Saturday, February 27, 2010
recent SJ news
1) my current favorite SJ member (actually ties with Heechul) ------- LEE HYUKJAE ------- got swine flu. Lol, everyone's all better and now he's getting it. very Hyukjae like. I hope Junsu called him or visited him in the hospital :) And I think I read somewhere that Heechul will be filling in got Hyukjae at KTR, Strong Heart, Starking, and etc. So Hyukjae was still on Feb 25 KTR. From the clips I've seen, Leeteuk hosted Feb 26 KTR by himself, but Sungmin was there as a guest I believe. KRT is a 2-hour, daily radio show that Leeteuk and Hyukjae have been hosting together for 4 years. They are also permanent guests/hosts on Strong Heart and Starking. I want to see Heechul oppa fill in.
2) side note, lol. SARANGHAEYO KIM HEECHUL!
Heechul, who is in TRAX's MV, also played piano for the TRAX on the Feb 26 episode of KBS Music Bank!! Heechul oppa is my prince........ uhm princess. BUT he really needs to cut his hair!! I understand that he is filming a drama right now so he can cut it however he want, but i really don't like his current haircut. Also since Hangeng is "missing," I have a feeling that JChul is on the rise again.
3) SJ's comeback in MAY. Fans are very very very excited! Here's a fanvid to prepare everyone for the comeback :)
now on to more serious news.
4) SJ's concerts in Shanghai on March 6th and 7th. Shanghai must be a really good place. Looks like SJ and DBSK are having their last concerts in that over populated city!
I'm sure SJ's problems do not need to be repeated. Hangeng wants to leave SM, Kibum only wants to act, Kangin got in trouble so SM is restricting his activities, sub-grouping hints, etc. Anyways, the most recent news, an interview the sponsors and planners of the Shanghai concerts said that the concerts will take place as planned. Hangeng, Kibum, and Kangin will of course not be there. At the concert as well as possibly forever (meaning in 4th album), Henry and Zhou Mi of SJM will replace Kangin and Kibum in SJ (and probably Hangeng, but we don't know how the law suit will end yet). And in the future, SJ will be divided into smaller sub-groups and remain active that way, but Kangin, Kibum, and Hangeng will not be included.
5) not SJ related, but similar type of stuff. 2PM Jaebeom officially announced that he is not returning to 2PM. but the reason is not because of the MySpace controversy. Apparently, Jaebeom did something wrong during Again and Again promotion. no one (public) knows what the mistake is; words like private and social were used by JYP representative. JYP also claimed that 2pm members as well as JYP officials sat down together earlier this year and decided that Jaebeom cannot stay with 2PM any more. Netizens are again opening this big mouth. Some say that it's because of illegal drug use or impregnating a girl. Also, after the official announcement, 2pm members closed their minihomepages. 2pm fans, of course, won't let this go and are arguing with JYP. I'm not a 2pm fan so I don't know about much about Jaebeom or the entire controversy.
recent DBSK news
Instead of guessing what will happen next, here are some current DBSK news. I will do SJ next in a separate post :)
1) Which celebrity do you want the most to become your lover/BF/etc?
According to TBS's CDTV, a Japanese music show, the answer is DBSK Hero Jaejoong. CDTV Music Show recently conducted a survey (not sure how) and the most number of Japanese people picked Jaejoong. Kim Jaejoong becomes the first non-Japanese artist in the 16-year history of the show/survey to win first. In 2008, Jaejoong first became a candidate. After two years, he is #1!! This shows DBSK's popularity in Japan (which makes me even more certain that AVEX would want to keep DBSK).
Also, Micky Yoochun received #3, beating popular Kat-tun members; Max Changmin got #6; Xiah Junsu got #7. Too bad Yunho didn't make it into the top 10 :(.
2) AVEX will be having their "stock holder party" (something like that) soon, rumors had it that DBSK will be there.
3) DBSK will be recording a new single. The new single is for the advertisement of Japanese cosmetic brand MENARD. and it will be released in March. The article on this on AF was really confusing. According to AF, the original source of this news is from DBSK's official Japanese website (which should be trust worthy). But the wording (probably due to translation) is hard to understand. The article talks about the inclusion of Ceasing the Time, which is a new DBSK song in the Best Selection 2010 album, and Checkmate, which is Yunho's solo piece for the 3rd Asia Tour Mirotic, in the new single........ uhm, neither song is new. Anyways, I'm confused. If anyone knows anything about this, please please please update/correct me.
4) last but not least. YAY for Cassiopeia!!!! Cassiopeia, the official fanclub of DBSK, had an event yesterday. Basically fans suddenly appeared in a organized fashion at busy street corners around the nation and did a little dance in honor of DBSK.
Take a good look at the first picture on this post. What do you see? Mirotic, yes I see that too. What else?
MIROTIC, 7 letters, connected DBSK's members, TVXQ as a whole, and Cassiopeia :)
Lee Soo Man and SM part 2
LSM now and 30 years ago when he was a popular singer
The answer to the questions I proposed at the begin is especially important now because LSM is leaving SM. I personally do not think LSM is a bad person and LSM = SM. I'm sure he cares about the company he created single-handedly as well as the stars he trained. After all, he was in their shoes more than 30 years ago. I think he is probably very strict teacher/boss and ask 300% from everyone, but that is what is necessary to be top stars. SJ, DBSK, HOT, etc. they are all grateful to LSM. From what I can sense (which honestly is not very much at all), sincerely grateful.
You got to admit that LSM is one of the top in the business. He is a musician; he is a business. For example, he was personally involved in the making of DBSK's first Oricon #1, Purple Line. For example, he was able to convince AVEX to support all SM artists' Japanese activities. No other Korean, no other none Japanese, artists has been as successful in the Japnese market, second biggest music market in the world, as DBSK. From HOT to DBSK to SNSD, SM has produced the most number of top stars in the business.
Now, LSM and AVEX are leaving SM at the same time. SM stated that LSM will no longer take part in SM's operational decision, he will remain as a teacher/trainer of new stars and participate in furthering SM artists' foreign activities. The company also stated that AVEX selling all SM stocks does not mean that SM-AVEX cooperation is ending. I honestly can't believe the second part about AVEX. but the first part, LSM is going back to what he does best.
CEO of AVEX
Anyways, I'm not sure what I'm trying to say any more. lol. I guess I'm just trying to give as much background and my opinion as possible. THE ONLY CONCERN I have is actually how all this will effect SM artists, especially DBSK.
For the people who believe that LSM = SM and Junsu/Jaejoong/Yoochun left SM because they are not happy with their contracts and LSM, LSM leaving SM is a good thing. Some of the tension is gone, therefore DBSK has a better chance of continuing activities in Korea. For people like me who think that LSM is just the scapegoat, LSM leaving is not such a great thing. It decreases the chance of DBSK staying as 5.
What about AVEX? DBSK's contract with AVEX is ending soon (I believe in June of this year). Unless DBSK renew their contract with AVEX, their Japanese activity is over. I believe Junsu, Jaejoong, Yoochun, and AVEX probably want to continue their work. But since AVEX is no longer a stock holder of SM, Yunho and Changmin, who are still with SM, will probably have a harder time renewing with AVEX. Also, if DBSK do not renew their contract with AVEX, then I can say with 99% confidence that DBSK's end has come.
After updating my blog for the past few days, I have 2 questions/concerns. 1) Should I use DBSK/SJ/SNSD/etc. as singular proper nouns or plural? well, maybe it depends on how I use it lol. 2) am I just wasting my time and breath? I don't care if people read this or not, but 10 years from now when I look back will I think "OMG I was so naive wasting time on boy bands!"? whatever, I'm worrying too much again lol.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
SM is getting a new boss?
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
random........
Sunday, February 21, 2010
please support my videos :)
DBSK and BSB
What does DBSK have to do with BSB?
Honestly, I don’t know. I guess except for the fact that they are both famous boy bands…..
A few days, I saw an article about BSB and DBSK. Sometime in 2007, BSB met with DBSK at Music Fair 21, a Japanese show. Honestly, this is old news. But I wasn’t a fan of DBSK back then (2007) so this is the first time I’ve heard about it. At an interview after the show, BSB praised DBSK’s singing ability and said that DBSK reminded them of their former selves. When I first saw the article, I thought it’s something recent, so I was surprised that BSB, or DBSK, is actually active. A lot of old news are being dug back up because there has been very little news about DBSK. Anyways it’s still kinda cool that top boy bands get to meet like that.
What’s new?
The most recent DBSK news is actually from the United States!!!!
On Feb. 18th, Elvis Duran & the Morning Zoo, some radio show in NY, played DBSK’s Break Out (DBSK’s newest single). In “Top Songs from Around the World” segment of the show, Elvis Duran introcued DBSK’s Break Out as the most popular song in Japan. He also expressed that he wants DBSK to come to the US (following the Wonder Girls). Break Out ranked first on the Oricon chart as expected; it is the 7th DBSK single in a roll that made first on the Oricon chart.
I want DBSK to come to the US as well. But I know that even without the split, the chances are very small. Anyways, if I pick one Kpop group to represent the pride of Korea popular music, then I would definitely pick DBSK!!!
The last piece of news for Feb 20th is an interview with one of SM’s voice teachers. Not sure if it’s actually recent news.He has taught more than 200 SM trainees. All of them had been physically punished for not practicing enough. For example, he would hit them with a ski stick untio the stick breaks. He also said that his best students are DBSK’s Junsu and Jaejoong and SNSD’s Taeyeon. In Asia, physically punishing students is a fairly common thing, at least 10 years back. Now not as much. My piano even hit my hands when I didn’t practice enough or used the wrong figuring when I was little. I don’t think it’s a particularly bad thing. Excuse my analogy, but it’s kind of like training animals. Of course, hitting a student until the ski stick breaks is a little much. But I guess that’s what made Jaejoong’s and Junsu’s great voices!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Hangeng is Back!! What about SJ?
The return of Hangeng.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
SHINee and F.T. Island
Ok guys, I'm slowly but unavoidably expanding my Kpop boy band obsession. Just wider, but not deeper. I don't like any of the new ones nearly as much as I love DBSJ.
SJ is now officially a 12-member group?
This is probably the most shocking news i've heard in a long time.
SJ are spokesmen of the brand spao. 2 new styles came out recently. On the shirt/hoodie, there are only 12 members printed!!!!!!!
I'm back :)
I will only post news/vids/pics of things that I like and include my own interpretation. therefore, definitely not a reliable source of kpop news. Also I'm into some BL, but my fav CPs are not exactly conventional. and I sub vids on youtube, I will link them on my blog too.
First and most important news on Feb. 18th, 2010 is.....
Today is DBSK Max Changmin's 22 year old Bday!! 생일 축하합니다!!
Changmin oppa should be filming a drama..... right now.
Best of luck to DBSK!
The 5 of them will be performing together in Japan again in March. but there are also news that say that Yunho will be in LA in March to train for "This is it" concert. "This is it" is a series of concerts put on in memory of MJ. Many famous musicians from around the world are involved. Yunho is representing Korea.
It is a great honor to be part of the MJ memorial concert, but......... I really want to see DBSK TOGETHER!!!