Also, FYI, Sandeul NEVER closes his mouth. There are literally videos of him at fan meetings and there are people in the back yelling at him to close his mouth because he looks so ridiculous.
B Sprout 1 Dance A Sprout 4 Dance !!!
So Good. B1A4 wins the spot as my new favorite kpop group this year. The sprout dance nudged them over Infinite, who I also discovered this year (although I think they've been around a little longer).
Also, FYI, Sandeul NEVER closes his mouth. There are literally videos of him at fan meetings and there are people in the back yelling at him to close his mouth because he looks so ridiculous.
Also, FYI, Sandeul NEVER closes his mouth. There are literally videos of him at fan meetings and there are people in the back yelling at him to close his mouth because he looks so ridiculous.
Korean rom-coms have taught me how to get a rich man.
1. If you take a chaebol* home and he bonds with your family, you get to keep him.
2. If it looks like your chaebol might leave you, hug him from behind. This is the best way to stun him so that you can confess your love.
3. The more accidents you get in, the more opportunities your chaebol will have of saving you (which will make him feel like a real man, and not the pampered rich baby that he actually is).
4. Having weak ankles and very tall shoes helps. Is there a natural disaster going on? You'd better get outside as quick as you can. Dangerous body of water nearby (or any body of water, really)? Jump in and forget to breathe.
5. You can treat nice guys who love you and want to give you the world like absolute shit and they will keep coming back to you. And their attention will make your chaebol jealous, which is the best way to get him to realize that feeling in his tummy that's making him curl his fingers in rage is lust/love for YOU, pretty lady.
6. Is that thing averagely good or funny? Scream hysterically about how awesome it is. Your chaebol loves the sound of your high-pitched girly shrieks of joy.
7. Always say your chaebol's name in a plaintive, whiny, pathetic voice. This is absolutely endearing, obviously.
8. Change your name to something that means a regular object or idea, so your chaebol can use metaphors to make fun of you and find new ways to tell you you're shitty.
9. Did I mention you should be getting into lots of accidents? If you want to snatch your chaebol from that snobby bitch who's much better suited to him, you better be on death's door at least twice a week.
10. Food that looks like your chaebol is the true way to his heart. It can't just be delicious, it also needs give him the opportunity to indulge his ego.
11. Did your chaebol give you jewelry? DON'T FUCKING LOSE IT. EVER. LOSING THAT JEWELRY IS AKIN TO SHOOTING YOUR CHAEBOL IN THE FACE AND HE WILL HATE YOU FOREVER.
12. Is it time to test your chaebol's love? Get him to give you a piggyback ride. This will prove that not only is he strong enough to be yo man, he's strong enough to handle your drunk ass when you're plunged into hysterical depression because your chaebol hung out with his ex.
13. Does your chaebol tease you? Does your chaebol tell you you're a useless scrap of a human being, in no way good enough for him? Fear not. This is his high-brow way of telling you he's been waiting all his life for some poor, mistrodden thing like you to gather up the gumption to confess your love, and now that he's found you he's just testing to make sure you're as despicable as the fantasy he's built in his head. IN ESSENCE - buck up, buttercup, he's already yours.
14. Have you been to Jeju Island yet? Better get your asses there, fast as you can. There's no hope of a successful relationship with your chaebol unless you spend some time on Jeju.
16. DO NOT ACCEPT MONEY FROM YOUR CHAEBOL. No matter how shitty your life is becoming (most likely because his mother fucking hates you), your pride is your most attractive feature. (Mostly because it will lead you into many life-threatening situations that give him the opportunity to save you.)
17. Your chaebol has no idea how to communicate, relate, show love, or in any other way act like a normal human being. But this is why you love him. Just don't be surprised that he keeps doing shit that makes you think he hates you. He's probably trying to tell you he loves you, but it's like a dog trying to wipe it's ass with toilet paper - the muscles just aren't there yet. Wait it out. Keep almost dying. He'll learn.
18. Forcing your chaebol to endure insufferable embarrassment caused by you is the best way to help him learn.
19. Is there a ridiculous animal costume around? Get in it, quick. Chaebol love bestiality mixed with the idea of you looking pregnant with their babies/heirs.
20. Sacrifice yourself to save him. Your chaebol isn't used to people throwing anything besides money, so protecting him with your soul or body will stun the shit out of him.
21. The best way to sort through your problems is NOT by chatting with your friends or, heaven forbid, your chaebol himself. No. Definitely the way to go is by talking aloud to yourself. Crazy = attractive, and don't you forget it.
22. Also, clumsy = adorable. Acting (and looking) like a 5-year-old = adorable. Stuttering like an idiot = adorable. The more ridiculous and pathetic you make yourself, the better your chaebol will feel about himself. Cover his flaws with yours. He should never have to face the fact that he is anything less that completely perfect if you can help it.
23. Make sure you have some plucky friends - preferably one or two less attractive friends and one absolutely gorgeous friend pretending to be less attractive by wearing glasses. They will aid you immensely in convincing you that you should continue to act as prescribed in #22 to win your chaebol.
24. If by some stroke of romance-god luck you get to spend a night in the same bed as your chaebol, make sure you are unusually flaily in your sleep. This'll make him all hot and bothered, and your drooling on him will actually become an endearing memory in a few months time.
25. Most importantly, your ability to live a healthy life better hinge on whether or not you think you have a chance with your chaebol. If you're not willing to give up food and drink, spend hours in the freezing cold, and refuse to get out of bed should you get the impression he might forget you forever, then you don't deserve him, bitch.
*A "chaebol" is like a member of the elite super-rich class in Korea, and although there are a few dramas out there that don't feature chaebol male leads, they usually do - or someone similar in status. Male leads in korean dramas are much like Nietzsche super-men, and to the ladies around them they are supposedly perfect and completely unattainable.
2. If it looks like your chaebol might leave you, hug him from behind. This is the best way to stun him so that you can confess your love.
3. The more accidents you get in, the more opportunities your chaebol will have of saving you (which will make him feel like a real man, and not the pampered rich baby that he actually is).
4. Having weak ankles and very tall shoes helps. Is there a natural disaster going on? You'd better get outside as quick as you can. Dangerous body of water nearby (or any body of water, really)? Jump in and forget to breathe.
5. You can treat nice guys who love you and want to give you the world like absolute shit and they will keep coming back to you. And their attention will make your chaebol jealous, which is the best way to get him to realize that feeling in his tummy that's making him curl his fingers in rage is lust/love for YOU, pretty lady.
6. Is that thing averagely good or funny? Scream hysterically about how awesome it is. Your chaebol loves the sound of your high-pitched girly shrieks of joy.
7. Always say your chaebol's name in a plaintive, whiny, pathetic voice. This is absolutely endearing, obviously.
8. Change your name to something that means a regular object or idea, so your chaebol can use metaphors to make fun of you and find new ways to tell you you're shitty.
9. Did I mention you should be getting into lots of accidents? If you want to snatch your chaebol from that snobby bitch who's much better suited to him, you better be on death's door at least twice a week.
10. Food that looks like your chaebol is the true way to his heart. It can't just be delicious, it also needs give him the opportunity to indulge his ego.
11. Did your chaebol give you jewelry? DON'T FUCKING LOSE IT. EVER. LOSING THAT JEWELRY IS AKIN TO SHOOTING YOUR CHAEBOL IN THE FACE AND HE WILL HATE YOU FOREVER.
12. Is it time to test your chaebol's love? Get him to give you a piggyback ride. This will prove that not only is he strong enough to be yo man, he's strong enough to handle your drunk ass when you're plunged into hysterical depression because your chaebol hung out with his ex.
13. Does your chaebol tease you? Does your chaebol tell you you're a useless scrap of a human being, in no way good enough for him? Fear not. This is his high-brow way of telling you he's been waiting all his life for some poor, mistrodden thing like you to gather up the gumption to confess your love, and now that he's found you he's just testing to make sure you're as despicable as the fantasy he's built in his head. IN ESSENCE - buck up, buttercup, he's already yours.
14. Have you been to Jeju Island yet? Better get your asses there, fast as you can. There's no hope of a successful relationship with your chaebol unless you spend some time on Jeju.
16. DO NOT ACCEPT MONEY FROM YOUR CHAEBOL. No matter how shitty your life is becoming (most likely because his mother fucking hates you), your pride is your most attractive feature. (Mostly because it will lead you into many life-threatening situations that give him the opportunity to save you.)
17. Your chaebol has no idea how to communicate, relate, show love, or in any other way act like a normal human being. But this is why you love him. Just don't be surprised that he keeps doing shit that makes you think he hates you. He's probably trying to tell you he loves you, but it's like a dog trying to wipe it's ass with toilet paper - the muscles just aren't there yet. Wait it out. Keep almost dying. He'll learn.
18. Forcing your chaebol to endure insufferable embarrassment caused by you is the best way to help him learn.
19. Is there a ridiculous animal costume around? Get in it, quick. Chaebol love bestiality mixed with the idea of you looking pregnant with their babies/heirs.
20. Sacrifice yourself to save him. Your chaebol isn't used to people throwing anything besides money, so protecting him with your soul or body will stun the shit out of him.
21. The best way to sort through your problems is NOT by chatting with your friends or, heaven forbid, your chaebol himself. No. Definitely the way to go is by talking aloud to yourself. Crazy = attractive, and don't you forget it.
22. Also, clumsy = adorable. Acting (and looking) like a 5-year-old = adorable. Stuttering like an idiot = adorable. The more ridiculous and pathetic you make yourself, the better your chaebol will feel about himself. Cover his flaws with yours. He should never have to face the fact that he is anything less that completely perfect if you can help it.
23. Make sure you have some plucky friends - preferably one or two less attractive friends and one absolutely gorgeous friend pretending to be less attractive by wearing glasses. They will aid you immensely in convincing you that you should continue to act as prescribed in #22 to win your chaebol.
24. If by some stroke of romance-god luck you get to spend a night in the same bed as your chaebol, make sure you are unusually flaily in your sleep. This'll make him all hot and bothered, and your drooling on him will actually become an endearing memory in a few months time.
25. Most importantly, your ability to live a healthy life better hinge on whether or not you think you have a chance with your chaebol. If you're not willing to give up food and drink, spend hours in the freezing cold, and refuse to get out of bed should you get the impression he might forget you forever, then you don't deserve him, bitch.
*A "chaebol" is like a member of the elite super-rich class in Korea, and although there are a few dramas out there that don't feature chaebol male leads, they usually do - or someone similar in status. Male leads in korean dramas are much like Nietzsche super-men, and to the ladies around them they are supposedly perfect and completely unattainable.
You won me over, Kim Hyun Joong.
Although, admittedly, it wasn't that hard.
It takes a pretty catch beat to make me pay attention, though. Said catchy beat has been the go-to on my ipod for the last week:
And then tonight (in avoidance of homework), I invested a little more time. All it took was one smiley adorable song and I'm a bonified Kim Hyun Joong fangirl. (It also has a catchy beat.)
I didn't take too much notice before, because the other video I had seen of his was Breakdown, which just frustrated me since the entire thing seemed to be leading up to a dance fight (Pop! Hit it! Cool! Yeah!), but the dance fight never appeared. I left the video disgruntled and angry, forgetting about him until Lucky Guy got stuck in my head. He's in SS501 as well - apparently all their members get to go out and do solo stuff, which is neat - but I haven't taken the time yet to really suss out all the different members of that group, although I did know he was one of the more prominent(ly pretty) members.
Kim Hyun Joong is borderline too-perfect looking. He's got the Siwon-esque asian-ken-doll thing going on a bit, but somehow his silly hair and grin makes me not discredit his perfection the way I do for Siwon. He is just crazy-gorgeous, though. An almost unbelievable blend of pretty-boy kpop idol and some actual masculinity. See example here (start at 4:00 for the extra hotness):
The top comments on this video are pretty indicative of his vast appeal (the second one being my favorite):
"When he ripped that shirt open I think he ripped open my heart as well! I mean WOW! O.O"
"Very nicely done, the work is amazing. He must have to hide out from all his fans trying to rape/marry him. The poor dear."
And all this Kim Hyun Joong love is probably going to spurn me into actually watching the entirety of Boys Over Flowers. I started it once, but got bored/annoyed with it quickly (I hadn't learned to appreciate Lee Min Ho the way I do now (I know, I know.... how can anyone NOT appreciate Lee Min Ho - but I was really distracted/un-attracted to the perm)), but now that I have TWO lovely korean idols to swoon at.... Yeah. I think I'll be able to stick it out this time until the romantic plot finally takes hold. Hurrah for the imminent arrival of Christmas break!
Long story short - this Thanksgiving day, one of the MANY things I'm thankful for?
Kim Hyun Joong. And his sassy smiley ways. :D
P.S. Oh, what's that? You (I) want a couple more pictures of him? Preferably with your (my) favorite korean actress? DONE.
Pout with your top lip.
Oh, you can't?
Sungmin can:
There are other things that Sungmin can do, as well:
1) Sungmin can twirl sticks.
2) Sungmin can be incredibly bendy. (0:24)
3) Sungmin can be incredibly cute.
4) Sungmin can be annoyingling incredibly cute.
5) Sungmin can dish it. (4:17)
6) Sungmin can be lady-sexy. (Well, kinda.)
7) Sungmin can be dude-sexy. (Well, kinda.)
Long story short: I heart Sungmin.
Korean Johnny Drama-Gold
I'm thanking myself right about now for making this silly blog. Because I was seriously lamenting the fact that I had no one to tell this to, and no forum I really wanted to post this in, and then I remember THE BLOG! ^_^
So I've returned to kdrama world. (yay!) I watched Heartstrings aka You've Fallen For Me last week (it was pretty mushy and ridiculous, but not horrific. The plot didn't do much, but I liked the characters enough to hang out - plus I liked getting to see Park Shin Hye not pretending to be a nun/boy-band-member). Then I decided to give the Hong sisters another shot (everyone gives them rave reviews, but they're a little iffy for me.... I loved My Girlfriend is a Gumiho once I got into it, but You're Beautiful was frustratingly addictive (but again, I had to really work to get into it, and I was constantly annoyed/distracted by how NOT boyish Park Shin Hye was - I've been thoroughly spoiled by Coffee Prince and Sungkyunkwan Scandal).
(These are both supposed to be girls dressed as boys. and this is just the face shot. If I had found a better full body shot, this would be an even more pronounced inferiority, as Park Shin Hye is one of the few Korean actresses out there who's actually got some T&A.)
I now get why the Hong sisters have the reputation they've got, and I finally think it's deserved. The Greatest Love is amazing. And it made me reassess their other dramas and realize that even when I was annoyed with something, it was with the actors or the acting, usually, not the dialogue or plot. I think the single greatest thing the Hong sisters have going for them is the ability to write a storyline that KEEPS MOVING. So many kdramas seem to pick one one problem and then beat. it. to. death. for 16+ episodes. With sisters' dramas, I never have any idea what's going to happen, and that's partially because things happen so quickly. (Which is awesome. They don't beat anything to death, except occasionally some second-male-lead angst, which is okay by me - there's got to be something out there to make you not like that second male lead so much.)
Anyway, I digress. The point of this post was actually just to mention that the reason I loved the main male lead in The Greatest Love, Dok Go Jin (Cha Seung Won), in all his quirkiness is that he is TOTALLY Korean Johnny Drama (if Johnny Drama were actually a successful actor). Same self-centered, egotistical dorkiness, complete with overacting and over re-acting. Actually, Dok Go Jin is more Johnny Drama + Ari Gold. (Seems impossible, right? Watch the clips. You'll agree, I swear.)
Johnny Drama is by far my favorite character on Entourage (took me 5 seasons to realize it, though). I think I really appreciate actors who can make ridiculous characters totally plausible. And I thank the Hong sisters for writing such a wackadoo character, and the director/producers for actually finding an actor who could pull it off, complete with some of the most ridiculous facial expressions I've ever seen broadcast. :D
Bad xeroxing skills will get you nowhere, Kpop.
TOP is amazing. Like, arguably the hottest/sexiest/deepest-voiced rapper in Korea (and the world at large), yes? Yes.
You know who else can be hot/sexy Korean rappers?
DUDES WHO DON'T LOOK AND SOUND LIKE TOP.
Block B has one of them. And while I know TKPA is totally in favor of P.O., I just have a hard time not seeing him as TOP.2 - which is sad, frustrating, and not-not-not the same. Even more frustrating, there's now a new group - "Taken" that has not one, but TWO TOP wannabes. The blonde one isn't too TOPish, but the first time I saw this video that's how it really struck me. (The darker haired one is seriously TOP.3.)
I appreciate the ways that Korean groups are able to spot successful trends and then remix/modify them to continue that success, but I think literally copying people/personas is going a little too far. I'm hoping it's just a rookie-group thing, and once they get a couple of songs under their belt they'll find let their agencies will let their members showcase their own personalities and styles, instead of already proven ones (I also thought the other main rapper in Block B was a pretty obvious GD knock off).
And the thing is, I don't think this is bad for TOP. Bitch, please. Ain't nobody better than TOP, and we know it, and he knows it.
I do think this is bad for Block B, Taken, and any other new rookie groups who have jumped on the TOP Rapper train, because it's just distracting and disappointing me as a potential fan. :(
It's also solidifying why I'm a fan of B1A4. They've got a crazy-low voiced rapper (Baro), who looks NOTHING like TOP. Huzzah!
UGHnnnnnnnnnn.
I don't know which one I would rather be. But, like, mngmngak.
I want to be them both SO MUCH.
'Cause it's Yoon Eun Hae. AND T.O.P. Together. In sexy-times.
SuJu Love
Sungmin makes me squee so hard.
(He's the one in shorts.)
I pretty much grin through this entire video.
So. Fucking. Adorable.
(Also, Super Junior managers might want to consider taking the Lip Gloss away from Teukie. He's always SO SHINY it's DISTRACTING.)
Remembering the WTF
I really appreciate when a Kpop video is so bizarre to remind me that OH YEAH THIS SHIT IS NOT AMERICAN. IN FACT IT'S REALLY PRETTY FUCKING CRAYCRAY by our standards.
And so, I present "Rocket Girl" by STELLAR.
1) I may have spoken too soon in the last post when I said B1A4 had the most autotuning, because these ladies like it a lot as well.
2) Can we talk about how awesome the noise is when they knock people out with their guns? Not the shooting, the physical hitting with the gun. It's like the mechanical version of the "buffalo down" noise in the old Oregon Trail game (yes, hearing that noise WAS the main reason I played that game).
3) I really love the orange pigtails. I don't know why.
4) Lady raps in this are kind of bizarre sounding - she doesn't sound like a legit rapper - but I like them anyway.
Kauto-Tuned.
I feel like this the the most auto-tuned Kpop group I've heard yet. They also have the deepest rap voice I've heard in Kpop (sorry, TOP, you'll have to try harder).
I don't really like their videos too much (more dancing, B1A4, more dancing! although the dancing they do for like-it-like-it-like-it is pretty fun), but I find their songs really catchy and slightly different from normal Kpop fare.
EDIT: after watching this another two times, I'm kind of in love with the video, too, dancing or not. The tiger jacket is great and the boy trying to hold her hand is gorgeous. Tiger jacket boy is gorgeous too, and kind of looks like a cat. Which makes sense, right! Well done, stylists, well done.
Speaking of auto-tuning - I totally got to see The Gregory Brothers at Bumbershoot. They were basically just singing all their songs, playing with their videos (captioned) behind them. But it was pretty fun. And the girl in that group really does have an awesome voice. And if you don't know who I'm talking about, then.... 1) I bet you do, and you just don't know it. They're the ones who made all the Auto-tune The News videos, as well as the Hide-Yo-Kids, Hide-Yo-Wife Antoine Dodson song, the Double Rainbow song, and my personal favorite, Backin' Up:
New K-Pops
Once upon a time, I was very adamant about trying to limit my Kpop groups. I was only going to add one at a time, if at all. Because I knew how easily I became obsessed and was afraid I would spend literally ALL of my time researching their names and watching their entire back-catalog of videos.
Yeah, well, that rule kind of fell by the wayside pretty hard.
BUT, I haven't gotten crazy-obsessed with any of the newer groups yet. I like them and am watching the videos, but for the most part I don't know their names (yet). To this day there are only a few groups that I can name all the members of (Super Junior, Big Bang, Shinee, 2NE1, Fx).
But, there are some new videos and songs that I'm pretty into. I was always aware of but hadn't really invested much time into: Beast/B2st, TVXQ/JYJ/DBSK (they've got name issues), U-KISS, B1A4 , Boyfriend, ZE:A, CN Blue, FT Island. More time has been invested, but mostly just in a song or two.
And my new favorite favorites (as far as listening to these songs on repeat for the last 3 weeks) come from Teen Top, SS501, and Infinite.
Teen Top! Seriously, it stands for "Teenz on Top" or something equally horrible. Sigh. Korean band names are SO BAAAAD. I'm pretty sure they're all jail bait (one would assume, with a name like that, right?), but they've got this cool fucking clapping song:
AND then there's this masterpiece - SO catchily titled "No More Perfume On You". (Double sigh.)
But it IS hella catchy and fun, and there's an amazing amount of guyliner going on. I'm also in love with the dance. Just never never ever go find the English translation - it will ruin the song for you. That's why I didn't even post the real video here. You can tell just from the real video story line that its a pretty douchey song. So I'm ignoring that, because I can't speak Korean and thusly I can choose to ignore it. Also, I almost always like the dance version music video better.
As to why Wide-Eyes sings pretty much the whole fucking song, I have no idea. But he looks like a barbie doll, and I'm cool with watching him. And I LOVE watching little red-hair's smug little snarky face in the background the whole time.
I've been listening to this A LOT. I'm considering learning the dance and doing it in-place-of or in-addition-to a Zefron drag act at my choir's Talent-No-Talent show this year.
SS501. I have no clue what that stands name for. Probably something about how many members are in their band, their initials, their blood type, what kind of girl they want - who knows. I'm sure it stands for something both meaningful and idiotic. I don't care what they call themselves, because they have one of THE best k-pop songs of the year, hands down, in my opinion.
I realized one of the reasons this song is awesome is that you can tell they're saying "Love" - with a real English "L" sound! (I understand that this is difficult for most Asians, but when it's the main line of your chorus it's especially important to try extra hard. I'm looking at you, ShinEE. Stop "Ling Dinging" around your stages and take some time to learn how to say "Rrrrrr".)
Hold the phone, yall. Wikipedia has informed me, over the course of writing this post, on the intensely special meaning behind SS501's name:
"The name of the band is a combination of letters and numbers that have special meaning. The first “S” stands for “Superstar". The second “S” is an abbreviation for "Singer". The combination of 5, 0, and 1 symbolizes "five members united as one forever".[1]SS501's official fan club name is Triple S (means SSS : Super Star Supporters)."
I feel my point has been proven.
Infinite. A band name that is almost normal. Well done, boys. I like Infinite because of this song, which is awesome and catchy (Oh!) enough to outweigh my dislike for the way it just kind of... ends. It doesn't fade out, it doesn't do one last chorus - they're just rapping, and then it's over. Whenever it comes on my ipod I'm really happy and then it's just GONE and I'm so confused. I had to listen to it multiple times on multiple formats before I actually believed that was the ending.
Infinite has some other good songs out there, too, but mostly I'm impressed with Sungjong, their little maknae (youngest in the group). He's easy to spot in the video because he's the one with the blue color pop (I fucking LOVE the video production/post-processing they did on that video. I know it's kind of cliche and not new in any way, shape, or form, but I love it anyway). He's the ladydancer of Infinite (I'm convinced that almost every boy band in Korea has at least one ladydancer (e.g. Heechul in Super Junior, Key in Shinee)), and the first time I saw the video below, I had no idea who it was.
I REALLY was hoping it was a girl and I was so prepared to be head-over-heels in love. Like, finally a rival to GD perhaps. And not that he's not awesome, because he so obviously is, but I just can't get that fired up about boys that are never going to be into girls... ... .. #sometimesgayboysmakemesad.
There are some solo acts that I've liked a lot recently, too, for either sound (and NOT dancing), or sound AND AWESOME DANCING. (HyunA and Jang Woo Hyuk, respectively.) But I'll spare you, as I think I'm done expanding on Kpop for the day.
SHUPERMEN
I fucking LOVE the little diddly vocal shit they're doing at the end of this. Seriously. When Yesung comes in at 2:50 my face split into a huge grin, especially as it's not in the live versions they've been doing.
BUM BUH BUM BUM, BUM BUM.
BUM BUH BUM BUM, BUM BUM.
So SuJu is back and tearing it up, with mostly kick-ass performances of SUPERMAN and Mr. Simple, for which I think SUPERMAN kicks everything's ass. It's just so fucking LOW and WAY MORE MASCULINE than pretty much anything I've ever encountered in Kpop (sans TOP's Turn It Up, that's the other one), especially in the genre of stuff produced by/for boy bands.
And then they go into Mr. Simple and that's cool too.
Yeah, Mr. Simple is the cousin of Sorry Sorry and Bonamana. Yeah, it's got weird lyrics that do not match the vibe of the choreography/music. Yeah, SuJu is pushing the easy-to-follow choreography really hard in all their interviews in an attempt to recreate the popularity of Sorry Sorry.
Do I still like the song? Yes.
Do I still love SuJu more than life itself? Hells Yes. (Even with Leeteuk's horrific hairdo. But sometimes its the faux-hawk and it is the hottest thing everrrrrrrr.)
They are kick-ass performers, you've got to give them that. Comparing their musicbank/inkagayo stages to other (admittedly newer) groups is just sad. There's so much more charisma, personality, and professionalism in their performances that there really is no comparison (unless we're talking about BigBang, but they're the other heavy hitters).
STOP TOUCHING YOUR FACE!
SPEAKING of the teaser, though.... and disregarding his face-touching shot, this is maaaaaybe the hottest I've ever seen Leeteuk look. He's all mohawked up at the beginning (he's the 5th one to appear). I'm excited for the hairdo. Also, is this teaser sung by Yesung? I'm assuming it is, although it could be someone else - either way, it's pretty gorgeous. Hurrah for Mr. Simple! I started listening to the new album last night, and after I catch up on my Daily Show episodes, I expect it's all I'll listen to today at work.
Here's some of those teaser photos, just to really give you the idea of how ridiculous their "concept" is (also, unfortunately, features the WORST hairdo i've ever seen Leeteuk have. Uhhhhg it's sooooooo bad).
Yesung. Pimp Yesung. Alright. I can dig it. I mean, it's totally crazy, but other than the fact that his face is all washed out and he looks like a ghost, he looks pretty hot in his pink spotted tank top and leather glove thing. And black neck muffler.
Sungmin. I can SO dig it. But that's pretty much my response to Sungmin at all times. With or without a bedazzled gun hung in his pants.
Siwon bein' his Korean Ken-doll self. And SM Entertainment knows how much the ladies loves them some Siwon-abs, so they just decided to stop teasing them. His facial expression is pretty awesome, though.
Ryeowook. What's best about this picture is the fact that I'm pretty sure this is the most masculine I've ever seen him look. For real. Who knew Ryeowook would look so good in bicycle shorts?
Leeteuk. Oh, Leeteuk, what have they done to you? This picture makes me sad. And I hope those ropes are really trying to be an undercover visual support of gay rights. That's the fantasy I'm living with that makes it so I can look at this picture long enough to comment on it.
And Heechul. Top hat, tie, AND a leather harness? Why not. You're motherfucking Kim Heechul. Milky-white skin will get you everywhere.
Not another one.
I may have to invest some time and learn all the names of ZE:A.... based solely on the adorable factor of this video:
I do feel like the larger the group, the sillier they're allowed to be for some reason? Or maybe ZE:A really takes after SuJu in the cheesy camp factor. Either way, I'm in. I'm so in.
f(x)
I have a new favorite. Her name is amber.
See if you can guess which one she is.
I do that fucking hand motion on the chorus EVERY TIME I listen to this song. Even while bike riding or running.
I also really kind of want to see her and GDragon together everywhere... especially if GD went back to blonde.... that would just be so much blonde androgynous swag that I might faint.
VASQUEZ 3.0
i.e. (and I do mean "eeeeeeeeeee!") LAUREN LOPEZ in Starship.
Starship is the fourth youtube released production of Team Starkid - the amazing drama group behind A Very Potter Musical and A Very Potter Sequel (and Me and My Dick - a show that is about exactly what the title suggests). Those shows are unbelievably good - hysterical parodies that (paraphrasing what some other reviewer said) are equal parts mocking and true homage from fans who really love the series.
Starkids also understand the power of the Zefron.
And Starship is no let down, which is good - I was a little worried it wouldn't have the parody aspect I love so much about AVPM and AVPS, but then imagine my shock, surprise, and unrestrained delight to find out they were parodying ALIENS to a large extent. And that my favorite leading lady-boy (she is undoubtedly the funniest version of Draco Malfoy you have ever seen) was playing my favorite bad-ass:
The whole show is really great, and I highly recommend it to anybody who appreciates silly songs, ridiculous humor (I'm not sure I truly understand Starkid's fascination with potty jokes (and I literally mean "Potty" jokes, not 'toilet humor'), but I'm cool with them considering everything else they do usually has me in hysterics), and a lot of heart. And Darren Criss (yay for starkids making it big time!) wrote some amazing songs - notably this one, in my opinion (start at 4:10 - holy shit, dumbledore can sing SO GOOD):
Anyway, go watch it. AND MAKE SURE YOU LAUGH when Joe Moses says "GAME OVER, MAN, GAME OVER!!!" I was so happy that line got in there - and so sad that the audience didn't seem to appreciate it. I got your back starkids, keep throwin' me adult-film references in seemingly children-aimed productions. Also.... the commander ("Up"), in a fun mix of references, is the "scarred bad-ass commander" from every military film you've ever seen - but he TOTALLY looks like Michael Biehn in the Abyss, which is just a great mix of James Cameron references for me.
SuJu Introduction (for real, yo)
So. Super Junior.
My induction group into the continually-addictive world of Korean entertainment.
They make pop music. Some of it is ridiculous. (And like, REALLY ridiculous in the best ways.)
HEECHUL - DIVA. Fabulous asshole. Hysterical. Master of androgyny. Heechul acts ... well... American, maybe? He's not respectful the way he should be, and he should get in trouble for it, but because he's Heechul, everyone just kind of rolls their eyes and laughs and admires his balls. Because he pretty much just does whatever the fuck he wants to do. He also learns girl-group dances like nobody's business.
YESUNG - The voice! king of FAIL! He's gotten better in the last couple of years, but he was just insanely awkward on tv shows, etc. for the majority of SuJu's early famewhoring days. But his voice is amazing, and he's the vocal base of a lot of SuJu songs. Also, he dances like a tard, which is mostly funny not because it's so bad, but because he doens't seem to have any idea how bad it is. He just gets this mildly offended/sad look on his face when his band members start laughing hysterically and trying to pull him off the stage after he dances. OH! And Yesung is like, bizarre and creepy. Used to sneak into the other members' rooms at night and watch them sleep. And likes to touch that indent in people's upper lips. He's just so fantastically bizarre.
KANGIN - May be the only suju member who actually acts masculine. Occasionally acts like a dick. Is the only member of SuJu I'd trust with the ability to actually lift me off the ground. Kangin is now in the army - partially because it's required, but also seemed like good timing after he'd shamed himself by getting in trouble (DUIs or something else drinking related) multiple times.
SUNGMIN - Likes pink, and defends that personal preference. Is the King of aegyo (acting obnoxiously cute). He is also more built than people give him credit for - martial arts SuJu master # 2 after Hangeng, twirls sticks like none-other. He also has an absolutely crazy cupid's bow of an upper lip. He and Leeteuk duke it out for first place in my SuJu bias list.
HANKYUNG* (aka Hangeng) - Gets a lot of shit for not speakingKkorean perfectly, as he's their original Chinese member. He's also superhot. And for some reason, Heechul really likes him and takes care of him (and teases him the most as well), which just seems so out of character for Heechul but is awesome. Hangeng does have pretty amazing stage presence.
EUNHYUK - The DANCING MACHINE. He was actually the reason I was first transfixed by SuJu - because his dancing in the It's You movie is absolutely captivating in it's utter perfection. He also reminds me of (young) Edward Furlong, who was the first actor I ever had a crush on. He also has the goofiest most adorable gummy smile you've ever seen.
SHINDONG - Takes shit for being the "fat" one, and takes it with grace. Especially since he's really very very average by American standards. Also, Shindong is an awesome dancer, and he's really good on the variety shows with impromptu comments that are actually funny. He did (or does) MC for a children's TV show, which also seems totally appropriate.
SIWON - Asian Ken Doll. King of hand gestures. He loves god a lot. I guess Siwon tries to make nice with everybody. Mostly I think he's funny for all the hand gestures, but otherwise I kind of ignore him because he's so overly stereotypically perfect looking that I'm kind of turned off. He models a lot, and makes more money than any of the other members because of it (and his family was already loaded to begin with).
DONGHAE - Acts like he's 7 years old. All the time. He's maybe not... super.... quick. ....
To catch on to what's happening. But that is definitely part of his charm when paired with his super wide-set eyes. He is also an amazing dancer. And he really really likes Eunhyuk, and they're adorable together.
KIBUM - Cares about acting more than singing with SuJu :( I feel like I don't know enough about him to describe him much, but he's still awesome by default.
RYEOWOOK - So pretty. I do kind of think Ryeowook is the most effeminate member of SuJu - and he sings similarly. He does have an amazing voice, and SuJu songs would be sorely lacking if he weren't around. He's just tiny and adorable.
KYUHYUN - VOICE LIKE BUTTER. Youngest member. Mischievous and snarky in the best ways. He's just so fucking adorable, but then he's also actually a bit tall and masculine looking - which is a bit rare in the kpop world. Well done, Kyu, well done.
HENRY** - Has chubby little cheeks that Ryeowook likes to pinch? He plays violin! And speaks english really well, which is nice, since after Kibum went awol SuJu's pretty lacking in the English skills department. (He's Canadian!)
ZHOUMI** - I used to get him confused with Siwon. Now I don't. His legs are very, very long. (I.E. Zhoumi is so tall that I never invested much time in him.)
Some of it is Amazing. All of it is shit you want to dance to.
There are many members in Super Junior. For a long time they were the biggest boyband in the world. There are also many groups in Super Junior.
Let me list them for you.
LEETEUK - Leader of super junior and eldest member. PERFECT FACE. He has no problem being super-corny, which I love - he's always the first guy into the giant animal suits when given the opportunity. He's also got an absolutely ridiculous laugh. Let's not lie: i'm kind of in love with him. He's .... just kind of perfect.
LEETEUK - Leader of super junior and eldest member. PERFECT FACE. He has no problem being super-corny, which I love - he's always the first guy into the giant animal suits when given the opportunity. He's also got an absolutely ridiculous laugh. Let's not lie: i'm kind of in love with him. He's .... just kind of perfect.
HEECHUL - DIVA. Fabulous asshole. Hysterical. Master of androgyny. Heechul acts ... well... American, maybe? He's not respectful the way he should be, and he should get in trouble for it, but because he's Heechul, everyone just kind of rolls their eyes and laughs and admires his balls. Because he pretty much just does whatever the fuck he wants to do. He also learns girl-group dances like nobody's business.
YESUNG - The voice! king of FAIL! He's gotten better in the last couple of years, but he was just insanely awkward on tv shows, etc. for the majority of SuJu's early famewhoring days. But his voice is amazing, and he's the vocal base of a lot of SuJu songs. Also, he dances like a tard, which is mostly funny not because it's so bad, but because he doens't seem to have any idea how bad it is. He just gets this mildly offended/sad look on his face when his band members start laughing hysterically and trying to pull him off the stage after he dances. OH! And Yesung is like, bizarre and creepy. Used to sneak into the other members' rooms at night and watch them sleep. And likes to touch that indent in people's upper lips. He's just so fantastically bizarre.
KANGIN - May be the only suju member who actually acts masculine. Occasionally acts like a dick. Is the only member of SuJu I'd trust with the ability to actually lift me off the ground. Kangin is now in the army - partially because it's required, but also seemed like good timing after he'd shamed himself by getting in trouble (DUIs or something else drinking related) multiple times.
SUNGMIN - Likes pink, and defends that personal preference. Is the King of aegyo (acting obnoxiously cute). He is also more built than people give him credit for - martial arts SuJu master # 2 after Hangeng, twirls sticks like none-other. He also has an absolutely crazy cupid's bow of an upper lip. He and Leeteuk duke it out for first place in my SuJu bias list.
HANKYUNG* (aka Hangeng) - Gets a lot of shit for not speakingKkorean perfectly, as he's their original Chinese member. He's also superhot. And for some reason, Heechul really likes him and takes care of him (and teases him the most as well), which just seems so out of character for Heechul but is awesome. Hangeng does have pretty amazing stage presence.
EUNHYUK - The DANCING MACHINE. He was actually the reason I was first transfixed by SuJu - because his dancing in the It's You movie is absolutely captivating in it's utter perfection. He also reminds me of (young) Edward Furlong, who was the first actor I ever had a crush on. He also has the goofiest most adorable gummy smile you've ever seen.
SHINDONG - Takes shit for being the "fat" one, and takes it with grace. Especially since he's really very very average by American standards. Also, Shindong is an awesome dancer, and he's really good on the variety shows with impromptu comments that are actually funny. He did (or does) MC for a children's TV show, which also seems totally appropriate.
SIWON - Asian Ken Doll. King of hand gestures. He loves god a lot. I guess Siwon tries to make nice with everybody. Mostly I think he's funny for all the hand gestures, but otherwise I kind of ignore him because he's so overly stereotypically perfect looking that I'm kind of turned off. He models a lot, and makes more money than any of the other members because of it (and his family was already loaded to begin with).
DONGHAE - Acts like he's 7 years old. All the time. He's maybe not... super.... quick. ....
To catch on to what's happening. But that is definitely part of his charm when paired with his super wide-set eyes. He is also an amazing dancer. And he really really likes Eunhyuk, and they're adorable together.
KIBUM - Cares about acting more than singing with SuJu :( I feel like I don't know enough about him to describe him much, but he's still awesome by default.
RYEOWOOK - So pretty. I do kind of think Ryeowook is the most effeminate member of SuJu - and he sings similarly. He does have an amazing voice, and SuJu songs would be sorely lacking if he weren't around. He's just tiny and adorable.
KYUHYUN - VOICE LIKE BUTTER. Youngest member. Mischievous and snarky in the best ways. He's just so fucking adorable, but then he's also actually a bit tall and masculine looking - which is a bit rare in the kpop world. Well done, Kyu, well done.
HENRY** - Has chubby little cheeks that Ryeowook likes to pinch? He plays violin! And speaks english really well, which is nice, since after Kibum went awol SuJu's pretty lacking in the English skills department. (He's Canadian!)
ZHOUMI** - I used to get him confused with Siwon. Now I don't. His legs are very, very long. (I.E. Zhoumi is so tall that I never invested much time in him.)
I kind of want to do a post about each member individually, because they're all fabulous in their own way. And they're all fabulous together. Really, kind of the best thing about SuJu is the endless library of youtube clips available to watch of them just being fame whores and interacting with each other. And I will. Someday. I'm still in the process of compiling images, clips, etc. (Mostly for my own fangirl archival purposes, but under the guise of posts for this blog.)
But for now, here's a clip of Heechul dancing with his cat. Because when you go on a radio show, you bring your cat, right?
SuJuSubGroups:
SuperJunior-M
(M for Mandarin?) The Chinese touring group. They're super-popular and recently expanded. I don't get the hats. But Kpop stylists are INSANE:
SuperJunior-H
(The "H" is for Happy. Seriously.) The exploit-the-adorable-asian-factor group:
SuperJunior-T
(T for Trot. It's a style of traditional Korean pop music.) The cracktastic WTF group:
SuperJunior-KRY
(KRY for Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, Yesung.) Ballad group of the best singers in SuJu:
AND THAT'S SUPER JUNIOR. IN A (large) NUTSHELL.
* SuJu got some drama, yall. Hankyung is actually Chinese - and he had a nasty ass contract that he eventually got out of and returned to China and is now doing his own solo stuff. But we (and by "we" I mean all the crazy SuJu fangirls, or "ELFs") still love him and wish him the best. (But also want him back. Come back Hangeng!)
**The other stars are for Henry and Zhoumi, who were not part of the original group of 13, but were added later as part of Super Junior-M which is SuJu's Chinese subgroup. Many ELFs weren't happy with the additional members, but I feel like thats pretty much faded. Especially because with Hangeng being gone, and Kangin gone in the army now, and Kibum MIA because he's pursuing his acting career - SuJu just seems too small with only 10 members, and so having Henry and Zhoumi there helps round out the numbers. Also they're awesome. And Henry actually legit speaks English 'cause he's Canadian, and it's pretty great to actually hear one of them speak English in songs without sounding... well. Like they sound. :P
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