Because my sister was having some little luck with EHarmony, I figured I'd give it a shot. At first I was sending communication requests to everyone and anyone I was matched with, thinking that EHarmony must have matched us for a reason. It was only later that I started being picky and paying more attention to the pictures, heights, and whether or not they wanted children.
Anyway, there was one named Simon who lived in England. He was asian, so yay. Not Japanese or Korean, but whatever. I liked what his profile had to say, stuff about exploring the natural world and always learning. He plays the violin, and I find that very sexy, and described himself as sweet and generous. One of the best parts was that he's well educated.
So I sent him my questions. He answered and we went on from there. Fairly soon, he sent his email address because his EHarmony subscription was ending. I invited him to speak to me on Facebook. We began by messaging. Then we started chatting. So, turns out that Simon's birth name is Xinye. He was born in China and moved to England about 4 years ago. From then on, I was incredibly impressed with his grasp of english.
There I was, thinking Xinye was going to sound like Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee, or Jet Lee. But when we moved to phone conversations (made possible by SKYPE) he sounded like Hugh Grant! He had the perfect English accent. Blown away? Oh yeah.
I was already planning on visiting England, and even hoping to be able to move there for a year or two, so how awesome would it be if I found a guy there? Pretty awesome, that's how awesome.
I really like the guy. He's sweet, intelligent, funny, and can have a scathing insults to answer my own.
I'll keep everyone posted if good things happen. Otherwise, I'll probably just never mention the guy again. Hehehehe
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Stop Getting Your Costumes From Second Hand Stores!
Is there a more natural list to make after Fire Your Make-Up Artist, than Stop Getting Your Costumes From Second Hand Stores? Oh no. And as easy as it was to find music videos for the make-up one, it's going to be even easier to find videos demonstrating a lack of good taste, self-preservation instinct, or even a sense of sight when it comes to the clothing choices made by most Korean boy bands. I might even make this a top 10 list instead of 5. In no particular order (this time) horribly dressed hot guys singing and dancing:
IMPORTANT NOTE: A video's appearance on this list does not mean that I don't like the song!
1.
TVXQ, Keep Your Head Down. Not all of the costumes here are hideous, just the one's that look like someone was trying to design couch fabric that would call to mind an owl with rabbit fur stuck to it's back. You'll see these monstrosities at 2:11.
And as a special side note, that glove that Max wears sucks too.
2.
MBlaq's Y. I think you can guess which costumes I find horrid, but I'm going to tell you anyway. The padded overalls horrible at 28 seconds, but when they start glowing in the dark like at 1:43 they becomes unbearable. This group has some cute guys who are not bad at dancing... but who can concentrate on stuff like that when they're dressed in the glow in the dark jump suits?? The answer to that is a resounding 'no one.'
3.
SHINee's Lucifer has some serious fashion fumbles. For instance, Onew's vest with the furry back. Ew. And Jonghyun... or the main singer, his is the only name I don't know by heart, his backless vest/jacket thing is just horrible. I don't even know if you'd be able to find that stuff in a second hand store because who would buy it in the first place? You'd probably have to actually put different parts of different pieces that you COULD find in a second hand store together in a really horrible way to get these costumes.
4.
JYJ's Ayyy Girl. Ok, there was a lot more make up than usual for DBSK in this video, but that's not what this list is about. Most of the costumes in this video look pretty good but Xiah's white hospital vest/apron thing is the stuff of horror stories. I haven't met anyone who liked that top. And that necklace at 43 seconds! It's like a whole bunch of dogtags tied together with random bits of fabrics, fishing line, and gum. I mean, Hero's necklace is big, but Xiah's is a monster. That was 500 second hand necklaces all put around his neck at once. Kudos!
5.
Beast's Bad Girl. I'm searching frantically for any part of any costume that I like here. All of the styles represented in this video were either never in, or were in so long ago as to be past even 'retro'. The feathers on one side, sleeveless other side is nauseating. The parachute pants, with one leg rolled up, the enormous shoulder pads, the skirt looking things, and did we notice the thick ugly plastic necklace thing at 34 seconds? Just horrible. I have yet to see half of these things in second hand stores, but I'm sure if I hunted long enough, (and in enough countries) I'd find exact replicas that no one wanted.
6.
If you weren't expecting F.Cuz's Wanna Be Your Love on this list, leave right now. You don't belong here. Shoo! If, however, you've merely been waiting for this one, then yes, you were right. There was not a single item of clothing or accessory in this video that was not sitting in a thrift store somewhere for years before these guys swooped down on it 5 minutes before shooting. Maybe the store was having a 'Pitch Black, Half Off' promotion. How else would anyone even conceive of these combinations??
7.
G Dragon's G Market. Not one of the songs I listen to regularly, but when I decided that I wanted to do a list of horribly dressed Korean singers, I knew right away that G Dragon was going to be making an appearance. I just didn't know which song since he has so many that could have made the list (see the slinky in Heartbreaker and the My Little Pony in Butterfly and feel free to pick any costume from Knock Out). However, since the title involved second hand stores instead of just funny looking clothes, this song stood out. Is there a single thing he's wearing that you don't think you'd ever find in a second hand store? No. I didn't think so either. All of it looked thrown together from a thrift store shopping spree.
And really, that's all the bands I listen to. So they all made the list! Heh. There must be a law in Korea that all boy bands must support their local Salvation Army store in at least one music video. I'm choosing to believe this because otherwise there's just no excuse for the horrible badness of their clothing decisions.
IMPORTANT NOTE: A video's appearance on this list does not mean that I don't like the song!
1.
TVXQ, Keep Your Head Down. Not all of the costumes here are hideous, just the one's that look like someone was trying to design couch fabric that would call to mind an owl with rabbit fur stuck to it's back. You'll see these monstrosities at 2:11.
And as a special side note, that glove that Max wears sucks too.
2.
MBlaq's Y. I think you can guess which costumes I find horrid, but I'm going to tell you anyway. The padded overalls horrible at 28 seconds, but when they start glowing in the dark like at 1:43 they becomes unbearable. This group has some cute guys who are not bad at dancing... but who can concentrate on stuff like that when they're dressed in the glow in the dark jump suits?? The answer to that is a resounding 'no one.'
3.
SHINee's Lucifer has some serious fashion fumbles. For instance, Onew's vest with the furry back. Ew. And Jonghyun... or the main singer, his is the only name I don't know by heart, his backless vest/jacket thing is just horrible. I don't even know if you'd be able to find that stuff in a second hand store because who would buy it in the first place? You'd probably have to actually put different parts of different pieces that you COULD find in a second hand store together in a really horrible way to get these costumes.
4.
JYJ's Ayyy Girl. Ok, there was a lot more make up than usual for DBSK in this video, but that's not what this list is about. Most of the costumes in this video look pretty good but Xiah's white hospital vest/apron thing is the stuff of horror stories. I haven't met anyone who liked that top. And that necklace at 43 seconds! It's like a whole bunch of dogtags tied together with random bits of fabrics, fishing line, and gum. I mean, Hero's necklace is big, but Xiah's is a monster. That was 500 second hand necklaces all put around his neck at once. Kudos!
5.
Beast's Bad Girl. I'm searching frantically for any part of any costume that I like here. All of the styles represented in this video were either never in, or were in so long ago as to be past even 'retro'. The feathers on one side, sleeveless other side is nauseating. The parachute pants, with one leg rolled up, the enormous shoulder pads, the skirt looking things, and did we notice the thick ugly plastic necklace thing at 34 seconds? Just horrible. I have yet to see half of these things in second hand stores, but I'm sure if I hunted long enough, (and in enough countries) I'd find exact replicas that no one wanted.
6.
If you weren't expecting F.Cuz's Wanna Be Your Love on this list, leave right now. You don't belong here. Shoo! If, however, you've merely been waiting for this one, then yes, you were right. There was not a single item of clothing or accessory in this video that was not sitting in a thrift store somewhere for years before these guys swooped down on it 5 minutes before shooting. Maybe the store was having a 'Pitch Black, Half Off' promotion. How else would anyone even conceive of these combinations??
7.
G Dragon's G Market. Not one of the songs I listen to regularly, but when I decided that I wanted to do a list of horribly dressed Korean singers, I knew right away that G Dragon was going to be making an appearance. I just didn't know which song since he has so many that could have made the list (see the slinky in Heartbreaker and the My Little Pony in Butterfly and feel free to pick any costume from Knock Out). However, since the title involved second hand stores instead of just funny looking clothes, this song stood out. Is there a single thing he's wearing that you don't think you'd ever find in a second hand store? No. I didn't think so either. All of it looked thrown together from a thrift store shopping spree.
And really, that's all the bands I listen to. So they all made the list! Heh. There must be a law in Korea that all boy bands must support their local Salvation Army store in at least one music video. I'm choosing to believe this because otherwise there's just no excuse for the horrible badness of their clothing decisions.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
War With Pencils
I have waged a silent war for many, many years now and have decided to share my pain here, finally.
In elementary school, I used to bite my pencils, leaving teeth marks and often, pulling off the metal eraser holder thing. I left many a pencil horribly scarred and disfigured by my thoughtless acts. I didn't know it then, but pencils hold grudges.
Ever since then, pencils have fought me tooth and nail (so to speak) for every line I've ever coaxed from them. Ever since then, my hand writing has been atrocious and later, when I decided that I liked to draw, my attempts were abysmal. When I try to put a simple straight line on a piece of paper, the pencil is always pushing in direction I didn't want to go or being too heavy or too light.
The revenge continues even to this day even though it has been many years since my last pencil maiming.
I have since tried to make peace with the things. I've bought cute little eraser things to adorn them with, kept them sharp, and not even so much as gummed the wood. But their loyalty to fallen brethren is touching because they still haven't forgotten, nor forgiven.
It seems my war will continue for the rest of my life. So take this warning, if it is not already too late for you too, and treat all writing implements with respect and care! Beware Pencils' wrath!
In elementary school, I used to bite my pencils, leaving teeth marks and often, pulling off the metal eraser holder thing. I left many a pencil horribly scarred and disfigured by my thoughtless acts. I didn't know it then, but pencils hold grudges.
Ever since then, pencils have fought me tooth and nail (so to speak) for every line I've ever coaxed from them. Ever since then, my hand writing has been atrocious and later, when I decided that I liked to draw, my attempts were abysmal. When I try to put a simple straight line on a piece of paper, the pencil is always pushing in direction I didn't want to go or being too heavy or too light.
The revenge continues even to this day even though it has been many years since my last pencil maiming.
I have since tried to make peace with the things. I've bought cute little eraser things to adorn them with, kept them sharp, and not even so much as gummed the wood. But their loyalty to fallen brethren is touching because they still haven't forgotten, nor forgiven.
It seems my war will continue for the rest of my life. So take this warning, if it is not already too late for you too, and treat all writing implements with respect and care! Beware Pencils' wrath!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Fire Your Make-Up Artists!
Since there are no new or exciting music videos for me to review, I've decided to put together another list. My first list was the Top 5 Worst 'Hard' Videos. This one should be just as fun. Top 5 Groups Who Need To Fire Their Make-Up Artists. Woohoo! Wow, how am I going to narrow this down to five??
5) DBSK. This one kind of hurts because DBSK, when they were five, was actually really good about the make-up not being over powering. In fact, Triangle is the only music video in which their make-up drew away from the song. Since it was a group effort with many bands contributing, I'm assuming that the make-up artists that messed them up were borrowed. Still, DBSK should have checked credentials before they let those people get anywhere near their pretty faces. Max and Uknow bore the brunt of the artsy make-up failures. I can see drawing with glitter paint or gluing feathers onto masks, but not on their actual faces! And Micky is too masculine to be sporting that much eye liner (especially when that shot comes up where you see his hairy pit. Two things that should never be together, eye liner and body hair). Go sit in the corner and think about what you've done, make-up artists. Then hand in your resignation letter!
4) Trax. Alright, only two of the four members over did the make-up enough to be put on this list, but I'm not criticising the bands in this blog, I'm criticising the artists so inconsistency is just another mark against these guys as far as I'm concerned. In their music video, Paradox, Trax members Rose...and other dude, are just fugly. Rose is the one in the red with his eyebrows thinned out to almost non-existent lines over bright blue eyes and under platinum blond hair. His face is just washed out to the point of ugliness, which is really sad, because guy is actually really cute! And then the other one seemed to have gotten a brown marker to his face around his eyes. This song is attempting to be much to hard to support such make-up choices. Hey make-up people... you have a back up career choice in mind, right? Hopefully?
As opposed to the potential:
3) U-Kiss. It was hard to choose only one song for this band because they really like their make-up. I almost went with Binguel Binguel because of the glitter around the one dude's eye that was overdone and ugly. But after watching Man Man Hani again, I had what I consider a clear winner. All of them have eye-liner that's a bit much, even by the liberal standards in Korea. And if you know which one Alex is, then you know what a cutie he can be and how badly they had to mess up in order to get him looking like a total freak in the video. I want to roll up a newspaper and swat their make-up artist in the nose. 'No! Bad!'
2) Teen Top! Everyone should have been expecting this one since Supa Luv was recently reviewed and I made a big deal about their street walker make-up. This make-up wasn't globbed on like some of the other bands that made the list. It was put on with an artful but incredibly heavy hand. I'd compare them with very pretty clowns I think. Maybe, since they're a newish band, they didn't have the funds to hire real make-up artists and they just brought in some one's mom... who over did it as some moms tend to do? In which case, there are ways to divorce your parents.
1) 2Pm! Anyone else think the boys in I'll Be Back looked like a bunch of three year olds who got into their mom's make-up bag? I mean, I guess they didn't get crazy with lipstick but that eyeshadow is just wretched. Did professional make-up artists really do this? On purpose? And the ribbon across the face? That's a perfect example of a child trying to out do her mom with her mom's cosmetics. What were they thinking? And who let them think it?? Somebody stop them!
5) DBSK. This one kind of hurts because DBSK, when they were five, was actually really good about the make-up not being over powering. In fact, Triangle is the only music video in which their make-up drew away from the song. Since it was a group effort with many bands contributing, I'm assuming that the make-up artists that messed them up were borrowed. Still, DBSK should have checked credentials before they let those people get anywhere near their pretty faces. Max and Uknow bore the brunt of the artsy make-up failures. I can see drawing with glitter paint or gluing feathers onto masks, but not on their actual faces! And Micky is too masculine to be sporting that much eye liner (especially when that shot comes up where you see his hairy pit. Two things that should never be together, eye liner and body hair). Go sit in the corner and think about what you've done, make-up artists. Then hand in your resignation letter!
4) Trax. Alright, only two of the four members over did the make-up enough to be put on this list, but I'm not criticising the bands in this blog, I'm criticising the artists so inconsistency is just another mark against these guys as far as I'm concerned. In their music video, Paradox, Trax members Rose...and other dude, are just fugly. Rose is the one in the red with his eyebrows thinned out to almost non-existent lines over bright blue eyes and under platinum blond hair. His face is just washed out to the point of ugliness, which is really sad, because guy is actually really cute! And then the other one seemed to have gotten a brown marker to his face around his eyes. This song is attempting to be much to hard to support such make-up choices. Hey make-up people... you have a back up career choice in mind, right? Hopefully?
As opposed to the potential:
3) U-Kiss. It was hard to choose only one song for this band because they really like their make-up. I almost went with Binguel Binguel because of the glitter around the one dude's eye that was overdone and ugly. But after watching Man Man Hani again, I had what I consider a clear winner. All of them have eye-liner that's a bit much, even by the liberal standards in Korea. And if you know which one Alex is, then you know what a cutie he can be and how badly they had to mess up in order to get him looking like a total freak in the video. I want to roll up a newspaper and swat their make-up artist in the nose. 'No! Bad!'
2) Teen Top! Everyone should have been expecting this one since Supa Luv was recently reviewed and I made a big deal about their street walker make-up. This make-up wasn't globbed on like some of the other bands that made the list. It was put on with an artful but incredibly heavy hand. I'd compare them with very pretty clowns I think. Maybe, since they're a newish band, they didn't have the funds to hire real make-up artists and they just brought in some one's mom... who over did it as some moms tend to do? In which case, there are ways to divorce your parents.
1) 2Pm! Anyone else think the boys in I'll Be Back looked like a bunch of three year olds who got into their mom's make-up bag? I mean, I guess they didn't get crazy with lipstick but that eyeshadow is just wretched. Did professional make-up artists really do this? On purpose? And the ribbon across the face? That's a perfect example of a child trying to out do her mom with her mom's cosmetics. What were they thinking? And who let them think it?? Somebody stop them!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Rain's Love Song Review
A very small deviation from the norm here. Instead of a boy band, we're doing a solo artist today. We all know and love Rain (Bi) right? Yeah, I know. He's the star of Ninja Assassin, and played the bad Asian guy in that new version of Speed Racer that came out a few years ago. Not many Americans know that he was a huge star in Korea before he ever came here. He's a singer/actor and probably a model to boot.
I'm not a huge fan of his songs because they're all pretty slow and I like dance songs, but this song (though slow) struck me as memorable and so here it is: Love Song by Rain.
As for his costume, it's minimal except that some one when hog wild with a Bedazzler. The mad bedazzler somehow got a hold of his hat, his vest, and even the poor guy's shoes! But Rain didn't let that stop him! Rather than panic, he stayed a true professional and wore the graffitied clothes for a few scenes and then, when he just couldn't stand it any more, took off his clothes. Way to go, Rain!
He didn't have much make up on for most of the video, which is good because Rain is just one of those guys who's way too masculine to be able to pull of the kind of make-up other boy bands tend to prefer. He did have a weird, cartoon moment where he had short, thick eye lashes drawn under his eyes at 0:23, but it was mercifully brief and only shows up sporadically again after that. So, the make-up was good.
I'm going to switch it up a little here and explain the English translation first because you have to know what the song's about to know how absurd the dancing is, which is why I chose to review this song in the first place. The song is basically Rain lamenting that his relationship with the girl is over. The first line says, "I'm wandering around your house alone again," which I thought was kind of creepy since they've broken up. What's he doing alone in her house? Anyway, he continues to say that it's too late, there's nothing that will changer her heart toward him now. That the hand that knows his body so well is now pushing him away. (Suggestive in a raunchy kind of way? Yes) He repeats the line, "What shall I do, what shall I do?" a lot. So it's a sad lover's song that's saying goodbye, though it's sad, we're over.
There wasn't much dancing. Love Song is very slow. But what dancing there is, is very raunchy! It's all stripper moves! "I'm so sad we're over" while undulating your body so that attention is called to your six pack and junk is not exactly the remorseful regret the words of the song suggest. The music video made the song seem really crass to me. "The hand that's so used to my body is now pushing me away." Along with the pulling his shirt over his head to show off more of his oiled down, tan skin just screams, "The Sex Is Still Good! Why Are We Breaking Up??" It just seems so shallow and... physical.
But as long as we're not focusing on such things as 'meaning' and 'context' the dance moves were fun to watch. The song, not so fun, but we make allowances for Rain, right? ~laughs~
Beware the Bedazzler! Don't let them get you too!
I'm not a huge fan of his songs because they're all pretty slow and I like dance songs, but this song (though slow) struck me as memorable and so here it is: Love Song by Rain.
As for his costume, it's minimal except that some one when hog wild with a Bedazzler. The mad bedazzler somehow got a hold of his hat, his vest, and even the poor guy's shoes! But Rain didn't let that stop him! Rather than panic, he stayed a true professional and wore the graffitied clothes for a few scenes and then, when he just couldn't stand it any more, took off his clothes. Way to go, Rain!
He didn't have much make up on for most of the video, which is good because Rain is just one of those guys who's way too masculine to be able to pull of the kind of make-up other boy bands tend to prefer. He did have a weird, cartoon moment where he had short, thick eye lashes drawn under his eyes at 0:23, but it was mercifully brief and only shows up sporadically again after that. So, the make-up was good.
I'm going to switch it up a little here and explain the English translation first because you have to know what the song's about to know how absurd the dancing is, which is why I chose to review this song in the first place. The song is basically Rain lamenting that his relationship with the girl is over. The first line says, "I'm wandering around your house alone again," which I thought was kind of creepy since they've broken up. What's he doing alone in her house? Anyway, he continues to say that it's too late, there's nothing that will changer her heart toward him now. That the hand that knows his body so well is now pushing him away. (Suggestive in a raunchy kind of way? Yes) He repeats the line, "What shall I do, what shall I do?" a lot. So it's a sad lover's song that's saying goodbye, though it's sad, we're over.
There wasn't much dancing. Love Song is very slow. But what dancing there is, is very raunchy! It's all stripper moves! "I'm so sad we're over" while undulating your body so that attention is called to your six pack and junk is not exactly the remorseful regret the words of the song suggest. The music video made the song seem really crass to me. "The hand that's so used to my body is now pushing me away." Along with the pulling his shirt over his head to show off more of his oiled down, tan skin just screams, "The Sex Is Still Good! Why Are We Breaking Up??" It just seems so shallow and... physical.
But as long as we're not focusing on such things as 'meaning' and 'context' the dance moves were fun to watch. The song, not so fun, but we make allowances for Rain, right? ~laughs~
Beware the Bedazzler! Don't let them get you too!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Supa Love By Teen Top
I don't mind telling you that I've been panicking just a little because I couldn't find any new videos to review. I've done most of the songs I like and I don't really want to post songs I don't like because then you might watch them and think that my blog is boring because I'm reviewing boring songs. See?
But I just stumbled upon Supa Love, or Supa Luv, depending on who's posting the song, by Teen Top. I've seen only one other song by Teen Top and it was ok, but the boys looked so young that I couldn't get into it. This one is only marginally better in my opinion, but you'll have a chance to see for yourself, of course.
Today's song, Supa Luv by Teen Top:
I only found this music video about 20 minutes ago so I'm still reeling from my first impression. So I'm going to share that before I get down to the actual review. There's a freaking lot of make-up. Way lot of make-up! And the first few seconds of dancing, 0:24 - 0:30 or so, reminded me, spot on, of a work out video. (By the way, I had no idea what he was saying during those 6 seconds. "I'm Michael J. I'm Michael J?" Is he comparing himself to Michael Jackson?? But no, he's actually saying, "I make them say, I make them say") And what the heck is that move where they're bending backwards with their hands on their stomachs doing that shoulder thing? That looks so weird!
Ok! Now that I have that out of my system, lets get onto the review in a slightly more controlled, professional manner, shall we?
I really liked how the music video put all their names on screen. They did it in the secret agent way that made the overt attempt at personalizing the merchandise (ie the boys) very comfortable and convenient. And now that I've seen the video a couple times, I'm going to be able to use their names in this blog. But don't worry, I'll still include descriptions and time stamps for those who aren't as psycho as me and only watch the video once or twice.
I liked all of the costumes except the shiny track suit/jump suit get-ups with the silver strap, looking stripe things. In case that was not an understandable description ~laughs~ I'm talking about the costumes that the boys are wearing when they first drop onto the stage, and are most clearly seen at :20 into the video. The others were good though. You can't go wrong with pure white. Their street clothes were fashionable and wouldn't attract snickers or pointing fingers if actually worn out in public. Their black and white costumes were unique and attention grabbing without being ugly. I didn't really like the gloves, but I'm seeing more and more of them in Korean music videos so I'm starting to think I'm just going to have to get used to them. I'm also not super taken with the glasses that one of them is wearing with his white costume. Those always remind me, no matter what color they are or what the frames have in them, of Geordi's visor from Star Trek.
(I looked for a very long time but there is no bigger or better pictures of Changjo in those glasses, so either deal with this little one or just watch the video again!)
(Oh, and Veronica, really likes these glasses. She says she wants them because they're shiny.)
About the make-up... is there a single inch of them that wasn't subjected to paint-thick make-up or unholy amounts of hair dye? I thought the amount of make-up on each boy would look over-done on a woman, much less these young men. In my shock, I nearly fell off my seat the first time there was a zoom in on Neil's face at :19. His crazy hair and the eye make-up made him look like a street-walker. Do you see all that silver eyeshadow? And the eye liner on the boys isn't the usual "guy-liner" where it's thick but in what has been deemed a 'masculine' way. Teen Top wears their eye liner in the really feminine style called 'cat eyes' that just floors me every time I see it. And if you've paused the video at :19 to really appreciate the severe weight of make up that these boys had to dance with, you'll also notice a rather incredible amount of lip liner too, though that is inevitably dwarfed to the point of being inconsequential next all that eye liner. Having looked around for hours in search of a picture of Changjo in his Geordi visor, I found comments by other people that indicate Neil's hair was the biggest gripe for the video (in the hair department) (and Neil is still the :19 guy). The only one who retained a semblance of normalcy when it came to their hair was Ricky. I personally found the light pink hair the most distracting.
I mean, it's not just me right? This is like, bubble gum pink? Anyway, so Hair and Make-up? A lot. That's the sum of it. Just, a lot.
There were a lot of great dancing moments in this video. They showed off their acrobatic skills when Changjo did that no-handed cartwheel at 1:45 and one of my favorite parts was that folding wave thing that looked really cool at 2:37. The group released a dance version of the song a couple weeks after the original music video. The song didn't change but the new version is all dance instead of the super spy plot line. Here, let me dig it up for you so you can see.
I don't know if I'm easily amused or what, but I actually really liked the visual affect of the move they did at :20 and the more I see it, the more I like the move I've decided to call, 'kiss your shoulders.' See example at 1:00. My least favorite dance move is at 1:10 and ends at 1:13. I'm not sure what they were trying to do there, but it just isn't very impressive. And lastly in the dance section, I really didn't like the dance move that they do when they're singing the 'Lu-uh-uh-uh-uh-uv' (see 1:33) until Veronica pointed out... quite loudly, and right in my ear... "They're doing the Sprinkler!!" And you know what? She was right! Take a look, they're totally doing the sprinkler!
So, now I love that move every time they do it.
A large part of the chorus is English, so there's plenty of it throughout the song. I can't tell you precisely why, but my favorite English line is the, "la la la la la, tell me that you love me too." I think it sounds just the slightest bit Arabic, which is what makes it so different, which might be what I like about it so much. Also, it may just be the least slangy English of the song. I'm not opposed to Americanized (read 'butchered') English in Kpop songs, but Teen Top really used the word 'Supa' a lot in this song. A lot, a lot. Kind of like their make-up. *Ooh, ow!* It gets just the smallest bit repetitive after a while, but that may be only because I've seen it about 15 times within the last 12 hours. Maybe. But there's enough English that I get to sing along in fits and starts all the way through and I really appreciate that, so kudos!
As for the meaning of the song, it's a guy trying to convince a girl to go out with him when she's hesitating. He's telling her that he has that 'supa luv' and can make all of her wishes come true. He knows her better than anyone else ever will and she needs to accept him instead of over-thinking it and losing her chance. He's telling her that he loves her more than that other guy can, more than the sky and ocean are big and wide. It's kinda cute in that 'full of yourself much?' kind of way boy bands have.
All in all, I really like the song. It's catchy and as soon as it comes available as an mp3, it's going on my phone. This is just another song that's better as audio only. I don't think the music video will be making an appearance on my personal music players anytime soon. Yay Teen Top! (boo the make-up artists)
Alright, some days later Eatyourkimchi puts out their review...which turned out to be so much better than mine. ~sighs~ With more practise I may get better. Maybe?
But I just stumbled upon Supa Love, or Supa Luv, depending on who's posting the song, by Teen Top. I've seen only one other song by Teen Top and it was ok, but the boys looked so young that I couldn't get into it. This one is only marginally better in my opinion, but you'll have a chance to see for yourself, of course.
Today's song, Supa Luv by Teen Top:
I only found this music video about 20 minutes ago so I'm still reeling from my first impression. So I'm going to share that before I get down to the actual review. There's a freaking lot of make-up. Way lot of make-up! And the first few seconds of dancing, 0:24 - 0:30 or so, reminded me, spot on, of a work out video. (By the way, I had no idea what he was saying during those 6 seconds. "I'm Michael J. I'm Michael J?" Is he comparing himself to Michael Jackson?? But no, he's actually saying, "I make them say, I make them say") And what the heck is that move where they're bending backwards with their hands on their stomachs doing that shoulder thing? That looks so weird!
Ok! Now that I have that out of my system, lets get onto the review in a slightly more controlled, professional manner, shall we?
I really liked how the music video put all their names on screen. They did it in the secret agent way that made the overt attempt at personalizing the merchandise (ie the boys) very comfortable and convenient. And now that I've seen the video a couple times, I'm going to be able to use their names in this blog. But don't worry, I'll still include descriptions and time stamps for those who aren't as psycho as me and only watch the video once or twice.
I liked all of the costumes except the shiny track suit/jump suit get-ups with the silver strap, looking stripe things. In case that was not an understandable description ~laughs~ I'm talking about the costumes that the boys are wearing when they first drop onto the stage, and are most clearly seen at :20 into the video. The others were good though. You can't go wrong with pure white. Their street clothes were fashionable and wouldn't attract snickers or pointing fingers if actually worn out in public. Their black and white costumes were unique and attention grabbing without being ugly. I didn't really like the gloves, but I'm seeing more and more of them in Korean music videos so I'm starting to think I'm just going to have to get used to them. I'm also not super taken with the glasses that one of them is wearing with his white costume. Those always remind me, no matter what color they are or what the frames have in them, of Geordi's visor from Star Trek.
(I looked for a very long time but there is no bigger or better pictures of Changjo in those glasses, so either deal with this little one or just watch the video again!)
(Oh, and Veronica, really likes these glasses. She says she wants them because they're shiny.)
About the make-up... is there a single inch of them that wasn't subjected to paint-thick make-up or unholy amounts of hair dye? I thought the amount of make-up on each boy would look over-done on a woman, much less these young men. In my shock, I nearly fell off my seat the first time there was a zoom in on Neil's face at :19. His crazy hair and the eye make-up made him look like a street-walker. Do you see all that silver eyeshadow? And the eye liner on the boys isn't the usual "guy-liner" where it's thick but in what has been deemed a 'masculine' way. Teen Top wears their eye liner in the really feminine style called 'cat eyes' that just floors me every time I see it. And if you've paused the video at :19 to really appreciate the severe weight of make up that these boys had to dance with, you'll also notice a rather incredible amount of lip liner too, though that is inevitably dwarfed to the point of being inconsequential next all that eye liner. Having looked around for hours in search of a picture of Changjo in his Geordi visor, I found comments by other people that indicate Neil's hair was the biggest gripe for the video (in the hair department) (and Neil is still the :19 guy). The only one who retained a semblance of normalcy when it came to their hair was Ricky. I personally found the light pink hair the most distracting.
I mean, it's not just me right? This is like, bubble gum pink? Anyway, so Hair and Make-up? A lot. That's the sum of it. Just, a lot.
There were a lot of great dancing moments in this video. They showed off their acrobatic skills when Changjo did that no-handed cartwheel at 1:45 and one of my favorite parts was that folding wave thing that looked really cool at 2:37. The group released a dance version of the song a couple weeks after the original music video. The song didn't change but the new version is all dance instead of the super spy plot line. Here, let me dig it up for you so you can see.
I don't know if I'm easily amused or what, but I actually really liked the visual affect of the move they did at :20 and the more I see it, the more I like the move I've decided to call, 'kiss your shoulders.' See example at 1:00. My least favorite dance move is at 1:10 and ends at 1:13. I'm not sure what they were trying to do there, but it just isn't very impressive. And lastly in the dance section, I really didn't like the dance move that they do when they're singing the 'Lu-uh-uh-uh-uh-uv' (see 1:33) until Veronica pointed out... quite loudly, and right in my ear... "They're doing the Sprinkler!!" And you know what? She was right! Take a look, they're totally doing the sprinkler!
So, now I love that move every time they do it.
A large part of the chorus is English, so there's plenty of it throughout the song. I can't tell you precisely why, but my favorite English line is the, "la la la la la, tell me that you love me too." I think it sounds just the slightest bit Arabic, which is what makes it so different, which might be what I like about it so much. Also, it may just be the least slangy English of the song. I'm not opposed to Americanized (read 'butchered') English in Kpop songs, but Teen Top really used the word 'Supa' a lot in this song. A lot, a lot. Kind of like their make-up. *Ooh, ow!* It gets just the smallest bit repetitive after a while, but that may be only because I've seen it about 15 times within the last 12 hours. Maybe. But there's enough English that I get to sing along in fits and starts all the way through and I really appreciate that, so kudos!
As for the meaning of the song, it's a guy trying to convince a girl to go out with him when she's hesitating. He's telling her that he has that 'supa luv' and can make all of her wishes come true. He knows her better than anyone else ever will and she needs to accept him instead of over-thinking it and losing her chance. He's telling her that he loves her more than that other guy can, more than the sky and ocean are big and wide. It's kinda cute in that 'full of yourself much?' kind of way boy bands have.
All in all, I really like the song. It's catchy and as soon as it comes available as an mp3, it's going on my phone. This is just another song that's better as audio only. I don't think the music video will be making an appearance on my personal music players anytime soon. Yay Teen Top! (boo the make-up artists)
Alright, some days later Eatyourkimchi puts out their review...which turned out to be so much better than mine. ~sighs~ With more practise I may get better. Maybe?
Growing Up/Old
I went to Target a couple weeks ago, before I got this nasty cold that's kept me under house arrest for the last few days, where a very little thing happened. It was so small in fact, that I barely noted it at first. But it has since been gnawing at me a little more each day until, finally, I have decided to share it here in hopes that I will feel, if not better, at least relieved that I have it off my chest.
You know those big, knee-high red balls that are in front of the stores as decorations?
Ok, there's only one in this picture, down in the right hand corner, but that's what I'm talking about.
I was walking out of the store with my purchases and looking for my car from just outside the door when I see this little kid, probably around eight or nine years old, run and leap-frog over one of the red balls.
So? Happens every day, right? So... that's what this blog is about? Really?
Yes. Really. Because right then it hit me. "Oh my goodness. I've become an adult." Yes, I'm 27 and have legally been an adult for some time, but this was the moment where it really struck me.
See, I realized that those red balls represented play possibilities for children, shields for tag, climbing opportunities, obstacle course hazards, etc. But all I saw upon walking into the store was red things to walk around and possibly a creative way for Target to keep drunk or enraged drivers from plowing into their store fronts with their vehicles.
I've lost my childish way of looking at things. I stopped looking at the world as a playground and it took a child using it as exactly that to show me my new perspective. That's what's been on my mind lately. Is it bad for an older person to see playground equipment in everyday life? Is it immature and irritating? Have I improved because I see the balls as things to walk around instead of play with, or the opposite? Am I a better person or have I lost something important?
It's been kind of sad because I liked being a kid. Is it too late to go back to that mindset? Would it be a bad thing to try?
You know those big, knee-high red balls that are in front of the stores as decorations?
Ok, there's only one in this picture, down in the right hand corner, but that's what I'm talking about.
I was walking out of the store with my purchases and looking for my car from just outside the door when I see this little kid, probably around eight or nine years old, run and leap-frog over one of the red balls.
So? Happens every day, right? So... that's what this blog is about? Really?
Yes. Really. Because right then it hit me. "Oh my goodness. I've become an adult." Yes, I'm 27 and have legally been an adult for some time, but this was the moment where it really struck me.
See, I realized that those red balls represented play possibilities for children, shields for tag, climbing opportunities, obstacle course hazards, etc. But all I saw upon walking into the store was red things to walk around and possibly a creative way for Target to keep drunk or enraged drivers from plowing into their store fronts with their vehicles.
I've lost my childish way of looking at things. I stopped looking at the world as a playground and it took a child using it as exactly that to show me my new perspective. That's what's been on my mind lately. Is it bad for an older person to see playground equipment in everyday life? Is it immature and irritating? Have I improved because I see the balls as things to walk around instead of play with, or the opposite? Am I a better person or have I lost something important?
It's been kind of sad because I liked being a kid. Is it too late to go back to that mindset? Would it be a bad thing to try?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Infinite's 'Before The Dawn' Review
Alrighty. This is a new band that I don't have much experience with but they're called Infinite and have seven members. I'm not going to list their names because, let's face it, would anybody remember them? I don't, and I'm the one writing the blog! I do like their songs, but as of this very moment, Infinite has yet to be added to my 'favorite bands' list. Oh, and I thought it was kinda funny, but the Before The Dawn music video has been banned from airing because of the gratuitous violence... which I think is funny in a, 'really stupid' kind of way. And, tada! Infinite's Before The Dawn!
Yeah, so the 'gratuitous violence' is the relatively mild fight sequence between the boys. Apparently, the record company refused to change it because it represented the internal struggle of the person singing the song. I don't think I get the music video enough to say that I'm glad they didn't change it. I've been trying to find an explanation for what everything represents and the story behind the video, but so far... nothing.
Alright, so first impression, the music video made me think of Survivor by DBSK. The stylishly ripped and tattered clothes, the messy hair that some how manages to look amazing instead of dirty, the slightly fuzzy look that implies you're watching from a security monitor, and the dim lighting all brought me back to the first time I watched my fav five sing their incredibly happy and hopeful song in a post-holocaust setting.
That's about where the similarities end though because Infinite's song is not a happy, peppy song. The music reminds me a little of nineties fight music and sounds anything but endlessly optimistic. It sounds to me, if anything, determined.
I liked the costumes in this music video. Since there was actually a story going on, there aren't a whole lot of scenes where the seven members are dancing so the group only wears one outfit each. And I like them. They're black, or dark, dark grey and while they are each unique, some with a chain, some with fringe, different buttons, and collar lines, they all go well together. And then there are the two boys whom the video is about. And their costumes are realistic to their situation, which is, as far as I can tell, fugitive escaped inmates. So, kudos on the costumes.
I also liked the there wasn't ridiculous amounts of make up. There was enough to make them look all pretty, or beat up-depending on the scene, and that was it. No layers of eye liner, no sparkly lip gloss, no eye shadow. Again, I was very happy with this. However, the reddish pink hair was a little off and the one with the platinum blond hair really shouldn't have curled it. But then I ask myself, 'Would this be a Korean boy band' if there were no over the top elements to the video?' to which I must honestly answer, 'Aw, shut up.'
There wasn't a whole lot of dancing in the video unless you want to count the fight sequences, which in a way you would not be wrong to do. I really liked the part at 2:56 when they start off laying on their stomachs and then roll up to their feet. I've always been really impressed by that move and they all did it at once and into a circle, so that right there made the biggest impression on me. When they were dancing, there seemed to be more upper body movement than lower body which is what they do with a group that is a little weak in the dancing department. I can't say this for sure, of course, because I've only seen two of Infinite's music videos but I'd say that their members are stronger singers than dancers.
I'm going to let you form your own opinion on it though. Here is a dance practise for Before The Dawn. (I really like these. Ever since SHINee's Lucifer dance practice, I look for them specifically because sometimes they're better than the videos themselves.)
I like this version because it shows that half staggering backwards step thing that didn't show up in the video but was really well done in that it conveyed the mood perfectly, and there's more of the 'Before the dawn' dance moves where their hands pass in front of their faces. I like this, probably because it reminds me of Melissa's highschool talent show where she performed 'Make a Man Out of You' from Mulan. PS: I liked the pink hair guy popping up after the song and everyone else has kept the pose and he looks over at them like, 'oh, woops. How long were we supposed to stay down? Are we going to have to do it all over again now?'
As for the contents of the song, he's a total stalker. He's saying that before the dawn his feelings aren't obsession and that before for dawn he has to grab her and no matter how many times she turns him down, they'll end up together. He says that he feels like a beggar because all he does is be there for her and be at her side and hope that she'll come to feel the same way for him. It would be really creepy if it wasn't sung by these seven cute Korean guys. As it is, it's a little creepy still, but more flattering.
There is plenty of english in this song even though it is hard to understand at times. I actually think it's pretty cute they way they say 'heart.' It's not heart like we say it but with a hard a, like they were saying hair with a t at the end. Hairt. Preciouses.
So, I'm looking forward to hearing more Infinite because they have definite potential.
Yeah, so the 'gratuitous violence' is the relatively mild fight sequence between the boys. Apparently, the record company refused to change it because it represented the internal struggle of the person singing the song. I don't think I get the music video enough to say that I'm glad they didn't change it. I've been trying to find an explanation for what everything represents and the story behind the video, but so far... nothing.
Alright, so first impression, the music video made me think of Survivor by DBSK. The stylishly ripped and tattered clothes, the messy hair that some how manages to look amazing instead of dirty, the slightly fuzzy look that implies you're watching from a security monitor, and the dim lighting all brought me back to the first time I watched my fav five sing their incredibly happy and hopeful song in a post-holocaust setting.
That's about where the similarities end though because Infinite's song is not a happy, peppy song. The music reminds me a little of nineties fight music and sounds anything but endlessly optimistic. It sounds to me, if anything, determined.
I liked the costumes in this music video. Since there was actually a story going on, there aren't a whole lot of scenes where the seven members are dancing so the group only wears one outfit each. And I like them. They're black, or dark, dark grey and while they are each unique, some with a chain, some with fringe, different buttons, and collar lines, they all go well together. And then there are the two boys whom the video is about. And their costumes are realistic to their situation, which is, as far as I can tell, fugitive escaped inmates. So, kudos on the costumes.
I also liked the there wasn't ridiculous amounts of make up. There was enough to make them look all pretty, or beat up-depending on the scene, and that was it. No layers of eye liner, no sparkly lip gloss, no eye shadow. Again, I was very happy with this. However, the reddish pink hair was a little off and the one with the platinum blond hair really shouldn't have curled it. But then I ask myself, 'Would this be a Korean boy band' if there were no over the top elements to the video?' to which I must honestly answer, 'Aw, shut up.'
There wasn't a whole lot of dancing in the video unless you want to count the fight sequences, which in a way you would not be wrong to do. I really liked the part at 2:56 when they start off laying on their stomachs and then roll up to their feet. I've always been really impressed by that move and they all did it at once and into a circle, so that right there made the biggest impression on me. When they were dancing, there seemed to be more upper body movement than lower body which is what they do with a group that is a little weak in the dancing department. I can't say this for sure, of course, because I've only seen two of Infinite's music videos but I'd say that their members are stronger singers than dancers.
I'm going to let you form your own opinion on it though. Here is a dance practise for Before The Dawn. (I really like these. Ever since SHINee's Lucifer dance practice, I look for them specifically because sometimes they're better than the videos themselves.)
I like this version because it shows that half staggering backwards step thing that didn't show up in the video but was really well done in that it conveyed the mood perfectly, and there's more of the 'Before the dawn' dance moves where their hands pass in front of their faces. I like this, probably because it reminds me of Melissa's highschool talent show where she performed 'Make a Man Out of You' from Mulan. PS: I liked the pink hair guy popping up after the song and everyone else has kept the pose and he looks over at them like, 'oh, woops. How long were we supposed to stay down? Are we going to have to do it all over again now?'
As for the contents of the song, he's a total stalker. He's saying that before the dawn his feelings aren't obsession and that before for dawn he has to grab her and no matter how many times she turns him down, they'll end up together. He says that he feels like a beggar because all he does is be there for her and be at her side and hope that she'll come to feel the same way for him. It would be really creepy if it wasn't sung by these seven cute Korean guys. As it is, it's a little creepy still, but more flattering.
There is plenty of english in this song even though it is hard to understand at times. I actually think it's pretty cute they way they say 'heart.' It's not heart like we say it but with a hard a, like they were saying hair with a t at the end. Hairt. Preciouses.
So, I'm looking forward to hearing more Infinite because they have definite potential.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Mblaq's 'Stay' Review
Haha! I've beaten eatyourkimchi to reviewing 'Stay' by Mblaq. Yay! I win.
So when I first watched this, for the first 20 seconds or so, I thought that some fan had put together a music video for the song since it seemed to me to be made of pieces of 'Cry' and cheesy effects, like turning everything red. I was so happy when I realized that it was a real and official music video.
I can't say I liked the costumes in this video as much as in Cry. I'm not sure why all the fur. Joon's white fur across the back of his black jacket bothers me for some reason, but not as much as the big tufts of black fur on only one shoulder of what's-his-name's white jacket. Just, just no. And then the white suit with the black leopard print. Oh, no. And the worst part? Those horrible gloves. Yeah, what's with the studded gloves lately? TVXQ's Max wore one and it didn't look good on him either. And lastly, the shiny gray pants. Not just a sheen, mind you, shiny! Like, made of plastic, shiny.
The dance was interesting. And I found a video of Rain teaching it to the boys.
For some reason the dance struck me as feminine. I think it has to do with the legs and hips, or maybe it's the fluttery hand... I don't know. It's hard to break down. I'm not saying it's bad, just... feminine. There really weren't any parts of the dance that stand out to me as amazing or especially catchy but it flows well. I thought it was kind of cute when Joon traced the outline of a heart on his chest. I hadn't seen anyone do that yet, so it was fresh and adorable.
Mblaq did not disappoint with the make up. They just really like the 'stand out from the crowd' eye make up. They didn't wear so much eye shadow as eye liner and glitter. Wait, that sounds worse than it is. Um, shiny confetti. It didn't ruin the music video for me, and in fact, with the dramatic lighting, it was less noticeable than usual. It felt like half the music video was either done in strobe light or red light. So while the make up was a little bit extensive, I didn't feel that it detracted from the video.
The song's contents are fairly typical. His girlfriend left him and he doesn't understand why since he thought they were going to be together forever and he'd gambled everything on it. The lyrics make it sound like the singer gave up a lot to be with the girl and he loves her even though her moods are volatile. He says at one point that she'd said words of parting so many times before that he thought she'd been joking this time too, but that was one day, two days, three days ago and still he hadn't heard anything from her. So he's asking her to stay with him, stay in his heart.
There's definitely enough english scattered throughout the song to keep me interested. And it's not as heavily accented as say, Infinite's Before The Dawn. Mblaq actually pronounced their 'heart' like we do instead of 'hairt.' I don't know if anyone else thinks this, or if I'm just special, but Joon looks just a little bit weird when he's saying his english lines, like he's pulling his upper lip tightly across his teeth. I actually thought it looked good, like he was being really intense or something, but it just seemed... different.
And that's what I thought of Stay by Mblaq.
So when I first watched this, for the first 20 seconds or so, I thought that some fan had put together a music video for the song since it seemed to me to be made of pieces of 'Cry' and cheesy effects, like turning everything red. I was so happy when I realized that it was a real and official music video.
I can't say I liked the costumes in this video as much as in Cry. I'm not sure why all the fur. Joon's white fur across the back of his black jacket bothers me for some reason, but not as much as the big tufts of black fur on only one shoulder of what's-his-name's white jacket. Just, just no. And then the white suit with the black leopard print. Oh, no. And the worst part? Those horrible gloves. Yeah, what's with the studded gloves lately? TVXQ's Max wore one and it didn't look good on him either. And lastly, the shiny gray pants. Not just a sheen, mind you, shiny! Like, made of plastic, shiny.
The dance was interesting. And I found a video of Rain teaching it to the boys.
For some reason the dance struck me as feminine. I think it has to do with the legs and hips, or maybe it's the fluttery hand... I don't know. It's hard to break down. I'm not saying it's bad, just... feminine. There really weren't any parts of the dance that stand out to me as amazing or especially catchy but it flows well. I thought it was kind of cute when Joon traced the outline of a heart on his chest. I hadn't seen anyone do that yet, so it was fresh and adorable.
Mblaq did not disappoint with the make up. They just really like the 'stand out from the crowd' eye make up. They didn't wear so much eye shadow as eye liner and glitter. Wait, that sounds worse than it is. Um, shiny confetti. It didn't ruin the music video for me, and in fact, with the dramatic lighting, it was less noticeable than usual. It felt like half the music video was either done in strobe light or red light. So while the make up was a little bit extensive, I didn't feel that it detracted from the video.
The song's contents are fairly typical. His girlfriend left him and he doesn't understand why since he thought they were going to be together forever and he'd gambled everything on it. The lyrics make it sound like the singer gave up a lot to be with the girl and he loves her even though her moods are volatile. He says at one point that she'd said words of parting so many times before that he thought she'd been joking this time too, but that was one day, two days, three days ago and still he hadn't heard anything from her. So he's asking her to stay with him, stay in his heart.
There's definitely enough english scattered throughout the song to keep me interested. And it's not as heavily accented as say, Infinite's Before The Dawn. Mblaq actually pronounced their 'heart' like we do instead of 'hairt.' I don't know if anyone else thinks this, or if I'm just special, but Joon looks just a little bit weird when he's saying his english lines, like he's pulling his upper lip tightly across his teeth. I actually thought it looked good, like he was being really intense or something, but it just seemed... different.
And that's what I thought of Stay by Mblaq.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)