Top Chinese Bands that Rock Hard

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

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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.

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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

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Bang Si-hyuk (born August 9, 1972) is a Korean record executive, songwriter, producer and founder of Big Hit Entertainment. He is currently best known for being the man behind the hottest K-pop boy band, BTS.

Born and raised in Seoul, Bang’s dream to pursue music began early in childhood when he started learning several instruments, but his choice of career was not supported by his parents. He was more encouraged to focus on his school studies instead, and was educated at Seoul National University, majoring in Aesthetics. 

In 1994, while he was still at university, Bang entered the Yoo Jae-ha Music Contest and was awarded Third Prize. This eventually paved the way for him to work in the music industry.

Bang met Korean singer and producer, Park Jin-young and they often collaborated on writing and producing songs. As a composer and producer, Bang joined forces with Park when he established his own company, JYP Entertainment in 1997. Park served as his company’s main producer and songwriter while Bang managed and controlled the instrumentation and music. One of their earliest successes was the boy band, g.o.d.

Bang’s stage name “Hitman” originated from this era when he and Park garnered the reputation as “hit-makers”. He produced or composed for Park Ji-Yoon, Rain, Wonder Girls, 2AM, Baek Ji-young and many more. To this day, Bang remains close friends with Park, and gives him credit for helping him out in his career.

In 2005, Bang left JYP Entertainment to launch his own company – Big Hit Entertainment – which is currently best known for producing the popular boy band, BTS, a.k.a Bangtan Sonyeondan. In Korean, Bangtan means Bulletproof and Sonyeondan refers to Boy Scouts.

In 2016, BTS’ second full album, Wings peaked at number 26 on the Billboard 200, which marked the highest chart ranking for a K-pop album.

In Korea, Wings became the best-selling album in the Gaon Album Chart history and BTS was awarded Artist of the Year at the 2016 Mnet Asian Music Awards.

In 2017, Love Yourself: Her, debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200, marking the highest rank for any Asian artist in history. 

The group also managed to debut on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time with the album’s title track, DNA which entered at number 85 and peaked at number 67. Remix version for Mic Drop, by Steve Aoki and Desiigner was released as the second single, peaked at number 23 in Korea and number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Due to the immense success of the record, Bang was given the Best Producer Award at the Mnet Asian Music Awards and the Songwriter Award at the Melon Music Awards.

When asked about the secret to BTS’ success, Bang revealed that the reason was due to the social networking service.

BTS has a huge worldwide fan base; people have retweeted or liked their posts on Twitter more times than President Donald Trump and Justin Bieber combined.

During a speech for 2017 MAMA, Bang stated, “BTS actively communicates through social media with the people who use this platform. This process allows people who didn’t know about BTS to take an interest. BTS is a good example of changing the flow of social media.”

Bang received a Presidential Citation for his contribution to cultural exchange and is reported to have donated the earnings to charity.

 

 J. Chung.

K-Pop culture over the years has evolved progressively spreading as a popular subculture in Asia and other parts of the world. K-Pop (Korean pop music) is a genre of music that appropriates hip-hop, rock, R&B, electronic, etc., music with its origin in South Korea.

Its growth and spread are evident amongst teenagers and young adults across Asia, resulting in massive interest in style and fashion of Korean idol groups and singers. The experimentation with varieties of musical genres and integration of foreign musical elements into the Korean music culture by musical groups in the 1990s helped reshape and transform South Korea’s contemporary popular music culture.

2PM is a product of the evolution of the pop culture in Korea. 2PM was birthed from the M.net TV documentary “Yeolheol Namah” (translated in English as “Hot Blooded Young Man”), it was made up of a group of thirteen individuals mentored by JYP Entertainment into becoming a boy band. Three out of the thirteen were eliminated on the show, thus leaving the remaining ten individuals, who evolved over time as two separate bands; “2AM” and “2PM” respectively.

Some members of 2PM went through audition processes in countries outside of South Korea to be a part of the TV show “Hot Blooded Young Man”. The show documented the gradual progression of the training of the participants which was aired on live TV.

2PM debuted successfully on September 4th, 2008, with their first single christened, “Hottest Time of the Day” with the hit track “10 out of 10” under JYP Entertainment record label. The band came up with a macho-man, beastly image when the trend then was a “pretty boys” image.

2PM started as a seven-member group (Junho, Nichkhun, Jusun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Chansung, and Jaebeom). On February 25th, 2010, Jaebeom left the band permanently, following controversies surrounding acclaimed derogatory statements he made about South Korea on social media. Since their debut, they have recorded over five successful full-length albums.

The initial phase of their career saw them do mostly hip-hop and R&B dance tracks, but as time went by, they introduced more electrifying vibes with signature hits like “Hands Up” and “Go Crazy.”

The group enjoyed huge success even on the back of Jaebeom’s controversial departure, their followership grew immensely. The group’s first full album was released on November 10, 2009, the title track “Heartbeat” experienced a meteoric rise in pole position to top several music sales charts, receiving several awards including the “Most Popular Asian Singer” award at the Mandarin Music Honors, 2010 in China, as well as embarking on several musical tours in South Korea and other Asian countries in promotion of their songs.

They made their first overseas appearance in Thailand in late February 2009 at the Nine Entertainment Awards, and the Pop music Award in Pattaya. There has been a tremendous increase in their Japanese fandom since the release of their first album, 1:59 Pm.

Aside music, 2PM band members have been involved in other social and entertainment activities over time, 2PM began hosting the 3rd season of MBC’s Idol Show in December 2008, starring also in “Wild Bunny” a reality TV show on M.net, in which members are expected to perform ten forbidden activities of idols to escape the pressures of stardom. Some members of the band are hosts on Soul Broadcasting System’s music weekly show “Inkigayo” and several other entertainment programs.

2PM has also enjoyed endorsement deals from several cooperate organizations such as EXR, Hanami, Samsung and even Coca-Cola. In an interview in 2014, Park Jin Young, CEO of JYP Entertainment revealed that 2PM were the highest earners among all the artists in the record label, with an estimated net worth of over 30 million dollars.

There is a dilemma, however, concerning their compulsory military service. During an interview for the promotion of their album, it was revealed that although exact dates have not been set, all members plan to enlist soon, except Nichkun.

—-E. Mily

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8 K-Drama and Movie Writers In Korea

Believe it or not, one of Korea’s most popular exports is its television dramas. Korean dramas have an outstanding behavioral and cultural impact on other countries. They are very popular and influential worldwide, with adaptations throughout the world. We have compiled a list of the top 8 K-Drama and Movie Writers In Korea.

1. Kim Eun-sook, born 1973, is a South Korean screenwriter. Her most popular television dramas include “Lovers In Paris” (2004), “On Air” (2008), “Secret Garden” (2010), “A Gentleman’s Dignity” (2012), “The Heirs” (2013), “Descendants Of The Sun” (2016), and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” (2016–2017).

2. Hong Jung-eun, born 1974, and Hong Mi-ran, born 1977, also known as the Hong Sisters, are remarkable South Korean television screenwriters. Together, they have written some very popular romantic-comedies. Their works include “My Girl” (2005), “You’re Beautiful” (2009), “My Girlfriend Is A Nine-Tailed Fox” (2010), “The Greatest Love” (2011) and “Master’s Sun” (2013).

3. Choi Dong-hoon, born 1971, is a South Korean film director, actor and screenwriter. Ranked as one of the most consistently successful directors working in contemporary Korean cinema, each of his four films became commercial hits. “The Big Swindle” attracted 2.12 million viewers, “Tazza: The High Rollers” had 5.68 million, “Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard” at 6.13 million, “The Thieves” at 12.9 million, and “Assassination” at 12.7 million!

4. Chung Ji-young, born November 19, 1946, is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. His most well known films include “North Korean Partisan in South Korea”, “White Badge”, “Life and Death of the Hollywood Kid”, “Unbowed” and “National Security.”

5. Lee Kyung-hee, born July 26, 1969, is a South Korean television screenwriter. Her works include “I’m Sorry, I Love You” and “Will It Snow for Christmas?”. Her work “A Love to Kill” (2005) was a critical misfire with disappointing ratings.

6. Ahn Byeong-ki, born November 5, 1966 or 1967, is a South Korean film director, producer, and screenwriter. He specializes in horror films, though he has other works as well. His main horror works are “Phone” and “Bunshinsaba”, while his non-horror produced movies include “Scandal Makers” and “Sunny”. Ahn Byeong-ki has had an interest in horror film since early college and aspires to continue making horror films.

7. Bong Joon-ho, born September 14, 1969, is a South Korean film director, actor and screenwriter. His films include South Korean hits “Memories of Murder”, based on a true-life serial murder case, sci-fi thriller “The Host”, and his first English-language film, sci-fi adventure “Snowpiercer.” His films are filled with humor and sudden mood shifts, making for an emotionally varied experience. Being able to combine these contrasting elements in such a smooth manner is a strength that Bong has as a filmmaker.

8. Choi Wan-Kyu, born August 8, 1964, is a South Korean screenwriter. His works include “The Flower in Prison” (2016), “Triangle” (2014), “Gu Am Heo Joon” (2013) “Lights and Shadows” (2011-2012) “Midas” (2011), “Swallow The Sun” (2009), and more!

Who is your favorite writer or director?

—-Denise Coley

South Korea isn’t just known for advanced technology systems, their entertainment industry also plays a big role. Even though Kpop had a huge era back in 1990’s to early 2000’s, it wasn’t until 2007 where they gained a lot of attention around the globe. With a start of early idol groups (H.O.T, g.o.d, S.E.S, Shinhwa, Baby V.O.X, Turbo, Fin.K.L, etc.), they have opened a lot of doors for the current idols we have today, and these groups are what the trainees looked up to during the training years. Many young teens were so inspired by these idols that they wanted to become one just like them, and those trainees are who we know as current idol groups today.  

After successful debut of groups- BIG BANG, SNSD, Wonder Girls, KARA, Super Junior, etc., this was definitely the peak year of all time. With all the love they received internationally, the TV producers finally decided to take action by producing an audition program. It all started roughly around 2009, an audition program called Superstar K aired on July 24, 2009. This show was so successful that this is what led to so many audition programs later on. The winner of Superstar K Season 1 was Seo In-Guk, who most of us now know as an actor, but he debuted as a singer.’

Only naming the bigger shows to follow Superstar K, they were KPOP Star, Show Me The Money, and Produce  101

Kpop Star

Before this show even started to have auditions, what made it so special was that instead of using professional singers as judges, they combined the top members from 3 agencies: YG, SM and JYP. To those who were seeking a good talent agency, this was an amazing opportunity for them because not only were they able to receive feedback from the judges, but it also gave them a chance to audition for these three agencies all-in-one. After Season 2, SM left the show to focus more on their trainees, and Antenna Music took over the spot. This show was so popular that it went on for 6 seasons, and some of the successful contestants included: AMKU, Lee Hi, Park Jimin, Sam Kim, Back Ahyeon, and more.

Show me the Money

First aired back in 2012, and although it wasn’t a huge hit at the time, the amount of viewers gradually increased. Hip hop was not ideal in Korea, and the show wasn’t popular until Season 3. In Season 3, the show gained a big interest due to a well-known idol’s audition. Bobby, who was a YG trainee at the time. He already had a large fandom due to another audition program prior to this one called WIN: Who is Next. Even though many other trainees auditioned for this show, Bobby was the one who took all the criticism, and many contestants at the time interviewed: “he’s already famous, why does he need to audition to take over someone’s spot?” This led to a huge controversial argument at the time between Bobby’s fans and the netizens. As the show went on, he proved to everyone that he deserved the win, but having a bit of fame prior to his audition definitely made it tough on him. Season 6 definitely had the most popularity, and the show was already full with interest before it even started because the legendary rapper in Korea, Tiger JK announced he will be attending the show as one of the judges. Not only the producers were on fire, but the contestants are what really brought the view. One of the contestants was a 13 year-old boy, and he made it to the Top 3, which has never happened before. Season 6 had the most diverse group of people, and that is what made it so unique. As of now, the show is currently getting ready for Season 7, and we can already tell it’s going to be intense.

   

Produce 101

This is the most successful audition show between the years of 2016-17. Everyone doubted this show. You could not find a single supporter when Mnet first announced this program. The idea of having 101 people audition eventually narrowing it down to just 11 was cruel enough, but people did not care for them. Before the show even aired, these 101 girls performed at a basketball halftime, and many were not pleased because having these many perform were “too messy” and “too distracting.” However, their debut song ‘Pick me’ was so catchy that soon people were singing along. When the first episode aired, it was a huge hit and it immediately took over the music chart. Normally it is very tough to gain enough views when it is an all girl audition, but the first season was such a big hit that they even made a second season, and it was even a bigger hit. The producers are now getting ready for Season 3, but in a completely different format, and the netizens are already bashing on them saying they will get nowhere with that kind of script, but we will have to wait until the season actually begins. 

Throughout the show they are still trainees, and for them to gain so much attention when they have not even debuted yet, is why people are dying to be on these shows. Becoming an idol is one of the wealthiest jobs in Korea too, so as a young teen, they often think this is the easier route, when in reality it is just as difficult to become successful.

When there is a new audition program, netizens often think it won’t be successful because there are just so many similar shows. However Koreans seem to love the idea of “survival.” People always end up becoming a fan of the shows even if they don’t agree with the concept in the beginning. The show itself is entertaining enough, but since there are just so many members- each with different looks, styles, and talent, it gives the audience a variety of who to vote for. Usually teens and late 20’s will be the ones to vote throughout the season, and it can become so competitive that one thing can set off fights between the fandoms. People will go all out to make sure they get as many votes as possible, because they truly want their “pick” to win.

In schools, these shows are what the students talk about, and if you can impersonate the members, you can immediately gain popularity at school. One thing to mention is that Korea is really good at coming together. If one of the contestants is from let’s say, school A, then that entire student body at school A will vote for that contestant to support him/her.

Because Korea itself is kind of a “survival” country, I think that is one of the reasons why people love it so much. Seeing what it takes to reach the dream of an individual and actually achieving it, I think it brings hopes to those who are going through the same situation. Especially nowadays since we have so many young teens who are wanting to become an idol, these shows can at least start them off to the path where they want to go.

—-Juyeon Oh

DREAMCATCHER’s NOTE EPISODE 1 & 2 ENG SUBS

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

In 1997, my K-Pop journey began thanks to the one time I didn’t get to go on a field trip. Together, a Korean exchange student and I traded music from our countries and talked about who was popular at the time. From there, my 12-year-old self was addicted to the likes of Sechskies, S.E.S, Shinhwa, Cool, and 1TYM, an addiction that morphed years later to near obsessive proportions when Baby V.O.X, BoA, BIGBANG, and B.A.P became new loves with each passing K-Pop era. At 32, I still find enjoyment in K-Pop, but the mystique around it just isn’t what it was back when I was in middle school, high school, and college.

Today, in a market that’s currently—and constantly—oversaturated, it’s hard to keep up with the new “young guns” that are up-and-coming on the scene. As a K-Pop writer and a former K-Pop website owner, I try my best to keep up with the latest trendy group and newest viral dance craze, but the shouts of adulthood are louder and more prominent than keeping up with “K-Poppians.”

With adult responsibilities comes less money for merchandise and concerts, and buying the latest album is no longer a priority. Staying up late to catch the newest MV release has been replaced with long hours grading papers and tutoring students who need help creating PowerPoint presentations and putting ideas to paper. Money put aside for concert tickets now goes toward groceries and classroom supplies; all-the-while, familiar melodies bounce around in my head to remind me of simpler times.

Now, K-Pop is an old friend that visits on rainy days or on days when depression hits hard and I need be reminded that things aren’t as bad as they seem. B.A.P will always blast from my car stereo. Seungri’s “V.V.I.P” will always be the song of choice when spring gives way to summer as I drive down familiar Indiana roads, moonroof open, speakers blaring as loud as legally possible. Kim Hyun Joong’s “Unbreakable” and Baby V.O.X’s “Break It Up” will always be my motivators, while Berry Good’s “Don’t Believe” and BLACKPINK’s “Stay” will forever remind me of the year my heart got crushed. The music of my youth and adulthood will always echo in my head, but sometimes life dictates that certain friends aren’t meant to be forever no matter how hard you want to hang on. 

This past year, I’ve realized my K-Pop journey has been coming to an end as I found myself gravitating toward music I grew up with instead of checking out the fresh groups that have been penetrating the K-Scene. I contribute this to many groups being half my age and feeling weird stanning groups made up of starry-eyed children. While I support their dreams, we live in an age where people are quick to judge and quick to accuse people of being weirdos and perverts. Sometimes I wonder if my tastes have changed or if I’m allowing society’s neuroses to dictate what I enjoy, but the lines are too blurred at this point to tell which is the dominating factor. 

In addition to the age issues, the pettiness of the K-Pop world is too draining and tiring and not worth the grind. Fan wars, petty grievances, and “fans” determining who are “real fans” or fake ones based on if someone votes for a music show win has made the K-Pop world less fun. It’s time to channel energy toward constructive thought and action.

As I say goodbye to this phase in my life, I’ll always have the memories and experiences I had tucked in the corners of my mind ready to recall at any moment. I was lucky enough to have some experiences some fans only dream about, so my journey doesn’t end in jest. I’ve had the opportunity to meet my favorite group and hold my bias’ hand. I had chances to interview up-and-coming artists, and I even had a chance share insight on different projects involving the K-Pop world due to the crossover with my personal interests and career teaching media and culture. K-Pop has opened many doors for me in unexpected ways, and that is something for which I will always be grateful.

Everything in life is a phase and a gateway to a new journey. While the door is closing on K-Pop for me, the door to K-Rock has opened slightly, so perhaps my journey is taking a new road. Overall, the joy I once felt no longer exists. While it is sad, it is also completely normal and something we all must face eventually as we grow up and away from not only music, but from other things from what we once sought pleasure. 

—-Joelle Halon