Cactus by Namstar and Lucia

   I like Epitone Project because I like slow songs too (OK, I lied, I love slow songs). Wuhyeonnie and Lucia covered one song of his (because it's one man project in general), mainly 선인장 (Cactus). In original, the vocal belonged to Cha Sejeong (차세정). This version is in slightly more upbeat r'n'b tempo. And even though it was that hoarse voice of Wuhyeon I fell in love with, his soft rendering is really, really well done.

2012 in Music

   Some people say 2012 was a bad year in Kpop, others say it was better than 2011. I've seen better than both, but the problem doesn't lie in Kpop as the bubble, but in those who blow it. If big agencies don't change, Kpop as a total mayhem phenomenon won't change as well.

There were some good things in 2012 music and some bad things. Anything fresh and outstanding?

2012 in Kpop

From here

   Last year I prepared my first post summing up the whole 2011 in broadly perceived Kpop funky land. This time - 2012 in a perspective of one rarely serious idiot fangirl, that is me. Like it's any different from any other post >.> 

What happened to Kpop Imaginarium this past year? Quite a lot, yet not everything on huge scale. And to calm down all shivering with antici...pation - "Oppa didn't mean it" is also here.

I didn't include all 6589 debuts of nugu groups and all comebacks because that would use up all my bandwidth (and next week).

"Double, double toil and trouble;

Manekineko wishes you all good year and invites you to cray cray world^^

 ... Fire burn and cauldron bubble."

   A post totally made for fun and with fun (or frustrations, whatever). While I'm slowly trudging through award shows (12 parts to dl and watch), I prepared this for all of you to have fun.

There are "prediction posts" everywhere, in K-entertainment too, so to entertain ourselves, let's make predictions for year 2013.

What are your predictions? Free your mind, and the rest will follow^^

Them Arirang

   I know Arirang is a slightly propaganda, but I still follow their YT channel, because, unlike KBS World, Arirang is really global. However, their taste is... well, weird at best. It's them who have my beloved Pops in Seoul with its outstanding polls like "Which male stars who would look great, dressed as a woman", "Which stars who seem fragile and weak?", and my favorite: "Which star do you want to raise as a pet?"
Anyway, last Monday they released a new one, and of course it pissed me off (belately) very, very much.

Kmusic frustrated musings

Reigning ball of sunshine - Dongwoo - shares brightness^^

   Infinite's leader Sunggyu is ready to go solo, within Woollim borders. Although I do find this as a quite bold move for a member of a group that exists for little more than 2 years, I'm not happy with Shine which was leaked. I explained my reasons, there is overpowering in this song, and although I like how Sunggyu sounds there, chorus ruins this (still not on the level how Minho ruins E-V-E-R-Y SHINee song, hang me).

K-entertainment Part 2

From some tumblr, don't remember, but applies here.

   Weekly round-up of whatever happened in K-ent and its fandom. I may be slightly out of touch, but as for me, nothing major happened.

Our Lord and Saviour, that is Heechul is still in the army.

1000th Man of Arang

   I wanted to wait with The Thousandth Man when some dramas end, but no, my evil friend I. said the first episode was funny, so... Plus, my slutty greasy baby Wuhyeonnie is in it, so I planned to watch it, but was unsure about his acting. And I didn't want to cringe everytime I'd see him. He's not an actor, that's a fact, but he's cute. I'm not cringing (this is biased nuna speaking, don't pay any attention). And he's in nuna-love relationship. I'm on board!

Hoya's Answer to 1997

Quite big interview, provided kindly by infiniteupdates.
Really, really interesting read.

Answer to 1997 - interview

  

  Translation of the interview with PD of Answer 1997. Worth reading, seriously.

Oh, hay, Sham^^

Since our PD likes our Junhee so much, let's hope he'll make this perfect namja also a happy namja.

You have Answer to 1997?

   Let me say one thing first - I worship tvN and their dramas. I don't know how they do it, but they can bring freshness, originality, boldness and ideas main stations are shy of. I'm not saying other broadcasts don't try, but since tvN is a cable one - it has a lot more of freedom. And uses it wisely. Last year's I Need Romance's ending disappointed me, but one drama doesn't make the exception a rule. And the rule is - tvN can make series.

Jang Dongwoo

a.k.a. ball of sunshine. This is a personal post, expressing my admiration for this perfect namja.

Kim Seonggyu on IS 2

   Well, the song didn't allow him to fully show the voice, but damn... damn, boy.
Korea is abundant with talents, and not only "good ol' ones" but they pop up every few years. No, not every year.
I'm happy Immortal Song 2 got relevant for me again - Seonggyu and Ryeowook^^

Infinite being flawfree again

   I know the anniversary was few days ago (2), but I feel I need to spam also here about this awesome group of 7. OK, fine, I now it's basically three of us on D-A, plus few amazing people I met on tumblr (*waves to Mrs.Sunggyu*).

Our boys' fandom is now in dire straits, there is lot of things I don't like about it, and there are lot of new fans that make fandom blood rot. Despite that, normal fans made a great anniversary deed.

In The Summer

   OK, I decided this song deserves a separated post because of its awesomeness. I'm waiting eagerly for INFINITIZE so I could fangirl over the booklet and I'm waiting for a hidden message:P I absolutely love everything about this album, I just can't express it (or better - I pity all my friends who have to patiently listen to all my massive Kpop spazz. Sorry to all!).

INFINITIZE me...

This will be the only yellow element in my room. I can live with that.

   ... again and again and again. With the... nevermind. Although tracks were leaked yesterday, I'm a loyal fan and after running like mad from work to be on time when live streaming of their showcase started today, I listened to the full album.

And I like what I hear.

It's light, natural, unpretentious. It has clearly INFINITE mark on it, which is not all that liked among fans, from what I read. They say boys' tracks sometimes need to 'get used to those'. Of course they're different. Woolliment (a moment to kneel while saying thy holy name) is not a mainstream, huge agency like certain *cough* SMthing *cough*. 

INFINITE's comeback

   I'd be happy if their comeback was in June. So that they could have a bit of rest. I don't want to see Wuhyeonnie dead-pale again. I want to see him sparkling and bouncy (well, he's always over-hyped anyway). Woollim released the album title now.

Nanana, I can't think now^^

From me to you^^

   Last week was very busy in K-Entertainment. SMEnt finally revealed they will debut their EXO group, which is famous for 75654 billions of teasers starting from December, or even earlier. Don't care much for the group.

And Princess got herself an official website. Nothing new, some others, even though they are not in the showbiz for 20 years, have it, so why Galactic Empress shouldn't have one? I guess YouTube is not enough these days. No profit from it, eh?

Oh yes, and Game of Thrones started :P'''

Korean Music Awards 2012

Winners of Korean Music Awards. And you'd be surprised.

I guess indie is not as not-mainstream as it pretends to be. This is why I can't take them seriously.

2011 in Kpop^^

Picture from here.

“It's best to be ruthless with the past.”

(Stephen King, Rose Madder)

   I wanted to write this much earlier, but somehow other things came in a way and I postponed this until now. This is a very biased, very personal take on 2011 in Kpop, so don't throw any stones for missing this-or-this group out of those 2526545 that debuted last year. Except for 2NE1 I don't listen to girls' groups (and even 2NE1 I listen when I want to 'shake that thing' only), so lack of them here is justified, right?
Oh yes, your all-time favorite category "Oppa Didn't Mean It" is also here.
Especially for one special friend out there^^