I have to start this post with a disclaimer: I know nothing about the technicalities that go into making a good rap. All I know is what sounds good to my ears, and what makes me punch the air when I hear a particularly good solo. So, in no particular order, here are my five favorite kpop songs with EXCELLENT raps.
Karie the Maknae: Over this last year, I’ve come to trust Kmuse’s recommendations more and more. My own forays into Chinese dramas were disastrous, but after Kmuse inadvertently got me to watch Legend of Fuyao, I’ve discovered that branching out from kdramas ain’t so bad. So when she said, “Do you want to watch Young Detective Dee?”, my immediate response was to pop popcorn and press play. As per usual, I was NOT disappointed.
Right before I fell down the kpop rabbit hole (I feel like I talk about that rabbit hole ALL THE TIME–to be fair, it was a defining event in my life), I was starting to get into what I call Power Coffeehouse. Power Coffeehouse included Phillip Phillips, Mumford and Sons, Bastille, Coldplay to an extent, Ben Folds Five…you get the picture. Continue reading
I think I’ve finally found a companion to Still 17! MiataMama and I decided to give Devilish Joy a whirl after hearing it described as being somewhat like 50 First Dates. Thankfully, I don’t spy anyone like Rob Schneider in this one (not a knock on the man himself — his character was just awful in that movie). Nor is the lead character stuck in the same day — he and the people around him are fully aware of his Cinderella amnesia, as they call it. The amnesia is the ONLY thing that ties the two together. Continue reading
Being a curious bunny, I often go nosing around side rabbit holes when I’ve discovered something new. Early on in my kpop journey, I found Amber’s solo projects and was absolutely delighted. Royal Pirates broke up pretty much the day I found them, and I’ve been following former bassist James Lee’s fascinating story since then. And YouTube likes to think it knows me well (see my playlists here, here, here, and here) (I also dabble in Spotify), so once upon a time it suggested FYKE, whose lead singer Enik Lin played with Royal Pirates as James Lee was transitioning to keyboard after his accident.
I’ve discovered since then that these artists know each other, hang out together, and support each other’s musical efforts–the silly and the serious. Come see what I’ve discovered about Kpop Once Removed.
When I was putting together my post of Korean culture questions for MiataMama, Kdrama Jen helpfully suggested that she had some host daughters who live in Korea, and that they could answer questions too! So below we have answers from HostDaughter1, who is 26, a former military officer and current office worker; and HostDaughter2, who is 21 and currently a student at a prestigious Korean university. MiataMama is an American. She and her children are in Korea with her husband, who has been stationed there with the US military for a few years.
It’s been interesting to see their different responses to these questions, and to see the difference in their experiences. Enjoy!
I’ve figured out lately that I collect biases a little differently than other people. For instance, I will watching anything that Lee Hong Ki is in, not for his looks, but for his adorable personality–his humor just shines through. Lee Dong Wook is masterful at conveying his emotions and has a great sense of comic timing. And now that I’ve watched Hwayugi and The Greatest Love, I am on the Cha Seung Won train–the man is a capable actor who cracks me up even when he’s being ridiculously cheesy. That takes some serious talent, in my estimation.
Every once in a while there is that odd drama that none of The Fangirls got around to watching when it aired. Queen of Mystery (Mystery Queen) is just such a drama. Unexpectedly, the talented promotions for Queen of Mystery 2 had us wondering if we had missed something special. So come join us as we share our thoughts on Queen of Mystery and maybe you will discover it is a show you should be checking out as well. Continue reading
Hi-dee-ho, neighbors! It is I, your lovable Maknae, back from another solo journey into KDramaland. Did I survive? I did! And I came away with a greater appreciation for Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin’s acting skills. Let’s talk about School 2013, shall we?
My husband and I often talk about psychology and mental health. We took a few classes together in college and he has a master’s degree in a psychology-related field. We’ve talked about how it seems like Korean culture doesn’t really have an open dialogue about things like depression and anxiety. So when I talked his ear off about Kill Me, Heal Me, his first comment was, “I thought kdramas didn’t deal with mental health!” I laughed. Kill Me, Heal Me is aaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllll about the mental health! And I loved it the whole time I was watching it.