With so little time to do anything productive this month, you’d think I’d find something better to do with myself. I could have studied a language, planned my next trip around Asia, written an article, sponsored a dog, cooked a fantastic meal, exercised, or at least prepared for my day job.
Instead, I arsed around making this here pointless video… enjoy!
AOA Black ( meaning Ace of Angels 에이오에이) is a smalled band formed with 5 of the 7 members of the main AOA pop group, Jimin, Choa, Yuna, Youkyung, and Mina. AOA debuted in 2012 and revived a slew of nominations that year from various award shows like SBS MTV, Allkpop Awards, Mnet asian music awards etc. with 3 singles peeking on the Korean music charts all within the top 10 range.
I’m all about the music. I am up for any concert, just ask. With only a few days left before I leave (tear tear), lately I’ve been reminicing about all I’ve managed to experience while teaching and living in Korea (Are you ready?). I am amazed at how much I have done in such a short amount of time, especially when I think about all the concerts I’ve attended. It seems like ages ago, but at this time last year I was preparing to witness Lady Gaga’s first and very controvercial world tour stop in Seoul.
I got an e-mail the other day titled Hyun Bin is hot, but Jaejoong is hotter. While I don't know where my bias would lie, luckily this isn't a zero-sum game. We can just enjoy both of them.
The Korean wave or Hallyu refers to the increase in the popularity of South Korean entertainment and culture beginning in the 1990s in Asia, and more recently, in other parts of the world. The wave represents a surge in the international visibility of Korean culture. The term Hallyu was coined in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised at the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China.
I hear tell that them folks over there in tha K-pop studios, that’s producin’ all them fine tunes, are gettin’ wise to tha fact that their, ohhh, what’s that word… genre, might be gettin’ a little on tha stale side. They’s a figurin’ that dog just won’t hunt forevuh.
So, looks like they done went and thunk on tryin’ supmtin’ new to give a little life to them tunes they makin’. Country K-pop!
Many Westerners who come to Korea to live or to visit quickly write off K-pop, Korea's mainstream music genre, as a cheesy, sugar-coated excuse for entertainment. They see outlandish costumes, boys in heavy eyeliner, and flamboyant choreographed dance moves. They become annoyed with strange Engrish lyrics and seemingly identical tunes that blare from just about every storefront of the country. But, what they don't realize is that K-pop is much bigger than skinny jeans and plastic faces. In fact, K-pop is transforming Korea as the world knows it.
