A Touch of K-Pop: December '13

There's something about holidays - A time when I technically SHOULD have more time for fun things like writing and watching drama, and listening to concerts and Kpop, and... I don't. When by myself I sit around in more of a stupor, mindlessly browsing Tumblr or the internet, and when family and friends are around, I still sit around in a stupor, except I don't get anything done then.

Where am I going with this again?

Oh yes! So, in the past 2 weeks I've probably watched less than 5 hours of drama, and kept up with barely anything in Kpop. I don't know what happened. So let me recap the few things I do remember doing/watching/listening...

Sweet Flower, Deep Flower

My husband says that after everything Block B came out with, Junhyung's solo "Flower" is his favorite song of the year. That was, until I pointed out the Engrish. You know what, I'm not sure Beast is or ever will get their act together with the Engrish. It was bad in the past, it's still bad now, and Junhyung's solo endeavor is just as spotty. But so what because I love it. I'm ad-dic-ted to this song, and to the choreo of whatever fantastic backup dancers Cube had the brilliant idea to include. The MV for "Flower" is cool of course, but I can't stop rewatching the Practice version for its incredible CGJ-less imagery and amazing technicality.

I'll admit it - but I never expected this to be one of my favorite songs of the month. It's a little nice to be surprised though.

So you want to know my shallow thoughts on The Boss, Exo, December stuff, and a late as hell Christmas roundup? Read on, friend. Read on.

A Touch of K-Pop: September '13

Okay so I’m a few days late (now into October, or “Blocktober” but more on that in a few days) Before I get side-tracked, I should focus on the exciting month of September. Or rather, the lack of excitement. Seriously this month was boring in Kpop. It's like the Chuseok holidays infested everything, and the only thing of excitement was waiting for fancams from the Idol sports event. 

Especially of this....

Even G-Dragon’s comeback barely sustained me. Oh, I’m not saying my ultimate bias has changed or anything. It’s just that his solo albums were good. Good you know, but not life changing. I bought them all and enjoy the songs immensely, but… and I shouldn’t admit this, but when you have to go and find translations on lyrics and then study them to find the true meaning of a song concept, only to see it’s just you know… pseudo-intellectual and all that stuff, that doesn’t really excite me.

I can be a bit shallow, namsayin’? Which is why my favorite song and MV of the recent while has seriously been BIGSTAR’s “Run Run” from back in August.

If you haven’t seen it, or even heard of the group, or cared one bit before now – I encourage you to give it a try. It’s certainly worth the entertainment. I don’t know anything about these guys, and I haven’t even listened to another song of theirs. All I know is that this MV is hilarious, there’s a rapper named Feeldog who looks great with a purple phone, and it’s got just enough of that 90s Slim Shady to make me want to dance… 

Over that way!!!

More up on why I still adore Teen Top, why I'm less enamored with BTOB, and why I'm starting to hate the wonderful world of Kpop. Except that, BLOCK B is back! So I can't hate Kpop after all! Kyaa!

A Touch of K-Pop: June '13

Another month, and I feel like so much has been happening. Mostly I’ve just been surviving through the return of about every single girl group I don’t care too much about, but dutifully watching each and every new MV, just to make sure there isn’t something out there that will suddenly change my mind and turn me into a fan. After many wasted hours, verdict: nothing yet.

However, there is a new boy on the stage that has captivated my eyes, my ears, and my heart – and he isn’t even Korean. I’m talking of course about Chinese-Canadian member of Super Junior-M and now solo artist… Henry! 

I'm trapped! I'm trapped!

He’s a baddie. I mean, he’s a cutie. I mean, the song is perfection and I didn’t stalk Youtube for weeks just to catch up on every possible stage, live performance, piano version, violin version, or acoustic version for nothing. His song “Trap” is pretty much the catchiest thing I’ve ever heard, completely suits his voice, and for all the debate out there, I don’t mind at all that he shares his debut with SHINee’s Taemin or Super Junior’s Khuhyun.

Watch this video and just try not to sing along, or cheer on for SM’s former dungeon-dweller. I’m ridiculously happy to see that he’s been doing relatively well on the charts. It gives me hope in humanity. Or at least, for the part of humanity that listens to Henry. Have my standards dropped any? No, I just love Henry.

More on Teen Top, 100%, Daesung & Seungri, Wonder Boyz, and... Block B?

A Touch of K-Pop: May '13

Get ready for more K-pop monthly ramblings, and I very nearly missed the whole month of May! Self-deadlines are the worst. You only hurt yourself if you don’t keep them, so who cares about that? (Confession: me, deep down). 

2pm, being used and abused

What’s Up This Month?

After a mostly uneventful April, May was just hopping with comebacks and I must say, I fangirled more this month than I have the whole year, and mostly over groups I didn’t even like a month ago. The biggest thing that happened is that 2pm finally showed up on my radar with two new MVs (the titles of which are too long to type, and more troublesome than writing this very long explanatory sentence). The first was just of meh in my books. The second, which I’ll abbreviate as ADTOY, had me going: “Oh s*#t where’d these guys come from - and those falsettos! *squeal*’ 

Maybe the song is standard garden variety, but the overall sex appeal has to be girl-universal. Actually, I don’t even love the MV as much. It’s too… overstated, and while I appreciate chocolate abs, even I feel uncomfortable being forced to stare at 2pm shirtless and surrounded by girls.  (Some things are best left to the imagination, ya know?) The song though made it to *loop-repeat* status on my playlist. And Nichkhun was added to my bias list. Congrats to Nichkhun. If we ever meet, I’ll give you a cookie.

Continue on for my thoughts on B.A.P, EXO, Beast, B1A4 and more!

A Touch of K-Pop: April '13

Sunday morning, and what am I thinking about? K-Pop of course! Here's another monthly edition of me ranting about whatever's on my mind. Read or skip at your own leisure. I won't mind. I'm a fangirl. To each her own. ;) 

All my biases at a glance... *heavy sigh*

What's up this month?
April brought some great joy to my life. Also some sad twinges of pain. Take the day Zico (and non-Block B friends) dropped a new cover and accompanying MV for “Feel So Young”: I swooned, I fangirled, I looooved, I danced, then I cried… for about 20 minutes. Then I did this on repeat for the next 5 hours. Because however exciting it is to see Zico doing awesome and new for a change, the fate of the rest of the group still hangs in the air. 

Seriously! When will there be [good] news about Block B! Stalking their twitter accounts on a daily basis to see if I can be the first to hear something has been mentally draining. Also, I run into lovely bits of information that I really could’ve done without. For example: Jaehyo went hiking one day, and his butt got firmer the next day. True story. He tweeted it. Now you all know. Thank your good friend Rosie for informing you of such. 

What else is up this month, or – more importantly – what else in the Kpop universe has been on my mind this month? Stick around for fandom updates (Angels, Melodies, Crowns – I’m coming!), some crazy ass stuff involving pink elephants and urinals (seriously, GD…), bias updates and changes(!!) and more. 

A Touch of K-Pop: March '13

It's the middle of week, nobody's home but me and my cat - I had planned to watch upwards of 7 drama episodes this day from 4 different shows I'm currently watching. What do I do instead? Get ridiculously side-tracked by K-Pop. As usual. 

Welcome to my new feature, where once a month I discuss my current thoughts on K-Pop: what's new, what's old, whatever thoughts that suddenly run through my head! Basically, an excuse to dish, fangirl, wail or bemoan, and link all kinds of brightly colored MVs. Bear with me for a bit. 

What's New:
Infinite's comeback with MV "Man in Love" and by the way, all I noticed was the CAT!  I like Infinite, I really do - but once I got over "Paradise" and "Be Mine" (dance practice versions), every other song of theirs takes months for me to warm up to. I suspect this new one will be no different. 

Man, I'm in love... with this kitty! Also, Hoya. But I think that has a lot to do with his role in Answer Me, 1997 (and being an awesome dancer) more than anything else. 


Read more for praises of EYK, itunes gift cards, Zico's eyelashes, G-Dragon's red lips, and - yes, I'm going to say it: Teen Top. Also, what on earth has P.O. been doing lately??