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There has been a lot of stir in Kpoplandia this week. Actually, a lot of things happened during this whole time that I was paying less attention to majority of Kpop's latest album releases. While I was busy doing pretty much everything for the last three weeks or so, I've decided to spend more time camping in dramalandia because of the pending episodes of certain dramas that I have neglected to watch for months. I marathoned  every single pending episode everyday, so I became pretty much screwed and disgruntled myself because I had to submit articles  on a daily basis to save up for my upcoming expenses. Haha! In addition to that, I have also alloted more time to read  because I've been missing out on a lot of the new good books since the first half of the year.

A few good Kpop MVs were revealed this week (mostly from singers who are making a comeback), and although this is just my observation, I have noticed that most of them are in the melodrama side.  A solid storyline (mostly sad, related to love, frienship or family) = check! A cast of brilliant, captivating and breathtakingly gorgeous actors and actresses = check! Good cinematography and artsy directing = check. Moments that pull at the heart = check!  Trademark K drama elements (piggyback ride, back hug, biking together, OBT around the famous Han River, fab dinner dates in the most expensive restos with matching 3-piece orchestra in the background,  desperate and frustrated damsels in distress trying to commit suicide by jumping from a tall building, gangsters and goons, somebody dying at the end of the story...and the list goes on!) = check! As long as you have all of these, believe me, you will never go wrong.

This should not be a surprise to most people because this is something that is common in Kpop. Kpop MVs in general have this leaning to produce MVs that are equally as brilliant and stunning as high-budget movies and dramas and they do it quite well. You know those moments that pull at the heart? (Oh , here we go again!) Haha! The delivery of the lines and the execution of certain scenes also make them all the more unforgettable to melodrama aficionados, which pretty much answers the fascination that the general public has for these kind of productions.

This week, we have three new "sad" MVs from singers who have been acknowledged for their singing prowess. Long before the  expansion and globalization of the glitz and glamor that is Kpop, most of the jukebox hits, I believe, were ballads.  Most of the singers that I will be talking about in this post have also been singing ballads even before I  learned about Kpop, so songs coming from these people are guaranteed hits.

JYJ's In Heaven

Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu (also known as JYJ) are coming back for their new Korean album titled In Heaven. These guys were originally from boy group TVXQ, which is now a duo that consists of Yunho and Changmin, after they left from former mangement agency SM Entertainment. TVXQ debuted in 2003 as a five-member acapella group and they have the biggest fanbase (in Kpop) all over the world, which is according to a reliable source, composed of more than 800,000 people. TVXQ are the idols to beat as far as singing, dancing and performing in general are concerned. I have heard of them shortly after their debut, but I wasn't a Kpop fan at that time yet. Despite that, I've always admired and respected these guys. When I  finally got into a Kpop fandom in 2006 (I'm an ELF BTW), they were probably the biggest and most popular group at that time. They sang both powerful dance songs and wonderful ballads. All the members are very talented, so I naturally became their fan while I was learning about them and their music at the same time.

Even though the original members of the group are promoting as two separate teams at the moment, both groups are still making good music in its  truest sense. I have listened to all the songs in JYJ's latest album and it's my favorite JYJ album to date. The music video to In Heaven, one of the most loved tracks in the album was just unleashed recently, following the release of their album with more than 300,000 pre-orders in a day, which ultimately caused servers to crash.

These three are so talented that they are not only certified hitmakers, but also staple faces in the entertainment industry. Yoochun and Jaejoong are currently one of the most sought-after leading mens in the business. Their every move is always a hot topic, and every series or movie that they do is always a hit. Junsu, on the other hand, is an acclaimed musical actor. He is one of Kpop's best vocalists and he is also the main lead of their In Heaven music video. It also stars actress Song Ji Hyo (Goong/Princess Hours, Frozen Flower, Wishing Stairs), who together with Junsu, make a really beautiful couple in the MV.

Check it out below!

Check out the MV below!

Beast (Boys of the EAst Standing Tall) is a 6 member boy group from Cube Entertainment, alongside talents like girl group 4 Minute and rookie solo singer G.Na (Gina Choi) who just debuted a couple of months ago. They debuted last year in October with their first album, and almost a year after, reports has it that they will soon be back for an upcoming 2nd mini album. They were responsible for the song "Shock", and they were awarded as Best Rookies during the year-end music awards in 2009. Beast is composed of Doojoon (leader), Gi Kwang, Yoseob, Junhyung, Dongwoon & Hyun Seung. Though during their debut days they were labelled as the "reject boy group" owing to the fact that most of its members were previous trainees of other companies and some of them failed to debut as stars in their previous agencies, I think they managed to get away from the stereotype because they have been working nonstop in showing a new side of themselves each time. I am a fan of 3 legendary KPop boy groups Super Junior, TVXQ and Big Bang so consider me an ELF, a Cassie and a VIP at the same time. Recently, I've been eying on ShiNee, C.N.Blue and newbies like Beast and MBLAQ (Music Boys Live In Absolute Quality) who I think are slowly rising up as new generation KPop idol groups in the entertainment industry. Beast is not in my favorite list yet, but I have to commend these boys for doing well since their debut last year.

Ahead of their much anticipated comeback, the guys have released a special ballad which will be part of their upcoming 2nd album entitled "Clenching a Tight Fist". It has sad lyrics, and what makes it extra special is that it was written by a member of the group. If I am not mistaken, I think it was Hyun Seung. A few months ago, I was able to listen to Gayoon (4 Minute) & Yoseob's (also a Beast member) duet, and I really liked it. Personally, I like Yoseob's voice, and after listening to their ballad, I was able to hear the voices of the other members in a non-autotune song which made me happy. The boys did a great job, and I personally like the over-all feel of the song. Most boy groups these days, if not all, rarely promote with ballads. They usually release the popular upbeat and danceable autotune tracks in their albums as title and follow-up tracks respectively. So as a listener, I try my hardest to find something new, even though it's just a thin line of distinction everytime a group is out to release a comeback album. Especially in rookie and relatively new groups. By far, they have been doing well since last year. In this day and age of KPop, it's typical to see a boy group who have good-looking tall members who can dance well, but it's a plus point and it's even better when they are able to hit the notes of really good ballads and belt them. To conclude this post, I am definitely looking forward for more songs from their upcoming 2nd album.

I really like this song from Gina Choi (G.na). It's called "I Will Back Off So You Can Live Better". She’s the newest Cube Entertainment singer, who debuted last week in the stages of various Korean music programs like Mnet Countdown, Music Bank, Music Core & Inkigayo. This song features Beast’s Junhyung as a rapper, and Beast’s Doojoon in the music video. It’s actually one of those hurtful break-up songs where the guy doesn’t feel the same anymore, and you’re left with no choice but to let him go because he wants to break it off with you. Good high range vocals is definitely a good way to come out strong in the entertainment business these days. The RnB flavor plus good dancing is also a hit. I personally think she’s the best solo artist who debuted this year so far.

Two talented and young idol group members, Gayoon (4 Minute) and Yoseob (Beast) recently covered Gina Choi and Rain’s “What I Would Like To Do Once I Get A Lover”. This track that I recently featured in my previous posts, is one of the songs in Gina Choi’s debut album, that was fully released today. I find this song really cute because it’s from KPop’s younger generation of promising idols. Both groups are under the custody of Cube Entertainment, who also manages Gina’s singing career. 4 Minute debuted early 2009, months earlier than 4 their fellow label mate Beast (Otherwise: B2st). Because of this, both groups seem to have a close relationship, and it can be manifested by their numerous appearances and guestings in Korean variety shows since their debuts. I personally think that both their vocals are good.

There has been a lot of stir in Kpoplandia this week. Actually, a lot of things happened during this whole time that I was paying less attention to majority of Kpop's latest album releases. While I was busy doing pretty much everything for the last three weeks or so, I've decided to spend more time camping in dramalandia because of the pending episodes of certain dramas that I have neglected to watch for months. I marathoned  every single pending episode everyday, so I became pretty much screwed and disgruntled myself because I had to submit articles  on a daily basis to save up for my upcoming expenses. Haha! In addition to that, I have also alloted more time to read  because I've been missing out on a lot of the new good books since the first half of the year.

A few good Kpop MVs were revealed this week (mostly from singers who are making a comeback), and although this is just my observation, I have noticed that most of them are in the melodrama side.  A solid storyline (mostly sad, related to love, frienship or family) = check! A cast of brilliant, captivating and breathtakingly gorgeous actors and actresses = check! Good cinematography and artsy directing = check. Moments that pull at the heart = check!  Trademark K drama elements (piggyback ride, back hug, biking together, OBT around the famous Han River, fab dinner dates in the most expensive restos with matching 3-piece orchestra in the background,  desperate and frustrated damsels in distress trying to commit suicide by jumping from a tall building, gangsters and goons, somebody dying at the end of the story...and the list goes on!) = check! As long as you have all of these, believe me, you will never go wrong.

This should not be a surprise to most people because this is something that is common in Kpop. Kpop MVs in general have this leaning to produce MVs that are equally as brilliant and stunning as high-budget movies and dramas and they do it quite well. You know those moments that pull at the heart? (Oh , here we go again!) Haha! The delivery of the lines and the execution of certain scenes also make them all the more unforgettable to melodrama aficionados, which pretty much answers the fascination that the general public has for these kind of productions.

This week, we have three new "sad" MVs from singers who have been acknowledged for their singing prowess. Long before the  expansion and globalization of the glitz and glamor that is Kpop, most of the jukebox hits, I believe, were ballads.  Most of the singers that I will be talking about in this post have also been singing ballads even before I  learned about Kpop, so songs coming from these people are guaranteed hits.

JYJ's In Heaven

Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu (also known as JYJ) are coming back for their new Korean album titled In Heaven. These guys were originally from boy group TVXQ, which is now a duo that consists of Yunho and Changmin, after they left from former mangement agency SM Entertainment. TVXQ debuted in 2003 as a five-member acapella group and they have the biggest fanbase (in Kpop) all over the world, which is according to a reliable source, composed of more than 800,000 people. TVXQ are the idols to beat as far as singing, dancing and performing in general are concerned. I have heard of them shortly after their debut, but I wasn't a Kpop fan at that time yet. Despite that, I've always admired and respected these guys. When I  finally got into a Kpop fandom in 2006 (I'm an ELF BTW), they were probably the biggest and most popular group at that time. They sang both powerful dance songs and wonderful ballads. All the members are very talented, so I naturally became their fan while I was learning about them and their music at the same time.

Even though the original members of the group are promoting as two separate teams at the moment, both groups are still making good music in its  truest sense. I have listened to all the songs in JYJ's latest album and it's my favorite JYJ album to date. The music video to In Heaven, one of the most loved tracks in the album was just unleashed recently, following the release of their album with more than 300,000 pre-orders in a day, which ultimately caused servers to crash.

These three are so talented that they are not only certified hitmakers, but also staple faces in the entertainment industry. Yoochun and Jaejoong are currently one of the most sought-after leading mens in the business. Their every move is always a hot topic, and every series or movie that they do is always a hit. Junsu, on the other hand, is an acclaimed musical actor. He is one of Kpop's best vocalists and he is also the main lead of their In Heaven music video. It also stars actress Song Ji Hyo (Goong/Princess Hours, Frozen Flower, Wishing Stairs), who together with Junsu, make a really beautiful couple in the MV.

Check it out below!

Check out the MV below!

Beast (Boys of the EAst Standing Tall) is a 6 member boy group from Cube Entertainment, alongside talents like girl group 4 Minute and rookie solo singer G.Na (Gina Choi) who just debuted a couple of months ago. They debuted last year in October with their first album, and almost a year after, reports has it that they will soon be back for an upcoming 2nd mini album. They were responsible for the song "Shock", and they were awarded as Best Rookies during the year-end music awards in 2009. Beast is composed of Doojoon (leader), Gi Kwang, Yoseob, Junhyung, Dongwoon & Hyun Seung. Though during their debut days they were labelled as the "reject boy group" owing to the fact that most of its members were previous trainees of other companies and some of them failed to debut as stars in their previous agencies, I think they managed to get away from the stereotype because they have been working nonstop in showing a new side of themselves each time. I am a fan of 3 legendary KPop boy groups Super Junior, TVXQ and Big Bang so consider me an ELF, a Cassie and a VIP at the same time. Recently, I've been eying on ShiNee, C.N.Blue and newbies like Beast and MBLAQ (Music Boys Live In Absolute Quality) who I think are slowly rising up as new generation KPop idol groups in the entertainment industry. Beast is not in my favorite list yet, but I have to commend these boys for doing well since their debut last year.

Ahead of their much anticipated comeback, the guys have released a special ballad which will be part of their upcoming 2nd album entitled "Clenching a Tight Fist". It has sad lyrics, and what makes it extra special is that it was written by a member of the group. If I am not mistaken, I think it was Hyun Seung. A few months ago, I was able to listen to Gayoon (4 Minute) & Yoseob's (also a Beast member) duet, and I really liked it. Personally, I like Yoseob's voice, and after listening to their ballad, I was able to hear the voices of the other members in a non-autotune song which made me happy. The boys did a great job, and I personally like the over-all feel of the song. Most boy groups these days, if not all, rarely promote with ballads. They usually release the popular upbeat and danceable autotune tracks in their albums as title and follow-up tracks respectively. So as a listener, I try my hardest to find something new, even though it's just a thin line of distinction everytime a group is out to release a comeback album. Especially in rookie and relatively new groups. By far, they have been doing well since last year. In this day and age of KPop, it's typical to see a boy group who have good-looking tall members who can dance well, but it's a plus point and it's even better when they are able to hit the notes of really good ballads and belt them. To conclude this post, I am definitely looking forward for more songs from their upcoming 2nd album.

I really like this song from Gina Choi (G.na). It's called "I Will Back Off So You Can Live Better". She’s the newest Cube Entertainment singer, who debuted last week in the stages of various Korean music programs like Mnet Countdown, Music Bank, Music Core & Inkigayo. This song features Beast’s Junhyung as a rapper, and Beast’s Doojoon in the music video. It’s actually one of those hurtful break-up songs where the guy doesn’t feel the same anymore, and you’re left with no choice but to let him go because he wants to break it off with you. Good high range vocals is definitely a good way to come out strong in the entertainment business these days. The RnB flavor plus good dancing is also a hit. I personally think she’s the best solo artist who debuted this year so far.

Two talented and young idol group members, Gayoon (4 Minute) and Yoseob (Beast) recently covered Gina Choi and Rain’s “What I Would Like To Do Once I Get A Lover”. This track that I recently featured in my previous posts, is one of the songs in Gina Choi’s debut album, that was fully released today. I find this song really cute because it’s from KPop’s younger generation of promising idols. Both groups are under the custody of Cube Entertainment, who also manages Gina’s singing career. 4 Minute debuted early 2009, months earlier than 4 their fellow label mate Beast (Otherwise: B2st). Because of this, both groups seem to have a close relationship, and it can be manifested by their numerous appearances and guestings in Korean variety shows since their debuts. I personally think that both their vocals are good.