Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"GO CRAZY" by 2PM
We meet again, 2PM~ *sighs* I still don't really like this group that much, but these fun little concepts, I can't resist. As much as they don't do each year, it's refreshing to hear and see something I actually like from them. Similar to "Hands Up", I have no problem shamelessly blasting this. Heck, I've watched this bizarre, ridiculous video more than twice. I wish more groups would be less serious in their videos every once and a while.



"D Island" by Z.Hera
Z.Hera is sadly underrated and I wish she received as much recognition as Lee Hi as I think she's more interesting, but that's not the purpose of this post. I was happy to learn that she had something new last year and absolutely gorgeous visually and audibly. I was pleasantly surprised to see some racial diversity and the story can be interpreted a few different ways as well. Maybe there's a romantic relationship or perhaps something platonic. Nonetheless, give this girl a listen. She's absolutely beautiful inside and out and I hope to hear more from her in 2015.



"Sugar Free" by T-ara
I know this group still has haters, but hey, I just follow the music when it comes to them and most kpop groups. Upon first viewing, I was not expecting the onslaught of visuals on my eyes. Definitely a seizure warning would've been nice. Anyway, I was happy to see something new from them. It's a very simple song with a borderline EDM sound and yes, I'm aware that there is an EDM version of this song which I actually don't like. The choreography is very basic, but the girls look stunning and I'm just impressed that there's 600+ transitions in this nearly four minute video. Hopefully, there won't be another attempt of adding anymore new members and just produce more music.



"Mask" by Stellar
As much as sexy concepts were getting on people's nerves and a little bit of mine, I thought this was a classy sexy. I wasn't feeling Stellar's debut at all or "Marionette", but I loved this song quite a lot. It's beautiful and showcases their voices very well. I didn't even know that this talent existed! The beat has a nice funk pop sound to it that's sensual and mature. The choreography reflects that as well, even though I didn't like the butt focus. They could've picked something else. Anyway, give this a listen and a look, because I think these girls look lovely and their voices sound just as lovely.



"Too Fancy" by Lip Service
I was pleasantly surprised to see a follow up to "Yum Yum Yum" and there's a new member too. I kinda wonder if this was a coincidence that this came out around the time Iggy Azalea's "Fancy" was popular or a clever plot. Either way, I am looking forward to more music and videos from these fine young ladies. It's like a rap parody of real life struggles, perhaps first world problems. I don't know, I think their content speaks to women's daily struggles.

Quick Music Review

The Dirty Youth - Red Light Fix (2011, UK) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: Fight, Ellen, Last Confession, Feel
If you like bands like Icon For Hire, especially their latest, self-titled album, then you'll enjoy this album. They have a fairly similar style musical, but the vocals are different, which is a plus. You might find this rock sound a bit generic, but its at least a good generic that is easily enjoyable. There's plenty of energy and feeling poured into each and every track. My only complaint is that I wish the vocals and music were balanced better. Sometimes it seems like the vocals are trying to yell over the music, but it's really just the levels being uneven. If you're looking for a decent female fronted rock band, please give these guys a chance.



AlunaGeorge - Body Music (2013, UK) Rating: 4/5
Favorite Tracks: Your Drums, Your Love, Best Be Believing, Diver, Body Music
I found this duo on a blog formerly known as The Prophet Blog and I thought it was a solo act. Upon further research, it's a duo...obviously, since I just stated that earlier. Anyway, this isn't a pure electro-pop, dance fest. This album contains a more intricate form of electronic music with beautiful, sweet vocals. There's prominent bass lines, experimental vocal effects, and a mixture of elements of pop, R&B, and ambience from track to track. No track is the same and brings something new and refreshing to the ears. The vocals and electronic effects might take some adjusting to, but eventually it sounds as close to natural as possible as you progress forward and repeat tracks.



Imagine Dragons - Night Visions (2013, USA) Rating: 2/5
Favorite Tracks: Radioactive, Tiptoe, Hear Me
Like most people, I heard "Radioactive" first and took interest in checking out the rest of their material on this album. It took me a while to actually watch the video for said song, but, on a side note, it's pretty creative. Unfortunately, "Radioactive" is the best track on the album. The tracks range from "clearly this is an indie band" or "this is some good Starbucks music" and "I see you're trying to recreate that bombastic sound of 'Radioactive' and failed" or "we're gonna borrow a few elements here and there from other bands and see what happens". It's sadly a very dull album and it was really hard getting through every track, excluding "Demons". I completely skipped that overplayed soulless track. If you want the best of the best, or in this case, the okay of the okay, just stick to my favorite tracks and move on.



T-ara - NUMBER NINE (Japanese ver.)/Kioku - Kimi ga Kureta Michishirube - X'mas Edition (2013, Japan) Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Yayaya, Lovey Dovey, ウェイロニ, 初めてのように
As much as I would like to talk about this track by track, it's a collection of hit songs that any T-ara fan would enjoy. All the tracks are remixed in a smooth transitional style by DJ Takao Fukushima, so it's a little hard to listen to one track without listening to the whole thing. This is quite genius actually. I don't know why they didn't do this earlier. Some of the remixes are surprisingly better or even just as good as their original counterparts. So, if you're a fan of T-ara or just need a good dance mix, check this album out!



the GazettE - Before Deformity (2013, Japan) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: INSIDE BEAST, DEVOURING ONE ANOTHER, LAST HEAVEN, LOSS
The GazettE is a band I normally would put all this time and effort into explaining what I like and dislike about each track and what it sounds like. This time around I'm just gonna save myself the trouble of trying to think of things to say about each song. The band has really become a one trick pony in my eyes, or perhaps I should say to my ears. I feel more or less the same about this album as I did the one before, I suppose. I honestly don't remember as the band's music has becoming increasingly forgettable, except a few tiny gems that make me want to backtrack, repeat, and absorb. "LAST HEAVEN" is a track that gives me that feeling, but "DEVOURING ONE ANOTHER" pumps me up in a good way too. Overall, there's really nothing different lately. Same sound, same tricks, same annoying female vocals carelessly thrown into songs here and there. I don't dislike this album, but I'm not blown away like their devoted fans. Maybe one day, the GazettE will surprise me.


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Quick Music Review

CROSS GENE – TIMELESS:BEGIN (2012, South Korea) Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Tracks: La-Di-Da-Di, My Lady
"One Way Love" sounds like your typical dance track that I can hear Pitbull using and tainting it with nonsensical brag lyrics or Enrique Iglesias. I guess it's a good beginning track to get you alert and moving, but it brings nothing new to the table. "Sky High" is typical as well with its recycled David Guetta beat and similar lyrical structure as the previous track. It does keep the energy up from the first track, but yet again nothing really new. "For This Love" builds up to the dance sound that it has created from the start, but doesn't bring anything new either. The repeated words of the title seem slightly out place...as well as just the whole vocal track. It seems like an after thought or something. "La-Di-Da-Di" is the only reason I bothered with this mini-album. Sure, it follows the same generic sound as the other tracks, but it actually has some life and cohesion between the vocals and music. I can enjoy this track without any guilt or remorse. Plus the video is pretty cool too. "My Lady" closes off the mini with something soft and vocal driven. It does showcase that the boys do have some talent and shouldn't have to depend on generic upbeat music...although, this music is generic as a ballad. It's still pretty and worth listening to. The final track is an instrumental of "La-Di-Da-Di". I want to note to not let my negative tone toward of the genericness of this mini-album steer you away. Please check it out and have fun with it!



T-ARA – DAY BY DAY (2012, South Korea) Rating: 2/5
Favorite Tracks: DAY BY DAY, 떠나지마
"DAY BY DAY" is a nice, refreshing break from the usual electro-pop dance tracks that T-ara has been doing. There's nothing wrong with that, but I like the variety and reminder that these girls do have good vocals and don't have to rely on catchy hooks. Although, this song's chorus is pretty memorable. "HOLIDAY" sounds like a slightly weaker rehash of the title track. It's kinda boring and lacks the little bit of heart and feeling "DAY BY DAY" has. The vocal melodies sound a bit lazy to my ears too and the chorus is awkwardly constructed. "떠나지마" brings back the group's electro-pop sound with a slower, dramatic tempo than usual. At times, the beat sounds a little weird in areas due to the beautiful vocals and I think the rap could've been left out completely as it distracts from the somber tone. "HUE" gives us a break from the slow tracks to dance a little. The vocals are still at this soft level as the previous songs, even though it's upbeat. It doesn't carry the same joy and fun as "Lovey Dovey" or "Yayaya". "사랑놀이" has a washed out vintage electro-pop sound and a little more lively vocals than "HUE". If they were trying to cover the internal struggles within the group while recording, I don't think they did a very good job of it through the rest of the single. It's not terrible, but it lacks life and heart.



EvoL – Let Me Explode (2012, South Korea) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: I'm sorry, 우린 좀 달라
"폭파해줘" is a decent introduction to EvoL's debut release. It has a simple beat and gives each member a chance to weigh in vocally with their various skills. It's a fun, repetitive song that effectively gets the energy up. "I'm sorry" could've gone either direction of generic, rehash of 2NE1 or something impressive. Although the music isn't all that special, the vocals make up for it. This is a different, slightly softer side to the girls' vocals and I appreciate it. Even the rap section works out effortlessly. "Magnet" was a track that was kinda put out there for the fans through a dance video and it's really good. The beat doesn't stand out that much, but this feels like a track for the rapper(s) to stand out more than anything. "우린 좀 달라" was what led me to check out more of this group. The song is kinda generic electro-pop, but the vocals are very explosive and I really love the energy that this song brings. It's definitely a track I could listen to over and over again.



D-Unit – Welcome to Business (2012, South Korea) Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Tracks: I'm Missin' You, 늦잠, Stereo, Luv Vision
"Crush" features Dok2 in an electro-pop song with a couple vocal distortions here and there. It's nothing new, but it is easily enjoyable. Each girl gets a chance to sing and it's a good introduction song to their debut album. "I'm Missin' You" was an interesting choice of a debut song, but it was what got me listening to these girls in the first place. It's nothing you can't get from 2NE1's "I Don't Care", but it's a little more upbeat and there's a little more interesting musical transitions in it. The vocals are nice, but I wish there was less auto-tune as the girls have pretty good voices. "늦잠" is a slower track with very impressive vocals and smooth, easy R&B beat. Honestly, I like this track more than "I'm Missin' You" and I hope people who accuse them of being 2NE1 copycats check out this track as well as the rest of the album. "Turn the Lights On" is a bit on the generic side with a simple dance beat that pounds the speakers. It's kinda downtempo in the vocal area, but it's not that bad of a song. They really need to lay off the auto-tune. Fortunately, "Stereo" does everything the previous track tried to do. The vocals are more lively and the music flows more easily. It's simply a fun track you can dance to. "Good Bye Tata" keeps the energy up with another fun track. There's more electronics and bloops and bleeps in this one than "Stereo". Like "늦잠", "Luv Vision" is another wonderful treat for the ears. It has a smooth R&B beat and beautiful vocals. Between the two, I think this is the best display of their vocal abilities. I really love this song! "기념일" is a slightly more upbeat acoustic fused electro-pop song. The vocals are a tiny bit strained in places, but it's a pretty basic song. "주말이 오기전에" closes off this debut album with electro-pop club vibe with an announcer and everything. It's definitely a party track. Unfortunately, the music kinda drowns out the verses here and there.


Block B - Blockbuster (2012, South Korea) Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Tracks: 닐리리맘보, 장난없다 (No Joke), Halo
Before the big label scandal, Block B released an album. The album starts off with a booming R&B influenced track, "11:30". It has a unique sound mixing said R&B influenced elements and horns, but the pounding beat is a little distracting from the well tamed vocals. Then there's this unnecessary "Interlude" leading to "닐리리맘보". This song got me pretty pumped for this album. It has an interesting pace as the vocals and the backing melody are fast pace, but the forefront sound is a little slower. Either way, it's pretty interesting and has an addictive chorus. "Mental Breaker" continues that steady hip-hop influenced sounds from the previous tracks and makes it a little more minimalistic during the verses, focusing on bass guitar and a simple drum beat until the chorus. This definitely has a fun little chorus that has an interesting gentle electro-pop build up. "장난없다 (No Joke)" doesn't quite flow right after a fun track like "Mental Breaker", but meh, I really like this track. While "11:30" gave the singers a chance, "장난없다 (No Joke)" showcases the rappers in this bombastic, bass driven track. "Movie's Over" slows down the tempo a little and mixes both vocal styles together in his soft hip-hop track. "넌 어디에" feeds all those ballad lovers with piano, violin, and beautiful singing. "로맨틱하게" brings the tempo up a little with slight jazz lounge tone. It has a tiny hint of fun and a good light-hearted vocal delivery. "했어 안했어" is a mix of electronic elements and hip-hop. It has a nice transition of softness in the verses, then picks up during the chorus. "Halo" is one of my favorite tracks from New Kids on the Block and the perfect introduction to their mini-album. In this instance, it is the last lyric track on the album. It's still an enjoyable song, but I think the track arrangement overall could've been organized better. The final two tracks are instrumentals of "닐리리맘보" and "Mental Breaker".


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Most Shocking/Disappointing/WTF Asian Music Moments of 2013

Promising J-Indies Favorites Disband
I thought it would be excessive to give each of these bands their own entry as there's not much to say other than I'm sad I won't be seeing much of them, if anything, in 2014. Some were bands I've followed in the beginning and sad to see their journey end when they were reaching their peak: otogadead, cocklobin, and Eat You Alive. Some were new discoveries, but sadly faced their end when I was about to jump on the bandwagon of greatness: Called≠Plan and 2the DISCOLAND. I hope at least they find something else to join and continue on their musical journey.

Angeline Jolie Casts Miyavi
If you haven't heard the news, then I'll let you know that this isn't a rumor or a typo. I couldn't believe it myself, but apparently it's true. Angeline Jolie is directing a movie and Miyavi auditioned for it. I have no idea how his acting abilities have changed since Oresama, but I really hope he doesn't try to overwhelm himself with outside work like his pal Gackt. To make the situation even more amusing was his appearance in a tabloid claiming that Brad Pitt was jealous of Miyavi because he resembled a former lesbian lover his wife had. Don't you love tabloids~

Gisho and Hakuei Reunite
I must admit that this whole Litchi Hikari Club thing is a bit hit and miss and a little confusing to me. I don't understand its purpose anymore, unless there's an epic anime series coming out soon based on the manga. Anyway, as a casual listener of Penicillin, I was surprised to see Gisho reemerge to join Hakuei's side for the project. I don't know if it's a permanent addition, but whatever. Hakuei's way of working has always confused me.

Rubik's Kei Fired
Normally I would leave news like this off, especially since I'm not super into this band nor do I know enough people that even know of their existence, but I couldn't resist the vagueness of the news. I do like this band and they make good music too. Among all the band member departures, I think this one won the best of the best. Kei was apparently fired for "inhumane acts". What does that mean? No one knows and I doubt anyone will tell what those "inhumane acts" may be, but it was amusing to see what other people come up with as to what it may be.

ALSDEAD's Setsua's Departure
I think these member departures hit me harder after seeing them live and interacting with each other offstage. It's really weird. You believe everything is well and then bam! member departure or disbandment. It makes you wonder what happened between then and now to make someone leave or decide to break up the band. Anyway, I hope Setsua gets to fulfill everything he wants musically.

Signal's Controversial Disbandment
I thought about adding Signal to the disbandment entry, but there was something more going on with their story. I'm not sure how many people are familiar with them, but they are another talent j-indies band that sadly ended before they reached their peak. I was saddened by their shorten journey and disappointed to find out that their bassist embezzled money before their final live. I never understood the reasoning behind a member betraying their band, especially financially. Fyi, these visual kei bands don't really make much and most have to pick up another job or two to support themselves.

KARA Member Departure(s)
I'm not really a KARA fan, but I do like a couple or so of their songs and my favorite member is Nicole. I was aware that the group, or at least 3 members, had some contract issues with their label DSP Entertainment. Fortunately, things got settled and KARA has been one of the most successful kpop groups in Japan. Toward the end half of the year, Nicole and Jiyoung contemplated letting their contracts expire and leave KARA behind. Nicole made up her mind without hesitation and decided to let her contract expire, while Jiyoung takes the remaining few months at the beginning of the year to think things over. I think KARA is one those brave kpop groups that has a firm grasp of their individual futures and how business works in some way. Since I only have a bit of an attachment to Nicole, I hope this isn't the last I see of her in the public eye, but I want her to be happy with her freedom as well as whatever Jiyoung's decision may be on her own future.

Wonder Girls Hiatus
It all started when Sunye announced that she was getting married and it kinda seemed out of the blue. Of course, a lot of people assumed that she had a bun in the oven and worried about the future of Wonder Girls. Well, she did give birth and probably extended the group's hiatus as she adjusts to motherhood and married life. There was hope, but then Sohee decided to let her contract expire to pursue acting and modeling. I'm curious as to what is going to become of the Wonder Girls now. Will they pick up another member? Form a sub-unit or conduct solo careers in the mean time? I suppose we'll find out eventually.

SE7EN Scandal
Rain had a rocky check out of the military and SE7EN decided that he was continuing the celebrity military scandals when he began his 2 year service. Normally I would make fun of how big of deal South Korea made of SE7EN's trip to the massage parlor, but I can understand the fuss. Aside from ruining his dignity as a South Korean citizen serving his time, he also committed infidelity on his long time girlfriend. The interesting thing is that this scandal may change the system for male celebrities serving their mandatory military time. I guess something about it causes their hormones to go crazy.

BORN Accused of Starting Bizarre "Trend"
Overseas media love picking up bizarre "trends" that aren't really trends at all. Sure, Japan can be weird, but most things westerners think is weird they think is weird too. Eyeball licking happens to be one of those things. Although this viral "epidemic" was proven to be a hoax on CNET, BORN gained some views for "Spiral Lie" and of course some humorous commentary on the situation. Most long time fans of jrock are familiar with the late hide and Zi:Kill's TUSK's short film Seth et Holth and mentioned that, if anything, they would be the ones to start the "trend" of eyeball licking among visual kei. Nonetheless, everyone had a good laugh while it lasted.

Piggy Dolls Revamped
Piggy Dolls was a group that not many people knew about that possessed massive vocal talent and charisma. They started off with a bit of controversy with their image and name, but they embraced it and joked about their appearance while delivering powerful and confident performances. They were silent for a while, but I was happy when they returned with their first album. Unfortunately, more weight controversy arose when the girls lost weight. Whether it was the label's decision or they really did work their asses off literally, no one will know. Piggy Dolls went silent once again and returned with another controversial comeback: the original members were replaced. This upset me as well as other Piggy Dolls fans. Something I enjoyed about the group was that they stood out from the stereotypical imagery of kpop, but most of all they had mesmerizing vocals. Their replacements were quite vanilla and their debut was very bland. In short, I gave the new girls a chance and decided to abandon this new direction.

T-ara Ruins CEO's Competitive Plan
It seems like the overflow of drama has made it to 2013 with Kim Kwang-soo's initial plan falling apart before his eyes. Although we'll never know the truth behind Hwayoung's departure and relationship with the other members, we do know that new addition Aerum left before any serious attachments formed, but is said to possibly have a solo career in future. We also know that Dani will probably never be part of the main group and remain in T-araN4 as long as that exists or until she follows the same path. Either way, the line-up remains as six as it should've been in the beginning.

-OZ-'s Disbandment
As mentioned in my entry about Setsua's departure, I had the same feeling toward the announcement of -OZ- disbanding. They were an indies band that I felt would be producing music for a long time as their quality seemed to improve with every release. The band had amazing chemistry on and off stage and they were very consistent with everything. I hope the members find some projects to participate in because they are very talented, but nothing will replace -OZ-'s powerful energy.

AYABIE Member Shuffle
I've gained some enjoyment from this band after a few releases and seeing them in person. I still might not get over the whole name thing, but I learned to look past it enough and simply enjoy the music. Some time passed and Taito was announced to be part of the band as keyboardist. Later, KENZO stated he was leaving the band and I was really surprised, but it was nice he was working with Nightmare's Hitsugi on a side project called GREMLINS. After releasing a new single after his departure, Yumehito and Intetsu announced that they would be departing at the end of year. It looks like the band will continue with a new set of members to the existing and I'm really curious how that's gonna go.

Koki Tanaka Gets Kicked Out
I've surprisingly enjoyed KAT-TUN more and more over the last year and I know my younger self would be surprised that I would pick them over Arashi now, but I still have a soft spot for MatsuJun. Even though I'm not a hardcore fan, I was shock to see that Koki was getting the boot from Johnny's for violating the rules. After leaving, he was rumored to be offered to write a book about the scandalous underbelly that goes on in Johnny's Entertainment, which caused Papa Johnny to make a move to silence him. It didn't seem like Koki cared either way and went about his busy conversing with his fans on Twitter and working on his restaurant.

Dir en grey's Kyo Becomes Super Active
After recovering from vocal issues...again, Kyo decided to be more interactive. He opened a Twitter and Facebook account, had his photos featured in a gallery, created a website for his solo endeavors including some fictional characters he drew up, and lastly put together a band called sukekiyo. As much as I worry about Kyo's health, it is exciting to him open up more to his fans and try new things. Unfortunately, you have to deal with these crazy fans who think Dir en grey is breaking up. To those people, please calm down and reevaluate everything.

Block B vs. Stardom Entertainment
Block B has been through a lot of ups and downs as a rookie group, well somewhere in between rookie and veteran. They recovered fairly well after the mistranslated Thailand incident and soon the contract dispute began. I really wish companies would stop taking advantage of young talent (and their parents). The struggle was over their contract and not being paid what was due to them. According to sources, their parents contributed to the group's funding as well and the group never received what was promised to them. Fortunately, Block B made a true comeback under Seven Seasons and a new mini-album.

Rain Returns
Some of you may know that Rain is my ultimate kpop bias and the reason I even know what the heck kpop is. I've already expressed my excitement when I watched MAMA 2013 and watching him perform on stage like a boss. I remember holding back just a little when I heard the announcement of a new album for 2014 and a documentary/reality show. The more Rain the better. I'm obviously not complaining and can't wait to hear and see and feel everything for this man.

Ailee vs. AllKPop
Some of you may know I really dislike AllKPop and that I don't understand why people rely on them for news because they're as poor, reliable, and unbiased as Fox News and CNN. Most people know the story, AllKPop posted some nude photos of Ailee and everyone went crazy over it. I never really voiced my opinion on the actual situation of who was right or wrong, except for a class assignment, but I don't think I will be changing that anytime soon. Although, I still thought the "boycott" was stupid. Fans will continue using the site and continue to bash Ailee.

Gackt Scandal Part 2
Congratulations, you made the list twice and stayed consistent with being the spotlight of scandal! I thought things would settle after the financial and possible illegitmate child news and then we would get new material. Well, Gackt has been super busy throughout 2013 as an actor, judge, and musician, but he didn't avoid the scandal boat. As much as I wanted to rant about the fan commentary presented on the matter, I didn't make the time for it and I kinda wanted to avoid certain aspects of it. In short, a woman went to a tabloid and exposed her sexual exploits with Gackt. She accused him of sexual assault and the story went all twisty turny. As I want to still maintain my opinion on the whole situation toward the comments a secret, I'm not surprised that Gackt continues on by gearing up with several singles for 2014 without a moment's hesitation.

Pay money To Pain's K Passes Away
Only a few days after posting 2012's list and mentioning K's mental health, it was announced that the vocalist passed away. I wasn't expecting such news to occur so quickly when there was so much hope for recovery and new material for the coming year. With two new songs on the compilation album to hold us over, they did a fine job honoring K's essence with their last album.

Most Shocking/Disappointing/WTF Asian Music Moments of 2012

ALDIOUS' Vocalist Leaves
I've already given my praise to these awesome set of ladies, but it was sad hearing that Rami had to depart from the band. Of course, fans understandably accepted this news and wished the departed member well on her health. Fortunately, the band wasn't knocked down and picked up KERA model Re:No to fill in the position. I'm sure her vocal talents will take some getting used to, but the essence of ALDIOUS are not lost.


BABYMETAL's Debut
I know they formed two years ago, but they didn't debut their awesomeness until this year and it was definitely a "wtf" moment. Who would've thought that fusing cutesy girly jpop with metal was going to be so amazing. I know for a fact that this group confused some people and it's definitely a group that you'll either love or hate, but either way. Apparently, they have something in the works for 2013 and I am looking forward to it. Perhaps, there will be a battle between them and BiS. That might be pretty epic.


Pay money To my Pain's K's Mental Health
It was sad to hear that PTP's vocalist K had to put his musical activities on hold due to his mental health. I tried to look up some information on the situation and you'd be surprised how difficult that can be to find a truly credible source. From what I gathered from Tumblrdore, K has been battling his mental problems for quite some time and as of late it was time to check into a professional to prevent further problems from occurring. I hope he takes care of himself and doesn't rush the process to please fans.


VII-Sense Disbands
Probably less surprising for those familiar with Shaura's (Juka) track record, but still saddening to fans of the band. For me, the band seemed to be gaining momentum with each release and made me excited as time passed by. They had an interesting line up of having triple guitars and utilizing every aspect of that. Unlike Kisaki, Kamijo, and Hizaki, this is the end of Shaura/Juka's musical adventures. I wish him a lot of luck and I hope that Erina shows back up in a new band as well, because his skills are amazing.


DecoLa Hopping Disbands
Another less surprising bit of news that's still saddening to me and their fans. I knew they had been having direction issues, but somehow they carried on to make a couple more singles before officially announcing their disbandment. They have one more release and then it's all over in April of this coming new year. If you've never checked these guys out, they are definitely not what you would think they would be judging by appearance. I remember thinking it was going to be the typical oshare kei, but then Suiya began to growl and I was instantly in love. Nonetheless, I wish them all the best and I hope they continue their musical endeavors, especially Suiya, in new projects.


Chemical Pictures Disbands
The last of the disbandment news for me was hearing this bit of saddening news. In a way, it seemed expected as the band had been silent for a while and TenTen's bands don't last long from what I noticed. I'm hoping that TenTen shows up on the scene as he normally does and even the other members as well. They had a lot of potential and it's sad that they couldn't fully develop a little longer.


D'erlanger & Die's Performance
So, D'erlanger is probably my favorite legendary jrock band and I'm sure most of you know that I adore/love Die probably more than any person should. Hearing that the two shared a stage together and doing a BUCK-TICK cover made my heart explode. I know how much Die admires Cipher and, if you didn't know, they share the same tattoo. In short, it was the most amazing thing to see as a fan of both parties and reading Die fanboy over the experience warms my heart so much. I hope one day they do a collaboration in the near future. If you haven't seen it, watch it and brace yourself for epicness!


Seungri "Scandal"
South Korea continues to amuse me with their conservative ways and lack of sex education knowledge. Seungri decided to be the break out star of Big Bang in Japan, which I believe he fits in quite well. He has the personality, charisma, and a good grasp of the culture and humor. Apparently, he also has a way with the ladies of Japan as well to the point that he ended up in a Japanese tabloid. He was rumored to be in a hotel room with someone and had some kinky sex, then didn't offer to clean up the mess afterwards. Japan was unfazed, but South Korea caused an uproar over the "scandal". If you want to believe the highly unreliable AllKpop, G-Dragon voiced his disappointment toward Big Bang's charming maknae and fans inappropriately used the flimsy information for poster inspiration during their world tour. *sighs* I have lost what little respect I had for V.I.Ps this year. Thanks, guys~


Lolita23q Indefinite Hiatus
Hiatuses aren't too much to cry over, but when you slap the word "indefinite", it's acceptable to have some fears of no return. Having Soshi as their newest vocalist was a step up and their new musical direction was a positive move, so hearing that the band was taking an indefinite hiatus caused some panic. It's hard to accept improving bands taking such ambiguous breaks or even disbanding. I hope they will return in the near future to blow our socks off, but for now I shall be anticipating Ryosuke's solo project this coming year.


"Gangnam Style" Blowing Up Worldwide
Who would've thought that we would be plagued by a silly, yet catchy kpop song for the end half of the year? I already voiced my thoughts on the viral phenomenon and I had my first radio listen of the song driving back to university after Thanksgiving break. Yeah, I don't listen to the radio, obviously. Of course the success and kpop fan victory blew up in their faces when newbies who claimed to know about kpop through one song tried to jump in on the action with false claims and accusations that every kpop artists were ripping off PSY's global hit. Eventually, everyone got almost as annoyed as I was over the song and Americans started making PSY the butt of jokes before promptly turning their backs on him with his anti-American lyrics from his past. Have my thoughts changed on PSY opening doors for kpop to be accepted in America? Eh...not really. I don't think he's made that big of a deal for hallyu to swoop in like they have in Japan and even Japan is trying to kick them out.


Versailles Hiatus
I mentioned this the last time I had Versailles news that I am not a fan, still not, but this flooded my Tumblr feed. The ridiculousness, guys! With mistranslated blogs comes riots and people claiming the world is ending, but indeed this is purely a hiatus. At least, that's how I see it when glancing over the articles. Although this wasn't big news for me, I had to deal with the aftermath spamming on my feed of dramatic fans overblowing minor news. Bands need breaks to explore other musical outlets and improve future visions for their band. Even if they decided to break up, Kamijo and Hizaki are not the types to go silently in the visual kei industry.


SuG Abandon PS Company
I think I've seen more fans jumping for joy upon hearing this news. SuG has become larger than life and want to take charge of their own fate without PSC's slimy hands controlling them. I am totally looking forward to their debut under a new label and I'm crossing my fingers that a couple or so other bands will follow suit. If I could, I would trade Under Code's closing for PSC to close. I wouldn't want the bands to suffer, I just want them to be free from the torturous conditions they've been put under. I suppose I can save my ranting for my new video project as well. In short, I'm cheering for SuG and their band growth. I'm expecting very good things from this move.


T-ara Drama
Kim Kwang-Soo has been extra busy this year causing trouble for fans, especially T-ara's. Apparently, he caused so much trouble that I had to dedicate a whole post to his plot to destroy something further that wasn't broken. It seems like his reign of "good" decision making hasn't ceased, unfortunately. Expect the same old b.s. nonsense from him in the coming year. I'm not feeling confident about his choices with his money making group, T-ara, and his attempts to redeem success without Davichi and a potential poor reincarnation of SeeYa.


Under Code Productions Closing
Probably one of my favorite j-indies labels have decided to close its doors in March 2013 and the fans are deeply saddened by it all. Although the news isn't completely surprising to us all, we still feel the deep sinking feeling of our hearts when the news was announced. Perhaps Kisaki didn't manage his money very well after his tax evasion scandal. Along with this news was hearing Dali announce disbandment beforehand and lastly NEGA following suit. Dali may not be as surprising as they had gaps of silence between releases, but they were one of the last of not so well known UCP bands I enjoyed. As for NEGA, I'm hoping Asagi will recruit them to God Child and they continue to make incredible music under a new name or at least something similar. They had so much growth and uniqueness and I still want to see them live! I don't want to comment too much about the closing as my new video series will cover everything I want to say and how much I enjoyed the bands on UCP. I'm sure Kisaki won't stay out of the music scene for too long.


Gackt Scandal
I didn't touch too much on this in my v-log, but only because I merely skimmed over the posts on Aramatheydidn't on LiveJournal and Shattered Tranquility. It wasn't that I didn't care, I just didn't feel like reading it all, but now I have so I can properly comment on this list. If you want a scandal, Seungri, this is how you do it. The tax bureau of Japan decided to look into Gackt's taxes and found some interesting things with his finances as well as his secret love life. Not that it's anyone's business, but since Gackt is a prominent figure in the visual kei and jpop scenes, some people flip their sh*t over a potential secret mistress in Canada that he has been supporting as well as an illegitimate child she bared before moving out of the country. Whether this will taint Gackt's reputation or not, it's quite uncertain, but not many people are saying much about it lately.


Jin Akanishi and Meisa Kuroki's Real Life FanFiction
Jin is no stranger to the tabloid scene and Meisa is a little less of a stranger, but Aramatheydidnt as well as other Japanese pop culture sites and tabloids had a field day with the fanfiction life of these pop talents. It started with a rumor of the two having a relationship and it was soon revealed that they had a secret marriage that slipped Jin's mind and angered Papa Johnny. Audiences criticized and joked and even speculated that Meisa was possibly pregnant. Thus another rumor was proven true and Jin's career suffered all throughout the year. He spent most of his time hamming it up in America with our talentless artists, then lost countless acting opportunities and Japanese fans failed to sell his worthless albums. Meanwhile, Meisa was labelled as Jin's sugarmama as she held onto her endorsement deals, gained modelling opportunities, and planned out acting and music deals post-pregnancy. On a more amusing note was the fan reactions before people got annoyed with spam, some calling Meisa a slut and clinging onto their bad boy Mr. Akanishi and spreading rumors of her chasing after his friends beforehand and others saying Meisa could've done so much better. Nonetheless, Meisa continues to be flawless while Jin tries to recover what's left of his career while still being a bad ass.

V-log: Hype, Scandal, Change, & Updates Ahoy~

It's been a few months since I did one of these, so let me explain the situation of what's been going around here. Hopefully, you will forgive me for the inconsistent stream of content here. I'm hoping that I will get back into the groove of things, so please bare with me while I adjust to everything. A new poll should be up by the end of the week concerning my new idea for my channel which is in the second part of my v-log. Please check that out. Also, you can always send me requests, questions, and suggestions no matter how busy my schedule is: zetsu_nightmare2.0.9[at]hotmail[dot]com.

Miko vs. Kim Kwang-soo

I'm sure everyone in the kpop universe knows about the T-ara situation whether they are a fan or not of the group. I've seen comments that this is one of the biggest conflicts since Jay Park and JYP. So, I figured I'd put my two cents in there about it, since I actually enjoy T-ara's music. I was planning to do a v-log about this, but I've been facing my own unfortunate events.

It all started with "Bo Peep Bo Peep" that I started liking T-ara's music. I listened to everything that they released at that time, but I honestly never tried to learn their names. I've probably already mentioned that I'm terrible with remembering Korean names, especially if there are more than five members in a group. Their sound was fun, catchy, and actually had some sort of substance to it. Their image seemed almost contradictory to their sound, but they were easily likable to me.


In 2010, I was surprised to see the introduction of Hwayoung to the group as well as their newest video at the time for "Yayaya". Although I enjoyed this nonsensical and fun song, I was confused by the member addition. Even though I didn't know the members' names, I could tell that the line distribution with their songs wasn't even among the six members. Adding a seventh member would be ridiculous and seeing their next releases, my point was proven. They hardly utilized their newest member and their music became more like catchy hooks and lackluster substance with "Roly Poly" and "Lovey Dovey".


Finding out this year that two more members would be added to the group made me and I'm sure others very upset. I'm sure adding more members to the group wouldn't make them any better especially when only less than half of the girls sing and the material was extremely simplified. What really jarred fans about the member addition was the CEO of Core Contents Media Kim Kwang-soo who encouraged competition between the girls as well as threating their positions if the girls caused any problems. Who would've thought problems would occur? ohohoho

T-ara has been pegged as either the hardest working female idol group as well as the laziest, but I think the lazy comment comes from Mr. Kim Kwang-soo. The girls haven't had a break since their debut in 2009 and some of the girls' schedule are packed with twelve different things in the day. I've heard accounts of exhaustion causes, the girls secretly inputting that they haven't had a break, and jokes about starvation for a promotion. From modelling, TV appearances, dramas, and music, these girls probably do more than any other girl group in a day and KKS wants to call them lazy!

I thought SM Entertainment was the evil of evil, but this guy is a slave driver and apparently this isn't his first offense with a group either. So, what brought about this post against him is the situation with Hwayoung's departure that has gone completely out of control. Recently, Hwayoung decided not to attend a performance for Music Bank which a couple of the members had to learn her parts and rework choreography to make up for her absence. There were Twitter posts from some of the girls questioning her determination pertaining the group and she responded with her own reply. This brought up the subject of potential bullying within the group. There hasn't been much hard evidence whether the bullying situation occurred or not and we will probably never know, but fans and anti-fans have drawn their own conclusions on the matter causing a T-ara disbanding petition, fan cafes shutting down, netizens demanding them to be removed from guest appearances on TV, and several endorsements to be pulled from the members. It seems the majority are putting the blame on the girls for this shit storm of drama, but the real root of the problem is Kim Kwang-soo's lack of professionalism.

I already mentioned that I thought Hwayoung's addition seemed and was proven pointless until the release of "Day by Day" this year. KKS obviously doesn't know how to utilize the members he has and help build their skills to be better than other top female idol groups. Adding more members to the mix just causes more problems and as proven by the charts, makes you lose your ranking as a popular act among the masses. This is the reason I don't like too many members in a group. Perhaps I should call it the Pussycat Dolls method where only certain people sing and everyone else is just dance filler. Along with the useless member additions, the latest additions have an age gap between the existing members and I believe it's Dani that lacks a lot of skill that I'm pretty sure KKS isn't going to take care of. She's not a very good rapper and she appears to lack the ability to converse in Korean. This could cause a lot of problems with the already unsettle chemistry with the girls and having a threat thrown their way by the CEO isn't going to help.

Pertaining the tweets, KKS was too late to do the damage control that fans and antis have formulated and his cover ups were a complete failure. It was obvious everything he said was complete bs since he would change his story to a point. First, the girls' Twitter accounts were hacked, then he discussed the bullying situation that never occurred and threw the whole determination nonsense that Hwayoung seemed to be lacking. He later adds that Hwayoung contract termination was due to her "diva" attitude and that there were complaints from stylists and other staff members. They honestly shouldn't have any power over such decisions, but it's KKS. He also says that the testimonies from dancers and other staff members that support Hwayoung's case were false. While he was doing a poor job of cleaning up the mess fans and himself had made, he wanted to continue with their concert and promotions, but finally decided to postpone it for next year...if the girls actually survive this nonsense. I guess he got the hint after fans demanded refunds for their concert tickets. To make matters worse and a bit confusing was when Eunjung gave a thank you and apology message to the fans. It seemed a bit out of place and possibly unnecessary. Even more suspicious was Hwayoung's apology to the fans as well that seemed forced. Those who have been paying close attention to KKS's puppetry work may suspect some foul yakuza play going on between him, Hwayoung, and possibly her family. There was a subtle threat in one of his messages to her about her keeping her mouth shut, but on the other hand, he also offers to support her entertainment career if she accepts her wrongdoings. I honestly hope she doesn't go back to him either.

Aside from KKS being a lousy CEO, places like AllKPop are totally not helping the situation either by offering fans tabloid-esque information on such a serious situation that may involve bullying. Fans eat up the information they get without thinking and immediately lash out without logically thinking everything out. Of course, antis are quick to jump in as well since they feed off drama and negativity whenever they get the chance. I'm sure places like that do provide some good information but sometimes you can tell they're in it for the hit counts on their site. Sometimes their information isn't carefully researched either and have errors or contradicting statements. You have to have a good eye on how to weed out the bs from such articles or you get exaggerated narratives from fans and antis. Fans also need to stop making up bullying evidence as well from variety shows and hidden messages in tweets. Anything could be considered something else when taken out of context.

I think fans need to chill out for a moment and really look at the situation with the girls, Hwayoung, and Kim Kwang-soo. If you're going to be pointing fingers at anyone, it should be the CEO who has added all the stress, competitive attitudes, and drama. If he made better decisions for the direction of T-ara and even the member additions, perhaps things would be better now for everyone. For now, they will definitely have a hard time coming back from this.