TVXQ to Malaysia fans: “Aku cinta pada mu!”

TVXQ;  Changmin and Yunho, presented themselves in the press conference at Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur as part of their ‘TVXQ! Live World Tour Catch Me’ at the late afternoon on 18 May.

The K-pop stars arrived on the soil of Malaysia at night on 17 May. In the next morning, the boys headed for the rehearsal prior before attending the press conference at Saujana Hotel in the afternoon. Dressed in black and white dashing suits, the duo made their way to the stage and greeted the media warmly in Korean, as well as in Malay, “Apa khabar? (which means how are you?) We are TVXQ”. Whenever the boys spoke in Malay which is the national language of Malaysia, they received encouraging applause. With that, the boys sat down and began the Q & A session.

How do you feel returning to Malaysia after 6 years?

Yunho: It’s been a long time since we have been to Malaysia. As always and as usual, everyone is welcoming us very heartily. Thank you everyone who welcomed us heartily and sorry to keep you all waiting for a long time.

When you came to Malaysia last time, there must be some good memories. This time round, what do you plan to do in Malaysia?

Changmin: Actually we came here last night and after the show we will straight go back to Korea. We have no time to tour around and I am sad for that. I hope to look around and hope to have more memories here next time.
Yunho: Usually during the tour concerts, we stay at hotel but this time we stay at a resort. This is a really good place, and I hope to come back here for the next visit. 

Do you like the sun and the hot weather?

Yunho: It is very hot. I like the sun.

About the concert tonight, what can the fans expect?

Yunho: This world tour in Malaysia, the concert venue, the stage and the distance are very near, I hope to get more eye contact with the fans and it will be fun thing during the show.
Changmin: It has been 6 years that we never visited Malaysia and it is  a long time, everyone is waiting for us and we are waiting for that too.

It is a world tour and every countries you have visited have different cultures. Do you have something special for the Malaysian fans?

Changmin: We will be doing the same as usual and we will showcase our personal talents, and it will be fun.

Do you want to know how to say I love you in Malay? It is aku cinta pada mu.

Yunho: Aku Cinta Pada mu~~

A lot of people want to know your personal life, what do you do when you have free time?

Yunho: I don’t have a lot of free time but if I have the time, I would play football. Especially with the summer coming, I would like to try scuba diving.

Your fashion style always attract attention and you follow the latest fashion trend. What would you prefer to wear on a normal day?

Yunho: I don’t think I am leading the airport fashion but thanks to everyone for looking at me. I am most interested in sandals. If I have a chance, I hope to show everyone my sandals.

After the final question, the press conference ended lasting about 20 minutes, which was followed by a brief photo taking session for the media. Next, they headed to the venue for the grand concert with eager fans already streaming in. On that day, everyone knows well that it will be the biggest stage ever TVXQ will present to their Malaysia Cassiopeia who have already been waiting for years. It was a dream come true.

Special thanks to JPM Music for the media invite

Event covered by Seckvoon@ hellokpop.com 

Lunafly: Singapore, best lah ~

Sam, Teo and Yun of Lunafly, proved their popularity once again, this time in Singapore with their recent showcase held at The Hard Rock Cafe on Sunday, 12 May.

Nega Network, home to famous girl groups Brown Eyed Girls and Sunny Hill, debuted a trio band, Lunafly, back on 27 September 2012, with their first single, How Nice Would It Be. Despite being an acoustic band, their passion in performing music is never lesser than any idol group. Previously, they promoted their works internationally in Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia,which received high interest and earned compliments. This time, they took another international step forward to meet Singapore Lukies (official fanclub’s name) in the country.

‘LUNAFLY Showcase Live in Singapore’ was held at the Hard Rock Cafe at 4pm on 12 May.  Despite the hot and humid weather, die-hard Lukies began lining up from 6am, even before sunrise. With international fans coming from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Japan to catch the showcase in Singapore, the regional popularity of the band is undeniable.

When the boys entered the stage dressed in edgy black and white outfits, their Lukies entered into an immediate state of wild and endless screaming. They quickly greeted their beloved Singaporean fans with a warm introduction. Half British Sam was overwhelmed and expressed in fluent English that the three of them were very happy to be in Singapore to meet their fans. Without further ado, the boys took the stage with their song, Clear Day Cloudy Day. Fans chanted to the song all along in harmony.  The boys were utterly taken aback at how well the Lukies could sing.

Being a YouTube sensation covering songs of global artists, Lunafly continued the showcase with a series of song covers, such as Justin Bieber’s Baby, Maroon 5′s This Love and Bruno Mars‘s Lazy Song. In between the performances, Yun and Teo cheekily showcased their English speaking abilities. Being the maknae, Yun, who was so shy to speak, spat out ”Singapore, best lah~”(Lah is a type of Singaporean slang that most Singaporeans use to end their sentences) when he was asked by Sam how he thought of Singapore so far.

Teo, who was eager to showcase his English skills, pulled a joke on his hyung by saying: ” You are half English?’‘ when Sam said he has a strange English hair.  Sam responded with ” You just found out ? ” to Teo’s funny remark. Teo could never stopped with his silly English as he expressed himself that he is a half giraffe and half pigeon, causing the burst of laughter from the fans. Despite the language barrier, the boys were still able to engage the fans with laughter.

After the quick fan chat, Lunafly took the stage again with one English track Endless Road by the Singaporean Chinese artist, JJ Lin. JJ Lin is known for his Chinese songs and the fans urged the boys to perform a Chinese track as well if there is a chance in the near future. Although Yun and Teo are both native Korean speakers, their enunciation to every single English word is concise and precise. The boy continued the stage again with Jessie J‘s Price Tag, Maroon 5′s Payphone and Super Hero from their first mini album and Bruno Mars’s Just The Way You Are before concluding first half of the showcase.

After the short break, the boys reappeared on the stage again with a 360 degree changed outfit dressed in colourful outfits portrayed in their first full-length album, Fly to Love. Second half of the showcase began with a cute rhythmic song, One More Step, to warm up the stage before turning up to an upbeat atmosphere with Van Gogh, melting the fans’ hearts with lyrics such as ‘‘Baby You and I~”. During the talk, Sam was surprised to see many lightsticks waving in the air. He said, ” What are all these lightsticks? I have never seen it before.’‘ All of them were actually Lunafly’s official lightsticks but it was their first time seeing it. Teo playfully borrowed one from the audience and began promoting the lightstick to the fans with his cute English. Later, they kept the show running with What Is Your Name and Seeing You or Missing you. The boys heated the stage more with Olly Mur‘s Troublemaker, 2 tracks from first full-length album; Innocent and Young, Fly to Love, Bruno Mars‘s Locked out in Heaven and finally last song of the day, 50 Ways to Say Goodbye by Train. The boys went off the stage right after the show and left the fans with chants of encore endlessly, wanting the boys to come back again.

As the chanting went louder and louder, the boys slowly reappeared on stage with encore to One Direction‘s medley; One Thing, What makes you beautiful and Live While We’re Young. The event was then followed by the photography session with the VIP ticket holders, wrapping up the night filled with elated Lukies.

Special thanks to JNation Entertainment for the media invite.

Event covered by seckvoon@hellokpop.com 

DJ Yup, Korea’s #1 DJ, says, ‘My shows are like my life, LIVE!’ and reveals the ‘real’ Brian Joo

They call him Korea’s number one club DJ, but to Jeon Sang Yup  (DJ Yup), that is nothing but a minuscule title. The decade-plus veteran of the DJ scene has performed at massively popular venues all over the world, collaborated with trendy and well-known K-pop artists, and has accumulated not only a highly dedicated domestic fan following, but also an international following that spans the globe. With fans from countries like Japan, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, the United Kingdom and the US, DJ Yup has become a widely sought after fan favorite at clubs the world over.

We at hellokpop, recently sat down with DJ Yup in Washington, D.C., before his very first performance in the city, to discuss how he got into the business, how the club scenes differ between the U.S. and Korea, how the PSY Phenomenon has affected the outlook on Korean artists, and what it was like working with Brian Joo from Fly To The Sky.

We first met up with DJ Yup and his good friend, translator and MC, Tony Henderson (Crazy T), at their hotel in Hanover, Maryland early in the day. After an impromptu photo shoot, several hours of casual conversation, and getting to know one another personally, we sat down together in their hotel room for a fun talk that felt more like “two friends catching up,” than it did an official interview.

Could you tell us a little about what made you want to be a DJ?

[DJ Yup] ”As I was growing up, I was always been in to music–mostly old school Hip-Hop and rap. I used to get recordings of music videos on VHS tape and watch them secretly. I have cousins that live in the States, and they would send me tapes to listen to. I’d watch MTV, record it, and listen to them over and over and over.”

His love of music is what compelled him to start a career in the field. When he was twenty, he started DJing in Korea under the tutelage of seasoned DJ’s. While he was learning the trade, DJ Yup worked long hours for little or no pay.  He was content with just learning.

[DJ Yup] “Korean clubs close at six in the morning. So, I would be there at 8 p.m., setting, and finish up around six. I did that for almost a year without any pay. It was hard, but I learned a lot.”

What is it about DJing you like the most?

[DJ Yup] “When you become one with the crowd and the crowd becomes one with you. It feels great. When I throw my hands up, the crowd does the same. We become in tune with one another. It’s beautiful.”

When you DJ, do you have a set list, or do you just make it up as you go along?

[DJ Yup] “Some DJ’s make a playlist beforehand, but I don’t. It’s live. A playlist is a good thing sometimes–it’s safe. But for me, free-styling is more exciting. My shows are like my life, live!”

Do you think the art of live DJing is more popular in Korea or in the US?

[DJ Yup] “It’s very popular in Korea. One thing is different though. In Korea, DJ’s only DJ. When I’m asked what I do for work, and I answer “I’m a DJ,” eighty-percent of people ask me why. In the States, if you’re good at something, people give you credit and respect. So, I don’t get that question.”

What are the latest trends in Korea when it comes to live DJing?

[DJ Yup] ” Electronic music is really hot right now in Korea. Korean DJ’s don’t usually play Korean music, but remixing Korean songs has become very popular now also.”

How has the DJ scene changed in the last five years or so?

[DJ Yup] “Hip-hop was very popular five years ago, but right now electronic music is in. Hip-hop DJ’s are hungry right now. They can’t spin big festivals or clubs, only smaller ones, because of EDM‘s (Electronic Dance Music) popularity. A lot of DJ’s change their music to fit trends, but with me, I play everything, because it’s the music that I like.”

We wondered how the explosion of PSY’s Gangnam Style and its global popularity has affected the DJing scenes both domestically and globally. So, we asked DJ Yup what he thought about the “PSY Phenomenon.”

[DJ Yup] ” We give thanks to PSY for being that first person to open that door, to give Korean artists the opportunity to become ‘known.’ He showed the whole world what we can do. He did it. He made it happen.”

We were curious as to how the views on nationality and race have changed since PSY’s historic rise to global fame. Music transcends all barriers of ethnicity, nationality and language, and has become a place where people from all walks of life intermingle happily together. However, Korean artists, unfortunately, still find that they are being discriminated against due to their nationality, and they are not always received with open arms. We asked DJ Yup how he handles these types of situations.

[DJ Yup] “I get it sometimes, but I don’t sweat it. The funny thing is, I usually just smile at them when I get comments like that and just show them what I can do. Afterwards, they become a fan and want to friend me on Facebook. [laughs]“

After discussing such a serious topic, we wanted to delve into something a little more fun and lighthearted. We asked DJ Yup about his experiences working with Brian Joo and sought out the answer to the burning question, “What is Brian really like?”

In 2011, You were the opening DJ for Brian Joo’s Unveiled Tour in the US. How was is like working with him on the tour? What is Brian really like in person, and would you be willing to work with him again in the future?

[DJ Yup] “Brian and I have a good relationship, so I asked him if I could be his opening DJ and he said yes. We toured together. It was great, and that’s how I met IAMMEDIC and New Heights as well. Brian is a very nice and kind person. He takes very good care of his family and works really hard. He’s a very private person by nature, and even though we respect each other’s privacy, he and I are always there to talk if one of us needs to. He’s a very humble person and I respect that a lot. As for working with him again, I’d love to.”

We then turned our attention onto the fans. While every fan is different, and subsequently, every fan of a specific genre is also different, we wanted to discuss with DJ Yup what his fans are like and how they treat him around the world.

How does your experience with fans differ between Korea and America when you’re performing? Do fans treat you differently here than the fans treat you in Korea?

[DJ Yup] “Yes. The crowds are different. American clubs are smaller than Korean clubs. The bigger the club, the harder to get into. In Korea, crowds come for the show and leave right after, where as American crowds stay around outside waiting to meet me and thank me for the show. They want to get to know me better.”

[Crazy T] “People in America are more free-spirited and friendly.”

You have garnered a substantial amount of fans worldwide with your tours, performances, and collaborations. How does it feel to have so many fans, and what are some of the things you do to show your appreciation to them?

[DJ Yup] “It’s great. I just try to keep traveling to different countries, like the Philippines, Japan, China, for the fans. Promoters sometimes don’t even have the money to pay for my plane ticket, but I come anyway. I pay for it myself, so I can perform for the fans. I really like to meet new people.”

As our interview was nearing its close, we talked a little bit about the night’s upcoming performance.  DJ Yup and Crazy T told several fun stories about their time as friends, but when it came to the final question of our interview, we were in for quite an interesting answer, as Crazy T volunteered to field the question first.

How does it feel to be considered/labeled Korea’s #1 DJ?

[Crazy T] “Can I answer this question? Working with DJ Yup, he always finds ways to improve himself. Even though people label him as the number one DJ from Korea, to him its just a title. In his mindset, there are a lot more DJ’s in Korea better than him. So, when he’s given that title, he really just brushes it off, because to him, he’s still not at the level that he wants to be yet. He’s always learning.”

[DJ Yup] “Unlike many DJ’s that spend their pay on clothes and things, I invest it back into myself. I travel a lot for shows, and oftentimes pay for the trips myself. I pay to market myself. I am very confident in my DJing skills, but I want to continue to improve as time goes on. DJing is my life and I never want to stop.”

DJ Yup recently released his first single, A-Bomb, with Soulte and Crazy-T.  The single became available for download on both Junodownload and Beatport earlier this week.  He is currently shooting the music video for the track.

For more information on DJ Yup, check out his official Facebook, follow him on Twitter, catch his videos on YouTube, and check out his mixes on Soundcloud and Mixcloud.

We at hellokpop would like to thank DJ Yup, Crazy T, and their crew for giving us the opportunity to meet and work with them, and for their much appreciated hospitality. We look forward to watching your careers with great interest and wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Check out our gallery below for some of our shots from the photoshoot along with photos taken during the performance at Capitale DC, in Washington, DC.

Sources:
PR/Interviewer: nicole@hellokpop.com
Photos: hellokpop

Win tickets to see CNBLUE live in concert

hellokpop is at it again. We’re giving two lucky readers and their friends a chance to see CNBLUE live in Melbourne, Australia. 

CNBLUE will be dropping by in Melbourne and Australia on May 31 and June 1 as part of their 2013 CNBLUE WORLD TOUR later this month and we’ve secured some tickets for our readers.

We will be giving away two prizes to two winners; 2x VIP Standing tickets and 2x 2 A Standing Tickets to the Melbourne show on May 31. Competition will run from 10 May Friday to 17 Friday, 2013, midnight.

Winning is easy and all you have to do is make sure you head over to Facebook to participate in this competition. Follow the steps below to make sure you don’t miss out.

1. Make sure you are not missing out on any updates from us by  following hellokpop on Facebook and Twitter.
2. LIKE or SHARE the picture on our Facebook. Each action (LIKE or SHARE) will qualify as one entry into the draw to win one of the two prizes.
3. TAG one other friend who you would like to take to the concert. Feel free to write any reasons why you would want to take this special person.
4. Make sure you have followed all the steps above to qualify for this competition.

Terms and conditions

• Entry is open only to residents of the Australian state(s) where the competition is being conducted who comply with any entry restrictions as specified by the Promoter.  Directors, officers, management, employees and other staff (and the immediate families of directors, officers, management, employees and other staff) of the Promoter or of its related bodies corporate, or of the agencies or companies associated with this competition or of any media are ineligible to enter.
• The competition will be conducted during the competition period specified by the Promoter (Competition Period).
• To enter the competition, entrants must, during the Competition Period, follow the entry method specified by the Promoter.
• Entries must be received by the Promoter during the Competition Period.  Entrants may submit up to the maximum number of entries specified by the Promoter.  Multiple entries (where permitted) must be submitted separately.
• The Promoter accepts no responsibility for late, lost, incomplete, incorrectly submitted, delayed, illegible, corrupted or misdirected entries, claims or correspondence whether due to error, omission, alteration, tampering, deletion, theft, destruction, transmission interruption, communications failure or otherwise.  The Promoter has no control over communications networks or services, the Internet, or computer or telephone networks or lines and accepts no responsibility for any problems associated with them, whether due to traffic congestion, technical malfunction or otherwise.  The Promoter is not liable for any consequences of user error including (without limitation) costs incurred.  Any form of automated entry using any device or software is invalid.
• The competition will be drawn and/or decided at the time, on the date/s and at the location/s as specified by the Promoter.  The prize/s will be awarded to a valid entrant or entrants (as applicable) who are randomly drawn or are deemed to have submitted the “best” entry, as determined by the judges, in accordance with the details specified by the Promoter regarding how the prize/s will be awarded.

• Where a prize involves the winner: (a) attending an event, if any part of the event is abandoned, called off, varied or postponed for any reason, then at the Promoter’s discretion, the relevant winner (and their companion/s, if applicable) forfeits all rights to attend the relevant event and no cash or alternative tickets will be substituted for that element of the prize; and/or(b) meeting or attending a function with a celebrity or other public figure, the Promoter will not be liable for the failure of the winner (and their companion/s, if applicable) to meet that person or failure of that person to attend the function, for whatever reason.
• The winner(s) are to arrange their own accommodation and travel to the location of the event.

•  If an entrant is unable to or refuses or fails to take part in any element of this competition  or a winning entry is deemed not to comply with these terms, the Promoter reserves the right to discard that entrant’s entry and proceed as if that entrant had not entered the competition.
• If the prize remains unclaimed after two business days (Australian Eastern Standard Time), the Promoter reserves the right to award the prize to the next best entry.

[Updated with winners] WIN tickets to Mizz Nina ‘Around the World Concert’ featuring special guest Jay Park

[Updated with winners]

Thank you to all the readers for your active participation and we are pleased to announce the following winners for this contest:

1. Jaime Ng
2. Ardilla Anuar
3. Jun Yi

Please proceed to send a private message to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/hellokpop) on how to collect the concert tickets.

Congratulations to the winners, and to all other readers, stay with us as we bring in more exciting contests for you coming soon!

Comment & Win:

We are giving 3 pairs of concert tickets to Mizz Nina ‘Around The World Concert’ in Malaysia featuring special guest Jay Park!

Simply express your creativity in words by leaving a Facebook comment in this article (right below)  to complete the following sentence:

If I have an opportunity to travel around the world with Mizz Nina and Jay Park, I would ……

Contest Rules:

. Competition runs from 8 May to 15 May

. Competition is open to all; the concert is held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For more information on the concert, click here.

. Participants can comment as many times they like but only Facebook comments are eligible for this contest.

. Winners will be updated on this article, announced on our Facebook page and Twitter account.

. All winners must response by 17 May and acknowledge by sending a message to our Facebook page.  (https://www.facebook.com/hellokpop)

. All final decisions pertaining to the competition will be made by hellokpop.

. For more information regarding our contest rules, click here.