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BRATS and Far East Monster Records unite with girl rock bands from around East Asia for world domination! Japan-Korea concert livestream announced for January 2021

December 16, 2020 | 4158 Visits

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Far East Monster Records, a new label within avex entertainment formed around alternative rock band BRATS and dedicated to taking awesome rock bands from Asia to the West, has announced Ambitious Girls Rock, an exciting series of online live events featuring female-vocal rock bands from across East Asia.

The first event in the series will be held on Sunday, January 10, 2021. The four-band lineup will include Rolling Quartz and VINCIT from South Korea, and Velvet Sighs and BRATS from Japan. The show will be broadcast online for free on Rolling Quartz’s official YouTube channel, as well as on South Korean music channel Rolling Star TV.

The broadcast will alternate between performances at live music venues in each respective country; in Tokyo, the show will be performed at TSUTAYA O-Crest in Shibuya.

The second Ambitious Girls Rock event is scheduled to take place in March 2021, featuring female bands from yet another East Asian country, Thailand. After that it will be held on a regular basis, featuring bands from countries across East Asia and aiming for the world.

Event details

Title: Ambitious Girls Rock 1 (Korea-Japan ONLINE)

Date: Sunday, January 10, 2021

Livestream start time: 13:00 JST

Featured bands:

<From South Korea>

Rolling Quartz: https://www.facebook.com/bandrollingquartz

VINCIT: https://www.facebook.com/VINCITOFFICIAL

   

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<From Japan>

BRATS: http://brats-official.com/

Velvet Sighs: https://www.youtube.com/c/VelvetSighs

 

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Livestream links:

Rolling Quartz official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ROLLINGQUARTZofficial

Rolling Star TV official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo_CS0TknDlW2_yJDOv1lgA

* Super Chat (voluntary donations) system available

BRATS live concert albums available as digital releases!

First release out now: ‘Karma THE LIVE (Live at TSUTAYA O-EAST 2020.09.13)’

Trailer: https://youtu.be/WU5P8gIAR-M

Second release available January 1, 2021, 00:00 JST: ‘Ambitious Girls (Live at #Chord 2020.11.08)’

* Look out for more live concert audio releases coming soon!

BRATS download and streaming links

https://avex.lnk.to/BRATS_PLAYLIST

Upcoming live schedule

Ambitious Girls Rock 1 – TSUTAYA O-Crest, Shibuya, Tokyo

January 10, 2021 (13:00 open/13:30 start)

Artists: BRATS, Velvet Sighs

Tickets: 3,800 yen plus drink ticket, available from eplus, Lawson Ticket

New album ‘Karma’ out now! (September 30, 2020 release)

The first eight tracks on the album are newly remastered versions of BRATS songs that were released each month for eight consecutive months since January 2020. The album also features live versions of several songs.

【Type A】 CD+DVD / Type A (AVCD-43031/B)

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1. Forget me not

2. Toge

3. No more No more

4. Excuser

5. Fate

6. Ms. Downer

7. Jigyakusei Loop

8. Kimarigoto (-Version 2020-)

9. Lost Place (-Version 2020-)

10. Doudatte Yokatta (Live)

11. Kimarigoto (Live)

<Bonus DVD>

1. Forget me not (MV)

2. No more No more (Live)

3. Ms. Downer (Live)

4. Excuser (Live)

【Type B】 CD+DVD / Type B (AVCD-43032/B)

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1. Forget me not

2. Toge

3. No more No more

4. Excuser

5. Fate

6. Ms. Downer

7. Jigyakusei Loop

8. Kimarigoto (-Version 2020-)

9. No more No more (Live)

10. Ms Downer (Live)

11. Excuser (Live)

<Bonus DVD>

1. No more No more (Music video)

2. Jigyakusei Loop (Music video)

3. Ms. Downer (Music video)

4. Toge (Music video)

【Type C】 CD+Band music score / Type C – Limited Edition (AVCD-43033)

(including guitar tab and bass tab)

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1. Forget me not

2. Toge

3. No more No more

4. Excuser

5. Fate

6. Ms. Downer

7. Jigyakusei Loop

8. Kimarigoto (-Version 2020-)

* Includes specially made A4 sheet music booklet and CD

* The booklet includes sheet music for all eight songs on the album

【Type D】 CD+Band music score download URL /

Type D – Limited Edition

(including guitar tab and bass tab) (AVCD-43034)

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1. Forget me not

2. Toge

3. No more No more

4. Excuser

5. Fate

6. Ms. Downer

7. Jigyakusei Loop

8. Kimarigoto (-Version 2020-)

* Includes alternate jacket

* Includes URL to digitally download sheet music for all eight songs on the album

【BRATS Profile】

BRATS website: http://brats-official.com/

Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/brats_official

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BratsJP/

Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brats__official/

BRATS Official FanClub: Search for BRATS on the website ‘fanicon’ (https://fanicon.net)

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Left: Aya Kuromiya (bass) DOB: November 28, 1998

Right: Rei Kuromiya (vocals) DOB: December 29, 2000

BRATS are an alternative rock band formed by charismatic guitar-thrashing teenager Rei Kuromiya, who began singing in 2011 at the age of 10 and launched the band with her sister Aya Kuromiya on bass. In 2017, six years after they formed, they refocused as a neo-grunge girls’ rock band, featuring heavy guitar riffs and deep vocals, and released their first single, ‘Aini Koiyo’ / ‘Nounai Shoukyo Game’.

The following year, in July 2018, they released their highly anticipated first album, ‘BRATS’. This was followed by an ever-growing number of live performances, with a particularly notable show at Daikanyama Unit in Tokyo in October 2018. In January 2019, BRATS played their first overseas performances, with two successful concerts in Seoul.

They performed headline shows in Tokyo each month from February to April 2019, all of which sold out. After appearing at two overseas festivals in Taiwan and South Korea that summer, in fall they undertook a headline tour in Japan’s Kansai region.

In January 2020, BRATS performed their first Western concert, with a successful show in Los Angeles. Taking a tireless approach to getting their music out to the world, they have released digital singles every month since January, and made each of them available globally. These songs were collected in remastered form on their major debut album ‘Karma’, released by avex imprint Far East Monster Records on September 30, 2020.

—

Images: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l43eh5myz858pi7/AACH3AGgMO7WHKUSPMWkbXava?dl=0

Screen Shot 2020 12 10 At 4.03.58 AMPhoto from her instagram @honey_lee32

 

The raising of a star

Being as her mother is a Doctor of Korean Music History at a prestigious university and her father a senior officer in the National Intelligence Service, Lee Ha Nui, also known as Honey Lee was destined to be a star.

Lee Ha Nui was born on March 2, 1983 in Seoul, South Korea. She has 2 sisters and a brother. She has a third degree black belt in Taekwondo. She was Miss Korea in 2006 and came in third place at Miss Universe 2007 in Mexico City. After her debut as Miss Korea, Lee Ha Nui began appearing on Tv shows such as Live TV Entertainment in 2007.

 

Music Prodigy

She is a classical music performer and plays the Kayagum along with her mother and sister. She was once named a Kayagum prodigy by the Kumho Art Center. Lee has made 4 albums and has played in more than 25 countries around the world. One of the many concerts was held at Carnegie Hall in New York.

 

Miss Universe

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Miss Universe Photoshoot

 

In 2006, at the age of 23, she participated in the Miss Korea pageant of which she was the winner. After winning the contest for the most beautiful woman in South Korea, she participated in Miss Universe 2007 that took place in Mexico City, where she got third place.

´´I have two goals. One is to become a cultural ambassador for Korea as a gayageum player and professor of traditional Korean music. The other goal is to become a volunteer missionary in developing or undeveloped countries including North Korea,” she said, in a pre-competition interview posted on the Miss Universe Website.

 

From Pageants to Entertainment

This beautiful and talented young woman was about to be the fifth member of the YG Entertainment group 2NE1, however she preferred acting, debuting in the KBS drama ‘Partner’ in 2009.

She was a model for Tommy Hilfiger Korea, DAKS and Vogue and the face of two of the most famous brands in the world. With a largely lucrative contract, Lee’s hair now equals L’Oréal products and she also works with Neutrogena Deep Clean.

In April 2009, she and actor Lee Min Ho were chosen to be the models for the Pepsi soda, “Pepsi Nex”, which has no calories.

On August 3, 2008, Honey made her musical debut in the musical Polaroid. She also participated in the drama Partner, which aired on KBS 2TV.

She joined the main cast in “Legally Blonde: The Musical” (the Korean production), where she played Elle Wood.

In January 2010, she starred in the MBC TV drama Pasta as celebrity chef Oh Sae-Young.

So far, Honey Lee has participated in 11 dramas and 13 films, the most recent Alien, which will be released in 2020. She has also participated in theater musicals and appeared in the Dynamic Duo MV, Jam.

 

Giving Back

She has volunteered for UNICEF, Compassion, World Vision and is the Goodwill Ambassador for Beautiful Mind Charity and Korea Green Foundation.

‘’Beautiful Mind Charity (BMC) is a philanthropic organization that pursues cultural diplomacy and aims to give and share love with the less privileged around the world through diverse cultural activities.‘’

´´The Environmental Foundation is Asia’s green hub leading the solution to environmental and climate problems in partnership with civil society, government and corporations to protect the Asian environment.´´

 

Honey Lee Today

After her break up with Yoo Kye Sang, Ha Nee has been focusing on herself: Making art, reading, filming new projects and shooting for magazines. She stated that this year has been hard but that she appreciates the opportunity to restart.  She’s currently filming two movies: ‘Alien’ and ‘The Clement Course’

 

—-Carlena Rodrguez

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Former K-pop idol Seungri is currently indicted on numerous charges including violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, violation of the Food Sanitation Act, embezzlement, habitual gambling, prostitution mediation, violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, and etc.

Along with Seungri – Jung Joon-young, former Yuri Holdings CEO Yoo In-suk, Choi Jong-hoon, and Mr. Park appeared at the hearing on December 9th. Former Burning Sun’s promoter Kim testified denying Seungri’s prostitution mediation.

Park also stated that the instructions to send prostitutes to “A” came from Yoo In-suk – not Seungri – and that he had never talked about prostitutes with Seungri before. Park went on to add that Seungri only asked him to do in December 2015 was bring flowers and gifts to the room where “A” is staying.

Seungri was given a chance to ask Park questions – he stated: “We’ve been friends for almost ten years, so it is a shame that we are meeting at a place like this. It was your dream to become an actor, so as someone in the industry entertainment, I assisted you. Your parents are also fond of me. I cooperated in more than 40 investigations in this year, and I answered “yes” or “I think so,” but there were many details in the reports besides my answers. I requested to revise them because it was my charge. Why didn’t you request for revisions when the police filed reports that contradicted your statements?”

Park answered, “I apologize, I could not pay attention to your case in detail due to the psychological pressure from other charges.”

 

–J.Chung.

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At the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) this past Sunday, BTS won Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year and Worldwide Icon of the Year. The group also picked up awards for Best Male Group, Best Music Video and Best Dance Performance.

Fans could not attend the ceremony, instead, screens showing the audience watching from all around the world were televised.

Bang Si-hyuk, the founder and CEO of Big Hit Entertainment, won Best Executive Producer of the Year.

“Eight,” performed by IU and BTS member Suga won Best Collaboration.

BLACKPINK won Best Female Group and Best Dance Performance, while IU took home Best Female Artist and Best Vocal Performance – Solo.

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Mamamoo won Best Vocal Performance – Group, Hwasa was awrded Best Dance Performance – Solo, Baekhyun won Best Male Artist.

Treasure and Weekly got selected the best new male artist and female artist.

The Worldwide Fans’ Awards were given to the 10 most popular acts via voting and music video views. TWICE, Treasure, BTS, Tomorrow X Together, GOT7, ATEEZ, Seventeen, Mamamoo, NCT, and BLACKPINK all took home the prize.

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BoA received a 20-year contribution to the K-pop industry prize, and performed her old hits like “No. 1” and “Only One” at the show.

At this year’s MAMA ceremony, most artists who made acceptance speeches wore masks, and staffs disinfected the stage after each performance.

 

–J.Chung.

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It’s December, so you know what that means? It’s time to vote for your favorite artists during the Kcrush America K-Pop Awards!

Now in the fourth year, we’re thrilled to let your voices be heard in 20 categories that pit some of the year’s best against each other to be voted as kings and queens of the K-Pop mountain. Who would you like to see crowned champion in each category? Let us know as voting is open between December 2 to the December 20, 2020. Here are your nominees!

 

Best OST

For this category, we couldn’t pick individual songs to nominate as each show listed had amazing overall soundtracks! Starting this year, you will vote on the best overall OST instead of individual songs.

 

Best New Male Artist

 

Best New Female Artist

 

Best Female Rookie Group

 

Best Male Rookie Group

 

Best Female Solo

 

Best Male Solo

 

Best Rock or Band

 

Best Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B, and Urban

 

Best Vocal Performance

 

Best Collaboration

 

Best Crossover Song

For this category, you’re voting for an English song either by or featuring a K-Pop artist.

 

Best Solo Dance Performance

 

Best Dance – Female Group

 

Best Dance – Male Group

 

Female Group of the Year

 

Male Group of the Year

 

Album of the Year

 

Song of the Year

 

MV of the Year

 

Please vote as often as you wish! And don’t forget to share and spread the word on Facebook and Twitter! Voting’s open until December 20, 2020.

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The South Korean parliament has passed a bill that allows those who excel in popular culture and art to postpone their military service until the age of 30.

All eligible South Korean males aged from 18 to 28 must serve in the Korean military. The law previously allowed exemptions for top performing athletes and classical musicians but not top K-pop artists. The revised law now lets exemptions for males who elevate the country’s cultural status and boost the financial economy – and the specific criteria for the exemption would be decided by a presidential order.

The oldest member of BTS is Jin – who turns 28 on December 4th – would have been enlisted by the end of this year, if the bill hadn’t been passed. This newly passed law will gain him two years, until he becomes the age of 30.

The revision of the bill came not long after BTS’ single “Dynamite” which was released back in August, reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 — making them the first South Korean act to debut at the top of the American music chart.

Big Hit Entertainment has stated numerous times that military service was a duty that BTS would fulfill.

 

J.Chung.

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BTS lands seven entries on this week’s Billboard Hot 100.

While BTS’ new album Be, launched as the group’s fifth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, their single “Life Goes On” was placed at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart, becoming the group’s third chart-topper (on November 30th), after “Dynamite” and “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” with Jason Derulo and Jawsh 685.

“Life Goes On” is the group’s sixth top 10 single, and third No. 1., – the milestone comes less than a week after BTS was announced to be nominated for their first Grammy, where “Dynamite” is nominated for best pop/duo group performance.

Here’s the list of seven BTS’ songs on the Hot 100 chart.

No. 1, “Life Goes On”

No. 3, “Dynamite” (Spent three weeks at No. 1)

No. 13, “Blue & Grey”

No. 22, “Stay”

No. 69, “Fly to My Room”

No. 70, “Telepathy”

No. 72, “Dis-ease”

BTS has never before charted more than three singles simultaneously on the Hot 100 chart. The group has so far charted 19 songs in total – “DNA” being their first to reach the US chart in October 2017.

 

–J.Chung.

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K-pop boyband UP10TION’s member Bitto has been diagnosed with COVID-19. TOP Media released a statement regarding the issue and that all of UP10TION’s future activities will be canceled for now.

Hello, this is TOP Media.

Our artist UP10TION’s Bitto tested positive for COVID-19.

Following the conclusion of his scheduled activities on November 29th, he was told that he came in close contact with a confirmed case, and got tested. His diagnosis was confirmed on the morning of November 30th.

Our agency artists, staff, and those who crossed paths or came into contact with Bitto are being tested for COVID-19, and we will take quarantine measures according to instructions by health authorities.

UP10TION’s following scheduled activities have all been canceled, and once again we will do our best to take care of our artists and manage sanitation for COVID-19.

We sincerely apologize to broadcast representatives and involved staff members as broadcast activities were carried out without knowing that he came into close contact with a confirmed case.

We once again apologize for causing concern.

Thank you.

UP10TION performed on Music Core and Inkigayo on November 28th and 29th. The productions have said they’ve secured CCTV footages and are checking for those who came into contact with Bitto.

We wish for Bitto’s speedy recovery.

 

–J.Chung.

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Note: Post contains spoilers

Family, tragedy, sorrow, heart, and healing: The TvN/Netflix drama Hi Bye, Mama! has it all wrapped up in a heartwarming comedy-drama that asks the question of what would happen if a loved one came back to life to regain their place amongst their family and friends.

Hi Bye, Mama! tells the story of Cha Yu-Ri (Kim Tae-Hee), a young woman who died prior to the birth of her daughter, Seo-Woo (Seo Woo-Jin). In the five years since her death, Yu-Ri has watched her daughter grow while lingering around her family including husband Jo Kang-Hwa (Lee Kyu-Hyung) and his new wife, Oh Min-Jung (Go Bo-Gyeol). When Yu-Ri is set to face judgment and finally cross over, the gods hear her tearful plea to let her stick around by gifting her with 49 days of life with a chance of being human again if she regains her position in her family.

The story holds an interesting premise that is enough to draw in an audience. A look into the afterlife and the imagination behind what people may think happens on the other side always provides solid storylines that pack an emotional punch, and Hi Bye, Mama!” does just that. The audience has a chance to put themselves in Yu-Ri’s place as she navigates trying to help her daughter chase away the ghosts that haunt her while trying to, unsuccessfully, stay hidden from her friends and family.

The story has several strengths. First, it is not the typical love story featuring a love triangle with two women vying for the man’s attention. Instead, Yu-Ri’s introduction provides a monkey wrench in an already strained marriage, but it is done in a non-romantic way as Kang-Hwa wrestles with his regret over losing Yu-Ri and not being able to save her. Meanwhile, while Yu-Ri still loves her husband, she is aware that she is not his anymore as Min-Jung has stepped up for the role as the viewer sees their love story unfold in flashbacks. The show does a great job of showing Kang-Hwa’s anguish over the past and his struggles with his present relationship, all while avoiding the typical drama trope of lovers battling for each other. The way Hi Bye, Mama! tastefully balances and contrasts between Yu-Ri and Min-Jung and their interactions with Kang-Hwa, and the show also does a great job creating a relationship between the two women that is realistic despite the supernatural qualities of the show. For once, it was great to see a stepmother portrayed positively instead of being villainized.

Secondly, the relation between Yu-Ri and her family is heart wrenching and beautifully done. At first, it was irksome that Yu-Ri wanted to avoid her family and had her friends keep her secret. The “keep-away” aspect of the story felt unnecessary, especially knowing that Yu-Ri watched her family languish for five years because they didn’t get to say goodbye and knowing that her mother prayed for her every day. However, Yu-Ri and her family’s reunion was sweet, tender, and a great reward for the viewer. The scene where her mother sees her for the first time is a tear-jerking moment, and the scenes where Yu-Ri, her mom, sister, and dad lie together when she first comes home garner laughs and tears. As a person who’s lost family members, these scenes tugged at the heartstrings and filled me with “what if…” thoughts if my loved ones ever returned.

 

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Those moments of “what-if” thoughts are, perhaps, the strongest element of Hi Bye, Mama! The show truly invites the viewer to think about their relationships with family, friends, and other loved ones and what lies in the aftermath after a loved one’s death. Here, the performances of Kim Mi-Kyung, Park Soo-Young, Kim Mi-Soo as Yu-Ri’s mother, father, and sister radiate as they grapple with their loss of Yu-Ri, her eventual reappearance, and the fractures to the family her death caused. Park Soo-Young’s role as Cha Moo-Poong, Yu-Ri’s father, was heart wrenching and realistic as he tried different ways to be able to see his granddaughter, Seo-Woo, while Kim Mi-Kyung stirs strong emotions as a mother unwilling to let go of her daughter. If anything, Yu-Ri’s family dynamics make the show worth checking out. Yu-Ri’s family is the most relatable bunch in the show.

While Hi Bye, Mama! has many solid points, there are also glaring issues that tampered with the overall appeal.

First, the story suffers greatly from dropped storylines. In one instance, Yu-Ri’s tasked with helping fellow ghosts resolve some personal issues in order to help encourage them to crossover to receive judgement. This angle would have been a great story to explore while adding extra conflict to Yu-Ri’s mission in regaining her place in the living world, and it would have been great to see her juggle each of the tasks. However, she helped one ghost and the side-story was quickly dropped and hardly mentioned again, thus killing an angle that could—and should—have been explored more.

Another plot-point fail was the introduction of Guk-Bong (Yang Kyung-Won), an exorcist who is looking for Seo-Woo and Yu-Ri’s ghost friends. His introduction could have been more compelling than it was since he is such a dark, interesting character (a complete shift from Yang’s portrayal of Pyo Chi-Su in Crash Landing on You), and his search for Seo-Woo added more urgency to Yu-Ri’s actions and provided a great story angle for three of Yu-Ri’s ghostly friends. Unfortunately, as quickly as he was introduced, his plot was also quickly dropped in an anti-climatic way that didn’t feel sensical to the overall story. A lot of his story with the ghosts was done “behind the scenes” in a sense, and that was problematic.

The two dropped plots may have viewers wishing the writers either followed through or avoided the storylines altogether just to focus on the family and friends’ angles.

While miniscule, another issue was how annoyingly fake Yu-Ri’s pregnancy belly was in the flashback scenes. The pregnancy pad almost had a life of its own as it was often shifted weird or too high up to be a convincing pregnancy belly. The flashback scenes were almost too laughable because of how often the pad was in different positions. Surely wardrobe could have caught this issue.

While the show aired, people took issue with casting a little boy to play Yu-Ri’s daughter, Seo-Woo. For the casting, this is non-issue as Seo Woo-Jin did a nice job as Seo-Woo. He was cast because of his strong resemblance to Kim Tae-Hee, and he really did look like he could be Kim’s child. Casting children—especially babies and toddlers—who are the opposite sex of the role has long been common practice in the TV and cinema world, so for it to be an issue now seems silly. Seo Woo-Jin barely had any speaking parts, and his overall actions weren’t exclusively gendered in any way to “damage” the child. Even his own mother defended the casting choice by saying “knows her son better than anyone.” Both of his parents also hold psychology degrees. Also, people tend to forget that acting requires taking on different roles and “wearing different hats.” Again, the casting choice is a non-issue.

Overall, Hi Bye, Mama! has a solid, moving story, but the dropped plotlines provided some issues that marred the tale. The show is one that will make viewers think, so that point is a saving grace to help Hi Bye, Mama earn a 3/5 score.

 

—-Olivia Murray

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Korean rock band HarryBigbutton recently released their latest single “Dawn of the Dead” that they collaborated with Russian rock band The StarKillers.

The two bands have been communicating online during the corona pandemic and recorded in their studios based in Russia’s Khabarovsk and South Korea’s Seoul. It’s also notable that Grammy winner John Davies at Metropolis Mastering completed the single’s mastering online.

HarryBigButton’s music is of heavy guitar riffs, distinctive rhythms and deep roaring vocals. The band is named after a slang for a vintage car stereo with big buttons.  See their great interview with us here!

HarryBigbutton has had two tours in Russia since the year of 2017, but this year’s plans to tour there was cancelled due to the coronavirus.

The “Dawn of the Dead” music video showcases footages of how two bands can work on the same track despite being so far apart from each other.

 

 

–J.Chung.

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The Korean government stated that the Level 2 distancing – the third-highest five-tier COVID-19 alert system – will take effect in Seoul. Level 1.5 distancing was enforced from Thursday in the metropolitan area, but as the coronavirus continued to spread, higher antivirus curbs are to be applied.

At Level 2 social distancing, restaurants will not be allowed to accept customers after 9 p.m., and only takeout will be permitted. Coffee places will only be allowed to serve takeout, events with 100 or more people will be banned – nightclubs and bars that allow dancing will be also shut down. New restrictions will take effect in regions of Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon.

Korea’s daily caseload has reached three-digits since November 8th – exceeding 300 for five days straight with 330 cases. From November 15th until 21st, the daily average of COVID-19 cases in Seoul reached 175.1 – which is more than twice the number from the daily average of 83 cases recorded back in mid November.

Citizens are allowed to carry on with most of their daily routines under Level 1.5, but people who run businesses are made to abide with toughened public health rules.

It is also said that one-third of all public servants and people employed at public companies will begin to work from home from Tuesday.

    

–J.Chung.

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On November 23, K-pop boyband GOT7 released “Breath,” a pre-release single from their upcoming fourth album “Breath of Love : Last Piece.”

All the members participated in composing and writing to make this an especially special album for the fans.

GOT7 is a seven-member boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of JB, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom. The group debuted in January 2014 with the release of their first EP Got It?, which reached number 2 on the Gaon Album Chart and number 1 on Billboard’s World Albums Chart. We appreciate GOT7 for being one of our very first interviews!

 

“Breath of Love : Last Piece” the album will be released on November 30. The song “Last Piece” which JB contributed to the lyrics and writing, will also be unveiled on the same day.

 

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–J.Chung.

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People’s magazine released the results for its ‘Sexiest Man Alive 2020: Readers’ Choice Poll’ – announcing Korean boyband BTS member Jungkook as the Sexiest International Man Alive 2020. Congrats!

According to People’s magazine, the poll ran for about a month before the results got revealed. People’s Sexiest Man Alive 2020 title went to Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan. As for the Sexiest Royal title was awarded to Prince Harry, who beat his brother Prince William, Prince Carl Phillip of Sweden and Prince Felix of Luxembourg. He also won the Sexiest Dad Alive last year.

English singer Harry Styles beat BTS, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny and Roddy Ricch to be tagged as Sexiest Chart-Topper.

Joe Jonas was awarded the Sexiest New Dad title. Nick Jonas, he got the title for Sexiest Reality Show Judge. Armie Hammer won the Sexiest Newly-Single.

The Sexiest Brothers title went to Liam, Chris and Luke Hemsworth – while Shawn Mendes was voted the Sexiest Content in Quarantine, beating out Jason Derulo, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Justin Bieber. Ryan Reynolds was named the Sexiest Happily Settled Guy.

 

–J.Chung.

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Soulsweet is a Korean Soul singer-songwriter who is a part of Bubble Sisters, a female vocal group. For this interview, we quizzed Soulsweet on what it’s like to be a solo artist and how she is spending time during the pandemic.

We would like to massively thank Soulsweet for this great  interview, and wish her all the best in all her endeavors!

 

Hello, thank you for offering your precious time to do this interview. Would you like to introduce yourself to our readers please?

– Hello, how are you? I am Soulsweet, the sweet and soulful singer-songwriter. I majored in classic music composition but I’ve been a lyricist for a long time. Currently, I’m developing myself as a singer-songwriter.

 

For those who may not be familiar, could you let them know your musical characteristics?

– As soul as the base, I cover dynamic genres like Acid jazz, Electronica and much more. At times, I release simple medium ballad music too. I try not to stray from soul music.

 

Was it your dream as a youngster to become a singer?

– When I was very young, I wanted to be a musical actor and never dreamt of actually becoming a musical artist. I also dreamt of being a pianist or a doctor, but one day, found myself transformed into a musician who does music for a living.

 

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What are the main differences in performing alone, compared to performing in a team?

– Working alone can be lonely but it helps to concentrate on the work better. However, there are always pressure and responsibility either way.

 

Which one of your songs are you the most attached to, and why?

– If I can name more than one song…^^ The first would be a song called ‘Aloha Love.’ I initially made my debut under the name “Swing B” and this song was one of the first that started me off as Soulsweet. I recall singing the song with much cheerfulness since it had a summery feel of acoustic guitar to the tune.

The second song is “Play On” – I am attached to this particular song because I was pleased about how my voice sounded calm and dynamic to the soft electronic beat.

The third song that I am the most attached to is “10 Years Apart – 열 살 차이.” It’s a simple ballad that has a great feel especially due to the lyrics.

But all the songs that I created are special to me.

 

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, certain activities may be limited to a lot of people these days – what do you do as a pastime?

– I spend a lot of time enjoying Netflix – I particularly like shows featuring zombies like “Walking Dead” and “Kingdom” which I am re-watching.

I also like to take walks with my 6-year-old Golden Retriever named, “Victor” a lot. I enjoy learning about new programs, so I’m really into computer programming too.

 

Which artist do you have the most respect for?

– If I can name multiple people for this question, I would say:

1. Aretha Franklin

2. Michael Jackson

3. Quincy Jones

It varies each year, but I have utmost respect for the above 3 people.

4. Bruno Mars.

I also have respect for Kenzie of SM Entertainment and Sunwoo Jung-a.

 

Which song or album do you listen to most frequently these days?

– I developed a liking for City pop nowadays, so I am listening to a lot of music by PREP. I’m also listening to what I’ve been enjoying in the past as well, and since I prefer trendy music, I listen to a lot of classic music while I read books and also check out new music. I listen to Korean musician Crush and Wonstein frequently.

 

Which artist would you wish to do a collaboration with?

– I’d love to collaborate with PLZY, since he has such a great voice. Because he has such a different voice from mine, our voices might not go together well, but I love his songs and voice all the same.

 

Describe your voice in one sentence.

– Like a naughty elementary school boy’s.

 

We don’t have much of 2020 left – what are your hopes and plans for the coming future?

– I am not one to do that many outdoor activities, but the year of 2020 has been a bad one for everyone, so I wish we could be more free next year. I was less energized myself since the musicians around me lost their motivation.

I am always working hard to make better music, so more people can get to hear my work. I plan on doing small concerts and YouTube as well. Musicians make new resolutions all the time. I will do my best to keep producing great music! Thank you!

 

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–J.Chung.

 

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Mnet has released a statement on IZ*ONE’s future activities, after recent claims on the “Produce 101” series vote-rigging have been revealed in the news.

During the appeal trial for the “Produce 101” case, the court unveiled the list of contestants who were eliminated due to manipulation of the votings.

On the same day, Mnet released a statement about the possibility of compensating the contestants who had been affected.

Mnet stated that IZ*ONE will continue to follow their previously scheduled activities, which includes the release of a new album on December 7 and a comeback performance at the 2020 Mnet Asian Music Awards.

Iz*One is a South Korean–Japanese girl group formed through the Mnet reality competition show Produce 48. The group  consists of twelve members: Jang Won-young, Sakura Miyawaki, Jo Yu-ri, Choi Ye-na, An Yu-jin, Nako Yabuki, Kwon Eun-bi, Kang Hye-won, Hitomi Honda, Kim Chae-won, Kim Min-ju, and Lee Chae-yeon.

 

Please check Mnet’s statement below:

Hello. This is Mnet.

We are making a statement about IZ*ONE’s future activities.

As scheduled, IZ*ONE will be releasing a new album on December 7, and they also plan to attend the 2020 MAMA on December 6.

The responsibility for this ‘Produce’ situation rests entirely on Mnet alone. Mnet will take full responsibility for the trainees who have suffered damages, and we will also do our utmost to fully support IZ*ONE, who is already promoting and whose members are already chasing their individual dreams [as artists].

Off The Record Entertainment and Swing Entertainment, who are currently co-managing IZ*ONE, will also do their utmost to fulfill their duties and aid the growth of their artist.

We sincerely thank all of the fans who always love and support IZ*ONE. Furthermore, we apologize once again to all of the viewers who cared about and rooted for the trainees who suffered damages due to this situation.

 

–J.Chung.

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Melon announced the 40 nominees that are competing for Melon Music Awards 2020’s Top 10.

Melon Music Awards is a Korean pop music awards show that is held each year in South Korea – and organized by kakao M.

The nominees are chosen by Melon Popularity Award results – Melon weekly charts and votes – plus artists who were selected by their Melon download and streaming. The Top 10 will be determined 80 percent on Melon download count and streaming counts, and 20 percent on online votes. Voting is open from November 11th to 20th for Melon’s verified accounts users.

Here are the nominees.

Apink

Baekhyun

Baek Ji-young

Baek Yerin

BLACKPINK

BOL4

BTS

Crush

Davichi

Deepflow

Gaho

(G)I-DLE

Hwasa

ITZY

IU

IZ*ONE

Jeon Mi Do

Jessi

Jo Jung Suk

Joy

Kim Ho Joong

Lee Hi

Lim Young Woong

M.C the MAX

NCT 127

Oh My Girl

OVAN

Paloalto

Red Velvet

Sandeul

SEVENTEEN

Simon Dominic

SSAK3

Suho

Taeyeon

The Quiett

TWICE

Young Tak

YUMDDA

Zico

 

Melon Music Awards 2020 will be held for 4 days – from December 2nd to 5th – while the main ceremony will be held on December 5th at 7 p.m., Korean time.

 

–J.Chung.

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Today, SG entertainment is pleased to announce its 7 trainees who will be selected to compose its first female group: Alpha Ray!

Alpha Ray will be made up of 4 artists, representing 4 rays coming together with their respective energy and ability to create a great group synergy.

To achieve this, the 7 girls have been selected based on their MBTI personality, so that they can find natural harmony, a first in the history of the Kpop industry.

SG entertainment – the first Korean-European company – wants to create a new trend in Kpop with new concepts, more creativity and a focus on personal and emotional development.

That’s why the trainees, in addition to classical training in music, singing and dance, have courses in psychology, composition, theatre and debate and come from different backgrounds and countries.

You can follow the adventures of Yelin, Jiyeon, Jiyun, Chaeyeon, Aiganym, Hanna and Yuri on SG’s instagram : sgentertainment_agency !

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About SG Entertainment:

Part of SG Group, SG Entertainment is the first Korean cultural content production company founded by French producers. With a strong focus on creativity, SG Entertainment strives to produce engaging and appealing content to inspire the younger generations to develop a positive attitude towards their future and take their lives in their own hands. The company’s mission is to find, train and empower performers, creators, models and thought leaders to define the way forward so that everyone can find their place and envision a harmonious tomorrow for all. www.sg-ent.com

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Rolling Stone will be publishing a Korean edition of the magazine beginning of this month (November) as the latest international edition series.

Rolling Stone Korea (which will be Rolling Stone’s 12th international edition) will be comprised of a variety of local content and syndicated articles in a bi-monthly print edition with both digital and video content.

Gus Wenner, Rolling Stone president and CEO said, “The international popularity and success of music from Korea over the last few years has only grown our interest in launching the Rolling Stone brand in that market. We’re excited to give readers in Korea and beyond access to the brand’s unparalleled editorial content and world-class live events that Rolling Stone is known for.”

The first magazine was released in 1967 that featured John Lennon on the cover and was published bi-weekly. In addition to its print version in the United States, it publishes content through Rollingstone.com and numerous international editions.

 

–J.Chung.

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FAKY, a Japanese dance / vocal group, has released a music video for their latest song “little more”. Taking into account the social background of 2020 which forces a lot of people to refrain and restrict themselves to prevent new infections of the novel Coronavirus. This music video expresses that conflicting feeling of frustration which they believe should be channeled as it is a feeling that is just one step away from becoming a feeling of empowerment.

▼「little more」Music Video

https://youtu.be/zB9mrBQ435g

This is their second single following the release of “Darling (Prod. GeG)” produced by GeG from Hentai Gentlemen’s Club and their dance single trilogy. Expectations were high for the release of this music video since this is their new dance tune in a while ever since the release of their single “NEW AGE” that was released in November last year.

To answer their fans expectations, this music video will let fans enjoy FAKY’s dance to the fullest and will show an even more powerful FAKY. Particularly the scene where FAKY came out of the mirror to confront FAKY in the real world by having a dance battle that visually expresses the lyrics of the song which represent the conflict that everyone has with themselves.

The dance for this music video was choreographed by a Norwegian dance crew “Quick Style”. They have choreographed for global artists such as BTS’s “Boy With Luv” and NCT 127’s “Kick It” and this is their first time to choreograph a Japanese group. Their delicate and bold choreography along with beautiful canon formations accompanied by fine beats is a must-see.

 

Quick Style comment:

We are very excited to work with a female group for the first time.  This will be different from previous groups we have worked with such as NCT, SuperM and BTS, But since we already have a close relationship to Japan it felt very natural for us to work with FAKY.

FAKY and avex made this experience even better by putting all their trust in our craft and vision for the girls.

We believe in Japanese pop music and the potential in its presentation value. That is why our mission is to make sure J-POP reaches international level in artistry, choreography, presentation and quality.

We hope we will be able to work more with the Japanese music industry in the future and be a part of the artistic development.

 

FAKY Member’s comment:

“This was my first dance tune in a while, and the shooting was a fight against myself both physically, mentally!” -Hina-

“This is the first music video where FAKY keeps dancing from the beginning till the end. I really like the scene where I dance while facing myself.” -Mikako-

“We’ve been releasing mellow songs ever since the start of this year so I think I’m really happy that we can release dance music that fans can enjoy.” -Lil’ Fang-

“The reason why the title is ‘little more’ is because with everything that’s going on all around the world, it’s very hard to know how our days would go from now. All we know is that we are progressing just a little more and try finding ways to work around the situation so that soon we will be able to be back to normal or maybe a new normal.” -Taki-

“This music video is a literal reflection of the songs lyrics in which we are coming to terms with our inner selves while battling to understand what that really means; epic dance battle style haha. “ -Akina-

▼Stream/Download “little more”

https://avex.lnk.to/littlemorePR

▼FAKY Official Homepage

https://faky.jp/

▼FAKY Official YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/c/FAKYjp

▼FAKY Official TikTok

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSPhusaP/

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K-pop powerful boy-group ONEUS announced their very first online concert titled ONEUS 1st Ontact Live [CRUSH ON Ø US]. The concert will be held on November 28, 1:00 PM (KST).

MyMusicTaste will be partnering as the ticketing and streaming platform for ONEUS’s first online concert providing the best service and experience for fans all over the world.

This is not the first collaboration with ONEUS as this show comes after the successful completion of ONEUS’ 2019 North American tour, actualized through the overwhelming requests of fans on MyMusicTaste. To fulfill the group’s commitment to stay connected with their fans despite today’s reality of restricted travels and social distancing, this unique online concert will bring the Seoul-based group’s music and energetic performances to the homes of global fans.

Quickly after their debut in January 2019, the sextet became Kpop heartthrobs through their striking physical appearances and vocal prowess. Debuted under RBW Entertainment, the agency that houses one of the biggest Korean girl groups of all time, MAMAMOO, ONEUS has gained worldwide attention from the start. Their debut mini-album “LIGHT US” hit no.1 on iTunes Top K-Pop Albums Charts and charted within the Top 10 in Canada, Germany, England, Spain, and Italy. Its title track “Valkyrie” hit 17 million views on YouTube, an impressive feat for a rookie group. Without losing momentum, their second mini-album “RAISE US” debuted no.1 on the iTunes Top K-Pop Albums Charts in Finland and charted within the Top 5 in four other countries. Its title track “Twilight” hit 10 million views within four days of its release.

Despite the restrictions caused by the pandemic, ONEUS started the year strong with the release of their first single album “IN ITS TIME” and its balladic title “A song written easily, ”followed by the very successful participation in the popular television survival show “Road to Kingdom.” The band used this opportunity to showcase their team spirit, tremendous talent, and various colors of the group. Their recent fourth mini-album “LIVED,” and the title song “To Be or Not To Be,” further showcased the band’s powerful charms, while taking a twist on old-times classic Hamlet narrative.

This concert should raise no dilemma for fans whether to watch or not to watch the show! The tickets are now on sale, and fans from all over the world are welcomed to get their Early Bird tickets via MyMusicTaste, which will be available until November 12, 2020, at 7:30 PM (KST).  The general sale will start on November 12, 2020, at 8:00 PM (KST).

Further information regarding ticketing and the show itself can be found throughhttps://mmt.fans/ihWX or other social media channels of MyMusicTaste.

ONEUS 1st Ontact Live [CRUSH ON Ø US]

November 28, 2020, 1 PM (KST) – MyMusicTaste

 

About MyMusicTaste:

MyMusicTaste is a fan initiated live event making service that brings fans, artists, and promoters from all over the world together in one place to create a valuable and meaningful concert experience for everyone involved. MyMusicTaste puts the power in the fans’ hands, allowing fans to request their favorite artist’s concert in their city. With the mission to connect and amplify the voices of fans all over the world, MyMusicTaste successfully promoted concerts of artists such as EXO, GOT7, MONSTA X, The xx, Machine Gun Kelly, and more in over 57 different cities. With the simple idea–empowering fans to bring their favorite artist’s concert in the city of their choice based on fan demand–MyMusicTaste is challenging the $27 billion concert market through cutting-edge technology and sophisticated, user-friendly service. Currently, www.mymusictaste.com supports more than 30 countries and offers 15 different languages.

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A special event called “ON: Hallyu Festival” which will promote the Korean culture will be held online for a week this month.

The event will take place from Nov. 16 to 23, with trade meetings, live sessions and an online concert, while selling products by 12 companies in the character, beauty and fashion businesses via real-time sales sessions.

This event will feature K-pop stars MONSTA X, SuperM, ITZY, Indonesian singer-songwriter Raisa and Thai boy group Trinity. Their performances will be livestreamed to over 230 countries via VLive.

A room will be open at the COEX convention in Seoul for 79 businesses to meet with potential buyers from 200 countries in online meetings. Similar events will be taking place at the Korea Creative Content Agency’s business centers in Jakarta and Beijing.

Details on the event are available here:

(http://on-hallyufestival.kr).

 

–J.Chung.

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