When a Kdrama starts, I’m sure the writers have a clear idea of who the lead character is. Sometimes, that plan goes awry, as other characters become so compelling that they come in and steal the show…..
Read more here at KPK: Kpop Kollective (originally published on September 3, 2011)
I thought it was some bad dream. I was checking my Facebook, and saw a small, seemingly innocent post in English (that’s rare), saying that Soribada was suspending the sale of the Music Card for the Korean Soribada site. I just sat looking at the screen screaming, “NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Sure enough, this is what you get when you now to go the Soribada Music Card Foreigner Site: http://www.soribada.com/foreigner/index.php
Read more here at KPK: Kpop Kollective (originally published on July 9, 2011)
By now, you have survived the visual onslaught that were the Super Junior concept photos for Mr. Simple. Mayhaps you have forgotten how the members of Super Junior looked pre-Psychadelic Gangster? Not sure how they may show up in your neighborhood? If so, I invite you to mediate on the following photo essay as a helpful way to be prepared either way:
Leetuk
Source: http://mtvk.com/2011/07/28/super-junior-to-return-with-mr-simple/
Read more here at KPK: Kpop Kollective (originally published August 8, 2011)
Over the last few months, Kpop fans in the United States have been treated to several high-profile concerts featuring a variety of artists. However, the reception by fans and coverage by media demonstrate that these efforts produce different results. Not all concerts are created equal, because they function in different ways, with radically different outcomes……
Read more here at hellokpop.com (originally published December 4, 2011)
The SM Town concert at Madison Square Garden served not only to bring some of the agency’s most popular acts to the East coast of the United States. It also introduced SNSD to the American mainstream. Yet, I wonder if that introduction was specifically aimed toward males at the expense of the existing large female fanbase. . . . .
Read more at here at hellokpop.com (originally published November 11, 2011)
With the recent slew of comebacks, Kpop fans have been exposed to some pretty surprising photos of late. I know agencies use such tactics to draw attention to their groups and artists.
Read more at hellokpop.com (Originally published on September 26, 2011)
Sometimes when people talk about idols, they talk about them as if they were only products manufactured to make money, like an iPad. However, idols are people whose talents, abilities and popularity is based on more than a Korean agency’s manipulation.
Read more at hellokpop.com (Originally published on September 12, 2011)
Fangirls.
Some people say it like it’s a bad word. All too often, I find people saying condescending things about Kpop fans, assuming that they are all 12-year-old girls. They deserve respect, and so do the other fans of Kpop that people do not recognize.
Read more at hellokpop.com (Originally published on August 29, 2011)
Everybody wants to know: can Kpop succeed in the United States? Well, that depends on your definition of success. In order to enter the mainstream American music scene, Kpop would have to change so much that it would become unrecognizable to current fans. But, if Kpop remained an underground phenomenon in the United States, it could be successful without compromising its identity.
Read more at hellokpop.com (Originally published on August 16, 2011)
This week, Piggy Dolls released their newest MV Know Her, sparking many comments from netizens, who immediately noticed the significant weight loss of the trio. While Kpop groups are well-known for their radical changes in concept, the Piggy Doll’s switch-up bothers me because it represents a shift not just in image but in talent as well.
Read more at hellokpop.com (Originally published on August 1, 2011)
If you are an avid fan of Kpop, you most likely listen to a wide variety of artists. This means that you are downloading music regularly, and in order to do that, you need a steady supplier. If you are an international fan of Kpop, however. this is getting increasingly more difficult to find…..
Read more at hellokpop.com (published July 24, 2011)
On June 24, 2011 several high-profile idols, including Kim Hyun Joong, Super Junior, TVXQ and 2PM gathered to help launchUnited Asia Management, an agency that represents a collaboration among the top Korean agencies, including SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and JYP Entertainment. While this may be a great way to pool resources to extend the global reach of Kpop, the collaboration could also worsen some of more suspect elements of Korean idol system…..
Read more at hellokpop.com (published July 14, 2011)
Too many!
That’s what a lot of netizens say when offering an opinion on new or returning idol groups with extremely large numbers. They may have a point, but I also think that there is something to be gained from mega Kpop group…….
Read more at hellokpop.com (published July 5, 2011)
I know you have heard about the “4D personality”, but what about the “3G idol”?
That’s what I call certain idols who manage to be gentlemen, gangsters and the guys next door without making you scratch your head. Some people say that all idols are the same, but the ability of certain male idols to present a variety of images makes them stand out and shows the many different ways one can be a man…….click on the link below to read more:
Gentlemen, Gangsters And The Guys Next Door: The Many Faces Of The Male Kpop Idol «.
Published on hellokpop.com on July 2, 2011.
“Shinwho?”
That’s what I saw one netizen post in response to the recent rumors of a Shinhwa comeback. For shame! While I am ecstatic about the possibility of a Shinhwa comeback, there are skeptics, and worse, those who don’t even know about Shinhwa. Let me tell you something right now: a Shinhwa comeback is an earth-shattering event that would transform the Kpop world forever…….click on the link below to read more.
Why Kpop NEEDS Shinhwa To Make A Comeback «.
Published on hellokpop.com June 22, 2011.
High Yellow - Asian Popular Culture 