Author: Denise Coley
Like Japan, Korea also has its share of tales of things that go bump in the night. Whether you’re studying for an exam or taking a soothing dip, you better always keep an eye out for some ghosts and spirits because some may intend to kill! Mul Gwishin If you’re swimming during the summer, maybe you should panic if you feel something grabbing at your ankles because a mul gwishin may be dragging you to your death! Mul gwishin are the lonely souls of drowning victims who do not want to swim the cold waters alone and want…
Halloween is here again, and most countries have urban legends or ghost stories that may spook those who are weak at heart. Over the years, Japan has been known for their haunts and horrors, and the world knows them best for their spooktacular movies! Many of the films are based on stories that have been around for years. Here are some that may provide some chills! The Lady in the Water Originating in Kyudu but with sightings in Fukushima and Niigata, the nure-onna or “wet woman” haunts the shores thirsting for blood. The serpent woman gets her name from her…
Tattoos, in many cases, are cool. On some idols, tattoos look great even if they’re fake. Zelo (L) and Himchan’s (R) tattoos were a result of Henna art. In Himchan’s image, you can see it being applied/via TS Entertainment and Twicsy A while back, we provided some information on tattoos in Korea, and we looked at some idols and their tattoos to see what’s real or potentially fake. We continue that exploration in part two of our series with new idols and new tattoos! Himchan and Zelo (B.A.P) Although he’s known as Tatsmato, Himchan’s tats during B.A.P’s “No Mercy” era…
In September, we posted some misheard K-Pop lyrics because it’s part of the fun of being a K-Pop fan. Of course, ears don’t just get better after one misheard song. So I’m back for some more shenanigans with more songs that you may never hear the same way again! Laboum “Pit-a-Pat” Looking at the actual lyrics, this just doesn’t make sense. N-Sonic “Pop Beyond” “Pop Beyond” sounds like “Papillon,” but no butterflies or cute, fluffy puppies make an appearance in the MV. But, it does offer casserole. 2ne1 “Gotta Be You” Either way, this is a messy and potentially food-poisoning-inducing…
Do you enjoy watching variety shows? If so, there is a show called ‘Roommate’ I would like to recommend. You might have already heard of this show because it’s been aired for a couple of months and Season 1 has just ended not too long ago. Let me tell you this, Season 1 was not so great. There have been too many issues between the members and the viewers complained that they didn’t even look like family (which they’re not obviously, but in the show they’re living together as a “family”). Some members didn’t even get along with each other.…
Things have not been going so smoothly for Girls Generation for the past few months. It was September 29th, when Jessica, the member of Girls Generation posted on Weibo that she is no longer part of the group and that she has been kicked out. She wrote, “I was excited about our upcoming fan events only to shockingly be informed by my company and 8 others that as of today, I’m no longer a member. I’m devastated – my priority and love is to serve as a member of GG, but for no justifiable reason, I am being forced out.” …
The emergence of Kpop stars in the recent years came with some interesting phenomenon. Those who follow Kpop should know that there are four sacred duties, for every Korean national, of which one applies to all male citizens—that is the duty to defend one’s nation. What it means is that each and every Korean male is drafted to the army, when they come of age, for the service that would ratify him as a “true-worthy” Korean. This is not a problem if you were born in Korea and/or a Korean citizen, but what about those who are Korean by blood…
A few days ago, the leader of an idol group Lee Hoo decided to stick up for his team members. He wrote on his SNS that his company, Star Empire Entertainment wasn’t paying them what they deserve. He said that out of 10, the company takes seven and the nine members are left with three. They have to split the money from the remaining three, so if they were to make $100, the company would take $70 and the members are only left with $30, but they have to split the $30 nine ways, which will only leave them with…
Korean people are known for their casual, but unique fashion styles. Many have great style and when I was looking through some Korean fashion magazines, I was amazed by the concepts and how much effort is put into every little detail. Have the craziest ideas and somehow managing to pull them off. It may be hard for the students to wear what they want during the week ,because it’s school code to wear uniforms throughout the week, but on the weekends, they fully dress up. Most people dress like people living in New York, and they love wearing designer clothes. …
There have been numerous movies that were released in 2014 and I would like to introduce you to a couple of my favorites! Hot Young Bloods This movie is set in 1980’s background in Heongseong, South Korea. Young-Sook is the leader of a gang at her high school. She is known for being tough and mean, but she secretly has a crush on Joong-Gil. Joong-Gil is a player. He tries to get with all the girls at school except for Young-Sook, because Gwang-Sik, a leader of another gang group has feelings for Young-Sook. One day, a new female student transfers…
On Saturday 13th September, I headed off to Kintex in Ilsan to attend a fashion show, plus to see some of the big names in K-pop perform live. ((Kintex stands for Korean International Exhibition Center and Ilsan is in Northern Province of Gyeonggi-do, located an hour from Central Seoul) This three-hour show starting at 5 pm that day was to be a combination of fashion runway shows and K-pop performances of pop acts including DJ DOC, 2PM, Teen top, 100%, B.A.P, After School, BOYFRIEND, Girl’s Day, Stellar, Dynamic Duo. And other and solo acts like Kyebum Zu and a Japanese…
Dear K-Pop Industry and Fans, Let me start by stating the obvious: It hasn’t been a good year for you. 2014 is going to go down as one of your darkest years. To be honest, it’s for good reason. I’ve been a fan of your artists since the late 1990s. Over a decade of my life has been dedicated to you. I’ve seen the rise of H.O.T and Sechskies; I’ve seen their ends. I will forever stan Baby V.O.X as my favorite female group despite their scandals and unfortunate demise. Relatively quickly, I fell in love with B.A.P and became…
Introducing a newcomer singer-songwriter, Dabit Dabit is a Korean-American who was born and raised in the State of Ohio. Dabit’s real name is David Kim and his Korean name is Jungwook Kim. Dabit’s name was an innovative change from David and has no set meaning. Since his friends started calling him Dabit to differentiate him from a friend who was also called David, he thought it would be fun to name himself Dabit, switching a couple letters around resulted in this unique stage name. Dabit has always been passionate about music and has been singing since an early age…
On September 13, 2014, Muzik MuzikAzia is a new Spotify-type site that focuses solely on Asian music./via MuzikAzia’s Facebook. Azia, a new music streaming service specifically for Asian music, officially opened. Described as Spotify for Asian music, users can stream Korean, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese music, and users can stream music from their favorite artists if they choose to do so. MuzikAzia sounds like a promising concept right now, and a lot of users may find it helpful once a few kinks get worked out for long-term enjoyment. First Impressions Entering the website may be off-putting for many users…
The queens are back! After some time away, T-ara has made their triumphant return to the K-Pop scene with And & End, an album that shows some signature tunes and musical growth. But, the album is not without controversy as it seems T-ara is nothing more than a target for hullabaloo anymore. Sadly, in this case, decisions made by composers and their company overshadow the efforts of otherwise good performance abilities on the six-song mini album that is sure to please T-ara stans. “Sugar Free” There are two versions of “Sugar Free” included: The original and Big House version. The…
TEEN TOP’s EXITO Worth it Even for a Non-Fan I need to get this out of the way: I am not a fan of TEEN TOP. Save for “Supa Luv,” “To You,” and “Rocking,” their music isn’t my style. However, teasers for EXITO caught my attention since they sounded more mature. I am pleasantly surprised by the growth Changjo, Niel, C.A.P, L.Joe, Chunji, and Ricky underwent coming into the album. The music improved making this album smooth and enjoyable. “Cry” and “Love U” The best songs on EXITO are, by far, the ones composed by the members. “Cry,” composed by…
Nightlife in Seoul – Where To Be In Seoul At Night One of the defining characteristics of the nightlife in Seoul, in my opinion, would be that you can always find something to eat, drink or do. And, another great thing is that the city is pretty safe to walk around when it’s past midnight. It is safe to claim that Seoul has definitely a more vibrant vibe and energy at night than in the daytime. If you know where to be that is. Below are some suggestions as to where you can experience the Korean nightlife. Do not expect…
Studio Ghibli, Inc. is a Japanese studio founded on June 5, 1985, in Tokyo, Japan. The studio is known for producing animation movies, short-films, anime series, stage productions, music vídeos, exhibitions, TV commercials, etc. Ghibli was founded after the success of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), which had its funds by Tokuma Shoten. The highest-grossing movie that the studio produced was ‘’Spirited Away’’, which won a Golden Bear Award and an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Many of the films Ghibli makes have won the Animage Anime Grand Prix award while four of them won the Japan Academy Prize…
Happy Chuseok everyone! Today is supposed to be a day of family and happiness in Korea. Hopefully, for many, it is a happy day full of food and joy, although we know some recent events may not make it so. While Chuseok festivities go on in Korea, many foreigners may not know what it is. Don’t worry: We have you covered! What is Chuseok? Chuseok is what is known by many as “Korean Thanksgiving” and goes by other Korean names like “hangawi,” “gabe,” or “jungchujul.” Like American Thanksgiving, the holiday celebrates a bountiful harvest, family, and even to provide thanks…
Misheard Adventures Part One K-Pop brings a lot of joy, but sometimes the lyrics cause a pause to say “what?” Misheard lyrics are common when listening to music since my ears don’t work. Checking my Kiss This Guy profile provides a slice of what I mean. But, I’m not the only one mishearing lyrics. Who can forget Taemin’s “Soy un Dorito”, Super Junior’s “Sexy, Free, and Single” bridge, or Girls’ Generation’s “I got a boy on my chin. I got a boy chicken”? So, in honor of misheard lyrics, here are some of mine. Feel free to share and add…