MetaFilter posts tagged with kpop

Norazo VS DJ Ozma

needled — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 19:56:55 -0800

In this corner, Norazo from Korea, singing about Superman, risking one's life, and that wonderful fish the mackerel (sung in an actual fish market). And in the other, DJ Ozma from Japan, singing about Spiderman, drinking, and Age Age Every Night (videos may be NSFW). Head to head: Norazo's Happy Song covered by DJ Ozma Happy Song Norazo's 날찍어 ("Choose Me") covered by DJ Ozma Macchibo. Bonus: Norazo 내 도망간 여자 친구를 소개합니다 "Introducing my girl friend who ran away", parodying the Nobody music video from Wonder Girls.

girl group mania

needled — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:44:28 -0800

Korean girl groups dominated the Korean music charts this summer - Brown Eyed Girls cast a spell with Abracadabra, Girls' Generation is your Genie, 2NE1 is on Fire, 4Minute turn up the Muzik, T-ara Lies. While Brown Eyed Girls raked in the cash, Girls' Generation captured male hearts, both civilian (watch out for the audience response during the interview segment staring at 3:45) and uniformed (a performance broadcast on KFN, the broadcast network for the Korean armed forces). Brown Eyed Girls parodied by the Dirty Eyed Girls, composed of members of boy bands 2AM and 2PM. 2PM members join SHINee members and MC Mong for their version of Genie.

Korean Idol

needled — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:05:41 -0800

The live performance shows for Superstar K (warning: audio autoplay) will start beginning this Friday, September 4, 11 pm, Seoul time. The South Korean version of shows such as American Idol and Britain's Got Talent, 713,503 hopefuls in 8 Korean cities were winnowed down to 10 contestants, all vying for the 100 million Won (approximately USD 80,400) prize and recording contract reserved for the winner. The show has been a massive hit for Korean cable music channel Mnet, garnering viewership above 6%, or 1 in 10 televisions on at the time, where 2% or higher is considered a hit on Korean cable TV. Superstar K's tearjerker moment so far was the group challenge featuring a blind contestant, which brought judge Lee Hyori to tears (the male judge is Yang Hyun Suk, head of YG Entertainment and former member of legendary Korean group Seo Taiji & Boys). For those who prefer the trainwreck aspects of such competition shows, episode 2 with judges Wheesung, Alex from Clazziquai, and veteran singer Hyunmi is a treasure trove, including an exchange between the judges comparing the pain of childbirth and circumcision as an adult (even if you don't understand Korean, the judge's facial expressions require no translation). The top 10 contestants have been in seclusion for the past month, having had to turn in their cell phones, no access to internet or TV, and undergoing dance lessons, vocal training and physical training. Contestants have been told to lose weight or gain weight to look their best on camera. Currently leading in internet votes (which count for 20% of the score, with 70% coming from SMS votes on performance night and 10% from the judges) is one-half of self-described "street musician" duo Lost Cats (길 잃은 고양이), Jo Moon-Geun (조문근 - he's the one in the hat). On his way to the top 10 he passed the duet challenge paired with Berklee student and fellow top 10 finalist Jung Sun-Kook (정선국) with an enthusiastic rendition (starting at 4:35 mark) of Korean rockers Yun Do Hyun Band's "I must have been in love" (사랑했나봐). The Lost Cats had one last street performance featuring some fellow top 10 contestants before going into seclusion.

it's got a good ringtone and you can dance to it

needled — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:49:25 -0800

Korean cell phone ads blur the line between music videos and ads. "Lollipop" from popular idol group Big Bang and newcomers 2NE1 was created to advertise LG cell phones and topped various Korean music charts in the process, even while government-owned broadcaster KBS refused to feature the song in its music countdown show because it was a jingle and not an actual single or album release. "Amoled", from Son Dambi and After School, was created to advertise Samsung's Amoled touchscreen phone. Samsung has a long-running series of long-form music videos for their Anycall brand phones: Anymotion, Anyclub, Anystar. all featuring Lee Hyori. In 2007, Samsung formed a group called Anyband, composed of BoA, Xiah Junsu of TVXQ, Tablo from Epik High, and jazz pianist Jin Bora, which yielded several concerts and this long-form music video. Cyon, LG's Korean mobile phone brand, got in the act with the aforementioned "Lollipop" and Oz Generation campaign featuring Clazziquai's "Wizard of OZ" (coincidentally, the English-language version of the song was used in Korea to promote Japanese animated film Summer Wars, which features an online virtual world called Oz). Bonus: ad from Anycall's latest line, Magic Hole, with the unforgettable catchphrase "Anycall? Magic Hole!"

you feed my appetite in ways i can't explain

one teak forest — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:55:59 -0800

BaO "Eat You Up" A fun and cute parody This parody is a project by Patty Yu (and her many collaborators) of BoA Kwon's Eat You Up.

Korean Hip Hop Party

needled — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:47:45 -0800

Dynamic Duo do an attendance check, DJ Doc run to you with Epik High and Younha's help, Epik High and Younha love love love, Buga Kingz hear a siren, Drunken Tiger has a good life with T (윤미래) and bizzy, and Dynamic Duo check whether you're solo and still here!

covers korean style

needled — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:19:49 -0800

Billy Jean from Winter Play, Can't get you out of my head from W & Whale, Karma Chameleon from 이장혁 (Lee Jang Hyuk) with 검정치마 (Black Skirts), Personal Jesus from Yi Sung Yol and 서울전자음악단 (Seoul Electric Band), Nobody does it better (+ Wonder Girls' Nobody) from Yi Sung Yol Singing their own songs: Winter Play Happy Bubble W & Whale R.P.G. Shine Black Skirts Antifreeze Yi Sung Yol Secret (music video is directed by Park Chan Wook of Oldboy fame) (and Ibadi The story which still has not ended since it shares musicians with Yi Sung Yol) All these bands are considered part of the Korean alternative or indie music scene, although some have enjoyed commercial success through their music being used in ads and TV and movie soundtracks. For example, "R.P.G. Shine" is better known as the music from this SK Broadband ad and "Happy Bubble" is known as the "bubble song" of this washing machine commercial.

boy band mania

needled — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:23:40 -0800

Singing, dancing, rapping, looking hot - boy bands from Korea and Japan. From Korea: DBSK (or TVXQ outside of Korea), SS501, Big Bang. From Japan: KAT-TUN, Arashi, NEWS. But wait - Tohoshinki (as TVXQ is known in Japan) singing in Japanese, as do SS501. Japan's much larger music market is the motivation for various Korean musical acts to establish Japanese presences. Making these decisions are the entertainment agencies that have manufactured these groups, signing on trainees at a young age for years of lessons in singing, dancing, and acting. What is this process like for trainees in the Big 3 Korean agencies? SM Entertainment (home of DBSK), YG Entertainment (home of Big Bang), JYP Entertainment. SS501 are part of Daesung Entertainment, a much smaller agency. (If you want to audition, the Big 3 have all set up U.S. operations.) KAT-TUN, Arashi, and NEWS are all signed to Johnny & Associates, a Japanese male idol star factory. Whether in Japan or Korea, the treatment of trainees is controversial - Johnny Kitagawa, head of Johnny's, allegedly sexually harassed and raped young trainees over the years. And of course, many trainees never see the limelight despite years of talent training at the expense of schoolwork.

The moon waxes ...

needled — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:22:02 -0800

Move over, Wonder Girls! It's Jang Kiha and Faces (장기하와 얼굴들), the latest Korean Internet music sensation. Their performance of 달이차오른다, 가자 ("The moon waxes, let's go") on a Korean educational TV channel catches the attention of Korean netizens, who respond by producing mashups and following the terpsichorean teachings of "Reverend Jang" - from middle school students to college students, and even a professional Starcraft player. (Bonus: performing at the Ssamzie Sound Festival - note the extra dancers) Music and some of the images used in the mashup come from the trailer for Korean film The Good, the Bad, and the Weird)

Tell me how to do this dance.

kkokkodalk — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:49:49 -0800

The Wonder Girls a Korean pop girl-group, got people in Korea wanting to learn themoves for their hit song "Tell Me." Everyone's doing it, girls (in the snow and in classrooms), boys (at a wedding, and, er...abandoned auditorium?)... ...the list goes on with Flight attendants, traffic police and even those serving in the army. Tae kwon do kids, cops and servicemembers even join forces to perform for an awards ceremony. If you want to learn the dance, learn it from the girls themselves. It's no surprise both song and dance swept the country, considering the fact that the producer behind them is Park Jin Young (Myspace and watch him perform the “Tell Me” dance himself). A pop star and singer/songwriter famous for his own infectious pop dance hits influenced by soul and R&B, Park is also well known for his chereography for his hits such as “She was Pretty” (the song/video referenced at the beginning of the Wonder Girls’ own music video for “Tell Me”), “I Have a Girl”. He also drew his share of controversy from media watch dogs who deemed him too "sexually charged" and as someone attempting to pervert young people with what they deemed lascivious music and dancing (“Inside the Elevator”). And his outspoken ideas sometimes rubbing folks the wrong way. Even though he's been on the US Billboard Charts before, he wants to further enter the American market and garner legitimate recognition for the young stable of artists he has under his wing separate from the gimmicky "Hallyu" wave. One of the American responses to his ambitious management of young stars is bemusement. Considering some of the negative aspects of the Korean pop music scene, it’s time to see if its grown up enough to thrive on foreign shores.

Clazziquai Project

needled — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:37:21 -0800

Clazziquai Project is a Korean band fusing jazz, pop, and electropop, leading their music to be described as Shibuya-kei. Several of the band members are Korean-Canadian, including the main man DJ Clazzi, who writes, mixes, and produces. The lyrics are usually a mix of Korean and English, with all-English versions of their songs being released for foreign markets. Their most recent album, Robotica, included remixes by a number of Japanese musicians, such as Fantastic Plastic Machine and Shinichi Osawa. The band's mascot is a pig, hence the appearance of pigs in their music videos and other promotional materials. Matchmaking pig in Sweety. Jazzy flying pigs in Love Mode, featuring PE'Z and VERBAL from m-flo that is Alex from Clazziquai lending guest vocals. A rather disturbing pig appearance in a promo for a Clazziquai album: Delivery pig. This same pig makes a less disturbing appearance in a video homage to the Beastie Boys. Clazziquai with no pigs: Come to me Lover Boy May or may not have pigs, but does have behind-the-scenes footage of their other music videos: Our Lives. (Bonus: "Love Mode" live - check out the guitarist! - and "Lover Boy" in the bathroom)