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Subin talks gifts from heaven, alter ego, & ‘Katchup’ [interview]

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dalsooobin subin dal shabet interview katchup ketchup
Just over two years since we last saw her release music, Subin will be returning soon with her biggest single to date, “Katchup.” In those two years, the former Dal Shabet member has remained ever present; she appeared at KCON LA last year and has a strong social media presence. She even changed her moniker and now goes by DALsooobin. The “Circle’s Dream” singer is thriving particularly on Instagram with K-pop girl group covers, unique promos, and constant new ways of communicating with.

KultScene was lucky enough to catch up with her and talk about her upcoming comeback, her alter-ego, and her favourite Dal Shabet track.

Congratulations on your recent successful Makestar. What was the experience of using that website like? Is it nice knowing that your fans can be one of your major backers?

“I was worried that this goal wouldn’t be achieved in the beginning, but I was surprised to hear that it was reached really quickly. Throughout this project, I realized that a lot of Korean and international Darlings are still supporting us. I often felt lonely throughout my solo career but after seeing the success of this project, I felt really supported. From then on, I promised myself to give my best to Darlings who have waited so long.”

Will your comeback be self-composed? Would you like to continue composing for yourself or work with more producers?

“Yes, I think it’s essential to include your true feelings in a song. I’ve always wanted to compose my own songs so that I could express my honest emotions. If I can meet more producers with similar vibes and feelings as mine, I’d love to work with them in the future.”

Also on KultScene: THE STORY OF LOONA: YYXY

You’ve had a wonderful career with Dal Shabet that set you up to go solo and has led all the way here. What do you feel when you look back at your time with the group?

“I’ve always thought back to memories of Dal Shabet, but these days I think of them even more before I go up on stage. Before, when I used to be with my members, I wasn’t really afraid of anything, but nowadays, because I’m doing more things solo, I get a bit scared and lonely.”

From the group’s discography, are there any songs you look back on and think that was the best?

“My personal favorite song is ‘Joker.’ I think it’s a gift from heaven that I was given this opportunity to produce this song. I think I was able to go further in my solo career through that album.”

As a part of Dal Shabet, going through all manner of pop genres, and as a soloist working on ballads and more indie-influenced songs, you have experimented with a wide variety of genres. Do you have a favourite genre that you have encountered so far?

“Out of all the genres I’ve tried out, my favorite has to be indie. I believe having your own identity is the most important thing as an artist, and I think compared to other genres, the indie genre allows for a wider range of expression. Just like ‘Kieuk’ by Kiha & The Faces, I think indie is the most flexible and diverse genre.”

Some songs you have produced for yourself have been very personal and I think your work is much better off because of it. Songs like “Hate” are so full of anguish. Is it liberating to produce songs like this for yourself?

“That’s exactly how I felt! I’m so glad that you were able to empathize with my track ‘Hate.’ It seems like I succeeded with that one (lol). I wrote that song to express the suffering I felt from not being able to share with a past partner the pain he had given me. I’m personally the type that has a hard time expressing how I feel, but through writing this song, it was a freeing and healing experience.”

 

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D-5 #katchup #dalsooobin #comingsoon #달수빈 #케첩

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“Circle’s Dream” is probably my favourite of your songs. What was it like producing that? As a solo artist, do you hope to challenge your voice as much as you can as well as your composing abilities?

“I’m so happy that you like ‘Circle’s Dream’ the most, and again, this makes me feel like this track has succeeded (lol)! This song has the strongest personality/identity. I tried my best to make this song something that no one’s heard before, and to work in my own unique voice and feelings. This is the song where I challenged myself the most as a solo artist.”

Where did the ideas come from, especially for the lyrics which are great but strange? In reference to those lyrics, what does it mean to be round or angular?

“In Korea, there’s a phrase that adults commonly say, which is, ‘Live roundly.’ It means to ‘live kindly,’ but today’s world is too aggressive and offensive for us to just ‘live kindly.’ That’s why I wrote about being angular, which is the opposite of living ’roundly’ and means, ‘I don’t just want to live a life where I’m only kind to others.’”

[Translator’s Note: The Korean expression to “live roundly” essentially means to just go with the flow. Subin explains in her answer that today’s society can be so negative and hurtful, and we can be wronged at times. It’s not always best to just go with the flow and be stepped on all over, but it’s good to discern when we need to become “angular”, or to toughen up and stand up for ourselves, instead of just being meek all the time.]

Also on KultScene: BREAKING DOWN RED VELVET’S ‘REDMARE’ SHOW IN DALLAS

Do you feel that you are still “round” today?

“I do think that I’m still ’round’ today, but I guess some might disagree, since the way you perceive others can be very subjective. Instead of thinking, ‘I hate that I’m so ‘round’, or too much of a ‘nice guy’,’ I try to remember that even I can hurt others without knowing it, so I try to stay humble and careful about the way I act and the things I say.”

You were at KCON LA last summer, would you like to come back to America or any other countries outside of Asia on tour anytime soon?

“As far as potential plans for America or any other countries outside of Asia, we’re still in the planning phase, so I can’t really say anything until we have a more solidified idea. As of right now, I am hoping to do something in the States and in other countries in the second half of the year!”

Can you talk a bit about who Nikita is to you? Is she a friend, an alter ego, or something else?

“Nikita is my best friend. We may look alike, but the ways we live our lives are very different. Since my career thrives when the public pays attention to me, I have to pay attention to the public’s opinion. However, that’s not the case for Nikita. She focuses and pays more attention to herself. I hope people like me or anyone who’s going through a rough time would learn how to love themselves through her.”

Finally, what is so special about ketchup?

“Out of all of my babies, Ketchup is the oldest one (lol). From all of the songs I’ve released as a soloist, this track took the longest to produce, and I put the most preparation into it. And because I put so much into this song, I can’t help but feel that it’s the most special to me.”

DALsoobin’s “Katchup” drops Mar. 5. In the meantime, check out the teaser.


Special thank you to SubKulture Entertainment for facilitating and translating the interview ?

What are some of your favorite Subin songs? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Creator of ReacttotheK talks ‘Classical Musicians React’ & K-pop trends [Interview]

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With almost 250,000 subscribers on YouTube, ReacttotheK is a K-pop reaction channel that has been gaining a lot of popularity online ever since its creation in May 2016, especially with its Classical Musicians React series. Some of the reactors, along with the creator and main producer of this channel, Umu, recently held their first panel at KCON LA. We spoke to Umu about her channel, her experiences at KCON, and her thoughts regarding the latest trends of K-pop music.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to Kultscene. To begin with, could you introduce yourself?
Hello Kultscene readers! I’m the creator of the Classical Musicians React series on my YouTube channel ReacttotheK and a Sophomore French horn performance major at the Eastman School of Music. For those who are not familiar with the CMR series, it’s basically a bunch of classical music majors who happily freak out over or criticize the musical composition of K-pop songs. We hope to open the eyes of the K-pop fandom to what makes music so cool sometimes.

What made you first decide to create your YouTube channel?
I originally created the channel for fun when I was about to graduate from high school. I was afraid that no one in a music conservatory was going to be into K-pop. I then began to film reactions with my friends as a way to stay in touch with them, and have them to fangirl with, while I was away for school.

[The] Classical Musicians React series began when I got up the courage ask some [of] my entertaining musician friends react. Hearing the music related comments they had towards the music was a blast to both my channel’s small fan base and myself. Seeing how the first few videos quickly gained a lot of attention, I decided to make it a complete series. As time went on, I began encouraging more musical comments rather than typical comments on the MV, so that my content could be centered around an aspect of K-pop not many other channels focus on.

What is the most memorable reaction video you have ever filmed?
There are many different videos that I recorded that were memorable in different ways. Often the most extreme reactions are to MVs with a interesting plot or to a song with unexpected content. K Will’s “Please Don’t,” VIXX’s “VooDoo Doll,” LYn & Leo’s duet “Blossom Tears,” and BAP’s “One Shot” had the most memorable reactions to the MV. For memorable reactions where the music surprised them, my favorite reactions are to 4Minute’s “Hate,” f(x)’s “Red Light,” EXO-CBX’s “The One,” 2NE1’s “Come Back Home,” and MAMAMOO’s “Don’t Be Happy.”

What difficulties have you faced along the way while creating new content and managing the channel?
The main thing I’ve struggled with running this channel is deciding whether to prioritize the channel or my school work/personal life. I have extreme dedication to projects I start, so I often put the channel in priority over my own health and work. This has made my life very stressful at times, so I am currently learning to balance both my time directed towards the channel and school.

Another difficult thing I’ve come across is fan’s disappointment in me when I make certain decisions with my channel. I have a vision and goal for my channel: I want fans to be super happy and proud of their favorite K-pop group when we react to a song by them. But in order to put out content where the reactors are amazed by the music, I have to be picky with what songs we react to. This has created a ton of hate towards me, and makes me look like a stuck up classical musician. I understand this is not a step I should take if I want to become a more popular channel, but it is what I have to do to put out the content channel viewers enjoy seeing (aka the musicians actually saying music theory related comments vs just talking about the MV because they have nothing to say about the music).

Also on Kultscene: Taemin’s ‘MOVE’ Song & Music Review

From what you have seen of K-pop so far, how do you think it will continue to develop musically?
Good question! I’m not the best with naming genres, but I’ll try my best to point out certain trends that i’ve been seeing a lot lately.

Boy groups groups have been delving in the EDM & hip hop genres a lot lately. I have a feeling groups will be doing a lot of those style of songs since they seem to be the most popular genres at the moment and are also the best genres to choreograph hot dances to.

I’ve heard a lot of “tropical pop” lately (WINNER’s “Island,” CHUNG HA’s “Why Don’t You Know,” KARD, etc) where groups use the same style of synth samples and stick to diatonic, catchy melodies and a constant dance-oriented beat.

Some thing that I’ve seen become more popular with girl groups ever since Red Velvet’s “Rookie,” is “speak” singing trend. Cosmic Girls, Pristin, Lovely, ELRIS, and a few other groups have continued this trend and are starting to get creative with it, which is fun to see!

Another genre of music i’ve seen a lot of with girl groups is orchestral funk. GFRIEND, LOVELYZ, WJSN, APRIL, Oh My Girl all have the pop-y string/synth/electric funky guitar instrumentation along with treble heavy mixing.

What I love about K-pop is that most songs are a mix of multiple genres. Blackpink’s “As if it’s Your Last,” Dreamcatcher’s “Fly High,” Weki Meki’s “I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend,” EXO’s “Ko Ko Bop,” MAMAMOO’s “Don’t Be Happy,” 2NE1’s “Come Back Home,” LOONA’s “Cherry Motion” and many more all have multiple genres smushed into one song. I see this trend as a gateway to many new unique songs and hope to see more of this in future K-pop releases.

Current reactors for Classical Musicians React (via Umu)

You and your reactors recently held your first panel at KCON LA, how was the experience?
It was amazing! Our following has always been numbers on a screen to me, and it didn’t occur to me how /real/ everything was until we arrived at KCON and were approached by fans every few minutes. Getting to meet our fans was a great experience, and definitely left an impact on both the reactors and me. When reflecting back on KCON, the reactors told me their going to take reacting a lot more seriously now! We are hoping to get invited many more times, and each time make our panel more fun and interesting!

Also on Kultscene: K-Pop Unmuted: Talking Girls’ Generation

Some of your initial reactors have moved on from the channel since they have graduated from the university, so what are your plans for the channel when you yourself have graduated?

All I can say now, is that I’m definitely not throwing the channel away. I don’t have exact plans for the channel after I graduate yet, but I’m slowly starting to brainstorm ideas. A few reactors have volunteered to keep reacting on their own when we’ve all parted ways, so I can say that even though we won’t all be together, you won’t be seeing the last of us!

Is there anything else you would like to say to KultScene readers and to your fans?
Thank you so much for taking your time to read (and hopefully enjoy) my answers. I am extremely honored that there are so many wonderful humans out there interested in and enjoying my channel! I hope you all get something out of it, whether it be laughter, entertainment, or learning something new (I expect y’all to know what modulations are by now if you’ve seen the majority of our videos ;)). Thank you so much for your love and support and I will continue to work hard to put out good content!

Check out ReacttotheK here!

Have you watched any of the “Classical Musicians React” videos? How do you think K-pop will continue to evolve from here? 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.

Aeon Dream Studios talks ‘To The Edge of the Sky,’ BTS, & dreams [interview]

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It’s only been about a month since their visual novel demo To The Edge of the Sky was released, but Aeon Dream Studios has already achieved great success with a 4.9/5 user rating on Google Play and over a hundred thousand installs. With beautiful graphics and an intriguing storyline set in 2077 featuring BTS members as characters in an enigmatic government organisation, the demo has definitely whetted the appetites of fans who cannot wait for more. We spoke to the game’s creators at Aeon Dream Studios about their new game as well as their future plans and dreams.

Kultscene: Thank you for taking the time to talk to Kultscene. To begin with, could you all introduce yourselves and your roles in the company?
Ajané Celestin: Hello! I’m Ajané Celestin. I’m the CEO, Creative Director, and I also write and act as the Editor.
Chieu Nguyen: I’m Chieu Nguyen. I’m the Art Director and Lead Artist responsible for most of the visuals in our games, mainly character art and user interface.
Eglė Dilytė: I’m Eglė Dilytė. I’m the Lead Creative Writer, main scriptwriter, and I also work as our Social Media Coordinator.

How and why did you decide to found this company?
AC: Chieu, Egle and I met up on Tumblr as fans of visual novel games. We became friendly with each other and since Egle and I were writers and Chieu was an artist, I asked them if they wanted to make a game. We decided to see what would happen and go as far as we could go. We didn’t imagine things would get this far, but we’re very happy it has.

Also on Kultscene: The Sonic Identity of K-pop girl groups: Implied Meanings and What The Future Holds 

What first inspired you to create To the Edge of the Sky, and more specifically, to model your main characters after the BTS members?
AC: We’re fans of BTS’ music and their concepts and aesthetics constantly inspired us last year. As creators, we began to see more ways we could flesh out some of their story concepts in a visual novel game format and also thought that ARMYs would probably be interested in such a game.

Characters of the game modeled after BTS members (image via To the Edge of the Sky)

What were the challenges you faced in your creation of To the Edge of the Sky?
CN: Definitely time pressure. We had about two weeks for this demo while still planning on our previous game, so it was rough trying to get the assets done while still maintaining our usual quality. Fortunately, the first part of the demo was finished like how we envisioned it.
AC: As Chieu said, it was mainly time. Chieu had already done promotional artwork because we were gearing up to create the demo, but I suddenly came up with the idea to do it before I headed to their Newark concerts in March so we could hand out the promotional artwork. We challenged ourselves to create a concept from scratch as well as artwork within roughly a 10 day period. However we were able to achieve it and are grateful to receive the positive responses.

You’ve posted online about your plans to present the idea for To the Edge of the Sky to BTS’ label, BigHit Entertainment, how do you intend to achieve that?
AC: As anyone who has been paying attention to BTS knows, they are reaching their peak right about now, so it is very difficult to contact them. Right now we are in contact with someone local to Seoul who may be able to assist us with that further.

To the Edge of the Sky has become very popular on the Internet, especially among ARMYs (BTS’ fandom). What would you like to say to the new fans of your game?
ED: Well, first of all, hello and welcome! Thank you for playing our demo and thank you so much for your kind words and support. This might sound a little cheesy, but we feel energized by all the love and we’ll continue to work hard for everyone.
AC: I’d like to say that we’re really, truly grateful for all the kind and positive comments we’ve received. We had no idea To the Edge of the Sky would be so well received. We put everything we had into it during the short time we had and are so grateful for the ARMYs that gave us positive responses at the Newark concerts and through social media and emails. We can hardly believe it but To the Edge of the Sky is nearing 400,000 downloads within two months of its release and we’re really grateful for the thousands of positive reviews so far. Thank you for also becoming fans of the game and we promise we will do our best to develop this game for you.
CN: Thank you so much for your generous support thus far, it means a lot to us. We will continue to work hard and hope that you could see this game come to fruition with us.

Also on Kultscene: Introducing KultScene’s K-Pop Unmuted: Produce 101 

So far only a demo for To the Edge of the Sky has been released, what will come next following this release?
AC: After we finish our current project, we are planning to work on developing the next part of To the Edge of the Sky. We want to give ARMYs more while we continue to work on making this a full game.

Where do you see your company in the next five years?
ED: With a much larger games library and still creating more, it’s been my wish and I think all of ours really to be able to work together and create together until we die of old age. And I hope we’ll be able to produce more content than just visual novels.
CN: We would have more games out with higher quality, and it would also be nice to have a larger fanbase. We are never satisfied with the status quo and are always seeking to improve the quality of our work. Therefore, it is my hope that in 5 years time, we will create even better games and be able to reach out to a wider range of audience.
AC: In five years…It’d be really nice if we had a few different series. It’d be really nice if we could produce more games like To the Edge of the Sky, where genres are crossed over, as well as our own, completely original work. I want us to continue to become better developers, writers and artists and make a variety of different games for all kinds of people. It would be interesting to do work outside of games as well, under our brand name.

Check out Aeon Dream Studios and their current works here!

Have you tried out To The Edge of the Sky? Are you a fan? Tell us what you think 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.

Madeleine Music CEO Dongsoo Lee Shares About His Hopes & Motivations [INTERVIEW]

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madeleine music ceo

In this ever-evolving K-pop industry, music of various styles such as EDM and hip-hop are released every day by up and coming groups. While the industry is expanding and becoming more globalized, there is a genre of music that is getting left behind. Korean folk music, an integral part of Korea’s traditional culture and heritage, is rarely found among K-pop releases nowadays. There is a company however, that is fully dedicated to producing soothing Korean music, folk and ballads included. Meet Madeleine Music and its CEO Dongsoo Lee, a man passionate about spreading the gift of music to the weary souls in the society. While it may still be a small and relatively unheard of start-up, artists like YouTuber Soyoungyi and Ian Jo are currently signed to their roster. We caught up with Lee and talked about how he ended up in the music industry along with his plans for the future.

Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Can you please introduce yourself and your company to the readers who may be hearing of you for the first time?

Hello everyone. My name is Dongsoo Lee and I’m a composer, chief producer, and CEO of Madeleine Music. Madeleine Music is a record label based in South Korea and our company was established in August, 2013. We are dedicated to making a better world with softer and sweeter music for everyone based on our philosophy of lyricism. The name of ‘Madeleine Music’ is derived from the well known ‘Madeleine’ which is a soft and sweet French cookie. We are working hard to make our music to satisfy everyone’s tastes just like the ‘Madeleine.’

What inspired you to set up Madeleine Music?

This might sound very weird but, honestly, I’ve never studied music. I majored in accounting and business and minored in economics in New York. Since I studied in the U.S. for almost 7 years, I felt lonely and homesick occasionally. Whenever I was in that mood I tried to make songs and record them. I think it was just like keeping a diary to me.

Also on KultScene: 4 Modern Takes on Traditional Korean Hanbok That We Love

After I came back to Korea, I worked for a few companies and mostly dealt with numbers all day long, sometimes even during the weekends. One day, I realized that the job I chose couldn’t make me happy for the rest of my life, and I also noticed that there are so many people who are worn out trying to maintain their jobs and lives.

I was reminded that music had helped me a lot when I was down so I just wanted to do music for the rest of my life, to comfort myself and people who were worn out. Finally, I quit my job and started Madeleine Music. I also found some great artists who can help me to achieve my goal.

What is the music production process like in Madeleine Music?

Actually, it is a very typical process similar to that of other labels work but each one of our artists has to make their own songs. They send me their demos and I discuss how to arrange the song, when to record, when to release it, etc. As a music producer, I spend my time and energy to communicate with our artists, instrument session players, sound engineers, and designers. And as a CEO, I spend my time and energy to communicate with other companies or people who can help us in the Korean music industry. This explains why these days I have no time left to work on my own music [laughs].

Korean Folk is a very interesting genre of music to be producing, especially in our current society. Is there a special reason why your company mainly releases these types of songs? What is your inspiration for your music?

I prefer acoustic instruments to digital instruments. Since the most important values of Madeleine Music are lyricism and simplicity, I think Korean Folk is a great genre for us to put these values in music. I love songs with beautiful lyrics and I am usually inspired by them. I always aspire to make songs that are like a poem or an impressive short novel. That is why I try to finish the lyrics of a song before composing its melody. I hope international fans of Korean Folk will try to understand and appreciate the meaning of the song lyrics along with the melody. The story of a song really matters to me, and once you understand it better it will totally change your musical impression of a song.

What are some challenges that you’ve faced while running this company?

Even though I started the company in 2013, Madeleine Music is still a newborn company. I spent almost two years learning and understanding how the music industry works because I’ve never been exposed to this area before. Since we are still a new player, we have the same problems and needs that any other start-ups can have. Everyone knows there are some independent record labels doing well in Korea, but I can’t deny that the expectancy of profitability of many other companies is not as decent since this industry has become more stream service based.

Also on KultScene: Seventeen’s “Pretty U” Music Video & Song Review

Madeleine Music recently became part of the Record Label Industry Association of Korea (LIAK). How has this impacted/helped your company so far?

There are hundreds of active record labels in Korea, but only 20+ companies are in LIAK. They are all industry leaders with great career and name value, so I’m proud to be a member alongside them. It makes me feel that we are accepted as a good partner of Korean music industry and that is very meaningful to me. There is also a lot of information and benefits to share between members too.

Could you tell us more about the plans that you have for your company in the future?

I don’t want Madeleine Music to be just a small record company in Korea. I want Madeleine Music to become a comprehensive culture company or a name. I wish this company could be a rest place for those who are worn out and that it could also be a playground for musicians who have great talent, inspiration, and an attractive personality.

What do you think of Dongsoo Lee, Madeleine Music, and the state of Korean folk music? 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.

Teen Top Spoke to KultScene & Delivered an Exciting Show in New York City

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Photo Credit Anna Lai

Photo Credit Anna Lai

Bringing their charisma and typical flare, Teen Top hyped up audiences aplenty in New York City on Saturday night. The RED POINT 2016 Teen Top US Live Tour brought Niel, L.Joe, C.A.P, Chunji, Changjo, and Ricky to Terminal 5 to perform in front of their dedicated fans, reuniting the group and New York area K-pop lovers for the fourth time in three years. Moreover, in a special pre-show interview, KultScene spoke to the act.

[Read the full interview at the bottom of the page.]

“Are you watching our performance today?” Asked Niel through a translator in the middle of the interview. “Scream loud and get excited.”

Starting off the night draped in passionate red suits with “It’s No Joke (Rocking),” the six twenty-something K-pop idols launched into their two-hour long set that switched off between frenetic dance songs, crooning ballads, and some show stopping hip hop numbers. The connection between the group and their fans was apparent as purple fanlights waved by hundreds of Angels, Teen Top’s official fanclub, lit up the concert hall as Teen Top performed old and new hits alike. The energy was clearly there, living up to a promise made by Teen Top earlier that evening.

“What’s different from our last time we were here [is that] we’re promoting our new songs and on top of that each individual has songs that they’ve written or produced so we want to perform that to for the fans in NY,” said Teen Top ahead of taking the stage. It was a lot to promise, considering that many concertgoers had seen Teen Top perform during the group’s 2014 tour and twice in 2015, during a free concert and KCON NY.

Also on KultScene: HISTORY Talks Teamwork & Upcoming Releases [INTERVIEW]

The six members of Teen Top carried through on their words, with each song, from the beautiful rendition of ballad “Day” to the debut New York performance of their newest song “Warning Sign,” were presented in a fresh way, highlighting Teen Top’s maturity as a K-pop act that had reached the sixth year of their career. Although they were suffering from jetlag, Teen Top had Angels cheering with delight through songs like pump up anthem “Hot Like Fire” and the fan-dedicated “Angel.”

“This tour, we’re looking forward to providing energy to our audience,” said Teen Top. “We want to return the feedback we’ve gotten from our fans and give it back to them.” And Teen Top did just that, despite being visibly exhausted from their transcontinental flight and hectic tour schedule. Interspersing powerful group numbers with individual solo stages, Teen Top took the night at a steady, businesslike pace while offering up a variety of different interpretations of their iconic sleek sound and style.

The highlight of the night was clearly the solo performances. While coming across as a cohesive group during their group routines like “Ah-Ah” and “Don’t Drink,” Teen Top’s individual members spent much of the night reminding the crowd of the specific skills that make Teen Top’s members worthy of being members of a popular idol group.

L.Joe’s English took center stage as the rapper MC-ed the night, broken into group performances and solo stages, like Niel’s springtime “Affogato,” Chunji’s melancholic power ballad “Dream of a Doll,” Ricky and Changjo’s cover of Crush’s R&B tune “Sofa,” Changjo’s solo of “I Fancy You,” and C.A.P’s powerful ad-lib filled take on Action Bronson and Chance The Rapper’s “Baby Blue.”

With 27 songs, including encore song “Clap,” Teen Top’s show took New York Angels on a journey that ended far too early. But the fans there at the intimate concert that night were some of Teen Top’s most dedicated fans this side of the world and are sure to remember it for the rest of their lives.

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Our interview with Teen Top below.

KultScene: Welcome back to New York City. You’ve been here several times. How have you prepared something new for the Red Point tour?
Teen Top: What’s different from our last time we were here [is that] we’re promoting our new songs and on top of that each individual has songs that they’ve written or produced so we want to perform them for the fans in NY.

Also on KultScene: K-Dramas Continue to Explore LGBT Themes With Coy Devices

KS: Can you tell us a bit about “Warning Sign” and how it’s something different from your other singles?
Teen Top: The difference between our new song and our previous songs is that they have different characteristics and different styles of music and different physical concepts.

KS: What are you looking forward to this trip?
Teen Top: What we’re looking forward to this tour is providing energy towards the crowds, we want to return the feedback we’ve gotten from our fans and give it back to them.

Niel: Are you watching our performance today?
KS: Yes.
Niel Scream loud and get excited.

KS: What does Teen Top have planned for the rest of the year?
Teen Top: For the rest of 2016, you can expect individual members to perform solos and star in dramas and musical. Very excited to see individual performances.

What do you think of Teen Top? Have you ever seen them perform live? Who else would you like KultScene to interview? 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.

Eric Nam’s ‘Interview’ Album Review

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Eric Nam

Popular Korean MC-singer Eric Nam recently came back with his mini-album “Interview”and is maintaining a high spot on local music charts despite strong competition posed by other returns by idol groups such as GOT7. It’s great news for a largely underrated singer like Eric Nam, especially because “Interview” is a marvellous album that’s proved its worth in the chart rankings.

“Interview”

This opening track kicks off the album brilliantly with a “feel-good” vibe that is complemented by Eric’s smooth voice and muted instrumentals. The lyrics wittily describe the first meeting of a guy and a girl by framing it as an interview, which is clever in itself because Eric has conducted numerous interviews throughout his own career. It’s adorable yet romantic to listen to, much like the creative lyrical video that accompanied the song.

”Good For You”

The cheerfulness is dissipated by the time we reach the single of the album but it is no less well done than the first track. With a soft and jazzy piano introduction Eric carries the song in a relaxed manner, fully expressing the simple lyrics of the song. The song is quiet for the most part, but at the emotional climax of the track Eric displays his trademark high notes. The music video for this track is shot beautifully with a very romantic and vintage lighting. The main story of the video centers around three particular characters; a tired ballerina, a worn out barista and a hopeless office woman. As Eric croons his song over the radio and the three characters listen to it they are encouraged and energized. While not fully relevant to the song itself, it makes for a sweet plot and a great watch.

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”Stop The Rain”

“Stop The Rain” is a marked difference from Eric’s usual laid back style but it’s a difference that is much welcome in this album. It starts out softly but the tempo is upbeat from the start and intensifies as the song goes along. The chorus is structured in an unique way but is catchy and addictive. With meaningful lyrics that speak of failure and hope along with Eric’s powerful vocals, this is easily the best and most memorable song of the album.

”No Comment”

Rounding out the album we have a song that returns to how this album started but in a more depressing and somber fashion after the excitement of meeting someone for the first time fizzles out betrayal and heartbreak start to creep in. This is exactly what Eric tackles in his last track. The skilful use of the phrase “No Comment” draws back to the initial idea of “Interview” this heartbreaking track pulls out all the stops in the form of emotional high notes, string instrumentals and a quiet closure.

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Overall Thoughts

Eric Nam has effectively outdone himself with this short album that managed to stay cohesive and keep a high quality throughout. I’m looking forward to his future releases (and am desperately hoping that he will gain more attention with this album) and his continued growth as a musician.

What did you think of his album? 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.

Galaxy Express Wants To Take You Aboard The Rock ‘n’ Roll Train [Interview]

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2015 Galaxy Express -- 1

Korean garage rock band Galaxy Express is back with their latest album, “Walking On Empty.” The album was released in August, but with their busy schedule we just got around to speaking with the chill band about what makes this album different from all of their previous ones. One hint: It has a bit to do with some amazing producers.

The trio has played all over the world, including multiple performances at SXSW over the years, and they’re one of South Korea’s top indie bands. Even if you think you don’t like them, Galaxy Express still wants you to get to know them and find time to grab a drink with the band (seriously!) and fall in love with their special brand of rock ‘n’ roll.

Thank you so much for agreeing to the interview. Can you please introduce yourself to KultScene’s audience?

Juhyun: Hi, I’m Juhyun Lee. I play bass and sing in the Korean rock band Galaxy Express.
Jonghyun: I’m the band’s guitarist and sing too and my name is Jonghyun Park.
Heekwon: I’m Heekwon Kim and I play drums in the band.

What led the three of you to come together initially?

Juhyun: We’re all idiots! That’s what brought us together.
Jonghyun: Idiots with a passion for music.

Are there any bands or musicians who influenced you to become musicians?

Juhyun: There are so many! Growing up, I listened to a lot of music and had lots of favorite musicians. But I think the Korean punk band Crying Nut had the biggest impact on me. I saw them play in 1996 and they seemed so free and wild. That experience made me want to start a band.
Jonghyun: Crying Nut really influenced me too.
Heekwon: I’ve loved beating on things ever since I was a young child. I think that’s what made me want to become a drummer.

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You started Galaxy Express in 2006. How has your music progressed since then? How has Galaxy Express changed over the years?

Juhyun: I think we are better musicians and play a wider range of music now. We released our fourth full-length album, “Walking on Empty,” in August. It’s got a lot more musical variety on it than our previous efforts. We were able to do things on this album which we wouldn’t have been able to do on our first full-length.
Jonghyun: I think we’re all a lot more relaxed now.
Heekwon: When we started, we were untamed horses. Now we’re trained horses.

Can you tell us about “Walking On Empty,” and what it means for the group to have worked with a variety of producers?

Juhyun: We’re so grateful to Sungmoon Lee for producing this album and to Adrian Hall for working as the engineer on it. And after we finished recording everything in Korea, Miles Showell did a great job mastering the album at Abbey Road in the UK. With this album we had a lot more time and felt freer to try different things. I think this created a more natural sound on the album. And with Sungmoon and Adrian being in the studio with us while we were recording, we learned how to work together with others who are not a part of Galaxy Express. This gave us lots of positive energy and it kind of felt like I was starting the band again.
Heekwon: I think “Walking on Empty” is an awesome album. We were able to work with lots of talented people and tried some new things. I think our band grew up with this album.

What Galaxy Express songs are near and dear to each member’s hearts?

Juhyun: I like “Time Keeps Rollin.”
Jonghyun: For me it’s “Not Again” because I had to record that song over and over again. So it definitely left a strong impression on me.
Heekwon: I like “Time Keeps Rollin” too. It makes me think. It’s like my story, your story, our neighbor’s story, the old lady who owns the building’s story …

If you could go anywhere in the galaxy, where would it be?

Juhyun: Somewhere similar to Earth that has air and gravity because I want to be able to survive.
Heekwon: If I went to the sun, I’d burn to death so I like it here on Earth. But it would be cool to visit the moon or Mars. They are close by so it’s kind of like we’re friends, right?

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What has been your most memorable concert as Galaxy Express?

Juhyun: For me, our most memorable shows were when we first started the band. Back then, there were usually only two or three people in the venues watching us.
Jonghyun: My most memorable concert we played was a show we did for the Sewol ferry accident.
Heekwon: I think for me, it was our 2013 US tour. We played 26 shows in a month and traveled around the country in a motorhome. We got to visit many cities and met lots of great people.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your fans, both the ones who know you already and the KultScene readers who may never have heard of you?

Juhyun: It’s great that we can meet you through the internet. But I hope we can meet you one day at a live show! Thanks for reading about Galaxy Express.
Heekwon: Whether you know our band or not, we’re grateful to you for taking the time to read about our band. I hope we can have the chance to meet you one day and drink together! [Us too!-KS]

What do you think of Galaxy Express? 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.

Sultan Of The Disco Does Funky Right At Seoulsonic NYC 2015 [Interview]

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sotd2Seoulsonic returned to New York City last week as part of CMJ’s 2015 music marathon with a new set of acts performing at SOBs (Sounds of Brazil) in Manhattan on Oct. 15. Three Korean indie acts — Sultan of the Disco, HEO, and WYM— performed throughout the night to showcase the music coming out of South Korea’s indie scene nowadays. I had a chance to speak to each of the acts before the show to hear about their careers and experiences at Seoulsonic.

[This is the second of a three-part interview/review series from the event. The interviews with HEO and WYM can be read HERE and HERE.]

Seoulsonic NYC 2015 began around midnight, but when Sultan of the Disco took to the stage wearing dragon-covered robes, shower shoes, and headbands, it was clear that the night was just getting started. The ‘70s inspired funk band hit all the right notes for the audience, getting everyone involved right away. With a full-fledged band onstage plus one member of the band dancing along to the rest with major aplomb, it was hard to not clap along and move to the sounds.

Sultan of the Disco is, when broken down, physical comedy meeting Korean musical innovation. Singing in both English and Korean, the group began its life as a dance troupe named Sultan of the Disco but over the years transitioned into a band with a heavy emphasis on dance. Their first single, “Magic Prince,” was released in 2007, and their latest song “SQ (We Don’t Need No EQ IQ)” came out this past July. Surpassing language barriers, the group’s played overseas in the past, although this was their first show in New York.

Lead vocalist Nahzam Sue sat down with me for a few minutes before the show began to tell me a bit about the band.

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“We want the immediate reaction of the audience to be able to dance and enjoy it,” Nahzam told me before explaining the band’s unusual inclusion of a member who just dances along while the rest of the band performs. “One dancer remains in our team, so there’s that spirit. He just dances… There’s a lot of energy [shared] between us and the audience.”

And indeed, on stage later that night, J.J Hassan stood there on stage, dancing alongside the other members as they played their music. Nahzam also had his own moves to show off while he sang, going back to the group’s origins as a dance team.

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“At the beginning, it was me and three other guys. It wasn’t an official band, but a dance team,” said Nahzam. “One by one, during sessions, guys who played instruments joined us and the Sultan of the Disco dance group became the band we are now.”

The band that they are now has had an album, 2013’s “The Golden Age,” nominated as the best electronic/dance album at the Korean Music Awards, but they’re moving onto the future.

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“We’re working on a new single now, that will be released by the end of the year,” the lead singer said. “The single will be a lot slower, a slow jam that’s different from what we’ve done. Even though our music is based in humor, we want to make our music maybe a little slower, groovier in the future [with more meaning.]. We want to be a more emotional band.”

Being emotional seemed like the last thing on their minds that night, though, as Sultan of the Disco connected with the audience through music, dance, and trying their best at talking in English. Pumping up the crowd in all the right ways possible, the band made a lasting impression at Seoulsonic NYC 2015 that the had us all wishing we were living in the disco age.

What do you like the most about Sultan of the Disco? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear you thoughts and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Dead Buttons Brings Classic Rock ‘N’ Roll Sounds To Seoul [INTERVIEW]

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Dead Buttons KultScene InterviewRock ‘n’ roll is alive and well when it comes to Dead Buttons, the Seoul-based duo classic rock band comprised of guitarist Hong Ji Hyun and drummer Lee Kang Hee. Mixing genres, Dead Buttons is a bit of classic rock meets punk meets blues and one of the best rock bands in Seoul today.

I had the chance to sit down with Dead Buttons earlier this summer to discuss their music, what they’ve been up to, their influences, and why they’re drunk on stage but not in the recording studio.

It’s so nice to meet you. Can you please introduce Dead Buttons to KultScene’s audience.
We play rock ‘n’ roll, and we’re from South Korea. Yea. We’re just a two piece band. We started playing together in 2012. First we were a three piece band. We had two bassists, but one quit, and then the other quit again. We’ve been two pieces for eleven month.

How did you pick the name?
HJH: I liked dead Kennedy and dead weather so I put the word dead, and the word button doesn’t mean anything.

How do you feel your music has grown since you don’t have a bassist anymore?
We can try more styles, new kinds, [without a bassist] because we were like a punk band but now we’re changing; psychedelic, rock ‘n’roll, now we can do everything, we’re not limited. I think that the instrument and player doesn’t matter. We don’t have a bassist, but we have bass. We care about the person who play music, but I think there’s a better chance at working together if we’re just two, face to face. We’re able to work better.

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What type of rock ‘n’ roll music are you doing nowadays?
Classic rock, punk rock, pop rock, We don’t define our genres because we want to do all the things we like. We do all kinds of rock. Right now we’re making a kind of reggae tune. We don’t mind [different] genres.

What kind of music do you two like when you’re looking for inspiration?
Too much. Even classical music, yea.

When you two want to make a new song, what do you do.
Jamming, mostly.

What was going to England twice like?
Cool -laughs-

How was it going to England to play, in comparison to Seoul?
It’s very similar within the UK and Korea. Because in UK, there is indie music too like there is in Korea, and it’s also not pretty popular. You have to do something, like if you want to be a popular band you need some media promotion. But we don’t do it like this. We need much experience, so we go to the UK and we hope to have our first tour in Korea, and also go to maybe Japan and Europe. We need much experience to be popular and to be a good band.

Actually, we love traveling so that’s part of it.

How often do you perform in Korea? How is it different playing in Korea versus overseas?
We play in Seoul once or twice a week. Actually, when we played in the U.K, K-pop fans came. I don’t know why they like us, but actually they start liking “K-pop” but they just like “Korean.” They like us because we’re Korean. K-pop, like “Gangnam Style” or the idol music, it’s popular because they have money. We’re not popular because we don’t have money.

We don’t want people to care where we come from, because we are musicians. Nobody cares about that. So, as Koreans, K-pop scene is really different to us.

So you guys want to transcend being Korean musicians and just be musicians?
We’re Korean but we’re musicians in the world.

How do you think the international audience sees you?
When we were on stage the first time, the audience is curious about us to see what kind of music we’ll play. But we don’t play K-pop, so they’re interested to see what else Korea has to offer. Most foreign people don’t have an idea about Korean band music. Even Korea [doesn’t have an idea about Korean band music.] So like it’s a fresh thing to the audience.

What’s the audience like here?
Usually, half the audience knows us already and half is new to us.

You’ve been playing together for two years and you’ve been abroad a lot. What’s the reaction to that here? Like, is that normal for indie bands here to go abroad or are you up and coming?
It’s pretty common. The Korean audience, after we go abroad, they get curious, they want to see what the international audience is looking. When they come to look at us afterwards, we have to grab their attention. We have this chance and do many gigs to attract the curious audience.

What makes Dead Buttons unique?
I don’t know, we’re fat? -laughter- We’re free? We’re not really the same or different from anyone else, we just have to play our music because we like listening to our music. Other bands, they’re doing some really tight music because they have to make this music to make money so all of their practices and gigs, they do tightly in order to make music. We’re more relaxed, we perform every time drunk.

Does any of your music get made sober? When you record, are you drunk or sober?
Actually, I think we were drunk when we recorded our EP. Oh wait, no, I ate chocolate instead. I was really tired. I was really fucked up because of a lot caffeine, I just drank Monster [energy drink] after Monster. We recorded five hours in one day because we don’t have money, so we had to focus a lot. We weren’t drunk because of that. But very high on caffeine.
Our album music is so fast because we were so high. We sing slower in person than our album version of our songs.

I know that you guys are working with Baltic? How did that happen?
First, two years ago at Zandari Festa 2013, a Baltic Records rep came to Korea and saw our gig. So they invited us to the UK, and then again last year at ZF, we were asked to release the album in the UK. So we released it two months ago, and we were in the UK for that.

[Dead Buttons will also be performing at this year’s Zandari Festa.]

What was that like releasing an album in the UK?
It’s just digital, we don’t have a CD. It’s funny because it’s on iTunes, but Korea doesn’t have iTunes service so I couldn’t listen. There’s a big difference between being on iTunes or not being on iTunes in Korea, though.

How did you two meet?
A friend introduced us, who was looking for a drummer. We were drunk, and blacked out, and the next day we woke up to text messages “Hey, we made a band! Let’s practice.” We had drunk like ten bottles of soju on a rainy day, so we can’t remember. We don’t remember forming the band.


You said you were working on reggae tunes, what else?
We’re working close to root music, more bluesy and more energetic punk rock, like Detroit Garage style. It’s more relaxed music. We’re playing to enjoy.

When you’re on stage performing, how much of it is improvisation?
We don’t speak when we’re on stage, we just play and play. Actually, we’re not really good at speaking. When we’re drinking, we speak a lot, but when we’re playing, it’s so different. We really love drinking, and traveling, and being with a lot of friends.

What city would you want to play in?
Cuba and Jamaica.

So you guys like the Caribbean?
In the summer, we want to play in Alaska, and in the winter we want to play in East Asia, the hottest place. In the Korea, summer is too humid and Korea is so cold.

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How often do you play in other cities, or do you stay in Hongdae?
Just 4, 5 times a year. 90% of Korean bands are in Hongdae. We like touring, so we plan to go to other cities and see the local scenes but Korea doesn’t have the local scenes. This isn’t even really a local scene. In Daejeon, there is just one band, Burning Hepburn. They’re really cool.

In Jeonju, there used to be the hardcore scene with the MF Crew. Do you know 13 Steps? A lot of the bands from Jeonju though came to Seoul and just disappeared. There’s no audience.

What do you think is your audience for rock ‘n roll?
I think that in the world, rock ‘n roll is the most popular music in the world. Everyone listens to rock, but in Korea rock ‘n roll bands aren’t so popular.

What do you want people to think when they listen to Dead Buttons?
“[It’s] Noisy, what is this, what the f**k, this is so loud, what are they saying?” Korean people don’t really have an idea about rock music. Because popular music is K-pop style. Maybe they call us death metal or hardcore, without really knowing what that is. But we’re retro rock.

Do you guys have any favorite classic rock bands?
HJH: I grew up up with Eagle FM, the US army radio station, so Pink Floyd, Muse, Rolling Stones, Nirvana. Too many.
LKH: I grew up in Paragauy and grew up with Argentina and Brazil’s MTV, so I knew music. I grew up with Green Day, Linkin Park. I moved in 2007.

Do you guys want to go overseas more?
We hope to go to the US but we don’t have a chance yet. We have to have a chance to go to SXSW. Everyone says that it’s hard for indie bands in Korea because it’s Korea, but it’s like that for rock ‘n’ roll bands all over the world. Pop and R&B are big nowadays, and rock is less popular.

What are you guys working on now?
We’re preparing to release a full album this year, we’re recording in August or September. Our producer is the Crying Nut keyboardist, and we’re recording in their studio.

Do you like Dead Buttons’ sound and style? 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.

Vlogging K-Pop, Sister Style: Nutty Nomads Talk Their Career And New DramaFever Show [INTERVIEW]

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KultScene Interview- The Nutty NomadsYouTube is practically everything for international K-pop fans, and two big K-pop fan girls began their career there before becoming so much more. KultScene met Cristina and Daniela aka Nutty Nomads at KCON LA 2015, but they’ve been around for quite some time and we’ve always been big fans of their pair and their video projects.

Check out this interview with the pair, where they tell us all about their career, what it’s like working together as sisters, meeting VIXX, and more.

KultScene: How did you guys start off?

Nutty Nomads: Well, our first K-pop-related content was what we created with MNET America back in 2012! After that experience, we made the decision to continue to create K-pop and K-drama related content on our own. Then, we were approached by Dramafever to form a partnership, and we decided that we would try and make this a full time venture!

What’s so nutty and nomadic about the two of you?

We came up with the name Nutty Nomads before we started creating K-pop-focused content. We actually started by creating travel videos! One of our earlier dreams was to have a show on the Travel Channel and hang out with Anthony Bourdain! So, the name Nutty Nomads made much more sense at the time. As we started leaning more towards K-pop videos, we questioned whether or not we should change our name to reflect that, but decided to stick with our original name. We think it’s catchy! We also consider ourselves pretty “nutty” since we like to have fun wherever we are, so it still seems appropriate!

You’ve done a lot since beginning as the Nutty Nomads. What are some of the things you’re working on right now?

Right now, we are currently working pretty closely with the K-drama streaming site, DramaFever! We just finished our original series with them called “Adventures in K-Drama Land”! We are also prepping to cover the various K-pop shows that are coming to the U.S. this fall!

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Is it difficult working together as sisters?

Haha! We have always been very close, and shared similar interests. As we grew up, we kept saying how awesome it would be if we could work together. We each have different strengths and weaknesses, so we fit well professionally since we each have different responsibilities within Nutty Nomads. But, some days are more difficult than than others! We ARE sisters, after all!

How hard is it to do everything yourselves?

It can get difficult sometimes, say, when we are trying to film an interview, but are constantly thinking about how the framing and focus look, or if the sound is coming out clearly enough, but we also really enjoy it! We both have video production backgrounds, so it feels really natural! Some days are a piece of cake, and others are a nightmare, but when all is said and done, we usually are pretty proud to be able to say we did the shoot ourselves!

We’ve seen you at a few events and saw you with cameramen on several occasions. When do you film yourself versus filming with a crew?

If we are shooting at an event for one of the bigger partners, like DramaFever or MNET America, sometimes they give us a helping hand, but we are usually trusted with filming on our own. When we have friends around us, we might turn them into honorary crew and shove a camera at them to help us out in an emergency!

What can you attribute the success you have?

We are truly blessed to have been put in contact with some really motivated and like-minded people who continue to help us with our goals! Our parents are also a HUGE part of how we’ve gotten to where we are today. They continue to support us (even though they’re not totally sure what it is we’re doing exactly….lol!). We also tend to be very tenacious! We don’t really accept NO as an answer…it just means we haven’t asked the right person! We still feel like we still have a long way to go until we can say we’re a success!

What has been your favorite interview so far?

Our most memorable and favorite interview would have to be our first one. When we were with MNET America, they sent us to Baltimore, Maryland to Otakon to interview a new rookie group that had just debuted. We were so excited since this was our first interview assignment. We didn’t really know what to expect, but the group was so friendly and outgoing! Of course, we’re talking about VIXX! They were a great first interview and we’ll never forget it!

What films inspire you the most for your work?

We watch a ton of K-dramas! Those serve as the inspiration behind “Adventures in K-Drama Land”. We kept seeing similar themes repeat themselves and thought it would be fun to play around with them! K-dramas are kind of an obsession for us…We actually stayed up two nights ago until 3am watching “Oh My Ghostess” on DramaFever!

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Has there been any hardships in your career?

Of course! We constantly feel that we are fighting for our chance to prove to others what we can do. There are always the people who say we don’t fit a certain mold, or we don’t speak enough Korean so we can’t do this, or that we’re flat out crazy, ect. But, those words only make us stronger and more determined to prove people wrong! It’s been a wobbly road full of detours, cracks and bumps, but we will continue to follow it until we realize our dream!

Who are your favorite bands?

Hmmm…always a tough question! Well, we are both Starlights! We really like VIXX and support everything they do. Right now we also like EXO, SHINee, and GOT7!

What was the first video that got you into K-Pop?

Cristina’s first video was TVXQ’s “Mirotic”, while Daniela’s was [Girls’ Generation’s] “Gee” by SNSD. We both really liked what we saw and continued to search for groups and videos until we just got sucked in completely!

What is the one things you’d like to do (or change) that you’re not doing right now?

Something we’re not doing right now that we really want to do is make videos from Korea! We think that’s our next step, and we’re working on a way to get over there, finally! Korea is calling us!

Is there anything you’d like people to know about you?

We also really like video games and anime! We play A LOT of Halo and are super obsessed with Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki’s work!

What can we look forward from NN in the future?

Well, there’s a lot of stuff we are working on currently! At KCON this year, we shot a special video with Buzzfeed’s “The Try Guys”, which will hopefully be up soon! And, we hope to be able to continue to show everyone more fun videos about K-pop and K-dramas!

Thanks for chatting with KultScene! 

Do you watch Nutty Nomads? Who is your favorite K-pop related vlog? Let us know in the comments 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.