Nightlife in Seoul

Nightlife in Seoul – Where To Be In Seoul At Night

One of the defining characteristics of the nightlife in Seoul, in my opinion, would be that you can always find something to eat, drink or do.  And, another great thing is that the city is pretty safe to walk around when it’s past midnight.

It is safe to claim that Seoul has definitely a more vibrant vibe and energy at night than in the daytime.  If you know where to be that is.  Below are some suggestions as to where you can experience the Korean nightlife.

Do not expect to see every shop and restaurant open all night, but many restaurants are open very late, past midnight.  Certain restaurants, “Noraebangs” and “Jjimjilbangs” are open for business 24 hours.

The Korean karoke rooms known as the “Noraebang” (which means Song Room in Korean) pay a massive role in Korean night life since singing is a favorite entertainment for many Koreans.  The Noraebang fee would depend on the quality of the accommodation, the room capacity and the hours you choose to stay singing.  Alcohol drinks and snacks are often available.  You can also order additional fast food from elsewhere and sing the hours away with your friends or even by yourself.  Under the age of 18 must have their parent’s permission to be in a Noraebang after 10:00 p.m.  Noreabangs are open practically all night as most Korean pubs are open for 24 hours.

“Jjimjilbangs” are like public dry sauna houses in Korea.  It’s not just a great place to recover from fatigue and revive the body and mind, it often works as a great place for dating and hanging out with family and friends.  Jjimjilbangs are usually open all night.  For people who need affordable places to sleep and rest, are all welcome and should be comfortable there, since the environment accommodates you to take showers, use gym facilities, watch TV and take a nap there.

Hongdae – The Hongik University area being famous for its artsy, unique bars is a place you can watch indie bands performing underground or in the streets.  Hongdae is known for its artsy, fun fashion shops, art galleries and overall, it’s a great place to browse at night.

Shincheon, which is only a street away from the Hongdae area mentioned above, is well known for being the spot for Universities like Ewha Woman’s Uni, Yonsei Uni and Sogang Uni.  This region is famous for its number of popular bars, restaurants and Noraebangs all quite vibrantly packed at night.

Itaewon would offer you a global cultural experience you will not get any where else in Korea.  Numerous foreign restaurants like Greek, Turkish, Indian and European restaurants are located in Itaewon.  Most shops and stores accept U.S. dollars when you purchase something, even if it is something sold in the streets.  Most of all, Itaewon is notorious for being loud and bright during the night due to its many night clubs crowded with people from all parts of the world.  You can find unique clubs for latin music, Hip Hop, house music and so on.  You need to be 19 or over to be admitted inside the club legally in Korea.  Clubs will, normally check your ID before letting you in. (The legal drinking age is 20, for Korean age, 21)

The place I would personally recommend you visit at night is Gwanghwamun, City Hall and the nearby Myeongdong shopping area.  These places are in the Central area of Seoul, all located within walking distance.

It might just be my imagination, but the air feels fresher at night in Gwanghwamun, the lit-up statue of “Sejong the Great” who created the Hangeul and the canal called “Chunggaechun” that runs through the downtown and connects to the River Han is worth seeing.  The recreated canal was a $900 million dollar project completed in 2005, which is currently a very highly visited tourist destination.  The canal decorates “itself” differently every season, holds festivals and various kinds of events, concerts and public shows there.

Night outdoor activities are not unique in Korea, due to the nation’s abundant and climbable mountains, its rivers and lakes that have links to the sea.  70 percent of the land in Korea is mountainous, so hiking is a very popular hobby for a large population, many take their hobby to the extreme and camp out in the mountains at night.  Both the metropolitan area and the other rural regions have parks and for hiking, running and all kinds of sports.

Overall, Korea is at its peek at night and there is always something to do or see.  Why not visit or re-visit soon.

— J. Chung

Studio Ghibli, Inc. is a Japanese studio founded on June 5, 1985, in Tokyo, Japan.  The studio is known for producing animation movies, short-films, anime series, stage productions, music vídeos, exhibitions, TV commercials, etc.  Ghibli was founded after the success of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), which had its funds by Tokuma Shoten.  The highest-grossing movie that the studio produced was ‘’Spirited Away’’, which won a Golden Bear Award and an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.   Many of the films Ghibli makes have won the Animage Anime Grand Prix award while four of them won the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year.

The name ‘ghibli’ is derived from the Arabic name for ‘sirocco’, which means ‘Mediterranean wind’.  The idea of the name is to symbolize that the company is like a new wind blowing through the anime industry.  The headers of Studio Ghibli are: Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata (directors) and Toshio Suzuki (producer).  They created it after Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind became a huge success.  That movie was inspired by its two manga volumes, which was written by Miyazaki.  Other directors, who were invited later to work on the studio, include: Yoshifumi Kondo, Hiroyuki Morita, Gor? Miyazaki and Hiromasa Yonebayashi.  Most of the soundtracks were composed by Joe Hisaishi and Michiyo Yasuda takes part on the design and helps in the production of the movies.

In August of 1996, Disney and Tokuma Shoten Publishing made an agreement, which was estabilished that Disney would start to distribute all the movies from Studio Ghibli internationally.  Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Japan distributes the movies via home video, while Toho distributes them theatrically.  Other Ghibli’s international distribution partners are: GKIDS (North America), StudioCanal UK and Madman Entertainment (Australia). The studio has strict rules about its films: no cuts or editions when distributed internationally. Studio Ghibli also has a close relationship with the magazine, Animage, which has been reporting news about the company since its beginings.  That happens, because the studio is a subsidiary of Tokuma Shoten, aka the publisher of Animage.  There’s also a museum dedicated to Ghibli, in Tokyo, which was founded in October, 2001.  Two of the movies created for that museum were shown during the Carnegie Hall Citywise Japan NYC Festival, in March, 2011.

In February, 2008, Toshio Suzuki decided to move away from his position of Ghibli’s president and gave it to Koji Hoshino, who is the former president of Walt Disney Japan.  Suzuki was selected president back in 2005.  Toshio Suzuki also retired from producer, in March, 2014, and took over the position of general manager.  The new producer selected was Yoshiaki Nishimura.  In 2014 was also announced that Gor? Miyazaki would direct his first anime, Sanzoku no Musume R?nya, a computer-animated series produced by Polygon Pictures, and co-produced by Studio Ghibli.  Unfortunatly, it was also announced that Hayo Miyazaki would retire and that the company would take a hiatus due to his departure.

Here are all the movies that Studio Ghibli produced:
1984: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Kaze no Tani no Naushika) – pre-Ghibli
1986: Laputa: Castle in the Sky (Tenkuu no Shiro Rapyuta)
1988: Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka)
1988: My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro)
1989: Kiki’s Delivery Service (Majo no Takkyuubin)
1991: Only Yesterday (Omohide Poro Poro)
1992: Porco Rosso (Kurenai no Buta)
1993: Oceans waves (Umi ga Kikoeru)
1994: Pom Poko (Heisei Tanuki Gassen Ponpoko)
1995: Whisper of the Heart (Mimi wo Sumaseba),
1997: Princess Mononoke (Mononoke Hime)
1999: My Neighbors the Yamadas (Houhokekyo Tonari no Yamada-kun)
2001: Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi)
2002: The Cat Returns (Neko no Ongaeshi)
2004: Howl’s Moving Castle (Hauru no Ugoku Shiro)
2006: Tales From Earthsea (Gedo Senki)
2008: Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (Gake no Ue no Ponyo)
2010: The Borrower Arrietty (Karigurashi no Arietti)
2011: From Up on Poppy Hill (Kokuriko-Zaka Kara)
2013: The Wind Rises
2013: The Tale Of Princess Kaguya
2013: When Marnie Was There

Short Films:
2000: Ghiblies (TV short film)
2001: Kujiratori [The Whale Hunt], The Ghibli Museum
2001–9: Film Guru Guru (short film series), The Ghibli Museum
2002: Anno, Hideaki, K?s? no Kikaitachi no Naka no Hakai no Hatsumei
2002: Ghiblies Episode 2 (shown theatrically before The Cat Returns)
2002: Koro’s Big Day Out, The Ghibli Museum
2002: Imaginary Flying Machines, The Ghibli Museum
2002: Mei and the Kittenbus, The Ghibli Museum
2005: Looking for a Home, The Ghibli Museum
2005: The Day I Raised/Harvested a Planet, The Ghibli Museum
2005: Water Spider Monmon, The Ghibli Museum
2006: The Night of Taneyamagahara (DVD)
2007: Iblard Jikan (DVD and Blu-ray)
2010: Chu Zumo (shown at the Ghibli Museum)
2009: The Theory of Evolution
2010: Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess (shown at the Ghibli Museum)
2011: The Treasure Hunt (shown at the Ghibli Museum)
2013: Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo (shown at Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo)

Happy Chuseok everyone!

Today is supposed to be a day of family and happiness in Korea. Hopefully, for many, it is a happy day full of food and joy, although we know some recent events may not make it so.

While Chuseok festivities go on in Korea, many foreigners may not know what it is. Don’t worry: We have you covered!

What is Chuseok?

Chuseok is what is known by many as “Korean Thanksgiving” and goes by other Korean names like “hangawi,” “gabe,” or “jungchujul.” Like American Thanksgiving, the holiday celebrates a bountiful harvest, family, and even to provide thanks to ancestors for the harvest they are about to enjoy.  Workers and celebrities often go home for Chuseok in order to celebrate with loved ones.

When is Chuseok Celebrated?
Korea often uses the Lunar Calendar for important holidays and events. Chuseok is one of those important holidays that use the Lunar Calendar to determine where it falls.

Unlike the U.S. Thanksgiving that always falls on the fourth Thursday in November, Chuseok falls when the Harvest Moon is at its fullest.  For 2014, the fullest Harvest Moon appears on September 8; in 2015, the fullest Harvest Moon will be September 27.

Are There Any Chuseok Customs?
In the United States, there are a few things we’re accustom to with our Thanksgiving: Turkey, football, the National Dog Show, and maybe some feel-good TV movies. In Korea, Chuseok has many customs families may engage in to celebrate the holiday.

Beolcheo
Ancestors play a large role in Chuseok festivities. One of the first customs is beolcheo. Families visit the graves of ancestors to clear out plant debris as a sign of respect. Families are important, and cleaning the graves shows the living still respect those long gone. It is a sign of faithfulness to families since leaving graves unintended sends a negative message that a family does not care or do not want to perform their duties to appease ancestors.

 Seongmyo and Charye
Seongmyo involves celebrating ancestors by visiting their graves. Celebrations involve bringing food such as fruit, meat, and soju.

A family celebrates Chuseok with a traditional charye meal/via Epoch Times

Charye is where families set up an altar of food in the home for ancestors so they can eat well in the afterlife. The food for charye is often fresh foods from the harvest. After the ancestors “eat,” families then sit down to enjoy the food.  In Reply 1997, you can see a charye celebration done by Shi-won’s (A Pink’s Eun-Ji) parents.

Fun and Games
For Chuseok, there are even traditional games and activities such as ssireum and ganggangsullae.

Ssireum is Korean wrestling. Competitors get in the ring to show their strength and prowess while trying to pin one another. The competition keeps going until one man prevails as the strongest in the village.

Women take part in ganggangsullae, a traditional folk dance. To perform the dance, women join hands and dance in a circle while singing, celebrating the harvest moon. According to UNESCO, it is a dance to “relieve remorse and anger.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D73WBzzEG4

What are the Outfits Worn During Chuseok?
Chuseokbim (Korean dress) are new clothes worn for Chuseok. While some opt for traditional dress, others may purchase brand new Westernized clothing for the event. Some choose to forego hanbok due to cost, but those who do wear them often purchase one in neutral tones in order to stretch out their use for years to come.

B.A.P and Secret show off their traditional hanbok back in 2013.

During Chuseok, you may see images of actors, idols, and regular people wearing a traditional hanbok as their Chuseokbim. Hanbok come in many different colors, but it’s often recommended to wear one that best compliments skin tone and even the age of the wearer!

What are Some Chuseok Foods?
 
Since Chuseok celebrates harvest, fresh fruits, veggies, and grains are common Chuseok food.
One traditional food is songpyeon, a small colorful rice cake made with rice powder and filled with red beans, sesame, or chestnuts among many other tasty ingredients. The night before Chuseok, families gather to make the treat, which is also layered and steamed with pine needles to make it aromatic.

Songpyeon is an art in itself/via vaiguoren.wordpress.com

Eating songpyeon is supposed to bring good fortune to the eater, and legend says songpyeon may even help women find a good husband and give birth to pretty daughters.

Soju is also part of the traditional meal as it’s shared with family members to celebrate their ancestors.

Although Chuseok is a Korean holiday, foreigners can take a chance to experience the wonders of the holiday! Throughout Korea, you can take advantage of Chuseok events so you can see what it’s all about!

– Joelle Halon

Misheard Adventures Part One

K-Pop brings a lot of joy, but sometimes the lyrics cause a pause to say “what?”  Misheard lyrics are common when listening to music since my ears don’t work.  Checking my Kiss This Guy profile provides a slice of what I mean.

But, I’m not the only one mishearing lyrics.  Who can forget Taemin’s “Soy un Dorito”, Super Junior’s “Sexy, Free, and Single” bridge, or Girls’ Generation’s “I got a boy on my chin.  I got a boy chicken”?  So, in honor of misheard lyrics, here are some of mine.   Feel free to share and add to the list!

Taeyang ft. G-Dragon “I Need a Girl”

Girls’ Generation “Flower Power” (Japanese) 

Girls’ Generation “Run Devil Run”

Super Junior “Spy”

TVXQ “Humanoids”

4Ten “Tornado”

SHINee “Why So Serious?”

T-ara “Bo Peep”

EXO-K “Mama”

Super Junior “Superman”

B2st “Shadow”

M.I.B “Only Hard for Me”

Block B “Her”

– Joelle Halon

Even in 2014, tattoos are considered taboo in South Korea. For parts of the 20th Century, tattoos were only worn by gangs and the Korean mob, sending the message that tattoos are not an art form but a sign that someone should not be trusted. According to the Korean Herald and Global Post, tattoo artists in Korea are often underground (but open in plain sight in many instances) and move around often in order to avoid being caught by authorities and potentially raided. Tattoos are only legally allowed to be applied by doctors in Korea.

Today, the tide is turning on how tattoos are viewed in society. Young people view tattoos as a form of expression and art despite the old feelings toward tattoos that may remain in some aspects of society. With the change of attitude, many K-Pop idols are wearing their tattoos proudly for all to see, and companies have even taken to applying fake tattoos on their artists to show artistry and rebellion. Out of the idols that are out of the “tattoo closet,” whose tats are the real deal and whose are not?

2NE1
Clockwise from Left: Park Bom, 2NE1, and Minzy sport their “tattoos.” The card suits have yet to be confirmed./via YGLadies

Various MVs and promotions have boasted some fake tattoos such as Minzy’s tattoos in “I Am the Best” and Bom and Dara’s temporary tattoos for different promotions; let’s not forget the tattoos they sported in the “Ugly” MV. In 2013, CL posted a picture of all four girls sporting different tattoos representing a different suit in a deck of cards. Dara has a few pics of her Club tattoo, but it appears to change in size in each image.

So far, there is no indication the girls have real tattoos although they appear convincing.

Jooyeon, Jungha, and Nana flaunt their tattoos for “First Love.”/via Instagram, “First Love” MV

After School (Jooyeon, Jungha, Nana)

In the MV for “First Love,” the lovely ladies of After School sported different tattoos on their legs, shoulders, and arms. The tattoos show the girls’ tougher sides when paired with their sensual and innocent personas showcased in the MV. While convincing, these tattoos were fake and only for the purpose of the video and “First Love” promotions. Jooyeon sported a Henna tattoo, while Jungha and Nana either had theirs drawn on or had some high quality peel-and-stick tats.

Amber (f(x))

Amber’s tattoos focus on her faith./via OneHallyu

Amber’s tattoos—one on her wrist, the other on her back—are both real.  Amber’s wrist tattoo —“Faith/Pray”— forms a cross. Her back tattoo has writing on it, but it’s rarely clearly displayed, so it’s unclear what it consists of other than it looks large and has a cross too.

Bang Yongguk

Yongguk recently added another tattoo to his growing collection! In addition to his new “viva la revolucion” tattoo on his chest, he also has “do what u like and luv What u do” on his left shoulder and “mark art, not war” on his right arm.

The Yongguk tattoo collection/via Wattpad and Bangstagram

As for fan reaction, many tend to agree his back tattoo is the best, even inspiring to many who later got similar tattoos. His latest chest tattoo has experienced a split of love and hate. It’s his body and he can do what he pleases, though, regardless of how fans may feel.

Block B (Zico & Taeil)

Zico and Taeil both have real and interesting tattoos adorning their bodies. Zico’s tattoos have stories associated with them.

Clockwise from Left: Taeil’s images as seen on fan photos; Zico’s chest tattoos; Taeil’s “MVP Lucky” tattoo/via

OneHallyu

His “John the Apostle” is his baptized name, and the woman is an image of his mother. Fans seem to be divided on his “mom” tattoo calling it “sweet,” where others feel it makes him unapproachable. In addition to these, he also has the Shroud of Turin on his arm; one below “John the Apostle,” one near his left wrist, and some bees along his side.

Taeil has several tattoos on his chest and arms. For the most part, he does well covering them up since there are few pictures with them. However, he has tattoos ranging from tigers to roses to his “MVP LUCKY” tattoo on his arm.

BoA

The forever-fresh-faced K-Pop queen does have a tattoo of a large, fancily-adorned “B” on her upper back. In the center of the “B” stands an angel, a sweet homage to her name’s acronym “Beat of Angel.”

BoA’s ornate “B” features an angel and clean lines./via Ningin

G-Dragon
GD has eight confirmed tattoos:

• “Too fast to live, too young to die” on his back
• “Vita dolce” and a Keith Haring running heart on his right arm
• A Dragon ball on his left shoulder
• GD’s tattoos on display/via loveartandstylish.com
• “Mind control”  on his left side
• “Moderato” on his left arm
• “Forever Young” on his right side
• Two X’s right above his belly button

In MVs for “That X” and “Crooked,” GD wears Henna tattoos on his chest, fingers, arms, and face to help match the mood of the MVs.

Henry

Henry felt “trapped” by his bad boy image, so he ditched the fake tattoos/via WorldWideELFS
Followers of Super Junior M may have been shocked when, in 2013, teasers showed a heavily-tattooed Henry Lau for his “Trapped” solo debut. At subsequent fan-meetings, Henry was sans tattoos. Even without the fan-meetings, the tattoos for “Trapped” promotions appeared to be elaborate Henna and peel-and-sticks. So far, it doesn’t appear

Henry has any tattoos at all.

HongKi

HongKi gets tattoos added to his collection/via Tattoo Korea

FTIsland’s leader and resident fashionista, HongKi, has a few real tattoos dotting his body. Above both elbows, he has “FREEDOM” inked. His forearms have a pair of skeletons, showing his love for skeletons and skulls. One skeleton skateboards, while another sits on a martini glass blow-drying its flamed hair. Some images on the Internet show he has his Skull Hong logo tattooed on his shoulder, but it’s unclear whether this one is real or Henna.

Hyorin (Sistar)

Both Hyorin’s tattoos are visible for once./via RealKpoptattoos.tumblr.com

Sistar has two tattoos: A small one on her right arm, and a large cross on her stomach. The cross tattoo has a story around it as she got it to hide some scars she had from surgeries when she was young.  However, these tattoos are rarely seen on music shows since the producers require her to cover them up using tape or makeup. Many of the music shows are on the conservative side, so tattoos are seen as a potential bad influence on young people. But, you can see her tattoos in a few MVs and during concerts.

HyunA

HyunA’s tribute to her mother is one of K-Pop’s most recognizable tattoos./via Ningin

HyunA’s tattoos, may be polarizing for fans and anti-fans alike since tattoos are more taboo on females than males and because HyunA gets a general bad rap due to her image. Despite this, she does have five tattoos: “Fatum” (lower back), “Tempus” (right upper arm); a cross (left upper arm); and a tattoo on her shoulder.

Her biggest tattoo is on her back and says “My mother is the heart that keeps me alive.” Many fans actually love this tattoo and adore its sweet meaning, but the K-Pop community is torn on liking the other ones.

Jay Park

Jay Park could probably boast that he’s one of the most-tattooed artists in the K-Pop industry!

Jay Park’s notable tattoos include stars on his neck; a lion on his hand; a lion on his chest with “I am truly blessed” and “Always come proper” across it; “Heart of a lion” written on his chest; the “AOM” tattoo behind his ear for his “Art of Movement” B-Boy crew; and “JWalkerz” on his back for his fans.

While there are fans who feel Jay Park should lay off the tattoos a bit, they are pieces of art unique to him.

This is only a handful of Jay Park’s tattoos!/via AllKPop

– Joelle Halon

Some children’s books today rely on bathroom humor in order to be entertaining to young readers. This is a sad testament of where books have headed the past few years. But, that’s how the times have changed and keep changing. Sometimes it is nice to return to simpler times to try to recapture the innocence of childhood.

Recently, while sorting through books of my youth, I came across Aki and the Fox by Akiko Hayashi and immediately felt nostalgic.

Aki and the Fox
Akiko Hayashi

Story:       

Illustrations:     

Readability:      

Complexity:     

Themes:      

Overall:      

The story, released in 1989 in Japan and 1991 as an English translation, is delightful for young children while the illustrations may induce laughter for older individuals. If you’re looking for a piece of nostalgia, Aki and the Fox may be for you!

The Story

The story opens with plushie fox Kon waiting for new-baby Aki to come home. The narration opens with him thinking about where he came from and what he misses, then shifts to his relationship with young Aki. This section goes by quickly, but helps to set the tone for how important Aki is to Kon as the two grow.

The story shifts to show how important Kon is to Aki after stuffing pops out of his arm and they adventure to Aki’s grandmother’s home. They meet several issues along the way, especially since Kon seems to be quite the unlucky fox!

Hayashi’s writing is simple and innocent, so children will not have a hard time understanding what’s happening. What I like is how the writing isn’t dumbed down. The narrative is engaging since Hayashi breathes life into Kon and Aki, giving them individual personalities that complement each other and help drive the story forward.

Theme

The book’s theme is also something parents and children can relate to as they go through the tale. Parents may see the story is about Aki and Kon’s solo quest to grandma’s house as a journey of independence. Parents may be reminded of how their kids are growing up and may soon be doing things on their own and figuring out solutions much like Aki and Kon.

For young people, the theme of independence may help kids see how to figure out situations for themselves even though today’s children may not relate to solo rides on trains and going to grandma’s house alone. If parents take the time to discuss the story’s actions and how to react in scary situations, then the story’s point can be driven home further.

Friendship is the other theme. The book covers how true friends will be there for each other no matter the situation. In an age where many friendships are disposable when things get rough, Aki and Kon weather the storm. Aki and the Fox can show young people how important friendship is and that no matter how bad things get, being a true, helpful friend can mean the world to someone.

Illustrations

The book’s soft colors are peaceful and attractive for all readers, recalling drawing styles of days gone by where hand-drawn pieces captivated the storybook and animation world. The action depicted in each scene is easy for young readers to grasp while older readers and parents may chuckle at the images portraying poor Kon in unfortunate situations!

The amount of detail in even the simplest of drawings will amaze! Each person has a unique face; sand looks wavy and grainy; and trains and people have movement. Hayashi strikes a balance between complex situations and child-friendly faire with her use of soft features and bold colors. A reader’s eye will surely want to scan the pages to see everything each has to offer.

Overall

Aki and the Fox by Akiko Hayashi should be considered “an oldie but goody” by many. It is a book that should be shared with children of all ages, because of its simplicity and themes of friendship and independence.

The one downfall for Aki and the Fox is how difficult it is to find! The book, sadly, is out of print, which is an injustice in the world of children’s publishing, but it does exist in the worlds of Amazon and eBay as a used library book available for purchase. A quick trip to WorldCat or even a library’s InterLibrary Loan (ILLiad) system will help you track the book down for borrowing. If you have young children or you’re just nostalgic for an adorable children’s story, track down Aki and the Fox. You will not regret it!

– Joelle Halon

 On September 4, KBS already announced that 2PM’s upcoming single “Go Crazy” is already banned due to “inappropriate lyrics.” Never mind how a tracklist wasn’t shared with the public yet or how audio teasers were not released until later in the day; nope, the song needed to go and KBS offed it. The lyrics in question are:

“Let’s go for a second round”

“These guys are planning to go crazy”*

*Apparently, the Korean is a vulgar expression.  As Naver commentators say, the lyrics are not necessarily bad, but the term used is a “rougher term for ‘guys.’”

In honor of 2PM’s ban (since getting the axe from KBS seems like a badge of honor anymore), here are some of KBS’ most ridiculous bans over the years!

Akdong Musician “Galaxy”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFTTWlwAy48

Apparently KBS didn’t get the memo that there is a galaxy outside of a cell phone and that all of us actually live in said galaxy.  KBS deemed AKMU’s play unfit for broadcast due to the repeat of the word “galaxy,” which listeners may have confused as an advertisement for the phone.  I guess that’s the side effect of living in the digital age?

Orange Caramel “Catallena”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Med2XipHJJM

Wrapping people in plastic is a bit extreme and shows a disregard for human life, so I’ll give KBS that. But, that’s beside the point here.  Orange Caramel are mermaids and sushi, so they’re mythical creatures and a yummy meal. Unless KBS wants seafood to be unwrapped!  Then we have a disregard for human life if it’s advertised seafood should be left out in the open.  Food poisoning isn’t pretty, KBS.

PSY “Gentleman”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASO_zypdnsQ

This ban is funny, because it was banned for what wasn’t expected: A kicked traffic cone.  You can pick your backside, pull chairs out from underneath people, and incorporate sexual innuendo with food, but do not, I repeat, DO NOT kick a traffic cone no matter how squirrely it may be!

Hot Potato “Pillow”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-8WAsdWvWI#t=16

Being artistic and symbolic in an MV is a punishable act; just ask Hot Potato. Walking the wrong way on the moving sidewalk is a misdemeanor in KBS-land, so is littering.  Littering is bad and people shouldn’t do it, but is it a ban-able offense?  Apparently so back in 2010, but not so much in 2012 when “Gangnam Style” was the craze and crazy-amounts of trash blew past PSY.

Real trash a la PSY’s “Gangnam Style?” Okay.

Embrace the trash, PSY. KBS thinks it’s okay!/via hancinema.net

Dropping portions of your memories to drive home the point of the lyrics?  Don’t even try it.

GD and TOP “Knock Out”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YVDaUTiHUc

For years, KBS hasn’t been too fond of Big Bang, and that’s no secret.  While fans were outraged, they weren’t surprised by “Knock Out’s” ban.  Reason: “It’s damaging to national psyche.”  The Korean title “Bbeokigayo” is slang.  I’ve heard that listening to this song may cause you to rebel against society and might cause you to kick traffic cones, walk the wrong way on a moving sidewalk, and dance on buses. Maybe KBS was right to remove this song from its playlist?

So what KBS “strange reason” bans were your favorites?   Let us know in the comments below!

– Joelle Halon

At 10:10am September 7, 2014, another tragedy struck as Ladies’ Code’s RiSe passed away. She turned 23 August 16.

RiSe sustained critical injuries from the September 3, 2014, accident that took fellow Ladies’ Code member EunB’s life. Doctors operated on RiSe for seven-to-11 hours, having to suspend further surgery after her blood pressure dropped.

During surgery, RiSe’s heart stopped, and doctors needed to perform an internal cardiac massage to get her heart pumping again.

Since the surgeries, RiSe had been in a coma. Her family members stayed by her side.

Since RiSe’s passing, Polaris released a statement to the public stating, “RiSe received a critical injury to her head and was moved to the hospital. She received surgery for as long as possible but ultimately passed away. Her parents, who came from Japan, and Polaris staff stayed with her until the end. We are so sorry to give you the sad news. Since EunB has also passed, we cannot hide our sorrows.”

We cannot hide our sorrows either.

Information has not been released regarding funeral plans or how the other members are doing.

As our thoughts and prayers remain with EunB and her family and friends, our thoughts and prayers go out to RiSe and her family and friends and Ladies’ Code members during this time.

Rest in peace, lovely angels.

In a world full of aegyo, happiness, and hard-working performers, it’s difficult to announce when tragedy strikes the K-Pop world. Sadly, today, there is tragic news to report as Ladies’ Code’s EunB passed away following a tragic vehicle accident September 3, 2014 in South Korea. She was only 22.

The accident occurred after 1am KST.  Rainy conditions caused the girls’ van to ram into a wall on Singal Intersection of Yeondong Expressway heading toward Incheon.

The other Ladies’ Code members and staff were in the van also and were rushed to St. Vincent’s hospital. Sojung and RiSe are in critical condition. Two stylists had minor injuries.

Reportedly, Zuni and Ashley were not in the vehicle.

EunB, 22, passed away September 3, 2014 following a tragic car crash./via FanPop

MBC news shared images of the crash on their news report and on their website. Star News broke the news first.

The crash is currently under investigation. More information is sure to be released in the coming days.

Our thoughts and prayers are with EunB’s family and friends as well as the other Ladies’ Code members as the coming days and weeks unfold. We cannot imagine the incredible pain they must be experiencing right now.

Ladies Code experienced a tragic lost September 3, 2014./via Wikipedia Commons

We are most definitely in shock as we’re sure family and friends are.

 

Who doesn’t love candy?   Sweet, tasty candy is what is right in the world sometimes.   In Korea, they seem to feel the same way I do about candy, so they blessed us with pumpkin caramel chews which sound promising and delightful just by the name alone.   But, do the candies live up to their heavenly-sounding pumpkin-ness?   In the spirit of the upcoming fall season, let’s unwrap a few in a taste test!

 

Initial Impression

Each piece of candy is individually wrapped, so it’s nice for individual snacking.  Plus, the wrapper helps to keep your fingers from getting sticky since it is a taffy-type treat.

When unwrapped, the candy resembles a lemon Jolly Rancher: It has a yellowish hue, but it’s not as opaque.

The package I had might have been older, but it wasn’t soft as advertised.  When I bent it to test the softness, it cracked instead of pulled as expected.  Soft things shouldn’t crumble.

There isn’t a distinct pumpkin scent attached to it.   It has a waxy scent that’s mixed with some nutty notes.  There’s more fresh peanut butter than anything, so it’s hard to tell where pumpkin actually plays a role in the whole candy.

 

Taste

Biting into the candy was a bit of an adventure, but that’s because I have crowned teeth and my dentist recommends I no longer eat these types of foods.  The candy isn’t that sticky on teeth, but it does crumble.   Just like with the “bend test,” don’t expect this to be a soft caramel.  When warmed in your mouth, it does become softer, but it is a bit of a workout for your jaw because it is really chewy!

The little candy bursts with flavor as it touches the tongue, but none of those flavors resemble anything pumpkin.  There’s a taste of peanuts with sweet caramel notes that make the treat incredibly tasty!  The caramel taste isn’t overwhelming, so it’s more of an accent flavor.  However, it is more like eating peanut fudge.  I tried several pieces to see if there was anything pumpkin-flavored, but there is none.  It doesn’t matter because the candy is addictively delicious!

 

Final Verdict

The candy’s flavors mixed with the sweetness of the caramel make for a delightful flavor adventure.  I recommend warming the candy in your hands first since it is on the hard side.  If you have dental work, I would bite it with caution unless you warm it up.  The candy is tasty and addictive and oh-so-worth it despite its disappointing lack of pumpkin.

 

–Joelle Halon

Today, I would like to introduce you to Grace, who is a great friend of mine and I’m going to be interviewing her about her favorite Kpop idol group.   Before we get to the interview, I want to talk more about her, so it kind of gives you an idea of what kind of person she is.   Grace loves to write stories and she actually has her own blog where she writes a lot on.   The stories are about her favorite idol group, which we’ll talk about soon, but she has a lot of people who read her stories and her blog is getting more views each day.   We’ve been friends for about 6 years now and we know pretty much everything about each other.   Anyway, lets get to the interview now before I go on and on about my friend and I.

Who is your favorite idol group?
“My favorite idol group is EXO!”

What made you become interested in them?
“I wasn’t into them at first, but when I watched their ‘Growl’ music video, I was really surprised by their dance performance and half way into the chorus I found my self singing along with them.”

Are you a member of their fan club?
“YES.   A few weeks ago their company SM Entertainment made an official fan club page for the fans and EXO members.   For the first couple of days, I couldn’t sign up for a membership, because so many fans were trying to sign up all at once so I had to wait a couple of days.  They have over 2 million fans signed up for the page!   How crazy is that?”

Have you ever been to their fan meetings or concerts?
“No I wish!   If they held concerts or fan meetings in my state, I would totally go.   I can’t afford to travel.”

Who is your favorite member out of the group?
“I like all the members but Sehun is my favorite!   He’s just so dang attractive!”

Have you bought any of their songs, cds, posters, backpacks, clothing, etc.?
“I have all their songs Korean and Chinese versions on my phone and also on my computer.   I don’t have any cds, posters, or backpacks, but I do have a shirt that matches with one of their performance shirts.”

What is your favorite song from their latest album?
“All their songs in their new album are really good, but I think I’ll go with ‘Overdose.’ Overdose is their title song for the album and it has some really cool beats.   Oh, and their dance is amazing too.”

How long have you been a fan of EXO?
“For about a year now.  Like I said before, Growl is what got me interested in them and that song was released last summer.”

What do you like about EXO?
“I like how it’s such a big group with 11 members and every one of them has their own unique style that makes people just fall for them.”

Which member is the funniest?
“Baekhyun for sure!   He’s the loudest, craziest member out of EXO.   He always imitates Tao, because he likes to whine a lot and Baekhyun does a really good imitation of him.”

Have any members been in a drama or movie?
“D.O is in a drama right now called ‘It’s Okay, That’s Love’ and he also has a movie coming up called ‘Cart.’   Recently, Chanyeol was cast for a movie called ‘The Last First Love.’

Who is the best singer out of EXO?
“They’re all good singers, but the best one would have to be Chen!   Chen is such a good singer; his voice range can either go really low or very high.  He can pretty much sing any note he wants, it’s crazy.   He also sang his first solo OST for a drama ‘It’s Okay, That’s Love’ that D.O is in.”

Who was the first member that got you interested in this group?  Is this person still your favorite?
“The first member that got me interested was Kai.  I’ve always been into dancing and when I saw Kai dance, I instantly fell in love.  He has very good dancing technique and is the main dancer of EXO.  He did ballet for a couple of years and people say that if you do ballet, you can do any kind of dance.  No wonder he’s so good!  I still love Kai but now my favorite member is Sehun like I mentioned before.”

What was your thought on Kris leaving the group?
“It was very selfish for him to leave the group like that.  If he had problems with SM, he should have tried to work things out.  For him to ditch the group especially right before their first concert just shows he didn’t care about the members or the fans. Kris leaving the group was a shock to all the EXO members and to fans.  But in some ways, I guess it’s a good thing because now, the 11 members are stronger than ever.”

Well, thanks for letting me interview you!  Even though I’m a fan of EXO myself, it was cool to get to know more about your thoughts, because from my point of view, I would have answered every single one of those questions differently!

 –  Juyeon Oh

The K-Pop industry is dominated by many big names like Girl’s Generation, Big Bang, Super Junior, SHINee, 2NE1, and many others dominating fans and the media. All the while, groups with potential who lack a big name company or are victims of poor promotion cycles get lost. Let’s help some of these groups not get lost and show them some support since they’re performers you should know!

Note: all groups debuted prior to 2014.

Never Mind

 

Members: G-One, G-Hoon, Ino, and Chang Ha
Company: Toeast Music
Debut: January 2013
Debut Song: “Shooting Star”

Their debut song “Shooting Star” provided K-Pop with a refreshing sound, but “Hoi Hoi” wasn’t the most memorable of follow-ups. But, two of the songs from their debut album, Hoi Hoi, “Rain of Tears” and it’s ballad companion “Rain of Tears Again” are among 2013’s most underrated songs. The pop-punk quartet promote in South Korea and Thailand.

GB9

 

Members: Gilgu and Bonggu
Company: WS Entertainment
Debut: April 2013
Debut Song: “Going Crazy”

GB9 doesn’t have the typical idol look, and it’s so refreshing! It’s nice to see beautiful, strong, and worthy vocals take center stage over the glitz and glamour. Since they’re a duo that’s about singing and not dancing, you can really hear the emotions in their vocals and every high and low note they hit.

“Going Crazy” was a flawless debut, because the song shows their range and their ability to tell a story through music. Simply put, Gilgu and Bonggu have soul. You can hear them currently making the rounds on the music shows with their comeback song “DalAh” and the Trot Lovers and Cunning Single Lady OSTs.

Yell,O.W.

 

Members: Hye Jin, Hyun Jung, Hyun Joo, and Mari
Company: Big Brain
Debut: August 2013
Debut Song: “This is My Story”

Yell,O.W was one of the girl groups leading the charge of more refined vocals and stronger stage presence before falling into K-Pop obscurity in the latter half of 2013. Their debut video featured the girls with obscured faces because the focus was supposed to be on vocals. The company thought this would attract more attention, but this seems to not be the case. Their Facebook page is now defunct and little information is available for them. Hopefully they’ll comeback soon, because they deserve plenty of love and attention.

Odd Eye

 

Members: Yi Eum, Miki, and HaYool
Company: Fair Music
Debut: June 2013
Debut Song: “Catch Me If You Can”

Dubbed as a “creepy debut,” Odd Eye is multi-talented: They sing, dance, and play their own instruments to become K-Pop’s first, if not only, string-pop idol group. Watching the MV for “Catch Me If You Can” is a bit of a trippy experience, but it’s worth it.  Subsequent releases, “Follow Me” and “Never,” maintain Odd Eye’s signature string instruments and odd, haunting voices.

They have released songs in English in an attempt to cross over into the U.S market, though this venture seems to have stalled for now.  Either way, they bring something different to K-Pop that needs noticed.

M4M

 

Members: Alen, Vinson, Jimmy, and Bin
Company: United Cube/Xing Tian
Debut: March 2013
Debut Song: “Sadness”

Made up of members from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, M4M is a crossover group that sings in both Mandarin and Korean, giving them global appeal.  Their dance track for “Sadness” is anything but sad, and neither is their talent!

M4M, which stands for Mystical Formula, has strong dance skills that could potentially make them a top-tier male idol group.  Their clear pronunciation of English words in their songs can also reach out to international audiences.   With more promoting and visibility, M4M can really stand out.

Veloce

 

Members: Shin Ji Hyun, Kim Soo Jin, and Kim Chae Rin
Debut: October 2013
Debut Song: “Round and Round”

Veloce has a beautiful R&B soul that has a soft, mellow, peaceful quality.   Ji Hyun, Soo Jin, and Chae Rin harmonize well, but their voices are so different you can pick out each singer, and that’s a massive sell-point for their music!  “Round and Round” has a lullaby, waltzy-feel to it that lends to their soothing sound.   There needs to be more female groups like this in the industry to show K-Pop is more than just bubbly tunes with great dancing.

SKarf

 

Members: Jenny, Tasha, Ferlyn, and Sol (Debut, left in 2012), Hana, JooA
Company: Alpha Entertainment
Debut: August 2012
Debut Song:  “Oh Dance”

SKarf has a special meaning behind their name since it is derived from “scarf,” but the S stands for Singapore and the K for Korea; they are the first group to have Singaporeans break into the K-Pop industry.  And, with the addition of Hana, the group is made up of Singaporean, Korean, and Japanese members to create a global affair worth celebrating!

When they debuted, “Oh! Dance” was a catchy song, but may not have been enough to get them noticed. Their first mini album, Luv Virus, showed how strong and sweet they are as a group. Tasha and Ferlyn both serve as great ambassadors for the Singaporean community with their bubbly, charming personalities, which helped them in hosting and variety show activities.

What underrated groups exist in your world? Let us know so we can help spread the word!

– Joelle Halon

Korean news portal Naver reports that on August 22, 2014, singer and actor Kim Hyun Joong was accused of allegedly assaulting his girlfriend of two years.

He is currently facing a lawsuit for assault and battery.

Acquaintances of the woman known only as A have reported that she was assaulted multiple times by Kim at his apartment between the period of May and July 2014. Acquaintances said that after each alleged assault, Kim became apologetic, but each act of violence grew worse over time. According to reports, A suffered facial bruising and lacerations and bruising on various other locations on her body. The July incident resulted in a fractured rib and a recommended six-week recovery time for the alleged victim.

Even though the violence was supposedly bad, acquaintances of Ms. A said she went back to him due to his apologies.

Ms. A has filed her first testimony and allegedly submitted proof of her and Kim’s relationship. It has not been released what proof that may be.

Kim has yet to testify but prosecutors say his testimony is expected soon. Kim is expected to still perform in Bangkok, Thailand August 23 for his “2014 Kim Hyun Joong World Tour.” But with this news breaking, this may not be a wise decision since Knetz are already reacting negatively.

Comments on “Dispatch” via Naver:

1. [+3,879, -76] This b*****d was trash all along too
2. [+3,465, -41] How did he beat her that her rib cage is all broken?
3. [+2,216, -224] Hul… Kim Hyun Joong, what a disappointment
4. [+2,008, -51] Dispatch is scary.
5. [+1,997, -52] He had a girlfriend..?
6. [+819, -38] I never took him for the type… the worst type of man is one that beats his girlfriend.
7. [+774, -14] He was a woman beater? It also seems like he only beat her because he got caught meeting another woman too…
8. [+696, -14] He made his image so positive and went and ruined it all ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Comments on Nate:

1. [+498, -5] He had such a nice boy image… wow… daebak scary…
2. [+432, -11] Men who beat women are hopeless!!! You pathetic b*****d!! Farewell!!!
3. [+382, -6] You should never continue dating any man who hits you once. It’s a habit that’ll never be fixed.
4. [+66, -1] I’m sure there are two sides to every story… but after seeing stars like Kim Hyun Joong, Song Hye Gyo, Kim Soo Hyun, Jun Ji Hyun, and Han Hyo Joo.. you can’t be fooled by their manufactured images.
5. [+43, -0] Of course there are two sides to every story but that doesn’t change the fact that he beat her~

Key East Entertainment has yet to release an official statement on the matter as they’re looking into the situation to either confirm or deny the news.

Right now, this is an alleged assault. There is still a chance this information is not true, but A says she has proof. Right now, we’ll have to wait and see what happens as the story continues to break.

 – Joelle Halon’s

K-Pop has been breaking barriers in almost every country over the past few years, and with good reason. Catchy songs, enjoyable dances, and all the hard work idols put into performances all help with K-Pop’s appeal.

But, K-Pop artists have tried to appeal to Western audiences, and one of the ways is by creating covers from Western artists. Many of these covers are very well-done, and listeners should give them a chance. Here’s a nice little fusion of East meets West with some covers you should definitely check out!

   1. Bella “Don’t Let Go” (En Vogue)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6KsyON5Vww

En Vogue released “Don’t Let Go” as a powerful R&B tune in 1996. The original has so much soul, it’s impossible to top, but Bella definitely tries in the 2011 debut cover! Their cover has soul and strong vocals that pay tribute to the original beautifully. The stronger beat is a bit of an improvement on the original, but En Vogue is still tops. Plus, you can hear Kiss&Cry’s Bohye since this was her first group; she debuted as Miu.

2. Eric Nam and Kim Boa “Say Something” (A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U6jdIjA3Qo

While A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera had the power, Kim and Nam’s voices have a stronger amount of emotion than the original. The MV can be a bit distracting with the movie scenes, but the black and white enhances the feel of the song.

3. Lunafly “Wake Me Up” (Avicii)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PMIsfwG5Xc
Sam, Teo, and Yun always have great covers, but “Wake Me Up” helped put the oft underrated group on the map for many K-Pop and non-K-Pop fans. The boys show off a lot of personality in the MV to play up the upbeat tune. Listeners should use this song as a launching bad for getting into Lunafly as a whole.

4. Taeyang “Don’t Wanna Try” (Frankie J)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6oKnT6Xdj8

Taeyang’s voice is smooth and velvety during his cover of Frankie J’s hit, and that’s what makes the song totally worth it. It does have its Engrish moments, but they’re easy to overlook given his voice. Plus, later videos show many improvements with pronunciation.

5.  LC9 “Just a Dream” (Nelly)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acpeRv_AR00
It’s cool to see a group try a soloist’s song, and LC9 does a nice job with the cover. There are times when the lyrics sound a little muddled, but the chorus sounds amazing with all the guys blending in harmony well.

6. Tiffany (SNSD) “The Way” (Ariana Grande)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s63W_bhcBU
The Girl’s Generation ladies often sound good by themselves, and Tiffany shows off how pretty her voice is with her Ariana Grande cover. She has some nice control with her vocals, making her a shining star. Her other covers from singers and groups like Aqua and Carly Rae Jepsen have also caught listeners’ attention.

7. Lee Hi “Rolling in the Deep” (Adele)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNF6puPEvuU

Sometimes Lee Hi has difficulties displaying emotion especially in songs that don’t exactly fit in her age range. But, the girl can really belt out the tunes! Her rendition of “Rolling in the Deep” is bluesy and on-point, especially toward the end of the song. Nicely done!

8. Megan Lee “Perfect” (P!nk)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrSn4hFJXno

Lee is the perfect mix of mature and adorable. Her youthful take on more adult-songs have a certain innocence that music is missing at times. Her pure vocals have an ability to touch the heart. Her take on P!nk’s “Perfect” has “young person anthem” written all over it.
9. SuPearls “Fame”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLxMJQeclaU

It’s such a shame SuPearls never became a group, but each of the members have found other success thankfully. As a group, they brought the house down on K-Pop Star with their rendition of “Fame,” a fitting song for the divas who could have brought the K-Pop world to its knees if they remained together.

10. Roy Kim “All of Me” (John Legend)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvZuugqkkuo

Roy Kim’s high notes are enough to provide chills. Kim maintains the integrity of the song which will makes fans of the original happy. Legend’s version has a bit more soul, but Kim’s acoustic version feels more raw at times. In either case, both are beautiful.

-Joelle Halon

Say YES to ‘Say Yes’ is a Korean band with five talented members who are musical enough to compose, produce and write lyrics for their own music and play their own instruments.

‘Say Yes’ is a Korean band with five talented members who are musical enough to compose, produce and write lyrics for their own music and play their own instruments.

Since ‘Say Yes’ released their first mini album titled, “Virus” in July 2013 last year, this year on June 26th, ‘Say Yes’ has come back reloaded with a newer image through their new mini album ‘SAY ?’ – Get Out’, an album packed with six tracks the band’s members composed, produced, mixed and did other miscellaneous works on.

These talented and very skilled musicians are with the names, Ho-Kyung Song, Su-bin Kim, Sung-Kyu Ji, Si-on Park, Jun Hyoung Kim. Plus what’s very special and positive about this band, ’Say Yes’ is that they know how to proficiently handle their instruments, which differentiates them from the standard idols in other words, they own a firm control of their sound and music.

For this 2nd mini album, ‘SAY ?’ – Get Out’, the five members of ‘Say Yes’ participated in writing the lyrics, composing, producing and overall, created the whole record by themselves. They are said to have spent sleepless nights in order to create the songs and the first single for this album ‘Get Out’, which was also mixed by them, as well as all the composing and producing resulting in the album being acclaimed by the music critics for its quality sound and beat.

For their single, ‘Get Out’ – Su-bin, the vocalist of the band contributed his piano skills (he’s played for over 20 years), Jun Hyoung who usually plays the djembe, this time took over playing the matching snare and blew the whistle.

A matching snare is often used in military bands, the concept of using the matching snare like this has never been thought of anywhere in the world. This album consists of many musical genres from rock, ballads, pop…these guys are already approved for their musical ability, showing a stable fan base in Japan and other Asian countries. And, the guys have plenty of potential to develop and achieve their dreams.

As the members state in our interview, their goal eventually is to make it to the top in America, so Kcrush readers check out their interview and decide if they have the musical drive and zeal to fulfill their dreams and please, enjoy reading. And, thank you to the Say Yes members. We wish them all the best in their music career.

‘Say Yes’ Members

The leader, guitarist, vocalist and flutist of ‘Say Yes’

Name: Ho-Kyung Song

Date of birth: Oct. 8th 1985.

Hobbies: Watching movies, sports, travelling, cleaning-up

Specialty: Playing the guitar, singing.

Main vocalist, writer and composer, producer of ‘Say Yes’

Name: Su-bin Kim

Date of birth: Oct. 29th 1986

Hobbies: Soccer games (Winning eleven), listening to music, Youtubing

Specialty: Writing and composing songs, piano, voice impersonation,

Guitarist, vocalist and pianist of ‘Say Yes’

Name: Sung-Kyu Ji

Date of birth: Apr. 23rd 1990

Hobbies: Yoyo, piano, Japanese,

Specialty: guitarist, keyboard player and composing

Drummer, base guitarist, violinist and rapper

Name: Si-on Park

Date of birth: Feb. 10th 1992

Hobbies: Sports, computer games, watching movies

Specialty: Violin, rapping

Djembe player, drummer and rapper of ‘Say Yes’

Name: Jun Hyoung Kim

Name of birth: Mar. 16th 1994

Hobbies: Watching dramas, visiting tasty restaurants, chatting, piano

Specialty: Playing music with objects, composing, playing the drums, eating hamburgers quickly

The interview with Say Yes….

Hello… Say yes! Please, introduce yourselves for Kcrush readers…

Ho-Kyung: Hello everyone! My name is Ho-Kyung Song and I’m a vocalist and guitarist of Say Yes.

Su-bin: Hi, I’m Su-bin Kim who is in charge of the vocals and keyboard.

Sung-Kyu: Hello, this is Sung-Kyu Ji and I’m a vocalist and guitarist and keyboard player of ‘Say Yes’.

Si-on: Hello, I’m Sion who is a rapper, drummer and base guitarist of Say Yes.

Jun Hyoung: Hello, I am called Jun Hyoung Kim, I’m a rapper, drummer and djembe (A west African percussion instrument) player from Say Yes.

 

How did you all become members of ‘Say Yes’?

Sung-Kyu: I was on a TV program called ‘Prodigies Under The Sun’ when I was a 6th grader in elementary school – featured on the show as a yoyo genius. Our company’s CEO watched me on TV and he wanted to meet me, and that’s how I got to meet him. Plus, we happened to be living in the same neighborhood. That’s how I got to audition for this band and became a member.

Ho-Kyung: I used to be in a band based in Hongdae (Short for the Hongik University area) and one day by chance, our current company’s CEO offered me to audition myself, and thus, I came to join the company.

Su-bin: I was working as a song writer and the CEO of our company came to hear my song by accident and asked me to audition, that’s how I came to be here.

Si-on: I was previously a member in a band called Song Hoseop, and after I wrapped up my work there I came to meet our representative and got offered to take an audition for this group.

Jun Hyoung: I was an art high school student at the time and one day the head of our major recommended me to our company’s CEO and I came to meet him that way.

 

How long have you been trained to become singers?

Sung-Kyu: It has been about four years since our band ‘Say Yes’ has been formed as five members – I started in the music business since I was in 6th grade in elementary so it’s been 10 years for me.

 

How do you describe Say Yes’ sound and music?

Ho-Kyung: First off, the music and the lyrics from the whole album were by Say Yes. Of course, that includes the producing and the mixing. And, all our members participate in writing the music and lyrics for the album. Each of our members knows how to handle more than 2 musical instruments.

 

Who is the actual leader of the band?

Ho-Kyung: I am the leader of Say Yes. Since we are all musicians we respect each other’s individuality and we look out for each a lot, so considering those points we get along very well.

 

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?

Si-on: Since we are all musicians we all have different tastes to the music we enjoy listening to. Because I’m a rapper, I listen to a lot of Hip hop genre and jazz.

Ho-Kyung: I tend to enjoy listening to pop music.

Sung-Kyu: I also like listening to pop, but nowadays I’m listening to a lot of old gayo. (The word to describe Korean pop)

Su-bin: I’m in the similar state with Sung-Kyu, but I’m listening to old pop songs.

Jun Hyoung: Since I do a lot of research on performances, so I enjoy live music with videos.

 

How would you describe Say Yes’ music?

Su-bin: Our band’s music does not concentrate only on one particular genre. We consider our genre of music to be something that is suited for the current generation. And, letting the public hear what they want to listen to.

 

Do you have any artist you want to collaborate with?

Jun Hyoung: Maroon 5! We are both bands, so we could produce really interesting music, if we do a collaboration work with them.

 

Which member of ‘Say Yes’ has the best personality and also, who is the most difficult member?

Ho-Kyung: The member with the mildest personality is Sung-Kyu. He’s comforting to the younger members and looks after the older members well; he’s the most mild and kind. But the funny thing, the fussiest member is also Sung-Kyu as well.

 

When did you start playing your instruments?

Ho-Kyung: I played the classic guitar since I was in elementary school. When I got into uni I started on the electric guitar, and since, I’ve been playing the electric guitar.

Su-bin: I learned to play the piano since I was 4 years old. When I was younger I dreamt of becoming a professional pianist and I’m still playing it.

Sung-Kyu: I played the piano since the age of 6, but at the time I liked jazz more than the classical music. And, I started playing the guitar when I got into university and still playing it.

Si-on: I first started the classic guitar when I was a third grader in elementary school. Then I got to learn the drum when I got into middle school and started on the base guitar when I got into university.

Jun Hyoung: I started playing the drums since I was in middle school and started playing the djembe when I got into high school.

 

What are your hobbies other than music?

Ho-Kyung: My hobby is doing sports. When I work out I can release my stress and feel refreshed.

Su-bin: My hobby is voice impersonation. I can always figure out peoples’ characteristics.

Sung-Kyu: My hobby is to play computer games. I enjoy the competition between friends when we play games together.

Si-on: Sleeping is my hobby. I can sleep absolutely anywhere I can rest my bottom.

Jun Hyoung: Watching films is my hobby. I enjoy it, because I consider it as passive experience.

 

Which country would you like to visit and the reason please…

Ho-Kyung: America! Because our band’s goal is to be, get number 1 on the billboard charts.

Su-bin: It’s America for me as well. All of my cousins live there and I don’t get to see them that often.

Sung-Kyu: I want to visit Finland. I once saw from a film, and fell in love at one glance with the scenery, so I really want to be there.

Si-on: It’s Switzerland for me. I want to be able to see the natural scenery with my very eyes.

Jun Hyoung: I want to visit Canada…my relatives who live there, because I haven’t seen them for a long time, I want to visit and see them.

 

What kind of person are you most attracted to?

Ho-Kyung: I like a woman with a kind heart. I like people who are good natured.

Su-bin: I like a woman I can be comfortably friends with.

Sung-Kyu: I like a woman who is like my mother. My mother is really fun and beautiful.

Si-on: I like a woman with long hair whom I can talk well and connect with.

Jun Hyung: I like a female who can cook well!

 

What is your favorite song that you listen to the most?

Ho-Kyung: Mine is called “Good Feeling” which was our title song for our 1st album! It’s a very precious song for me, because it was from our debut album.

Su-bin: I like, “We Are The World” that was sung by all the artists from all over the world. I felt such inspiration when I first heard it playing.

Sung-Kyu: For me it’s Craig David’s “All The Way”…! That song I listened to extremely frequently back when I was at school, so that song brings reminisce to my school days.

Si-on: I would choose our band’s recent album’s title song, “Get Out” for my favorite song. It was also, a song that showed a different side to our band and, so I’m excited about it. So, I usually listen to it often.

Jun Hyoung: Mine is the ballad song from our debut album called, “I Wish It Was You”. Whenever I hear it, that song makes me a very emotional.

 

Do you have any special skills or hidden talent?

Sung-Kyu: I can do the yoyo! When I was younger I was on a program that was similar to the ‘Star King Show’ these days, because I was considered a yoyo genius.

 

Please name one movie you’d recommend to the fans.

Sung-Kyu: The movie I’d recommend is a movie called ‘Kamome Diner’, which is a Japanese healing movie. And, it’s something that is enjoyable you can easily watch without much thought in your mind. The movie is based in Finland, I recommend you guys to watch.

Su-bin: I recommend the Harry Potter series. There movies are entertaining, but the books are unbelievably enjoyable to read!

 

How do you deal with stress usually?

Ho-Kyung: I release stress by working out. My body gets healthier and my mind gets fresher as well.

Su-bin: What I do is eat tasty foods. I love to eat extremely spicy foods and hot or extremely sweet cookies

Sung-Kyu: I meet up with my friends and play video games or go to coffee shops and chat with them.

Si-on: I go to the noraebang (karaoke room) and sing my heart out for full two hours.

Jun Hyoung: I play the drums! Playing the drums is the best to get rid of stress.

 

Who is the most precious person to you?

Ho-Kyung Song, Su-bin Kim, Sung-Kyu Ji, Si-on Park and Jun Hyoung Kim – we are Say Yes! The five of us are like brothers and all our members are equally precious to each other.

 

As a band, which country do you want to advance to?

Ho-Kyung: To get to America and become number 1 on the billboard chart is our goal.

Su-bin: The same goes for me. I share Ho-Kyung bro’s goal.

Sung-Kyu: Same here! It’s our dream to become on the top in the American charts.

Si-on: The U.S. for me as well.

Jun Hyoung: It’s the U.K for me! I really want to perform at the rock concerts in England.

 

Say Yes! Please say something to the fans reading this interview. And thank you so much for your time – we wish you a wonderful success in your music career this year!

All members: We are still a new group, so it’s our priority to let the public know about us. We really hope that everyone would become happier through listening to our music.

“Get out” – Say Yes

COMPOSED, LYRICS BY, SAY YES

Hey! Why? You know what time is it now? Grrr!

Say yes! One (one) two (two) Dararara!

Wow wow

?? ? ?? ???? (dararara) What have you grow up eating?

??? ??? ???? (dararara) How come you’re this pretty?

?? ???? ???? (dararara) From head to toe

??? ??? ? ??? Crazy, crazy, you’re crazy.

Wow Wow

?? ??? ???? (dararara) As if I’m hypnotized.

??? ? ??? Red sun (dararara) I’m fully into you.

?? ??? ?? ???? (dararara) My head is spinning around & around

??? ??? ? ??? Crazy, crazy, you’re crazy.

Every say Yeah! (Yeah!) Yeah (Yeah!)
?? ? ???? Hey lady oh beautiful lady I can’t think straight

Every say Yeah! (Yeah!) Yeah (Yeah!) oh no!
I want you I want you I want you baby

? ?? ?????? Why are you tormenting me?

Please Get out Get out ???? I’m going crazy

Get out Get out, Out of my mind

Get out Get out ? ???? ?? ??? It’s all because of you, please get out, Out of my mind

Da Da Dararara Say yes!

Da Da Dararara Oh my lady

Da Da Dararara ?? Red sun To me

??? ??? ? ??? you’re crazy.

???? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?? (Be okay!)

?? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ? (?!)

?? ????? ? ?? ?? ? ??? ??? ???? So mad

?? ?? ?? ??? ?? ????? ? ?? ?? ????

Come on boys, Let’s gonanana nanana nananana

Okay, ladies! nanana nanana nananana

And tha.. Everybody! nanana nanana nananana

Hee~ha!

I want you I want you I want you baby

? ? ?? ????? Why can’t I forget you

Please Get out Get out ???? I’m going crazy

Get out Get out out of my mind

Get out Get out ? ???? ?? ??? It’s all, because of you, please get out

Out of my mind

??? ?? ? ??? ?? ? ??? ? ??? ?? ?

Can’t let go of something inevitable, I am still missing you.

I want you I want you I want you baby

? ? ?? ????? Why can’t I forget you

Please Get out Get out ???? ???? I’m going crazy, come back

Get out Get out Out of my mind

Get out Get out ? ???? ?? ??? It’s all, because of you, please get out

Out of my mind

Wow ??? ?? ???? ????? ??? ???

I heard something, shall I run on the battlefield known as the stage

???? ??? ?? ? ???? ? MIC

My mic shakes as the sound of the drums hit my eardrums

? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ?????

My rapping is a dynamite, unapproachable final highlight

???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???? Fever time

Don’t worry about this and let’s run I’ll entertain you like no other

??? ??? ? ??? Crazy, crazy, you’re crazy.

Da Da Dararara

 

B.I.G (Which stands for ‘Boys In Groove’) is a just-released five-member boy band from Korea.

Since debuting with their first single, ‘Annyeounghaseyo’, which is a greeting for ‘Hello’ in Korean, the boys have already marked themselves as a Hip hop and street dance group, but that doesn’t mean their genre of music is limited. The members are into and able to perform to diverse music and dance – one was the member called Benji is a former violinist who studied classical music.

‘Anyeonghaseyo’ is fun and entertaining with lyrics not only in Korean and English but in Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Arabic. The music and the lyrics were written by Noneun Urini (Kim Wonhyun) who previously wrote songs for KARA, UKISS, A-Pink and etc.

When G.H Entertainment unveiled the boys in early July they stated that the boys were put into a lot of training each day to debut. And, the 5 boys in groove are excited to be launching their career.

B.I.G’s five members are called GunMin, Gookminpyo, Benji, J-Hoon and HeeDo. And, their management company announced that their profiles will gradually be introduced as time goes along.

But, at this time, what we can offer our readers is an interview of B.I.G’s members. We took the time to ask the group how they are enjoying themselves as the new comers in the K-pop scene, what kind of person they are attracted to and what they are the most good at. And other questions you might find interesting.

They may be just starting now, but who knows where they’ll be in the next few years. We send our best of luck to the boys and thank you for the great interview.

 

 

Hello B.I.G…! Could you briefly introduce yourselves, please?

Gun Min: Hello! I’m Gun Min and I am the vocalist and dancer of B.I.G.

Gook Min Pyo: Hello…my name is Gook Min Pyo and I’m the rapper of B.I.G.

Benji: Hi, My name is Benji. I play the violin, sing, rap and sort of cook. I also like pandas.

J-Hoon: Hello. I am called J-Hoon and I’m B.I.G’s vocalist and dancer.

Hee Do: Hi, I am Hee Do, the maknae of B.I.G. My role in the band is rapping.

You are in a group now but what was your dream as a child growing up?

Gun Min: When I was younger, I had this vague dream of wanting to be on a TV program called X man. And that dream came more definite and it brought me where I’m am now.

Gook Min Pyo: Before I dreamt of being a singer, I wanted to work in an art area as an illustrator.

Benji: Before I had the dream of becoming a singer I had loads of dreams of being a chef, magician and etc., and later a violinist.

J-Hoon: I street danced for about 8 years and so my childhood dream was a street dancer. But I love singing and got to choose this profession as a singer.

Hee Do: My dream when I was small was about all sorts, like police officer, magician, airport staff and more as well as wanting to be a singer. I’m currently very happy that I achieved just one of those many dreams.

 

 

Could you tell us what your first audition was like?

Gun Min: I was a freshman in High school when I took the audition and because I was so nervous my hands were shaking the whole time I was singing. I think one of the staff took pity on me and he rubbed my shoulders telling me to relax but I was still shaky.

Gook Min Pyo: I couldn’t speak properly and messed up. I wasn’t able to perform what I’d prepared even. And, I was so trembling.

Benji: I was really nervous, but I tried my best and it went okay.

J-Hoon: Because I had the experience of being on stage before I thought I wouldn’t be nervous, but unlike my previous stage performances I was very nervous. I recall having regrets after, because of making mistakes.

Hee Do: I was extremely trembling and made mistakes. I was nervous from the time I lined up for the audition until I got home. The person lined in front of me kept practicing his dance, so I remember my practicing moves as well.

 

 

Have you had any working experience or any part time jobs before your debut?

Gun Min: Except helping out simple tasks in an English academy, I haven’t had much experience.

Gook Min Pyo: I served in rice noodles restaurant; dish washed in buffets and worked in construction sites and demolition sites.

Benji: No part time jobs, but I did gigs as a violinist in quartets & orchestras.

J-Hoon: I have experience teaching kids the poppin dance genre at a street dance academy. And, I’ve worked part time at cafes and a cinema.

Hee Do: I’ve done part time work at a convenient store. The convenient store I worked in sold soft ice creams separately. And, I used to give out more ice creams if the customers were young kids.

 

 

What color do you think describes you the best?

Gun Min: I like the color purple, but I think I suit black the best.

Gook Min Pyo: I think I suit colorless colors the most. My wardrobe is mostly of white, grey and black clothes.

Benji: Red!!

J-Hoon: I have quite a bright skin tone, so I think I suit white or black which contradicts it.

Hee Do: I think I suit bright colors because I have a dark skin color. I would describe myself as the color light purple. It’s a color you get drawn to the more you look at it.

 

 

Could you tell us about your ideal person?

Gun Min: I haven’t got a set ideal, but when I see someone in purple I keep getting to look at her.

Gook Min Pyo: Someone who has a broader mind, who is thoughtful and deep.

Benji: I like girls who have musical abilities. Also, dancers are very cool in my opinion

J-Hoon: My ideal is someone who smiles at me a lot and whom I can communicate well with.

Hee Do: Someone who is cute and suits hoodies well.

 

 

What kind of music or genre do you normally listen to and, which artists do you admire?

Gun Min: I enjoy listening to hip hop or R&B. I respect artists who are in that genre Chris Brown, Ne-yo and Taeyang sunbaenim I respect out of Korean artists.

Gook Min Pyo: Before I used to listen to a lot of Hip hop music. I listen to a lot of Korean indie artists and these days I’m trying to listen to a lot of music from different countries.

Benji: Right now I’m really into Hip Hop, but my musical tastes change once in a while. I really am inspired by artists like Usher, Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson.

J-Hoon: I enjoy R&B and ballads. I respect song-writer Jung Key Kim and Brown Eyed Soul sunbaenims.

Hee Do: I am really into Hip hop and really like indie band music as well. I like listening to most songs you can hear easily playing in coffee shops normally.

 

Do you have any hobbies & personal interests?

Gun Min: I like games and watching movies, but I like to watch dance or live performances on video when I have free time.

Gook Min Pyo: I like to draw. And, I like to get my inspiration from animals, patterns, tattoos and such.

Benji: Food, cooking, composing, fashion.

J-Hoon: My hobby is watching movies. My interest is checking out new movies and the actors, but these days it’s a pity I can’t watch any movies, because of work.

Hee Do: Of course, I like to watch movies and listen to music. I also, love eating good food. I used to enjoy watching animation, but nowadays I don’t get to do that much.

 

 

Where would you like to travel in the world the most?

Gun Min: I want to visit New Zealand. When I was younger I saw on TV the beautiful beaches in New Zealand that had emerald lighted sea, so I really want to go there.

Gook Min Pyo: My aunt has visited England and has told me stories about the place, so that is why I want to visit there.

Benji: I really want to visit Hawaii some day and also Paris.

J-Hoon: I want to visit America. Especially go to the New York Times Square.

Hee Do: I want to go visit Europe. I will later when I can. I want to get to experience the architecture, food and the culture that is different to Korea. And, I want to visit Australia and see the wide prairie and the natural environment.

 

 

What is your favorite movie of all time that you’d recommend to the fans?

Gun Min: I want to recommend a movie called ‘Life of fire’. I think I’ve seen it 5 times, but I wanna watch it again. I really enjoyed watching it, because the movie gave me a feeling of getting out of the reality.

Gook Min Pyo: I wanna recommend the “Iron Men” series. It’s probably the first time I’ve ever watched the same movie 3 times.

Benji: “The Usual Suspects”.

J-Hoon: The most recent movie I saw was called “Edge of tomorrow”. The story was so good and the actors performed greatly, so I recall watching the movie really enjoying it.

Hee Do: I like movies that have a twist. I enjoyed watching “Inception,” “Shutter Island” and others. I would recommend the movie “Triangle”.

How do you relieve stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle?

Gun Min: I take a lot of medicines and health products, but I can’t be bothered and forget to take them sometimes. I like doing sports, so when we are on schedule, I work out briefly before heading to bed.

Gook Min Pyo: By always eating well and eating diverse foods. I do stretching before getting to sleep. And, I think it helps to overcome fatigue.

Benji: Listening music or writing song lyrics. Drink lots of yoghurt for good digestion and take occasional cold showers.

J-Hoon: I usually just sleep a lot and drink coffee in a café to maintain my mental health.

Hee Do: I like going to saunas, but I can’t go that often, because of our schedule. I like to sit at a café and listen to songs to release stress. For my health, I take the vitamins and protein shake my mother sends me.

 

 

How many hours do you get training daily?

Gun Min: The days we don’t have any broadcasting schedules, we train for 12 to 14 hours a day. I think we train during the hours except for the time taken for dinner and the time for sleep.

Gook Min Pyo: We train for 12 hours at least I think.

Benji: 12+ hours a day usually. I like to sing/rap more than dance, so I practice that more.

J-Hoon: It seems we train for 12 to 14 hours out of the 24 hours we have a day. Of course, we rest in between training since it will be unreasonable to train continuously during that time.

Hee Do: We train for 12 to 14 hours on average. We are doing what we like doing so it isn’t hard or tiring and don’t feel the time is passing.

 

 

What song do you sing the most often when you go to noraebang?

Gun Min: I haven’t been to the noraebang since middle school, but I remember singing Kim Dongryul sunbaenim’s ‘Truth in wine’.

Gook Min Pyo: “The Way To Me” by Sung Si Kyung sunbaenim.

Benji: G-Dragon – “Crayon”

J-Hoon: Crush – “Sometimes” / Jung key – “Truth”/ Chungki/ Jung Key – “Get To Forget”.

Hee Do: Yoon Dohyun sunbaenim’s “Sending You”.

 

What are you the most good at or the most proud of?

Gun Min: I was always proud of my good looking fingers. They’re long and thin…I regret not having learned to play the piano.

Gook Min Pyo: Rapping and illustration.

Benji: My ears! a.k.a, my listening ability.

J-Hoon: I’m good at freestyle dancing. I am able to dance to whatever song that is played.

Hee Do: Sitting down and doing the computer for a long time!!! I’m just kidding. I am able to impersonate a few voices really well.

 

Who do you most respect in the world?

Gun Min: My parents. I think it will be really tough for me, if I have a son like myself later on. I respect my parents who raised me the most.

Gook Min Pyo: My mother. She’s someone I love and respect the most.

Benji: My parents! They’re the best people ever.

J-Hoon: I respect my parents the most, because they went through a lot to raise me, so I always have gratitude for them.

Hee Do: Abraham Lincoln. I read his biography when I was younger and it was very inspiring.

 

What kind of activities do you want to do in the States?

Gun Min: A concert held in the U.S! I really want that to happen later on. Of course, later on would mean when we are out with a better song when a lot of people really like us.

Gook Min Pyo: I want to visit Benji bro’s home. I want to walk the street in America and go see musicals, performances and etc.

Benji: I want to go on a national music concert and food tour.

J-Hoon: I really want to do a concert and although I’m not very good at English, I want to communicate with our fans through signing events, etc.

Hee Do: What I really want with our own concert, but would also really want a K-pop concert with our senior singers.

 

What are your plans and goals for the future?

Gook Min Pyo: I’d like people to know more about B.I.G and our diverse music and performance not only in Korea, but worldwide.

Benji: Make good music & good memories. I want B.I.G to become respected as artists.

J-Hoon: Firstly, I’d like to work hard on our first single “Hello” and when that is done whilst doing the preparation on the next album, I’d like to work on my personal abilities and shoot a street dance video.

Hee Do: Since our debut song is about introducing Korea, we’ll let people know about Korea through our activities. And, we’d like to let our group, B.I.G become known to the K-pop fans across the world.

 

Could you say ‘Hello’ to the fans in the U.S and other countries?

Gun Min: We’d really like to one day visit America and perform there. We will try our hardest, so that day comes sooner. Please, wait for us and thank you!

Gook Min Pyo: Please, show a lot of interest and love on what we do. Thank you.

Benji: Hi! I’m Benji! Please, look forward to our new music and thank you all for your support!

J-Hoon: We promise to hold our stage oversees soon and show you our group’s diverse side through various areas of our activities. Thank you.

Hee Do: Thank you very much everyone for your interest, support and advice. B.I.G will always try to show you our great side. Please, keep your eyes on us

Wassup is a Korean girl group formed under Sony Music and Mafia Records, which debuted in August 2013, after being in training for three years. Wassup’s music video for the first single “Wa$$up” was released on August the 7th, which was in no way like any other ordinary girl group video, bright and loud, plus, displaying quite a lot of ‘twerking’ moves.

When Wassup came out, it was announced by Sony Music that the group will be very different to the ‘standard’ K-pop girl groups. According to their management company, Wassup’s music would consist of genres like dancehall, reggae and hip hop. Overall, their very unique sound and performance drew considerable attention on the net, their music videos brought along a lot of controversy due to their sexy wardrobe and dancing.

Wassup’s 7 members are named Jinju, Dain, Nada, Nari, Jiae, Sujin, and Woojoo in the order of their age. Jinju is the group’s leader and the main vocalist of Wassup at the age of 24, Dain is, also 24 years old rapper and lead dancer. Nada is 23 and her role is the main rapper and lead dancer. Nari is 21 and acts as the main dancer and rapper. Jiae is an 18 year old main vocalist, Sujin is, also an 18 year old lead rapper and sub-vocalist while Woojoo is the youngest member vocalist who will become 18 in August.

Since their debut, Wassup has released one debut album ‘Nom Nom Nom’ and four singles including ‘Hotter Than Summer’ and ‘Fire.’ Like their name, ‘Wassup’ – these young ladies and their music, well, what they are bringing out is extremely fun and entertaining to listen to with less cover ups in their performances and song lyrics. Wassup claims their music is spot on for the summer occasion.

We’ve prepared an interview with Wassup for you. These young ladies are determined to make it huge. Their drive and enthusiasm is second to no other. Read about how the WASSUP girls are enjoying what they do at the same time fighting hard for their dreams. Please, enjoy Kcrush readers…

 

Hello Wassup! Thank you for taking the time out to do an interview with Kcrush.

 

Did you all dream of being a celebrity when you were growing up?

Dain: Yes~ I wanted to become a celebrity since I was young.

Jinju: I dreamt of being a celeb for a long time at a very young age but when I started attending school that dream was switched to something else. I think you get to dream about what you really want to do later in life.

Nada: I majored in Art until I was in High school but my dream was to be a celebrity.

Nari: Yes, after knowing that it was a job that requires dancing and singing.

Jiae: It was my dream since I was in kindergarten.

Sujin: I started dreaming of being one when I was n middle school.

Woojoo: My dream was to be a zoo keeper when I was younger but after I starting learning to dance as a 5th grader at elementary, I dreamt of becoming a singer.

 

Ok…so are you all excited for the summer back? How are you all feeling?

Dain: I’m dying to get on the comeback stage as soon as possible. I can’t wait to meet our fans with our new music.

Jinju: All the members including myself are really anticipating and waiting for it.

Nada: Yes. Would really want to make a comeback and amaze everyone with our new music and new look.

Nari: Yeah, I really want to have a comeback soon and do active work.

Jiae: Really expecting it to happen, want to make a comeback soon!!!!!

Sujin: Yes, we’d like to show how we’ve improved soon.

Woojoo: Yes, we’d like to suddenly appear transformed in a cool way.

 

How old were you when you started training to dance and sing?

Dain: I loved to sing and dance as a kid, but I started training since I was 17.

Jinju: I think it’s been about 4 years since I had proper training.

Nada: Started when I got into Mafia Records at age 21.

Nari: I learned to dance in the 2nd year of middle school and got vocal training since 17.

Jiae: I started getting trained when I was 10 years old.

Sujin: Since I was 17.

Woojoo: I first learned to dance when I was a 5th grader in elementary school then started learning it properly when I got into middle school. And I started learning to sing when I was 17.

 

Can we ask how your parents initially reacted when you decided to get into the music industry?

Dain: At first they said no and opposed of the idea. I think I studied hard and most of all tried convincing them by showing I was passionate and sincerely determined to do this.

Jinju: I think they just looked on half in doubt. Then when I started to focus on getting prepared, my parents seem to get concerned and began to stop me.

Nada: They went against it at first, because I was preparing to get into one of the top schools, but my parents said they’d trust me since I do my studies and everything I do sincerely.

Nari: They said they would fully support me in whatever I wanted to do.

Jiae: My parents wanted me to become a singer from the start so they helped me a lot and they also really like what I do.

Sujin: My parents told me I could do it, if that was what I wanted to do.

Woojoo: My parents initially wanted me to do this as a hobby, but later on, they actively supported me to do as I chose.

 

 

How would you describe Wassup’s music?

Dain: Could we describe it as a collaboration of Hip hop and other genres? Our music is based on Hip hop compiled with other genres of music coated with Wassup’s own color to bring out a ‘Wassup-ish’ music.

Jinju: Hip Hop + uniqueness.

Nada: It’s like burning hot summer music.

Nari: I think we are sexy, energetic and well-suited to the summer season Hip hop girl group.

Jiae: Our sound is Hip hop, and you would know from listening that our songs are very different to the rest. It’s a very unique sound which collaboration of dancehall, reggae and other genres.

Sujin: Hot!!!

Woojoo: Hip hop is the basic genre. And, I think our songs are very suitable for the summer.

 

Why do you think people consider Wassup’s performances sexy?

Dain: I think our performances are considered sexy, may be, because the 7 members with diverse charms get on the stage united in one mind enjoying ourselves on stage with confidence. Thank you ^^..

Jinju: I reckon it comes from the vitality of our performances and the energy we display.

Nada: Are we sexy? Uhm…Wouldn’t it be due to our confident performances?

Jiae: Our choreography show sexy dances, but I think it’s, because of the healthy beauty the 7 members have!

Sujin: May be, it’s the confidence we show on the stage?

Woojoo: I think it could be the healthy beauty that people find sexy about us.

 

Did you have any part time jobs before joining the group?

Dain: Before our debut, I had a lecturing job teaching kids at an academy who had the same dreams as I did. I remember getting very motivated from teaching them which got me to try harder for myself.

Jinju: I’ve tutored kids and worked in a coffee café making coffee.

Nada: Yes. I’ve worked at a young age until I debuted, working in mean restaurants, sushi restaurants, Korean restaurants and etc… I was practically a part time monster. Ha ha.

Nari: As soon as I graduated high school, I came to Seoul and had a job briefly for around 3 months.

Jiae: Yes, I’ve worked as other singers’ back-up dancer, so being on the stage with them got me determined to be on stage under my name.

Sujin: I have no experience.

Woojoo: I was the type to earn my own money, so I’ve covered a lot of various part time jobs.

 

 

Do you all like to cook or do you usually choose to eat out?

Dain: I like to cook and I’m quite good at it too ^^. When we’re working there’s less time we can spend in the dorms, so I don’t get to cook much.

Jinju: I’m not really interested in cooking, so I’m not very good at it. I eat out once in a while.

Nada: I can’t cook at all and I get scared of the knife. I eat the stuff Nari cooks me or eat out.

Nari: I am good at cooking, but when we’re working we spend time, more time outdoors, so we tend to eat out more often.

Sujin: When I’m in the dormitory I have deliveries over often, but I don’t dislike cooking.

Woojoo: I have quite a lot of knowledge on cooking. Both my parents were great cooks, too. But, now I’m living away from home. Now, I think I eat out frequently.

 

What kind of beverages do you enjoy drinking?

Dain: I think I don’t spend a day without drinking coffee. With the current weather I take ice Americano all the time.

Jinju: Coffee.

Nada: Ice coffee, hot coffee and cold coffee, in other words coffee.

Nari: I like milk tea so much.

Jiae: Because, I’m on a diet 365 days a year, I enjoy drinking coffee as well.

Sujin: I really like to drink soda pop.

Woojoo: I like sweet drinks with powdered grain, coconuts and taro.

 

Could you share any helpful tips for maintaining health or skin health?

Dain: Out of the Wassup members, I am probably the one most interested in keeping good health. I concentrate on moisture management more than anything. I drink vegetable liquids which is good for the health on a regular basis. For healthy skin, moisture management is the best!!

Jinju: Sleep. Nothing is more effective than getting enough sleep.

Nari: I use a lot of facial masks.

Jiae: I use facial masks on the days I have heavy make-up. I always remember to use sun cream when I’m out. And carry my mist with me all the time.

Sujin: I like working out, so I work out a lot.

Woojoo: If I feel I have damaged skin, I visit the dermatologist often and I try to work out on a daily basis.

 

Could you briefly describe what your charm is and what kind qualities your ideal person should have?

Dain: I guess my charm is my bright and active personality. I can become close friends with anyone in no time and I consider my friendly personality my charm. I think I feel attracted to someone who focuses only on me and has a gentle attractiveness.

Jinju: My attractiveness would probably be my fair skin. And, strangely enough my ideal is someone with fair skin and broad shoulders. And, mostly we must share the same sense of humor.

Nada: Someone who is really interesting to a point everyone thinks he’s bizarre (We both need to have the same laughing code). I am attracted to someone who has a pride for his work and who is able to focus on it.

Nari: I think my charm is that I have a very easy going personality unlike my appearance. I feel very attracted to very manly masculine men.

Jiae: I think my charm is that I take good care to look after other people and I feel attracted to a person who is indifferent to others, but who is like a really a sweet lamb towards me.

Sujin: I think the charm I have is my voice, which exceeds peoples’ expectation. My ideal is someone who can protect me and make me feel I’m taken well care of.

Woojoo: My charm is my reversed attraction. People tend to think I’m difficult to approach, but when I get to know them I talk a lot and have a really bubbly personality. I feel attracted to someone who is… willing to put up with my complaints, kind and gentle person…someone I can learn from.

 

Can you speak foreign languages? Do you have any languages you are learning?

Dain: English. I can speak basic greetings in Japanese. I want to learn English more. ( I envy Jinju)

Jinju: I can speak English since I was able to learn it at a young age, so I like learning it a lot. I want to learn Chinese, French and Spanish.

Nada: I don’t speak any foreign languages, but I’d like to learn English..

Nari: I learned Japanese briefly, but I’m not very good at it, so I want to further learn. I have a lot of craving to learn many other languages.

Jiae: I can just say few greetings in Japanese and Portuguese. I want to learn Japanese and English more.

Woojoo: I don’t have any foreign languages I can speak fluently, yet, but I’d like to focus on learning English.

 

Who are your favorite Korean and oversees artist?

Dain: For Korean artists, I like Hyori Lee and Hyo Shin Park sunbaenim. For oversees artists, I like Beyonce and Tinashe.

Jinju: I have so many artists I like but nowadays, I listen to Crush the most. The oversees artist I like is Lana Del Rey.

Nada: In Korea I like Hyori Lee and Swing sunbaenim. And Rihanna and Nas for oversees artists.

Nari: I really like Nicole Scherzinger who is the main vocal who’s also doing a solo act.

Jiae: I like Jessie J for my favorite artist.

Sujin: I like Karina for my favorite oversees artist.

Woojoo: I like Maroon 5 so much. Love Maroon 5.

 

Why do you think you have more fans from abroad than in Korea?

Dain: I think it’s, because Wassup’s concept and music is unique to what you can normally find in K-pop groups. A fresh attraction, may be?

Jinju: Really, when we first debuted, we were amazed and grateful to the fans. I think the fact that we weren’t trying to conceal ourselves, but by expressing ourselves and energy naturally, we were able to approach the fans abroad easily and honestly.

Nada: Probably, because we have both the eastern and western charm unified very well

Nari: I think the fact that our choreography and concept, which differentiates us from the other girl groups, played a big part.

Jiae: Our genre of music is bright, cheerful and not common.

Sujin: I think, because we have a different feeling compared to the general K-pop music.

Woojoo: As Nari sis pointed out, our choreography and concept that is different to the other girl groups.

 

For the outfits you wear to events and on stage, do you usually pick any yourselves or do you have your stylists do it for you?

Dain: Usually our stylists pick outfits for us, but at times we do prepare our own styling, accessories and shoes

Jinju: Our stylists always takes great care on what we wear, but they also, include our opinions on fashion items and our company’s ideas.

Nada: Usually, our stylists picks our outfits, but we get to choose as well. We talk a lot about styling between the members.

Nari: The concept of the outfits usually comes from out stylists and our company’s representative.

Jiae: We get to choose our shoes accessories and hair styling.

Sujin: Stylists prepare our outfits. A lot of the shoes we wear are our own.

Woojoo: Accessories and shoes are prepared by the members. And, I think the shoes we wear are nearly all chosen by us.

 

Which countries do you want to visit the most?

Dain: America! I really want to visit there.

Jinju: I want to go to the European countries since I’ve never been there.

Nada: America, Brazil.

Nari: America and Japan are the countries I mostly want to visit.

Jiae: The top 3 countries for me would be Japan, America and England.

Sujin: The U.S.A.

Woojoo: America Australia and Japan!

 

If Wassup has a world tour, would you be coming to the U.S?

Dain: Yes! Of course! Just call us. We are all set to play.

Jinju: Of course. For me America is a place I want to visit over and over

Nada: Certainly!! If you’re willing to have us!!

Nari: Probably, and we hope for that. We want to meet fans from other countries

Jiae: Sure! That is my dream.

Sujin: Yes, I’d love to visit, ^^

Woojoo: Of course, we’d really love to go!!!!!!!!!

 

Do you have anything you regret that you’d like to change?

Dain: Well, I’m not the type to linger on what’s behind me…So, I am going to continue living the same way not regretting on anything.

Jinju: I really don’t like having any regrets and I don’t think I have anything I want to change or have anything I regret, but I do think I should have started learning about the things I am doing currently earlier.

Nada: I wish I had started music sooner; this isn’t a regret but rather a slight reluctance.

Nari: I do think of what might have happened, if I had put more effort in the past, but the present is what is important, so I’m going to try my best at present.

Jiae: I think that I have everything in the present, because of the past, so I’m going to try the best everyday for the future.

Sujin: I have none.

Woojoo: Because, I’m still at a young age, I don’t have any regrets or have anything I want changed.

 

Could you tell us about Wassup’s latest single ‘Fire’ and state the reason why you think it’s a great song…

Dain: It’s the first time Wassup has released a world cup song that is of a reggae genre. We were showing our cute side that we never showed before. And, the fun and interesting choreography added to the song in my opinion.

Jinju: ‘Fire’ is a Wassup styled support song for the 2014 World Cup, featuring M TySon oppa. Because, of the exciting rhythm and simple melody and choreography it is an extremely easy to sing along to. And, I’d recommend it to people to listen to this summer.

Nada: It’s an exciting cheery song revived with a reggae feel to it that features M TySon oppa ~ it has a lighter feel than our previous songs…And, because we were able to do slightly…cute ^^ performances and we really got to enjoy ourselves.

Nari: We were able to show our different charm. The song made us enthusiastically sing and dance

Jiae: The exciting song was written for the World cup theme, also the choreography and the cute wardrobe. These three elements of the song suited well I think.

Sujin: You can get a vibrant feeling every time you hear the song.

Woojoo: The choreography for the song is really cute and I guess people would have seen a new side to us.

 

Thank you very much Wassup for your time… We wish you all the best in your career…

HyunA’s A Talk came out July 28, and it’s something to talk about! HyunA is mostly known for her sexiness and for her work with 4Minute, and for many non-KPop fans, her appearance in Psy’s “Gangnam Style.” Although she’s had quite a few solo releases and albums, few were memorable in exception of “Bubble Pop” and “Change” as well as her work in Trouble Maker subunit with B2st’s Hyunseung.

A Talk, however, changes many of the thoughts associated with HyunA involving how she’s nothing more than a pretty face. The mini album is filled with addictive songs that show how much of a talent HyunA could be, and shows how much she’s grown as an artist.

“A Talk” does a nice job introducing the album. It has a good mix of singing and rap that accompanies the mid-tempo beat.

HyunA’s singing has definitely improved! Her voice is soothing and shows great range, so it’s surprising she doesn’t sing more. Instead, the majority of her songs are laced with talk-rap that doesn’t really stand out in an industry overwhelmed with rapping idols. But, her singing can stand out, because it’s soft without being too underwhelming. And, it has enough strength to propel a song forward. If “A Talk” was more than an intro, it would have been nice to hear more singing, especially as it leads into “French Kiss,” A Talk’s stand-out song.

“French Kiss” is the album’s best. The chorus has pretty melodies, which is unexpected given the song’s dance beat. The instrumentals don’t drown out the vocals, which is something that usually happens in a HyunA song. Hearing her actually carry a song by her own merit is a breath of fresh air. Even the rap portions stood out as better than HyunA’s usual as it wasn’t as high-pitched as previous music releases from her. Toward the end of the song, it did start to sound a bit processed with extra auto-tune and synthesizers, which were wholly unneeded. The song stood out without these little extras.

The title track, “Red,” upon the first listen, sounded a bit too 2NE1-ish; the opening chords didn’t sound unique. While listening, the song felt more Dara than HyunA while the Middle Eastern sound samples felt more fitting to a 2NE1 standard.
“Red” is not a bad song, not in the least. It’s catchy with an electrifying beat, and the MV is just as fun. “Red” is a title track that can compete with “Bubble Pop” and “Change” as HyunA’s best. It shows off her fun side as well as her propensity to be sexy. It’s a song that will get stuck in a listener’s head, especially the chorus. There is a lot going on with the instrumentals and vocals, which normally would seem like a bad thing, but not in this case. Everything comes together for a party-feel.

B2st’s Yoseob lends his voice for “From When Until When.” Hearing him open this jazzy tune is the icing to the HyunA’s soft vocal cake. It’s nice to hear her work with someone else from B2st, because her voice compliments them well. Usually, HyunA is a bit on the high, squeaky end for some listeners. Those who aren’t typically fans of her rapping may enjoy how she takes on a lower range while Yoseob hits the high notes to make for a strong mid-tempo rap ballad. This collaboration should have happened a long time ago because they just sound lovely together.

As a whole, though, Yoseob feels like he’s more of the star since his voice is considerably louder and more prominent. It would have been nice to hear HyunA sing with him to show off her range over just rapping, but not all wishes can come true.
The one song that is amazing is “Blacklist” because it’s so nice to see some EXID-love with LE being featured! But, that’s where the greatness ends.

“Blacklist” is harder-edged compared to the album’s other’s songs. While it’s not the popular opinion, at times, the chorus’ instrumentals felt like CL’s “MFTB.”

The unnecessary swearing takes away from the potential coolness. It is possible to be tough without obscenities, and that’s one of the things that’s troubling about some of the K-Pop songs that have come out this year like Ga-In’s “Fxxk U.” Perhaps this appeals to some members of the Western audience, but it’s not cute; it’s more trashy than anything. While the song seems to be getting love on many of the K-Pop forums, it’s a song that had potential to close an album on a strong note, because it has an amazing track, and LE and HyunA’s voices blend excellently. Its potential was wasted by trashy lyrics. What a shame.

If you’re a parent looking to fulfill your child’s K-Pop love with a HyunA album, go with an iTunes purchase and avoid “Blacklist”, if you don’t want the dirty lyrics.

Overall, A Talk is worth talking about and one of HyunA’s best albums to date. There are more hits than misses. She has grown as an artist. The ending was a bit disappointing, but HyunA, hopefully, should only go up from here.

Grade: B-

By: Joelle Halon

In South Korea, people take education very seriously. Education taught in Korea is known for a variety of reasons including very high results of major roles that helps develop the economy, but it has also, brought about a high rate of suicide among some students. So, it’s good and bad. It’s very common to see students from a very young age (elementary) to high school students walking around the neighborhood late at night. When you see them at night, it can either mean that they’ve finished their tutoring lessons at academies and are returning home, or they still have more lessons to go to. Usually elementary students return home no later than 10pm, and for middle school and high school, some stay out until 3 or 4am and get only 3 hours of sleep or may be not even that much, because when they return home, it will be time for them to go to school. And, their schedule will be like this until they graduate high school.

Like here in the US, Korean students have to take a test similar to the SAT to get into college. Most parents prepare their kids from 1st grade to build up their skills, so that when they get to a higher level, they won’t struggle as much. This test is a big deal, because if you don’t get a good score on it, then you probably won’t be able to go to college that year, because they will not get accepted into schools without a good result. Also, they have a limited number of schools they can apply to, so if you’re not accepted, that means you will have to go back to high school and complete another year and take the test again. Because, it’s so complicated, it’s very common for students to go back to school for an additional year, and retake the test.

The reason why education is so important in Korea is, because it has been one of the deciding factors in economic advancement since the Korean War, which ruined the economy. It took several years to gain it back. And, South Korea used to be one of the poorest countries, but is now richer than the average of the European Union.

The after school education, tutoring academies, are worth about 12.5 billion a year and South Korea is the 2nd best country in the ‘Pisa global test of academic excellence.’

Education has always been a top priority in South Korea. Parents will do anything for their children to get the best education even when they can’t afford it. Every parent wants their children to get into top universities in Korea and the students will do their best to make their parents proud. In Korea, school hours are very long. It starts early in the morning and it usually goes until night. There are mandatory classes after school that end in the evening or sometimes at night, if they choose to stay later to study.

After that, students go to academies for tutoring lessons and it goes on for a few hours. Things went a little too far that the government decided to introduce a law that you can’t stay at the school after 10pm. Even with a law, many avoided this rule and it’s very common for students to return home later than midnight. It’s not only that, but these students don’t even get a normal vacation. During winter/spring/summer breaks, they are told to come to school to study and they have to pay a fee to take classes during breaks. Not everyone goes during the breaks, but many do.

This may be way too much for students to handle and it can sometimes lead to depression, or some will commit suicide from all the stress they couldn’t handle.

These pictures below, kind of gives you an idea of what it feels like to be a student in South Korea.

Things are so different here in the U.S., and we should be thankful that the school doesn’t control our lives. But, even though the U.S. is different, we want to encourage the Korean students to continue to do their best, and do not become discouraged with their educational process. Work through it. Things get tough, but you be tough, too!!!!

 

LU:KUS is a newly emerged all male band, whose members are fully equipped with vocal, rap and dance skills… LU:KUS consists of 5 members with the names Donghyun, J. One, Kyungjin, Choi, and Jinwan. And, the band was formed to target fans from their homeland (Which is Korea) and also other countries and continents around the globe. Their name means ‘Look at us- Look us’, and pronounced as the latter. Lukus actually means a star, indicating that the group was named, so they wanted to be like stars.

LU:KUS members are not only great entertainers and dancers, but excellent athletes, too with their noticeable build getting recognition for their height. (The average height of the members being 184.4 cm (6 ft. ½ in.) – the youngest member Junwan is 188cm (6’2”) tall.

The nickname the public has given to them is currently ‘Giruckgi-dol.’ ‘Giruckgi’ is slang for ‘Height’ and ‘Dol’ is informally a shortened term often used to refer to idols.

After Donghyun J. ONE, and Jinwan left their former agency Open World Entertainment to join Box Media, they formed a group called LU:KUS. On the 3rd of June 2013, last year LU:KUS announced via their fan site in Daum that they had switched to their present management company, Pan Entertainment. Their first single, “So Into You” 기가막혀’ is an up-beat song with lyrics expressing infatuation at first sight in a club.

Brief introduction to the members

J. One is the leader and the sub vocalist of the group. He was born on June 20th 1991. He is able to compose and write lyrics, play the keyboard, drums and guitar. He is also multi-lingual, being able to speak 4 languages English, Japanese, Russian and Korean.

Donghyun was born on April 28th 1991, and is one of the main vocalist of LU:KUS. His former stage name was Taefung.

Choi whose real name is Seokhoon Choi, was born on 21st May 1993. He is one of the main vocalists of LU:KUS. He claims his hobbies are writing lyrics and music.

Kyungjin is a sub vocalist of LU:KUS who was born on July 11th 1992. He is part of a Kpop group now, but as a youngster he wanted to become a soccer player.

Jinwan is the youngest, but the tallest member of the group at the age of 18 and being 188 cm (6’2”) tall is the tallest member. He was born on Sept. 9th 1995. He has his role in the band as a rapper.

We took the time out to chat with the 5 members about their current lives, what their interests are and what they expect from this group that just recently debuted.

LU:KUS Interview

What do you guys most wish to achieve as a band?

As the members of LU:KUS, we would like to hold our own concerts and various performances abroad. And appear on a lot of entertainment shows and do acting as well.

 

Could you tell us about your first audition?

J. One: My first audition was through Cyworld.

Choi: I recall having the first audition for JYP Entertainment~

Jinwan: From the first audition, I was left with a lot of disappointment, because my rap didn’t come out as I had practiced.

Kyungjin: I was so nervous and shaky, but I preceded, determined it was my last audition.

Donghyun: The first audition was not a public one, but I remember being extremely nervous and trembling.

 

Have you guys ever had experience working in part time jobs before debuting as a band?

Donghyun: I worked in a meat restaurant when I was a sophomore in High school.

Kyungjin: I have worked in a convenient store and I was pleased with myself thinking I gained some financial sense even if it was only to a small extent.

 

Which colors suit you the most in your opinion?

Choi: White suites me in a variety of clothes.

Kyungjin: I think I go well with white and red.

Donghyun: I reckon I suit the colors blue and white the best.

Jinwan: Black& white.

J. One: Blue, navy, sky blue and other blue colors suit me.

 

Do any of you have any concerns or worries about other band members?

J. One: I don’t think there is in particularly.

Donghyun: I don’t have any concerns about other members but I think I have a lot of worries for myself.

Kyungjin: I assume all the members are having worries thinking we need to focus more.

Choi: There’s none.

Jinwan: Our members have a really great relationship with one another, so I don’t think there is any worries or concerns.

 

What kind of a person is your ideal? Could you briefly give us a description?

Jinwan: A neat person and with a lot of charm who can fit right into my arms.

J. One: Someone who isn’t too tall, sweet, cute, nice and someone I can trust.

Donghyun: Someone innocent, who does her work diligently and overall a good person.

Kyungjin: My ideal is someone who does her job well and someone who is only looking at me.

Choi: My ideal would be someone who is a great cook, who is more attractive as you get to know her.

 

What kind of music or genre do you normally enjoy listening?

Kyungjin: I normally listen to dance music and ballads. These days I’ve gotten more into hip hop.

Choi: Overal, I listen to all the recent releases and personally I like R&B and Soul.

Donghyun: Usually I listen to a lot of Gayo(Kpop) and pop music.

Jinwan: I enjoy listening to Hip hop and club music.

J. One: I like any kinds of music that is good. And, I listen to different genres depending on how I feel.

 

Where do you usually like to hang out with your friends?

Choi: I enjoy playing basketball a lot, so I go out to the basketball court alot.

Donghyun: I haven’t been out anywhere these days, so I want to go to the seaside.

Kyungjin: I like quite places, so I go chat with my friends in the corner of a café.

J. One: I go hang out near the seaside or valleys. I want to go hiking in the mountains, too but, my friends find it hard to climb, so it is a bit of a pity.

Jinwan: Because I like to play sports I often go bowling and the billiards room.

 

Back when you were growing up, were your childhood dreams to be singer? What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Jinwan: I wanted to be a policeman when I was younger, but as I grew up I dreamt of becoming a singer.

Donghyun: At first my dream was to become a soccer player. I played on a team since I was young, but due to my leg injury I had to give up playing.

Kyungjin: Since I played soccer at an early age I wanted to become a soccer player.

Choi: Yes, my dream was to become a singer since I was really young.

J. One: When I was younger, I wanted to be an actor. Then after learning music, I started to dream about being a singer, but I am still trying hard to pursue my dream as an actor.

 

Which places in the world would you want to visit the most?

J. One: I’d like to visit Australia, Mexico and Spain.

Jinwan: I want to travel to Guam.

Choi: The U.S.A..

Kyungjin: The States and Spain! I want to visit America to experience and communicate with diverse of the people and its culture. I want to visit Spain to enjoy a soccer match held there since I love soccer.

Donghyun: I really want to go to Paris.

 

How do you release stress when you’re fatigued and burned out?
How do you maintain your health?

Donghyun: I take a lot of vitamins and when I am stressed out I play video games or just nap listening to music.

Jinwan: I eat healthy foods and usually just take and rest and sleep.

J. One: I think vitamins are necessary to recover from fatigue. And, I eat a lot of broccolis.

Choi: I eat a lot of good food and take sleep to recover when I am fatigued. It helps to watch fun and entertaining things and laughing a lot to maintain your health is good.

Kyungjin: I tend to sleep quite well. Sleeping is the best way to maintain health in my opinion.

 

How many hours per day do you train and practice?

During our work period we train for three to four hours a day and if we feel we need further practice, we take five to six hours.

 

Name one song you like to sing the most?

Jinwan: Supreme team’s 땡땡땡. (Ttaeng Ttaeng Ttaeng)

J.One: Moon Sae Lee’s, ‘Forever With You.’

Donghyun: Lee Juck’s, ‘It’s A Relief’

Kyungjin: Songs by Gi Chan Lee, Junil Jung, Seok Jun Lee, Yun Gwon Na sunbaenims’ (Meaning seniors in Korean).

Choi: ‘You Are My Lady ’- Jung Yeop.

 

Do you have any special interests and other hobbies? Do you have hidden talents?

Donghyun: My hobbies are sports and I especially have a passion for soccer.

Choi: My hobbies are writing lyrics and songs.

J. One: My hobbies are swimming and playing the drums.

Kyungjin: I’ve played sports since I was young, so I am confident in doing anything that can be done physically. I enjoy, and the most confident in soccer.

Jinwan: My interests are watching films, dramas and listening to music.

 

Who do you feel the most respect for in the world?

Choi: I respect my parents the most.

Kyungjin: My father!! I always learn from him when I see how he’s always working hard to play his role in the family. I will be striving to become a father like him one day!

Donghyun: I respect myself the most, because I’m precious~

Jinwan: The person I respect the most is, of course, my parents who gave birth and raised me.

J.One: I respect my father the most.

 

Do you wish to do any fan meetings, signing events and concerts in America?

J. One: I would like to visit America and hold concerts. My younger sister is over there, so I really want to visit.

Jinwan: We would like to do a concert the most and of course do a fan signing event.

Donghyun: If we get to go to America, I would like to meet our fans that like us in person. I think it would seem surreal.

Kyungjin: First, I’d like us to have our concert under our name, LU:KUS. And, of course do fan signing events, fan meetings. And do performances to promote LU:KUS!!

Choi: Events~! And, I wanna do signing events too! Want to be broadcasted and guest on radio shows.

Jinwan: I want to let other people know more about LU:KUS.

Choi: Our group, LU:KUS’ goal is to become artists that are respected by our Juniors.

Kyungjin: First off, I want to promote our team, LU:KUS. Another goal is to receive the New Comer’s award and we will try our best to become stars in all fields of the media.

Donghyun: We will keep on promoting our debut single, ‘So Into You’. And, we will try to show ourselves a lot in other fields of our activities.

 

Would you like to say hi to the fans in the States and the fans from beyond? And thank you guys for your time wish you a great start of your career and have lots of fun!

Donghyun: To the fans in America, it is so wonderful that there are people in the States who like us and we would really like to do a concert there. LU:KUS will be working hard. I love you. ♡

J. One: Thank u everyone. I’ll be there ^^Choi: LU:KUS has just started and will be steadily be doing a lot media and other musical activities.

Choi: We’ll try our utmost to show you our best. For the fans, we ask you to please, give your attention~!

Jinwan: From now on, we LU:KUS as a group will be showing you guys a lot of ourselves in a lot of areas of our activities, so please, give us your interest~!! Please give us your vast support, Saranghamida (Love you)~

Kyungjin: At last, as LU:KUS we are standing in front of you. We will be showing our members’ diversity reversed attractiveness~!! We will always be interacting with you guys a lot, so please, show us your interest and support!!

Thanks and we will try our best until we can shine like stars!

LU:KUS – So Into You – 기가막혀 (Lyrics & music by Steven Lee)

(The expression ‘Gigamakhyeo’ is used to describe something incredulous or stunning- it is also used in a negative form when something is stifling or bothersome)

(Tag)

기가막혀, 숨막혀

Gigamakhyeo, it’s breathtaking

기가막혀, 숨막혀

Gigamakhyeo, it’s breathtaking

기가막혀, 숨막혀

Gigamakhyeo, it’s breathtaking

기가막혀

Gigamakhyeo

(Verse)

Girl, 처음 봤어 널

믿기지가 않는 걸

Hello hello

You’re stunnin’, stunnin’

뜨거운 클럽 안에

Everybody’s slowing “down”

Warning, warning

She’s burnin’ burnin’

Girl, I first saw you

I couldn’t believe it

Hello hello

You’re stunnin’, stunnin’

Inside the hot club

Everybody’s slowing “down”

Warning, warning

She’s burnin’ burnin’

(Pre-Hook)

처음이자 마지막일 것만 같은

이 느낌을 놓지 않을래 (Let’s do it now)

It feels like it’ll be the first and the last

Won’t let go of this feeling (Let’s do it now)

(Hook)

(Yeah) 기막혀 나 (Yeah) 이 밤이다 (Yeah) 지나기 전에 널 내꺼로 만들래

(Yeah) 숨막혀 나 (Yeah) 내 전부다 (Yeah) 보여줄 꺼야 난 다른 남자완 달라

(Yeah) Gigamakhyeo I am (Yeah) Gonna make you mine before this night all is over

(Yeah) I am breathless I am gonna show you all of me (Yeah) I’m different to the other guys

(Post Hook)

나와 너 너, slow it down down what you want want, what you want

너와 나 나, 오늘 밤 밤 what you want want, what you want want want girl

Me and you you, slow it down down what you want want, what you want

You and me, tonight night what you want want, what you want want want girl

(Tag)

기가막혀, 숨막혀

기가막혀, 숨막혀

기가막혀, 숨막혀

기가막혀, 숨막혀

Gigamakhyeo, it’s breathtaking

기가막혀, 숨막혀

Gigamakhyeo, it’s breathtaking

기가막혀, 숨막혀

Gigamakhyeo, it’s breathtaking

기가막혀

Gigamakhyeo

(Verse 2)

도도한 척도 Chic한 척도 하지마 Come on, come on, No playin’, playin

숨바꼭질 할 시간은 없으니까 Stop hidin’, hidin, Get ready, ready

Don’t pretend to be arrogant or chic, Come on, come on, No playin’, playin

Cos here ain’t no time for hide and seek Stop hidin’, hidin, Get ready, ready

(Pre Hook)

처음이자 마지막일 것만 같은

이 기분을 놓지 않을래 (Let’s do it now)

It feels like it’ll be the first and the last

Won’t let go of this feeling (Let’s do it now)

(Hook)

(Yeah) 기막혀 나 (Yeah) 이 밤이다 (Yeah) 지나기 전에 널 내꺼로 만들래

(Yeah) 숨막혀 나 (Yeah) 내 전부다 (Yeah) 보여줄꺼야 넌 다른 여자완 달라

(Yeah) Gigamakhyeo I am (Yeah) Gonna make you mine before this night is over

(Yeah) I am breathless I am gonna show you all of me (Yeah) you’re different to the other girls

(Post Hook)

나와 너 너, slow it down down what you want want, what you want

너와 나 나, 오늘 밤 밤, what you want want, what you want want want girl

Me and you you, slow it down down what you want want, what you want

You and me me, tonight night, what you want want, what you want want want girl

(Rap)

여자 맘을 잡긴 어려워, Lady 근데 넌 계속 붙어있어, 내게 (Whew)

내 매력을 느껴봐 그리곤 니 맘을 내게 맡겨봐 Baby

그리 멀지 않아 너와 나의 거리

높이 날아 만나 너를 take it

우리 둘의 역사의 첫 Page

너의 모든 게 나를 바꿔 change

It’ hard to capture a woman’s heart, Lady but you keep hanging on, to me (Whew

Feel my charm and give your heart to me, Baby

The distance between you is not far

I meet you flying up high, take it

Make history for us first, page

Your whole being changes me, change

(Hook)

(Yeah) 기막혀 나 (Yeah) 이 밤이 다 (Yeah) 지나기 전에 널 내꺼로 만들래(Yeah) 숨막혀 나 (Yeah) 내 전부다

(Yeah) 보여줄꺼야 난 다른 남자완 달라 (Yeah) Gigamakhyeo I am

(Yeah) Gonna make you mine before this night all is over

(Yeah) I am breathless I am gonna show you all of me (Yeah) I’m different to the other guys

(Post Hook)

너와 너 너, slow it down down what you want want, what you want

너와 나 나, 오늘 밤 밤, what you want want , what you want want want girl

Me and you you, slow it down down what you want want, what you want

You and me me, tonight night, what you want want, what you want want want girl

(Tag)

기가막혀, 숨막혀

기가막혀, 숨막혀

기가막혀, 숨막혀

기가막혀

기가막혀, 숨막혀

Gigamakhyeo, it’s breathtaking

기가막혀, 숨막혀

Gigamakhyeo, it’s breathtaking

기가막혀, 숨막혀

Gigamakhyeo, it’s breathtaking

기가막혀

Gigamakhyeo

 

All celebrities have their sense of fashion, but there are those who are a bit over the top. You may have already heard about some of these people, because they’re highly recognized and known for their good fashion styles.

G-Dragon

A leader of a popular boy group Big Bang, G-Dragon is known for his unique fashion style. His fashion sense is so different than the others and that’s what makes him stand out. It’s almost like; even the worst outfits will look good on him. He always tries new things and many designers from all over the world have sent him clothing, accessories, etc., for him to have and wear freely.

Gong Hyo Jin

Gong Hyo Jin, not only is she famous for her talented acting skills, she also has very good style. She is known as one of the biggest fashion icons in South Korea.

Gain

A member of Brown Eyes Girls, Gain has a very casual style, but these looks seem good on her than anybody else. It’s a very simple look, but she always adds on a few accessories to make herself stand out.

Sohee

Former member of Wonder Girls, Sohee has a very innocent, young face, but has a great body figure. She is only 5’3, but has very long legs and that gives her an advantage to look good in any type of clothing. She usually wears clothes that show both of her boyish and feminine sides. Sohee, also appeared in various fashion magazines such as Vogue Korea, and CeCi Korea.

Key

Shinee’s Key has fashion sense for both males and females. He chooses different concepts with each of his outfits, which shows his creativity. He looks good in any type of clothing from a masculine look to a hip-hop look.

Jessica

Girl’s Generation’s Jessica has a simple and chic style and it suits her perfectly. She has a bit of a cold look to her fashion and it seems like she always dresses to that concept. Jessica is one of the consistent idols who just sticks to one image and doesn’t change her looks often.

Jia

Miss A Jia’s fashion is very different than the others. Even though she’s a girl, she is able to pull of a masculine look, which is very cool, because not many people can do that. At the same time as having a masculine look, she also maintains a feminine image, and that’s a hard thing to do if you don’t have the right fashion sense.

Hyunseung

All the B2ST members have unique fashion styles, but Hyunseung definitely stands out with his bright color clothing, or some really cool patterns. It’s hard to describe his fashion sense, because he always changes things up. His fashion goes from all black clothing to really bright colors and random patterns. But one thing I know for sure is that he sure knows how to dress.

CL

2NE1’s leader CL is the most stylish K-pop idol. 2NE1 the group itself is already known for their fashion, but on top of that CL is known for her shocking styles. She is a close friend with Jeremy Scott, who is a fashion designer and has been in Jeremy Scott’s clothing line.

Hyuna

4 Minute’s Hyuna is known for her sexy concepts from her hit singles “Change”, “Bubble Pop”, and “Ice Cream”. She has very good fashion sense, but it’s often covered by her sexy concepts. She has also launched her own clothing line called ‘HyunA x SPICYCOLOR’.