A Touch of K-Pop + Birthday Post: July '13

Today is my birthday! **Party Time!**

So much happened this month! A good thing for me, because for some illogical reason I can’t nail down, I’ve been less into dramas this month and way more into Kpop. Or maybe that’s just because July saw the comebacks of quite a few of my favorite groups, and then some. 

Now before I start endlessly singing “SHADOW Shadow shadow…” in a loop for the next 5 hours, I should probably note something important. Read from the bottom up.

That’s right! I’m going to KCON. Call it a late birthday present. Call it my first holiday in a year. Call it a ‘my husband loves me so much that he’ll let me spend a ton of money to fly to Los Angeles at the end of August right before we move to a new house’ present. When he knows all I’ll do when I get there is embarrass myself fangirling about Teen Top and G-Dragon. The best part is- my mom is going with me. She’s almost as fangirly if not more fangirly than myself about our boys, and if someone so much as mentions Niel’s face in a deprecating tone, watch out! She’ll sock ‘em dead! I’ll keep the camera handy.

*Brb
*Fangirling in advance
*Back to reality
*For a little while at least

*sings Happy Birthday to myself*  Now I just need to bake a cake...

More up about Beast, Infinite, and Crayon Pop! 

What’s New

I’ve seen so many #RIP monuments to the fangirls this month. So many great comebacks: Junsu, Kim Hyun Joong of the slightly older generation of idols; Infinite, B.A.P and Beast of the younger. The funny thing is that I’m not actually a part of any of these fandoms. B.A.P amuses me, my family loves them, and "Hurricane" was a great song to gawk at and then jam to. 

Infinite however is one of those groups that puts out songs I don’t instantly love. I’m more of a Sunggyu-sprit than a real fan, and everything “the snuggly one” does usually pops up on my radar. "Man In Love" was not my thing, but I made myself like it. "Destiny" now… asdfjkl;! Totally my thing. I think it’s a great song and Sunggyu’s everyone’s vocals were superbly done. It’s also fun to watch live, even if I don’t believe they’ve all mastered the live singing thing just right. Maybe there’ll be a dance version someday. I like those the best.

So anyways, I was just minding my own business, enjoying Infinite. And then Beast happened.

 

I love the song. I sing it all day. I’m under the delusion that “shadow” is a state of mind, and therefore doesn't need an indefinite article. “Because I’m shadow…shadow… shadow…” Yeah. Please no one tell me the lyrics and mess up my shadowy state of mind. However there is something that pisses me off. Why can’t I buy this yet on iTunes! I look every day. Every. Day. Several times every day. Cube Ent! I will give you my money! Just please let me give you my money!! 제발!!

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a couple live performances. Listen and weep. They are spot on and flawless. I’m going to sit in the corner now and consider becoming a B2uty. 

In the Family

It’s no longer a secret that my husband is a big fan of Kpop. Ever since the day he came home 6 months ago listening to internet Kpop radio (after chiding me endlessly for months), it was always going to be a lost cause – fighting the fanboy obsession. Unfortunately there are still many songs or artists that he refuses to listen to wholesale. Example, nothing by Se7en and he’s terribly picky over my giant collection of UKISS (and KAT-TUN, but that’s another story for another day). So he created a new playlist for himself. It looks something like this.

“Zero items”

Or at least it stayed that while for a few minutes while he laughed outlandishly. Then it got filled up – and I quote – “with embarrassing artists like Teen Top and A-Pink”. Mostly though it’s just stuffed full, 187 songs strong by the likes of Leessang, Block B, B.A.P, and Lee Hi. Let’s not forget his priceless collection of SHINee songs (some of which I don’t even listen to often), and the stray Infinite song that probably wonders what it’s even doing there. I’m talking about you, “In the Summer”!

Smoky Trouble

There is one song that refuses to work inself into a playlist. MBLAQ’s "Smoky Girl". I challenge you to play any Kpop song, and then play Smoky Girl. It doesn’t flow! It’s the worst transition of all time. I’m listening to a nice ballad or spunky song, when all of a sudden: 

홀로 들어선 (hollo deureoseon) club club

WTJ!?  Our conclusion is that it can only be played first. MBLAQ follows no man. 

Girl Crazy

Time for some girl groups. I know. I know. I said last month that I hadn’t found any new girl group songs I liked. Then I started dancing to Apink, grooving to Jewelry, and going wild over Crayon Pop. I think I’m slipping off my ‘boy bands forever!’ pedestal. Because I just cannot get enough of Crayon Pop. I’ve even learned their damn names, though rcognizing each girl is sometimes a little bit beyond my skills. Especially with twins! They have twins! Twice the cuteness! 

If I could go back and live again, I want to be in Crayon Pop. I want to dress comfortably, chew on a lollipop, toss my hair, strut around with that much swag, and still have all the boys fawning over me and memorizing my fan chants. Pop! Pop! Keu-Rae-Yong Pop! 

Next month, maybe a dance cover?? Kekekeke