Archives For korea

Not to say that Hyori is not hot when she glams up, but she still looks best just woken up after hard labor in Family Outing with Jaesuk-oppa. So I guess that’s my biggest compliment… she even looks good in extreme dire situations.

Picspam over at Omona They Didn’t.

Ahh, that’s how I like my commercial pop. Slick and spoon-fed to me. It’s super surprising to see 2NE1 releasing 3 singles at a time — with music videos and promotions. From this 3 singles and the early Try to Follow Me, I can guarantee passing marks for the album already without listening to it yet. xD

I have to admit, however, LOVED Clap your Hands as a song. Liked Go Away as a video, and by the third Can’t Nobody, I was beginning to feel tired… but by the middle of the song I was at it again. It’s something about these girls — how old are they anyway? They must be in their 15s it feels — having fun. It’s hilarious to see them playing around.

First impressions~

Clap your Hands, I must admit… gave me a bit of a reggaeton vibe (in the fake forest scene, what’s up with that? Came out of nowhere… xD That’s CL, right? Haven’t learned their names, ha!) – it’s the autotune, the instrumentation, and the whole production – but the fact that I can’t understand what they sing about, and they look completely adorable and cool at the same time, it makes me take in the song in a whole different way. It’s slightly disturbing seeing them saying “let me rock your body” while swinging their hips that way.

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And LOL it made me do.

I’m not the biggest Meisa Kuroki… enthusiast. Never seen her on a drama, and she was okay in a rather okay-ish Mamoru Oshii Assault Girls with Rinko Kikuchi (does Rinko Kikuchi EVER speak???). Anyway, I digress. Kuroki, however, seems to populate my entertainment news reading, and well… I won’t complain about her. She won me over when she told actor Koji Yakusho (54) that she’d rather play his daughter than his lover. Snap! All the respect to Yakusho-san and his acting talent, but that was creepy. Dude. DUDE! Get a grip.

So… as a result, I was mildly interested in LOL! – First, OMG? Isn’t that Miley Cyrus’ movie or something? And… WTF is up with LOL! as a song title. xD The song sounds different to general commercial Jpop, and I daresay seems more influenced by commercial Kpop instead — is this the work of DBSK, Big Bang and all the other K-stars crossing over? — and I even dare to say that it gave me a lot of Lee Hyori vibes, which isn’t bad. Japan needs a little love for the bubbly personality that is Hyori. Ooh! Can there be a collaboration? xD Imagine all the sex appeal in that video~

Anyway, off topic once again! While listening to the song, I couldn’t help but laugh at it… when she autotune-sings “laughing out loud, out loud, out loud” I would burst out laughing because it’s so silly. Right? And the song… and the look on the video, they don’t match, right?

[iframe src=”https://www.yinyuetai.com/video/player/76714/v_5501040.swf” width=”480″ height=”334″]

I know someone who likes her *coughJulzcough* and someone who will find her hot *coughErickcough*. So you guys, better brush off on your Spanish. Turns out Okinawan Meisa Kuroki’s dad is half Panamanian. Try to say that fast Panamanian. Again, Panamanian. xD

Oh, Julz. Now that Kuroki has a Twitter account, you can hit on her in Spanish. LOL

Bam! I’m into making lists now. xD

To push distributors, and tickle their curiosity, as well as showing them it can also be good business to bring Asian flicks. Plus, cinephiles would love a little more variety in their local theaters, and I bet regular moviegoers wouldn’t mind one or two non-Hollywood blockbusters… after all, we already watch everything subtitled! We don’t have an issue with them like some… other… people.

If Americans (and Canadians) complain about the little variety of Asian films outside martial arts, or auteur cinema – well, really. Stop complaining. It’s even worse down here. If you got 5 releases a year (just an assumption), then we get one… if we’re lucky. Sorry, I’m not so campy with J-horror… I’m a little tired. I must be too old for it now. LOL

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Look, I made a banner. LOL

While reading my usual news, I found out that Kokuhaku (aka. Confessions) by Tetsuya Nakashima has been chosen by Japan as their submission for the upcoming Academy Awards. I haven’t even seen the film, but I really thought they would choose something like Norwegian Wood, which seems to be getting in all the major festivals, while Kokuhaku… has been, well… doing well in Japanese Box Office. So it’s a surprise.

These are the other films sent for consideration:

  • Austria – La Pivellina
  • Hungary – Bibliothèque Pascal [Variety]
  • Iraq – Son of Babylon
  • Netherlands – Tirza
  • Peru – Undertow [review]
  • Poland – All that I Love/Everything I Love [Poland]
  • Romania – If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle [The Hollywood Reporter]
  • South Korea – A Barefoot Dream
  • Sweden – Simple Simon [The Hollywood Reporter]
  • Taiwan – Monga
  • Venezuela – Hermano

Any more? xD

Germany has a shortlist that include 3 Nazi-related dramas. Their pick will be announced in about 10 days.

Sharing this on the YAM 2011 LGBT Blogathon~

I love complicated post titles.

AfterElton has just begun their voting for their 2010 poll of 50 Greatest Gay Movies. Plus, in honor of the first week run of Contracorriente (Undertow) on Peruvian cinemas, I’ve made a list of 10 LGBT related films that not many people may have heard about or seen… so these films need your voting. *cough*

And since AfterEllen is dropping the ball on this one — I was pretty sure they were doing polls on Lesbian movies, but oh well~

I am mixing it all up. Because I’m like that.

Look, I love Brokeback Mountain, I love Milk, and I certainly LOVED A Single Man last year. Some of my favorites are Were the World Mine, Show Me Love, Imagine Me & You, and I liked Love Songs as much as — or maybe even more — than you did, but this is about not so popular LGBT flare. There’s also a lot of foreign films because they certainly don’t get major distribution – so thank you, Internet.

Also, don’t forget to vote for Undertow! xD

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I still think Big Bang should stop singing in Japanese, but their funny pronunciation didn’t bother me as much this time around. The video is alright — with all those circles on the wall — and there was a bit too much autotune on Seungri, Taeyang and G-Dragon’s voices (big surprise!). It’s a pity even Daesung has to use it, when he has a perfectly fine voice. But dude, that hair split in the middles has got to go!

TOP, baby, you’re alright. LOL I’m not even sure if you did your rap in English, Korean or Japanese. I don’t think I care, you sounded and looked good on the video. LOL

G – I want your glass-less glasses.

I didn’t love his debut, and I don’t love this song. However, we’re here to talk about the concept of his video. Obviously, this has tints of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and BackStreet Boys’ Everybody. And I could even argue it also has some 5ive’s Don’t Wanna Let You Go. It’s the whole mansion, goth, death thing going on, with choreography… which I’m down with.

I wish Taeyang had commited to the look. As it is now, it just looks like the girl wakes up from a wet dream, I mean… hot Taeyang is singing/whispering to her while she’s sleeping. In Thriller, MJ committed to the zombie look… in Everybody, Nick committed to the mummy look, Brian became a silly werewolf, Howie was a silly vampire, AJ was the Phantom, and Kevin was Mr. Hyde. Taeyang should’ve commited to a less-Taeyang look.

The choreography was oka-ish. It was really well edited on the first few seconds of the dance inside the mansion, but the dance in the cemetery was kinda boring.

I swear to god, Asians release single after single. It’s been like 2 weeks? And BoA has already release this 2nd single… which is more dance, and I dig more than Game. I still think she looks potentially Hyori-ish with the blond hair, but I also think that this blond hair washes her out.

Having said that. BoA dances in here. She can’t still match that rocking choreography on I Eat You Up, but this one is more my flare. This is her forte.

I hate Kara as much as I hate SNSD — but that doesn’t keep me from singing along to Gee, okay? But I just found it funny that the video is of a Korean girl group doing a Japanese version of their song and their dance is all about shaking their money-makers. That somehow sounds all sorts of wrong.

By the way, you might have noticed that I’m actually posting more music videos, even if I don’t think much about them. Do you agree, or should I just post what I like? I think posting what I don’t like, and pointing out why I don’t like it would be a nice change for music discussion.