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The Legend (AKA: Four Gods) OST (MBC TV Drama)
Korean TV Series Soundtrack
| Dong Bang Shin Ki (TVXQ)
Four Gods OST is one to gush over and rave about. Almost all of its 19 tracks (and I will explain later why I say "almost") are bathed in the mystical warmth of a historical fantasy. It offers plenty of evocative sounds that capture the essence of this year's blockbuster drama Four Gods (a.k.a. The Legend) starring Bae Yong Joon (Winter Sonata). The instrumental score is definitely pleasurable on its own as orchestral music. Although the songs will resonate better if you have watched the drama, the score alone tells the whole story. The score for the drama has been raising eyebrows ever since Four Gods first aired in September of 2007. Joe Hisaishi, arguably Japan's most prolific and... [read more]
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Kim Gun Mo vol.7 - Another days...
Kim Gun Mo
No, this is not the latest release by Kim Gun Mo. But start digging into your memory all the way back to the year 2001. Remember the song "I'm Sorry"? If you just said yes, then you must be as old as I am! In those days, you could not walk the streets of Seoul without hearing Kim Gun Mo's hit song "I'm Sorry", or step into a karaoke without seeing a middle-aged man chugging down soju while serenading "I'm Sorry" to his wife, who was probably leaving her twentieth "where-the-heck-are-you?" message on his mobile phone. The all time best selling album in Korean history to this date goes to Kim Gun Mo's third album Wrongful Meeting, which has sold over 2 million copies in 1995. Kim's success has... [read more]
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Kim Sa Rang Vol. 3 - U Turn
Kim Sa Rang
Kim Sa Rang seems to have missed the memo on how to stage a proper comeback, K-pop style. He doesn't have a snazzy new stage name or new look or new musical style or marketing gimmick to offer. His album cover doesn't even have his picture on it. Instead, for his first album in six years, Kim Sa Rang is still swinging his guitar and sticking to what he does best - music. Not only did he produce, compose, and write all the songs in U Turn, he also handled all the instruments, recording, and mixing. The result is a clean, expressive, and earthy alternative rock album, the kind of which is in too short supply in the Korean music scene. Kim Sa Rang, welcome back. You've been sorely missed. U... [read more]
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The 1st Shop Of Coffee Prince OST (MBC TV Drama)
Korean TV Series Soundtrack
| Casker
| Lee Seon Gyun
| Humming Urban Stereo
I would typically hesitate to recommend a drama soundtrack since liking the soundtrack is often dependent on liking the drama, and Korean dramas just aren't for everyone. But The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince OST is really one of the best OSTs I've heard and a great choice for music fans. In a rather inspired personnel move, the music director for the soundtrack is Park Sung Hoon, better known as Liner from indie act Tearliner. He has put together a refreshing selection of indie pop and instrumentals that go perfectly with the coffee shop mood. Tearliner's excitedly titled Go Go Chan!! (Track 4) is a fast-paced, mellow, feel good indie pop number featuring Yo Cho's soft and soothing vocals. The... [read more]
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EVAN Vol. 1 - Hard To Breath
Evan (Yoo Ho Seok)
One of the most pleasant surprises mainstream K-pop has served up this year is the debut album of former Click-B member Yoo Ho Seok. I was never a Click-B fan and my main impression of Yoo Ho Seok from his boyband years was that he had a slightly whiny sounding voice. Five years after leaving Click-B, he's back with a new name - Evan - a new look, and most importantly, a new voice. Not only have his vocals, range, and singing style greatly improved, his vocal quirks have matured into a true asset, distinctive characteristics that make his voice immediately recognizable. Complementing the voice is an accomplished album fusing jazz, urban pop, and R&B elements into contemporary K-pop, offering... [read more]
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Vanilla Unity Special Album - Farewell & Tonight
Vanilla Unity
A dash of punk, a pinch of emo, a dose of screaming, and we get Vanilla Unity. A fairly new and young name in the scene, the band has found a fair amount of attention with its Westernized rock, and it's easy to understand why. Though their musical style is not particularly innovative - basically an energetic, eclectic, emo sound that would fit right into the American alternative mainstream - the band's delivery is spot-on. Their brand of alt-rock is safe and soulful enough to appeal to a wider audience, irreverent enough to bounce to, and not emo enough to annoy. Working in a genre that's gotten rather bloated in recent years, they've still managed to put out some very listenable and... [read more]
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YounHa Vol. 1 - The Perfect Day to Say I Love You
Younha
Having never listened to Younha the J-pop singer, I initially wasn't all that interested in Younha the K-pop singer, and was ready to let this album go by. Fortunately, I had the chance to see her perform live last month, and I was immediately won over by her strong, clear voice and earthy stage charisma. Given that the recent wave of female pop idols has largely displayed more flash (or flesh) than substance, it's certainly refreshing to hear a young singer who can actually sing. Though the album itself could still use some tweaking, the sound Younha offers comes at just the right time. Her up-tempo rock pop and piano ballads fit squarely into mainstream sensibilities, while providing a... [read more]
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Radio Star OST
Korean Movie Soundtrack
| No Brain
| Park Joong Hoon
In 2006, King and The Clown director Lee Joon Ik followed up his mega period blockbuster with a seemingly very different kind of film, the life-affirming and heartwarming Radio Star. But Radio Star is really, at its core, again a movie about men in love. Without the grand narrative and controversial undertones, the film spins a smaller, safer, and unabashedly cheesier story, but it is one filled with a quiet understanding of life's journey and a clear appreciation for the music that has accompanied it. The Radio Star soundtrack brings together some rather unlikely names into one album. Listening to the soundtrack feels a bit like a walk through the decades, visiting the ups and downs of life... [read more]
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Jang Woo Hyuk Vol. 2 - My Way
Jang Woo Hyuk
A disarmingly fabulous fusion of dance hip hop and some plain old fun in a self-consciously cool commercial package, Jang Woo Hyuk's My Way is the singularly most entertaining mainstream Korean album from 2006 in my books. In comparison to his previous solo release No More Drama, My Way is a definite step up overall in song selection, musical arrangement, and artist collaboration. The solidly produced album is packed with energetic, thoroughly pop yet innovative hip hop numbers that are very likely to get stuck in your head. I know they're stuck in my head. My Way opens with probably the most unabashedly catchy track of the album, Mr. Jackson. And, yes, it does refer to that Mr. Jackson.... [read more]
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Lee Seung Gi Vol. 2 - Crazy For You
Lee Seung Gi
As K-pop keeps getting more, well, poptacular with the likes of Rain, SE7EN, TVXQ, and company, there's something universally likable about Lee Seung Gi's catchy ballads and clean-cut boy-next-door demeanor. Inevitably, much of the appeal lies in the youth: his awkwardly endearing appearances on X-Man, his roguishly immature role in Famous Chil Princess, and, of course, his debut song "You Are My Woman" about loving an older woman. Having long passed my teenage years, however, what attracts me more is the music, classic ballads interpreted in a new generation voice. (Perhaps this feeling of "classic" is what the inexplicably unfashionable cover is trying to convey; his other two headshot... [read more]
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Crying Nut Vol. 5 - The Cow of OK Pasture
Crying Nut
The original Chosun punkers have long lost their indie edge, but their rocking irreverence is as welcome as ever. After a long hiatus (courtesy of the South Korean army), the band regrouped last year and released their fifth album, The Cow of OK Pasture, earlier this year. There must be something about that military service because three and a half years after their slightly disappointing fourth album, Crying Nut is back in top form for The Cow of OK Pasture. The album is everything you can expect from Crying Nut: loud, infectious rock tunes, rowdy lyrics, and manic energy. Their riotous grassroots folk punk - complete with accordion! - has grown a lot more polished and inventive with this... [read more]
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H.O.T vol. 5 - Outside Castle
H.O.T
Has it been five years already? In 2001, H.O.T. broke up at the height of its fame over a contract spat, breaking the hearts of countless teenaged girls in Korea and putting to end an impressive reign in K-pop. Muffled in all the hoopla though was that H.O.T.'s disbanding was a true loss for the Korean music scene. Formed as the most pre-fab of groups in 1996 by idol-making machine SM Entertainment, H.O.T. was so poptacular, it is easy to overlook their musical contributions. However, in the group's five-year span, H.O.T. made music that exceeded the boundaries of mere pop. Seo Tai Ji and Boys will always be the most iconic, but, for better or worse, it is really H.O.T. that set the formula... [read more]
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Cherry Filter Vol. 4 - Peace N' Rock N' Roll
Cherry Filter
Cherry Filter is perhaps the epitome of pop rock done right. They are raw enough to pass as alternative, radio-friendly enough to please the young 'uns. The music is tight, loud, expressive, familiar yet fresh - and it is all belted out by an attractive female vocalist with an interesting voice. Lead singer Youjeen dances between strong balladic vocals and what amounts to even stronger melodic screaming. She seems to sing straight from the throat most of the time, bringing a low roughness to her voice that gives the band's rock numbers an edgy finish. Basically, she sounds like she is slowly destroying her larynx for the sake of music (and really, shouldn't we all?). With The Third Eye... [read more]
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