking.

Internationally, f(x) made headlines for performing at SXSW in 2013, and filming a Funny or Die video with Anna Kendrick. But then the international interest died down a bit.

The group’s songs Electric Shock and Rum Pum Pum Pum became hits in Korea, and Krystal became a huge fan favorite thanks to her role in The Heirs. But in between promoting those things and beginning to promote Red Light, it’s not as if fans have looked out for news of their favorite idol, and been waiting impatiently for a variety show. (Except about Krystal and her sister, Girls’ Generation’s Jessica.)

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Sulli’s dating scandal hardly compares to those involving the members of Girls’ Generation; fans barely even reacted to the news. Most Korean netizens seemed to respond more to the fact that SM Entertainment seems to be relaxing dating rules for its idols, rather than the fact that Sulli, in specific, was dating someone.

People think a lot of f(x), its members, its songs, etc., but nobody really passionately, fervently loves f(x). It is obviously a popular idol group, but it’s the music and concepts that are popular rather than the members themselves. People know f(x), and people like f(x), but the group doesn’t have the appeal that groups like Girls’ Generation, Miss A, Wonder Girls, 2NE1, KARA, etc. have had before them.

Of course, this is just my perception. In fact, f(x) beat out all other idol groups for global popularity in a CJ E&M survey in 2013, raking in 16.4% overall throughout the world. Shinhwa, Kim Hyun Joong, EXO, and SHINee followed after.

What do you think? Is f(x) more popular and beloved by many as a whole? Or are f(x)’s members and songs individually more endearing than the group as a whole? Be sure to share your thoughts and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Idols & Personal Lives: There’s a Connection?

June 30, 2014/in Features, OPINION /by Thucydides

Privacy in South Korea for K-Pop idols has become a growing issue in the entertainment industry. Some argue that, as celebrities whose lives are always observed, idols shouldn’t be surprised at the attention; however, do they have a right to have personal lives?

Too many times have I seen and heard of horror stories about sasaeng fans stepping out of boundaries in order to pursue their unhealthy obsessions, but even some seemingly “normal” fans have developed an overbearing presence on their favorite idols. In comparison to the United States, in which privacy is a given to celebrities (and lawsuits be easily pursued against violators), it’s a shocker to international fans who find out about the lack of such an important human right in the South Korean entertainment business.

For those of you who see every “privacy infringement” case as sasaeng-exclusive, I have to disagree.

True, some instances of sasaeng activity seem a bit difficult to prevent, like fans getting ahold of idols’ private phone numbers and bombarding them with calls nonstop. Should celebrities have to face such harrassment? No. Is it still going to happen? Unfortunately, due to the high levels of fans paying large amounts of money to get such information, this practice will not disappear forever.

However, other problematic situations can and should be prevented. Last year, EXO’s Tao was recorded singing in the shower, in his private hotel room; the audio clip was then uploaded online and led to an angry Weibo response from the star. What’s worse? I witnessed so many international fans spreading around this audio clip on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social media, attaching such comments like “his voice is so cute,” “this is so wrong but it’s too funny to ignore,” and other disturbing reactions to a creepy incident. We can spend all the time in the world talking about what could have been done, but that would never change the fact that this never should have happened.

What’s wrong with this scenario? Well, what isn’t wrong with it? If you were in Tao’s situation, how would you feel? Having a complete stranger somehow bugging your private hotel room is not only a scene from a horror movie, but it increases your anxiety and paranoia. If they managed to do this, what would stop them from doing something worse?

In the current society with unstable “fans,” the answer is simple: absolutely nothing. And that’s why this article exists. This unhealthy desire to control your bias needs to stop.

These situations are just once-in-a-while types, you say? Well, how about something that hits closer to home: the Baekhyun and Taeyeon dating “scandal.”

Is it immoral to ship your favorite idol with another? No. Is it strange to ship yourself with your favorite idol? No. What’s completely wrong is expecting that reality will follow through with a fantasy.

Fans frequently forget that their idols are manufactured, that they are trained to behave and look a certain way in order to bring about attention and build a fanbase. Outside of fame, idols have personal lives. Whether or not they choose to date someone should NOT be of any issue, because they are capable adults and have the right to seek companionship. It’s unreasonable to believe that they will maintain their single or “pure” status forever, and it’s also unreasonable to believe that they should only date someone that is approved by fans. If you were forced into such a box, you wouldn’t be happy; why would you force someone else to be unhappy, then?

What idols choose to do in their personal lives is their choice, not yours. Disapprove of their decisions, but do not set up petitions and rally to push them off a ladder that they’ve tried so hard to climb. Fans have no right to infringe on an idol’s private business, because that right belongs solely to that idol.

Should overzealous fans be the only ones to be blamed? Maybe not; many SM Entertainment artists have come across this obstacle, from Heechul‘s avoidance of public bathrooms because of fantaken pictures to a camera being installed in Luhan‘s room. This brings another complication to light: what exactly are the security measures being taken because of these instances?

Is it because SM artists are just too popular? Do they attract too many psychopaths? Or is the company choosing to stand by in order not to lose fans and, consequently, their income?

I can’t assume that it’s the company’s fault, but it’s a thought that comes into mind when I keep seeing such behavior. What remains imperative is that many fans need to keep their delusions in check.

Do you share the same opinion on this matter? Or do you disagree with some points brought up in this article? Be sure to share your thoughts and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Stalker Idols

June 29, 2014/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Even though having a stalker or an obsessed ex-lover can be traumatic experience in real life, in the K-Pop world it seems to be harmless and cute. This week’s playlist is dedicated to the emotions that rise when yearning for another person. Our picks range from creepy to adorable. You decide which one is which.

I really, really didn’t like History‘s Psycho during the first listen. The group has no consistency in style, and I fell in love with its debut song, Dreamer. Psycho couldn’t be farther apart in sound from Dreamer, but after a few listens of the former, I realized that both songs, all of History’s songs in fact, had different styles but displayed the member’s vocal talent in unique ways. This way, every member is able to play to his skills, expressing himself in whatever genre of music suits him. History debuted as a group with a few strong vocalists, but Psycho shows off even the “weakest” members have powerful lines that resonate with the listener.

The music video for Psycho is creepy with stalker plot; the song is influenced by the Alfred Hitchcock film, so this is expected. But it also has some amazing (i.e. sexy) dancing, especially from my favorite member Kyungil. The way that man thrusts his hips was so X-rated that they had to tone down the dance for broadcasts, disappointing fans all over the world.

— Tamar

Similar to Tamar’s experience with Psycho, the first time I saw the video for GOT7‘s A, it really didn’t leave a lasting impression with me. I never thought it was bad, I just didn’t make much of it. It wasn’t until I saw After School Club earlier this week with them as guests that I paid better attention to the song and them as a group.

The ending result, of course, involved me playing the song all week and even choosing a bias in the group (hey JB!). I’m regularly not into the cutesy, pedo-noona inducing concepts, but it’s hard not to fall for the boys’ charms. Who knew GOT7 could make stalkers seem harmlessly cute? Moreover, the song’s chorus is incredibly catchy, same goes for the choreography.

— Alexis

Ever since I heard Taeyang’s song Eyes, Nose, Lips from his newest album Rise, I became obsessed. Then Tablo made a cover and it obsessed me even more. Tablo’s cover is in English, written by him and featuring Tayeang at the end. Tablo’s rap throughout the song really takes us to the anger in the song. I really love when Taeyang sings in English, his voice sounds beautiful.

Furthermore, the lyrics are powerful. The song talks about a lost love, while still seeing their lovers face, which sounds a little bit like an obsessed ex to be quite honest. But you have to give it for the guys. It does hurt to see the person you still love and know that you lost them. It this case, the other person in love seems to had done something very bad because there is a particular very intense line (which is my favorite line from the song) that says:

You wish me well, I wish you hell.

— Alejandro

Flower is a mid-tempo R&B song composed and produced by none other than Yong Junhyung. I was excited to hear about the Beast member’s solo debut in December, and he did not disappoint. The music video for Flower perfectly matches the tempo and feeling of the song. Junhyung compares his love to the scent of a flower even long after they have drifted apart. One of the lines of lyrics translated says:

Even after time passes, the thickly settled scent remains.

Clearly he cannot get over his former love. He still smells her and feels her arms hug him and lips kiss him. As the song progresses, he loses these senses and wishes to gain them back just once more. Although the memories of her touch, smell and kiss grow faint, Junhyung just wants to feel them one more time. Flower is his request just to be held by his love once more.

— Tara

I swear I’m not on an EXO rampage, but when it came to our theme of stalker idols, I was instantly reminded of the group’s entire drama series for Wolf. Albeit a little cheesy, the plotline for this drama involves some major creepiness. After being stalked by some bad guys, Luhan plays the stalker role by following his ex-friends as they visit D.O in the hospital. I couldn’t keep a straight face as I watched this, but I did enjoy how SM actually made a pretty long dramatic interpretation of the group’s comeback.

Wolf itself was not my favorite song, but it slowly grew on me; when EXO came to KCON in 2013, I found myself cheering and singing along just as loudly to Wolf as I did for their other songs. The dubstep is a tricky and risky move for the company and group, but the song was still popular with fans. My favorite part was probably when they howl, because it is just so darn fun to pretend I’m a wolf myself.

— Thuc

What stalker-y song is your favorite? Share it with us! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Thuctorials: Orange Caramel’s Nana “Lipstick” Makeup Tutorial

June 27, 2014/in Beauty /by Thucydides

There’s no doubt that Orange Caramel is always fun and colorful, but have you ever wanted to try their makeup style for yourself? I will show you how to Get That Look of Nana during the group’s Lipstick promotions!

As part of our very own Thuctorials series, this article will give you the full details on the colors and products that I used to imitate Nana’s makeup. None of these are exclusive products and you can get most of them in your regular department stores or online (online is recommendable especially as you can apply discounts like https://www.raise.com/coupons/kohls when you shop). When it comes to the foundation you might want to adjust to match your base skin tone but the brand itself you might want to stick with.

At the end of the day this is about having fun, so getting too stuck in the details of this brand and that product shouldn’t be on the agenda. If you feel a different brand or shade matches Nana‘s look then go for it!

Check out our video to watch a step-by-step tutorial of this look:

Prefer a written tutorial? Read on!

Prep

Before I put on my primer, I always make sure my face is clean and free of any dirt or oil. That way, the primer can stick onto my skin rather than the gross stuff! I used Rimmel London’s Stay Matte Primer:

I use my fingers for application because I feel like it’s the best method of making sure the primer is even and blended throughout my face.

You don’t have to use primer, but I prefer to do so because it helps smooth out my skin and pores, plus it helps my makeup stay on for a longer period of time!

Foundation

If you have clear skin, and you want lighter coverage, you can lightly powder your face. However, I like to cover my scars and blemishes with a liquid and powder foundation combination. I first applied Revlon’s 24 Hour Colorstay in medium beige with my fingers (MAKE SURE YOUR FINGERS ARE CLEAN), but a beauty sponge or likewise would work better. I didn’t have any in my possession at the time:

Afterwards, I used bareMinerals’ MATTE Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 in medium beige with the brand’s Precision Face buffing brush for application. The instructions that come with the loose powder recommend a circular application, so I followed suit. Blend everything towards your neck for a smoother gradient.

Brows

I don’t have orange brow gel, so I used my bhCosmetics BH Day & Night eyeshadow palette, an angled brush from a dollar store pack of brushes, and eyedrops:

The eyedrops help intensify the eyeshadows and bring out their color! To tame my brows, I used a spoolie that you can buy at dollar stores, and then I drew a rough draft of what I wanted my eyebrows to look like with this orange color:

Then I went over my brows with this darker, orange-brown color to make it stand out a bit more:

I groomed and set the eyeshadow with my wet n wild’s megaclear Brow & Lash Mascara.

Eyeshadow

Instead of eyeshadow primer, I use my wet n wild’s idol eyes crème shadow pencil in Pixie as a base, covering my eyelid area:

I followed this up with NYX’s Jumbo Eye Pencil in Strawberry Milk for my waterline, making my eyes appear larger. Try not to tug on your eyes too much, because it could stress them out!

For the eyeshadow, I used an eyeshadow brush, which came from the same dollar store pack as my angled brush, with the Day & Night palette. I went with this purple color first:

Covering up my eyelid area, I extended the shadow while following my crease and pulled the color under my eyes to connect the lines. You can do a little wing shape if you’d like!

After the purple, I chose a darker navy blue:

I covered the same area as the purple, as well as extending the blue past my inner tearduct.

To prep for my eyeliner, I used my angled brush and black eyeshadow:

If you haven’t noticed already, I like to layer my makeup! It adds more color, and I’ve found that it blends out really well. I made a guideline for my eyeliner with the black eyeshadow, following my lash line and extending it out on both sides.

Eyeliner

I’m a fan of marker-type liquid eyeliners, so L’Oréal’s THE infallible BLACKBUSTER 8 HR liquid eyeliner works great for me. Choose an eyeliner that you like and are most comfortable with using.

I basically followed the eyeshadow guideline:

Mascara

Nana may be using fake lashes, but my personal pair of lashes don’t match the dolly, fluffy ones that she sports. As a result, I forgoed the lashes and just went with mascara. I generally do multiple mascara products to make my lashes as long as possible, because I am just a sucker for long lashes. I started off with my clear mascara as a base and to separate my lashes:

I then went over it with one coat of my jordana’s BESTlength EXTREME Lengthening Mascara. I apply my mascara at this angle because it helps me not get any residue on my eyelids! Blinking while applying the mascara also helps me get the most product onto my lashes.

For volume and added length, I used my little sample of MAC’s ZOOM Fast Black Lash and applied it in the same manner.

As you can see, I like to put mascara on both my upper and lower lashes. If you’re not into that, you don’t have to do it!

Lips

For the base, I used wet n wild’s megaslicks lip balm in Rico Mauve, covering the shape of my lips.

To imitate Nana’s bright pink lips in the reference photo I used, I decided to go with my homemade carnation pink lipstick and a lip brush from the aforementioned brush pack.

It looks a little funky because it melts in hotter temperatures, but it works fine, don’t worry! I warmed up this lipstick using my breath for two reasons: (1) it was in an air-conditioned room for the majority of the tutorial, and (2) it helps make the lipstick workable. I applied it on the same area as the lip balm.

To make sure none of the lipstick got on my teeth, I sucked on my thumb for a little bit and pulled it out, wiping the extra residue. Do a final check on your own teeth and wipe any stains that you see before you go out!

Outfit

I don’t really have a stylish wardrobe like Nana’s, but you could pair a bright, fun dress or layered look with this! Here’s what Nana chose to wear:

Patterns with analogous or split complementary colors work very well with her makeup, and I’m positive they will work well for you if you choose to try this look out!

Hair

For hair, I personally would have liked to curl my bangs and do a curly-wavy hybrid of a ponytail; however, I needed to do more yardwork and consequently shower, so I felt no need to do my hair. Here are some hairstyles you could try:

That’s it for this Thuctorial! If you’d like me to do more of these, feel free to make a request on any of our social media sites or just comment below. I will also be doing Korean beauty product reviews, so request any products that you’d like a second opinion on!

[DISCLAIMER: All products are mine, bought with my own money. This tutorial was not sponsored]

Which idol would you like to be the focus of the next Thuctorial? Which Korean beauty products are you interested in? Share your thoughts with us, and make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.