Episode 6 – The American Dream

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The seventh release and sixth official episode of The Always Rational Kpop Episode is here and it’s a bit of a doozy.  We spend a lot of time talking about comeback news and the fact that Block B hasn’t completely disappointed us.  We apologize for any inferiority in the recording as Noelle’s computer was experiencing complications from a heart murmur.  I also will apologize for my accent dipping in and out and changing, I don’t know what happened there.  Our “Free Talk” considers the American advance that everyone seems to be coveting so badly.

Download Link for Episode 6

News:

• Rain wins the Time 100 Most Influential People Poll (The Poll has been gamed several times in the past, don’t take it too seriously)
• Rania & 4minute reedit their choreography to remove the Spread Leg dance due to it invoking Uncomfortable Feelings in the audience.
• f(x)’s comeback teasers have been released this week
  
  
• Dal Shabet returns with “Pink Rocket”
  
  

  Cmon. What does this look like to you? Be Honest.

• Leader Eric’s comeback was announced.
• My Story wasn’t that funny.
• Eluphant (Minos & Kebee return after 5 years)
• Block B has their debut stage (AssBrass made the beats, but Kyung & Zico wrote the lyrics):
  
• JYJ loses permission to do Charity Concert
• JYJ Announces North American Tour Stops: Vancouver, BC, San Jose, CA, Los Angeles, CA & Newark, NJ.
• Big Bang puts up a poll for where their global tour should go, ignores Australia, New Zealand, the entire continent of Africa, and the Caribbean/West Indies, but whateves, such is life.
• Jaejoong does a “tell all” interview & Noelle speculates on the identity of his four girlfriends since debut.

Leading into our main topic is the following performance on 100 points out of 100 that Brian Joo (formerly of Duo Fly to the Sky) apologized profusely on twitter for.

We talk about KARA’s amazingly unexpected success in Japan, the supposed approaching end of their contract dispute issues and the fact that no one would’ve predicted their explosive success when it was announced that they’re going up against SNSD for the hearts and minds of the Japanese idol music listening public.

The Music Video that launched the phenomenon and their music career in Japan.

Lastly, we follow up our Kara/SNSD Japanese advance discussion with a lengthy one on the proposed American debuts of Rania, U-KISS, 2NE1, Wonder Girls, etc.  This discussion mostly popped into my mind when I was reflecting on KARA’s overcoming their underdog status and I began to wonder if the group/solo artist that manages to truly extend the Hallyu wave to the US will end up being someone we don’t expect.

However, if they’re going to move into a market where the media can completely ruin careers, the truth of the matter is the Korean Music Industry is going to need to clean itself up, a point that Time Magazine pointed out over a full decade ago.

We also touch quite vaguely on Asian-American artists that are extending their popularity on Youtube and on the charts, and the advantages either group has as well as their disadvantages.

The last segment is a bit we’re going to continue doing per episode, just a brief spotlight on artists that have been out of the mainstream eye for a few years, whose music isn’t quite what you get from idols.  Comprised of DJ Clazzi, Horan & Alex Chu (of We Got Married Season 1 fame) and known as Clazziquai Project, they’ve been active since 2004 with the release of Instant Pig.  Their music is a combination of Electronic, Acid Jazz and House & here are a few examples.

Sweety featuring a young man that would’ve eventually become Top Star Lee Junki.

And a few videos from their last release Mucho Punk

Lastly, them performing one of their Most Well known songs “Romeo & Juliet”

Feel free to consume every music video you can find on Fluxus’ channel, their artists are amazing, talented, and they try different styles of music you might not find in the mainstream.

I’mma say goodbye with Handsome People’s latest MV, Crazy 

Opening Song: Block B – Wanna B
Insert Song: Clazziquai – Sweety
Ending Song: Eluphant – She is not Following You

Email us at thealwaysrationalkpoppodcast@gmail.com with any questions, concerns, ideas, hate mail, rants, etc. We’d be thrilled to hear from you. Until Next week.

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Episode 5 – A Hype Nation

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All you need to know is that we spend half of the episode talking about 4minute’s comeback and the other half talking about Rania’s debut.

Download Link for Episode 5

News:

• Rania debuts with “Dr. Feel Good”.
  
  Live Performance on the Friday Show
  
• Brave Girls debut with “Do You Know?”
  
• Rainbow releases their mini-album.
• 4minute’s Comeback
• Big Bang releases their repackaged mini-album 4.5 and doesn’t include “What is Right?”. They also resign with YG Entertainment for 5 more years.
• YGE & KBS, Y U NO STOP TROLLING?
• JYJ gets a Promoter for their American Tour, will announce the stops and dates later, but they should be in May.
• KeyEast, AMENT, Star J Entertainment, SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment all join together to form a new conglomerate United Asia Management for overseas advancement.

Noelle disrupts the news to draw attention to me exercising and cooking and the whole discussion goes downhill.  She calls fangirls crazy, I call for the premature ending of Nichkhun and Victoria’s pairing on WGM.

I announce that I ignore girl groups above six members and then immediately break my new rule.  We have a 4minute bias, this is not news, sorry if you don’t like them, we go on for a bit.

I should not be laughing at the idea that her tits are for rent.

4minute’s debut performance of fail

 

4minute behind the scenes debut

I express my anger over the tracklisting of the repackaged Big Bang 4.5 mini-album.  Surprisingly I like the three new songs, but not enough to outweigh how much I disliked the original mini-album.

We plead that Kpop artists embarking on a “World Tour” remember that the world exists outside of Asia.

Do you believe that the new United Asian Management will be a force for good or a force for evil in terms of the advancement of Kpop?

We discuss reactions of Kpop fandom (international especially) to Rania and how inherently hypocritical the backlash has been. Slut Shaming is completely uncalled for and if you’re a child you need to back away from the Internet, if you’re a grown up you should be completely ashamed of yourself.
Learn Yourself some Teddy Riley, and to keep this Kpop related, here’s a video of pre-debut TOP covering Blackstreet’s No Diggity.

Send feedback to thealwaysrationalkpoppodcast@gmail.com or reach us on twitter at ARKpopPodcast on Twitter.

Opening Song: Rainbow – To Me
Insert Song: 4minute – Heart to Heart
Ending Song: Daesung – Baby Don’t Cry

Episode 4 – Happy Face

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Unfortunately since this episode is a little less planned, it’s definitely a short one this week. Sorry if that cuts your workout routine/work commute routine off a little. We’ll try and make up for it next week and make it long as hell.

Download Link for Episode 4

HappyFace (PilKang-Left & BigTone-Right)

News:

I feel like we’ve discussed this before: but Big Bang’s 4.5 repackage album has a tracklist and some teaser photos and audio teaser for Stupid Liar. Album release date for April 8th.

Big Bang – Stupid Liar Teaser

Yunho & IU rumoured to be in ice-skating variety show.

Shinee’s Jonghyun & Shin Se Kyung apparently still bumping uglies. You’re welcome. Also, look out for her upcoming movie “Blue Salt”

WGM has two upcoming new couples:

Kim Won Jun & Park So Hyun

Ham Eunjung (T-Ara) and Lee Jang Woo

I’m definitely looking forward to the Won Jun/So Hyun couple

5Dolls to cameo in MBC’s Best Love drama as kpop group “Candice”. I then make fun of Noelle’s lack of knowledge of Chanmi and there’s a poor slip of the tongue.

4minute releases Heart to Heart mini album and music video. This is not a countdown. Sohyun has the bicycle and those goggle things are sorta boss.

What a Girl Wants <–in case you’ve forgotten that 4minute has done cutesy MVs before.

JYJ kicked off their “World Tour” while we were recording. Indonesia & Singapore’s legs were cancelled.

Idol music producers not happy about MBC’s “I am A Singer”.

Kara sells over 1 million copies of their currently released Japanese albums and singles, joining the likes of BoA and DBSK.

Things that Make Us Happy

4minute’s MV makes us happy.

People are still angry/jealous of Jihyun’s tits.

U-KiSS’ transformation to a band everyone can love.

DBSK releases “Before You Go” Dance Version. Changmin rubs his dick, Yunho rubs his belt, Noelle becomes a pervert mid-sentence.

Drunken TOP’s UFO replies.

Crown J – I’m Good ft. Young Dro (Over 12.5 million views at posting)

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/e/16711680/wshhyE57vtbm71nc160n

Poor attempts at subtle racism do not make us happy.

Aziatix releases Go and it does well on iTunes. As always, please support them by buying their single on iTunes.

Noelle looks forward to Block B because they might be cute, of course, it’s never about talent with her.

Opening Song: Crown J – I’m Good ft. Young Dro

Ending Song: Seo In Guk – BROKEN

Episode 3 – Produce This

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In episode three we delve into the news of the week.

We also talk about several big name producers in Mainstream Kpop: E-Tribe, Shinsadong Tiger and Brave Brothers and we pose the following question.  What does an artist have to do wrong (morally, ethically or legally) that would cause you to lose faith in an artist and stop supporting them?

Download Link for Episode 3

The news covers:

• 4minute’s comeback teasers and Cube’s “Boobs!” philosophy, G.NA’s vs. JiHyun’s. Images
• Big Bang’s upcoming 4.5 repackage album with 4 new songs
• JYJ’s JaeJoong preparing for the Thailand leg of their tour
• JYJ’s Yoochun preparing for the filming of Goodbye Miss Ripley
• SS501’s Hyun Joong preparing for a solo album
• Bran New Kiss
• Longest Lasting Legendary Idol Group Shinhwa celebrates their thirteenth anniversary.
• Heechul rants about his face scar, I laugh at his misery. He’s forgiven because he’s Heechul.
• Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism spearheads a meeting with major Entertainment companies to discuss making trainee life better.

4minute Hyuna’s Teaser

4minute Jiyoon’s Teaser

4minute JiHyun’s Teaser

4minute Gayoon’s Teaser

4minute Sohyun’s Teaser

The Shinhwa pictures we were talking about NSFW if you’re afraid of male nudity I guess

Balls Possibly Touching

The Background music is of course from E-Tribe (two guys), Shinsadong Tiger (1 guy) and Cube’s resident producer, Brave Brothers (one guy), YGE’s former producer.

E-Tribe – Mother

Shinsadong Tiger – B2ST’s Soom

Brave Brothers – Invisible

Some of his first songs produced while he was under YG for other artists

Battle (now defunct, sorta) – Step by Step

Son Dambi ft. a predebut Park Gahee – Bad Boy

And his last major hit for YGE, Big Bang – Last Farewell

Now you can see everybody’s argument about style vs. laziness when it came to him. Please forgive Noelle for using Gee at the top of this episode, I guess she couldn’t resist.

We mostly discuss Hyori’s plagiarism issue and Chris Brown for our Free Talk segment.

Until next week.

Opening Song: SNSD – Gee
Closing Song: Brave Brothers ft. Everyone (Hyuna, M, Maboos, Red Roc, Basick) – Bittersweet

Episode 2 – Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality

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Friday, March 11, 2011, Japan was hit with a major 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a tremendous tsunami that devastated a lot of the East Coast. In the past week a lot of news came out about donations from the Kpop/Korean acting community towards the population of Japan. The marathon I refer to is being hosted here Help Japan and is run by a loose association of anime podcasts, one of whom I’m a semi permanent host for. You are of course welcome to donate blood, volunteer and donate to the charity of your choice.

Download Link for Episode 2

We spend a little time going over the news concerning the Japanese debut of several Korean artists including B2ST/BEAST and 2NE1. We’re still waiting on what Cube is going to do to give back. Jet Coaster Love is the single that Kara is going to donate the profits of to Tsunami/Earthquake relief.

Cho PD’s comments have stirred up Big Bang fans a lot at least on the International side. Maybe he’s covering his ass to protect Block B from the wrath of ViP’s upon their debut. Mic Swagger (hiphopplaya) hosted by Sool J, featuring Block B’s Zico & Park Kyung here:

As far as the new Big Bang CD with the big name producers, we’re hoping for a winter release, preferably on the 2011 side of winter. My comments about Wil.i.am and Black Eyed Peas are probably everybody’s feelings now so I’m just going to leave a video of Request+line now.

Pardon us for going on about DBSK a bit, we were both sorta surprised by their performance. I completely deny my roots as a Big Bang fan in favor of this winning over Tonight.

The discussion turns a little serious when we discuss Jay Park’s apology to JYPE and 2PM and then follow up on last week’s news about the release of Jang Ja Yeon’s letters and the questioning of the truth of those papers.

Our Free Talk this week is on MBLAQ as requested by their fan Naomz and we do our best not to be too mean to Thunder.

We flub a little while discussing each individual member, as I’m not a huge fan and Noelle barely learned of them in the hours previous. While I liked Oh Yeah at debut, it was the Y MV that really got me into them, partly due to Lee Joon and partly due to the more cinematic nature of that MV over Oh Yeah.

Talking about MBLAQ led me to remember what I said the topic would be, Talented members of the group vs. The Members that make the group’s image. This is a pretty common debate in Kpop and we do our best to handle it with respect. Thanks for meeting us this week, have a good one and we hope you join us again next week.

Opening Song: B2ST – Rainbow
Closing song: DBSK – Before U Go

Episode 1 – What Would You Do For Fame?

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After I called the previous episode the zero episode on a whim, this is now our official first episode.

Download Link for Episode 1

In the news segment we cover Heechul’s accident with a lightboard at Super Show 3 in Shanghai, and I make jokes that are probably uncalled for, but it’s always important to remember that you shouldn’t throw things that can become missiles or injure someone.  We also discuss the fact that JYJ’s fanmade Internet Station created because their group was being obviously blacklisted in the traditional media has shut down after 4 days, SME announces that they bought the rights to create a Korean Drama based on the manga Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Hana Kimi) and Noelle creates dream-casting by suggesting f(x)’s Amber as the lead, Big Bang tops downloadable charts, including iTunes and hits two of BillBoard’s charts, and eager eyes discover Teddy Park’s (of  1TYM) cameo in Chris Brown’s “Look At Me Now” MV ft. Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne.

An example of 1TYM’s music from their last album, released back in 2005.

We’re sidetracked for a bit talking about Crown J and his current troubles and I completely blank on Young Dro’s name.

Following the news we cover two freetalk segments. The first is some discussion of the increasingly common occurrence of Korean artists migrating to the Japanese market. We reason out the why beyond the obvious (money) and talk about the respect needed to continue your growth in both industries. Regretably we neglect to mention the reverse, of an unestablished Korean artist migrating from the Japanese market back to the Korean market. I am so sorry for forgetting about you Go Younha, I still love you.

We give credit to the original BoA, to the first Korean Boyband to take Japan by storm, Dong Bang Shin Ki/Tohoshinki and about those that are following in their footsteps currently.

The last topic covered is “What would you do to become famous?” and we discuss mostly the issues surrounding Jang Ja Yeon’s suicide. She was an actress in the obscenely popular Korean remake of Boys Over Flowers and committed suicide shortly after to draw attention to her plight and similar ones of other actresses. A portion of the list of 31 men she accused her company of forcing her to provide sexual favors to leaked on the Internet this past week. These were men she accused of being Devils, and while this list has yet to be independently verified, it is still shining a light on the darker side of the Entertainment industry.  Up to the point of recording the police had accused her list of being fabricated by Jun, the inmate friend of hers, but shortly after a group of independent experts spoke about the unlikelihood of the list being faked.

Find out more about depression here NIH on depression

Next episode we hope to cover some more positive things in our freetalk segments. We’re also going to talk a bit about MBLAQ and the trend of boy/girl idol groups to include both very talented members and those that fit in well to the group (not meant as an insult to MBLAQ). And Noelle is going to try to continue to improve as an editor.

Opening Song – Kara’s Mister (Japanese version)
Ending Song – MBLAQ – Y

Episode 0 – Exploding on the Scene with a BIG BANG!

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Your wonderful co-hosts Noelle and Dame Dr. Foxy Brown discuss mostly Big Bang’s comeback after 2.5 years.  The topic ranges from their debut, how the mini-album stacks up against their previous music, the promise to go back to their roots, and an analysis of the music video.

The Download Link for The Pilot

Topics that were also covered are: other YG Family artists and the company’s marketing strategy, 5Dolls, DBSK, Song Ji Eun’s (of Secret) official debut song co-featuring Bang Yong Gook and U-KISS member shuffle and our personal feelings on that (be on the lookout for a little U-KISS tribute at the very end).  There’s also the GD & TOP album release event in Manila, Philippines. In the future we hope to have proper hosting and to get the show on iTunes.

You can find us on twitter at The Always Rational Kpop Podcast and email us at thealwaysrationalkpoppodcast@gmail.com

Have a free picture of Chanmi (5Dolls & CoED) performing on Music Core on February 19,2011 & one of her on Inkigayo the following day.

Searched my vids for the red hat, just because it's so boss and because I love you. Turns out I like "Your Words" more than "Lip Stains" in the time it took listening to the song for a nice shot.

Not the red hat I mentioned, but it's pretty much the same style, different color