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This sub-group is definitely promising because it looks like they will be presenting a new and different sound compared to Girls' Generation's music as a group to Kpop listeners all over the world. As early as now, I am looking forward for a lot of wonderful and heartfelt ballads and maybe a little bit of jazz or acoustic tunes here and there. More than the concept or whatever, I just want to hear good music, and that's all that should matter. x

Riding on the bandwagon of companies releasing their very own Christmas singles and albums is the notable SM Entertainment, which released their much-anticipated Christmas (or winter) album today. It has been two years since SM released their last winter album, so it was somehow anticipated by many this time around. The powerhouse agency and its artists really did well this year, so an album like this is also a way of saying thank you to their fans for showing them a lot of love this year (Heh. More of like another expense). The title song of the album, by the way, was sung by resident SM boy group and Hallyu Wave leader, Super Junior. I don't know why, but that was, nevertheless, a wise choice. And I applaud SM for that. At last!

Even though Super Junior sang the song, their labelmates Kangta, BoA, TVXQ,  CSJH, SNSD, SHINee, f(x) and Zhang Li Yin can also be seen in the video. The song is great too! I initially thought they were going to sing it in Korean, so I was like, "Oh okay, Fingers crossed." But when I heard Kyuhyun sing, I immediately went, "Nawwww! It's English," and turned the volume of my laptop to a hundred percent to listen intently. LOL! This might sound crazy, but I didn't really understand what language they were singing (not until I reached the pre-chorus part). Haha! But then much to my surprise, I actually found it to my liking. "Engrish" usually annoys  the hell out of so many people in the K world, but after listening to it, it wasn't so bad after all. Yes, there were flaws here and there, but that was I think what made it extra cute. The final verdict: Everything's forgivable, and it's a happy song that is meant to be enjoyed during this time of the year.

I may have probably mentioned this before in my posts that one of my favorite Kpop songs of all time is Waiting. It was a ballad (about someone leaving suddenly without a word) that was released shortly after her debut. Until now, I still love that song! And that is something that no autotune or heavily synthesized Kpop track can beat, not even in a million years. Haha! My heart has a soft spot for her ballads because of reasons that I am not even certain myself. There's just something about BoA and her ballads that is magical. Whenever she sings a song, she always sings them with the right emotion and gusto. Her passion and dedication for music and for her craft is beyond amazing! Well, what do you expect? She has been around the industry since she was 13 and she has been making a mark in every step of her way.

My brother, who is not even a Kpop or an Asian music fan whatsoever, even likes her. He's like the biggest BoA fan, but she's probably the only Asian singer that he knows (and likes) apart from her SM Entertainment labelmate Super Junior (which bugs him because I spazz about them every single day). He doesn't know a single Korean word expect, maybe, "Hello", but he can sing Waiting from start to finish flawlessly  and effortlessly like a true-blue Kpop fan. (He even beats me in the delivery and overall feel. ROFL!) I even remember him bugging his friends to listen to the song a lot of times in the past. I don't know if he managed to even convert them (as BoA fans) in the long run, but if there's one thing that I am sure of, I know that because of the initial interest that they had in BoA's songs, they still listen to Kpop and Asian music until now.

Another favorite song of mine would have to be Stand By (Person Beside You) from her fifth Korean album that was released last year (Hurricane Venus). It was a beautiful song written by singer-songwriter Kim Dong Ryul and it is a heartbreaking story about a girl who is caught up in a one-sided love affair. It's a very painful song, if I may say, and I love how BoA sang it from start to finish. There are so many songs from her albums that I love, and I am always looking forward to listen to what she will come up next in the near future. This song, like most of her ballads, is a win right off the bat. I was actually  lucky enough to listen to this song even before the music video came out, and even though it was a short radio rip from a random Japanese music station, I knew right then and there that it would be amazing.

So check out the MV and the Japanese and translated English lyrics to Milestone below!

 

自分のことでさえ　分からないのに
I don’t even know about myself
あなただけに全て　分かってほしいなんて
I just want to know all about you only
言えないの知ってるけど
Although I can’t say it out,I know it
白い吐息を形にできたとしたら　伝わるかな
if the white breath takes a shape, I wonder if it will convey to you
季節が移るたびに世界が
every time the season changes, the world
感覚を追い越して行く
gets ahead of the feeling
そんな想いさえも
Even such thought
瞬きの間の刹那に消えて行く
disappears in a blink
気づかずにいられれば
That would be good
それで良かった
if I existed without being noticed
立ち止まればふと冬の毳
when I stop and stand there, the fuzz of winter suddenly comes

季節が移るたびに世界が
every time the season changes, the world
感覚を追い越して行く
gets ahead of the feeling
そんな想いさえ消えないように
I wish only such thought wouldn't vanish
体に 心に刻んで行く
etched in my body and heart

now hang on to this world
すごく早いから
As the time is still young
涙も笑顔も忘れないように・・・
I wish I won’t forget both the tears and smiles

季節が移るたびに世界が
even if every time the season changes, the world
感覚を追い越してどうしても
gets ahead of the feeling

揺るぎのない胸の my heart
My heart will never be shaken
そのたび　私が刻むから
Because I keep a record every time

 

Source: LegendofBoa5@youtube.com and oeker.net and cathy_chen@forums.boajjang.com for the Japanese and translated English lyrics, respectively. :D

Lately, I've been listening to SNSD's latest and third full-length album, The Boys. The girls recently made a comeback in Korea after a year since their last mini-album, Hoot. They were active in Japan during the first half of the year and they have had a very busy yet fulfilling 2011 even though there are more or less two months left until the year comes to a close. Their latest album contains 12 songs with Teddy Riley-penned The Boys as their title track that was released both in Korean and English this week. With all honesty, the song has to grow on me yet, so I can't say that I like it as early as now. Although I don't hate it, I must say that I still have to get used to it. Maybe in the coming days. LOL! I am not a fan of SNSD per see; I actually am an ELF, but I don't hate SNSD. I have listened to most of their songs since they debuted and I have some personal favorites from their previous albums as well. From a Kpop fan's perspective, I think they have grown a lot since 2007, and they are on full bloom at the moment.

I'm not saying that I hate The Boys, but I honestly like the other tracks in their third full-length album better than their title track.Two of my personal favorites are Sunflower and How Great Is Your Love. How Great Is Your Love is of particular interest because it was written by none other than SNSD member Sooyoung. She is not my favorite member of the group, but she is really outgoing and friendly. The song is very beautiful and it reminds me of those dramas that I used to watch during spring when I was a lot younger. Since winter is coming in most parts of the world except in where I am located, when I am listening to this song, it brings back a lot of memories. I just love the overall feel of the song! :) Sooyoung definitely did a great job. Although it's random, I am reminded of another SNSD member's (Yuri) self-composed track, Mistake. It was for their Hoot mini-album that was released around this time as well. It was a beautiful song, and I'm sure a lot of people was able to relate to it in one way or another after it hit the airwaves last year. While Yuri's song gives the feeling of heartbreak and regret, Sooyoung's song, on the other hand, gives the feeling that love is supposed to be a happy feeling and that loving in general is a happy and a wonderful experience. Check it out below!

SM Entertainment has finally revealed the MV teaser to Super Junior's next track. I have waited for this since the 19th, after their repackaged album was released, but there were no signs of life on the SM YouTube page these past few days. The channel was  literally peaceful and quiet and the only activity were from the annoyed fans who commented stuff like, "Heyyy SM! Where are the videos?"LOL! (The fans definitely have this love-hate relationship with the company. Haha!)


So far, I have been enjoying every single song in the repackaged album. The songs are very different from each other and yet, individually good to listen to. I'm not really fond of the title track, honestly. It has to grow on me yet, and I have to see the music video first before anything else. It's also something new for the group, and I'm sure many will be happy that they are not returning with an autotune song this time around. They also have this collab song with f(x), which is not really perfect in every way, but is interesting because of the witty lyrics, which was personally penned by the talented Suju members themselves. However, the two ballad songs stood out for me right then and there. Andante was beautiful (maybe I should write a separate post for this one...depends if I have enough time), and A Day was good. Hearing Heechul's voice all of a sudden definitely made me smile. :) With all of that said, I just can't wait for the full music video of A-CHA to be unveiled. (^___^)

Check out the MV teaser for the follow-up track to Mr. Simple, which is A-CHA, in the video below!

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!

This sub-group is definitely promising because it looks like they will be presenting a new and different sound compared to Girls' Generation's music as a group to Kpop listeners all over the world. As early as now, I am looking forward for a lot of wonderful and heartfelt ballads and maybe a little bit of jazz or acoustic tunes here and there. More than the concept or whatever, I just want to hear good music, and that's all that should matter. x

Riding on the bandwagon of companies releasing their very own Christmas singles and albums is the notable SM Entertainment, which released their much-anticipated Christmas (or winter) album today. It has been two years since SM released their last winter album, so it was somehow anticipated by many this time around. The powerhouse agency and its artists really did well this year, so an album like this is also a way of saying thank you to their fans for showing them a lot of love this year (Heh. More of like another expense). The title song of the album, by the way, was sung by resident SM boy group and Hallyu Wave leader, Super Junior. I don't know why, but that was, nevertheless, a wise choice. And I applaud SM for that. At last!

Even though Super Junior sang the song, their labelmates Kangta, BoA, TVXQ,  CSJH, SNSD, SHINee, f(x) and Zhang Li Yin can also be seen in the video. The song is great too! I initially thought they were going to sing it in Korean, so I was like, "Oh okay, Fingers crossed." But when I heard Kyuhyun sing, I immediately went, "Nawwww! It's English," and turned the volume of my laptop to a hundred percent to listen intently. LOL! This might sound crazy, but I didn't really understand what language they were singing (not until I reached the pre-chorus part). Haha! But then much to my surprise, I actually found it to my liking. "Engrish" usually annoys  the hell out of so many people in the K world, but after listening to it, it wasn't so bad after all. Yes, there were flaws here and there, but that was I think what made it extra cute. The final verdict: Everything's forgivable, and it's a happy song that is meant to be enjoyed during this time of the year.

I may have probably mentioned this before in my posts that one of my favorite Kpop songs of all time is Waiting. It was a ballad (about someone leaving suddenly without a word) that was released shortly after her debut. Until now, I still love that song! And that is something that no autotune or heavily synthesized Kpop track can beat, not even in a million years. Haha! My heart has a soft spot for her ballads because of reasons that I am not even certain myself. There's just something about BoA and her ballads that is magical. Whenever she sings a song, she always sings them with the right emotion and gusto. Her passion and dedication for music and for her craft is beyond amazing! Well, what do you expect? She has been around the industry since she was 13 and she has been making a mark in every step of her way.

My brother, who is not even a Kpop or an Asian music fan whatsoever, even likes her. He's like the biggest BoA fan, but she's probably the only Asian singer that he knows (and likes) apart from her SM Entertainment labelmate Super Junior (which bugs him because I spazz about them every single day). He doesn't know a single Korean word expect, maybe, "Hello", but he can sing Waiting from start to finish flawlessly  and effortlessly like a true-blue Kpop fan. (He even beats me in the delivery and overall feel. ROFL!) I even remember him bugging his friends to listen to the song a lot of times in the past. I don't know if he managed to even convert them (as BoA fans) in the long run, but if there's one thing that I am sure of, I know that because of the initial interest that they had in BoA's songs, they still listen to Kpop and Asian music until now.

Another favorite song of mine would have to be Stand By (Person Beside You) from her fifth Korean album that was released last year (Hurricane Venus). It was a beautiful song written by singer-songwriter Kim Dong Ryul and it is a heartbreaking story about a girl who is caught up in a one-sided love affair. It's a very painful song, if I may say, and I love how BoA sang it from start to finish. There are so many songs from her albums that I love, and I am always looking forward to listen to what she will come up next in the near future. This song, like most of her ballads, is a win right off the bat. I was actually  lucky enough to listen to this song even before the music video came out, and even though it was a short radio rip from a random Japanese music station, I knew right then and there that it would be amazing.

So check out the MV and the Japanese and translated English lyrics to Milestone below!

 

自分のことでさえ　分からないのに
I don’t even know about myself
あなただけに全て　分かってほしいなんて
I just want to know all about you only
言えないの知ってるけど
Although I can’t say it out,I know it
白い吐息を形にできたとしたら　伝わるかな
if the white breath takes a shape, I wonder if it will convey to you
季節が移るたびに世界が
every time the season changes, the world
感覚を追い越して行く
gets ahead of the feeling
そんな想いさえも
Even such thought
瞬きの間の刹那に消えて行く
disappears in a blink
気づかずにいられれば
That would be good
それで良かった
if I existed without being noticed
立ち止まればふと冬の毳
when I stop and stand there, the fuzz of winter suddenly comes

季節が移るたびに世界が
every time the season changes, the world
感覚を追い越して行く
gets ahead of the feeling
そんな想いさえ消えないように
I wish only such thought wouldn't vanish
体に 心に刻んで行く
etched in my body and heart

now hang on to this world
すごく早いから
As the time is still young
涙も笑顔も忘れないように・・・
I wish I won’t forget both the tears and smiles

季節が移るたびに世界が
even if every time the season changes, the world
感覚を追い越してどうしても
gets ahead of the feeling

揺るぎのない胸の my heart
My heart will never be shaken
そのたび　私が刻むから
Because I keep a record every time

 

Source: LegendofBoa5@youtube.com and oeker.net and cathy_chen@forums.boajjang.com for the Japanese and translated English lyrics, respectively. :D

Lately, I've been listening to SNSD's latest and third full-length album, The Boys. The girls recently made a comeback in Korea after a year since their last mini-album, Hoot. They were active in Japan during the first half of the year and they have had a very busy yet fulfilling 2011 even though there are more or less two months left until the year comes to a close. Their latest album contains 12 songs with Teddy Riley-penned The Boys as their title track that was released both in Korean and English this week. With all honesty, the song has to grow on me yet, so I can't say that I like it as early as now. Although I don't hate it, I must say that I still have to get used to it. Maybe in the coming days. LOL! I am not a fan of SNSD per see; I actually am an ELF, but I don't hate SNSD. I have listened to most of their songs since they debuted and I have some personal favorites from their previous albums as well. From a Kpop fan's perspective, I think they have grown a lot since 2007, and they are on full bloom at the moment.

I'm not saying that I hate The Boys, but I honestly like the other tracks in their third full-length album better than their title track.Two of my personal favorites are Sunflower and How Great Is Your Love. How Great Is Your Love is of particular interest because it was written by none other than SNSD member Sooyoung. She is not my favorite member of the group, but she is really outgoing and friendly. The song is very beautiful and it reminds me of those dramas that I used to watch during spring when I was a lot younger. Since winter is coming in most parts of the world except in where I am located, when I am listening to this song, it brings back a lot of memories. I just love the overall feel of the song! :) Sooyoung definitely did a great job. Although it's random, I am reminded of another SNSD member's (Yuri) self-composed track, Mistake. It was for their Hoot mini-album that was released around this time as well. It was a beautiful song, and I'm sure a lot of people was able to relate to it in one way or another after it hit the airwaves last year. While Yuri's song gives the feeling of heartbreak and regret, Sooyoung's song, on the other hand, gives the feeling that love is supposed to be a happy feeling and that loving in general is a happy and a wonderful experience. Check it out below!

SM Entertainment has finally revealed the MV teaser to Super Junior's next track. I have waited for this since the 19th, after their repackaged album was released, but there were no signs of life on the SM YouTube page these past few days. The channel was  literally peaceful and quiet and the only activity were from the annoyed fans who commented stuff like, "Heyyy SM! Where are the videos?"LOL! (The fans definitely have this love-hate relationship with the company. Haha!)


So far, I have been enjoying every single song in the repackaged album. The songs are very different from each other and yet, individually good to listen to. I'm not really fond of the title track, honestly. It has to grow on me yet, and I have to see the music video first before anything else. It's also something new for the group, and I'm sure many will be happy that they are not returning with an autotune song this time around. They also have this collab song with f(x), which is not really perfect in every way, but is interesting because of the witty lyrics, which was personally penned by the talented Suju members themselves. However, the two ballad songs stood out for me right then and there. Andante was beautiful (maybe I should write a separate post for this one...depends if I have enough time), and A Day was good. Hearing Heechul's voice all of a sudden definitely made me smile. :) With all of that said, I just can't wait for the full music video of A-CHA to be unveiled. (^___^)

Check out the MV teaser for the follow-up track to Mr. Simple, which is A-CHA, in the video below!

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!