Seungho does it again.

I wish I was that piano.

- BUNNY 

Xiah Junsu takes the "overtly sexual" route & Rain update.

EDIT* just had to add in this picture of Xiah thighs.

Since their disbandment :( :( :( it's been hard to keep tabs on all the TVXQ boys individual schedules, and to be honest I only have time for contsant favourite Hero Jaejoong and his incomprehensible pixie good looks twinned with his endearing baby dinosaur teeth, such an otherworldly beauty! Hero's been busy with his Japanese drama and much to my delight apparently hanging out with some Johnny's and other Ikimen (dreams can come true!), Mickey's been skirting the line between Good Mickey and Bad Mickey and has a Korean drama in the works, Changmin and Yunho have been have been looking hot at airports, supporting the big bad management company and hanging out with SHINee at someone's wedding. Meanwhile Junsu received some critical acclaim performing in the Mozart musical which I refuse to acknowledge except to say that it was THE WORST HAIR CONCEPT / OVERALL LOOK I HAVE EVER SEEN IN THE WHOLE OF KPOP and it gives me nightmares. Since this he has been working his charms in Japan and released his first solo single there.

Initially I was sort of uninterested. Its not like I don't have enough to be getting on with. Although he's not a favourite, I've always had a soft spot for Xiah's whispery voice, puffy face and computer gaming addiction, but I haven't been the biggest fan of Tohoshinki's vocally powered hits in Japan (If I had it my way they would just keep re releasing Mirotic, Wrong Number and Baloons, on repeat, forever) so I was dubious, but pleasantly surprised and in for a shock...

Junsu seems to channeling the spirit of RAINISM.

... well, at least in terms of outfit choice and lyrical content anyway.

Usually I'd say watch the video first and then read the lyrics, but its important this time that you read the lyrics first and understand what you're letting yourself in for. I'm going to rate them NC-17 so please divert your eyes if you are underage :

Xiah Junsu - INTOXICATION

"I make you shiver a little

By overlapping our skin, it's foreplay,

What my fingertips have found is

deep inside deep inside deep inside crazy

Touch you baby Again and again

I'll squeeze you baby

Let me feel your madness

Stroke your light, girl (?!)

I'll go crazy oh~

Tell me what you want

Let me, do you want me?

You say baby now

I know that you want me oh no

I want to make you say it baby now

Kiss and touch me

Taste and touch me baby

Eat you apart make love

I can touch me

Killing touch me baby

That is intoxication

We start with our fingers, then even our bodies tangle

I keep looking for the secret syrup (!!!YIKES!!!)

Below the soft moonlight that's not turned off

I'm about to come because of your wavering voice

beautiful

Tell me what you want

Tell me, do you want me

You say, baby now

I know that you want me

It's about to overflow baby now

Kiss and touch me

Taste and touch me baby

Like I want to make love

I can touch me

Killing touch me baby

That is intoxication

Kiss and touch me

Taste and touch me baby

Don't tease me making love

I can touch me

Killing touch me baby

You fall in intoxication

Using a way of communicating without words

You're making me go crazy

More, more until I get swallowed completely

Tell me what you want

Tell me, do you want me

Just say, baby now

I know that you want me

I want to make you say it baby now

Tell me what you want

Tell me do you want—"

YIKES. Junsu is somewhat confusing. He wants you to kiss and touch him, but also killing touch him (or in another translation kill, and touch him...) then he says "Tell me what you want Let me, do you want me?, You say baby now, I know that you want me oh no" he also want you to tell him, but he seems to want to tell you, and then he wants you to "communicate without words" which is possibly for the best, if he's going to start telling you to "stroke your light girl" i'm not sure how that would come across in the heat of the moment...

I'm kind of speechless, sexy pop songs are no revelation to me but this is not even trying to be subtle. "this is foreplay" oh right, thanks for making that clear right at the start just so we didn't get the wrong idea or something.

Anyway, now you can watch the video, but try and remember what he's singing about whilst he teases you with his bare shoulders, rubs his hands together in slow motion and gets down on the floor for some thrusting (that bit is so RAIN):

Meanwhile, back in Korea, after giving us the "overtly sexual" Love Song MV, guaranteed to please erotic K-pop King Rain has moved onto promoting "Hip Song", the semi club banger hit from his latest mini album, and believe it or not it seems to actually be a song about dancing, as opposed to dancing as a metaphor for the horizontal, between the sheets kind of dance. So if we compare him to Xiah Junsu's erotic poetry then for once Rain is actually tame in comparison:

"Lay back and clap!

with your chest! Clap!

with your hips! Clap! (That’s right!)

to the left! Clap! (Yeah!)

Hold off the right side and clap with lips! (This lady)

(Although this never happened before but…)

It’s my heart

it’s my body

I’ll catch and cage your faltering heart

I’mma hold onto you, sexy

(I got no problem with that but…)

This is hip song rock tonight

Sway your hips

Don’t worry about whatever I’m doing

Trust me and sway it just like me

(Hip song, hip song, hip song, hip song)"

Rain has spoken. We shouldn't question it, but yet I do have questions, many questions. "I'mma hold onto you, sexy, I got not problem with that but..." BUT WHAT? Rain? I need to know what the "but..." is? it could be something important! finish your damn sentence. I think ive brought this up before but I want to question the appalling attempt at a wolf howl half way through, what possessed you to do this? I imagine GD is literally crying with laughter everytime he hears it, I could even question why you are attempting to rap when everybody was fine with your smooth r & b vibes (myself included and i'm not even even that kind of girl, I just made an exception for you). Finally, this is my big question, you say "don't worry about whatever i'm doing" "trust me" and then you decide to promote your song dressed like this:

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS OPPA?

Rain, I though you were over this. The last time we saw you in boxing gloves it was teamed with a matching visor and it was 2002. Is that really the image you want to evoke again? I actually think this time is worse than the visor, I can't even identify the sports your outfit came from, but im pretty sure a lace up male bolero is not regulation attire. And its not like boxing gloves are even that original, we've all seen the fashion tragedies of 1996 and H.O.T candy legacy. As for the hair in the first picture above, don't ever do that to me again.

Apparently he got some criticisim for copying the look from the late Kim Seong Jae's first and only solo stage back in 1995. So all in all, this wasn't Rain's best idea (and usually he's such a genius, putting a shirtless dance routine in a ballad, creating the perfection that is MBLAQ, all GREAT IDEAS)

Imagine my delight when finally Rain performs Hip Song in a proper suit, no baggy seat pants, no ridiculous sportswear, just a straight up red hot Rainism suit and shades. I'm going to ignore the tie and waistcoat combo is giving off Best Man vibes and this looks like it could be a wedding reception performance (maybe SHINee and ChangHo are there...) and just settle for what i've got. Thank you Rain.

Actually loving these YouTube comments, especially Maysie93 "is this guys name dairy i think ? ?" "whoever tht future women of his will be she wud be sooo lucki 2 have him, cuz if it wazs mee i'd dooo him all..." WHOAH Maysie93 I'm going to stop you there gurl...

--------------------------------------------------------------------

ADDITIONAL EDIT 29/05/10

So I just learned that Xiah is saying "bite and touch me, KILL and touch me" and disappointingly he doesn't say "stroke your light girl" but he does in fact say "stroke you like an arpeggio, yeah"!! even better. Proof from his recent Music Station Performance (loving his flash of agyeo whilst he says "foreplay" at 32secs in)

- BUNNY

Belgian Surrealism in our Kpop?!

Me: "Hey Junsu.... oh sorry I didn't realise you had a friend round! working on your music?... cool, errrr anyway... I was just wondering .. do you think I could get back that Magritte book I lent you? oh its just over here on the keyboard, I got it thanks...cool, thanks then, oh and could you tell Junho that he can keep that Dali retrospective 'cause I had 2 copies of it anyway... K, thanks, bye!"

I NEVER SAW THIS COMING.

(photo from Junsu's twitter)

- BUNNY 

So this is what 'Coming of age' means, is it?

It means making out with your fellow band members, or those in other bands. Well, OK, that's just fine with me. The funny thing was that I already wanted to do a post, congratulating all those loves of mine who just recently became 'men' (I am grateful for them growing up fast, and wish they would all hurry up and come of age), but I just hadn't gotten around to writing it yet. After seeing this, however, I could hardly delay another moment.

I think my favourite aspects of this photo and the ensuing moments thereafter are their caressing arms. Cheondong really does go in for the kill, firmly pressing Seungho's face and head in towards him - powerful moves indeed. And even more endearing than this is Junhyung's arm wrap around Eunhyuk's waist, so tender. Not such the hard rapper now.

I also like the clamp of neck and jaw by Eunhyuk - I would probably adopt the same technique for Junhyung. Also, I don't think either of these two 'came of age', I'm pretty sure they were just joining in for the fun of it.

To be honest, maybe just watching it is best. From around 0:35 is where it gets good. If only it were better quality, but oh well, this will do for me (and please excuse Cheondong's clothes - I'm not sure what he was thinking). Cheondong's forceful and persistent arm gesture is wonderful to watch in action. I thought it would have been the other way around, with Seungho leading, but no. This must have been his proof of Cheondong's becoming a man to his hyung. This is what men who are of age do, obviously. As for Seob and Leeheuk, I feel a little let down by them and their lack of enthusiasm, but oh well, I'm not too fussed by either of them...

I guess there's not that much I ever really wanted to say on the 'Coming of age' topic. Mostly I just wanted to post this, so I never lose it:

As if I thought Chansung could ever become more darling!

Other boy idols who have also finally become adult in the eyes of Korea (in my eyes it happens a lot earlier..)

Big Bang's Seungri (December 12th, 1990)


2PM's Junho (January 25, 1990)


SHINee’s JongHyun (April 8, 1990)


BEAST’s Lee KiKwang (March 30, 1990)


F.T. Island’s Lee HongKi (March 2, 1990)


F. T. Island's Choi JongHoon (March 7, 1990)


C.N. Blue’s Lee JongHyun (May 15, 1990)


U-KISS‘ KiBum (December 29, 1990)


F.Cuz’s LeeU (March 20, 1990)


ZE:A’s Ha MinWoo (September 6, 2010)

Congratulations, boys!
I now have not the slightest feelings of guilt - this was the all clear I so longed for. Well not for Kibum, but I guess for most of the others.

Every day I shock, SHOCK!!

The day I really, really, honestly and truly, hoped would never come - the day that a k-pop idol and a pair of Crocs joined forces.


Now look here JunHyung, I am not impressed, not one bit. I could maybe have handled this predicament had it been Seob's eyes gazing down at the sand (in shame I hope), but not from you. You're Poppin' Dragon, the cool rapper from BEAST (once known for his crazy hot hair, which is not so crazy and hot these days) - you are not a boy who wears Crocs!

I know you are at the beach and you'd been having a hard time what with your boat rowing and all that, but you didn't see the Hot Blood Men (2AM and 2PM) pulling stunts like this, did you? And they worked out a lot harder.

Your lyrics really have hever before been more appropriate. I hope you are pleased with yourself, bursting my Croc-free bubble!

Every day I shock (shock)
Every night I shock (shock)
I’m sorry, please come back to my side i.e. away from Crocs
Every day I shock (shock)
Every night I shock (shock)
Because of you I can’t focus on anything else. Oh~ this would be the Crocs again
Come to me, oh oh oh tonight's (so so crazy)
Come back, back back to me (I’m waiting (for) you you!)
Oh oh oh tonight's (so so crazy)
I don't think I can ever wake up from ma shock

This last line has just become my reality. You were once my ichiban...but you may have just hammered the last nail into the coffin..

Princes of Darkness?

Mere days after collating and lusting over some of K-pop's finest 'Angels of Death' I wake up to a whole selection of necromantic divination? The world of K-pop really has been pushing it's boundaries of late, right the way football mania to the dark side. I'm not sure if I even really know how to make sense of it all, or if it's even possible. Maybe I'll try my best to just enjoy it and not get the giggles too much - for you will soon see what I mean.

Really, this post has it's roots in the lack firmly routed in my afore mentioned entry. I talked about 'Angels of Death' and dared not include the 2PM zombies ofHeartbeat. What was I thinking, to leave a limp armed/conductor-esque(?) Junho out of the loop?


The only way I can explain it is by saying a) I saw these 'undead' beings as separate from the earthly gun crimes and brawls of my main subjects and b) they are just not that scary or threatening, even with Taec's screams. I mean no disrespect of course.
Not being able to really think of any other K-pop zombie/undead moments at that minute, bar this flash of Jaebeom through my mind

I saw it as a bit of an anomaly, and obviously a great one. But this is certainly no longer the case. So whilst making up for the Heartbeat lack of a mention, I will use this as a spring board into the mythical underbelly of K, dare you follow me.

First up, what really got my desperate to write this entry: BEAST. "BEAST goes topless" is the great news that I woke to at 6:30am this morning. Yes, I thought, YES. As I scrolled down the page it started off great. What a way to start the day, I reflected.

I almost feel bad for the other two next to Kwang.

But this perfect start stood started to loose it's firm and even footings...

Popping Dragon, I can handle the leggings with a straight face. I'd even go as far as to say I like them on you. But the rest? The necklace, tunic, MISE-EN-SCENE...

So, yeah, "Immortar", really? Viking-esque helmet, really? This wants so much to be black metal that it kills me, with laughter. Abbath and Demonaz Doom Occulta (Immortal) would be horrified I dare say. What on gods green earth made this photo shoot go Nordic?

And then back from the depths of the blackest metal to just plain gothic?

I take this chair to be some form of throne. And in this pose, I cannot help but share how much he totally embodies and resembles my own 14 years of age gothic crush or how much I looked like him at that precise time.

Don't get me mixed up, I'm in no way angry or resentful about this shoot. Far from it. I'm somewhat delighted. I honestly never thought there would be a time for parallels to be drawn between K-pop and black metal. But I'm am unable to wipe the smirk from my face, sorry boys.
As if this wasn't enough for one day, the K-pop would delivered again, two fold, in the form of 2AM vampires and SS501 'classic' look??

So, 2AM, you went for a "vampire" look, or so you say.


But I'm not sure it screams "vamp" at me, not after seeing BEAST so early on anyways. Jinswoon is kind of rocking it, of course, but Seulong looks as though he's not even participating in the shoot, let alone acting like a blood sucker, and Changmin looks a little like an oompa loompa with that hair. Again boys, this is not quite the serious prince of darkness poise I was anticipating. And even though Kwonie looks hot as hell, it seems his acting skills are letting him down a little.

I don't think the vamps suck on their own blood babes.

And lastly, to a group that I know little to nothing about, SS501. They have often caught my attention not least of all because they are each one a beauty, and they seem to be pretty prolific, but they just can't seem to hold it musically for me. And though this blog may be one of the shallowest ventures that I will ever have the bravery to own up to, I am not entirely a shallow person. I have to like the music, and that is that. I can have a real respect for the music, as with Big Bang or 2PM say, or it can just make me happy, I will cite UKISS here as a reliable source of joy. But SS501 I just can't dig. So when they tell me they are coming back to a "classic K-pop" sound, away from autotune(!) and heaven knows what other fantastic technology, I pretty much drew a line under them there and then and gave up. And then came the photos ---

The necklace, no wait, THE RING! Studded rings. What has the world come to! A claw ring I could maybe handle (Key (SHINee) kind of got away with one once, but not this!

Studs and spikes? I've already ignored one of these necklaces on Mir before (no I will not be reminding myself of this by reproducing any image here), but when pretty much the whole band is sporting them or at least a studded item of some kind, what is a girl to do?

I should point out, sporting one with a PVC hat! Yikes! What the hell. This is so much more George Michael than Marilyn Manson.

Studded ring mark 2, and coat. And these are not punk studs, no, this is a whole other ball park. Wouldn't want to leave out mention of the whip either...

But wait, what if you're in SS501 and you don't get studs or spikes? Oh that's right, you get a SCORPION across your face. Mother mary of god!

There's not even words I really have for describing this. It's like they picked the least attractive one of the bunch and thought they'd do him a favour by covering half of his face and distracting you away from the remaining half.

I don't know who I'm kidding though. These images may be a little giggle worthy, but there's no denying they pretty much still all look as hot as hell. I will certainly take gothic theatrics and black metal pistaches over football jaunts any day!

"one more time, look at me now I’m crying"

It's not as if I needed another reason to love OK Taecyeon, but I got one....

At a 2PM 'guerrilla' street concert in Hongdae on Saturday, the man famous for his beastly, manly image became overcome by emotions and burst into tears whilst they thanked the fans, much to the surprise of the rest of the boys. The speculation is that he was so moved by how many fans came out to support them despite their recent bad luck / controversies / injuries and despite the efforts of their arch nemesis anti fans, add in a stressful schedule and probably some lack of sleep and that excuses his public bawling. Not that he needs an excuse, I'd find it endearing if he cried at Disney movies so really, he is more than justified in this scenario (but the fact that he doesn't really strike me as a big crier usually just makes this even more attractive...), and more than welcome to sob on my shoulder any time....

Endless thanks to whoever captured that on film. Note how at 0.13 he gives a little warning nudge to Changsung as his lip starts to tremble, Chan looks confused at first but as soon as he sees the tears falling that boy is in their with a hug, ASAP. (audible sobbing heard from 0.29 almost sets me off) and then Nickhun witnessing the hug in action gives the amazing "what the fuck?" hands with a charming smile and joins in the hugs making a beautiful Taec sandwich. The last time I saw such genuine interband cuteness and affection (to the point of my chest hurting) was that fancam of Minho and Taemin spinning round in celebration, but this tops that, no question, because there's full on man crying, and its Taec and Chan. PERFECTION.

It's not like a needed another reason to love 2PM either, but dammit these boys deliver!

This photo is both heartbreaking and dream-making at the same time.

After they had mopped up his tears and he'd straightened himself out, they went right back into the action with a full on lovefest rendition of "10 out of 10" with the usual acrobatics, ass touching and sensual dancing plus an extra side of ass touching, sensual dancing, and making fun of Junsu's leg cast. Witness the fun here (fan cam so you'll have to put up with some shaking, if you're not shaking already).

I love them so much that i'm not even going to give them a hard time about the fact that their Without U comeback image has meant I consistently wonder why they are all dressed like they're Junior Stylists at Toni&Guy circa 2003...

And I just have to include this picture of Junho:

Shame he wasn't in the hug sandwich, but he delivered in his own way.

- BUNNY 

A few more words on K-pop World Cup football mania...

Everythings going to be OK, Super Junior are wearing shorts and looking cute.

My comment on Jess's previous post spiraled out of control so I thought it best to take a moment to voice my thoughts, out here in the open.

I shall firstly state that I do not like sports. Except for pro wrestling. Pro Wrestling is my favourite sport, seriously that should tell you all you need to know, but I shall continue slightly and say that the only other sports I enjoy watching, occasionally, are: gymnastics, figure skating and I am always fascinated by the pole vault. That's about it. I'm going to open up here and tell you that there was a brief period in my youth when I followed football (I am from a family of football fans who all avidly support Aston Villa), I chose to support Leeds United, and spent moments of the first years of my teens, wearing a Leeds United scarf, crushing on footballers, and even having a fantasy football team. So I think the 1998 world cup was probably the only world cup I would have ever shown interest in (and had knowledge about). By 2002 I would have been long gone into my "alternative lifestyle" to even notice the world cup was happening ...

I'm sure at times I have felt enraged by boisterous sports fans and their seemingly pointless pastimes, at other times I felt indifference, these days it just makes me feel a lot better about my dedication to my own pastimes... each to their own....

Back in my youth I sort of understood why countries had a world cup song, just one each, to represent the country (kind of like eurovision... ha!) so people could get into it, and sing it instead of lame national anthems or whatever, but then I never understood why there would be more than one song in the same country,,, like a comedy one, a super patriotic one, a "cool" one, I couldnt make sense of it. Well I couldn't make sense of the charts or marketing or anything, it was just confusing, like there'd be an "official" Fifa one and this was usually way less popular than the cool / comedy one, the kids in school only sang that one.

Anyway there are like 5+ GO KOREA type songs already (I say already and just looked it up and theres like 23 days to go, I guess this is normal...). Jess I'm with you, I don't want sports in my K-pop (unless the idols are playing them, a la "idol united" or "dream team"or something) but, its inevitable i'm afraid.

According to this slightly confusingly translated article, SuJu's EeeTuk, 4Minute Hyun Ah and JinSwoon are actually going to South Africa!? JinSwoon looks happy about it, so I guess we should be happy for him...

These are the facts:

Koreans are really really proud of their country / patriotic

Koreans are really really into football (like how the Japanese are crazy for Baseball..)

Koreans are really really really super proud and into their national football team

Koreans love k-pop idols, they are seemingly a huge majority of the entertainment world, they dominate the music scene and their faces are plastered everywhere.

Which all adds up to GO KOREA WORLD CUP K-POP MANIA 2010!

This current BOOM in idol popularity has been accelerating for the last few years and only really started getting so intense from about 2007 onwards so the 2006 World Cup didn't have quites so many potential "hitmakers" This time around, every K-popper in their right mind will try and cash in on this (or at least every evil mastermind behind all the big idol agencies will force their gals and boys to sing and dance about football whether they like it or not, and they will obediently oblige). I have a suspicion that even if an idol had zero interest in sports or football it highly unlikely they would ever say that out loud, I get the feeling it would be akin to hiding from your military service and you would basically shame the whole nation with your disinterest. So really our plight to ignore this is impossible, i'm not saying to embrace it, but y'know, we'll just have to ride it out, so we'd better start looking for the plus points of whats on offer.

After Jess noticing the underlying excitingly violent lyrics of the Shout of the Reds Big Bang X Kim Yuna X Transfiction monstrosity, it seems there is some joy to be found. The more I see it, the more I think i'm going to have to put up, shut up and learn this confounded dance already:

I say there must be joy to be found, and yet, everyway I turn is more pain. 2AM have the "official" song on the FIFA album and from watching this teaser I'm not sure I ever want to hear it, or see them like that, ever, ever again.

Kwonnie, you can't fool me, I don't think you're that into football, and why the heck are they wearing orange? are they supporting the Netherlands? I thought it was RED, killer REDS??!

Then theres the girls, T-ara's song is especially world cup feeling with lots of global unity, OLE OLE and "go Korea" styling, I applaud their effort, I really do, but pretty much never want to hear that song again, for fear it sticks in my head and creates its own nightmare master mix along with Fat Les - Vindaloo....

More girls who are slightly more unconvincing, Kara's "we're with you" in which they keep saying "bounce bounce" a lot ?! This one really misses the goal by a mile...

I thought I could take no more but now even my recent biases Super Junior are in on 'the game' or at least 5 of them, I'm guessing another SuJu sub group in creation. I'm going to probably regretted ever typing this, but I'm saying maybe its the best of the bunch, for the simple fact that it sounds like a Super Junior song (with just a little bit of extra chanting), although the MV teaser has that football soft drink / beer / feel good beverage sort of vibe :

Also, really what has Sungmin done to piss off the stylists recently, firstly it was the short straw of stage clothes for Bonamana (mesh shirt followed by a sleeveless cropped leg onesie tied at the waist..) and now this:

DON'T PART HIS HAIR LIKE ITS THE FLIPPING 1998 WORLD CUP

I'm getting flashbacks to school trips.

You know what?

I just want to end this post already, i'm depressing myself. I started off trying to turn it around and tell you not to fear, make the most of this sports infested time, it'll be fun! Look for the joy I said!! WHO AM I KIDDING?!

This is horrible. I hate the world cup already, I hate feel good global football unity bullshit, I hate what its doing to kpop, I hate that Big Bang are collaborating with an olympic figure skater, I hate Sungmin's hair in that video, I HATE IT ALL!!!! I think I might cry.

Heechul and Yesung are hating it too. Look at them.

All I can do is PRAY (when I say pray, I mean ask Taeyang to pray for me) that if 2PM get involved in anyway, its only to be featured in an advert where Taecyeon, Chansung and Junho, dressed ONLY in football shorts, shower themselves in ice cold bottles of Coca Cola...

We need a way to get through the next few months...

- BUNNY 

Angels of death

I'm sure that everyone (who is anyone) is well aware of the smoking hot bad boy images that many of our faviourite K-poppers love to intermitently perpetrate; these being sandwiched amongst and inbetween between their super cute aigo personas that are equally often played out.

One of my favourite inter-band bad boy fighter images to date could be the fight scene between T.O.P and GD at the start of Haru Haru. Possibly the most homoerotic and fantasizeable one I have come across to date.

I swear GD's lips make contact. I'm sure of it!

Of course there is also that rivalry between the angel faced balladeers 2AM in I did wrong. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to get a rukus from them, but what a wonderful gift it was.

What you see here is Seulong, pre-Jinswoon punch poise.

Then there is the between band rivals, that I've often fantasized a little, or a whole lot, about. And though it is always rather epic in my mind, of course none of the baby-faced beauties are harmed in any way. It seems that such perfect scenarios don't only have to exist within my head though - they have actually been played out for me, and so charmingly too. Thank you MBLAQ and BEAST:

This was certainly one of the 2009 SBS Gayo Daejun moments that sent me spinning.

It seems that of late this bad boy image has been hotting up more and more, almost to the point of popping (I mean this is many, many ways). It's as if the 'black' image, under which the likes of MBLAQ and various other debuted, was not quite down and dirty enough.

Without You (2PM) seemed to be building up to something darker and more daring, with the 'black' rain that starts pouring mid video; it's almost as if it was a warning of darker things soon to come on the K-pop scene.

Indeed, barely a week later G Dragon's She's Gone got its release. It really is quite the video, with a stalking Jack the Ripper-esque period GD calmly trapsing morbidly though a maze, knife swinging confidently in hand, in pursuit of his victim.

I love that there was a big problem made out of the infamous 'bed' scene, but not this video? I'm pretty sure that this is the one he screened at his concert.. And it's so Macbeth, with the blood on his hands. Hot damn.

But, from knives to guns it developed. Look at K-pop go! (Do you get this badass in Europop I wonder?) The new Big Bang video for Tell me goodbye knocked me for six in more ways than one. Not only is it a fully fledged film noir mise-en-scened, appropriately costumed of course, masterpiece, but it may be the most bad assed I have ever seen T.O.P in a music video.

It's so Bonnie and Clyde that it near on blows my mind. In fact, upon watching again for the nth time, it well and truly has. Cigars and vintage phones, mounted stag taxidermy and tailored to perfection suits throughout. I was in no way expecting this! But there's more: graveyards, leather gloves, pathetic fallacy, steaming sewers, leather bound books, bloody noses, whiskey bring pouring - need I go on!
And I know T.O.P loves to be badass and I have already seen him with guns, as in parts of Iris etc., but there is something about this vintage pistache that really seals the deal for me. I don't know about Taeyang being Bonnie and Teddy (1TYM) being Clyde (as is rapped out oh so smoothly by Teddy in Taeyang's Prayer) - I hand these roles over to GD and T.O.P after this onslaught - with T.O.P crusing around bloody faced in a shot out car, and GD collasing in a heap after pouring whiskey all over the shop - I think they deserve these titles most.

So that was what yesterday bought. And this morning, oh this morning. What I would have done to skip work and have this on repeat... You know what I'm talking about: Y. Oh MBLAQ, boy oh boy did you deliver! You gave me one of the things I love most - inter-band fights. Without further ado:

Now take a deepth breath, re-focus, and let's try to break this down together. For time purposes, and in an attempt to keep to the point, I will only discuss the fight scene, that perfect plot line, between Joon and Seungho. So, until three-quarters of the way through the video you have no idea, not even an incling, and then BAM - a smoking hot Seungho close up 'on set', not in UV day glo dance get up. Why is this you wonder - oh yes, that's why, BECAUSE HE IS IN THE STORY LINE! Soon enough Joon appears, in an attempt to drag the girl away from Seungho's clutches (good luck!) - and so it starts. Seungho administering the first shove, follwed by a very quick of the bat punch from Joon. They cut back the the dancing after this, to remind us all to breathe again i'd say at a guess. You've barely recovered, and Seungho retaliates. It may be short, and on shaky handycam and all that, but it is enough for me, job done. And as if this is not enough for one MV, why not add in an assumed gun-point murder by Joon, just for good measure.

Finally, before I come off as a total creep, there is one more thing i'd like to add, something which is almost equally as exciting as all these testosterone driven fisty cuffs: the 'hysterical' Lee Jung Hyun. It seems it's not just the boys whom are up to no good. Look at her go:

I wasn't even really aware of her before, and I certainly was not expecting this, even from an over 19's branded video, when I pressed play. We now not only have guns and murder, but lesbian thematics too? Back alley bars, ventilation tunnels and underground bathroom stalls - it makes Big Bang's Tell me goodbye look tame! Same sex toilet cubicle multiple rape scenes, K-pop really does have it all covered. I never would have predicted this when I first started out down the K-pop road, watching SHINee's Nuna nomu yeppo:

This was no indication of the lengths that K-pop was soon to go to --- just look at them.

The moral of this post is not that I totally get off on violence and to say that this is all I want to see from K - as this is just a part of it - it is just a happy memoir of some of the risque action I've been enjoying of late.

And maybe instead of just slating Big Bang's Shouting Reds, I should have paid a little attention to the song. The violent and gun totting crazed behaviour that I so far have been basking in even it made it into this national sporting anthem:

We’re the Red Killers, everyone step aside,

Light the bright fire of victory, Red soldiers,

Man I told ya, Cock and load, aim and shoot,

We never miss miss, you better kiss these killer boys.

Yikes! As well as that, there are just so many conflicting messages for me in this GD lyric alone: "Cock and load, aim and shoot". The double entendres are eating me alive.
And then telling me, ordering me, to kiss these 'killer boys' in the next line - wow. Killer boys they are, for sure, and, given the chance, kiss them I will! Permission has been officially granted. I wholeheartedly take back some of the Europop abuse. Boys, punish me as you like.

We (don't) need a (Euro) club banger

So often blinded as I am by my K-pop force field, I like to sweep many things under the carpet, the undesirable underbelly of many a k-popped faux pas. What I am to hence forth discuss is not quite something that needs to be kept so tightly under (daily consciousness) wraps, but it is something I'm not over keen on all the same. This is in the form of the K - Euro - pop overlap.

It is something that has been much discussed apparently, but is something I managed to barricade out of my mind for the first nine months of my K-pop adoration onslaught. However, coming though this initial all-encompassing loving blindness, I start to see more and more similarities. You may ask why I have such an aversion to 'Europop', or rather the concept of it. I believe it stems from my childhood, and my regular attendance to French discotheques from a young age. Having my mother living in France since I was nine, every summer was a mainland Euro summer. Europop may have improved somewhat now, Italo disco is certainly chic (though it's more the blast from the past hits - 80's - that are really worth noting), but I'm still not sure I'll own up to any contemporary associations with it yet.

If you want to understand my aversion, take a little look at this for starters; see for yourself how totally different the two can be (K-pop and Europop), though the example of the Serbian terror Milan Stankovic:

I was fair enough to even pick someone that has made K-pop related plagiarism claims for this - to none other than G Dragon! No joke, this is the boy who claims GD plagiarised his style. As if! You may have blond hair and the occasional penchant for silver lipstick. But THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS. Don't you dare taint GD with your cheap little brush! Honestly.

I admit the above was his Eurovision entry, so I will be a little less biased:


Een with this slightly more realistic image of Milan though, no. This is not GD, NO WAY!

Somehow, because of conceiving Europop to be mostly like this, I've just never, until now, really allowed much of a link with K and Eurobeats. But, to be honest with you, if I have to admit to it, once the point of comparison was brought to my attention, with bands like UKISS I did start to see how you could link a bit of K-pop with a bit of Euro from time to time. Their style, UKISS that is, is rarely or consistently up to that of Big Bang or 2PM, and their beats can certainly be a little, how can I say it, cheesy? (sorry Bunny)

But I still think K wins through with it's super cool fashion and hot to trot reality TV accompaniments. Even as I say this, and comfort myself with these confident words, there are more worries on my K-Euro horizon. I was becoming willing to give into the K-Euro pop link on some fronts even, but not that of BIG BANG!

With the season of high sport upon us, K-pop national sport campaign videos have been cropping up left, right and centre! And this is where my issues mainly lie:

Major yikes. This is not what Big Bang is about, is it? The start makes me think so much of '3 Lions' that I want to cry.

Oh Shouting Korea, why? I appreciate the mini-Big Bang drama it is facilitating, I do, but not this travesty of a song. I thought the days of Big Bang musical embarrassments was dead and buried. Apparently not quite yet.
And, in case you wanted to make it even more of a Eurobeat banger, here's a lovely dance tutorial to accompany:

Oh dear oh dear. This is no Gara Gara Go aftermath!

I'm not suprised too that SuJu have been hauled into the Shouting Korea vortex, but so far I think 2PM are safe. I hope this is true, and it remains this way. But sadly, I doubt it will, as 2AM have evidently given in too:

At least Jo Kwon is keeping up the K- style end of the bargain I guess.

But I read there is to be a whole 2010 FIFA World Cup album --- sad times.

I never really liked sports that much in the first place, as especailly not football. And now to know that this is what is dragging Big Bang down from their sky high pedestal... Really, I think k-pop should stick to having minimal links with sporting affairs. No more of this please.

That said, I do not include United MTV in this disavowal, obviously:

Dream team, in the most honest sense of the phrase!