K-Pop Movement
POSTED BY: 6ixStringJack
UPDATED: Friday, March 23, 2012 03:13
VIEWED: 2559
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It's been announced that 2NE1, a Korean Pop Girl Group will be storming the shores of the US in 2012. The first K-Pop Group to ever come to America. I hope I can get tickets.
I'm actually stunned at how amazing this "new" music is to me. I play a lot of K-Pop tunes that are up to 5 years old regularly on my playlist.
It's funny, since I usually shun US-bred Pop music.
I'm sure it's for two reasons....
My 3 favorite K-Pop groups are comprised of 5 to 9 of the most beautiful women I've ever seen, but more importantly, their songs and hooks (and the inevitable auto-tune) are irresistible. I think the fact that 3/4 of the time I have no clue what they're swinging about even though it's always an eargasm helps.
I never before appreciated how quick a day of labor could go while listening to Pop music when I had such a bias against US Pop.
I don't know when, where or why opened up to this. I was never even attracted to Asian Women before this new love of mine, but it's really some of the most exciting music I've ever heard in my life. You just really feel good listening to it. 
Here's some of my favorites....
2NE1 - Can't Nobody:
2NE1 - I Am The Best:
Kara - Jumping:
Girls Generation - Gee:
Girls Generation - Hoot:
Girls Generation - Visual Dreams:
And finally, the Complete English Version of Girl's Generations (SNSD's), "The Boys"...
All I got to say is, WOW....
Every one of these 3 groups has at least one member who was born in the US and probably helped everyone else with the English.
Seriously...
How hot is a 9 girl group who sings one single song with Japanese, Korean and English lyrics throughout while wearing outfits that most states in So US would arrest them for wearing in public?
"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." ~Shepherd Book
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Well, the thing I always held against the whole pop-idol thing was how the idols in question are treated, the exploitation is a whole lot worse than even the rapacious contracting american record companies do, case in point - this.
The Problem With Music
http://www.negativland.com/albini.html
And along comes a pop-idol who is, by her very nature and abilities, immune to such exploitation.
Bear in mind that the first couple of songs I heard, I had no idea said pop-idol wasn't human.
But what really pulled me in, cause I don't even LIKE J-pop, or pop in general, was that some of her work got done in english - which given that Hatsune Miku is a program, and one never intended to HAVE an english "voice", had to be done by hand, manual sound-matching from another wholly different language one piece at a time, now THAT, is a labor of love.
Some highlights for ya, just so you can get what I mean.
Hologram Concert.
(Some of the special effects and costume-swaps put a whole new dimension on concerts, you ask me)
Toyota Corolla commercial.
(Mind you, she's also on a couple racecars, since she's built by Yamaha, heh.)
Here's the one that "bought" me though, she covers Belinda Carlisle like she owns it.
Also worthy, German, and being non-human, she can ALWAYS hit every note in absolute perfection, which puts and entirely new spin on Opera, especially a difficult one like this.
And yes, she can hammer down the rougher end of the musical spectrum, I picked this one out just for you Jack, cause I know you'll appreciate it.
There's a BUNCH of fanlore and stuff related, such as the perception of her character being somewhat entitled and slackerish, in respect to some of the initial programming difficulties, and she really has to a great degree taken on a life of her own.
I just found the whole thing fascinating.
-Frem
I do not serve the Blind God.
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I became a fan of the asian style pop music in recent years too.
My favourite track of the moment has to be U Go Girl by Hyori Lee
And I'll listen to almost anything by Perfume.
It's probably not classed as pop music, but I really love Capsule and their kinda retro but still modern techno style.
EDIT: I edited the post to add in some videos for Perfume and Capsule.
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Hey Frem,
I thought you might post here about this. I know your affinity for Japanime.
I also share a lot of pop views you do. I wanted to be famous when I was 10, but these days, being the lone wolf I am, I love my anonymity much more than the riches that fame would bring.
I've been watching the shit out of previous seasons of "Whale Wars", and I've been wondering how you could center a show around a group of volunteers who would throw rotten butter on paparazzi when they harass celebs.
The idea JUST HAS TO BE FESSABLE!!!!!!
Hell... Bob Barker donated 5 million dollars to the Sea Shepherd before season 3 aired, and then bought an awesome upgrade helicopter before season 4. (why they didn't keep the old heli and find a new pilot and keep that bird on the Bob Barker in season 4, I can't figure out).
Bob wasn't getting harassed, yet he threw more than 5 million down for the cause! Imagine how many 20-something celebs would contribute to a cause that allowed them to party hard every night and not be in OK Magazine looking hung-over the next week!!!
Heaven is a Place on Earth is one of the great female pop songs from my Childhood. I'd LOVE to see Girls Generation do it. GG introduced me to K-Pop, but 2NE1 is definitely favorite right now. GG would just be so much suited for this type of song though, even though each of them would make it amazing. I just don't think of 2NE1 when I think of "ballads", although I've heard that they do them. 2NE1 is just too "hard-core" for it to feel as good in my mind.
2NE1 is the first group I memorized their names almost instantly. Park-Bom and Dara together could easily pull it off, but I'd be wondering why CL and Minzy were covering such a vanilla song that is 20 years old. (Is this a coincidence in thier personalities since the former are nearly 30 and the latter are barely if even 20)
I've known GG for a few months longer, and I've never learned their names. They're all beautiful, but the only two that have stood out to me are Sunny and Sooyoung. This may be a calculated response orchestrated by the production crew, or it may be designed to keep all 9 of them in ambiguity.
For whatever reason, although I'm sure I'd love any K-Pop cover by any existing or new group of Heaven, I think GG is the perfect choice today. They'd 
nail it!
I get what you're saying about the computer generated pop-idol, and I've read about her before, but aside from wicked vocals it holds no water for me. If I'm going for cartoon girls, Jessica Rabbit and her "Do Right" in WFRR is my barometer (has been since I was 10 years old, and I'm sad to say that to this day nothing more has come of that scene).
As far as Asian rivals for that title, there are a few
Dancing Queen Featuring Yuki Terai - Dance Man
Sexy Dance Animation at Marrakesh by 3D CG Cute Girl
Granted, both of these examples did not exhibit any singing at all on the part of the Girl in question, but that's beside the point. This "Danceman" song is really catch. I never would have ever heard it though if "Yuki Terai" wasn't dancing to it.
If I haven't mentioned before, though I love K-Pop, I only listen/watch all Female groups. Maybe I'm missing out.... There are some great examples of American Pop music done by guy groups that will resonate with me, like Color Me Badd's "All For Love" when I was in Jr, High
Or Milli Vanilli's "Girl I'm Gonna Miss Ya"
But to get an old 32 dog to watch Korean guys doing the same thing 20 years later with no boobies, real or virtual, is a stretch
I'm all for computer generated babes, but in 2012, it's got to be better visuals than a cartoon girl that only opens her mouth when she sings.
When I finall get that first 3D bigscreen TV to replace my 320 pound beast of a 51" 720 TV, I wa
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Quote:
Originally posted by 6ixStringJack:
Hey Frem,
I thought you might post here about this. I know your affinity for Japanime.
Yeah well, the funny thing is that while I do like a lot of their art, I think their society and culture needs quite a bit of work - I'm something of a reformist, as is Yuriko, for reasons bloody obvious...
Oh, and just for amusement value, there's a female band wayyyy at the OTHER end of the music spectrum I happen to be quite fond of, L7.
I figure you'd like em too.
-Frem
I do not serve the Blind God.
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And they love you long time Joe!
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Quote:
Originally posted by Fremdfirma:
Yeah well, the funny thing is that while I do like a lot of their art, I think their society and culture needs quite a bit of work - I'm something of a reformist, as is Yuriko, for reasons bloody obvious...
Which reasons Frem????
The idea that a 20 year old girl is ancient, the incomprehensible idea that there is a culture that it's even "okay-enough" to have vending machines that contain nothing but used school girl panties in them, or a culture that "Princess Maker" is a huge seller?
I think it's funny that I've always believed that after WWII we've used Japan as a laboratory, and all of the catatonic inducing cartoons and everything else they deal with on a daily basis didn't come until after we "re-built" them. I never hear Japanese complaining about that online, but I sure do hear the Japanese today complaining about "K-Pop" taking over their culture through their kids. I guess I could understand this though, since South Korea is practically an un-claimed US state, as is Puerto Rico.
I'm just wondering what the other 5 are.....?
This wasn't a f-up by Obama to say that he visited 57 states. As if he was dumb enough to not know how many states are officially in the union.
51: Puerto Rico
52: South Korea
53, 54, 55, 56, 57?????
Quote:
Oh, and just for amusement value, there's a female band wayyyy at the OTHER end of the music spectrum I happen to be quite fond of, L7.
I figure you'd like em too.Quote:
Haha....
Never heard of them before. A 4-Girl? group of Janice J's in drag.
From the still pic of the youtube vid, I wouldn't have suspected they were even women until I heard the video. That's how all the hairbands looked back in the 80's. I thought it was Motley Crew.
"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." ~Shepherd BookNOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
LMAO, do not mock the hair bands for they are emo and will bawl on you...
Unless they're twisted sister, in which case, RUN!
Yeah, silly me, I actually like the hair bands - although one of my faves got shafted into oblivion by the recording industry, I used to watch em down at Hammerjacks when they were The Generators, long before they had thier moments of fame, which they never got properly paid for...
You would know them as Kix.
Seriously, this sounds freakin awesome loud, does it not ?
Not to mention perverse, in both a mad-scientist AND hedonistic way!
(Imagine Nicolai Tesla rockin out to that)
As far as Japanese culture is concerned, the rigid conformity and lack of room for personal expression is one thing that was showing signs of strain even before the fukishima disaster, birthrates were declining rapidly cause of the competitive nature in that folks didn't want the strain of a child, and/or did not wish to inflict their society upon a child - a lot of what causes hikkikomori isn't fear, but repugnance, in much the same way you and I have turned our backs on a society we feel is "wrong" so too do the hikkikomori, and Michael Zielenziger has an awesome book on that whole problem called Shuting Out the Sun.
http://www.shuttingoutthesun.com/
Another facet of it is how families treat second or third sons as ASSUMED to be spoiled, incompetent and useless - that's a damn hard thing and often a self-fulfilling prophecy, and it's WORSE with the girls, since other than marrying the first one off to increase your social standing, second or third daughters are considered little more than excess baggage, and you can imagine what that does to them psychologically.
Yuriko was more or less a slacker priest of a backwater shrine to a Kami (not like diety, more like faery) which was considered almost an in-joke, and for reasons which DO make a creepy kind of sense, seems to think I have some relation to that Kami, to the point of outright blackmailing me into talking to her initially - and I did humor her a bit, but over time I realized that the REASON a backwater shrine had so many Miko (temple flunkies) is that most of them were second or third daughters all but dumped on her doorstep to be rid of them since they were considered politically, economically and socially useless.
So in essence I am likely the closest thing to an actual father figure some of them are EVER gonna have, which is a damn sad commentary on their society, you ask me.
Although in a way they had the last laugh, cause when their podunk little village got flooded out by the tsunami, since the temple was on a hill guess who was providing food, water, shelter and organization but the very children they had once all but cast out as useless - not that they'll ADMIT it, but there's a kind of social indebtedness which they call "Giri", which is what you and I call Owing somebody One, not just as a figure of speech, but a real and personal debt, and provided they get the move (they tried to rebuild, but the rads started piling up and it was deemed unsafe) and rebuilt set up in the near future, Yuriko and I mean to parley that debt into forcing them to face some of the ugly truths of their behavior.
As I said, I might like their art, some of it - but their society is as screwed up as ours is.
I focus most of my efforts here, but when Yuriko needs moral, spiritual or tactical backup, well...
-Frem
I do not serve the Blind God.
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Haha.... I'm not knocking hair bands man. I was like 5 when some of the best of them were making videos on MTV. I never really got into a lot of them, but I loved Van Halen's Jump, Def Leppard's Love Bites, Saigon Kick's Love is on the Way, Europe's "The Final Countdown" and later, the Scorpion's "Wind's of Change" (although I had no idea for many years what that song was about). If anything, I probably liked most of the wussy hairband songs, so that probably makes me worse lol.
Add to that, I've started a thread talking about how awesome 4 to 9 Girl groups from Korea singing auto-tuned K-Pop are, and I don't think I have a leg to stand on if I were talking down about hair bands from the 80's
I was probably too young to remember Kix. Only the BIG names of that era stand out to me, even if they were only one hit wonders. They seemed to rock just about as hard core as any of the big names though.
I can relate to the desire the Japanese culture has not to have children in this world. Even well before the nuclear disaster, their stock market had taken a hit that was at least 5 times as bad as what the DOW's crippling of 2008 was.
Again, I believe you are needlessly knocking your own character here, because you believe that you are one of the "bad guys". If , in the end, somehow you are the only one that some of these borderline wayside girls could think of as a father, I think that's a great thing given the implied alternatives. I'm sure there a lot of pimps, here or there, at the ready for a queue of abused and/or neglected oriental girl-nearly-women types that would love for them to call him "Daddy".
As for "Giri", I hope that the majority of the country still holds it in regard. You refer to it as "Owing somebody One". I refer to it simply as an "Ob". It's simply a reference, yet again to my favorite Sci-Fi short-story "And Then There Were None", by Eric Frank Russell.
http://www.abelard.org/e-f-russell.php
"F.—I.W." for the win!
I wasn't judging their culture here, good or bad when I started this thread. Just saying how awesome their music sounds and how it just makes you feel good.
For a guy as paranoid as I can be about anything that comes at nearly zero cost and makes your work day better, I think that's really saying something. For once, I think I found something so good that even my Spidey-sense isn't keeping me from enjoying it. 
To analyize the behind-the-scenes too much would risk ruining this unexpected guilty pleasure of mine. I don't aim to do that.....
"A government is a body of people, usually notably ungoverned." ~Shepherd Book
EDITED TO ADD:
I don't know if you watch "Whale Wars", but in it's first 4 seasons it has become the best documentary I've ever seen. The first year (only 6 episodes, I thought it was a joke with how pathetic it seemed). After the "pirates" of the Sea Shepherd forced the Japanese Whaling Fleet back to their port early with their tail between their legs, only killing 195 of their designated quota of 985 whales per year (season), I have to tell you it brought tears to my eyes.
Short synopsis of the seasons....
Season 1 (Operation Migaloo) Paul Watson, one of the original founders of Green Peace was banned from GP because his methods were too extreme. He wanted to do more than wave a sign at people who would kill whales right in front of said sign. So... he got a bunch of novice volunteers together on his lone ship, dubbed the "Steve Irwin" and they spent half the time puking their guts up and the other half throwing rotten butter on the whaling ships.
(As an aside, although I respected greatly their ambition, placing themselves as un-funded David's VS Goliaths as a worthy cause, I laughed my ass of nearly the entire run)
Season 2 (Operation Musashi) More experience on the part of the Sea Shepherd crew, but the Japanese basically shut them down because they put nets all over their boats. At the end of the season, although the "pirates" still made them run several hundred
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Oh I am quite familiar with it, just not from the televised end...
We had a helluva rip-roaring debate about the Ady Gil over in RWED back when it happened, involving general maritime laws, codes of conduct, mutual agreements and all that rot - thing is, they did one thing that I felt exempted them from those things prior to engaging.
They ran up the Jolly Roger.
Now, sure, that was before Somalian Piracy got as bad as it is, but still, on the high seas if you run THAT flag up the mast, on purpose - anyone and everyone has full right to take you out of the water, by any means necessary, and no obligation to even rescue survivors, which by universal maritime law they can shoot out of hand in the water or out of it, you see ?
I don't debate their good intentions, and am quite sympathetic to em, but once you hoist the Roger and declare intent, you got no right to bitch when someone takes you out - I think you understand my concept there, even if we both know they weren't seriously considering doing more than harrassment/vandalism, it was still STUPID.
I got no issues with em doin it, but once you declare yourself that way it's kinda hypocritical to be upset when you get your ass handed to you for it.
As far as harvesting whales goes - I am of the same mind of it as I am beef, get religion and stupidity out of the way, push the technology and vat-clone it, then you need not harm ANY critter for it, right ?
Bonus that it will eventually enable organ cloning instead of out brutal, archaic, catch-as-can transplant procedures.
-Frem
I do not serve the Blind God.
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