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!