Top 5 Japanese Bboys

No other country in the world has left their mark in the international bboy scene as colorful as Japan. Originally outshone by their Korean counterparts, the Japanese bboys broke the blight and have outdone other international competitions in recent years. With their creative style and explosive dynamics, Japanese bboys are a force to be reckoned with. Among the Japanese scene that boasts a sea of talents, these 5 Japanese bboys made their names echoed on the world stage.

Bboys and bgirls on this list are mentioned because of their achievements from 2016 to the time when this article is published. The ranking is, by no means, a definite way to measure each individual’s skill level in relation to one another.

Bboy Issei

Hail from Tokyo, Japan, this bboy represents both the FoundNation Crew and Kyushudanji Crew. He is the most decorated bboy in 2016. From reaching the finals of the prestigious Silverback Open World Final to winning the Red Bull BC One World Final, this bboy brings terror to those that had to face him on the floor. With his dynamic style involving power moves and unique power transitions with   impeccable flow, one can expect him to go the distance in any solo competitions he participates. He is no stranger to group competition either. Just last year he contributed greatly to Found Nation’s victory in Freestyle Session World Final, which was in three-on-three format. He also battled through a list of battle-tested crews alongside his crew mates and reached all the way to the finals in Silverback Open World Final’s crew battle. The world is this man’s playground. With him gaining more and more experience under his belt, his limit is nowhere in site.

Bboy Shingekix

When asked about any upcoming Japanese bboys that are shining brighter than the rest, the name Shingekix will be among the first names that rush to mind. Representing the KAKB crew, he is a formidable force that shatters all expectations people may have. In fact, he is the very representation that age is only a number.

When watching Shingekix throw his rounds, it almost seems like this kid will never run out of energy to entertain. Combinations after combinations, together with his precise executions and high-level transitions that seem reckless yet controlled, bboy Shingekix proved that one cannot underestimate him just because of his age.  At the age of fifteen, bboy Shingekix has traveled throughout the world, taking title after title in solo competitions. From Asia to Europe to the United States, he has stood on the same stage as the best bboys in the world. Only time will tell what this blooming talent can achieve in the future

Bboy Taisuke

Bboy Taisuke is one of the first Japanese bboys to bring attention of the world to the Japanese bboy scene. For awhile, he was the only Japanese participant in the Redbull BC One World Final. Though he has toned down his participation in battles as of late, he still proved that he has what it takes to battle amongst the best at Redbull BC One World Final last year. Representing not one, but four prestigious and accomplished crews: RedBull BC One All Stars, All Area, the Flooriors, and the Mighty Zulu Kingz. Taisuke has a style that reflects both his experiences and his flavors. From one big move transitioning to small yet accented details, Taisuke impacted a whole generation of bboys that utilized the concept to be original. In addition, he is also credited for creating an unique powermove called “continuous criticals”. Though he announced that he will no longer participate in the upcoming RedBull BC One competition, there is no doubt that he will continue to cause spark in other competitions around the world.

Bboy Yosh is Stoic

Representing the Gun Smoke Breakers, Bboy Yosh is Stoic is a bboy equipped with every move in the game. However, it is not his explosive moves that he is famous for. It is his application of his arsenal to the music that made him a deadly force on the floor. His understanding of the dance as a whole has greatly aided him in his participation of the RedBull BC One series. In Redbull BC One Kansai Cypher, he had to defeat numerous accomplished bboys, including bboy Kaku of Mortal Kombat crew, in order to enter the RedBull BC One Last Chance Cypher, which upon winning will grant him the right to partake in RedBull BC One World Finals. After an intense exchange of tricks after tricks, it was Bboy Yosh is Stoic that took home the win, and the right to participate in the Redbull BC One Last Chance Cypher, where he went all the way to the finals. Though most of the trophies he won are from crew battles, his contributions to Gun Smoke Breaker’s victories are undeniable. This year may be the year that Bboy Yosh is Stoic will have a chance to climb up the global fame ladder.

Bgirl Narumi

Bgirl Narumi has, again and again, proved her worth as a member of the world famous Body Carnival Crew. Together with her sister, bgirl Ayumi, and bboy Kazuki Rock, they traveled the world and participated in battles. Together they won Remix 10th Anniversary 3v3 Competition, which is a high level competition that attracted bboys and bgirls from all over the world. In addition, she is the only breaker that won the Silverback Open Championship World Final two years in a row in their respective category. In 2016, she also came close to winning the Freestyle Session World Finals Bgirl 1v1 category. When she dances on the floor, one would wonder how can one of her stature compact such a big personality. Her movements are wild yet calculated. Combined with powermoves to flow smoothly into freezes and footwork transitions, her unique flavors in her dynamic movements are what makes her unique. The year 2017 will hopefully feature more of her participation.

 

—Joe Pengachu

 

#bboy, #RedbullBCOneWorld, #SilverbackOpenWorldFinal, #FreestyleSessionWorldFinals

On March 7, 2017, B.A.P and their leader Bang Yongguk, who has been on hiatus for personal health reasons, returned with “Wake Me Up.” Since its release, feedback for the track has been overwhelmingly positive as the song and the Rose single album continues to trend on global iTunes charts. In the United States, it was even ahead of Beyoncé and Adele on the iTunes world album chart for some time. On Facebook and Twitter, the praise continues with fans and non-fans of the charismatic group encouraging everyone else to watch the video. Twenty-four hours following the release, #BAP_WakeMeUp continued to trend on different Twitter feeds globally, and a week after, it continues to trend high on Naver’s top 100.

By far, “Wake Me Up” is one of B.A.P’s best tracks and MVs, and this is with personal bias aside. The composition is memorable and different, causing it to stand out amidst the current K-Pop release lineup. The music is fresh while sounding like it has an old soul, while the vocals show B.A.P’s enhanced growth. The haunting “wake me up” chorus just grabs the ear with intensity. “Wake Me Up” features some of the best vocals in B.A.P’s discography with Himchan, Daehyun, Youngjae, and Jongup showing greater development and more stability. In terms of sound, “Wake Me Up” bursts forth with guns blazing.

Lyrics

Looking at the track lyrically, it’s impossible to not feel something when listening to the song. The theme of “waking up” plays on the phrase “get woke” or, in layman’s terms, gain awareness. The first verse of “Wake Me Up” hints at this meaning with “I’m awakening a different me inside, the faint light that was turned off. Wake me up. Open my eyes.” The way the lyrics are structured, they can pertain to societal issues, mental health awareness, and strengthening social awareness. Like a rose, the song has many layers that make it have the depth it has; all-the-while, it remains relevant and relatable to a global audience.

Each verse can relate to someone who is going through something negative. For example, in verses nine and ten—Himchan’s solo part—the lines come across as someone with an emotional or mental health disorder speaking about “Putting back together the messy puzzle pieces in this game… Questions thrown at me, without even a question mark.” “Putting the pieces back together” is a common phrase used for someone who may experience emotional distress, confusion, or a breakdown as he or she tries to get a life back on track. Meanwhile, the questions being thrown without question marks refers to how people are quick to judge and make statements without thought or consideration of how the suffering individual may feel. In verse 11 when Yongguk takes over, the lyrics call for revolution and for people to become aware. The lyrics suggest that people need to discover a world outside of what the media and governing bodies feed us in order to see how people actual suffer and feel. There is a call for action for those who are repressed to rise above and be seen. The most poignant line here is also the simplest: “FREE, LOVE, REAL, ILL.” This line tells listeners that no matter their background, identity, or stigma, they need to rise above and be heard.

The fact that each line can be taken and applied to different situations— including our own issues here in the US with racial and gender inequity, government and media corruption, and immigration and human rights— makes the song an artful masterpiece.

MV and Analysis

The MV strikes a chord with a wide audience, not just B.A.P fans. There are several elements to the MV that makes it a standout from its diversity to its artsy approach to social issues and stigmas.

First, diversity is strongly displayed throughout “Wake Me Up.” People of different races and genders are all portrayed as struggling with a social stigma, mental illness, or fighting for something. As many have noticed, “Wake Me Up” features minorities as human beings over thugs or criminals, which is a strong positive for this MV. This sends the message that no matter our backgrounds, we should be “awake” to each other’s suffering because everyone does have a struggle.

Second, the way mental illness and social issues are portrayed are expertly crafted and tastefully done. Within the MV, we see the following:

• A blonde female struggling with body image. She symbolizes eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder.
• A black male struggling with paranoia.
• A brunette woman with suicidal depression.
• A Middle Eastern young man who shoots people with his fingers. He symbolizes the stereotype that people from the Middle East or who are Muslim are all terrorists.
• A black female with delusorycleptoparasitosis. Individuals with this syndrome feel as if their surroundings are infested with bugs or parasites.
• A black male with the “Emotion rEVOLution” sign. He can be perceived as a peaceful protester. In the US, he is a symbolic of the Black Lives Matter movement and other minority protests (women, LQBTQ+). He also symbolizes how those with a personal struggle are ignored in society.

They, along with Yongguk— who was on hiatus due to a panic disorder—all represent an important issue neglected in society. Mental illness is often swept under the rug; there are negative stereotypes associated with being Middle Eastern; and protesting, which is prevalent today, is viewed as useless. Each person is seen suffering alone because they are invisible.

Mixed in with the scenes showing people’s struggles, there are two key elements. The first is the animation of people’s heads being filled; the second is when B.A.P appear on the TV and people suddenly take notice.

With the first animation, it appears the heads are being filled with excrement which can be interpreted two ways: People want to fill their heads with useless information to avoid dealing with real issues, or, second, the media fills people’s heads with an agenda while not addressing real issues. In either case, people’s heads are filled with content that takes away from the human element or the important issues in life.

With the second scene when B.A.P appear on the TV screen, people in the streets stop and watch. This is following how no one took notice to the man pleading for an emotion revolution. This scene is saying that people will only listen to issues if it’s through media. Given how media is everywhere—TV, film, radio, music, advertisements, cell phones, and many other forms—people do pay attention to that over what others—i.e., real flesh and blood— around them are saying and doing. It is through media that people want to act. This hints at the spread of social media activism that has been prominent the past few years.

In addition to these scenes, there are other relevant images. One includes B.A.P members with torches, which symbolizes how they’ll be a light in the darkness. There are also scenes throughout where members are featured with their eyes closed and quickly opening to symbolizing waking up, while Zelo and Yongguk are standing in front of the sun. The sun scenes symbolize full awakening and is a play on the word “rose” (the album name) because the sun has risen to signify a dawn to a new day. The time for change is here.

The rose theme plays a role throughout. For “Wake Me Up,” the roses belong to someone who has had a personal struggle starting with each B.A.P member and ending with the six individuals shown throughout the MV. The roses play on the “everyone rose has its thorn” and “where flowers bloom, so does hope” quotes. Roses are beautiful, which relates to the beauty of the human soul, but roses are thorny, which relates to how people have darkness inside of them. The rose flowers are what people see while the thorns are what’s beneath the surface. However, if tended to properly, a rose can bloom and prosper. This is what is hinted at between the dark rose scenes and the scenes later where the characters smile with their roses.

The MV is well-crafted and full of symbolism. Part of the MV’s beauty is that it can be analyzed easily to where any fan can pick up on the themes. As for as B.A.P MVs go, this is one of their most brilliant.

Overall

“Wake Me Up” is a timely, necessary song and MV. It is timely given the turmoil that exists globally, and it is timeless because the MV contains themes that won’t disappear in society. The song is also their strongest comeback since “1004,” signifying that B.A.P isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Given its global success, the track definitely hit fans hard.

Scores 

MV: 9/10

Lyrics: 8/10

Overall Song: 10/10

Total: 9/10

 

—-Joelle Halon

 

 

 

For those that don’t know, Makestar is a sort of crowdfunding site made for Kpop groups. Companies post a group’s information, usually about a comeback or item for sale, and allow fans to donate money with perks attached to higher donations.
Makestar’s home page

For example, Stellar, have a project for a ‘Fan Special’ albums that is currently on-going. As you can see below, they have exceeded their project goal by more than $40,000.

Some of the donation perks include Honorary Producer for the most basic donation($0.99) all the way up to invitations to Stellar’s showcase, music video filming and a meal with the group($832.20).  It is safe to say this has been a success for Stellar, as most projects on Makestar are.

Glancing through the website it is easy to see that the groups that are holding projects are not the most popular. However, popularity and talent are not synonymous which is why this website’s services are so important. It is easy for groups, especially girl groups, from small or new companies to get lost in the sea of the dozens of groups that debut every year. Most groups are able to establish a fan base and with Makestar that fan base can directly support any future efforts the group makes.

Makestar also follows through on all promised items from a support. For the project supporting Astro’s photobook project Makestar updated as goals were met, most recently posting information regarding a promised subway ad for Astro’s first anniversary.

It is important to keep in mind a successful Makestar project does not guarantee success of a group. High4 have had successful fundraisers, however, after leader Sunggu announced his departure from the group, Makestar announced that the current project would be High4’s last album. Internal issues within companies or groups can cause even the most fruitful projects (High4 raised $37,000, 427% of their goal) to end in failure. Similarly, WA$$UP reached their project goal and are planning on releasing an album despite the departure of 3 members, including UPRS Season 2 runner up Nada.

In short, money cannot solve all a group’s problems. However, barring that there are no other issues, a service like Makestar can help groups who are having a hard time financially stay afloat longer. By placing power in fans’ hands, it shows that there are people who want to see a group survive to produce more content.

Sometimes it comes down to your favorites wanting to know whether or not they are still your favorites by using this style of platform.

Would you look down on your favorites if they had to fundraise to make comebacks?

 

Photos: Makestar.co

Disclosure:  KCRUSH has contributed to and will continue to support the fundraising efforts on Makestar.

 

—-Ke’Anna Bullard

 

It seems February was the month of TWICE and BTS. With their songs being monster hits on the charts, it’s easy to overlook some of the other releases. February was a surprisingly strong month for K-Pop artists even though February is typically a ballad month. Let’s look at the ten songs that caught our attention. For our list, music charts and YouTube views don’t count; we only go by the songs themselves. Of course, our list may be way different than yours!

Honorable mentions: Red Velvet “Rookie,” Cross Gene “Black or White,” Day6 “You Were Beautiful,” Block B “Yesterday,” Grace “Zombie High,” Soyou X Baekhyun “Rain,” 100% “Sketch U,” Yun “Wonder Land,” Lovelyz “WoW!”

 

10. Subin “Circle’s Dream”

Dal*Shabet’s Subin has one of the strongest voices in the current female idol crop. When she’s solo, her idol image disappears in favor of a more versatile vocal talent. For “Circle’s Dream,” Subin channels her folksy side with a song that’s all at once refreshing and repetitive without being grating. The chorus has the cadence of the pitter-patter of falling rain, which is suitable for a track that feels like it’s ushering spring and brightening the winter doldrums.

 

9.   MelodyDay “Kiss on the Lips”

“Kiss on the Lips” is a spot of summer in the middle of winter with its light reggae that recalls Wonder Girls’ “Why So Lonely.” MelodyDay, like another group coming up, tend to fly under the radar despite a solid discography. “Kiss on the Lips” has the perfect amount of great vocals and musical arrangement to make it a standout.

 

8. Gu9udan “A Girl Like Me”

“A Girl Like Me” shows off Gu9udan’s more grownup side as the track is a departure from their previous track, “Wonderland.” “A Girl Like Me” is fun, sharp, and features one of the cutest rap breaks to come from a current girl group. There’s a lot of hope for Gu9udan, and this track shows they are a top-notch group in the making.

 

7. TWICE “Knock Knock”

While “Knock Knock” isn’t as strong as other TWICE songs, it’s a cute, feel-good song that lifts spirits while recalling simpler times on the K-Pop scene. It’s peppy and cheerful while radiating charm. The catchy chorus is guaranteed to get stuck in your head, which is probably why it’s blowing up records left and right.

 

6. Taeyeon “Fine”

Taeyeon’s lovely voice returns to enchant us with the beautiful “Fine.” The song is simple but contains strong emotion to paint of picture of moving on after a failed romance. The track features Taeyeon’s borderline-indie vocals that show her prowess as a soloist.

 

 

5. BTS “Spring Day”

BTS’ “Spring Day” holds a lot of meaning for A.R.M.Y and casual fans alike. The song, which is theorized as being about being left behind following a friend’s suicide, resonated well with listeners. The song shows BTS’ softer side beautifully, highlighting their ability to hold their own with songs that carry emotion alongside their hard-hitting power tracks.

 

 

4. Gavy NJ “An Obvious Melody”

Gavy NJ, a group that’s always flying under the radar, have another strong comeback with “An Obvious Melody” (English title: “An Obvious Melo”). Their powerful vocals pair nicely with the tango-esque track to create a song that’s memorable and sensual. Vocal groups often don’t get enough love from international fans, but they really should.

 

 

3. Jung Joon Young ft. Jang Hyejin “You and Me”

Jung Joon Young does emotional songs well. With his deep, unique voice, there is feeling within every note he sings. “You and Me” is a ballad done right due to its strengths. Jung’s high and low notes are enough to send chills down a listener’s spine. The track is worth more than one listen.

 

 

2. K.A.R.D “Don’t Recall”

K.A.R.D are a group that’s more adult K-Pop fan-friendly than mainstream friendly, which is why they’re so attractive to international audiences. The thing about K.A.R.D is that they haven’t even officially debuted yet. The project group keeps winning more fans, and with tracks like “Don’t Recall,” they will continue to do so with strong rap, vocals, and harmonies. With co-ed groups not being popular anymore, here’s to hoping they can refuel the co-ed trend!

 

1.  BTS “Not Today”

BTS’ harder tracks truly show off their color. “Not Today” has powerful lyrics that matches its strong beat and arrangement. “Not Today” has quickly become a mantra in memes as well as youth rallying cry. The track is purely BTS with their signature sound and intensity, making it our number one track of the month.

 

What songs make up your top ten? Share your thoughts with us!

—-Joelle Halon

Clean It Zero is one of those products that people constantly rave about. From its cleansing abilities to its scent, beauty fanatics consider it a top-notch cleanser that should be a staple in everyone’s makeup drawer. After trying it for the first time, I will agree as I now wonder why it wasn’t a part of my skincare routine before. Banila’s makeup remover is gentle, light, and thorough and a real treat to use.

Packaging

I ordered the original Clean It Zero, so my packaging was pink and feminine. The product comes packaged nicely in a watercolor-esque box. Inside the box, there are instructions for use in multiple languages, a card with an online code, a plastic lid to preserve the product’s integrity, and a plastic spatula to use for scooping out the balm. The plastic container the product comes in is also pink and cheerful with clean lines and a good weight. The packaging actually makes Clean It Zero look more expensive than it actually is, so it is a product that could proudly be displayed on a bathroom counter.

Ingredients

Mineral oil, cetyl ethylhexanoate, peg-20 glyceryl triisostearate, peg-10 isostearate, polyethylene, butylene glycol, water, rubus suavissimus (raspberry) leaf extract, bambusa arundinacea stem extract, aspalathus linearis leaf extract, viscum album (mistletoe) leaf extract, angelica polymorpha sinesis root extract, carica papaya (papaya) fruit extract, malpighia glabra (acerola) fruit extract, epilobium angustifolium leaf extract, bht, butylparaben, ci 16255, ci 15985, fragrance

Use

Clean It Zero is easy to use. Scoop out some balm using the provided spatula, then spread it on your dry face in circular motions to help the balm melt. As you apply the balm, makeup will begin to emulsify. Then, use warm water to begin rinsing off the cleanser. As you do, Clean It Zero turns white and almost milky. Keep rinsing until all the product and makeup is gone and pat dry. You can even follow up with a foaming cleanser for an extra clean feel.

Impressions

Since Clean It Zero is an oil-type balm, I expected it to be heavy. Thankfully, it’s not! The balm is light and refreshing on the skin, and it does a great job breaking down makeup. My makeup look is usually fairly lightweight, but for testing purposes, I went heavy on mascara, lipstick, foundation, blush, and eyeliner to test its capabilities. The balm emulsified waterproof mascara and eyeliner with ease, and even the full-coverage foundation was not match for it. As it breaks down makeup, it’s not pretty because it will look like your face is melting, but it clearly does an excellent job.

Rinsing the balm off is easy, too. The warm water turns the somewhat oily balm into a milky cleanser that dissipates as you continue to rinse while using circular motions on your skin. When the product is completely washed off and dried, what’s left behind is smooth, satiny skin that’s bright and clean.

The cleanser has a sherbet scent to it that’s summery and pleasant. The scent isn’t strong and overpowering, but it is clean and light. The papaya extract included in the cleanser also smells delightful and helps to lightly exfoliate skin. The fragrance isn’t a skin irritant, but if you do have sensitive skin, Clean It Zero Purity may be more to your liking.

Overall

Clean It Zero, hands down, is one of the best cleansers on the market. It’s easy to see why it’s an award-winner and praised highly by those in the beauty industry. The product earns a solid 5/5 and should be a staple product in any beauty basket.

 

Clean It Zero is currently available for $16 on SokoGlam.

 

—-Joelle Halon

JYP Entertainment’s chart-dominating girl group TWICE returned with “Knock Knock” on February 19, 2017. Since its release, “Knock Knock” received 60 perfect all-kills, and the MV became the fastest K-Pop MV to 30 million views on YouTube. With another hit on their hands, TWICE cannot be stopped even though they have many antis and naysayers who call them “flops” and “untalented artists.” Meanwhile, TWICE get the last laugh as they quickly become a chart-dominating, worldwide-recognized super group.

Accolades aside, looking at “Knock Knock” objectively, the song isn’t as strong as TWICE’s debut runaway hit “Like Ooh Ahh” and follow-up track “Cheer Up,” but it is stronger than “TT.” “TT” showed that as a long as a group is cute and likeable and the song is catchy, sugary, and poppy, a hit can happen even if there’s no substance. Meanwhile, while “Knock Knock” comes across as basic and nothing that special despite its growing accolades, it’s a nice song with a high replay quality… lyrics aside, of course.

Lyrically, the song is a typical throwaway pop song. The lyrics are fluffy and airy as the girls sing about wanting a potential love interest to notice them. The actual song content is spliced heavily with “knock knocks” (which is repeated 131 times throughout the track), so an actual story doesn’t exist. This is where “Knock Knock” fails because it is more focused on being cute and bubbly than substantial. With the lyrics, it’s nothing special and doesn’t stand up to other basic pop songs that exist in the K-Pop or global industry. The reason “Knock Knock” is a runaway hit is due to execution and the charm TWICE exudes.

However, what makes “Knock Knock” enjoyable is that it’s repetitive without being obnoxious. Each verse is blooming with adorable charm that highlights TWICE’s strengths as the new “it” group. The track is youthful and effervescent that oozes with bubblegum poppiness that could be sickeningly cloying if executed wrong or if it’s too over-the-top. Here, TWICE balance sweetness with maturity to make the song an effortless hit. The bouncy beat and overall arrangement strengthens the song even further and masks the lack of substance contained within the lyrics, so it is essentially selling its strongpoints. For the song, TWICE are good performers because they sell the song just by being themselves. Their joy and individual color shines brighter than the weaknesses.

With that said, the MV is a bit of a letdown. “Knock Knock” is a continuation of “TT,” yet it comes across as a standard sleepover MV with no plot other than “look at how cute this group is.” There are pillow fights, snowball fights, and cute shenanigans with a cameo by JYP (but sadly no “JYP” whisper), and a picture book featuring the fantasy characters from “TT” drops by, but there’s nothing coherent that shows “Knock Knock” is a continuation of “TT.” The house is the same, but that’s about it. Throw in how “TT” takes place during Halloween and “Knock Knock” is in winter, and you have a non-linear story that’s unclear and jumbled.

Story aside, the video is a visual treat. The outfit changes, glitchy filming, and fun elements match perfectly with the mood the song creates. Each girl is adorable with bright smiles and non-obnoxious aegyo. While Tzuyu is often the most talked about member thanks to her stunning visuals, the “Knock Knock” era belongs to Dahyun because she is ridiculously charming with a smile that can warm even the coldest, deadest heart. Dahyun steals the show with ease, but she does have close competition with the equally charming Nayeon.

Another standout for the MV is Jeongyeon. Usually, Jeongyeon comes across as insipid, and facially, she almost does once again in this MV. However, her iciness thaws nicely as the MV progresses to show a lighter side to her usual stonewall appearance. Jeongyeon often looks like she takes everything seriously while aiming for perfection, which is nice to see her let loose.

The dance portions for the song are also cute and match the music nicely. The way the group executes dance with their actions helps to make “Knock Knock” a win.

Overall, “Knock Knock” is a delightful song despite weak lyrics. Execution-wise, TWICE sell it and the MV beautifully. It is better than “TT” but not on par with “Like Ooh Ahh” and “Cheer Up,” but it is a winner in its own right.

 

Scores 

MV: 6/10

Lyrics: 3/10

Overall Song: 8/10

Total: 5.67/10

 

—-Joelle Halon

For many KPOP fans, attending a fansign is the ultimate goal. For those unaware, a fansign is an event, usually held in Korea or Japan, excluding special events, where fans have the opportunity to talk to their favorite group while getting an album signed personally to them.

For foreign fans with limited access to groups in their home country, this seems like a dream come true. However, gaining admission to one of these events can be extremely difficult and expensive. Fansigns are ran by lottery and purchasing one album gains you one entry. For some groups attending a fansign is as easy as buying a single album but for others a fan can buy 100 and still not get in. However, it can be difficult even getting to that point in the fansign process.

To start, a group will announce on their fancafe/social media that they will be holding a fansign with information on the location and time of the event. They will also include the specific store where you must buy the album from.

The information shown in this includes the date, time, and location of the fansign. The other information is about where to buy the album and how many people will get in. Usually this number is 100 but this varies from time to time.

In this specific posting, you are to buy the album from a specific YP Bookstore during a specific time frame. Some time frames last for a week or more while many, like this one, end after 3 days.

Once you have found the store, you have to decide exactly how much money you are willing to spend to get into the fansign. Being that it is based on a raffle system there is also luck involved. There have been times a fan purchases 3 albums and get in while another purchases 15 and does not. These albums are also slightly more expensive than in regular KPOP stores.

The next part is what many believe to be the worst of the entire process: waiting for results. Even if you buy the album at the last possible moment you will have to wait at least a couple hours to know if you make it in or not. Once the time is up the shop will post a list of the people who were drawn on their site (this url is usually found in the original fan meeting post as well).

If you get in, it can be nerve wracking as many fansigns occur within a few days of the winners’ announcement. Different groups have different rules regarding their fansigns and following them is a must or you risk getting kicked out and banned. For example, GOT7 fansigns are strictly for the album and do not allow for fans to ask questions written on sticky notes and you are no longer allowed to give them gifts.

At the fansign, you usually draw a number and it will decide the order you get your album signed and how far away you are. It can be a little intimidating being there and surrounded by fans with big cameras but the idols will quickly make you forget that. For non-Korean speakers, it will be harder to understand what’s happening but many idols will try to meet you half way and speak a mix of Konglish with you. There are also special events that take place during like games or polaroid photo events.

These events are sometimes once in a lifetime and if the opportunity to attend one arises it should be taken advantage of. It may be hard to decipher the information, but with a little luck you will be on your way to meeting your favorite idols.

 

— Ke’Anna Bullard

SF9’s Jaeyoon is being accused of blackface after uploading a photo of his face covered in black paint.

The photo was posted to Twitter after a V-App video where members of SF9 painted each other’s faces.

The original tweet was posted to SF9’s main twitter account and caption “Everyone, it’s Jaeyoon. Can you….see me? I am right here kekeke”

The tweet has since been taken down and many fans are requesting an apology from the group. Do you think this was blackface or just something accidental?

—-Ke’Anna Bullard

On January 17, 2017, CLC released their mini album Crystyle. Unfortunately, the album did not get the love it deserved domestically despite the love and rave reviews many international fans provided. CLC are fiercer and edgier thanks to HyunA (yes, former 4Minute member HyunA) working alongside her hoobaes, but it also means some of the members have adopted HyunA’s high-pitched, nasally rap. With that aside, Crystyle is a strong album that helps get 2017 kicked off in the right direction.

What’s impressive about Crystyle is that the album is multi-faceted. While CLC came back with a hip-hop concept with “Hobgoblin,” Crystyle also has tracks that show off CLC’s range.

Pros

The addition of Elkie and Eunbin (added to the group in 2016) provides stronger vocal color for CLC.

In addition to new members, the fierce concept fits CLC well, which is a surprise to many given how CLC had a string of cute, basic songs after their strong “Pepe” debut. The hip-hop sound of “Hobgoblin” and the old-school vibe of “Mistake” demonstrate CLC’s vocal improvements. Each of the songs, in addition to the aforementioned, are well-executed and arranged strongly to highlight CLC’s strengths. For example, “Liar” features a nice use of high notes in the chorus, while “Hobgoblin” has some strong low tones that make the song haunting.

Then there’s “MeowMeow” that also has an old-school feel. “MeowMeow” has a Western-pop sound that feels straight of the 1990s, but the vocals fit nicely in K-Pop’s late-2000s sound. A song that has the repetition “MeowMeow” has would normally grow old fast, but the song doesn’t thanks to its catchy, addictive chorus.

 “Tears Bottle” feels like it is ripped from a drama OST, but it is beautiful and feels like a sad, rainy day. The sweet vocals and echoes help make the song haunting and innocent. The rap, too, is soft, but it could have been left out as it’s barely noticeable. The song helps leave a lasting impression to wrap up the album. 

Cons

The album kicks off with “Liar.” “Liar” is a strong song and suits CLC to a T. The song has a great vibe with relatable lyrics and has some bitterness with its feminine vocals. The only cons with it is that it sounds too familiar to songs available on the global market. If a listener really listens, there are shades of Aly and AJ’s “Potential Breakup Song” (and, by extension, Tahiti’s “Lovesick”) and Ladies’ Code’s “Galaxy.” All these elements come through in the chorus, so it does cause a pause and think moment that someone detracts from an otherwise well-done song.

“I Mean” is the song that stands out the least, but it’s pleasant. “I Mean” recalls previous CLC eras while sporting stronger vocals and tone. The song opens strong and has a pleasing chorus. While it is overall pleasing, the song isn’t special and is fairly basic. The track tends to fade into the background.

Now, the lead track, “Hobgoblin,” is fantastic and fiery and actually breathed life into CLC, especially since many thought they were on the decline with their recent string of weak releases. “Hobgoblin” had CLC roaring back with guns blazing to help them remain in the mix of the current rookie class. The song has everything going for it and has CLC fans excited, but… we’ve heard this song before!

While HyunA’s involvement in helping to turn CLC around is a huge blessing, it’s also a curse. Essentially, “Hobgoblin” is a 4Minute song, and CLC became little HyunA clones. From the style, the filming, and vocals, everything about “Hobgoblin” is 4Minute starting with how it sounds like a “Crazy” and “Hate” mashup of epic proportions. This doesn’t settle well with some listeners because it’s like Cube Entertainment is trying to morph CLC into 4Minute, a group that disbanded not too long ago. It’s almost a slap in the collective face of fans because they lost 4Minute, and here’s a newer group trying to fill their shoes. While “Hobgoblin” is unquestionably one of the best tracks in January, it also stings a bit and has too much 4Minute/HyunA flavor. There is a love-hate relationship with this track.

Another issue with the album is that the production quality isn’t up to par. For some physical albums, “Liar” and “Hobgoblin” have uneven sound and even skip in portions. The digital tracks don’t have this issue, but it is present on some physical copies.

Overall

Crystyle has some flaws, yes, but it’s a strong comeback for a group that many started to consider as no longer a contender. There are several impressive tracks despite the squeaky rapping and familiarity, so it is safe to say that CLC isn’t going anywhere any time soon as long as they get some love. Crystyle earns a solid 4/5.

 

—-Joelle Halon

We at Kcrush are always on the lookout for new products or willing to test any product suggested to us from the beauty world. Etude House recently released their Double Lasting foundation that has gotten some rave reviews from many different YouTube beauty channels including Edward Avila and So Young’s Beauty Room. Etude House states the foundation can last for up to 24-hours. We decided to put it to the test!

Packaging

The foundation arrives in a simple box that isn’t flashy, but it protects the foundation bottle well. The bottle itself is a heavy glass that is more in-line with Banila products than Etude House, but it looks lovely. The design of the bottle is posh and doesn’t look cheap or like it came from a drugstore, so it is definitely worth the cost so far.

The font on the bottle isn’t flashy, which is nice because sometimes if the font and overall presentation is too bold or too fancy, it’s almost like the company is overcompensating and sends off a vibe that you might not be getting what you paid for; of course, this might just be me.

It should be noted that the Double-Lasting foundation comes in five shades from fair to vanilla to sand to beige to tan. The tan isn’t very tan, so if you’re a person of color, the Korean makeup giants have yet to reach out to you. I am a very pale person, so the shade I have is fair.

Ingredients

Water, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Methyl Trimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Lauryl Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Zinc Oxide (Ci 77947), Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Isododecane, Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, Disodium Edta, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sodium Chloride, Stearic Acid, Silica, Adenosine, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Caprylyl Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polysorbate 80, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Fragrance

Use

First, add primer to your skin to make sure you have a smooth, even palette. Before using the foundation, follow the directions on the box and shake well. Shaking well mixes up the foundation so it has a more even consistency. I missed this step initially with the first trial of this product, so my foundation was an oxidized water. At first I thought I got a bad batch, but it was just because I didn’t shake it. SHAKE THE FOUNDATION! Then, pump one or two dots of foundation onto the back of your hand. From here, dot the foundation onto your face using your fingertips or a makeup sponge. Then, blend well. Etude House recommends following the direction of your skin texture, but feel free to pat on the foundation in a way you’re comfortable. Then, you can either wear this foundation alone or you can finish your makeup routine with contouring, blending, and concealing.

Impressions

The foundation is lightweight and doesn’t feel like a mask! This is a plus for someone like me who hates makeup and prefers a more natural look. The foundation feels breathable and dewy when first applied, so it does look natural. One thing to keep in mind is that it sets quickly, so you either have to work fast to apply it or add some more foundation as necessary until you achieve a desired look.

Since I am a pale girl, the fair shade should have been fine since I wear fair shades for different makeup brands including Kat Von D, Etude House, Missha, and Iope. Unfortunately, fair is more of ghostly light color with a hint of pink for this foundation, so I feel I should have gone with the vanilla shade. I’m not the only person who had issues with color matching as others experienced this makeup being lighter than other Etude House foundations and other foundations in general, so color-matching may be difficult. After some contouring, the foundation doesn’t look so light, but it is a bit off-putting at first.

One of the pluses for this foundation is that it is full coverage. It does a fabulous job covering imperfections and redness all while avoiding heaviness and looking too makeup-y. For me, the foundation looked like a second skin during the trials because I had an opportunity to try it while on a good-skin run. Individual results may vary. However, as the day went on, some of my imperfections such as my unfortunately dry and oily skin started to surface. Where my skin tends to be dry (jawline and around my mouth), the makeup started to flake, while my T-zone looked really shiny. I wasn’t impressed with the foundation at this point, but I have to say it didn’t budge.

The foundation is called “Double-Lasting,” and Etude House advertises all-day wear and even 24-hour wear. I used this foundation from 9am to 2am to test how it does. In the beginning, the foundation looks fresh, so I had a glowing, youthful appearance. The effects lasted until about 4pm when the dry, oily issues started to occur. Around my mouth and nose, some of the foundation did come off a little, but on the rest of my face, nothing moved. After some exercise and errands, though, I saw that, while the foundation doesn’t fade, it did start to settle into my pores a bit making them look large and noticeable. This was not a pleasant occurrence. With that aside, it was nice to not have to reapply foundation all day. By around 2am, the foundation was wearing off quickly and started to look patchy, so I doubt this foundation will last 24-hours for anyone. I call shenanigans on the claim.

Overall

I’m not convinced that the foundation will last for 24-hours (who would wear makeup that long anyway?), but it does last a good amount of time before it starts to look weird. It has a lot of pluses, though, especially since it is light and full-coverage! Usually, full-coverage makeup is heavy and uncomfortable, but this isn’t the case. It really does feel like there’s nothing on. For this, I give the foundation rave reviews.

Now, I’m not a fan of how it settles though. Others liked how it wore throughout the day, so I might just be unlucky in the fact that my skin soaks up everything to where my pores show and my skin gets dry and oily. This may be unique to me, but a few other bloggers noticed issues with oiliness too, so maybe not. I do want to point out that the foundation washes off easy and doesn’t cause breakouts (again, this is just my experience), so it seems to be a good foundation in that it’s not much of an irritant. I’m always looking for products that don’t cause issues since I do have sensitive skin, so this foundation is a keeper in that regard.

As a whole, it’s a good foundation, but it doesn’t last as promised. It earns a 3.5/5.

 

Etude House’s Double-Lasting foundation is available on the Etude House website for $36 and comes with a makeup brush. If you want it without the brush, it’s $20 on Amazon.

 

—-Joelle Halon

On February 12, 2017, BTS’ repackaged album, You Never Walk Alone, dropped. The album has been breaking and creating records since its release. Before its release, it had over 700,000 preorders. Following the release, BTS became the first K-Pop artist on iTunes top ten albums list, and four of the tracks also topped iTunes lists. The album also received a perfect all-kill, and the title track “Spring Day” had over five million views on YouTube in under 11 hours. The album is expected to break more records, and music insiders and bloggers have already stated 2017 will be BTS’ year.

Despite the glowing accolades, You Never Walk Alone isn’t BTS’ strongest album, and that’s saying a lot because it is a repackage of WINGS, so WINGS technically isn’t BTS’ strongest album even though it’s won plenty of awards. Lyrically, the songs are gold, but when it comes to arrangement, vocals, and overall composition, the album is a bore compared to other BTS efforts.

The Pros

The album features member solo tracks and songs from the vocal and rap line. This is a nice touch since fans get to hear their favorite members separately. With the solo tracks, it’s clear each member is individually talented to show that BTS is, indeed, a multi-faceted group where each member brings something to the table. Other groups could take a page from the BTS playbook in this regard since there are groups where line distribution is a bit uneven.

Songs like “Spring Day,” “Not Today,” and “You Never Walk Alone” have strong lyrics that are meaningful. A popular fan-theory is that “Spring Day” seems to focus on losing a loved one to suicide, but it can also be about losing a loved one in general due to a break up or estrangement. The song’s tones of sadness and hopefulness make it easy to relate to for any of the aforementioned situations.

Meanwhile, “Not Today” is a hard-hitting track with strong distortion and beats with lyrics that focus on fighting the system. The rap and backing vocals are almost overpowered by the music, especially during the chorus, but everything comes together to make the track the strongest on the album when it comes to the more upbeat tracks.

“You Never Walk Alone” has some sweetness to it as the song covers togetherness. The hopeful tone tells the listener they are not alone and that everything will be okay. The song’s soft lyrics are inspiring to say the least, giving the newer tracks some oomph.

As You Never Walk Alone is a repackage, tracks from WINGS are all present including “Blood, Sweat, and Tears,” their successful title track from their last promotions in 2016 and their catchy “WINGS” outro song is now an extended version.

As mentioned, lyrically, all the songs are strong with many being complex. For anyone looking for music to relate to and think about, You Never Walk Alone is a good album. But, lyrics don’t make up a whole album as there are other elements to consider.

Cons and Overall

While WINGS/You Never Walk Alone are critically praised, the album is boring and repetitive thanks to the overall slower song pacing. The composition falls flat on many of the tracks, especially with “Begin,” “Stigma,” and “Reflection.” The songs’ repetitive natures don’t make for enjoyable listening. “Begin” sounds like typical boy group fodder with hints of R&B and typical pop-ballad notes. The constant repeat of “you make me begin” makes the track more fluff than substantial. “Stigma” has a nice mix of low and high notes with strong tone and clear vocals, but it, too, is a standard boy group song that’s safe and unsubstantial.

“Safety” should be the overall theme of the album because all the songs tend to play it safe. In exception of “Blood, Sweat, and Tears,” “Not Today,” and “Wings,” nothing truly stands out. The album is one that serves as a backdrop because the music doesn’t grab at a listener. Often, it was difficult to tell when songs transitioned because they sound so similar.

Meanwhile, “Lie,” is a stronger song with cool backing vocals and arrangement. Some of the instrumentals enhance the song such as the guitar and organ. Some of the higher pitched rap portions felt out of place, but “Lie” is one of the strongest songs on the album.

One of the most annoying tracks, though, is “Cypher 4.” The vocals and rap tend to be whiny-sounding and grating, while the music is one-note and flat with not many key changes. The track feels more Western audience-friendly because it has an American rap feel. While each BTS album has a “Cypher” track, this one is best left off due to its one-dimensional nature.

“Am I Wrong” picks up the album with strong beats and upbeat nature. The “am I wrong” portions are addictive and catchy to help make the track worthwhile. The song has some old-school flair which helps enhance it, so it is a bright-spot track.

“21^st Century Girls” sounds familiar, especially toward the beginning where there are hints of Hitchhiker’s “Eleven” before shifting gears. In this song, vocal distortions and rap aren’t impressive, and the high notes sound squeaky. From a listener point-of-view, it’s a throwaway summer hip-hop song that doesn’t have staying power.

With all tracks considered (including those not individually discussed here), You Never Walk Alone is safe. The lyrics are solid, but the music quality is lacking. As it is a repackage of WINGS, it really appears the album did well based on hype alone and not overall quality. The album just wasn’t fulfilling and not as golden as some may think it is. It earns a 2/5.

—-Joelle Halon

Music videos can be defined as “short films which integrate a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic reasons.”

I wonder if any of our readers ever experienced feeling particularly inquisitive after watching a music video and wondered about the meaning of its content or storyline, while not being able to clearly figure out what the featured symbols represent or indicate.

We’ve interviewed an interesting YouTuber whose channel has helped many viewers to fathom hidden meanings and agendas found in music videos, films and various clips.

The “Dream Teller” videos are conveniently subbed in English and Spanish, so non-Korean speakers can visit the channel to see if these videos help to quench your thirst in learning more about the subliminal messages and the purpose of your favorite K-pop music videos.

We would like to thank the “Dream Teller” team for giving us a great insight to their channel through this interview.

  

Would you introduce yourself and please tell us about your YouTube channel, “Dream Teller.” 

Dream: Hello, our channel is operated and presented by us, known as “Dream” and “Teller.”

You will hear two different voices as the narrators on our videos. And recently, two additional people have come on board to join our team.

I’m a student, majoring in Graphic Design who is also K-pop fanatic. Teller is very interested in

Psychology-related topics, he is also incredibly talented at observing and interpreting videos.

And we happen to be both males.

The purpose of our channel is to reveal esoteric meanings behind music videos and movies, share

those interesting factors as we look deeper into those themes and discuss them with our viewers.

We cover not only K-pop videos but we broaden our topic by including music videos, films,

Animation made in Britain and the States. Since the actual nature of videos is practically the same.

 

How did you first start interpreting music videos, films on YouTube?

Dream: I’ve always enjoyed watching music videos and miscellaneous types of videos in general.

I initially started watching music videos because I liked the celebs featured in them; then I came to the realization that a lot of the scenes on the videos indicated brilliant metaphors that could not be ignored or bypassed.

We wanted to share these interesting factors with other people and also wanted to hear opinions from the viewers as well, since we can’t figure everything out by ourselves!

 

Out of all the videos you’ve uploaded, which video are you the most attached to?

We are truly attached to all the videos we’ve so far produced but if we were to pick one, just one…then I would have to choose the video theory video on Blood, Sweat and Tears by BTS,

[MV Theory] BTS – Blood, Sweat and Tears: How did V corrupt the BTS (Youth)?

https://youtu.be/AzdbxnAQGSg

The music video tells a story of “the youth who are going through their youthful years” by the K-pop group, BTS, showing scenes of the members’ going through fears about growing up, and comforting those who feel regretful about their youthful years are ending – the kind of themes that the viewers can relate to – at the same time, the actual music video was so well produced in terms of the visual.

I got the impression that this music video consisted of all the elements of the activities, music videos, songs and concerts BTS has ever had, all combined into one video. And it seemed like this video was displaying the climax of it all.

In real life, K-pop artists make a lot of effort to convey certain themes in their work; so these videos are not produced just to appear and look cool. It was like this video was displaying a competitive fight of the production. While I was interpreting it, I even felt slightly feverish myself.

Then it suddenly hit me that this is the reason why music videos have to considered as form of beautiful work of art.

 

Where would you say your channel is categorized under?

Dream: Our channel could simply be categorized as Music, but we feel that it can also be regarded as Art, when we broaden up the field a bit more.

We feel this way, because the examples of metaphors shown in the videos start with the staged Art, and our videos are about interpreting them from a psychological and social point of view.

We are also with hope that K-pop artists and the music video industry overall will be regarded more broadly as Art to the public.

 

What kind of people subscribe to the Dream Teller channel?

Dream: If we were to talk about age and gender of our subscribers, the majority of them are females aged from 17 to 24 years of age. We think that is because we cover a lot of videos on social issues as well as decoding stories based on psychology.

There are mostly subscribers who are in the K-pop fandom, who seem to be interested to know what kind of messages their artists are trying to convey and if they want to learn more about music video interpretation, so they visit our channel to view our videos.

 

Did you expect your channel would attract this many subscribers?

Dream: Truthfully speaking, my colleague, “Teller” did admit that he was expecting the channel would get this much interest. But the channel has grown much more rapidly than he predicted; and I was so very happy with the outcome at the end of last year.

Because I was purely engrossed with the process of producing videos, I had zero expectation that we’d get this many subscribers, so I am just both incredibly surprised and content.

We’ve developed our own know-hows to edit and produce our videos more strategically, in order to set goals a little higher to construct this process for a bigger picture than we did ever before.

 

What kind of music do you listen to usually?

Dream: If you looked at the uploaded videos on our channel, you will easily be able to guess what type of music I’m into. I am a K-pop fan obviously. I love the idols’ star power and I find it cool that their music is so addictive, easy to sing along to, as well as having subliminal messages behind the music.

But as I mentioned before, our channel also has contents covering videos on Clean Bandit, Adele, Troye Sivan, Sia and etc, not to limit our work solely on K-pop.

Fyi, “Teller” likes Hip Hop and is an Eminem fan.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies and other interests?

We must admit that we take the time to “over-watch” various types of videos, and whenever we get any free time, we try to spend it with our friends as much as we can.

We can’t spare a lot of time on other leisure after we spend time, working on this and that.

We miss seeing our friends and feel sorry that we’re not spending much time with them as before. This doesn’t seem like I am answering your question on what how we spend our spare time well, lol.

Honestly, when we first started making videos we considered this as our hobby, that’s why I can’t think of a different hobby or interest we have to state at this moment.

In Korea, this is known as 덕업일치, which means having a job that you enjoy and obsessed with.

 

Please let us know about your plans and goals for Dream Teller for 2017?

Our goal is to show our viewers the “uniqueness” only our channel could offer, while maintaining the current state of the vibe we give out to the viewers. So when someone views one of our videos, they can easily identify that the work is done by us, “Dream Teller.”

And we wish that “Dream Teller” to become a common pronoun; much like a brand.

 

— J. Chung.

A lot of us makeup-lovers are always on the prowl for a good primer that will help make makeup look flawless and skin look fresh. The Etude House Beauty Shot Face Blur primer is a good bet to help create a flawless finish. Let’s look at how well it works!

Packaging

When the Face Blur arrives, it’s packaged in a cute pink box. The bottle itself is also stereotypically girly and baby pink, making it a visually appealing product. It is well-sealed with a manufacturing date listed on the bottle. The pump is sturdy and distributes an even product amount each time. The bottle, pump, and cap are made from a solid, recyclable plastic.

Ingredients

Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Zinc Oxide (Ci 77947), Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Glycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Magnesium Sulfate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Tribehenin, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Silica, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium Edta, Fragrance(Parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Mica (Ci 77019), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491)

Use

After cleansing and moisturizing, pump a dime-sized amount of the product onto your fingertips and massage onto skin. Do not rub the product into your pores as it’s supposed to sit on top of skin to even out redness and imperfections. Make sure the product isn’t moist following application. You can wear the product alone or with a cushion makeup for the best results. Liquid makeup from a tube doesn’t look as good and will appear flaky, but cushion makeup doesn’t.

Impressions

The Face Blur does exactly like it says: It smooths skin and evens out skin tone nicely. Because the primer is pink, it does look nice on different skin tones as it provides a dewy look that perks skin up. On my pale skin, I had the appearance of less-red skin and dark spots weren’t as pronounced. Of course, Face Blur isn’t perfect and doesn’t erase all perfections like dark acne scars or dark circles underneath the eyes, but it does an amazing job at making skin look fresh and less tired.

While it does essentially “blur” away some imperfections, the product is sheer and doesn’t feel like a mask. What I liked is that it didn’t settle into creases and pores, so it earns some bonus points there.

What may be off-putting to some is the product’s scent. It smells like Cabbage Patch dolls. It’s fresh, but can be overpowering at first. Luckily, the scent does not last all day, so it won’t be irritating or noticeable within a few minutes of application.

I liked how it didn’t absorb into pores. The primer sits on top of skin and makes it look like a smooth canvas. When cushion makeup is applied on top of the primer, the canvas looks complete, smooth, and flawless. There is a light, second skin feeling that doesn’t feel like a mask, so it really is like you’re putting your best face forward. However, with other liquid foundation (for example, I use Kat Von D’s tattoo foundation), the results aren’t as perfect because the foundation may be too heavy. With powdered foundation, I did have some cakey issues, but that could be due to not letting the primer dry well enough. But, I do find cushion foundation works best.

As for how long the flawless appearance last, I did wear my “face” from about 10am to 7pm with minimal wear and tear, so it does seem to last a while. Of course, it is winter and colder temps doesn’t break down makeup as much as spring and summer temperatures do, so when it gets warmer, the appearance may not last as long.

Overall

Etude House Beauty Shot Face Blur is a good product that does what it says. It has staying power and smooths skin well to create a nice canvas. It earns a 4.5/5.

 

Etude House Beauty Shot Face Blur can be purchased for $15 on Memebox or $13 on Amazon.

Do you have a product you want us to try? Let us know! We’ll be happy to try it and review it!

Following several fan meetings in Asia and Canada, GOT7 brought their Turbulence fan meeting tour to the USA, less than a year after their FLYinUSA concert series. As part of their 5 city tour, GOT7 brought the Rosemont Theater to life on a Wednesday evening. GOT7 started out the show performing two of their slower songs, “Let Me” and JB’s self-produced “Prove It”.

After a brief introduction from MC Danny, GOT7 returned to the stage for a fan submitted Q&A session. The members quick fell into baiting each other to answer questions, getting maknae Yugyeom to do a sexy dance and talking about ideal types. GOT7 are known for their ability to completely overwhelm MCs and it was very amusing to watch this happen.

After Q&A, GOT7 went back stage to prepare for their next set of songs. Jackson’s “BoomX3” kept the fun environment set by the Q&A and “Just Right” had the entire venue singing along to every word.

Next up was the games section of the show. GOT7 drew lucky fans numbers before playing ‘Guess the Song’ among themselves first. As usual, GOT7 are extremely competitive and it made for an extremely funny game with the members arguing and yelling over each other in attempts to score more points. Fans joined them onstage shortly after to play Jaegichagi, a game similar to hacky sack in America.

“Fly” and “If You Do” were performed next and I was blown away by Youngjae’s ad libs in both songs. “Fly” is the song GOT7 received their first music show win with and it is obvious why when watching the boys perform it live.

  

The group transitioned to the final part of the fan meeting with each individual member saying their feelings. I was particularly touched by Jinyoung as he prepared his entire speech in English, promising to study more to better communicate with English speaking fans. All the members expressed gratitude towards US fans for their support despite being so far away and promised to return very quickly, with Mark and Bambam hinting at a new album being released soon.

The group ended the show performing their hard hitting comeback song “Hard Carry” before beginning the encore with another of JB’s songs, “Home Run”. The boys all interacted with fans during the song, taking fans cell phones and giving out hi fives.

GOT7 are always a treat to see because of their talent and the closeness they feel towards their fans. The group has a certain level of realness on stage that is hard to come by and I believe that is the reason they connect with fans so well.

Thanks to JYP Entertainment and SubKulture Entertainment from bringing GOT7 stateside once again!

 

–Ke’Anna Bullard

–Photos: Ke’Anna Bullard, Linh Thai

On December 30, 2016, RaNia made their “Start a Fire” comeback with a mix of new and old members and a new name: BP Rania. As many K-Pop fans have surmised over the years, RaNia/BP Rania is a hot mess thanks to the revolving door of members and DR Music’s pitiful management abilities. “Pitiful,” of course, is putting it lightly. And, just when you think things couldn’t get worse, it does.

In 2016, Alex Reid announced on social media that she is RaNia/BP RaNia’s new leader. This is noteworthy for several reasons as groups with black, white, or mixed members tend to not last long. Among these groups, ChoColat, The Gloss, and Busker Busker are now part of K-Pop lore for the time being (The Gloss never debuted and disbanded, while Busker Busker are “unofficially disbanded”). Reid, who is black, is also the first fully non-Korean girl to be designated a leader. International fans rejoiced in this news, but the joy quickly cooled in the coming months leading up to RaNia’s comeback.

 

Is Reid Really the Leader?

When the “Start a Fire” MV came out, fans immediately noticed something odd about the video: Reid barely appears in it, and she’s not interacting with the group members. Her rap portions feature her by herself. In the choreography portions, she’s nowhere to be seen either. The only time she is with her groupmates is at the end. The MV got people talking: Is Reid actually the leader? Is she truly a member of the group? Is she only a featuring artist?

Tongues continued to wag when BP Rania performed on the music shows. Reid appears at the beginning of the stages to rap, dance for two seconds, then she exits the stage for the song’s majority, only to come back at the very end. During the dance portions, it appears Reid is unprepared and didn’t learn the choreography well, so she stands out badly. It’s like DR Music isn’t taking the time to help properly train her to be a true member of the group.

During promotions, it later came out that Reid is a co-leader; Ji-Eun is the Korean leader of the group. With this news, fans’ suspicions of Reid’s role in the group seem to be proven true: Reid is just a featuring artist under the guise of a member. Another nail to fans’ theory came January 25, 2017 when DR Music announced Reid wouldn’t be a part of “Make Me Ah” promotions and wouldn’t even be part of the choreography. If Reid is a leader of the group, why is she often left out of promotions, and why is she flounced around like a prop?

The real question is: What is Alex Reid to BP Rania and DR Music?

 

“Otherness” as a Marketing Tool

 

In regards to BP Rania and Alex Reid, there is an elephant in the room, and that elephant is Reid’s “otherness” in a country that’s viewed as mono-ethnic and one that is often said to have issue with individuals with darker skin.

Over the years, idols with dark skin often get made fun of by fans and sometimes their own group members (on 2015, members of VIXX were embroiled in a controversy when Hongbin made fun of N’s skin). Dark-skinned idols often wear light makeup, and fans take it upon themselves to use filters to lighten idols’ skin in photos. In a country where light skin is favored, Reid stands out as a trailblazer alongside the likes of Insooni, Yoon Mirae, and Lee Michelle. Because of this, it feels DR Music is using Reid to help RaNia/BP Rania try to gain relevance again, especially in the international market. RaNia tried to break into the Western market before and failed, then constant member shakeups, hiatuses, and the loss of their unique sound and vocal color caused RaNia to fade into the background. Reid’s addition feels like a last hoorah, and DR Music is attempting to capitalize on Reid to win fans. Unfortunately, they make it clear that her race is simply a novelty.

First, when Reid debuted with RaNia in “Demonstrate” (2015), she was nothing more than a featuring artist showing off her rap skills. Initially, she wasn’t even in the “Demonstrate” MV, then during live stages, she would only walk on to rap. Since 2015, nothing has changed apparently. In 2015, DR Music cited visa issues as part of the reason Reid wasn’t much of a factor, which could be true, but it’s not believable years later. In 2017, Reid should be more of a factor within the group now that she should have experienced more training, Korean-language lessons, and further assimilation into Korean culture regardless of if she is traveling between Korea and the US. There was time to help her become a seamless member of the group, but the opportunity appears to have not been taken.

Instead, Reid’s “otherness” is often accentuated in undeniable ways beyond just “featuring” in MVs and music show stages. In MVs and music stages, Reid often wears outfits that are considerably different than her fellow BP Rania members. For example, in the “Start a Fire” MV, during live stages, she is often in a color that doesn’t match the rest of her groupmates’ style. These differences send a not-so-subtle message that Reid is supposed to stand out, that she needs to be noticed, but not for her talent. The differences just shout that she is an outsider. DR Music wants the audience to know of her existence, but not in a positive way.

Even the name change—RaNia to Black Pearl Rania—accentuates that Reid is different. For many fans, the change suggested that Reid is the “Black Pearl” because of her skin color. The name change is odd to say the least and came at a time when Reid was announced as the leader. Given how BP Rania is the only K-Pop girl group with a member who is a person-of-color, the name change is questionable to say the least and adds to the current noise marketing DR Music is trying to achieve.

Choreographer Speaks Up

On January 7 and 12, 2017, BP Rania’s choreographer, RA-GI, took to social media with statements suggesting Reid is not in the group choreography because “she’s a rapper” and that she’s not going to [dance] (Trans. Allkpop). The choreographer later stated:

No matter who looks at it, don’t you think the label would want Alex to be in the full choreography as well? It’s pushing it to say the label pulled Alex out of the choreography~ Things that people can’t generally understand is probably not understandable or pardonable to the label, as well. Probably, it’s because of her personal issues, and there are issues that come from those such as problems with the stage flow, and more. If the fans try to too deeply participate in everything, the artists that make RaNia get exhausted. We can’t fit everything to every fans’ tastes, so I believe it’s the best to watch her improve and support her. I hope RaNia does well. (Trans. Allkpop)

The comments didn’t end there as she continued the discussion with a fan by stating:

She’s not in the choreography due to her own personal issues, and the label wants her to be in the full choreography as well. Also, it’s timely unreasonable and impossible for all six members to relearn choreography to fit Alex, who learned choreography later, for broadcast. However, we can’t always fit the fans’ requests 100%. We will gratefully accept your personal opinions on the general concept and mood of the song. We ask for your continued interest, and I hope you understand that RaNia and many others are working for RaNia. (Trans. Allkpop)

Following the comments, a message appeared on Reid’s Twitter that fans believe is a message directed at the choreographer stating, “If these lies keep magically surfacing I’ll go ahead and come out with the truth.  Let it really hit the fan.” While fans speculate this tweet is directed at the choreographer, Reid also has other vague messages on her Twitter that may or may not connect to various issues, so it’s hard to tell directly what the tweet relates to or if it’s surrounding this situation at all. Directly following the tweet, Reid also made references and posted statistics about the Muslim travel ban Donald Trump imposed, so the tweet could relate to that issue too.

A Two-Way Street?

Since 2015, RaNia/BP Rania followers point out that Reid isn’t a pushover based on interview comments and tweets she’s made. When asked about dieting restrictions, she’s mentioned the company doesn’t tell her what to do. For some, this sounds like special treatment, but for others, it’s a show of a strong will.

On some blogs and K-Pop sites, some of the tide has turned on Reid as many wonder, that as a leader, why she’s not participating with the others. One commenter on Allkpop asked, “I’m sorry but what kind of leader is not there most of the time?” Others point to preferential treatment such as Reid designing her own outfits for their “Start a Fire” comeback and even showing an alleged “attitude” when it comes to her participation. Of course, these are just perceptions, and only Reid, BP Rania, and DR Music know what goes on behind the scenes.

 

A Noticeable, Messy Situation All Around

There is a problem that is noticeable to Western fans. While Reid’s addition is an example of inclusion, it could also be viewed as inherently xenophobic given how Reid is made to stand out purposely all while being excluded. Her situation is oddly contradictory because of the way she is marketed and utilized in BP Rania. The only clear message is that she appears to be signed to save a group that should have faded into obscurity years ago; instead, DR Music has left fans pondering what her true purpose is and why everything involving her up until this point is questionable to say the least.

Either Reid is a true member of BP Rania or she’s not. DR Music keeps straddling the line all while appearing to use her race over any skills or abilities she has. DR Music needs to step up and do the right thing and stop using Reid as a marketing tool by highlighting her race. Just because she isn’t Korean, it doesn’t make her a novelty.

Additionally, as a leader, Reid needs to step up and lead while blending into the group. If there is to be compromise somewhere with how she is utilized and what role she truly plays in the group, Reid, too, needs to do her part.

No matter where the issues lie (or don’t lie), something needs to change because something, obviously, isn’t working and it looks bad for DR Music.

—-Joelle Halon

 

For those who know her best, Nita Pineda is known as a creative mind capable of great things. Her unique stories and lively artistic style combine not only for reader-entertainment, but for bringing people together. Through her, friendships have been forged over a shared love of storytelling, gaming, and creating art, and through her, some of those friendships turned into life-long relationships. Outside the pages of Androsia, readers don’t see this side of Mrs. Pineda; but for those who are close to her, this is the side they get to see and adore. While friends are inspired by her infectious laugh, loyalty, and talents, readers of her manga see only fragments of the soul that breathes life into a story that has a little something of everything to which people can relate and connect. While it’s impossible to get to know the many facets the Androsia creator possesses, she did take the time to open up about her creative process and background in our interview.

KC: How long have you been drawing and why did you start?

NP: I can’t honestly recall when I really began drawing, because I feel like I’ve been doing it my whole life. As far back as I can remember, I’ve always had some form of medium at my disposal and tried to draw. For me, there’s so much in my head that I want to see become a reality, so drawing was the only way to make that possible, I’m a very visual person.

KC: When did you decide you wanted to become a storyteller? What inspired you and why?

NP: When I was young, I wrote fanfiction before I knew that was a thing. I started to write more and more, and when I learned of fanfiction and started reading and writing, I learned that it was so much fun and that I had a lot of creative ideas. The first one I made was called Future Tellings and that was inspired by a variety of anime, but mostly Tenchi Muyo and Sailor Moon.

KC: Before Androsia, have you created other stories or manga? What were those like?

NP: I did two actually: The first was Future Tellings, which was extremely convoluted and confusing. I asked a group of friends to create their own characters to add to the story. Before I knew it, it was so big that I lost track of everything. The second manga I did I actually drew out. It was called Koi Mizu. The premise of the story was supposed to be about a girl named Mirai Yumeno going through her years of high school and misadventures of love. Aside from that, I did some small one-shots that were random here and there.

 

KC: What was the best piece of advice you received when it came to enhancing your craft?

NP: The best piece of advice I was given was “Don’t be afraid to ask for help.” I was always too shy or believed I was bothering people too much that I didn’t ask, but once I got over that, I learned it was a great thing to keep in mind.

KC: What was the harshest piece of criticism you received and how did you overcome it? Did it serve as a source of inspiration to prove your naysayers wrong? Why?

NP: Eesh, hehe! I think the harshest piece of criticism I received was “I don’t like the way you write or your characters, I just can’t get into it and it seems boring to me.” For a while, it stunted me in my writing and really made me want to quit and give up. One of my biggest fears is that I will fail to “move” my readers emotionally and that they won’t care about any of the characters. It took me a while, but I had to realize that I cannot let one negative criticism ruin me. Instead, I took a long hard look at my story, had others give me feedback, and even asked for some advice. I started to pay more attention to what I was writing and how I was writing it so that I could really fix the issue.

KC: What’s the creative process like for you? How do you decide on story angles and direction?

NP: My thoughts are often everywhere. If I get an idea, I have to be quick to write it down. On many occasions, I throw ideas back and forth with my husband, and he gives me amazing input. He has such a creative mind and paints pictures in my head for certain details. Often, we will actually role play a scene out, to see how it goes, and when it’s good, I save the copy and start drafting it into a script.

KC: Are there any storylines you won’t touch? Why?

NP: Androsia is huge! The whole storyline derives way back, and there’s more even after this prologue. I’ll try to touch up on as much as I can, I don’t think there are any that are say “not to be touched,” but I do my best to incorporate everyone, piece by piece.

KC: You recently had a contest for readers to create a character for your story? What made you decide to do that, and are there anymore planned?

NP: The contest was a way to get my readers to feel a bit more “involved.” I love it when I can give someone the chance to be creative and to have a chance to see their creation come to life. I wanted to test how something like that would go and it went pretty well. I think I will definitely try for something else like this in the future if the readers would be interested.

KC: What are things you enjoy in your free time?

NP: Role playing (and I don’t mean the dress up kind)! I love sitting at home and writing stories back and forth with my husband. Aside from that, other geeky things like watch anime, read manga, playing video games like Tekken, SIMs… I’m pretty much a hermit unless I’m shopping.

KC: Besides Androsia, are there any future projects in the works?

NP: I’d like to create a manga based on some of the stories I’ve written with my husband, namely one that was derived from a dream I had. The dream was so epic that I had to write it down, my husband and I worked on expanding the story and I kept thinking to myself “This HAS to be a manga!” I’ve done some character sketches here and there, so yeah, I would really like to publish some of my other stories.

KC: What surprises you most about your characters?

NP: Surprised? Oh! Hideo! At first when I created him, he was just kind of supposed to be a joke character. But, the more I started to write for him, the more I fell for the guy! He has his serious moments, and when they shine through, I stop and gasp and smirk like a proud and happy mama.

KC: Is there anything about your characters that frustrates or disappoints you?

NP: YES! Where do I begin when it comes to this topic? I think first and foremost, trying to create Rhilen to be dimensional, to put forth the layers of his character while still making him look good, has been so frustrating! There’s also times when it’s hard for me to come up with a good reason for his actions, and then it comes up kind of flawed, and causes me to bash my head a few times. They are good characters, they just come up a bit flat sometimes.

KC: How do you overcome obstacles that arise while creating your story?

NP: I stress then stress some more. Haha! But in all honesty, I write down the obstacle and try to go at it from different angles. Usually, there are more issues with every angle I try to come up with. Then, I have to go and ask a few people. I have a friend who is also a writer and she knows what she’s doing. Every now and then, I’ll ask her for some advice on what I should do, what angles would be appealing and so forth. Just today, I had an issue with the ending of my story. I knew how I wanted the events to happen, but there was a lot that needed hashing out. Finally, after talking it over and coming up with other angles, I’ve finally got something I am proud of.

KC: Do you have any formal training for your craft or are you self-taught? Why did you choose the path you took?

NP: I [am] completely self-taught. I’ve never taken any real professional training other than the two years I took of college; but even then, it wasn’t anything that I wasn’t already familiar with on my own. I didn’t have the funds for any formal training or to pay someone to teach me the “correct” method of doing things. Instead, I bought several manga books and How to Draw Manga books and studied those.

KC: Where do you get inspiration for your storylines and characters?

NP: Some inspiration is taken from shows and manga I like to read and watch. I can sit there and think, “I’d like it if it went differently, like this way…” and I might add something like that into my story. A lot of real world events, however, have helped inspire some of the story lines.

KC: What’s a typical planning session like for you when it comes to developing characters, storylines, and manga pages?

NP: A lot of writing goes into the planning of pages and characters and storylines. I’ve got notebooks full of ideas that are like puzzle pieces just waiting to be put together.  I’ll sit down for a good hour or so and try to make sense from it until it becomes one cohesive piece.

KC: Your stories tend to be in the fantasy realm. Why is fantasy your chosen genre?

NP: I personally love the fantasy genre! I’ve been a fan of the Tolkien stories and many other fantasy writers out there. When you go the route of fantasy, the world and anything you create is at your disposal. I like creating a story that is somewhere you’ve never been to, but you could close your eyes and see it.

KC: What real-world experiences serve as inspiration for your story? Why?

NP: Racism, extremism, nationalism… A lot of these issues are rather large in our world today. As you can see, people are willing to go to war and die because they either believe they are superior than everyone else or they are afraid of what they do not know. Many of these issues are a driving force that’s behind my story, though I put a bit of a twist to it. It makes this world and the characters seem more believable this way.

KC: Are there any past works you would like to revive someday for an audience?

NP: I always wonder if I should revive Future Tellings, and then my mind gets overcomplicated with all the thoughts I had for it. If I were to ever bring that back, I’d have to scrap it and start it from the start, and by that time, it might be a whole different story.

KC: What does the future of Androsia entail?

NP: The story I am writing now is actually just a prologue to the actual story that I have been writing over the past few years.

When I was offered the opportunity to publish my manga here on Kcrush, I thought that instead of jumping into my current writing, I could write the story of how Rhilen got to be where he is. I plan on starting that one soon after I finish the prologue.

Also, there are other storylines of the Jinai that have not yet been told that I am thinking I can do short mini comics on and have those released as well. The Jinai and the rest of Androsia have a long and complicated past as well as the Guardians. I’ll be sure to work on some extra bits for side stories.

KC: Do you have any plans that will help enhance your personal experiences and worldviews that may help you with your story down the road? What’s upcoming and how do you think those experiences will help you?

NP: I’m actually in the process of signing up to the KCP program, which will send me off to Tokyo, Japan to learn Japanese for three months. The goal is to enroll by 2017 and start for the Spring of 2018. I’ve always wanted to learn Japanese, and since I am writing a manga and tend to find a lot of helpful advice in Japanese, I feel it would be essential for me to learn to speak and write in the language to better my view. Japan is the home of some of my most favorite manga that have been inspiring me for years. Now that I have this opportunity, I have to take it and I’ll be extremely excited for it. I’m hoping that by then, I’ll even be able to have my manga feel more authentic and maybe even translated for Japanese readers.

KC: What’s the biggest mistake you ever made as an artist or storyteller and how did you fix it? What advice do you have for others when it comes to overcoming mistakes?

NP: Haha! I’ve actually had a lot of typo errors due to either late nights trying to finish up or because a key got stuck while typing. One of the more funny mistakes I made [is when] I had Rhilen call Saphira “Sierra” by accident. I didn’t realize that until maybe a good 20 pages later. I had to resend that page with the correct name! Although, I did accidently spoil something much earlier on by accident not realizing it. I haven’t retracted it yet hoping no one’s really noticed, but I might just edit it and re-submit it. My advice is to always keep raw copies of your work and save frequently, that ways, you can always go back and change things when you need to, that’s essential.

KC: What advice do you have for inspiring writers and artists?

NP: My advice I’d give is to not to overthink things. That is one of my biggest flaws, and it stunts me from writing the story. Write the story you want to tell, go crazy with it, and try not to stress out about the little details. When things get too complicated, take a step back, take a break, and go back with a fresh new look. Ask others for their advice and take it as that: Advice, not something solid that you need to go by verbatim.

KC: Finally, what can readers expect for the future of Androsia?

NP: There’s a lot I plan to do with Androsia coming up soon! I’m working on making some merchandise and slowly working on possibly getting an animated trailer for Androsia! There’s talk about creating a game that will reveal some more of the story lines of other characters and delve a bit into back story. I have a lot of plans and will be posting and keeping everyone updated!

 

Kcrush would like to thank Nita Pineda for her time. Check out her Androsia manga on our website! You can also follow her on Paigee World and DeviantArt.

 

—-Joelle Halon

Time to Say Goodbye: Groups We Lost in 2016

2016 isn’t even over yet, and there are already 28 confirmed disbandments with several others rumored to also be defunct. The year brought us the end of big-named groups like KARA, 4Minute, and 2NE1, as well moderately successful groups like Rainbow, SPEED, and F.Cuz. Here’s the complete list of groups we lost from January 2016- December 4, 2016.

 

10X10 | July 2015- June 2016

10×10 were a five-member girl group under Gaon Entertainment. During their tenure, they had two singles:  “R U Ready” and their official debut “Amomia,” which sounded too close to  the cleaning product ammonia. The group’s final formation consisted of members Rica (who also performed as a soloist), HanU, Jiyoon, Hyeon Sung, and Yoonah. Cindy left after “Amomia’s” release. HanU is currently in the group AiRi.

 

2NE1 | May 2009- November 2016 (Announced)

The seven-year curse strikes again! It really wasn’t a surprise that 2NE1 disbanded since they’ve been inactive for so long, and YG seemed more focused on CL’s solo career than the health of his popular girl group. After Minzy left earlier this year, the writing was on the wall, especially with Park Bom’s medication “scandal” in 2014 and subsequent disappearance.  The last time the group was together was the 2015 MAMA, and that appearance came across as a goodbye performance than a celebratory event. CL and Dara resigned with YG this year, while Bom and Minzy did not.

During their run, 2NE1 released 19 songs including “I Am the Best,” “Come Back Home,” “Lollipop” (with BIGBANG), “Fire,” and “Ugly.” There are rumors on Twitter that 2NE1 will reform as XXI. These rumors are fueled partially by Park Bom liking tweets referring to the group’s name change and “re-debut.” However, YG Entertainment announced that on January 21, 2017, Bom, CL, and Dara will release “Goodbye” as their final song as 2NE1.

 

4L (Four Ladies) | August 2014- 2016

4L had one of the most controversial debuts with “Move.” The song was banned for its sexual dance and lesbian-theming. “Move” was a solid song with controversy aside; it was the only song they released.

Members Chany, Ja Young, and J-Na were formerly part of M.O.A. Yeseul left the group in 2014 due to “extreme exposure,” but she re-debuted as a soloist in 2015. Chany left sometime between 2014 and 2015 and is currently in the group Ureka. J-Na and Ja Young are now a trot duo dubbed J.Young.

 

 

4Minute | June 2009- June 2016

Another victim of the seven-year curse, 4Minute’s disbandment was surprising to some even though it shouldn’t have been with HyunA’s popularity and how Cube Entertainment milked it. There was always a joke that 4Minute was really HyunA and her backup dancers. Jokes aside, 4Minute had an impressive run as they improved with each release, hitting their peak during the “What’s Your Name?” era. HyunA resigned with Cube; Gayoon signed with BS Company as an actress; Jiyoon—now Jenyer—signed with JS E&M as a singer and actress; Jihyun and Sohyun’s plans have not been revealed.

 

A6P | May 2015- April 2016
DS Entertainment’s A6P generated plenty of buzz with International fans with their debut song “Face Off.” The group walked the line toward early-VIXX and their dark concept while keeping it lighter and more public-friendly. Member Ado never got to be unmasked though as another song wasn’t in the cards for them. Jaguar appeared in Boys24 but was eliminated; the other members—Actin, Yaho, Jelly-P, and Jung-Yeon—have unknown whereabouts even though rumors online state two—one of the two being Ado—are still training to be in other groups, while two decided to lead civilian lives.

 

 

ACE | September 2015- 2016
ACE debuted with a sexy concept and little fanfare, which is a shame considering how “Fell” was a different-sounding song that was fairly decent. “Fell” will mostly be remembered as a low-budget, crotch-grab fest that tried too hard to be sexy, so it ended up more laughable than laudable. ACE never got a chance to try again as they dissolved sometime in 2016. YouJin is now a member of BaBa as Jinri, while Jinah, SeolA, and Darum’s whereabouts are unknown. Eun Byeol is now in the yet-to-debut group, TWINKLE.

 

A.H.H.A | September 2015- 2016
A.H.H.A’s debut song “Hood On” started off like it wanted to be a good song, but it quickly fell apart to become a song that became a bit of a joke for some fans. The rapper line was weak and unmemorable, but vocals weren’t bad. A.H.H.A could have been a standout group as the members—Kang Bin, Eun A, Yeo Jin, and Byul Ha—didn’t look like the typical cookie-cutter thin idols. Watching their debut MV, though, it appeared that not even their company, YellOcean, took them seriously.

 

 

Atomic Kiz (AKZ)| November 2014- 2016
AKZ performed as part of the under-utilized Pop-Rock scene. The group released two songs during their tenure: “Wa” and “Lovers.” While the songs were nice to listen to, they were basic and not memorable to help the group survive in the Korean market. In 2015, one of the members was accused of assaulting a taxi driver. The police only released his surname, Lee, and that he was the group’s rapper; J.Per (Lee Ju Hyung) is the maknae and rapper. After the scandal, the group quietly disbanded.

 

 

A to Z | 2016

A to Z was supposed to debut in mid-2016. TN, K, Heemin, Zero, Xen, Deny, and Riho were introduced long before their debut. However, the group disbanded prior to debut. Xen, now Xiweol, and Riho officially debuted in Varsity January 2017.

 

Awe5ome Baby | June 2015- December 2016
Awe5ome Baby’s disbandment is sad because they were talented and different with strong vocals. Having a female beatboxer in Jun also helped with their refreshing sound, making Awe5ome Baby a beatpella group. When they debuted, the released the jazzy “Why Should I,” but the song wasn’t promoted enough. Their talent didn’t get to capture a larger audience despite street performances and award-winning members, so Awe5ome Baby became part of K-Pop lore on December 4, 2016.

 

 

Bellroseya | 2015-2016

Bellroseya were deemed a group to watch in 2015 when they were supposed to debut. However, they’re pre-debut track, “OK,” sported weak vocals and lacked refinement. After the release, Bellroseya disappeared and officially disbanded in 2016’s first quarter.

 

 

 

BTL (Beyond the Limit) | May 2014- April 2016

BTL debuted with “Too G” in 2014, and while the song was decent, it wasn’t memorable. However, the MV provided fodder for K-Pop bloggers for its cheesy visuals and late-1990s special effects. BTL earned admirers that anticipated their 2015 “Gold Moon” comeback. Even though the single was teased, it was never released. The group disbanded in April. Do.Ka was in Road Boyz before they, too, disbanded. Yu-A left to become a soloist. Jisu left the group then reported to his mandatory military service. The other members’ whereabouts are unknown as of this writing.

 

Champagne & Candle | May 2014-2016

Brand New Music’s duo released one song in 2014 called “What’s My Name.” Since then, they’ve been doing music as soloists.

 

Double B | February 2016- Unknown 2016

Double B had the over-plastic look that potential fans couldn’t get behind, but the duo, Hyun Ji and Jae Hui, had some legit vocals. Their digital single “Insomnia” showed their potential despite the off-sounding rap, but the vocals were pleasant. With “In Love,” their vocals really took center stage with strong low notes and harmonies. The MV, on the other hand, was a bit of a turn-off with the portrayals of violence and animal cruelty. After the song releases, the duo disbanded and became members of Fantasie.

 

 

Ela8te | June 2016-August 2016

Ela8te’s debut was teased beginning in late May. International fans were pleased to know that three former RaNia members—Di, T-ae, and Xia—were redebuting in the group under their given names, Kim Da Rae, Lee Tae Eun, and Jang Jin Young. After the initial teasers, news about the group dropped off and their company, EnterHama, confirmed they disbanded in August.

 

Excite! | October 2012- 2016

One would think that a group that’s four-years-old would have more of a discography, but Excite! only released two MVs and one digital single during their run: “Try Again,” “Come Back to Me,” and “Day of Tears.” While “Try Again,” was their most popular song, they failed to gain footing in Korea. They held promotions and fan meets in China as a five-member group before Tae.G departed. The group split in 2016 without a mention by Ares Entertainment.

 

FameUs | September 2014 (Official)- 2016

FameUs had many familiar faces as the majority of the members were in F1rst. While their first song, “Crazy,” caught some fans’ attention despite its abysmal English (“Please don’t go away/From girl/Cuz I’m all”), their second song, “The Only Stupid One,” was more lowkey success-wise. FameUs were popular in the Philippines. Upon their disbandment news, it was revealed that Jung Hoon, Daeyoung, and Do A are now under a new company in the group AxisB. Han Saem is currently serving in the military. Kudo and Hanyoung’s activities are unknown.  

 

F.Cuz | January 2010- September 2016F.Cuz | January 2010- September 2016

UPDATE: F.Cuz reformed in November and announced they will be active as an independent group searching for a label. In January, they released a single, “Pretty,” for their third anniversary. The single cover suggests they are now a three-member group with Daegun and Raehyun serving in the military at present. F.Cuz were one of those groups that their true talent and abilities weren’t tapped into enough within the Korean market. The group promoted mostly in Japan during their six-year run despite having some popularity in the Korean market. F.Cuz had some bop songs like “Midnight Sun” (which is probably among their best) and “One Love.” Their last Korean album, Bargaining for Love, peaked at number 18 on the Gaon Chart, which isn’t bad by any means; their eighth Japanese single, “Two of Us,” peaked at number three on the Oricon charts, showing their popularity in the country. When their contracts ended in September, the group chose not to renew leading to their demise.

 

GI (Global Icon) | April 2013- 2016

GI were a group with a lot of potential when they debuted with “Beatles,” but they couldn’t quite capture the magic they had with their subsequent releases. Contract lawsuits (Aram and OneKet) and lineup and concept changes didn’t help the group either, especially when they switched from a boyish, fierce concept to a more feminine one. In March, Eunji announced her departure from the group; Dokyung deleted all her social media. Hee So re-debuted with AGirls then re-debuted again with HEXE. Nayeon and Jiamin are still listed as being with SimTong Entertainment.

 

 

KARA | March 2007- January 2016

Many consider KARA one of the groups that helped usher in the Hallyu Wave. Their poppy tracks and unique color were winning formulas for most of their run even though there were lineup changes. In Japan, KARA were super popular as many of their promotions were there, and in the latter years, the Japanese sound was within their Korean tracks. With hits like “Mister,” “Jumping,” and “Pandora,” KARA fans were kept happy for many years before Gyuri, Seungyeon, and Hara’s contracts ended. The trio moved to different companies while Youngji stayed with DSP. Gyuri, though, states KARA did not disband and that they will get together in the future.

 

LedT/LEDapple | October 2010- March 2016

LedT, formerly LEDapple, had a nice following for the six years they were together. Despite member changes, they quietly released a solid discography that attracted fans, especially in Europe where they held a few tours and had a strong fanbase. The band-concept group had some strong songs including “Sadness,” “Time Is Up,” and “Let the Wind Blow,” and were among the first K-Pop groups to visit Poland and Turkey.

 

Lose Control | 2015-2016

Lose Control was supposed to debut in 2015. However, music was not released. In 2016, it was announced the group no longer existed and would reform as D.I.P. Lose Control members G.Wan (Seungho), Hyeong Seong, Soo Min, Su Han, and Yu-Bon are in D.I.P and debuted with “Fizz” on November 9.

 

 

 

LoveUs | July 2015- January 2016
LoveUs was a short-lived group with two singles, “Tickle” and “Lovely Boy,” that they released in 2015. The group consisted of four members—Mi Gyo, Dan Bi, Ha Yang, and EunA. Mi Gyo (Da Hye) and Dan Bi were formerly of the also-disbanded group Bob Girls. On social media, the members no longer mention LoveUs, while Mi Gyo busks in Hongdae.

 

 

 

Lucky Girls | July 2016- Shortly after debut

In July, Lucky Girls debuted with the digital single “Only You.” While the vocals weren’t the strongest, the song showed they had some potential. Shortly after the song’s release, the trio made up of Sandy (Song Ji Young), LeeSol, and Harin disbanded. They weren’t lucky girls after all.

 

 

 

M.Crown | October 2015- 2016

M.Crown debuted with “Avenue to Nowhere.” Unfortunately, the song turned out to be prophetic. While the song was okay, it was generic and didn’t really show off their talents. M.Crown didn’t catch on and said goodbye.

 

 

 

M.I.B | October 2011- October 2016

M.I.B’s disbandment wasn’t a surprise since the writing has been on the wall for a while with Kangnam, 5Zic, CREAM, and SIMS engaging in solo activities for two years. It’s a shame that M.I.B ended because they had songs that are now considered classic by K-Pop fans. With songs like “Dash (Men in Black),” “Nod Along,” “Let’s Talk About You,” and “Only Hard for Me,” M.I.B did have staying power. We wish them well in their solo endeavors!

 

 

MINX | September 2014- November 2016

In 2014, MINX debuted as a promising group with “Why Did You Come to My Home?” The song was refreshing and different with an awkward arrangement that helped the girls stand out from other 2014 girl groups. Unfortunately, their 2015 comeback was the throwaway track “Love Shake.” Since the lackluster 2015, MINX disappeared and disbanded quietly this past November. All former MINX members will re-debut with two new girls in 2017 as the new group Dreamcatcher.

 

 

M.O.A. | February 2014-2016

M.O.A didn’t stand a chance with their ironically-named company Professional Entertainment. Since their debut, the group has been nothing but a hot mess. Their debut song, “I’ll Call You,” was even banned for low quality, and the updated MV wasn’t much better. Then there was the pitchy, messy track “Run for Your Dream” that showed no improvement in vocal ability. The girls were likeable, but they lacked training, finesse, and a good company. Hyena is now a soloist, while Chanhee, Zebra, and Jayoung became members of the now-disbanded 4L. Jayeong, Zelli, Dain, Hyo Ju, Miba, Geon Hye, and Hika have not updated their plans.

 

MyB | August 2015- December 2016

Blonde cuties MyB didn’t really get much of a chance, which is a shame because their infectious smiles and upbeat music could have won fans over easily. Their debut track “My Oh My” and their follow-up single “Ddoddo” had the cute, peppy vibe that could easily lift a listener’s spirit. Maroo Entertainment didn’t allow them time to shine. Hopefully, Hee Joo, Moon Hee, U Jung, Joo Kyung, G-Won, and Ha Yoon will resurface somewhere else soon.

 

N*White | September 2014- April 2016

Cute concept group N*White had a small fan-following, but the fans they had adored them and considered them underrated. While “Hello Boy” wasn’t a memorable official debut song, their subsequent track “Paradise” showed their strong potential along with the OST-sounding track “My Sunshine.” Before they officially disbanded, Soohyun left the group sometime between September 2015 and March 2016 due to “company circumstances.” Soohyun was considered the group’s lyricist. The group officially disbanded in April without an official announcement, leaving Su Bin and Ha Kyung’s future unknown. Lina left the group in 2014-2015.

 

NOM | September 2013- February 2016

NOM were one of those groups that was oft-forgotten. During their run, they released four singles that were also forgotten about quickly. When they disbanded earlier this year, the news was also quiet but surprising for fans who knew them. However, members K, Yohan, and A-In are in the upcoming group TopSecret, while Hu is a member of AFOS.

 

 

NPI | October 2015-2016

New Planet Icons (NPI) released “Vampire” in late 2015 to little fanfare. The song sounded like a dance track with heavy VIXX elements, so the group didn’t even have a unique identity. There wasn’t even an official MV for “Vampire” except practice room video, so they didn’t even get a proper debut before disbanding.

 

 

 

OneVoices | May 2015- 2016

Consisting of members E_Stun and J.Han, the duo created a buzz with “Flush,” their debut song. The song was smooth and catchy with decent vocals, but they failed to catch on even though it captured the 1990s vibe well. After “Flush,” OneVoices disappeared and split this year.

 

 

PRITZ | April 2014- 2016

Ah, PRITZ… what is there to say about this group that was run by a trainwreck company (Pandagram) that sunk the poor girls’ ship before it set sail? PRITZ pre-debuted with “Go Girls” in 2014 before officially debuting with “Too Difficult.” The thing about PRITZ is that they actually had good voices, but then Pandagram decided to fashion them as a BabyMetal-wannabe group with “Sora Sora.” Of course, the gothic styling wasn’t the only thing got people’s feathers rustled, but the red armbands used in the MV and album cover gave people Nazi vibes. That was when PRITZ’s funeral began. Following “Sora Sora,” PRITZ blessed us with the J-Metal-sounding “Crazy Cowboy” before disappearing into obscurity. The Pretty Rangers in the Terrible Zone didn’t survive the battle, which is sad because they were different even though they mostly walked the J-Pop Sound side of life. Long live, PRITZ: We’ll never forget you.

 

Rainbow | November 2009- November 2016

Rainbow never received the credit they were due, and this is probably due to being under the sinking ship that is DSP Entertainment. Rainbow had a consistently strong discography that included underappreciated bops “Black Swan,” “Mach,” and “To Me.” The Rainbow girls were talented and had potential to be stars if used correctly, but DSP failed them. Fans failed them too by not providing enough support. Needless to say, this disbandment has left a certain someone bitter.

 

Roadboyz | November 2015-November 2016

When they debuted in 2015, Roadboyz attracted a solid international fanbase with their track “Show Me Bang Bang.” Since their solid debut song, newer releases didn’t quite show their talents and abilities, especially their last track “Shake It Shake It.” While the song had delicious Big Band sound, the track came across as out of key and sometimes whiny. While one bad track shouldn’t sink an entire ship, Roadboyz didn’t survive to release another track.

 

 

 

 

The Seeya | November 2012- 2016

The Seeya, a group that is the original Seeya’s second rendition, didn’t get enough credit or promotion time to gain a fandom. Plus, they were also under Core Contents Media (now MBK Entertainment), another company that really doesn’t care to promote their groups not named T-ara properly (RIP F-ve Dolls and SPEED; there’s a reason Davichi left…). The Seeya had rich vocals and an ability to tell a story through their emotion. When their incredible debut track “Be With You” failed to get recognition, it was only a matter of time before they said “seeya!” They did last longer than expected, but who noticed?

 

SPEED | January 2013- 2016

SPEED, like Rainbow, were a group with a consistently strong discography that actually had better songs than some of the “bigger” groups out there today, but that’s neither here nor there. They had a loyal fanbase in DEEPS that stood by the group through Taewoon’s departure (a strong indicator that disbandment was near) and the team’s unofficial disbandment. SPEED’s crime? Being under CCM/MBK did them in. They were never promoted well even though they had the same release schedule (first quarter of the year) since debut. When they made comebacks, it was often announced a few days before an album or MV release, so there wasn’t enough time for fans to mobilize. SPEED’s music also disappeared quickly on digital outlets, so songs were hardly available for purchase, and physical albums were a rare commodity especially for international fans. With amazing songs like “It’s Over,” “That’s My Fault,” “What U,” “Pain the Love of the Heart,” and “Look at Me Now,” SPEED deserved more than what they got.

 

Sunny Days | May 2012- 2016
In 2015, Sunny Days and their management announced that their single, “Blah Blah,” needed to perform well or else the group was in danger of disbanding. While “Blah Blah” had everything going for it to make it a song that could perform well, it didn’t. The group quietly disbanded early in 2016 with the deletion of the Instagram and other social media; their Facebook hasn’t been updated since November 2015. During their run, Sunny Days released six singles including the aforementioned “Blah Blah” and “I Must Be Crazy” and “Don’t Touch Me.” They also had a sub-unit, Sunny Days Real Vocal, that released one single: “With the Same Lips.” The final lineup for Sunny Days, Sun-Kyung, Da Young, Dasom, Jung-Yun, Heuira, haven’t announced any future plans.

 

SUS4 | March 2015- November 2016

TK Entertainment’s three-member girl group debuted with “Shake It Up,” which wasn’t a strong song by any means. Following the release, the group underwent member changes and returned with the much stronger “Pick Me Up.” They also performed for the Heaven’s Promise OST. In November, SUS4 and their company mutually decided to part ways. Sanha, Hwilin, and Hena will re-debut in H2L in 2017.

 

 

 

The Ark | April 2015- March 2016

When they debuted with “The Light” in 2015, The Ark quickly became a highly lauded and anticipated rookie group that quickly earned a solid fanbase. However, as quickly as they hit the scene with their impactful song and MV, they quickly and quietly vanished. The Ark fansites state that on K-Pop Star 6, Minju said The Ark disbanded and that she was on the program to find a new company. Music K no longer has the group listed on their site, but they are teasing a new girl group, WHITE, that is expected to debut in 2017; Jane and Halla, the only two members left with the company, are expected to be part of the group.  Yuna left the company sometime between 2015 and 2016. Yujin has been in treatment for vocal cord nodules.

 

TINT | October 2013- Early 2016

TINT were cute and charming when they debuted with “Love at First Sight.” Their sweet personas wore thin in “Wolf is Stupid,” which was a messy, awkward song with an even worse MV. TINT had potential to remain charming if it wasn’t for the negative turn in music quality. After being on hiatus for two years, the group disbanded without fanfare earlier this year.

 

 

Trophy | October 2015-2016

Trophy had moments of potential in “Kiss & Goodbye” and “Close to Me,” but like many other flower boy groups, they suffered from generic boyband syndrome. Nothing set them apart, but they had good visuals and sound. Their true downfall came with lack of promotion as both singles were digital singles. It’s no surprise their run was short-lived.

 

 

Vividiva | September 2015- March 2016

Vividiva debuted with a cute-but-sexy, maid-themed concept with “Service.” The song generated mild buzz because of the theming, but it wasn’t enough buzz to thrust the girls into the spotlight. The girls and their cuteness disbanded in March. While Guu Me!, Ha.L, Sara, and SaeYan’s futures are up in the air, adorable vocalist Sun-Yul will redebut in TWINKLE.

 

 

Welldone Potato | June 2014- 2016

Banana Culture’s male group was a ballad quartet with two singles: “Shouldn’t Have Treated You Well” and “Empty Streets.” The group exuded maturity despite their name, and they had strong vocals to help their cause. Apparently, though, they were overbaked since they disbanded sometime after August of this year.

 

ZPZG | September 2014- March 2016

Zest Play Zest Grow (ZPZG) debuted in 2014 with some buzz with “Go Crazy,” but 2015’s “AOAO” earned them mild attention thanks to charismatic music show performances. While they did have some fans, the group didn’t have strongly recognizable songs that could have put them on the map, so they were sadly more generic than a standout. The disbanded in March of this year leaving being a small but upset fandom. Gyeom and Khan became a duo called Z.ON (ZPZG On) in August and released “A Second Side” soon after. N.K and Jihoon haven’t emerged from obscurity yet.

 

2016 will soon be over and as we look back, it would be safe to claim that this year definitely produced a lot of “ups-and-downs,” politically and socially in Korea. The Korean entertainment industry was no exception.

We will reflect just primarily on some of the negative incidences, which hit the headlines on the Korean celebrity news in the year of 2016.

The celebrities stated below mostly have ended up forfeiting not only their careers and reputation; they had to endure shame and regret from the outcome of their unwise actions.

This article is not intended to make record of unproven facts or rumors. And we also have to keep in mind that we can never cover the conclusion or make rash assumptions if the case is still under investigation.

DUI

Korea has an undeniably “loose” drinking culture and even the Korean police have the tendency to be lenient towards people who are intoxicated.  Nevertheless, there should never be a justifiable reason (or excuse) for DUI; you can never rule out the possibility that someone could get injured or in worse scenarios, killed.

Like in most countries, anyone convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol (or drugs) can be fined or given a prison sentence.

This year, there have been quite a number of celebrities who drove in the dead of night while under the influence of alcohol. Instead of getting a cab or a driver’s service, they chose to drive while intoxicated themselves; forgetting that much would be at stake for them.

Here are just a few of those entertainers who had to pay a price for their actions regarding DUI.

 

Lee Chang-Myung

In mid-April 2016, Comedian and TV presenter, Lee Chang-Myung, crashed into a traffic light while driving his Porsche at an intersection, around 11 p.m. while heading for his home. He then fled the scene before the police arrived.

Around 20 hours later, Lee visited the police station and denied he had been driving while intoxicated, saying he drove off to the hospital having been injured from the accident.

Five hours prior to the accident, Lee and six of his acquaintances had been consuming considerable amount of liquor at a restaurant, where they had stayed for over four hours. This made it hard to believe that the comedian was sober. However, his acquaintances informed the police that Lee did not consume any alcohol while he was dining with them.

But soon, it was revealed through CCTV footages that Lee was seemingly driving like a drunkard, ignoring traffic signals before smashing his vehicle into a traffic light. There is also said to be an existence of a hospital record, since Lee informed the doctor that he had two shots of Soju when he visited a hospital that very night.

Since the second hearing took place on November 17, this will now become an on-going trial, because Lee is still adamant about being sober at the time of the accident. He admits to one thing, which is not having his car insured.

Whether he was really drunk driving at the time or not; he should be thankful that he only ended up rammed into a traffic light and not another human being, or this accident would have turned out to be uglier than it already is.

 

Lee Jung

Korean singer, Lee Jung has been residing in Jeju Island since 2013, going to and from Seoul for work.

On April 22, Lee’s car was pulled over by the police at a DUI checkpoint near a gas station in Jeju. Few hours prior to the scene, he had met up with acquaintances and had been drinking.

At the time, the singer’s blood alcohol content level was more than enough to get his driver’s license cancelled.

Lee left a message via his site, apologizing for causing disappointment for his fans and that his action was inexcusable. Lee will be taking time off from his activities.

 

Super Junior’s Kangin

K-pop boy band, Super Junior’s Kangin – whose real name is Kim Youngwoon –has been notorious for displaying his issues with alcohol for quite some time.

In May of 2016, Kim was initially reported to have turned himself in to the police, just 11 hours after he rammed his Mercedes into a streetlamp highly intoxicated at dawn. When asked what took him that many hours to turn himself in, he said he wasn’t so sure what had happened at the time.

It was later revealed that Kim’s manager initially went to the police in his place.

The last time he got into big trouble due to his alcohol was back in 2009 – to cut the long story short – he had quickly fled the scene and got himself enlisted in the military.

His die-hard fans were glad to see him back after he was discharged, as they have a way of forgiving their biases easily. But for the majority of the public, Kim’s behavior played a crucial role in diminishing Super Junior’s popularity.

For those of you who may not be aware of the regulations of the Korean military: please take note that being discharged from the military does not mean you are completely free from further military duties. After being discharged, you are required to receive training at the Reserved Forces Military and cover additional hours per year for seven years.

Amidst Kim’s DUI issue, he is also reported to have missed out two years of training at the Reserved Forces Military, which is regarded as a serious offence.

Kim replied that he was abroad and busy due to his schedule. But you still need to contact the military ahead of time, which was something he and his management failed or neglected to do. It’s highly possible Kim thought he could get away with missing some training. In terms of the payment of the fine, because it is not an immense amount; some do tend to neglect the training. But this could lead to a more serious punishment.

His agency also announced that Kim will be removed from all his activities.

 

Clazziquai’s Horan

On September 29 2016, Korean singer, Horan from the Korean pop group, Clazziquai, was arrested for DUI.

Her Jeep had smashed into another vehicle; parked on the side of the road and ended up injuring the passenger. The injured passenger was reported to have been a garbage collector who was taking a break in his truck at dawn.

Horan, whose real name is Choi Sujin, was on her way to the radio station where she is working as a radio DJ, at 5 a.m., she had been consuming alcohol around midnight.

DUI is common with Korean celebrities, but she was just a hair away from taking someone’s life while driving to work intoxicated.

Choi was usually known to the public as a smart woman with good judgment, but we might take a minute to wonder whether it would have been that difficult for Choi to ask someone like a manager or an assistant to drive in her place? (Somebody sober, that is.) She was known to be a relatively heavy drinker.

What’s ironic is that Clazziquai had just released their long-awaited new album but their lead singer will be halting all activities.

It is also a shame since we speculate that after recently getting a divorce from her husband of three years, it would have been a rough time for Choi.

Her band mate, Alex also had his share of alcohol issues back in 2012, when he was arrested by the police at DUI checkpoint. He had to be removed from his car racing team and had to halt from all his activities and stayed under the radar for the past few years.

 

Fraud and Plagiarism

Young Nam Jo

Young Nam Jo (71) is a Korean veteran singer, TV personality, self-proclaimed painter who gained fame in the 70s. Jo grew up in an underprivileged background but Jo currently ranks at the top for being the wealthiest Korean celebrity, and has held this title for many years.

(He is also known for being a notorious miser according to some reliable sources. Neglecting to pay child support for his own children would be one example but we won’t discuss that here since that would be another story altogether.)

Jo’s trouble with the law; first came to light when an anonymous artist claimed he had been ghost-painting for Jo’s art work for several years – he received a meager price for each piece of the paintings – these paintings were later sold at much higher costs without the painter’s knowledge.

It is reported that more than 300 art pieces were sold under the singer’s name since 2009.

Jo’s art mostly covers imageries of “Hwatu,” which is a pack of traditional Korean cards used for gambling for his paintings. Each painting accumulated quite a sum, not necessarily for their artistic form or value but because of the singer’s fame.

When Jo received backlash for selling art that he didn’t produce himself, he argued that he’s the creative force behind the work and that his “assistants” only replicates them into actual form. Then Jo allegedly oversees the art and finishes it off. Jo went so far as to say that he was doing a service by hiring starving painters.

It is a well-known fact that in-demand artists often use assistants or apprentices to work for them, but this would be in order to meet the need for mass production – which is definitely not the same case with Jo and his art. The art collectors who purchased the singer’s work were never aware the celebrity was using any assistance, which is the main factor for Jo’s art business accused of being shady and illegal. Consequently, Jo cancelled his solo art exhibition and stayed out of the public eye for months. But the worse was yet to come.

During the final trial on the case this past Wednesday, on December 22, prosecutors asked for a one-and-a-half year prison sentence for Jo and his manager to be put behind bars. Jo’s manager was responsible for arranging the deals between the painters and Jo.

According to the prosecutor, “If the assistant owns the copyright on his works, then what Jo did was an act of fraud because he presented them as if they were his own.”

The court trial will open on February 8, 2017. So we’ll have to watch and see how this plays out.

 

Sexual assault

Park Yuchun

In June 2016, Korean boy-bander and actor, Park Yuchun, during his two-year mandatory military as a public service agent, was accused of multiple sexual assault charges.

Scandalous strings of sexual accusations involving Park initially started after a bartender claimed that she was raped by him in the restroom of the bar she worked. Park refuted by saying the sex was consensual. This day was said to be his birthday and he was celebrating with his acquaintances.

The accuser dropped the charges just few days later and her boyfriend also claimed that she was at the time drunk. It was speculated at the time that Park’s management and the woman had come to an agreement of some sort. One month later, she re-surfed on the news again claiming that she was forced to have intercourse with Park in the restroom.

Then three additional women (who worked at a similar occupation background) came forward and accused the singer of rape. Most of these accusers claim they were raped in the restroom, one of them said she had to take therapy after being confined and raped in the restroom.

It seems Park to have been a regular to this bar (or whatever it is) which is known to be exclusive franchise that operates this sort of business and the access is usually visitors who are affluent males. We will not disclose the name of the business or get deeper into this topic, and most information can be found for those who are interested.

These females working at that bar are not necessarily considered as ladies of the evening but they can choose to accept offers and their employers take a percentage of their earnings.

Park is still serving the military as a public service agent, so this kind of exposure to his personal life seemed even more disturbingly inappropriate and degrading to his image.

In the same month, Park was acquitted of all four charges of rape and counter-sued his accusers of false accusation and blackmail. The first woman has currently been sentenced 2 years of imprisonment for blackmailing Park along with her cousins, who had hired gangsters to demand more money. The second accuser, who turned out to be the first woman’s accomplice, was sentenced one year and six months in jail.

Park’s die-hard fans still show loyalty and undying support – but in this kind of situation, even if Park gets completely freed from all his charges – the ones who pull away the quickest and burn bridges are the people who can make or break Park’s career, the directors or producers who previously worked or who were considering to work with him in the future. Since hiring a celebrity with a tainted reputation would also give them a bad name.

 

*Please take note that detailed events will not be found on this article, since my intention was to only make a brief summary and this is an on-going trial.

 

Uhm Tae Woong

In August of 2016, Korean actor and TV personality, Uhm Tae Woong was questioned by the police for rape and soliciting prostitution because an employee of a certain massage parlor accused of being raped by the actor several months before.

Prostitution is illegal in Korea, so usually these kinds of operations are disguised as massage parlors and other facilities. It turned out that this massage parlor Uhm visited happened to be the latter.

The actor had paid for service for prostitution but it seems the massage parlor thought it more profitable to blackmail the actor instead.

At present, sexual assault charges against the actor have been dropped, but investigations regarding prostitution are still ongoing.

What’s most unfortunate is that Uhm’s wife suffered a miscarriage with their second child, due to the shock of this publicized incident.

 

Lee Juno

Lee Juno is a former dancer and a business man; but best known for being the part of “Seotaji and the Boys,” the best-selling contemporarily pop band in Korea during the 90s.

On June 25, at around 3 a.m., Lee Juno (49) was accused of sexual assault against two females at a night club based in Itaewon, Seoul.

The victims told the police that Lee came up to them (highly intoxicated) and sexually molested them multiple times and continued to bother them. When Lee was escorted out of the club, he allegedly slapped the club owner. This was at a night club, so there would probably be a number of people who witnessed this, if it happened.

Lee was in a very similar situation reported in the news in 2002. He had met a female while drinking at a night club, took her back to his recording studio and she later sued Lee for sexually assaulting her. That incident was later settled between them.

At the trial held in November, Lee denied all charges of sexually harassing the two females and using violence at the club owner, but admitted to being very drunk.

Since 2014, Lee was also sued for not paying back loaned money when most of his business ventures failed. These two cases are still on-going.

 

 

Regardless of what has happened in 2016, we hope for everyone’s well-being and happiness for the New Year of 2017.

Have a blessed New Year!

 

– J.Chung

K.A.R.D (pronounced, “Card”) is a Korean co-ed group formed by DSP Media, consists of four members: J.seph, B.M, Somin and Jiwoo.

The letters of K.A.R.D each represents a card to a specific group member, which is a pretty interesting concept. Like hidden cards, there will also be featured hidden acts to associate with the group from time to time.

Here’s a brief introduction to the K.A.R.D members:

J. Seph (제이셉) the rapper and dancer of the group,was born on June 21, 1992 in South Korea. He was featured in Goo Hara’s single, “Choco Chip Cookies” and appeared inKARA’s “Mama Mia” music video. He represents the letter A, the Ace card.

B.M, who is in charge of the rap making and choreography, was born on October 20, 1992 in Los Angeles and is a former K-pop Star contestant. He featured in KARA’s member, Goo Ha-ra‘s “LA LA LA” single and was her dance partner for her album’s title track “Choco Chip Cookies”. He represents the letter K, the King card.

Jeon Somin (전소민) was born on August 22, 1996 in Korea. She is also a former two girl groups, Puretty and April, and took part on the Kara Project where she finished in second place. She represents the letter R as in BlackJokeR.

Jeon Jiwoo (전지우) was born on October 4, 1996 in Korea and was previously a trainee from FNC Entertainment, but recently joined DSP Media.

She represents the letter R in ColorJokeR.

On November 30, 2016 DSP Media released K.A.R.D’s first teaser announcing the group. On December 1, the agency revealed the first two members, B.M and Jiwoo. The next day, J. Seph and Somin were additionally introduced.

DSP Media revealed performance videos of Jiwoo and J. Seph on December 6.

The same day, the album titled; “K.A.R.D Project Vol. 1” was released and DSP Media stated would hold a debut showcase “Debut Party” on December 12, especially for exclusive fans at Queen Live Hall.

 

Debut single: Oh NaNa

On December 8, Kara’s Youngji was announced to be a hidden/guest member for the debut single, Oh NaNa. (For your information, hidden members are artists that are featured in the songs and participate in promotions, without being completely part of the group. They represent the letter D in the group.)

 

K.A.R.D’s debut single “Oh NaNa,” mostly has a sound infused with hip-hop and upbeat catchy tune, showcasing the female vocals, was produced by the Producer, Nassun and BM. Along with J. Seph contributing to its lyrics. Producer, Nassun featured as a cameo on their music video.

We must conclude by adding that we wish the group members the best of luck in their new venture.

 

— J. Chung.

 

Former Singer

On December 7, 2016 at 4:42pm local time, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-661 crashed in the mountains near Havelian, Pakistan, about 64 miles away from Islamabad. The plane, which was carrying 42 passengers, five crew members, and a ground engineer, was en route to Islamabad from Chitral, Pakistan. All 48 people on board perished.

Prior to the crash, the pilot reported losing power over one of the two engines on the plane. The pilot reportedly made a mayday call the National Disaster Management Authority said. Witnesses on the ground report seeing the plane “plummeting” prior to hitting the mountains.

PIA chairman Azam Sehgal said, “We were confident that the plane could land with one working engine. This is a tragedy. We are not absolving ourselves of any connection to this incident. We accept that it was our aircraft, and these were our passengers, and what happened is very sad.”

Video and images taken from the crash show debris and the surrounding area on fire.

“All of the bodies are burned beyond recognition,” said government official Taj Muhammad Khan.

Sehgal added that an investigation into the crash will occur soon, but that the focus is “to retrieve dead bodies from the wreckage, transport them to Islamabad, and hand them over to their families.”

The fire and terrain are making recovery efforts difficult.

Havelian police official Kurshid Tanoli said, “The nearest village to the site is Batolani and is deep in the hills. Vehicles and ambulances can only go to Batolani and then it is a 30-minute walk.”

However, helicopters and 500 troops were deployed to the area where 40 out of the 48 bodies have been recovered at the time of this writing. The victims’ bodies are being transported to Ayub Medical Complex Abbottabad for DNA testing so family can be notified.

 

 

Junaid Jamshed Among Dead

Authorities confirm that among those who perished is evangelical Muslim cleric, fashion designer, and former pop star and actor Junaid Jamshed. His agent, Arsalan Khan, confirmed the news.

Background and Career

Jamshed was a member of the 1980s and 1990s group Vital Signs. The group was among Pakistan’s most well-known. In 1987, they released “Dil Dil Pakistan,” which is considered Pakistan’s unofficial national anthem. Vital Signs are credited as the group that helped develop Pakistan’s Rock scene. Following their second album, Vital Signs 2, in 1993, the group toured the United States.

Prior to his music career, Jamshed began earning a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from University of Engineering and Technology (UET) in Lahore. He graduated in 1990 while he was a member of Vital Signs. He was a civilian contractor for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and briefly performed aeronautical engineering duties for PAF’s science command division before resigning to continue his music career.

While still a UET student, Jamshed performed Rock music at different universities before joining his university’s rock band Nuts and Bolts in 1987. While performing at the Flashman’s Hotel in Rawalpindi, future Vital Signs bandmates, Rohail Hyatt and Shahzad Hasan, asked him to join the group as the lead vocalist.

In the 1990s following Vital Signs’ disbandment, Jamshed performed as a solo artist. His 1999 album, Us Rah Par, became a best-selling album that produced several hit songs including “Us Rah Par,” “Na Tu Ayegi,” “Aankhon Ko Aankhon Ney,” and “O Sanama.” In 2001, his final album, Dil Ki Baat, also experienced commercial success.

Post-Music Life

Following his last two albums, Jamshed experienced financial difficulties between 1999 and 2001. In 2001, Jamshed filed for bankruptcy following the 9/11 terrorist attacks after his Western concert tour failed. Jamshed attempted to go back to his engineering career but did not succeed. He later opened a fashion-design company with a friend and soon opened the clothing store J. (J-Dot). 

In 2004, Jamshed announced he had devoted his life to Islam and renounced music. Even though he abandoned music and once considered it haram, Jamshed continued to perform religious music or nasheeds on occasion until his death.

Controversies

While serving as a cleric, Jamshed was not a stranger to controversy. In 2015, he was blasted for sexist remarks when he stated, “Allah dislikes that any woman should be named [in the Quran].” He later clarified the comments.

Prior to aforementioned, Jamshed was accused of blasphemy that led several Sunni Muslim organizations to file First Information Reports against him. In the reports released by The Economist, Jamshed mocked one of the Prophet Muhammad’s wives. On Facebook, Jamshed apologized after Pakistani police were involved in the case. Jamshed fled to the United Kingdom following the controversy, but he soon returned home to Pakistan. While he managed to escape the controversy relatively unscathed, there were still people who vehemently disliked him for his comments. As recently as March of 2016, Jamshed was assaulted at the Islamabad Airport.

Jamshed was also the subject of frequent satire due to what many deemed as conflicting interests and interpretation of the Quran.

Achievements

Despite his controversies, Jamshed had his share of achievements while serving as a cleric. He spent a significant amount of time as a philanthropist who focused on maternal health. Through his work with Muslim Charity, five hospitals that focus on maternal health have been erected around Pakistan. The charity efforts also extend worldwide.

In addition to maternal health, Jamshed zoned in on trying to improve literacy rates in his country via an exchange program where rundown mosques are refurbished and village imams receive housing in exchange for teaching the Quran to children. In 2013, Jamshed said, “The idea is to get these kids off the streets. We make them realize that they have a responsibility towards themselves. With mentorship, they realize that education is their path to a better life. Our aim is to produce peaceful and responsible citizens.”

In 2007, Jamshed was awarded the Medal of Excellence by the Pakistani president.  In 2016, he was named one of the world’s most influential Muslims.

Death

The Guardian reports that Jamshed was a follower of Tableeghi Jamaat, an “ultraorthodox Islamic sect which preaches that Muslims should replicate the life of Muhammad and tells them it is their duty to travel the world converting non-believers to the one true faith.”

Staying true to the belief, Jamshed was in Chitral for a 15-day preaching tour. He and his youngest wife, Nahya Junaid, were returning to Islamabad to deliver the Friday sermon at the Parliament mosque when the plane crash occurred. On December 4, 2016, Jamshed updated his Twitter with an image from the mission trip calling Chitral “Heaven on Earth.”

There are conflicting reports regarding how many wives Jamshed had with some sources stating he had three while others claim two. He is also survived by his three sons and one daughter.

 

—-Joelle Halon