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9 Things I Learned While On Tour With GOT7

February 2, 2017/in Events, Fan Account /by Tam Huynh

When JYP Entertainment debuted idol boy group GOT7 three years ago, never did it cross my mind that I’d be seeing them perform in North America on a yearly basis, let alone 5 times in a span of eight days. Wait, what? Yup, you read that right. This writer recently attended all five stops of GOT7’s Flight Log: Turbulence in USA 2017 fan meeting tour. The tour started in Miami on Jan. 21^st, followed by Washington D.C. on Jan. 22^nd, Chicago on Jan. 25^th, Houston on Jan. 27^th, and ended in Los Angeles on the 29^th. And after attending the same show five times, you pick up a few things. In my case, this is what I learned while on tour with GOT7.

[Disclaimer: I paid for my own flights, living accommodations, and show tickets. Press access was only provided for Miami.]

Idols Are Human Beings Too, You Know

We’re dealt with various cards during our lifetime, some good and some bad. What you and I experience throughout our lives might not be anywhere close to the kind of extreme and rigorous practice idols take on and live through mentally, emotionally, and physically on a daily basis. But no matter the situation(s) and how different their life may (seem to) be, at the end of the day, idols are still human beings, just like me and you. Miami, the first stop, was a clear reminder of that.

As soon as the lights hit the stage and the seven members appeared, you could instantly tell from their facial expressions that they were all running extremely low on energy. Who can blame them, though? Considering the countless back-to-back schedules they had for weeks on end prior to that nights show. Even though they all looked like they could use some sleep, well, month’s worth of sleep actually, the guys still powered through and tried their best to to put on a lively and interactive fan meet. Fans wanted leader JB to sing “Holic,” his recently released unofficial Soundcloud solo, but he wasn’t in the best condition and had a sore throat and said he’d sing it at a later time (four cities later and I’m still waiting for a live version!). Despite their fatigued start, they quickly gained momentum by their next stop.

Dab Dab & Sexy Dance

These are words that I can guarantee you will always hear at a GOT7 U.S. show, whether it be five months or three years from now. Within the last 12 months, member Bambam has gained himself the title of Dab King and undeniably lives up to that name every day. And of course, without a single drop of hesitation, introduced himself as “Dabdab” instead of Bambam at the group’s Miami stop. There’s been countless occasions where the crowd has chanted for him to dab and he’s replied with a “dabbing is so old now,” but that never stops him. Oh, but what’s better than a dabbing Bambam? The hyung-line (older members/brothers), especially Jackson, insisting on maknae and dance machine Yugyeom to do his sexy dance, is what. Even though the members are always egging him on, they still manage look away and cringe in embarrassment as soon as he starts to pop his chest. You can almost always expect a sexy dance solo from Yugyeom almost immediately after a Bambam dab-off. While Bambam and Yugyeom are continuous victims of the hyung-line, dabbing and doing sexy dances, don’t seem to bother this maknae duo whatsoever!

Derp Kings & Self Shippers

Time and time again, GOT7 has proven themselves to be the kings of making derpy faces. Whether it’s a penalty for losing a game or because they simply feel like it, just like clock work, these guys will surprise you with their infinite amount of derpy facial expressions. It was in the middle of a game during their Houston stop, Bambam aligned himself with the cameraman in the pit and started making one of many of his notorious faces to which led JB to come over and also start doing the same.

Also on KultScene: Why Experiencing GOT7’s Turbulence In USA Fanmeet May Be Better Than A Show

And just when you thought you had these guys all figured out, just when you thought you’re over being surprised with the things that come out of their mouths, GOT7 goes ahead and self proclaims their “ship” names for one another! What?! That’s so wild right? When have you ever met a group who openly talks about these kinds of things? As soon as the members mentioned it, l you could hear the fans break out into massive shrieks and then almost simultaneously hear immediate laughter on stage from the members in acknowledgement of the names “MarkBam,” “MarkJin,” and my new favorite “Parkson” (Park Jinyoung, Mark, and Jackson).

AmeriThaiKong & Jinyoung?

GOT7 is known as an international group; eldest member Mark Tuan is Chinese-American, Jackson Wang is a Hong Kong native, and Bambam hails from Thailand. Usually, if English needs to be spoken, you can count on these three to deliver and be the group’s very own translators. But wait a minute, it looks like they’ve gained themselves a fourth English speaker, Park Jinyoung. I may not know him on a personal level but Jinyoung’s always come off a studious fella; he’s mentioned his love for reading, enjoyment of studying, and wandering curiosity. That all showed as he made a conscious effort to speak in English during each of his closing statements for every leg of the tour. Jinyoung surprised the crowds with his almost fluent and strong pronunciation every time he spoke. It’ll only be a matter of time before he can hold an entire conversation [in English] with Mark, Jackson, Bambam, and even fans.

Comeback and KCON 2017

At the end of each stop, the members hinted that although they’re leaving us [tonight], we shouldn’t be too sad since they’ll be “coming back” soon. Interpret that however you will, but it has been four months since the group released and finished promoting Flight Log: Turbulence, so it’s only Korean music scene norm that they’re in the process of making another comeback. As much as we all want them to get some much needed TLC and vacation time, we’re all just as psyched about their new music (especially with all the teasing JB and Youngjae have been doing with their Soundcloud accounts). To top off it off, Mark mentioned during his speech in LA that they might even be coming back for KCON, which lead the crowd to erupt in ecstatic cheers. If all of this is indeed true, you all better start saving, like yesterday.

“If You Do” Is Iconic

In a previous review, I mentioned that “If You Do,” was GOT7’s best song to date, and 16 months later, I still strongly stand by that statement. I’ve seen them perform this song live eight times since it came out and have absolutely loved every single second of it, all the eight times. It’s no doubt that this song was an extremely pivotal moment for a lot of fans. “If You Do” transformed these seven delicate and goofy guys (which in reality they still are) into one hell of a charismatic bunch. If you weren’t a part of the fandom before this song came out, then you were definitely in when it was released. As if this song wasn’t already the creme de la creme in my life, I enjoyed it a hundred times more when Team JMJ (JB, Mark, and Jinyoung) danced to the slo-mo version of “If You Do” as part of their “random play dance” segment in Houston. Just when I thought it couldn’t have gotten any better, it did.

L.A. Knows How To Turn Up

The crowds in Miami, Washington D.C., Chicago, and Houston were loud, but L.A. easily took the cake home for the most “turnt up” crowd. Could it be that it was the last stop on their tour? Or maybe because it’s Mark’s hometown? Or even perhaps it was the fact that Elliott Yamin (placed third on American Idol, Season 5) was there and we all got to hear Youngjae sing “Wait For You” sort of as a dedication song? Regardless of the reasonings, the Pasadena Convention Center was on fire from beginning until end.

Also on KultScene: Which GOT7 Member Are You?

Although the L.A. show was shorter than the four cities prior to it, GOT7 made sure to never let there be a dull moment, whether that meant Bambam and Yugyeom dancing to “Juju On That Beat,” when Mark was sprawled out on the stage in defeat from not being able to name the correct song, or every time the members rushed over to Danny Lim, the MC for the tour, during a game, corner and surround him, causing him to burst out into laughter every time. But what really determines L.A. as the winning city? Probably when Mark got a bit choked up during his closing statement, thanking everyone for coming out, because every audience member knew how much it meant to him to be back on his home turf and being able to perform in front of his family once again.

GOT7 adores IGOT7’s

This isn’t breaking news because if you’re an ahgase (their fanclub name), then you should already know that you’re the apple of these guys’ eyes (no matter how crazy some of you may be). Fans have heard time and time again from GOT7 about how grateful they are for this fandom and for all the love and support they’ve been shown, but most of us have only ever heard these things online, as we’re watching an awards/music show or celebrating an anniversary. In reality, it’s a completely different feeling when you’re hearing and seeing something over the internet versus when you get to witness and experiencing it in the flesh. Just like anything else in life, really, you can’t get the full effect and truly tell how someone or something may be until you’re actually given that opportunity to see it upfront. There might be people out there who consider some members to be cold and standoffish, but in fact — and I’ve been lucky on numerous occasions to witness this — all seven members are well beyond affectionate and remarkably lovely people.

Sometimes when you go to any kind of show, at the end, the artist usually thanks the crowd and in some instances, they feel like empty words. But whenever GOT7 says it, especially when Jackson comments and asks things like, “Did you guys make sure you ate before coming here?”; address situations on how you need to take care of your own health and not worry about them (GOT7) because they can take care of themselves; make sure that you work on your own happiness first and then you can worry about others , shows you how mindful he is of the fans, and it’s something that sticks with you and will forever be ingrained in your head.

2017 WILL Be GOT7’s Year

Every fan wants their faves to be able to say “this is our year” and actually accomplish it. Sometimes it works out, other times it doesn’t. However, considering the firm rate that GOT7’s been peddling at, with the year only just beginning and having just finished a five city US tour, leaving us all in anticipation for a new album and future concert(s), my biased heart truly believes that 2017 will indeed be GOT7’s year. The group is headed at a solid pace to truly making it theirs.

I crunched a few numbers together and found myself running on tens hours of sleep in a span of nine days days and had flown for a total of 8,274 miles. With all of that mileage, I could’ve made my way over to South Korea, WITH a layover! But that trip can wait a bit longer. Flight Log: Turbulence in USA 2017 not only allowed me to see the extraordinary performers that GOT7 are again, but this tour also gave me the opportunity to visit cities I usually wouldn’t think of visiting otherwise. In addition to traveling to new cities and experiencing new things, this tour also gave me the chance to do one of my favorite things, and that’s to meet up and spend time with friends, both new and old! Don’t you love how music can bring people together?

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Were you at any, if not all, of the stops? Share your experiences 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.

Fei’s “Fantasy” Music Video & Song Review

July 22, 2016/in Entertainment, MUSIC /by Joe Palmer

Many Chinese K-pop stars have been hitting the headlines lately for their public statements in protest of rulings made against China’s claim to large parts of the South China Sea. The ins and outs of this don’t interest me too much but it’s interesting to see the effect that it’s having on miss A’s Fei and her solo debut. It’s likely these idols (f(x)’s Victoria, Fiestar’s Cao Lu, and Super Junior-M’s Zhoumi along with Fei) were just hoping it would help their chances of expanding into the Chinese market and avoiding a Tzuyu-sized scandal. Korean fans however, have not reacted well and Fei’s debut single “Fantasy” is charting terribly likely because of it.

Letting politics get in the way of an actually important topic like pop music is only hurting the fans themselves however. “Fantasy” is the most sensual release of the year and has a video bursting with sexuality like we have maybe never seen in K-pop before. You’d be a fool to ignore it.

Song

Written and produced by Park Jin Young with help from the brilliant Marcan Entertainment team of producers, Denzil “IDR” Remedios and Ryan S. Jhun, “Fantasy” is a subdued mix of glittering synth pop and lush R&B. Dreamy crystal synths reverberate throughout over a beat that can barely even be called a beat: it’s a variety of 808s that tumble in and out without drawing too much attention to themselves. They create the languid atmosphere that pervades “Fantasy.” It shimmers slowly across your mind, implanting different feelings with every listen.

Also on KultScene: “Let’s Fight Ghost” Diverges From Previous Ghost Dramasc

The structure does nothing to alter this atmosphere. “Fantasy” moves from verse to chorus with little caution, maintaining the sexual energy rather than bringing things up a level. This lack of movement does not hamper the song in anyway. The second verse and bridge add serumbal sounds to keep things interesting. Fei is taking her time to seduce you. Her breathy vocals ls iin verse turn to sensual opines in the chorus and finaly, a climatic moan in the bridrige-a perfect slow burning progression of sexual possibilities.

The lyrics play up the sexual elements as Fei is a woman ready to fulfill the fantasies of her lover. “I’m your girl now, You can tell me your hidden fantasies” she whispers in the verse. It’s hard to see where “Fantasy” falls in terms of being a positive or negative song for female sexuality. Lyrics like “I’m your girl now” and “I made up my mind” suggest a submissiveness that she is almost being coerced into this by the man. Yet she also takes quite an active role, telling him not to hesitate and to tell her all his fantasies. Even in these more active parts however, it is always in service of the man, “I wanna do everything for you tonight.”

Music Video

As a male I can’t really say whether or not it is ultimately offensive to women. What I will say is that it is an interesting new angle when considered alongside the video. It takes the fantasy to literal levels as Fei plays a digital sex worker, specifically a Virtual Reality sex worker. As a male, I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been on sites similar to https://ehocams.com/ to watch some cam girls and I know that they are getting increasingly popular these days. And now with VR, there are even more options for people. Considering the sexual nature of the music, it doesn’t surprise me that the video goes down this route.

A man sits down in a dingy neon lit backroom as a woman puts VR goggles over his eyes. As soon as they are on him he sees an underwear clad Fei with her hula-hoop. Whether the hula-hoop is merely a prop for her dancing or a particularly female symbol for her openness to any of his fantasies is unclear.

What’s really interesting is how the camera depicts this sexual digital world. I don’t know if it’s just me but there seems to be a lot less close ups in this video than most K-pop videos that feature the artists. It isn’t until around the one minute mark do we get a good look at Fei’s face and even then we might be slightly distracted by her new Day-Glo orange hair. Most of how we see Fei is in wide or medium shots where her body (always in some sort of underwear) is emphasized. For the VR viewer, this disconnects the person who owns this body from herself. He can watch and take peasure without thinking about an actual person as she has become an object, a fantasy. It’s clear a lot of people enjoy VR porn and it’s allowing people of all ages to explltSce: miss A “Only You” Music Video & Song Reviewc

Aesthetically this is enhanced by a weird digital sheen. The quality seems to have been deliberately made worse for the parts when Fei is dancing in her synthetic realm. It gives the viewer a feeling of discomfort, that maybe we are not supposed to be watching this let alone taking pleasure out of it. Reality is being distorted just enough for us to see the falsity yet not enough for us to stop. In a rare clear shot Fei, lit by a single light, lounges on a bed looking directly into the camera. It is the most brazenly pornographic image in the video. It’s almost like something you’d see on somewhere like twinkpornvideos.xxx, that’s how extreme we’re talking. Its clarity is disturbing in comparison to the previous shots and the POV element brings the viewer right into the action, making us complicit.

The final part of the video uses similar techniques to deliver the conceit. The man takes off his goggles seemingly finished with his viewing but Fei then buffers into his view in real life. She continues her dance as he watches mesmerized and then starts to walk towards him, takes off her top and leans in to kiss him. It then cuts to directly to a red title screen with the name of the song, “Fantasy.” It seems like Fei is coming to life in order to be with this man, a conclusion that would be disappointing normally. The camera tells a different story though. As she dances Fei is shot in the same style as before. Wide shots that offer no intimacy. More telling is how these were (I think) shot with a lower frame rate which is what makes it look like it’s skipping a bit. Our view is of the real world but the Fei that is dancing before us is definitely not real. This is the danger of porn and virtual sex. For the viewer, the person he watches on screen becomes indistinguishable from real life people. Either he can only find pleasure in the virtual or he starts to expect real people to act like his virtual loves. He expects them to fulfill everyone of his fantasies without hesitation.

Overall

2016 has been a bumper year for female soloists with Taeyeon, Luna, Hyomin, Hyosung, and more. They have released a large variety of great tracks all showing a great maturity in their individuality. Like most of them however (except Taeyeon), Fei is proving to be less than popular with the public. This is a great shame considering “Fantasy” biting thesis on modern sexuality, as well as being a beautiful slow jam. Its charms don’t end there also as the choreography makes use of hula-hoops and backing dancers in really interesting ways. Slip into Fei’s “Fantasy” for the future of sex.

What did you think of Fei’s “Fantasy”? 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.

Playlist Sunday: K-Pop Feuds

February 1, 2016/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

K-pop is a cutthroat battlefield in many ways, but the public feuds are few and far in between. This week’s Playlist Sunday focuses on some of the most sensational K-pop Feuds over the past few years, either between agencies and idols, or singer against singer.

While some K-pop feuds are between two people, the ongoing dispute between JYJ and SM Entertainment is something that has been going on so long that it has even led to action from Korean politicians. JYJ (Junsu, Yoochun, and Jaejoong) is made up of three former TVXQ members who left the group in 2009. Seven years later, the trio still finds their activities blocked bythe influence of their former agency. But in the “Untitled Song, Part 1” (Or “The Nameless Song, Part 1”), which was released as part of JYJ’s 2011 self-composed music essay, the three went out and attacked their former agency, addressing in song what had led to the trio splitting from the other two members of TVXQ. The song, written and composed entirely by Yoochun, details their time at SM Entertainment from 2003 in an earnest way that is lacking from many K-pop songs. The trio sings and raps about their hardships, their journey to the top in Korea and Japan, and the pivotal moment when they reached out to SM Entertainment’s CEO and were disappointed. “When he needed us, we were family to him,” sings JYJ. “When we needed him, we were strangers to him.” The song continues on to express that JYJ’s members realized they weren’t getting paid enough and other hardships and is a frank depiction, and explanation, of the turmoil that led JYJ to leave from TVXQ at the pique of the group’s height. The song ends with JYJ thanking fans for their support. Musically, the song is simple, but the lyrical storytelling is heartbreaking and shows JYJ’s side of a story.

— Tamar

Also on KultScene: 5 Everyday EXO Looks We Love [+ North American The EXO’luXion Tour Information]

Hot off the back of his win on “Show Me The Money,” iKon rapper Bobby released a diss track calling out all idol rappers. He said that they have smeared the name of idol and rapper but took the time to exclude WINNER’s Mino and Block B rappers Zico and P.O. While making some good points about the overall state of rapping idols, coming for the most of them meant he insulted a lot of people who probably don’t take rapping that seriously. You might say that maybe they should, but in the context of being an idol it makes up only one part of what is expected of them. Generally he came off as arrogant and whiny just to drum up some extra attention. I don’t think that VIXX’s Ravi’s response to him is in any way a better rap, but I do agree with the sentiments. His corny track “Diss Hater”
was about how he thinks all idol rappers are just that and it makes no difference how good you are. Listen to Ravi everyone, we’re all the same really so relax.

— Joe

Also on KultScene: ’20 Once Again’ vs. ‘Miss Granny’: Which One Is Better?

What do you do, as a big shot entertainment company, after you’ve “let” an artist go because of “misinterpretations” to then seeing them trying to make a comeback in the industry that you wanted to potentially claim yours? Due to some severely “mistranslated” and overlooked comments that ex-2PM member Jay Park made while still a trainee about the unfavorable aspects of Korea, he was then practically shunned from the industry and country. Although by the time Jay was ready to make his comeback in Korea in 2010, while everyone else was ready to welcome him back with open arms, JYP Entertainment wasn’t having any of that. The company made it so that Jay was blocked and blacklisted from making any possible televised appearance. Jay would be scheduled for certain tv shows, appear on set and then be told to leave and/or get calls the morning of and be told that for whatever unforeseeably reason, his appearance had been cancelled due to “pressure” from the “higher-ups.”

After an almost five year hiatus back in the United States, you can imagine that Jay’s comeback was anything but smooth. Things eventually got better; producers from certain broadcasting stations eventually realized that Jay would be able to grant them better viewership. Certain shows like “Immortal Song 2” and “Dream Team” brought him on knowing that aside from the past drama stemming between JYPE and Jay, that Jay himself would be good for their business. For the sake of their company and pressure from the industry, I get why the company sent Jay off like that, but they shouldn’t have gone about it the way that they did and even afterwards when things were long done between the two parties. Although it seems like the two have moved on from the past, JYP seems to still be holding on to some angst, considering how Jay can’t appear on “Running Man” due to the producers familial relationship with Park Jin Young himself.

— Tam

Who’s side are you on? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Best Of The K-Pop B Tracks Pt. 4

September 2, 2015/in Entertainment, MUSIC /by Tam Huynh

Are you ready for yet another installment of our Best of the K-Pop B Tracks series? It’s been almost a year since our last article, but no worries; we’re back with a fresh and manly list, consisting of some older and newer songs for the latest installment of our series!

Artist: GOT7
Album: “Just Right”
Song: “Nice”

It can easily be said that 80 percent of GOT7’s albums usually consist of dance tracks. They’re young guys bursting at the seams with explosive energy, so why not, right? Straight from the get-go, “Nice” had a hypnotic beat with semi sensual lyrics. Not only have the members of GOT7 grown physically, but their voices have also matured a great deal since debut, with member Youngjae being the most noticeable with his honey-like voice. With the release of each mini album, there always seems to be that one track — how should I put this? — that puts you in the mood, makes you feel some sort of way, and “Nice” just so happens to be that particular song.

“Nice” is filled with what has a sophisticated level of ecstasy and has a contagious chorus and yet I can’t seem to wipe off this smile from my face, unable to take them seriously because I’m already so used to them acting like silly kids. I wonder what it’s like having these guys in the recording studio; it’s hard trying to image their level of seriousness when they’re always acting so goofy. Am I the only one that feels this way about GOT7? Regardless of all that, take a listen and I promise you’ll be singing bam bam bam bi dam bi da bi dam bam for the remainder of the day. Read more

Which TWICE Member Are You? [Quiz]

July 27, 2015/in Fans /by Anna Cheang

Competition reality show “Sixteen” aired its finale 2 weeks ago and amidst much controversy, JYP’s new girl group TWICE was formed. The group was designated from the start to have seven members, but at the end of the competition two previously eliminated members were added, resulting in the group to have a total of nine people. TWICE is slated to debut later this year, and in an effort to further promote the members, JYP Entertainment have given the group their own social media accounts and even created an online show titled “TWICE TV”, of which two episodes have already aired.

Also on Kultscene: PRIMARY’s ‘Don’t Be Shy’ Music Video & Song Review

The members consist of Na Yeon(20 years old), Jungyeon (19 years old), Momo (19 years old), Sana (19 years old), Jihyo (18 years old), Mina(18 years old), Dahyun (17 years old), Chaeyoung (16 years old) and Tzuyu (16 years old). As per the norm of JYP groups having members with a mix of races, ⅓ of the members in the group are Japanese (Sana, Mina and Momo) while Tzuyu is from Taiwan.

The members are diverse not in their races and personalities but also because they each have their own specialities and talents, making their debut a highly anticipated one. Notable examples (from “Sixteen”) include:

Dahyun’s famous eagle dance

via feeltouchcross on netizenbuzz

Mina’s ballet dancing

via Jazzzz on onehallyu

Sana’s “cooking mama” abilities

Also on Kultscene: 4 Ways to promote a Kpop Trainee

If you didn’t watch “Sixteen” but want to know more about the TWICE members, Kultscene has a great solution for you! Find out which TWICE member you are the most similar to and discover their unique and fun personalities through our quiz now!

[qzzr quiz=”87798″ width=”100%” height=”auto” redirect=”true” offset=”0″]

Which member did you get? Are you excited for TWICE’s upcoming debut? 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.

Which Korean Entertainment Company Is For You? [Quiz]

July 10, 2015/in Fans /by Tamar Herman

When it comes to the Korean entertainment industry, most K-pop fans know about some of the top entertainment companies. SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment… The big three have their own unique styles, but so do many of the smaller agencies, like indie label Antenna Music or FNC Entertainment with its preference towards band concepts. And don’t forget about Starship Entertainment, Woollim Entertainment, Loen Tree, and all the rest of the agencies. With so many options, there’s a place for everyone!

If you’re a fan of K-pop, you’ve likely wondered which company you’d like to be signed with. Don’t know where you would belong? That’s where we come in. There is no sorting hat for Korean entertainment agencies (unless you count a competition show like Superstar K), but here’s our latest KultScene quiz for you to determine which Korean entertainment company is the best for you.

Also on KultScene: Which ‘Unpretty Rapstar’ Contestant Are You?

What did you think of your result? Did you get into the Korean entertainment company that you thought you would? Let us know what other quizzes you’d like to see from KultScene! 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.

G.Soul Wants You to Stop Running From Love

July 1, 2015/in Fans /by Tam Huynh

Kim Jihyun better known as G.Soul is a man of little words but he’ll charm his way to your heart with his confidence and melodic voice. Since debuting in January of this year, after training under JYP Entertainment for 15 years, with his first EP “Coming Home”, promotional wise, G.Soul’s been very quiet.

With the recent release of his second EP “Love Me Again” on June 29^th, G.Soul’s growing fan base, including this KultScene writer, is hoping to see one or two potential music videos and a great deal of live performances. Because he doesn’t promote his music on television and radio shows, there’s little that we as listeners, know. Why is G.Soul so mysterious? Let’s take a listen to G.Soul’s velvety voice as he sings about romance, heartache and the beauty of love and goodbyes, with a featuring of his first English track and my analysis on it all.

1. “Love Me Again”

They say you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone and that can be applied in many different situations and scenarios. For a number of people, it hits home when that phrase is applied towards a relationship. There can be a lot of deciding factors that comes into play with one’s relationship; whether it ends up being an everlasting love or ends up with either one or both of you heart broken.

I didn’t know love back then
Baby love me again.

There’s usually always a reason as to why a relationship goes sour and/or abruptly ends. In rare cases, the break up can be a mutual decision or maybe you two were too young and tried condensing five years worth of experience and love all into a matter of months or a year. Granted, depending on how long you’ve been with your significant other and how young or old you were during the time period of that relationship, may or may not decide on how much havoc it’ll cause when it ends.

Also on KultScene: BTS ‘Dope’ Music Video & Song Review

What if the relationship did indeed blow up in flames? What if the last things you were able to say to one another were distasteful phrases like “I hate you” or “don’t ever talk to me again”? But what if that’s not what you really meant? What if you bump into this person again, years down the line, and realize you never settled and put your feelings away? Would you try to re-pursue, even if they were already in a new relationship? Are you willing to set your pride aside and ask them to love you again? Read more

5 English Covers by Korean Male Singers Pt. 2

June 17, 2015/in Fans /by Tam Huynh

How did you discover your favorite artist? Was it through a TV show, or by word of mouth? Surprisingly enough, a lot of my favorite artists, whether they’re solo artists or in a group, I discovered on YouTube. Usually while rummaging through random song covers. It starts off with a cover that they’re singing from another Korean artist and eventually I’ll find them singing a cover of an English song and immediately fall in love. And while YouTube is filled with them and we’ve already talked about five other covers we love, here are the latest picks of English covers by Korean male singers.
Read more

miss A “Only You” Music Video & Song Review

April 1, 2015/in Entertainment, MUSIC VIDEOS /by Tam Huynh

It’s been a long wait for all the Say A’s out there considering it’s been 16 months since miss A released their last single, Hush. But the four ladies are back with a fun dance track titled Only You. Within less than 72 hours, the music video has already garnered over two million views, which is a first for miss A, and the song achieved a perfect all kill on the music charts. Read more

2PM’s Music Video Evolution

September 23, 2014/in Fans /by Tara

2PM, the original Beastly idols, has graced the K-Pop scene for the past six years and fans have watched the members grow and mature into artists throughout that time. They debuted with a strong image that showcased their masculinity and mature song themes. As the years have gone by, 2PM has come back with stronger and more mature material that prove they are transforming into artists.

Who remembers 2PM’s debut song 10 out of 10 in 2008? The music video highlighted their acrobatic abilities as well as their masculine outfits to further promote the beastly image. The song itself is catchy, and the video is comical with an entertaining story that shows the members daydreaming about a woman. It’s a fun and upbeat song that only hinted at the dorky and fun-loving personalities of each member of 2PM.

Fast forward a year to 2009, when 2PM released Again & Again. The video, again, showed 2PM’s dancing skills and their masculine image with all black outfits and simple hairstyles. The song focused on the mature theme of ending a relationship and the longing to be with the girl one more time. Again & Again also showcases the vocal abilities of the group more than their debut song.

Later in 2009, 2PM made its comeback with Heartbeat. It wasn’t until this comeback that 2PM truly showed its beastly image. The guys were dressed in suits, wore minimal makeup, and stayed with their natural hair color. And how can we forget the live performances where they showed off their impressive muscles? The video is oozing with masculinity in the choreography and within the members’ facial expressions. This was also the first song since Jay Park left the group.

Next up is I’ll Be Back from 2010. It wasn’t until this single that 2PM’s members started to add their input and songwriting skills into their albums. I’ll Be Back continues with the dark concept and introduces heavy eye makeup for the group. The song also went back to their debut concept where they showed off a lot of acrobatics, which were not present during Again & Again and Heartbeat.

2PM’s second studio album gave fans the lead track Hands Up. The music video showed 2PM enjoying the lap of luxury, which included yachts, private jets, expensive cars, and of course, spending the evening at a hip night club. Hands Up was one of the first looks into 2PM as a fun and energetic idol group. The group’s previous singles were all about showing their manly images and dealing with the struggles of love. Hands Up was 2PM having a good time and sharing it with their fans (as well as a prelude to Go Crazy! perhaps?).

After promoting in Japan for a couple of years and doing other activities, 2PM finally made their Korean comeback in the spring of 2013. Come Back When You Hear This Song, although a long English title, introduced fans to a new version of 2PM. The mature, grown-up and manly 2PM.

The music video focuses on the seven deadly sins and how each member embodies those sins as they progress in their relationship with a woman. The song showcases the members’ singing abilities, their mature, gentleman style, and a different musical style than their previous promotions.

To add to the sweetness that was 2PM’s Korean comeback, JYP decided to release another music video from 2PM’s Grown album. A.D.T.O.Y. was the definition of beastly idols. The guys were dressed in everyday wear, their hair and makeup were the most natural of any of their promotions, and they all had intimate scenes with a woman.

A.D.T.O.Y. was 2PM’s declaration to their fans that they are now mature adults.The black and white video and chair choreography adds to the masculine and charismatic image 2PM showed with this comeback. Grown also showcased more of 2PM’s songwriting abilities with four out the six members contributing to the album’s lyrics.

Where do you go from A.D.T.O.Y.? Well, according to 2PM, the crazy, fun, party route! Go Crazy! at first watch and listen will more likely than not make you question what you just watched and listened to. But then you realize that Go Crazy! is a brilliant song with an equally brilliant music video.

Jun.K wrote the song and it shows that 2PM is comfortable being quirky, dorky, and eccentric. They don’t always need intense, manly songs to showcase their talent. Go Crazy! shows 2PM’s true personalities. The members always having a good time, and don’t really care what they look like or what happens while doing so. They are comfortable with themselves, as a group, and as artists to experiment with a wild and crazy song.

Go Crazy! is like a part two to Hands Up. Three years later, it shows the growth of 2PM’s experience with drinking and club culture. 2PM go all out for Go Crazy! Their glittery and crazy outfits, their motorcycle-inspired choreography, and the overall feel of the song and video create a carefree world where having fun is the only priority.

To further promote Go Crazy!, 2PM participated in 1theK’s #hashtag series where their honesty gets the best of them. Themes for discussion include Go Crazy!, drinking, and, naturally, hangovers.

2PM as a group has grown from beastly idols with catchy tunes, acrobatics, and intense themes to manly idols (with some beastly qualities thrown in) with mature, intimate, and wild & crazy themes. To see how much 2PM has evolved from their debut to now makes the anticipation build for their future comebacks.

Do you prefer the 2PM of the first half of their career (10 out of 10, Heartbeat, etc.) or the 2PM of the latter half of their career (A.D.T.O.Y., Go Crazy!)? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.