"Your calves are Yakuzas"

As told to Seungho by Cheondoong, whilst he is sporting knee high pop socks.
This is why I love K-pop.

Q : Which part of your appearance do you have the most self-confidence in?

As asked to Big Bang, and here are their impeccable responses:


Seungri : Tiger tooth!
What the hell is a tiger tooth, I'd love to be enlightened...

Taeyang : Side view of my face.
I may agree here. And I was pleased not to hear it was the eye smile for once.

G-Dragon : Taeyang’s should be the blood veins on his hand.
Really?

Taeyang : This as well (shows everyone his hand) Because of training, it has become obvious.
Does training send more blood to your veins even when not in the physical act of training? Somehow I don't really get veins as being something to have aesthetic confidence in. But if they're into them, the veins in my pale wrists show up pretty prominently.

Daesung : My little finger. There is a legend in Korea that says if you paint your little finger in red during summer and are able to maintain it until the first snow, then your first love will come true. Therefore you see, it’s still here.
This is something I definitely want to know more about; thank you Daesung, ever the cultural reference point of the band. I'm not sure if the "still here" refers to a red finger he has or hypothetical paint. I hope for the former rather than the latter.

T.O.P : My eyebrows.
Good answer T.O.P. One of your most expressive features, and definitely up there on my list, aside your eyes and ears and mouth and waggling finger.

G-Dragon : It’s long and thick.
T.O.P's eyebrows? Or it this his favourite thing about him, and he's just not referring to it by anatomical name. I'm confused, maybe in a good way.

T.O.P : Previously between the eyebrows and forehead there was a lot of hairs too. So all were being combed back.
Combed back? The head hair together with his eyebrow hair? Or does he mean they were pruned back? Does this explain his multitude of lusciously long fringes? Talk to me T.O.P.

Taeyang : T.O.P always jokes with a serious face, making others unable to tell which is real.
I'm glad Taeyang is also unsure here.

T.O.P : Is it (laughs)? But I do not lie.
And this is just one more reason why I love you.



p.s. In this interview BB members said that T.O.P is the most fashionable, over GD, which is a rarity. I think I may agree.

These eyes don't lie.

JinSWOON and the Maritime Marvellers

So soon after Chansung's (2PM) exceptionally sporting spread in Men's Health, we have a 2AM one to rival. Setting the bar for what I and Bunny hope will be coming our way for the spring/summer style foreseeable future, we have a fine example of how to do 'nautical', and how to do it VERY well. Even after taking a couple of days to stew over this and take it all in, I still have so much to say on the matter, and can keep it held in no longer. Behold, 2AM:

Wow. Jo Kwon and JinSWOON. Side by side. Holding binoculars. It's pretty much how I have always wanted to see them, without even knowing it myself. They look every bit the young research assistant, and this one look could probably satisfy me for life. All we need now if for them to be collecting insect specimens, or bird watching, and I really will be inconsolable.


And Changmin, my how you have a lovely face when you manage not to tense it. Maybe it's the pipe helping those giant face muscles of yours to relax, or maybe it is the wonderful captains hat. Whatever it is you should do it more often, please. Jo Kwon's neckscarf and slippers are also a force to be reckoned with. Once more the O.A.P chic look winds out happily (see Chansung's socks and boxers look for further support for this angle).


Finally some Seulong. Sadly he may be losing the stakes to JinSWOON here though. His face is not convincing me that he is enjoying this as much as I wish he would be. And he looks a little too much like the Seulong I already know and love. JinSWOON, on the other hand, has rolled his trousers up more than I am used to seeing, and this makes me incredibly contented. I hope he will do this all summer long.


Unfortunately this isn't so naval in appearance as the others, but I guess the flippers bring us back to focus? The alfalfa/duck arse hair he's sporting at the rear is enough to break a smile though even if the suit is a little too like his well formed regular self.


I feel as though poor old Seulong may have pulled the short straw for this shoot. He is an image less than the others, as far as I can see, and he has been put in a pair of red shoes? This hardly seems fair. Nor do his legs seemall to happy to be seeing the light of day quite yet. Comparatively, the teddy boy blazer, loosened tie and slightly popped looking collar are doing him the world of good. Maybe this shoot should have stuck to rolled trousers? In not sure it's quite yet time for the shorts to be busted out. There's something inside of me that says it may be SHINee's Onew who tells us when it is time...


Again, Changmin, good work! Look how relaxed and lovely your face is. Could it be the glasses this time?? The surfboard I'm not so sure about. Maybe you and Jo Kwon can keep these props to yourself. But your bow tie wearing you must never keep to yourself.


Finally, the absolute pinnacle. JinSWOON in 1940's(?) leather skates with diamond golfing socks, rolled slacks, bow tie and backpack? I have no words, none, that can really describe even partially the absolute thrill and pleasure this one photo alone brings me. I don't think I could even have concocted this in my dreams. One day it's East London hXc kid and the next it's 1940's boy next door Adonis. Heaven knows what this shall be followed by.

I'd say that the only person who really understands all the emotions I experience when I view these images, and JinSWOON's in particular, is Flaming Charisma, Minho.

The hXc K-pop crossover

Two of my favourite things from past and present, K-pop and Hardcore, merged to become one perfect entity. Or at least this is how I have myself see it. This perfection is not easily come by, and I am permanently on the hunt. Recently, I was surprised by a fine specimen from someone I never quite expected (or dreamed I'd be so lucky to find it in). This was no less than the doll faced Jinwoon (2AM)

He has the slightly rear set roll turn-up knit hat worn to perfection. And the the sailor style slip-on's that are all the rage with many a modern day hXc kid. I think he'd totally make it out the other side of some Vice promoted hXc show.

And then there's DooJoon.
This is my favourite era DooJoon, overstepping the hip hop look into hXc territory, with the ear accessories which appear to be small flesh tunnels, but are blatantly earrings in reality. The short cropped fringe and back/side titled hat are a dreamy combination. He pretty much looks as though he could have just wandered out of the Old Blue Last only to turn up in some swanky joint a little less east, being none the more amused as his expression shows.

I love to imagine that somewhere, if only in my mind, these two worlds converge. I will forever be on the look out for further evidence... Consider this merely an introductory abstract to a larger project.

So, so fresh, what a Hello, Hello

There's something that I still can't get used to and that is the K-video messages aimed at international audiences about upcoming concerts and general thanks, straight from the artists of the k-pop kingdom. What highlighted this of late was UKISS, and their recently made promo video for their upcoming Malaysian fan meeting:


Poor Dongho being blocked by the terribly creepy Xander! This ratio is all totally round the wrong way.

I should be happy that they are speaking at me in English and making a special video just so that I can understand it. But I don't know. I'm not sure I can even explain it, but there is a strange uncanny feeling that lurches up from within me. Sadly, this is not only the UKISS effect, though it is exacerbated by them (more on this another time). The fact that half of them seem totally oblivious to what is going on is somewhat distressing. It seems like these teenagers are just forced into it - it's like they've not even had a rehearsal, and have just been told to go up there are look fun; for the non-English speakers they seem to have no idea of what they are nodding (half heartedly) along to, and this is a bit uneasy. In the pre-filming scene I almost imagine their being some inappropriate slaps on the bum by management, that makes them feel slightly cheap and used, as they are pushed in front of the rolling camera - this is the feeling I get. It's like they must do everything thrown at them, no matter if they have no clue what it is.
Maybe I overreact. But even my K-pop heroes come across a little bit this way.



See, Big Bang, even you don't seem to have it down. You all look so stiff and confused, like bunnies in headlamps I'd go as far as to say in the case of T.O.P and GD. T.O.P just glares a little into the camera - it's kind of scary (though I do like the slightly fearful feeling that this causes to well up within me. His Russian sounding accent is also pretty fab). And GD's powerless "Bu Bye" at the end as he barely breaks his stare. He seems as though he's resigned to it - this is not the GD that I know and love, where's all his crazed energy gone... It's the same story when they are doing a Japanese interview too. T.O.P and GD, shadows of their glorious selves.

Those who manage it best, I feel, are 2NE1:



I think they kind of pull it off. It's not creepy and it's kind of fun. Minji is a little quiet, but Park Bom and Dara pipe up every now and again to join CL, so it flows a hell of a lot better than poor old BB.

I don't know what I want really. I shouldn't be so ungrateful, but I think maybe I wish only to communicate with my K-idols in smooth flowing English raps. I think I can pretty much hear everything I need to just from these. And they seem much happier delivering these too.

For my initial meeting with T.O.P, he can just communicate through his Big Boy verse:

HEY, COME ON, GIRL Don't ask anymore questions and just follow me
You're my STYLE (WOO!)
OH, PLEASE TRUST ME (I'm your slave)

And if there are problems with GD he can remind me of our happy past:

You used to be my queen,
I used to be your king
You used to go to bath with me,
And we was living happily.

Even, if I feel guilty about crushing on Dongho at the age of 16, he can remind me:

Stop treatin' us like kids
cuz we're not anymore u know what i'm sayin'??
we' all grown up (yeah~we're all grown up!!)
(I'm sure he must know these of by heart from the others)

Essentially, rather than being ungracious and critical of all their English efforts and achievements, I want to tell them not to worry so much. The raps will do just fine; this is how they won my heart, and this is how they can retain it.

"...begging for you to come, even just briefly"

And Jaebeom, you came. It's as if I was the one who sang Again and Again, and you were my audience - either way, you answered my beckoned call in the form of a dream just two nights ago. Your first sleep induced appearance of mine, thank you.
Rather upsettingly, I've only enjoyed rather a scarce number of K-pop member starring dreams, but I am always in the process of rectifying this. It's obvious then why I was oh so glad to have Jae pop up, accompanied with a little dance and all.

So, as it goes, we were in some galley style kitchen setting. I was standing off to the right, looking on to the kitchen scene, and in some line formation, Nickhun (blonded) and Taecyeon, and fading into the distance other 2PM members, were lining the galley along the cabinets, facing towards me and the soon to appear Jae. Before he entered, Nickhun placed a pan onto a low set stove, lid angled at a tilt. (I think Nickhun and Taec and the other 2PMers were just there for goodwill- this was their only function - standing and placing prop). Soon after which, Jae danced his way onto the scene. It was an improv/ad lib style sequence that included some jazzy tapping and what not. He made such a ruckus launching up onto the kitchen work surfaces, dancing over them, and pouncing off again that he really sent the pot lid wobbling. Eventually, after it toppled, he started to wrap up his dance. As he approached the long length of the kitchen (from mine and the pots end) for one last tumble sequence, he had a sincere look in his eye. As he began, he leaped up onto the first worktop, where the stove and pan were located, so wildly that he did not see where he was headed. It all ended rather abruptly as he landed, and disappeared, into the pan. And that's that (as GD would sing).

P.S. Yikes!

How does a leather coat slung atop a head look so great? Tell me.

Sock and boxer shorts with no trousers. This is one of the bestest combinations ever. Grandpa chic - how did he know..

Such a stern look paired with forwards combed hair. So many emotions that it's hard to pick out one prevailing one. Maybe smoking will suffice for now.

Boy next door?

Model pose just for Men's Health. I hope these readers realise how blessed they are with this casual, coat over the shoulder, Chansung dreamboat.

Maybe tonight Chansung will make it to be lead protagonist.

"Take note all fans and antis, one of you will faint (that’s right)"

You sang it and you warned me SHINee. Key, now Key, what the hell is this? First you insist on hair mascara-ing your hair, your perfect Ring Ding Dong hair. You thin it so much so that it looses all it's bounce and handsome bowl shape. And now this:


I was on my last legs as I approached my Internet update today, and you nearly knocked me, one of your truest fans (you are what started me on K!), for six. It's like in your expression you know that you did wrong. But the gesture of your hands makes it seem that even you yourself cannot explain away this farce. Maybe one of the only ways for you to claw any of my love and your dignity back from this is if you sing a rendition of 2AM's I did wrong.

Baby you and I,
Cheap pop songs,
crying inside.
But forcing myself
to be a smiling clown.

Bunny's Screencap of the Week

(i've just invented a regular feature, that i'll probably forget to keep up with..)

Babe, I love you and I realise that you just graduated from High School, but i'm sorry to tell you ... James Dean died in 1955. :/

"A" for effort though.

- BUNNY 

Can we say it's 2PM again yet?

I should bloody say so. Finally, the single has arrived, yes, yes, yes. Ah, the relief. I have been so apprehensive after the numerous mishaps of late, but it has come through, unharmed in all the most important parts.

But wait, some people still aren't happy, are still complaining? Am I serious? Sadly, yes I am. Obviously some do not know how to be happy, even with a sodden Junho, Chansung and Taec, accompanied by piano and synth, right before their very eyes and ears. Because, shortly after I viewed this new masterpiece for the first time, the anti-fan comments were found clogging up my google reader. If you haven't seen why this would be so, apparently you haven't heard the lyrics properly...now really.

“Fine, it’s better that we break up. This was bound to have happened anyway, you were going to do this anyway. This is better. Without you, I’ll be cooler, I’ll stand up again, I’ll live on again. Were the things we had together just worthless enough to throw away? Don’t you even regret it? Don’t you care? Are you okay without me?”

Of course!? These are statements referring to Jaebeom!! Or not as the case my be. Not satisfied that this song is probably just a story of a terror relationship and a getting back on track, some crazed fans have managed to convince themselves that “they purposely wrote up the lyrics like that in order to create noise marketing,” and “this is too forceful, don’t force it.” Don't get me mixed up, I love Jaebeom and think he is as much of a talented dreamboat as the rest of them (or even more so on occasion), but really, get over it. Geeze. Can we not just play nicely, and enjoy this wonderful song and even more wonderful video. I certainly have more "important" things coming to mind as I am mid viewing.

To make things even more comical, why not get angry too at Jaebeom himself (the one these 'fans' supposedly adore infinitely) when he posts a bulletin on his Youtube that reads,
“Khun's rap part is fire. 2pm “without you” go check it out ! =)”. When I read this, I think what a nice young man. But what do some others think: “Ugh, please don’t mention 2**…don’t do that please, love&respect,”; “Jaebeomah! Don’t even think about 6PM anymore…Please don’t think about them anymore and think about your pride…”; “Go check it out? stop Jay!!!!! You really love us? If so, do not promote 2PM!!!!! I’m sorry, I hate them!!!!” .
Yiiiiikes. You're all jokers. If this wasn't so utterly comical, there is no chance that it would be figuring in my thoughts.

Remind me again of what this is about. 2PM baby!

Some serious Chansung. I like to imagine that behind his arm his teeth are fully clenched it some type of true beastly manor.


Dearest non-tangoed Junho, this is how you should always be...beautifully pensive and dark haired. You hear me, no lightening! Watching you throw down in the video whilst being rained on and wearing a little silver headband made me infinitely happy.

Oh, Junsu. With this image you may just have moved up within my 2PM hierarchy. Your hair almost resembles one of my favourite GD styles of the last 6 months, the undercut bowl, and I really am pleasantly surprised.

Khun, I'm pretty sure the blonding is evident in this shot, even if you are shadow lurking as you are probably a little bit embarrassed. I must say that your face is just about keeping your head above water (you eyebrows are looking less ridiculous than usual), but you are on thin ice already, even more so because of the blond, so you best get back to dark sharpish. I can't have one letting the whole band down - and I'm sure that Junho is already on his return trip to the salon.

Wowzers. This is just perfection. Statuesque Taec complete with tears. The emotional beast. It's like he knows how much I love Beauty and the Beast, and he is becoming a current Korean manifestation. I can hardly thank him enough. And I even think that the fringe is down...

Last, but not least, Wooyoung, my how you have blossomed. I know everyone said that they were going for this beastlier than ever image, but I think you may be that only one that has really achieved it. I bet you must have worked hard! No more shy you in the next Calvin Klein S Body I should hope - now you can confidently have it all hanging out.

Dramatic drum track, enter piano and then synth. Chansung singing some English. And I really like the use of the OK hand gesture to fit with "I'll be OK." I look forward to seeing this on the live stage. There may also be some more Junho than in previous songs, for this I am grateful and excited. All this is not even at the expense of Taec's terror stricken face, which is very much still in existence. For the last minute, tempo and key changes too, whilst retaining a shirt ripping scene! You really have excelled yourselves.

"...appearance (from behind) distresses a person. It keeps making a kind me into having a bad heart."

You sang it 2PM(10 out of 10), and you were right. I'm sorry Bunny, but I just couldn't read it and let it go without joining you with a post similarly stating my dismay. I stay away from the Internet for 24 hours, and look what creeps up from behind; I returned to the delivery of this terrible news. Can you feel my heartbeat? Because I can, and it's racing, and not entirely for the correct reasons. I feel like these boys are making me mean, forcing me to be, when I really don't want to be. But Junho "blonding" (or oranging, as you quite rightfully pointed out) his perfectly wonderful hair, how can I react any other way. I refused to accept he happily went along with this decision. Golly, if I ever get my hands on the stylist that executed this!

It seems that of late I am turning into a real bitch, and this is no good thing. I've even been abusing my most adored T.O.P and GD. It feels like a lot of energy is being wasted on getting angry at mistakes that surely won't last long (at least this is what a tell myself). So, I will attempt to turn over a new leaf and shall try to take a small, less emotional, step back, and continue to see the pros of my beloveds and remind myself why I was so besotted in the first place. Cue behind the scenes footage:



Wow, it really does ease the pain, being reminded of them in action and just how great they are. And the fact that they skipped Junho as always is, for once, a good thing. The towel covering bibs on Chansung and Wooyoung did result in a little burst of laughter too, alongside a small feeling of disappointment. These idols are pretty much always half naked - why start covering them up now? But, of course, the ridonkulous forwards cape doesn't last long, no thanks to the presenter's pathetic attept at a steal though - I would show her how it's really done, with some genuine gusto.
Anyways, Wooyoung's bare back beating of Chansung is a win. The faces they both pull, it's like their acting skill since Abracadabra has just gotten better and better - or, if not, have they been practicing this at home I wonder? Slapping of the rear of Chansung seamlessly leading through to the poking around of his abs, followed by a decision to instinctively carry out a few push ups (which are even more ridiculous than the ones I attempt nightly) of his own. Wooyoung is a comic genius, I agree with my K-sensei here.

Later, Nickhun awkwardly mounted on some poor girl's shoulders, lol. Most people would be happy to have this opportunity (though I myself would not be too fussed) but her face betrays her if this is actually true for her also.
And after taking his sweet time to appear, the entrance of fashion terrorist Taec is pretty great, and the ensemble he rocks before shooting even more so: puffa jacket, Hawaiian shorts and orange Tee, excellent! The two second bonus serenade on the guitar too, I didn't even know he had this in him. What a pleasant surprise to combat all this negativity from before.

If it wasn't for the group scene bracketing the start and finish of the clip, one could almost forget the travesty that is Junho's "blonding". I already feel much better. On the bright side, I guess at least the print advertisements appear free of the recent mishaps. 2PM fighting!

WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS TO US??

Who is in charge of these decisions? Who made Junho blonde (orange)? WHO? I want names!

And poor prince Khun looks like he's going grey. I'm not even acknowledging the fact that someone has cut off all of Taec's beautiful fringe, lucky for him he's just too damn hot and it doesn't even matter, but i'm worried about the safety of Chansung's fringe, I feel like its in danger, I think he feels it too, look at the fear in his eyes.

I understand, its spring time, time to freshen up, get a new look, but Eli, GD, TOP, Junho... I won't be able to sleep tonight with the worry of what i'll wake up to tomorrow..

Jessica dear, my apologies for lack of contact/comment i'm still behind and due for a catch up, but I just couldn't let this one rest. I thought "behind the scenes CF with topless 2PM" was going to be a nice break from my work, and then I arrive at this terror. The only thing keeping me from bursting into tears is this scene of perfection:

- BUNNY

A little past B2ST?

Images today of the delightful new BEAST calendar flooded my computer screen today, which was brilliant news to me, of course, though it did lead me to do some wondering as to why they are releasing it now...
It's not the start of 2011, it's not coming up to Lunar New Year (which will be February 3rd 2011), the academic new year started last month, and it's no anniversary of any BEAST achievements to my knowledge, as both their first mini-album and live debuts were made in October last year. Strange, no?
The calendar is for 2010m and was made for B2UTY, the official BEAST fan club. Could it just be then that die hard fans never care when a calendar comes out, even if it is one, two or even four months late? I kind of like this idea, and think I will just go along with this reasoning until I am thus corrected.

Anyways, with this conundrum now open for discussion, without further ado let's peruse these images I talk of:

Jun Hyung, look how handsome you are here with your (own) mouth watering poise. It's as if you've just finished up one of your sweet raps...and are feeling rather pensive. And your hair sweeps in the same direction as the blowing corns in the background - you are quite the chap, and I mean this in the very best way possible.


Hyun Seung, you look different, did you change your hair? I think I like it. Maybe the suit is not ideal, the string vest(?), but I guess it just about works here, maybe because of your sullen shadowed eyes working it under the fringe. Whoever said you had an inexpressive face.


Gi Kwang, need I tell you how truly handsome you are. Those wonderfully thick slightly parted lips that steal a heart within seconds, and your gentle side glance into the camera. My oh my. This is not even to mention your 'naturally' windswept do, which flops gently into your eyes, giving Hyung's a run for its money.


Leader Doo Joon, an interesting choice, I guess. I'm not going to criticise you too harshly, because it's hardly as if you just gave yourself silver hair or don't look hot or anything. But it's not you best. I'd like to see more of your face, please. And also, just to let you know, your hXc kid look was definitely b2st, in my humble opinion - the beads are not.


Doong Woon, there is certainly some rough and tumble going with this image, and you are working it well. Who would ever know that you are the maknae of the group... though maybe the leopard print tie does give something away.


Yo Seob. Wow, you did good. For once, I'm not going to tell you that you are a terror. You made it work, and I'm happy. You really did earn your place on the calendar. It may be the soft focus combined with the bleached treatment of the photo, or the blue glow that is resonating on your face from the jacket you're sporting, but whatever it is, you should stick with it.

I hope you don't have to be a member of the official fan club to acquire it.

Comeback concerns

All this talk of comebacks in the K-pop scene lately has been getting me rather over-excited. Of late I feel that I really have bought up pretty much everything I (musically, K-pop) want to own, and cannot wait for new gems to hit the Tower Records shelves. However, amidst this joy and elation, some concerns have been born today, buy no other than the ones that I count on most in the world of K.

Yes, Big Bang, I hope you are listening well, because I want to know exactly what the hell you mean by this:

Uh oh...I think there may be a problem with this new concept look.

I am mainly talking to T.O.P and GD here - T.O.P from the just published smoking hot Elle shoot and GD straight out of the cool cat Heartbreaker phase. Really, what on earth are you thinking to go from this:

see T.O.P's previously noted chic crimp and GD's stunning undercut bowl

to premature grey/silver nothing crop and gelled(!) side incline skip jump?! Really boys, I can't believe my eyes - you are the last band I expected such misdemeanors from. Again, as afore mentioned, I know you have both had your hair faux pas in the past, but I thought you had learned your lesson from these, or at least gotten all of this sillyness out of your systems. It now seems that this was merely wishful thinking on my behalf.
In all honesty, I had a purple/blue version of T.O.P's miscalculated colour when I was fifteen, and GD resembles (in terms of hair style) many of the boys I attended secondary school with - these colours and styles are from a bad past - and this is where they should say, along with diabolo's and Insane Clown Posse (yes Bunny, I saw it) and other failures from this time. "And that's that, cause you are my love, my one and only love" (using the words of BB themselves). This comeback image does not "get my heartbeat skipping, every day and every night straight tripping", or at least not in a good way.

I almost feel as if you have gotten into cahoots with Eli (UKISS), T.O.P - it feels that deliberate! You both turn this horrible shade of graying around the same time, and then spike your hair up away from your face. You can have one or the other - spiking or graying - but not both, not simultaneously. It will not do, not at all.

Also, whilst we are having a serious heart to heart here, T.O.P, what the hell is going on with your posture in this?! Straighten up for christ's sake - we don't need a hunch back coming on now to match the aged hair do. Daesung too, this neck extension poise is also leaving a lot to be desired in my books and is not a good look.

What a mess. This is not what I wanted the start of the Big Bang comeback to be.

In trying to console my heart, reminding myself that I will never abandon these boys (as this is one of those unconditional crushes that Bunny spoke, luckily), I have been attempting to come up with explanations as to the cause of such a wrong turn. So far I have only come up with one idea. ..
These images were released in context of the new Japanese mini-album that is going to soon be for sale. I am hoping that this concept is geared at Japan, and is only being entertained for this small album after which it will disappear forever. I blame Japan for many things (jovially of course), and turning K-poppers in to J-pop style terrors for the Japanese market is one of these things (sorry for treading on your toes Bunny). Let's hope that my slight prejudice is not too far off of the mark here. If I can make such assumptions, it means that all this wrong doing will end well in time for the big S. Korean album release in August or September. I have my fingers crossed.

All this negativity in terms of such exciting things as comebacks though, how unproductive. I'm sure T.O.P's solo album will make it through unscathed and Big Bang will return just fine.
And besides, we have other thrills in out midst... 2PM baby. With the release of the Without U official thirty second something teaser today I'm literally teatering on the edge of my seat, rocking back and forth a little to a calming effect. Soon my friends, soon. Just under a week in fact (22nd April). Until then, this looped on my desktop may suffice:

Joon, Joon, Oh how we swoon

So, as we have moved past Black day (or MBLAQ day as it is now to be known), let's get right back on track. Not to be shallow, but this behind the scenes footage really is something quite special. Joon is not my MBLAQ ichiban (number 1) or anything either, but he is pretty great and I have always been appreciative of this. Not only is he obviously hot to trot, but he is pretty damned funny too. We are able to see him costumed on many an occasion and he often performs some pretty great stunts too:


Seated full leg extension spread with skinny jeans and high tops. Dream combo if ever I saw one.

Some of his prime comedy moments are located within MBLAQ's Idol Army episodes for sure. One of my personal favourites would be episode 12, with him lip-synch serenading whilst rocking wheelies (wheeled shoes). Always quite the charmer, he is rarely one to disappoint with his appearance either. Here is a little bit more of the Joon we really should all know and love:



His perfectly shined body, gentle elf cut and general energetic throwing of his body into mid air... just what I like from a behind the scenes. Much like 2PM's S Body Calvin Klein shoot footage in some ways..

Mostly this video makes me want to shout, "Let's go", to Joon as the directors do, and have him sprint towards me full throttle before he launches his body at full speed even further into my direction. Just once. My guess is too that they didn't allow him any more clothes than the shorts for the entire duration of filming? Poor Joon. I hope he had someone such as Chansung (2PM) keeping him well UV protected.

Back to basics

Recently, it seems that we may be on a bit of a promise with our original beastly idol, Rain. There are a few things he's been spouting of late, and there is no way I can leave them unattended and only half as appreciated as they should rightly be.

Making an appearance on Win Win, the ever humble Rain put forth, "I feel like I'm on top of the world because I've come to do my activities with lots of idol groups. I think I'm asking a great deal of you, by suggesting that I want to be called an Idol singer, so I'm trying to take more overtly sexual approaches."
So the wonderfully unpretentious singer firstly charms us with his demure, modest self-image, and then busts out possibly the best offering ever - Rain, possibly one of the most sexually alluring idols there is, is going to try his best to come at us with MORE overt sexuality. Wow, more than this:

Needless to say I'm ready and waiting for whatever he wants to try. I'm just so excited!!

Rain has also made some other pretty fab comments again concerning his image in relation to other idols: “I’m so happy to be promoting with so many idols. I can’t be called an idol but I will compete with them with my sticky image.” So now we can look forward to a 'sticky' Rain as well as an even more sexual one. This really will be a comeback to monitor.

Just to remind us all of what kind of multi-talented dreamboat we are dealing with, here is a little something that displays his multi-faceted concept of late. Namely, the Ninja Assassin brawn, shirt ripping stage antics, public wrestling (K-pop and wrestling, Bunny) and fresh faced interview complete with dance segment to showcase low slung dance moves/beating at heart.

Now all you need to do is be a real band.

A. N. Jell, you angels, look what you went and did (or rather your merchandise mad production company), you went and made a whole website just about A. N. Jell. Forget You're beautiful (with just a single tab dedicated to the mother ship drama), this website is doing exactly what is says in the URL - www.anjells.com - and is there celebrating the band.

If I have already lost you at this point I apologise; let me give you a little of the background squeeze. A. N. Jell is the name of a four membered fictional band from the South Korean TV drama You're Beautiful [미남이시네요]. Aired in South Korea from October to November 2009, this drama features actors and K-pop starlets alike: Park Shin-hye (actress and model), Jang Geun Suk (actor), Jung YongHwa (member of C. N. Blue) and Lee HongKi (member of F. T. Island). It is about a three member K-pop band who has a new member join, Go Mi Nam. Unfortunately, Go Mi Nam is forced to leave for the U.S. to correct a plastic surgery fail, so Go Mi Nyu (Park Shin-hye), his identical twin sister (who is a sister-in-training) is approached by his manager to pose as him for the duration of his recovery. Against her wishes, she accepts in order to fulfill her brother's dream of finding their mother. Posing as Mi Nam, Mi Nyu enters the group (A. N. JELL) and meets its members; Hwang Tae Kyung (Jang Geun Suk), Kang Shin Woo (Jung YongHwa) and Jeremy (Lee HongKi).
Initially hated on by Tae Kyung, the group's leader and composer, Mi Nyu slowly falls in love with him, only to find herself entangled in a love triangle between him and Shin Woo (who loves her). Jeremy also harbors a one-sided love for her despite not knowing she's a girl (this plot line is wonderful, sadly the other two find out relatively early on). Additionally, Mi Nyu finds herself rivaled against Yoo He Yi, an actress who also has feelings for Tae Kyung.
So that's it in a nutshell.

So this new website, bless its soul, has multiple language options! Yay! Not for everything, but definitely for some important things. It also has some rather interesting tabs, considering it is a website for an imaginary band (the word fake sounds a little harsh considering some of them are actually in bands).
So, let's see. Ah yes, the 'Schedule' tab under 'A. N. Jell' is looking eerily empty. The album tab is a blast though! We have the first album, Archangel, featuring 'I'm a loner' - wait, isn't that a C. N. Blue song?!? Oh, and the second album Colorful island, and third Code name bluenation- it doesn't take a genius to see the trend here (re-invention of F. T. Island and C. N. Blue for any of you who might of already forgotten the origins of ShinWoo and Jeremy). It may just be me, but this seems a little too creepy and encroaching... fake but entirely convincing albums - front cover, track list and all. Hmm.

Anyways, not to speak badly of all the effort that has evidently gone into this, let's inspect the best bit of the site, the character profiles!
First up, Shin Woo:
What may be too small to see here is the stats. I will give you a run down of the best bits. Hobbies: thinking and collecting tea. Need I state, dreamboat. Ideal girlfriend: cute and tidy style. Forget the cute bit, tidy style?! I'm tidy, do you hear me ShinWoo, very tidy indeed. Apparently, according to this, he has no individual skills. Well, OK then, that's fine with me. I'll take him as he stands, and I'll work on my cute.

And dear, dear Jeremy:
What does Jeremy have for us then. Taking care of Joelie (his dog) and 'party' are his two hobby highlights - what a fun time gal. I wonder what 'party' translates to in real life actions..? Favourite foods: all kinds of fruit. Excellent, we have tea on one hand and fruit on the other - one could hardly wish for more from two teenage boys. I think I would be just fine residing in the A. N. house.

And leader:
His personality is perfection and charisma, yikes! His ideal girl is a good wife and a wise mother? Really? And his food types stipulate no sesame and no crustaceans, but he likes deep water. OK, if you say so. Wait for it though, individual skill is grinding radish. YIIIIIIIIIIKES! I think I love the person that wrote and decided this.

After this, Go Mi Nam's is kind of a downer, so I think I'll stop here, but you get the picture. I think I may appreciate this website as more of a work of comic genius over and above anything else, but who said K-pop wasn't about comedy, certainly not me!

How did this get mislaid? Junho, Taec, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry (and yes I'm rubbing my hands, left to right)

My oh my has it been too long since my repetitive viewing of this bonus material gem apparently concluded itself, unnoticed(!) Thank god it sprang to mind in a moment of K-pop submersion and b-lined it's way straight back into my daily routine.

When they film a CF advert or do a photo shoot in the K-pop world not only do you get to enjoy the final masterpiece, no, no, you get the behind the scenes stills and often whole mini films too. Here is one of my most treasured examples of such generosity - the Taec/Junho (2PM) section from the Coke CF behind the scenes talent display. Lets take a look at what exactly we are dealing with here.

First up, Taec's dancing. I guess this special talent is something we see a lot of in 2PM, but what we don't see so much is the dancing we are bestowed in this 45second clip. Presenting, the inflatable doll-soon-to-morph-to pumping 90s robot dance?! I don't know really if there is any way to express it effectively with the English language. Even a split screen still does it no justice:

At least you can see the rapid motion I guess - doll to the left, robotic arms on the right.

My primary reason for loving this clip, possibly too much, is really down to Junho though to be honest. Truly meaning what I said before, here, Junho, you will ALWAYS have the screen time you so deserve.

Yes, Junho's special talent on display today is the skill of handstand from seated. But before we gawp at this more closely, please note his get-up. What is this you see, would it be a polo shirt buttoned to the top? Complemented by a tie? And a handkerchief in pocket? Oh, AND colour co-ordinated braces? Surely not some high tops too? So right on so many levels.

What is also so right is the truly endearing position of cross leggedness from which he explains the soon-to-be performed stunt from. Why is it, I wonder, that merely sitting cross legged can make someone ten times more adorable than they would be otherwise - and I mean this in terms of both genders.
So, anyway, cross leggedness combined with full explanatory forecast and wonderfully expressive hand gestures (specially for those of us who are not yet fluent in Korean, I like to think); fully splayed fingers and animated points, thank you Junho:

Indicating to the heavens whence he surely came from, and to where he will soon raise his whole body to from seated, with the use of arm strength alone.

I'd safely say the moment of proof, the hop down and the final bow (with trousers still bunched around the thigh) can be rightfully referred to as the cherry on top. Well done, Junho. You did good.


"My eyes dont look away,
This really makes no sense,
This is flashier than a flashy animated cartoon."

Abracadabra! Take Off the Filth.

Possibly the greatest song parody to have ever been crafted, the part 2PM part 2AM remake of Brown Eyed Girls's song Abracadabra really is an audio visual extravaganza. Upon first viewing I almost guarantee it will tickle pink any half worthy viewer. I mean this with my whole heart, so much so that I almost posted it with no explanation whatsoever. However, call it my own selfishness, but I cannot stop myself from capturing and (repeatedly) stipulating moments of my most treasured dramatic dance-a-thon interplay set to music. Feel free to share with me on these, or to find your own silver screen enchantments.


How about we start this off with the opening scene, the opening kiss scene with none other than Chansung (2PM) and Seulong (2AM):
This approaching-kiss moment follows the entrance of Seulong, the advent of him sumptuously placing some form of gold pill into his mouth, and a close up of him licking his already glossed lips. Fantastic. As it cuts to Seulong forcibly lifting Chansung's jaw, one cannot help but have flutters of glee run from head to toe thoughout their body. I should warn you at this point that we are still only 15seconds in, so hold on tight. As the tension and music builds, and as Seulong looms ever closer, the terror leaves Chansung's expression and the smile we all know and love appears. Yes, the song has started even if the kiss never finished.

Next, the character defining opening poses. Oh yes, the statuesque beasts are undisputedly at their best right from the very start. Take a peek at Taec's (2PM) full blown cheeks for just a single instance of this:
Due to the lengths that I already know this post to reach, I will not concern myself too much over pointing out every detail of the fantastic hand-picked outfits as selected by Taec - you will have to do a little work yourself. Really, to appreciate these fully you should see the fitting process in action via the episodes of 2PM's Wild Bunny (if you have any sense at all you should view it in it's entirety, start to finish!)

Now on to quite possibly one of my favourite dance moves (maybe on par with some of those of SHINee's Ring Ding Dong):
Sadly this cannot be attributed to the boys themselves, as it is indeed the authentic Brown Eyed Girls move, but really they do do it exceedingly well. It is the slightly squat arm folded hip swing. The turn to follow they also have mastered perfectly. And don't even get me started on the brief flicker of a frame displaying Chansung's sultry face mid swing.

So, yes, to follow, the acrobatic and comic legend that is Wooyoung (2PM):
Get a load of the seated zebra print high kick. Happily this occurs more than once throughout this bonanza. I feel as though Taec may have end costumed him specially to emphasis such animalistic moves. I hope so. Somehow, too, his hair brilliantly highlights and compliments the linear shapes formed by his choreographed greatness, no?

To the real star of this dramatic recreation, Jo Kwon (2AM):
Ever ready to dance like crazy, and throw his body into any shape willing (with an appropriate facial expression to compliment), Jo Kwon is probably the most committed to the Dirty Eyed Girls. He pretty much lives and breathes it as they record the track and film the video - I think he may live and breathe it outside of this too. The part of the song which matches this fabulous still is him squealing "Every Night I deureoweo. Ssisseora ya jom ssisseora!!!" (Every night I am dirty. Go wash! Hey, wash up a little!!!), with a voice which flings itself up and down like a roller coaster. Perfection.

Ah! The washing of Jo Kwon by Seulong!
Watch as shortly after this still he claps to the music and Kwon flips over. I like to imagine that this is what happens in the 2AM dorm at bath time.

Speeding up a little, Taecyeon again, dear Taecyeon:
As he sits washing up his Y-front panties in mirrored glasses. Such exertion goes into the task - note the arms. Maybe this is what he is doing in the 2PM dorm across the hall whilst Kwonie and Seulong are washing up?

Seulong's loss of the cleaning mit:
How will he ever clean up Kwonie again? The wavering of his lips and the spirit finger flaps of the boys around him; how could we not be left understanding the seriousness of this lack?!

Kwon major freak out moves, Round 1:
This fish out of water, possibly B-boy inspired, floorwards move follows that of a stomping cadavers strut and kneeling thrust, and is itself followed up with some type of, again knelt, prancing eagle opening of arms/wings. I'd like to see another be able to recreate such a sequence so freely. There are more moves of this calibur in the videohave of course, but I will let you have fun discovering those for yourself!

And now time for some more group work - the poolside freestyle:
So much goes on in this scene that I could hardly choose a screen shot. However, I feel that this one at least displays Taec's ageing hobble, complete with walking cane, and Kwon's low plunging lunges.

And to an even better group shot, the covered pit:
Never wanting to shock their female fans, these boys are ever considerate. The Mexican wave which ends in this still is, of course, perfectly synchronised. I feel that the real deal sealer is the ever ready stock shock expression they are all sporting (Taec may be struggling a tad to hold this down, maybe).

Undoubtedly the prime moment of the entire confection:
The 100% grandma-Kwon synthesis contortion. God knows how he gets it so spot on. Is it the extended fingers to ear combination? The low angled peering eyes? The flared nostrils? Or the puckered lips and wrinkled chin? Who knows, but all that is evident is that for the split second he is absolutely both hillarious and terrifying. Good work Kwonie!

One last close up for Chansung if you may:
The washroom banana cut. Completely irrelevant to any part of the facade and merely included for its aesthetic stimulation. OK, this is fine with me. I like to know our boys are staying healthy with their five a day. Seriously though, what else would one put to accompany Chansung's low voiced delivery of the line "We're sexy"?

Finally, finally, to wrap up. Right at the end I could hardly forget the appearance of Junho (2PM), sweet Junho. JYP may not give him enough air time, but I sure as hell will:
Absent for the whole event (and episode), but instantly stepping up to the mark, here we have him, mit and all, washing Chansung down. Gosh, I love symmetry and even numbers! We have Seulong and Kwon in the one apartment, and across the way Junho and Chansung. I can sleep well at night in the knowledge of these duo's.


Essentially, what you should realise is that these shots are nothing compared to the whole, barely even a noteworthy taster. Really you should explore with awe and wonderment the complete package which is Dirty Eyed Girls with the privacy of your own imagination:





Take It All Off, I Took The Filth Off, Take Off The Filth

[Taecyeon] Yeah yeah~
[Seulong] Yo! That guy's yeah yeah~
[Jokwon] Dirty Eyed Girls
[Seulong] We are no longer JYP.
[Jokwon] Do it properly, you guys! Properly!
[Seulong] We love B.E.G

[Wooyoung] I'm going to go crazy like this
Me, who's like a beast
I'm going crazy because of you
I'm changing into my dirty self

[Chansung] I put a spell on
The Italy towel again
I'm asking you to tear me apart
With that guy

[Jokwon] Every night I am dirty
Go wash! Hey, wash up a little!!!
[Seulong] Every night I am dirty
Go wash, go wash!!!

*[All] Soap, soap
Bring it to me!
I'll wash anything
I'll even wash my armpit hair

Using the soap
For my panties, too, yeah~
I'll wash everything
I will wash my body

[Taecyeon] I can't take it anymore
I'm losing my mind because I'm dirty
Why in the world does my filth
Stick to my body, this filth

[Seulong] I put a spell on
The Italy towel again
That my filth will
completely fall off, oh

[Jokwon] Every night I am dirty
Go wash! Hey, wash up a little!!!
[Seulong] Every night I am dirty
Go wash, go wash!!!

*(Repeat)

[Taecyeon] Pa Jaebum at Seattle
Prince Nichkhun in Thailand
Junsu in Daegu
Who's Junho?

We are Dirty Eyed Girls
Even though we're dirty, we're sexy, baby
([Chansung] We're sexy)

[Seulong] We love B.E.G
[Taecyeon] Beast, beast, baby, yeah!!

[SO&JK] Lalala lalala lalalala
Lalala lalala lalalala
[Taecyeon] Strip Chansung

[SO&JK] Lalala lalala lalalala
Lalala lalala lalalala
[Chansung] Take it all off
Take it all off
Take off the filth

[Chansung] Uh uh uh! Let's go
[Seulong] Ha ha ha! Someone dry us
([Wooyoung] Hey, stop it)

[Taecyeon] Try casting a spell~
[Chansung] Come on

[Jokwon] Super kaiser
%^&#$-ing kaiser

[Taecyeon] Even though we're dirty, we're sexy
Oh yeah, baby~

*(Repeat)

[Wooyoung] I'm going to go crazy like this
Me, who's like a beast
I'm going crazy because of you
I'm changing into my dirty self

I'll wash everything
I will wash my body

Hey, I think we're really ruined because of this.