BAP's Comeback

On the other side, BAP's album is amazing. It contains a lot of ballads and they used Himchan and Jongup's voices a lot more. I love when Bang says 'sex' in SNS. I love Himchan's acting in the MV, he really surprised me. My bias is Himchan ever since they had their debut and I am so proud of him. Zelo is such a cutie pie and Daehyun's voice blew me away. Youngjae is such a handsome guy. Ahhh I love it, everything. They just never cease to surprise me with their different styles and different concepts. Their MV is one of the best, like always.

BTS' Comeback Soon

I CAN'T WAIT!!! I love BTS! I really admire Rap Mon and the rest. I think Jongkook and Zelo are the best and the most talented maknae in the industry right now.

As a fan of BTS I have to say that this teaser is epic and I love it and I am really excited.

BAP's Comeback-Soon

Oh my God, I can't even express my excitement...You have seen the teaser for BAP's new song, correct? Well, it seems some show leaked 32 seconds of the song. I thought it was just another teaser and got super dupper excited about it. Unfortunately, it was just a leak and now I kinda feel bad about watching it. Anyway, it's going to be epic. It seems Jongup and Himchan really worked on their voices. I am very curious how does the rap sound. Agh, so many feelings...
 

   

Music to the Ears (BAP's Hurricane)

Now, let's get back on the latest MV's. BAP came back with two songs, Coffee Shop, which is a ballad/jazzy song that may or may not become background music for actual coffee shops. It's calm and their voices sound sweet. There's no high vocal challenge in it which let other members like JongUp and Himchan feel more relaxed with their vocal abilities. It was concentrated on low ranges for baritones. It sounds good but not many people enjoy this kind of music and some just expected a fun song...which came last week.

BAP's Hurricane just set our roofs on fire, literally. Every member has his own spotlight moment. JongUp doesn't have many lines but they showed his dancing skills which balanced everything. Himchan has one line and that one became a classic. Our Loof is definitely on Fiyah now. It's so funny and Himchan-ish that you can't hide how happy it makes you. An, it's also amusing how his car doesn't have a roof...Also, I love how Himchan just drives around, being proud of his driving license and the others are like..kids walking around. YongGuk doesn't like it, I'm sure lol

So, the video is awesome, every member has his own moment, the vocal range is pretty high because Daehyun touches some high notes there and bravo for that. Zelo's hair makes him look like a sheep but let's get over it. That guy has swag in him. He was born for music and for the life of an idol. He's high quality and I love the kid. He developed so many skills and at such a young age! Let's take a moment and applaud his genius. YongGuk, too, has so many resources and so many talents to make something out of. They are awesome.

Music to the Ears (BAP's One Shot)

I don;t have enough words to describe how amazingly done is this MV made! IT's so awesome how they have an actual plot and how everything actually does make sense! IT has to be one of my favourites K-pop videos of all time! It's all so bad ass, they're aiming to get their friend back and in some way they do, but on the other side they don;t. I don't make much sense, huh?

Let's analyse the video. Firstly, each member has something he's really good at. For example, Himchan is really good at fixing cars, which seems legit since he's the only one in BAP with a  soon- to- be-legal driver license. Also, Yong Guk kind of makes the whole plan. At first, they appear on a boat where they look like real bosses. They party, they have alcohol, they have girls and they have grapes, in Zelo's case who's still under-age but who cares any more! In the end, age is just a number and jail is just a room. Then out of nowhere some random guy comes and hits Jong Up in the head. That's not all, some bad ass guys kidnap Young Jae and want money instead. It actually makes sense, right? Well, since they don't have any, the whole band goes and steals it and also, they get some guns. This part is a little bit funny because of Daehyun. He has such a kind face even though he has to be bad. It's impossible for him and Jong Up to look even close to being Mafia guys. They are so cute and squish able. Anyway, in the end they get the money and they're ready to make the change. Now, there are two plans. Plan A is getting killed. Now, I'm sure it's not just me who thinks it was overreacted a little. They're expressions are really funny and the whole scene is fun to watch. They tried but acting is not their forte point. Even so, Yong Guk did a good job. Anyway, they get all killed, everywhere are corpses and it ends. Plan B is getting caught by the police. Actually, when I saw how it ended at first I thought it was pretty awesome but when I saw how it all moves backwards and the whole scene is repeated and has a different ending, I was surprised. I bet no one saw that coming. Young Jae being a cop working undercover and catching them in action. That was definitely something different.

Overall, the MV is amazing. It worth the wait and it worth the money they invested in it. The song is exactly what BAP means. Bad ass boys dancing powerfully, having no mercy on our hearts and be the warriors they started as. Saw what I did there? These songs are the essence of BAP and One Shot is one amazing single.

Music to the Ears (BAP's Rain Sound)

There are so many BABYz there so I'm sure everyone will be happy to read this post. BAP's newest song had just blown me up! It's such a nice sad song. I had big expectations from them, truthfully. I like all of their earlier work and I can't say I've been disappointed by any of their songs. I'm pretty proud of these guys, you know. They worked continuously on their stages and comebacks and I hope they do rest too. No career is more important than health.

Rain Sound didn't seem too special from the teasers. Moreover, I was so concentrated on the MV that I couldn't really put my hand on the song. However, when you listen just the song, it's really nice. It gives off a different, more melancholic feeling to it and the whole song becomes deeper and meaningful. Hearing Jongup sing from the beginning, right after YongGuk, it felt a little bit weird but I'm thankful. However, when I heard Himchan's part, which consists of some talking in that deep sexy voice of his, and later on sing a little bit, it simply touched me. What melt my heart and simply gave me a huge blow was Zelo. His part is so heartbreaking but at the same time you can realize he'd matured and...aish...seriously, he was just the cherry on top of the whole song. I have no more words. The song is so beautiful

Now, the song is great but the MV, not really. I'm already warning you that I will say a lot of good things about Zelo. It's really obvious they can't act at all. There's a part where they get shot and I guess that's the scene where you realize what is their job. YongGuk and JongUp tried their best. It was alright for them but it was just that one part they exceeded on. I believe Zelo did the best out of them all. It broke my heart to see him 'crying'. Himchan's eyes expressed the feeling well but when they did a close up on them I didn't get the same feeling like I did from Zelo. That maknae kills me. And he's still under age...But he really looks good. The whole childish image he had disappeared and he looked like a grown up young man who suffers from the depth of his heart. I'm a person who doesn't get impressed easily but damn this little tall guy really got me this time.

I like how they got into the trend-> everything happens in one room where magically they appeared. However they do not know of each other except when they're dancing, which doesn't happen much. Also, there seems to be a lot of things breaking and there's a lot of angst. Yep. They got it right.

Anyway, leaving any jokes aside, the song is wonderful. It's actually really catchy once you give it a second listen and there's a story which is expressed good enough to be understood. Yeah. Definitely a good song.

Most Famous K-Pop Rookies of 2012

You know, I've never realized how many rookies 2012 brought. Now, that we're in this glorious year of the snake, 2013, with such a lucky number on its end, I believe we should look back at the best rookies of last year.

Firstly, these are truthfully my favourite rookies too. There have been a huge number of new bands and it would take a while to talk about all of them and I sincerely don't have that much patience either. Also, if I say something mean about a member or two, if I don't actually talk about some of them, then too bad. It's not like I don't have preferences and an outside life so naturally I don't know everything about everyone.

Now that I settled everything, one of the brightest and most powerful rookies of 2012 had been BTOB. They came up with Irresistible Lips where they used the handsome Minhyuk to gather attention. It wasn't such a brilliant song but let's say I did enjoy it. However, they did come back with WOW which pretty much says it all. The MV looks definitely better and they seemed to have had improved when it came to stage performances and attitude. The song is really catchy and back then it impressed everyone with its beats and the dance, which is fun and easy. Afterwards they did release an MV for Lover Boy which is a good song on the album but it didn't necessarily need an MV. Still, WOW remains their best song yet.

Another rookie group which actually didn't impress me at all and even annoyed me at some point is EXO. SM is definitely not one of my favourite South Korean music agency. It's rough and I don't think it pays off as well as they make it seem. Sasaeng are not the best of fans. However, the band itself didn't annoy me as much as the teasers did. Too many and truthfully, I was getting sick of Kai too. I mean of course, he's the visual, he's the bad boy, he's the whatever you want but to me, Kai is obviously not perfection. Throughout the months I started to like Chanyeol who really seems like a nice guy. He impressed me with his creepiness and sweetness and I'm definitely fangirling over him if I ever need to choose. Also, I like how each member is so unique in its own style and appearance and overall they do look like nice kids. Both EXO M and EXO K have something, a different charm that attracts you to them and you easily become entranced with their foolishness and attractiveness. They did start off nicely. History and What is Love didn't impress me as much as MAMA and sincerely, my favourite song from them is Two Moons. It's really fun, mostly live. Ayoo wasuuuup? That's Kris's style lol.

BAP is definitely the rookie of the year. The boys worked a lot even from the very beginning. They have 5 albums, be them mini or not, they have already a style and a concept. These guys are truly hardworking and never cease to amze the audience. Of course, Himchan and JongUp still don't have much to say in songs and YoungJae's voice cracks when he is tired but they are united. I do believe that when you grab a bunch of people who are completely strangers and expect them to work happily together, of course there still are some difficulties and fights but they ended up really well. They started as blonde Warrior-s and continued to show Power and No Mercy. They also showed softer sides like Crash and Stop It. We already figured Bang YongGuk can't do aegyo and Himchan acts more like the maknae than Zelo. Also Daehyun exceeds when it comes to being a chatter box, leaving the second place to Himchan. JongUp is too sweet and nice for his attractiveness and YoungJae is definitely not the angel he seems. Yep. These guys are really awesome.

Another rookie band that girls can't stop rambling about is Nu'Est. I actually don't like them, sorry. They are famous indeed and people fawn over them like there's no tomorrow but their songs aren't that great. Face was a good start but it didn't have anything impressive except a few young and handsome boys. They are still really young and it seems like everyone expects too much and too fast from them. Action was good. I mean I listened to it more and I liked it better than Face but still, it felt like the attention wasn't exactly on the song itself. Another thing is that Ren gets most of the fangirls. It's like the others don't look even half as good as him. Don't try to deny it!You know I'm right. However, I did like Not Over You and Sandy. They are cute songs and I enjoyed seeing them being more natural and acting more their age. I also kind of like Minhyun.

When it comes to girls groups, there are Spica and EXID. I like these two groups because they bring something new. Spica are feminine but in a womanly way. I've seen a lot of groups being really cute and aegyo and whatnot. I don't like that. I still enjoy listening to Lonely. However, I believe these two groups are underestimated and underrated. EXID are also really good. LOEN Ent usually have good taste. If I didn't know better, while listening to I Feel Good and Every Night I would've said they are 2NE1. Some voices resemble 2NE1 but the style is different. But they're talented and have good songs.

Another rookie band is Hello Venus when it comes to girls and also Cross Gene when it comes to boys. These two also seem a little underrated. I didn't hear many people talking about them. I know I already said how much I like Cross Gene because their songs sound refreshing. LaDiDaDi didn't get the attention it should have had. Hello Venus seem more popular. I'm not a big fan of theirs. Like a Wave sounds alright and so does Venus but it was obvious it's not going to be a big hit. I'm still waiting to see what they will come up with next. Also, I'm not impressed by their lives.

JJ Project and Tasty are also rookies. For JJP, we know Bounce was a total hit and it was impossible not to bob your head to the rhythm  It was insane. However, they didn't come up with anything after that. I'm still waiting to see a great comeback that would simply catch my attention instantly. Tasty is formed by two brothers, also twins. What more can you wish for right? Well I wish for a new MV and promotions. There aren't any! These two got one MV out and got everyone to 'roll like a buffalo' and afterwards they...vanished. Seriously. They might as well do something in Korea but until August when I'm going to fly over there, I don't have any information.

I'm going to close up with A-Jax and TaeTiSeo. For me, Hot Game was indeed a good song which kind of reminded me of other American songs but that's fine. It wasn't that obvious. Also, One 4 U and Never Let Go are awesome songs with amazingly done MV's. I was very surprised when I watched them. About 2MYX I can't say much because I don't really like how it sounds live. The MV looks good indeed but their voices don't seem powerful enough on lives. TaeTiSeo is actually SNSD's Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun. I like just Seohyun from this sub-group. I sincerely don't like SNSD and I like just the super awesome songs which aren't many. I couldn't even listen to Twinkle because I knew I wouldn't like it and I actually didn't. But I gave it another shot and maybe it was because of EXO but I found it nicer. It is catchy though and they are good singers.

I guess these are the most famous rookies of 2012, the ones the whole world heard of and listened to. Now, I do have expectations from BAP and EXO. They seems to be the two groups that will have spectacular comebacks in 2013. I hope I didn't offend too many fan girls and fan boys :)




 

Mnet Asian Music Awards 2012

Hey guys!Have you watched MAMA 2012? I did and even though I was a little disappointed regarding some awards and some performances, overall it was pretty awesome. I do give the credit to Mnet because it was well organized and everyone was pretty good but I hoped there would be more fans around there. Maybe it's my perception because of EMA, where the arena was really crowded, or maybe the Eurovision, where there was no free seat, but yeah...However, the show was good.

In case you couldn't watch, since there's a problem with the time zone (while in Hong Kong was late evening here was about midday) let's see who won and at what category.

SONG OF THE YEAR : GANGNAM STYLE - PSY

ALBUM OF THE YEAR : SUPER JUNIOR

ARTIST OF THE YEAR : BIGBANG

BEST GLOBAL GROUP - MALE : SUPER JUNIOR

BEST GLOBAL GROUP - FEMALE : KARA

BEST LINE AWARD : SUPER JUNIOR

BEST MALE ARTIST : G-DRAGON

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE : EPIK HIGH

GUARDIAN ANGEL WORLDWIDE PERFORMER : BIGBANG

STYLE IN MUSIC : GAIN

NEW ASIAN ARTIST GROUP : EXO

BEST NEW ASIAN ARTIST (CHINA) : TIME Z

BEST ASIAN ARTIST (JAPAN) : AKB48

BEST ASIAN ARTIST (PHILIPPINES) : SARAH GERONIMO

BEST ASIAN ARTIST (VIETNAM) : MY TAM 

BEST NEW ASIAN ARTIST (THAILAND) : NATTHEW

BEST ASIAN ARTIST (CHINA) : LI YU CHUN

BEST ASIAN ARTIST (INDONESIA) : AGNES

BEST ASIAN ARTIST (SINGAPORE) : TAUFIK BATISAH

TVB'S CHOICE : JOEY YUNG

BEST MUSIC VIDEO: PSY

BEST ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK: SEO IN GUK, JUNG EUN JI (All For You)

INTERNATIONAL FAVORITE ARTIST: PSY

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE - GROUP : DAVICHI

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE - SOLO : K.WILL

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE - FEMALE GROUP : f(x)

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE - MALE GROUP : SHINee

MNET PD'S CHOICE: B.A.P

BEST COLLABORATION: TROUBLE MAKER

BEST FEMALE GROUP : SISTAR

BEST MALE GROUP : BIGBANG

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE - SOLO : PSY

BEST BAND : BUSKER BUSKER

BEST FEMALE ARTIST: IU

BEST NEW MALE ARTIST: BUSKER BUSKER

BEST NEW FEMALE ARTIST: AILEE

From my point of view, it was YG's year. Psy came back with the phenomenon, Gangnam Style, which won many awards world widely. Also, it is me or Super Junior didn't really make an actual show? I really expected more from them. Also, I was looking forward to EXO's performance. I can't say I had been blown away by it, though. 

Some good parts would be Ailee's performance which was incredibly touching. That girls has great talent and I'm happy she won Best New Female Artist. Also, I was really enthusiastic for Psy's live. It was definitely something. Adam Lambert and B.O.B have also made great show. However, by far, the best performance was Big Bang. Now, I may be subjective because I'm a VIP but really...it's been INCREDIBLY WELL THOUGHT AND AMAZING! They used Crayon when they needed something different, something out of nowhere and that giant skull and their performance overall was so good. It was seriously the best, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Of course I can't say I liked Seungri or GD's outfits...one was white and made him look bigger while the other was very eccentric ..yeah these styles definitely characterize them. And TOP in pink...extreme pink actually...but he looked hot.

Something that surprised me was...or were, the performances on the red carpet. I couldn't take my eyes off BAP and Block B. Have you seen that at one point, later in the show, when Victoria started to talk in Chinese...Kyung's face was epic? He was smiling but at the same time it was clear he was thinking what the fuck? Haha. Also, EXO seemed very out of there. I can swear at some point DO, with his big eyes, was somewhat looking into GD's back. Don't know why but it was fun. So, this year's MAMA was entertaining and like I said, had good performances...and some that I didn't really like. I guess I just thought it would be bigger than EMA but it wasn't. Actually, we can say they were on the same level but more classy. The idols and other stars came in some quite nice clothes. I liked Park Shin Hye's dress a lot and the young girl from Davichi (sorry I forgot her name) she also had a nice dress.

Good Year-Best Albums of 2012

Until now, there have been a lot of new releases. A Hell lot of them! From my point of view maybe just half of them are really good and entertaining. The industry of K-pop, most of the time, is concentrated on the looks and on the perception of the fans, who love a good looking guy more than a talented one so the companies tend to make danceable songs so the hot ones would show off. However,  this year brought a lot of truthfully good songs. The older bands improved a lot and the rookies have done a great job. There are just 5 albums in my top and I asked more than just a few people for an opinion. I also asked non-k-fans who have been very helpful.

On the first place, in my point of view, is Blockbuster. No matter how you look at it, the album has everything it needs, from bad ass rap songs to melancholic ballads. Also, fans have been very receptive mostly because this album was long awaited for. Every song makes a deep impression and that's been proved. So Block B's Blockbuster is definitely the best album of 2012.

Second place goes to Big Bang's Still Alive. Besides the fact that I'm a VIP, their comeback came like a serious bang. Every song comes from their own experience and it's obvious they've grown very much since their début  which was a few long years ago. Their vocals also improved and eve if TOP's dance moves are bad, like always, they know now how to make them funny and attractive. Daesung's voice is amazing and he has a lot more parts now where he shows a cool side of him. They've done something more emotional, more personal and it sounds good.

On the third place is SISTAR. I'm not such a big fan but Hyorin's voice always attracts my attention. She's also really pretty and the dance moves these girls pull off aren't that easy as they look. Their mini-album, Alone, is one of my favourites. Their voices bring something different to the songs mostly because of their different tones. But in the end they're very good entertainers and they have professionalism. That's an important factor and they are pretty famous because they do an awesome job.

The fourth place is taken by B1A4. Why? Because the latest album is so cool and sounds so different and bohemian and has some melancholy in there, some piano, a few soft female voices and overall it's a pleasure to listen to it. In the Wind wasn't on my list but after I listened to it I realized I'm stupid. It has everything it needs, it sounds classy but at the same time very new. It's definitely a good album.

The fifth place would be GaIn's Talk about S. Her mini-album captivated me simply because it breaks the barriers. There's sexuality, there's seriousness too but overall everything comes together and it sounds very good. It's not necessarily the gender I listen to a lot but her album was much better than others.  I also like her style when it comes to singing. She's not a bad ass but she's not some princess either you know. She's a woman and I like that she expresses her feminism and sensuality so well without being too much.

Other good albums which haven't been included here are:

BAP's No Mercy

Yoseob's The First Collage

Exo-K (and Exo-M)'s Mama

and others that I seriously can't remember right now :)

Music to the Ears (BAP's Stop It)

Alright, while watching the posts people read more often I had a shock when I saw how many views there are on BAP. There are about 30 and something per day! Wow. A lot of Babies out there. Anyway, since I was too lazy to look out for news about Beast I got carried away with Block B's album which I plan to make a review later on and BAP's comeback song. I really want to believe it will be their last this year. They seem overly exhausted and it can be heard in YoungJae's voice the most.

Their new song is kind of ADORABLE. Really now, Yong Guk is really cute in a silly and manly way, if that makes any sense. Of course, I love that there is a plot, but seriously now...Yong Guk is a Gumiho or something devilish because I see there a red tail and the girl is actually an angel and she had seen him all the time but ignored him? Who the hell can ignore him?! Daehyun seems like a bad driver...but I like how he started to show more of his true self than that cool vocalist. I started to watch BAP Camp and Daehyun is definitely more talkative than Himchan the chatter box. YoungJae look really handsome too in the MV and the way they filmed so brightly just makes it more optimistic and shows a different side of the band. Himchan looks...I can;t seem to find the right word. He looks very handsome but at the same time goofy. How obsessed can you be to smile like that after magically your hand had just been prompted on the girl's face? So, no. Not the right expression there Himmie...Adding to that, I liked him better with black hair. Same goes for Jongup. The two maknae were terribly cute and aegyo. One thing I don't understand though. Why was Zelo looking into the mirror? Was he appreciating his handsome 17 years old self or was he trying to see Yong Guk through the light which could have reflected into it and then onto the leader's face, blinding him? Who knows, I guess it will remain a mystery. One thing I also don't understand is the end...maybe I'm a little slow and didn't catch to what it meant...so he was a demon and she was an angel? Doesn't that mean Daehyun killed Yong Guk? And why was he a playful demon? So many questions...

Even if it seems like I actually didn't like the MV, it's quite the opposite. I liked it a lot and truthfully, Yong Guk was the ebst out of the whole video. He kept me entertained. But, the other members were also good. One thing I can't understand, the last, I promise, is...why are they back to blonde? A friend told me a few hours ago: I like the blonde one. I kept a poker face at her statement. Well...I guess the concepts change fast...

Intensive Examination- BAP

Soorry I didn't post this when I should have but I have my own summer homework I didn't finish unfortunately and I'm a little stressed since I started my last year of high school. Yay! South Korea after it! Ohh, I can't wait. Anyway, back to business, this edition is all about B.A.P aka Best Absolute Perfect. It's...yeah. I guess it's better than MBLAQ...Anyway news about these awesome guys are enough. For example, their appearances on shows. Inkigayo, Music Core, MNet Countdown, they're everywhere and we love it. It seems the number of their fan clubs just rises and rises each passing day.

Let's see, from what I know they've been to Taiwan and it seems they had a great time (Himchan's tweet; sorry for stalking you weirdy). Secret's new album and song is awesome, by the way. Poison really gets that feminine and sexy vibe the girls have. And since we're tlking about BAP, I seriously can't not talk about their sunbaes. Now, I've read a lot about them since I have friends and two big eyes. Pictures and pictures and Happy Latey Birthday Zelo! You're still young though, still have a long way to go, ask Yong Guk. I've seen pictures from his surprise in Taiwan. It was really cute. They're cute overall. I like their style and how soft an childish they actually are. Also, I kind of feel old.

A lot of information I couldn't really get because, I recognize, I've been very busy but they are promoting themselves and well, Crash. Also, they help their sunbaes with things. I've seen the interview on the set of Poison. It was very interesting how at one point Himchan and Zelo seemed to gradually lose their focus and the rest were nodding but didn't seem to be there...They must have been also tired, who knows what they've done before. They're quite hyperactive. But Secret were talkative and funny and I really like them. I like both bands actually. But seriously, you should watch Ta Dah:It's BAP or BAP Diary; they are both really fun and even though they're a little bit old, I don't see a big change in their behaviour if none at all. At first I thought Himchan is the maknae or at least closer to that image but Zelo is such a cute one. Damn years for being too old.

Oh and by the way, am I crazy or sometimes Jong Up looks like a younger version of Daesung? Just the face...:-?

Yong Guk

Himchan

Daehyun

Young Jae

Jong Up

Zelo