Mizz Nina staged ‘Around The World’ with Jay Park

On 18 May, Malaysian global pop artist, Mizz Nina, staged her first ever major concert with an unique theme entitled, Around The World. For this explosive concert, K-pop star Jay Park flew in to Kuala Lumpur as special guest to perform alongside for their previous collaborative track, Around The World, which has garnered massive thumb ups by fans; both Mizz Nina and Jay Park’s alike.

For a more grandeur show, Mizz Nina’s former hip- hop group Tek Tarik Crew, her husband Noh Salleh, and Hidayati Yusop from Ahli Fiqir were also invited to the stage, formulating a winning list of artistes’ appearances to the delight of the concert-goers.

Eagerly, Mizz Nina started her 90-minute concert first with a series of English songs such as Just Do It, Hit Me Up, Away With You, What You Waiting For and Take Over. She took mesmerizing control of the fans with her distinct vocal, along with skillful dancers, and had the fans chanting along as she performed passionately on that one spotlight. With many changes of eye-catching stage outfits, Mizz Nina had certainly won well-deserved praises from fans for her utmost efforts to make this concert a special one.

Prior to the opening of the segment of Malay songs, Mizz Nina thanked sincerely to all fans as she was surprised to see many fans coming for her first major concert, and not forgetting her respectful parents who were watching her from the second floor of the venue, supporting their gorgeous daughter.

After expressing her gratitude to everyone, she then took the stage with her husband, Noh Salleh of band, Hujan, with a sweet and warming song titled, Kurnia, accompanied with guitar playing by her husband. With blue soft lights illuminating upon them, the whole venue instantly turned into a romantic scene where love was presented among the artists. Fans were absorbed into the sweet surreal scenic as the couple performed a duet, creating unforgettable around-the-world moments.

Before everyone started to forget Jay Park’s presence, the atmosphere was then brought to another level when the song Around The World came on. Fans started screaming as they knew that it was finally their K-pop prince’s turn to spin their world.

Jay Park made his first special appearance of the night with Mizz Nina for the hit collaborative track, Around The World. Both artists heated up the stage dynamically as they also grabbed the chance to showcase their unique dance choreography for the first time on stage together with more than ten dancers. Fans were all pumped up because they knew they were now the only first few fans ever to witness the two performing together on the same stage live.

Right after, Jay Park continued to take over the stage with his recent release, Joah, melting fans’ hearts, especially with lyrics ”You know that i love you, I’ll always be with you baby”. He then later turned up the party mood with an upbeat track, Nothing On You by B.o.B. Jay Park continued to heat up the stage with his final and last track for the night, an English version of Girlfriend. Fans could hardly restrain themselves as Jay Park displayed one of his most highly well-known creative skills, b-boying, and wowed everyone with energetic and smooth moves.

After Jay Park’s solo performance, Mizz Nina reappeared back on stage, dressed in dazzling outfit for another few more songs before wrapping up the concert.

It was one of such unforgettable nights that fans can always remember fondly in which they were finally being taken Around The World by Mizz Nina and Jay Park together. The experience was out of this world, fulfilled.

Hellokpop: We express our congratulations to Mizz Nina for having successfully held her first ever major concert, and special thanks to YZ International for the media invite.

Event covered: Seckvoon@hellokpop, 

Editor: Adrian@hellokpop

Ultimate K-Pop Survival Guide: Lee Hyori

 The second installment of our Ultimate K-Pop Survival Guide focuses on The K-pop Diva herself. Lee Hyori is someone we don’t really have to introduce to K-pop lovers, unless they are very new to the genre.

Disasters may change your life forever

Lee Hyori’s life story is that of a true Korean dream. Coming from a poor family, where her strict father wouldn’t even let her eat more rice than served, just to save money, she went on to be a sex symbol, fashion icon and celebrated emcee. She initially gained fame as the most beautiful member of iconic girl group Fin.K.L, passing auditions in 1998 without even having to sing. In 2003 she launched her solo career and immediately rose to the top of the charts and conquered the hearts of millions. She co-hosted popular variety shows like Happy Together and Family Outing. Just like most superstars of her standing, she also could not escape smaller scandals, like the notorious radio call-in from Rain or the plagiarism accusations of her 2006 song, Get Ya. However, the worst was yet to come.

In 2010, in her desperate attempt to outdo herself and her previous success, Lee Hyori vowed to become  a producer for her fourth album, H-Logic. However, after the release of her successful title song Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, netizens started to notice that other songs on her album had striking resemblance to foreign artists’ works. It turned out that six of her songs were compromised, or to state it bluntly: simply stolen from other singers. The “songwriter” of these six songs was a rookie musician named Bahnus, whose songs were selected by Hyori and her then-agency Mnet Media from 200 submitted demos of the same songwriter. In their hurry to produce the album (as Hyori admitted later on) they failed to properly screen his background and the songs. Bahnus apparently not only plagiarized the songs but also forged documents to support a false educational background in music. He was sentenced to jail time.

The events, however, did not stop here. Though Hyori thought she was a victim of Bahnus’  trickery, some critics attacked her, saying she delayed response to plagiarism claims and “fooled the public”. As she stated in SBS’ Healing Camp show, she felt embarrassed and ashamed and ended up drinking her sorrow away.

The rules of survival for Lee Hyori were as follows:

1. Get yourself together. When you reach the pitfall, it’s easy to give yourself to self-pity and do as Hyori did: drink. She needed the help of a good friend to realize she had to seek advice from a psychologist.

2. Get the best out of the worst. As her perfectly built ivory castle crumbled, she started to see the world in a new light. She realized how much she depended on what others thought about her and how little she cared for her own needs. She began to write for newspapers and became a columnist, getting praised for her sense of humour, her wit and her clear writing style. She discovered the joy of giving and became an advocate of animal rights and the well-being of the elderly. She gradually came to appreciate smaller pleasures of life over money and fame.

3. Turn your world upside down. During her self-reflection, Hyori’s world literally turned upside down. She sold her glamorous car and luxury villa and moved to a less spectacular house.  She started to date an “ordinary” man who was unlike any of her previous boyfriends. She became a vegetarian and adopted a stray dog.

4. Dare to restart. After the collapse, Hyori dared to show herself again. First only on television programs and in advertisements, then news surfaced that she would be coming back with a brand new album.

After a three-year hiatus and multiple release pushbacks, Lee Hyori finally reappeared with a new song, titled Miss Korea (co-written by her boyfriend), and immediately swept the charts. Her 5th album Monochrome is due on the 21st of May.

What can we learn from Lee Hyori’s story? Well, as you could see, sometimes the worst that could happen to you might bring you a chance to transform your life for the better and realize the essence of happiness lies in small joys.

Banner created by Sovany Nguon
Photo source: B2M Entertainment
Sources: SBS Healing Camp ep. 39, 40, The Korea Times

Quick Reviews: Nah Youn-sun, Lee Soo-young, Pinodyne, Zion.T, Kwon Soon-kwan, CHEEZE, Taru, Lucia, Cho Yong-pil, Dear Cloud, Kim Bada, 4minute, SHINee, Geeks, and Younha

During the five weeks over which I’ve taken a break from reviews, we’ve seen some major releases make waves. In case you’ve missed some, here’s an even-quicker-than-usual overview of fifteen notable albums from that time period. (Full-length reviews and regular Quick Reviews will return next week.)

Nah Youn-Sun – Lento

Release: March 12, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Hub Music/Vitamin Entertainment
Genre: Jazz, blues
Reviewer Rating:

Nah Youn-sun‘s vocals are more charismatic and incisive than ever. The veteran jazz vocalist is a dazzle as she refuses to be outdone by an instrumental supporting cast as intense (Momento Magico) as it is exotic (Soundless Bye). She burns with passion, celebrates in fashion, laments with aridity, and evokes with acidity. There are enough breathtaking moments here to fill an entire discography; taken as a whole, it’s one of the most forceful, deliberate vocal performances in the history of Korean jazz. This eighth album is a spellbound moment and an early candidate for album of the year.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Lento
2. Lament
3. Hurt
4. Empty Dream
5. Momento Magico
6. Soundless Bye
7. Full Circle
8. Ghost Riders in the Sky
9. Waiting
10. Arirang
11. New Dawn

Lee Soo-young – 클래식: 더 리메이크 두번째 (Classic: The Remake, Second)

Release: March 28, 2013
Producer/Distributor: T Entertainment/Neowiz Internet
Genre: Ballad
Reviewer Rating: 

Has it really been nine years since the first one of these? Lee Soo-young returns to pure ballad as she tackles another set of (newer) classics, and she’s as fluent as ever in the language of massive orchestration and gliding melodies. The sequel isn’t quite as good as the original: there are glimpses of ambitious instrumentation (most notably 희재 (Hee-jae) and 인연 (Serendipity)), but the exquisite balance enjoyed by the first Classic: The Remake (2004) is missing here, as is a mold-breaking curve ball like that album’s 누구라도 그러하듯이 (As It Is For Anyone). But while we’re waiting for Lee’s tenth studio release, this tender collection will do nicely.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. 사랑하면 할수록 (The More I Love) – Original by Han Sung-min, 2003
2. 희재 (Hee-jae) - Original by Sung Si-kyung, 2003
3. Donde Voy – Original by Tish Hinosoja, 1999
4. 제3한강교 (Han River Bridge #3) – Original by Hye Eun-yi, 2006
5. 인연 (Serendipity) - Original by Lee Seung-chul, 2004
6. 모처럼 (For Once) - Original by Yoon Jong-shin, 2000
7. 눈의 꽃 (Snowflake) - As remade by Park Hyo-shin, 2004; original by Mika Nakashima, 2003
8. 옛 이야기 (Old Story) – Original by Kim Kyu-min, 1991

Pinodyne – PINOcchio

Release: April 2, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Hi-Lite Records/Genuine Music
Genre: Hip-hop
Reviewer Rating:

Soul Fish and Huckleberry P both have sleek, easy-going styles, but production of the former kind is becoming more common (and even expected) in this scene. The lyricism is what sells this sophomore album, so it’s a great thing that Huck P is thoroughly entertaining. 걸리버여행기 (Gulliver’s Travels) puts cheeky metaphor and allusion to satirical use, while 손만 잡고 잘게 (I’ll Sleep Just Holding Your Hand) has a believably playful dynamic of sexual tension. When the rapper is not being funny, he excels at injecting listeners into a persona. We see from the perspectives of an allegorical Huckleberry Finn; a hitherto-sheltered young adult taking his first step outside; a younger brother who can’t live up to expectations set by his sibling; a single mom fighting for her child; and so on. It’s Huck P’s vivid language that makes these characters come alive and portray a snapshot of our lives.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Chapter 2. 다음 장으로 (To the Next Chapter)
2. 걸리버여행기 (Gulliver’s Travels) Part 1 – Featuring Evo
3. 캥거루 (Kangaroo) – Featuring Jerry.K, NuSoul
4. 허클베리 핀의 모험 (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) – Featuring Koonta
5. 오후 2시 (2 P.M.) – Featuring B-Free, Soul One, Paloalto
6. The Lotto
7. 토요일 밤 (Saturday Night) [Skit]
8. 손만 잡고 잘게 (I’ll Sleep Just Holding Your Hand) – Featuring Kwan, Satbyeol
9. 쓰다 (Bitter) – Featuring Kim Sa-rang
10. 벽 (Wall) – Featuring Ben
11. Re: 허풍쟁이 (Boaster) – Featuring Crucial Star
12. Pain – Featuring Junggigo
13. 고마워서 (Because I’m Thankful) – Featuring Soulman

Zion.T – Red Light

Release: April 9, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Amoeba Culture/Loen Entertainment
Genre: R&B, hip-hop
Reviewer Rating:

How do you stop something that’s unstoppable? It’s a legitimate question when it comes to this ridiculously prolific, uniquely gifted vocalist. Zion.T‘s long-awaited debut album meets all the hype and then some; it’s got bold directing, imaginative and polished beats, and freedom of flow without losing focus. Tying it all together is, of course, the man’s golden voice. He wields that inimitable croon like a motor boat, floating and bobbing along for the most part but sometimes steering with gusto. He often switches styles multiple times in the same song, and isn’t afraid to recruit a little electronic help to fill up space. We knew Zion.T had mastered the voice; now it seems like he’s mastering everything else. He’s still just twenty-four, by the way.

Tracklist (recommended tracks in bold)

1. O
2. Doop – Featuring Verbal Jint
3. 도도해 (Sassy)
4. She – Featuring Beenzino
5. Neon
6. Babay – Featuring Gaeko of Dynamic Duo
7. 지구온난화 (Global Warming) – Featuring YDG
8. 뻔한 멜로디 (Predictable Melody) – Featuring Crush
9. Doop – Instrumental
10. Neon – Director’s Cut
11. Click Me (2013) – Featuring Dok2

Kwon Soon-kwan – A Door

Release: April 11, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Happy Robot Records/Neowiz Internet
Genre: Pop, ballad
Reviewer Rating:

Almost every track on A Door is engaging within the first ten seconds. That’s a testament to the power of Kwon Soon-kwan‘s brilliance with instrumentation. Into a broadly pop-rock base, he brings in brass and strings, staccatos and fuzz. Under Kwon’s direction these become dense, highly complex tracks – for example, note the background activity in Keep Going - that still remain accessible for anyone by way of broadly stroked melodies and efficient layering. This sophistry sets the No Reply vocalist’s solo debut apart from other albums in the genre, and gives him a better stage to what he does just as well: tell fascinatingly evocative stories.

Tracklist (recommended in bold)

1. Home Again
2. 그렇게 웃어줘 (Just Smile Like That)
3. 우연일까요 (Is It Coincidence)
4. Keep Going
5. 건너편 (The Other Side)
6. 긴 여행을 떠나요 (Go On a Long Journey)
7. Tonight
8. 별 (Star)
9. One More Time
10. 변하지 않는 것들 (Things Unchanging)
11. A Door

CHEEZE – Recipe!

Release: April 16, 2013
Producer/Distributor: RealCollabo/CJ E&M
Genre: R&B pop, jazz
Reviewer Rating:

Recipe! is, I imagine, exactly the kind of album that RealCollabo was created for. CHEEZE examines slices of daily lives, ranging from love at first college project to falling asleep while getting over an ex. Vocalist Dalchongi‘s performance is appropriately sweet to accompany the two producers’ muted, sleek pop-ballad beats. The supporting cast (including Winterplay trumpeter Lee Joo-han) is discreet but adds crucially to the album’s quality. Recipe! is delightful through and through.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Intro – Narration by David a.k.a. Kim Sung-won
2. Have A Nice Day
3. 조별과제 (Group Project)
4. 망고 (Mango)
5. 개와 고양이 (Dog and Cat) – Interlude
6. 우리는 네발로 걷지 (We Walk on Four Legs)
7. 이 밤 (Tonight)
8. Sleep
9. 결혼해주오 (Marry Me)
10. 빠빠빠 (Ba ba ba) – Featuring Brothersu
11. From – Featuring RealCollabo
12. 누가 우리 치즈를 옮겼을까 (Who Moved Our Cheese)

Taru – Puzzle

Release: April 17, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Sony Music
Genre: Pop, ballad
Reviewer Rating:

Puzzle is decidedly more rock-focused compared to Taru‘s previous works – there’s a modern-rock and alternative undercurrent lasting the duration of the album. As a result, the album gains some of the driving power that was lacking in those older works, but it loses the moments of rawest emotion that 100 Percent Reality (2011) evoked. To me, this is a net loss. 기침 (Cough) does not quite replicate the gut-wrenching impact that 지금이 아니면 (If Not Now) or 여기서 끝내자 (Let’s End It Here) delivered. If we ignore this, Puzzle has some great moments (mostly in its up-tempo pop-rock variants) amongst a few duds. Encouragingly, she’s still sticking to her motto – making “music that comforts”.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Puzzle
2. Rachel
3. Kiss You
4. My Sun
5. 새벽의 저주 (Curse of the Morning)
6. 기침 (Cough)
7. Carrie
8. 너와 사귀어 주지 말걸 (Shouldn’t Have Dated You)
9. Bad Commenter
10. Ending

Lucia – 꽃그늘 (Flower Shade)

Release: April 18, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Pastel Music/Danal
Genre: Ballad, pop
Reviewer Rating:

Lucia doesn’t really seem to do sad songs – melancholy, sure, but not full-on minor-chord sorrow. (Here’s exhibit 1 and exhibit 2.) So it’s surprising to see a somber lead single from her: 그런 계절 (Such a Season) opens with a desolate intro not out of place in a tragic historical drama and builds with Lucia’s characteristically delicate lyrics. Before long, we have an impeccably detailed and aching waltz. Lucia returns to regularly scheduled programming soon enough, but with no true killing track out of those, Such a Season leaves a very lasting impression.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. 사과꽃 (Apple Bloom)
2. 그런 계절 (Such a Season)
3. 실편백나무 (Real Cypress)
4. 5월의 당신은 (You in May)
5. 담담하게 (Serenely)

Cho Yong-pil – Hello

Release: April 23, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Pil Records/Universal Music
Genre: Pop, ballad, rock
Reviewer Rating:

There’s not much more I can say about the artist; Cho Yong-pil is hands-down the greatest legend in Korean music, the country’s most famous and most widely respected musician. But for that matter, that’s not much new for me to say about the album, either. As one of the most anticipated albums of the last decade or so, Hello has produced quite a bit of informal literature to go along with explosive popular reactions. Let me say this, then: people are right that Mr. Cho’s 19th studio release is not the kind of masterpiece they were hoping for. Others are also right that his boldness in embracing electronica and pop-rock and his deftness using them are both impressive. Hello is still an excellent album, displaying in many ways the marks of an artist who most definitely knows what he’s doing. I think this album is likely to end up being transitional: a release that shows Cho Yong-pil’s creative juices haven’t gone anywhere and that he can adapt to changes, to be followed up by a 20th album that is the masterpiece that people are waiting for. That’s also the hope.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Bounce
2. Hello – Featuring Verbal Jint
3. 걷고 싶다 (Want to Walk)
4. 충전이 필요해 (Need Charging)
5. 서툰 바람 (Clumsy Winds)
6. 말해볼까 (Shall I Say)
7. 널 만나면 (When I Meet You)
8. 어느 날 귀로에서 (One Day on the Way Back Home)
9. 설렘 (Flutter)
10. 그리운 것은 (Things I Miss)

Dear Cloud – Let It Shine

Release: April 24, 2013
Producer/Distributor: MY Music/Mirrorball Music
Genre: Modern rock
Reviewer Rating:

Let It Shine is not too different from Bright Lights (2011); dreamy guitars, expansive melodies, and Nine9‘s reassuring husky tone all return here. Perhaps there’s a little more shade of post-rock, a little more shoegaze effect, a little more synthesizer. They are welcome additions, giving Dear Cloud’s music all the more scale and exhilaration. It’s not a real ambitious album, but that’s okay - See the Light and U are moving regardless. This band is already used to dreaming big.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. See the Light
2. 12
3. U
4. 하루만큼 강해진 너에게 (To You, Strengthened by a Day)
5. Polaris
6. 그대와 춤추는 밤 (A Night Dancing with You)

Kim Bada – N. Surf Part 1

Release: April 25, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Evermore Music/Mirrorball Music
Genre: Rock
Reviewer Rating:

As the man himself says, Kim Bada‘s EP is not of his more experimental ilk. It’s not quite like his Art of Parties work, either; N. Surf Part 1 is more mainstream-oriented, embracing electronica, pop-rock, and even a slow-jam ballad. It’s an unexpected turn for the power vocalist, and individual results are pretty impressive. Searching marries industrial and new wave into a heady mold, while 푸르게 떠나 (Leave in Blue) sees Kim subduing his edge and letting the Rhodes timbre fill the space. I think it’s too eclectic to be a cohesive body of work, but this EP manages to endow a 20-year veteran with the perception of limitless potential.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. N. Surf
2. Searching
3. 베인 (Cut)
4. 푸르게 떠나 (Leave in Blue)
5. 베인 (Cut) – Radio Edit

4minute – Name is 4minute

Release: April 26, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Cube Entertainment/Universal Music
Genre: Dance pop
Reviewer Rating:

As much as I seem to rag on the producer, I’ll grant that What’s Your Name? is leaps and bounds better than Brave Brothers’ other lead-single work of late. It’s got more life than Sistar19‘s Gone Not Around Any Longer and Son Dambi‘s Tears Flow put together. It inexplicably throws away all sustained buildup whenever it gets to the chorus, but there’s a good amount of tension elsewhere. That’s keeping in line with 4minute‘s return to aggressive club tune. Whatever allows Hyuna to show off some of the charismatic rapping she’s refined through Melting (2012) while also featuring the EP’s strongest vocal contributions. Gimme That and Domino are also relentless synth baths, which means this is a rare no-ballad release; that’s just as well, since ballads have often turned out to be filler for 4minute. Name is 4minute is loud and flashy – and thankfully, it doesn’t try to hide that.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. What’s My Name?
2. 이름이 뭐예요? (What’s Your Name?)
3. Whatever
4. Gimme That
5. Domino

SHINee – SHINee The 3rd Album Chapter 2. ‘Why So Serious – The Misconceptions of Me’

Release: April 26, 2013
Producer/Distributor: SM Entertainment/KMP Holdings
Genre: Dance pop, synthpop
Reviewer Rating: 

The follow-up component of SHINee’s third album is qualitatively on par with its predecessor. Just as in The Misconceptions of You, it’s hard to pinpoint any real weaknesses in either SM Entertainment’s game (flawless instrumental polish and effective sonic devices) or SHINee’s (ability to do anything asked of them and increasingly convincing vocal acting). The Misconceptions of Me is more theatrical, starting with the zombie-themed adrenaline of Why So Serious? to scene-setting Excuse Me Miss, and it’s certainly emotionally darker. That means there’s a bigger onus on the vocalists to deliver more persuasive performances, and everybody – I mean everybody - passes with flying colors. I think this is actually a collection of better songs, if not a better collection of songs, compared to Chapter 1. I see now that throwing these parts together into one album really wouldn’t have worked, although a part of me does want to see an 18-track idol album in the 21st century. It’d be like H.O.T.‘s I Yah! without the talk tracks.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Nightmare
2. Why So Serious?
3. SHINe (Medusa I)
4. 오르골 (Orgel)
5. Dangerous (Medusa II)
6. Like a Fire
7. Excuse Me Miss
8. Evil
9. 떠나지 못해 (Sleepless Night)

Geeks – Backpack

Release: April 29, 2013
Producer/Distributor: WA Entertainment & Grandline Entertainment/KT Music
Genre: Hip-hop
Reviewer Rating:

There’s hip-hop lite and rap ballad galore in Backpack, which doesn’t exactly give Geeks the best genre advantage towards being taken as heavyweights. The duo seems okay with that, though, because they show remarkable focus in making this debut album as friendly and accessible as possible. Wash Away and 집앞에서 (At the Front Door) bring the impact early, but the remainder of Backpack is mostly laid-back production and mellow lyricism. Not a terribly interesting release just yet, but their passion is palpable.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Lights On
2. Wash Away – Featuring Ailee
3. 집앞에서 (전화 받지 마 Part 2) (At the Front Door (Don’t Pick Up the Phone Part 2)) – Featuring Crucial Star
4. It’s Raining (Skit #1) – Song by Stella Jang
5. 비가오네 (It’s Raining) – Featuring Park Su-min
6. Backpack
7. Getting on You – Featuring DJ Dopsh
8. 아마 (Maybe)
9. 어때 (How Are You) – Featuring Harim
10. 잉여인간 (Waste of Space) (Skit #2) – Song by Stella Jang
11. 잉여인간 (Waste of Space)
12. Siren – Featuring Swings
13. Love, Life 그 한가운데서 (In the Midst)
14. 헌신 (Sacrifice)
15. 유언 (Last Words)

Younha – Just Listen

Release: May 2, 2013
Producer/Distributor: wealive/CJ E&M
Genre: Ballad, modern rock
Reviewer Rating:

It’s two consecutive bold moves for Younha. Having carved out a modern-rock template for her future in Supersonic, she branches out a little further in this breather of an EP. Three tracks – Fireworks, 우리가 헤어진 진짜 이유 (The Real Reason We Broke Up), and 바다아이 (Ocean Child) – appear to be direct extensions of Supersonic’s atmospheric and driving musical themes, and these are all powerful. The one new trick displayed here, the reggae infusion in Just Listen, offers treats in the form of visceral groove and sophisticated arrangement. The other tracks are more predictable and bog the EP down, but this is another solid addition to a burgeoning discography.

Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)

1. Just Listen – Featuring Skull
2. Fireworks
3. 우리가 헤어진 진짜 이유 (The Real Reason We Broke Up)
4. 봄은 있었다 (There Was Spring)
5. 아니야 (That’s Not It)
6. One Fine Day
7. 바다아이 (Ocean Child)

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the reviewer and not of hellokpop as a whole.

Agree or disagree? Or have a recent release that you’d like to see reviewed? Let us know with your comments below! Requested albums will be considered each week and may be selected to be reviewed in the subsequent week.

Sources: Photos – Daum Music

PSY takes criticism like a gentleman & talks about the music video

Recently, the mother father gentleman PSY visited FUSE TV and was asked to share his opinion on the insult made by Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong via his Instagram. They were referring to the Green Day front-man posting a picture of PSY with an  negative comment stating: “This dude is the herpes of music. Once you think it’s gone, it comes back. #herpes #flareup #pleasegoaway”

PSY, who was unaware of the comment, was confused and it had to be explained to him that herpes is a bothersome disease that doesn’t go away. Despite the harsh words; PSY handled the situation professionally by replying to Mr. Armstrong gently. PSY said “He said, I’m like the herpes… That keeps coming back. I think it’s really cool. Thank you” and ended with a smile.

Check out how PSY reacts to the news at the video below:

In addition, PSY also talked about his latest Gentleman music video secrets including the meaning and concept of the song, as well as the choreography and his MC Hammer-style parachute pants. PSY also revealed that among the many scenes of pranks pulled in the video, he at least experienced one himself previously. Furthermore, PSY also mentioned the Brown Eyed Girls and their Abracadabra choreography and his purpose and good intention of reusing their choreography.

Watch PSY reveal all below: 

 Sources: News –  FUSE.TV; Video – (1)  (2); Instagram – @bj_unoxx

Gate Flowers: We want to be known as a Rock Band

It is 6pm in Tunbridge Wells and here I am sitting down with the four members of Gate Flowers in the backyard area of the Forum – last year NME’s best little venue of the UK. Galaxy Express is currently doing an enticing sound check and we have to occasionally lean close across the table to hear each other. Gate Flowers’ Seung Shik is seated right in front of me and I quickly find out that he is the English spokesperson of the group with his English proficiency as fluent as mine. On his right is Jae In (Bass), Jong Eun (Drums), and Keun Hong (Vocals) on the side. Not knowing what to expect, I browse through my list of questions jolted down the day before after much thoughts and fire off this interview with some easy pedestrian questions:

How was your flight?

Seung Shik: 12 hours. No jet lag. We’re adjusting perfectly fine.

Is it your first time in the UK?

Seung Shik: No, our drummer and I came before for a trip, but it’s our first time playing here.

What does this tour represent for you?

Seung Shik: Well it’s our very first time playing in the UK and also our very first international tour. We had opportunities before but we were just too busy with things happening in our own country, so we’re very excited.

You have a couple of English songs but overall you use very little English into your songs. Could you describe your lyrical themes to our readers?

Seung Shik: Our singer writes all the lyrics. He writes about himself, his personal views, ideas, his feelings, everything that is related to him: the society, the world, politics, relationships.

Encouraged by the group’s kindness and attention, I thus ventured to take this interview out of its comfort zone to dig a bit deeper.

And how do the other members relate to it?

Seung Shik: We think the music is as important as the lyrics. He can write a poem but the music is our rhythm. We have a very strong rhythm section. Our drummer is excellent and so is our bassist. He’s very versatile; he can do rock, he can do folk; he can play any kind of stuff. He has his own style and me too. We don’t like anything that’s average, just normal. We want to come up with our own stuff.

How much control do you want to have over your sound? Do you spend a lot of time rehearsing and recording to get it right or do you just go with the flow and let your instincts speak?

Seung Shik: We want every member to have his own part. Sometimes we fight, within our song, musically and sometimes verbally. But after all, what we want to do is not to show what we have individually but what we have as a band. So, control? We fight until all our sounds mingle together. There is an unspoken rule of control. We never talk about it. When someone has a sound that we like, we just go with it and let the drums, the bass and the guitar mingle with it on their own time with their own sound.

By listening to your last album ‘Times’, it seems there is a lot of Mark Knopfler or even B.B. King in the way the guitar interacts with the other element of the songs. Are those guitarists personal inspirations for Seung Shik?

Seung Shik: Of course I love Mark Knopfler and it’s interesting that you mention it. Our EP, the one before Times, has more guitar presence within the music because, during that time, for our EP, most of the songs started from the guitar riff. But our Times album is well balanced, meaning the guitar took less control over the music.

But do you consciously try to give a distinct sound to the guitar as in there seems to be a dialogue between the guitar and the other instruments underneath the vocals?

Seung Shik: We try to have a distinct sound for each instrument, but also to find the right balance as a group. So for Times, I tried to balance the guitar more evenly with the other members. You should listen to the bass, and the drums, they’re really nice (laughs).

Keun Hong: When someone listens to our music he can hear all different parts doing their own thing, but after all they all come together.

I couldn’t be more pleased with the response from Gate Flowers. As we exchange conversation, I can feel the group’s eagerness, expectations and ambitions; as well as their passion, admiration of one another’s talent and the growing enjoyment of this unconventional interview. At this point, there was one question burning my lips that fuelled some warm discussions among the groups.

In coming to this UK tour do you feel like an ambassador for the Korean indie rock scene or are you just representing Gate Flowers?

Jong Eun: Both.

Do you feel you have a mission to make the Korean rock scene more well-known?

Jong Eun: We feel the responsibility.

Keun Hong: Of course we can be categorized as a rock band of Korea because we sing in Korean. But we don’t want to be compared as a Korean rock band. We just want to be known as “a band”, not in Korea, but just a band. We don’t want to be compared as a Korean rock band just because we sing in Korean.

Jong Eun: Our music is part of a very popular genre in the Western parts of the world, especially in the UK and in America. We want to be known as a band from Korea, but before all, as a rock band.

Seung Shik: Of course we feel the responsibility, we are very responsible because we are from Korea and there is great rock music in Korea so if they can have some kind of attention, I mean have a blow, it’s great, but first and most of all we want to be known as a rock band.

Keun Hong: Even our music isn’t mainstream rock from Korea. Our style is definitely different from Korean rock music; we think we’re different from Apollo 18, Galaxy Express or Goonam which are the other bands on the tour,

Jae In: Or even Guckkasten.

Keun Hong: We think we are mainstream; that we became mainstream because of the TV show ‘Top Band’. And before that we didn’t get much attention, even in the Korean rock scene.

Seung Shik: I’d just like to add that TV show is really important for us. We cannot deny it; because we were in the Korean rock scene before Top Band and we sold about 200 copies of our albums. Even after the KMA (Korean Music Awards where Gate Flowers won Best Rookie and Best Rock Song for Reserve Army in 2011) we sold about 50 more; so altogether about 250, maybe 300. I know it’s pretty embarrassing but we weren’t embarrassed because it’s the listeners; they didn’t know about us but we were always there. And now they treat us like idol groups. I mean after Top Band, the venues were packed. Without any promotion we would fill 100 or 200 people capacity venues easily; and we almost sold out about a thousand shows after that, all of them in just day or not even. And we were upset, because we were always there. In Korean rock, we were minors.

And now you are big?

Seung Shik: We got bigger; but we still want to get bigger, meaning we want to promote our music to more people who might like our stuff.

So you are not restricted to Korea?

Seung Shik: No, and that’s really important. Our international audience is really important to us. Very very important, that’s what we try to work on. This is our very first night in the UK and we are opening the show. It’s very important; I hope this is going to be the beginning of all. But we’re not on a mission as the very first Korean rock band or representing Korea. We have the responsibility because we are from Korea and there are other great musicians in our country and of course we want them to have this kind of chance.

Do you have any plan to conquer bigger audiences inside and outside Korea?

Seung Shik: We are working on it. But nothing is really sure yet, and you know, gigs like this are important, and maybe next year we’ll do ‘South By Southwest (SXSW)’. We try to do international festivals.

Keun Hong: Also we are going to write in English.

What makes you different as a group? What is your asset?

Jae In: We are spontaneous and dynamic; there is this “spur of the moment” thing within our sound.

So do you rely on your live shows a lot?

Seung Shik: Live shows are very important. We jam. There is this moment, this very particular moment that everybody likes, and we want to capture that moment into recording, and into live as well. We are very flexible, it’s not like we are only equipped into doing one thing with the only aim of conquering the stage; we’re not doing this. We want to enjoy the moment, the four of us, as a group.

Unwillingly, we have to put an end to our interview as we exceed the allowed time of no more than 12 minutes. I am seduced by each member’s quality on the recordings; this interview makes me discover four passionate and affable artists. They will open the show tonight, the very first of this Korea Rocks Tour, and though I find it rather too short, I am totally blown away by their live abilities.

This is not any typical interview and encounter with a Korean artist with restrictions but I am granted full freedom of my questions which I take advantage of to reveal more about the band to all our readers. I would like to sincerely thank Gate Flowers for their honest and precious answers.

I say, what can we learn from this interview? Not only Gate Flowers is driven by passion, but they are taking their nascent international fan base with the utmost concern. They have made the efforts to come half way across the world to join this tour and appear adamant to create international connections with fans and press alike. Having such a proficient English spokesperson such as Seung Shik is an asset for their international expansion; but it would be nothing without their undeniable talent as group. As he himself said, “I hope this [tour] is going to be the beginning of all”, and it could very well be!

On behalf of hellokpop, I would like to wish them the greatest of success outside their frontiers as a rock group. They have now opened up to the world; I hope it will not take as much as an international TV show to bring them the attention they truly deserve.

You can read the following related stories from the Korea Rocks Tour at Tunbridge Wells:

• Concert report
• Interview with Galaxy Express
• Interview with Goonam
• Interview with Apollo 18

Coverage provided by Marty M.
PR/Technical Assistance provided by Nicole@hellokpop.com

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