This is the last post in the three part series. See Part I and Part II.
Historically, YG has never been one of the top record labels. True, they have been in the top three for the past decade but never seemed to have had the extra umph to trump SM and JYP in terms of having a roster of all-around megastar acts. Because of their heavy focus on hip hop, a niche genre, they have had difficulty appealing to the mainstream. Enter Big Bang and 2NE1. Two groups that have soared past the pop stratosphere and became overnight sensations. With Big Bang’s members also venturing off into very successful solo careers, and 2NE1 just whetting the appetites of Korean fans, does 2010 seem full of promise? You know the drill! Below, we score the former Seo Taiji Band star’s label.
In 2009:
-Big Bang scores high in Japan and receives the rookie award. +10
-2NE1′s debut becomes one of the hyped and successful in Korean pop history. +10
-Don’t know what’s more embarrassing for G-Dragon: the act of copyrighting in itself, or having had copied a song like Flo Rida’s “Right Round.” -9
-Big Bang’s members have extreme success with their solo activities with television hosting gigs, movie roles, solo music careers, and this. +8
-2NE1 sets off a national craze with “I Don’t Care” eh eh eh eh are. +8
-…And the same song is also sued for copyrighting infringement from Lionel Richie. -8
-The Dragon is going straight to jail. Er, maybe. -5
- Negative five points to 2NE1 just for my fear of lead singer, Park Bom’s collagen-filled lips — ticking time bomb just waiting to burst.-5
- We get that you like girls, Se7en, but do you have to bang it on the head that indeed, you like them girls? -9
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=depOL5JsTXk[/youtube] Continue Reading »
This three-part story continues from our Monday post here.
While Lee Soo Man may be residing in Westwood, CA, raising a teenage son, attending church regularly, and finding new business ventures in the states, his music label still functions productively–like the well-oiled machine churning young children in and out like robots– without him. And with so much success with Super Junior, who sold the most record in 2009, girl group, Girls’ Generation setting a national “Gee” craze, and the precious trend-setting teen group, SHINee, making old women swoon, to say the past year has been a success is an understatement. But how well exactly did they fare? The numbers don’t lie–below:
In 2009:
-Super Junior is hardly “Sorry, Sorry” for forcing citizens young and old to tap their left foot in, tap their right hand down, put their right foot in, do a few jaunty snaps, a couple of spins, and shake it all about. Okay, the Korean version of the hokey pokey it is. +9
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6QA3m58DQw[/youtube]
-Super Junior has the highest record sales of 2009, but realize there’s no monetary gain when there are 13 people to share the wealth with. +5
-”Gee” officially makes Girls’ Generation the new Korean girl group darlings. Wonder Girls who? +8
-Something both fantastic and elastic? Doesn’t sound too appropriate, but neither does SHINee’s Ring Ding Dong… -2
-But the song instantly propels the group into supergroup status “Kolak kolak kolak kolak kolak kolak...” So fantastic? +8
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roughtzsCDI[/youtube]
-TVXQ threatens to disband after they accuse their record label of failing to pay them for all their slave driving nonsense. A shady move by SM? You don’t say! -10
-Former Chinese member, Han Geng, sues SM for being unfair in their contract with him and he proceeds to part ways with the company. -8
-Apparently, the American public did not want some foreign boa to eat them up. Accordingly, the little boa proceeds to slither away back to where they came from never to return again. -9
-Whatever happened to this guy??
…2010?
-Super Junior continues without their useless members and tours throughout Asia and gets one year older, which is K-Pop age means retirement! -2
-Girls’ Generation’s newest single, “Oh,” debuts underwhelmingly. -4
-A source close to SM’s camp tells me exclusively that BoA is an overwhelming diva who refuses to work as hard as she did in her younger years. Finally, the girl starts being human and less robotic. +2
-SM continues to pimp out that one girl-boy, er boy-girl(?) f(x) member who’s as sexually ambiguous as that one girl from UP, as a ruse to appeal to more of Korea’s female fans. Completely awesome. +2
Total score: +4
The notorious label–known for chewing up and spitting out talent–goes on to slobber all over the Korean competition by pimping out their young’uns, but is unsuccessful in keeping their bigger ventures like BoA, and TVXQ content in the limelight.
Check back tomorrow for the last part in this series!
A female columnist for Central Michigan University’s student-run newspaper Central Michigan Life has urged her single readers to celebrate Korea’s Black Day in lieu of Valentine’s Day this year.
Black Day is an informal holiday celebrated by Korean singles on April 14 as an alternative to the coupled-up holidays Valentine’s Day on February 14 and White Day on March 14. Apparently the “black”-ness of Black Day isn’t meant to be gloomy and depressive, but “black” because you and your bachelor(ette) friends are supposed to gather together and stuff your gullets full of jajangmyeon and its signature black bean sauce.
Columnist Hilary Farrell says she’s moving Black Day up two months early this year, and explains her theory that Valentine’s Day is downright bizarre, using some historical references to ancient Romans sacrificing goats on what we think of as the most romantic day of the year. Well, maybe back in Rome a sacrificed goat was the modern-day equivalent of that blue Tiffany’s box. You never know.
Farrell doesn’t mention the jajangmyeon-gorging (talk about an omission!), but it’s nice to see Korean culture is making its way to places we’d never expect…places like Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, MI.
It’s okay, single folks! Korea’s got your back and your stomach.
Robert Park, the missionary that walked into North Korea with a message for Kim Jong Il, was released by North Korean authorities and arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday night. Robert Park did not speak to the media, but did allow the press to take pictures of him in the car, that he and his parents eventually rode off in.
According to older brother Paul Park, Robert doesn’t seem to be in any sort of harm, and is in good condition.
The elder Park couldn’t comment on the statements made by the North Korean government. According to the North Korean news agency, Robert was released because he expressed regret and admitted he was wrong about the country. Paul Park, also couldn’t say whether his brother accomplished what he set out to do.
“I didn’t talk about any of the specifics, as to what his goals were, but he’s in high spirits, and he’s really excited to be home,” says Park.
This ad by Benneton featuring Korean Oh Deungyong made me laugh. (video after the jump) Continue Reading »
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Featured Event
One of the the biggest Asian cinema events to hit Southern California opens on May 10. The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, presented by Visual Communications, features the latest works by established and emerging filmmakers, along with seminars, panel discussions and symposiums on topics relevant to Asian Pacific cinema.
Opening Night features “Shanghai Calling,” directed by Daniel Hsia and starring Korean American Daniel Henney, who plays a Chinese American expat lawyer navigating his way through the mean streets of Shanghai (the picture above also indicates he is a raisin smuggler). But does he take off his shirt? Go watch the movie to find out! read more
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