Kpop conquers the World Cup

In lieu of an Inkigayo recap today, since Dream Concert is airing instead, is a post I've been thinking about since last week but never got the time to write because I've just been so busy with a gazillion things and summer is coming to an end. UGH. Anyway.

I'm in no way a soccer/football fan, and I don't think I will ever be in this lifetime, but for some reason I'm attracted to music from countries who are CRAZY about the sport. First it was Britain and now it's Korea, it's more than a coincidence - it's almost like fate.

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A Lesson In Fangirling (and analysis too, we suppose)

YAY A POST THAT ISN'T A MUSIC SHOW RECAP. YESSSSS. *fist pump* lol.

For this post I've gotten a little help from Mel from Melismatic - go read her blog AFTER this. I swear, she's brilliant. :)

If you follow me on Twitter you'll know (I think?) that Mel's probably the blogger I'm closest too - I treat her like a big sister. :) And I CANNOT believe that we didn't think of writing something like this sooner. We were talking the other day and this came up, as did a few others we'll get to when we do, for now they're all under wraps. *evil laugh*

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[May 29, 2010] MBC Music Core Highlights + Commentary

I would very much like to fly to Korea right now and shoot the sound engineer today. Who's with me? We'll book a flight and rush to MBC the minute we land. HAHAH. The consensus today? Almost everyone sounds crap compared to yesterday.

A lot more performances compared to yesterday though, so yayyyy.

Credit for all the videos goes to the always brilliant CrazyCarrot220.

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SS501 - Love Ya

If you were with me last year, you'll remember that I gave a rather negative review to Rebirth and got an army of fangirls run after me. I stand by my review and don't regret writing it - I had every right to say what I did, and I still have every right to say what I'm about to.

I've tried very hard to like an SS501 song apart from 4 Chance and maybe a spattering of Deja Vu, I really have, but so far it's been unsuccessful - there's always something about their new material that turns me off.

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[May 28, 2010] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

If you're annoyed that I haven't been writing lately, I'm pissed off at myself for not having the time. My review classes are almost done, but senior year starts on June 8 - I pretty much treated the start of my review as the end of my summer. Oh well.

Rather quiet today on MuBank. Gummy was on but I didn't include her 'coz I can't find a video. :( Whatever. Over-all the performances were surprisingly good - I think it's 'coz pretty much all of them are comfortable with the stage now. Credit for all videos goes to the brilliant UnknownCarrot110 - let us all bow down and worship. Hahah!

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[May 22, 2010] MBC Music Core Highlights + Commentary

I can't believe this is only my second MuCore recap - fate has not allowed me more! Ugh. Today's show was packed with comebacks and performances galore so let's get right to business, shall we?

Sound-wise MuCore was pretty decent - except for a few slip-ups with the system all the other problems came from the idols themselves. So there.

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4Minute - Huh

I remember very clearly the criticism that 4Minute suffered for having Hyun A, an ex-Wonder Girl, in the band and sounding like a bad 2NE1 copycat - I didn't like them that much but they were one of the first new girl groups to debut when I had just gotten properly addicted to kpop last year so I kinda followed their career. If you were with me earlier this year, you know that I went so far as to see them "live" when they were here last January. I didn't like it, and I was disappointed, but that was with their past material and they're over that phase of their career now - time to move on.

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[May 21, 2010] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Apologies for being MIA this week - I was so busy with review classes that when I got home I was too tired to even think, which is why I felt like I was gonna go crazy if I didn't write today. Hence, my review of the new Wonder Girls single AND today's MuBank commentary.

Quite a number of comebacks today, but all the acts had already performed on Mnet Countdown yesterday because none of them were from SME (long story) so technically today wasn't the first time they all performed their singles. I don't wanna do a recap of Mnet M!Countdown because I'm freaking out already with the 3 music shows, what more if I add.

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The Wonder Girls - 2 Different Tears

I've made it very clear from the very beginning of my k-pop addiction that I DO NOT and never will like the Wonder Girls - they have talent, I won't deny them that, and I understand how people will like their material, but I don't. But of course when I review something I'd like as much as possible to set my biases aside. So here we go.

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[May 16, 2010] SBS Inkigayo Highlights + Commentary

Apologies for my absence for yesterday's Music Core recap, but I was at a resort in the mountains staring at orange and blue skies with stars scattered around and lounging around taking in the 17-degree temperature all day while you guys back in Metro Manila were melting in 30+-degree heat. Not bad, eh? I thought so. I wanted to show you guys some pictures, but I'm far too lazy to move them from my camera to my computer. Maybe next time - for now let's just get on with today's recap.

Never did I think I'd see the day (well since I started writing recaps) when Inkigayo would have decent sound. Not great, but better than usual - MuBank still has the best sound for me. We say hello to Davichi and Super Junior but goodbye to BEAST.

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[May 14, 2010] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

This week's Music Bank was rather entertaining, actually. Comebacks from Gummy, Lee Jung Hyun, Davichi and Super Junior plus almost everyone else who was on last week. Hope you all enjoyed my live tweet a few hours back!

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Super Junior - Bonamana (album)

Super Junior are back with their 4th album, 3 members down, but to be honest with you I'm not impressed with this new album.

I'll stop comparing this to Sorry Sorry, because they're 2 different albums - comparison or none, Bonamana JUST PASSES for me. I'm sorry, I tried, I really did, but the entire thing is just not convincing enough to my ears.

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Sara Bareilles - King of Anything

Let it be "carved into stone" (LOL) that I'm trying my best to juggle reviewing Korean AND Western music. I'm trying, OK?!

I'm not sure if you all know, but I worship Sara Bareilles - Little Voice is one of the few albums I can listen to from start to finish and not get sick of a single song. I have a copy of the physical album and my money was sure as hell worth it - I still play the album ever now and then.

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Super Junior - Bonamana/미인아

It's election day today in the Philippines and though I'm too young to vote, I honestly want everything to go fairly and smoothly - I'll accept whoever the winner is, so long as it was in a fair and honest manner. But enough of that, on to the review!

Last year was fantastic for the band, and I thought Bonamana would continue their epic-ness. I thought this would be good, I really did, since they're Super Junior and all. It's not - not even close I'm afraid. Oh well, things could be worse.

Sorry Sorry was one heck of a pop song - it pretty much set the trend for kpop last year and it had the longevity, so to say, to be near-legendary. I mean, it's in every possible "idiot's guide to kpop" - if they even exist outside of this blog. (which I think they do, I just haven't seen them)

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[May 9, 2010] SBS Inkigayo Highlights + Commentary

Before we get to today's Inkigayo recap, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAYYYYYYY! Weeehee. OK moving on.

Last week I stressed the fact that the Inkigayo sound engineer must be fired and burned in hell for his crimes last week. He should be for this week's crimes too, the sound today was even worse than yesterday's MuCore. BOO.

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[May 8, 2010] MBC Music Core - Highlights + Commentary

I didn't get to do a recap of Music Core last week because I did my recap of KBS Music Bank this time last week. But I'm doing it now so here it is. Music Core is MBC's counterpart to Music Bank and Inkigayo, and it's emcee-d by SNSD's Tiffany and Yuri - ooooohhh. LOL. Read on for highlights of today's episode.

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[May 7, 2010] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

OK. Just a little addition to this entire "korean music show recap" thing - a few hours before Music Bank starts I'll be announcing whether or not I'm doing a live tweet on my account, since the show's broadcast simultaneously on KBS World here. If I am, you guys are welcome to @reply me your thoughts and stuff, would be nice to talk to everyone and get more opinions on the show! It'll help me think of stuff to write here as well. OK, let's get to business.

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Xiah Junsu - Intoxication

Please give me 5 seconds to faint and regain consciousness before I start writing.

OK I'm back. OMG Junsu's really putting up a fight for my second favorite DBSK member, eh? (he's against Yoochun) The criteria - have a damn good voice, use it damn well, can perform well and write songs relatively well. He passes everything, but Yoochun does too, so they've been fighting over the spot for like forever.

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f(x) - NU ABO

FAIL title aside, NU ABO is everything I've learned to despise and more. They haven't exactly impressed me with any of their previous material but as a band half of them are vocally capable in some way, shape or form and for that very reason I've been giving them a chance over the past few months. I've had enough though.

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[May 2, 2010] SBS Inkigayo Highlights + Commentary

I'm back with another recap tonight, this time for the last music show of the weekend - SBS Inkigayo. (directly translate it means Popular Song) yayyyyyy.

If MuBank has 3 "nominees" for the top spot, otherwise known as the top 3 of the week, Inkigayo or Inki as I call it has what we call "Take 7", which is essentially the top 7 of the week. The show also has a limit as to how many times an artist can win with a certain single/song - if you win the maximum amount of times you win what is called a "triple crown", meaning one single can only win the show/chart thrice.

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Someone shoot me.

I know, I know, I'm sorry for another DBSK post that consists of me drooling and rambling but you realize that I am freaking out at this very moment, and this isn't even about my beloved Jaejoong! OH MY GOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

So Junsu has a new solo single out in a few weeks, the video's out tomorrow and the teaser was just released - he's the only one of the 5 doing music-related solo stuff at the moment and I think I wanna die right now. Like, my heart's racing, I started shivering after a few listens and OMG THIS IS BRILLIANCE.

The chord progressions, the Craig David-ish elements and those vocals - I think Junsu might just be my second favorite member. *diess* That and the video looks really sleek and clean - I like sleek, sleek's good.

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[April 30, 2010] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Everyone's been saying that May's the month of comebacks for kpop - f(x), SS501, Super Junior, 2PM, Rain and Hyori have all released new singles or have confirmed new releases within the month. Therefore, I think it's time PRN ventured into another part of the Korean pop industry - the music shows.

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