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Kcrush America Fourth Annual K-Pop Awards: Voting Now Open!

December 3, 2020 | 2695 Visits

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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.

There is something different about the 7th Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival (ISEF) this year. With caution to the Covid-19 pandemic, the fashion show, which has always been an entertaining part of the event – is held online. This very first virtual fashion show in Indonesia ran from 28th October to 31st October 2020, featuring modest fashion by 164 designers from all over Indonesia under one big theme “Sustainable Fashion, Sustainable Lifestyle”. As the first virtual fashion show in Indonesia, kudos to the production team that certainly did a great work in compiling and editing the videos that made it so enjoyable to watch. The music and lighting ambience in each designer’s show also blended perfectly with the video shots. Here are some highlights from the virtual Modest Fashion ISEF 2020, we were given a VIP request to attend and cover.

Modernized Indonesian Heritage

Brought by Sofie – not a new name in ISEF Fashion Shows and other major Indonesian fashion shows and International fashion shows, whose collections charmingly present Lurik style with feminine hat and pants. Lurik means lines or stripes, usually refers to one of traditional Batik patterns from Yogyakarta. The whole personality is a modern woman with a strong touch of traditional heritage and culture, who stands out in such progressive times. You may find more of Sofie’s collections on Instagram @dsgnsofie.

 

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Also showing strong Indonesian heritage is CHARVI by Febby AntiQue. In Sanskrit, Charvi means beautiful woman, and her collection in this fashion show is inspired by Princess of Jenggala, from Kingdom of Jenggala in Indonesia’s East Java that existed around 11th-12th century, who disappeared from the Palace but brought back by her-to-be husband. She combines Javanese batik, corduroy and songket – Indonesian malay ethnic weaving style – beautifully in this collection. You may find more of her collections on Instagram @febby_antique.

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Bold and Classy

Nina Nugroho started her Moslem women fashion label under her family name in 2016. Since then she has joined many exhibitions of major Indonesian fashion shows as well as international fashion shows. Her design is inspired by active Indonesian Moslem women who work as professionals or entrepreneurs, looking elegant and classy. In Modest Fashion ISEF 2020, under the theme ‘Women In Power’ she presents a bold collection with combination of coat, mask, and unique head pieces that nails the fierce style. She combined Jacquard premium material with taffeta and faux leather, and additional accessories of golden metallic lace with big and small Swarovski in the shape of teardrops in each side, as well as the leaf shapes in the front. With this bold and beautiful design, she surely stole the show. You may find more of her collections on Instagram @ninanugrohostore.

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No less fierce upstage, Neera Alatas comes with a theme ‘Swarnadwipa’ which means Sumatera Island. She brings Tapis, one of Indonesian weaving style originated from Lampung, a region part of Sumatera Island. Tapis is made by woven cotton yarn decorated with gold and silver embroidery and usually used by high class society and village elders in Lampung. Accent of boldness is presented in black, gold, blue and green blazers, enriched by face mask in black and gold. You may find more of her collections on Instagram @neeraalatas_official.

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For his first-time exhibition in ISEF’s fashion show, Olanye by Eko Tjandra brings ready-to-wear collection with modernized Yogyakarta’s batik in black and gold combination. Olanye’s label was established in 2009 by Eko and Tjandra. The name was derived from orange, their favorite color. They usually design for stage costumes, and many Indonesian singers use their collections on stage, as well as Indonesian beauty pageant contestants. You may find more of their collections on Instagram @olanyebyekotjandra.

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Another bold and classy collection is brought by Itang Yunasz – a famous fashion designer in Indonesia who started his career in the 1980s. His latest International Fashion Show was New York Fashion Week (NYFW) 2019, where he brought Tribal Diversity collection inspired by diversity in Indonesia. Currently he owns and manages four fashion labels: Itang Yunasz Premium, Kamilaa, Allea and Preview. In Modest Fashion ISEF 2020, he presents his collection named ‘Melting Tone’ featuring Jambi’s Batik. As said in his press conference, he found similarity between Jambi’s Batik and Patola’s motive from India, hence the collection name. This collection is dominated in red and black colors with elegant shapes. You may find more of his collections on Instagram @itangyunasz.

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Edgy and Chic

Since 2018, Noor Umer has joined several exhibitions of local and national Moslem fashion shows. In Modest Fashion ISEF 2020, she brings Javanese culture represented in batik with edgy street style. The triangle shape of the hijab – making it look like a hood – is the unique characteristic of the design. You may find more of her collections on Instagram @noor.umer.

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CYA by CAHYA TYANTHI. Last year she exhibited in Indonesia Muslim Fashion Festival 2019. In this year ISEF fashion show, she continues presenting her characterized design of edgy, stylish and androgynous style using the modern, surprising, asymmetric cut. You may find more of her collections on Instagram @cya.line.

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As one of the start-up fashion designers, Iqleem brings the casual wear design in chic colors – mint, white, pastel. Cap over hijab emphasizes a young, energetic personality in sporty outfit. You may find more of Iqleem collections on Instagram @iqleemindonesia.

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Feminine Elegance

Laudya Cynthia Bella is a well-known actress in Indonesia. She started her own fashion line named L by Laudya Cynthia Bella in 2018. As well as the initial of her name, L also means Love – as all her collections are made with love. In this show she brings the concept of daily wear with feminine touch, mostly in soft colors. While L’s specialty is head scarf, the whole collection is put together beautifully for elegant yet comfortable woman’s outfit. You may find more of her collections on Instagram @lbylcb.

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Those are some highlights from Indonesia Modest Fashion ISEF 2020. With so many astounding fashion art and collections by highly creative and passionate designers, we are seeing so much hope – despite amid the pandemic – hope for the brighter and wonderful future. We’ll see you again in the next remarkable show.  A huge thank you to the Indonesia Fashion Chamber for the invite!

 

—–C. Mahnum

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Korean fashion has over the years taken the world by storm. The fashion trends that come in and out of Korea every season leaves style enthusiasts yearning for more. Korean inspired fashion trends are even on international runways these days and looking at how things are going we are likely to see even more in the future. Fall trends in Korean fashion are one of the most exciting. These are the top trends for fall Korean fashion. These unique clothing pieces are fun and classy. They have a very unique touch when worn well. This year the trends are adorable and very easy to incorporate with a normal wardrobe.

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Oversize turtleneck sweaters

Turtleneck sweaters are a type of clothing that have been a signature item in Korean fashion and this fall it’s taking over! The fun part is that you are not limited to the classic black fitted turtleneck sweater. This trend features turtleneck sweaters that are oversize in alluring pastel colors. The colors give the look a real feminine and beautiful look even when they are oversized. Colors like soft or powder pink, baby blue, soft mint green are just a few. In Korean fashion colors are very important and this trend makes that very clear. Oversize clothes are often really comfortable to wear so a comfortable sweater in fall is certainly gold. These fun oversize turtleneck sweaters can be worn with almost anything; a mini skirt, jeans, leggings or even hot pants. The trick is to pair them up with a bolder color and oftentimes a tight bottom will make the look so much cooler.

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Long plaid shirts

Button up shirts in plaid print worn over clothes are super trendy this autumn. Plaid prints are bold and fun and often come in many colors so there are certainly many options for everyone. This signature look is perfect for a casual attire and is extremely exciting for a day look. Another cool thing about this trend is that it’s easy to pull off. The long plaid shirt is worn over a set of clothes to offer layering. The only rule is to wear it over a two-piece outfit. A t-shirt and pants, a blouse and a skirt will all work fine but a dress will not really work. The whole idea is to create some layers.

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Blazer dresses

Korean fashion has a way of taking masculine clothes and making them super chic and feminine. It does so sometimes with colors, pairings and also adding a feminine aspect to a type of clothing. Say hello to the blazer dress! This fabulous trend is super popular especially for work and corporate events. A blazer dress is generally a dress that looks like a blazer or you can also think of it as a dress that looks like a blazer. Either way this trend is very popular this fall. They come in bold and strong colors and sometimes in plaid. A blazer dress is classy, feminine and gives the strong message of being trendy and in charge! This confident trend is certainly a statement maker.

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Nature tone woolen coats

The trend for coats this fall in Korean fashion are the usual oversize heavy woolen coats but in nature tone colors. Fall often connects us with nature so why shouldn’t our clothes do the same? This trend has very beautiful woolen coats in equally beautiful colors like sand, brown, burnt orange, dark green and hazel. These warm and nature rich colors make these loosely fitted and comfortable coats a joy to wear in autumn. Korean fashion often celebrates comfort and uniqueness and this has a similar tone to it. This trend is beyond simple and extremely easy to pull off. Once the coat is woolen and in a nature tone color it’s just right.

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Denim jackets

Denim jackets are a very fun trend this fall. No matter how you wear them be it fitted or oversize denim jackets are an amazing Korean trend favorite. This year there are very many unique types of jeans jackets like distressed denim jackets and denim jackets with pearl bead embellishments. These embellishments give oversize jackets a very feminine and girly look. Denim jackets are the ultimate fun day wear outerwear. They can be worn with practically anything. They work just as well with dresses as they do with two piece outfits. There is a funny perception that denim jackets should not be worn with denim jeans. In Korean fashion this rule does not apply at all. The options are always endless.

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Bucket hats

In the department of accessories bucket hats are trending this fall. They come in many colors and even different fabric types. Korean fashion keeps it fun always so lace bucket hats are not out of place at all. A beautiful lace bucket hat worn with a cute floral dress will certainly complete a fine look. For most looks though a classic black, brown or nude colored bucket hat will do. Bucket hats are best worn with the hair down to give a nice and contrasting look. Bucket hats are really fun and can be worn for both a day and night look.

References

https://www.bekorean.com/latest-2020-korean-women-fashion-trends/

https://www.bekorean.com/top-5-unique-korean-style-things/

 

—-Julieta Ajaab

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Park Jisun, a well-known comedian was found dead at her home in the Mapo district, Seoul. It is reported that her mother, who was staying with Park to help with her recovery process after a surgery, had taken her own life also.

It has been known for some time that Park was suffering from a quite severe case of allergy to sunlight. Park was unable to apply makeup, and had to wear long sleeves all around the year due to the sensitivity of her skin.

In a telephone interview with a Korean sports journal, Park said she was undergoing an uncomplicated surgery on 23rd of last month. The exact nature of the surgery is unknown. However, as Park has said in an interview of 2014 that her affliction involved extreme itchiness and inability to work out of doors, it would have been very hard indeed for her to work, if the condition became any worse.

Park’s mother left a page of her last words, in which she stated that her daughter’s skin conditions had worsened following treatment for another ailment. She went onto say that it was impossible for her to let her daughter die alone, and that she was heartily sorry for leaving behind her husband- Park’s father.

The bodies of Park and her mother were discovered when Park’s father, residing in Inchon, couldn’t reach his wife and daughter through the telephone. He contacted the police, who then went over to Park’s home to find what had occurred.

Park Jisun’s death came as a shock for all who heard the tragic news, as she was an icon of positivity and self-love. She was also known for her close relationship with her family, about whom she often posted witty comments online.

Park was known for her wit, and as a presenter of show cases and public speaker at schools, she was thought by many to be very considerate and humble.

However, because conventional comedy shows in Korea usually consist of weekly skits with strong characterization, Park was often known for roles that were supposed to look funny; this means that she was often laughed at for looking bad, and she readily laughed at herself too.

Park was a graduate of Korea University, one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in Korea. Park joked on more than one occasion that she had always studied hard to make up for her lack of looks. But comedy was what made her happy. According to one account about her debut, Park had followed a friend who auditioned to become a comedian, and ended up becoming a candidate herself.

Park’s extraordinary talent was recognized very early on. She made her debut in 2007, and almost immediately she was awarded as the best newcomer to comedy. In more recent years, with less conventional comedy shows on television, Park was active in radio and presenting music shows and other various events.

In revealing her skin affliction in one of her comedy award acceptance speeches, Park said that what she felt most sorry for was her inability to use makeup for comedic effects; it was something she would have preferred over bridal makeup.

Park and her mother are to be buried on Thursday; a funeral service is to be held at Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University’s Medical Center.

 

–J.Chung.

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The Seoul metropolitan government will start imposing fines of 100,000 won (approximately $88) on citizens who do not wear face masks in public from November 13. The fine could also be applied to people who wear masks under their noses.

Exceptions will be made for people under the age of 14, the disabled and those with a medical condition which makes it difficult for them to wear masks. Others can also get a 20 percent reduction of the fine if they provide a valid reason for their violation.

Fines will not be imposed for taking masks off during meals, swimming and broadcasting.

The five main areas of enforcement will be multiuse facilities, public transportation, rally sites, medical facilities and nursing homes.

Of the multiuse facilities, the rule will apply to not only bars, karaoke rooms and restaurants that are limited-entry establishments, but also 16 “medium-risk” facilities like private academies, houses of worship and indoor wedding halls.

A government official stated, “The purpose is not to levy fines but to stop the spread of COVID-19 by following social distancing guidelines. Offenders will be given a warning before they are issued a fine.”

 

–J.Chung.

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