Tongyeong City: The Creative and Historic City

Tongyeong is a coastal city situated in the southern part of Korea with international recognition for its deep maritime history and contribution to arts, music, and culture. In Hansado Island, Tongyeong, the legendary Admiral Yu Sin Si led Korea’s Joseon Kingdom to victory against the Japanese revolution. As such, Tongyeong City is filled with traces of the admiral’s legacy through the city’s numerous historical folklore and sites. In addition to being a historical city, Tongyeong City is known as the birthplace of famous musicians, including the iconic composer Yu I Sang, poet Kim Choon Su, and novelist Park Kyong Ni. Tongyeong City has received global accreditation for its continued contribution towards music crediting it the “City of Music” title designated by UNESCO’s City of Music Network in 2015.

Jeseungdang Shrine is one of Tongyeong’s historical places where one can walk down the history lane of Admiral Yu’s 16th-century history. One among several shrines, the Jeseungdang Shrine is said to ooze the hero’s anguish and valor in his quest to save the Joseon Kingdom from slavery. Termed the “House of Victory”, Jeseungdang Shrine is where the former naval commander spent sleepless nights strategizing for his victory. Surrounded by scenic views, especially from the reflective colorful rays from the adjacent lake, Jeseungdang Shrine is a must-visit spot in Tongyeong.

As the “City of Music”, Tongyeong City’s endless music events, including the international music festival, are worth looking forward to. The Ogwandae mask dance is one of Tongyeong City’s many activities aimed at maintaining the city’s rich cultural footing. As an artistic city, Tongyeong’s traditional craft, mother-of-pearl inlay lacquer ware, is another beauty to behold. This artifact, famously termed “Najeon” was considered a treasure in the Joseon era. Tongyeong city is also known for the iconic Camelia Island whose panoramic views include a trail of camellia trees and mountain vistas.

Other worthy places to visit in Tongyeong City include Mireuksan Mountain, Dongpirang Mural Village, and Suryuk Beach. One can view the Tongyeong port and Hallyeo Waterway from the sky using cable cars or enjoy a refreshing sled down the hill with a perfect view of the sea on luges at Skyline Luge Tongyeong.

—-Karen Mwenda

#TongyeongCity #MireuksanMountain #DongpirangMuralVillage #SuryukBeach #HallyeoWaterway #SkylineLugeTongyeong #kcrush #kcrushamerica #traveltoKorea #sightseeing #Koreancities #wanttotraveltokorea #funplacesinkorea #historicalplaces #kcrusharticleonTongyeongCity #Najeon #JoseonEra #TheOgwandaeMaskDance #JeseungdangShrine #expacttravel #kpop #kcrushtravelsuggestion #beautifulplacestotravel #koreaplacestogetmarried #HansadoIsland #historicalplacesinKorea #kcrushtravelarticles #kcrushtopasianamericanentertainmentmagazine #AdmiralYu #TongyeongCityofMusic #SEO #SEOKorea #SEOkcrush #SEOKpop

Premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Brief History of a Family, is first time feature writer and director Jianjie Lin’s tense, methodically paced, and layered examination of the effects of China’s infamous political strategy known as the ‘One Child Policy’ on a small well-off middle-class family and their mysterious young acquaintance.

Starring newcomer to the screen Lin Muran as Wei a high schooler and aspiring professional fencing athlete who cautiously befriends Sun Xilun’s enigmatic Shuo, Brief History of a Family takes a nation-wide government policy and shrinks it down to the micro – literally and figuratively. By focusing on how a family left with no choice but to remain as Father, Mother, and Son Lin ascertains how they could each see the possibilities of becoming more than just three when a new child with a painful past, and troubled present enters their life.

Lin’s intent with the film isn’t only to critique this once upon a time unique aspect of Chinese culture, but to examine the intricate dynamics of a family where each member has their own expectations of what they want from each other, personally, and even culturally. With the Mum played Guo Keyu, we see a woman who after giving up her job as a Flight Attendant, longs to be needed as a caretaker and finds that with Shuo whose seemingly small gestures like the giving of an orange in appreciation, is seen as a sign that he values the things she does for him.

In the Dad (Zu Feng), there’s the initial impression of a strict taskmaster who only sees his son Wei as an extension of him, and is expected to be the perfect student going on to having the perfect career befitting their status in a bustling upscale Chinese city. But that’s not quite the case as Lin adds layers to both parents by subverting the expected trope of the “Tiger Mom”, and the emotionally repressed father. Both Zu and Guo’s performances are fine tuned to reveal the depth of their characters bit by bit and as methodically performed as the film’s pacing itself.

Of course, there’s the two young leads, Lin and Sun whose performances really ground the film admirably supporting it with their performances that swing wildly from easy but cautious camaraderie during bouts of playing games to intense scuffles and stare downs. Just as with the parents, Lin has carefully crafted two characters that are much more than they appear on the surface.

Like cells under a microscope (a visual theme used throughout the film), the real nature of Wei and Shuo is revealed as the story progresses. You wonder who to trust and believe and question your own preconceived ideas, whether accurate or flawed, of who these boys really are, and are perhaps based on their social status and personalities.

In my interview with Lin Jianjie during Sundance, we discussed these themes presented in the film, how his educational background in the field of Biomechanics, and Chinese culture all came together to create this particular family portrait. We also spoke about the film’s score by composer Toke Brornson Odin, and cinematographer Zhang Jihao created the auditory and visual landscape of the film and are tied to certain aspects of the characters.

Carolyn Hinds

Freelance Critic, Journalist & Podcaster
African American Film Critics Association Member, Tomatometer-Approved Critic
Co-Host & Producer So Here’s What Happened! Podcast
Bylines at http://Authory.com/CarolynHinds
Twitter & Instagram: @CarrieCnh12

#BriefHistoryofaFamily #JianjieLinfilmmaker #sundance2024 #kcrushfilminterview #LinJianjie #kcrushvideointerview #TokeBromsonOdincomposer #ZhangJihaocinematographer # ZuFeng #SunXilun #Wei #Shuo #GuoKeyu #SundanceFilmFestival2024 #Chinesefilm #kcrushinterview #kcrushamericamagazine #SEO #onechildrule

Have you ever seen an urban forest? It’s a space of densely compacted greenery right in the middle of a city. Oftentimes, these are planted using the Miyawaki method of forestation. Essentially, this method brings the forest to a small plot of land in an urban setting.

Within the span of 20-30 years, these cultivated plots can grow a forest! That might seem like a long time, but most forests take between 200-300 years to grow. That’s quite the expedited development!

Here’s how it works: various species of plants are grown directly next to one another. This means that plants only receive sunlight shining down, not sideways, because of how dense the brush is. This causes the plants to grow upwards to face to the sunlight instead of laterally. It’s this that causes the urban forest to become compact– which is exactly what you want in a small plot of land!

The amazing thing about this method is that after 3 or so years, the forest no longer needs maintenance and can care for itself. These incredible urban forests can help mitigate the effects of climate change, help with pollution, and give citizens a beautiful touch of nature in the heart of a bustling concrete jungle!

So, who was the genius who pioneered this movement in botany? Akira Miyawaki was a Japanese botanist who started advocating for the restoration of natural forests as early as the 1970s. He took time to study Japanese forests and noticed that there were many trees introduced to Japan in order to grow timber, but not native to the country. These trees caused changes to the composition of forests, leaving them weak and susceptible to climate change. In order to combat this problem, he sought to create a method of ecological engineering that would help restore native forests. This would strengthen the natural ecosystem and help fight climate change in the process. Miyawaki restored over 1,300 forests in both Japan and the Pacific islands, and taught countless others to take this method to their own regions!

One of the forests that Miyawaki is most famous for is the Tama Forest Science Garden in Tokyo. This forest was made in 1973, and showcases the Miyawaki method perfectly! Its success in displaying a resilient ecosystem in an urban environment went on to inspire similar projects all around the world. The Miyawaki method has made its way to the UK, United States, Europe, and other regions in Asia.

Beyond the practical efforts of forest restoration, Miyawaki was active in education and research efforts. His scientific papers and books on plant ecology and conservation have served readers and researchers for decades. He also conducted workshops on biodiversity, conservation, and forest restoration, teaching individuals how to help their communities.

In 2006, Miyawaki was given the Blue Planet Prize. This is one of the highest awards in environmental science. And he is truly deserving! He pioneered an amazing method in forestry that led to sustainable development in ecological restoration.

This incredible botanist lived to be 93, and his legacy is one that is still benefiting so many lives around the globe! His method of urban forestation not only gives environmental benefits but adds to the well-being of local citizens. Spending time in nature can help reduce stress and improve mental health. And let’s not forget the oxygen boost that it gives! Finding nature in the middle of the city can be difficult, but Miyawaki has made it possible! This is not just helping the humans who live near the urban forest, but also the natural wildlife, helping them thrive from an enhanced ecosystem.

As cities continue to boom and climate concerns increase, the Miyawaki method is needed now more than ever! As more and more communities embrace urban gardens they can continue to help their local cities and the world at large.

—-Ellie Boyd

#AkiraMiyawaki #Miyawakimethod #urbangardens #kcrush #improvementalhealth #wellbeing #forestation #environmentalbenefits #naturalwildlife #enhancedecosystem #oxygenboost #urbanforestation #BluePlanetPrize #plantecologyandconservation #TamaForestScienceGardeninTokyo #Japanesebotanist #restorationofnaturalforest #Miyawakirestoredover1300forests

Download and Streaming links

https://lilleague.lnk.to/Lollipop

Music Video

https://youtu.be/cCP1vluMi1Y

Japanese dance/vocal/rap group LIL LEAGUE have released their new single ‘Lollipop’,

the lead track from their upcoming first full-length album ‘TRICKSTER’, along with a music video.

The song title hints at something sweet, but the theme of the lyrics is the contrast between “the surface and what lies beneath”, or the light side and the dark. We all yearn for a world that is sweet and glamourous, but beneath the surface lie bitter and painful experiences. Artists who live public lives in the bright spotlight may be plunged into darkness for saying or doing the wrong thing.

The track borrows its melody from 19th-century composer Edvard Grieg’s timeless ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’. This classic piece was first composed to soundtrack a scene in the stage play ‘Peer Gynt’, in which the protagonist is pursued by the troll Mountain King’s minions. As ‘Lollipop’ explores themes of light and dark, Grieg’s melody creates a thrilling, mysterious atmosphere.

Making use of tricks like sound effects and a sudden rhythm change in its outro, the song has a playful sound that is typical of LIL LEAGUE.

The music video echoes the themes of the lyrics by contrasting scenes of the group members in the glittering spotlight with darker footage of them as puppets on a string.

Going back and forth between these seen and unseen worlds, LIL LEAGUE express themselves as artists, not puppets, who have their own creativity and vision.

The video was filmed on location in Taiwan at Lihpao Resort as well as at Shitou Park, an abandoned theme park that is now used as a filming location. Look out for the group’s high-speed performance in front of the brightly lit Ferris wheel and giant candy statue in this otherwise desolate, eerie amusement park. It’s a video that perfectly intercuts footage from one resort that is lively and thriving, and one that is deserted.

LIL LEAGUE made their debut in January last year and won the Best New Artist Award at the 65th Japan Record Awards, while their debut single ‘Hunter’ ranked No.1 on the Oricon Chart and No.2 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart. LIL LEAGUE were also selected by respondents in the Next Trend Prediction poll for the second half of 2023, based on the choices of 120,000 Generation Z voters. The results of the poll can be seen here (in Japanese): https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000090.000020799.html

After a whirlwind debut year that included holding a headline hall tour of Japan just six months after their debut, LIL LEAGUE are moving into a new phase – and anticipation for their upcoming first full-length album is reaching fever pitch.

❏ LIL LEAGUE MEMBERS

Sena Iwaki (19)

Tatsuhiro Nakamura (19)

Kodai Yamada (18)

Matora Okao (15)

Haima Momoda (15)

Sora Nanba (15)

❏ RELEASE INFORMATION

‘Lollipop’ released February 5, 2024

Download and Streaming links

https://lilleague.lnk.to/Lollipop

Music Video

https://youtu.be/cCP1vluMi1Y

‘TRICKSTER’

First album releasing February 28, 2024

List of formats (10 formats in total)

▼ General distribution editions

① Limited edition first pressing CD: RZCD-77898; 3,500 yen (including tax)

② Live version CD + Blu-ray: RZCD-77899/B; 7,700 yen (including tax)

③ Music video version CD + Blu-ray: RZCD-77900/B; 5,500 yen (including tax)

④ CD only: RZCD-77901; 2,500 yen (including tax)

★ CD purchase links ★

https://lilleague.lnk.to/0228_1stAL

Tracklist:

Visit the link below for full details (Japanese):

https://lilleague.jp/news/detail.php?id=1112972

❏ LIL LEAGUE official links:

https://linktr.ee/lilleague

#LILLEAGUE #LILLEAGUEAlbumRelease #kcrush #kcrushnews #SenaIwaki #TatsuhiroNakamura #KodaiYamada #MatoraOkao #HaimaMomoda #SoraNanba #JapaneseBoyGroup #boyband #newsingle #Lollipop #Trickster #BestNewArtistAwardatthe65thJapanRecordAwards #kcrushamericamagazine #SEO #vocalgroup #dancegroup #rapgroup #JPop #J_POP #youngidolgroup #LILLEAGUEAlbumReleaseAnnouncement #newmusicannouncement #groupfromJapan #newalbumFebruary282024 #kcrushinterviewwithLILLEAGUEcomingsoon #kcrushpressrelease #generationZvoters #EdvardGriegstimelessIntheHalloftheMountainKing

Studio Ghibli films have captured viewers for decades. They have such a beauty to them, and the stories are charming, touching, and peaceful. The stunning imagery can be traced back to Kawase Hasui. A Japanese artist born in 1883, he made incredible contributions to his country’s art scene, influencing not just the craft of his day but inspiring future generations. His work helped inspire the creation of Studio Ghibli’s timeless animation.

Kawase Hasui’s artistry took off during the early 1900s. He joined the Shin-Hanga movement, which means “new prints”. This group wanted to bring Japanese woodblock painting techniques into the modern world by combining them with modern Western painting elements. Kawase’s printed art was full of delightful imagery and craftsmanship, causing him to grow in popularity and become a key figure in this art movement.

And it’s no wonder! A quick look at his tranquil artwork will tell you why he is a legend. He so beautifully captures scenes of Japan. From strolling through ancient streets, standing on a mountaintop, or observing Tokyo in the rain–viewers are transported through his mesmerizing landscape. His choice of colors, from cherry blossom pinks to floral greens are delightful to the eye. Most of his work focused on townscapes or landscapes, which often were crafted via sketching and watercolors. He knew how to survey the various scenes found in Japan and relay them to his audience.

And wow, did he have a profound grasp on how to depict nature! There is such a stillness that comes across in his art–from the serenity of a pond to the vastness of the mountains, he captured Japan’s scenery in an enduring fashion. But not just the grand monuments–unlike most Japanese landscape artists at the time, Kawase didn’t just focus on painting famous places. He depicted ordinary locations, like anonymous fields, rural streets, and unknown forests. The fact that he could portray both iconic locations and everyday scenes shows the breadth of his talent. It’s no wonder that Kawase’s beautiful artwork inspired Studio Ghibli!

The founders of Studio Ghibli turned it into a factory for immersive animated worlds, with rich details and vibrant landscapes. Miyazaki cites Kawase’s work as having a substantial influence on his artistry. And once you’re familiar with Kawase’s work, it’s easy to see the influence on Studio Ghibli! Both sets of craftsmanship draw on a sense of wonder and capture the essence of the natural landscape, as well as the beauty in the ordinary.

Films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro echo back to Kawase’s breathtaking artistry. It’s such a treat to have these landscapes in moving pictures through animation. The attention to detail, vibrancy of color, and realistic settings all pay homage to the timeless aesthetic that Kawase pioneered.

A year before his death, Kawase was honored by the Japanese Government which designated him as a living national treasure. His remarkable legacy lives on, not only in Studio Ghibli but influencing anime and manga as well. New generations of artists study him and continue to fill the world with peaceful art. In a world of uncertainty, Kawase’s scenes are grounding and display the beauty found all around us.

In the Japanese animation world, few stand as tall as Kawase Hasui. His ability to capture Japan, from big scenes to small, and infuse the landscape with a sense of tranquility and wonder is what leaves such an indelible mark on animators all over the globe. Through Studio Ghibli, people are discovering this amazing artist who paved the way for some of their favorite animated films. As viewers lose themselves in the world of Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo, they can thank Kawase whose spirit lives in the landscapes of these immersive film experiences.

—-Ellie Boyd

#KawaseHasui #StudioGhibli #kcrush #Japaneseanimation #Ponyo #HowlsMovingCastle #SpiritedAway #MyNeighborTotoro #Miyazakicites #Tokyo #kcrushamerica #KawaseinspiredStudioGhibli #SEO #animation #peacefulart #kcrushtopasianamericanentertainmentmagazine #newprints #ShinHangamovement #kcrushnews #Japanesewoodblockpainting #traditionaljapaneseart #woodblockpainting

The Fort Worth, Texas Concert was extremely hyped for Odd Eye Circle! They performed some of their old songs by the “sub-unit of ARTMS,” then their solo songs plus their newer songs, along with cover songs that each of them performed amazingly by the way. This is their second time to Texas, their first time was in Dallas, so this is their first time in Fort Worth. The girls’ fans; Loonatics were really excited to see them again, shouting their names and saying “I love you,” but also jamming out to their music and performance. Plus, it was cute to see a mixture of their “old” lightstick from Loona and their new lightstick. The girls even seemed like they were having fun and enjoying themselves on stage.

Alright, time to talk about the venue, Will Rogers Auditorium is a really cool place. I have never been there so it was cool to see what the inside looks like. It reminded me of an old opera house and that’s what made the venue great because wherever you were seated you could still see Odd Eye Circle clearly and get good pictures too. The workers were very sweet and nice, they even did a great job making sure everyone was comfortable while watching the girls perform and the security did a great job too on making sure that no one got really too close to the stage while the girls were performing. The whole vibe was great in my opinion, but anyway let’s talk about Cheorry, Kim Lip and Jinsoul’s amazing performance on stage.

Kim Lip started it off by performing “Eclipse” which was really great and a bop. The fans were really enjoying it and her outfit was really cute. The outfit made me want to recreate it one day, and her singing voice was amazing. The second person to come on stage after her was Jinsoul, who performed “Singing in the Rain” which, not going to lie, is one of my favorite songs and it’s so cool to hear it live. She did an amazing job, the dancing was really good plus the tech team did a great job on the sequence of lights for that song. The last one to perform her solo song was Cheorry, she performed “Love Cherry Motion”. The Dance break for this song was amazing and again the lighting from when she was singing softly was light pink, but when she was about to switch over to the dance break the lighting changes to violet. It is interesting and neat to see the use of lighting to shift the tone. Also, I like how some part of the song sounded Egyptian too.

Now onto their Duet Performances, the first two girls were Jinsoul and Kim Lip. They performed “Love Letter”, their vocals were really amazing together and the fans were really enjoying it themselves, bopping the lightsticks back and forth. The second duet was Jinsoul and Cheorry, they performed “Puzzle.” This one had a really cute dance performance and their outfits were really nice as well, their fans were enjoying seeing the dance moves and cheering them on.

The next thing to talk about is their fun videos in between breaks for the girls to switch outfits and take a little break. The first video was them playing charades, and they were great at playing charades like I would want one of them to be on my team. Some of the charade questions that they had to act out were tough, but they all did a great job at performing them and guessing them correctly without the crew’s help, well except for one, which was the ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ one. Cheorry had to act it and it was difficult for her, but she told Kim Lip that it was her favorite movie and she guessed right away and got it right. It’s awesome to see a Studio Ghibli fan. The second video is them in the dance studio practicing their dances for their tour and it was cute to see the process of them practicing, how hard they practice while still having fun too. The final video was them telling their fans to scream loud as they can to get them to come back out for their encore, which the fans put their heart and soul into it.

The next thing to talk about is their cover songs performance, which they all did wonderfully. Jinsoul was the first to do her performance on ‘Kill Bill’ and she killed it. The rapping part she did was awesome and the background effects with the blood splatter was a good choice to go with. Kim Lip was second, her performance was ‘Water’. Her dance moves were awesome and her singing was great. The dance break she did was great along with the backup dancers doing an amazing performance as well. The last one to perform was Cheorry, she did ‘Don’t Start Now.’ It was easy for her to get the crowd singing along with her while they were swaying to the music and the awesome backup dancers were back again.

Their Q&A was cute and funny because while they were chanting about their first time in Fort Worth to them thinking about wearing their cowgirl hats, they were surprised to see cows moving about. They even thanked their fans because their new album from last year was number one on the charts on iTunes, which is really awesome for them. But what makes it funny is that while they were talking about all these things their fans would erupt into shouts saying how much they loved them and how cute they are so they would be bashful and reply back saying thank you or love you too. It was a cute sight to see. Oh and Jinsoul also mentioned that it was hard for her to pick which cover song to do because she also wanted to sing “Call Me” but chose to perform “Kill Bill”. They also mentioned that they let the fans pick what songs they wanted them to perform throughout the tour, so that was cool to know that the fans were the ones who helped pick out the songs for the setlist.

This is a side note, but all their outfit changes kept getting more cute and even more cute each time. Even their backup dancers kept getting more and more cute outfit changes as well.

Now to finish it off, their Encore songs were amazing and I loved what they did on their very, very last song for their fans. The first song was ‘My Secret Playlist’, it was a jumping up and down type of song, which had the crowd moving their lightsticks back and forth. The second song, ‘Girl Front,’ the dance break for this one was awesome! Love the rapping part and the beat drop was well done. The last song they performed to finally end the concert was ‘Hi High.’ This song had everyone singing the chorus and when the fans moved to give the girls their phones to take selfies and headbands for them to wear while they were performing this song. It was very cute and wholesome to see the three girls interacting with their fans that way because I don’t see that as often on the groups actually grabbing phones and taking pictures while they sing their last song. It was even neat to see that the girls returned the headbands after their song was over to the fans.

I really enjoyed the concert and can’t wait for them to come back again. I know their fans can’t wait for them to come back to Texas again and perform their newest hit songs from their new album(s). It will be fun and awesome. I am happy that I got to see them perform on stage and I am happy that I got to write an article about them.

Also, a heads-up, ARTMS will be releasing a complete album in the first half of this year, so please be looking forward to it.

Thank you ODD EYE CIRCLE for coming to Texas.

[All photos are property of KCrush]

Article by: Breya

#ODDEYECIRCLE #ODDEYECIRCLEDallasConcert #TexasConcert #kcrush #ARTMS #MySecretPlaylistODDEYECIRCLE #kpopidol #kcrushamerica #WillRodgerAuditorium #CheorryODDEYECIRCLE #KimLip #Jinsoul #Loonatics #charadegame #SEO #StudioGhibliFans #kcrushcoverage #kcrushconcertcoverage #GirlFront #nolongerLoona #ODDEYECIRCLEVolumUpConcert

Thank you BMO Stadium and KRAZY Super Concert for your safety and comfort concern for all.

#KRAZYSuperConcertPostponement #BMOStadiumKRAZYConcertpostponement #kcrushnews ##safetyconcernrain #SouthernCaliforniaregionrains #newdate #newdateannouncedsoon #checksocialmediachannels #kcrushamerica #KRAZYSuperConcertNoLongerFebruary9and10 #postponement #KRAZYSuperConcertnews

Japanese idol group Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu released their new album ‘Tokimeku Koi to Seishun’ on January 24. This was followed by two hugely successful solo performances at Yokohama Arena on January 27 and 28, the group’s biggest concerts to date. The music video for ‘hapilablue!’ is also out now; the video is packed full of happiness, love and youth, the three themes of the song.

The music video expresses these themes through its must-watch dance choreography, switching between three different costume changes and sets, before reaching the final climax where the members of Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu dance surrounded by floating bubbles and flying paper planes. There are over 2,000 of these paper planes flying around the set, and if you look closely, you will notice that the paper planes are shaped like adorable hearts. Right down to the tiniest details, this is a music video crammed with cuteness.

▷ Download and streaming links: https://cho-toki-sen.lnk.to/tokimekukoitoseishun_st

▷ Music video: https://youtu.be/LjJNLn1s-tE

About Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu

Locking on to your heart! Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu is a six-member idol unit starring Stardust Promotion members Kanami Tsujino, Julia Ann, Hitoka Sakai, Haruka Koizumi, Aki Suda and Hiyori Yoshikawa, who take the concept of “burning love and fresh youth” to the world. Their song ‘Suki! ~Cho ver~’ has topped the charts on TikTok and streaming platforms not only in Japan but around the world ♡

Official website: https://toki-sen.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tokisen.official/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokisen_sd/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sendenbu_staff

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TOKISEN

#ChoTokimekiSendenbu #Japaneseidolgroup #StardustPromotion #KanamiTsujino #JuliaAnn #HitokaSakai #kcrush #HarukaKoizumi #AkiSuda #kcrushnews #HiyoriYoshikawa #SukiChover #ChoTokimekiSendenbuTikTok #Tokisen #hapilablue! #Japanese #paperplanesflying #SEO #Japanesesubunit #YokohamaArena #sixmemberidolunit #upbeat #happy #newsong #newalbum #TokimekuKoitoSeishun #newjapanesealbum #kcrushamericamagazine #k-crush

2023 brought us another great K-Pop year, with artists like Fifty Fifty and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo going viral with their respective hits “Cupid” and “Flower,” BTS’ Agust D (Suga), V, and Jungkook proving themselves viable soloists, and SHINee, Sunmi, and BTOB showing that they can still hang with the new group of young guns. This past year was one for the ages as K-Pop fans from various generations had something to be excited about as 2023 sped by.

The excitement from different K-Pop fandoms radiated in our seventh annual Kcrush America K-Pop Music Awards. This year, voters from Australia, North America, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Italy let their fingers do the talking, voting their favorites to the top of the polls.

This year, there were clear runaway favorites in several categories, including “Best Male Solo,” “Best New Female Artist,” “Best Collaboration,” and “Best Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B, & Electronic,” with the latter category’s winner being established in the first week of voting and winning by the most significant margin in the history of our awards! Of course, there were also several close races, especially in the “Best Drama” category, which crowned a winner on the final voting day. Who do you think won our latest awards? Take a peek!

Did any winners surprise you? Let us know in the comments!

Check out our Spotify playlist featuring your top three in each category!

#KCrushAmericaKPopAwards2023 #2023KCrushAmericaKPopAwards #bestdrama #bestmalesolo #bestnewfemaleartist #bestcollaboration #besthiphopraprnbelectronic #randb #musicawards #kcrushamerica #kcrush #readerschoice #musicpoll #peoplevoting #topbestkdrama #hiphopmusicawards #electronicmusicawards #kcrushbestnewfemaleartistaward #kpopidol #asianmusicawards #koreanmusic #kcrushmusicawardwinners #kcrushspotifyplaylist #kcrushplaylist #bestconcert2023 #songoftheyearaward #albumoftheyear #mailegroupoftheyear2023 #readerschoiceawards #SEO #kcrushSEOcontent #whoarethewinners #AugustD #Suga #BTS #FiftyFifty #Jinsoo #BTOB #BlackPink #Sunmi #BTOB #NewJeans #Kai #DPRIan #Jessie #SHINee #Alexa #XG #TheRose

For his first feature film Dìdi (弟弟) – the Mandarin word for little brother – writer and director Sean Wang, chose to look to his past, 2008 to be specific, for inspiration in order to look forward.

2008 is a time where the film’s protagonist Chris, Sean’s alter ego played charmingly by Izaac Wang, is caught between wanting to explore this new world of modernity where his culture and race as a Taiwanese American boy might not matter in a way it did before, and not understanding what his mother Chungsin (Joan Chen), older sister Vivian (Shirley Chen), and Nai Nai – his grandmother played by Sean’s actual grandmother Chang Li Hua -want from him, or from themselves and each other.

In the red carpet interview before the film’s screening at Sundance, Wang spoke with me about Dìdi (弟弟), being a love letter, homage and apology to the women in his life, his heritage, and the boy he once was. Joining him on the carpet to speak with me were Vivian Chen, Joan Chen, Izaac Wang, and Mahaela Park who plays Madi, Chris’s love interest.

Dìdi (弟弟) had its world premiere in the U.S. Dramatic Competition program at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Awards Presented by Acura (with U.S. Documentary submission Daughters by Angela Patton).

Wang’s short film Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó (Grandma & Grandma), has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary Short category.

Carolyn Hinds

#Didi #USDramaticCompetition2024 #2024SundanceFilmFestival #AudienceAwards #Acura #DaughtersbyAngelaPatton #NaiNaiandWaiPoGrandmaandGrandma #redcarpet #IzaacWang #Manderin #littlebrother #DidiLittleBrother #SeanWang #JoanChen #ShirleyChen #ChangLiHua #kcrushinterview #kcrushfilmfestivalinterview #SundanceFilmFestivalInterview #BestDocumentaryShortCategory #kcrushamericamagazine #VivianChen #MahaelaPark

Since 2008 the government and monarchy of Bhutan have made it a political and cultural policy to promote happiness to foster stability of the country itself. By implementing the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index, an equation that mathematically measures and calculates the happiness levels of the population, the government believes the success of the people equals the success of the country.

But what happens when Agents of Happiness, the very people tasked with researching the happiness of others, realize that they themselves aren’t happy, and that what’s needed to make a person truly happy, and content can’t be quantified by numbers?

Premiering in the World Cinemas Documentary Competition program at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Utah. Agent of Happiness is the second collaboration by Bhutanese director Arun Bhattarai (Mountain Man) and Dorottya Zurbó (Easy Lessons) of Hungry – The Next Guardian being their first – explores this very concept in the uniquely structured narrative documentary, Agent of Happiness.

Filmed over the course of four years beginning in 2019, Bhattarai and Zurbó followed agents Amber Kumar Gurang a Nepalese refugee living in Bhutan, and his co-worker Guna Raj Kuikel as they interview residents all over the stunningly beautiful mountains and countryside villages to find out how their happiness rates on a scale of 1 – 10.

Using criteria ranging from possession of agricultural machinery, modern technology, to how jealous they are, Amber and Guna discover that though Bhutan is known as the happiest country in the world, the Bhutanese people themselves aren’t exactly happy in ways that were expected.

Bhattari and Zurbó’s decision to let the subjects of the film guide them in where to take the story, proves very effective in showing how the people of Bhutan are no different to anyone anywhere else.

Having been displaced at the age of 2-years-old with his now aging mother, and thousands of others from their homeland in Nepal became embroiled in a civil war, Amber has never felt as though he truly belonged anywhere. Though he loves his adopted homeland, the failure of the Bhutanese government to grant him citizenship has created subconscious feelings of discontent and loneliness hidden behind his shy smiles and gentle nature.

Like Amber, the film specifically highlights the lives of people struggling to find happiness in their interpersonal relationships and contentment. There’s Yanhka Lhamo, a teenaged girl whose disappointment in her mother’s alcoholism has created a sense of insecurity and uncertainty in her mother’s ability to be a dependable adult.

Despite the assurances of her beauty and value as a human being from her mother, transgender female performer Dechen Selden struggles with feelings of jealousy and worry of ever fitting into a society that accepts her at night when she’s performing on stage, but not in the daytime.

Ultimately, what Agents of Happiness highlights is that happiness is a universal emotion that every human being experiences, but what that means to us and how it’s achieved and experienced is as individual and unique as each star in the sky. If Bhutan wants to ensure the Gross National Happiness of its people, the individual needs must first be acknowledged to be met. Which is a lesson every single one of us needs to learn for ourselves.

We should be the agents of our own happiness because we know what’s truly necessary for us to be our own version of happy.

Carolyn Hinds

#AgentofHappiness #ArunBhattari #MountainMan #DorottyaZurbo #EasyLessons #krushnews #Sundance2024 #SundanceFilmFestival2024 #Bhutan #WorldCinemasDocumentaryCompetitionProgram #ParkCityUtah #BhattaraiZurbocollaboration #TheNextGuardian #kcrushamericamagazine #kcrushinterview #kcrushfeaturedinterview #asianfilmdirector #narrativedocumentary #filmcompetition #kcrushtopasianentertainmentmagazine #kcrushcom #kcrushfilmfestivalcoverage #kcrush #BhutanPromoteHappiness #Bhutanculture #BhutaneesePeople #kcrushinterview

K-Pop sensations CRAVITY, KISS OF LIFE, AMPERS&ONE and others performing on April 26 & 27

GRAMMY Museum^® returns to host their own stage at three-day expo featuring Q&A panel discussions with artists

Tickets to go on sale starting January 30 for presales and February 1 for public sales at webridgeexpo.com

WE BRIDGE, the three-day convention and two-day music festival celebrating Asian entertainment and culture, has announced their return to Las Vegas on April 26-28 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center and Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The industry’s trailblazing icons DYNAMIC DUO, HWASA and JESSI will be performing at the 12,000-seat arena show who will be joined by boy group CRAVITY as well as up-and-coming groups KISS OF LIFE, and AMPERS&ONE who will be making their U.S. debut on the WE BRIDGE stage. Artist announcements will continue to be unveiled via the WE BRIDGE social media channels, culminating in the full lineup reveal just before ticket sales open next week.

Building off of 2023’s wildly successful inaugural event that showcased performances, panel conversations, and fan engagements with ENHYPEN, MONSTA X, Jessi, BamBam, KANGDANIEL, Dreamcatcher, CIX, ONEUS, VIVIZ, and BE’O, the 2024 iteration is set to return with an even wider variety of entertainment. WE BRIDGE’s vision is to shine a light on Asian artists and their artistry by providing a platform for emerging talent to make their U.S. introduction and reuniting legendary names with their fans alongside today’s current artists who are paving the way for Asian entertainment. Furthermore, the event strives to build a space for all fandoms to unite and connect with their online friends in real life for a community and experience unlike any other.

One of the favorites returning as part of WE BRIDGE’s annual programming is the GRAMMY Museum^® Stage where artist engagements, hosted by Emily Mei, will be held throughout the three-day expo and open to all expo passholders. Hi-touch events with the artists will follow each panel, accessible to all ticket holders of qualifying tiers. Another fan favorite returning to the expo is the art gallery, partnering with pop culture curators and creators to showcase the work of some of Asia and Asian America’s finest visual artists and their work.

WE BRIDGE is presented by premier global entertainment company Infinite Prospects Entertainment (IPE) with the support of MGM Resorts International. IPE is best recognized as the team who turned the Las Vegas Strip purple in April 2022 for ‘The City’ project with megastar group BTS who performed four sold-out nights of their ‘Permission To Dance On Stage’ tour at Allegiant Stadium. The company also recently worked with K-pop living legend The RAIN for the U.S. leg of his highly anticipated comeback world tour. With the explosion of Asian influence on mainstream pop culture around the world and its tremendous impacts across music, film, art, and fashion, WE BRIDGE’s mission is to connect these various creative expressions and the artists and cultures that are fueling them within one epic experience. The result is a multi-sensory, live event that immerses attendees into a curated world that bridges what is now, new, and next in all aspects of Asian pop culture.

“I’m honored to be bringing back a celebration of Asian culture to Las Vegas, one of the entertainment capitals in the world where we can introduce our favorite artists and new talent to American fans,” said Alex Kang, CEO of Infinite Prospects Entertainment. “Last year was our first humble beginning in bringing this kind of experience, and with the continued rise of Asian prominence in mainstream culture and entertainment, we are proud to bring more access to diverse global artists and brands for our community. With this awareness, WE BRIDGE Music Festival and Expo is coming back and will be bigger this year. We are happy to be teaming up with past partners, such as the GRAMMY Museum and MGM Resorts who helped make WE BRIDGE 2023 a huge success.”

Chris Baldizan, MGM Resorts’ Executive Vice President of Entertainment, said, “We are proud to once again partner with Alex Kang and his team as WE BRIDGE returns to Mandalay Bay for a second consecutive year. We look forward to another successful event, providing guests with a one-of-a-kind entertainment option combining live music with immersive experience.”

“We are excited for our continued partnership with WE BRIDGE,” said Michael Sticka, President/CEO of the GRAMMY Museum. “WE BRIDGE isn’t just an event; it’s a vibrant platform for cultural exchange and artistic expression, which aligns with the Museum’s mission and values. We look forward to our second year of collaboration and the opportunity to again showcase our renowned public programming alongside our unwavering commitment to diversity and heritage across communities and music’s many genres. ”

Projected to be one of the largest West x East Asian-centric events of the year, get up-to-date news by following @webridgeexpo on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, and join the conversation using #webridge2024 and #nownewnext. For all information on WE BRIDGE Music Festival and Expo, please visit webridgeexpo.com.

ABOUT INFINITE PROSPECTS ENTERTAINMENT

INFINITE PROSPECTS ENTERTAINMENT (IPE) is a Las Vegas-based entertainment & events company devoted to bridging Asian and Western pop culture. IPE is the team that brought the megastar K-Pop group BTS to Las Vegas for ‘THE CITY’ project, transforming the city into a BTS-themed playground and famously turning the Las Vegas Strip ‘borahae’ purple for two weekends of four sold-out ‘PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE’ concert shows. Most recently, the company worked with K-pop legend The RAIN on the U.S. leg of his highly anticipated comeback world tour.

ABOUT MANDALAY BAY

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino is set on 120 lush acres featuring Mandalay Bay Beach, a tropical pool paradise with real sand. The Michelob ULTRA Arena, award-winning restaurants, exhilarating entertainment, unique shopping, Shark Reef Aquarium and the 2-million-square-foot convention center combine to make Mandalay Bay a captivating Las Vegas resort destination. The resort offers three distinct hotel experiences: Mandalay Bay with 3,211 luxurious rooms and suites reflecting a modern tropical ambiance; Four Seasons Hotel, a AAA Five Diamond hotel offering 424 rooms and suites; and the luxury all-suite Delano Las Vegas. Mandalay Bay is operated by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM). For more information and reservations, visit mandalaybay.com, call toll free at (877) 632-7800, or find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 32 unique hotel and gaming destinations globally, including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. The Company’s 50/50 venture, BetMGM, LLC, offers U.S. sports betting and online gaming through market-leading brands, including BetMGM and partypoker, and the Company’s subsidiary LeoVegas AB offers sports betting and online gaming through market-leading brands in several jurisdictions throughout Europe. The Company is currently pursuing targeted expansion in Asia through the integrated resort opportunity in Japan. Through its “Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet” philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make a bigger difference in the lives of its employees, guests, and in the communities where it operates. The global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies®. For more information, please visit us at www.mgmresorts.com. Please also connect with us @MGMResortsIntl on Twitter as well as Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM

The GRAMMY Museum, currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating and exploring music from yesterday and today to inspire the music of tomorrow through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming. Paying tribute to our collective musical heritage, the Museum values and celebrates the dynamic connection in people’s diverse backgrounds and music’s many genres, telling stories that inspire us, and creative expression that leads change in our industry.

For more information, visit www.grammymuseum.org, “like” the GRAMMY Museum on Facebook, and follow @GRAMMYMuseum on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

#WEBRIDGE #WEBRIDGE2024 #kcrushnews #TheGrammyMuseumWeBridge2024 #kpop #asianculture #koreanculture #HallyuCraze #MGMResortInternational #MandalayBayResort #InfiniteProspects #Asia #InfiniteProspectsEntertainment #IPE #ChrisBaldizan #MichaelStickaPresidentGrammyMuseum #kpopmusic #kpopconcert #DYNAMICDUO #HWASA #JESSI #CRAVITY #KISSOFLIFE #AMPERS&ONE #kcrushamericamagazine #kcrushtopasianentertainmentmagazine #SEO #kcrushmedia #fansofkpop

She Her Her Hers is a rising indie powerhouse across Japan, China, and the world at large. Currently in their biggest Asian 2023-2024 tour for their “Diffusion of Responsibility” album, the three piece band has had a massive popularity uprising in the last 5 years since their debut in 2011. The Chelsea hit-maker band has showcased its musical forte through its hypnotizing works, including through the “Location” and “Afterglow” albums. Known for their uniquely mesmerizing beats fused with harmonizing lyrics, She Her Her Hers band’s live performances have become a spectacle worth looking forward to.

KCrush America had an interview with She Her Her Hers to get to know them more.

What’s the story behind She Her Her Hers band?

The band was born as a special band for one night only at an all-night event hosted by Hiroyasu Takahashi, who had been the bassist until then. “If you don’t like it, you can decline it, but…” Hiroyasu sent me the demo soundtrack, which was excellent in terms of voice and melody, and I immediately replied that I wanted to play in the band. At the time, we were both bass players, so the question “So, what should I do?” came up at the same time.

Tomasong

Your first-ever international tour, for the “Location” album in 2019, was a success. How did it materialize, how was the experience, and how did it impact your career?

Immediately after the digital release of the “SPIRAL EP” in 2018, we were contacted by our staff in China at the time and we decided to go on tour. Our first tour in China was right after we released “location”, so it wasn’t as popular as it is now, but I think it was because of that tour we gradually spread and got to where we are now.

I’m grateful that people are empathizing with songs that I personally think are good, so I can continue to create freely.

Hiroyasu Takahashi

You are famous for the insane raw sounds of “human-driven” instruments, which are most alive during your live performances. Would you say that this is part of your identity?

This is a very important part. The songs have a kind of madness that lies dormant in the tranquility of the soundtrack (it is scattered in the phrasing and lyrics). I feel like we are releasing it in our live performance and expanding the song. Balancing rationality and emotion is very important and difficult in recording and live performance. It’s fun because it is and always will be difficult.

I play with the feeling of:

Recording / It’s Your World

Live performance/ Welcome to Our World.

Can you somehow feel it? I hope you will all nod in agreement (laughs).

Music doesn’t belong to anyone, it’s the shared energy of the world.

Sorry, the story has gone off track quite a bit (laughs).

Taiki Matsuura

How would you describe your style of music?

I do the music creation, and the two members write the lyrics. When it comes to composition, I am careful to create songs that are simple and have beautiful melodies. In terms of arrangements, rather than creating a lot of variations on the album, I try not to create an imbalance in the overall temperature of the album.

Hiroyasu Takahashi

Your enchanting rhythm-infused lyrical pieces, including Spiral, Chelsea, and Law of Attraction, have got global fans hooked for life. What is your lyrical and beat creation process like?

The songs created by Hiroyasu Takahashi, who is at the core of the music production, absolutely have a melancholic and lyrical atmosphere and a good melody that can capture people’s hearts globally, even as demo recordings. It is the starting point from which the lyrics and beats are born. Lyrics are not only about conveying meaning through language but also about the sound that can be heard within the music.

Tomasong

“Diffusion of responsibility” is such a heavy wording. What is the concept behind this “diffusion of responsibility” album?

The theme of the debate was chosen as the title.

The phenomenon of leaving the criteria for judgment to a group of people (other people) when taking action is an everyday occurrence in the world. What are the causes of these evils? Society, the system, the people who created it. Ah, this story is getting long, and I’m afraid readers might be tempted to leave for Instagram, so I’ll spare them…

For example, Japan has a low voting rate compared to other countries in the world, and it is said that many people are uninterested in politics (I think this is true). It’s not indifference, but I think that people have developed this kind of “habit” of “leaving it to others and it will work out”. Leaving the proactivity to those who are aware only is a dangerous path and won’t lead to growth.

I wanted to suggest the following:

To face society, we need to have a dialogue with other people living in this world. Before that, we need to have conversations. So, first, how about standing up from your chair and trying to talk? It doesn’t have to be a serious conversation, just try it when you’re relaxed.

This is not an obligation. But I wanted to make this suggestion.

I’m directing the album cover, and doesn’t it look like the last human, almost turned to stone, and stones surrounding it? I will continue to throw stones.

Taiki Matsuura

You are currently on your biggest ever Asian tour for the “Diffusion of Responsibility” album, happening in over 17 cities around China until early January 2024. How did it come to life? How is your experience so far?

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, although we continued to promote mainly online, we were unable to perform live. In each city, we received “We’ve been waiting for you!” and we received energy directly from many fans. I also feel that we are responding well to the fact that we are repeatedly updating and refining our music as we go around on tour with a large number of shows.

Tomasong

Chelsea is one of “Diffusion of Responsibility” album’s hit singles that has stood out from the rest for its fresh beat and grove vibes. What’s the story and message behind this hit single and is this a vibe that fans can expect in your future musical pieces?

In 2023, we performed at a music festival in Asia and had the experience of performing in front of tens of thousands of people. We enjoyed performing with fans in such situations, and I think the rhythms and songs that would stand out on a big stage were born naturally.

The lyrics were also born from the unique atmosphere we felt in China.

Tomasong

What’s next for She Her Her Hers after this “Diffusion of Responsibility” album tour ending early January?

We’re starting to talk to the team about the next production and moves, and the fact that there are a lot of people outside of Asia who are listening to our songs. We want to increase the foundation and opportunities to express ourselves in different countries. We believe in our music stance, so we don’t want to change it, but we want to continue to create works that resonate more strongly with people.

So, KCrush, please spread our “say hello” to the world (laughs). I’ll buy you a beer.

Taiki Matsuura

You have gained an immense following over the years, including outside Japan. What is the secret behind your dominating popularity?

I think one of the band’s great strengths is that we treat both the intro and the song as a melody. I think Hiroyasu (vocal) is a rare songwriter. There is a lot of such wonderful music overseas, and perhaps that feeling and values have begun to interact with the world. But the number one reason is that everyone who listens to us has a great ear! We love you !!! We just keep making the music we love, with love, so please listen to it a lot, make it your own and enjoy.

Taiki Matsuura

What do you enjoy doing in your free time and what’s your favorite local dish?

As I am from Gifu, I like dishes that use miso, such as miso stewed udon, hoba-miso and gohei-mochi.

Hiroyasu Takahashi

What would be your advice to upcoming artists who want to be as successful and impactful as you?

We can’t say that we’re successful and influential yet, but if there’s anything we can be proud of… It’s that we’ve trusted our senses and gone ahead, even when people said things like “That’s cool, but I don’t think it’ll sell” (laughs).

If the members can respect and listen to each other and have their own voice, they will be able to keep going no matter what people say.

Tomasong

What would you like to say to your fans across the globe?

We hope you continue to look forward to our songs, and come and see us when we have a live show at a place near you.

Hiroyasu Takahashi

Thank you for gracing us with this opportunity. We wish She Her Her Hers all the very best in your upcoming endeavors.

Photo Credit: Wendy Lam

—- Karen Mwenda

#SheHerHerHers #SheHerHerHersBand #SheHerHerHersJapaneseBand #kcrushinterview #HiroyasuTakahashi #Tomasong #TaikiMatsuura #ChelseaSheHerHerHers #SheHerHerHersTour #Gifu #misostewedudon #hobamiso #goheimochi #kcrushamerica #kcrushtopasianamericanentertainmentmagazine #Japaneseband #AsianTour #DiffusionofResponsibility #LocationAlbum #AfterglowAlbumSheHerHerHers #EnglishInterview #rockband

Japanese translation:

どの質問にどのメンバーが答えたかを明記していただければとのことで、ファンが各メンバーのことをもっと知りたいと思うので、可能であれば、できるだけ多くの質問に全員のメンバーに答えていただければ嬉しいとのことです。
【締め切り 12/26】

KCrush America https://www.kcrush.com/

She Her Her Hers インタビュー

She Her Her Hersは、日本、中国、そして世界を股にかける新進気鋭のインディーズバンドです。アルバム『Diffusion of Responsibility』を引っ提げ、2023年から2024年にかけて過去最大規模のアジアツアーを敢行しています。彼らは3人組のバンドで、2011年のデビュー以来、この5年間で人気が急上昇しています。彼らは『CHELSEA』を大ヒットさせ、アルバム『location』や『Afterglow』など、まるで催眠術をかけるような作品を通してその音楽的才能を披露してきました。独特で魅惑的なビートやハーモニーを奏でる歌詞で知られるShe Her Her Hersのライブパフォーマンスは壮大なショーとなっています。

She Her Her Hersをより深く知るために、KCrush Americaはインタビューを行いました。

1. She Her Her Hersバンド誕生のストーリーを教えてください。

それまでベーシストであった高橋啓泰が主催するオールナイトイベントで、一夜限りのスペシャルバンドとして誕生。「気に入らなかったら断ってくれていいんだけど、、、」と啓泰から控えめに送られてきたデモ音源は声もメロディも秀逸で、直ぐにやりたいと返事をしました。当時はお互いベーシスト仲間だったので、「で、おれは何をすればいいの？」という疑問も同時に浮かびました。

とまそん

2. 2019年にアルバム『location』を引っ提げた初の海外ツアーは成功を収めました。どのように実現し、どのような経験をしましたか？また、あなたのキャリアにどのような影響を与えましたか？

2018年に「SPIRAL EP」をデジタルリリースして直ぐ当時の中国のスタッフから連絡がありツアーを行う流れになりました。初の中国ツアーは「location」をリリースしてすぐだったので、今のように浸透していなかったのですが、そのツアーがあったからこそ少しずつ広がっていって今の状況になったのだと思っています。

自分が良いと思った楽曲に共感してもらえているので、これからも自由に制作が出来るのが有難いです。

高橋啓泰

3. She Her Her Hersは、ヒューマンドリブンな楽器演奏による狂気のようなものすら感じさせるライブサウンドで有名ですが、それはライブパフォーマンス中に最も際立っています。それが自分たちのアイデンティティの一部だと思いますか

とても大事な部分です。音源の静謐さの中に眠る狂気のような部分は曲達にあって、(それはフレージングや歌詞世界に散りばめられてる)

そこをライブで解放し、曲を拡張させてる感覚です。
音源とライブでは、理性と感情のバランスがとても大切で難しい。一生難しいから楽しい。

音源 / あなたの世界です
ライブ / ようこそ我々の世界

な感覚で演奏してる
なんとなく伝わるかな？
皆が頷いてくれてる事を祈る(笑)

音楽は誰のものでもなく、世界の共有エネルギー。話がだいぶ脱線しちゃったね。

松浦大樹

4. She Her Her Hersの音楽のスタイルについて教えてください。

基本的に自分が楽曲制作を行い、歌詞をメンバー2人が担当しています。曲に関してはシンプルで旋律の綺麗な曲を作るように気を付けていて、アレンジ面はアルバムでバリエーションを多く作ることよりも、アルバム全体の温度感がアンバランスにならないように考えています。

高橋啓泰

5. 『SPIRAL』、『CHELSEA』、『Law of Attraction』など、魅惑的なリズムが取り入れられた叙情的な作品は、世界中のファンを虜にしています。どのようなプロセスで歌詞やビートを作成していますか？

楽曲の根本を制作している高橋啓泰の楽曲はデモ音源の時点で、メランコリックで叙情的な空気感とグローバルに人の心を掴むグッドメロディが絶対的に存在していて、そこを起点に歌詞やビートが生まれていると思います。歌詞も言語として意味を伝えることもさることながら、音楽の中に聞こえてくる音としての響きも大切にしながら制作しています。

とまそん

6.「Diffusion of Responsibility」とはとても重い言葉です。このアルバム『Diffusion of Responsibility』のコンセプトは何ですか？

ディベートのテーマをタイトルにしました。

何か行動を起こす時、判断の基準を集団(他者)に任せてしまう現象は世の中で日常的に起きてしまっていて、それらの諸悪はどこなんだといったら社会であり、システムであり、それを作った人間であり、、ああ、この話は長くなってしまって、読んでくれてる方がインスタに浮気しそうなので割愛しますが、、

例えば、日本は世界に比べて投票率が低く、政治に無関心な人が多いとされてたりしますが(事実ではあるとおもいます)

無関心ではなく、こういった「他者に任せとけばなんとかなる」といった”癖”みたいなものがついてしまってるのではないかと思ってる。気付いた人だけが”しゃかりきになる”は危うさしか成長しません。

社会と向き合うには、この世に生きてる者同士で対話が必要。その前に会話が必要。
だからまず、椅子から立ち上がって話してみない？リラックスしてる時でいいからさ。
の提案をしたかったんです。
義務ではないです。
でも提案したい。

アルバムジャケットをディレクションしてるんだけど、石化しかけた最後の人間とそれを囲む石に見えてきたりしませんか？

一石投じ続けます。

松浦大樹

7. 現在、アルバム『Diffusion of Responsibility』のために、2024年1月初旬まで中国の17都市以上で行われる過去最大のアジアツアーを行っている最中です。どのようにして今回のツアーを実現したのでしょうか？また、現在までのツアーを振り返ってどのように感じていますか？

コロナ禍でオンラインを中心としたプロモーションは続けつつも、なかなかライブがやれなかったので、各都市で「待ってました！」と多くのファンからエネルギーを直接もらえたことや、公演数の多いツアーの中でまわりながらアップデートを繰り返し洗練されていくところにも手応えを感じています。

とまそん

8. アルバム『Diffusion of Responsibility』のヒットシングルの中でも楽曲『CHELSEA』は、そのフレッシュなビートとグルーヴ感で他の曲とは一線を画しています。この曲に込められたストーリーやメッセージは何でしょうか？また、この曲の雰囲気は、皆さんのファンが今後の楽曲に期待するものなのでしょうか？

2023年にアジア圏での音楽フェスに出演して、何万人の前で演奏する経験をさせてもらいました。そんなシチュエーションでファンと一緒にライブを楽しめて、大きなステージでも映えるリズムや楽曲が自然と生まれたと思います。
歌詞も中国で感じた独特な空気感の中から生まれました。

とまそん

9.『Diffusion of Responsibility』アルバムツアーが1月上旬に終了する予定ですが、She Her Her Hersの次の活動を教えてください。

次の制作や動きについてチームと話し始めてるし、アジア以外でも聴いてくれてる方々がたくさんいる事実があるので、色々な国で表現する土台やチャンスを増やしていきたいです。自分らの音楽スタンスは信じきってるから変えずに、より強く共鳴する作品を作り続けたいなと思う。

なのでKCrushさん世界中に我々のsay helloを伝えといてください笑
ビール奢るので。

松浦大樹

10. She Her Her Hersは長年にわたり、日本国外も含めて絶大な支持を獲得してきました。圧倒的な人気の秘密は何ですか？

イントロも歌もメロディとして捉えてるとこはバンドの大きな特長だと思う。ヒロヤス(vo)は稀有なソングライターだと思う。海外はそういった素敵な音楽がたくさんあって、その感覚や価値観が世界と作用し始めたのかもしれません。

でも1番の原因は聴いてくれてるみんなの耳が素晴らしいってことです！愛してる！！！

我々は大好きな音楽を、愛を込めて作り続けるだけだから、たくさん聴いて、自分のものにして、楽しんでね。

松浦大樹

11. 自由時間には何をして楽しんでいますか？また、一番好きな郷土料理は何ですか?

出身が岐阜なので、味噌煮込みうどん、朴葉味噌、五平餅など味噌を使った料理が好きです。

高橋啓泰

12. She Her Her Hersのように成功し、影響力のあるアーティストになりたいと考えているこれからのアーティストに、アドバイスをお願いします。

まだまだ、成功し影響力があるとは言えないけど、自分たちが人に誇れることがあるとすれば、「カッコいいけど、売れると思えないな〜」とか言われても、自分たちの感覚を信じて進めてきたことかな。笑
メンバーがお互いをリスペクトして耳を傾けることと、自分の言葉を持つ事ができれば周りにどんな事を言われてもやっていけると思います。

とまそん

13. 世界中のファンに一言お願いします。

これからも曲を楽しみにしていてほしいし、近くの場所でライブがある時は観に来てください。

高橋啓泰

このような機会をいただきましてありがとうございます。She Her Her Hersの今後のご活躍を心よりお祈り申し上げます。

Japanese band SUIREN released their new digital EP ‘Reverse’ on January 24, showcasing their unique keyboard-laced rock sound.

SUIREN was formed in 2020 by vocalist Sui and keyboard player/arranger Ren. They have won praise for their meticulous sound, centered on Sui’s piercing singing voice and ephemeral, fragile melodies. They have provided theme songs for multiple anime series and movies, drawing attention from music fans.

The EP includes many gems, including the lead track ‘Eye Shadow’, along with ‘stella’, which was used as the main theme song for Square Enix’s highly anticipated game ‘STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R’ – a remake of the classic ‘STAR OCEAN’ RPG. The EP combines the refined keyboard sound that is the core of SUIREN with the appeal of Sui’s penetrating high-tone voice.

SUIREN profile

SUIREN is a unit comprising vocalist Sui and keyboardist/arranger Ren. They formed in 2020, releasing music on YouTube.

Their music is a combination of the fragile and ephemeral melodies created by Sui’s unique singing voice and the beautiful and sophisticated sound created by Ren, creating an atmosphere that is all their own. In their indie days, they released two EPs and four singles.

SUIREN’s music has been featured on many official playlists on major streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, and they rapidly gained attention as internet artists. In 2022, they began writing theme songs for various anime series and movies, and also began performing live, building the foundations of a powerful career.

‘stella’ music video -ENGLISH version-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZYcT6UFO0s&t=28s

‘stella’ music video -JAPANESE version-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0NyTo_IM-4

‘Eye Shadow’ music video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Va7kIpB6Nk&t=2s

Further information

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://suiren-official.com

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SUIREN_project

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/SUIRENch

#JapanesebandSUIREN #SUIREN #newsong #StellabySUIREN #kcrushpress #kcrushnews #Sui #Ren #Suivocalist #Renkeyboardist #arrangerRen #indie #ephemeralmelodies #kcrushamerica #digitalEPReverse #SUIRENReverse #newmusic #Japanese #Japaneseband #StarOceanTheSecondStoryR #ThemeSongStarOceanTheSecondStoryR

In this brief interview on the red carpet at Sundance 2024, directors of the narrative documentary Agent of Happiness, Arun Bhattari (Mountain Man) and Dorottya Zurbó (Easy Lessons) spoke with me about translating the unique humor of the people of Bhutan, and how being happy is as much a mind set as it is a political mandate.

Agent of Happiness had its World Premiere in the World Cinemas Documentary Competition program at the Sundance Film Festival, held in Park City, Utah. The film is the second project Bhattarai and Zurbó have collaborated on with the 2017 documentary The Next Guardian, being their first.

Carolyn Hinds

The Kid LAROI added with K-pop icon CL and AB6IX to celebrate Lunar New Year in Los Angeles in stacked lineup on February 9 & 10

Public on sale for February 9 added show begins January 19 at 10 a.m. PT at krazysuperconcert.com

Tickets for February 10 show are on sale now at krazysuperconcert.com

Los Angeles, CA – January 19, 2024 – Pulse Events, the company known for bringing global music events to New York, has announced today a second day has been added with a full artist lineup for ‘Krazy Super Concert’ that will be held on Friday, February 9 at BMO Stadium with CL and The Kid LAROI. Previously announced acts for Saturday, February 10 being (G)I-DLE, aespa, THE BOYZ and ZEROBASEONE will now be performing both nights while TAEYANG from BIGBANG will perform on February 10 along with singer Lauv. Newly added boy group AB6IX will also perform on February 10. The chart-topping groups and record- breaking artists are set to celebrate the cultural holiday, Lunar New Year.

General admission tickets and VIP Packages will be available starting today, Friday, January 19, at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster and via krazysuperconcert.com.

As the charismatic multilingual leader of one of the best-selling female groups of all time, 2NE1, CL has helped pave the way for K-pop’s explosion. She’s collaborated with some of the biggest American artists such as Method Man, Skrillex and Diplo. As the only member to break out to become a true global superstar with the ability to bridge cultures, CL became the pacesetter for K-pop Western migration and that became evident with her last album release, which became her debut full-length body of work known as “+ALPHA+.” Her status in the international pop scene became genre-crossing from catchy pop-R&B hybrids, electronic touches and speaker-busting hip-hop that stand apart.

GRAMMY-nominated artist, The Kid LAROI will make his Krazy Super Concert debut to perform his anxiously awaited full-length debut album, THE FIRST TIME. The recent expansive body of work powered by a signature hybrid of hip-hop, pop, alternative, and indie genres features some of today’s biggest and brightest including JUNG KOOK, Future and more. The Sydney native quickly became a global superstar, captivating fans across the world with songs including “STAY” ft. Justin Bieber on top of other hit collaborations with Juice WRLD and Miley Cyrus.

The additional lineup for February 10 is AB6IX, a group that debuted in 2019 under BRAND NEW MUSIC. Consisting of members WOONG, DONGHYUN, WOOJIN, and DAEHWI, the group made a strong debut with their first EP titled “B:COMPLETE” in 2019, which topped various music charts in South Korea, with lead single, “BREATHE,” garnering 22 million views. Their “B:COMPLETE” album led them to win “Next Generation Star”, “Global Rookie Top 5”, and “Rising Star Award” in 2019. AB6IX has gained a strong following both domestically and internationally and have embarked on successful international tours and festivals, in various countries, including the United States, Europe, and Asia and performed at Krazy Super Concert’s inaugural event at UBS Arena in New York in August 2023.

“I’m thrilled to bring one of the most dynamic lineups of the Krazy Super Concert series to Los Angeles. We hope fans can join us to celebrate Lunar New Year with these incredible artists. We believe that music is a universal language, and we hope everyone will join us to enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience on February 9 and 10,” said Luffy Huang, CEO of Pulse Events.

Bi-coastal events team, Pulse Events take their expertise to the world of K-Pop to deliver the first ever ‘Krazy Super Concert Series’ as event producer in Los Angeles after putting on the inaugural Krazy Super Concert Series in New York with MONSTA X’s SHOWNU and HYUNGWON, IVE, AB6IX, Cravity and Kwon Eun Bi. Known for their extravagant EDM based events featuring artists KSHMR, Yellow Claw, JVNA along with their work with huge names such as EXO and BIGBANG, their mission is to be pioneers of culture and media. This ongoing concert series will be the ultimate K-Pop experience that features the most popular artists, the most trendy music, authentic culture, and unparalleled fan engagement.

Previously Announced Artists Joining Lineup for Both Days:

Recognized as the leading fourth generation K-pop girl group, aespa has carefully curated a discography of hard-hitting singles and albums attracting a massive number of fans worldwide. The Korean group is known for viral tracks such as “Black Mamba”, “Next Level”, “Savage”, and, most recently, “Drama”. The award-winning quartet has performed in several festivals including Coachella in 2022 and headlined international concerts across Europe, Asia, South & North America. Most recently, the group consisting of members Giselle, Karina, NingNing, and Winter released their fourth mini album ‘Drama,’ which sold over one million copies in its first week; becoming their third album in a row to sell over a million copies.

It’s been a remarkable year for (G)I-DLE, with the release of their first English album, “HEAT,” which charted the first single off the hit album. The groups first US digital single “I Do,” has charted on the Pop Airplay rankings on the Top 40 chart. The group also achieved their biggest milestone by debuting at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. The group debuted in May 2018 with their 1st Mini Album “I Am” with their popular title track “LATATA.” Since then, the five-member girl group with members MIYEON, MINNIE, SOYEON, YUQI and SHUHUA has racked over 3 billion streams to date with all their singles combined. Their releases have broken into the Top 10 of South Korea’s Circle Weekly Album chart, as well as topping the Billboard World Albums Chart and Billboard 200.

Fresh off the heels of their new album, “Phantasy Pt. 2: Sixth Sense” accompanied with an electrifying music video, THE BOYZ are an exponential force of talent. Sangyeon, Jacob, Younghoon, Hyunjae, Juyeon, Kevin, New, Q, Ju Haknyeon, Sunwoo and Eric made a splash on the scene after debuting in 2017. The group won several new artist awards, including ‘Best New Male Artist’ at the Melon Music Awards and ‘Next Leader’ at the Fact Music Awards, and have consistently peaked in the top three of South Korea’s Circle Album chart; certified platinum several times with each new release. The group also won the MNET competition show “Road to Kingdom” in 2020 further solidifying their starpower and musical prowess. Their current album sold an impressive 600,000+ copies in the first week of its release breaking the previous first-week sales record of 523,630 from two years ago set by their 2021 mini album “THRILL-ING”.

With one of the most exciting debuts of the year, K-pop rookie group ZEROBASEONE (SUNG HAN BIN, KIM JI WOONG, ZHANG HAO, SEOK MATTHEW, KIM TAE RAE, RICKY, KIM GYU VIN, PARK GUN WOOK, HAN YU JIN), is a global fan-made K-pop boy group from Mnet’s ‘Boys Planet’. The team name ‘ZEROBASEONE’ signifies the radiant beginning of the nine members. The name also embodies ZB1 members’ determination to share this journey with ZEROSE (official fan club). ZEROBASEONE is creating a new chapter in K-Pop history by achieving consecutive double million-seller status with their debut album ‘YOUTH IN THE SHADE’ and second mini album ‘MELTING POINT.’ Only 37 days after their debut, ZEROBASEONE held their first fan concert, ‘2023 ZEROBASEONE FAN-CON’, at the Gocheok Sky Dome, interacting with over 18,000 attendees. ZEROBASEONE has also proven their potential beyond being just a rookie and establishing themselves as the undeniable ‘5th generation icon’ by winning 14 trophies in just half a year.

About Pulse Events

Based in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York City, Pulse Events is a proficient Event Producer and Promoter. The company specializes in concerts and live performances across North America and around the world. With a mission to be the pioneer of culture and media innovation, Pulse Events produces, manages, and promotes high-quality IP products for global audiences. These include music concerts, live performances, EDM events, night entertainment, and web3 metaverse events. Since its establishment in 2015, Pulse Events has participated in the production and hosting of world tours of many top South Korean artists. Within these artists include EXO, BIGBANG, T-ARA, Running Man, etc. To date, Pulse Events has hosted over 60 EDM performances, including SLANDER, Yellow Claw, Gryffin, KSHMR, Like Mike, DJ Soda, Tokyo Machine, KUURO, among others.

About BMO Stadium

Located in the heart of Los Angeles in Exposition Park, BMO Stadium is home to the Los Angeles Football Club and Angel City Football Club. BMO Stadium is a world-class venue specifically designed to present all types of star-studded live entertainment and creates an unparalleled fan experience for music, sports, and more. At a capacity of 24,000 for concerts (22,000 for soccer), the venue’s unique “outdoor arena” design provides for an intimate experience. BMO Stadium has hosted numerous global acts such as BLACKPINK, TWICE, Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, The Killers, Queen + Adam Lambert, blink-182, Misfits, Rufus Du Sol, Maroon 5, Jonas Brothers, Santana, Earth, Wind & Fire, System of A Down and more.

#PulseEvents #BMO #KRAZYSUPERCONCERT #BIGBANGSTAEYANG #LuffyHuangCEO #ZeroBaseOne #TheBoyz #kcrushnews #GIDLE #aespa #Lauv #kcrushtopasianamericanentertainmentmagazine #topasianculturenews #BMOStadium #asianculture #LunarNewYearCelebration #KrazySuperConcertLunarNewYearCelebration #ticketsonsale #ticketsonsaleJanuary92024 #kpop #koreanculture #asianLunarNewYear #kpopconcert #kpopidols #LosAngeles #CaliforniaKrazySuperConcertwithTaeyang #LunarNewYearHoliday #bigkpopconcertof2024 #February2024KpopConcert #KRAZYSUPERCONCERTatBMOStadium #twodayevent #February9and10 #kcrushcoverageLosAngelesConcert #CL #TheKidLAROI #CLof2NE1

Hi !

Kpop Club Night is in your area, or at least somewhere pretty close! We have 32 shows for sale right now at kpopclubnight.com, come on out and party in a room full of friends you haven’t met yet! These are Perfect Nights, but in Crazy Form!

DJ YUKA K & KPOP CLUB NIGHT 2024 SCHEDULE …. (SO FAR)

1.19 Miami
1.20 Orlando
1.26 New Orleans
1.27 Atlanta
2.2 Portland OR
2.3 Sacramento
2.10 Honolulu
2.16 Toronto
2.17 Charlotte NC
2.23 Columbus OH
2.24 Cleveland
2.29 Boston
3.1 Philadelphia
3.2 Carteret NJ
3.8 Washington DC
3.9 Denver
3.15 San Diego
3.16 Las Vegas
3.22 Montreal
3.23 Winnipeg
3.29 Los Angeles
3.30 Albuquerque
4.12 Seattle
4.13 Vancouver
4.19 New York City
4.20 Chicago
4.26 Calgary (TBA)
4.27 Edmonton
5.11 Houston
5. 24 Detroit
6.7 Dallas
6.8 Salt Lake City

FOLLOW AND TAG

Make sure to follow and tag us in your posts and stories!
Kpop Club Night http://instagram.com/kpopclubnight
DJ Yuka K http://instagram.com/djyuka
Make requests a week before the show at http://tiktok.com/@kpopclubnight
Listen to past mixes at http://mixcloud.com/kpopclubnight
All tickets on sale now at http://kpopclubnight.com

See you on the dance-floor!

IN ADDITION:

We just announced our next shows in Texas! Save the dates and get the crew together to catch mixmaster DJ Yuka K and the world-famous Kpop Club Night crew for another perfect night!

MAY 11 – First up, finally we are visiting Houston for the first time! We know most of you on this email list are from DFW, but if you’ve got some besties in Htown let them know! The venue is the incredible Warehouse Live Midtown, we couldn’t have found a better space! Special discounted Early-bird tickets are on sale now (**discounted only until Jan. 31**) at https://www.eventbee.com/v/kpop-club-night-in-houston-may-11/event?eid=245712103#/tickets.

JUNE 7 – Dallas get ready for Round 3 back at the ultra-fantastic DEEP ELLUM ART CO! We absolutely love this space and can’t wait to be back there dancing with you! Special discounted Early-bird tickets are on sale now (**discounted only until March 30**) at https://www.prekindle.com/event/38251-kpop-club-night-with-dj-yuka-k-dallas.

FOLLOW AND TAG

See you on the dance-floor!

#KPopClubNight #KPopClubNightNationwide #kcrush #kcrushannouncement #DJYukaK #kpop #kcruhamerica #dancenight #funnight #crazynightwithKPopClubNight #singalong #dancealong #kpopclubnightfunnightout #kpopclubnightticketsonsale #kpopclubnighttickets

Ashley Borjon is multifaceted. She’s a podcaster, independent music producer and composer, business entrepreneur and mentor, world traveller, funny, smart and so much more. In this interview I speak with Ashley about that “so much more” facet of her identity as a person and businesswoman.

Working in various fields has given Ashely an outlook on life and work that’s uniquely hers. She’s worked in spa services, education, freelance journalism and for various nonprofit and for-profit centuries. Having a spirit of adventure and not being afraid of taking risks, Ashley turned to podcasting after becoming intrigued with Korean pop music during a very difficult time in her life.

In April of 2019 she created An Album a Day (A3Day), a podcast focused on the history of Korean pop music – or K-pop as it’s most commonly known – as a genre, and the history of individual groups and artists themselves. Demonstrating a deep knowledge and genuine interest in the music and culture gained through on the ground research during multiple visits to South Korea over several years, Ashley became known as an authority on the subject leading to a career as a professional consultant for Korean and American companies. And as it’s nothing to overlook, A3Day has also gained a significantly sized following within the K-pop fandom community for her fun and engaging personality.

After 5 years and 7 seasons of An Album a Day, Ashley made the difficult decision to place the podcast on extended hiatus due to health concerns. Though it was of course an extremely difficult decision, it was the right one. Putting her physical and mental wellbeing first allowed Ashley to take a step back and reassess where she wanted her life to go and as a result, she founded The Worker’s Workshop, a business mentorship initiative to give professional coaching advice to people looking to transition to a new career and path, the same way Ashley did.

Interestingly enough, while An Album a Day has been on hiatus, it’s been nominated for The Sonic Bloom Award in two categories: the Innovator Award, and People’s Choice Award. But that’s not all. In November of 2023, she won a pitch competition for SURE at the University of Houston for The Worker’s Workshop.

During our discussion we spoke about Ashely making her mental health a priority and having it be a focal point in her work as a podcaster with the KPSN Podcast Festival – a special initiative to bring K-pop and K-drama fans together to raise mental health awareness – and the role it played in discontinuing the podcast and beginning a new career path. We also spoke of how these specific decisions she’s made are paying off dividends in the form of recognition for her work with multiple award nominations. We also spoke about if she would ever go back to podcasting perhaps for a special occasion, and what’s next for her.

Carolyn Hinds

#kcrushinterviewwithashleyborjon #AshleyGriffinBorjon #KPSNPodcastFestival #kcrush #AnAlbumaDay #TheSonicBloomAward #UniversityofHoustonforTheWorker’sWorkshop #SURE #kpop #kpopreviewpodcast #AshleyBorjonproducer #mentalhealth #podcaster #A3DayPodcast #koreanpopmusic #kcrushmedia #kcrushAshleyGriffinBorjon #wellbeing #AshleyAnAlbumaDay #kcrushinterview #kcrushamerica #kpopskatenight #kcrushtopentertainmentmagazine #AshleyMultifaceted #AshleyGriffinBorjonComposer

FEMM, who are disbanding at the end of 2023, has just reached their 10th year anniversary in October 2023.

In 2023 alone, they have performed at various major festivals in Europe, US, and in the Middle East. And finally performed their last solo concert in London, followed by their last collab event in Tokyo on Christmas eve, which was a joint event with Tokyo’s largest LGBTQ+ organization “fancyHIM,” which titled “HIMM &FEMM.”

FEMM member RiRi just dropped her solo MV “Living in the Spotlight” included in their latest EP “CHERRY,” and now LuLa has revealed hers as well. Her first solo song “Butterfly to the Moon” MV was prepared as a final surprise gift from FEMM to their agents (fans.)

In this song, she sings about her honest feelings about the past and hope for the future, and in the MV she expresses her raw self.

Message from LuLa

“Over the years, I am grateful that I could sing so many songs, and sometimes I had an opportunity to cowrite lyrics with RiRi. But for my first solo song, I really dug deep and wrote true feelings of my own. In this song, I wanted to thank my agents, and express my expectations and fear for the future. I tried to make the MV as raw as possible to showcase my real feelings. I hope our agents like this surprise present from me. I wish for your happiness.”

Butterfly to the Moon (Music Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzCao8oCpKM

Last EP “CHERRY”

DL & Streaming: https://femm.lnk.to/1115CHERRY

CHERRY on TOP (TV Asahi “Freestyle Japan Unification” theme song)
We Flood the Night (MYLK Remix)
SUN
Living in the Spotlight
Butterfly to the Moon

FEMM / Profile

Two mannequins with intentions / Female rap duo by RiRi and LuLa. Their 1st album “Femm-Isation” entered the top 10 of the US Billboard chart “World Albums” and was selected as “Best Indies Album” at all HMV stores in the UK. The latest album “Tokyo Ex Machina” features participation from world-class producers such as “Jenna Andrews,” who worked with BTS, and “Kool Kojak,” who worked with Ariana Grande and Doja Cat. “We Got Each Other”, which was one of the first to incorporate Y2K pop punk, was ranked on the major US radio chart “Mediabase Activator Chart” for 12 consecutive weeks. In 2023, which will be the 10th anniversary of their activities, they announced that they will cease their activities by the end of the year.

YouTube: https://bit.ly/2THLXBn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femm____/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FEMM____

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femm____

Official Website: https://femms.jp/

#FEMM #FEMMdisbandment #RiRi #FemmIsation #kcrush #kcrushnews #LuLa #FEMMsLastGift #jpop #Japanesegirlgroup #FEMM10thYear #RiRiFEMM #RiRiNewMusic #kcrushamericacontent #kcrushmedia #FEMMJapanesegirlgroup #kcrushSEO #TokyoExMachina #JennaAndrewsproducer

Novel Core’s first single of 2024, ‘RULERS’, was released on Wednesday, January 10.

The song has been selected as the closing theme to the fifth season of the anime series ‘Kingdom’, which will begin broadcasting in January 2024. As a fan of both the anime adaptation of ‘Kingdom’ and the original manga, Novel Core has created this all-new song with producer Ryosuke “Dr.R” Sakai, who has worked with such globally successful artists as SKY-HI, BE:FIRST, UVERworld, AK-69, Chanmina and milet.

Novel Core’s newly written lyrics on the theme of “inconsistent justice” are sprinkled with references that will resonate with ‘Kingdom’ fans; he skillfully and expressively sings and raps these lyrics over Ryosuke “Dr.R” Sakai’s aggressive digital-rock sound. These core elements fuse to create an emotional song that reflects the unique tension present in Season 5 of ‘Kingdom’.

Download and streaming links

https://NovelCore.lnk.to/20240110_RULERS

Music video link

https://youtu.be/9Y1pJR7RUS0

Novel Core Profile

Born in Tokyo and aged 22, Novel Core is a rapper, singer and songwriter. He is signed to BMSG, the artist management company/label run by SKY-HI. Novel Core’s first major-label album ‘A GREAT FOOL’ and his second ‘No Pressure’ each reached No.1 on Japan’s charts, as he exploded in popularity from the very start of his major-label career. He has held successful tours of Japan including the Zepp chain of concert venues, as well as a solo performance at Toyosu PIT in Tokyo, with all performances selling out immediately. On January 17, 2024, he will hold his first solo performance at the legendary Nippon Budokan, which is also completely sold out.

In addition to establishing a solid presence on the music scene, Novel Core has also attracted attention from the fashion industry, modelling for top fashion houses such as Ferragamo and Etro – establishing him as a true new-generation artist.

Artist links

Official website: https://novelcore.jp/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamnovelcore
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/iamnovelcore/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamnovelcore/
LINE: https://page.line.me/?accountId=novelcore
Music: https://novelcore.lnk.to/MUSIC
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/NovelCore
BMSG: https://bmsg.tokyo/

#NovelCore #NovelCoreNewMusic #kcrush #NovelCoreTokyo #kcrushnews #NovelCoreModeling #NovelCoreFerragamo #NovelCoreEtro #NovelCoreRulers #NovelCoreFirstAlbum #Kingdom #anime #closingthemeKingdom #producerRyosukeDrRSakai #kcrushamerica #kcrushSEO #Japaneseanime #animemusictheme #BMSG #newmusic

Japanese ensemble unit NAQT VANE have released their first full-length album, ‘Dispersion’, on Wednesday, January 10. The album title is a reference to the way that light is refracted through a gemstone. The strength to which light is dispersed varies depending on the type of jewel, and diamonds have a perfectly balanced dispersion that makes them shine so vividly. NAQT VANE’s message on ‘Dispersion’ is that just as each gem shines in its own way, a group of people who embrace their differences can unite to create a dazzling brilliance.

The lead track ‘puzzle’ expresses how we can use the power within ourselves to break free from confusion and chaos. The song’s strong melody line embodies the essential NAQT VANE-esque quality the group have already fostered, only a year and a half on from their debut.

The music video for ‘puzzle’ shows a person living in perpetual disarray, an endless cloud of coiled emotions and incidents. The self, other people, matter – all chaotically intertwined. Amid this turmoil, we search for where we belong and where we should go. The video makes impressive use of camera framing and space to show us one such person, who draws on something deep inside to free themselves from the clutches of chaos.

To celebrate the album release, the band will hold a concert in Japan titled NAQT VANE Special Event -Dispersion – on Saturday, May 11. A livestream that can be viewed from overseas is also under consideration, so keep an eye out for updates.

About NAQT VANE

“A team project creating an uplifting tailwind to guide those with a challenger spirit.”

NAQT VANE is an ensemble project produced by Hiroyuki SAWANO. The group features vocalist Harukaze, who spent eight years living abroad before returning to Japan’s music scene, along with art collective Classic 6 who handle the group’s art direction. They made their debut on September 16, 2022 with the digital single ‘Break Free’.

The group breathe new air into their stories, freeing their true new selves.

Hiroyuki SAWANO｜Overall Producer

Born in Tokyo in 1980, Hiroyuki SAWANO is a highly celebrated composer and producer, providing compositions for music artists, TV shows, anime and movies.

In 2014, he began the project SawanoHiroyuki[nZk], undertaking star collaborations with renowned artists such as Akihito Okano (Porno Graffitti), Sukima Switch, Aimer, Jean-Ken Johnny (MAN WITH A MISSION), Aina the End (BiSH), Yuuri, Taiiku Okazaki, ASKA, suis (Yorushika) and more.

In 2019, he held a solo performance at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China, with an audience of more than 10,000 fans, marking his advance to the global stage.

After meeting vocalist Harukaze, he launched the team project NAQT VANE in September 2022, participating as overall producer. The group have been releasing original music in Japan and around the world.

Harukaze｜Vocalist

Born in Hokkaido in 1998, Harukaze left Japan at age 15 to attend high school and college abroad. While studying Music Business in Los Angeles, she got a taste of a music culture that was different from what she’d experienced in Japan, and began to make music with people she met in the local scene. She became involved in NAQT VANE after meeting Hiroyuki SAWANO in 2021.

Classic 6｜Art Direction

Classic 6 are a creative collective active in Japan and overseas. They undertake art direction and overall production for the fashion, art and music industries, including graphic design, video and venue production. With a focus on visual branding that emphasizes stories and concepts, they are constantly exploring new creative outlets as a collective across a wide range of genres.

Download and streaming links

Music video

Further information

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About NAQT VANE

Hiroyuki SAWANO｜Overall Producer

Harukaze｜Vocalist

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