Gangnam Style AKA The Korean 'Party Rock Anthem'

I've held off posting "Gangnam Style" for a few weeks because I'm kind of miffed that the first true K-Pop crossover hit is a borderline novelty song that basically deconstructs LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" and rebuilds it from a distinctly Korean perspective. Why couldn't this happen to someone truly worthy like BoA? But my opinion doesn't really matter. PSY's unavoidable floorfiller has gone viral - passing 75 million views on YouTube and shooting up iTunes around the world, including Australia where it is top 40. So, is "Gangnam Style" any good? I really like it but this is one of the rare occasions where the US did it first and better than Korea. At least the video (below) is amazing. The ridiculous dance routine - another bastardisation of the infamous Melbourne Shuffle - is all kinds of awesome and the quirky set-ups really work. PSY is a natural comedian and he is very likeable. If the song really explodes, hopefully it will open the door for other K-Pop acts to break internationally. Fingers crossed.

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BoA Murders Ya Fave With The Shadow

One of the best things about 2009 was the release of BoA's English album. It didn't exactly set the charts on fire but tracks like "Eat You Up" and "Energetic" did well in clubs and still hold up today. I've been waiting for the Korean diva to bless her substantial cult following with another English offering but she turned her attention to Japan in 2010 and is now in the process of revolutionising K-Pop with current album Only One. The lead single from that opus was a pretty mid-tempo ballad and shot to #1 in her homeland. However, the rest of us just want to see the Best of Asia dance. We get that and more in "The Shadow".

BoA's latest single is something of a triumph. Does anybody else get turn of the century pop vibes from this gem? It's Janet Jackson meets Britney by way of The Backstreet Boys - all in Korean! "The Shadow" is one of those K-Pop records that jumps the language divide and appeals to anyone who gets off on a slick groove and catchy chorus. And then there's the video (below). Seriously, South Korea is in a different league when it comes to the visual element. The 25-year-old acts out a dubious storyline with an alter-ego against a background of classy special effects and brilliant choreography. Make no mistake. BoA is a dancing machine and she delivers a master class in how to move your feet.

This is so great. BoA's English language follow-up can't come quick enough!

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Is Racism Rife Among K-Pop Fans? The Sweet Cake Saga

This was originally going to be a simple post introducing Sweet Cake. They are an adorable new girlband from Indonesia and already have a cute tune called "Cinta Yang Indah" under their belt. But during my search for more information on these powerhouse vocalists/all-around entertainers, I stumbled across a familiar phenomenon - an outpouring of hate and racist remarks from irate K-Pop fans. Sadly, it's not an isolated event. I noticed exactly the same thing when I researched Filipino girlband The Pop Girls and see similar comments every time I check out a Chinese act on YouTube. What's going on?

I understand some of the frustration with Sweet Cake. Their extremely low-budget video borrows heavily from Orange Caramel's "After School". But that clip was hardly original. Gwen Stefani already went down the Alice In Wonderland route a decade earlier and every second K-Pop diva steals shamelessly from Beyoncé's iconic visuals. Can't Orange Caramel fans just see the video as a tribute? I don't know much about the music scene in Indonesia but I'm guessing it's fairly rudimentary in comparison to the well-oiled Korean machine. Would it be so hard to encourage Sweet Cake instead of tearing them down? It's time for K-Pop fans to take a seat. That nation doesn't own the copyright on Asian pop music.

Anyway, back to Sweet Cake. I have no idea what "Cinta Yang Indah" is about or what the title even means - I'm hoping someone will enlighten me - but it's a perky pop song with a catchy chorus. And those qualities are international. As for the band, I can't find any information on them apart from the fact that the line-up appears to change every five minutes. I'm pretty sure they started off as a three-piece before expanding. The video (below) is not great but they are so endearing, it's hard to resist. Sweet Cake can't quite match it with flawless divas like 4Minute just yet but there is room for them in the weird and wonderful world of pop. Make them feel welcome.

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4Minute Turn The Volume Up

My Sunday routine basically involves stumbling home in the early hours of the morning, demolishing enough bacon to wipe out Babe's entire family and then crashing on the lounge to watch Pop Asia on SBS. It can be a bit tragic at times - I'm referring to sad flops like this guy - but I love seeing my K-Pop faves on TV. The highlight of last week's episode was 4Minute's stunning "Volume Up" video. My friend Jacques had been raving about it on his blog for weeks but sometimes it takes a couple of listens for a song, particularly one in a language you don't understand, to click. Perhaps I was also a little unreceptive because I still think of 4Minute as that embarrassing girlband from Sydney's K-Pop Festival. Let's just say they really need to work on their mime game!

Happily, I have seen the light and will now devote my life to stanning for Korea's answer to Destiny's Child - that is if DC3 released Hi-NRG dance anthems with glamorous vampire-themed videos. "Volume Up" is an incredibly western sounding record. It reminds me a lot of J Lo's "Dance Again" - at least musically. There are '90s horns and Euro-beats that could have been lifted straight from a 2 Unlimited or Real McCoy track. I love the bizarre production and am completely addicted to the catchy chorus. Forget SNSD and their flop attempts at American success - 4Minute has a more international sound and HyunA is sexier than all those girls put together! Check out the epic video below. "Volume Up" is available to download from Australian iTunes now.

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Korean Pop God Covers Beyoncé

King B is on something of a tear at the moment. The Grammys might have snubbed "4" but it has been praised in every year-end 'best of' list I've had the pleasure of reading (from Rolling Stone to MTV and BBC) and "I Was Here" has already bulleted to #168 on the iTunes pop chart in Australia. Could your fave? If you need further proof of Bey's world domination, check out this epic cover of "I Miss You" by Korean superstar Taeyang. The K-Pop god, who is better known as the hottest member of boyband Big Bang, uploaded his version of the Frank Ocean-penned ballad to YouTube earlier today and won immediate praise from fans. To be honest I was expecting the worst after witnessing the massacre of "Halo" at the hands of these K-flops in Sydney recently but this is great. Taeyang sounds amazing. His pronunciation is spot on and he gets that less is more with this composition. It's clear that Beyoncé runs Korea too. You will deal.

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White: The Melody Of The Curse - Review

From The Host to Old Boy, South Korea has a rich history of producing great films. Unfortunately, White: The Melody Of The Curse isn't one of them. That's not to say the K-Pop themed horror movie isn't worth a look. I didn't know what to expect when Jacques from The Prophet Blog invited me over to watch the T-ara star vehicle but I guessed it would be something of a trainwreck. And I was right. Before getting on with the review, it's only fair to admit that I was completely baked when I sat down to enjoy this future Razzie winner. So some of the ensuing confusion could well have something to do with my impaired mental state rather than the bogus sub-titles and non-sensical plot twists. But I doubt it. Chances are White: The Melody Of The Curse is destined for bargain bins across Asia but if you think of it as the Korean Glitter, only with cursed wigs and haunted demo tracks, it suddenly becomes an essential addition to your DVD collection!

One of the great things about this exquisite work of art is the fact that it lifts the lid on the shady world of K-Pop. We're introduced to stunning Eun-Joo (Eunjeong from popular real-life girlband T-ara), who is part of a struggling band called Pink Dolls. They are total flops and get heckled every time they hit the stage. Think of them as the Korean Young Divas. Anyway, poor Eun-Joo also doubles as the band whore and thanks to her "sponsor", the girls get a second chance at success when he lets them stay his new studio. Instead of being grateful, the other members make fun of our plucky heroine for being an old slut who started out as a backing dancer. I feel that this is a highly accurate depiction of the K-Pop scene. All that false humility doesn't fool me for a second! But I digress. Eun-Joo stumbles across a demo called "White" in the studio and the band's manager decides that it's perfect for their next single. Cut to the Dolls taking the nation by storm. The scene (below) where they perform the song is so amazing you might just start crying and shaking uncontrollably. I love how they drive the dismissive crowd into a complete frenzy with their breathtaking choreography. T-ara could never!

Until this point I was riveted to my seat but when the directors (Kim Gok and Kim Sun) started introducing horror elements, the film descended into Z-Grade madness. It turns out that "White" is haunted. The girl who originally sang it died in a fire and she is intent on snatching wigs from beyond the grave. I love a gory death scene but the set pieces in White: The Melody Of The Curse are incredibly lame. One of the Dolls suffers heat exhaustion from hitting high notes in the studio (I wish I was making this up) and another becomes possessed and dances until she collapses. My favourite was the girl with the bleeding eyes who maintained that she was too pretty not to be in the middle. Diva! Instead of quitting while they're behind, the Pink Dolls obviously read the Sugababes' handbook for knifing your friends in the back and continue as a trio, then a duo and finally as a solo act.

It's only fair that Eun-Joo is the last member standing and she is convinced the curse is over after fucking her "sponsor" to discover the truth behind "White". I still don't understand the weak explanation but by this point I had been suspending my disbelief for so long, it didn't really matter. Unfortunately, Eun-Joo lets fame go to her head and fails to heed the warning signs - like talking mirrors, unexplained fires and ghost hands playing with her wig. That's what you get for not investing in a House of Dereon lacefront! I'm not going to give away the grand finale but the producers of The Ring should sue. There's even an amazing last minute twist that makes absolutely no sense. White: The Melody Of The Curse runs for a good 30 minutes longer than necessary and looses a lot of steam in the second half but cult classic status beckons. Watch the amazingly deceptive preview below.

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Korean Diva Jacks Luciana's Swagger

Seo In Young is on the fast track to becoming my new K-Pop fave. As if the scandal surrounding her ever-changing nose wasn't fabulous enough, Korea's plastic angel has endeared herself to me even further by ripping off Luciana's "I Like That" on her latest single. Which not only reveals exquisite taste in dance divas but also a willingness to embrace electro. Two characteristics I greatly admire. And while "Oh My Gosh" isn't quite as good as Luci's floorfiller, it is something of a jam. I love the brutal beats and her spitfire delivery. The video is cool too. Extra points for the random animation and fishermen in business suits but can someone please explain why she's dancing with the Ku Klux Klan? Anyway, fingers crossed it's a hit. The former Jewelry singer has been absent from the charts for a couple of years and that stunning nose is too good to waste on a has-been!

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Sydney K-Pop Festival 2011 - Review

Last night's K-Pop Festival was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. From the bizarre pre-event press conference to the post-concert wave-a-thon, I felt like I had been transported to alternate universe. Or plied with acid and let loose in Koreatown. The result was not entirely unpleasant but I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. Maybe I should just start at the beginning. Regular readers of this blog will know that I'm a casual fan of K-Pop. I was one of the first sites outside Asia to feature the Wonder Girls and am probably the only person alive that still stans for Mina but I don't live and breathe the genre like some people. Which allows me to be more objective than most. I just went along hoping to be entertained. I got that and a whole lot more.

ANZ Stadium was already buzzing when I arrived at 4:30pm. There were cultural activities outside the venue, a live stage courtesy of Pop Asia, delicious food stands and thousands of excited fans. After wading through the crowd I finally found the entrance for the press conference and made my way into a half-empty room full of media giants like the Christian Review and Hello K-Pop. As far as I could see none of the major newspapers or TV stations had sent reporters, which reflects their complete lack of interest in the event. Some of that has to do with the Festival's incredibly poor marketing campaign but there's definitely a pre-conception in the media that K-Pop's appeal only extends to the Asian community. It's disappointing and blatantly incorrect. The line-up included global stars that have sold millions around the world. But I'll get off my soapbox.

I was excited they announced that all 12 of the artists would be attending the press conference. My fellow bloggers were almost hyperventilating when the acts started arriving and they were truly a sight to behold. The girls looked like pretty dolls in their colourful costumes and the boys did their best to smoulder. Then they sat down and just looked bored. I think some of them might have even fallen asleep. Three pre-submitted questions were asked before the convener told us to take some pics (from a five metre distance) and then herded the acts away from us like cattle. I definitely get the impression that the bands are kept under tight wraps. Like Britney but worse. The highlight for me occurred right at the end when I randomly waved at the missA girls and caught the pretty blond's attention. She smiled and waved back until she was told to march off. As I was to learn later that night, K-Pop is big on waving.

After being dragged to the front of the stage two hours before kick off by my increasingly excited/annoying friend, I was finally able to soak in my surrounds. ANZ stadium was quarter full of people holding SNSD signs and lovesick teenagers of both genders discussing which TVXQ boy is hotter. It was a sight to behold. At 7pm our glamorous hosts took the stage to talk about the cultural significance of the Festival - it marked 50 years of friendship between Australia and Korea - and to introduce the acts. First up was SHINee. They came out and delivered a high-energy three song set complete with cute choreography and live vocals. Which, to be honest, I didn't expect given their TV performances in Korea. "Hello" was the only song I recognised but the others were catchy and they deserve credit for kicking off the event on such a high note.

Next up were my new homegirls, missA. They looked and sounded amazing - which might have had something to do with them singing over a backing track - but they put on a show. Unfortunately they only got to perform two songs. I can't help but feel they got a bit shafted. They were shoved in the corner at the press conference and performed before several smaller acts. Aren't these girls huge in Korea? Rude. SISTAR then upped the trash quota of the event with their matching pink-sequined dresses and bad miming. I love their music and sexy dance moves but it was a bit too Eurovision for me. The same could be said of the first of four inter-group collaborations. Members of SHINee and Girls Generation danced to a medley of songs I didn't recognise with the exception of Michael Jackson's "Jam". It was odd but good to see the acts mingling.

If you think K-Pop is all frenetic choreography and pulsating dance beats, then check out 2AM. They are the Korean equivalent of Il Divo and belted out three power ballads. It's not my thing but the gays next to me were clutching their pearls and waving their phones in the air, so I guess something was lost in translation. Secret's appeal is more universal. This quartet of curvaceous stunners - apart from Sunhwa, who is a complete mess - has a very distinct style that sets them apart from the other girlbands. I loved their camp Cabaret-inspired entrance and the almost Andrews Sisters sound of their music. Some of their songs ("Starlight Moonlight" for example) could be mistaken for nursery rhymes. They were up there as one of my favourites. It was then time for the next collaboration. 2AM were joined by singers from 4Minute and SISTAR to cover Beyoncé's "Halo". I've heard better versions at my local Karaoke bar but it was all kinds of amazing. King B runs Korea too.

To be honest I had never heard of B2ST before the event but they now have a new fan. In fact, I think they outshone just about everyone. The boys definitely had the best choreography and their live vocals were flawless. If I had to choose the best song of the night it would go to "Fiction", which was superb. That performance was hard to follow but Girls Generation were greeted with deafening applause when they took the stage. They started with their current single "The Boys". I was a bit disappointed that they choose to perform the Korean original instead of the English version designed to give them international appeal but they are a machine. Everything runs like clockwork. They never miss a dance step and sounded surprisingly good given that it was, at least partly, live. It was nice to hear "Kissing You" but "Gee" was the undeniable crowd favourite. Next up was the third collaboration - this time between CNBLUE, B2ST and MBLAQ. I went to get a drink when they came on but I'm sure they were great.

4Minute heated up the stage with their electro-trash tunes but there was nothing to distinguish these girls from the pack. In fact, I found them rather boring. MBLAQ was a different story. G.O. wins the award for being the hottest man in K-Pop and I was blown away by their singing and dancing. However, the loser wearing the Harry Potter cape needs to go. I can't wait to dig further into their discography. CNBLUE came out next and really shook things up. First of all, they are a rock band and play their own instruments. I had never heard of them before but I liked their catchy brand of pop/rock. "I'm A Loner" is a particularly good song. Our glamorous hostesses then announced the final collaboration of the evening between 4Minute and missA. It was a cover of Kylie's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" as a tribute to Australia. I loved every second of this. Their pronunciation was great and they even busted out some of the original choreography. The elder Minogue would be proud.

That left two acts - KARA and TVXQ. I can understand why they left TVXQ till last given their incredible popularity but KARA? I'm not here for those flops. The PVC clad girlband were fine but hardly a standout. They mimed for starters and their dancing was sub-par. However, it was great to hear "Mister". Such a cute song. After their three-song set, TVXQ took the stage looking every inch the Kings of K-Pop. On Twitter I joked that they looked like extras from Star Wars and I'm still not sure about those Comic-Con outfits but they definitely have presence. I was expecting big things from them and the boys partly delivered. Their vocals were good but their famous choreography wasn't as impressive as I was expecting. They just did a lot of jumping. The crowd lapped it up though but I was slightly underwhelmed until they delivered a killer punch with the amazing "Keep Your Head Down". That song ended the three hour Festival and all 12 acts were called back on stage to wave at the crowd. Which they did for what felt like an eternity. Waving to the left, then waving to the right and then waving to the fans in the stands. On the left and the right. As I said earlier, waving is extremely important in K-Pop!

So what to make of this curious event? On one hand, being exposed to that much K-Pop in one hit was overwhelming. A few acts of the acts tread very similar ground and it became a bit repetitive. If you asked a newcomer the difference between 4Minute and KARA, I'm sure you would just get a blank look. Also, the quirky choreography and colourful costumes that define the genre work against it in bulk. The event had a distinict Eurovision vibe to it, which isn't going to help sell the genre as hip and edgy. As a whole these artists need less pageantry and more originality. They also need to try and show more personality. There was something quite robotic about a lot of the performances. On the other hand, K-Pop devotees were treated to the night of their lives. They got to see all their idols and clearly enjoyed the aspects that grated on me. Furthermore, organisers sold 20,000 tickets with no publicity. Can you imagine the turn out of people knew about it? Perhaps most importantly, the event offered an insight into why the genre is exploding in popularity. There is no pretense. These acts are, quite openly, manufactured to entertain. And they do a very good job of it. All in all, there's a lot to improve on but I really hope this isn't the last time the K-Pop Festival rolls into town.

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Stellar > Your K-Pop Faves

I don't get to feature as much K-Pop as I'd like on this blog but then I've always gone for quality over quantity. Cough. While less discerning blogs like The Prophet and Pop Reviews Now write about has-beens like KARA and 2NE1, I keep it classy by ruminating on the brilliance of underground icons like LPG and INY. You know, fearless pioneers whose artistry and elegance will stand the test of time. It's been a bleak couple of months in the K-Pop world but an act has finally come along that not only meets but exceeds my lofty standards. Stellar is - quite simply - your new favourite girlband. These four angels have the smouldering talent of Destiny's Child and the hood credentials of Electrik Red. Throw in the exquisite pronunciation of the iconic Ping Pong lady from Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert and you are left with the future of popular music.

Stellar is comprised of Ga-young, Jeon-yul, Lee Seul and JoA. They must have impressive connections because they somehow managed to nab Eric Mun of Shinhwa to produce their stunning debut "Rocket Girl". It doesn't matter that they can't actually pronounce the title ( it sounds like locket gur) and have the vocal prowess of an unautotuned Scarlett Belle, this is an addictive triumph that blends Eurohouse elements with dub-step to create something utterly ridiculous amazing. I particularly love the chorus and riveting rap. These girls are way too edgy for Korea! Proof in point is the fact that the video (below) was banned for sexual overtones and violence. Come again? My angels simply stun bad guys with water pistols they picked up from Toys R Us between killer dance moves. I smell a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top! Stellar clearly has the competition stressed, pressed and totally obsessed.

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