GBoySWAG, also known as DJ Goo Goo, is a Taiwanese artist. A former member of bands before launching his solo career in 2016, he depicts the Taiwanese electronic pop-music. Aside from being a drummer to his former bands, Da Bones, 88balaz, he was most popularly known for being the DJ of Magic Power, a band whose other members included Gaga, Tingting, LeiBao, Kaikai, and AXiang. Magic Power was known for showcasing music that are upbeat and dance-worthy. Announcing the band’s break from the music industry back in 2016, allowed GBoySWAG to try a solo career with his first album, Make It Real.

Born on April 28, 1984, his real name is Lu Gouwei, which translated in English is “Grover”, and has the nickname, “Bulging”. He was born in Taipei, Republic of China. He speaks Mandarin, English and Japanese, and has a Major in Mathematics from Fu Jen Catholic University. Being able to play quite a number of music instruments, such as drums, piano, guitar and, of course, DJ turntables, he also does vocals, raps and dances.

His music and vocals have been described by Taiwan Beats, an online platform promoting Taiwan pop music, as having achieved a “right balance between art and business of the music industry”. Venturing solo, GBoySwag was able to create more natural grooves for his song, but chose to remain upbeat in order to keep to music that can be danced to. He, however, aimed for a less band-sounding type of music. Through continued collaboration with other artists, like Dizparity, who also come from an electronic music production genre, GBoySwag was able to boost his music into a more modern and fashionable way. In-keeping with the title of his first solo album, he did “make it real”.

GBoySwag had 4 albums with his former band, Magic Power, the first of which was launched in December 2009, entitled Magic Power. Presently, he has 1 solo album, Make it Real, with its launching single, Uh-Huh, a simple reply made commonly by the young generation, which GBoySwag gave further meaning thru his lyrics and music video.

He has appeared in numerous small and medium-sized concerts to large-scale concerts, especially with the band Magic Power. He was the voice-over for “Robin”/Dick Grayson, in Taiwan’s release of the movie, Lego Batman Movie, in February 2017. To date, he has received a number of awards, including the Excellent Newcomer Award from the 16th Singapore Golden Melody Awards in 2010, the Most Popular New Artist award from Hito Music Awards, and the Best Electronic Music Newcomer from MTV Global Chinese Music Festival, both in 2017.

—-lm Malixi

 

The Year of the Ox is a rap duo which has Korean roots; it is made up of two hip hop artists whose origin is Virginia, U.S.A; these artists are Lyricks and JL. Both John Lee whose stage name is ‘JL’ and Rick Lee whose stage name is ‘Lyricks’ are Korean-American rappers. These two artists personify the Ox traits which include strong observance of traditions, strength, and family loyalty. Lyricks and JL are popular for their diligence, dependability, strength and determination. These essential traits emanate from their music sound, which combines hardcore with an even flow of lyrics. Lyricks and JL remained committed to their passion in music for more than ten years before ultimately resolving to anything which resembles a break. Their performance style confirms their ability to deliver in music; they glide over beats in an exact emcee style, equipped with killer flows and delivery that is crisp and a captivating manner of storytelling. Coming from the 90’s The Year Of The OX maintained the boom-bap torch alive.

The Year of The OX group prides itself in its verses which are well thought out and often summarize empowerment messages for people in every level of life. This sheds light on the struggles that an average individual goes through. Among the songs released by Lyricks and JL include the “Seven Rings” which was released in 2016 and drew millions of views on YouTube. “Stampede” and ‘Ep Vox’ also succeeded remarkably in the online platform, this success has earned the group a loyal and increasing group of followers in the underground rap world. Notably, Year Of The Ox song “Jet Lag” has been selected as one of the songs to be included in the “NBA LIVE 18” videogame which is set to tip off in September. The group brings passion to their live shows; this proudly represents the values of the hard-working rappers. Despite the fact that Lyricks and JL demonstrate the characteristics of strength and family loyalty, research indicates that they, “the Ox” can get stubborn with their ideals and they are quick to snap on any person who might intrude upon tradition. According to the two rappers, it takes so much courage and determination to pursue one’s passion, they therefore advise that the truly creative innovators who leave their mark on the world are those with the confidence to stray from the pack and break out of the box that society tries to cram them in.

The first image below shows onstage performance during the ‘Korean Music Festival’ at Central Park on the 26^th of June 2017.

 

Tem5ive, a shortened name for Five System, is an all-Filipina K-pop group.  Though all of the girls are Filipinos and originate from the Philippines, they have decided to break into the Korean music industry and internationally.  The group is made up of 5 girls, who made their career debut in November 2016.  Sarah, Rayna, Robie, Jyrrah and Katy make up Tem5ive. The group debuted with their music video, “Miracle.”

Let’s get to know the members of the group, beginning with their team leader, Sarah.   She is a 24-year old graduate of Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Manager.  Her musical skills include singing, dancing and playing the drums.  She is from Quezon City, Philippines.

Robbie, who is the main rapper and visual artist of the team, comes from Taguig City, Philippines.  She is also 24 years old.  Aside from rapping, she sings and dances.  She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

The maknae, defined as youngest, of the group is Jyrrah.  Despite being the youngest at 22 years old, she is the lead vocal of Tem5ive.  A graduate of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management, Jyrrah also plays the guitar.

Katy, the dancing ace and also a rapper for the group, loves to cook.  She has been the designated chef for the group.  She is 25 years old and the eldest among the five.

Lastly, there is Rayna, another vocal for the group.  Also 24 years old, she stands tall at 5 feet, 6 inches, similar to their team leader, Sarah.  Her motto is: “If you can dream it, you can do it.”

“Touching People’s Heart Emotionally and Mentally” is the group’s offered meaning for their name, Tem5ive.  They also declared through their YouTube channel that their aim is to be the “happy virus”.  The members, having been to Christian schools, can be seen as expressing their hope, faith and dreams in their website, which had reference to Bible verses.

After the launch of their music video, Miracle, the group has then worked at getting a stable fan base via many shows and fan meets in Korea.  They hope to be recognized as a serious group that would standout like other girl-groups.  They work at their own dance steps and own brand of music. “We just want to be true to ourselves… We don’t see our profession as work, but as a passion.”, as they have expressed in their website, www.tem5ive.com.  The group is under JW Entertainment, and have yet to release their next single as of date.

 

—-lm Malixi

In 2003, Park Shin Hye stared in her first K-Drama titled “Stairway to Heaven” where she played the teen version of the lead roll, which catapulted her on to becoming a household name.  Her first movie roll was a horror film “Evil Twin” in 2007, then “Cyrano Agency” in 2010, believed to be a slow starter, became her movie role that garnered her a “Most Popular Actress” nomination from Baeksang Arts Awards.

Although we do not know much, if anything about her off-screen life as she is a private person, Shin Hye truly blossomed with fans during her K-Drama roll with such actors as Lee Hong Gi lead singer with FTIsland and CNBlue’s Jung Yong-hwa in “You’re Beautiful” in 2009. Her acting skills were well received during this roll as she played two parts. “The Heirs” in 2013, “Pinocchio” in 2014 and “Doctors” in 2016 brought her to the forefront even more. And, if you know anything about her, the scripts keep coming, the latest being “Silent Witness”, a crime thriller movie with Choi Min Sik to be in theaters sometime this year.  Being honored by the Prime Minister at the Korean Popular Culture Awards for her contribution to Hallyu along with many other awards have been a humbling experience.

Park Shin Hye does not feel that her singing voice is a strong, entertaining one, yet her fans seem to disagree as her OST singles such as “Story” for “The Heirs” soundtrack and “Love Is Like Snow” for “Pinocchio” are well received by the K-Drama viewers as well as her fans that attend her meet and greet tours.

Being a strong supporter of social issues, Park Shin Hye has been a long time Philanthropist and became the spokesperson for such agencies as Korea Food for the Hungry International’s Philanthropy Club in 2006 and enjoys working with other charities such as the non-profit “Good Friends Save Children”.  In 2013, Shin Hye reached out her hands to help 1,000 children of Ghana by constructing a library, playground and additional needs center.  The facility is named Shin Hye Center.  But, it does not stop there as she is now developing a second “Shin Hye Center” in the Philippines opening soon.

With her face on many a magazine cover, cosmetic and clothing brand model, Park Shin Hye will continue being an ambassador for Hallyu and for social awareness for many years to come.

 

—-Denise Coley

Lotte World Tower is a 123-floored skyscraper located in Seoul, Korea.

This tower opened to the public on April 3^rd of 2017 and is the tallest building – not just in Asia – but out of all the OECD countries. It currently holds the title of being the 5th tallest building in the world.

It took approximately 13 years to plan the site, it gained final approval to start construction by the Korean government in 2010 and the frame assembly was observed at the construction site just a year later.

On March 17, 2016, prior to the final phase of the exterior construction, the roof structure was completed. The roof structures were constructed with steel that are 12 meters high which weighs 20 tons. The counterparts were made of metal panels and the structure itself is 120 meters high.

Approximately 3,000 tons of steel parts, a high-precision 64t tower crane GPS alignment systems and highly skilled technicians were used to construct the structure of the roof. The structure is engineered to endure earthquakes up to a magnitude of 9 under the Richter magnitude scale.

The Lotte World Tower has a shopping mall (floors 1–12), offices (14–38), residences (42–71), a luxury hotel (76–101), private office (105–114), and public access floors (117–123).

The tower celebrated its official opening with fireworks on the April 2^nd of 2017.

J.Chung.

How Seo Taji and Boys changed the

World of Korean pop during the 90s

Seo Taiji and Boys (서태지와 아이들) is an extremely successful Korean pop/rock group, active from 1992 to 1996.

I prepared this article especially because this year would mark their 25^th anniversary.

Seo Taiji and Boys are very much credited for changing the Korean pop music industry as they came across MIDI technology by incorporating rap, rock and techno into their music to create art and sounds that was never heard before.  

Their first three albums sold over 1.6 million copies; the fourth album selling close to two million copies.

 

1992: Their debut

After the breakup of the heavy metal rock band, “Sinawe” in 1991, Seo Taiji formed the group “Seo Taiji and Boys” with Yang Hyun-suk and Lee Juno as dancers and back-up vocalists. Seo Taiji was in charge of the lead vocals and song writing, while the Yang and Lee took over the choreography.

The trio debuted on MBC’s talent show on April 11, 1992 with “Nan Arayo” (난 알아요, “I Know”) their self-titled debut album which was back then so addictive with its new jack swing beat, rap lyrics and catchy chorus, it quickly took over the Korean pop music scene like a whirlwind. One appearance on T.V basically changed their lives overnight.  

Later in the year of 1992, Seo Taiji and Boys won their first Golden Disc Award for their debut single, “Nan Arayo.”

 

Retirement

Seo Taiji and Boys retired from Korea’s pop music scene in January 1996 during their golden era. Lee later stated that Seo Taiji made the decision to withdraw himself while recording their fourth album. The group splitting up caused a lot of havoc and grief for their fans, to say the least.

The compilation album, “Goodbye Best Album” was released the same year.

 

Seo Taiji moved to America soon after, while Lee Juno and Yang Hyun-suk established record labels straight after their retirement. Yang Hyun-suk was successful in making YG Entertainment, within a decade it has become one of the three biggest record companies in the country.

Seo Taiji returned to music two years later from America with a very successful solo album and held many gigs in Korea.

In 2014, Seo was asked about a possible reunion with the boys, he then revealed that the members had talked about it often.

He added, “If we get back together now, I worry we might disappoint, so I am not confident. I lack more and more confidence as I get older. I don’t think I’d be able to dance as fiercely as I had in the past.”

 

Random facts about Seo Taiji and boys

*Seo Taiji’s real name is Hyunchul Chung.

*Seo Taiji was an evident leader who wrote all the songs but is the youngest.

*Their first single “Nan Arayo” charted at the top for 17 weeks.  

*Rolling Stone named it number 36 on its list of the 50 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time.

*Lee Juno is currently sentenced to jail for fraud and indecent assault.

* All four of Seo Taiji and Boys’ albums were included in Kyunghyang Shinmun’s Top 100 Pop Albums

*All three members are currently married with children.

 

– J.Chung.

 

France is probably the country in Europe which has the most K-pop fans. Last month, BTS was named the most popular K-Pop group in France.

La Monde reported that several French students missed their graduation test, the Baccalauréat, just to see the group.
We got in touch with Paris is our Seoul, which is a rapidly growing YouTube channel for French people which covers the diverse topic of Kpop.

Hope our readers will enjoy this interview and a big thank you goes to the crew at Paris is our Seoul!

 

*Could you introduce yourself and your website?

Paris is our Seoul is originally a YouTube channel created in September 2015 by a group of three friends sharing the same passion for South Korean’s culture.

Introducing the Korean world to the French and international community is what pushed us to create Paris is our Seoul.

The concept of our channel and website is to make people discover South Korean’s culture through music, fashion, cinema, food and more!

 

*What made you become interested in the topic you cover and how did you start your website?

At the beginning, doing videos was just us having fun. We wanted to show to people who don’t have any bases in Asian culture. We uploaded videos on YouTube and received great response. People liked the fact that the reactions we film are spontaneous and not planned.

 

*What makes Paris is our Seoul unique from other pages or websites?

Being versatile is our great point. People tend to like our videos because we don’t film only reactions. We also do vlogs, interviews, events that are happening in Paris or Korea, collaborations with other YouTubers and a lot more! We try to cover all of Korean’s culture and French’s culture. We sub our videos in English which seems to be appreciated by our foreign subscribers and also try to be fun when we can ahah!

 

*What do you like most about Asian culture?

Sarah: I love all cultures but Asian culture is very beautiful. Asian history is interesting. They seem to be really honorable and proud people.

Inaya: The thing I like the most about Asian culture is that it’s unique and kind of secretive. You might think it’s weird at the first sight, but actually when you finally see its real beauty and understand it, that’s when you become obsessed with it! And you can’t get out!

Julia: I’ve always been fascinated by the Asian culture in general. I really like Asian food mostly Korean dishes. Currently I enjoy listening to Kpop and Korean Hip Hop and also watching Korean dramas. But I first discovered the Asian culture via Manga like 7 years ago.

 

*Who are your favorite celebrities?

Sarah: My favorite celebrity is SHINee which is a Kpop group of 5 boys. They are a source of inspiration for me and I became more comfortable with Korean language and culture by watching the shows they are in. They are so close to each other, very talented and fashionable. They also can dance, sing, act, and they are particularly nice. They are such an inspiration for me.

Inaya: The one group who caught my heart since 2014 is BTS. Even now I’m living the fangirl life at almost 21 years old because of them! I like everything about them, even their flaws ahah! Can’t describe what or why, it’s just indescribable. The heart wants what it wants.

Julia: For the solo artists, my favorites are Zico, Dean and the rapper Bewhy.
But my favorite groups are GOT7 for their close relationship with each other and their funny side which makes them enjoyable to watch and BTS, for their amazing songs and performances.

 

*Which Asian country do you like to travel to the most?

Sarah: I like the Korean culture more and so I like to travel there. I discover Korea by watching dramas. I found this country special, and Korea is for me a unique place. The juxtaposition between the modern and the traditional is striking.

Inaya: I’ve only been to Korea and we plan to go back this year too. It’s another world. It has its imperfection like every country but I can’t describe how peaceful I felt when I was there. I think it’s Asia’s magic and I wanna feel this again. Otherwise, I really wanna try all of Japan, Singapore… Actually I want to visit all of Asia because I want to see every hidden secret place of this continent.

Julia: I think the Asian country that I would like to visit the most is Japan because of their eccentric and original culture and their fashion style sometime out of the ordinary.
Like in South Korea their tradition blends perfectly with modernity and new technologies in their daily lives.

 

*How do you research news to post about?

When some events are announced in Europe or Paris, we just write articles and film videos about it since we know it will get interest from our followers and subscribers. We are also in contact with the Korean Cultural Center which sends us invitations to some events, so we cover them.

 

*What are your goals for this year?

We want to offer good work to our readers and subscribers, to make our channel grow and to take more initiatives for this goal to fulfill. Since we are very passionate about it, we want to make others feel it through the videos and articles that we do. We also want to be closer with all people who follow our adventures, the old and hopefully new ones.

 

Thank you for the interview.

— J. Chung

As my plane took off from LAX, I felt a wave of emotions. What was I thinking? Did I just make the biggest mistake of my life? I had just quit my job and sold most of my possessions. I was now heading to the other side of the world. Next stop: Seoul, South Korea.

I had no experience as a teacher. My only qualification was a shiny visa sticker in my passport that claimed I was an “English Teacher”. After all, English was my mother tongue. How hard could it be to teach others about it? Obviously Korean Immigration had faith in me.

Fast forward a week after arriving in Seoul, and I now have the title ‘Teacher’ after my first name (Paul Teacher, though it sounds more like ‘Poor Teachu’). I’m teaching at a hagwon; a for-profit academy that Korean students are shuttled to after their public school classes. Hagwons are ferociously competitive. The owners are often money hungry people who have no knowledge of education or how to run a business. Their main priority is keeping their main consumer happy: the Korean mother. If she’s not happy, she will simply send her child to one of the other ubiquitous hagwons. My main priority as a teacher was to keep the kids happy, so their mom was satisfied.
My first day, I was placed in front of a classroom with 20 elementary school students. They had been assigned English names by their former instructor. Attendance went something like: “Tiger? Obama? Where is Peter Pan today? Sick? Ok. Is Britney Spears here today?”)

I had no clue how to run a class. I watched the minute hand on the clock tick away, patiently waiting for the class to be over. The first few days were filled with questions regarding my life as a foreigner. The kids seemed especially intrigued by my arm hair. They would use any excuse they could find to touch it. This became especially troublesome the day “fur” was a vocabulary word in class.

Over the coming weeks, I began to find my groove. Students started to respond to the lessons. I put extra effort into making engaging lesson plans. I created a ton of visual aids. I researched early childhood education, as well as teaching English as a Foreign Language. I quickly became a favorite of students, the administration, and most importantly: the Korean mothers. I was showered with praise and gifts. The school found themselves obtaining new students.

My white face was plastered on flyers all over the neighborhood. I realized that hagwons tend to love young, white teachers. Not only are they more naïve to the dealings of the system, but the mothers love to show that their child is taught by a ‘real American’. If you’re blonde hair and blue eyed, you will be revered by hagwon owners. I quickly realized that I wasn’t really a teacher. I was more of a marketing tool. A foreign mascot, if you may.
Teaching Korean kids became something I enjoyed. The students were bright, inquisitive, and diligent. However, it was clear that they were overworked. By the time they came to my class, some of these kids had been studying for 12 hours already (public school, and then various other hagwons including math, piano, and Tae Kwon Do). I needed to balance actually teaching them something, and entertaining them so they would stay awake.

The 12 months that I was a teacher at a hagwon were some of the most challenging, yet also rewarding, days of my life. I made great friends there, as well as priceless memories. However, dealing with shady hagwon owners ultimately burned me when the owner skipped town, leaving the entire staff without paychecks. I’m personally still owed about $5000. This isn’t uncommon in Korea, but stories like this are becoming less common.

Eight years later, I’m still in Korea. I’m now a lead instructor and Program Coordinator at a small college in downtown Seoul. I have improved my credentials, and no longer worry about Korean mothers, or dishonest hagwon owners. I often wonder what happened to those young kids I taught way back when: Tiger, Obama, and Britney Spears. They are probably entering university soon. Perhaps I will cross paths with them again, as they start their education to become lawyers, doctors, or even English majors. We can share a laugh as we reminisce about the time we shared a hagwon classroom and sang the alphabet song.

—-Paul Henderson

Becoming the “Bests”

Dalian Wanda Group (Wanda), built in 1988, is now one of the biggest companies in China. This 29-year old group ranked No.385 on Fortune Global 500 and No.42 on Chinese Companies 500 in 2016 with a total asset of $116.8 billion. In 2016, Wanda had a yearly turnover of $37.4 billion. Its four core industries: Commercial Property, Cultural Industry, Internet Technology and Financial Industry, contributed each 56%, 25%, 1.6% and 8.4% to the group’s yearly income.

When Wanda was first built, it gained its first success being one of Dalian’s biggest real estate dealers in the early 1990s. Although it was easy to operate, real estate was not able to generate a continuous cash flow to the company. After a three-day milestone meeting in May, 2000, Wanda changed its strategy and launched the first commercial property project. Their commercial property foundations went through several stages until an industrial chain was completed in 2005. Up to today, Wanda has 190 plazas and 50 more in the pipeline to open in 2017. Every Wanda plaza presents an independent business district, with hotels, shopping streets, apartments, restaurants and entertainment all in one.

Wanda Jin Danzhai will open on July 2^nd, 2017

In 2012, Wanda launched China’s first luxury hotel management company. Five years later, Wanda is the owner of 4 hotel brands, 102 luxury hotels and is extending its wing to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia and Turkey.

Worldwide Entertainment – the world’s largest movie operator

Wanda has never stopped its way of creation and exploration. Since 2009, while building hotels all over China, Wanda invested tens of billion dollars into cinemas, theme parks and sports. They have five ultra-large theme park projects, including one of the world’s largest ski resort in Changbaishan. Wanda Sports has also become one of the world’s largest sports companies, holding events in over 20 countries every year. There are 25 Wanda Sports offices located in 13 countries around the world.

What is most impressive about Wanda is the success made with the Cinema business. The merger of the second largest cinema chain in the United States in 2012, AMC, became a milestone in Wanda’s history. Wanda bought Legendary Pictures, Carmike, Odeon & UCI, Nordic, and HOYTS n the last two years. Wanda Film, collecting 12% of the global box office, became the world’s largest movie operator. It is now affecting the whole movie making industry, looking to make Qingdao the second Hollywood shooting site.

Chairman Wang Jianlin – the world’s wealthiest Chinese man

Talking about Wanda, no one would forget about Wang Jianlin (Wang). He became the Chairman of Wanda at the age of 35 in 1989. And since then, every step Wanda took, was his decision. He was honored “Lifetime Achievement Award” by Forbes in 2016,”Most Influential 50 in the World” by Bloomberg in 2015, alongside with many other titles. He ranked first in the most updated “Forbes Chinese Rich List”, becoming the wealthiest Chinese man in the world.

Wang is a man of strong belief. Because of his soldier past, his working style is very clear and straight, without much hesitation. His daily life is very simple, get up before 6:00, a little work out, then go to office. All his spending for the last five months were only three sets of suit. Money was far out of his concerns. What drives him every day is his pursuit in making Wanda a centennial company. He hasn’t found the perfect person to inherit and sustain the glory of the business. His only son, Wang Sicong, who was sent abroad to study since young, has a totally different personality. He is extremely active online and very often followed by gossip news. He showed no interest in his father’s business.

Charitable Donation – China’s biggest charity award winner

Wanda has always been a top supporter for charities and entrepreneurs. Over 29 years, Wanda has donated a total of $800 million, making it the biggest private donator in China. In 2008, Wanda was the first donator to Sichuan deadly earthquake (up to 8 on the Richter magnitude scale), giving $51 million in total. Wang Jianlin, famous for his generosity for charities, donated $147 million each to Nanjing Jinling Temple in 2010, and China Charity Federation for relics preservation in 2013, with his personal assets.

The support to society and the help to people in need, has been written into Wanda’s culture for a long time. Its ten-year project, from 2013 to 2022, gives 100 students 50 shops and $7.4 million every year for entrepreneurship. It is now already, the biggest job maker in China, creating 146,000 jobs per year. Wanda requires its employees to volunteer and visit the poor at least once a year. There are volunteer organizations in every subsidiary companies. As Wang said it himself, “Charity makes me complete” and “Everyone is a Philanthropist”. Charity has already become a label, representing Wanda and its helmsman, Wang Jianlin.

Looking Forward

With its blueprint in Commercial Property and Cultural Industry, Wanda is obviously a leading giant in China. The goal for the next five years is not a high speed expansion, but a continuous growth and internal transition. Service (light assets) industry will be expected to reach 65% of the total income, and income from oversea countries should exceed 30%. The key words for Wanda’s near future will be: Cultural Industry, International Influence and New Areas.

As for its Cultural Industry, Wanda’s goal in 2013 was to reach 20% of global box office in 2020. Wanda met some obstacles failing to buy 49% share of one of the top six Hollywood companies, Paramount Pictures. But buying one of the top six, is still Wang’s strong wish. Wanda will keep on heavy investment into Tourism and Sports, to become the No.1 tourism company against Disneyland and to help China win host right for 2022 Winter Olympics.

To expand Wanda’s international business, the first strategy is to buy companies, such as all the cinema chains. Investment would go second. Wanda has invested $15 billion in over 10 countries. In 2025, there will be at least 10 luxury hotels and 5 Wanda City to open in India, Paris, Australia and many other countries. Wanda is devoting to bring the Chinese brand to the world.

In 2014, Wanda, Baidu and Tencent have invested together for a joint e-commerce company. With the investment in Kuai Qian and cooperation with Ping’an, Wanda is heading towards new areas of Internet Finance and O2O transition. Although these new areas haven’t brought Wanda much profit yet, these are the fastest growing industries in China. Wang has been an adventurous person, and Wanda gained its success through all the adventures. No matter what will happen in the future, Wanda will definitely make a huge wave to the world.

—-Lizzy Ren

 

SISTAR – We Will Miss The Summer Queens

The last 7 years seems to have gone too fast for Sistar. With every comeback making the top music charts, they became one of Korea’s best girl groups. The group itself was very well kept together, and all four members were on good terms, so disbanding was a huge shock to the fans. Usually when a group goes their separate ways, it has to do with a member not getting along with the others but that was not the case for Sistar. The fans could truly see how close they were and not once were there rumors about one being bullied, which is common to hear in a lot of idol groups.

Debuting from a new company where no one has heard anything about can be a challenge, especially if success is not guaranteed. Their debut song ‘Push Push’ instantly gained popularity and they rapidly worked their way up to where they are today. Just like any other pop culture, Kpop also has one-hit-wonders, but Sistar proved their standing with a comeback song ‘Shady Girl’ which gained even more attention than ‘Push Push.’

After various comebacks, a sub-unit was formed. The group named Sistar 19, was joined by two members: Hyolyn and Bora. As Hyolyn being the main vocal, and Bora as the rapper, these two gained much love as a duo. The debut song ‘Ma Boy’ was such a hit that the song was used in all kinds of audition programs, as well as many covers on Youtube.

Known as the summer queens, when not promoting their songs as a group, all members were kept busy by doing solo/duo activities. Bora focused on variety shows, Dasom played roles in dramas, and Hyolyn and Soyu focused on their music careers. Because they worked all the time, the fans never had to wait and their schedules were pretty consistent. We all knew that every summer they would make a comeback and once that was finished, they focused on their solo careers.

On May 31, 2017 the group ended their idol career by releasing one last song called ‘LONELY.’ The fans were heartbroken by the choice made, but decided to respect them as the saying goes: “It is better to leave while clapping.”

Be sure to check out their hit songs:

 

How Dare You – 2010

Shady Girl – 2011

So Cool – 2011

Alone – 2012

Loving U – 2012

Give it to me – 2013

I Swear – 2014

Touch My Body – 2014

SHAKE IT – 2015

I Like That – 2016

LONELY – 2017

 

—-Juyeon Oh

Did you know that Koreans are the only race in Asia that has a long history of using metal chopsticks?

Here, you will find out why Koreans use metal chopsticks rather than chopsticks made of bamboo or other kinds of wood like other Asian countries.

The practice of using utensils is said to go back as far as the Baekje Period (18 B.C~660 A.D) when royalty used bronze implements for their utensils. During this period, the royal family used silver chopsticks to detect poison in their food. The upper class would also use gold, silver or brass chopsticks for events. Commoners took after the king and adopted steel chopsticks.

(During the Shilla Period (668-932 A.D), the royalty used silver implements because silver was said to get rid of poison.)

Metal is a great conductor of heat and this is convenient because Korean food is mostly served hot. But this is not the only reason that explains why Korea is the only country in the world that uses metal chopsticks.

Korean chopsticks are typically made of metal and square in shape so it is easy to pick small and thin pieces of food.

In length, the Korean chopsticks are somewhere between the Japanese chopsticks and the longer chopsticks used in China. Metal is a good conductor of heat and Korean soups are usually served boiling hot.

Metal chopsticks are proven to be more hygienic than wooden chopsticks since you can sterilize them. Korean restaurants take time out to sterilize the chopsticks in boiling water and this practice is also done at their home.

-J.Chung

 

We are excited to introduce Dreamcatcher, a Korean girl group signed under Happy Face Entertainment, based in Seoul, Korea.

The group consists of seven females: JiU, SuA, Siyeon, Handong, Yoohyeon, Dami and Gahyeon. The members officially debuted as Dreamcatcher on January 13, 2017 with an album that goes extremely well with their single title: Nightmare.

In case you were not informed, we’re letting you know that five of the Dreamcatcher members are not newbies to the music scene. JiU, SuA, Siyeon, Yoohyeon and Dami were active under the name – “Minx” from back in September 2014 – when they released their debut single “Why Did You Come to My Home?”

In November 2016, their company released notice that they were to re-debut under the new name, with two additional members Gahyeon and Handong.

On April 5 2017, Dreamcatcher made their comeback with singles Dreamcatcher’s concept well: “Fall asleep in the Mirror” and its title track “Good Night”.

 

We would like to thank each and every one of the members for their time for this interview.

 

Dear Dreamcatcher members…thank you for taking this interview. Would you like to introduce yourselves?

JiU: Hello, my name is JiU and who is the group’s leader and lead vocalist of Dreamcatcher.

SuA: Hi! This is SuA who is in charge of Dreamcatcher‘s choreography and vocals. I am also responsible for having a pair of “Midas golden hands” in the group since I can draw, make crafts and cook well.

Siyeon: Hello! I am called Siyeon and I was born in 1995 ~ I’m the main vocalist, as well as being the real energizer of our team.

Handong: Hello! I am a 22-year-old student name is Handong, and it’s been about a year and a half since I’ve been residing in Korea. It’s been 6~7 months since I’ve been signed to this company.

I came to study in Korea since I’ve been very interested in K-pop for a while and was given a great chance to do an audition when I was majoring in the department of “Practical Music.”

I’ve also been into musicals and so I began taking opera and acting lessons. Currently, I am one of the vocalists from Dreamcatcher.

Yoohyeon: Hello, I am a 21-year-old lead vocalist called Yoohyeon and I will make your hearts fall for my attraction.

Dami: Hello! This is Dami and I am the rapper of Dreamcatcher.

Gahyeon: Hi, this is Dreamcatcher’s lovable Maknae and sub-vocal Gayun!!

 

JiU

 

Let us know how you got interested in music as a career?

JiU: When I was growing up, my parents used to play a lot of Fin.K.L songs that got me naturally loving to sing and dance, that made me make up my mind to become a singer for sure.

SuA: I loved to dance since I was extremely young, so I was always admiring singers like Lee Hyori and Rain Sunbaenim which led me to being a singer.

I am the one who trained the longest and I’ve been now able to make this debut with all the experience as a member of Dreamcatcher.

Siyeon: I was vocalist at my school’s band for two years and used to going to massive concerts; so I wanted to perform in front of a bigger audience myself.

Handong: When I was in High school, I watched a video of Tayeon singing and felt her voice and face seemed so pure and pretty, shining on stage. From then on I wanted to become an attractive artist like Tayeon.

Yoohyeon: I used to be a Wonder Girls’ fan years before, so after I was watching MTV about them, I made up my mind that I wanted to become a singer like them.

Dami: I began dreaming of becoming a singer after joining the choir in elementary school. Because I loved to response from the audience I wanted to become a singer.

Gahyeon: When I was younger, I had a random thought that I wanted to be on TV. Then my mother showed me a video of BoA sunbaenim and I decided that a singer was what I wanted to be.

 

Do you have any special talents or interests?

JiU: I love shopping! I like walking around so I enjoy listening to music while I wander around trying out great food. My specialty and interests are dancing, putting on lovely and natural-looking type of make-up and I’m really interested in food that is healthy… clothes and beauty-related stuff.

SuA: I like to meet up with my friends to binge great food, instead of staying indoors, I like to get out and be active. I really like to shop, watch movies, go around visit great restaurants during my free time and in-between those times I stay at home to draw or make artsy craft. But I would have to say, my most favorites hobby is watching TV Dramas.

Siyeon: I like to play games during my given free time. And I either listen to music or just enjoy being alone with the lights turned low in my room.

Handong: When I have free time, I enjoy Youtube and like to go shopping.

Yoohyeon: I love surfing on Youtube, I like channels like Pewdiedie, Buzzfeed...since I enjoy learning languages so much; I wanted to initially learn German but decided to start with English instead. I am learning English currently but not that I am not that great anymore.

Dami: I usually read a book or watch a video when I have free time. I carry a book when I have schedules and read constantly, enjoy whatever genre.

I usually like to watch videos which are music-related sources.

Gahyeon: I like to go shopping with the sisters, rest at the dorm or meet my parents. My hobbies are experimenting with cooking and I am currently absorbed in dieting and food reviews.

 

Who would be the one person you admire the most?

JiU: I respect my parents the most!!! I believe they’ve brought me up right and I consider that if I can only live like they do in the future, I’d consider myself happy. When I grow old I would like to be just like them.

SuA: I respect my parents the most; I am so thankful to have my mother and father as my parents – they are always diligent, know how to persevere in life and they are very considerate of others – so I respect them the most.

Siyeon: My parents, they are warm-hearted, honest folks who always strive to do their best in everything they do.

Handong: My mother~

Yoohyeon: My father is someone I admire and respect!! Because of him, I knew what I wanted to do from an early age. He told me that I could achieve anything if I put in the work which would lead me to the road to success. I also admire mother’s character and personality.

Dami: My parents: Their whole existence is an honor to me.

Gahyeon: My mother.

 

What would be your favorite or least favorite color?

JiU: My favorite colors are black and pink. I don’t have any colors I don’t like.

SuA: I like the color red but don’t particularly like orange.

 

Siyeon

 

Siyeon: I like all shades of blue and I don’t have any colors that I don’t like especially.

Handong: I like black and white; green is the color that I don’t like.

Yoohyeon: I like green and brown. Purple I never used to like.

Dami: I prefer yellow, black and white over other colors but I generally like all colors without exception.

Gahyeon: I like light pastel tones like pink and sky blue. I also like simple colors like black and white. I don’t have any colors I don’t particularly like, have a full wardrobe orange or green.

 

SuA

 

Tell us what you like to eat or drink?

JiU: There are so many foods and cuisine that I love, I love rice types of foods like sea food rolls and as to drinks, I love them all. I really don’t have a definite preference when it comes to drinks. This question seems to be the hardest for me, personally. Haha.

SuA: I love anything that is made of meat. Eateries like rice rolls, sushi and anything that people in general love to eat at when we are young.

Siyeon: I like onions and enjoy drinking coke.

Handong: I like cookies and egg tarts, and like to drink Oreo chocolate smoothie.

Yoohyeon: I really love ramen and kimchi!!^^~! And I think Schweppe is tasty.

Dami: Sweet potatoes – I carry dried sweet potato chips around with me these days. I like all kinds of dumplings.

Gahyeon: Chicken! Meat! Raw fish, mixed noodles my gran makes, the egg rolls my mother makes, soy bean paste soup and fizzy drinks like coke and Fanta. The thing is, there isn’t really any food that I don’t like but I hate cucumbers – I eat them only if they are served with tuna.

 

Handong

 

Let us know if there were any films, books or musicals you’ve enjoyed recently.

JiU: Well…there have not been any movies I’ve seen recently, and no books for that matter. I get to sleep after monitoring our own videos.

SuA: The film I saw recently was Master, and I read the book called, “The Courage To Be Hated.” I enjoy watching dramas so I would like to recommend you “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” which most of you have seen. It is a drama that made me cry so much as “Kill me Heal me” did.

Siyeon: Master! I really enjoyed watching the work. After watching Master the film, I became a fan of actor Kang Dongwon. ♡

Handong: The book I’ve read recently is called, The Devotion of Suspect X.

Yoohyeon: The Resident Evil, the recent movie. It was really thrilling to watch and the actress has not aged at all.

I read a book called “Courage To Be Disliked” which something you read in life, it really helped when I was stressed, it also helped me to become more mature.

Dami: The first book of the Harry Potter series. I read the books, “Seoul District” by Sangwook Hahn and Youngjin Mun’s “Living Is Like A Flower.”

Gahyeon: A book of poetry called, “Maybe The Stars Will Take Away Your Sorrows” – it also has a blank space for you to make notes.

 

Yoohyeon

 

What would be the one song you’d recommend?

JiU: “Chase Me” by Dreamcatcher is a great song! It was really great lol. Please check that song out!

SuA: Bruno Mars – Finesse is a song that makes you want to dance to funky rythmn and tune.

Siyeon: ONE OK ROCK – One Way Ticket

Handong: A song called, Lay Me Down.

Yoohyeon: All songs by Troye Sivan! I like “Youth” and a song called “Kiss Me” that he covered.

Dami: Dynamic Duo’s – U-turn.

Gahyeon: Dreamcatcher’s – Emotion – which is a side B track but it’s a

really cool song. It’s very different to Dreamcatcher’s title song.

 

Do you have any bad habits you’d like to fix?

JiU: I don’t really have a bad habit to be frank. Hahaha. But I think I need to quit eating up all the food when I am really full.

SuA: I have a habit of playfully hitting people which is usually okay but sometimes I hit hard, so I think I need to work to fix that habit.

Siyeon: I pinch the back of my hand a lot and have the habit of over-thinking too much.

Handong: I get restless unless I concentrate on my eyes constantly.

Yoohyeon: I want to learn how to walk with a straight posture; usually my back is kind of crooked.

Dami: Licking my lips.

Gahyeon: My bad habits would be nibbling the skin from my finger nails, licking my front teeth and rolling my eyes.

 

Dami

 

Which stadium or country would you like to perform in the future?

JiU: In honest truth, I want to travel all over the world for a world tour!!!

SuA: We must have a performance in Tokyo Dome in Japan! We want to fill the whole place. And if I was to choose another location, it would be somewhere massive in Europe.

Siyeon: Japan! I like their uniqueness in terms of the sound system and recording.

Handong: An end-of-the year performance in Korea or I want to go to China.

Yoohyeon: I have loads of places where we want to perform. I want to go a bunch of places including; Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France, USA, Finland, Thailand, Russia, China, Japan, Australia and etc.

Dami: I want to perform in diverse places, both domestic and abroad.

Gahyeon: I want to travel all over the world!!! A world tour!

 

Gahyeon

 

Please let us know about your goals and aspirations are for the future and please add something nice for your fans. We at KCRUSH hope 2017 will be one special year for you!

JiU: I personally want to receive the Newcomer’s award as well as the award for the performance. I hope it all comes true! We hope that Dreamcatcher will get placed on the charts.

And we want to let you know that we miss our fans, although we don’t get to see them very often but they are always on our minds. We love our fans!

SuA: Hi everyone! This is Dreamcatcher’s SuA ~ I am so happy everyday due to your love and interest. We are boosted by the chants from our fans even if it means less sleep for us from working hard.

We will work extra hard to meet the expectation of our fans, so please show love and interest!!!  We don’t need to consume vitamins when we’re with our fans. We love you all! ♡♡

Siyeon: We want to have a schedule that will keep us really busy this year so 2017 will be the year for Dreamcatcher!!! We will keep our fans entertained. We love you!

Handong: We want to have a number 1 on the charts this year; it won’t be easy but we will try hard! We are always thankful to our fans for their dedication and support!

Yoohyeon: We want to become active not just in Korea but abroad; and receive love from fans from all over the world!! That being said, we are going to work extra hard.

Dami: In 2017, we want to top the charts, get the Rookie Award, stay high in the charts whilst we get to meet with our fans frequently.

Gahyeon: This year we really want to receive the Rookie Award that we can’t get ever again unless it’s given to us this year. I will try to develop myself in all aspects. Thank you for loving and showing support we will do our best to return it all.

Watch out for us and please show us love and support!!

 

 

– J.Chung.

 

 

When an idol group debuts there are many things a company must handle such as fashion and KPOP fashion has definitely changed over the past few years. If you look back as far as 1990, there will be a huge difference than from today’s fashion forward looks.

Let’s start out with one of the first groups that started the Hallyu Wave we know today: Seo Taiji and Boys. Seo Taiji and Boys broke onto the scene in 1992 with”Nan Arayo” (난 알아요), bringing with them some interesting looks.

The group took the popular American sounds of rap, rock, techno, and R&B, and combined them with Korean lyrics, blowing many minds in Korea at the time.  Fashion wise, their looks are very similar to trends in the United States at the time.

(R&B Group Color Me Badd)

(TLC)

We can all agree that fashion during this era is a little bit over the top, but when everyone dresses that way it doesn’t seem like that. Another group known for their interesting fashion was the boy group H.O.T.  H.O.T (High-five of Teenager) debuted in 1996 and are considered to be one of the first KPOP ‘idol’ groups and as such, their outfits were very varied and interesting.

While some of these looks will stay buried in the past (thankfully!), others show up from time to time in popular music fashion today.

(GOT7, Stop Stop It MV 2014)

For female groups like S.E.S and Fin.K.L., their looks were more pure and innocent looking, contrasting  to many American girl groups during this same time period. S.E.S debuted in 1997 and are considered to have ushered in the current standard of KPOP girl groups.

These clean cut fresh looks are comparable to GFRIEND and Lovelyz innocent schoolgirl looks.

The early 2000s brought in new looks as the times changed. Groups like DBSK and Super Junior debuted and took on the boyband look familiar to many western groups. One noticeable difference is the hair styling.

(Super Junior)

Alternative, groups like Big Bang who had a more hip-hop sound dressed more ‘street’ than anything. While these looks were a couple years behind the American hip-hop looks they followed, they were a nice contrast to everything else happening at the same time.

Personally, I call this time in fashion the ‘tacky era’ as many groups loaded up the clothing and accessories to make a very distinct visual. Capri jeans and vests were very popular around the world during this time and it was reflected in KPOP fashion.

(Kara)

The love of bright colors continued with groups like 4minute and f(x) who debut in 2009. Both groups debuted with an electropop sound that matched the sometimes electrifyingly bright clothing they wore.

Thankfully, as time went on accessories were lost and pants got tighter for some groups. Groups like SHINee and 2PM were introduced with toned down looks, not completely losing brightly colored clothing but definitely a step in the right direction.

(2PM)

Transitioning into the 2010’s, more groups began to dress specifically for the image their debut wished to push. Teen Top, AOA, and B.A.P are just a few examples of this.

(AOA also known as Ace of Angels)

(B.A.P known as Best Absolute Perfect)

Today, fashion is much less cringe worthy after a group debuts. Fashion has become a huge part of the KPOP industry, with many idols being sponsored by clothing brands. Twice and GOT7 were both the faces of NBA’s clothing collection and BTS were sponsored by Puma.

(GOT7)

(TWICE)

(BTS)

Most groups that debut now look much more put together no matter what their concept is. Boy group Romeo’s debut presented a much more cohesive image and mature imagine, while girl group Twice managed to throw back to bright colors while sticking to a constant theme and looking adorable at the same time.

(ROMEO)

KPOP fashion and fashion around the world has changed (for the better) over the last 30 or so years. However, what may be considered trendy today might be looked back on in a few years as unfashionable and tacky.

—-Ke’Anna Bullard

 

ASTRO are aiming for fans hearts in their newest title track ‘Baby’.

The music video starts out with Astro opening up a shop called ‘D. Store’ with a visible sign that says Astro x Aroha.

The music starts with a light and fresh beat, perfect for summer. The colors in the video are also very refreshing and bright, with the boys wearing white collared shirts and simple black pants.

The choreography is simple but enjoyable and even non-fans can admit the boys of Astro are adorable in this video. My favorite part is getting to ‘choose’ which drink you would like as each member is associated with a color and traits and are given individual shots.

Musically, the song works as well. There are not any challenging vocal moments but that does not take away from the smooth and pleasing vocals. The raps also fit well into the song and are not jarring or make weird transitions.

One cool feature of this music video is that the perspective of actor/actress being served does not show any physical features, so any fan can feel as though they’re the focus.

This song is ASTRO’s lead single for their 4^th mini album Dream Part.01, which includes a total of 8 tracks.

 

—-Ke’Anna Bullard

Photos: Youtube

Pho

This dish needs no introduction. Pho has been the primary iconic dish that sneaks into one’s mind when it comes to Vietnamese cuisine. What kind of Vietnamese meal would it be if Pho is not mentioned? It is next to impossible to walk a block in Vietnam’s major cities without encountering a Pho stand. Pho is a simple staple, consisting of a salty broth, fresh rice noodles, and a sprinkling of herbs on top accompanying a protein of choice (most commonly chicken or beef). It is cheap, it is tasty, and it speaks to your soul. If you have not experienced this magic in a bowl, do yourself a favor and get one as soon as possible.

Bun Cha

Although Pho may take the crown as the most famous dish in Vietnamese cuisine, Bun Cha would take the title of “King of Lunch” in Vietnam. If you need help identifying Bun Cha on the street, search for clouds of meaty smoke around noon time. The smoke is caused by small patties of seasoned pork and slices of marinated pork belly over a charcoal fire. Once they are grilled to perfection, the morsels are served with a bowl of fish sauce-flavored broth, and a basket of herbs with a healthy serving of rice noodles. Very often, you would find nem cua be, or fried crab spring rolls, accompanying Bun Cha. Need a little bit more convincing to get you to give it a try?  President Obama ordered this dish when he hung out with Anthony Bourdain.

Xoi

In the United States, sticky rice is often categorized as a desert. However, in Vietnam, it is more of a meal in itself. The glutinous staple comes with a variety. It can vary from protein sources, to the way it is presented. However, one common theme is that it is almost always served with scattering of dried shallots on top. Xoi is a common on-the-go breakfast item and it can be found on nearly every block of Vietnam. There are a lot of different colors to choose from. Unfortunately, the colors themselves do not influence its flavors whatsoever. For breakfast, it is most commonly served with a side of sweet sauces that are often coconut based.

Banh Xeo

A good banh xeo is a crispy crepe bulging with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts. Topped off with garnish of fresh herbs that is a common theme in authentic Vietnamese cuisine. To enjoy one like a local, cut it into smaller slices, roll it up in rice paper or lettuce leaves like a taco and dunk it into a sauce, which most commonly would be the fish sauce. The refreshing garnishes and lettuce perfectly negates the greasiness that comes from deep frying the crepe. It is a very common dish in Vietnam that people order as appetizers before enjoying the main course. However, Banh Xeo itself can also be viewed as a main course, giving how hearty the dish can be.

Banh Mi

The French may have introduced Vietnam to the baguette, but Vietnam elevates the bread to further enhance its elegance. The result of the ascension is Banh Mi. Banh Mi varies depending on the region of the country you are currently in. In the north, the chefs stick to the basics of carbohydrate, fat, and protein, which means Banh Mi would be composed of bread, margarine, and paté. In the south, however, your Banh Mi may contain many more elements such as cheese, cold cuts, pickled vegetables, sausages, fried egg, fresh cilantro, and chili sauce. This sandwich is a bomb of flavors that will instantly punch you on the palate with no delay. This one-sandwich-to-rule-them-all style of a sandwich would engrave its tasteful presence to your mind and never disappear.

 

—-Joe Pengachu

BTS’ nomination and subsequent win of Billboard’s ‘Top Social Artist’ award definitely has made waves in media in America. It has been said that all attention is good attention but how true is that?

Let’s take a look at the pros first. This is obviously a big award for BTS and their fanbase. BTS broke the streak that Justin Bieber and his Beliebers have held since the invention of the award category in 2011. Those who watched the awards show saw how excited and grateful BTS were to be attending the event and getting to rub elbows with artists they had so far only admired from thousands of miles away.

It also has brought K-pop to the eye of many basic music listeners in America. They’ve participated in dozens of media appearances here with at least one radio station airing their music.

One major positive is that this is a chance to show many western music listeners that popular music exists outside the United States and the rest of the western world.

However, this leads in to the cons of this experience. American media can be extremely embarrassing with how little research they do before interviews. During their Wings tour dates BTS did plenty of interviews with American media and fans were given plenty to laugh at because of the big blunders interviewers kept making.

It has gotten to the point where it’s hard to tell what is genuine versus trying to use the thousands of fans for more exposure. Many ‘celebrities’ mention liking BTS online for the sake of gaining followers, including several Youtube stars. Reacting to KPOP has become a trend with BTS being the go-to for instant views.

There’s also sentiment that this western exposure is what will make BTS famous. BTS are known worldwide already without needing western focus or assuming that it will make them. That isn’t to say that fans cannot enjoy that they are getting the exposure, however, Americans sometimes forget there is an entire world outside of America.

There has also been backlash from fans against anyone bringing up any of these points as though they are talking badly about the group or their accomplishments. It can be exciting for someone that is known in the western world to bring up your favorite group but it’s important to realize some do not have any genuine interest and are offensive in showing ‘interest’.

It can be argued that all of this has to happen at first for the western world to settle and lose the ‘novelty’ found in KPOP. These somewhat awkward moments could just be BTS paving the way into the world of American fanatics and that there will be bumpy moments.

Obviously, the pros of BTS’ appearances outweigh the cons for the group but only time will tell how this will affect the rest of the KPOP industry in the future.

 

—-Ke’Anna Bullard

 

Photo: Billboard

Rice, a simple and delicious food, is a main staple for more than half of the population in the world. There are over 40,000 varieties of rice. Every country has its own varieties because of the differences in the way of planting and many environmental conditions such as temperature, water and soil. International classification has divided rice into four major categories which includes Indica, Japonica, Aromatic and Glutinous. It is also popular to classify rice by the length of the grain, the color or the level of stickiness.

As for the planting and harvesting of rice, there are three major steps: Pre-planting, Growth and Postproduction. In early April, after choosing which rice you would like to grow, the land preparation includes pre-fertilization, soil aeration and leveling. In late April before transplantation, the seeds need to be pre-planted before transplantation, which requests detailed cares afterwards. This includes water management, fertilization, pests and diseases control. In July, when the ears of the wheat start to bend, the golden color of the field indicates the right time for harvesting. It can be done manually or with the help of a machine. The following step is to dry the wheat under the sun. The rice is better kept in paddy form than milled. When needed, different kinds of rice hullers can be used to remove the husk and bran layers, to produce the rice that is ready to cook. The production cycle of rice lasts somewhere between 80 to 190 days. Under good maintenance of the paddy field, it is possible to produce up to three harvests per year in tropical areas.

Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice, mainly produced in Northeast Thailand, is a long-grain variety that is farmed only once a year. It belongs to both Indica and Aromatic family. The unique pandan fragrance and the moist, smooth flavor are the typical characters of Jasmine rice. However, its fragrance is easily disappearing after a short few months. The strict and detailed standards in Thailand has helped to keep a high quality of rice, making it one of the most popular and most exported variety just after Basmati rice.

Hom Mali, produced in Roi Et, Ubon Ratchathani, Burirum and other Northeast Thailand areas, is the most worldwide famous jasmine rice for its top quality. One of the best brands recommended is ROYAL UMBRELLA, which is under C.P.Intertrade Co., Ltd. and C.P. Thai Rice Co., Ltd. Their rice is produced in 30 alliance rice mills such as Buriram Rice Mill, Kamphaengpetch Rice Mill, and sold in over 100 countries. Another top brand is GOLDEN PHOENIX, which is also widely popular.

Basmati Rice

Basmati rice is also a long-grain variety that belongs to Indica and Aromatic family. It is nevertheless, considered as even more precious and expensive compare to Jasmine rice. When cooked, it extends to 2-3 times its original length, sending forth a nutty fragrance. The cooked rice is very dry, loose and not so sticky. 70% of the world’s Basmati rice is produced in India, while 20% in Pakistan, a neighboring country. The main production areas are in Northwest India such as in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

As for the top brands of Basmati rice, there is a list of over 20 brands from India that are all very good. For instance, India Gate, Kohinoor, Lal Qilla, Hanuman Basmati, Amira and Aeroplane. However, the top #1 to recommend is Daawat, the flagship brand from LT Foods Ltd. The company manages the whole supply chain for its rice production, owning five top manufacturing units in India and two packaging facilities in the US. Their rice is sold to over 60 countries in the world.

Black Rice

Black rice, also known as forbidden rice, purple rice, imperial rice, is a variety of rice that can be short-grain, long-grain or glutinous. It is a very ancient variety with a long history, tracing back to 150 BC. Black rice is widely used as both medicine and food for its high nutrition and curative effects. People call it “Black Pearl” or “King of Rice”. Only royalties were allowed to take it before it became popular among civilians. China accounts for 62% of its global production and the rest comes from other countries such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia and India.

One of the most popular black rice brands is Beidahuang from Heilongjiang Beidahuang Rice Industry Group Co., Ltd. The company is located in Northeast China, producing over 11 varieties of rice. They have 8 sub companies that produce rice and own 90,000 mu of rice base in Wuchang, Zhaoyuan and Suihua.

Glutinous Rice

As explained in its name, glutinous rice is very sticky when cooked. It is a widely used variety, mainly grown in Southeast and East Asia. There are different colors of glutinous rice: most of the time white, but if unmilled, purple or black. People like to cook it as sweet snacks or rice wines. Laos has been considered as a center for glutinous rice biodiversity with one-fifth of the world germplasm. Over 80% of rice production in Laos is of this variety.

Many Thai brands have very good glutinous rice such as Golden Phoenix, Butterfly and Three Ladies. The products sold on the market are very often labelled “sticky rice” or “sweet rice”. Take Three Ladies Brand for example, it is carried by Vinh Sanh Trading Corporation, whose office is based in California.

Wild Rice

Wild rice, different from paddy rice, is actually the seed of four species of grasses that grow in North American and China. It contains much higher nutrition compares to normal paddy rice. As it only grows in the wild nature, the grain is less eaten in China because of its expensive price. It remains a delicacy in North America, where three species out of four are native.  The United States accounts for 90% of wild rice production and the other 10% comes from Canada. The main species remaining is Northern wild rice, grown in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan in the United States.

There are many American wild rice brands of the top quality such as Lundberg, SunWest, Amira Nature, Nature’s Gourmet, Bob’s Red Mill, etc. The one to be best recommended is Moose Lake. It is a family owned company since 1973, under the same name as their brand. The rice is 100% naturally grown from Minnesota and Canada, which can be purchased on their own online shop.

In the calendar year 2016, the world’s total rice consumption is 478.4 million metric tons. China, India and Indonesia are the three countries consuming the most, with percentages at 30.5%, 20.6% and 8.0%. They are also the most productive countries for the world rice production. Outside of Asia, the countries with the biggest consumptions are Brazil, the United States and Egypt, ranking No.10, 13 and 14 on the list. At the same year, the biggest importers of rice is China, Nigeria and Philippines. The biggest exporters are India, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and the United States. These five countries accounts for 80% of global rice trade.

As what we can see from the global rice trade, Basmati and Jasmine rice are the two varieties leading the market. India and Pakistan are exporting 100% Basmati rice to all around the world. The demand is four times nowadays than 15 years ago. For Jasmine rice, Thailand used to be the only exporter. Vietnam took over its market share by 40% over the last few years. Although the United States produces less than 2% of the world’s rice, it is one of the main exporters for many kinds of rice to Mexico and Central America.

If you are visiting an Asian country and you see a lot of people wearing facemasks in public, do not be surprised… do not panic either. Since early 20^th century, due to several outbreaks of infectious diseases such as 1918 (the Spanish flu) and 1968 flu pandemics (the Hong Kong flu), facemask started to appear. The 2002 SARS and 2006 Bird flu have brought the facemask-wearing into a common practice. It remains very popular among East Asian countries, especially China, Japan and South Korea. However, the causes of wearing masks have changed into many directions nowadays.

Causes

The very basic and most important function of masks is to prevent the spread of diseases. When talking about masks, it always reminds you of doctors as they wear masks all the time, visiting patients or conducting operations. For common people, it works as to protect yourself from the outside environment, or the other way round. In China and Japan, people tend to wear masks when they catch a cold. It is the same reason as to cover your mouth when coughing, which is considered as politeness.

With the fast development of China and India, the relation between economic growth and environmental conservation has lost its balance. The Air Quality Indexes in Beijing and Delhi are most of the time far above 500, which already means severe pollution. Outdoor activities are very dangerous to people at this stage, so a top-quality mask is extremely important. Sometimes, even military gas masks can be spotted in Beijing. In 2015, Singaporeans also experienced the need for masks when they were suffering from the fire smoke pollution coming from Indonesia.

A funny fact in Japan among the young generations, is that masks are becoming a part of fashion. People wear it as common as wearing a hat. Many girls believe that by wearing masks, their eyes will look bigger and their faces will look cuter, which also adds a mysterious attraction to boys. However, if going a bit further, masks are becoming an excuse for young people to isolate themselves. They can hide their faces behind masks, avoid conversations with people and just play cool. In this case, masks become social firewalls which is unhealthy to mental growth.

Besides what’s mentioned above, there are many other causes for people using masks in Asia. It is said that over 20% Japanese are allergic to cedar pollen. Wearing masks can protect people from the hay fever, caused by the allergy. In South Korea, masks are also popular among celebrities. It helps them to avoid public recognition and disturbances. During air travel, if a girl doesn’t wish to make up for that day, she can simply put on a mask to hide her face. Masks are also useful to reduce bad smells or prevent the cold. Because of the high population density in many Asian countries, imagine yourself in a very crowded metro or bus where people are almost kissing each other, you might want to have a mask to keep yourself from all the possible smells or bacteria that comes around you.

Consumer Market

Starting from 2010, the mask market has been gaining continuous growth in East Asian countries. In 2015, the world mask consumption reached 1.2billion pieces, doubling the volume in 2011. China as the biggest mask-consumption country, accounts for nearly half of the market. Some Medias estimate the Chinese pollution mask market worth $500 million in 2015, with a growth of more than 15% each year. At the last season in 2016, JD.COM has witnessed a double to ten-time sales growth on its anti-pollution products in Northeast China. Japan, South Korean, India and Singapore have all reported significant market growth in mask sales in the latest several years, mostly due to the declining of air quality.

However, the main reason to purchase a mask, mostly is to fight against pollution. The PM2.5 mask is the most popular kind on the market. There are several different types of masks, gauze mask, surgical mask, N95 mask, cotton mask and active carbon mask. N95 mask is proven to be the best type against PM2.5, which prevents the person wearing it to contract 95% of virus. People still prefer white for masks among all the other colors as it represents cleanness. Black is also getting popular when people buy it for fashion. Very often there is only one standard size for masks, but customized large or small sizes are available for some brands. It is especially necessary to have small sizes for children.

Supplier Market

As for the major manufacturers of masks, the top 5 brands are 3M, Green Shield, Honeywell, UVEX and Hakugen. Some Japanese brands such as Shigemats, Koken, are considered as dark horses coming from nowhere, but getting popular all of a sudden. Out of the top five brands, 3M is by far, the leader of them, occupying 90% of the Chinese market. There are around 300 mask processing and supporting companies in the cities of Northeast China, such as Dalian and Jiaozhou.

Regarding 3M, there is a lot to talk about. Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing is the full name of the company and the brand. Built in 1902 in the United States, 3M produces a full range of products, from housewares to medical supplies, from electronics to school items. They first created a particulate respirator for hard labors who were highly exposed to high-density dusts in 1970s. For the next 40 years, they’ve been looking at details, improvements, and finally impressed China with its N95 range during 2003 SARS period. They ran out of stock many times because of the high demand coming from the Empire of the Middle.

Green shield is the only Chinese brand out of the top five. The brand is under Sinotextiles Corporation Limited, who started to sell masks only from 2011. Honeywell, founded in 1885 in New Jersey, has a small range of masks. UVEX is a German company built in 1926. They specialize in personal protective equipment and most famous for their eye protections. Hakugen, created in 1923, is considered as an expert for manufacturing high-tech household chemicals. All these brands have great products and their own specialties, but it remains difficult for them to go beyond 3M regarding masks.

Because of the explosion of e-commerce business in China, a high percentage of masks, coming from local companies, fail to pass quality tests. This urges China to build up a much detailed and comprehensive standard for mask production. The current market price for a mask varies from $0.15 to $0.40 for low end, from $4.5 to $5.8 for better quality ones. As there is a continuous growth in incomes for Chinese people, the higher end is more and more looked at. Nowadays many people are buying masks at the price of $22 to $37.

 

—-Lizzy Ren

Spicy Green Papaya Salad – Tam Mak Huong

The name itself may sound like it is a weird combination, but having fruits involved in a tasty salad is no new combination. In fact, numerous European cuisines also utilized fruits in the same manner. It is all about accessibility when it comes to cooking. And this is a fine example of such principle. Due to its tropical environment, papaya is one of the primary fruits that exist in Laos. Hence, it should serve as no surprise to find papaya sneaking into a couple local dishes. The papaya salad, also known as Tam Mak Huong, is made from shredded papaya. The primary ingredients besides papaya are tomatoes, sprouts, basil, and peanuts. There are several versions of this dish, but the core element that glued the ingredients together remains constant. The main ingredients are then soaked with hot chili, sour lime, salt, fish sauce, and sugar. This is a refreshing take on the salad which is perfect in a hot climate. Be warned though, the spiciness of this dish may vary from vendor to vendor.

Larb – Laap, Larp, or Lahb

When it comes to Laotian cuisine, “spicy” is the name of the game. Following the main theme of fiery flavors, larb is another popular dish that one can find on the streets of Laos. In short, it is a type of meat salad. This dish is so popular that many deemed it as the national dish of Laos.  This special cuisine can be made from various sources of protein. Chicken, beef, pork, duck, fish, or even mushroom. The protein source is heavily flavored with lime juice, fish sauce, and fresh herbs. It is commonly accompanied by raw vegetables and sticky rice. One can even go as far to say that such combination is a match made in heaven. With its potent flavors from larb itself, balanced out with mild scent from the herbs on top of the neutralizer rice is simply a dance inside the mouth that one cannot be ignorant to.

Lao Sausage – Sai Oua

Sausage making has been revered as one of the many epiphanies in the culinary world. Packaging various parts of meat into a condensed cylinder package is often revered throughout the world. Hence, it should come as no surprise that Laos has its own interpretation of sausage.  In Laos, sausages are made from chopped pork. It is heavily seasoned with ginger, lime leaves, garlic, fish sauce, and salt. It is often accompanied by a side dish filled with fish sauce. Though it may not be easily accepted due to its scent stemmed from the fish sauce, its flavor is undeniably rich. And one should definitely not judge the sauce before trying it.

Lao Noodle Soup – Khao Piak Sen

Unlike the western hemisphere, there are numerous types of noodles which are rice based. Khao Piak Sen is a descendent from the family of rice noodle dishes. It is part of traditional Laotian cuisine, often seen as comfort food. The closest Western equivalent would be the infamous chicken noodle soup. Much like chicken noodle soup, Kaho Piak Sen does not require many ingredients, hence it is cherished as the perfect dish with its simplicity. In fact, this rice noodle soup is often consumed at breakfast time. The bowl comes with beef or chicken broth, which is then poured over rice noodles that are accompanied by various herbs.

 

Lao Barbecue – Sindad

As you now know, concepts of some of the most popular dishes in the world are shared at different corners of the globe. Hence, allowing the cultures to inject their own identity into it and present the world with their own interpretation. Barbecue, revered as the salvation of Western cuisine, also exist in Laos. The traditional Lao barbecue includes a round metal dish and a cooking platform where one can take a slab of fat and coat it before the grilling process. Many sources of protein are available to choose from, but chicken and pork are the two most popular protein sources. Locally, Lao-styled barbecue is known as Sindad. What stands out the most in Lao-style barbecue is the sauce that accompanies the content of the dining experience. Unlike the popular Western BBQ that usually accompanies the meat and sauce prior to the actual cooking process, Lao-style bbq does the opposite: The sauce accompanies the meat after it was cooked. Due to its simplicity in preparation, it is very easy to find Lao-style BBQ on the streets.

 

—-Joe Pengachu

Warning: Some YouTube comments contain course language that may not be suitable for some readers.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, there’s a group trying to break into the K-Pop world called EXP Edition (formerly EXP). The Columbia University thesis project by Bora Kim has been generating buzz since 2015 when news broke that a non-Korean group would be trying to debut in Korea as a K-Pop idol group. In April 2017, the training, Korean language-learning, and fundraising finally paid off as EXP Edition released “Feel Like This” as their official Korean debut song.

Now a four-member group, EXP Edition improved greatly since their first release “LUV/WRONG” to include stronger musicality, tone, and harmony. “Feel Like This,” while not up to the processed standard of the typical K-Pop track, is a nice throwback to the 1990s American boyband-era thanks to mature vocals and stylization. With many K-Pop songs recalling past music eras and genres, “Feel Like This” fits right in with the current trend, so its release comes during an appropriate time.

With their Korean debut, EXP Edition had different opportunities open to them including appearances on Music Bank and I Can See Your Voice. For all intents and purposes, they’ve been treated no different than any other K-Pop group promoting now, so they have a chance to experience what other K-Pop groups get to experience during their debuts.

Unfortunately, EXP Edition have come across ridiculous amounts of hate from K-Pop fans both domestically and internationally. Exploring their Instagram and YouTube pages, in addition to the number of dislikes the group receives, messages wishing for the group to disband or to “die” far outweigh positive messages at the time of this writing. There’s no clear reason why all the hate exists at this point, but one thing for sure is this: It is uncalled for and unnecessary.

Different Training is Still Training

Even though EXP Edition is a project group, they’re really no different from other K-Pop groups. While EXP Edition’s training is different from the years of training and sacrifice Korean K-Pop groups endure, training did occur to help them groom for this moment. Just because training was shorter and differed from the methods used in Korea, this shouldn’t minimalize the hard work EXP engaged in to get to this point.

Time frame aside, why is it assumed EXP Edition did not train as hard as other groups? Does years of training trump effort? Effort is what counts. Watching the group’s growth through YouTube videos and Instagram snapshots, the members had to learn how to carry themselves to cater to a Korean audience along with improving stage presence, choreography, appearance, and overall performance and they have improved since “LUV/WRONG.” Each member comes from a different musical background, so there is a period of also learning how to mesh different styles to have a more cohesive piece. This takes time and effort. Just because they didn’t train for seven, eight, or 14 years should never take away from the effort behind the act. There isn’t a medal of honor that comes from length of training. In the end, quality is better than quantity, people learn at different rates, and years of training doesn’t necessary mean attention and riches.

Yes, those who’ve trained for years do have an edge, especially in the Korean music industry where precision, finesse, and graciousness can make a break a group. Even so, there are sometimes up to or over 50 groups that debut each year in Korea (in 2015, over 75+ groups debuted), and maybe 10 to 15 get to survive for further releases while others disappear without their names ever being known. Even with years of training, there are groups that can’t keep it together enough to be cohesive and perfect in an industry that demands absolute perfection. These are groups that train for years, sacrifice their lives and childhoods and even their health for a chance for stardom, but many just don’t have what it takes. This could be due to lack of support, and it could be due to lack of quality training, so quantity does not always mean “the best.”

EXP have a lot riding on them too. Not only do they have the pressures of training like other K-Pop groups, they also have the added pressure of being a project. As a project, failure isn’t an option even if the group, as some eloquently point out in comments, exists for collecting data. No matter the reason, the group worked hard to get to this point, and minimalizing their efforts is an insult to anyone who’s ever worked for anything.

The Nuances of Language

Additionally, the members had to learn Korean to prepare for their debut and connect with the Korean audience. Yes, their Korean is not smooth, but Korean is not their first language just like with Korean idols who learn English: English is not their first language. Furthermore, they learned Korean as adults, which, linguistically, is considered a much more difficult task than learning another language at a young age. This involves the Critical Period Hypothesis, which is one of many language theories that suggests second language-learning occurs best between the time a child can speak until puberty. During this time, there’s a higher chance of fluency and natural flow, which is something that doesn’t come easy for adult learners.

Speaking as an ESL instructor and tutor, learning a second language is difficult for anyone no matter the language. For adult learners, it’s not going to come easy and it’s not going to flow naturally. Yes, EXP has American-sounding Korean; that’s to be expected. Unless they’re going through an immersion program, natural flow and cadence is not expected, and those who criticize their Korean are just looking for another reason to complain.

The fact is this: EXP took the time to learn Korean to sing, perform, and communicate. While it’s not perfect, it’s still effort that should be commended because they’re not blowing into Korea expecting everyone to speak English to them as if they’re superior beings. For those who have and are learning a second language, take a moment to recall what the learning period was like and the awkward missteps that occurred. No one can learn a second language perfectly overnight. No one can expect perfection all the time. On the same coin, aren’t there K-Pop fans and even non-fans who make fun of K-idols and their English-speaking and singing missteps? What about the unnecessarily cruel remarks B.A.P’s Himchan endured for pronouncing “roof” as “loof” in “Hurricane” (of which caused B.A.P to re-record the song to correct pronunciation and prevented Himchan from singing his lines for a period)? What about the awkward English used in Super Junior songs? A second language is difficult if one is not fluent; even K-artists aren’t an exception to this rule and saying otherwise is hypocritical.

K-Pop: Is it Korean Language or Only for Korean People?

Dissect the word “K-Pop.” It is short for Korean Pop. The K in K-Pop refers to the language used, not just the people in the genre. If the K only stood for Korean, then Asian artists from Japan, Thailand, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, and any other Asian country represented in K-Pop should be banished for not being Korean.

One of the arguments used against EXP is that they are not Korean. Over the years, there have been many non-Korean artists infiltrating the Korean music scene, yet no one bats an eyelash. Perhaps this is because these artists have stereotypical East-Asian features that help them pass as Korean artists. Yet, these artists are in K-Pop because they are in Korean groups singing songs in Korean, which is the K in K-Pop. With this, the K also stands for the country of Korea. Here again, we have non-Korean artists who live in Korea making Korean music.

K-Pop is what is because it is performed using the Korean language. When Little Mix released the Korean version of “Wings,” the song became a Korean Pop song despite them being a Western group, whereas if it remained in English only, it’s a Western song. If a song is primarily Korean and promoted in Korea, it is a Korean Pop song regardless of the artists’ backgrounds.

Double-Standards

EXP Edition’s Korean debut brings forth the important topic of double-standards since the concept is strongly rearing its ugly head.

As mentioned, K-Pop fans call out EXP as non-K-Pop artists because they are not Korean. Yet, there are already many non-Korean artists in the industry. These individuals like BP Rania’s Alex, CLC’s Sorn, GOT7’s BamBam, Jackson, and Mark, f(x)’s Amber, and CrossGene’s Casper and Takuya among other idols are not Korean, yet they’re embraced and loved by fans.  If the K in K-Pop is for Korea and Korean, then non-Korean group members should be immediately removed from their groups because they don’t embody what people think K-Pop should be.

Over the years, fans—especially International fans—have called for more diversity in K-Pop. However, when diversity does exist in the form of other Asian artists and mixed race artists, it’s not diverse enough for some because the artists still have the stereotypical East Asian appearance. The same fans who cry for diversity are the same fans who show disgust when it actually appears. With the introduction of EXP, diversity appears, but people hate them because they are white in a Korean market. For fans, diversity is only acceptable if it is a certain type of diversity.

During the same time EXP made their Korean debut, the African American duo Coco Avenue also released the Korean song “Eottae.”

The reactions to both releases are vastly different: While EXP gets hate, Coco Avenue receives praise and positive comments (with a few calling the Koreaboos) for adding diversity to the K-Pop tapestry. This is not a slam against Coco Avenue because they do deserve praise for their sexy single and efforts. The truth is, both groups add diversity to the K-Pop scene because both are non-Korean and non-East Asian in a primarily monoethnic industry and homogenous country. The same works in reverse: In a country that’s primarily Caucasian, any time a non-White person is represented, that is diversity. In terms of the Korean music industry, different races—regardless of it black, white, Hispanic, and even South Asian— making an impact is diversity.

The reactions to Coco Avenue (top) and EXP (bottom) are vastly different.

EXP’s negative responses are due mostly to them being white. Comments for both “Feel Like This” and Coco Avenue’s “Eottae” point to this as K-Pop fans suggest diversity only exists if the singer or group is ACOW (Any Color Other than White). Arguments for this include how K-Pop uses elements from the black music and fashion scenes.

The truth is, K-Pop doesn’t just use elements from black culture as it uses elements from Western culture as a whole just like Western music pulls inspiration from various cultures and countries. Music—as well as food—is one of the great equalizers as it is one of the true societal melting pots. K-Pop does borrow from black culture, but it also uses EDM and other club influences that were developed by white people. Music is diverse because it does seek influence from everywhere, so no one group is more influential over another when it comes to the whole music scene. Music adapts and changes as it always has for centuries as different influencers come around.

With that said, both Coco Avenue and EXP have the right to partake in the K-Pop scene regardless of race or influence. One shouldn’t have more of a right over the other, and suggesting that one group does have more of a right is part of the problem today. Everyone, regardless of race, socio-economical background, or culture should have an equal shot of getting somewhere. Believing otherwise creates issues on top of tensions that already exist.

“It’s a Project. Don’t Take Them Seriously”

Another reason EXP Edition receives hate is due to their thesis project status. To K-Pop fans, the phrase “thesis project” is a turn-off because they feel the group doesn’t take the hardships, training, and promotion process as seriously as true K-Pop groups do. K-Pop fans can speculate all they want, but what actual proof do they have suggests EXP and its creators do not take the process seriously? A project doesn’t necessarily mean this is “for fun” or that it’s not taken seriously.

EXP and the IMABB crew worked hard to get to this point. Fundraising, promotions, and, of course, the aforementioned training and language learning made this project happen. That takes time and money. Even if the project is there to collect data as many commenters suggest, how does that influence the time and energy taken to make EXP Edition happen? The group debuted under non-traditional circumstances, but they debuted nonetheless showing that they were and are serious about the direction the group takes and what comes out of the debut. Even if they disbanded tomorrow, the effort it took to get to Korea still existed and should be noted. Why shouldn’t they be taken seriously with everything considered?

Trendy Haterade

With the overwhelming dislikes, it becomes clear people want EXP to fail and that it is a trend to hate them. Instead of sipping the tempting haterade the K-Pop fans, bloggers, and vloggers lay out, why not give them a chance and cheer them on? It’s one thing to dislike something because a song may not be your cup of tea, but to blindly hate something because it’s different and not what’s considered “normal” by industry standards is cruel.

Even if the non-Korean K-Pop experience laid out by EXP and others like Coco Avenue doesn’t pan out, they should be praised. At the same time, their experiences open the door to the necessary conversations we need to be having world over about diversity. Diversity isn’t just an issue stateside, but a global issue. Instead of hating and fueling tension, why not talk about both in the respect of diversity and what needs to be done to improve it globally? Regardless of where the EXP Edition experiment goes or if other non-Korean groups break into K-Pop or even if Asian artists break into the Western world, the lesson should be that we need to talk and work toward accepting people’s differences instead of hating on people because of their skin and background. Otherwise, what’s the point?

 

—-Joelle Halon