Korea District

Psy Syndrome

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 17:38:40 -0400

Anyone else noticing the *small* amount of hype Psy is getting stateside? I mean he’s only eleventh on the most significant music charts in America. No big, right? If you’ve not picked up my sarcastic tone by now please allow me to tell you I’m being a little bit sarcastic.

I honestly don’t know what to think of the recent Gangnam Style phenomenon. It’s all over my Facebook friend’s posts (they of course spell it as opa ngannam or something like that) and I’m just sitting here going “but…it’s not even the coolest new song in Korea right now.” I also have no idea what the coolest new song in Korea is right now though. I don’t know what I think about this whole thing.

Part of me is concerned about the fact that the main draw to the song isn’t because it’s a great song…but rather it’s an Asian guy releasing a silly music video. Asians have long been seen as “silly” or “strange” to American audiences when it comes to music and visuals. ”Oh those Japanese…” isn’t a strange phrase here. Many Americans expect Asian music to be odd and funny. Is he really breaking a mold, or did he luck into a market he can now exploit for all it’s worth? Either way he’s going to be a very wealthy man. However, what will this do to other Kpop acts that want to debut in America? Are they going to start trying the goofy MV method and pray it goes viral? Will Psy’s success with this song cast a shadow on all other acts trying to debut here? Will his success make it harder for other Korean (and by extension Asian) artists to be taken as serious pop/rb/hip-hop acts? Or have these other Kpop artists been damned to being typecasted even more into the “Asian music’s funny” category?

Park Sovin - Summer Sonata (박소빈 - 여름연가)

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:02:00 -0400

Occasionally, I really, really need a break from Big Three idol pop. Sometimes I just need a break from idol pop from any major company. I mean seeing news articles about G-Dragon’s pink hair (amazing what pops up on Naver) is interesting, but…

In all honestly, I’m starting to get annoyed with seeing idols several years younger than me debuting, and when global auditions for various companies started happening this year, seeing that people born before 1992 are now being considered “too old” to audition has really caused my idol love to start to go cold. I still have idols I enjoy, but I don’t listen to newer idols as much as I used to. (That said I got into Miss A within the last couple months, and I’m glad I did.) Couple all this emotional baggage with the fact I’ve made somewhat of an effort to showcase non-idols here at Korea District and you’ve got a recipe for a new review post.

Today, I decided instead of searching frantically through tumblr’s “k-indie” tag for music that is more calming and mature that I would go to the Gaon Chart site and pick a random artist. This artist turned out to be Park Sovin.

Park’s newest song was released just yesterday (August 6th, 2012) and is titled 여름연가 or Summer Sonata (listen here). Park Sovin proves to be another one of Korea’s solo, female powerhouses. It feels like there is a lot of them. Throughout the song, it feels as though she’s yelling at me. However, the yelling sounds pretty so that definitely helps. The song itself is a summery-ballad type. I am left feeling like there is an understated “island” vibe to it. I was looking for a calming song, and I found it. I am a huge stickler on how rememberable a song is, and this song has been playing through my head for the last hour. On top of being rememberable, the song is also replayable. It’s delightful. The song itself, even in a less idol saturated market, probably wouldn’t stand out and be a serious awards contender, however, it would be a hit to some degree.

Park is part of the 83-line which is refreshing for me personally. Park appears to be a ballad singer. I decided to give her live performance of another song a listen, and she can put up a live. Give her a shot. I don’t think she has massive international fan appeal, but she’s definitely nice.

hello there! i found that your tumblr is quite interesting~^^ so~ i would like to ask about the daum blog, once if you have registered, can you change the url??

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 12:59:32 -0400

Sorry it took so long for me to get back to this. I’m moving in a couple weeks so I’ve been busy packing! As for the Daum blog question, I do not believe it’s possible to change your URL. I am not finding any option to do so. If I find it, I will post a tutorial on it, however, as it stands, I don’t think it’s possible.

I have too many feels right now.

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:02:35 -0400

(warning: long post and it is mostly NOT about T-ara.)

Everything I touch dies.

I was never a T-ara fan. I liked a few of their songs and earlier this summer I ran into a picture of Hwayoung that was absolutely gorgeous, and I decided I liked her. Now she’s caught up in a scandal in which has gotten her contract terminated.

I need to get my feelings about this out of the way to please ignore the Kpop post.

My personal opinion: T-ara is probably guilty.

Why? Because of the statements released by Core Contents Media and the fact that ever since Hwayoung joined there have been bully rumors right under the surface. I’m a non-fan and even I knew that these rumors existed and have existed for a substantial amount of time. From the condescending Twitter comments (yes, Queen’s they were condescending) and quick rush statement of “they were hacked” by CCM lends itself to favoring Hwayoung. Most companies won’t rush to a “they were hacked” defense unless 1) the artist was really or 2) the artist really screwed up. I find it hard to believe that ALL of those girls were hacked around the same time with such similar statements.

I also find it very telling that Boram never followed Hwayoung on Twitter.

This whole situation made me really miss Dong Bang Shin Ki of all things. I put on Hug and sung along to every word. Dong Bang Shin Ki’s Tri-Angle was my first Korean language album and listening to Hug really invoked a sense of “why can’t we go back?” Part of me doesn’t want to go back, but I do miss the simpler times that was Kpop back when those boys were rookies. To reflect on that period now makes my heart feel lighter. The Way U Are and Hiyayaya are still among my favorite Kpop songs.

This T-ara debacle has definitely sparked feelings in me that I am surprised to be having. Much how people say that BoA’s era is over I feel like my own “era” is over. (I mention BoA because she was my first Kpop artist.) Today’s new fans and I are having vastly different experiences. AllKpop for example used to be such a trash site.

Artists used to lip sync more with less backlash. Even the “almighty” DBSK lip synced on many occasions.

I feel more like a “mentor” to the new fans rather than a comrade. I don’t believe the “old times” were better, but they were certainly different. It was a much different world.

I don’t think I’ve struggled to change along with it, but I have the memories.

An advantage I have is that there are many Kpop fans that aged along with me. When I was 15 all the other Kpop fans were 15 too, now that I’m 22 many of the other Kpop fans are also around this age.

I think we set a horrible example for the new, current generation.

Sorry for getting so personal. I have a lot of feels like I said.

It's Gyeongsangnamdo again, I had no characters left, so here's my actual question (I'm very sorry to bother you with this and I'm even more sorry to be so sudden and talk too much, especially since I don't think you're very North Korea 'based'? But you seem to be the only person who really knows something about Korea). So, since Buddhism is fairly more accepted than Christianity in North Korea, I wonder if you know if ever any people there were shot or criticized for believing in Buddha?

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:41:00 -0400

First off thank you for such a thought provoking question! While I enjoy getting questions of all kinds, this one in particular made my brain exceedingly happy with all the research and thought I had to put into it. That said it’s going to be a long, drawn out answer full of details you probably don’t want. Let’s get started.

My first instinct is that religion as a whole is downplayed and discouraged. That’s probably my American-ness speaking there. However, officially I do know that all religion is discouraged, so with just that it’s probably hard to be a North Korean Buddhist. Whether that is really the case “on the ground” isn’t quite as clear cut after some research.

When I give the topic some thought with historical references in mind, North Korea might be like China in the sense that “home grown” religions are actually considered good for the people because it provides them a moral compass of what is believed to be the country’s traditional values. While Christianity on the other hand, was a religion that was brought over by mostly white missionaries that carried the belief that Asians were “inferior.” That belief of inferiority lasted well into the 1970’s and 80’s. It’s also arguable that this belief still exists today.

In particular, The White Man’s Burden comes to mind. The White Man’s Burden was a poem written in response to America taking the Philippine islands, and I believe it shows the mentality that many Westerners had towards Asia in the time period of which it was written. This time frame is also the same time frame in which Christianity was introduced to Korea in force.

The actions and thoughts of Westerns at the time I believe play the largest parts of the reasons Christianity is so largely discouraged to the point of persecution. It wasn’t presented in a good way (I mean it helped sparked the Boxer Rebellion so…). It was seen, and to some still seen, as a tool that the West used to try take over Asia. It was seen as a tool of the West’s “imperialistic desires” so to say. White, Protestant westerners truly believed that they were “saving” the “poor Asians” who needed “guidance.”

So with all that in mind, I don’t believe that North Korean Buddhists suffer the same fate as North Korean Christians because historically the contexts in which these religions were introduced are radically different. I also don’t know of any North Korean Buddhist that has been attacked in the same way North Korean Christians have. However for criticism, I believe it may have happened simply because it was a religion in a country that actively discourages religion.

(PS. Sorry if this answer seems long winded and overly done. You made me do a lot of thinking which is very nice.)

If you would like some of the documents I thought of and sites I visited while typing up the whole thing here are some of them:

- The White Man’s Burden (Kipling)

- Diseases and Peculiarities of the Negro Race (Cartwright) (Used as a reference for the belief in white supremacy not a specific idea.)

- Confucius Making a Comeback In Money-Driven Modern China (Fan. July 24, 2007. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/23/AR2007072301859.html)

- North Korean Christians (http://www.northkoreanchristians.com/persecution-christian.html and http://www.northkoreanchristians.com/religion-north-korea.html)

- The Origin of Species (Darwin - no specific ideas; used as a reference for context.)

If you would like links to any primary source documents, I know for a fact I have The White Man’s Burden and The Origin of Species available. As for the Cartwright piece, I shouldn’t have too hard a time finding it if it provokes your interest. (I have the Cartwright document in a book.)

PPS. Interesting name.

What's your playlist?

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:44:48 -0400

Okay, so I graduated (junior college so not a huge deal) May 4th. I haven’t had much internet access since! I ended up going to my dad’s house that is 17 hours away right after graduation. I have no idea what’s “cool” in Kpop right now so here’s what I’ve listened to today when I finally managed to steal a computer: - 4minute

Heart to Heart
Volume Up
Hot Issue

- CN Blue

Intuition
In My Head

- Kara

STEP
Mr.

- SNSD

Mr. Taxi (I adore this song - it’s my favorite SNSD song.)

- 2ne1

I am the Best
Lonely
Can’t Nobody (English)
Clap your Hands
Don’t Cry (Park Bom)

- Miss A

Bad Girl Good Girl
Goodbye Baby

- G.NA

2Hot
Green Light

- Han Hee Jung

The First Day We Met

My song for the day: Ailee - Heaven! Oh my gosh it’s so amazing. I don’t know why I avoided her for so long.

You’re my only one way~

~~(Also, officially, I’m an in-denial 4nia.)~~

Han Hee Jung - The First Day We Met

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:10:31 -0400

우리 처음 만난 날

우리 - we

처음 - first

만난 - met

날 - day

This song is very mellow, and I didn’t even notice when it ended. It’s a very peaceful love song.

Standing Egg - 넌 이별 난 아직 넌 이별 난 아직 means something like...

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 19:41:49 -0400

Standing Egg - 넌 이별 난 아직

넌 이별 난 아직 means something like “You’re parting; I’m still.” Which means someone is leaving while the other person is staying.

넌 - you are

이별 - parting, farewell, part (from)

난 - I am

아직 - still, yet

I’ve seen it translated as “Farewell for you, not yet for me.”

Enjoy the song!

Pepero Day!

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:49:26 -0500

Now you can say you got pepero. :) Happy pepero day~

Dear Wonder Girls: what just happened here?

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:43:47 -0500

How did we go from this amazing teaser (of “Me, In”):

To this so-so teaser that terrified me that the song wouldn’t be cool:

To this:

“This” being a sloppy mess, and a Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas” melody rip-off. (Or something, it just sounds way too familiar.)

The outfits aren’t in the least bit flattering and the dance moves are sloppy looking. I’m am very disappointed.

Is this how JYP got people to pre-order? Tempt them with a song that sounds like it’s amazing and then give them this….mess as a title track?

I am aware that my words are harsh so let me say this…I do not blame the girls. I believe they worked really hard and put all the effort they could muster up into this song. ”Me, In” is as good at the teaser hinted it was, and to be honest from the songs I’ve listened to, it’s probably not a bad album. ”G.N.O” and “Me, In” are good but the whole “Be My Baby” mess really ruins my personal satisfaction with the album. There are a couple tracks I think would do outstanding in the American market assuming JYP wises up in title-track choice.

Now that I’ve calmed down a bit, here are some of the reasons I was disappointed:

1) The first teaser was amazing. It made me WANT this album. It made me want to care more for the Wondergirls.

2) The second teaser terrified me because the first one was so amazing and the second was really different. Still, I held on to hope that maybe both sounds were in the same song. (Kara had done something disjointed like that for STEP.)

3) The real song title track drops and it sounds NOTHING like the first teaser. Going from wanting the album ASAP to getting something that sounds nothing like I was expecting ticked me off.

4) It was said they would be shying away from their retro image and my first thought when listening to this song was “I thought they said this wasn’t going to be retro?”

I think most of my anger stems from what I have perceived as false advertising.

Finally, a new layout that's permanent

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:06:11 -0400

For people that may visit my site every other day or so you may have noticed I’ve played around with a lot of different layouts. Finally, we have one I am happy with!

Expect more postage within sometime soon. :) Right now, however, I need to finish yet another essay. You guys know anything about John Winthrop and his “Reasons to be Considered for Justifying the Undertakers of the Intended Plantation in New England?”

T-ara Beats SNSD's Record of Having the Highest Girl Group Debut Single Sales

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:35:00 -0400

It’s official! Sunday, October 2nd, in Japan T-ara has surpassed SNSD’s Genie in terms of first week sales. Genie was SNSD’s debut single and it debuted with 44,907 copies

T-ara stands at 47,864 with Bo Peep Bo Peep.

T-ara’s daily sales numbers are as follows:

20,068
9,840
4,379
3,926
6,125
3,526

I'm calling it...I believe T-ara will take number 1 with their debut single on the weekly Oricon

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:04:06 -0400

I believe T-ara is about to make history by having their Japanese debut single land at number one on the weekly Oricon charts. How unfortunate isn’t not a better song.

Why do I believe they’ll be number one? As it stands (current as of September 30th) T-ara has sold 38,213 copies and their closest competitor has sold 34,645. SID is a group I can see over-taking T-ara but I do not see them doing it this week. Out of four days they have been number one for two of them and in a close second on the other two. First day sales are also going to help these girls keep their lead, unless, something really drastic happens.

“Don’t lose your temper so quickly~”

Haven't forgotten about you! Promise!

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:34:40 -0400

Within the last two weeks I’ve had rough drafts and papers due. I have two more full fledged papers due next week on top of whatever else homework that has been assigned. Things, this year, started off with a bang needless to say. I haven’t forgotten; I’ve just been busy.

Dal Shabet...thanks for the heads up!

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 17:06:02 -0400

Taken from allkpop:

“When asked how they could just tell like that, they explained that you needed to keep an eye on groups that promote in the same cycle. Idol groups have schedules from morning till night so there isn’t any other time they can meet people other than the faces they see in waiting rooms backstage of variety or music shows. Naturally, idols become closer, especially since their lifestyle patterns are the same.”

I am so painfully amused at this. It makes me want to watch all the idol groups and see if I can spot anything. I mean there is that Kyuhyun and Seungyeon rumor going around….

Let me know if you spot any possible couples! This can be a game~

PS. Twitter…I has one.

I haven’t been able to post much lately because of class,...

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:56:39 -0400

I haven’t been able to post much lately because of class, so enjoy one of my favorite BoA songs until I can post later tonight.

Temporary Theme

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 21:47:57 -0400

As the title says this is a Temporary Theme until I find and/or make one more suitable for the site. The load time for the last theme was simply unacceptable.

For University Level and Late High School Level Students Interested in Asian Studies

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:55:18 -0400

This post mostly helps if you want to study in North America…and by that I mean the USA and Canada. Since I am American this isn’t an issue for me, however, most of my readers are not in North America. There are other places like Europe and Australia but this post does the most help if you’re looking at North American schools.

Since I’m wrapping up the “looking around” part of transferring I found a website that may prove immensely helpful to prospective Asian studies students so that you don’t have to go through the same mess I did. The same mess I’m still working out.

First I would like to give you this link: http://www.asian-studies.org/

This link is the website for people who have degrees or are pursuing degrees in Asian Studies. On this site you can find lists of colleges (universities) that offer various Asian studies degrees based on the country you click that you want to study.

Second Link: http://www.asian-studies.org/programs/main.htm

This is the link that you can use to find those programs. I clicked Korea and found a whole bunch of schools I didn’t know about that offer Korean and various Asian studies related majors in general!

While I am very certain about where I would like to transfer to already, I thought this site was a gift that needed to be shared with all who may be having difficulty. Korean is not a commonly taught language here State-side and I thought I was doomed to try and transfer into an Ivy. I didn’t want to try to transfer to an Ivy; they’re horribly expensive schools in expensive towns.

I hope this helps out you future Asian studies students! Don’t get the same headache I did. While I identify as a history student, I refused to go to a school where I couldn’t pick up the Asian history classes and the Korean language. It was a mess, and I wish I had found this site sooner!

Questions for Super Junior Fans (Fan Cafe Joining Related)

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:50:17 -0400

I’ve recently gotten a lot of traffic from ELF trying to join SJ’s fan cafe to support the boy’s new album, and with this, I’m getting more comments and questions that I’m trying to answer.

Some of you are still having trouble joining their fan cafe even after I made a post on how to join their cafe specifically, so I would like to know if would a video tutorial help you out? What specific problems are you having that I haven’t addressed? Can you give me a screen shot? I know there was a mix up on the check box that I corrected this morning but I got another comment saying there is still problems in joining. I’m not sure what’s going wrong since I re-joined, following the tutorial, to see if I had a slip up in the tutorial somewhere and had no problems doing so.

Please leave comments or tweet me or Tumblr ask me or just anyway to get a hold of me you can find and let me know.

Kara - Step

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 07:59:37 -0400

So, since I’m on the Kara topic. Who’s your favorite member? Mine’s Seungyeon! My favorite song from Kara is Secret World from their first album. I predict that this song will be a moderate hit winning a couple of awards before they head off to Japan. :) I’m excited! I have Kara and April Kiss to look forward to!

Speaking of April Kiss is their name Aprilkiss or April Kiss? I’m not sure! I see it written differently everywhere! I hope April Kiss does not get killed off by 2PM fan girls who think no one can compare to their oppas. I would be devastated.

I will be tracking Kara’s Korean comeback after Chuseok! I’m very excited because there’s always low expectations for these girls and they always prove that they are better than that. I hope they get more international fan love soon!