KCRUSH Interview with Korean singer, KOH NA-YOUNG

 

Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Hello… My name is Koh Na-young and I was a contestant on Superstar K6 in the year of 2014, and I released my first single with the title, “Whom” in February 2016. I’ve been working on music ever since. It’s so nice to meet you all!

 

What made you pursue music as a career and were you in any way influenced by your uncle, the singer Lee Kyu-seok?

I was able to launch a singing career after I participated in the music talent program, “Superstar K6”

I’ve always wanted to become a singer and was interested in taking it up as a career but since I majored in a completely different field; I was not able to experience the musical environment as much I wanted to.

While I was hesitant on whether I would do well on the program, I took up the courage and took part in the show and was able to take a step into doing music.

I was lucky enough to be given an opportunity to learn more about the art and I worked hard and prepared myself a lot since then.

My dream was to be become a singer since I was very young, and I believe my uncle’s influence definitely played a big part in it. I really admired my uncle as a child, and would even say I wanted to marry him. Haha. It really excited me to watch him perform on stage, which made me more interested in becoming a singer as a profession.

It was just a dream of mine, when I was younger to be a singer like my uncle… On the actual day, I made my debut as a singer, my uncle was on the stage with me, performing.

My grandparents also came to watch us, so I felt grateful and it was a such an honor for me.

 

Do you have any interesting stories you can share while you were on Super Star K Season 6?

Looking back, I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I took part in that talent show…

I was very much in love with music, but didn’t have my own standard, nor was I in any mode of how I should sing or express myself.

But I made an effort to prepare myself as best as I was able to, even when I was very stressed out the whole time. When I reflect back, I realize how unprepared I really was. During the time, I learned a lot, both consciously and unconsciously, from watching the other contestants perform.

 

Can you tell us which of your songs you are the most attached to?

I’m very attached to every song I work on, each piece is very precious to me.

But if I was to select just one, the song “Stars” that was released in October last year in 2017. When I first received this song, each word from the lyrics came into my mind like a movie. It felt like I was floating in space and while I was working on recording it, I fell in love with it completely.

On top of that, I was able to communicate extremely well with Kang Ji-won, who composed the song, so it made it extra easy for me to enjoy myself in the recording process and we were satisfied with the result.

“Stars” is also a song that is liked by a lot of people, and quite a lot of people recognize my work through that song.

People have come up to me and expressed they gained a lot of encouragement from the song; which made me glad and thankful to get direct compliments and reactions like that. That particular song made me happy and enabled me to feel rewarded for being a singer.

 

 

Let us know which artists you particular like or admire.

I like all kinds of genres and don’t have just one preference for a music genre, but I think I tend to listen to British Rock continually.

I especially like Sting and U2 very much, I feel that they make and produce music that excites and shakes your heart to the core. I can never forget Sting’s concert I went to a few years back.

The artist that I loved since childhood is Beyoncé, for definite. I searched for all her albums, and even all the songs from her Destiny Child’s era. It’s needless to say, but I’ve watched every single one of her concerts and videos. She gives me a lot of inspiration and has influenced me greatly. Since I’ve been listening to her since my teens, I tend to have more affection for her. I love you, Beyoncé!

 

What do you like to do during your free time, for leisure?

I like watching videos. I like surfing for various kinds of music-related videos and just funny entertaining videos I can watch and laugh my heart out to.

There are so many diverse contents and youtubers these days, so I get a lot of inspiration, and gain from watching great videos and contents online.

 

What is your favorite food or beverage?

I love pasta. I especially love eating Rosé pasta so I cook that often at home. I also like to drink coffee; my usual choice of coffee is usually Americano or Latte.

 

What kind of person is your ideal?

I like someone who has his own definite standards, with set goals. I think I feel attracted to those kinds of people, especially when I converse with them.

And most importantly, I like someone who has a warm heart.

 

Tell us about any movies, musicals or books you found inspiring.

Recently, I watched “The greatest showman” and I enjoyed it very much.

Each of the soundtracks were all so great and the movie was just fabulous. It was so incredible to watch that it made me want to be given a chance to appear on a movie like that.

 

Let us know of your future plans and goals for this year.

Because I am working very hard on new material, I hope that people would show interest for my music this year as well.

I am also preparing to get into acting as well, while also pursuing my music career so please stay with me and support me. Thank you!

 

—J.Chung.

Girlkind, a hip-hop Girl group rookie, published their debut single ‘FANCI’ on the 17th of January, 2018. Girlkind is currently contracted with Next Level Entertainment.

Girlkind was already popular among many fans even before their debut, thanks to their powerful performance on the ‘Performance of the Year 2017’ festival held in Sejong University and their diverse boy-group cover dance videos such as WannaOne’s ‘Beautiful’, GOT7’s ‘You Are’, Seventeen’s ‘Don’t Wanna Cry(울고 싶지 않아)’, etc.. Girlkind’s Cover dance video of BTS’s ‘DNA’ was especially popular among many male fans, and from then was called as ‘Female BTS’. Even now, one can easily find several fan cams uploaded on YouTube, which recorded more than a million views. Girlkind’s debut single ‘FANCI’ placed high on several music charts after it was released, and Girlkind also performed in many stages and programs such as ‘Show! Champion’, ‘M Countdown’, ‘Music Bank’ and ‘INKIGAYO’.

Girlkind is composed of JK, Xeheun, SUN J, Ellyn and Medic Jin, five members in total, and their average age is only 20. Particularly, Xeheun had many fans even before debut thanks to her experience in ‘Produce 101 Season 1’ broadcasted in 2016. Sun J is also said to have appeared on TV drama of EBS, ‘Mirror Princess’, when she was only 11. The remaining three members are also loved by many fans since they possess many talents necessary for a good Hip-hop Girl group: gifted dance skills, outstanding rap skills and a unique singing ability.

One can easily understand how confident Girlkind is through their new debut single ‘FANCI’. There are lyrics such as ‘We’re the girls with the FANCI what uh, We’re the girls with the flash what uh, skills and appearance that you told me, why not me go uh’ or ‘Style and Class and FANCI that you still cannot follow, look directly into my eyes oh’. Based on synthesizer sound and bass riff, ‘FANCI’ is an EDM Hip-hop song with trendy melody that anybody can easily repeat.

Many singers and talents already expressed their amusement and expectations on Girlkind. BolBbangan4, a famous duo girl band, congratulated Girlkind’s debut and spoke highly of their dancing skills. Kino, a member of ‘PENTAGON’, asked for love and attention on Girlkind’s new debut single ‘FANCI’. As such, Girlkind is a hip-hop girl group that even senior singers praise and pay attention to.

Unlike many other girl groups that point out cutie or lovely concepts, Girlkind puts up ‘Girl Crush’ as their primary weapon. Therefore, they are expected to bring new style and a ‘girl crush’ boom to Korea’s music world. With pure appearance, excellent singing skills and powerful dancing abilities, Girlkind has a potential to become a better and a more popular girl group in the near future.

More information regarding Girlkind can easily be found on their official website (www.nextlevelent.co.kr) or on official Facebook and Instagram website of Girlkind.

 

—-J.K Lim

7ane DUI Feat PENOMECO – English Subbed

This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.

Veganism is a lifestyle that excludes exploitation and cruelty to animals for food, clothing or everyday products.

There are many ways to embrace a Vegan lifestyle; like keeping a plant-based diet which prevents them from consuming meat, fish, shellfish, dairy, insects, honey, leather and any products tested on animals.

At KCRUSH America, we interviewed a Vegan Chef who operates a business in Seoul where she sells vegan products online, in hope that this interview would provide great resource and information to those who are interested in the idea of pursuing a Vegan lifestyle.

 

 

Hello, thank you for taking a KCRUSH interview. Would you kindly introduce yourself to our readers?

Hello, my name is Han Hee-jung and I am the founder and CEO of Vegbox, which is a Vegan market. I supply Vegan products to individual consumers and retailers; while I also provide Vegan culture contents as well.

 

What made you start this business?

There are three founding members in our company, who all have their own careers – as a web developer, a designer and a cooking class instructer – we all work together and do our part in this Vegan product business.

Then we all encountered the same issue, which was the fact that we couldn’t find Vegan products very easily in Korea.

At times, there were so many cuisines we could’ve made that we couldn’t because we lacked one special ingredient. Like the Vegan cheese we now sell at our company for example.

After contemplating, we decided to start a business to supply the Vegan products for people who experienced the same issues as we did.

 

Tell us why you recommend a Vegan life, and enlighten us on what Veganism is all about.

There are so many reasons why people choose to become Vegan.

To name a few, it may be due to health reasons, environment issues, redistribution of wealth, animal rights and etc. I can’t state just one reason but I chose to become a Vegan because I seeked to have a more peaceful meal for myself.

I think I began to pursue a Vegan lifestyle because I found it ironic that a meal that was beneficial for a person could also cause death or harm to another animal.

I am also very satisfied of the outcome because the effect on our Vegan products is greater than I imagined.

As Jeremy Rifkin mentioned in his book, Beyond Beef, I think the Vegan way of life could be the solution for people’s health, environment, as well as protecting the abused animals and benefit the human race.

 

Tell us about your currently best-selling product.  

Soy meat, almond milk and coconut milk which are alternatives for milk are very popular and croissants that do not contain any milk, butter and eggs are also doing well.

But the best-selling product would be the Vegan cheese.

The Vegan cheese are usually popular to consumers who are allergic to milk, but they are also for those who are “cheese manias” wishing to try out different types of cheese like, smoked cheese, baked cheese, hot pepper cheese and more.

 

What kind of food do you normally enjoy eating?

I used to be someone who loved to eat Korean food with rice.

But nowadays, I get to eat a lot of pizzas and pasta since I spend time on developing and consulting about menus which involves using Vegan cheese.

I enjoy eating gluten-free pasta with a touch of oil and herbs. I also like Vegan cheese pizza with all sorts of veggies on top.

 

When do you feel the most content while you’re working?

At times, we receive phone calls from our customers, thanking us for our products.

A mother once said that her child couldn’t eat cheese and milk like the rest of the family when she couldn’t get lacto-free products before. So she was thankful that she could get our Vegan products.

Another person, who hadn’t had pasta for years due to being allergic to gluten, also gave us a call to thank us for the product.

Then I realized how a product could be so crucial for someone, so I decided to work harder at this work of importing even tough it requires so much work. 

 

 

What do you like to do for leisure?

I like to work out. I work during the night time because I have to work with the people abroad, I really need to stay fit and healthy. I exercise, swim and do scuba diving regularly.

 

What do you find the most difficult when running a business?

Vegan products are not yet very well-known in Korea.

Even when we were providing selective and the best products from many different countries around the world, it was hard to persuade people and let them understand why Vegan products are vital compared to other products and it was also difficult to persuade the retailers who were unsure of our products.

So we decided to show the public the prospects of the Vegan market currently, the pros of the vegan products, offer menus we developed by using Vegan products and promote the retailers of our products as well.

For the individuals who are hesitant to use, consume our products, we provide videos of menus we developed, share recipe books via blogs, hold pop-up restaurants at various events and flea markets, so people can come and sample our Vegan products.

 

Please tell us about your plans and wishes for 2018?

I’d like to reach out to more people with diverse products in the future. Since our company’s main product is Vegan cheese, we also want to launch different brands to introduce in Korea.

Next year, we’d like to explore further with our business and export our excellent quality Vegan products from Korea to Mexico.

Thank you for the time. We wish you all the best in all your ventures!

 

 

— J.Chung.

If you google which country in the world has the most number of national or public holidays, you’ll find Malaysia in the top five with 16 national holidays and that’s excluding the individual state holidays each state in Malaysia may have, such as the Sultan of the state’s birthday, etc..

Other than the usual New Year’s Day, Labor Day and Independence Day holidays in common with other countries, Malaysia’s rich multicultural population has resulted in many more festivals or celebrations commemorated with holidays, which comes as no surprise if you just look at the various cultural backgrounds of its people.

Its population of around 30 million people comprising Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazan/Dusun and many more indigenous cultures makes for a melting pot of different festivities such as Eid (also known as Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Hari Raya Haji by the locals), Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Thaipusam, Wesak Day, Christmas Day, Gawai Dayak Day and others.

As we welcome 2018, one of the first of these festivities will be the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations on 16th and 17th February. An important celebration for the Chinese community around the world and not only in Malaysia, it marks the first day of the lunar calendar and is an opportunity for family to gather once a year for the customary reunion dinner on the eve of the holiday.

Each year has an animal zodiac and for this year, it is the Earth Dog which some believe signifies a year of taking action and fulfilling plans. Taking a walk in the city streets of Kuala Lumpur or one of the many shopping malls, you will be hard pressed not to notice the beautiful decorations marking the festivities as the holiday draws nearer.

Red lanterns, fireworks and cherry blossom tree decorations abound to remind and create the New Year atmosphere for shoppers and visitors alike. In the lead up to the holiday, you’ll find many goods for sale with this theme in mind. Clothes, bags, shoes (and even tissue paper boxes) in the lucky red color and adorned with Chinese symbols or the dog zodiac are widely available to entice shoppers looking for outfits to wear during the festivities.

However, once the day arrives, these very same streets and malls which were previously bustling will turn quite empty as the city folks return to their various hometowns for their family gatherings – a pivotal part of the celebrations.

In addition to the customary reunion dinner, the holiday is also spent visiting extended family with ‘ang pows’ or red packets filled with money given out to children and unmarried visitors by married couples – a much looked forward to practice especially by the children!

Mandarin oranges are also a common gift as the word for it in Chinese – ‘kam’, means ‘gold’ signifying giving riches and wishing prosperity to the receiver. Local Chinese temples also come alive with devotees offering prayers as well as curious visitors observing local customs.

Once back to their respective homes, the festivities continue with open houses held usually on weekends for friends and neighbors to enjoy good food and offer well wishes for the New Year.

Although Malaysians celebrate many different cultural festivities according to their own backgrounds, these open houses are a common thread among the different celebrations, providing friends and neighbors a wonderful occasion to come together and join in the various cultural celebrations regardless of race or religion.

—-Fie Fed

IRON아이언 blu블루 MV – English Subbed

This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.

As long as I can remember, I’ve always loved watching something from a moving screen. One of my earliest memories as a toddler is watching a French movie that was aired on TV, and to this day, I spend a considerable amount of my free time watching documentaries, talk shows, films, educational programs, interviews and the various.

When it comes to comedy films, I’m not particularly fond of slapstick movies with unrealistic or obvious storylines and endings. Instead, I enjoy flicks that have amusing dialogues, interesting but convincing scenarios and unpredictable ending that don’t leave me regretting about spending my time watching the movies.

I’ve listed 5 Korean comedy movies, which were released in the 21st century – but quite a while ago – which I have watched more than once or… several times in the past.

It would be fair to state that, except for Guns & Talks, the rest of these movies failed to become huge hits in the Korean box office, however we should keep in mind that it would never be right to judge a movie on how many audience it attracted.

Guns & Talks (2001)

Director and Writer: Director Jang Jin.
Cast: Shin Hyun-joon, Won Bin, Shin Ha-kyun, Jung Jae-young, Jung Jin-young

Guns & Talks is a movie about a band of assassins, consisting of leader, Sang-yeon, bomb expert Jung-woo, sniper Jae-young and computer specialist Ha-yoon.

The four men operate a private (and illegal) business where they meet their clients privately to discuss the time, place, how they want their victims to be killed, before they undergo the tasks. As a procedure, they take a photo of their clients as a souvenir to be displayed on their wall when their mission is accomplished.

Despite their secretive occupation, the quartet manage to lead a pretty normal life. None of them are extreme intellectuals – they are simple-minded and clueless about most things in the world. However, when it comes to work, they regard themselves as highly professional and they have no trouble living this way.

But cracks begin to show when the killing doesn’t come easy for some of them as before.
With an instinctive detective tailing them, things begin to complicate and they start to wonder if their work is really worth it.

For me personally, Guns & Talks was a similar experience as reading a comic book. There were many unrealistic scenes throughout the movie, but they weren’t overdone, making the scenario pretty enjoyable for both male and female audiences.

Happy Killers (2010)

Director: Kim Dong-wook
Based on the short story, ‘Happy Killers’ by Seo Mi-ae
Cast: Kim Dong-wook, Yu Oh-seong, Shim Eun-kyung, Lee Mi-do

A police detective named, Jung-min is assigned to catch a serial killer who murders one female every evening when it rains in the neighborhood.

Jung-min is having a frustrating time at work for always being scolded by his boss, and the tension arises as neighborhood residents gather to protest, because the police can’t seem to catch the serial killer for months. Jung-min is determined to track down the killer but his plans are hindered by Young-seok, a bankrupt and jobless man in mid 40s, who is also fervently out to catch the murderer as well.

His goal is to win the reward offered and his insurance claim, so he can send his daughter abroad to study music, which was what he had planned to do before his business failed.

Young-seok’s well-planned research and sharp instincts gradually lead him closer to catching the killer ahead of the police, but when his own daughter begins to get suspicious of him going out every rainy evening in female attire… things get out of hand for everyone involved.

This movie didn’t do that well in the box office, and most viewers in Korea who were used to seeing actor, Yu Oh-seong play more stern and mysterious characters before, expressed disappointment with his role and acting in this particular flick.

I personally thought the movie had some mildly hilarious lines, while Shim Eun-kyung and Lee Mi-do’s characters were quite realistically acted out and entertaining. Kim Dong-wook’s character as the troublemaker police detective was also portrayed well.

For most viewers, finding out who the serial killer is, would probably not be predictable until the very end.

Twilight Gangsters (2010)

Director: Kang Hyo-jin
Writer: Han Ki-Eop, Ruth Toma
Cast: Na Mun-hee, Kim Su-mi, Gong Shin-ja, Lim Chang Jung

This movie is about three best friends who are in their senior years.
Jung-Ja was once a convict and currently suffering from cancer. Young-Hee has just become a widow, and notably the loudest one of the group. Shin-Ja is a widow, who is the youngest, is also the frailest one.

For almost a decade, the three elderly ladies diligently saved every dime for a trip to Hawaii. They undertook odd jobs, by working in kimchi factories, cleaning public toilets – as well as occasionally robbing supermarkets and auctioning off the stolen goods.

The trio have now finally saved up the exact sum to get themselves VIP packages to their most wanted destination: Honolulu, Hawaii…

When they visit the bank to wire the money, the bank suddenly gets turned over by robbers just when the ladies were about to get the sum deposited by the bank clerk. They lose their savings to the robber but the bankers do not claim any responsibility, which leaves the three ladies dismayed.

Then the ladies come to a decision to get their money back somehow, even if it means attempting the seemingly impossible.

Villain & Widow (2010)

Director: Son Jae-gon
Writer: Son Jae-gon
Cast: Kim Hye-soo, Han Suk-kyu, Ji Woo

Yeon-joo is a widow, suffering from depression and insomnia. She lives with her only child, Seong-ah, who used to be a child model but is currently being teased at school for her looks. (K-pop boy band, U-Kiss’ member, Dong-ho also played a minor role as a school boy who harasses her.)

In order to financially support herself and her daughter from plunging into a deeper debt, Yeon-joo decides to rent out a spare room on the second floor of her house.

Her tenant seems like a harmless man who claims to need a room for a month or two, to write his novel. In reality, Chang-in is a professional thief who’s trying to find a set of ancient tea cups that Yeon-joo’s deceased husband hid in the house.

Before moving in, Chang-in initially thought it would be a piece of cake to discover the priceless utensils – but as time ticks on – the task turns out to be a little too difficult.

My New Partner (2008)

Director: Kim Jong-Hyeon
Writer: Kim Jong-Hyeon, Yoon Jae-Keun
Cast: Ahn Seong-ki, Jo Han-sun, Park Chul-min, Sun Woo-sun

Young-Joon is a very lieutenant who graduated from the Police Academy.

He’s been assigned the mission to join an investigation team in Busan whose chief is his estranged father whom he hasn’t seen for eight or so years. This case involves a heavy drug trafficking, so Young-joon has no choice but to cooperate and stay with his father and his unruly team until the case gets solved.

His father, Min-Ho relies on natural instincts and keeps no laws or regulations when it comes to investigating, unlike his son. The pair can’t see eye to eye and there is still a lot of animosity brewing on Young-joon’s part because of what his father had done to his mother in the past.

The investigation seems to bring the father and son closer somehow, but is a suspected mole in the police force and Yeong-joon can’t help suspecting his own father.

This movie features quite a bit of action, blended with a little comedy here and there. The action scenes are worth-watching and the main characters acted by Ahn Seong-ki and Jo Han-sun make this movie very worthwhile to watch.

— J. Chung.

Visiting Vietnam you would have so many choices for places to see and different foods to eat. If you want to experience the “hustle and bustle” Vietnam, I would recommend you to visit big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City but if you want to relax and want to explore more about the history of Vietnam, the Middle of Vietnam is your choice, especially Hoi An ancient town, Quang Nam province.

What is it about this town that makes it so special?

Hoi An Ancient town is located in Viet Nam’s central Quang Nam Province, on the north bank of the Thu Bon River. The inscribed property comprises of 30 hectares and has a buffer zone of 280 hectares. It is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a small-scale trading port of activity between the 15th and 19th centuries, both with the countries of Southeast Asia and with the rest of the world. Its decline in the later 19th century ensured that it has retained its traditional urban tissue to a remarkable degree.

The surviving wooden structures and street plan are original and intact and present a traditional townscape of the 17th and 18th centuries, the survival of which is unique in the region. The town continues to be occupied and functions as a trading port and center of commerce. The living heritage reflecting the diverse communities of the indigenous inhabitants of the town, as well as the foreigners, has also been preserved and continues to be passed on. Hoi An Ancient Town remains an exceptionally well-preserved example of a Far Eastern port.

What is the best thing to do in Hoi An?

The answer is to attend the Hoi An Lantern Festival.

The Hoi An Lantern Festival is a monthly event that celebrates the full moon. The full moon is one of the most sacred times in the Buddhist calendar. It is said that Buddha was not only born on a full moon but attained enlightenment on a full moon. And so for centuries Buddhists have viewed the moon as an auspicious time of transformation.

Even today people all over Asia view the full moon as a time to meditate, observe rituals, reflect on life and worship their ancestors. This is done in many ways from offerings made at family shrines to the burning of incense and the lighting of candles. In recent years these traditions have morphed into the popular Hoi An Lantern Festival.

Releasing lanterns on the river is said to bring good fortune and love. It is a tradition in there to release lanterns to hope for happiness and health.

You can buy lanterns along the river from the local sellers for about 50 cents – $1 where there are also pop up street food stores, souvenir stalls and ancient game stalls. The night market is busy and full of smiley and friendly face.
Some couples also choose the day of this colorful festival to take their wedding photo album too

The Hoi An Lantern Festival is a stunning experience and you will surely have a great time with the colorful, lantern filled evening in Hoi An.

If you are visiting Hoi An in 2018 and wish to join this beautiful and colorful festival, here are the schedules for this year:

2018 Hoi An Lantern Festival dates:
30 Jan, 1st March, 30th March, 29th April, 28th May, 27th June, 26th July, 24th August, 23rd September, 22nd October, 21st November, 20th December.

Useful tips:
To make the most of your Hoi An Lantern Festival experience, follow these tips:

– Use a wrist strap on your camera and attach your phone to a lanyard – you do not want your expensive items accidentally knocked out of your hand.
– Visit in February for the Hoi An Lantern Festival at its most brilliant – the first full moon of the lunar new year is the biggest celebration of them all.
– Expect crowds and arrive early to get a good spot. It’s a popular event with locals and tourists so Hoi An’s river banks fill up with people to look forward to a good view of the candle-lit water.
– If you want to escape the crowds, take a sampan ride on the river – you can watch the festivities away from the masses and more easily place your lantern on the water’s surface (expect to pay around USD $ 5)
– Buy handmade lanterns locally for a cost of around 50 cents – the vendor will usually lend you a long pole to lower the lantern onto the water
– Wear sturdy shoes – there’s a good chance you’ll have your feet trodden on as you navigate the busy streets.

That’s all you need to know and you are now ready to roll!

—-Lucy Le

&LIVE 알리 ALi 102가지 버스킹 라이브 영상 – English Subbed

This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.

G O T 7 TMI Lab E p i s o de 2 – English Subbed

This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.

At first, hard rock is a type of rock developed from blues. A typical hard rock music sound is very loud and aggressive, using electric guitar as a leading and emphasized instrument. The concept of hard rock is very often confused with heavy metal. The difference is that while hard rock remains bluesy, heavy metal is louder, darker, “heavier” and has less riffs. However, many fans nowadays consider these two types of music as one. With this in mind, let’s have a look at the most popular hard rock/heavy metal bands that are currently active from China.

BLACK PANTHER黑豹乐队

Black Panther was founded in 1987. As one of the pioneers of Chinese rock, it has the most album sales in the world for Chinese rock bands. The music style of Black Panther is mostly hard and pop rock. Since its foundation, the band changed their members several times. Current members are Zhang Qi (vocals), Li Tong (guitar), Zhao Mingyi (bass), Wang Wenjie (drums) and Hui Peng (keyboard). In September 2017, they held their 30^th year anniversary concert in Beijing.

“Fearless无畏”

HEAVEN天堂乐队

Heaven was founded in 1992. It is one of the most famous and most influential rock bands in China. As part of the mainstream Chinese rock, they focus on heavy rock and all their six albums are considered pure and full of youthful spirit. Their enthusiasm toward music, years of originality and humanistic care in real life reflected in their music and won them great popularity.

Representative Song: “Brother Zhao赵家老哥”

TWISTED MACHINE扭曲的机器

Twisted Machine was founded officially in 1998 in Beijing. They are fond of the American band RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, hence their name. Their music style is more into hardcore. It is upon arrival of the current vocals Liang Liang joined the band that their music style turned into nu metal. In April 2017, they released their fifth album “Lost in Beijing 迷失北京” and went on a concert tour all over China.

“In the Mirror镜子中”

TANG DYNASTY唐朝乐队

Founded in 1988, Tang Dynasty is considered as the first heavy metal band in China. As we can see from the name of the band, they combined traditional culture with modern music, giving their music an extra magnificence and power. They were awarded by Chinese Music Awards in 2014 and went to New Zealand and Fiji for a concert tour in the same year.

“A Dream Return to Tang Dynasty梦回唐朝”

YAKSA夜叉

Yaksa was founded in 1995 in Sichuan. Their name is originated from a ferocious Buddhism and Hinduism god, Vajra-yaksa. The music style of Yaksa has changed from heavy metal to alternative metal, nu metal and metalcore. For over 20 years, Yaksa attended more than 400 shows and was invited to all kinds of music festivals. Although heavy metal sounds really dark and tense, their lyrics call on young people to stand up and fight.

“Dead End末路”

FOURFIVE肆伍

Fourfive was founded in 2004 in Beijing. They used to be heavy metal and industrial metal, but gradually added new elements that turned them into deathcore. They are famous for their wild and aggressive performance on stage. As a young and rising band, they are now considered as one of the best deathcore bands in China.

Representative Song: “Through the Darkness 穿越黑暗”

 

 

—-Lizzy Ren

“Of course, I want to receive a marriage proposal. I’m fine as long as it means a promise to look at the same direction during our lifetime and compromise differences,” answered Yoonji Jung, who is planning on getting married soon.

Although a “minimal wedding” seemed to be a popular trend for a while, it looks like a marriage proposal still is an important part of the marriage among Koreans. According to a survey carried out by a marriage information company, “Duo,” 98% of unmarried Korean men and women in their 20s and 30s answered “Yes” to the question “Is it necessary to receive a marriage proposal?”

In addition, the majority of the women answered they prefer to receive a proposal “at a nice restaurant while they are having a private time only for two of them.” On the contrary, baseball stadiums and parks were some of the most popular spots to give a marriage proposal in the past.

As the poll indicates, Koreans are increasingly looking for a private, special place to give a marriage proposal, whether it be a nice restaurant, a movie theater, or a living room. Chotbul (Candle light) 1978, located under the Namsam hill, is one of the restaurants visited by Korean couples looking for a private space. One of the oldest restaurants in Korea, Chotbul 1978 not only boasts breathtaking view of Namsan, but also provides a room specially designed for a marriage proposal and has a fifteen minute “candle light” time every night during which all the lights but candle lights are turned off and couples enjoy a romantic moment for only two of them. It is known that more than million couples gave a marriage proposal at this restaurant.

Walking on the Cloud, a top-notch restaurant located on the 59^th floor of the 63 building is another popular place frequented by couples. As the saying goes, being high above the ground makes your heart pound, and thus increases the success rate of a proposal. However, that is not all. This restaurant not only offers luscious meals, all served fresh, but also provides the view of the entire city, from Han River to the center of Seoul. Probably it is the romantic view this restaurant offers is the main reason why so many Korean couples looking for a “special, private” moment choose this place.

A Movie theater is quite new on the list, but it is getting increasingly popular among Korean couples. Usually advised by a “professional proposal planner,” a marriage proposal at a theater is carried out as a ‘surprise event.” A man secretly rents a theater, takes his girlfriend there, while interestingly no one else is present at the place, and suddenly a video that captures the two’s special moments comes out on the screen, followed by the men’s serenade and a marriage proposal.

Next on the list is an ordinary room. It can be someone’s house, a rented room, or even an office. Also with the help of a professional proposal planner, a man prepares a secret event, decorating the space with flowers, candles, and balloons, accompanied by a homemade dinner. A woman walks into the space without any inkling and as she discovers the fully decorated space, a man appears and gives a marriage proposal. It may not be anything fancy, but the sincerity seems adequate to move someone’s heart.

Lastly, the Proposal Wall, although it is an opened space, is another popular space among Korean couples. Located along the Cheonggyecheon stream, this wall is a special digital screen designed to offer a love-themed service. Couples who wish to use the screen can select a date and upload videos and photos, and the success rate is known to be nearly 100% due to the romantic mood of the wall.

—-JKLim

– English Subbed – BABA B1A4 3 EP 5 Rollin’ Special Behind Clip

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– English Subbed – [스페셜] 뮤직허그 with 자이언티[Zion.T]

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– English Subbed – PENTAGON펜타곤 펜토리 #33 ‘RUNAWAY’ M V 촬영 비하인드 PART 2

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Foreigners these days often associate Korean music with Psy’s mega hit ‘Gangnam Style’ or BTS, a boy group garnering international praise. Indeed, it is not easy to be exposed to music genres other than “K-pop” in daily life in Korea as the media and advertisers’ attention is usually focused on K-pop idol stars. However, Korea has an undoubtedly vibrant indie scene abound with a variety of genres, such as punk, electronic music, metal, rap/hip hop and hard rock.

The last one, Hard Rock, may be the least expected as it is quite different from how the Korean media tries to showcase the country—traditional, polite, and elegant. Nevertheless, a number of Hard Rock bands, mostly active in Hongdae, Hapjeong, and Itaewon, are consistently attracting young Korean aficionados. This article presents 9 great hard rock Korean bands, from a recently debuted one to a 20-year-old veteran band.

1. BARKHOUSE
– Formed in 1998 in Changwon, Barkhouse began as a four-person band. Currently, it consist of six members and pursues 80s metals. Known as one of the bands with oldest members, Barkhouse still actively performs at various music festivals, such as Green Blue Music Festival, and is preparing for their 4^th

2. A-FRICA
– A-FRICA, a band formed in 1998 in Daegu, is famous for its female vocalist, Sung Yoon, and her energetic performance. Although their music is rooted in old school hard rock, the band also actively adopts other genres as well, including classical music and Korean traditional music. It is known to have performed live more than 1,200 time by 2015, and it often performs in Japan as well.
 

3. HARRYBIGBUTTON
– HarryBigButton is a relatively new one, formed in 2011. The band with three members, HarryBigButton, is famous for its aggressive but passionate sound. It is one of the most active hard rock bands in Korea, and their concert held in Russia last year was largely successful. Although it was formed only seven years ago, it has had a great influence in the Korean hard rock scene as can be seen from a tribute concert held last February.
 

4. ABTB
– ABTB, formed in 2014, pursues 70’s and 80’s hard rock music as well as 90’s Seattle grunge and 20’s British modern rock. The band doesn’t limit itself in one genre and makes various musical attempts.
 

5. BLACKSTONES
– Balckstones is probably one of the youngest hard rock bands in Korea, but the members are not. Changhoon Kim, a 61 year old vocalist of the Sanulrim, one of South Korea’s most influential rock groups, formed this band. The members also include two music professors and a drummer who were once part of famous rock bands. The band plans to reinterpret songs previously released by Sanulrim and release their first album with new songs in early 2018.
 

6. STREET GUNS
– Usually introduced as “Kimchibilly,”Street Guns is the first Korean rock band that won ‘Hard Rock Rising.’ One of the most well-known hard rock bands, Street Guns has released three albums and two digital single albums.
 

7. BURNINGHEPBURN
– Burninghepburn is a Daejeon based three person band formed in 2000. It has performed in various rock festivals, such as Pentaport Rock festival, Busan International Rock Festival, and 2017 Mu:con Festival.
 

8. MDSZ
– MDSZ, which stands for Moon Dancers, is an electronic hard rock band. In contrast to other hard rock bands, MDSZ aims to play “cosmic music”with a disco rhythm. MDSZ started to perform actively in Hongdae in 2016, and it is increasingly getting popular in the indie scene. It was selected as Top 6 at the 6^th K-Rookies contest and performed at well-known festivals, such as Seoul Green Plugged and Pentaport Rock Festival.
 

9. SCHIZO
– Schizo is a band the late singer Shin Hae-chul produced. It consist of a vocalist, bassist, drummer, guitarist and Japanese keyboardist and released two albums. Although the band is no longer active, one of their songs was used in a famous commercial of “GOM TV,” and the band performed at Shin Hae-chul’s commemoration concert in 2015.

 

—-JKLim

Uhm Jung-hwa (born August 17, 1969) is a Korean singer, actress and lingerie designer. Uhm was born and raised in Jecheon, Chungcheong province of South Korea.

Uhm is often referred to as “Korea’s Madonna,” “Dance Queen of Korean pop” and “Gay icon.”

She has held her position at the top of the game, as a singer and actress from the early 90s until present.

When Uhm was just 6 years old, her father who was a music teacher, died tragically in a motorcycle accident. Following his death, the family went through extreme financial difficulties which led them to live in Uhm’s school cafeteria at one point.

As soon as Uhm graduate from High school, she became the family’s prominent breadwinner. She soon relocated to Seoul to fulfill her longtime dream as an entertainer.

From 1987 until 1990, Uhm was a chorus member of MBC, which is one of the main broadcasting companies in Korea. She went through a lot of hardship to land her a job in Seoul because she had just arrived from a rural town and didn’t have a college degree or any connections, so it was extra hard for her to secure a good position in the workplace.

Uhm was spotted by a famous entertainment agent, Bae Byung-su, who recognized her talent in performing and signed her to his company. (Bae was later murdered by an employee.)

The departed actress, Choi Jin-sil also helped Uhm to launch and further her career when they became close friends. 

In 1992, Uhm made her film debut in “Marriage Story,” and in 1993, debuted as a solo singer with her first album titled ”Sorrowful Secret.” She soon became the top Korean female entertainer with a string of hits including, “A Love Only Heaven Permits,” “Rose of Betrayal” and “Poison,” “Festival,” “I don’t know,” and many more.

In 1998, Uhm’s fourth album, “Invitation” was released and it was commercially successful, as it became one of the highest selling albums that year. Her single, “Invitation” was also a huge hit, although it was banned in some stations because the lyrics were judged to be too explicit.

Her fifth studio album “005.1999.06” released the following year was praised and accepted well by both the critics and fans. 

Most of the many movies and TV dramas starring or featuring Uhm have been mega hits. Some of her most famous works include, Marriage Is a Crazy Thing (2002), Princess Aurora (2005) Dancing Queen (2012) and Haeundae (2009) – the latter became one of the highest-grossing movies in Korea.

One time, she mentioned in an interview that she gets worried the film scripts would stop coming in for her.

In 2008, Uhm released her first EP titled “D.I.S.C.O” featuring T.O.P, a member from the Korean boy band Big Bang. The EP was one of the best-selling albums by a female artist in 2008. The digital single that followed, “D.I.S.C.O Part 2” was its remix that featured G-Dragon.

Aside from entertainment, Uhm ventured in designing and creating her own clothing and lingerie, “Corner Suite” and “ZHUM in New York” which generated $10M USD in just 3 months of release.

In 2010, Uhm was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but made a full recovery after going through therapy and surgery.

(Thyroid cancer is an uncommon form of cancer. This disease occurs when abnormal cells grow in your thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located in the front of a person’s neck. In most cases, thyroid cancer is found at an early stage and the treatments work well. However, the cancer may come back years after treatment. )

Uhm initially kept her illness discreet but she later revealed in an interview that during her illness, she couldn’t speak for 8 months. Although her health has recovered, she still has a difficult time hitting certain notes when she sings and her voice is not as it used to be.

But she’s managed to get back to performing, acting in films and drama series since being cured from this illness. 

Uhm is an icon, who is considered to be one of the most admired entertainers in the Korean entertainment industry; both the male and female celebrities recognize her as their role model.

J. Chung.

‘Tell Me’ MV Making Video INFINITE – English Subbed

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MASC ep 5 English Sub

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Kim Wan-sun (born May 16, 1969) is a Korean singer, dancer and entrepreneur who was born and raised in Seoul.

In 1986, she made her debut as a dance singer at the age of 17 after working briefly as Insooni’s backup dancer in 1985. She is best known to the Korean public for her dancing skills and stage presence, primarily from the mid-80s until the early 90s.

In 1990, Kim’s fifth album produced three consecutive No.1 singles and sold more than one million copies in Korea. She became the first Korean pop artist to sell over one million records in 1992, this record has not been broken ever since. 

Kim’s aunt, Han Baek-hee was a talent agent and manager who used to be a pop and Latin singer for the U.S. troops stationed in Korea during the Korean War.

Han recognized Kim’s potential at an early stage so she persuaded Kim’s parents to let her receive training as a dancer and singer. Thus, Kim moved in with her aunt when she was just 14 years old.

Han didn’t allow her niece to see her parents during the first three years training; while she was strictly groomed into a highly-trained performer. Soon, Kim showed a special talent in dancing. (Kim comes from a family of well-known traditional Korean dancers.)

Kim was put on a strict diet to the point of becoming malnutritious and was not permitted to sit down even for a short moment during the day. She was put into hard vocal training and spent hours dancing. Han controlled every part of Kim’s career and personal life. Kim no longer attended school or have any interaction with relatives or friends.

Han used her connections in the entertainment industry to her advantage by attaining songs from the best songwriters and producers for her niece. Han handled everything from selecting the songs, the choreography, the outfits to the style of hair and makeup. Kim attempted in writing her own lyrics and music at one point but was strongly discouraged by her aunt, who said ballads did not blend well with Kim’s image.

At the end of each Kim’s stage performance, Han would make stand Kim in a corner and yell abuse on how she made blunders on stage, threw personal remarks at her appearance, not minding who was listening or watching. Kim was also banned from talking or befriending fellow musicians by her aunt.

To everyone’s eyes, Kim was a rising pop star but she recalls these times as extremely lonely and depressing.

In 1992, at the peak of Kim’s career, she abruptly announced her retirement in Korea. Kim then flew to Taiwan and Hong Kong; released three albums in Mandarin and enjoyed a relatively active and successful career. This move was also well-planned out by Han – in order to arouse more publicity in leaving for abroad, Kim had to announce that she was retiring from all activities in Korea.

During the 13 long years of Kim’s career that was managed by her aunt, Kim later revealed that she had not received any of the payment she had earned. She had never initially signed a contract and Kim’s parents never demanded Han any compensation during Kim’s years of activity.

Kim has mentioned in an interview, during the height of her career, her earnings were suffice to purchase several homes per month, but she never got to see any of the sum at all. Her aunt had invested all of Kim’s earnings on her husband’s business which later failed and this later accumulated into great debt.

Kim finally burned bridges with Han after getting into a disagreement with her in 1998. She left without even heading back to collect any luggage after she agreed to transfer to a different management company.

In 2002, Kim came back to continue her singing career after several years of hiatus. By this time, the internet was fast-becoming the main source of media and the Hallyu wave had started taking over Asia, making it impossible for her to regain the place she once had in the Korean music industry. Disco, which was what she was famous for in the late 80s, was no longer even considered a genre by the generation of the new millennium. 

Kim appeared on the media frequently to promote her new songs. It was revealed later that during this era, Kim struggled financially due to debt and went through legal troubles with her agency. To find a way to pay off her debt, she even posed nude for a photoshoot only to be later sued by her agency for misconduct. 

In 2006, Han passed away after suffering from diabetes. Kim had visited her many times at the hospital and even paid for her aunt’s hospital fees. Kim said in an interview that she blamed her aunt for not compensating her for all those years of work and that Han was apologetic. She also expressed that she regrets not making up with her aunt and forgiving her while she was still alive.

After Han’s death, Kim then moved to Hawaii to study design at the University of Hawaii and stayed there for 3 years.

In Korea, Kim is considered as an icon and is admired by numerous singers who grew up being inspired by her performances.

Kim currently operates her own entertainment company in Korea, focusing on casting and developing new talent.

J. Chung.

Hulu’s Top 10 Asian Movies

Hulu has a rich collection of movies that you can choose from for entertainment with your family. If you are looking for Asian films, the following are top-ranked Asian movies on Hulu that are a must watch:

1. 13 Assassins

The 13 Assassins is a movie recreated from a1963 movie which goes by the same name. It is a Japanese movie directed by Takashi Miike in 2010. It is about a group of killers who cooperate in an attempt to murder the horrible Lord Matsudaira Naritsugu. The first part of this movie concentrates on the group of killers trying to develop a strategy to execute the killing. The film is about 40 minutes long, but it is highly spectacle to watch.

2. I Saw the Devil

This is a 2010 thriller action movie from South Korea. It involves the country’s two most famous actors Choi Min-Sik and Lee Byung-hun as a soldier and serial killer respectively. It is a story in which Lee Byung-hun persistently tracks and torments Choi Min-Sik, who had killed his wife. I saw the Devil is a cruel as well as a provocative movie and worth watching. Maestro Kim Jee-Woon is the director of this film.

3.  The Stool Pigeon

The stool pigeon is a Hong Kong – Chinese movie produced in 2010.The film is directed by Nick Cheung and Gwei Lun-Mei, Dante Lam and starring Nicholas Tse. The movie is about Don Lee, who is a detective and utilizes informants to obtain information about the criminals. In the film, Don Lee sends his informants, but they are caught. As a strategy, Lee uses Ghost as an informant to get information about a criminal called Barbarian.

4. House of Flying Daggers

House of flying daggers is wuxia movie produced in 2004 and directed by Takeshi Kaneshiro and Zhang Ziyi, Zhang Yimou and starring Andy Lau. This movie is a love story as compared to other wuxia movies, which are purely martial arts.

5. That Demon Within

That Demon Within is a Hong Kong thriller movie produced in 2014 and directed by starring Daniel Wu and Nick Cheung and Dante Lam. The movie is about Dave who saves the life of gang leader called Hon Kong by giving his blood. The gang members covered their faces with the demonic mask when they went to commit brutal crimes. One day Dave became possessed by a demon as he was going to challenge the gang members to fight against each other.

6. Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen

This a Hong Kong martial art movie directed and produced in 2014 by Andrew Lau, and starring Donnie Yen as Chen Zhen. It was set in the period before the second Sino- Japanese war. The movie is about Chen who unites with Chinese men to help the Allies fight Germans in France during the First World War. Chen killed the German gun nest, sniper and some riflemen using weapons looted from dead French soldiers. He went back to China after the war and took a different identity. While in Shanghai China, Chen joins an underground resistance movement to prevent the empire of Japan from attacking China.

7. 1911

The 1911 is also called Xinhai Revolution and the 1911 Revolution, is a Chinese drama produced in 2011. The movie was produced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution. Jackie Chan is the executive producer and director of this film. The story is about two significant events of the Xinhai Revolution but focuses mainly on Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing. It starts with Wuchang Uprising of 1911 and includes other historical events that occurred in this period such as the election of Sun Yat-sen as the president of new Republic of China.

8. Detective Dee: Mystery of the Phantom Flame

This is a Chinese- Hong Kong action movie produced and directed by Tsui Hark in 2010. The movie is about Di Renjie, one of the most famous people in the Tang Dynasty. Di Renjie is given responsibilities by Wu Zetian to solve a chain of murders in which victims’ burn to flames abruptly. Wu Zeitan was set to become the first Empress of China amidst opposition from Tang officials. Wu Zeitan had a Buddha figure established facing her palace; however, an official assessing the progress explodes into flames mysteriously. Pei Donglai and his superior investigate this incidence by interrogating Shatuo, the supervising builder and they found no evidence. Wu Zeitan gives orders for the release of former detective Di Renjie from prison after the Imperial Abbot gave conditions that he must find the remedy to the mystery of fire.

9. Red Cliff

Red Cliff is a Chinese war movie in the years 2008-2009. The film is based on the clash of Red Cliff, the events in the Han Dynasty and three Kingdoms in ancient China. The movie is directed and produced by John Woo and stars Tony Leung. This film is in two parts which take over four hours to watch.

10. Bodyguards and Assassins

Bodyguards and Assassins is Hong Kongo historical movie produced in the year 2009 by Ted Chan. It features most popular actors like Donnie Yen, Eric Tsang, and Nicholas Tse. The film is about historical events in Hong Kongo and China. Sun Wen intends to travel to Hongo Kongo to discuss plans with his fellow members to remove from power the corrupt Qing Kingdom in China. But before he could go, Empress Dowager CiXi sends assassins to kill him.  This is a brutal movie; you can try it out.

—-A.Licia