Korean artists

[Yumeko]

So Korean music is picking up in popularity quite a bit in the last year.  It seems it's mostly Korean pop that is getting noticed.  Groups like Tohoshinki (aka Dong Bang Shin Ki), SS501, Rain, BoA, Se7en, Trax and Shinhwa to name a few; are quite popular in Japan and now some of them are getting noticed here.  For example Rain and Se7en are trying to break into the American industry.  Se7en's album is coming out in November.  There's now an MTVK too.  So what are your thoughts on the Korean music explosion?

[Do As Eternity 6]

first off: skshobouasdbhcudbcsdbcsu se7en's album in novemeber whoot! [/babble]

second: I like it...getting anything from another country(cept i guess the UK cuz we get a good few from there) here is amazing i wish that K-rock would do a bit better too ...it's a shame they don't get as much exposure since there are alot of great bands.

[lovetrick]

Do not want.

[非難GO-GO > バクチク]

I've been listening to Korean music for years now , well 7 or 8 to be exact and I admit I was more impressed with thier pop and rock scene faster than I was with the JP one. It took me years to be all excited about j-rock and pop  . Alot of Korean artists just pop , they just know how to mix the right elements , so It's nice to see them get some recognition finally.

My tops being Clazziquai , Eve , Kim Gun Mo , Minwoo , Baek Ji Young , Shinhwa , Fly to the Sky , DBSK/TVXQ , Novasonic ( who I miss ) , Ash , N.EX.T , Crash ( amazing ) , Sad Emperor , Benzene ( My friends band ) , Bulgoki ( a comedy rock group ) , Moon HeeJun , DJ .D.O.C , Baby V.O.X and V.O.X reV , G.O.D , Click B , M.C the MAX , etc... the list goes on forever.

There are also some ammmmmmazing Korean metal and industrial acts. My latest fav being Anniyo ( They do a mix of black metal and ebm , it's kinda like Icon of Coil mixed with Dimmu Borgir ).

[Yumeko]

I admit I was more impressed with thier pop and rock scene faster than I was with the JP one. It took me years to be all excited about j-rock and pop  . Alot of Korean artists just pop , they just know how to mix the right elements , so It's nice to see them get some recognition finally.

I agree.  I hardly ever listen to Jpop.  I mean; I guess some of my "jrock" artists cross into the pop genre too such as Gackt or Hyde or certain bands; but I think maybe the only jpop artists I listen to are like TMRevolution, Utada, and I can't really think of anymore.  Kpop grew on me super fast.  I didn't think I'd get into it as much as I did because I want to be able to sing along even if I can't understand it.  I still can't sing along with korean well.  But after hearing some TRAX and then hearing the song TRIANGLE by DBSK and looking up more of their music; I found a good website and it just exploded from there.  It felt like when I first got into Jrock; I didn't know anything so any names that I saw consistantly popping up whether it be releases or people talking about them; I'd check them out.  I'm still trying to find more Korean music and now I'm getting into C and T music.

I'm very happy that Kpop is picking up in popularity.  I think Se7en can make it here.  He sings in English really well; is learning to speak it and seems to be doing well.  His genre of music is what's popular right now; so I think he has a lot going for him.  I just hope that his release album here is damn awesome; unlike Utada's English album that came out; I like her but that album was bad.  If Se7en can put out an amazing album; he'll do good.  Did anyone hear 'This is my year' by Se7en?  It's one of the English songs and it was leaked a couple months ago.  Anywho; it does make me a little sad that there isn't an MTVJ and that Jrock; despite its popularity; is having a hard time breaking into this industry.  There are seriously some Jrock bands that; if they learned to speak English well; could do well here.  For one, I've always thought that if Gara learned to speak English really good; Merry would do awesome here.  Others would be Buck-Tick, Hyde/Laruku, Abingdon Boys School, to name a few.

Which reminds me; it's been stated in interviews that S.K.I.N. has their eyes on the USA.  I don't know how serious they are about that goal.  Apparently a lot of their songs so far are in English and two of the members are fluent (I'm assuming Yoshiki and Gackt) and the other two are working on it.  Between JRR and S.K.I.N.; I've heard three of the members speak in English.  Miyavi is doing very well.  But him and Gackt need work on pronunciation.  Especially Gackt as he is the vocalist and the face of the band.  At the concert; I had no ideas a couple of those songs were in English.  For one, they were fast paced and it was loud; screaming didn't help.  But I bet once the songs are officially released (hopes very soon); I will be able to tell.  Still; I'm afraid that foreign artists just can't really get popular here unless they can sing English as well as a native.  I don't really care; but I'm not the majority of the public.  As the vocalist from Tokio Hotel said in an interview about his English album; he said he had to learn to sing in English good otherwise people would think "Who is that idiot that can't speak English" and sadly I think that's true with the general public.

[Do As Eternity 6]

yea i heard the "this is my year" song ^^; at first i was disappointed a bit by the repetitiveness but it's pretty solid song and i think it would fit well actually in the current American music scene. and psh if clazziquai got famous here i would like *die* it would be such a happy day!

lol  i like a lot of jpop (well except like all the H!P, johnnys, etc. i could never get into those for some reason and well ayumi >.<)  so i wish some of those artists would cross over here like namie amuro or crystal kay(actually i think kuri is planning to release smth here one of these days i think she said after she establishes her self a bit more in japan...and she i'm sure would do excellent here. since she doesn't have to worry about her english and her music fits here for the most part anyway. only thing is people would continually compare her to amerie (who sounds like a dying squirrl IMO). but i want her to come here soon)...utada tried >.< i really wish she had done well...shibasaki kou is awesome...oh i wish i could resurrect DAI but well the brilliant green woul be nice...dopind panda...oh m-flo too...lots of other people too but it would be pointless to name =_=;;

i think it sucks but you're right people here won't really appreciate artists if they can't speak english ...i still remember when i first started liking j-rock and still had no other friends into it people would look at me like how can you listen to that if you can't understand it? i can't fault them cuz i know for a lot of people lyrics are really the most important aspect to music (even though i wouldn't say half of these songs out now have satisfactory lyrics i mean "my lipgloss is popping, my lipgloss is popping"  isn't exactly genius...but i guess people want to sing along to smth catchy and well >_>...i don't think i have to say more) hmm merry would be nice here i agree...but you know i think even if his english was good i don't think they would make it all that big...i don't think their music would be received well by the masses =/ as sad as that makes me...but who knows i may just not have enough faith in the masses xD

[Yumeko]

it seems like the public goes through phases; certain genres get popular for awhile and then die out.  And the ones that consistently stay popular are rock, pop, rap/hiphop.  Gara has a unique voice; even in english; that might not be well received.  Still; I think Merry is something unique and different. 

I still get a lot of slack for listening to foreign music.  It's always the same thing "how can you listen to it if you don't understand it?"  And I always reply the same way; "I like the music and I can always look up translations if I want."  But some people just absolutely cannot open their minds.  I find that sometimes I prefer the sound of a language itself compared to others and that makes a song more appealing.  But then a part I find sounds really cool; someone else would probably laugh at and try to make fun of and imitate.  It's sad. 

I just hope 'This is my year' isn't his first single.  I still don't think it's that amazing of a song.  And it's definitely too repetitive.

[非難GO-GO > バクチク]

I hate it when groups/musicians debut in another country with "first" things , which are obviously in thier country like thier 12th single or 3rd album. I think they need to just release it in order as it was originally done.

[evilaya12]

i think it sucks but you're right people here won't really appreciate artists if they can't speak english ...i still remember when i first started liking j-rock and still had no other friends into it people would look at me like how can you listen to that if you can't understand it? i can't fault them cuz i know for a lot of people lyrics are really the most important aspect to music (even though i wouldn't say half of these songs out now have satisfactory lyrics i mean "my lipgloss is popping, my lipgloss is popping"  isn't exactly genius...but i guess people want to sing along to smth catchy and well >_>...i don't think i have to say more) hmm merry would be nice here i agree...but you know i think even if his english was good i don't think they would make it all that big...i don't think their music would be received well by the masses =/ as sad as that makes me...but who knows i may just not have enough faith in the masses xD

ahem.....I love you for pointing out how much that song fails. I'll admit the only time I EVER sing that song is to annoy people. Nobody in my town seriously likes that song, so I use it to taunt people like "WHATCHU KNOW BOUT ME......betch" yeah I throw in a betch too >_> ok off topic.

  But after hearing some TRAX and then hearing the song TRIANGLE by DBSK and looking up more of their music; I found a good website and it just exploded from there.  It felt like when I first got into Jrock; I didn't know anything so any names that I saw consistantly popping up whether it be releases or people talking about them; I'd check them out.  I'm still trying to find more Korean music and now I'm getting into C and T music.

lol The trax and DBSK were my first 2 korean bands as well! Funny enough Triangle was The first song I ever heard from them too!  I am still in love with both bands but they broke my korean virginity ....or was it BOA? eh w/e

[非難GO-GO > バクチク]

You know Rain and Lee Jun Ki are doing Tour Korea commercials. XD

[Yumeko]

^ thats cool.  I'm not familiar with Lee Jun Ki

[Do As Eternity 6]

yea me neither who is this lee jun ki?

and @ evilaya12 ... gawd yes! finally someone who agrees with me on the suckiness of this song! everyone around me(except my sister and brother who i have taught well) loves this song and i just don't understand it...this and the chicken noodle soup song (and avril's girfriend *gauges her eyes out*)...I'm tired of these songs that have absolutely no business on the radio except to annoy the life out of you >.< it's songs like that that make me want to emo in a corner for humanity

[非難GO-GO > バクチク]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Jun_Ki

[Do As Eternity 6]

oh oh i've seen him before ... in clazziquai's sweety video yup [fangirl moment]shsojaoduoan damn he is hot [/fangirl moment]

thanks for the info

[Yumeko]

^ I've never even seen him before.  He is cute!