Stellar > Your K-Pop Faves

I don't get to feature as much K-Pop as I'd like on this blog but then I've always gone for quality over quantity. Cough. While less discerning blogs like The Prophet and Pop Reviews Now write about has-beens like KARA and 2NE1, I keep it classy by ruminating on the brilliance of underground icons like LPG and INY. You know, fearless pioneers whose artistry and elegance will stand the test of time. It's been a bleak couple of months in the K-Pop world but an act has finally come along that not only meets but exceeds my lofty standards. Stellar is - quite simply - your new favourite girlband. These four angels have the smouldering talent of Destiny's Child and the hood credentials of Electrik Red. Throw in the exquisite pronunciation of the iconic Ping Pong lady from Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert and you are left with the future of popular music.

Stellar is comprised of Ga-young, Jeon-yul, Lee Seul and JoA. They must have impressive connections because they somehow managed to nab Eric Mun of Shinhwa to produce their stunning debut "Rocket Girl". It doesn't matter that they can't actually pronounce the title ( it sounds like locket gur) and have the vocal prowess of an unautotuned Scarlett Belle, this is an addictive triumph that blends Eurohouse elements with dub-step to create something utterly ridiculous amazing. I particularly love the chorus and riveting rap. These girls are way too edgy for Korea! Proof in point is the fact that the video (below) was banned for sexual overtones and violence. Come again? My angels simply stun bad guys with water pistols they picked up from Toys R Us between killer dance moves. I smell a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top! Stellar clearly has the competition stressed, pressed and totally obsessed.
Source URL: https://popmusicrecords.blogspot.com/search/label/K%20Pop
Visit pop music records for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Kan Mi Youn & the K-Pop anthem of 2011

Korean pop music is on fire in 2011 with amazing acts like LPG and INY delivering some of the classiest anthems of the year. Well, you can add another name to that list of international superstars. Kan Mi Youn's "Paparazzi" is an absolute gem. This 80s flavoured floorfiller takes catchy to a whole new level with its insane chorus and cute vocal hooks. So who is this stunning diva? Well, she first came to fame in 1997 as part of Baby V.O.X - one of Korea's first all girl groups. The glamorous 29-year-old stuck around for 7 albums but went solo in 2006. In true pop trash style her ballad heavy debut was a massive flop, so for her second bite of the cherry, Kan Mi Youn embraced dance music and scored a top 10 hit called "Crazy". She's enjoying even more success with "Paparazzi" and it's easy to see why. This is ten kinds of fabulous and boasts equally an adorable video in which the diva stalks a soap star. As with most Korean film clips, the choreography is flawless and the proceedings are infused with bright colours and good humour. Why are no Australian pop tarts churning out stuff like this? Drop the guitars, girls. No one cares. Now put on a dress and hop to it!

Source URL: https://popmusicrecords.blogspot.com/search/label/K%20Pop
Visit pop music records for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Introducing INY - Korea's Hood Girlband!

It's official - Korea is the new home of popular music. Don't worry Mexico, you'll re-claim your crown when Lorena Herrera comes out of retirement! K Pop is seriously on fire at the moment. In the past couple of days the poptastic nation has blessed us with amazing anthems from Girl's Day, LPG and now INY. That's like the Spice Girls, Sugababes and Vanilla all debuting new material in the same week! I don't know how they do it. Where do they find all these stunningly talented girls? I'm starting to think they are genetically engineered in a lab. Take INY, for example. These angels are too lovely to be true. They have it all - looks, vocal ability and a disturbing rape fetish. Think of them as the Asian t.A.T.u! Here are ten reasons why INY is your new favourite girlband:

1. Their debut single "Shake It, Shake It" is a shameless rip off massive improvement on Ciara's "Love Sex Magic".
2. INY's gimmick is their street image - basically, they are presented as hoodlums who roam the streets of Korea stealing iPods from school girls. Bitches are HARD.
3. The video for "Shake It, Shake It" is as offensive as it is fabulous.
4. Highlights include muggings, attempted rape and even a murder!
5. The lead singer's red wig is everything that Riri's wishes it could be.
6. They wouldn't be an edgy girlband without some lesbian tension, which is duly provided in the video.
7. My fave (the stunning redhead) prevents her bandmate from being gang-raped and then takes her to a karaoke bar to celebrate. As you do.
8. Unfortunately, Korean rapists are persistent and the girls are pursued through the back streets of a slum and finally captured in a scene straight out of "Old Boy".
9. Happily, they are saved when their would be rapists accidentally murder another girl by mistake. Thug life!
10. The third band member appears in the tasteful video for ONE SECOND exactly.

Watch what is surely the most gripping video of 2011 below.

Source URL: https://popmusicrecords.blogspot.com/search/label/K%20Pop
Visit pop music records for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

We Speak No Americano - Korean Style!

The battle for Korea's girlband crown is over. Give up, Wonder Girls. Go back to hooking, 2NE1. Your cheap rayon wigs have been snatched by LPG! Just when I thought K Pop couldn't get any better (I've been listening to "Twinkle Twinkle" on repeat for days), these five angels have raised the genre to previously unimagined heights by covering Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP's 2010 smash "We Speak No Americano". That song was pretty much the soundtrack to my European jaunt, so it has a very special place in my heart and I love what the girls have done with it. There are new lyrics, a catchy chorus and even a stunning dance routine. I can't understand a word but I'm sure it's deep and meaningful given that they've changed the title to "Angry"!

So who are these artistic giants? Well, if my research is correct, they are Korea's trashiest act since my idol Mina. It seems the band is comprised of failed beauty queens, their name is an abbreviation of Long Pretty Girls and they have a penchant for releasing novelty songs - including a misguided attempt to revive the Can Can and a winter themed flop called "The Road To Ski Hill". I love them so much it hurts! And surely Korea will now embrace these stunning divas too. "Angry" is undeniably amazing and the video (below) is extremely cute. Before you experience the wonder of LPG, I need some advice. Where can I order a copy of this masterpiece? It must be mine!

Source URL: https://popmusicrecords.blogspot.com/search/label/K%20Pop
Visit pop music records for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Korean Diva Copies Kylie

Poor Ami Suzuki must be shaking in her stilettos. And, no. Avex hasn't kicked her to the curb - yet- for having more flops fan releases than Dannii. Rather, her cherished reputation as Asia's biggest Kylie copycat is under fire. The culprit that dares to fuck with the legendary Miss Suzuki? A newcomer from Korea called NS Yoon Ji (or NS 윤지 if you want to be fancy). As much as I want to hate this hot bitch for cutting Ami's grass, I can't. Stealing from Kylie is a sure sign of exquisite taste and her song is genuinely amazing. But before I get on to that - let's get the Minogue thievery out of the way. "X" must have left a lasting impression in Asia because the video concepts for "Wow" and "In My Arms" keep on getting recycled. NS Yoon Ji clearly believes that more is more and rips off both. The neon glow sticks and white wig (at approximately 35 seconds) are more than a little familiar, while the boxes that appear around the 1:10 minute mark will have you asking yourself - how do you describe a feeling?

Ok, so the video is less authentic than the Louis Vuitton purse you bought your least favourite aunt in China Town for $15 but that doesn't mean it's bad. Unlike the handbag. For starters, Ms Ji actually looks hot in that damn wig and dances up a storm with moves not seen since BoA's "Eat You Up" video. Extra points for paying homage to Dannii by re-enacting the telephone scene from "All I Wanna Do". You just know Ami is kicking herself for not ripping that off first! The song itself is a revelation. I haven't been this taken with a K-pop anthem since Mina released her last flop. "Dance" is a vocodered explosion of pop perfection. I love the catchy chorus and fierce production. However, the rap almost steals the show. "Shake it like a tambourine" is my new favourite saying! So where can you get NS Yoon Ji's modern classic? It's on her album (looks more like an EP to me) called "Time To Fly High". I'm not sure where to order a physical copy - I plan to ask random Koreans on the street - but it's pretty easy to find online. I think I have a new obsession...


Source URL: https://popmusicrecords.blogspot.com/search/label/K%20Pop
Visit pop music records for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

The Ultimate K Pop Diva

Fuck BoA, Utada and Ayumi. In my mind the ultimate Asian diva will always be Mina. No other bitch even comes close to matching the grace, poise and unparalleled trashiness of my Korean angel. Mina's nude photos transcend cultural barriers and her shameless publicity whoring is an inspiration to an entire generation. That's not even mentioning Mina's amazing string of stunning pop flops! Quite simply, this divine being is a beacon of light sent down from the heavens to entertain and guide us. Think of her as a mix of Dannii and Bionda with a twist of Melissa Tkautz for extra flavour. Yes, she really is that fierce! Here are ten irrefutable reasons why you should bow down and worship at the feet of this glorious diva.

1. Mina was discovered at the 2002 World Cup - wearing a Korean flag, a red bandanna and nothing else. Her luminous beauty caught the eye of the media and her photo was beamed around the world. As a result she became an overnight celebrity in Korea and somehow blagged a record deal.

2. Unfortunately, Mina's first single ("Answer The Phone") and debut album flopped miserably. Many dismissed the Korean beauty as a flash in the pan but she had other ideas.

3. Critics had to eat their words when Mina re-emerged in 2004 and actually scored a hit! "Turn Around" became something of an anthem and signalled Mina's move towards an urban pop sound. However, just when things were starting to look up, reports began circulating in the media that Mina didn't actually sing all the vocals on her second album and she left (ie. was dumped by) her record company.

4. The resilient diva bounced back again in 2006 by scoring a new record deal with EMI. She tried to use their international contacts to crack the European market with a pseudo cover of Holly Valance's "Kiss Kiss" but sadly no one was interested. Personally, I love Mina's version and desperately wish I could find a copy.

5. Mina then returned to Korea and released her third album. The lead single "Fly High" is a fabulous slice of electronic disco that Kylie or Madonna would be glad to call their own but, typically, it flopped. I hope Mina returns to this sound because "Fly High" is divine.

6. In the most desperate attempt to generate publicity in recent history, Mina releases a nude calender "to inspire Korea's athletes".

7. Questions are raised in the media about Mina's real age. She originally claimed to be in her 20s but eventually confesses to being 36!

8. Mina makes yet another comeback in late 2007 with her 4th album "Minastacia". Her sound and image (which basically involves wearing as few clothes as possible) are heavily influenced by urban pop and she hires female rapper Ak'sent to sing on the insanely catchy single "Look". The song and video are both brilliant and well worth checking out.

9. Mina doesn't let middle age stop her from posing in a school uniform on the cover of her amazing single "좋아" (above)!

10. The scandals continue in 2008 when Mina appears on the Chinese equivalent of "Dancing With The Stars" and gets 0 from all three judges for disrespecting the show and the audience! It seems her slutastic dance moves were too much for conservative China.

I have no doubt Mina will bounce back better than ever in 2009 - hopefully with a sizzling new album and some kind of porn scandal. She might not have the best voice in the business or the hottest producers but she's got style, attitude and charisma to burn. Mina, I love you!

Source URL: https://popmusicrecords.blogspot.com/search/label/K%20Pop
Visit pop music records for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

My Failed Asian Pop Festival

So I had this great idea a couple of weeks ago. Bored and repulsed by just about everything on Australian radio, I decided to devote my blog to the only region currently churning out great pop music with any regularity - Asia. The plan was pretty simple. I would hold a month long Asian pop festival featuring a selection of my favourite Japanese and Korean acts. I knew it would turn off a lot of readers but I've never let that stop me in the past. The first step was supposed to be easy. I needed a glamorous new banner to herald my brief transformation and reasoned that nobody represents Asian appreciation better than Miley Cyrus. In retrospect, it probably wasn't my wisest decision. The intention was to take the piss out Miley-gate (and rail against militant political correctness in the process) but I ran the design (above) by my Vietnamese BFF, who advised me against it - after she had finished laughing.

After binning Miley, I settled on something more inclusive and universal - smut. My second attempt at a new banner would simply feature some random dude wearing as little as possible. Easy, right? I thought so too before wading through a small mountain of porn to find an image that was sleazy without being too lewd. Do an unfiltered Google search for "Hot Asian Guys" to see what I mean! The final product (above) wasn't going to win me any awards but I was reasonably happy with it. On a whim, I decided to run it by a different friend who remarked that it looked like "a poster for a Thai sex holiday". Charming. By that stage my enthusiasm for the whole concept had started to wane. Everyone I had mentioned it to expressed a distinct lack of interest and somewhere along the way it all just became too hard, so I canned the idea altogether. Despite the fact that my Asian pop festival was a massive flop before it even started, it hasn't affected my love for the music. So instead of devoting an entire month to the genre, I'm simply going to feature Asian pop stars more regularly - starting with the Queen of Japanese dance (and Kylie's #1 fan) Ami Suzki.

I've written more about Ami than any other Japanese pop star on this blog. It's no exaggeration to say that she's one of my very favourite divas making music today. Her past two albums have been sublime and I'm still working on reviewing her latest opus "Supreme Show". That post will happen (I hope) but in the meantime, Ami has gone and recorded new music for an upcoming greatest hits compilation. Her new song "Reincarnation" was released in Japan this week and it represents a radical change in sound. No surprise given the absence of her usual producer Yasutaka Nakata (the current king of Japanese techno-pop). It took me some time to get into "Reincarnation", and while I still think it lacks the grandeur of "Free Free" or "One", it's nevertheless a great pop song. M-Flo's production is heavier and less melodic but there's no denying the originality on display. I just think the track needs a good edit. At close to 6 minutes, "Reincarnation" sounds more like an extended club mix than a pop song. Happily, the video clip (below) is something of a triumph. Ami looks lovely, the photography is gorgeous and there can be no claims of plagiarism this time around. Enjoy!

Source URL: https://popmusicrecords.blogspot.com/search/label/K%20Pop
Visit pop music records for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

The Wonder Girls

If I had to choose a theme song for January 2008 it would be a close call between Kylie's "Wow" and "Tell Me" by the Wonder Girls. While Dannii's sister and an obscure Korean girlband would initially appear to have little in common, both songs constitute a three and a half minute trip to pure pop heaven. I expect pop perfection from a Minogue but the magnificence of the Wonder Girls comes as a wonderful surprise.

I've always been slightly wary of Asian pop. As a general rule, I prefer my music in a language I can understand or at least vaguely follow. Then, there are the incredibly annoying J-Pop loons that pollute most music forums. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who can contribute to an Ayumi vs Utada debate most likely has an altar to the dark prince in their bedroom. Despite these considerable hurdles, I've found myself becoming increasingly fascinated by the Asian pop scene thanks to the expert guidance of my friend Nori, who has kindly introduced me to a cavalcade of fabulous acts - including the Wonder Girls.

A manufactured girlband with five members between the ages of 15 and 19, the Wonder Girls strike me as South Korea's answer to the Spice Girls - only with better hair and the ability to dance. The Wonder Girls hit it big with "Tell Me", an unfathomably catchy jam that topped the Korean sales chart for 7 weeks and went on to become the biggest hit of 2007. It's easy to see the appeal. "Tell Me" is undoubtedly a work of pop genius. From the clever sampling of Stacey Q's "Two Of Hearts" to the catchy chorus, the song stands out as an instant classic. Make sure you check out the fabulous video clip (below). The dance routine has become a phenomenon of its own in South Korea and the scene where the girls beat up a flasher belongs in the Pop Trash hall of fame!

Even if you usually steer well clear of foreign pop, take a chance on the Wonder Girls. "Tell Me" is one of those rare songs that transcends language.


Source URL: https://popmusicrecords.blogspot.com/search/label/K%20Pop
Visit pop music records for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection