You Can't Stop the Pop! A Breath of Fresh Air to the Kpop Scene

Granted, it's pretty much known that Kpop is generally the most westernized when compared to other Asian music genres, which in tern allows it to receive lots of international attention. Much of that attention stretches beyond Asia. However, this year for me, takes the cake for the most "try-hard" and "wannabe" American attempts the industry has ever seen. I mean, some of the concepts seen this year are almost blatant copies of styles, sounds, and images that can be found in the US. Just look for yourself:

Seriously, WTF was that?! For the past 4 to 5 years (give or take), the Korean music industry has been hell bent on achieving a global presence and going out of their way to appeal to international audiences, all the while neglecting the needs and wants of their home country. I believe it's all starting to come to a head, as acts from smaller companies and those producing more "Korean friendly" music are seeing a rise in popularity, and those producing heavily westernized songs are seeing a decline. Which brings me to the ladies of the hour, Crayon Pop! 

This diamond in the rough quintet, Way, Eillin, Cho A, So Yul, and Gum Mi, were virtually ignored by Korean music fans when they first hit the scene back in 2012. They released several singles during that year but gained no real success.Under the small company, Chrome Entertainment, the group had minimal exposure and promotions, and often found themselves preforming on the streets. However, debuting in Japan, a country where one's record label and/or financial backing doesn't determine or heavily influence their success, Crayon Pop was able to gain some love with their first mini concert selling out in just one hour.

Just like any artist, Crayon Pop wants to be loved and enjoyed in their country of origin, despite hitting the ground running in Japan, a place where they would make more money anyway. Thus came the release of "Bar Bar Bar"... 

   

Though success was not immediate, Bar Bar Bar has been picking up steam and caused a major dance crazy in South Korea, going viral on several internet sites with fans from school kids to police officers imitating the popular routine. The girls are also having success chart-wise, landing in the top 5 on various charts. So why is Korea going gaga over Crayon Pop?

Judging from the images above, the answer's quite simple. It's Kpop getting back to its roots by being fun, bubbly, catchy, and entertaining, while still maintaining a sense of simplicity. Its easy to become swept up in it. The Korean public must be delighted to have a group that doesn't take themselves too seriously and are not going out of their way to target foreign audiences. The local popularity of this group and others alike *cough*APink*cough* speaks volumes for what KOREANS want to see in THEIR industry. It's like they're finally standing up and saying "International attention/influence is NOT going to dictate what we like in Korea!," and I for one commend them for it!

                                     

Butthurt "Big 3" stans and international fans that only listen to groups with western sounds/images are hating on them hard and accusing them of cheating. I believe Crayon Pop's success is well deserved. Acts from the Big 3 have been allowing the attention overseas to go to their heads and been delivering underwhelming music to the Korean public as of late. Money and the power of their core fan bases can only carry them so far. 

As a non-Asian American and long time Asian music and pop culture enthusiast, I found it quite refreshing to see Koreans acting KOREAN again, instead of being black and whitewashed. Quite frankly I don't wanna see that sh*t when I tune in for Korean and Japanese music. Why would I want to listen to the Asian version of Nicki Minaj, Rihanna or Beyonce, when I get more than enough of the real thing right here in the US? It defeats the purpose of listening to Korean music in the first place.

So keep pushing forward Crayon Pop! I hope to see you on top one day, and hopefully you maintain your integrity and don't forget about Korea! 

Music Review: "Falling in Love," with 2NE1

After a year's absence, which in Kpop terms, might as well be a LIFETIME, top tier girlgroup 2NE1, made their comeback July 7th, with the first of a series of singles, entitled "Falling in Love." 

Thus far, the single has been well received as it has topped various charts internationally as well as dominate domestically with an "all-kill"mere hours after its release.

As I may have mentioned before, achieving an "all-kill," which is earning the number one spot on all the real time charts in Korea simultaneously, is a feat most, if not all major acts in Kpop can do, especially if there's been a period of silence for a significant amount of time. So I feel one can possibly measure the strength of the single by how long it remains at the #1 spot. Unfortunately 2NE1 was ousted from the top spot on several charts just 2 or 3 days (depending on where you live) after the release of their single.

"Falling in Love" was supposed to be released last year as a follow up to "I Love You." It was never meant to be a stand alone, headliner single. And after listening to it, you can see why it wasn't. We've heard the group try their hand at reggae before so it's nothing new or groundbreaking for them. Lyrically, I found the song to be a bit gushy for 2NE1, aside from CL's rap, which in my opinion saved the song from being completely flat. One of the most notable lines was definitely, "Yeah, in the club it's getting ugly. I don't care. Can't nobody stop the fire. Let them haters sit n stare."

I don't know if earlier 2NE1 videos broke YG's bank or if they were just being cheap this time around, but this has be one of the most low budget and unpolished music video they've had thus far. I mean, they couldn't  go to an actual BEACH to film the BEACH SCENE? I'm not saying they should have flown the girls to Jamaica to fit the Caribbean theme, but last time I checked, Korea has beautiful beaches with crystal clear water that would have worked just as well. Instead we ended up a cheesy backdrop and some sand.

As for the girls' styling, they were all, for the most part, gorgeous in their individual selcas and scenes. This is where most of the hints of luxury can be found that we normally associate with 2NE1. I especially adore Bom's and CL's outfits.(Note: If someone knows where I can find Bom's white dress or the closes replica of it, TELL ME!) Is it me or is CL lookin' really pretty these days? Her outfits, hair, makeup, and accessories have all been on point. It's true that sometimes people have to grow into their beauty. I'm not super crazy about Dara's dye job. It makes her look washed out. I think CL pulls it off better. Furthermore, with the exception of her white dress, why do they insist on dressing Dara like she's twelve when she's pushing THIRTY?! I thought they were on the road to giving her a more mature look like in the "I Love You" video, but I guess not. She's supposed to be the "beauty of the bunch" but I find myself often liking her looks the least. Finally, Minzy's bubblegum pink wig actually look great on her. I'm pretty sure we all could name a celeb that probably should have left that wig right where they found it.

The less flattering attire is seen mostly in the group shots and when the girls are dancing together. Seriously, their clothes look like someone made a quick run to Target or Forever 21 and grabbed whatever they could.

All in all, this song just wasn't strong enough to be the lead single for a comeback, especially when they've been away for a year and anticipation is high. They really needed something that was going to hook people immediately and make them fall in love again. Fans, including myself were really hoping to be blown away, but instead we got mediocrity. Competition is stiff and the popularity of smaller company girlgroups' like SISTAR, 4minute, T-ara, and Girls' Day are steady on the rise. Their combacks and concepts are solid and consistent. We know 2NE1 is capable of this as well because they've done it in the past. Hopefully there are really other singles to come and redemption is on the horizon.

New Music: Namie Amuro with a little "TLC"

                               

Japanese Queen of Hip-pop, Namie Amuro, 35, has released her second single off of her upcoming album "Feel," as well as a collaboration with R'n'B legends TLC!

The single, "Hands on Me," is an upbeat electro-pop dance track sung entirely in English, which adds to the excitement for international fans. This song is perfect for the summer and has all the potential to be a hit in the club and party scene. Check out the clip below!

T-L-C! Freakin' TLC! I for one love it when my favorite Asian pop stars come together with Western musical heavyweights. It just goes to show that music is definitely one of the few things in the world that can surpass cultural and language barriers and bring people together.

Although the ladies of TLC don't actually sing on the track, it was still a pleasant surprise just to see them in the video. However, Amuro is featured on the remake of the hit single, "Waterfalls," off of TLC's 20th Anniversary album, where she fills in for Left Eye. (Check out below.) Unfortunately the general consensuses is that the remake was horrid and Namie butchered Left Eye's rap. Being that Amuro is neither a rapper or a native English speaker, I guess next time she should just stick to the rivers and the lakes that she's used too! Singing in another language comes easy with practice. I did it all the time in school choirs growing up. Rapping however, is a whole other beast and can be twice as hard if you're not even a rapper to begin with.

The video, filmed in Los Angles, California, captured the essence of the song by creating a fun party atmosphere. The foam party scene towards the end was awesome! In all, the video had some great shots, high energy, and amazing choreography. I will say this though: is it me or does Namie look a bit out of place in her own video? Her choice of outfit doesn't suit what everyone else is wearing. The dancers and various bystanders are dressed in T-shirts, tanks, shorts, and other laid back attire. Even T-Boz is dressed in just a track suit. There's no denying Namie is sexy in her  yellow halter pants suite with silver heels, but she's over done for the theme of video. She did work it in those heels though!

So far, the album seems to be going in the right direction. Look out for it in stores July 10th!

WATERFALLS feat. NAMIE AMURO

                                   

Men's Warehouse Rep Fired!

He could guarantee you'd look good in your new suit, but unfortunately his job wasn't guaranteed.

Founder and longtime spokesperson for Men's Warehouse, George Zimmer, 64, has been fired.

The company announced his termination briefly and abruptly and gave no reason as to why according to the Associated Press.

Zimmer fired back stating that over several months the board members and he had disagreements about the future of the company: "instead of fostering the kind of dialogue that has, in part, contributed to our success, the board has inappropriately chosen to silence my concerns by terminating me as an executive officer."

George Zimmer, known for the slogan, "You're going to like the way you look. I guarantee it," founded the company in a small store in Houston, TX in 1973, using a mere cigar box as a register. Since then, the company has grown into one of the largest men's clothing sellers in North America, with 1,143 locations, the Press reports.

Its crazy to think that one can be oust out of a position in the very company they founded. What's even more suspicious is that Men's Warehouse is staying quiet about why they let the famed spokesman go.

I wouldn't worry about Zimmer that much. The man has a brilliant business mind and will be soon on to next big venture.

Music Review: Baddest Female

The self-proclaimed "Baddest Female in Korea," and leader of popular kpop group 2NE1, Lee Chae Rin (CL), 22, has made her solo debut with single entitled, (take a wild guess) Baddest Female!

CL is the third member of the group to release solo material. After the success of Dara and Bom, needless to say anticipation was high to see what the fearless leader had up her sleeves.

The single Baddest Female, has been warmly received thus far, as it topped all of Korea's real time music charts. This isn't much of a surprise since it's an achievable feat by most of the major acts from "The Big 3" companies, regardless if the song is actually "good' or not. So without further ado, let's take a look at the Baddest Female.

                                       

This was definitely not what I was expecting. I knew the song would be somewhere in the realm of hip hop, but a full-on attempt at a gangster rap song and video to match was a sideswipe, and borderline cheese fest. The overall feel and flow reeks of Nicki Minaj and lots of "American" elements, causing it to lack in originality.

SONG AND  LYRICS

Lyrically, it's your standard run of the mill female rap song about self pride, having looks that could kill, and of course, being a bad girl, with lots of repetition. The most awkward point in the song was the explanation of what she meant by "bad." Honestly, who thought she bad by being a criminal or something? In its entirety, the lyrics lacked and left you wanting something a bit more. I found this disappointing because in an interview earlier in the year, CL had stated it was important for her to release solo music and she has "so much she wants to say." She also wanted it to be just about her apart from fellow group members. So I was expecting a song that would tell more about who CL, the individual, was as a person and artist. I also would have liked to hear some vocals on track, because it would have shown her versatility as both a singer and rapper.

As for the music, it was a pretty decent hip hop beat you could bop to. However, the dubstep/reggae beat towards the end of the song was cringe worthy and kind of ruined it for me.

VIDEO AND STYLING

In standard YG fashion, the video's production quality is high and luxury is present throughout. The aim was to entertain and be visually pleasing.

Whether or not you liked the song, you'd have to admit CL is absolutely gorgeous in the video. I think this is the most attractive she's looked thus far. Her hair and makeup is flawless, and her outfits are sexy and chic, with a bit of a playful side. I especially love the first dance sequence outfit as well as the one worn in the final segment of the video.

What threw things off were the parts with the over the top gangster look, complete with a gold grill, saggy pants, over-sized jewelry, fake tattoos, and headbands. It came off as "wannabe" and made it seem like she's trying too hard to be street. I much rather have CL as a seductive diva than as a rachet hoodrat.

CONCLUSION

I find that I keep saying the same thing with much of the 2NE1 releases as of late: all flash with little substance. You always find yourself thoroughly entertained with their visual concepts but feel like something is missing from the song itself. I was really hoping things would be different with CL and she would raise the bar. I guess we'll have to see what the group as a whole will have to offer when they return in near future.

Song: 2.5 out of 5

Overall: 3 out of 5