Hallyouuuuuuuuuuu~!

Kpop: one of those many facets of Hallyu that invades the shores of so many countries not just in Asia, but Africa, Europe, and the Americas. You can say the Korean Invasion started with that very series Winter Sonata. If you don’t know what Hallyu is, then let’s say you are not riding the waves.

So, what about Kpop? Kpop unites and divides people. Some people are avid supporters of the music and are willing to pay hundreds of Won… err… Ringgit, just to see their favourite idols. Others meanwhile belongs to the group of people who tries to steer away from the manufactured sounds of these Korean artists. Manufactured seem good enough word: three top Music Managements in that country seem to churn out more idols faster that you can see kimchi. Well, I belong to neither of the groups. I listen to Kpop music, and I have groups that I like [calling them idols is… err… not for me], but an over-the-top fan, I’m not. I like Jpop better.

Of course, I can’t deny their mass appeal. People love Korean groups, both male and females, and they are devoted to them that they know every single Korean words to the songs that they like, even if the fans really only understand a handful of Korean phrases – oppa, gamsa hamnida,and sarang haeyo being the typical ones. They love Kpop groups for their catchy, danceable, upbeat songs, or in many cases, for the cheery, bubbly songs, even if the people who sing the songs are 20 to 25-years-old males with Asian features. I find myself to love some of those songs. That’s the thing that makes Kpop, Kpop. Plus, their videos are always filled with all those slick dance moves, or mellow heartfelt performances. God knows how long they trained to get those grooves on – though you really should confess [especially the girls], you just want to ogle at their… err… physical attributes.

And that’s something that I think makes those Kpop groups likeable. Their… physical – attributes… [Okay, their bods…]. They work for it. That’s something that I really salute. Girls just can’t get enough of that hotness, can they? That’s determination. Meanwhile, some of the girls in the girl groups don’t really have that good of a voice [not that I have a good voice…], but they sure know how to strut and sashay their stuff on the dance floor. Just look at Girls’ Generation, or SNSD, or Shoujo Jidai, or SoShi, or just whatever that you want to call them… for all I know, you could call the group Stinky Tofus and those hungry Kpop fans would still come to their showcases… Now, back to SNSD, with too many faces in a group, I don’t even know who’s who, but they share one asset– legs… See? Of course, to think that they are grouped together just because of their legs would be something of a stretch... hey, why not show what you’ve got, right?

Talents?

Yes, you have to have talents to be in the entertainment business, and South Korea seems to be bursting with talented people. Just how many groupos appear in these few years? I only stick to those that I knew. Sometimes, many groups sound almost the same… their music are not that different, and of course, their faces… handsome or pretty, but I just can’t separate one from another. Only Kpop fans could recognize different groups. Some groups manage to at least distance themselves from the rest by being different – F.T. Island, for example, plays their own instrument [thanks, Amirah]. You know, people love groups, but there is a solo artist that I think is really talented. It’s a good thing too that she’s easy on the eyes [then again, they always are. Ask the girls]. She’s IU. I love her, and she shows growth over the years – from bubbly songs to more adult-oriented music.

So, I guess Kpop is here to stay.