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Kim Tae Woo - T-Virus
Kim Tae Woo (g.o.d)
In the midst of the girl group dance pop craze, some of K-pop's best idol ballad singers are making comebacks this month, including Tei, Park Hyo Shin, Lee Seung Gi, and Kim Tae Woo who completed his army service earlier this year. Kim Tae Woo's new solo album T-Virus picks up where he left off with the intro track "Words I Want to Say Part 2" (Track 1), the follow-up to his 2006 hit. This short and sweet R&B ballad sounds nothing like its predecessor though, leaving behind balladic dramatics for free-style tempo, self-referential lyrics, and... auto-tune. I actually groaned out loud when I realized the auto-tune abyss had claimed another K-pop singer, but its presence is limited and does... [read more]
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Big Bang - 2009 Big Bang Live Concert : Big Show (3-Disc) (Korea Version) (Poster In Tube)
Big Bang
Big Bang's Big Show 2009 opens not just with a bang, but with... opera?! A majestic intro of violins and operatic singing lays the carpet for Big Bang's grand entry. Dressed in dapper white, the guys kick off with their hit Haru Haru to orchestral accompaniment, followed by My Heaven. The energy level remains high for the entire concert as the group dance and groove through hit songs like Always, Lies, Stylish, Red Sunset and LaLaLa, as well as side tracks that they don't often perform live like Wonderful and A Nice Person. The stage and lighting design are pretty impressive, what with the crazy lasers, fireworks, fire, and light-up walkway stage that snakes among the audience. But the... [read more]
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VINS - Sensitivity
VINS
K-pop has sprouted so many new girl groups lately, it's getting harder and harder to tell them apart. To aid memory, let's just say VINS are the ones not wearing color-splatter clothing, and not likely to participate in the inevitable Mnet rookie sexy dance battle stage. The under-the radar trio has a rather unfortunate name that seemingly abides by some hidden rule that every other female group must have an abbreviated four-character name. VINS also stands for "Voice IN Soul", which is far too similar to male trio V.O.S's "Voice Of Soul" (although "female version of V.O.S" certainly isn't a negative association). Despite the less-than-stellar packaging and promotion for VINS, the group's... [read more]
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2PM 2nd Single Album
2PM
2PM was outshone by SHINee last year in the battle of the rookie boy bands, but they're getting their time in the limelight with their second single album 2:00PM Time For Change. Written, composed, and arranged by daddy JYP, their red-hot #1 single Again & Again is pretty much a surefire hit from the first note to the last. Particularly notable for the fluid electronic beats and pounding bass that serve as intro, outro, and catchy backing for the entire song, Again & Again is an urban dance track that embraces the K-pop mantra of being both hip-pop edgy and completely chart-friendly at the same time. The song gets stuck in the head pretty easily since the "again and again" part is repeated,... [read more]
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Tae Goon 1st Mini Album
Tae Goon
With Rain and SE7EN focusing on their overseas careers and other male singers unable to rise to the occasion (between the requisite military rounds), the last few years of K-pop have pretty much been dominated by boy bands, girl groups, and divas. Other than Seo Tai Ji and the boy band-turned-solo holdouts, there are virtually no male vocalists at the top of the K-pop charts. The Korean music industry is clearly in need of some new blood, and Tae Goon just might be the best hope for the next big male pop star. Tae Goon first attracted buzz for his connection to TVXQ's Hero Jae Joong who starred in the music video of his catchy debut single Call Me, but the 23-year-old newcomer has a lot more... [read more]
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Boys Over Flowers OST (KBS TV Drama)
Korean Various Artists
| Korean TV Series Soundtrack
| Tree Bicycle
| SS501
After an anime series, two seasons of Meteor Garden, two seasons of Hana Yori Dango, and a really long movie, haven't we all had enough of F4 and Boys Over Flowers? The answer is, of course, NO. Korea's own take on Hana Yori Dango hit the small screen in January after months of buzz, and fans have dutifully tuned in. In a deja vu of Meteor Garden in Taiwan and Hana Yori Dango in Japan, the series has started a Boys Over Flowers trend in Korea, and the craze naturally includes the music. Meteor Garden gave us Harlem Yu's Qing Fei De Yi and F4's "Meteor Rain", and Hana Yori Dango made mega-hits out of Utada Hikaru's Flavor of Life and Arashi's Wish and Love So Sweet. The Korean Boys Over... [read more]
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Nell - The Trace (Special Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
NELL
Though the price tag is hefty, the Special Limited Edition of Nell's The Trace is very much worth the splurge as it comes with both the band's latest EP and concert DVD, plus various goodies to accompany the great music. Nell may not have the dreamy looks of the idol bands, but one would be hard pressed to find a Korean act that puts out dreamier music. The band's moody progressive alternative rock cuts from the same cloth as Brit-rock bands like Coldplay, Placebo, and Radiohead, but delivered with a more balladic softness that brings them closer to the tastes of the K-pop mainstream. The crowning glory of this release is Nell's July 19, 2008 Seoul concert. Other than the idol standards,... [read more]
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Epik High - Lovescream
Epik High
The poets and poster boys of Korean hip-hop, Epik High seems to have mastered the game when it comes to maintaining both mainstream appeal and underground credibility. Considering the group's album sales, chart-topping hits, screaming teen fanbase, and television exposure, Epik High has long reached pop idol-level fame, only without the pop idol stigma. Even while making the variety show rounds and rolling out perfectly produced tracks for the Mnet generation, the group still manages to be convincingly hard, if not exactly hardcore, and more than willing to court controversy with outspoken lyrics. Ultimately, the secret to Epik High's dual success comes down simply to their ability to... [read more]
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Big Bang : 3rd Mini Album - Stand Up
Big Bang
After the curious strategy of trying to enter the Japanese market with English albums, Big Bang has returned to their native fighting ground where their quirky fashion, oversized sunglasses, and ridiculously catchy rhymes are best appreciated. The group's third mini album Stand Up largely follows the formula of last year's Always and Hot Issue, which means six hip-pop dance numbers that get stuck in your head very fast. The integration of rap and hip-hop into mainstream pop has long been a unique aspect of K-pop since the days of Seo Tai Ji and Boys, but Big Bang has really embraced the genre and taken it to a new commercial pop high. Title track Stand Up (Track 1) and the following Haru... [read more]
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Pia EP - Urban Explorer
PIA
Straying farther and farther from their origins with every release, PIA's new album Urban Explorer again sees the band evolving and embracing a new amorphous identity. By now, I've almost forgotten that PIA started out as a metal band as they haven't been doing too much screaming lately. Compared to their 2001 debut album Pia@arrogantempire.xxx, Urban Explorer sounds like the work of a completely different band. If their music has gotten less defined over the years, it has also become more agreeable and diverse, indicative of the band's willingness to explore and experiment with new styles and elements. Seo Tai Ji continues to be an important influence over PIA as he serves as executive... [read more]
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Super Junior - Happy 1st Mini Album - Cooking? Cooking!
Super Junior
Every time I turn around, a new Super Junior unit has sprouted from nowhere. Certainly with three Super Junior albums released in about a month's time, it seems Father SM is testing the patience and wallets of even the most faithful. At first gander, Super Junior Happy does have the suspicious air of being slapped together - an antidote to occupy members not in Super Junior M and to distract fans still chanting "Only 13" - but their mini album has turned out to be a very agreeable release. If pop music is meant to be happy, harmless, and entertaining, then Super Junior Happy's Cooking? Cooking! passes with flying colors. In comparison to the picture-perfect boy band image of Super Junior M... [read more]
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On Air OST (SBS TV Drama)
Korean TV Series Soundtrack
| Song Yoon Ah
| Park Yong Ha
| FTIsland
It's been awhile since I came across a drama that really caught my attention - so much so that I fell in love with its soundtrack as well. A drama within a drama, On Air takes you behind the making of a fictional Korean soap opera while dissecting the intricacies involved in carrying out a TV production. The story revolves around the personal and professional lives of four key players in TV entertainment - an actress (Kim Ha Neul), a manager (Kim Bum Soo), a writer (Song Yoon Ah), and a director (Park Yong Ha). By offering heaps of hilarious parodies and flashy cameo appearances by stars like Jeon Do Yeon, Lee Seo Jin, and Lee Hyo Lee, the drama instantly became somewhat of a sensation in... [read more]
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Baek Ji Young Single - Gypsy's Tears
Baek Ji Young
Sometimes when I'm really down, what gets me going is a strong, heavy dose of depressing music. Sounds rather kooky, but these sad songs actually work their magic by turning their ears to my private sobs, becoming very much like my dream therapist - effective and cheap. In my own collection of therapeutic songs are many of Baek Ji Young's ballads including all three tracks from her latest mini album Gypsy's Tears. While her earlier hits were predominantly Latin-influenced dance numbers, Baek successfully transformed from a sexy dancing queen to a ballad diva with her 2006 hit Sarang ahn hae("I Won't Love") which drowned me in a flood of tears for days. The reason behind her appeal goes... [read more]
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Davichi Vol. 1 - Amaranth
Davichi
A few weeks ago, I lost my voice due to a nasty cold. Though weeks of fatigue and sleep deprivation drove me bonkers, one good thing came out of the misery - the husky voice that I had always wanted. Quickly preparing myself for what I envisioned to be my best karaoke performance, I started making a mental list of those who bear the likeness to my newfound sexiness. Several artists crossed my mind such as Lee Hyo Ri, Baek Ji Young, Park Hwayobi, and of course, Davichi. A female pop and R&B duo consisting of members Lee Hae Ri and Gang Min Kyung, Davichi made their debut in early 2007 with Amaranth. The richness of their distinctive, husky vocal timbre and the depth of emotions give the duo... [read more]
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Kang Chae E Vol. 1 - Addicted To Love
Kang Chae E
Some people just have the knack for picking out the next American Idol out of a massive pool of contestants - me. From Kelley and Ruben, to Fantasia and Taylor, I nailed them as the winner right from the get-go - along with millions of other viewers, right? Recently, I came across a new singer discovered by Yang Hyun Suk and I knew exactly why the renowned producer had given this young girl a shot at her own music. Her name is Kang Chae E which bears the meaning of "two colors", or even "diverse colors". Incidentally, her musical talent is just that - multi-faceted. (A reminder to all would-be-parents: put some careful thoughts into naming your child). Filled with down-to-earth folk ballads... [read more]
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Lovers in Prague Original Soundtrack (2CD+DVD) (Taiwan Version)
Korean TV Series Soundtrack
Pictures and music go hand in hand, as seen in the well-crafted soundtracks for hit dramas like The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince, Dae Jang Geum, and Winter Sonata. Another soundtrack that beautifully renders its partner's appeals is the Lovers in Prague OST. A contemporary Korean version of Audrey Hepburn's Roman Holiday, Lovers In Prague sees recently crowned Cannes queen Jeon Do Yeon playing Korea's First Daughter who falls in love with a quirky but charming detective portrayed deftly by Kim Joo Hyuk. Speaking of love that conquers all, Lovers in Prague entrances you into the romantic, historical atmosphere of Prague for which the drama does an excellent job as tour guide. Musical director... [read more]
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The Melody Vol. 1 - The Melody
The Melody
The Melody reminds me of Mary Poppins. Which is perhaps not what the typical indie rock band is aiming for in their music, but The Melody is certainly anything but typical. Genre labels like pop rock and indie pop really fail to describe the band's bright and airy melodies and arrangements, soft sentiments with rough edges, and hardy, funky, endearing cheer. The Melody makes music that puts a spring in your step, great for a morning commute soundtrack. The closest equivalent that comes to me would be the J-pop act Section-S, but The Melody is even better. The album starts on a bounce with a busy, playful, circus-like opening instrumental track that channels happy thoughts and content smiles.... [read more]
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Koyote - Dance Best and 9.5
Koyote
Famous for their trademark catchy dance/pop songs reminiscent of '80s music, Koyote has emerged as the genre's enduring darling over the last decade. Their long standing career stems from the ability to retain mainstream appeal with their addictive sounds, unassuming and down-to-earth mannerism, dynamic and vibrant stage performances, and last but not least, Shinji, their lone female member and the group's lead vocalist. Almost ten years have passed since she made her singing debut at the tender age of 18, but Shinji certainly needs no tuning up. The multi-talented singer digests every high key with such ease and finesse, delivering her signature husky, splitting tones whenever needed. Not... [read more]
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Brown Eyes Vol. 1 - Already a year...
Brown Eyes
There are very few albums out there that you can listen to over and over again and never feel the need to push the skip through button. This is just that album. The originator of the Korean mid-tempo R&B ballad, Brown Eyes offers a good blend of Korean sentiments and R&B soul music. Their soulful sound stands out amongst the monotonous humdrum of R&B. Earning themselves a diverse fan base, the duo set the stage for the birth of a mid-tempo ballad phenomenon in Korea. Undoubtedly, current chart-topping ballad groups like SG Wannabe, See Ya, and KCM owe a great debt to Brown Eyes. In the wake of pop heavyweights like Kim Gun Mo, Brown Eyes' 2001 debut album Already a year... ranking in at #5... [read more]
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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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