1. High Cut vol. 76 & 77.
2. 1st Look vol. 20.
3. Vogue Girl Korea (June) + EXO lightstick + cute cat pouch + rainbow Carebear socks.
Insanely happy with the new pictorial shoots I now own thanks to Justine. It also amazes me just how affordable High Cut is. I wish I could own every issue.
“Now everybody, shake it up shake it for me!“
I’m not quite sure how to describe the musical style of JYP’s new duo, JJ Project. It’s a little hip hop, a little rock and roll (Ok giving JB credit for that just because he utters that line), very dancey – in short, their title track ‘Bounce’ sounds like a whole mash-up of different things. It’s not bad, but it might get a little confusing. For myself, I still pretty much like the transiting of hip hop and rap to JB’s rocker moments…and basically the whole song.
From the song, we can also see that Jr.’s more or less the duo’s rapper, with JB taking on the singing portions. Can’t say much about the singing since it isn’t a very vocally demanding song.
The MV does help shape the fast-paced song a little better. Or at least I hope what JYP aims to do is give the song a happy, rather High School Musical feel (lots of cheerleaders, basketball boys, lots of dancing and singing around the school) except with wannabe bad boy delinquents…who are really into bright clothing, funky hair and the works. So no matter how overused the whole rocking it out in school concept is, if it’s done well it can still be fresh and fun. Plus I always believe MVs help mediocre songs up their credit, and ‘Bounce’ is one song that falls perfectly under that category.
The MV kicks off its opening scene with a typical classroom setting where the kids are looking deathly bored while the the teacher drones on – very ala Britney Spears’ Hit Me Baby One More Time. So when the bell rings, Jr. gets up on his feet to dance. Obviously loving his very flippant attitude, the entire class starts grooving along.
Where did that mic and stand come from?!
Then they take it out to the hallways, the indoor basketball court, a studio, before finally breaking out of the school building for a mini concert.
The direction and way the MV is shot would also remind one of 2PM ‘Hands Up’ – not just for the repetitive ‘bounce..bounce’ chorus akin to their muscular sunbaes’ ‘put yo hands up p-pp-put-put’ but for the whole ooh-look-at-me-only-my-head-stays-still-while-the-rest-of-my-body-is-jamming kind of stop motion-que dancing.
Yet, similarities to ‘Hands Up’ aside, throughout the entire song I kept having this nagging feeling that there was another song that was even more alike to ‘Bounce’, just that I couldn’t for the life of me remember the title at all. And then I googled lyrics and found it!!!
High, high, high, high
Modu ddwieo in the sky
(Shake it, shake it
Shake shake it, shake it, hey)
High, high, high, high
Jeonbu itgo in the sky
(Shake it, shake it
Shake shake it, shake it, hey)
Fly away (Fly away, Yeah)
Fly Away (Fly Away, Yeah)
So High, High, High, High
I bami kkeutkaji achimeul ggaeweo
Neowa na shake it
Every Body, eh eh, Every Body
Move Your Body
Move Move Your Body
Every Body, eh eh, Every Body
Shake It, Shake It,
Shake Shake It, Shake It
Kim Hyun Joong’s ‘Lucky Guy’!!!
The chorus with the whole ‘shake it’ thing. Sheesh our K-pop boys really like to shake their thang.
But back to the song, what really makes it gel so well with the video might just be the fact that these boys are young. At 18, they are in every damned position to sing about having fun, getting everyone on their feet to move along with them and having skinny, hot cheerleaders joining their throngs of high school worshippers.
The little ‘shake it’ dance in the chorus is awesome because who doesn’t love it when cheeky good-looking boys ask you to shake it, then go on to demonstrate how it’s done!
여러분, this is JB’s booty tooch. Tyra Banks would be proud.
I’m still not fully over JB’s lukewarm acting in Dream High 2, especially when Ui Bong (Jr.’s character) completely outshone him despite getting a much smaller role compared to JB’s leading one. But this MV has me drawn back to JB again for his brilliant hair. How many streaks of colours can you spot in this one MV? I’m loving the pink and blue.
Also, while we are on this topic of JB’s amazing coloured streaks, how incredibly cool is their website!!!
My kindergarten-worthy art piece with the spray cans on their website. You can literally ‘spray’ all over the page or draw as many hearts as you like around your preferred J.
And before I go…
Am honestly digging the overload of outlandish, loud clothes and accessories, but Jr.’s shiny leggings and spikey throat choker both really need to go.
P/S: What’s with the ‘Project’ title behind their name? Is it just for their debut or is it gonna be permanent? Because the last thing I remembered, ‘projects’ don’t last.
When I first heard of SM releasing an SNSD sub-unit, I was a little disgruntled (I mean, there’s no real need for a sub-unit is there?) – even more so when I heard that the unit was going to contain three of SNSD’s main vocalists, namely Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun, and was going to be called TaeTiSeo. Okay…can.
Much as I love the three of them, these girls have definitely been edged just that little more into the limelight among the other girls in the group with their solo projects. With Tiffany being one of the SNSD members with a core MC-ing career for a long time now (From her early days as a co-host on Mnet’s Sonyeon Sonyeo Gayo Baekso to dazzling Music Core viewers alongside Yuri, as well as various ceremonies and events), Taeyeon’s various features on OSTs for her stellar voice, and Seohyun steadily garnering attention ever since her Goguma days with Yonghwa of CN Blue – it is safe to say that these girls aren’t falling short of any attention when compared to certain other members in the group.
Yet, I was curious to see what they had to deliver. The early concept pictures were definitely…mind-boggling. I wasn’t digging the Alice in Wonderland-ish concept at all, and this teaser looked like an oddly mashed Photoshopped picture of an amateur trying to show off his new skills. And are Taeyeon and Seohyun sharing a fringe dress made of…hair?
Also somewhat resembled the kind of banners that you find on top of Blogskins.
But then Taeyeon’s teaser rolled along and I was completely sold. Completely! The girl’s got some major alluring power. Replayed her teaser only about 10,000 times just to watch her perfect hands-on-hips strut and fingers-under-chin come hither teasing gesture. Loved Tiffany’s teaser too (Pretty!!!). Seohyun’s? Meh…
Cute!
And when the MV was released, I threw all initial rational and disgruntled thoughts out the window.
It also suddenly struck me how perfect TaeTiSeo (still trying to stomach the name, but then again I am still trying to stomach SHINee.) was as a sub-unit group. Taeyeon and Tiffany, having gone through rounds of their joint ‘solo’ performances of Lady Maramalade in their poofy skirts and corset-tightened waists while touring during the Girls’ Generation concerts last year, were ideal candidates for the group’s concept – which spanned a very 20th century Moulin Rouge feel. The trio also reminded me of 2006′s musical film Dreamgirls, also of three girls set against the 60′s and 70′s glitz and glamour of musicals and broadway music. It’s an era I love, and for sure a concept I wholly support for SM’s unit.
It is no secret that Taeyeon’s vocals are top-notch and a need for a song like Twinkle, or it might otherwise fall into the league of catchy, repetitive sounding jingles (Sarang is move move?).
Though I still harbour thoughts that fellow member Jessica would have fit the concept better given her doll-like looks, equally bouncy, wavy hair, and position as one of the leading vocalists in SNSD as well, Seohyun does somewhat oddly fit in. While it’s more or less a given that Seobaby is never going to be completely comfortable on stage in my eyes, it does somehow fit her image as a performer, one who is earnest and honestly just enjoys performing for what it is, not forcing herself to blend in completely with the different images her company molds her toward. If the other two girls are the natural divas of the group, she helps tone down the overall unbashedly flirty group image, coming off more saccharine than sexy.
Possibly Seohyun’s edgiest moment in the MV. Hur.
And though I still yearn for a possibly more unpredictable sub-unit in the future now that SNSD has broken out of its performing-as-nine rut, for now, am completely digging these already bright stars. Don’t just twinkle girls, dazzlingly blind us all!
Also, Michy and I covered Twinkle today after months of not doing a cover together. We had fun, tell us what you think!
Back to finishing up my Seoul posts! I still have quite a number of places to cover and it’s nearing a month since I’ve gotten back…so I’m hoping to finish everything by the end of this month. Eep.
So one of the days, or rather, over two different days, we went in search of Seoul’s famous entertainment companies – namely SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment. And I actually think there’s nothing much you can do when you go to these places except…take photos so I wouldn’t suggest it if you have plenty of other things on your to-do list! I think two weeks gave us a pretty good amount of time to do whatever we wanted, but we still didn’t visit every single place we wanted to, so prioritise!
I won’t be writing my own guide on how to get there since there are plenty of good ones online, but a rough guide will be at the bottom of this entry.
SM and JYP are within walking distances of each other after you get off at Cheongdam station (Some people get off at Apgujeong station if they are only planning to visit SM because it is apparently closer).
FYI, I got out at exit 9 for Cheongdam Station and headed to SM first, then backtracked and walked to JYP. There are two possible exits you can use if you only plan to go to JYP, and I’m guessing either are fine.
Exit 9 of Cheongdam Station is closer to JYP than to SM.
Cube Entertainment (Home to Beast, 4 Minute, G.NA etc) is located within walking distances of SM & JYP too, but we didn’t visit the place.
SM Entertainment
Random well-dressed guard/one of those guys waiting to open the door for you while judging your bought-in-Dongdaemun-at-half-price outfit if you decide to step in.
Oh look! Someplace we could actually afford to eat at.
Gangnam is a really expensive area – and you can tell by all the high-end luxury brands around the place. Although I can’t afford to buy anything, I LOVE how all the buildings looked! This is how a luxury street should look like, right? Tall buildings with huge signs showing off their brand name – and lots of well-dressed people.
When we first got there, it was once again…freezing. The cold was not the problem, it was the friggin wind and we desperately wanted to find somewhere to hide again. We entered this same restaurant twice because we were also looking for something to eat (the only thing that have an abudence of in the area are coffee places) but I think they needed a reservation. Grr.
We ended up at some small eatery opened by some ahjumma and ate really nice, warm cheese ramen. :’) It was our cheapest meal too, 15,000 won altogether – about S$16 ++
I followed the video instructions mentioned above for SM, and I think they were the most clear-cut instructions ever. They’re really easy to follow – just involves a lot of walking straight and looking out for the landmarks/signs mentioned. SM is also located by the side of the road so it’s very noticeable.
Not SM but I love how the trees looked! Bare because of cold weather but still pretty.
And here we are at SM’s building!
We stayed for a grand total of about three minutes before running off. Although they recently got that big, sparkly sign up, there’s seriously nothing else you can do in front of the building since it’s right beside the road and there are a ton of cars going by…and everyone knows what you are there for so…
Also, SM Academy, is a seperate building and school where people can actually sign up for music/performing arts courses and if you are good enough, take part in SM Auditions. That was how SHINee’s Onew and SNSD’s Taeyeon were discovered. :’)
After we left, we headed in the wrong direction to look for JYP and when we turned back we actually saw other Singaporeans taking photos outside SM too haha.
JYP Entertainment
We had a bit of trouble looking for JYP, but one thing is for sure:
If you are going there from SM, face the building, turn to your right, and then walk back down to the huge cross-junction and then turn left and walk. Rest of the directions above!
We eventually found our way there after a nice lady overheard Mel and I talking about us getting lost (while seeking refuge in an office building’s toilet pfft) and told us how to get there! She also asked if we were Singaporean, because she recognised us from our accents.
“My friends from Singapore all sound like that too!” She chirped.
Sigh.
I preferred how JYP looks over SM almost immediately because you can really tell it’s an artiste-managing company just by looking at the building! Can you spot your favourite acts? And JYP has his own huge artiste spot right on top of everyone else’s hehe. There are actually still blank spaces unoccupied by posters of current artistes too. Soon to be taken up by JB and Jr.?
Keith going to work on a typical day. I’m sorry this picture looks so constipated. I think I was spamming shots.
Mel and Keith actually strolled into the carpark area where there is an office. I don’t really know what they found though. Maybe they took pictures with vans that might have potentially ferried their opparsssss/hyungsss.
There is also a pretty neat wall by the side of the carpark where fans leave their messages to JYP artistes. And just like what everyone says, there’s a Dunkin Donuts right opposite the building! It’s seriously very strategically placed, directly on the other side of the tiny road seperating them. Lots of fangirls sitting inside just waiting to see someone famous!
Think they were all eyeing us, annoyed that we were running around and taking photos.
And just had to say this, I bought a hot Starbucks mocha when we stopped at the office building previously and by the time I got to JYP (five minutes later) it was ice cold. -.-
YG Entertainment
On another day, we trekked to YG after getting our hair done – explains nice hair in this part of the entry – and this was relatively easy to find too. Just follow directions listed above! You’ll find the walk to YG a bit quiet, especially since you have to go down this alley (go in the day, it’s easier), but the building itself is impossible to miss.
Mel was crazily excited because well, she’s that little step closer to TOP right! Hehe.
YG is located in a very, very quiet area but you can see how huge and amazing the building looks. There were about 3-4 fangirls sitting by the curb when we went there – and were still there went we left. I’ve read accounts of fans actually approaching people going in/out of the building and begging them to pass their gifts to Big Bang/2NE1 and sometimes succeed if the person is nice enough.
She’s even wearing her Blackjack (Official 2NE1 fanclub) hoodie!
My friends being kungfu stars (IDK HOW THAT RELATES TO YG HAHA) – something I cannot accomplish.
I leave you with Keith looking like the next YG star himself.
xx
P/S Updated Myeongdong entry with noraebang experience!
Places mentioned:
SM Entertainment
Address:
Gangnam-gu Ahpgujung-2dong 521
Seoul, 413-830
Get off at: Cheongdam Station, Line 7, exit 9/Apgujeong, Line 3, exit 1
Directions to SM from Cheongdam Station via here
Directions to SM from Apgujeong via here
JYP Entertainment
Address:
Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Cheongdam-dong, 123-50, JYP Entertainment
Get off at: Cheongdam Station, Line 7, exit 9/13
Directions to JYP from exit 9 via here.
Directions to JYP from exit 13 via here.
YG Entertainment
Address:
Seoul, Mapo-gu, Hapjeong-dong, 397-5, YG Entertainment
Get off at: Hapjeong Station, Line 6, exit 8
Directions to YG via here.
A lot of the links are from the same page except SM and JYP, because they have two ways of getting there.
There are a crazy amount of K-pop groups that are leaning toward their Japanese market by releasing Japanese version of their Korean albums (Read: SHINee, SNSD, Super Junior, DBSK…okay almost every active SM band alive as an example) – even the somewhat newer B1A4 is currently preparing for their Japanese album to be released, close to a year after their debut.
But one thing that really amazes me is how well girl groups like KARA and T-ara pull off Japanese songs. For one thing, besides the fact that all of KARA sound really good at singing Japanese songs and speaking the language, their Korean hits already sound Japanese. Songs like Mister, Jumping and Step all have a distinct Jap sound because they are all electronic dance-y numbers. And even if Hara doesn’t look like Namie Amuro, her stick-straight long hair, tiny frame and huge eyes make her look like someone directly out of a slow-moving Japanese romance (or horror) movie.
And T-ara…I thought that the Korean lyrics of Roly Poly were incredibly catchy enough, now I’m almost completely won over by their Japanese version of the song.
What is this sorcery!
In this entry I declare my love for one of the most commonly favourited places in Korea – Myeongdong!
It might be a shopping area with pretty expensive things but I think there’s still ultimately so much to see over there. I love it!!! We went back like at least close to ten times after our first day I think, because it was so convenient for us.
We woke up really late the first day we went..about 2pm? Hahah and by the time we left our place it was already around 4PM because the four of us take approx two hours to get ready. Can’t believe our sloth habits – we practically lived the nights only.
With Keith not waiting for me up ahead. 
So nice this photo!! I have so many nice shots of you and those of me in your camera are…T_T
This was a stall at the traffic light junction that we had to cross everyday, and I kept thinking about DBSK whenever I saw it. But the stall is super cute and selling some sort of bread with different fillings inside. They apparently have quite a number of stores around Seoul.
If you look behind Mel you can see the girl in a poo-shaped hat LOL. I think that’s kind of like their mascot.
Huge-ass optical shop that 2PM and T-ARA endorse!
This was from another day as you can tell (they are wearing different outfits!) but here we are buying T Money cards from the machine in the subway. They can be bought from other GS25, Family Mart or other convenience stores.
I think a lot of people actually buy the ones that look like a normal card – and those work fine as well I think, but we bought the ones that look like a mini key chain (lost mine after a couple of days though so I had to buy another – but it was cuter!) .You can top up any value from 1,000 won. Ours costed about 8,000 won but I think the cards are cheaper.
The bottomline is: I guess you have to pay more for cute stuff?
The streets were REALLY crowded – and this was around 5pm. There were a lot of street stalls and we were all looking around but because the crowd was madness, we hopped into a random eatery for our first meal of the day ha ha ha.
The ‘D’ from Deli fell off I think.
The omu rice with Japanese curry was mine – see what I meant when I said I ate Japanese curry a lot there!
We arranged to meet up again at a particular spot since the place was so big and we didn’t want to spend so much time waiting for each other, but Mel, Keith and I ended up walking around together anyway! We checked out some underground shops selling idol merchandise and spent a crazy amount of time in F21…barely managed to look at everything – but this totally made up for time we wasted:
KRISPY KREME!
I swear I have never loved any donuts as much. Seoul has plenty of Dunkin Donuts everywhere but Krispy Kreme tastes the best. All three of us went straight for the original glazed.
After eating we met up with CA again and by chance, there was a street performance going on!!
Pretty useless pictures cos I was too busy watching!
There were different performers doing popular K-pop dances like Lovey Dovey, Nanrina etc..but there was one middle-aged gag woman who was doing 2PM’s Heartbeat and it was so funny!!!! She looked like she was having spasms.
Had no idea how this group of young schoolgirls did a bunch of dances in their leggings and short skirts because it was so friggin cold!! We had to shift closer INTO the crowd just so that we would be blocked from the icy wind.
And this was from another day in Myeongdong when we went to a Japanese eatery. Mel was so happy because we didn’t really eat rice the previous few days we were spent there.
One diligently eating, the other diligently uploading photos up on Twitter.
Can totally see all the gibberish we were scribbling.
End of that day ~
On another evening, we headed to Myeongdong again to meet up with Anne and Amy, the two girls we met while queuing for M Countdown, because it was the only place we were familiar with. Both girls had only been there once before that day – and they have been in Korea since last year/January! Haha, our only days to feel remotely like experts.
It was also the morning Mel woke up earlier than all of us – which is actually the norm – and went down to buy all of us a pizza lunch as a surprise!! So sweet of her.
This was literally what I saw the moment I woke up and looked down from my bed.
Our heroine!! And CA jumping down to eat haha.
Most delicious pizzas ever :’)
At night, Anne brought us to eat at Shabu Shabu – probably one of our healthier meals after all the junk we consume day after day.
Anne ignoring the camera because ‘food is more interesting’.
After eating we walked around and a few people went crazy buying idol socks..but I couldn’t really find any I liked :’( Please buy me Onew ones if you see them, Stef/Michy!
Went to take NeoPrints – something I remember vividly from my lower secondary school days.
Pretty much the same as the one at Cathay Cineleisure in Singapore. I had the time to snap all these shots because the rest except CA were all squeezed into that one tiny booth decorating hahaha.
And because Keith and Mel were super enamoured with these super tall ice creams that were on sale along the streets, we all bought some!
From CA’s camera:
From mine:
I think I told him to pretend he was the Statue of Liberty and he did this. Um.
/added
We made an impromptu decision to head to a noraebang (karaoke joint) that night too and we picked a random one opposite unisex Korean clothing boutique A-Land in an alley.
It costed us about 5,000 won each for an hour, still reasonable, but much cheaper at Teo Heng (for Singaporeans).
The song menu is in Korean unless the songs are of a different language, so it helps to be able to read! Also, we choose songs via this super elaborate remote where you can manually key in Korean letters to find a song/artiste so being able to write/read Korean seriously helps! We had a very effective Anne help us while we excitedly screeched “Big Bang! Fantastic Baby! SNSD! AHHHH”
Chong Aik and Amy also did a very impressive cover of JYJ’s ‘In Heaven’.
Also, one of our last nights in Myeongdong was spent watching NANTA!
They have about five different teams that rotate shifts because NANTA plays every day with three shows. There was a White Day Special when we bought tickets online (the only way of purchasing tickets) so we we saved about 15,000 won for second cat seats. Paid around $37 per ticket. The theatre is pretty small and each show is pretty packed because the audience are made up of mostly tourists.
The musical revolves around a bunch of chefs trying to make the deadline for the preparation of a wedding dinner – and it’s a non-verbal musical so non-Koreans are still able to enjoy it! I was feeling pretty sleepy that night so I don’t think I paid enough attention, but it was still pretty entertaining, and the cast interacts quite a bit with the audience.
Anyway, other things I remember:
1. For those looking to buy K-pop CDs:
In Myeongdong, there is a really large CD shop called Music Korea – visible the moment you exit the Myeongdong Subway Station leading toward the main shopping area. It is located right above Nature Republic beside Migliore (another mall) and cannot be missed! This was where I bought most of the K-pop CDs I did, but it’s much better to purchase CDs inside Myeongdong station itself because they are much more affordable.
Yes I only realised it after I bought almost all the CDs I wanted/for people. -.-
There are also shops in Migliore selling CDs at pretty affordable prices. Read here for more info! And for fans of SM, you can visit the EverySing store in Myeongdong on the top floor of SPAO, or a larger outlet in Apujeong. The store basically stocks a whole lot of SM merchandise and some other drama stuff. You can even take neoprints with your favourite stars or buy framed photos – seriously amazed at how much money they can make out of fangirling tourists.
2. For people who want to change SGD to Won
Before we left Singapore, Keith told me that his friend asked us to change money in Myeongdong if we needed to because the rates were so much better – which is true! There really are a lot of money changers in the area, and I changed money 4x (omg totally overspent) – once at a changer along the main streets and three other times at two shops in a dodgy-looking alley, which had better rates.
I can’t really remember where their exact locations are, but I am pretty sure that they are directly opposite Lotte Plaza - which is opposite Myeongdong. Your best bet is to walk till the end of a street, then turn into the lanes where more restaurants/eateries are located – they lead to darker looking alleys but you can spot the lights from the money changers from far. The rates around that area should be around the same and better than those inside the main street.
Places mentioned:
Myeongdong Station (명동역)
NANTA (COOKIN`)
From Chong Aik’s WordPress:
“But this will all change soon as I start hiphop open classes with Chia! I really can’t wait although I’m beginning to doubt my body, and how I possibly have forgotten whatever we learnt last year. To think about it, we haven’t been dancing for four months now! OMG
The dance is really fun although I really really believe you need to have swag to look good doing it – of which I possess none. It’s probably something you have to be born with. But we all dance cos we love it, anyway.”
–
Reading Chong Aik’s blog makes me realise what a total sloth I’ve been ever since the end of Hip Hop & Street Jazz II classes. How the heck did I get through so many classes and still feel like I have two left feet?
Our intention of heading to open class right after was shelved for months on end since we were both busy with school/internship. So next week we will be heading back after a gazillion years and praying that we don’t both crack something.
Been spending the last few days watching EXO vids and because of EXO-K’s evident popularity over EXO-M at the moment, I’ve been watching more of the Mandarin group’s interviews in China to see how they are faring – and they are superbly awkward I can’t help squirming. Fingers crossed that open up a bit more because it’s gonna be to their disadvantage if they remain too quiet…like MC-asks-a-question-and-silence-all-around-for-10-seconds quiet.
But so far, they’re the first group I’ve seen to be so incredibly shy and I quite like them because they don’t seem to realise how big they are going to become yet.
While everyone’s attracted to the pretty boys, I find myself drawn to the quietest of em all (prolly also cos of the language barrier): Chen!
One of the two Korean members of EXO-M and also the main vocalist.
Patiently awaiting the arrival of both my EXO-K and EXO-M’s mini albums! Sigh what is money?
The good news is I got off my butt today – long enough to head down to the library to borrow um, lots of chick lit. Kudos for my supposed dose of reading intellect.
xx
This is a Kpop post!
Just finished watching the showcase of SM’s new boyband, EXO!!
The very first song I’ve heard from this group, or two groups rather, since they are split into EXO-K and EXO-M respectively for their debut and subsequent promotions, (although I am sure they will release an album as one ASAP! I especially like how they introduce themselves as ONE EXO in their greeting to fans) is ‘What Is Love’. I really liked it, probably because it sounds so much like DBSK’s ‘Before You Go’ – a sleek, R&B number peppered with the right amount of vocal power.
But of course, I was also worried that this was what SM was out to do, create another powerhouse group to replicate Suju in number and DBSK in vocal range, possibly not giving them an opportunity to create their own identity. Also, no kidding when people say they are blown away by the awesomeness of their singing, dancing, etc but at the same time are still totally confused by the management of both groups – at least hopefully just now for.
‘What Is Love’ is the first song released to the public by EXO, but it isn’t their debut single or anything, so I guess it’s a prologue (?????). Their second prologue (????), ‘History’, was also released soon after, and it sounded very DBSK ‘Rising Sun’ ish once again. Still not a problem with me since I loved ‘Rising Sun’ too, but I was still wondering how to distinguish EXO as a group.
So I watched this (all other part found on YouTube):
Which also allowed me to watch a rerun of all the gazillion teasers EXO released, along with all their really good soon-to-be released-but-not-all-are-going-to-be-on-their-first-mini-album-why-you-showcase-them-so-early-then songs. And really, not a single song is bad and they all sound like they have potential to become big hits, not saying this just because they obviously featured only the hooks of each song.
Also, there’s the whole thing about getting to know each EXO member beyond their stellar good looks. I can name most of the members after watching the showcase (and some receiving obvious repetitive exposure) but I’m really hoping they’ll all turn out to be quite funny individuals with interesting personalities. Personally, I don’t think Super Junior has the best songs, but they all have character (Leeteuk, Shindong and Eeteuk doing their Boom Academy thing on Strong Heart), which has sustained them after so long.
So for people who like good ballads and up-tempo music with really, really catchy beats, they’ll really like EXO. For me, I already know I am a fan.
I like what I hear and I cannot deny their pretty boy looks.
Not the best picture but a compilation of all the members from here!
Now off to watch EXO-K’s debut on Inkigayo~
/EDIT
Their first interview on Inki! So cute how nervous they are.
